Surprise of the Day

Jesus never asked a question he did not know the answer to including this:

“My God!  My God!  Why have you forsaken me?”

Psalm 22:1-23  –  Psalm 22:24 & 26  –  Psalm 23  –  Psalm 24

Fact of the Day 

  He was quoting Psalm 22 verse 1.   What follows in Psalm 22 are detailed prophecies of what Jesus would go through 1000 years after it was written.

In verse 24 is his answer:  “He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of his afflicted, nor has he hidden his face from him.  For when he cried to him for help, he heard.”

And verse 26 is the conclusion:  “Let your heart live forever.” 

In fact, the very next chapter – 23 – is all about our shepherd Lord who walks with people through the shadow of death.

And the very next chapter after that – 24 – is the magnificent anthem, “Raise your gates that the King of Glory may come in!  Who is the King of glory?  The Lord strong and mighty!”

Oops of the Day

Jesus was made a little lower than the angels

Psalm 8:4-6  –  Malachi 3:1  –   Hebrews 2:6

Fact of the Day 

No! The Greek and Hebrew both say “messenger,” often translated angels, but there are other kinds of messenges. Malachi predicted there were going to be two messengers – one to introduce the second messenger, and the second messeger. Psalm 8:6 says this second messenger created the world, and all things were put under his feet.  Angels do not create and will never have all things under their feet.  The translation should be that God made him a little lower than God.

Oops of the Day

Job had a disease with many boils on his skin.

Job 2:7,8,12  –  Job 7:4,5  -Job 17:1 – Job 19:17-20  –  Job 30:17,18, 27-30

Fact of the Day 

No!  Read about this disease in medical pages and compare it with the scriptures where he describes his disease (see above).  Job’s disease was a form of leprosy called elephantiasis, a marked and strongly developed form of leprosy. This disease creates an intense heat, a burning and ulcerous swelling. It is leprosy in its most terrible form, taking its name from the appearance of the body, which is covered with a knotty, cancerous bark like the hide of an elephant.  He was so deformed by his disease, his friends didn’t recognize him.

 

Oops of the Day

Job’s wife told him to curse God and die.

Job 3:11  –  Job 10:1  –  Job 2:9

Fact of the Day 

No!   Job himself had wanted to die. The Hebrew verb used by Job’s wife (that has been translated as “curse”) is barak and is used over 325 times in the Old Testament. It is most often translated “bless.”  This is the meaning of barak in the words of Satan to God about Job: “You have blessed (baraked) the work of his hands”  She was telling him “You are suffering so much. It’s okay to die. I will be okay.”

Oops of the Day

 

God tests people to find out how they will react after a difficult time or when he tells them to do a difficult thing.

Genesis 22:1-2 &12  –  Genesis 25:26 – I John 3:20  –  Matthew 10:29-30  –   Isaiah 46:9-10  –   Psalm 139:1-4 & 15-16  –   I Kings 8:39.

Fact of the Day

No!  God knows everything. He knows the past, the present, and the future. He does not dwell in the realm of time. He tests us…
(a) to help us understand ourselves (strengths & weaknesses) better and
(b) to strengthen our spiritual muscles.

Let’s look at Genesis 22 where God told Abraham to sacrifice his son to him and the moment before he would have plunged his knife into the heart of his son.  Many translations report God as saying, “NOW I know you love me most SINCE you did not withhold your son.”  But does the Hebrew say that?

In Hebrew, the word “since” is not there.
In Hebrew, the word “now” is also translated testify of, explain (Exodus 23:2) or respond to a situation (Daniel 5:10).

When God responded to Abraham after stopping him from sacrificing his son, he was saying, “I knew all along you put me first. I knew all along you would not withhold your…only son from me” (Genesis 22:12). In other words, God was saying something like,  “Now you know you are stronger than you thought. I’m so proud of you, Abraham!”

Oops of the Day

Satan has powers to do whatever he wants to people.  

Job 1:9-12  –  Job 2:10a  –  Job 42:5  –  Genesis 15:1-20  –   Genesis 21:5  –  Genesis 22  –  Galatians 3:6-9  –  Jeremiah 27:6 – Jeremiah 43:10 – Jeremiah 50:1 – 51:14

Fact of the Day

No! God gives him permission and uses him to test people (spiritual exercises) and develop spiritual muscles in his people.  Job was strong.  He ended up being stronger.  Same with Abraham who lived close to the same time as Job.

God also gives him permission to direct the punishment of evil countries; then punishes the punisher.  He did that with Babylon who conquered Jerusalem, then was conquered by Persia.

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Satan is God’s inferior  – Job 1:6
Satan cannot tempt anyone without God’s permission – Job 1:12; I Corinthians 10:13
Satan cannot manipulate nature without God’s permission – Job 1:12, 16, 19
Satan cannot afflict harm on anyone’s body without God’s permission – Job 2:2-6
Satan does not know what we dream – Daniel 2:27-28

SATAN IS A COWARD – James 4:7

Satan cannot read out minds – Isaiah 40:28; I Kings 8:39;
ONLY GOD reads our minds – Psalm 94:11; Matthew 9:4

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God has placed a fence around each believer to protect them from Satan. – Job 1:10; I John 5:18

Oops of the Day

Satan fell from heaven at the beginning of the world forever. 

Isaiah 14:4-16  –   Job 1:6  –  Daniel 5:30-31  –  Luke 10:17-18  –  Revelation 12:7-17  –   Revelation 2:8  –  Revelation 22:16

Fact of the Day

No! 

• Satan was periodically in heaven; i.e., he was there to get permission to tempt Job to deny God.
• When Jesus’ disciples were out preaching, Jesus said he was watching Satan fall during that time.
• His final fall was at the crucifixion & resurrection of Jesus.

Isaiah was speaking of the king of Babylon who took credit for being King.  So God punished him by making him live like an animal for a year until he was willing to acknowledge God.  Which he finally did.

 

Oops of the Day

Lucifer is Satan’s name

Isaiah 14:12 – Job 3:9 – Job 38:7 – Psalm 148:3 – Isaiah 14:12 – Revelation 22:16

Fact of the Day

No! Lucifer (Morning Star) is Jesus’ title, not Satan’s.

Job 3:9 morning stars (describes stars between night and dawn symbolically praising God)
Job 38:7 stars of morning (describes symbolic singing stars between night and dawn)
Psalm 148:3 –shining stars (describes symbolic praising stars)
Isaiah 14:12 – day star (describes king of Babylon taking credit away from God for his kingship)
Revelation 22:16 – bright morning star (JESUS describing himself)

4th century AD – A Catholic bishop was named Lucifer.

5th Century AD, – Jerome, a Catholic priest, translated the Old Testament from Hebrew to Latin. He translated Satan as Lucifer and capitalized it to make it a proper name instead of a description, thus giving the devil another name besides Satan.

Since then, the protestants have been following the example of the Catholics – again.

The title belongs to Jesus.

Surprise of the Day

Did Job in the Bible really exist?  If so, who was he and where did he live?

Job 1:1 – Genesis 10:23 – Genesis 36:8, 28 – I Chronicles 1:17 & 44-45 – Genesis 3:34

Fact of the Day

Surprise!  Jobab was a duke, also translated chief and king.  It could also be translated sheikh.

Uz is where Job lived and reigned.  The city was named after Uz, a grandson of Shem. Eventually, the city became part of Edom.

Edom means red and was founded by Esau, red-haired son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham.