THE OLD TESTAMENT IN MATTHEW'S GOSPEL

As everyone realizes, Old Testament language and events permeate the whole New Testament. However, it is not as obvious to everyone that different NT authors tend to utilize the OT in different ways. I will be looking at most of these authors in separate posts, starting with Matthew.

The way we see the OT pop up in Matthew's Gospel is what we probably expect in most cases elsewhere in the NT: some event, especially in Jesus' life, is described followed by Matthew's comment that this happened as a fulfillment of the prophecy by so-and-so. Some of the formulas employed are given below:

All of this transpired in order to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet (1:22)

                                                                                                        through the prophet Jeremiah (2:17)

                                                                                                        through the prophet Isaiah (12:17)

                                                                                                through the prophet (13:35; 21:4)

This is the person the prophet Isaiah spoke of when he said (3:3)

It is written (4:4,6,7,10; 21:13; 26:31)

So that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled (4:14)

You have heard that it was said (5:21,27,31,33,38,43)

This is the one about whom is written (11:10)

With them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled saying (13:14)

Isaiah correctly prophesies about you when he said (15:7)

Have you never heard? (21:16, 42)

Why did David by the Spirit call him Lord? (22:43)

(no formula given) (24:29; 26:64)

Then was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah (27:9)

Note that:

    On occasion, Jesus or someone else is doing the quoting, but many others are editorial comments by the author Matthew.

    The major prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah are quoted more than any others.

    Sometimes the words are said to have been written and sometimes spoken.

    The vague formula “You have heard it said” can refer either to something found in the OT or to teachings current at the time.

    Sometimes the words are said to come directly from the prophets, and other times the prophets (including David) are more precisely described as being the conduits of the Lord or the Spirit.

    The emphasis on God as being the ultimate author of the OT is also seen in those times when no specific author or even no formula is given.

The use of direct quotations in Matthew's Gospel is the most pervasive and obvious way that Matthew utilizes the OT, and William Hendricksen has counted at least forty examples in this gospel. However, almost as important are the roughly fifty OT allusions he also identifie. Certain underlying themes of major importance to his predominantly Jewish audience are also found throughout Matthew's account. One is fact that Jesus is in fact the expected Messiah predicted throughout the Old Testament. The other is the fact that in this gospel account, Jesus is pictured as the new Moses. Taking these allusions in chronological order:

    Matt. 2:15 Jesus escapes death by fleeing to Egypt and later returning while Moses escapes by fleeing from Egypt and later returning there.

    Matt. 2:16 Both pharaoh and Herod perceive a Jewish threat and carry out massacres of children to prevent it.

    Matt. 2:20 The words by the angel to Joseph are almost a direct quotation from Exodus 4:19: “Return to Egypt, for those seeking your life have died.”

    Matt. 4:2 “Forty days and forty nights” of fasting by Jesus in the wilderness is the same time without food that Moses undergoes on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24:18, etc.)

    Matt. 8-9 The miracles of Jesus recorded in these chapters roughly parallel the ten plagues of Egypt (R. T. France)

    Matt. 14:13-21 Both Moses and Jesus feed the multitude in “the wilderness.”

    Matt. 17:1-8 Jesus' mountain-top experience and that of Moses in Exodus 24 contain the same following elements: God speaks, a cloud, “six days,” a group of three companions (Exodus 24:1,9), radiant appearance, and the presence of Moses.

    Matt. 17:14-21 The parallels continue here when both Moses and Jesus descend from the mountain and encounter failure among their followers.

    In addition, some scholars feel that the five major discourses of Jesus in Matthew parallel the Five Books of Moses. However, even more scholars disagree with that contention. And finally, Albright and Mann propose that the whole passion narrative (Matt. 21-28) is based on ideas found in Isaiah 57:10-11 and Zechariah 9-11.

 

WHAT ARE THE "SECRET THINGS OF GOD?" DEUTERONOMY 29:29

 

Moses has spent the previous 28 verses warning the people not to abandon their covenant with God or dire consequences will ensue. And then in a somewhat change of pace comes this verse. So the main question is: “What are the secret things of God?” Of course, one simple answer is: “If He told us, it wouldn't be a secret anymore.” Perhaps He has told us; however, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The most obvious meaning to this verse is expressed by several scholars:

    Andrew Hill: The word translated as hidden or secret may “refer to the residual mystery of the transcendent God, who is free to remain hidden (Job 34:29; Prov 25:2; Isa 45:15) or free to involve himself in his creation...Likewise, the secret things like wisdom belong to God (Deut 29:29; Job 28:21). This contributes to the suddenness of human destiny and purpose in life (Job 3:23), making divine revelation all the more essential (Ps 119:19).”

    R. K. Harrison: “Certain matters of eternal significance belong to God alone, while others are revealed to men. The law has been given for the obedience of Israel, and if the kingdom is sought in this way, everything else needful will be added (cf Mt. 6:33).”

    Cousins: “God has revealed his law and his nature in the covenant (Much more, Christians would say, in the New Covenant.) God's people should attend to these and not hanker for knowledge of his hidden purposes.”

    J. A. Thompson: “The secret things, i.e. things beyond man's knowledge, such as the future, are God's concern...Sufficient is revealed in Yahweh's covenant with Israel to provide her with a sure guide for living in the present and to this she is called. This is a salutary observation which is as relevant for the Christian community as it was for Israel.” In this regard, we should keep in mind the lesson of Job 38-41. If we can't even comprehend all the secrets of the natural world, how can be expect to understand God's nature and plans?

    Craigie treats the context as the previous verses. “That is to say, one thing was certain and revealed, namely, the words of the law...It would be presumptuous of man to assume that in revelation he has been given total knowledge of God.”

Others have attempted to get more specific in determining what the secret things are:

    Mayes: “The secret things are usually understood as a reference to the future which only God can know...what lies in the future, whether a continuation of the present conditions or a happy restoration, should not be the object of speculation. It lies in God's hands.”

    Levinson: They are “concealed acts that God will punish (vv. 18-19), or future events. More likely, the antithesis with revealed rejects religions of esoteric speculation that restrict access to truth to a learned few. Torah, based upon a public revelation (ch 5) and Mosaic instruction (chs 12-26), is accessible to all.” Although I would certainly agree with Levinson's last sentence, the two explanations he gives do not have much to recommend them in my mind. How can concealed sins of others be the secret things of God? And proposing that the Jews would encounter esoteric religions in Canaan such as the much later Gnostics rests on a thin historical basis and falls into the category of speculation itself.

    Beale and Gladd (Hidden But Now Revealed) present the most elaborately reasoned thesis concerning this verse, treating the previous verses 22-28 as the context. That passage can be interpreted to say, in marked contrast to other future scenarios present in the OT prophets, that the Jews will reject God and only be restored after the Gentiles have come to salvation.

This hidden truth is only revealed much later and explained by Paul in Romans 11:25-27. Thus, “Paul has experienced the resolution to the Deuteronomic secret or 'mystery; indeed, the first to be saved in the eschaton [last days] were Jews in Jerusalem and Judea, and then the Jewish Christian witness went out to the Gentiles resulting in their salvation.” But for the rest of this age, the order will be reversed.

As evidence pointing to this interpretation, Beale and Gladd note that:

    (a) Later Jewish writings actually explained Deuteronomy 29:29 in much the same manner.

    (b) The Greek phrases “kept secret” and “revealed” found at the end of Romans (at 16:25-26) are either the same or synonymous with those found in the Septuagint version of Deuteronomy 29:29.

Lastly, the intended immediate context for v. 29 bears a little consideration. As mentioned above, Craigie says that it is the previous verses while Mayes and others associate this verse with 30:11-14 rather than with what precedes it. Thus, they feel that 29:29 and 30:11-14 actually serve as a framework to the intervening verses. Beale and Gladd agree with both these views in that 29a harkens back to verses 22-28 and 29b connects to 30:1-10.

IS GAMBLING A SIN?

Trying to give a biblical answer to this question is like trying to address the question of drinking alcoholic beverages. So much depends on the context. A perusal of several Christian websites that address this question shows that few even quote a single passage in the Bible that speaks directly to the issue. However, they do point to a number of general principles that may or may not be applicable to the question. Here are just a few:

We are not to covet what we do not have. (Exodus 20:17)

The love of money is the root of all evil. (I Timothy 6:9-10)

Your time and money belong to God since “you were bought with a price.” (I Corinthians 6:20)

We are admonished to work for our money. (Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 4:28)

Money that is easily gotten will go just as easily. (Proverbs 13:11)

God will meet all your needs. (Philippians 4:19)

Gambling is based on chance rather than on the sovereignty of God. (Matthew 10:29-30)

It is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth. (Deuteronomy 8:18)

In addition, Ronald Reno points out, “Gambling cannot exist without winners and losers and cultivates a desire to place yourself first at the expense of your neighbors.” And J. Terry Rice concludes that even if none of the other pitfalls pointed out above arise or are applicable to you, you should consider what sort of example you are setting for others. I would add that even if one only engages rarely in gambling (as my folks did on occasion in Las Vegas), it is still possible that it can lead to an addiction just as casual drinking can sometimes lead to alcoholism. That is the reason why some Christian teachers will urge total abstinence in both cases.

I must admit that my own personal experience with gambling is very limited. As a kid, I would play penny-ante poker with friends, but found that I got extremely nervous when the stakes went as high as 25 cents. My first year out of college I did play once with friends at work for a little more money. After cleverly letting myself get caught bluffing early in play, I managed to later sucker my friend into betting all his money against me when he was convinced that I again had a poor hand (which I didn't). I felt so bad for him afterward, that it cured me forever. And once I was killing some time between lectures at a technical association meeting in Las Vegas by putting a few coins in a slot machine. I got a minor jackpot and stopped right there. I can probably brag that I am one of the few people who has beaten the casino in the long run.

Back to some of the Bible passages above and playing the uncomfortable role of a devil's advocate, there are a few of the interpretations of these verses that one could argue with even though most of them are sound.

    Exodus 20:17 – Coveting what we don't have does not preclude working hard for more, assuming that we use that money wisely for the Lord's purposes.

    I Corinthians 6:20 – That verse does not forbid any leisure activity or expenditure that one cannot directly relate to God's purposes for us, as long as it does not consume too much time or money.

    Philippians 4:19 – This verse, however, does not outline exactly the method by which He will meet our needs.

    Deuteronomy 8:18 – I would not try this approach out on a professional gambler. They would all tell you that the odds of some forms of gambling even out in the end, but a knowledgeable player can always come out of ahead of his opponents by using his brains. W. C. Fields in one of his movies was asked by a young lady about a card game he was going to play, “Oh, is that a game of chance?” His famous reply was, “Not the way I play it.”

One passage above whose interpretation requires a little more comment is Matthew 10:29-30. If you read those verses, you will see that they clearly teach that God exercises completely sovereignty over even the seemingly trivial events in life. But if that is indeed true, couldn't one just as easily argue that He is even in charge of the “chance” roll of a dice or turn of a card? In fact, that may be true in light of Proverbs 13:33 which says “The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is the LORD's alone.”

So it is interesting that although many forms of pagan divination are condemned, casting of lots (technically called chromancy, but we would say throwing dice) is not. In fact, Link and Brown state that the very word torah “is thought to come from the Heb. root meaning to throw, the torah being the decision obtained by the priest through casting the sacred lot. Torah came to be used predominantly for instruction in the will of God...”

Mundle states, “Guidance by lots was permitted only when carried out in obedience to God.” And that was certainly true in those scores of cases where the priesthood or other spiritual leadership was present during the process (see my posts on Titus 1:5,9 and on Judges 20:8-11), especially when the Urim and Thummin were involved. Lots were used to chose leaders, divide booty by victors, determine legal cases between individuals, identify unknown culprits, apportion land, etc. But in some of these cases, there appears to have been no specific mention of the spiritual leadership being involved. However, in all of these instances it could certainly be claimed that those who did cast lots were doing so with the clear expectation that God would give them the correct answer.

Another thing to note regarding these biblical occasions: in a number of them there was a winner and a loser, just as there is in much modern gambling. This is true in many games of chance, but when an individual is pitted against the house, the odds are always stacked against the player. And the situation is even worse when one considers state lotteries. These have rightly been called a tax on those who flunked basic mathematics in school.

One could argue that the biblical example of lot casting was justified since it was always carried out by those who were devout believers in God and that was why He honored their requests for guidance. However, there are actually three cases of pagans casting lots in the Bible in which that argument cannot be used. In Jonah 1:7 the pagan sailors cast lots to see who is responsible for the storm at sea and the lot correctly falls to Jonah. This turns out to result in them ultimately turning to the one true God. In the Book of Esther, Haman apparently uses a similar form of “chance” to determine what will be a lucky day to wipe out the Jews, but the day he chooses is the one on which all the enemies of the Jews are wiped out instead. Finally, we have the example of the Roman soldiers at the foot of the cross who gamble by casting lots over Jesus' clothing. Even this turns out to be the fulfillment of a prophecy made many years earlier in Psalms 22:18.

Some adherents of the idea that any form of gambling is strictly forbidden in the Bible also need to confront the example of the stock market, which many of us are directly or indirectly affected by. Is investing in stocks a responsible form of stewardship based on the true value of a company which will yield good dividends and help stimulate the economy and increase job opportunities for people who need them? Or is it mere form of gambling having nothing to do with real value and one in which there must be a loser for every winner? I am no economist, so I am ill-equipped to answer that question. But I do know from personal experience that my investments made through a Christian financial planner have allowed me to retire early in order to devote more time to family and ministry. And they have also allowed me to give more money to church and missions than I would have been able to do otherwise.

In terms of the “chance” aspect of such financial investing, I have been fortunate in having a financial adviser who practices biblical principles, one of which can be found in Ecclesiastes 11:1-2. The advice to cast your bread upon the water and divide your means into several parts may find its spiritual application in supporting missionary efforts. However, it originally applied to diversifying your financial investments to that if one fails, there will still be others yielding interest. In that manner, some of the chance elements will average out.

 

LEVITICUS / SERMON ON THE MOUNT: STUDY OUTLINE

Most of us would have to admit that the Book of Leviticus does not exactly make the most interesting light reading. Nevertheless it is an important part of the Bible, and so our Sunday school class decided to study it for one semester. In coming up with a course outline, I attempted to make it a little more interesting and applicable by pairing up sections of Leviticus with pertinent teachings of Jesus found mainly in the Sermon on the Mount. It may prove useful to you in demonstrating not only the continuity of Scripture, but also the way in which Jesus dealt with these seemingly obscure and archaic teachings.

Subject                                                         Leviticus                     Christ's Teachings

The Sacrifices of Believers                         chs. 1-3                          Matt. 5:21-26

Sin Offerings / Prayer                                 chs. 4-7, 16                    Matt. 6:7-13

                                                                                                           Matt. 7:7-11

                                                                                                           Lk. 6:17-19

Disobedience vs. Godly Leadership          chs. 8-10                         Matt. 5:13-20

                                                                                                           Matt. 7:15-20

                                                                                                           Luke 6:39-42

Moral Instructions (Two-Part Lesson)      chs. 18-20                        Matt. 5:27-32

                                                                                                           Matt. 5:43-48

                                                                                                           Matt. 6:18-24

                                                                                                           Matt. 7:12

Holy and Unholy / Clean and Unclean     ch. 11                               Matt. 7:6

                                                                                                           Matt. 8:5-13

Removal of Disease / Impurity                 chs. 12-15                        Matt. 4:23-25

                                                                                                           Matt. 8:1-4

                                                                                                           Luke 6:17-19

Public and Private Worship                      chs. 17, 21-22                   Matt. 6:1-6

                                                                                                           Matt. 6:16-18

The Feasts                                                 23:1-24:9                          Matt. 6:25-34

The Penalty for Sin                                   24:10-23                           Matt. 5:38-42

                                                                                                           Matt. 6:14-15

                                                                                                            Matt. 7:1-5

Sabbath                                                     ch. 25                                Lk. 6:1-11

Blessings and Curses                                ch. 26                                Matt. 5:1-12

                                                                                                            Matt. 7:13-14

                                                                                                            Matt. 7:21-27

Vows to God                                              ch. 27                                Matt.5:33-37

 

I THESSALONIANS 1-2

These verses encompass the opening greeting (1:1), opening thanksgiving (1:2-10), an historical review of the evangelists' initial meeting with the Thessalonians (2:1-12), more thanksgivings (2:13-16) and Paul's desire to see them again (2:17-20). Thus, after the greeting, it takes an ABAB form.

Stott notes that a characteristic feature of this section is the presence of repeated references to what the Thessalonians already know (see 2:1,2,5,9,10,11). These passages, often accompanied by the key word “as” (kathos/kathaper), serve to “underline conformity with what the Thessalonians know or with God’s will. It is language that assumes continuity and a history shared with the readers.” (Malherbe) Related Greek words for “appeal” and “exhorting” at 2:3 and 2:12, respectively, form an inclusio (set of bookends) for this section.

Greeting (1:1)

It is not uncommon for Paul as a courtesy to list others besides himself as the nominal authors of his letters. But then he will lapse into the first-person singular for the rest of the epistle. In this case, though, he maintains the first-person plural (we, our, us, etc.) throughout, utilizing it no less than 26 times in 1:1-2:12 alone. See my post on “Thessalonians: Introduction to the Literary Structure” for the possible reason for this phenomenon.

As is usual in Paul's letters, he begins with “grace and peace” and concludes with those same two blessings given in the reverse order: peace (5:13,23) and grace (5:28). My personal take on this custom is that he wishes to express that grace is the alpha and omega of the Christian life.

Thanksgiving (1:2-10)

1:3 Here again is the familiar triad of faith, hope, and love. Towner points out that these three do not appear alone. “Rather, each is linked to the result it engenders.” “The word of faith” possibly refers to missionary work, healings, etc. according to Reumann.

1:5 It is obvious from this verse that Paul was the original founder of the church in Thessalonica.

1:6 The Greek word usually translated as "persecution" can also refer to general afflictions.

Bauder states, “Paul never intends to bind the demand for imitation to his own person. It is always ultimately to the One whom he himself follows.” (see I Corinthians 11:1) They are said to have been imitators also in 2:14. In both cases, “There is one clear and specific point to be imitated: patient and loyal obedience even in the midst of suffering.” (Furnish)

1:7-8 Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia. Achaia is the term for the Roman province of Greece.

1:8 “In every place” has been taken to mean “in all the Christian places of worship.” But Furnish points to Paul's parallel usage in Romans 1:8 to indicate that it means the whole known world at the time. Towner agrees and feels that it specifically refers to God's promise to ultimately save all the nations.

1:10 This is the first hint of the emphasis in this letter on the events of the last days.

Historical Review (2:1-12)

This section can be viewed as two roughly parallel cycles:

    “you yourself know”

        “declare to you the Gospel of our God”

            “as you know and God is our witness”

                “we never came with words of flattery or greed, nor seek praise”

                    “we were gentle among you like a nurse with her children”

                        “to share not only the gospel of God but our very selves”

    “you remember”

        “proclaimed to you the Gospel of God”

            “you are witnesses, and God also”

                “how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was”

                    “we dealt with you like a father with his children”

                        “that you lead a life worthy of God who calls you”

2:1 Stott notes that there is a repeated emphasis in this chapter (also at vv. 2,5,9,10, and 11) very similar to what is found in Paul's latter epistle to the Ephesians (in 20:18,20, and 34).

2:2 See Acts 16:37

2:7 Keener: “After growing to adulthood, a boy who had been nursed might honor his nurse even if she were a slave, and nurses were so fondly recalled that they sometimes became models for teachers.”

2:9 “For Paul proclamation is not, as with Jonah, a once-for-all cry which might be compared with simply sticking up a poster. The proclamation of the message of Christ, as he understands it, requires unceasing pleading and wooing, with a love that seeks, and is accompanied by a constant care for the individual.” (Coenen)

2:12 Marcus Barth sees a heightened “escalation” in the series of three verbs in this verse.

Further Thanksgivings (2:13-16)

2:14-16 These verses are felt by some scholars to have been written by a later hand and should not be attributed to Paul. R. E. Brown, in his Death of the Messiah, provides a detailed rebuttal to each of the arguments supporting this contention. (One such rebuttal consists of the fact that Paul expresses himself in much the same way in Romans 9:22.) However, he admits elsewhere that these verses have been responsible for the belief over the years that all subsequent generations of Jews are somehow responsible for Jesus' death. “The solution lies in the acknowledgment that the books of both Testaments can serve as meaningful guides only when allowance is made for the spirit of the times in which they were written.”

2:16 This verse “is probably a conscious echo of Matt. 23:32,” according to Blomberg.

Paul's Desire to See Them (2:17-20)

2:17-18 We don't really know how Satan hindered him. Orr and Walther suggest that perhaps the authorities had banished him from the province of Macedonia. This is likely in light of the Greek verb in v. 17 as “having been made an orphan.” More specifically, Bruce speculates that “Paul's friends had not doubt gone bail for him without his consent [under the stipulation that he would never return to the city], but once they had done so, his hands were tied.” This would be in analogy to events described in Acts 17:8-9.

2:19 There are three proposed explanations for the phrase “crown of boasting.”

    (a) The same phrase is seen in Ezekiel 16:12 and Proverbs 16:31, and the usages there may provide the clue.

    (b) “Perhaps the Thessalonians are seen as Paul's joyful tribute to the coming Christ.” (Hemer)

    (c) The coming of the Lord (2:19; 3:13; 4:15) may have as its background the Hellenistic use of 'coming' to refer to the visit of a high-ranking official to a province upon which occasion the people were taxed to pay for an expensive crown to present to him. By contrast, the Lord will give crowns when he comes. Also see II Timothy 4:8. (Ladd)

 

BOOK OF ROMANS: STUDY OUTLINE

I have sat through at least three extended series of verse-by-verse lessons on the Book of Romans that seemed to go nowhere month after month. Therefore I tried instead to see if I could design a one-semester course outline for our Sunday school class that treated it a little more topically instead, with an emphasis on the rich theological truths that are contained in it. Therefore, for your consideration, is what I arrived at, with the key theological words in parentheses.  You may find it of use in either group or individual Bible study.

I. Man's Problem

    A. Recognizing the Problem (revelation, gospel mystery, prophet, apostle, conscience)

        Romans 1:1-5; 1:8-20; 2:14-15; 10:14-21; 15:14-24; 16:25-27

    B. Nature of the Problem (judge, judgment, wrath, evil, commandment, law)

        Romans 1:21-32; 2:1-29; 3:1-23

II. God's Solution

    A. The Call (called, elect, predestined, saint, foreknow)

        Romans 1:6-7; 8:28-30; 9:1-33

    B. Christ's Work (salvation, save, reconciliation, redemption, expiation)

        Romans 3:24-25; 5:6-11; 10:9-13; 13:11

    C. Justification by Faith (righteous, righteousness, faith , works, justification)

        Romans 3:27-31; 4:1-25

III. Present Implications: Theological, or Heavenly

    A. Death to Sin and Law (sin, law, grace, gift)

        Romans 5:12-6:2; 6:12-23; 7:1-8:2

    B. Death to the Flesh (flesh, spirit)

        Romans 8:3-16; 13:11-14

IV. Present Implications: Practical, or Earthly

    A. Fruit of the Spirit (peace, hope, joy, Spirit)

        Romans 5:1-5; 8:17-27; 8:31-39; 15:13)

    B. Living in the World (enemy, world, subject, authority, transform)

        Romans 12:1-2; 12:14-13:7

    C. Living in the Body (body, one another, love)

        Romans 12:3-13, 13:8-10, 15:7-12, 15:25-33; 16:1-23

    D. Bearing with the Weak (weak, strong, faith)

        Romans 14:1-15:6

V. Future Implications

    A. For the Jews (Jew, Gentile)

        Romans 11:1-36

    B. Resurrection (resurrection, life, death, baptism)

        Romans 6:3-11

 

PETS IN HEAVEN

I find it interesting that two of the most common remarks I have heard people make when the subject of heaven comes up are: “I hope my old pet will be there also” and “I expect my deceased father, mother, husband, etc. to be there to greet me.” It seems to reveal that we have not yet really set our sights on heaven at all if these are the things we are looking forward to the most.

We need to recognize right off the bat that no matter what popular writers and preachers might say regarding the subject of heaven, the Bible itself is strangely silent on the subject. Jesus was especially vague whenever his followers wanted to know details about life there. So probably the first question to tackle is whether any animals at all will be in the afterlife, let alone our deceased pets.

If you look at the visions of the present heavenly realm found in Revelation, the only animals there are the Lamb of God and the four heavenly creatures that are found around God's throne, who are described as being nothing like any animals we would recognize on earth. And on earth we encounter a dragon and weird composite creatures combining characteristics of locusts, scorpions, and horses. Obviously this is not the place to find any answers to our question.

Arguably, the only possible biblical evidence indication we have concerning the subject is found in Isaiah 11:6-9. This passage is known to many through the many paintings the Quaker preacher Edward Hicks produced in the 19^th century entitled “Peaceable Kingdom.” My own feeble attempt to illustrate this passage in collage is shown in my post on the same subject. This is the passage that contains the famous prophecy of various animal predators lying down in peace with their usual prey.

If that is true, then we may have an indication here that animals will be present in the afterlife. But even in that case, it is a far stretch to say that our dead pets will be resurrected to keep us company there. That may possibly be true, assuming that they have spiritual identities, but that would be pure speculation. As the author of Ecclesiastes says in 3:21: "Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?"

The first time I was exposed to the concept of an interim millennial period on earth was when I visited an American Baptist congregation. The Sunday school class began worrying about how in the world carnivores could live without meat and about the horrible overpopulation of animals filling the earth if there was no death during the Millennium. They could have saved themselves the time and worry by accepting either of the two more plausible explanations:

1. As with most OT prophecy, it is written as poetry, not prose. Therefore it is filled with as much figurative as literal language. So the description in Isaiah 11 may just be a figurative way of saying that peace will reign everywhere.
   

2. Even if it is to be taken literally, then the order of events in Isaiah 11 should also be taken literally, and that means that the events in verse 6-9 will happen after the Last Judgment, not afterward. They will occur in the New Earth and New Heaven when all the rules of space and time that we now experience will no longer apply.
   

But if the passage is to be taken literally and if it refers to conditions on the New Earth, then we may have an indication here that animals will be present in the afterlife. But even in that case, it is a far stretch to say that our dead pets will be resurrected to keep us company there. That may possibly be true, assuming that they have spiritual identities, but that would be pure speculation.

The second issue is in regard to the future relationship we will have with our relatives in heaven. Parenthetically, the popular conception is that we will leave earth and live in heaven. But the concept described in Revelation 20-21 is just the opposite: heaven will come down to earth instead. God will dwell with us, not we with Him. Getting back to our family in “heaven,” there are at least two NT passages that may give us some guidance here.

Matthew 22:23-30 describes the occasion where some Sadducees try to get Jesus to admit to the impossibility of an afterlife by asking who a man will have as his heavenly wife if he had been married seven times on earth. Jesus cuts to the heart of the matter by stating that (a) they don't understand God's power to accomplish anything He wants and (b) the whole concept of marriage in the afterlife will be drastically redefined.

This same complete future redefinition of what we now perceive as family relationships is also hinted at in Mark 10:28-30. In that passage, also discussed in my post “Call No Man Your Father,” Peter wants to know what the Apostles will get in return for leaving their families to follow Him. Jesus replies with a three-part scenario. In the past, they left their family. In the present time, they have gained a much more extensive spiritual family. And in the future, they will gain eternal life.

Notice that Jesus pointedly did not say anything at all regarding the identity of our family in the future life. I would expect that just as our present church family is almost totally different from our biological family, our true family in the afterlife will be even further transformed and redefined.

Much of what I have said above may disturb you. But keep in mind that however we define heaven, it certainly will not be a place where we have less that what we possess now; we will have infinitely more, and we just have to trust God that he will provide whatever we need. The problem is that in our present condition we can only see what we now consider to be indispensable for a happy life in eternity.

My first supervisor at work confessed to me one day that he had been trying for years to get promoted into a management position, only to realize that he would have been better off remaining a researcher instead. If we look back at our lives, all of us will realize that our wants have changed drastically over the years. Sometimes we receive what we have longed for but soon tire of it and and take it for granted. Other desires are never ours, and yet we find something even better instead. So we just need to be prepared for another large paradigm shift in the afterlife when all our immature desires will become meaningless in the light of God's abiding presence and whatever He has in store for us.

 

I AND 2 PETER: STUDY OUTLINE

I once got into some minor trouble at church for telling someone, a little flippantly, that Peter didn't write the epistle of I Peter. I hurriedly explained that Silvanus was certainly the person who wrote down Peter's ideas (see I Peter 5:12) and arranged them in order, but the damage was already done. (My reasons for saying this are found in my post “I Peter: Introduction to the Literary Structure.”) That person went to the Pastor of Education and demanded that I not be allowed to teach in Sunday school. I was in good company since a little later that same person demanded of our Senior Pastor that another teacher be banned from giving any future lectures.

In part to atone for my past misstatements on this subject, I would like to present the course outline I came up with years ago for our Sunday school class to follow as we studied I and II Peter. I named that semester's topic “Peter's Principles” as a take-off on The Peter Principle, the title of a once popular management book by L. J. Peter which states that people within an organization always rise to the level of their incompetence. Leaving that tidbit of information aside, the whole gist of the semester's study was to pair up passages in Peter's epistles with incidents in his life and with speeches of his recorded in the Book of Acts. The conclusion I reached after putting this outline together was that Peter was certainly the driving force behind both letters under his name. You may find the course outline below of use in group or individual Bible studies.

Subject                             Peter's epistles                              Peter's life                           Peter's speeches

Peter the Apostle              I Pet. 1:1-2                                  Luke 5:1-11                         Acts 1:15-22

Our Salvation                    I Pet. 1:3-12                                Luke 24:33-35                     Acts 2:25-36

                                                                                              John 20:2-10

Be Holy and Love            I Pet. 1:13-25                               Acts 3:1-26                            Acts 11:1-18

the Brethren                                                                          Acts 10

A Spiritual House            I Pet. 2:1-10                                  Matt. 16:13-20                      Acts 4:1-12

                                                                                               John 1:40-42

                                                                                               John 6:66-69

Witness in the World      I Pet. 2:11-17                                 Matt. 17:24-27

                                                                                                Acts 4:13-22

Christian Relationships  I Pet. 2:18-3:12                                  I Cor. 9:5

Suffering in Christ         I Pet. 3:13-4:6                                Matt. 26:50-54                       Acts 2:37-42

                                                                                                John 18:10-27

Living in the Last Days  I Pet. 4:7-19                                     Acts 9:32-42

                                                                                                Acts 15:5-11

Christian Leadership     I Pet. 5:1-6                                       John 13:1-17

                                                                                               John 21:15-17

Closing Exhortations     I Pet. 5:7-14                                    Matt. 16:21-23

                                                                                                Luke 22:31-32

Faith and Its Result       II Pet. 1:1-21                                    Luke 9:28-36                         Acts 2:22-24

                                                                                                John 13:36-38

                                                                                                John 21:18-19

False Teachers              II Pet. 2:1-22                                     Acts 5:1-11

                                                                                                Acts 8:9-24

                                                                                                Acts 12

The Lord's Coming      II Peter 3:1-15a                                  Mark 13                                 Acts 2:14-21

                                                                                              Luke 12:35-48

Steadfast                      II Peter 3:15b-18                              Matt. 14:22-33

                                                                                                   Gal. 2

 

TONGUE SPEAKING: PRIVATE PRAYERS

The use of prayer tongues in the private prayers of believers is one of the practices taught in some Pentacostal and charismatic groups. Here are five advantages to praying in tongues given by Kenneth Copeland Ministries along with respective proof texts and my comments:

    1. “When you pray in tongues, you are praying God's will, directly to Him. It allows your mind to get out of the way so your spirit can commune with the Father.” (I Corinthians 14:2)

The whole context of I Corinthians 14 involves Paul's teachings regarding the proper use of the spiritual gifts in a group setting. Therefore it is somewhat of a stretch to apply those same principles to the situation of one's private prayers. Secondly, if one reads the whole chapter, it becomes very obvious that Paul's overwhelming goal is to de-emphasize that church's stress on tongues and point them to the importance of prophesying instead. Thus, verse 2 needs to be read as a marked contrast to verse 3.

In addition, just because verse 2 says that one praying in tongues is doing so directly to God, that does not at all imply that other prayers in recognizable languages are somehow not being directed to Him. Paul's meaning is that prayers in tongues are only understood by God and are nonsense to anyone else hearing them.

Thirdly, in three of the stated advantages to tongue-praying (#'s 1, 2, and 4), it is mentioned that such prayers are “praying God's will.” That may well be true, but it is never stated as such in the New Testament. And even if that is so, it certainly doesn't place them on a higher plane than regular prayers. Remember that even Jesus followed his prayers in Gethsemane with the proviso “Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” And that is the surest pattern we have to go on.”

Finally, the so-called advantage of your mind getting out of the way during such prayers is completely contradicted by what Paul says in 14:14-15: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. What should I then do? I will pray with the spirit but also with the mind...” I suppose it is possible to interpret these words to say that these are two mutually exclusive categories of prayer, each of which should be employed at separate times. But that is an absurd interpretation because it would be saying that any prayer that employs one's mind is an un-spiritual prayer. The only acceptable interpretation is that Paul is saying he will pray using both his mind and spirit at the same time, in other words, in a recognizable language.

    2. “Tongues is a gift from God. It allows you to pray the will of God by the empowering of the Holy Spirit. When you pray in tongues, you are yielding to the Holy Spirit who dwells in you. Then you are allowing that same Spirit to pray through you, so you are in tune with Him.” (Acts 2:4)

Again, the context of the passage cited is the one-time event at Pentacost and almost certainly involves a different sort of tongue-speaking as the present situation (see my post on Tongue-Speaking: Pentacost). And even if the same principle can be said to apply here, this verse actually contradicts the contention of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries. Their statement starts out in the right direction by saying that tongues are a gift from God since that is exactly the thrust of Acts 2:4. But that is quite different from then stating that you are the one who is “empowering” the Spirit and “allowing” the Spirit to work through you. Acts 2:4 says nothing about the apostles doing anything at all; it is the Holy Spirit's initiative throughout.

    3. “Praying in tongues builds you up spiritually and helps you live a Spirit-filled life.” (I Corinthians 14:4)

The contention that tongue-praying helps you live a Spirit-filled life is an editorial comment found nowhere in the cited passage. More importantly, though, is that the whole of verse 4 must be taken into account, not just the first half: “Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church.” In other words, if you want to selfishly demonstrate a gift that benefits only you, why aren't you instead seeking to exercise a gift that builds others up instead?

    4. “Even when you don't know how or what to pray, you can still pray...in tongues. You can trust your spirit to pray the perfect will of God, regardless of the situation.” (Romans 8:26)

If that were so, then why did Jesus not pray in tongues in Gethsemane instead of doing so in recognizable words and then handing it over to God for His will to be done? It appears that is the pattern we should follow to ensure that we are praying God's will at all times.

The second problem with quoting Romans prove a point is that tongue-speaking and tongue-praying are mentioned nowhere in the whole letter. It is only an unproven assumption that the “sighs, or groans” in that verse refer to tongue-speaking. Instead, the whole passage makes perfect sense in the context of “normal” prayers in which we need guidance as to what to pray for and how to word our thoughts. We can rely on the fact that God knows what we are trying to say, even before we voice it.

    5. “Jesus proclaimed several things that would happen to those who followed Him and continued His work. Speaking in tongues is one of those gifts, and it allows Jesus' followers to stand against the work of the enemy [i.e. the devil].” (Mark 16:15-18)

This last point is without a doubt the weakest of the five. Unless one happens to be relying solely on the King James Version of the Bible, consultation with any modern translation will indicate that those verses of Mark were added at a much later date and do not even belong in the Bible. I won't go into all the reasons why that is true. But if you are interested, read my post on The Ending of the Gospel of Mark.

Even if one chooses to treat these verses as genuine, they do not at all say that it is tongue-speaking that is enabling us to stand against the devil's works. Actually, it is the only sign of the five listed in that passage that does not involve combating various forms of evil.