03/02/08: Deuteronomy 32-34
It is a strange mystery to me concerning the body of Moses. Moses died and God buried him; yet his grave was never found (Deuteronomy 34:5,6). Many (including by myself) believe that Moses and Elijah probably will be the two witnesses who will prophecy in Jerusalem for 1,260 days (Revelation 11:3), which will be the final 3½ years of the 70th Week. (Both Moses and Elijah appeared at Jesus' transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-4, and it is expected that they will "witness" to the world about the coming of Jesus in the clouds prior to His appearance.)
The thing is that "man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). Since the two witnesses will be killed at the end of the seven-year period (Revelation 11:7), there is a question about whether or not Moses could die twice.
My opinion is that God cannot be put into a box and that He makes occasional exceptions to many of His rules. For instance, consider Lazarus (among others), whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:38-44). Is Lazarus still alive? No. He died, Jesus raised him from the dead, and then, at some point thereafter, he died again. So he died twice.
We know that there was a dispute between the archangel Michael and Satan, concerning the body of Moses (Jude 9). Moses' body would be of no value to Satan, so what dispute would he have? Was there something different about the "death" and/or "burial" of Moses' body that was different from the norm? I don't know.
But in Hebrews 9:27, I do notice how it indicates that after a man dies, he faces judgment. It sounds like the "judgment" comes immediately after death, but we know it does not--just at some point after death. In fact, for most, there will be at least 1,000 years between death and judgment, since the great white throne judgment of unbelievers will take place at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:11-15).
Could it be that, technically speaking, physical "death" is defined as "separation of the soul from the body until that person is judged by God"? If so, perhaps one is not technically "dead" (from God's point of view) until the final judgment for that person has taken place. Maybe if somebody is resurrected (like Lazarus was), the first "death" is "nullified," as if it hadn't happened. So if Moses "died" but will return to earth again, whether in the same or in a different body, maybe his death in the desert, way back when, was "annulled" or "invalidated" by God.
We know that Elijah was taken up to heaven in his body without dying (2 Kings 2:11). So another possibility is that (like Lazarus), Moses died, God buried Him, and then (unbeknownst to us) God resurrected him and took him to heaven in his original body. Perhaps Satan protested this, knowing that Moses would be a key end-time player in counteracting the work of Satan. Maybe Satan's dispute with Michael (Jude 9) was an insistence that Moses' body belonged in the ground. After all, Moses' grave (and, therefore, body) were never found (Deuteronomy 34:6).
03/01/08: Deuteronomy 29-31
Chapter 29:
29:6 Reads really strangely. It switches from Moses speaking for himself to him speaking for God, as far as I can tell. Is that your take?
Ted: Yes. Actually, that happens a lot in the Old Testament. Particularly with the prophets, in places it is like they are talking, then God is talking, then they are talking, then God is talking, yet the whole thing is written in first person. In a way, it makes sense, because really God spoke the entire Bible, using people to say and write it.
29:6 Reads really strangely. It switches from Moses speaking for himself to him speaking for God, as far as I can tell. Is that your take?
Ted: Yes. Actually, that happens a lot in the Old Testament. Particularly with the prophets, in places it is like they are talking, then God is talking, then they are talking, then God is talking, yet the whole thing is written in first person. In a way, it makes sense, because really God spoke the entire Bible, using people to say and write it.
02/29/08: Deuteronomy 26-28
First, let me say, happy leap year day! And now, on with it:
Chapter 27:
Is this where "Amen" originates? Does it mean anything in particular?
Ted: I've always heard that "amen" is equivalent to "so be it." This would seem to be confirmed by Numbers 5:22. An online dictionary indicates that the origination of the word is from the Hebrew.
Chapter 27:
Is this where "Amen" originates? Does it mean anything in particular?
Ted: I've always heard that "amen" is equivalent to "so be it." This would seem to be confirmed by Numbers 5:22. An online dictionary indicates that the origination of the word is from the Hebrew.
02/28/08: Deuteronomy 23-25
Chapter 23:
I don't understand why it's okay to eat off your neighbor's land.
Ted: Basically, all of the land of a tribe belonged, in a general sense, to everyone in the tribe. Anyone of that tribe could walk anywhere on the land allotted to the tribe. Also, a person might be hired by a neighbor to help harvest a crop.
While on that land, for quick nourishment, a person could pick any grapes and grain that could be eaten on the fly. But he could not stockpile a bunch of grapes, nor cut down any stalks of grain, to take with him. I suppose that this would have been crossing the line of "stealing" because, presumably, a person had his own grapes and grain back home.
I don't understand why it's okay to eat off your neighbor's land.
Ted: Basically, all of the land of a tribe belonged, in a general sense, to everyone in the tribe. Anyone of that tribe could walk anywhere on the land allotted to the tribe. Also, a person might be hired by a neighbor to help harvest a crop.
While on that land, for quick nourishment, a person could pick any grapes and grain that could be eaten on the fly. But he could not stockpile a bunch of grapes, nor cut down any stalks of grain, to take with him. I suppose that this would have been crossing the line of "stealing" because, presumably, a person had his own grapes and grain back home.
02/27/08: Deuteronomy 20-22
Chapter 20:
Why do you think God prefers the people residing in the land to be slain rather than forced to move somewhere else?
Ted: If they had been forced to move elsewhere, they would have returned again and again to attack the Israelites. If they had been absorbed into the Israelite society, they would have influenced the Israelites to worship their own gods, thereby causing the Israelites to sin.
Why do you think God prefers the people residing in the land to be slain rather than forced to move somewhere else?
Ted: If they had been forced to move elsewhere, they would have returned again and again to attack the Israelites. If they had been absorbed into the Israelite society, they would have influenced the Israelites to worship their own gods, thereby causing the Israelites to sin.
02/25/08: Deuteronomy 17-19
Chapter 18:
When the Levites are given God as their inheritance, what exactly does that mean? Are they "shooed in" to the elect?
Ted: The Levites were not to receive any permanent physical compensation (such as land) as their inheritance. Being that they were the people's intermediaries to God, they in turn were to receive all of their daily necessities (money, food, lodging, etc.) from the people. Thus, God would be their "inheritance" by seeing to it that all of their needs were met, though the people they represented.
I do not believe that all of the Levites, through Israeli history, are necessarily part of the elect who will be saved unto eternal life. Probably many of them realized that the regular sacrificing of animals, and spilling of animal blood, was not enough to atone for their sins permanently. Maybe the Levites, more than the other Israelites, would have been more likely to understand this: that what they were doing was a "shadow" of something better to come (that is, the once-for-all blood atonement by the Messiah: Hebrews 9:24-26). If so, I believe that those who understood and accepted this are part of the eternal elect.
Similarly we, as "priests" of God who minister to others about the saving sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, are not to look at worldly things as our permanent inheritance. Rather, God is our eternal inheritance, and He is guarding that inheritance for us until the day He returns (2 Corinthians 5:18,19; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 9:15).
When the Levites are given God as their inheritance, what exactly does that mean? Are they "shooed in" to the elect?
Ted: The Levites were not to receive any permanent physical compensation (such as land) as their inheritance. Being that they were the people's intermediaries to God, they in turn were to receive all of their daily necessities (money, food, lodging, etc.) from the people. Thus, God would be their "inheritance" by seeing to it that all of their needs were met, though the people they represented.
I do not believe that all of the Levites, through Israeli history, are necessarily part of the elect who will be saved unto eternal life. Probably many of them realized that the regular sacrificing of animals, and spilling of animal blood, was not enough to atone for their sins permanently. Maybe the Levites, more than the other Israelites, would have been more likely to understand this: that what they were doing was a "shadow" of something better to come (that is, the once-for-all blood atonement by the Messiah: Hebrews 9:24-26). If so, I believe that those who understood and accepted this are part of the eternal elect.
Similarly we, as "priests" of God who minister to others about the saving sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, are not to look at worldly things as our permanent inheritance. Rather, God is our eternal inheritance, and He is guarding that inheritance for us until the day He returns (2 Corinthians 5:18,19; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 9:15).
02/24/08: Deuteronomy 13-16
Chapter 13:
Doesn't God know the intent of our hearts? Why does He test us?
Ted: Yes, He knows everything. All testing by God is to show us, not Him, how well we are conforming to His laws and standards. Back in the Garden of Eden, God asked Adam and Eve specific questions (Genesis 3:9,11,13), not because He did not know the answers but because He wanted them to acknowledge what they had done and to be held accountable, in their own minds, for their actions.
It keeps speaking of gods that were not previously known. It wasn't okay to worship ANY god, known or not, right? Why does Moses keep saying that?
Ted: Right, it was not okay to worship any god other than the one true God. Doing so was considered breaking the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7). Just like most of God's laws and commandments, Moses stated them over and over again. For one thing, people tend to remember things better if they have heard them repeatedly. But also, when the people eventually broke God's laws and commandments on a regular basis (which we will see that they do as we read further), they understood why they were being punished, because they had had the laws/commandments drilled into their heads and knew that they were without excuse for their disobedience and rebellion.
Doesn't God know the intent of our hearts? Why does He test us?
Ted: Yes, He knows everything. All testing by God is to show us, not Him, how well we are conforming to His laws and standards. Back in the Garden of Eden, God asked Adam and Eve specific questions (Genesis 3:9,11,13), not because He did not know the answers but because He wanted them to acknowledge what they had done and to be held accountable, in their own minds, for their actions.
It keeps speaking of gods that were not previously known. It wasn't okay to worship ANY god, known or not, right? Why does Moses keep saying that?
Ted: Right, it was not okay to worship any god other than the one true God. Doing so was considered breaking the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7). Just like most of God's laws and commandments, Moses stated them over and over again. For one thing, people tend to remember things better if they have heard them repeatedly. But also, when the people eventually broke God's laws and commandments on a regular basis (which we will see that they do as we read further), they understood why they were being punished, because they had had the laws/commandments drilled into their heads and knew that they were without excuse for their disobedience and rebellion.
02/23/08: Deuteronomy 10-12
Chapter 10:
(reading 10 spurred this question)
From the time of Christ until now, Jews/Israelites have believed the wrong thing, so to speak. Do you think any of them are among the Elect? Are they still God's people? If so, why are they so far astray?
Ted: Yes, I believe that there are many Jewish people who are among the elect and who will be saved. God always has exceptions to every rule, and this is no exception. Today, there are Messianic Jews, those who understand that Jesus is their Messiah (Christ), who keep the Ten Commandments, and who keep the traditional feasts and holy days appointed by God (Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16).
During the final half of the 70th Week, there will be a remnant of Jews who will flee Jerusalem and who will be taken care of by God for 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6). At the end of that period, when Jesus returns, they will realize and acknowledge that He is the Messiah. They will look upon Him, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn and grieve for what their ancestors did (Zechariah 12:10). On that day, they will be cleansed from their sin and impurity (13:1), and they will be saved.
(reading 10 spurred this question)
From the time of Christ until now, Jews/Israelites have believed the wrong thing, so to speak. Do you think any of them are among the Elect? Are they still God's people? If so, why are they so far astray?
Ted: Yes, I believe that there are many Jewish people who are among the elect and who will be saved. God always has exceptions to every rule, and this is no exception. Today, there are Messianic Jews, those who understand that Jesus is their Messiah (Christ), who keep the Ten Commandments, and who keep the traditional feasts and holy days appointed by God (Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16).
During the final half of the 70th Week, there will be a remnant of Jews who will flee Jerusalem and who will be taken care of by God for 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6). At the end of that period, when Jesus returns, they will realize and acknowledge that He is the Messiah. They will look upon Him, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn and grieve for what their ancestors did (Zechariah 12:10). On that day, they will be cleansed from their sin and impurity (13:1), and they will be saved.
02/22/08: Deuteronomy 7-9
Chapter 9:
When God aids the Israelites in battle, what exactly does He do for them?
Ted: God did various things. Sometimes He strengthened the Israeli forces so that they could overcome the stronger enemy. Sometimes He confused the enemy to cause them to be ineffective against the Israelites, or in some cases even to turn and start fighting against themselves. Sometimes God merely used His own power to kill the enemy directly, and the Israelites had to do nothing.
Why do you think God allows Moses (and others) to "reason" with Him or convince Him of something? It seems like God would be insulted.
Ted: God isn't insulted; He always wants for us to interact with Him. I do not believe that it actually is to change His mind or to cause Him to do something differently. He is going to do what He has set out to do from the beginning.
I believe that, in a sense, He has written a big "play," and all of us (including God Himself) are living out the "script." God has chosen, beforehand, to make certain decisions after others provide the "catalyst" (words) that result in an action or lack of action by God. All of these are written into the "script."
It is sort of like if we went fishing together. Our hooks have been baited, and we are ready to go. You already know that you are going to cast out your line, and you know where you are going to cast it. But, in deference to me as your guest, so that I will feel like I am "part of the action," you tell me, "OK, you go ahead and cast out your line first, and then I will cast mine."
Also, it is for our benefit, in the "here-and-now," reading previous "acts" of the "play" (in the Bible), to see how personal and personable God is, how He clearly interacts with people, how consistent He is, and how He seems to be, from all outward appearances, influenced by the words and actions of people. That encourages us to do things--pray, obey, help others, etc.--and, by doing so, expect certain consistent responses from God as a result.
When God aids the Israelites in battle, what exactly does He do for them?
Ted: God did various things. Sometimes He strengthened the Israeli forces so that they could overcome the stronger enemy. Sometimes He confused the enemy to cause them to be ineffective against the Israelites, or in some cases even to turn and start fighting against themselves. Sometimes God merely used His own power to kill the enemy directly, and the Israelites had to do nothing.
Why do you think God allows Moses (and others) to "reason" with Him or convince Him of something? It seems like God would be insulted.
Ted: God isn't insulted; He always wants for us to interact with Him. I do not believe that it actually is to change His mind or to cause Him to do something differently. He is going to do what He has set out to do from the beginning.
I believe that, in a sense, He has written a big "play," and all of us (including God Himself) are living out the "script." God has chosen, beforehand, to make certain decisions after others provide the "catalyst" (words) that result in an action or lack of action by God. All of these are written into the "script."
It is sort of like if we went fishing together. Our hooks have been baited, and we are ready to go. You already know that you are going to cast out your line, and you know where you are going to cast it. But, in deference to me as your guest, so that I will feel like I am "part of the action," you tell me, "OK, you go ahead and cast out your line first, and then I will cast mine."
Also, it is for our benefit, in the "here-and-now," reading previous "acts" of the "play" (in the Bible), to see how personal and personable God is, how He clearly interacts with people, how consistent He is, and how He seems to be, from all outward appearances, influenced by the words and actions of people. That encourages us to do things--pray, obey, help others, etc.--and, by doing so, expect certain consistent responses from God as a result.
02/21/08: Deuteronomy 3-6
Chapter 5:
Reading over the commandments in 5 made me wonder about something. I feel like I'm one of the more moral people in the world today, yet still I have committed outrageous sins. I think if you compared me to a "good person" in the time of the bible, the comparison would probably be very ugly; I think I would be quite a bit more immoral than they. Do you think God understands and allows for this?
Ted: God understands. He knows the hearts of all people, because He made us. He knows that none of us is righteous; all have sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20). In fact, all of us have broken all of the commandments, as indicated by this: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10).
What God looks for is humility, which we demonstrate by admitting that we have broken His commandments and laws. You have acknowledged this, unlike most of humanity. I don't believe it is possible for anyone to be saved without being able to admit this. This is because without acknowledging that we have sinned, we would have no reason to believe that we need salvation from our sins. And without the latter, we would see no reason for a Savior.
Reading over the commandments in 5 made me wonder about something. I feel like I'm one of the more moral people in the world today, yet still I have committed outrageous sins. I think if you compared me to a "good person" in the time of the bible, the comparison would probably be very ugly; I think I would be quite a bit more immoral than they. Do you think God understands and allows for this?
Ted: God understands. He knows the hearts of all people, because He made us. He knows that none of us is righteous; all have sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20). In fact, all of us have broken all of the commandments, as indicated by this: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10).
What God looks for is humility, which we demonstrate by admitting that we have broken His commandments and laws. You have acknowledged this, unlike most of humanity. I don't believe it is possible for anyone to be saved without being able to admit this. This is because without acknowledging that we have sinned, we would have no reason to believe that we need salvation from our sins. And without the latter, we would see no reason for a Savior.
02/20/08: Deuteronomy 1-3
Chapter 1:
Has there been a map of what God gave the Israelites in terms of the modern day world? I assume they don't have nearly as much now as originally.
Ted: I have seen such a map. It corresponds to what God promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:18-21. I think that this map, corresponding to Israel at the time of King David's death, is close. Presently, they have only a small fraction of this. However, when their Messiah (Jesus) returns, they will be given what was promised to them millennia ago, through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Has there been a map of what God gave the Israelites in terms of the modern day world? I assume they don't have nearly as much now as originally.
Ted: I have seen such a map. It corresponds to what God promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:18-21. I think that this map, corresponding to Israel at the time of King David's death, is close. Presently, they have only a small fraction of this. However, when their Messiah (Jesus) returns, they will be given what was promised to them millennia ago, through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
