Qualities of a Captain

Tuesday 2020.06.30
Reading Exodus Chapter 18 LXX

Jothor (Jethro) father-in-law of Moses, advised Moses in verses 19 - 24 to appoint a hierarchy of captains of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, to delegate to them the responsibility of judging smaller or lighter cases of disputes brought by the large number of people everyday. Only matters that are too burdensome for these captains to handle were to be brought to Moses.

These captains must be carefully selected from men who were
- able
- fearing God
- righteous
- hating pride

Compare with the many qualities required of a bishop, described in 1 Timothy 3:1 - 4 KJV
- blameless
- husband of one wife
- vigilant
- sober
- of good behaviour
- given to hospitality
- apt to teach
- not given to wine
- no striker
- not greedy of filthy lucre
- patient
- not a brawler
- not covetous
- ruleth well his own house

(see also similar qualities required of deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8 - 13)

Anyone who is appointed to bear responsibilities of exercising judgment or overseeing the assembly of believers must be carefully examined before being selected.

Did Christos give gifts or receive gifts?

Sunday 2020.06.28
Reading Ephesians Chapter 4

In Ephesians 4:7,8 the Apostle quoted from Psalm 68:18 and wrote,

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of
 the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity
 captive, and *gave gifts* unto men.

However, neither KJV (Masoretic based) nor even LXX, that is so often
quoted in the NT, renders Psalm 68:18 in this way, that is,
"gave gifts to men". Instead, this verse is rendered "received gifts",
thus contradicting the Apostle's assertion in Ephesians 4:7 that God has
 given every one of us his grace according to the measure of the gift
of Christ.

see Psalm 68:18 LXX
Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast
 *received gifts* for man, yea, for they were rebellious, that thou
 mightest dwell among them.

see Psalm 68:18 KJV (based on Masoretic text)
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast
 *received gifts* for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD
 God might dwell among them.

Instead, it is the Peshitta, the Aramaic text that renders Psalm 68:18
in the same way as Ephesians 4:7,

Psalm 68:18 Aramaic Bible in Plain English
You have ascended on high and you have captured captivity and you have
 *given gifts* to the children of men and rebels will not dwell before God.

It is evident that the Apostle was familiar with the Aramaic text of the Old
Testament when he wrote the epistle to the Ephesians.

The Apostle went on to elaborate about these gifts in Ephesians 4:11, 12

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
 some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
 edifying of the body of Christ:

Put away lying, speak every man the truth to his neighbour

Sunday 2020.06.28
Reading from the Epistle to the Ephesians Chapter 4.

The Apostle's exhortation to the Ephesian brethren to put away all lying, and to speak truthfully to one another, in verse 25 is a reference to the words of  Zecharian 8:16.

Ephesians 4:25 KJV
Wherefore putting away lying, *speak every man truth with his neighbour*: for we are members one of another.

Zecharian 8:16 LXX
These are the things which ye shall do; *speak truth every one with his neighbour*;  judge truth and peaceable judgement in your gates:

Zechariah 8:16 KJV
These are the things that ye shall do; *Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour*; execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates:

Six things God has done for us in Christos

Ephesians 1:3 - 10

A closer look at verses 3 - 6

Coming up:
A more detailed look at verses 7 - 11

The Ten Plagues in Egypt

Saturday 2020.06.27
The ten plagues in Egypt:

First     :  Blood    Exodus 7:20
Second :  Frogs    Exodus 8:6
Third    :  Lice     Exodus 8:17
Fourth  :  Flies    Exodus 8:24
Fifth     : Cattle died Exodus 9:6
Sixth    :  Sores    Exodus  9:10
Seventh  : Hail    Exodus  9:23
Eighth   :  Locusts  Exodus 10:13
Ninth     :  Darkness Exodus 10:22
Tenth     :  Death of first-born Exodus 12:29

A circumcision made without hands

Tuesday 2020.06.23
Reading Colossians Chapter 2.

In the Anointed One, we (the men) are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands. Our sins of the flesh are put off by the circumcision of the Anointed One.

(Weymouth's translation puts it as "we threw off our sinful nature in true Christian circumcision.")

Colossians 2:10 - 12 KJV
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:11 WNT
In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not performed by hand, when you threw off your sinful nature in true Christian circumcision;

I AM the Being

Tuesday 2020.06.23
Reading from Exodus Chapter 3 LXX (Brenton)

"I am THE BEING" said the Lord to Moses in the LXX, when Moses asked for His Name.

cf "I am that I AM" in versions translated from the Masoretic texts.

Exodus 3:14 LXX
And God spoke to Moses, saying, I am THE BEING; and he said, Thus shall ye say to the children of Israel, THE BEING has sent me to you.

The heavenly origin of Iesous Christos

Monday 2020.06.22
Reading from Colossians Chapter 1.

The origin of Iesou the Son of God,

 - he is the image of God
 - he is the firstborn of every creature
 - all things in heaven and on earth were created by (through?) him
 - all things visible and invisible, thrones and dominions
   principalities and powers, were created by him and for him.
 - he is before all things,
 - all things consist (held together) by him.

Colossians 1:16 - 17 KJV
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that
  are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or
  dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created
  by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

cf Colossians 2:9 KJV
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

For what the Thessalonian brethren were well known?

Sunday 2020.06.21
Reading from 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1.

What were the Thessalonian church well-known for, in Macedonia
and Achaia, and the surrounding regions?

 - turning from idols to serve the living and true God,
 - to wait for God's Son from Heaven,
 - - - whom God raised from the dead,
 - - - even Iesous, who delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:8 - 10 KJV
8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The Prayer for the Thessalonian brethren

Sunday 2020.06.21
The Apostle Paul's prayer for the Thessalonian brethren, recorded in the Epistle of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 3, asked God, and our Lord Iesous, for the following:

- to direct the apostles' way to them
- to make them increase and abound in love
- - - toward one another,
- - - and toward all men
- to the end that their hearts may be established without blame,
- - - in holiness before God our Father
- - - at the coming of our Lord Iesou Christou
- - - with all his saints.


1 Thessalonians 3:11 - 13 KJV
11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way
  unto you.
12 And *the Lord* make you to increase and abound in love one toward another,
  and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God,
  even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

The Expectation of Nations - a prince from Judah's descendants

Saturday 2020.06.20
Reading from Genesis Chapter 49 LXX

Jacob's prophecy, uttered in his last words to each of his sons in Genesis chapter 49, that a prince shall be from Judah's descendants. This prince shall be the "expectation of nations" (Nations mean gentiles?), who will wash his garment in wine, the blood of the grape (as symbolised the Last Supper, where the wine is the Blood of the New Covenant).

Genesis 49:10 - 12 LXX
10 A ruler shall not fail from Juda, nor a prince from his loins,
until there come the things stored up for him; and he is the
expectation of nations.
11 Binding his foal to the vine, and the foal of his ass to the branch of it,
he shall wash his robe in wine, and his garment in the blood of the grape.
12 His eyes shall be more cheering than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

Remain in the things which you have learnt

Tuesday 2020.06.16
Reading from 2 Timothy Chapter 3

The apostle tells Timothy to remain in the things which he had learned.

What were those things?

They were the "sacred writings" which were able to make Timothy wise to salvation, through faith, which is in Christou Iesou.

2 Timothy 3:14 - 17 WEB
14 But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
15 From infancy, you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
16 Every scripture inspired by God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely to every good work.

The Law was made for the Lawless

Tuesday 2020.06.16

What did the Apostle mean when he wrote that the Law of God is not made for the righteous man, but instead for the lawless and the disobedient?

1 Timothy 1:8 - 10 KJV

8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man,
  but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for
  sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and
  murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind,
  for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there
  be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Illustration:

During the recent pandemic lockdown, the government's constant reminder, and continual enforcement of Standard Operations Procedures, which some people view as too petty, rigid and even unnecessary, is because there are among us many who do not take precautions to maintain social distance, and to take precautions on their own. These are the people who, unless they are restrained by SOPs, would throw caution to the wind and cause infections to continue to spread without control.

Thus, one can say that the SOP is not made for the "righteous" people among us who spontaneously take social distance precautions, but instead, they are made for those "disobedient" people who are reckless and obstinate, who observe SOPs only on pain of being fined or charged in court.

In the same way, we can also say that the Law of Moses, while being "holy, just, and good" (Romans 7:12), is similarly made for those who are breakers and offenders of the Law, for those who are lawless, ungodly, and unholy, that they may be judged for their disobedience.

Romans 7:12 KJV
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

The Lord knows those who belong to Him

Tuesday 2020.06.16
Reading from 2 Timothy Chapter 2, KJV

Very often we talk about knowing God. Today, in 2 Timothy 2:19, the apostle quotes two verses from the book of Numbers that talk about God knowing us who belong to him, and reminds us to depart from iniquity.

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Numbers 16:5, 26 LXX
5 And he spoke to Core and all his assembly, saying, God has visited and *known those that are his* and who are holy, and has brought them to himself; and whom he has chosen for himself, he has brought to himself
26 And he (Moses) spoke to the congregation, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of these stubborn men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest ye be consumed with them in all their sin.

(The KJV, based on the Masoretic texts, does not have "knoweth them that are his")

Numbers 16:5, 26 KJV
5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow *the LORD will show who are his*, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

The wages of Jacob

Saturday, 2020.06.13
Reading Genesis Chapter 31, from the LXX Septuagint (Brenton)

In the LXX, Laban changed the wages of Jacob for "the ten lambs", rather than ten times as is commonly translated in the Masoretic texts.

But what ten lambs was Jacob referring to?

Genesis 31:7, 41 LXX
7  But your father deceived me, and changed my wages for the ten lambs, yet God gave him not power to hurt me.
41 These twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years among thy sheep, and thou didst falsely rate my wages for ten lambs.

Covenant sprinkled by blood

Thursday, 2020.06.11
Reading Hebrews Chapter 9.

Every Covenant of God is enforced by sprinkling of blood.

Hebrews 9:19 - 20 NIV
19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the
   blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and
   sprinkled the scroll and all the people.
20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”

cf Exodus 24:7 - 8 NIV
7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded,
  “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”
8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood
  of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

cf Exodus 24:7 - 8 LXX
   And he took the book of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people, and
   they said, All things whatsoever the Lord has spoken we will do and hearken
   therein. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people, and said,
   Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.

The silent prayer of Abraham's servant

Sunday, 2020.06.07
Reading from Genesis Chapter 24, LXX Septuagint (Brenton)

The prayer of Abraham's servant by the well in the city of Nahor, asking the Lord God to prosper his way. This is a pattern for us to follow, on how we should go about our endeavours in life.

Genesis 24:12 LXX
And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraam, prosper my way before me to day, and deal
mercifully with my master Abraam.

Note that Abraham's servant prayed silently in his heart. He was "speaking" in his mind.

Genesis 24:45 LXX
And it came to pass before I had done speaking in my mind, straightway Rebecca came forth,

The Heavenly Realm of the Son of God

Thursday, 20200604
Reading from the Epistle General to the Hebrews, Chapters 1 and 2.

Today, I made some observations about the Heavenly Realm of the Gospel, recorded in Hebrews 1:1-6, that is seldom preached:

 - God made the ages through his Son
 - God has appointed his Son the heir of all things
 - The Son is the brightness of the Glory of God
 - The Son is the "impress of the subsistence" of God
 - The Son bears up all things by the saying of his might
 - After having made a cleansing of our sins, the Son sat down at the right
   hand of God the Greatest in the Highest
 - In this way, the Son has become much better than the messengers
 - And has inherited a more excellent name than they had
 - God has declared to His Son, "Thou art my Son - today I have begotten thee"
 - God has spoken about his messengers, "Let them bow before Him - all messengers of God"
 - In these last days, God has spoken to us through His Son.

This Heavenly Realm of the Gospel of Iesou the Son of God, sets the context for the Earthly Realm of the Gospel, recorded in Hebrews 2:5 - 9, as follows,

From the Heavens:

the Son through whom the ages was created,
who is the brightness of the Glory of God,
who is the impress subsistence of God,
who bears up all thing by the saying of his might,

On Earth,

The Son was then made a little less than angels,
Then was crowned with glory and honour by God,
and was set over the works of the Hands of God,
with all things put in subjection under The Son's feet,


see Hebrews 1:1 - 6 YLT
1 In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets,
2 in these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages;
3 who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence, bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might -- through himself having made a cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest,
4 having become so much better than the messengers, as he did inherit a more excellent name than they.
5 For to which of the messengers said He ever, `My Son thou art -- I to-day have begotten thee?` and again, `I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son?`
6 and when again He may bring in the first-born to the world, He saith, `And let them bow before him -- all messengers of God;

And in Hebrews 2:9 we see the affirmation that this Son is Iesou the Anointed One,
"and him who was made some little less than messengers we see -- Jesus -- because of
 the suffering of the death, with glory and honour having been crowned, that by the
 grace of God for every one he might taste of death."

Hebrews 2:5 - 9 YLT
5 For not to messengers did He subject the coming world, concerning which we speak,
6 and one in a certain place did testify fully, saying, `What is man, that Thou art mindful of him, or a son of man, that Thou dost look after him?
7 Thou didst make him some little less than messengers, with glory and honour Thou didst crown him, and didst set him over the works of Thy hands,
8 all things Thou didst put in subjection under his feet,` for in the subjecting to him the all things, nothing did He leave to him unsubjected, and now not yet do we see the all things subjected to him,
9 and him who was made some little less than messengers we see -- Jesus -- because of the suffering of the death, with glory and honour having been crowned, that by the grace of God for every one he might taste of death.

Lay up treasure for thyself against the day of necessity

Thursday, 2020.06.04
Reading from the apocrypha, the Book of Tobit:

On giving alms, whether from abundance or from little, to lay up treasure for future times of need.

1 Tobit 4:7 - 11 LXX
"Give alms of thy substance; and when thou givest alms, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee. If thou hast abundance give alms accordingly: if thou have but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little: For thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity. Because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness. For alms is a good gift unto all that give it in the sight of the most High."

This is similar to the teaching in 2 Corinthians 9:6 - 8 YLT
6 And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;
7 each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,
8 and God is able all grace to cause to abound to you, that in every thing always all sufficiency having, ye may abound to every good work,

Abraham spoke to The Lord in the plains of Mamre

Wednesday, 2020.06.03
Continuation of observations from Genesis Chapter 18, LXX Septuagint (Brenton)

About "The Lord":

Abraham was visited by three men Genesis 18:1
But he spoke to only one of them, whom he called Lord Genesis 18:3
That man, Lord, conversed with Abraham about Sarah. Genesis 18:9 - 15

see Genesis 18:13 LXX
"And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old."

However, after two* of men had departed for Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham was still
standing before the Lord (YHWH?). Genesis 18:22
And he proceeded to plead with the Lord not to destroy the righteous along with
the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 18:22 - 33

*this can be seen in Genesis 19:1, where it is written,
"And the two angels came to Sodom at evening. . . ."

Conclusion:

Of the three men who visited Abraham's household in Genesis 18, one of them was the Angel of Adonai, the LORD, YHWH, (His agency). He was the one whom Abraham addressed as Lord. And he was the one who stayed behind with Abraham, when the two other angels went on to visit Lot's family in Sodom.

In Abraham shall all nations be blest

Tuesday, 2020.06.02
Reading from Genesis Chapter 18, LXX Septuagint (Brenton)

The Angel of the LORD, one of the three men who visited Abraham's home in the plains of Mamre, in pronouncing that Sarah will have a son in her old age, prophesied that Abraham will command his children to keep the way of the LORD, "to do justice and judgment", and thus the LORD will bring upon Abraham what He had spoken.

Genesis 18:18,19 LXX
But Abraam shall become a great and populous nation, and in him shall all the nations of the earth be blest. For I know that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraam all things whatsoever he has spoken to him.

When facing temptation, beware of your desires

Monday, 2020.06.01
Reading from the Epistle of James, Young's Literal Translation.

When one faces temptation, it is his DESIRES that cause his fall. A man is led away and enticed by his own desires, rather than by the temptation. In other words, one can stand firm in face of temptations when one reigns in his desires.

James 1:13 - 15 YLT
13 Let no one say, being tempted -- `From God I am tempted,` for God is not tempted of evil, and Himself doth tempt no one,
14 and each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,
15 afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death.

The rich will fade away

Monday, 2020.06.01
Reading from the Epistle of James, Young's Literal Translation.

The rich will fade away.

James 1:9 - 11 YLT
9 And let the brother who is low rejoice in his exaltation,
10 and the rich in his becoming low, because as a flower of grass he shall pass away;
11 for the sun did rise with the burning heat, and did wither the grass, and the flower of it fell, and the race of its appearance did perish, so also the rich in his way shall fade away!