Q&A
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01/14, OK. So thanks Kyle.
And they're on the way. There is a day and they'd return.
And I'm not familiar with.
Him.
Umm, love everything. Everything.
'S good.
Hand.
My Thunder and everything that I'm going to do all right.
I'm resting there and.
Glory.
Nsnoise.
Umm, do you think? Umm.
What's the ring?
00:05:14
So we have some questions this evening that report in the box, we actually have about 7, we have seven of them. Some of them we can answer in short order I think and others perhaps will take a little more time. So what we'll do as in other years, I'll read the question, I'll make a few suggestions and then wait and hopefully somebody else has something to add on and sometimes a question leads to a question.
As well. So the first question is how did people age in Bible times? Were they young people at the age of 100? So I assume the person that's asking this is speaking perhaps more specifically before the flood. So before the flood, the people live to be hundreds of years of age. There was about 1600 years or so between Adam and Noah.
It's very interesting. If you look at a timeline, we read their stories one after another.
But we don't realize that when men live to be 8 or 900 plus years of age, many of those men overlapped and some for several 100 years. So some of them knew each other. Uh, even though you don't realize that when you read their story. Uh one after another in the umm in the Bible, in the book of Genesis, So before the flood as we know, people live to be even over 900 year years of age. Now as we often have pointed out, the oldest person recorded person.
To live before the flood with Methuselah. He lived to be 969 years. Nobody as far as recorded scripture goes, made it to 1000 years. I'll think of that in a few minutes. But no one made it to 1000 years. That's reserved for something else. After the flood, the average age seemed to drop to about 120. Now the reason I say that is if you go through and between the flood and the giving of the law.
Men live different ages, some more, some less. But if you average it out, the average age after the flood dropped to about 120 years. But now I want to read a verse in Psalm 90.
The 90th Psalm.
And verse 10.
Now, before I read this, if you notice the the context of the song given by the title. And as we pointed out many times, the titles of these psalms were not added by the translators. They're inspired. And many of the titles of the song give us the author of the song, not the one who was used by inspiration to write it. Not all the songs were written by David. Many were. Some were written by others, some were not told who wrote them.
But if you notice the author of this Psalm, it's a prayer of Moses, the man of God.
So this was written no doubt sometime shortly after the giving of the law that gives us the context of what we're going to read now. So notice verse 10, what Moses says. The days of our years are three score years and 10 and if by reason of strength they be 4 score years, yet is their strength labor and sort sorrow for it is soon cut off and we fly away. So it seems that with the giving of the law.
Moses then tells us that the average age has dropped to 70 years of age, 3 score years, and 10. Now, of course, some people don't live that long, some people live a lot longer, but all that we are promised is 3 score and 10 years. If we're given more, it tells us there's going to be some hardships and difficulties, some physical limitations, and so on. So this gives us an idea of the progression.
Of aging from the creation down to now. Now you to answer this question more specifically.
What was the aging process like before the flood? Well, I would suggest, and I I I want to be careful. We're not going to be dogmatic on this because there's many things scripture doesn't tell us. But I would suggest that from the activities of those individuals before the flood that probably a middle-aged man was 500 years of age.
00:10:14
If 35 is middle age now, more or less. I know they keep pushing it up. But if 35 is middle age now according to scripture, 3 score years and 10 and people lived before the flood to be almost 1000 years of age, I suggest that a 35 year old man was probably in his in his prime. God wouldn't. It wouldn't have been merciful of God to allow someone to become an old man at 100 or 200.
And to live for hundreds of years with limitations. And like I say, when you read the activity of these people and they bore children at several, 100 years of age, they were still having sons and daughters. So it meant that the aging process was very different than it was today.
I'll leave it open for a minute if someone else has something and then I want to add just a little addendum to this.
So let's turn to Isaiah 66 and let's jump ahead to the to a future day after the church is gone.
Isaiah Chapter 66.
By your turn. Now just say this. You know, I've often thought of people living before the flood, hundreds of years of age. Imagine sitting around and talking about something and saying, now, did that happen 300 years ago or 400? I mean, you laugh, you smile. But imagine being able to think back over that many years. Some of us who are getting a little older think it's great to think back over 50 or so years and remember what we did when we were children.
But imagine being able to look back and all the generations you would have seen just, uh, something A little bit aside from scripture, but something I've I've thought about. Now let's notice in Isaiah 66 and verse 20 and they shall bring your breath. Uh, no, I'm sorry. Umm.
Maybe it's 65. I'm sorry. Isaiah 65 and verse 20. There shall be no more hands than infant of days, nor an old man that has not fulfilled his days.
Now notice this, for the child shall die and 100 years old, but the Sinner being 100 years old, shall be a curse. Now I don't want to go into all what we have here, but in these chapters at the end of Isaiah we have brought before us something of what the Millennium is going to be like, the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, and death. While there will be death in the Millennium and sin will be judged every morning, yet death will not be as prevalent in the Millennium, in fact as long as people don't outwardly sin.
Because it's actions that are judged in the Millennium. As long as people do not outwardly sin, they're going to go on and live.
To be 1000 years old. Remember I said there was nobody recorded in the early history of man in scripture that lived to be 1000 years old. I suggest that it is safe for the Millennium. And here we find in connection with the aging process a child mentioned at 100 years of age. Now we're not going to go into all the insurance and outs of what these verses are saying, but just to merely point out that at 100 years of age in the Millennium.
A person is still looked at as a child, so the aging process will be very different and go back, I suppose to something like it was before before the flood.
Now the next question.
Very interesting the way it's worded. Please briefly outline Paul's doctrine well.
There's, it's a good question. I I will grant you it's a very good question.
It's impossible really to briefly outline Paul's doctrine, but let's talk for a few minutes about what it is and look at a couple of scriptures. We get this expression from a verse in Second Timothy chapter 3. Let's go to it.
Second Timothy, chapter 3 and verse 10.
But just the first expression. But thou hast fully known my doctrine. Now Paul is writing at the end of his life. This epistle is the last epistle that Paul wrote by divine inspiration and he's writing to a young man. And Paul realizes he's about to lay down his life and that his ministry is over.
00:15:23
And that what was given to him to record as doctrine or teaching, because that's what the word doctrine is. It's merely teaching that that was complete now that there was nothing more going to be revealed to him.
By inspiration. And so Paul had passed on this truth that he had been given to Timothy, who was to pass it on to faithful men who would be able to teach others also and pass it on down the line. You get that at the beginning of the second chapter of this epistle. Now what is Paul's doctrine? Well, without being specific, Paul's doctrine, or he refers to it in Romans as my gospel.
It was everything that was given to the Apostle Paul to pen by divine inspiration in the epistles that he wrote to give us the truth of Christianity. That's a very, very brief summary of what Paul's doctrine was. Now let me just give you a few sentences to help to qualify or develop that Paul's doctrine opens to us the truth of the Church of God.
It's called a mystery, the mystery of the church that was given to the Apostle Paul.
Now just say this young people, that that's why we need Paul's doctrine or Paul's teaching. There are many true Christians, pious Christians who love the Lord, who do not read Paul's ministry, and they're very confused on Christian position. They don't understand what the church is. They don't understand what its calling is, what its hopes and goals are, Paul's doctrine.
Separates us from this world.
In every way, except that we're still physically in it. Our hopes, our goals, our aspiration, our connection with this world has been completely severed. We took that up this morning when we spoke of how it's the cross of Christ that separates us completely and positionally from this world. So that's part of Paul's doctrine, the truth of the church. What the church? The the responsibility of the church.
As being heavenly, but still here in this world Paul S doctrine also gives us.
The hope of the Lord, The truth of the Lord's coming. You know, all the New Testament writers in some way bring in some aspect of the truth of the Lord's coming. But if you don't get it from Paul's teaching, you're not really going to understand the series of events that's going to take place. And you're not going to understand the difference between the Lord coming for us to call us to the Father's house and then the Lord coming back with us to reign on the earth.
You're not gonna understand his coming on the cloud and his coming with clouds and coming back to earth later on and.
The Millennium and our and and all that kind of thing in connection with the Lord's coming is spelled out very clearly in Paul's teaching. Why are people, Christians confused about the Lord's coming? Because they're not reading and following Paul's teaching on the subject. Now let's go to Ephesians 4 for another verse. Again, we've got to be very brief on these.
Ephesians chapter 4 and verse one.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. A vocation is simply a calling. Sometimes young people opt for a vocational school rather than a university. They're not book studious, but they have some skill or ability. They feel they're called to be a plumber or an electrician or a Carpenter.
Or something in the trades. And so they opt for a vocational school. And you and I have a calling, a vocation as well, and it's spelled out in Paul's doctrine, in Paul's ministry, in the first three chapters of Ephesians. It's brought before us, perhaps unique to any other book in that again it severs us from this world in every way, and that we are positionally seen in Christ and seated in heavenly places. And that our position and Our Calling is?
00:20:04
Is heavenly again. We don't have time to develop that now. One more verse in Colossians.
Chapter One.
Colossians Chapter One.
And verse.
25 Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you. Now notice this to fill, to fulfill the word of God, or to complete. Mr. Darby translates this word fulfilled, complete. And then he says, even the mystery which has been hid from the ages and from generations, but now it's made manifest to his Saints, and so on. So Paul was used to reveal.
Secret. That's what the word mystery means in the New Testament. Not something that's hard to discern or that'll never get solved like mysteries today, but it's a secret that was kept from man in the past.
Within the counsels of God. But now it's revealed. And who is it revealed by? It's revealed through the Apostle Paul and a number of times. Maybe this is a little homework. Search out the number of times Paul speaks of the mystery that was revealed through him. And it's always in a little different context. The mystery of his will, The mystery of the church and and so on. Here, it's the mystery that was hit. But what I want, what I want to notice here.
That it was given to the Apostle Paul to complete the word of God.
What he's really saying is, young people, there's no revelation beyond what the apostle Paul was given. I know John wrote later than the apostle Paul, but John didn't bring out any new things. He said no new commandment, right I unto you. But that which you have received from the beginning as far as the truth of Christ and the church and the calling of the church, there's nothing beyond Paul's revelation. If someone comes along and tells you there's new revelation today.
It's a red light. Turn to this verse and show them that it was given to Paul to complete the word of God. That's again, very brief. Maybe someone has something to add that could be helpful.
So Paul's ministry then. In summary, Paul's doctrine teaches us what we are as a heavenly people. That's the bottom line of Paul's teachings. It associates us with Christ in Heaven where he is now.
So the next question is very interesting and this is a question I've seen come up a few times, uh, recently in my experience, and I I think it's it's helpful. The question is, is Satan omnipresent? And if he is not, why do we often make it sound like he is? It's a very good question. No, Satan is a created being. Satan is not. I'm going to point out three things that he is not.
He is not omnipresent, He is not omnipotent. That's all powerful. And he is not omniscient. That's all knowing. Those three things are reserved for deity and deity alone.
Sometimes as this question indicates, we asked like Satan is everywhere and knows everything. Let's answer this part of the question first, is Satan omnipresent? No. Again, Satan's a created being. However, in the scripture to think well before I say that what let's let's let's understand that when Satan was cast out of heaven because he rose up in pride against God, when he was cast out of heaven there was a vast host.
Of Underlords or fallen angels, demons, whatever term you want to use.
That followed him a vast host and Satan. Though he is not omnipresent, he has a vast host of underlords or demons that go about at his bidding. And they they are going about doing several things, trying to keep the unbeliever from coming under the good of redemption and deliverance. Just like Pharaoh and his host typified as we had this morning, they are also trying to distract and discourage and confuse and weary the people of God.
00:25:00
And get them to sin and to spoil their testimony and so on. But it isn't always that the devil is present at the time. However, there are different events in Scripture where Satan did not leave it to one of his underlords, events that were so paramount in the mind of Satan that Satan desired to have carried out, make sure they were carried out, that he came and took care of it himself. I'll give you a few examples. One was, of course.
Who? Who can tell me what's the first one?
There's one before that.
What's that? Yes, when? When it came to the temptation in the garden, we find that Satan came himself to tempt Eve. He didn't leave it to one of his of his underlords. Then, as was said with Job, Job was such a righteous man and astute evil that Satan came before God himself to have at least part of the hedge, the wall around Job removed so that.
Satan could do what what he did.
Uh, another incident. Let's see if someone can think of another incident where Satan came himself.
48 In the wildness of Jesus, yeah, that's that's good. So the 40 days in the wilderness, again, he didn't send one or more of his under Lords. Uh, there's a couple of others that come to mind in the New Testament. Judas. So with Judas, who was an unbeliever, an unregenerate man, it says Satan entered into Judas he, the Satan was determined that this act of betrayal was going to be carried out.
And so he himself entered into Judas, another incident that somewhat related.
With Peter, the Lord said Satan has desired to have thee, that he might sift thee as weak. Because of the position of leadership that Peter took amongst the other disciples, Satan was determined to have Peter deny the Lord and spoil his testimony and so on. And so again he came himself. I just mentioned that the difference between Judas and Peter is that.
With Judith he entered into him, and an unbeliever can be possessed by the devil, and I have actually in other countries seen.
Cases where I believe an unbeliever was possessed by the devil or demons.
We we know there was the case of the man where the Lord sent the demons into the swine and they went down the hill and so on. And there were other other cases in scripture, But with Peter it was different. Peter was a real believer. He was weak. Wheat is always a symbol of that which is real and of Christ. And so it wasn't that Satan entered into him. But Satan has desired to have thee, I believe the our enemy Satan can harass and tempt a believer.
But I don't believe a true believer can be possessed by the devil. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, and so it's very you. You see the contrast between a believer like Peter and an unbeliever like Judas. So Satan is definitely not omnipresent, although he has a vast host of underlords who go about the world doing his command. He's the Prince of the power of the air.
Now, he's not. He's not all powerful either. He's not. He's not omnipotent. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. He is powerful. He's a roaring lion. He's referred to in in Revelation as a dragon, and so on. He's a very powerful enemy, but he's not all powerful. We have one at our disposal, the Lord, who is all powerful, So we have a greater resource.
At our disposal. Now the other one is omniscient, that is, umm, he. He's not all knowing.
This is something that sometimes people don't think about. You know, Satan as a created being does not know what I'm thinking.
You can't read my mind. Satan is not a mind reader. The Lord knows what I'm thinking. He knows my thoughts are far off, it says. But Satan cannot read my mind now. He can put things in front of me to corrupt my mind. That's why he got Eve saw the fruit, that it was good, and so he showed her and said certain things that corrupted her mind and tempted her in that way. And she and Adam did what they shouldn't have have done.
00:30:06
But Satan again, is a created being. He's not all knowing. He cannot read my mind. When you pray in your mind to the Lord, Satan does not know what you're saying. He can hear what you do, his demons, his under Lords can hear, what I hear, what you say, I should say. He sees what you do. But again, he is a created being, very important to understand.
No, except that he does know Scripture. And so there's a verse in Revelation we sometimes quote that certain knows he has a short time. That does not apply now in its context, that's when he passed out of heaven for a short time at the middle of the tribulation, and then he knows he has a short time. But let me put it this way, if Satan can listen in on a reading meeting.
Or you and I discussing the Lord's coming, if he knows Scripture, which he does because he quoted it to the Lord.
How be it inaccurately but are not fully. But he knows scripture he can listen into on discussions on scripture. In that way he has some idea of what is what is ahead. But again as you say, only God knows the future.
In the sense that that you're Speaking of it, no, he does not know the future, except he does have an outline of scripture and prophetic event. Because he's a very intelligent being. He's a he's a far, far more intelligent being than you and I are. Does he believe it?
Well, that's the other thing that that's a good. What do you think John?
I don't know. I it kinda seems like he thinks he's gonna win. He's determined, yeah.
I I would suspect there are certain things he he believes, though he doesn't want to. One is the devils believe and tremble. It says when it comes to it's the true and living God.
But if whatever he might mentally give a sense to, that would be as far as it goes, but yes, that that's a very good point. Satan, though he knows scripture, he's determined to wreak as much havoc not only in the world but amongst the people of God as he can. He might, he might, might accept his ultimate defeat, but he's sure going to take as many with him as possible.
Very good way to sort of the spirit of hatred. That's very good, yeah.
The next question This is question #4. What do you do if you have doubts of being saved, even though you gave your heart to the Lord?
No this question it's a good question and I know there are many who struggle with it. I have to say for myself, I have a lot of difficulties and a lot of struggles with scripture and inward struggles. But this question I cannot empathize with.
But I realize there are many who have doubted who have dealt this to their salvation, and I've talked even to older brothers who and sisters who've been at the Lord's table for many, many years and times come in their lives when they have struggled.
Uh, with their their salvation. But let's go to Ephesians.
Chapter 6 in connection with the Armor of God. I believe there's a good principle there.
Ephesians chapter 6.
And uh.
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked. Now, first of all, we might ask ourselves, what are the fiery darts of the wicked? Well, I believe there are. They are those arrows that Satan is shooting at us to get us to doubt. It may be for different people, different things, but certainly for some people he's getting them to doubt their salvation, to doubt whether they're really saved. And what are we to do?
When Satan shoots one of those arrows of doubt at us, we are to lift the shield of faith. Faith rests on the word of God. Faith does without question trust what God has said. So how do we practically lift the shield of faith? Well, we go to avert. We lift the shield of faith by going to a verse like this. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
00:35:27
Is that what? The truth of God? If you really believe it, then you have quenched the fiery dart of the wicked. You have stopped that doubt as to your salvation that the enemy wants you to have. Maybe you say, well, what about the sins I've committed after I'm saved? And so on. Lift the shield of faith. When Satan sends that doubt, the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
And there's so many verses.
That you can quote and re rest your confidence on. Now I know that sounds easy and it's easy for me to say, but it does work. Now I'm gonna give you a little example from the Old Testament. You remember when David went to meet Goliath? Goliath is a picture of the enemy Satan. What did David do? Well, first of all he went down to the brook and he gathered 5 smooth stones and put them in his shepherd's bag.
And I believe that gathering those stones from the brook speaks of appropriating for ourselves in the power of the Spirit of God, the word of God. Why do I say that? Because running water in Scripture is usually a picture of the Spirit of God. A brook, a fountain. A well out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And this he spake concerning the Spirit. That's the key to a number of scriptures.
Contained water is usually a picture of the word of God, the water in the labor, the man bearing the pitcher of water, and so on. But running water is more often a picture of the spirit of God. And so David went down to the brook, the picture of the spirit of God, and from that he took 5 stones, took them to himself, and then when he went out to meet the enemy, he was able to take one of those stones at the right time and use it to bring down the enemy.
And if you read the word of God, rest on it, make it good to your soul, Meditate on it, believe it as God's word. Then when the enemy approaches, whether it's the Goliath sense or the fiery darts from afar or whatever aspect the enemy tries to get, you just reach in and get one of those verses that you have appropriated for yourself and the power of the Spirit, and use it in defense of the enemy.
That's what's going to take away your doubts, whether it's salvation or any other aspect of your life, so I'm not sure if that's helpful or answers the question.
In order to have those verses to use in the situation, you have to know them. And Jim referenced a couple of well known verses, but you definitely, I think it's a big key I found in my life is you need to read your Bible. If you're not sure, you need to read it yourself and see what it says so you know that's what you believe. You're not just believing it, believing, thinking. You're hoping you're saved because you believe what your parents told you. You need to read the word of God yourself.
Make sure that when you read the word of God that you're searching for what it says to you, Not to Christians, not to uh, not to Gentile, what it says to you, John says. And I'll just say one of the verses, one that's that I've made for myself, like we've been discussing these things, had a first drawn 1/5 or sorry, first on five and uh, verse uh 13.
These things have a written unto you, I believe, on the name of the Son of God, that you may know.
So you have eternal life.
Right. That at at some point I don't know when it when it happened with that first meant something to me. All right. And that's and that's where I took my my personal assurance not that my my parents knew not that my my friends knew is what is when I knew, right.
So I need to speak to you.
00:40:00
So sometimes we say, well I find it hard to believe that scriptures quoted or we read the scriptures find it hard to believe that perhaps it would be more honest to say I find it hard to believe God. When you think of it that way, it makes a difference doesn't it? Because every time I question this book I'm really questioning whether what God says is really the truth. And so it tells us on more than one occasion. One verse that comes to mind is Hebrews chapter 6. It is impossible.
For God to lie, I might tell you something, and it might be part of the truth. It might be, might not even be the truth at all.
But what God says is the absolute truth. And so remember, it's not hard to believe God, really. It might be hard to believe somebody else, but it may. It's not hard to believe God when we realize that everything he said is that says is absolute.
And just because we know it's true doesn't mean we want to necessarily believe it. I read a book a while ago, I think it was called Something More Than a Carpenter and at the last chapter it's kind of an apologetics book. But at the end of the the last chapter, he goes through and says, I realize I proved to myself that this definitely was true. It was legitimate, but I still didn't want to believe. I still needed faith. And if you're worrying, wondering if you're safe or not, I think that's a really.
That's a good thing to be scared, but it's good to be real about it. Not just Oh yeah, I'm saved. But to it's good to be worried. And maybe you aren't safe if you don't know what you believe. I'm just it's something to think about at least and be serious about it. It's important. It's very good.
OK, moving along. I'm sorry. We gotta move quick if we're gonna get through.
These questions uh, this is question #5. Is there a difference between biblical prohibitions and biblical suggestions for how we are to live our Christian lives? If so, what's the difference and what should our attitude be towards each one?
Let's go to Proverbs chapter 4.
N.
This isn't a direct answer to the question, but I want to bring it in Proverbs chapter 4 and verse 14. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away. So we're just going to leave that for a moment. I would I I'll just say that.
Yes, there is a difference. So there are some things we are definitely told in scripture to avoid.
As the author of this question has said, Prohibition, for instance, we are told not to steal. Thou shalt not steal. We're told not to covet. We're told not to commit fornication. There are quite a few things that are specifically spelled out to us in Scripture, but the Bible is not a book of rules, it's a book of principles. And if we were told everything black and white.
We wouldn't need faith and we wouldn't need spiritual discernment. So the Bible, much as perhaps we'd like it to be, is not a self help book. You cannot open and get to a certain chapter and in 12 easy steps get from point A to point B. That would be. Sometimes we think that would be great if we could do that, but God doesn't give us specific.
On many of our of the things of life, the questions that arise in life now there are guidelines by word. Is a lamp under my feet and a light under my path, and there are sufficient guidelines.
To teach us how to go. But one thing we are to absolutely, uh, avoid as this these verses tell us, is to go in the way of wicked men. Because if we choose our own way, and to go in the way of wicked men, enter into the path of the wicked. We're never going to have spiritual discernment or know how we ought to go, how we ought to walk now again, if we're going to walk for the Lord.
00:45:01
It takes faith. It takes spiritual discernment. Gonna give you a little example. There was a problem many years ago in an assembly and after some discussion at a brother's meeting, a younger brother turned to an older brother and said brother, What decision or what step will you be taking in this matter? The older brother very wisely said, I hope when the time comes to take a step that I am walking close enough to the Lord that I know what step to take.
And I believe young people, that's the way it is in our Christian life. Yes, there are things we are told definitely to avoid, but there are certain things that we are only going to discern in nearness to the Lord, in closeness to His presence. The more you have a friend, I'm speaking in a natural standpoint now, the more you spend time with a friend, the more you get to know what pleases that friend. You get to know what things to do or not to do when you're in their company.
And that is how it is with our friend the Lord Jesus. We've got to walk close to him and spend time in in his company. Now one other thing too in this connection, and that is well, God has not given us a book of rules. He has given us a conscience. As soon as man sinned in the Garden of Eden, he received a conscience. And that conscience is like the yellow traffic light or the warning light. You may not be able to put your finger specifically on a scripture and say This is why I shouldn't do this.
Or why I'm not gonna do it in this situation. But let me give you another illustration with the young man went upstairs one night, a teenager one night to get ready to go out somewhere and he called down the stairs to his mother and he said mother.
Can you come and see if this shirt is clean enough to wear tonight? And she called up back up the stairs. No, it's not clean enough to wear, he said. Mother, you didn't even come and look at it, she said. If I knew a few questioned it, it wasn't. That's like our conscience. And if our conscience is pricked, if our conscience is twigged about something we want to do or about to do, we need to stop and really consider in the presence of the Lord. Is this what we ought to do or not?
So that's a little bit. Not sure that maybe exactly what the, uh ask for this question was thinking about, but maybe someone else can add something. Or maybe there's an aspect that I didn't kept pick up here.
I think the bottom line is this. Whatever you do, whether you have a scripture that says you should or shouldn't do it, ask yourself this question. Is it for the glory of God? Because we're told to do all for the glory of God, Even what we eat and drink? Were to eat and drink for the glory of God. Is it for the glory of God? Will this spoil my testimony?
Will this discourage another believer? There are a number of questions we can ask ourselves, and when we get the answer to that, then we will know whether we should or shouldn't do it, even though we may not be able to turn to a specific verse of scripture.
OK, question number six in Hebrews 7 verse 7. Let's go to that and read it.
Hebrews 7 verse 7 This is talking about Melchizedek and Abraham and without all contradiction the left is blessed of the better talking about back in Genesis when Melchizedek blessed Abraham. But let me read the question. It states that bless that blessing is given.
From the greatest to the least. In context, this is a pretty great application, with Melchizedek being a picture of God, really a picture of the Lord Jesus. But does this apply further? For example, is it appropriate to say we bless the Father, etcetera in Scripture? There are many places where we can find blessed be the name, etcetera, but this is less direct.
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I think I've read that, uh, somewhat correctly. So again in the context here, first of all, we find that Melchizedek is a picture of the Lord Jesus. He's a picture of the Lord Jesus in his unchanging priesthood living for us. Now there's a contrast made here in the book of Hebrews between the priesthood of Aaron, which passed from father to son, and on down the line it was a changeable priesthood.
The contrast is Melchizedek is an is an unchangeable priesthood. Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God, it says without mother or father. Now naturally speaking, of course he had to have a mother or father. But the point that scripture is making is that we have a priest, the Lord Jesus, and we never have to start over with him. You know, with the with the priesthood under air and they had to start over with each generation.
But you and I have a priesthood. We have a priest, and we never have to start over. You know, I had a doctor that had treated my case from the time I was a boy till I guess I was about 45 years of age. And finally at 80 some years of age, the doctor retired. You know, I found it very frustrating. I had to start over with a new Doctor. That doctor I had, he knew my case from the beginning, so to speak.
He knew my family background. He knew all the history of diseases I'd had when I was a child, and different accidents and different surgeries I had. And then I had to take my UH records and I had to start over. But again, you never have to start over with the Lord Jesus. He has, it says, a priesthood, an unchangeable priesthood, or a priesthood that doesn't pass from one to another. And so we find here that Melchizedek blesses Abraham the greater.
It's less of the of the left. Uh, the the left is left of the greater. I'm sorry. OK, that's the context here, but the question goes on to ask here. Uh, I think I've got this right. Is it proper for us to to bless God? Let's go to Ephesians chapter one, which is just one of many scriptures we could go to.
Ephesians chapter One.
And verse 3.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Now we understand very clearly that God has blessed us. He's blessed us with every heavenly blessing, every believer here, no matter how long or how short a time they've known. The Lord Jesus is blessed with all spiritual blessings. He has blessed us and blessed us in many wonderful ways, and we get that all through scripture.
But it's interesting here that the Apostle Paul says blessed be the God and Father.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's actually the same word that's used for God blessing us and we blessing God. It has the the sense of praise and Thanksgiving, speaking well of a person with gratitude, with praise, with Thanksgiving. That's really the sense in which it is taken up. And so we sing certain hymns where.
We we bless, uh we bless our Savior's name. Our sins are all forgiven to uh, earthy uh He wants to earth. He came. He now is crowned in heaven. So we sing hymns in that way. So yes, it is very right in that way to get to bless God, to bless the Lord in the sense of a reverent praise and Thanksgiving and appreciation for the fact that He has blessed us. Now let me confirm what I'm saying about the thought of blessing.
Being the thought of Thanksgiving, let just let's go to Matthew Chapter 26.
Connection with the Lord Praying at the Institution of the Remembrance Suffer Matthew, Chapter 26.
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And verse 26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread. Now notice this and blessed it and break it, and gave to the disciples. Here it's the bread. Now what did he do? He gave thanks for it in blessing it. It was the thought of giving thanks for it. Now in First Corinthians, it's in connection with the cup, the cup of blessing which we bless.
Is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
So in that sense, tomorrow morning when someone feels LED of the Spirit of God to give thanks that the Lord's table.
For the loaf and the cup, they're going to follow the example of the Lord Jesus here, who instituted the feast, and then Paul gives it to us again by divine revelation and in connection with both the loaf and the cup is blessed. In other words, we're going to give thanks for the loaf, we're going to give thanks for the cup. And so I just say that that that it has that same connotation and we're going to bless the Father.
We're gonna bless the sun. We're gonna give thanks to the Father and for the Father, to the Son, and for the Son. So it is proper in that way to bless the Father and the Son.
Just one other example too to confirm what I'm saying. We won't turn to it but in the 24th of Luke and the 30th verse when the Lord Jesus went in to partake of a meal with that those who are had traveled to Emmaus, it says that he blessed he gave. Well let let me read it just so we get it. And Luke 24 and verse 30 and it came to pass as he sat at meet with them, that is they were out at meals.
He took bread and blessed it, and break it and give to them. This is not the Lord's Supper, of course. This was the partaking of a meal. We apply it sometimes in connection with the Lord's Supper, and there is an application. But they were partaking of a meal. So when we sit down to a meal, what do we do? We bless the food. How do we do it? We do it by giving thanks to the Lord or to God for the provision He's made for us.
OK.
Now our time is gone, but this one last question. I'm gonna read it, maybe make a very brief comment and then I'm gonna recommend some reading on the subject, because this is a very bad subject. This question is really in three parts.
What is the definition of a covenant? How many covenants are there in the Bible?
Is the dispensation of Grace ever referred to in the Bible as covenant? OK, so very briefly, what is a Co A covenant? Well, a covenant is a contract. We talked about this a little bit at the Reading meeting in Mayfield the other night when I was in business, we used to have contracts with different companies to supply and service their fire equipment.
And so we would draw up a contract and both parties would sign it. But a contractor, a covenant, always has the thought of both parties holding up their end of the bargain. And so in the contracts that we had in business, there would always be a clause that said if one party didn't hold up their end of the bargain, that is the things that were delineated in the contract, then the contract became null and void.
The the keeping of the contract to keep it going. Both parties had the employer and the employee. The the client had to keep up their end of the of the bargain. So that's what a covenant is. In the Old Testament, God made covenants with men. We don't have time, but let me just listen. Very few. There are many covenants in the Old Testament. Here's some of the major ones. God made a covenant with Noah after the flood.
And he confirmed that covenant with a rainbow. And you can it's introduced in the 6th chapter in the the eighth verse. I'm sorry, the 18th and 19th verses of the 6th chapter. Then after they come out of the ark, he confirms that covenant. That's the first time you actually have the word covenant in the word of God. So there was a covenant with Noah. There was a covenant with Abraham. Abraham answered the call of God by faith and God made a covenant with him that he would bless his seed.
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And you get that in Genesis chapter 15 and verse 18, and then later on that all the through him, all the families of the earth would be blessed and so on. You can search that out.
He made a covenant with Moses concerning Israel. That's Exodus 19 verse 3 to 8. And it's interesting there that God said he would bless them if he they kept his way. And the people said all the Lord hath commanded us that will we do well became very quickly evident they couldn't hold up their end of the bargain. And so that's that's the covenant with Moses and his with Israel through Moses.
Then there was a covenant with David, Two Chronicles 7, verse 18. And that covenant was that the seed of David would sit on the throne of Israel forever, and God will keep that covenant in the coming day. There will be a man sit on the throne in Israel, a vice region who will be of the throne of David. The Lord is going to reign from the heavens over the earth, but he's going to have the seed of David, one of the descendant of David, sit on the throne in Jerusalem. You get that in Ezekiel 45, I believe in other places.
It's not the Lord himself. It's an appointee. In Canada, we call it a Governor General. In other countries they call him a vice Regent and they act directly under the Governor General acts for the Queen. Uh. A vice Regent acts under the direction of the one that has appointed him to that UH position. There is of course, the new covenant that is for Israel. Now, again, very briefly, I'm not, I can't tell you how many covenants there are in the Bible. Those are some of the major ones, but there are many.
Covenant Not only that God made with man, but that man made with man and so on. The dispensation or the administration of the grace of God, the Christian era in which we find ourselves is in no way related to covenants. OK, God never made a covenant with the Church. Covenants are always connected with man's responsibility on the earth. But remember, you and I are a heavenly people. We're not connected with this earth, and so God does has never made a covenant with the Church.
Not only that, but we are the bride of Christ. We're going to be the Lamb's wife in the coming day.
And so he doesn't make a covenant with his bride, doesn't make a covenant with his wife.
Uh, in in in that way the new covenant that he will have with Israel. Sometimes people confuse and say we're under new the new covenant because and the better word is testament. In the New Testament, the the cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the of the blood of PRI uh this is a New Testament in my blood I should say that is shed for you, the Lord said and so people think we're under the new covenant or the New Testament. But what he's simply saying there is.
That it's the blood. What's being stressed is the blood there and that all blessing whether it's for.
Those who have been under covenants or will be under the new covenant in the coming days where you and I in this day of grace, it's all based on the blood of Christ. Every blessing for man is based on the the blood of Christ. Perhaps it would be good to look at one scripture in connection with what Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 3 this I know our time is gone, but just let's take one minute and then I'm gonna recommend some reading for you. Second Corinthians chapter 3.
And again, this has been confusing to those who press things like Covenant Theology.
2nd Corinthians chapter 3 and verse six. Who also this is Paul Speaking of himself, who also has made us able ministers of the New Testament or New Covenant, New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter Killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.
What he's saying here is that he was made a minister of the grace of God. The letter killed. We're not under the letter of the law or covenant now we we are under the the the spirit of the spirit of of uh of grace. And so the it's the principle that he's bringing out here. We're under the principle not of law. The law killed. The letter of the law killed.
But it's the spirit of grace. So again the stress is not on the fact that it's covenant or testament, but it's the fact that Paul was a minister of the great, the grace of God. I know that very brief, but I got, I have a number of these books on the back table there for you to take. This book is very helpful by Bruce Anstey, goes into a lot of detail, but it is very, very helpful on the subject of UH Covenants and New Covenants and covenant theology and all that kind of thing.
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So if you're really interested, I suggest you take one of these books. But the bottom line is you and I in the dispensation of the grace of God are not under covenant. We're under grace and God deals with us in that way. He will again take up Israel on the grounds of the new covenant in the coming day, and that covenant will actually be on the grounds of grace as well, not the letter of of the law, because what covenants in the Old Testament prove beyond the shadow of a doubt is.
That man couldn't hold up his end of the bargain. Every covenant God ever made with man in the Old Testament, man failed utterly. And so God brought in something on the grounds of pure grace, Christianity, for you and for me, and then they'll be on the grounds of pure grace. In the coming day. There will be the new covenant for Israel and their blessing connected with this earth.
Well, we don't have all the answers, but as we said earlier, we have the answer book and I trust that you will search these things out further, talk to others. There's good written ministry on the subject and uh, please avail yourselves of it.