READ IT! - Introduction to 1st Corinthians 1-7

Readings for this week

Monday: 1st Corinthians 1
Tuesday: 1st Corinthians 2
Wednesday: 1st Corinthians 3
Thursday: 1st Corinthians 4
Friday: 1st Corinthians 5
Saturday: 1st Corinthians 6
Sunday: 1st Corinthians 7

Introduction to 1st Corinthians 1-7

Context of 1st Corinthians 

Author: Paul 

Date: Early 50s A.D. 

Place of composition: Ephesus 

Audience: Members of the newly established church at Corinth, Greece. 

Themes of 1st Corinthians 

Basically 1 Corinthians deals with abuses of liberty (just as Galatians deals with the stifling of the Spirit because of legalism). The correction Paul gives is not to question their salvation, but to challenge them in their sanctification. Although the apostle is dealing with several different issues, the general theme of the epistle is “the practical implications of progressive sanctification in the context of the Christian community.” 

Main themes of the letter: 

Avoiding competitiveness and cultivating divine wisdom 

The limits of Christian freedom
Lawsuits among Christians
Marriage, divorce, and celibacy
Freedom of conscience
The Lord’s Supper
Gifts of the Spirit
The Hymn to Love (Agape)
Speaking in tongues (glossolalia)
The resurrection of the dead 

Chapter 1 

The letter claims to be written by the Apostle Paul and a man named Sosthenes whom Paul calls his brother in Christ. 

The letter is addressed to: 

The church of God in Corinth
Those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people
All those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

A blessing of grace and peace is then given.

Paul opens with a declaration of thanksgiving. He thanks God for them because they have received grace in Christ and have been gifted with “all kinds of speech” and with “all knowledge.” And they have all spiritual gifts and they wait eagerly for the Lord Jesus to be revealed. He says that Christ will keep them firm to the end and blameless on the Day of the Lord because God is faithful and has called them into fellowship with His Son.

Paul then addressed the divisions in the Church. He appeals to them in Christ’s name to put an end to division by agreeing with each other and being united in word and thought. He says that some people from Chloe’s household told him about the quarreling. Different groups of them were saying… “I follow Paul” and “I follow Apollos” and “I follow Cephas” (Peter) and “I follow Christ.”

Paul’s questions for the Corinthians:

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Paul says he is grateful that he only baptized a few of the Corinthians (including a few he admits he can’t remember) so that more of them won’t claim to be baptized in Paul’s name. He adds that Christ didn’t send him to baptize but to preach the Gospel. And Paul adds that he is neither wise nor eloquent when he preaches. He avoid that kind of preaching so that the “cross of Christ will not be emptied of its power.”

Paul then addresses the causes of the divisions, beginning with the fact that they have a faulty view of the Christian message. He contrasts “false wisdom” with the Gospel of Christ. He says that the message of the cross is foolishness to the Gentiles who are perishing, but it is the power of God to those who are being saved. Paul sets up his argument with some questions:

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

For in God’s wisdom…

The world through its own wisdom didn’t know God
God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe

What do different groups look for?

Jews demand signs
Greeks look for wisdom
We preach Christ crucified

Christ is…

A stumbling block to Jews
Foolishness to Gentiles
The power and wisdom of God to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks

The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Paul tells them to think of what they were when they were called. Not many of them were wise by human standards …or influential …or of noble birth.

But God chose…

The foolish things of the world to shame the wise
The weak things of the world to shame the strong
The lowly things of this world to shame the high
The despised things to shame the honored
The things that are not to nullify the things that are

Why?

So that no one may boast before him

Jesus has become our…

Wisdom from God
Righteousness
Holiness
Redemption

Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 

Chapter 2 

Paul then points to the centrality of the Cross to his Kerygma (Kerygma is the Greek word used in the New Testament for preaching). Paul says that he came to them without eloquence or human wisdom and proclaimed to them the testimony about God.

Paul’s resolution:

To know nothing while he was with them but the crucified Christ
To come in weakness, one afraid and trembling
Not to preach with wise and persuasive words
To demonstrate the Spirit’s power

Why?

“So that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

Paul then discussed true wisdom and the Spirit of God. First, he addresses the maturity of the spiritual man, saying that the message to the mature is not of this or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. He says that God’s wisdom is a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began, and that it is not understood by the rulers of this age. He says the evidence for this is that they crucified the Lord of Glory.

He then quotes Scripture, which says:

"'What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived'—
the things God has prepared for those who love him..."

And he adds that these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

He says that the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God, and is the only one who knows the thoughts of God. He says that what we have received is not the spirit of the world but is the Spirit who is from God. He says that the reason God did this was that we may understand what God has freely given us, speaking words taught us by the Spirit rather than by human wisdom.

Paul then offers some explanations of spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. He says that the person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, and considers these things foolishness. He says that they cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. But the person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, and is not subject to merely human judgments. He points out that people are not capable of knowing the mind of the Lord… and yet we have the mind of Christ. 

Chapter 3 

Paul then discusses the immaturity of the carnal man. Paul addresses the Corinthians not as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly. He calls them infants in Christ who are drinking milk and are not ready for solid food. He says he knows they’re still worldly because they are jealous and quarreling. One says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos.”

Paul then discusses faulty views of Christian ministry and ministers. The first analogy he uses is on farmers and the field. He says that he and Apollos are only servants delivering the Gospel, just like everyone else whom God has called. Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

The one who plants = nothing
The one who waters = nothing
The who makes things grow = everything
The planter and the waterer = laborers who will be rewarded
The field = God’s Church

The second analogy he uses is on builders and the Temple.

God’s Temple = The Church
The foundation layer = Paul
The one building on the foundation = Apollos
The foundation = Jesus Christ
Builders who build with gold, silver and costly stones = true teachers of Christ
Builders who build with wood, hay and straw = false teachers
The Temple burning = God’s purifying fire
What remains after the fire = the pure truth of God
What is destroyed in the fire = false teachings
The builders whose work survives the fire = the true Apostles
The builders whose work burns = false teachers who barely escape the flames themselves

Paul asks, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwell in your midst?” And he adds, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”

Paul then offers a warning about self-deception regarding the ministers. He says that with the wisdom of this world you are better off becoming a fool if you think you’re wise, and you are foolish in God’s sight if you think you’re wise.

So his conclusion is that there should be no more boasting about human leaders… because all these things are yours: Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter), The world, Life, Death, The present, The future. He says that this is because we are of Christ and Christ is of God. 

Chapter 4 

Paul then offers some reflections on his own ministry. He says that the apostles ought to be regarded by the church as servants of Christ… as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.

On the issue of judgment, he says that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful, but Paul doesn’t care if he is judged by the Corinthians or by some court because Paul doesn’t even judge himself. He says that his conscience is clear, but he knows that this does not prove innocence. God is Paul’s judge. And he adds that those who want to judge others should wait until the Lord comes because God is the only one who knows the motives of the heart, and God’s praise is the only praise that matters.

Paul then discusses faulty views of the Christian’s blessings. Paul says that he made these analogies about himself and Apollos in order to teach the Corinthians…

To not go beyond what is written
To not be puffed up in being a follower of one over against the other
To teach them that they are no better than anyone else
To remind them that they earned nothing, but received everything
To get them to stop boasting about how well off they are

Paul then sarcastically proclaims how he wishes he were as well off as the Corinthians, and he compares himself and the others apostles to prisoners of war being paraded through the streets and made to fight as gladiators in the arena. Paul then sarcastically describes the life of the apostle in comparison with the “strength” and “wisdom” and “honor” of the Corinthians, saying:

We are fools for Christ!
We are weak!
We are dishonored!
We go hungry and thirsty!
We are in rags!
We are brutally treated!
We are homeless!
We work hard with our own hands!
When we are cursed, we bless!
When we are persecuted, we endure it!
When we are slandered, we answer kindly!
We have become the scum of the earth!
We are the garbage of the world!

Paul then offers the cure for divisions, by saying that they should imitate his own behavior. He says that he’s writing to them not because he wants to shame them, but in order to warn them as his dear children. Paul says to them that he is like a father to them in spite of the “ten thousand guardians in Christ” they may already have. Paul also says he is sending Timothy to them to remind them of the way of life in Christ.

He then offers a rebuke of arrogance. Some of the Corinthians have become arrogant and have declared that Paul will never return. But Paul says that he will return very soon if Christ allows it, and that when he comes he will find out who these “talkers” are and whether or not they have any real power. He declares that the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. And he asks them if they would prefer him to come with a rod of discipline or with love and a gentle spirit. 

Chapter 5 

Paul then discussed disorders in the Church. First he addresses their failure to discipline an immoral brother. Paul responds to a report that a member of the church is sleeping with his father’s wife. Paul is angry that the Corinthians are proud of this, pointing out that even pagans know better. Paul says that they should have gone into mourning and kicked this guy out of the church. Paul says that even though he is absent physically, his spirit is present with them and has already condemned this man in the name of Jesus. He says that while he is with them in spirit, they ought to assemble and hand this man over to Satan in the hopes that he will realize the destructiveness of his acts, and will be saved himself from destruction on the Day of the Lord.

Paul tells them that their boasting is not good, and he compares it to yeast which spreads throughout the dough. He tells them to get rid of the old yeast in order to become a new unleavened batch. Paul points to the Passover Lamb which represents the new life in Christ, and how as part of the Passover ceremony the Jews removed yeast from their homes. Paul says the Corinthians should do the same thing with wickedness that the Jews did with yeast – throw it out, and make something new.

Paul also clarifies that when he says they should avoid sexually immoral people, he is not talking about unbelievers, but only those who claim to be a brother or sister, yet are sexually immoral, greedy, idolaters, slanderers, drunkards, or swindlers. He says to not even eat with believers who act like this, while at the same time affirming interaction with nonbelievers who do the same things. Paul says that it’s none of his business to judge people outside the church, but that they ought to judge those within. It seems that the Corinthians want to judge the world, which is God’s job, but that they can’t even correctly judge one of their own members – the one they ought to have expelled. 

Chapter 6 

Paul then addresses their failure to resolve personal disputes. Paul asks why the Corinthians would even consider having their disputes resolved by a non-believer. He says that believers will be appointed by God to judge the world and so they should be competent enough to judge trivial cases… especially since they will end up judging the angels. Paul is embarrassed that the Corinthians have gone to unbelievers to resolve fights between believers, and in doing so have made a mockery of the church. Paul points out that the very fact that they are suing each other in the first place shows that they are already defeated. He says that it’s better to be wronged and cheated than to cheat and do wrong.

Paul says these types of people will not inherit God’s Kingdom:

Fornicators
Idolaters
Adulterers
Molekos
Arsenokoitēs
Thieves
The greedy
Drunkards
Revilers
Robbers 

He concludes his point by saying that these were the types of people the Corinthians once were. That was before Christ through the Spirit washed them, sanctified them, and justified them. 

Paul on Homosexuality 

Paul tells his readers that fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, malakos, arsenokoitēs, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers will not inherit the kingdom of God. Interpretation of this passage’s stance on homosexual activity hinges on the translation of the two Greek words that are transliterated above – malakos and arsenokoitēs. The NRSV translates these words respectively as male prostitutes and sodomites. The NIV has male prostitutes and homosexual offenders.

Malakos, the first of those words, the word that is translated in both the NRSV and the NIV as male prostitutes has a basic meaning of soft or delicate. More metaphorically it can mean effeminate, weak, sickly, cowardly, fond of luxury, lazy, lacking in self-control. A man known for willingly taking the passive role in homosexual activity might be labeled malakos. On the other hand, a man known for indulging excessively in heterosexual activity might be labeled malakos because he couldn’t control his passions. He didn’t have self-control. He was weak. In the ancient Greek mind, “weak like a woman.” He was “malakos”. He was a “sissy”.

Arsenokoitēs occurs for the first time in extant Greek literature in 1st Corinthians. We don’t know whether the word existed before Paul wrote 1st Corinthians or not. It may have occurred in numerous texts that are now lost. It may have existed in conversational vernacular. It may be that Paul coined the term – made it up. We have no way of really being sure. It seems likely that the roots of the term lie in Leviticus 18:22 as it’s rendered in the Septuagint – the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In Leviticus 18:22, the Septuagint reads in part “Kai meta arsenos koimathasa koitan guinaikos.” A literal translation would run something like “and with a male you shall not lie as the lying of a woman.” A more enigmatic translation “ You shall not lie with a male as you would with a woman.” Clearly Leviticus 18:22 condemns homosexual activity. The terms vital to the discussion today are arsenos and koimathasa and koitan.

Arsenos, a form of arsen, means male or man. Koimathasa is a form of the verb koimaomai, which means to sleep, or metaphorically, to have sex. Koitan, a form of koita, means bed, metaphorically marital relationship or sex. It appears that Paul or another Hellenistic Jew combined the words arsen and koita to form the words arsenokoitēs, meaning one who has sex with a male. Since the statements in Lev. 18:19-23 seem to be directed toward men, arsenokoitēs likely refers to men who have sex with a male.

By using malakos and arsenokoitēs together Paul seems to condemn both the active partner and the willing passive partner in male homosexual activity. I think it may be important to point out the distinction between a willing passive partner and an unwilling passive partner. I don’t think Paul would say to a person who has been homosexually raped “by this abomination you have been defiled.” He’s speaking to people who willingly become malakos or soft, who assume that role which his culture sees as the role of a woman, which is associated with weakness, softness, penetrability, and would be described as the role of the malakos. So in using these two words together I think Paul condemns both the active partner and the willing passive partner in the male homosexual relationship.

In 1 Cor 6:9-10 Paul lists several types of sinners who he says will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Then in verse 11 he says “and this is what some of you used to be, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” He reminds them that some of them were the sorts of wrong-doers on the list, and urges them to live transformed lives in Christ.

So Paul numbers homosexual activity among the sins from which Jesus Christ can free a person.

Paul then discusses their failure to exercise sexual purity. First, he addresses their dispute on freedom and what it means to be “free”.

The Corinthians say, “I have the right to do anything...”
Paul says, “…But not everything is beneficial.”
The Corinthians say, “I have the right to do anything…”
Paul says, “…But I will not be mastered by anything.”
The Corinthians say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both…”
Paul says, “The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

He says that by God’s power Christ was raised from the dead and we will also be raised. He says that our bodies are members of Christ himself and should never be united with a prostitute.

Why?

Because he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body, and he quotes from Genesis, saying, “The two will become one flesh.” And he adds that, comparatively, whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit

But why should you flee from sexual immorality?

Because all other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body.

He says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in us, whom we have received from God. He says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” 

Chapter 7 

Paul then discusses some more difficulties in the Church. He first discusses some issues concerning marriage, including conjugal duties and celibacy. The Corinthians had written to Paul with questions about sex and marriage, and they had concluded that it was good for men and women not to have sex. Paul agrees but he points out that they are having sex anyway, so he concedes that married couples ought to have sex to avoid being tempted. He says it is the duty of both the husband and the wife to offer themselves sexually to each other because their bodies belong to each other and not just to themselves. He says that they should not deprive each other of sex unless it is to set aside time to pray to the Lord, and even then, this should not be for a lengthy period. Paul tells them that this is just a suggestion; he is not giving them a command from God. He also says that he wishes that everyone was capable of celibacy like he was. To the widows and widowers, Paul says it is better not to get remarried, but that they should go ahead and get remarried if they are unable to control themselves.

He then discussed the issue of divorce. First, he discusses divorce between believers. On the topic of divorce, Paul states that this is not just a suggestion, but a command from the Lord: A wife must not separate from her husband, and if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband… and a husband must not divorce his wife.

Next, he discusses divorce between a believer and an unbeliever. Paul first gives his own opinion on divorce:

“If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. If a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. The unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife. The unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so – The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances. God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?”

Paul then discusses the principle of satisfaction with God’s sovereignty. He says that this is the rule he lays down in all the churches:

“Each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised ...Circumcision is nothing ...Uncircumcision is nothing ...Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person. Similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave ...You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.”

Paul then discusses marriage and ministry. On the topic of virgins, Paul gives his opinion, stating that this is not a command from the Lord:

“Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.”

Paul explains his reasoning (echoing the words of the prophet Jeremiah before the kingdom of Judah was exiled to Babylon):

“The time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not. Those who mourn, should live as if they did not. Those who are happy, should live as if they were not. Those who buy something, should live as if it were not theirs to keep. Those who use the things of the world, should live as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.”

Paul says that if a man is engaged to a virgin, and he feels as though he is not honoring her virginity, then he ought to marry her, and he shouldn’t feel bad about this because he is not sinning. But Paul also says that if a man is engaged to a virgin and has decided that he doesn’t want to get married, and he has control over his passions, he is right not to marry her. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.

Paul says a woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. Paul says that in his judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is. Paul also points out that even though this is just his own opinion, he is after all a man whose words are influenced by the Spirit of God. 

Paul on Heterosexuality 

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul advocates marriage ‘for the purpose of avoiding sexual immorality,’ not ‘for the purpose of procreation.’ For Paul, sexual intercourse need not be procreative, ‘it had real value as a release for sexual desire.’

READ IT! - Introduction to the Book of Nahum

Introduction to the Book of Nahum 

Context 

Nahum’s name means: Consoled, Comforted, Reassured. Little known about Nahum. Called an Elkoshite. Elkosh location unknown, assumed to be Capernaum (“the village of Nahum”). He warned Assyria’s capital Nineveh of God’s wrath. 

When 

The book was perhaps written between 663-612 B.C. He is assumed to have ministered during Assyria’s domination over Judah. We know that Nineveh was destroyed in 612 B.C., and this date gives a rough estimate of Nahum’s time frame of prophesy. In Nahum 3:8-10 the prophet speaks of the fall of the city of Thebes which was in Upper Egypt. This prophecy must have been written after this time but not too long after because Thebes quickly recovered which would have been a bad example for the people of Nineveh. 

Nahum’s Message 

Nahum was sent to foretell the destruction of evil Nineveh to the people. Nahum 1:3 says that “the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.” The book of Nahum ends with this: “Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?” He criticizes Assyrian policies for going against God’s will, and he declares that a “violent disruption” will take place. But the People of Nineveh didn’t believe that judgment was coming. In fact, they laughed at the prophet! 

There are three important truths Nahum teaches us: 

The universality of God’s Kingdom. The LORD rules among the nations.
God’s government has a retributive character. As Nineveh sowed, so must Nineveh reap.
God’s universal government is subordinate to the LORD’s scheme of grace.

Chapter 1 

Nahum prophesies against Nineveh: “The LORD takes vengeance on his enemies. The LORD says, ‘I will break his yoke from you.’ Hold your feasts, O Judah!” 

Chapter 2 

Nahum says, “The LORD is restoring Jacob. Chariots race through the streets. Nineveh is like a draining pool. ‘I am against you,’ declares the LORD.” 

Chapter 3 

Nahum says, “Woe to the bloody city! God declares, ‘The nations will look at your shame.’ Draw water for the siege. Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria.”

READ IT! - Introduction to the Book of Joel

Readings for this week

Monday: Ecclesiastes 12
Tuesday: Joel 1
Wednesday: Joel 2
Thursday: Joel 3
Friday: Nahum 1
Saturday: Nahum 2
Sunday: Nahum 3

Introduction to the Book of Joel

Background 

The exact time of Joel’s life is uncertain. Some scholars list him as the earliest of the minor prophets, some list him as the latest, and many place him somewhere in the middle. Joel is placed as the second of the twelve prophets in the Hebrew canon. Joel possibly lived in the 8th century B.C. He may have prophesied in the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the period of The Divided Kingdom from 792-740 B.C. His book likely did not reach its final redacted state until much later. If these are the correct dates for Joel’s ministry, then he would have ministered during the reign of King Uzziah (aka Azariah) of Judah. King Uzziah ruled for 52 years and died of leprosy. The prophet Isaiah began his ministry “in the year that King Uzziah died.” 

“The Ammonites paid annual tribute to him, and his fame spread even to Egypt, for he had become very powerful.”
-- 2nd Chronicles 26:8

The southern kingdom of Judah was experiencing tremendous expansion militarily, administratively, commercially, and economically. Judah was undergoing constant changes which would have affected Joel’s ministry, including natural disasters like plagues of locust, and severe drought.

Purpose for his ministry:

Proclaim the judgment and the grace of God
Encourage the people and leaders to gather for fellowship and prayer.
Challenge people to repent.
Record God’s prophetic message of encouragement and blessing for those who sincerely repented 

In Joel, we see:

God’s call for the sinners’ repentance (2:12-14)
The wisdom a follower of God should uphold in times of great crisis (plague, drought)
Foreshadowing of Christ’s coming (2:31)
God’s amazing grace to sinners 

The Message 

A call to repent because the day of the LORD is coming
The Restoration of Israel will take place. 

Chapter One 

Joel says, “What the locust swarm has left other locusts have eaten. The fields are destroyed. Lament, O priests! The day of the LORD is near.” 

Main Message: 

We see the prophet call for Israel to repent. The invasion of the locusts is foreshadowing the Day of the LORD. This plague could have been literal or figurative. 

Things Destroyed: Grain, wine, oil, joy in Israel, worship in the Temple. 

The exact sin of the people is not identified. But we see that God is giving His people a chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways.

Joel says, “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.” 

Chapter Two 

Joel says, “A great army is on the mountains. Return to the LORD for he is merciful, and says to you, ‘Fear not, I will restore you. I will pour out my Spirit.’" 

Main Message:

God’s mercy is on display. He pleads with Israel to turn to Him. This chapter also highlights His grace, forgiveness, and restoration. He is jealous for His people. Zion is mentioned seven times. 

Chapter Three 

Joel says, "I will gather all the nations for judgement. For the day of the LORD is near. Jerusalem will be inhabited for all generations." 

Main Message:

Restoration for Israel and judgment on the nations who are against Israel. He calls for them to “...renew their connection with the LORD.” Destruction is only temporary – the Temple is destroyed, but not religious significance. The people can still pray to the LORD even when the Temple is in ruins.

Joel also tells the people to “Rend your hearts and not your garments!” To rend means: “to tear, split, or lacerate, usually clothing or hair, as a sign of anger, grief, or despair.” The point is for them to examine their own hearts, rather than worrying about outward appearances.

READ IT! - Introduction to Ecclesiastes 5-12

Readings for this week

Monday: Ecclesiastes 5
Tuesday: Ecclesiastes 6
Wednesday: Ecclesiastes 7
Thursday: Ecclesiastes 8
Friday: Ecclesiastes 9
Saturday: Ecclesiastes 10
Sunday: Ecclesiastes 11

Introduction to Ecclesiastes 5-12

Chapters 5-6 

When one goes to before God, one ought to be more concerned with what God has to say than with what they have to say to God. One must truly fear God rather than practice empty religion.

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.
Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools,
who do not know that they do wrong.”

“Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
A dream comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool.”

As one guards against corrupt authority by striving to be self-sufficient, one finds that one’s protection in material gain becomes their undoing. Qoheleth affirms that life becomes something which can be enjoyed when God is known to be the giver of its fruit and labor.

“Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is hevel.”

“As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?”

“Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
that they can carry in their hands.” 

Chapters 7-8 

The value of difficulties is described variously as that which enriches rather than destroys a person.

“A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.”

Deathday Better than Birthday Explained...

"The point throughout is the person's name. When a baby is born it has no name - quite literally - and even after it has been given a name, that name is essentially meaningless until the person has actually grown and begun to do things in life. Little by little, he or she becomes a person, first doing this, then that, until slowly that "name" begins to mean something, for good or for ill. Eventually, it is full of rich detail and nuance - as detailed and nuanced as the person's own life. And like any nonmaterial thing, it is impervious to change; no one can steal someone else's name, and it will not erode or wash away. Meanwhile, that same person's physical existence has started down the long path of decline that is the lot of all humans. In a physical sense, we are all like the precious anointing oil: what was very valuable at first begins to lose its savor, and sooner or later the whole vial will be used up or go bad and have to be disposed of. That day, the day of a person's death, is certainly a sad day, but it is no less a day of great significance, since it marks the completion of the process of building a name. One can now take a step backward and contemplate (as one could not before) the whole person. In the end, each of us becomes our name; this is all that survives of the dissolution of our "precious oil," our physical selves."

To dwell on the superiority of the past is to not deal skillfully with today.

“Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’
For it is not wise to ask such questions.”

“Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.”

For one to alienate oneself for wisdom and righteousness is for one to ruin their life. To be evil and foolish is to lose one’s life. To be someone who fears God is to be able to be upright and to live with the knowledge that one is good and evil. It is good to hold on to righteousness and to also be aware of one’s evil because this leads to a fear of God.

“Do not be over-righteous,
neither be over-wise—
why destroy yourself?
Do not be over-wicked,
and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?
It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.”

Although Wisdom and righteousness are helpful, no one is completely pure.

“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.”

“Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing you—
for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.”

“This only have I found:
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”

“Who is like the wise?
Who knows the explanation of things?
A person’s wisdom brightens their face
and changes its hard appearance.”

Qoheleth affirms that wisdom is a great attribute because it gives perspective to the hurts which one faces. Because of a person’s commitment to God, one should obey the governmental authority over him and not quickly rebel so as to incur the government’s sovereign retaliation.

"Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God.
Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.
Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases."

Examining life from a natural vantage point leads to frustration because the wicked never fully pay for their evil and this incites more evil.

"When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out,
people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong."

Although life from a natural vantage point seems to be out of control and replete with injustices, one should enjoy it as a God-fearer who understands His oversight.

"There is something else that is hevel that occurs on earth:
the righteous who get what the wicked deserve,
and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve.
This too, I say, is hevel.
So I commend the enjoyment of life,
because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.
Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun." 

Chapters 9-10 

Because one does not receive from life what one puts into life, it is impossible to explain the experiences of life outside of the hand of God. Death is a fate which awaits everyone, even those who pursue evil and deserve worse.

"This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun:
The same destiny overtakes all.
The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,
and afterward they join the dead.
Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"

Life is more advantageous than death because the living are still able to enjoy life and especially impact the lives of those around them.

"For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even their name is forgotten. Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun."

"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart,
for God has already approved what you do.
Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.
Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love,
all the days of this hevel life that God has given you under the sun—all your hevel days.
For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,
for in the realm of the dead, where you are going,
there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."

Even though the experiences of a person’s life may be capriciously hurtful to any individual, one’s skill in life will be a source of life for many. There is not a natural cause-and-effect relationship to life because all are subject to the limitations of time and the capriciousness of chance.

"The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all."

Qoheleth affirms that foolish, sinful youthful choices lead to personal and public harm in life.

"The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner destroys much good.
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone how stupid they are.
Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
A feast is made for laughter,
wine makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say." 

Chapter 11-12

Wise financial planning protects against the capricious disasters of life. It is wise to not become immobilized by the uncertainties of life, but by entrusting them to God to make the most of today’s opportunities of life.

"Ship your grain across the sea;
after many days you may receive a return.
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well."

A Poem on Old Age

Life must be pursued in its brevity with the perspective of its futility and one’s accountability before God. Qoheleth affirms that God is to be considered during the days of one’s vitality or else one will find the certain evil before them to be too overwhelming to think clearly. If one does not consider God while one’s strength is with them, the certain darkness before them will overwhelm them to conclude that all in life is empty.

“You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.
Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
‘I find no pleasure in them’—
before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.”

“Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

The Word-Pictures explained

Stars grow dark = blindness
Clouds return after the rain = frequently needing to relieve oneself
Keepers of the house tremble = shaky legs
Strong men stoop = arthritis
Grinders cease = teeth fall out
Those looking through the windows grow dim = poor eyesight
Sound of grinding fades = deafness
Songs grow faint = deafness
The almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags = youthful beauty fails to arouse the male sexual organ
Silver cord is severed = death
Golden bowl is broken = death
Pitcher is shattered = death
Wheel broken = death
Dust returns to the ground = death and decay of the body
The Conclusion

Although there are many sources for direction in life, God’s wise direction is to fear Him and to follow His word because everyone will be evaluated by these things.

“Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.”

“Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.”

“Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.”

READ IT! - Introduction to Ecclesiastes 1-4

Introduction to Ecclesiastes 1-4

Name:

Originally called “Qoheleth” in Hebrew. “Qoheleth” means “preacher.” “Ecclesiastes” comes from the Greek Ekklesia, meaning “the assembly” (to whom the preacher preaches). In English, Ekklesia is translated as “church.”

Theme:

“What is the purpose of life?” The Hebrew word “hevel” appears throughout the book, and is used to describe various aspects of life. It can be translated literally as vapor, smoke, or breath, or metaphorically as something that is illusive, empty, or a delusion. Some translators translate is as “meaningless” and “vanity.”

Chapter 1 

Qoheleth generally and then specifically examines work and wisdom (in a cyclic fashion) to support his thesis that all of life is smoke. There is no advantage to work from earth’s perspective because of the cycles of life which entrap people and because of the lack of fulfillment in doing anything.

“‘Hevel! Hevel!’
says the Teacher.
‘Utterly hevel!
Everything is hevel.’”

“What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which one can say,
‘Look! This is something new’?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.”

Qoheleth affirms that by increasing in wisdom he did not find fulfillment, but the emptiness of work, the certainty of design, and the pain of awareness.

“I, Qoheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.”
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun;
all of them are hevel, a chasing after the wind.”
“For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.” 

Chapter 2 

In the pursuit of pleasure and hard work Qoheleth found the latter to be preferable, but both to be empty in and of themselves.

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was hevel, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.”

In examining wisdom and folly Qoheleth affirms that the former (wisdom) is preferable, but not ultimately fulfilling since death is the end of both the fool and the wise.

“I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
just as light is better than darkness.
The wise have eyes in their heads,
while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.”

Qoheleth concludes that work is empty and life is to be hated because it only leads to grief (evil) in that others may later squander your fruits, therefore, only pain and preoccupation exist from work now. Recognizing that the hand of God is responsible for one’s life, Qoheleth contradicts his former statements and affirms that pleasure and work are both good. The reason one can enjoy life when one sees that God’s hand is involved is because without Him life is meaningless and full of despair.

“So I hated life,
because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me.
All of it is hevel, a chasing after the wind.
I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun,
because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?” 

Chapter 3 

Qoheleth affirms that everything, including events and experiences which seem to be contradictory, has an appointed time.

“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”

Although the appointments of life may point to despair in striving, meaning for life may be found if one follows the eternal drive within oneself to recognize God as the giver of life.

“I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Qoheleth affirms that man is forced to turn from himself to God when he realizes that He controls events, is the source of morality and gives any meaning to the equalizer of death.

“God will bring into judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”

The reason one should be happy in one’s appointed activities is because there is no future beyond them apart from God.

“As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals;
the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other.
All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals.
Everything is hevel.
All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
Who knows if the human spirit rises upward
and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” 

Chapter 4 

When Qoheleth examines the unjust state of oppressors who have power and the helplessness of the oppressed, he concludes that living is the worst of all possible states.

“I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.
And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.
But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.”

Qoheleth affirms that to be driven in work, especially for oneself, is a great emptiness because people are designed for one another.

“There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked,
‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’
This too is hevel —
a miserable business!”

“Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Qoheleth affirms that in view of the shrewdness of youth and the fickleness of people it is empty to depend upon status for security in life. The young replace the old only to be replaced themselves.