by Rick Marin | Jun 24, 2020 | The Bible
What final part will God play in perfecting our obedience?
(Phil. 2:12-16; Luke 4:4-12; Col. 3:16; Psa. 119:11, 105) Blog 21-27 Jun. 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Bible tells the story of the mighty acts of God in dealing with humanity. Its prophecies tell how God will act in the future and how we should prepare and respond. For us the Bible is necessary, has absolute authority, is entirely sufficient, and is essentially clear, showing us how to live in this life and how to enter into the next. If we read the Bible in context, regarding its grammar, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, the Holy Spirit will teach us its meaning. The Bible is the oldest and most complete story of how this earth was formed, how a worldwide flood occurred, and how earth’s various nations came into existence. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language. And while it may contain minor errors all its history, prophecies, and counsel are accurate portrayals of God’s message and are confirmed by internal consistency, by Jesus, and by the apostles. When we come across a difficult Bible passage we need to make sure that we have asked for the help of the Holy Spirit; have come in humility with faith; have considered the theme, context and grammar of the passage; have compared the passage with other portions of Scripture, and have been willing to wait for providential help, prophetic fulfillment, or more diligent study on our part.
Getting Started (Psa. 51:5; 58:3; Jer. 17:9; Luke 4:4; John 2:5; 8:32; Rom. 1:16; 2:13; 5:12; 8:7; 10:17; Eph. 2:1-3; Jam. 1:21-25)
1. When tempted in the wilderness what guideline for living did Jesus quote from Deuteronomy 6? That the way we should live is by following the Word of God.
2. How do James 1, Romans 2, and Jesus’ mother express the same thought as Jesus on how we should live? That we should be doers of the Word & not just hearers only –“Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”.
3. What does the Bible say about how we come into this world? We enter this world morally corrupt (= having a sinful nature & deceitful heart with no free will nor desire to please God) & legally guilty (= condemned to eternal death not subject to the law of God).
4. How can a guilty, corrupt sinner receive freedom to choose righteousness and please God? By hearing the truth of the Gospel.
5. When a guilty, corrupt sinner hears the truth of the Gospel what must he do in order to receive its saving benefit and freedom from the legal condemnation of the Law? He must accept the good news, abandon trust in himself (repent), & place his trust (faith) in Jesus, his Substitute, who bore his sins & lived the life that he should have lived.
6. Being justified by faith in Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and free from the Law’s condemnation what will be the Christian’s desire? To please God in thought, word, & action.
7. What must the Christian know in order to please God in thought, word, & action? She must know what pleases God by having read his Word.
8. Once the Christian knows how God desires her to live what must she do? She must unquestionably accept & believe the Word that tells her what God desires.
9. What will always be the result of true faith in God? Good works (a life of obedience to God’s Word).
Practical pointers (Psa. 119:11, 105; Matt. 12:34; 15:18-19; 26:40-41; Luke 4:4-12; John 2:5; 16:12; Acts 17:11; Phil. 2:12-16; Col. 3:16; 1 John 2:27)
10. Where do good works begin? They begin in the mind by thinking good thoughts — so memorize, sing, teach others in person or by writing, & meditate on the Word.
11. What will be the result of thinking right thoughts? Speaking the right words.
12. What else besides thinking right thoughts, and speaking the right words does God desire of the Christian? That he does the right things.
13. What part does the Holy Spirit play in us doing the right things? The Holy Spirit inspires, guides, & empowers us to do the right things.
14. If God’s Holy Spirit inspires, guides, & empowers us to do the right things is there anything we must do in pleasing God? Yes, we must do the living – we must cooperate with (work together with) the Holy Spirit in working out in our lives what God works into our lives.
15. How does David describe the way that the Bible works to guide our steps? He says it is like a lamp that illumines our path through this dark world (Have you ever tried going anywhere in darkness without a light?).
16. When tempted to do wrong what example does Jesus give on how to do God’s will? To watch (study the Word & answer Satan with the Word) & pray.
17. How often does the Bible recommend that we study it? Daily for at least one hour a day & we are given Sabbath rest when we can spend even more time in the Word.
Results (1 Cor. 15:53-54; Eph. 2:3-7; 3:10; Phil. 3:14; Heb. 13:15-16)
18. What will be the results of actively putting forth human effort in order to please God? We will experience the joy, love, & peace, of God & will please him making him & all the holy angels rejoice (while Satan & his host will mourn) & we will be witnesses to others in this life & throughout eternity of the wonders of God’s salvation & of the joy of serving him.
19. What daily part will God play in perfecting our obedience? Jesus will daily cleanse our imperfect obedience with his blood & add to it the merits (incense) of his of his obedience so that it may be acceptable to God.
20. What final part will God play in perfecting our obedience? God will remove our sinful nature at glorification giving us the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (absolute perfection) followed by immortality at his appearing.
by Rick Marin | Jun 17, 2020 | The Bible
Might Ahab’s attitude towards God’s prophet be our problem in understanding Scripture?
(1 Cor. 13:9-12; 1 Tim. 4:13-16; 2 Tim. 2:15 2 Peter 3:15-17) Blog Jun. 14-20, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Bible tells the story of the mighty acts of God in dealing with humanity. Its prophecies tell how God will act in the future and how we should prepare and respond. For us the Bible is necessary, has absolute authority, is entirely sufficient, and is essentially clear, showing us how to live in this life and how to enter into the next. If we read the Bible in context, regarding its grammar, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, the Holy Spirit will teach us its meaning. The Bible is the oldest and most complete story of how this earth was formed, how a worldwide flood occurred, and how earth’s various nations came into existence. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language. And while it may contain minor errors all its history, prophecies, and counsel are accurate portrayals of God’s message and are confirmed by internal consistency, by Jesus, and the apostles.
Difficulties (Deut. 29:29; 1 Kings 22:8; Eccl. 5:2; Isa. 40:12-22; 55:8-9; Dan. 4:7; 5:8; 2 Peter 3:15-17; James 1:5-7; 4:5-7)
1. In the third chapter of his second Epistle what does the Apostle Peter tell us to expect to find in the Bible? Difficult passages that novices & unstable readers twist into falsehoods.
2. In his fourth chapter what does the apostle James tell us is our basic problem in understanding Scripture and how are we to deal with this problem? Our basic problem is that since Adam’s fall we are all born proud & envious by nature so that in order to receive God’s grace we must come with an attitude of submission to accept what the passage says & a willingness to obey its commands while resisting the devil’s efforts to make us twist its meaning = approach the passage with humility.
3. What else should coming to a difficult passage with humility include? It should include setting aside our preconceived ideas, our prejudices, & to be willing to admit that we don’t understand the passage.
4. What characteristics of God (who inspired all Holy Scripture) should help us approach his Word humbly and with reverance? His, omnipotence, his omniscience, his eternal nature, & the fact that he dwells in heaven while we dwell on earth like grasshoppers in his sight.
5. What other reason does James give (in his first chapter) that may prevent us from understanding a Bible passage? Not asking God for wisdom that comes through the Holy Spirit that he is more willing to give us than parents are to give good gifts to their children.
6. Why were the wise men of Babylon unable to interpret the king’s dream about a tree, nor even read with understanding the handwriting on Belshazzar’ palace wall? Because they had not accepted the light God had previously given through Daniel (so we must approach Scripture with faith not looking for contradictions or coming doubting God’s Word).
7. What was Ahab’s attitude towards God’s prophet, Micaiah, that may be our problem in understanding Scripture? He hated that prophet for he never told him what he wanted to hear.
Time (Daniel 12:4; Acts 1:6-8; Eph. 3:1-9; 1 Cor. 13:9-12; )
8. What should we learn from First Corinthians 13:9-12? That due to our limited abilities & knowledge there will be Bible passages we will never understand until eternity.
9. What did Jesus tell his disciples just before his ascension? That some things they wanted to understand only God knew & they would need to wait until they had a deeper knowledge of his will.
10. According to Daniel’s being told to seal up the vision until the time of the end what other factor delays our understanding of a Bible passage? The fact that God hides its meaning until a certain time in history.
11. What mystery does Paul say he now understood and preached which previously had been hidden? The Gospel of Jesus.
12. What should we conclude from the fact that we don’t readily understand a Bible passage? That we should patiently wait for providential events in our lives, or the presentations of others (in sermons, books, or radio programs), or certain prophetic fulfillments, or further study on our before comprehending the passage.
Effort (Luke 24:13-35; Acts 17:11; 2 Thes. 3:10; 1 Tim. 4:13-16; 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 1:10-12)
13. According to First Peter what did the very prophets who prophesied of the coming Messiah have to do in order to understand even what they wrote? They needed to desire to understand, to ask themselves questions about the passage, & to search diligently (to concentrate in the things of God & not let their minds wander to temporal matters) in what God had revealed.
14. What did Paul tell Timothy in his first letter that he needed to do when studying Scripture? That he needed to continue reading the Scripture & teaching it to others, to exercise the gift God had given him, to meditate upon the Scripture, to continue being obedient to Scripture, & to guard himself & the doctrine from any pollution.
15. What method of study did Paul tell Timothy to practice in his second letter to the young pastor? To rightly divide (compare context, grammar, & wording while grasping the theme of each portion) that his study (not just quickly reading) would result in God’s approval.
16. Which did the Bereans do that helped them understand Scripture? The searched multiple passages, daily to make sure they understood the meaning of a subject.
17. What had Cleopas and his companion failed to do that resulted in them not understanding the death of their Messiah? They had failed to believe ALL that the prophets had said.
18. If Paul in Second Thessalonians commanded “that if any would not work, neither should he eat” and our spiritual food is the Word of God then what must we expect in order to digest the Word? That it will take WORK! Gold doesn’t always lie on the surface of the earth.
by Rick Marin | Jun 10, 2020 | The Bible
What is the origin of the futurist method of prophetic interpretation?
(Dan. 2:27-45; 7:1-25; 8:14, John 14:29, Num. 14:34, 1 Cor. 10:1-13) Blog Jun. 7-13, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Bible tells the story of the mighty acts of God in dealing with humanity. Its prophecies tell how God will act in the future and how we should prepare and respond. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language. For us the Bible is necessary, has absolute authority, is entirely sufficient, and is essentially clear, showing us how to live in this life and how to enter into the next. If we read the Bible in context, regarding its grammar, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, the Holy Spirit will teach us its meaning. The Bible is the oldest and most complete story of how this earth was formed, how a worldwide flood occurred, and how earth’s various nations came into existence. Old Testament history is confirmed as being literal and accurate by Jesus and the apostles, by the weekly cycle, by the orderly environment, by the fossil record, by secular history, by the existence of the Jewish people, by the many extant manuscripts, and by the findings of archeology. New Testament history is confirmed by secular history, by the rise and growth of Christianity, by our dating system, by the many extant manuscripts, and by archeology.
Why prophecy? (John 14:1, 29; 13:19; 15:11; 16:1, 4, 33; 19:36; Matt. 24:4, 29, 33, 44; Dan. 9:1-4
1. As Jesus begins his counsel in John 14 on the night of his betrayal what is the first thing that he desires his disciples to grasp from his portrayal of events yet future? That they be not troubled by what is ahead of them.
2. As Jesus summarizes his view of the future in John 14 what does he say should be the result of seeing the fulfillment of his prophesies? That their faith might increase.
3. What additional result does Jesus say in John 15:11, will come from following his instructions for the future. That his joy might be in them & continually increasing.
4. As Jesus begins John 16, what other benefit does he say will result from believing his predictions? That his disciples will not stumble nor fall but rather remember that he had told them ahead of time what was coming.
5. When concluding John 16, what did Jesus say the reason was for his foretelling the future? That his disciples might have peace.
6. How should seeing the fulfillment of Bible prophecy affect our trust in God’s Word? It should confirm in our minds that the Bible is entirely true.
7. Why did Jesus portray the future of the world in Matthew 24? So that his disciples would know what to expect & would make the proper preparations for events still to come & would pray for God’s mercies in fulfilling his promises & would not be deceived by imposters.
The Historicist Method of Prophetic Interpretation (Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Daniel 7:25; 9:24-27; Heb. 8:4; 2 Cor. 10:1-13)
8. What is the historical method of prophetic interpretation? The historicist method sees prophecy as a progressive and continuous fulfillment of history, starting in the past and ending with God’s eternal kingdom. It views the prophesy as finding its fulfillment in history just as Daniel & John the Revelator did. It is the method that accepts the obvious from the wording of the text.
9. What words in Daniel tell us that it is dealing with future historical events? “what shall be in the latter days (2:28),” “what should come to pass hereafter (2:29),” “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN (5:25),” “shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days(8:26), & similar phrases.
10. What words in Revelation tell us that it is dealing with future historical events? “things which must shortly come to pass (1:1),” “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter (1:19),” “I will shew thee things which must be hereafter (4:1),” “One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter (9:12), “they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days (11:3),” & similar phrases.
11. What specific words in Daniel and Revelation show that the institutions listed come in consecutive (historical) order? “second, third, fourth, etc. (Dan. 2; Rev. 6 & 8)” “five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space (Rev. 17:9), etc.
12. What principle must be applied to time periods given in Daniel and Revelation due to the facts that everything is described in symbols and the institutions mentioned lasted must longer than a literal understanding of their time duration? The “day for a year principle” as seen in Numbers & Ezekiel – which also perfectly works for calculating the coming of Messiah as described in Daniel 9.
13. What must we conclude (as seen in our YouTube and Blog presentations on Daniel) from the fact that each great climactic event (“big bang”) of Daniel’s four prophetic outlines is a simultaneous crisis intervention on the part of God? That the kingdoms of this world become God’s (Dan. 2) by means of an investigative judgment (Dan. 7) which encompasses the cleansing of God’s heavenly sanctuary (Dan. 8-9) & brings deliverance for God’s people (Dan. 10-12).
14. When comparing the description and activity of the “little horn” in Daniel 7 with that of Daniel 8 what must we conclude? That they are one and the same Papal power that arose after the fall of the Roman empire & controlled the world for 1260 years (538-1798).
15. What method of comparison used often by Jesus and the apostles is a tremendous aide in understanding Bible prophesy? That of typology – for example the earthly sanctuary & its services are a type of the heavenly sanctuary & its services (Heb. 8:3-5); & the wanderings of God’s people in the wilderness is a type of the wanderings of the New Testament church (1 Cor. 10:1-13), etc.
The Pendulum of Interpretation ()
16. Which method of prophetic interpretation was predominant among the Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century? The Historicist method which taught that the “little horn” antichrist of Daniel 7 & 8 would appear after the fall of Rome & was then present as the Papacy.
17. What other methods of prophetic interpretation are used today? Preterist, futurist, allegorical.
18. What is the origin of the allegorical method of prophetic interpretation? Post-resurrection Alexandrian, gnostic scholars who sought to return to the philosophies of Greek dualism.
19. What is the origin of the preterist method of prophetic interpretation? Roman Catholic attempt invented by Jesuit scholar Alcazar to diffuse the Protestant accusation of the Papacy being the antichrist
20. What is the origin of the futurist method of prophetic interpretation? Roman Catholic attempt invented by Jesuit scholar Ribera to diffuse the Protestant accusation of the Papacy being the antichrist
21. Which method of prophetic interpretation was predominant in the early 1800? The preterist method which taught that a one-thousand-year millennium of worldwide progress would come prior to the second coming of Jesus.
22. Which method of prophetic interpretation became predominant in the late 1800? The futurist method which taught that a one-thousand-year millennium of Christian worldwide rule would follow the second coming of Jesus.
23. What brought about the shift from the preterist to the futurist method of prophetic interpretation? The worldwide proclamation of the imminent return of Jesus based the historical method & proclaimed by Miller, Irving, Gaussen, Wolff, Lacunza & others who concentrated their conclusions on Daniel 8:14. Wm Miller, Joe Wolff, Rob Winter, Lacunza, Bengal, Gaussen, many Arabs, & children.
by Rick Marin | Jun 2, 2020 | The Bible
Why do some people doubt or deny the Genesis record of history?
(Matt. 19:4; Rom. 1:20; Heb. 11:1-40; Jude 1:9-14) Blog May 31-June 06, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Bible tells the story of the mighty acts of God in dealing with humanity. In this way it shows us how to live now and how to obtain future salvation. Its prophecies tell how God will act in the future and how we should prepare and respond. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language. While the words are not inerrant in every detail, the thoughts are an infallible guide. For us the Bible is necessary, has absolute authority, is entirely sufficient, and is essentially clear, showing us how to live in this life and how to enter into the next. If we read the Bible in context, regarding its grammar, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, the Holy Spirit will teach us its meaning. The Bible is the oldest and most complete story of how this earth was formed, how a worldwide flood occurred, and how earth’s various nations came into existence.
World History (1 Sam. 17:43-50; 2 Kings 19:10-37; Psa. 19:8; Isa. 9:6; Dan. 5:1-31; Acts 7:54-57; Rom. 1:20)
1. What is the oldest recorded record of world history? The book of Genesis written by Moses while tending sheep on the back side of the wilderness about 1500 years before the birth of Jesus.
2. What evidence is available today that supports Moses’ account given in Genesis? The very existence of a uniquely designed & well-ordered planet that supports a myriad of highly complex life forms is evidence of a divine Designer/Creator who is all-powerful & eternal; the abundant fossil record worldwide supports Moses’ account of a worldwide cataclysmic flood; the existence of the Jewish people and their veneration of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob attest to Moses’ record of those early Hebrews & their monotheism.
3. Why do some people doubt or deny the Genesis record of history? Because they know that if in the beginning it was God that made us & chose a peculiar people then in the end God will judge us & only save a peculiar people.
4. When Moses continues his history in Exodus through Deuteronomy to whom does he limit his story? To God’s people, Israel.
4. How far does the Bible carry the history of the nation Israel? Up until their final, official rejection of their Messiah at the stoning of Stephen.
5. What parallel truth is demonstrated in the stories of David & Goliath, Hezekiah & Sennacherib, and that of Daniel & Belshazzar’s feast? That when God is defied and a man of God is present (David, Daniel, Hezekiah) then God acts in history for the deliverance of his people.
6. In reality, what is the theme of the entire Old Testament? It is Jesus as the promised Messiah to come.
7 What is unique about Biblical history that is seldom found in other religious writing? That it moves in a linear direction from an absolute beginning to an ultimate goal rather than in circular cycles.
Jesus and History (Psa. 110:1; Matt. 12:39-41; 19:4; 24:15, 38; Luke 2:1-3; 3:1-3; 16:29)
8. If you believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah of the Old Testament what must you also accept? The entire Old Testament history for he believed that all that was recorded there literally took place & referred to & quoted it often.
9. What method of human chronology gives convincing evidence of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? That of reckoning time as AD & BC.
10. What specific evidence does Jesus give that Moses’ account of creation and the flood actually took place as recorded? He quotes from Genesis 1 when dealing with a question on divorce, he refers to Noah & the flood when speaking of his second coming, & he depicts Abraham as telling the rich man that Moses & the Prophets are sufficient to show one the way to life eternal.
11. What specific evidence does Jesus give that he believed the story of David? He repeatedly accepted the title “Son of David,” he retold the story of David eating consecrated bread when hungry, & he quoted Psalm 110 to show that he was the divine Son of God.
12. How do we know that Jesus accepted the writing of Daniel, even including his prophesies concerning “the little horn”? Because he told us to read them ourselves so we would know how to react when it appeared.
13. What proof did Jesus give that Jonah was literally swallowed by and spent time in the belly of a great fish? He repeatedly referred to that story as a type of his death burial, & resurrection.
14. If the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is not true how can one account for the rise and progress of Christianity in the world? One cannot.
15. What historical persons does Luke record that are also confirmed in secular history? The names of the reigning authorities when Jesus was born and those when John the Baptist began his ministry.
The Apostles and History (Heb. 11:1-40; James 2:14-26; 5:17-18; Rom. 4:1-17; Gal. 2:16; Jude 1:9-14)
16. How many Old Testament saints does Paul name in Hebrews 11 as having received a good report through faith? Sixteen & they span Old Testament history from Genesis through Psalms & by inference even to Daniel.
17. Why does Paul tell the story of Old Testament saints in Hebrews 11? Because he is looking into God’s book of remembrance to explain what faith is.
18. What is faith? Faith is believing the promises of God & accepting Jesus as your Substitute & Surety as the means (not basis) for receiving eternal life – it is not a work on our part but rather is a gift from God that we personally can exercise like opening the eye or receiving a gift – God’s promised future becomes real & things not see become “visible”.
19. Which of all the holy actions recorded in Hebrews 11 is part of faith? None of them – they are all the result of faith but not part of it – Romans & Galatians make clear that perfect obedience is the basis for our salvation & faith is the means of obtaining it.
20. Which Old Testament saints does James refer to in his epistle? To Abraham, Rahab, & Elijah.
21. Which Old Testament saints does Peter refer to in his epistles? To Sarah, Abraham, Noah, & Balaam, but he quotes from numerous others.
22. Which Old Testament personalities does Jude refer to in his epistle? To Adam, Cain, Enoch, Balaam, & Korah.
by Rick Marin | May 27, 2020 | The Bible
To what do earth’s fossils and fossil fuel attest?
(Genesis 5-11; Job 26:7-10; 1 Chron. 1-8) Blog 24-30 May, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Bible tells the story of the mighty acts of God in dealing with humanity. Its prophecies tell how God will act in the future and how we should prepare and respond. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language. For us the Bible is necessary, has absolute authority, is entirely sufficient, and essentially clear, showing us how to live in this life and how to enter into the next. If we read the Bible in context, regarding its grammar, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, the Holy Spirit will teach us its meaning. It is God’s infallible Word to mankind. The first three chapters of Genesis established the length of a day and that in six 24-hour days God created everything in this earth, and they established that God is a plurality of three persons, and they established that mankind was the crowning act of creation and that sin and death came later making the theory of evolution impossible.
Genealogies (Genesis 5-11; Job 26:7-10; 1 Chron. 1-8; Matt. 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38)
1. How are the genealogies found in Genesis 5 and 11 unique? They not only list the names of fathers and firstborn sons but also give the age of the father when his firstborn son was born & the total age that each of these lived.
2. With the genealogical data given in Genesis 5 and 11 what is it possible to calculate? The number of years from the creation of Adam to the flood; from the flood to Abraham; & by continuing through the Old Testament, the number of years from creation to the birth of Jesus, & therefore the age of the earth since creation (which is now about 6,000 years old).
3. Which other Old Testament book confirms the genealogies given in Genesis? 1 Chronicles.
4. By comparing the Genesis genealogies with those of First Chronicles what becomes apparent? That there are no added nor missing generations.
5. Which two New Testament authors confirm the genealogies of the Old Testament? Matthew in chapter 1 & Luke in chapter 3.
The Flood (Genesis 6-9; Matt. 24:36-39; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:1-7; Jude 1:14-16)
6. What act on the part of God’s children eventually led to the need for a destructive flood? The taking of unbelieving wives by some of God’s children.
7. What did the offspring of the mixed marriages between the sons of God and the daughters of men become? They became men of renown who challenged the true God.
8. What does Peter say was the reason that God lost patience with the people of Noah’s day? Their disobedience.
9. Before bringing the flood what did God do? He warned earth’s inhabitants over a long period of time (120 years) & prepared a way of escape from coming judgment.
10. What details does Moses include in his telling the story of Noah? That few believed his message, that it rained for forty days coving all earth’s highest mountains by 15 cubits, that God preserved Noah & his family of eight together with clean (7 each) & unclean (2 each = 1 male + 1 female) animal life for 377 days in the ark, & that God made a covenant with a sign (rainbow) that he would not again destroy the earth by a flood.
11. If rightly understood to what do earth’s fossils and fossil fuel attest? To a worldwide, cataclysmic flood.
12. What kind of people does Peter say will arise on the earth in the last days? Scoffers who live according to their own lusts & challenge the idea of the second advent of Jesus on their supposed basis that all things continue uniformly on earth without cataclysmic change.
13. Besides pointing to creation, to what other event does Peter refer as proof that the scoffers are wrong and that God will act as promised and come to rescue his people from a corrupt earth? To the flood of Noah’s day.
14. Why did Jesus refer to Noah’s day? Because just as life was going on as normal for the wicked until the flood came so it will be in our day just before Jesus returns.
15. What overarching lesson should we learn from the story of the flood? That God will not always tolerate sinful disobedience on the part of humanity but is able & will act with cataclysmic force to end the reign of sin.
16. What do Job 26:7-10; and Isaiah 40:21, 22. teach us about the nature of this earth? That it is a sphere hung in space by God & that God is much greater than this earth.
A Divided World (Genesis 10:1-11:9; Micah 5:6; Rev. 14:8; 16:19;17:5; 18:2, 10, 21)
17. When Noah’s children and grandchildren re-inhabited the earth where did rebellion against God surface again and under whose leadership? On the Plain of Shinar under the leadership of Nimrod, the grandson of Ham.
18. Rather than scatter out over the whole earth as God had commanded, what did the people on the Plain of Shinar decide to do? To build a city with a tower out of baked brick that reached unto heaven (probably to avoid another flood because they didn’t believe God’s covenant promise).
19. What was God’s reaction to the plans of the people of Shinar? He decided to quell their rebellion by confounding their language (which up till then was only one) forcing them to scatter across the face of the earth as he had commanded.
20. What lessons should we take from the story of Babel? That in it we are given a clear picture of the origin of earth’s languages & people groups & that it was not God’s plan for human beings to dwell in cities.
by Rick Marin | May 20, 2020 | The Bible
What elements did God establish for human marriage?
(Genesis 1-4; Ex. 20:8-11; John 1:1-4; Rom. 5:12; Rev. 14:6-7;) Blog May 17-23, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The Bible tells the story of the mighty acts of God in dealing with humanity. Its prophecies tell how God will act in the future and how we should prepare and respond. The Holy Spirit inspired holy men to portray God’s thoughts in human language. For us the Bible is necessary, has absolute authority, is entirely sufficient, and essentially clear, showing us how to live in this life and how to enter into the next. If we read the Bible in context, regarding its grammar, and comparing Scripture with Scripture, the Holy Spirit will teach us its meaning. It is God’s infallible Word to mankind
Time (Genesis 1:1-2:3; Exodus 20:8-11; Mark 2:27-28; Rev. 14:6-7)
1. What four basic elements of life are shown in Genesis 1:1? Time (beginning), energy (created), space (heavens), & matter (earth).
2. In Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 the phrase “In the beginning” refers to what time? To the time when God set about to make this earth habitable.
3. What factors prove that the days of creation were 24-hour periods, just as our days are today? The fact that the term day is used in the singular; the fact that they were composed of one evening & one morning; the fact that the fourth Commandment written by the finger of God commands rest on the seventh day of a seven-day week; the use of cardinal numbers to introduce the last six days of creation week showing a consecutive sequence of days with no gaps; & the fact that the word Moses used for day is the same Hebrew word used throughout the Old Testament for a 24-hour day.
4. How does the fact in 1 Corinthians 15:52 that God will transform humanity instantly at the re-creation in just one moment of time overturn the idea of billions of years needed for the first creation, as theistic evolution teaches? It shows that God does not require long periods of time to accomplish tremendous feats.
5. If the days of creation week were not literal 24-hour days from where does the world get a seven-day week? There is no other explanation for a seven-day week than the literal seven 24-hour days of creation.
6. What part of creation determines months and years? The sun & moon which with our solar system were created on the fourth day of creation (the stars in other solar systems were created at different times).
7. What portion of time did God set apart as special. The seventh day (Saturday) for on it he ceased from labor, rested, blest it, & set it apart as holy (the same three acts are repeated in the fourth commandment).
8. If God is omnipotent why did he rest on and sanctify the seventh day? Because the Sabbath (the seventh day) was made for man as a special time to have communion with & worship his Creator.
God (Gen. 1:1-27; Psa. 33:6-9; Isa. 40:25-28; John 1:1-4; 8:12; 9:5; 17:17; 2 Cor. 4:6; Heb. 1:1-2; 4:12-13; 11:2)
9. If God did not “make” light on the first day but rather said “let there be light” then what must that light be? It must be Jesus, who declared himself “the light of the world.”
10. From verses 1, 2, 3, 26, & 27 of Genesis 1 what must we conclude about God? That the Godhead is made up of three persons: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.
11. According to John 1:1-3 and Hebrews 1:1–2 who was the agent of creation? It was Jesus who also later redeemed fallen humanity on the cross & was the agent for the creation of other worlds.
12. If God made man in his image and likeness what does that tell us about God? That there is interpersonal fellowship & communion in the Godhead; that God has a work of dominion to do; that God makes children, that the Godhead accomplishes its goals by united, harmonious effort; that God has a physical form that functions with power to think & to do.
13. How do we know that God created “the heavens and the earth” out of nothing in six literal days? We know this only by faith in the Bible record as Hebrews 11:3 states (a seven-day week testifies to this truth).
14. Considering the method God used to create our solar system, the earth, & all its plant and animal life without pre-existing matter, what powerful aspect of God should we continually remember and reverence? The power of God’s spoken word.
Mankind (Gen. 1:26-3:25; Matt. 15:19; 19:5; Rom. 5:12; 6:23; 10:5; 1 Cor. 15:22; Heb. 9:22)
15. What aspects of the creation of mankind demonstrate that this was the highpoint of all created life. Mankind was not spoken into existence but rather Adam was personally formed by God out of the earth & Eve was created from one of Adam’s ribs; each sex was created by a different means; this was the final act of creation; they were given dominion over all the rest of the earths created beings (even over the plants that they were to dress & keep); & they are the only creatures made in God’s image & likeness.
16. In what ways are human beings like God? They are a family (including more than one person), they have the ability to think (conceive) & to do (produce), they have a sovereign work to do (keep the garden & rule over the animals), & their physical form is like God’s
17. What two elements make a living soul? The breath of God & formed dirt.
18. What covenant did God make with Adam in the beginning? A covenant of “obey and live” or “disobey and die” – that of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
19. Besides the seventh-day Sabbath what other divine institution was established at creation? Marriage, which is a picture of the marriage to take place between Christ & his church in the last days.
20. What elements did God sovereignly establish for human marriage? One male & one female, equality between the sexes, leave parent’s home, cleave to one another, reproduce like offspring, mutual helpers, & become one flesh.
21. Who spoke the words recorded in Genesis 2:24? God, himself did.
22. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit whose sin brought guilt and a sinful nature to all mankind? Adam’s sin (not Eve’s) brought both condemnation & corruption to the human race for he was our Federal Head with whom God make the covenant.
23. When God sacrificed an animal in order to cloth naked Adam and Eve what does that tell us? That there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood & no covering for sinners in order to stand in God’s sight but the life of the Lamb of God – the promised “Seed of the woman”.
24. What do the sacrifices and lives of Cain and Abel tell us about the results of Adam’s sin? That everyone needs a blood sacrifice to present to God for from the very start we are all guilty (condemned to eternal death) & totally depraved (every part of our nature is corrupt).
