Is the God of the Old Testament a God of wrath and the God of the New
Testament a God of Peace? Many believe so, but God himself says he is
the same yesterday, today, and forever. His basic nature never changes,
and the story of David and Solomon is a good example of this.
It was in David's heart to build a house for Yahweh Elohiym (1 Chronicles 22:7-10), but Yahweh
spoke to David and said that he could not do that because he had shed
so much blood, but that he would have a son named Solomon who who be a
man of peace, and Solomon would build the house for Yahweh.
What insight this passage gives into the heart of Yahweh Elohiym
who is a God of love and peace yet helped David win so many battles
against his enemies, who helped David shed much blood, yet because of
the fact of the bloodshed would not allow David, the man after his own
heart, to build a house of worship for him.
Is this a contradiction in the basic nature of our God?
No. The Old Testament is full of references to the mercies of Yahweh and
his loving kindness, and the Everlasting Arms.The list of his love for
mankind, as demonstrated under the Old Covenant goes on and on.
It is Yahweh Elohiym who is First and Last and alone created the earth and redeemed fallen mankind (Isaiah 44:6,8,24 45:5,21).
It is Yahweh Elohiym who is the Father of Eternity and is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7).
How can that be?
Because Jesus is Yahweh (Isaiah 44:8).
This Commentary is based on 40+ years of daily Bible reading by the editor, comparing English translations with biblical languages, along with the work of respected scholars. Scripture passages often appear in the top portion of each post (most translator supplements are in [brackets]) Scroll down to see commentary in the numbered footnotes. Use the "search this blog" feature located in the side bar (top right) to find commentary on scripture passages or books of the Bible.
How can a sinner do miracles
When Jesus made clay and healed a
blind man on the Sabbath day, there was division within, and opposition
from, the religious leadership of his time.[i] All who opposed the works of God, did so simply because they were not of God.[ii] But some were confused and asked how a man that is a sinner could do such miracles?
That’s
a good question, and it is one that Jesus addressed in Matthew chapter
seven when he spoke of the false prophets who would not be granted
entrance into his Kingdom.
[iii]
Jesus clearly told us that there would be men (and women) who were not
of God doing miracles and performing great signs and wonders.
In the book of Acts, we read of a man named Simon who used sorcery to
deceive the people. He claimed to be a great power of God and from the
least to the greatest, because of the signs and wonders he performed,
the people believed him.[iv]
The
apostle Paul prophesied concerning the Man of Sin, who would use
miracles, signs, and lying wonders to steal the souls of those who,
because they chose to follow what they could see with their physical
eyes rather than the truth of God’s Word, would follow The Son of
Perdition into eternal condemnation.[v]
And
finally, in THE REVELATION, the apostle John was shown that spirits of
devils could deceive people through the working of miracles and that
some wonders are indeed lying wonders.[vi]
How can we tell the difference? Some have been given the gift of Discerning of Spirits. Others have not. But all have been given the gift of the WRITTEN WORD OF GOD—THE BIBLE. We worship God through his risen Son based upon what has already been WRITTEN.[vii] We discern what is of God and what is not of God in the same way. But if we are hearers of the Word and not doers of the Word, if we heap teachers to ourselves simply because what they teach makes us “feel good,” then the scriptures are clear that our discernment will be seriously distorted, and we are headed for a fall.[viii]
The
Bible tells us our physical bodies are beneficially or adversely
affected by distorted discernment, so it is not advisable to take
lightly anything that may interfere with our understanding of the
expressed, will of God according to his written Word.[ix]
If
someone claims to be a great power of God simply because they perform
signs and wonders, examine their doctrine (and lifestyle) against the
light of scripture. Does it measure up? If it does not, do not make
excuses for them. Flee from them!
Run to Jesus. Run to his Word. And you will be safe.[x]
Is it well with your soul?[xi]
[i] John 9:16, All scripture references in this commentary are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Scriptures[ii] John 8:47[iii] Matthew 7:22-23[iv] Acts 8:9-11[v] 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12[vi] Revelation 16:14[vii] Isaiah 8:19-20[viii] Matthew 7:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:3-4[ix] Proverbs 4:20-22, Luke 11:34-36[x] Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 14:26,[xi] John 3:14-21, Romans 10:9-10. 13
Is it well with your soul?[xi]
[i] John 9:16, All scripture references in this commentary are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Scriptures[ii] John 8:47[iii] Matthew 7:22-23[iv] Acts 8:9-11[v] 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12[vi] Revelation 16:14[vii] Isaiah 8:19-20[viii] Matthew 7:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:3-4[ix] Proverbs 4:20-22, Luke 11:34-36[x] Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 14:26,[xi] John 3:14-21, Romans 10:9-10. 13
A Woman Leads Men
2 Kings 22:12-14 And the King commanded...Go ye inquire of YHWH for me and for the people and for all Judah concerning the words of this book that is found for great is the wrath of YHWH that is kindled against us because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book to do according unto all that which is written concerning us 14: So Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asahiah went unto Huldah the prophetess...[1]
[1]
The High Priest, under orders from the King, and accompanied by other honorable
men (a scribe and servants of the King), went to a woman to inquire of the LORD
for the King, for the people, and for all Judah. The situation was dire, with
the wrath of God about to come down on them all. A careful reading of this passage, vs. 12-14, bears clear
witness to the biblical testimony that God does not single out men [only] for
leadership. Here we see the most powerful men in the kingdom entrusting their
physical safety to the spiritual leadership of a woman.
Why is Judah called Judas in Matthew Chapter one?
Q: In Matthew chapter one we find the generation of Jesus Christ. In verse 2
it says " Jacob begat Judas" but in Genesis 35:23 the sons of Jacob and
Leah are listed and no Judas and Rachel's sons are Benjamin and Joseph.
What am I missing?
GENESIS 29:
32: And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
33: And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
34: And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
35: And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing
GENESIS 35:
Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
23: The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
24: The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
25: And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
26: And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram.
A: In the Received Text, the Judas of Matthew One and the Judah of Genesis 29 and 35 are the same
person that was born of Leah and who King David and our Lord Jesus descended from. The
likely reason for the difference in spelling and pronunciation is that
Matthew was written in Greek and Genesis was written in Hebrew, but there is no Biblical contradiction here.
We see similar differences in other Bible names such Isaiah/Esaias. MATTHEW 3:3 is a reference to the prophet Isaiah who the writer called Esaias: "For this is he that was spoken of by the
prophet Esaias saying The voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye
the way of the Lord, make his paths straight"
GENESIS 29:
32: And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
33: And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
34: And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
35: And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing
Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
23: The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
24: The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
25: And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
26: And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram.
Genesis 1:1 Trinity Marraige
1: In the beginning God[1]
created the heaven
and the earth
[1] ELOHIYM:
All
references to “God” in Genesis chapter one are Strong’s Hebrew reference 430,
“Elohiym”). The word refers to more than two (Dr. Walter
Martin/Ankerberg 1985?). There is a word in Hebrew that refers to more than one
but not more than two, but Elohiym is not that word. The word “Elohiym, is a
reference to the Triune Godhead. Genesis 1:1 specifically tells us that it is
the Triune God--the Godhead---who created all things (Isaiah
44:24, 45:18, John 1:3,10). This is the first Biblical evidence that Jesus is
Jehovah—God Almighty—and not simply a subordinate that God “used” to create all
things (Watchtower Society teaches that Jehovah created Jesus and then used him
to create all other things. Scripture does not substantiate their claims).
According to Philippians 2:10-11, which is a New Testament quote of Jehovah who
is speaking in Isaiah 45:23, Jesus is
the LORD GOD—Yahweh Elohiym—of
Genesis1-3. That is the first Biblical reference to the Godhead which resides
in Jesus in physical form (Colossians 2:9). We serve a Triune God who is one. The Holy of Holies literally means
the Holy place of the Holy Ones—i.e., the Godhead (Dr. William Cooke).
Do we understand how God can be three yet be one? No, we do not. It is as
impossible for man to analyze and pry apart the Godhead as it would be to
attempt to separate the soul and spirit; only God has sufficient understanding
and power to accomplish such a thing in His triune personage and yet remain
one. It is sin to theologically transform the Triune Godhead into a hierarchal,
idolatrous, triad. Just so, it is sin to theologically turn the holy, one
flesh, relationship of marriage into a hierarchal duo with a god-man at the
helm. Man-made hierarchies accomplish nothing less than the conversion of
triune into triad and one flesh into duo...
The Bible Uncorrupted
The following is the writing of Katherine Bushnell, 19th Century Hebrew Scholar, on the reliability of the Word of God despite the efforts of some to manipulate it to their own ends:
2. Our argument assumes that the Bible is all that it claims for itself.
It is (1) Inspired, 2 Timothy 3:16;[1] (2) Infallible, Isaiah 40:8; and (3) Inviolable, John 10:35.
Indeed, no other basis of procedure is available for us. However freely certain... scholars of the present day manipulate the text... But a manipulation of the text is unnecessary, even if we thought it lawful under any circumstances.
3. The assumption that the text needs amending, to any great extent, is very erroneous. A candid acceptance of the testimony as to its history proves that the original text has been preserved in manuscripts with scarcely an important change. It is known that the Scribes wrote out their copy with immense care, as to the Hebrew Old Testament. They copied even supposed errors, calling attention to seeming irregularities by slight marks, but not venturing to correct. They have left records to show that when copying they counted each consonant and vowel-letter in each line, and kept records of the same, in order to verify their finished work. Superstition alone was enough to cause the Jews to preserve their Scripture text inviolable, they prized the letter beyond the spirit of the Word.
The Apostle Paul speaks in direct testimony of their faithful preservation of the Hebrew text, since had it been otherwise, the Jews would have been less in favor with God, Romans 3:1-2. Jesus Christ strongly denounced the misinterpretation of the Scriptures by the "traditions" of the Jews, Mark 7:9-13, etc., but He never accused the Jews of corrupting the text of their Scriptures.
4. The Lord Jesus said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." The "jot" (letter j), is nearly like our single quotation mark ( ‘ ), in form and size; the "tittle" is not a letter, but the distinguishing point of difference between one Hebrew letter and another much like it.
For instance, the Jewish rabbis, who taught also the infallibility of the text, in a treatise called Vayikra Rabba (s.19) declare:
1. "Should anyone, in Deut. 6:4, change (d) to (r) he would ruin the world."
2. "Should anyone, in Ex. 34:14, change (r) to (d) he would ruin the world."
3. "Should anyone, in Lev. 22:32, change (ch) to (h) he would ruin the world."
4. "Should anyone, in Psa. 150:6, change (h) to (ch) he would ruin the world."
5. "Should anyone, in Jer. 5:12, change (b) to (k) he would ruin the world."
6. "Should anyone, in 1 Sam. 2:2, change (k) to (b) he would ruin the world."
Because these passages would then mean respectively,
1. "Hear, O Israel; the Lord is a false Lord."
2. "Thou shalt not worship the one true God."
3. "Neither shall ye praise [for "profane"] My Holy name."
4. "Let everything that hath breath profane [for "praise"] the Lord."
5. "They have lied like [for "belied"] the Lord."
6. "There is no holiness in [for "none holy as"] the Lord."
5. But when we speak of the Bible as inspired, infallible and inviolable, we do not refer to our English version, or any mere version, but to the original text. Prof. Deissmann has well said, "All translation implies some, if only a slight, alteration of the sense of the original." Now we must explain more precisely what "the original text" really implies, and how much it includes.
The original Hebrew of the Old Testament was written without any spaces between words in totally different looking letters from those we call "Hebrew” at the present time; and the language as first written contained no vowels, as though the English of Genesis 1:1 were written:
NTHBGNNGGDCRTDTHHVNSNDTHRTH
No distinction existed between small and capital letters, and doubled letters were often written only once, as we have indicated in the word, "beginning." 6. Hebrew ceased to be spoken by the common people during the Babylonian captivity. It was practically a "dead language" as early as B.C. 250. In the absence of
expressed vowels, its pronunciation was likely to become lost. So the Scribes took four consonants, "a h w and j," and inserted them into the text to indicate the vowel sounds.
While this device helped to some extent, in the end it led to confusion, often raising the question: "Is this letter a consonant, belonging to the original, or is it a vowel letter, added by the Scribes?" Moreover the insertion of these vowel-letters did not prove sufficient; then, as late as 600-800 A.D., a whole system of vowel-signs was added, most elaborately indicating the vowels of each word as tradition had preserved it. These vowel-signs were interlinear, and therefore did not confuse the text, as did the vowel-letters. With vowel-signs we might indicate the pronunciation of Genesis 1:1, as given above, something like this (separating the words): _N TH B!GNNG GD CR TD TH HVNS ND TH RTH.[2]
7. We understand, now that the Hebrew text may have mistakes which we are free (with due respect for the scholarship which has given to it its present form, and due reverence for God's Word), to amend, so far as the vowel-letters and the vowel-signs are concerned, for no one claims that the Scribes who made these additions to the text in comparatively recent times did "inspired" work, as did the original authors....
2. Our argument assumes that the Bible is all that it claims for itself.
It is (1) Inspired, 2 Timothy 3:16;[1] (2) Infallible, Isaiah 40:8; and (3) Inviolable, John 10:35.
Indeed, no other basis of procedure is available for us. However freely certain... scholars of the present day manipulate the text... But a manipulation of the text is unnecessary, even if we thought it lawful under any circumstances.
3. The assumption that the text needs amending, to any great extent, is very erroneous. A candid acceptance of the testimony as to its history proves that the original text has been preserved in manuscripts with scarcely an important change. It is known that the Scribes wrote out their copy with immense care, as to the Hebrew Old Testament. They copied even supposed errors, calling attention to seeming irregularities by slight marks, but not venturing to correct. They have left records to show that when copying they counted each consonant and vowel-letter in each line, and kept records of the same, in order to verify their finished work. Superstition alone was enough to cause the Jews to preserve their Scripture text inviolable, they prized the letter beyond the spirit of the Word.
The Apostle Paul speaks in direct testimony of their faithful preservation of the Hebrew text, since had it been otherwise, the Jews would have been less in favor with God, Romans 3:1-2. Jesus Christ strongly denounced the misinterpretation of the Scriptures by the "traditions" of the Jews, Mark 7:9-13, etc., but He never accused the Jews of corrupting the text of their Scriptures.
4. The Lord Jesus said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." The "jot" (letter j), is nearly like our single quotation mark ( ‘ ), in form and size; the "tittle" is not a letter, but the distinguishing point of difference between one Hebrew letter and another much like it.
For instance, the Jewish rabbis, who taught also the infallibility of the text, in a treatise called Vayikra Rabba (s.19) declare:
1. "Should anyone, in Deut. 6:4, change (d) to (r) he would ruin the world."
2. "Should anyone, in Ex. 34:14, change (r) to (d) he would ruin the world."
3. "Should anyone, in Lev. 22:32, change (ch) to (h) he would ruin the world."
4. "Should anyone, in Psa. 150:6, change (h) to (ch) he would ruin the world."
5. "Should anyone, in Jer. 5:12, change (b) to (k) he would ruin the world."
6. "Should anyone, in 1 Sam. 2:2, change (k) to (b) he would ruin the world."
Because these passages would then mean respectively,
1. "Hear, O Israel; the Lord is a false Lord."
2. "Thou shalt not worship the one true God."
3. "Neither shall ye praise [for "profane"] My Holy name."
4. "Let everything that hath breath profane [for "praise"] the Lord."
5. "They have lied like [for "belied"] the Lord."
6. "There is no holiness in [for "none holy as"] the Lord."
5. But when we speak of the Bible as inspired, infallible and inviolable, we do not refer to our English version, or any mere version, but to the original text. Prof. Deissmann has well said, "All translation implies some, if only a slight, alteration of the sense of the original." Now we must explain more precisely what "the original text" really implies, and how much it includes.
The original Hebrew of the Old Testament was written without any spaces between words in totally different looking letters from those we call "Hebrew” at the present time; and the language as first written contained no vowels, as though the English of Genesis 1:1 were written:
NTHBGNNGGDCRTDTHHVNSNDTHRTH
No distinction existed between small and capital letters, and doubled letters were often written only once, as we have indicated in the word, "beginning." 6. Hebrew ceased to be spoken by the common people during the Babylonian captivity. It was practically a "dead language" as early as B.C. 250. In the absence of
expressed vowels, its pronunciation was likely to become lost. So the Scribes took four consonants, "a h w and j," and inserted them into the text to indicate the vowel sounds.
While this device helped to some extent, in the end it led to confusion, often raising the question: "Is this letter a consonant, belonging to the original, or is it a vowel letter, added by the Scribes?" Moreover the insertion of these vowel-letters did not prove sufficient; then, as late as 600-800 A.D., a whole system of vowel-signs was added, most elaborately indicating the vowels of each word as tradition had preserved it. These vowel-signs were interlinear, and therefore did not confuse the text, as did the vowel-letters. With vowel-signs we might indicate the pronunciation of Genesis 1:1, as given above, something like this (separating the words): _N TH B!GNNG GD CR TD TH HVNS ND TH RTH.[2]
7. We understand, now that the Hebrew text may have mistakes which we are free (with due respect for the scholarship which has given to it its present form, and due reverence for God's Word), to amend, so far as the vowel-letters and the vowel-signs are concerned, for no one claims that the Scribes who made these additions to the text in comparatively recent times did "inspired" work, as did the original authors....
Genesis 1:1 Jesus is Yahweh Elohiym
[1] ELOHIYM:
All
references to “God” in Genesis chapter one are Strong’s Hebrew reference 430,
“Elohiym”). The word refers to more than two (Martin/Ankerberg 1985).
There is a word in Hebrew that refers to more than one but not more than two,
but Elohiym is not that word. The word “Elohiym, is a reference to the Triune Godhead.
Genesis 1:1 specifically tells us that it is the Triune God--the Godhead---who
created all things (Isaiah 44:24, 45:18, John 1:3,10). This is first Biblical
evidence that Jesus is Jehovah, not simply a subordinate that God “used” to
create all things. According to Philippians 2:10-11, which is a New Testament
quote of Jehovah who is speaking in Isaiah 45:23, Jesus is the LORD GOD—Yahweh
Elohiym—of Genesis1-3. The fullness (entirety) of the Godhead resides in
Jesus in physical form (Colossians
2:9). We serve a Triune God who is one.
The Holy of Holies literally means the Holy place of the Holy Ones—i.e.,
the Godhead (Cooke). Do we understand how God can be three yet be one? No, we
do not. It is as impossible for man to analyze and pry apart the Godhead as it
would be to attempt to separate the soul and spirit; only God has sufficient
understanding and power to accomplish such a thing in His triune personage and
yet remain one. It is sin to theologically transform the Triune Godhead into a
hierarchal, idolatrous, triad.
[2]
Strong’s Hebrew
reference 8064 Heaven is, “SHAMAYIM.” The word is used exclusively for all
references to heaven from Genesis through Psalm 78:8. In these passages, only
the context can determine which “heaven” the verse is referring to, whether the
sky, beyond the sky (space), or the third Heaven Paul was caught up to.
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