7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
CHOSEN PEOPLE- A name for the people of Israel, whom God chose as His special instruments. As a holy people set apart to worship God, they were to make His name Continue reading DEFINITIONS (CHOSEN PEOPLE, CHRIST, CHRISTIAN)
Thoughts about Eden make us look back and look forward. The beautiful garden where the first human beings were created is a symbol of a perfect beginning before sin shattered the creation. It was a protected place where God provided for every creature’s needs and had a face-to-face relationship with the man and woman, walking with them in the cool of the day. That Eden is gone. While the general location of the garden is indicated as the Tigris and Euphrates valley (along with two other water channels no longer functioning), all evidence of the paradise that was there has long been erased. The place exists, but the paradise is lost. What a fitting metaphor for the spiritual price we paid for the fall and the curse of sin. But a new heaven and new earth have been promised, an Eden-like place that will once again be the home of those who have been rescued from sin and given an eternal destiny with God.
GOD- The creator and sustainer of the universe who has provided humankind with a revelation of Himself through the natural world and through His Son, Jesus Christ. Continue reading DEFINITIONS (GOD, GOD,NAMES OF, GOD, PAGAN)
Spectator sports and entertainment were fully developed by the Romans so as to satisfy the common people’s lust for excitement and blood. Even the rush for seats was an excitement in itself; there were no reserved seats until the time of Augustus. In the arena, condemned criminals fought against wild animals-lions, bears, elephants, and hyenas- and the crowd would urge on the contest. Paul says that he fought against wild beasts at Ephesus (1 Corinthians 15:32), but he may have been referring to the experiences recorded in Acts 19 in a metaphorical way (see also Hebrews 10:33).
Continue reading MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE BIBLE (SPECTATOR SPORTS)
13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
As a city symbolic of man’s power in rebellion against God, Nineveh ranks second only to Babylon. Yet it also stands out as an example of cultural repentance- the population of a large city recognizing the holiness of God and humbling themselves before him. Three of Israel’s prophets- Jonah, Nahum, and Zephaniah-had dealings with the city. Nineveh
Love- The high esteem that God has for His human children and the high regard which they, in turn, should have for Him and other people. Because of the hundreds of references to love in the Bible, it is certainly the most remarkable book of love in the world. It records
3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
GRACE- Favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what the person deserves. Grace is one of the key attributes of God. The Lord God is