WTW 2022
31 July
Psalms 88-89

Heman & Ethan

Introduction to the Psalms ending book 3…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_(biblical_figure)

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Thoughts

Psalm 88 is no Psalm 23
More like thanatopsis or from an affliction like Job’s
The oldest Psalm written was likely Psalm 29 and the latest like Psalm 139 likely around 500 BC meaning the psalms were compiled and organized including headings and notes no earlier than circa 500 BC and no later than around 200 BC.

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Questions

Any thoughts as to why Heman is facing the situation he describes? He clearly says God is the one that put him in these circumstances (verses 6-8, 14-18). If he’s correct, would these things not be the result of his sin?

Or were these Heman’s own conclusions because he’d prayed and not gotten relief, causing him to assume God had a hand in bringing these things about?

Do we also see poetic expression in 89:38-39, not an accurate assessment of what was going on? The characterization of God’s actions there seems opposed to verses 33-34.

Has the author perhaps forgotten the statements of verses 30-31 about the consequences of sin, which were taken from the prophet Nathan’s words to David in 2 Samuel 7:14?

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Considerations

Job & Jonah both give a good idea of possible context

Biblical Perspective

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
Psalms 42:7

As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation. But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah.
Psalms 49:14 -15

You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. “I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!
Jonah 2:3,5-6

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Inquiry

Not knowing either Ethan or Heman, nor their times or circumstances, we nevertheless have this great body of scripture which provides us with everything we need to understand all possible general causes and reasons for life situations, responses and prayer such as in these two Psalms.

Can we make a short, comprehensive list of these causes at least from a biblical view? Perhaps we can make two lists: a short list of man’s views and a short list of truth.

For example, the Pharisees asked Jesus a multiple choice question with 2 options, A or B. As per usual JESUS answered E

Who sinned?
A. This man
B. His parents
C.
D.

JESUS answered
E. Neither

So, there are 2 lists (or are there 5?)

Man’s explanations for tragedy
A. Other’s fault
2. God’s fault
iii. Blind pitiless indifference
Δ. Illusion
V. All of the above

God’s Truth regarding tragedy
E. His wise & eternal purpose

In Old, New Latent

To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. Psalms 18:25‭-‬27

There are so many passages which draw from this duplicate davidic Psalm

Among which

God opposes the proud
Gives grace to the humble

If we are faithless
He remains faithful

To the pure
All things are pure

Et al.

What are some other passages which draw specifically on this psalm both here and in the history of Samuel?

WTW Flashback
2020 Hindsight
23 October

Macedonian Notes
2 Corinthians 8

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian congregations.
2 Corinthians 8:1

A worthwhile study

Macedonian Congregations
• Philippians
• Thessalonians
• Bereans

Macedonia
Acts16:9-12;18:5;19:21-29;20:1-3;27:2
Rom15:26
1Cor16:5
2Cor1:16;2:13;7:5;8:1;11:9
Philip4:15
1Thes1:7,8;4:10
1Tim1:3

“After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.”
Acts 19:21‭-‬22

“We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.”
Acts 27:2

“And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.”
1 Thessalonians 1:7

“Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only.”
Philippians 4:15

Macedonia & Achaia, Rome & Spain, Destination Jerusalem
“But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.”
Romans 15:23‭-‬29

See also
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/tuck/the_model_churches_of_macedonia.htm

And a miscellaneous excerpt
“It is not probable that St Paul on any subsequent occasion preached in other Macedonian towns. In Romans xv. 19 it is true he speaks of having preached ‘as far as Ulyricum,’ but if his visit to Beroea may not be considered to justify the expression, the Gospel may well have been spread southward through the labours of his companions Silas, Timotheus and Luke between his first and second visits to Macedonia. In the scanty fragments of his Apology which survive, Melito, addressing M. Antoninus, appeals to the fact that his father wrote letters to the people of Larissa, Thessalonica and Athens forbidding them to molest the Christians.”
https://www.biblestudytools.com/history/joseph-barber-lightfoot-biblical-essays/the-churches-of-macedonia.html

WTW 2022
1 July

The Big Picture

Man’s knowledge is a tiny area underneath the whole of reality and complete truth. All truth is God’s. Many areas of man’s knowledge, especially isms, theories, religions and systems of thought are also like domes underneath the cosmos of truth. These domes, like naturalism and religion, conservatism and liberalism, theories like evolution and conspiracies gather together various bits and particles of reality and compartmentalize them under certain man made bubbles.

Within these bubbles, some of these systems seem to offer a comprehensive theory of everything…until a mere speck from another bubble or even a loose speck from elsewhere under the cosmic reality makes its way to that bubble and breaks through or even merely brushes against the edge of that otherwise perfect little man made bubble system and shows that bubble to be so far short of, less than and subservient to the Almighty.

I am that I am, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.

Apologetics
A Conversation
“It’s Elementary”

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God. Hebrews 6:1

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

---

A Question

What’s your take on things like Evidence that Demands a Verdict…extensive research on reasons why the Bible is true, etc? What about 1 Corinthians 2….no human wisdom?

A Response

Believing is basic, ground level, ZERO.

Apologetics may be able to help some people get from being in the RED, negative balance, deficit up to ground level ZERO.

Only then can faith begin because without faith it is impossible to please God.

Without faith in God, a person is actually worse off than the demons.

Once a former nonbeliever finally believes, CONGRATULATIONS! are in order.

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” James 2:19

After taking up faith, then patience can begin to have its perfect work.

So apologetics like Evidence which is not based on faith can only get a person to a preschool level before the elementary truths of the faith.

A Reply

Yikes! So much for years and YEARS of research and the applause of literally millions of believers, who see this kind of work as Essential. How can the whole body miss it by so much?

A Conclusion

I have McDowell’s

New Evidence That Demands A Verdict

I honestly enjoy reading and research and find it holds great interest and even value.

But compared with scripture, it is like pennies compared with El Dorado!

EE 2022
1 July
Ezekiel 31

The Cedars of Lebanon

Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead. Ezekiel 31:14

The powerful and lofty nations and empires are as the cedars of Lebanon which will all be felled on the mountains. From the 2500 year long empire of Assyria centered in Nineveh through unto the ends of the age.

RELIABLE PROPHECY

[ …In today’s chapter… ]

1. The Light of God is perfect humility.

2. This Light exposes national pride.

3. This helps The Day dawn and the Morning Star rise in stirring the heart toward our single minded heavenly citizenship.

___

EZEKIEL 31
“The Cedars of Lebanon”
Assyria – 609B
Egypt – 568B
Babylon – 539B
–
Rome – 476
Ostrogoth – 554
Visigoth – 711
Mongolia – 1368
Byzantium- 1453
Turkey – 1922
Soviet – 1991
America – TBD

6/30/2022

Here is a powerful video from our dear brother Tim as we continue in Ezekiel heading into July 2022. Be blessed as you listen to his short message of encouragement to continue with us on this Ezekiel journey.

Washing of the WORD (Ezekiel Reflections)

Received this poignant Independence reflection article today.
May you be blessed in the reading.

Gospel Gazette: Dateline June 30, 2022

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Truth, Righteousness & Love
Living for God in this Confused World
6/16/2022

We really need a zoom session to follow up on this interrelated topic which sparked up again in another zoom yesterday. Someone else mentioned reading more about these things, and likely others need to be able to hear about these truths and insights the LORD has given others in these groups also. So perhaps this will be a small forum for all of us to expand some thoughts here, to expound some insights and to expand the boundaries to include yet more who can become more clear in understanding God’s WORD and truth about these things.

Here are some highlights from our various groups on these topics. Please post your own insights here or at the very least, contact us in any one of your groups or someone in any one of these groups directly in order to let us know your interests, thoughts, insights, questions etc.

Remember, we can’t know what we don’t know! As many of us know, some of us do not listen to so called news so there are many things those do not know about and indeed many things we do not want to know about unless we hear them in conversation. This helps some limit knowledge and understanding to things that are true and to understand things going on in our generation based on Truth.

– AR mentioned yesterday that a MLB player told a teammate if he does not wear a rainbow that he is saying certain people are not welcome.

Equating those two is a tactic of the kingdom of darkness. More on that…

– TJ said earlier this week that a family member views himself as a follower of JESUS while actively living in a relationship the scriptures call an abomination.

Agreeing with God’s definition of sin is not hate. Agreeing with God and following Him does not mean staying away from sinners. It means speaking clearly and boldly and lovingly with all people the unchanging Truth of God’s WORD. More on that…

– K lives with his girlfriend, and everyone welcomes them as both actively walking with JESUS without any apparent immediate or even least bit of attention to the obvious dilemma between walking with JESUS and living with someone other than our living covenant spouse outside of marriage. More on that…

– Our Ezekiel groups are literally reading and discussing daily the messages God gave and continues to impress on our hearts about having idols in our hearts and about getting rid of those idols and clearly calling out the idols everywhere both on our own properties and beyond. More on that…

– A asked earlier this week during park evangelism for insights about the relationship between faith and politics. Apparently, this is a significant matter in current events because numerous pieces of the puzzle seem to indicate confusion and questions related to this in various ways. Praying for individuals, praying for our nation, standing for Truth while loving our neighbor. More on these…

Other topics we have touched on include:

– Do we pray for people or nations? More on that…

– Modern idols include money, family, rights, even good things like koinonia can become idols, people, leaders, flags, nations. More on all these things…

– Accountability. More on this…

– Only 1 leader. More on this…

– Only 2 citizenships, 2 kingdoms. More on this…

And so many more things God makes so clear in His WORD.