One morning I tried and tried to twist open the pump top of a new shampoo bottle, but couldn’t do it. I called Clay over to help. When he couldn’t open it either, he looked more closely and discovered transparent shrink-wrap covering the pump. Once he removed the shrink-wrap, opening the pump was a breeze.
Especially in my early years as a Christian, I’d try to understand and apply a scripture, but I’d fail because an invisible shrink-wrap of false beliefs got in my way. These false beliefs killed joy in God’s promises and care. I needed to peel off those false beliefs to get to the Bible’s truths. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is great at revealing and unpeeling false beliefs.
Over the years, I’ve discovered five ways to peel away false
beliefs.
1) Believe Scripture Over Feelings
Although I’d made Jesus Lord of my life and I’d confessed my sins, at first, I didn’t feel forgiven. But my feelings contradicted 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” The belief that my feelings were more reliable than Scripture was a false belief shrink-wrapped around the verse. I needed to place my faith in Scripture, not my feelings. As I did so, my feelings followed my faith.
Bill Bright, the founder of CRU, put it this way:
Let us call the train engine “fact”—the fact of God’s promises found in His Word. The fuel car we will call “faith”—your trust in God and His Word. The caboose we will call “feelings.”
As fuel flows into the engine, the train runs. It would be futile and, of course, ridiculous to attempt to pull the train by the caboose. In the same way you, as a Christian, should not depend upon feelings or emotion [to] live a Spirit-filled life. Rather, God wants you to simply place your faith in his trustworthiness and the promises of His Word.
Feelings are like the caboose—they are important but are designed to follow a life of faith and obedience.
Once Clay removed the shrink-wrap from my shampoo bottle
and twisted it open, I had to pump it many times to draw the shampoo into the
spout so it would flow. Likewise, when we’ve removed a false belief, we may need
to repeat the truth we want to take its place many times until it flows freely
in our lives.
In Joshua 1:8, God says to meditate on Scripture “day and
night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” Biblical
meditation includes saying the words aloud and thinking about them so we understand
and apply them. When I find a verse with a message I need, I underline it in my
Bible with brightly colored pens. I read it daily or post a copy of it on my
computer screen.
3) Illustrate Scripture
Studies show that people learn better from words and pictures than from words alone.[i] That’s a great excuse to use colored pens to draw symbols and sketch stick figures in my Bible’s narrow margins. Sometimes I embroider and cross-stitch favorite verses. Artist Karla Dornacher illustrates verses in a wide-margin Bible and creates cards and wall-hangings.
Psalms 30 & 73
4) Act Out Scripture
Here’s a fun way to absorb a new truth: Act it out. For
instance, when I realized that God forgave all my sin, joy bubbled over in me.
But later I doubted whether forgiveness meant acceptance. That doubt stole my
joy. One day my then boyfriend Clay asked a group of us to try an exercise:
List sins on a sheet of toilet paper, write 1 John 1:9 in red across the list,
shred the paper into a toilet, and flush the paper to visualize our sins being
washed away. That simple action eradicated my doubts. Thereafter when I
confessed sins and doubt appeared, I visualized the flushed water washing them away.
It made me smile and thanksgiving replaced doubt.
5) Create a Truth Journal
Most if not all of us grow up believing lies of some sort:
“You’re only valuable if…”; “You’ll always be a failure”; “No one will ever
believe you”; “You’re nothing but trash”; “You can’t be happy without a
spouse.” Yuck. Additionally, crises such as health scares can bombard us with
new fears.
Some lies and fears are like shrink-wrap we can’t get a
fingernail under to remove. When that happens, I create a truth journal. In a notebook
or journal, I list truths, numbering each one. I add comforting scriptures as I
find them. I sketch rough pictures that encapsulate ideas.
I don’t write any lies, fears, or doubts because they’ve
already had too much play in my mind. I avoid “positive thinking” statements
that may not be true.
I read the truth journal first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and any time between that I want more peace. The truths break the shrink-wrap free.
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By Jean E. Jones. “10 Things You Want to Know About Heaven But are Embarrassed to Ask” first appeared on Crosswalk.com, August 2017.
Fighting back tears, a young woman confessed to my husband that
she was afraid she didn’t want to go to heaven. Since then, as we’ve related that
story to others, we’ve discovered many Christians have that fear.
And no wonder! Artists and movie makers depict heaven as a colorless place where the occupants sport wings and halos and have nothing better to do than strum harps and lounge on clouds. Furthermore, skeptics like Mark Twain denounce heaven as unbearably boring and full of hypocritical prudes.
Misconceptions about heaven abound. So let’s clear some of them
up. Here are 10 questions that Christians are embarrassed to ask about heaven.
1. Is heaven in the
clouds?
Comics and movies typically depict heaven’s occupants as lolling on fluffy, white clouds. But that’s not at all what the Bible depicts. Still, part of the confusion is that the word “heaven” has three meanings:
The sky:“heaven gave rain” (James 5:18)
The physical cosmos containing stars and planets: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1)
The unseen spiritual realm where God’s throne and celestial beings such as angels reside: “The Lord’s throne is in heaven” (Psalm 11:4)
The Bible teaches that on the day of the Lord, the physical cosmos “will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:10). Then after the judgment, God will create new heavens and a new earth (Revelation 21:1). Finally, those whose names are in the Book of Life will dwell there with God (Revelation 21:3).
2. Will heaven be plain
white?
Will heaven be plain white?
Television, movies, and paintings often depict heaven as all white: occupants with white wings wear white robes and rest on white clouds. Consequently, everything looks sterile.
However, Revelation’s description of the new dwelling place is quite different. Yes, the city gates are of pearl. But the city’s wall is multi-colored jasper and the city itself is gold. Also, the wall’s foundation is bejeweled with jasper, deep blue sapphire, pale blue chalcedony, blue-green beryl, deep green emerald, apple-green chrysoprase, yellow-green chrysolite, yellow-brown topaz, orange-red jacinth, red-and-white striped sardonyx, dark red carnelian, and bright purple amethyst (Revelation 21:18-21). Additionally, in the city flows a river surrounded by a dozen types of fruit-bearing trees (22:1-2).
Moreover, I can’t imagine that the God who created our current heavens and earth with a magnificent rainbow of colors that blaze across the night and morning skies, dance in pansies and daisies, and flash from hummingbirds and orioles, has lost his love for color!
3. Do people become
angels in heaven?
In Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop, a child says
to Little Nell, “Why, they say… that you will be an angel, before the birds sing
again.” But is the idea that people who go to heaven become angels a biblical one?
Not at all.
God created the angels before he created the earth (Psalm 148:2-5; Job 38:6-7). Moreover, angels are ministering spirits who serve “those who are going to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:13-14). People don’t turn into angels when they die; rather, at the end of the age, angels will “separate the evil from the righteous” people (Matthew 13:49).
Further, something more wonderful is in store for God’s children: “The Lord Jesus Christ… will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21). Indeed, it will be an imperishable body, raised in glory and power, a spiritual body that bears the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:42-49).
4. Will people have
wings and halos in heaven?
Rembrandt: The Ascension of Christ
Artists who show humans with wings in heaven are probably thinking that people turn into angels. Most artists give angels wings, although according to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the Bible nowhere describes angels as winged, though they sometimes fly (Daniel 9:21).
However, the resurrected bodies of those entering the pearly gates will be like Jesus’ resurrected body (Philippians 3:21). When he appeared to his disciples after he rose from the dead, he had no wings. So resurrected humans won’t either.
As to halos, I used to think that came from Daniel 12:3, which says “those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” But I was wrong. It turns out ancient artists placed halos around paintings and etchings of important people and religious figures so they’d stand out. In fact, there’s no mention of halos anywhere in the Bible.
5. Will people in heaven
lose their sense of taste, touch, or smell?
Indeed, that was the message of the movie City of Angels (1998). In it, Nicholas Cage stars as an angel named Seth. But Seth can’t taste, touch, or smell. He falls in love with a human (played by Meg Ryan) and gives up eternity so he can make love to her. She dies, but he concludes that smelling her hair and kissing her just once was better than anything an eternity in heaven had to offer.
Certainly, that’s an unappealing heaven! But it’s not what the Bible describes.
Instead, after Jesus was raised from the dead, the disciples touched and hugged Jesus and ate with him (Luke 24:39-43; John 20:17). Additionally, Philippians 3:21 says Jesus “will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” If Jesus could taste, touch, and smell, we’ll be able to, too. In fact, our reunion with Christ is called “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9).
6. Will heaven be full
of nerds and prudes?
In high school, I went with my then-boyfriend Clay to the youth group at his church. There, the pastor’s daughter said she wanted to go to hell because that’s where all her friends would be. Indeed, she echoed Mark Twain’s sentiment: “Choose heaven for the climate and hell for the company.”
Clay points out that in heaven, “There will be murderers (such as Moses), adulterers (such as David), and prostitutes (such as Rahab). But they will all be repentant. Hell, on the other hand, will also be full of rapists, whiners, cowards, liars, and many a Pharisee, but none of them will be repentant” (Why Does God Allow Evil?, 165).
Furthermore, C.S. Lewis explained that every person “may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would strongly be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such that you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare” (The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses, 45).
7. Will we recognize
loved ones in heaven?
People who have lost loved ones are often concerned about whether they’ll see and recognize those dear to them in heaven. Certainly, part of this concern arises from misunderstanding Isaiah 65:17: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”
But the prior verse says that God says “the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.” In the Bible, when God says he will no longer remember something, he doesn’t mean he gives up his omniscience. Rather, he means he will no longer remember it for the sake of punishing it. So Isaiah 65:17 is saying God won’t remember our past sins against us in the new heaven and earth.
8. Will there be sadness
in heaven over unsaved loved ones?
Won’t knowing unsaved loved ones are in hell make heaven miserable? Philosopher Adam Pelser argues that the saved may at times feel somberness over the lost, but that will not diminish joy (Paradise Understood, 131). For instance, even on earth, somberness and joy can coexist (James 1:2).
Also, at the judgment, God will expose every deed, thought, and motive of those who refuse to turn from wrongdoing and turn to Jesus Christ as Lord. When we see how those who have rejected Jesus’ gift of eternal life “really are,” we won’t miss being with them.
Additionally, the unsaved won’t exist as we knew them. For example, C.S. Lewis wrote, “What is cast (or casts itself) into hell is not a man: it is ‘remains’… To be an ex-man or ‘damned ghost’—would presumably mean to consist of a will utterly centred in the self and passions utterly uncontrolled by the will” (The Problem of Pain, 113-114). If Lewis is right, then seeing ex-humans with uncontrolled wills will do much to help us understand why they are lost.
9. Will shame keep us
from enjoying heaven?
Some people worry that remembering terrible things they did on this earth would be too painful. Although they know the Bible says that those who believe Jesus is the Son of God who died for their sins will receive eternal life, they still feel ashamed.
But God wants us to let go of shame after we repent from and confess our sin. To not accept his forgiveness suggests that we think our standards are higher than God’s! Yet Scripture assures us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). It also tells us if we forget God has cleansed us, we won’t mature spiritually (2 Peter 1:9).
Those overcome with shame often think they’re worse than other people. But at the judgment, they will see that many others shared their sins, just as 1 Corinthians 10:13 says. So if they never succeeded in fully realizing God’s complete forgiveness and cleansing on this earth, they will see it with their own eyes in heaven.
10. Will heaven be boring?
Rafael: Bored cherubs in Sistine Madonna
For instance, in Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer said that Miss Watson “went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to do there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever. So I didn’t think too much of it. But I never said so.”
The idea that we’ll do nothing in heaven but sing comes from a misunderstanding of Revelation 4:8, which describes “four living creatures” with six wings who “day and night… never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” But “never cease” means they sing this regularly, not that they sing forever in a loop. Indeed, they give commands (Revelation 6:1-2), sing different songs (14:3), and distribute bowls to angels (15:7).
Of course humans will worship God. But our primary occupation will be reigning with Christ forever in the magnificent new heavens and earth (Revelation 22:5).
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In my last post, I offered seven free tools to help you understand the Old Testament. Here I’ll review Bibles, books, and study guides that help with that, too. Some are for those who are new to reading the Bible, and some are for seasoned Bible readers.
I end each review with an excerpt that shows how each explains Isaiah’s promise to King Ahaz to trust God to deliver him, and Ahaz’s refusal (Isaiah 7). That should let you know if the depth is what you’re looking for.
Bibles
If you’ve read the New Testament before and are ready to dive into the Old Testament, these two Bibles will help you understand it.
Audience: Thoughtful Christians wanting historical, archaeological, and theological insights
Reading level: college
If you want a Bible with articles, charts, timelines, color photos, book introductions, and notes, this five-pound beauty is the way to go. This is the third edition of the NIV Study Bible that I own, and it’s the best of the three. It includes two dozen articles covering overarching topics such as “The Story of the Bible: How the Good News About Jesus Is Central” and “Prophets and Prophecy.” The introductions to each book are fabulous. (The link above is for leather, but there are less expensive options. I don’t recommend the Kindle version–I purchased that for version 2 and regret it. The pictures are too small and the hyperlinks overlap, making some unworkable.)
This Bible would overwhelm a new Christian. But for the thoughtful Christian wanting depth, this is the Bible to invest in. Here’s an excerpt from the Introduction to Isaiah (1308):
In ch. 7 Isaiah issues King Ahaz a challenge to trust Yahweh, not Assyria’s power. Ahaz refuses the challenge, and much of Judah’s history between that point (734 BC) and the destruction of Sennacherib’s army in 701 BC revolves around the results of Ahaz’s refusal. A burning question unites chs. 7-39: Will Israel trust Yahweh or the surrounding nations? Chs. 7-12 not only give the answer (no) but also give the answer’s implications.
Audience: Anyone wanting to read the Old Testament and New Testament chronologically
Reading level: high school
The One Year Chronological Bible: New International Version
I read the Bible in chronological chunks fairly often, so I made things easier by buying a chronological Bible. In the table of contents, I color coded the prophets so I could see at a glance how they relate (see figure). I seldom read from this Bible, but I use its table of contents to guide my reading in other Bibles. The editors provide short italicized segues when switching between texts, but not a lot of historical notes. Here’s the transition from histories (2 Kings and 2 Chronicles) to Isaiah 7 (799):
Isaiah encouraged King Ahaz to trust in the Lord when Rezin and Pekah marched against Jerusalem. Through these prophecies of Isaiah, the Lord also gave Ahaz a sign of coming salvation—the coming of the Messiah.
Audience: Thoughtful Christians wanting to understand Old Testament history
Reading level: graduate
This superb book is my number one recommendation for thoughtful Christians who have read and studied the entire Bible and aren’t put off by academic works. Merrill divides Old Testament history into 15 parts and examines each thoroughly, weaving in historical documents from surrounding nations and archaeological finds. He keeps the overarching purpose of God establishing a kingdom of priests clearly in mind. His analysis of the ministry of the prophets is illuminating.
This is an academic work that carefully examines dating problems and apparent contradictions. His goal for this second edition was “to take on the task of bringing the narrative up to date so that the message of the Old Testament as not only a theological but also a historical work can resonate more clearly and relevantly with a new generation of readers” (11).
The book contains numerous chronological tables and maps, as well as both Scripture and subject indexes. Here’s an excerpt (420):
Ahaz had paid a staggering price for survival not only in monetary terms but especially in the moral and spiritual compromises his bargaining had required. As the Chronicler notes, in the final analysis, Tiglath-pileser gave Ahaz trouble and not help (2 Chron. 28:21). Ahaz had had to loot the temple to pay the heavy protection fees that Tiglath demanded, and as an act of thanksgiving, Ahaz offered sacrifices to the gods of Assyria, whom he credited for his salvation. He also installed their shrines throughout the land. It is little wonder that Isaiah the prophet chastised Ahaz in the bitterest terms and predicted the day when Judah also would come to know the awful Assyrian scourge (Isa. 7:17).
Audience: Churches desiring to teach the entire congregation the main story of the Bible and willing to use supplemental supporting material
Reading level: youth and adult versions are available
The Story divides selections of text from the NIV Bible into 31 chapters arranged mostly chronologically. Short italicized segues summarize skipped material and add a few historical notes. Simple timelines begin the book; some use increments of thousands of years, others decades. The back material includes discussion questions and a character list.
Zondervan intended for churches to use The Story as part of Sunday sermons, adult small group studies, youth studies, and children’s materials. They provide DVDs, curriculum to go with the DVDs, and other support materials, including a church resource library. I offer a companion study guide (see below).
The Story highlights a dozen or so kings and includes only five excerpts from Isaiah. It skips King Ahaz and Isaiah 7, so here’s the first transition between histories and Isaiah (224):
The greatest of the writing prophets, Isaiah, began his work in Jerusalem (capital of Judah, the southern kingdom) in 740 BC, shortly before King Uzziah died. Isaiah achieved prominence during Hezekiah’s reign, helping the king to stand-down the Assyrian threat by relying on God alone. Such a strategy must be founded on rock solid faith, and this kind of faith Isaiah clearly practiced and developed. His call to service came in a powerful vision—an apt start to a prophetic vocation that would span nearly 60 years.
Study Guides
The first of these is ideal for new Christians; the second is good for those who have read a bit of the Bible already and are willing to put in 31 weeks of daily study.
Audience: Women’s Bible study groups with a mix of new and mature Christians wanting to understand how the Old Testament and New Testament relate
Reading level: high school
The women at my church just finished going through Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story, by Angie Smith. It’s terrific, funny, and touching. Those who had never read the Old Testament before felt it made sense of the Bible. Those who have read the Bible many times loved the clarifying way Smith laid out the stories. I had a brand new Christian in my group who had never gone to church until a few months ago, and she kept up fine.
Icons that represent major events adorn the footer and make the story easy to follow and review. The back cover folds out with the icons in order and linked by a thread. My group loved turning to the back cover to review the icons together. In the margins, Smith provides a dozen-word summary of every book of the Bible.
The women loved the book and videos, and they had tons of questions every week (which shows how engaging they found the material, but also shows the need to have someone around to answer questions). Some had trouble following the chronology of Week 4: The Kingdoms & the Prophets, so I recommend supplying a few timelines (feel free to use the ones I provide in 7 Free Tools for Understanding the Old Testament).
Covering the entire Bible in six chapters, Smith broadly summarizes Israel’s history. In this excerpt, she introduces some of the prophets, including Isaiah (104):
Several prophets preached in Judah before and during its destruction: Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. Isaiah and Micah overlapped our division of times. They lived and preached in Judah both during the Divided Kingdom—the same time as Hosea and Amos—and after the Northern Kingdom was destroyed. See how this all fits together?
I wrote this companion to The Story for my church and later updated it for Zondervan’s church resource library. It explains historical details and has ten timelines to keep the events in perspective. Practical application questions apply the Bible’s message to the reader’s life. It’s written so that people can read a chapter in The Story, and then answer questions from their Bible. Headings summarize what’s happening, and there are plenty of footnotes with additional details for those who want them. You can get it free from my website (see the link above) or Zondervan’s church resource library.
This excerpt is on Isaiah approaching King Ahaz:
God sent the prophet Isaiah to encourage Ahaz king of Judah not to be afraid, for he wouldn’t let [the kings of Israel and Aram] overthrow him. He told Ahaz to ask for any sign as proof. But Ahaz refused and instead sought Assyria’s help. He voluntarily became a vassal to Assyria’s king, paid him a large tribute, and set up shrines to Assyria’s gods in Jerusalem.
https://i0.wp.com/www.jeanejones.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/OT_Tools.jpg?fit=4329%2C2987&ssl=129874329Jean E. Joneshttps://www.jeanejones.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Logo-340x340-1.gifJean E. Jones2017-11-07 09:00:362021-02-08 18:54:156 Bibles, Books and Study Guides for Understanding the Old Testament
My church’s women’s Bible study just completed Angie Smith’s Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story. It was perfect for small groups that have a mix of new believers and mature Christians (more on that next week). Several women told me they’d love to understand the Old Testament even better, especially where the prophetic books fit in with the histories. They also wanted to dive deeper into their understanding of the entire story of the Bible. So I’m offering a two-part series on tools to help you do just that.
Timeline: Daniel in Exile 620 to 530 BC
Here I offer
A link to a free downloadable Bible outline
A link to six timelinesto help you understand the Old Testament
Tips on using those tools to read the Old Testament chronologically
A short explanation of how the Old Testament prophetic books fit with the books of history
Old Testament and New Testament Outline
The Bible’s books are arranged by genre. You need to know a book’s genre to understand what you’re reading. If your Bible’s table of contents doesn’t outline the books for you, go to my Free Resources page and click the link to Subscriber Specials. There you’ll find a downloadable Bible outline you can use to add headings to your contents page.
Bible Outline
As the Bible Outline shows, the Old Testament books of Joshua through Esther are histories. Reading the histories chronologically gives us a better understanding of what happened. The histories are listed chronologically with three exceptions:
Ruth takes place somewhere within Judges.
1,2 Chronicles were written around the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, but they chronicle King David’s reign and the reigns of his descendants.
Chapters 1-9 are genealogies starting with Adam. Part of chapter 9 goes with Nehemiah 11.
The rest of 1,2 Chronicles goes with 1 Samuel 31 to the end of 2 Kings.
Esther goes with Ezra 4:6.
How to Read 1,2 Chronicles Chronologically
Saul, David, and Solomon reigned over all of Israel. After Solomon, the kingdom split into two kingdoms: Israel to the north and Judahto the south. David’s descendants ruled over the south. While 1,2 Kings summarizes the reigns of both kingdoms, 1,2 Chronicles summarizes only the reigns of David and his descendants. Therefore, to read Kings with Chronicles, use two bookmarks. When you finish reading about David, Solomon, and any king of Judah, hop over to Chronicles and read about the same king.
Timelines for Reading the Old Testament Prophets with the Histories
Timelines that show historical events and when the prophets ministered will help you understand what events the prophets were talking about. They’ll also help you coordinate reading the histories and prophetic books together.
How the Prophetic Books are Arranged
The books of the prophets are divided into two groups:
The Major Prophets ministered over decades so their books are longer (“major” means long)
The Minor Prophets ministered for shorter times so their books are shorter (“minor” means short).
How to Read the Prophetic Books with the Histories
NIV Timeline showing the prophets’ ministries (Zondervan)
To read the prophetic books with the histories, keep timelines at hand. My NIV Zondervan Study Bible has timelines that show key historical events, the kings’ reigns, and the ministries of the major prophets and half the minor prophets. I wrote five additional minor prophets’ names on the timeline approximately where they go (see figure). Two prophetic books are missing from this timeline: Lamentations, which Jeremiah wrote so it belongs with Jeremiah’s ministry on the timeline, and Joel, whose date is unknown. If your Bible has timelines, use the figure to the right to fill in any missing prophets.
Free Timelines
I often create additional timelines that zoom in on time periods that have a lot of related material. Over on the Free Resources page, click the link for Subscriber Specials to find six timelines I created for The Story: Personal Journal and Discussion Guide (the guide is there, too). The timelines show you at a glance where the main prophets fit within the histories.
1 Kings Of Israel and Judah 930 to 850 BC
2 The Beginning of the End 750 to 680 BC: The fall of Israel and the prophetic ministries of Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah
3 The Kingdoms Fall 655 to 570 BC: The fall of Judah and the prophetic ministries of Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel
4 Daniel in Exile 620 to 530 BC: Shows Daniel’s chapters chronologically
5 The Return Home 540 to 470 BC: The return from Exile, Esther, and the prophetic ministries of Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah
6 Rebuilding the Walls 480 to 430 BC: Esther, rebuilding the walls under Ezra and Nehemiah, and the prophetic ministry of Malachi
Understanding How the Prophetic Books and Histories Relate
The key to understanding how most of the prophets and histories relate is this cycle:
When Moses brought the Israelites to the Promised Land, he warned them that if they ever turned away from God and started committing the sins of the current inhabitants (such as sacrificing children to idols), God would drive them out of the land.
Whenever the people went astray, God sent prophets to call them to repent and return to God lest God drive them out of the land.
Eventually the people quit listening to the prophets, so the prophets’ message changed to one of impending judgment via exile followed by grace; the messages of grace talked about a new King who would one day rule righteously.
The northern kingdom of Israel quit listening to the prophets first, so God sent Assyria to deport them from the land. Later, the southern kingdom of Judah quit listening to the prophets and God sent Babylon to deport them. After 70 years, God allowed the people to return to the land, but they were ruled by foreign powers. There they awaited the new anointed King, the Messiah. The New Testament tells us about him: Jesus Christ.
Tips About the Major Prophets
NIV Zondervan Study Bible (affiliate link to Amazon)
Here are a couple helpful points about the major prophets.
All the major prophets are from Judah (the southern kingdom)
Isaiah prophesied around the time of the fall of Israel (the northern kingdom); the rest prophesied around the time of the fall of Judah
Judah’s exile happened in three stages, resulting in 3 prophets speaking from diverse places
Danielwent to the Babylonian king’s palace in the first deportation; he served in government and showed God was in charge
Ezekiel went to Mesopotamia in the second deportation; ministered to exiles
Jeremiah stayed in Jerusalem until the third deportation and Jerusalem’s fall; he helped the people who ignored his warnings mourn
Only Ezekiel is chronological
Tips About the Minor Prophets
The Minor Prophets are clustered around 3 events:
The time leading up to and surrounding Israel’s exile: The first 6 books except Obadiah and perhaps Joel (Joel’s date is unknown)
The time leading up to Judah’s exile: Books 7-9 plus Obadiah
Between Judah’s restoration and the end of Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s reforms:The last 3 books
They tell us a lot about social injustice and what God thinks about the rich and powerful taking advantage of the weak
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Scripture art—art based on Scripture—is a powerful way to interact with God’s Word. Here’s a little historical background followed by six ways Scripture art enhances both personal and group Bible study.
Biblical Imagery and Art
Detail of Book of Life in “Last Judgement” by Michelangelo (Web Gallery of Art: Public Domain, Wikimedia)
The Bible tells us that God often gave messages to prophets in images, not just spoken words. The books of Genesis, Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation are filled with detailed descriptions of visions and dreams that paint pictures in our mind’s eye and inspire artists to create works such as The Last Judgment by Michelangelo.
Art in the Bible
God at times inspires gifted artists to serve him. Moses said this of the craftspeople in charge of constructing the tabernacle (Exodus 35:30-35):
See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel … and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft.… He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.
In his book, Word Pictures: Knowing God Through Story and Imagination, screenwriter Brian Godawa says of this passage that “It is not insignificant that this is the very first passage in the Bible in which God fills a person with his Spirit, and that person was an artist” (51, emphasis his). He concludes, “Art is not merely a calling, but creativity is shown in Scripture to be a gift from God. The Lord is described as ‘putting skill’ into the artisans and ‘filling them with skill’” (53).
Art in Church History
A wayward son finds forgiveness and his father’s embrace in “Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (circa 1668)
It is no wonder, then, that the church has always used art in worship. Stained glass windows in spired cathedrals tell Bible stories in ways even children can understand. Great artists such as Rubens and Rembrandt portray Bible passages using paint on canvas and help us see details we may have missed.
For example, Craig Hazen in his novel, Five Sacred Crossings, describes how people from different backgrounds react to Rembrandt’s The Return of the Prodigal Son. Some relate to the son, others to the father, still others to a ghostly background image. People see themselves and loved ones all represented in the single painting.
6 Ways Scripture Art Enhances Bible Study
In our book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms, Pam Farrel, Karla Dornacher, and I encourage women to go further than completing the in-depth Bible study. We offer options for creatively interacting with Scripture. No, we’re not expecting Rembrandt-level works. But we hope the creative options will help God’s messages of hope settle deeply in readers’ hearts. The book’s merging of in-depth study, details for seasoned Christians, devotions for newer Christians, and creative options is the reason Kay Arthur of Precept Ministries wrote this about it: “What an incredibly unique and creative Bible study Pam, Jean, and Karla have created! It’s multilayered, dimensional, theologically rich, touching the senses—enlightening the mind, capturing the heart.”
Psalm 23 by Karla Dornacher. Used by permission.
In the two months the book has been out, readers have posted photos of their endeavors in the book’s Facebook group. Today I’d like to share with you six ways we’ve seen Scripture art—art based on Scripture—help people hide God’s words in their hearts.
1) Scripture Art Deepens Understanding
When artist Annie Magee from Victoria, Australia, began going through Discovering Hope in the Psalms, she challenged herself to create art to go with every daily lesson. That’s right: every lesson! That’s 40 artistic creations. Here I share three of her creations.
Chapter 1 – Psalm 1: The Hope of God’s Blessing
Psalm 1 by Annie Magee. Used by permission.
She didn’t tell us right away what it meant, but you may have guessed the basic back story: Her husband of 19 years abandoned both God and her, wounding her heart with rejection.
Chapter 4 – Psalm 23: The Hope of the Lord’s Good Care
Psalm 23 by Annie Magee. Used by permission.
She didn’t know when she painted it what the cord around Jesus’ wrist symbolized. But as she prayed over what it might mean, she realized it was Jesus saying, “I will never forget you.” As she portrayed Psalm 23 creatively, layers of meaning came forth. God’s gift of art helped her understand his abiding love and heal her heart.
Chapter 8 – Psalms 30 & 146: Hope Fulfilled
Annie wrote this:
I have … been going through a type of mourning for almost 2 years now, and as I completed Chapter 7 on Sunday just gone, the Lord responded to my Psalm prayer, He told me I can lay that to rest now. When I heard Him whisper this to me, a little joy returned, and I felt as though I have begun to live again. He has shown me so many incredible things throughout this study. Now, as I begin the final chapter, He has shown me that my mourning is turning to dancing. Blessed be the Lord.
Psalm 30 by Annie Magee. Used by permission.
Studying God’s messages of hope in the Psalms gave Annie the foundational understanding she needed. But when she creatively expressed the verses, their hope poured more deeply into her heart and healed her wounds. My heart sings for joy at how God has given his daughter hope in his unfailing care.
In Brain Rules, John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist, quotes research that shows “Students learn better from words and pictures than from words alone” (175). He cites studies that show involving two or more senses increases learning by 50% to 75% (171 ff.).
This is why Scripture art is so effective. It engages the senses of sight, touch, and (if painting) smell. It provides additional layers of learning. Here’s how my co-author, Pam Farrel, interacted with Psalm 51.
Psalm 1 says that the righteous person meditates on God’s instructions day and night. Interacting with Scripture creatively is a means of meditating on it.
One creative option is coloring Karla Dornacher’s illustrations with colored pencils, gel pens, or paints. The illustrations have a verse written in them with key words emphasized. Coloring Scripture art takes some time, but that’s time spent meditating on a verse’s words.
Psalm 51 bookmark traced and colored. By Karla Dornacher. Used by permission.
Many display their finished Scripture art, thus fulfilling the gist of Deuteronomy 6:9: “You shall write them [God’s commands] on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” This helps them continue to meditate on the verses even after they’ve finished the study.
4) Illustrations to Color Make Scripture Art Doable
Few have Karla Dornacher’s or Annie Magee’s skills. So Karla’s illustrations make art doable for the rest of us. Coloring the Scripture art in the book is entirely optional. But women who don’t consider themselves artistic are buying pencils, giving it a try—and liking it. After all, this isn’t the Crayola coloring we did when we were five (in fact, there’s even a Colored Pencil Society of America for professional artists). For those who want to grow artistically, Karla offers free videos, such as this one on making key words stand out: Colored Pencil Gradient Letters. Here’s my coloring of the Psalm 2 opening page.
Psalm 2 bookmark colored by Jean E. Jones
Virginia Thompson of San Juan Capistrano, California, says she wasn’t interested in coloring when she got the book, but thought she might as well give it a try. She found herself praying for people as she colored. I’ve been coloring the bookmarks through embroidery and find I have the verses memorized by the time I’m finished.
My friend Diane Smith of Resort Living Interiors in California encourages Christians to use decorative items that can start conversations about God around the house. The bookmarks in Discovering Hope in the Psalms are one way to start conversations. Marliese Grace Jackson in Garrison, Texas, made a container garden to prompt conversations about Psalm 1.
Psalm 1 by Marliese Grace Jackson. Used by permission.
Deborah Lewis Boutwell of First Baptist Pinewood in Tennessee invited her niece to show her small group how to put a verse from chapter 3 on mugs, a terrific way to invite conversations about God.
Psalm 51 by Deborah Lewis Boutwell. Used by permission.
Judy Webb of Aliso Viejo, California, created a journal for illustrating psalms and taking notes. She takes her art journal with her on a home visits to the elderly to help start conversations.
Psalm 51:10 notes and art by Judy Webb. Used by permission.
The five Scripture art benefits above apply to personal Bible study. But Scripture art also enhances group Bible studies. Here are three ways.
a) Scripture art is inviting
Karla Dornacher’s illustrations invite women in, even those who might normally be intimidated at the thought of “study.” Here are two reasons. First, pages with art are friendly. See, for example, the approachable opening page of the chapter on Psalm 23 beneath Karla’s Bible:
Psalm 23 by Karla Dornacher. Used by permission.
Second, a bookmark that illustrates the key verse adorns the opening page of every chapter, and that means women can grasp the main point immediately. This draws them into the study. In other words, the Scripture art makes in-depth study more approachable for women not used to it.
b) Scripture art encourages friendships that spans generations
Small groups that span generations easily bond over doing Scripture art together. Debbie Rothrock’s Discovering Hope in the Psalms study group in Shelton, Washington, has women from 18 to 72 attending and learning together. When they discussed chapter 1, they learned how to trace and frame art.
Psalm 1 by Debbie Rothrock’s small group. Used by permission.
Tausha Vollbrecht Love attends the evening Discovering Hope in the Psalms Bible study at Holly Springs Baptist Church in Garrison, Texas. Then she babysits for the morning group, which is also going through the book. She taught the children about Psalm 1 and helped them make simple fruit trees planted by water.
Psalm 1 by Tausha Vollbrecht Love. Used by permission.
c) Scripture art allows people to use their gifts
Encouraging artists to share their creations and teach others in our small groups allows more people to use their gifts and talents.
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I like to embroider Scripture. It’s fun and doesn’t take a lot of talent. By the time I finish a piece, I’ve got the Scripture memorized and I’ve meditated a lot on its meaning. Then I can frame and hang it so that it becomes not just a daily reminder of the passage, but a conversation piece for guests.
Last year I finally finished a large needlework that had taken years to complete. I wanted to try some smaller, faster pieces. I sketched some ideas for Psalm 71:14. But that was right about when artist Karla Dornacher joined author Pam Farrel and me in creating the book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms. She created bookmarks that people could trace or cut out. I realized these would be perfect small projects!
I hoped to finish all of them before the book came out, but that didn’t happen. I’m working on the third bookmark now, so here I’ll explain how to embroider Scripture from two of the book’s eight bookmarks. I’ll also explain the symbolism I used. I hope this inspires you in your own creative endeavors, whether or not you choose to embroider Scripture.
How to Transfer Bookmarks to Fabric
The bookmarks I used are on page 223 of Discovering Hope in the Psalms. Mine differs a tiny bit because I used Karla’s early illustrations, before she created the page with four bookmarks.
If you have an all-in-one printer that can scan and copy, the easiest way to transfer the bookmarks is to scan and print or copy the page on printable fabric. I scanned and printed the bookmarks on EQ Printables Inkjet Cotton Lawn Fabric Sheets that I loaded into my HP Inkjet.
If you don’t have access to an all-in-one printer, big box office stores can print on fabric. Or you can go low-tech and trace the bookmarks onto your fabric with a sharp, pale fabric pencil.
Optional: Add a Colored Background to the Fabric
I used Adobe Photoshop to add a semi-transparent gradient background to each bookmark before I printed.
How to Prepare Fabric to Embroider Scripture
If you’re using printable fabric, follow the instructions that come with it for removing excess ink. When it’s dry, sew 4” strips of scrap fabric to all sides, enlarging the 8.5” x 11” original to 16.5” x 19” so it can fit into a 13” diameter embroidery hoop.
I love Psalm 30. The first stanza always reminds me of how God delivered and saved me: “You restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” So the butterfly Karla put on the bookmark is perfect because a butterfly symbolizes being born again. I changed the bunting around “into” and “me with” to a vine to represent Jesus is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:4).
Paul used a seed “dying” in the ground before springing to new life as a metaphor for our earthly bodies dying before Christ raises us in new, resurrected bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-44). In my mind, then, the flower stands for the resurrection. The last line of Psalm 30 is “I will give thanks to you forever,” which speaks to me of the resurrection. I changed the scallops at the top and bottom into tiny flowers to represent friends and family who will resurrect as well.
Light orange is my main color because it’s such a happy color, making it perfect for a verse about dancing and gladness. The pale blue background complements the orange. The butterfly and flower seemed a perfect way to practice needle painting. I had to adjust the shape of the flower a bit and left off some internal lines.
Downloads and Links
The Discovering Hope in the Psalms Super Bonus Bundle has more detailed instructions, including the DNC thread colors and stitches I used. For more on needle painting (including more on preparing and protecting fabric), see Needle Painting Embroidery by Trish Burr. For more on selecting color schemes, see Colour Confidence in Embroidery by the same author.
How to Embroider Scripture: Psalm 73:26
Embroider Scripture: Psalm 73:26
The choirmaster Asaph wrote Psalm 73 about how God kept his feet from slipping when envy of the wicked nearly destroyed his faith. The white and gray flowers represent how we see some truths clearly and others dimly until heaven.
“GOD” is white to represent that he is light. I used a padded stitch to look like light radiating. The white didn’t stand out enough from the background so I added a scarlet border to represent the blood of Jesus, the means to bringing us to God.
“STRENGTH” is steel gray to represent the strength of steel, but it’s on a soft, padded background to represent God’s tenderness. He strongly but tenderly binds our broken hearts.
The word “heart” is scarlet, the color of a human heart physically. “Forever” is silver to give the feel of stars sparkling, which reminds me of eternity.
“Portion” is interesting. The first layer is white to represent being filled with the Holy Spirit. I added scarlet lines and dots to represent being filled in another way, through the blood of Jesus. It turned out messy looking and I considered pulling it out, but I decided the Cross was messy. So I left it to remind me of the great pains God took to bring us to him.
The leaves are variegated green because gray would have blended them in with the flowers too much and black would have distracted from the words. It’s purely utilitarian, though I suppose green could represent new life!
I used whitework techniques here. Whitework is typically done on a solid white background, but I didn’t choose the technique until after I’d printed the fabric. I couldn’t keep the Scripture reference where it was and so far don’t see a good place to add it. I’ll probably put it on the ribbon backing I’ll add later.
Downloads and Links
The Discovering Hope in the Psalms Super Bonus Bundle has more detailed instructions, including the DNC thread colors and stitches I used. For more on whitework, see Whitework with Colour by Trish Burr.
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Psalm 1 tells us the blessed person will meditate on God’s instructions, not simply hear or read them: “Blessed is the man … who meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). “Meditate” means to think deeply and carefully about something. But sometimes we don’t know how to do that. Here are six simple and fun ways to meditate on God’s words.
How to Meditate on God’s Words
Here are the general steps I use to meditate on God’s words. These aren’t hard-and-fast steps so much as habits I’ve found useful over the years. If you’re new to any of these, try one or two ways for a few weeks until you’re comfortable with them, then add another.
Figure 1: Record the results of meditation with symbols, notes and quick sketches
1. Pray for Guidance
I pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me and show me anything God wants to particularly speak to me about. Prayer reminds me reading God’s words is a conversation, and that sets the tone for meditation.
2. Meditate While Reading the Passage
I read through the passage looking for what God is saying. I think about how the passage relates to me and others today. If there are instructions, I ask myself if I’m following them and how I could implement them. I ask God about anything I don’t understand.
3. Meditate While Reading Notes
If you have a Bible with study notes, you can read the notes next. I highly recommend Bibles with study notes—they explain ancient customs and help you understand context, which enhances meditation on God’s words.
Currently, I’m reading through the NIV Zondervan Study Bibleso after I read a passage, I read the notes on it and look up some of the cross-references.
For the Psalms, I put a flower next to the psalm’s header to let me know I’ve read the study notes. I add a second flower to let me know I read my favorite Psalms commentary on it, too. When I’ve finished all the notes in a book of the Bible, I put a flower next to the book’s name in the table of contents.
4. Record what You Learned from Meditating in Your Bible
Figure 2: underline similar and contrasting ideas using color
Draw and write the results of your meditation right into your Bible. My Bible’s pages are very thin, so I use the Pigma Micron Bible Study Kit, which is six colored pens that don’t bleed through Bible pages.
I draw symbols next to the text to represent main ideas (for example, a green cross to represent Old Testament passages that relate to Jesus–see Figure 1). Some of the scribbles make sense to only me, but that’s okay: I’m not doing it for other people, just God and me. I know what they mean and they remind me of themes quickly. I created a legend at the back of my Bible to keep track of the symbols. In previous Bibles, I’ve used fewer symbols. This Bible’s notes trace major biblical themes so I’m using more symbols to track these. It’s a good idea to start simple and build, using just symbols meaningful to you.
I look for repeated ideas and either underline them in the same color or put a small symbol next to every instance so I see the connections (see Figure 2).
I might squeeze in a few notes anywhere I can find space, such as the top margin or next to a heading (the prose sections of this Bible—such as the historical books and the letters—have tiny margins). The books of poetry (such as Psalms and Proverbs) have a little more margin so I might illustrate key concepts in more detail (see Figure 1).
Figure 3: Meditative prayer on Psalm 1
5. Meditate Prayerfully
I often finish up with meditative prayer about what I’ve read. The passage is God’s words to me, so I respond by talking to him about what he said. The book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms (that I co-authored with Pam Farrel and Karla Dornacher) teaches how to do this. Here are the basic steps:
Praise God for something I see of his character in the passage
Confess anything that convicts me in the passage
Ask for help to do something the passage calls me to do
Thank God for something in the passage
6. Meditate Creatively
After I meditate using my Bible, I decide if I want to do anything further to work the verses into my life. Here are some things I might do to continue meditating on a passage after I’ve closed my Bible.
Figure 4: A personal psalm based on Psalm 1
Plan to do something the passage says to do
Write a particularly encouraging verse in a journal, usually with thoughts and illustrations
Write out a passage so I can memorize it
Dictate the passage into my smart phone so I can memorize it
Write a psalm or poem based on the passage (see Figure 4)
Creatively interact with the passage in other ways
Creatively exploring a passage is another form of meditation. It helps us remember a passage better. Many creative expressions are also ways to proclaim a message, either on social media or in our homes where they might spark conversation. Our book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms, has lots of creative ideas, including Karla Dornacher illustrations which can be colored (see Figure 5).
I also like putting verses into cross stitch and embroidery—these are fun ways to memorize Scripture and I end up with something pretty that keeps the verse before me for years while also becoming a conversation piece. Recently, I purchased a Crossway Journaling ESV Bible to hold more detailed illustrations, and I’ve started sketching ideas for that. This will be a way to meditate in a different Bible.
Figure 5: Psalm 1 art from “Discovering Hope in the Psalms”
Resources
Here are Amazon affiliate links to products and ideas I referred to or used:
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One of the delights of deciding to write a book on the Psalms is the excuse to read many books on them. Here are the six best books on Psalms I’ve found, ordered from broadest appeal to narrowest. They’ll enhance your prayer life and deepen your understanding of these prayer songs.
By the way, the Bible study guide I wrote with Pam Farrel and Karla Dornacher, Discovering Hope in the Psalms, is due out August 2017. It will walk you through praying with and understanding psalms as you discover eight hopes in the psalms for you.
Audience: Christians wanting to draw closer to God
This superb book is by the translator of The Message. It contains sixteen inspirational chapters on the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120–134). The Jews sang these songs as they made their way to worship God at the temple in Jerusalem, and so Peterson presents them as “’songs for the road’ for those who travel the way of faith Christ.” This is a book to read over and over. If you can read only one book on the Psalms, this is the one.
Quotation
I knew that following Jesus could never develop into a “long obedience” without a deepening life of prayer and that the Psalms had always been the primary means by which Christians learned to pray everything they lived, and live everything they prayed over the long haul.
Pros
Easy to read and understand. Delightful writing style. Folds many Christian disciplines into praying psalms.
Audience: Thoughtful Christians with good biblical background wanting to worship with psalms
This book transformed the way I prayed psalms. I already prayed laments (prayer request psalms) and praises, but Wenham’s insights into how praying a psalm becomes transformative deepened the way I approached these psalms and emboldened me to memorize psalms for prayer. It also showed me how to pray other types of psalms, such as wisdom and royal psalms. This book is rich and deeply layered, with chapters such as “The Unique Claims of Prayed Ethics” and “Virtues and Vices in the Psalter.” The chapter, “Appeals for Divine Intervention,” examines three of the harshest psalms: 35; 69; 109. This is an outstanding theological work on interpreting Psalms. I return to it often—it’s that good.
Quotation
If we praise a certain type of behavior in our prayers, we are telling God that this is how we intend to behave. On the other hand, if in prayer we denounce certain acts and pray for God to punish them, we are in effect inviting God to judge us if we do the same. This makes the ethics of liturgy uniquely powerful. It makes a stronger claim on the believer than either law, wisdom, or story, which are simply subject to passive reception: one can listen to a proverb or a story and then take it or leave it, but if you pray ethically, you commit yourself to a path of action.
Pros
Thoughtful, clear discussion of ethics in the psalms and how praying the psalms should transform our lives.
Cons
Requires a good biblical background, and that may deter some.
Audience: Christians who want to understand Hebrew poetry and who are comfortable with college reading level
This is a 200-page introduction to interpreting Psalms. It’s the first book I read on Hebrew poetry, and it answered questions I’d always had as well as questions I hadn’t known to ask. It spurred me on to read even more. The first chapter explains Hebrew poetry. The second examines the Psalter’s arrangement. The third touches on historical influences. The fourth discusses psalm categories. The fifth and sixth help the teacher develop an outline. While this book isn’t directly about praying the psalms, knowing how to interpret them enhances prayer. If you can’t afford Ross’s commentaries below, then get this.
Quotation
My objective is to acquaint you with the principle that parallelism is the art of saying something similar in both cola [line segments] but with a difference added in the second colon. Hebrew poets thus invite us to read slowly, looking for a difference in the second colon, be that difference small or great.
Pros
Excellent introduction to interpreting Psalms and understanding Hebrew poetry. Fast to read.
Cons
No transliteration of Hebrew (though English translations are supplied). The last two chapters are really too short to be useful.
Audience: Pastors and Bible teachers comfortable with graduate reading level
I own quite a few commentaries on Psalms, but this three-volume set far surpasses the rest. Volume I has an introduction to interpreting biblical poetry that equals or surpasses that of Futato above. Ross supplies a history of psalm interpretation (as do Wenham and Futato). He also details literary forms. Then comes the psalm-by-psalm commentary—this is where Ross shines. Each contains the author’s translation; composition and context notes; exegetical analysis (including summary and outline); the main commentary on the text; and message and application notes. This last section has preaching tips and is where Ross’s pastoral heart comes through clearly. There are extensive footnotes, including many Hebrew word studies on difficult words such as she’ol.
Volume I Quotation from introductory chapters
A type is a divinely prefigured illustration of a corresponding reality (called the antitype) it is a form of prophecy, the major difference with direct prophecy being that the passage can only be understood as prophetic once the fulfilling antitype has come into full view. This topic will be discussed in the notes on the royal psalms.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Ps. 22:1)
The words of the psalm hyperbolically describe the suffering of David but become historically true in Jesus.
Volume II Quotation from Psalm 51 message and application
We, like the psalmist, can and must have complete cleansing before we can fully and freely serve God in any capacity. Our eternal destiny may not be in doubt when we sin, and neither was David’s because he appealed to that covenant relationship, but our fellowship and service will be. God will not tolerate unconfessed sin, but will discipline for it.
Volume III Quotation from Psalm 137 commentary in expository form
All of this is to say that the communal prayer of Psalm 137 was a prayer in harmony with the prophetic oracle concerning the coming judgment on Babylon. They were actually praying for God to do what he said he was going to do, bring punishment on the Babylonians that was a just recompense for their barbaric activities.
Pros
Comprehensive. Many word studies (index in Volume III). Teaching and application tips. If you’re teaching or writing on the Psalms, this is the commentary set to get.
Cons
Typographical errors in verse references. No transliteration for Hebrew words, though English translations are always supplied.
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What’s the ultimate reason behind unforgiveness? Part 5 of “Forgive Intentional Sin—Don’t Just Manage Emotions.”
Forgiving without excusing is hard, so hard it sometimes seems unforgiveness won’t ever let go.
When I stopped excusing my mother’s actions as based on ignorance and inability to help herself, I had to learn something new: forgiving without excusing. I made good progress when I prayed in ways that bolstered faith in God’s promises and good care. The anger eased significantly. But it still sometimes flared unexpectedly.
Unforgiveness & a Cry for Help
Then one day it erupted in a way that scared me. I was driving my pale blue Toyota Corolla to work as the sun was just rising, when I spied a girl in a steel blue school uniform skipping gaily, two perfect dark braids bouncing on her carefully pressed short-sleeved shirt.
Her mother loves her, I thought. And then, I hate her!
In that moment I feared what I would become if I didn’t forgive my mother: filled with hatred and jealousy towards those who had what I wanted, even if they hadn’t wronged me. My stomach churned as I realized I had it in me to be like her. In my pride, I hadn’t thought that possible. Though I might never hurt a child as she did, if I harbored hatred I would be like her.
Suddenly, I wondered when she first chose not to forgive. Had she stood at the same crossroads, but made the easier choice and let bitterness seep in, not knowing it would spread and finally rule?
I clenched the steering wheel in desperation. “God, I don’t want to become like my mother. Help me forgive!”
Unforgiveness & a Cry for Justice
The Crucifixion (Rembrandt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
I considered how Jesus compared forgiving sin to forgiving a debt, and thought perhaps if I prayed aloud to release her from her debt—for God not to punish her for her sins—that might equal forgiveness even if my emotions dallied.
“God, I want you not to punish—” Do I? “No! That’s not what I want! I want Justice!”
And then I understood. More quietly I finished, “But I also want to be forgiven.” I paused as I remembered my ugliest sins.
I turned onto the freeway. Ahead, the morning sun had risen above the horizon. “God, I know my many sins against you far outweigh hers against me. So I pray that you draw my mother to know you, and if she receives Jesus as her Savior, then Justice will be done by his shed blood. And if she rejects Jesus, then Justice will be done when her sins are held against her. I forgive her as I want to be forgiven, and leave her in your hands.”
At that moment I knew it wasn’t mine to determine whether my mother received eternal forgiveness. That was between her and God. It wasn’t even mine to know to what degree my mother’s actions were intentional: Only God sees the heart.
In my heart, mercy had triumphed over judgment.
Peace washed up and through me. Yes, Justice would be done. I was humbled by the glimpse of the depths to which I could fall without God’s grace. And I was no longer angry. I truly wanted God to give my mother the same grace I wanted him to give me.
Unforgiveness Stripped Away
That was many years ago. Neither the jealousy nor the rage returned. As new affronts came—whether from her or others—the lessons learned through forgiving my mother helped me continue to forgive without excusing.
How Excusing Sin Leads to Unforgiveness
In time I understood how excusing sin actually produced the pride that prevented forgiving. I had initially excused my mother’s wrongs by telling myself she didn’t know better; after all, no sane person would purposefully and knowingly harm children. Thus, my siblings and I were safe from repeating her actions because we knew better. We were better than she because we had superior knowledge.
When my false belief that she didn’t know better collapsed, its sister belief changed slightly: “My siblings andI and most people I know would never purposefully and knowingly harm children.” Now, we were better than she innately.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (by Verhoeff, Bert / Anefo [CC BY-SA 3.0 nl (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nl/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons)
And that was the pride blocking forgiveness: this subconscious sense that I was somehow better than she and therefore more deserving of mercy. When I wasn’t.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who suffered eight years in a Soviet gulag, asked this about those who committed genocide:
Where did this wolf-tribe appear from among our people? Does it really stem from our own roots? Our own blood?
It is our own.
And just so we don’t go around flaunting too proudly the white mantle of the just, let everyone ask himself: “If my life had turned out differently, might I myself not have become just such an executioner?”
It is a dreadful question if one answers it honestly.[i]
If I answer honestly, then I know that if my life had turned out differently (especially if I hadn’t come to Christ), I could have murdered or abused or terrorized or done any number of things I’ve escaped. I could have been like my mother. Because I’m not innately better. And therefore not more deserving of mercy.
We can Choose to Forgive
We can choose to forgive because forgiving is about more than one relationship with an offender: It’s about future relationships; about healing us; and about participating in divine Justice and Mercy.
How do we take hold of faith to forgive when forgiving is tough? Part 4 of “Forgive Intentional Sin—Don’t Just Manage Emotions.”
Some sins are relatively easy to forgive: unintentional sins and minor wrongs, for instance. Other sins are much harder. Here are four that require faith to forgive.
It takes Faith to Forgive Sins that Cause Great Loss
When we lose possessions, relationships, health, or dreams because of someone’s sin, we’ll need faith to forgive: faith that we cannot lose anything of eternal value. Our heavenly treasures can be neither stolen nor destroyed (Matthew 6:19-21).
Many early Christians lost everything (Konstantin Flavitsky, 1862, public domain)
I once lost a position after someone lied about me; I also lost relationships. I had to in faith believe that our losses and hurts here will not harm us in ways God cannot redeem. After all, God does work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Indeed, when we suffer loss and hardship with faith, we gain an eternal reward (1 Peter 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 4:17).
Our earthly losses are losses of temporal things only. We must let them go, for holding onto grudges over things lost makes those things idols raised above obeying God. Because of their faith, the first Christians “joyfully accepted” the plundering of their property because they knew that they “had a better possession and an abiding one” in the life to come (Hebrews 10:34).
It takes Faith to Forgive Malicious Slander
False and malicious slander is a fiery dart in the hand of the jealous, the power hungry, the fame seeker, the revenge taker, and the self-justifier. When aimed at us, we need faith to forgive: faith that believes only God’s opinion matters. Like Paul, we must consider others’ judgments “a very small thing” (1 Corinthians 4:1-5).
False witnesses accuse Jesus before the ruling council (José Madrazo, 1803, public domain)
A leader who believed the lies I mentioned above expressed harsh words about me. I memorized and quoted 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 regularly. I imagined myself holding up a giant shield of faith between me and the fiery darts of his judgments. The shield extinguished the darts, blocked them from piercing me, and moved my eyes from them onto our Redeemer.
Jesus warned that we would be unfairly maligned: “If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known” (Matthew 10:25-26). We don’t need to harbor unforgiveness because God can and will reveal the truth. His timing is perfect, even if the truth isn’t revealed till the Judgment.
It takes Faith to Forgive Wrongs Committed Over and Over and OVER
When family members or friends apologize, but keep doing the same things, they appear insincere. After all, repentance means trying to change. It takes faith to forgive repeatedly. In fact, when Jesus told the apostles they must forgive others over and over, they responded, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:3-5).
Peter denied Jesus 3 times (Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1873, public domain)
I doubt there’s anyone who hasn’t faced repeated wrongs. When my husband and I were dating, we agreed to never bring up a past wrong once we’ve said, “I forgive you.” To respond to an apology with, “But this is the fifth time,” is not loving, for love “keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Besides, bringing up past offenses separates even close friends, while putting forgiven faults behind us seeks love (Proverbs 17:9).
To forgive, I have to let go of that part of me which protests, “If she really cared, she wouldn’t keep doing this,” because how much someone loves me isn’t the point. That’s between her and God. My relationships aren’t about other people being what I want them to be: They’re about me being what God wants me to be.
Moreover, haven’t we all come to God confessing the same thing over and over again? We must grant the mercy we wish to receive. Only God knows the heart—which is why my part is to forgive and leave ultimate justice to God.
It takes Faith to Forgive Betrayal
Who hasn’t been betrayed by someone trusted? When we’re betrayed, it takes faith to forgive: faith that believes God rewards repaying hatred with love. Jesus calls us to love our enemies, do good to them, bless them, and pray for them, for God will greatly reward us (Luke 6:27-35).
Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery (Konstantin Flavitsky, 1855, public domain)
It struck me that part of the reason is that I had considered parental love and goodness a right. God commands them, to be sure. But God had adopted me and I had a new, perfect Parent who was giving me all I needed: “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” (Psalm 27:10).
Beyond God’s Redemption?
I pondered further. Had I lost anything that God couldn’t work for good? No, Joseph’s story showed that (Genesis 50:20), and I’d already seen some good come from it in that others with similar backgrounds were more open to talk to me about Christ. Had I lost anything of eternal worth? No, heavenly treasures can’t be destroyed or stolen (Matthew 6:19-20). Everything that’s of this earth alone will pass away, so if I haven’t lost anything of eternal worth, then in the long run I haven’t actually lost anything.
A Prayer of Faith
In faith I chose to believe that God could use my mother’s betrayal for good, not just for me, but also for others (2 Corinthians 1:4). I prayed, “God, I trust you to work my mother’s wrongs for good for me, my siblings, and others. Keep the three of us from repeating her sins. Thank you for opening my eyes to know you. Thank you for the ways I’ve already seen you work good from my past.”
The anger finally began to subside.
Yet for this betrayal, I needed one more step. That’s the topic of my next post.
https://i0.wp.com/www.jeanejones.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Konstantin_Flavitsky_001_Joseph.jpg?fit=1299%2C986&ssl=19861299Jean E. Joneshttps://www.jeanejones.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Logo-340x340-1.gifJean E. Jones2016-12-05 10:12:432024-08-14 10:36:574 Sins that Require Faith to Forgive
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The key to understanding how most of the prophets and histories relate is this cycle:
