A People for His Name

Divine, Timeless Instruction about Politics

September 17, 2016

This timeless message from God to all governmental leaders provides divine instruction for people about what kind of officials they should vote for and support:

Psalm 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Notice that this is not just for Israel or for countries that are or that consider themselves as Christian nations; this is God’s demand of all kings and judges of the earth.

In Discipleship, Theology

What Being a Blessed Person Really Means

September 9, 2016

The longest book in the Bible, the book of Psalms, begins with the word blessed without giving any definition of what that term means (Psalm 1:1). In the second occurrence of the term, Psalm 2 ends with a statement about those who are blessed (Psalm 2:12) but it still does not tell us what the term means. The third occurrence of the term in the Psalms shows us what the core idea of the term is:

Psa 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous;
with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

The parallelism seen in these two statements about the righteous shows that to be blessed means to be in and enjoy a position of special favor with God.

Further analysis of Scriptural use of the term (e.g. Psalm 94:12; Matt. 5:4; Rev. 14:13) confirms this understanding and teaches us that being blessed does not mean having no troubles and having everything go the way you would like it to go. It does not necessarily mean being happy. Being a blessed person means to be someone whom God has favored in a special way!

In Interpretation, Theology

11 Biblical Examples of Ungodly Self-Talk

September 5, 2016

In various ways, Scripture records many examples of ungodly self-talk. The following 11 examples provide instruction to us about the diverse nature that such ungodly speech has taken.

Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 42:36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
Pro 30:20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 47:8 Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: ¹⁰ For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
Zep 1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.
Mat 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Luk 7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¹⁸ And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) ⁷ Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rev 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

We must learn from these ungodly examples not to talk to ourselves in any of the sinful ways that the Holy Spirit has recorded for our profit in these passages.

In Sunday School, Theology

God’s Witness to All People of His Existence and His Goodness

August 27, 2016

Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

God has given evidence of Himself to all people that He exists and is good to all!

In Gospel, Theology

A Comparative List of 91 Commonly Confused Elementary NT Greek Words

August 25, 2016

Correctly learning the basic vocabulary words used in the Greek NT is a vital part of learning NT Greek. I developed a list of 91 commonly confused Greek words many years ago when I was a graduate assistant teaching Elementary Greek classes. Studying this list and learning their different meanings should help you in mastering these commonly confused words.

In Biblical Greek

An Instructive Comparison of Two Key Lukan Statements

August 22, 2016

Luke wrote his Gospel to Theophilus for a very specific purpose:

Luk 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

⁴ That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

In Acts 1, Luke informs Theophilus what his Gospel comprised:

Act 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

By correlating these two statements, we learn that the Gospel of Luke was written to give Theophilus certainty about what he had been instructed about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach.

Applying this understanding to what we find in the Gospel of Luke reveals a striking truth when we examine it for information about what Jesus began to do and teach—Luke 2:41-52 is the first information about what Jesus did and taught! Based on this fact, we understand that the narrative of what Jesus did and said when He was a twelve-year old boy in the temple is foundational for our having the certainty that God wants us to have about all of Jesus’ acts and sayings about which we have been taught!

In Bible reading, Interpretation, Theology

What Biblical Priesthood Teaches Us about Biblical Marriage

August 13, 2016

The nation of Israel is the only nation in the history of the world that God Himself took out from another nation and consecrated to Himself (2 Sam. 7:23; 1 Chron. 17:21). To the Israelites, God gave detailed directives in His Law about every important facet of their lives (Deut. 4:7-8).

At the heart of Israel’s calling as a nation set apart to God was their calling to be distinctively excellent for His sake:

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Among the nation that was called to be such a distinctive nation, God set apart the priesthood that He Himself ordained for ministering to Him (Exod. 28:1; 30:30; Jer. 33:22) in a special way even among all His people. Of all the people of Israel, the priests were called to have the closest access to God that He permitted to any of His people (Heb. 9:6).

By divine ordinance, all the priests in Israel were males. For these chief servants of His, God gave explicit directives concerning their marriages:

Lev 21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.

Among the priests, the high priest was the sole person in the entire nation who was ever allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, and he could do so only once a year (Heb. 9:7). The high priest was called of God to be the person in Israel who enjoyed unique access to the presence of God.

Concerning whom the high priest was to marry, God gave even more definitive instruction than He did for the other priests:

Lev 21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

¹⁴ A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.

¹⁵ Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.

This revelation shows that God explicitly defined what marriage would be for all His priests in His chosen nation that was to be a testimony for Him to the entire world. In connection with Genesis 1-2 and Genesis 6-9, Leviticus 21:7 and Leviticus 21:13-15 make clear that God’s mind concerning marriage for His people throughout their history was that marriage would be exactly the same as it was when He originated marriage beginning with Adam and Eve.

As Israel was called to be of old, believers today are called to be distinctive for the sake of His name:

1 Pet. 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Concerning His ministers among His people today, God has plainly stated that their marriages are to be the same (1 Tim. 3:2, 12) as they were for His priests of old. Moreover, these ministers are the examples for all the rest of His saints (1 Tim. 4:12).

The plain revelation concerning what God has ordained concerning biblical marriage for His priests and ministers confirms for His servants today that His will for their marriages is the same today as it always has been.

In Discipleship, Interpretation, Theology

Toca fuerte y con destreza

August 4, 2016

El libro de los Salmos es la única colección de canciones inspirada por Dios. Por lo tanto, este libro tiene autoridad divina que debemos obedecer entendiendo lo que Dios quiere para nuestra música. Si queremos ser discípulos en cada área de nuestras vidas, debemos prestar especial atención a los mandamientos que Dios da a su pueblo con relación a la música. Al respecto, el Salmo 33 es un pasaje muy importante para entender los pensamientos de Dios en relación a la música, ya que éste registra varios mandamientos y explica sus fundamentos.

El Salmo 33:1-5 presenta cinco mandamientos de Dios en relación a nuestra música. Los justos se deben regocijar en el Señor porque la alabanza es apropiada para los rectos (33:1). Aquellos que cumplan todas sus obligaciones para con Dios y con el hombre deben deleitarse continuamente en Dios, especialmente en su música, porque Él se merece tal alabanza por lo que ha hecho por ellos (cf. 33:18-22), y porque tal actividad le conviene al recto delante de Él.

Los justos también deben alabarle y cantarle con múltiples instrumentos de cuerda (33:2). Ambos mandamientos dejan claro que Dios quiere que usemos instrumentos de cuerda cuando le adoramos (o en nuestra adoración a Él).

Por otra parte, hemos de cantar para él una “nueva canción” (33:3a), que es un mandato de frescura de la calidad de la música que se canta a Él: “La alabanza debe ser espontánea y fresca; nuevas misericordias exigen nuevas canciones” (BKC: OT, 819). Estos mandamientos y declaraciones acerca de estas canciones ser repiten (Sal 40: 3; 96: 1.; 98: 1; 144: 9; 149: 1; Isa 42:10; Ap. 5: 9; 14: 3) y muestran que se trata de un elemento vital de la música piadosa.

Estos cuatro mandamientos enseñan que Dios demanda una adoración alegre con música de calidad que consiste en el canto de palabras acompañadas de instrumentos de cuerda. Repetidas referencias al Señor ( “en el Señor” [33:1a]; “Jehová” [33:2a]; “a Él” [33:2b; 3a]) hacen hincapié en que Él ha de ser el objeto de tal adoración.

Por último, hay que tocar bien y con jubilo (33:3b). Este mandamiento transmite el mandato de Dios, que los creyentes toquen hábilmente los instrumentos de cuerda, lo que exige una preparación diligente para tal adoración a Dios. También ordena tocarlos con energía para que los instrumentos produzcan “un fuerte ruido.” Para satisfacer esta demanda, debemos adorar a Dios con todas nuestras fuerzas (cf. 2 Samuel 6:14; Ecl 9:10) y hacer lo mejor que podamos al tocar habilmente.

Este mandamiento es ampliado considerablemente en el pasaje; los dos siguientes versos sirven de explicación de la base para el mandamiento (33:4-5). Cuatro declaraciones constituyen la base del mandato de adorar a Dios con habilidad con música instrumental:

La palabra de Jehová es justa
Todas sus obras son verdaderas
Él ama la justicia y el juicio
La tierra está llena de la bondad del Señor

Estas declaraciones ponen de relieve las perfecciones de su palabra y sus obras. También exponen su excelente carácter, especialmente en como se manifiesta abundantemente en la tierra.

Por otra parte, esta enseñanza (33:4-5) puede ser la base no sólo de este mandamiento, sino también para todos los mandamientos anteriores. De cualquier manera, la gran elaboración de la base de su dirección autoritativa sobre nuestra música muestra que debemos destacarnos en nuestra música porque Él exige que sea acorde con la excelencia de su palabra, su obra y su persona!

Sobre la base de esta enseñanza, los creyentes deben estar continuamente involucrados en actividades para ser diestros en tocar instrumentos de cuerda para la gloria de Dios. Al renovar nuestra mente con estas verdades, nuestras casas, iglesias y escuelas deben proporcionar oportunidades adecuadas para el discipulado continuo de los músicos cristianos de primera calidad de la mano de quienes ya son músicos cristianos habilidosos y consagrados.

(Trasladado con la ayuda de Reinaldo Useche y Google Translate.)

En inglés

In Music, Spanish

Should We Stop Looking for Godly Political Leaders?

July 30, 2016

King Hezekiah prayed to God, “I pray thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight” (2 Kings 20:3).

Of King Josiah, the Bible says, “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left” (2 Kings 22:2).

Of an unsaved Roman centurion, Cornelius, the Bible says that he was “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). His servants testified about him, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews” (Acts 10:22).

Anybody who says that we cannot really expect to find godly political leaders, whether they are believers or not, because we are all sinners needs to read his Bible and stop lowering the bar. We can and should look for godly political leaders.

In Theology

Verb Conjugation Comparisons Chart: Imperfect, 1st Aorist, and 2nd Aorist Active and Middle Indicative

July 25, 2016

A key to learning NT Greek well is to carefully compare the various verb conjugations for the different tenses. This Verb Conjugation Comparisons chart shows how closely related the imperfect, 1st aorist, and 2nd aorist forms are in the active and middle voices.

In Biblical Greek

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