Knowable Word - Bible study help

Overlooked Details of the Red Sea Crossing

March 27, 2023 By Ryan Higginbottom

The crossing of the Red Sea is one of the most memorable and cinematic events recorded in the Bible. This brief section of history has been captured in several films as well as in thousands of Sunday school lessons and coloring pages.

So if we were asked to recount this story, we could probably list many of the highlights without consulting Scripture. However, because the episode is so famous, and depictions of the event are so numerous, we will inevitably miss some details. The story is perhaps too familiar.

This was certainly the case for me! I recently reread this portion of Exodus and felt like I was reading this passage for the first time.

Four Important Details

Peter has written extensively and deeply on all of Exodus and on this passage specifically. To learn how this event fits into the whole book of Exodus, and for a razor-sharp look at this particular episode, I encourage you to read his article.

Here I will highlight some aspects of Exodus 13–14 that I had not remembered. These details are not just interesting—they help guide us to the main point of the passage. (Remember: good observation fuels accurate interpretation!)

Israel crossed at night

For understandable reasons, all pictures and video depicting this event happen during the day. (That makes for a much better coloring page!) But this event happened in the dark of night. (See Exodus 14:24 and Exodus 14:27 where it seems that the Israelites crossed during the night, with their path illuminated by the pillar of fire, and then the Egyptians started their pursuit at first light of the morning.) As we will see below, God aimed to confuse the Egyptians, and the nighttime setting was an important ingredient.

The wind blew all night to part the sea

Yes, Moses “stretched out his hand” in order to divide the sea, but the way this happened was that “the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided” (Exodus 14:21). This miracle did not happen in an instant but rather over the course of several hours. Imagine waiting by the side of the Sea while this was happening!

The pillar of cloud protected Israel

God went with his people out of Egypt in the form of the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. His primary purpose was to lead and direct his people. And those very pillars led Israel to the shore of this great sea.

But God led Israel in a roundabout way to this particular spot in order to provoke Egypt to pursue their valuable runaway slaves. Once Egypt caught up, there was a real threat!

Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. (Exodus 14:19–20)

The Egyptians fled from Israel

In my memory, the Egyptians pursued Israel into the bed of the Red Sea, the Israelites exited on the other side, and then the Egyptians drowned as the waters returned to normal. But that’s not what happened!

The Egyptians, having been provoked by the Lord to chase the Israelites, went into the sea (Exodus 14:23). But the Lord intervened—he “threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily” (Exodus 14:24–25). The Egyptians knew they were in trouble, so they decided to flee (Exodus 14:25). So, it was while these two nations were running away from each other that the Red Sea covered Pharaoh’s army.

Why These Details Matter

The Lord determined that he would get abundant glory at the Red Sea. He said, “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 14:4). He says much the same to Moses again in Exodus 14:17–18.

This was not just about God getting glory from the Egyptians. He also wanted his people to know and fear him.

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:30–31)

This is crucial, because the Israelites were greatly afraid when they saw Pharaoh and his army drawing near (Exodus 14:10). Moses told the people:

Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. (Exodus 14:13–14)

The four details above show God’s hands-on involvement in the crossing of the Red Sea. God rescued his people and closed the door to any possible return to Egypt. In tangible ways, the Lord fought for his people as he promised.

When God sets out to deliver his people and gain glory for himself, he will make both happen.

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The Wisdom of Avoiding Strife

March 24, 2023 By Peter Krol

Conflict is hard.

Defining Strife

By “conflict,” I’m referring not to everyday disagreements, but to the sort of disagreements that look like knock-down, drag-em-out fights, that turn people into enemies of one another. The book of Proverbs refers to such situations as “strife.”

These are situations with neighbors or coworkers who find every opportunity to ridicule your Christian faith and try to make you angry so you slip up. Or classmates who act respectfully in public, but in private their mouths pour forth repulsive profanity and epithets in your direction. Or extended family members who point out your every flaw, claim they know you but they really don’t, and wield their expectations and gossip like hot pokers to manipulate you into doing what they want.

Responses to Strife

Sometimes Christians think God wants them to become punching bags. And at other times, perhaps in rejection of the punching-bag approach, Christians harden themselves to the point of arrogance and condescension toward their opponents.

But what does it mean to fight like a Christian in situations of strife?

Make no mistake: Enemies are real, and God wants his people not to fall before enemies but to overcome them. And the way we fight is what makes the difference.

What God Deems Honorable

Sometimes we get this crazy idea that protecting one’s honor means not turning aside from a threat or a fight. And to back down from a fight is cowardly.

But such notions are contrary to the Lord’s definition of honor. They are nothing but schoolyard foolishness.

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
Proverbs 20:3

The Lord values and honors the person mature enough to keep aloof from strife. Those who enjoy, initiate, or perpetuate quarrels are fools. They’re after their own self-respect and self-image, and are therefore to be avoided whenever possible. Even if it feels like you are giving up quite a bit, or suffering in the shadow of death, to do so.

The Time and Place to Fight

Now there is a time and place for protecting the innocent and standing up for the rights of the oppressed.

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:10-12

So the Lord certainly calls his people to fight at the right time and for the right reasons: When the innocent or naive are under threat. When the good and safety of others is at stake.

But not merely to defend one’s own honor.

So it is wise to be aware of those situations when strife is likely to break out, so that, whenever possible, you can avoid them. And when are those times? What are some potential causes of strife we ought to avoid?

Causes of Strife

History of quarreling

First, we should watch out for those with a history of quarreling.

A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.
Proverbs 18:6

If you have seen someone quarreling in the past, they are likely to continue it in the future. If you have a history of getting drawn into quarrels with someone, it may be best to avoid that person. Because the more opportunity you give a fool to talk, the more he will invite you to beat on him. And you’ll be sorely tempted to grant him this wish.

Pride

Second, watch out for pride.

By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.
Proverbs 13:10

“Insolence” is the sort of pride that isn’t merely self-centered, but self-centered in a way that rejects instruction, refuses correction, and tries to cancel those who disagree.

‌So when someone has a track record of attacking people who try to help them, you are better off staying away. When you know such a person is likely to pick a fight, just keep your advice and correction to yourself.

‌That’s right. Sometimes you can best avoid strife by keeping your mouth shut, and by not offering instruction that might help someone, when you know they don’t want it.

‌So when your classmates or coworkers have potty mouths, it is probably wise not to correct them, lest they turn to direct their venom at you. It is not wise for Christians to see themselves as the “sin police,” or to take it upon themselves to call people out whenever they do something wrong.

‌No, please save your correction for those who will receive it. Or for those situations when the innocent are being harmed, or the naive could be led astray. You can avoid strife by not offering advice or correction where it is not wanted.

Hot Tempers

Third, watch for hot tempers.

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
Proverbs 15:18

Make sure you keep a check on your own temper. Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, so controlling your own spirit is critical.‌ It is also wise to recognize when others have a hot temper, so you can avoid them whenever possible.

‌The thing about anger is that it always makes us feel right. We think in the moment that getting more heated will persuade others to agree with us. But in truth the only thing a hot temper ever accomplishes is to stir up strife. So avoid it in yourself and others.

Backbiting

Finally, watch out for backbiting.

The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
Proverbs 25:23

This is related to anger and foolish speech, but a backbiting tongue is an insidious companion. This is what happens when temper and folly go passive-aggressive. So perhaps we don’t crank up the volume and start shouting. Instead, we turn down the volume and mutter things under our breath. Or we wait until the conversation is nearly complete, and then we toss out a biting closing statement like a shot of napalm.

‌Perhaps you get to the end of a tense conversation that resulted in a difficult compromise. Those engaged ask one another whether this is now settled, and you respond with, “It’s fine.” And your backbiting tone communicates that the situation is anything but fine. But if anyone follows up and asks what’s wrong, your defense is already locked and loaded: “I said, it’s fine! Gosh, what’s wrong with you people!”

‌And it’s clearly not fine. Perhaps because you weren’t honest enough up front about your full concern. Or perhaps because you have lost hold of your self-control when you needed it most. Either way, just as a north wind in the Middle East brings rain, so now your backbiting tongue brings angry looks which lead to strife.

‌What now?

So in the end, the way of wisdom is to avoid strife whenever possible. Beware of hot tempers, quarrelsome behaviors, insolent attitudes, and backbiting tongues.

‌This really feels like death, doesn’t it, to avoid strife, when the world shouts that we’re cowards unless we defend our own honor? Yet to fight like a Christian means avoiding the fight whenever possible.

‌But sometimes, it’s just not possible, is it? There are times when we make costly mistakes that cause strife. And there are times when strife hunts us down regardless of how hard we try to avoid it. What do we do then?

We’ll need to look at more proverbs for further help.

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One of the Most Important Discussion Questions

March 22, 2023 By Peter Krol

Stephen Kneale writes about all the different kinds of Bible studies held in his church. Perhaps their example will give you some ideas for what could be possible in your church.

But at the end of his piece, he makes a crucial point. Regardless of what sort of discussion or study group we’re holding, we must always make sure our conclusions and applications are drawn reasonably from the argument of the biblical text. And when people make spontaneous connections to all the different areas of their lives, leaders ought to help them remain anchored to the text.

And one of the most direct ways to do that is to ask the simple question: So where do you get that from the text? As Kneale writes:

This matters because not every comment in every bible study is of equal worth. Not every application of scripture is a valid application of scripture. What we are trying to model to people in these studies is how we helpfully read the Bible. We are either showing how we understand the text in front of us or we are highlighting how we rightly apply the text to ourselves, without making applications that are not permitted or bear no real relation to the text itself.

Check it out!

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Your Children can Benefit from Minor Prophets

March 17, 2023 By Peter Krol

To this day, one of my favorite children’s Bibles is Mark’s Marvellous Book by Alan Mann. Mann does something truly remarkable in that he teaches children a book of the Bible instead of a self-curated selection of abstract narratives (as though they were Aesop’s fables or even snapshots from history). Mann’s book follows the contours of Mark’s gospel, such that his readers come away not only with a broad theological vision of Jesus, but with Mark’s particular message about Jesus.

Isn’t that something? We’ve got access to so many wonderful children’s Bibles that teach biblical history and theology. But what if there were also children’s Bibles that primarily taught the Bible (the books or literature of the Bible, along with each book’s primary message)? What if children’s Bibles could be a training ground or launchpad for children to grow in the knowledge of God—as he has revealed himself in Scripture—thereby motivating them to grow into reading those very Scriptures with eyes of faith and understanding?

Please let me know if you have seen other children’s Bibles that do this. Because I had never seen it done before or since Mr. Mann’s marvellous book. That is, until Christian Focus sent me review copies of John Brown and Brian Wright’s God’s Daring Dozen, Box 1 and Box 2.

Magnetic Beauty

I’ll return in just a moment to how well these books teach God’s word. But because first impressions are, well, first, let me say that these books are remarkably beautiful and attractive to read.

Box 1 contains:

Haggai’s Feast
Obadiah and the Edomites
Habakkuk’s Song
Zephaniah’s Hero

Box 2 has:

Joel & the Locusts
Jonah’s Journeys
Nahum & the Ninevites
Malachi’s Final Message

A planned third box will complete this Jewish “Book of the Twelve” with volumes on Hosea, Amos, Micah, and Zechariah.

The two boxes are bright, colorful, and quite sturdy. The dimensions of the books—akin to a full-sized Dr. Seuss book—were quite a bit larger than I was expecting. Pulling the boxed sets from the shipping package provoked squeals of delight and hasty claims of ownership from the mouths of numerous Krol children, to the point where I began wondering if I would get the books back in time to prepare for this review.

The artwork within the books follows suit: Clean design, bright colors, attractive fonts. I simply cannot praise the look and feel of these volumes highly enough. It is most important to have strong content. But if that content is unattractive, it’s not nearly as motivating to read.

Inspiring Precision

Brown and Wright succeed in their primary goal of teaching not only the story but especially the message of each prophet. Have you ever read parts of the Bible and joked with someone that “you’ll never see that in a children’s Bible”? Well, now you can’t. Because it’s all in here. And it works. For kids.

For example, in Nahum & the Ninevites, the flood of destruction sweeps the city away, followed by the flames of destruction. “Maidens moan and beat their breasts. Hearts are melting, knees are knocking, bodies are shaking, and faces are pale… Dead bodies everywhere… Nineveh enticed and enslaved many nations like a seductive sorceress. Therefore I will humiliate her publicly.”

At the book’s climax comes an image of a prophet passing out the scroll he has written, while the ruins of a city lie smoldering in the background. “Those who hurt other people and worship other gods and refuse to repent will most certainly face God’s terrible judgment, for He does not leave the guilty unpunished.”

Now before you freak out, you ought to know two things:

This is precisely what the book of Nahum says (Nah 1:3, 8; 2:7, 10; 3:3-5). If you’re not comfortable with children reading it, then why have you given them Bibles?
Every volume in this series moves the prophet’s message forward to the good news about Jesus Christ. So even Nahum & the Ninevites ends with assurance that God will defeat all our enemies, Jesus will rescue all who call on his name, and those who bring such good news have beautiful feet (Nah 1:15; Rom 10:15).

Each volume in God’s Daring Dozen begins and ends the way the book of the prophet begins and ends. Along the way, Brown and Wright follow the prophet’s own structure in order to highlight the message. The prophet’s own words are quoted (and not only paraphrased or summarized), and New Testament quotations of the prophet are brought in at appropriate times.

On account of these many great strengths, I found myself inspired, after reading each volume, to go back and read the biblical book itself. God’s Daring Dozen will grant children confidence that they can read these books in the Bible, too.

Present Weakness

Nothing on earth is perfect, so let me be honest about the flaws.

They could probably be even longer than they are. Each volume can be read aloud in about 10 minutes.

And… Box 3 hasn’t been published yet, but I wish it was.

That’s all I can think of.

Conclusion

With God’s Daring Dozen, we have eight (soon to be twelve) books of the Bible presented to children in a way they can understand. In a way that clearly communicates the original author’s main point. In a way that shows the relevance of God’s word to people today. In a way that highlights the grace and lordship of Jesus Christ in all Scripture. In a way that will inspire readers to eventually set these books aside and dig directly into God’s word.

I highly commend these books to you. You can find them at Christian Focus (Box 1, Box 2), Westminster Books (Box 1, Box 2), or Amazon (Box 1, Box 2).

Dear publishers: Please create more children’s Bibles like this!

Disclaimer: Though God sees everything, we humans cannot. Therefore I must disclose the fact that Amazon links will provide a small commission to this blog at no cost to yourself. Thank you for assisting our service to the only King and Lord of heaven’s armies.

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Trust and Obey

March 15, 2023 By Peter Krol

I love this reflection from Seth Lewis on “The Key to Understanding the Bible.” He writes about how the Bible cannot be read and understood like other books. This book demands trust and obedience before it yields its storehouses of wisdom and knowledge.

You won’t know the “peace of God that surpasses understanding” until you “present your requests to God” in prayer (Philippians 4:7).

You won’t experience the truth of Jesus’ promise that he will “give you rest” unless you accept his invitation to “come to me, all who are weary and burdened” (Matthew 11:28).

You can read that “godliness with contentment is great gain” but you’ll never understand that gain until you are growing in godliness and contentment (1 Timothy 6:6).

Check it out!

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Fear is a Battleground

March 13, 2023 By Ryan Higginbottom

The Bible says a lot about fear. The book of Proverbs begins by asserting that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov 1:9). We also read that “the fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe” (Prov 29:25). The Bible teaches plenty about fear in the New Testament as well (see Hebrews 13:6, Matthew 10:28).

These pillars of the fear of man and the fear of God are crucial to understand and identify. Yet the Bible often points to them from a distance, asking us to supply the details in our personal application. It’s more rare to study a passage where the granular temptations to fear are explicit.

We have such a passage in Nehemiah 6.

A Lure and a Lie

Nehemiah was leading the efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem with other Jewish people who had returned from exile. Because God’s people were surrounded by hostile nations, the wall demanded attention and effort after the temple was completed (Ezra 6:15).

Nehemiah had to deal with enemies and disrupters—both when he arrived in the city (Neh 2:10,19-20) and when fending off later attacks (Neh 4:1-23). But Nehemiah 6 offers specifics about complex plots to harm or stop the governor and his work.

Two of Nehemiah’s opponents, Sanballat and Geshem, tried to lure Nehemiah far outside the city. They wanted the work on the wall to stop, and they likely intended to capture or kill Nehemiah (Neh 6:2). Nehemiah received four private letters before an open letter arrived. There we read of the threat to tell King Artaxerxes about a Jewish plan to rebel and Nehemiah’s intention to become king, allegedly backed by prophets declaring as much (Neh 6:6-7). All of this was a lie, crafted to provoke Nehemiah into traveling out of the city to protest.

Nehemiah knew what Sanballat and Geshem really wanted—they aimed “to frighten” Nehemiah and the other workers. They hoped this threat would halt construction on the wall (Neh 6:9).

Hide in the Temple

The second plot unfolded when Nehemiah went to the house of Shemaiah. Shemaiah warned Nehemiah about a plot to kill him and suggested they hide in the temple (Neh 6:10).

Nehemiah saw the implications. He understood that he would seem weak if he hid. He also knew this was not the purpose of the temple! Nehemiah realized that God had not sent Shemaiah; rather, Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to prophesy (Neh 6:12). They were working, along with some other prophets, to make Nehemiah afraid (Neh 6:13,14).

Contrasting Fears

The threats to Nehemiah were not just from outside. Because of his connections by descent and by marriage, Tobiah had regular communication with the “nobles of Judah” (Neh 6:17,18). He exchanged letters with them and they reported Nehemiah’s words back to Tobiah. All of this was an effort to make Nehemiah afraid (Neh 6:19).

But another fear emerged. Despite numerous efforts to stop it, the wall around Jerusalem was completed (Neh 6:15). Here is the reaction.

And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. (Nehemiah 6:16)

These enemies attempted to frighten Nehemiah, but they were the ones who ended up afraid. The surrounding nations thought less of themselves and more of Yahweh because they knew he helped his people.

Specific Targets of Fear

This chapter records contrasting fears: the repeated attempts to make Nehemiah afraid, and the fear and awe that God inspires when he strengthens his own. We also read about the specific aims of fear, aims that are not often spelled out in Scripture.

Here’s an important interpretation question to lead us into application. How were Nehemiah’s enemies using fear against him? What specifically did they want him to be afraid of?

First, they wanted him to fear the loss of the king’s approval. If the king heard the dishonest account about Nehemiah, he might take action to stop the work on the wall or summon everyone back to Susa. Nehemiah was dependent on the favor of the king, and Sanballat and Geshem wanted him to be so afraid of losing this favor that he would meet them at the plain of Ono and, presumably, suffer capture or death.

Nehemiah’s enemies also wanted him to fear the threat of death. If Shemaiah convinced Nehemiah to hide in the temple, Nehemiah would look like a coward who was using a holy place for self-protection. Nehemiah knew what his enemies were up to: “For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me” (Neh 6:13). They wanted Nehemiah to sin, to gain a poor reputation among his people, and then to be open to ridicule. In the end, Nehemiah’s enemies were hoping to eliminate the work force behind him by painting him as an ungodly leader.

Gospel Answers

We can be tempted to unrighteous fears from many directions. Perhaps, like Nehemiah, you’ve been tempted to fear death—a very natural fear! Or maybe you’ve been afraid of disapproval from a boss, supervisor, or parent. You may be resistant or hesitant about something God has called you to because of one of these fears. For those who trust in Christ, the gospel addresses these fears.

While a courageous, God-honoring action on your part may bring criticism from those in authority over you, God is the ultimate authority and he has kings in his hands (Prov 21:1). Jesus ascended to heaven and sat down as a sign of this supreme control.

Further, while death is an enemy, Jesus defeated death in his resurrection. Our destination is the same as his.

God gave Nehemiah strength and wisdom to resist temptations to fear and to see through falsehoods. We can also take to heart Nehemiah’s example of prayer in the midst of temptation, hardship, and anger (Neh 6:9,14).

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5 Misconceptions about Wealth

March 10, 2023 By Peter Krol

The book of Proverbs covers many topics and gets intensely practical. One of the topics on which Proverbs has quite a lot to say is wealth.

The struggle for many Christians is that our thinking about wealth is often shaped by influences outside the Bible. Sometimes we’re shaped by materialism. Sometimes we react against materialism in a way that seems spiritual but demonstrates the sort of asceticism labeled by New Testament authors as “irreverent, silly myths” (1 Tim 4:7) and the “teachings of demons” (1 Tim 4:1). And at other times, we simply allow rank fear and unbelief to lead us away from our hope in God and reception of his wisdom.

Here are five misconceptions about wealth that must go if we are to believe and receive the wisdom of God.

1. It will make all my problems go away

This is frankly the lie I am most tempted to believe. Am I earning enough? Am I saving enough? How will I cover the costs of a growing family with all this inflation? How will we pay for college or medical needs? What we really need is a generous benefactor or a sudden windfall. Because if we had more wealth, all our problems would disappear, right?

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death
Proverbs 11:4

According to the Bible, there is a problem we all have that is far greater than we imagine: our impending death. And God’s wrath against sin is real. My kids’ college tuition and my retirement package just can’t pay for such things. Only one thing can deliver us from death, or profit us in the day of wrath. Righteousness. And the entire Bible shows us how to get it (e.g. 2 Cor 5:21, Phil 3:8-11).

So wealth will never make your problems go away (see also Prov 11:28). But the amazing thing is that it just might help make other people’s problems go away. Wealth and people are both realities in this fallen world. But which one will serve, and which will be served? Use people to serve your wealth, and you’re in grave danger (James 5:1-6, 1 Tim 6:17). But use wealth to serve people, and the Lord himself says he is now in your debt (Prov 19:17, Matt 25:40).

2. I can tell who has it and who doesn’t

We tend to think we can tell the rich from the poor by looking. And this is great, because then we know whom to ask for favors (Prov 19:6). But appearances are deceiving.

One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
Proverbs 13:7

Those who appear to be rich often appear that way for a reason: They’re good at holding onto their stuff for themselves. And it would knock your socks off to find out which of your acquaintances are the most generous with their wealth. Because they are so generous, they tend to keep very little for themselves to flaunt.

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Proverbs 11:24

I have been a support-raising missionary for nearly a quarter of a century, and I don’t know why I’m still surprised, but I am. Those whom I think could give generously to support the mission often do not. Sometimes, they look like they can because they have lots of stuff. Yet often, those whom I am afraid to ask—because they don’t look like they can afford it—are those who write checks in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars.

This is not an exact science. I am not saying that appearances are always the exact opposite of the truth. I’m simply saying that you can’t tell who has the most wealth just by looking at their lifestyle. Such judgment didn’t work on the Lord Jesus (2 Cor 8:9).

3. It is something I ought to feel guilty about

The Bible extends some serious warnings to the wealthy, since it is ridiculously easy to transfer my allegiance from God to my investment portfolio. Anyone who comes close to wealth ought to be sobered by it and wary of it. Wealth is something of a ticking time bomb or hot potato that will burn you if you hold onto it too long.

The problem, however, is that sometimes we take such truths and turn them into guilt trips. As though God wants people to be poor. As though it is unchristian to have access to wealth. As though one ought to be ashamed of themself if God has blessed them in material ways. But:

The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow to it.
Proverbs 10:22

God does not promise to make every one of his children wealthy here on earth, but he does bless some with wealth. And he blesses a few of those with a lot of wealth. He doesn’t do it to make their lives easy or problem-free (see misconception #1 above), but he does do it. Often, it’s not simply a random gift, given for no reason. It may simply be the fruit of living a life of wisdom.

In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
Proverbs 15:6.

Some people have no wealth because they’ve devoured it for selfish ends (Prov 21:20). But when a person wisely sees their wealth as not “mine” but the Lord’s, there is a strong motivation to collect more of it and put it to good use in service of others. The Bible does not lay a guilt trip on such people, and neither should we. When a believer is faithful with a little responsibility, the Lord’s reward is to give them even more such responsibility (Matt 25:21, 23).

4. It doesn’t matter how I get it

This should be obvious in light of the prior misconceptions, but it’s worth saying outright: Though wealth is not a bad thing in itself, that doesn’t mean we’re right to acquire it by any means possible.

Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 10:2

There’s that inconvenient reminder of death again! If you acquire your wealth through wickedness, it won’t be of any help when it matters most.

So don’t gather wealth through wickedness. But also, don’t gather it through haste (Prov 13:11) or stinginess (Prov 28:22). That’s right: Your lottery earning will neither last nor keep its promises to you. And the image of a miserly Christian is a scandalous contradiction.

Hard, honest work over the course of a lifetime is the best way to go (Prov 13:11, 21:5).

5. It doesn’t matter whether someone has it or not

Have you ever been tempted to just throw your hands in the air and give up? Financial matters can be stressful and disheartening. Why not conclude that it just doesn’t matter? Wouldn’t it be a more faith-filled and Spirit-filled way of living to say, “I don’t care about money or wealth. I’m just not going to pursue it or think about it. God knows what I need, so I’ll just let go of the issue and let him provide whatever I need when I need it.”

That may sound mature, but it may represent a failure to grasp the first 4 misconceptions! Wealth cannot make your problems go away, but it can effectively alleviate the problems of others. You can’t tell who has it and who doesn’t, because those who are wise make use of it to serve others. You don’t have to feel guilty about wealth if you will be as generous with it as God has been with you. And it does matter how you get it: Not by using people but in order to serve them.

We’re real people with with real bodies in a real world filled with real suffering. Wealth can dramatically affect the quality of someone’s life, and that is the very reason why the Bible cares so much about the poor! Not because it’s better to be poor, but because God gives his people wealth to relieve the poor.

God wants you to use wealth to make friends with the people around you so you can win them to Christ (Prov 14:20, Luke 16:8-9).

And the wise person does not demonstrate a lack of awareness or concern with wealth but a deep awareness of such things, as demonstrated by their prayer:

Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9

The prayer of the wise is neither a request to take wealth away nor a request to give all wealth to remove problems. No, the wise and righteous prayer is a prayer for plenty. A prayer for whatever God deems sufficient for his purpose.

And God’s purpose is clear: that we would love him with all our hearts, and love our neighbors as ourselves. So will you use people to serve your wealth, or will you use your wealth to serve people?

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7 Things I Wish Christians Knew About the Bible

March 8, 2023 By Peter Krol

Just a few years back, Michael F. Bird released a book called 7 Things I Wish Christians Knew About the Bible. I haven’t read the book, but this summary article is well worth your time. Bird’s seven things:

The Bible didn’t fall out of the sky
The Bible is divinely given and humanly composed
Scripture is normative, not negotiable
The Bible is for our time, but not about our time
We should take the Bible seriously, but not always literally
The purpose of Scripture is knowledge, faith, love, and hope
Christ is the center of the Christian Bible

With these 7 precepts undergirding our approach to the Bible, our study will be greatly improved.

Check it out!

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The Problem with Proverbs

March 3, 2023 By Peter Krol

What a unique treasure we have in the book of Proverbs! No other book of the Bible is as intensely practical as Proverbs. No other book presents such tremendous hope in the mundane parts of life. And no other book presents its material in quite the jumbled mess Proverbs appears to be.

If you have ever tried a chapter-a-day Bible reading plan, you understand how difficult it is to read Proverbs. Nearly every verse demands a pause for reflection. And much of the book yields only tenuous logical connections between one verse and the next. The book does not tell a story like Job. It rarely presents a train of thought across an extended poem like the Psalms. It (mostly) does not make a sustained argument like Ecclesiastes.

So how should we approach this book?

The Problem of Practicality

Proverbs is famous because it gets so wildly practical. There is a reason the pocket Bibles produced by the Gideons consist not only of the New Testament but also the Psalms and Proverbs. This book is so practical that people love to pilfer its riches in all kinds of ways.

Take for example, this 2006 work [unabashed affiliate link!] endorsed by such luminaries as David Jeremiah, Gary Chapman, Ruth Graham, and Chuck Norris. What a promising title! The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: King Solomon’s Secrets to Success, Wealth, and Happiness. Who wouldn’t want access to such secrets?

In The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, Scott reveals Solomon’s key for winning every race, explains how to resolve conflicts and turn enemies into allies, and discloses the five qualities essential to becoming a valued and admired person at work and in your personal life. Scott illustrates each of Solomon’s insights and strategies with anecdotes about his personal successes and failures, as well as those of such extraordinary people as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Steven Spielberg.

At once inspiring and instructive, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived weaves the timeless truths of one of our greatest works of literature into a detailed roadmap for successful living today.
From the marketing copy

This sounds amazing, and the book has more than 1,600 reviews (over 1,300 of them five-star) to back it up.

Now I confess I haven’t read the entire book. I couldn’t make it past the first few chapters, where it was clear that Mr. Scott all but ignores the worldview of Prov 1-9 in favor of the practicals of Prov 10-31. And this simply will not do when we come to the book of Proverbs.

We cannot be dazzled by the book’s practicality to the point of ignoring the context established in the opening chapters.

The Problem of Arrangement

Proverbs 10-31 present six collections of wise sayings. Most of those collected sayings are exactly one verse (two lines) long. For example, Prov 20:3 is a saying about keeping aloof from strife. Prov 20:4 is a saying about the sluggard’s time management. And Prov 20:5 is a saying about the invisible intentions and motivations in people’s hearts. We go from one. Thing. To. The. Next.

The primary exception to this scattershot approach to collecting wise sayings is the first nine chapters. Those chapters consist of many long poems making sustained arguments. That’s why those first nine chapters are the key to understanding the book. They construct a conceptual framework for wisdom, although to say it that way is far too abstract and boring. The way Solomon himself says it is that “wisdom has built her house” (Prov 9:1).

With that house built, personified Wisdom invites you to the feast of chapters 10-31. And the buffet of those collected sayings will make sense only in light of the worldview presented in chapters 1-9.

But that raises a crucial question: How do we read and understand that buffet? And more profoundly: Why did the editors collect these sayings in such an apparently random fashion?

As for the why: We may never know for sure until we can make the acquaintance of these editors in the world to come and ask them directly. The best answer I’ve heard was from my seminary professor, who postulated that the book simulates how real life works. You never have a day of your life where you think about, or have to deal with, nothing but money. And another day dealing with nothing but friendship. And another day dealing with nothing but speech. No, our lives are a jumble of topics from moment to moment. Perhaps the proverbs were collected in a jumbled way to simulate how real life is lived day after day.

As for the how: Proverbs 10-31 nearly demands that we search its treasures for topical threads. We must glut ourselves on wisdom’s feast to find all the verses about money, assembling them into a body of teaching on that topic. And we look for all the verses on friendship. And all the verses on speech.

So much, so good. We just need to make sure we don’t run with the practicals there without first interpreting them in light of the book’s worldview.

The Problem of Probability

One last potential problem is worthy of consideration. Because the particular sayings of Proverbs are so utterly specific and practical, that has led many Bible teachers to develop a conventional wisdom that “proverbs aren’t promises but only probabilities.” While this conventional wisdom has some value, it can be quite misleading.

To understand why it is misleading, we need to examine how we arrived at such a principle to begin with. The reason is typically because various proverbs seem to contradict one another (such as Prov 26:4 and Prov 26:5), or because some verses are easily abused to browbeat people (Prov 22:6). So we seek to solve such errors with a sweeping principle such as “proverbs aren’t promises but only probabilities.”

But here’s the thing: The statement that “proverbs aren’t promises but only probabilities” is itself a wise saying. A summary statement. Dare I say, a proverb? And is that statement only a probability and not a certainty? Is it certain that proverbs aren’t promises? Or is it only a probability itself?

And here’s the bigger issue: The proverbs do not present themselves as probabilities. They do not talk about what might happen or what is likely to happen. No, they make legitimate observations about the way the world works. And at times, they offer clear commands and not simply suggestions (e.g. Prov 14:7, 23:23).

We can get close to solving the problem of probability when we simply bring in the matters of practicality and arrangement. The arrangement means that no single proverb tells the whole truth on a topic; that’s why many verses all speak to various aspects of the same topics! The practicality tells us that any single proverb is speaking to a very narrow, very particular situation. And in those intensely practical, extremely particular settings that the proverb speaks into, the proverb speaks truth. Not probability, but truth.

We misuse the proverb if we try to make it speak to a related but different practical situation it was not meant to speak to. (Prov 26:4-5: Don’t answer a fool in those particular settings when it is best not to answer him!) And we deeply confuse people if we teach that the proverb is not true but only likely. (Prov 18:10: Is it only likely but not certain that Lord’s name will be a strong tower to the righteous who flee to him for final refuge?)

Conclusion

No other book of the Bible is like Proverbs. It presents some unique problems, such as the problem of practicality, the problem of arrangement, and the problem of probability. But studying this book along its natural contours yields a wealth of results, as it leads us to Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:2-3).

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4 Mistakes When Reading the Parables of Jesus

March 1, 2023 By Peter Krol

I recently wrote a piece on the parables of Jesus for the Logos Word by Word blog. It’s a pretty thorough look at what parables are, why Jesus used them, along with an exhaustive list of all of Jesus’ parables.

The final section offers strategies for overcoming four mistakes when reading the parables. The four mistakes are:

Read them as abstract, universal stories for humanity.
Read multiple versions of the same parable in the same way.
Read them as stories for people today.
Read them as though there was no Bible at the time.

Here is a taste:

In the act of persuasion, why not focus exclusively on logical argumentation, miracles, or Old Testament prophecy? Jesus uses all of those means, but what do parables contribute to the other forms of persuasion?

Jesus’s disciples ask this very question: “Why do you speak to them in parables?” (Matt 13:10). Jesus answers their question, but in a way that is sometimes wildly misunderstood. To grasp his two answers, we must grapple with the two Old Testament texts quoted by Matthew (13:10ff) and echoed by Mark (4:10ff).

Check it out!

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