Christian Authors Must Be More Accountable than the National Media

Many Christians in the USA today are having problems with the national media. There are many reports that they are presenting the truth incorrectly. The plea seems to be, ‘Where do I go to find reliable truth?’

How do we feed our sheep? If a preacher stood up on Sunday to deliver a message on Job and Jabez, suggesting that they are one and the same person, we would all hopefully scream loudly. The congregation would certainly wonder if that was the right church for them.

In the same way, Christian authors have an immense responsibility to present God’s Word correctly. We can’t help but see Christianity through our own lens and that of our church’s denomination—that’s not what I’m writing about. I’m stating that we authors have a heavy responsibility to adequately research and present correctly the Word of God. The national media is being increasingly held to a higher standard—shouldn’t we, too?

The biggest offense I see is Christian authors taking a verse out of context. Big problem! One-liners that, without the consideration of the surrounding text, take on a completely new meaning.

I was asked this week to read the latest book by a leading Christian author. On the first page he quoted one of the psalms. The sense that he used was completely contrary to the whole theme of the psalm. He possibly used a word search to find the verse but did not ask himself what that ten-verse psalm was really saying. In this case, his Bible translation had used a word that has two meanings and he used the wrong meaning. We must read the text in context to assure we are not inadvertently presenting God’s Word incorrectly.

All Scripture is Breathed Out by God - Part I

Do you recognize patterns easily? Can you sense when something is typical based on your prior experience? Or more exactly, can you discern when something is dramatically different from what is expected?

February 24, 2015

I've lived in Upstate New York since 1957. That's a long time. During those many years, I've come to recognize our weather patterns. Today, the first day of February, is often in a transition from our January thaw to the frigid winter conditions of February. This year is no exception. March and April are months of change in a more dramatic way with spring flowers just beginning to show. Freezing rain is a problem we sometimes encounter—we seem more likely to get those in late fall and early spring although I recall a significant storm in January about sixteen years ago. Its all part of the patterns.

An ice storm in July would be really freaky. We typically receive lake effect snowfall in the winter from Lake Ontario as an inch or two each day. Some of those lake effect snowfalls can be massive events. But not in the summer. That is not our pattern.

In the Bible there is a verse that is often quoted from 2 Timothy 3:16. Using various translations, the first part of that verse reads:
All Scripture is inspired by God (NASB)
All Scripture is breathed out by God (ESV)
All scripture is given by inspiration of God (KJV)
All Scripture is God-breathed (NIV)

The pattern is the same regardless of the translation. Even The Message, which is a paraphrase, reads,
Every part of Scripture is God-breathed (MSG)

As you read the Bible, you begin to recognize patterns. The gospels are very different from the Psalms. The writings attributed to Paul are not like the prophetic books. Winter is different from summer.

Reading further in the Bible, we start to see repetitions in the Word that take on another form. The heart of God begins to take shape. Jesus hidden in the old, revealed in the new.

For example, love as we see it in the writings that begin with Matthew is still love in those prior writings—we have to discern how love was displayed in the old and then presented in the new. It is the same love.

These various translations seem to get it correctly in 2 Timothy 3:16. The Lord was the source, not man, of the content that we now know is the Bible. Through the Holy Spirit, God somehow breathed or inspired each word, sentence by sentence, in its original language: Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek. It was the same spirit poured into different men at different times with the same heart of God.

When you read this book we know as the Bible, think of it as the Holy Spirit's writings for you. They are not just the words that Paul, Matthew, or Moses wrote—if we focused on that approach, we would perceive discrepancies. Think of these as words of the Holy Spirit, breathed into imperfect men, translated by other men, and now read by an imperfect you. It is that same heart of God and His same voice.

How to Prepare a Topical Study of the Bible

Have you considered delving into one or more topics in the Bible? Has the Lord been prompting you to research something with more clarity than a simple word search? This article identifies the steps that I took in preparing a topical study of the book of Proverbs. A topical study, that is the look at specific subjects or themes, may not be for everyone, but if it is for you, this is my approach.

The Problem with Word Searches
A word search is good in that it can help you find occurrences of an English, Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic word in a portion or all of the Biblical text. For example, if you were looking into ‘grace’, you might open a search engine in a concordance, Bible software or through the internet. If you are using a Bible in your native language such as English, you would have to choose the translation of the Bible and which books of the Bible to investigate. If you want to look at it in the Greek, you might look for the word charis through a tool such as BibleHub: Greek word charis. There you will find there are five spellings for the word charis in the Greek.

But what about those times where Jesus extended grace to someone but the word ‘grace’ was never used? When Jesus met the woman at the well, some would suggest that he extended grace rather than criticism for her. And when he met Paul on the road to Damascus, the Lord's demonstration of blinding power was done with grace rather than condemnation. Hopefully you see that word searches can be limiting.

Topical Studies

Three times I've tackled the topical study of Proverbs – the second of those has been published. Here is my approach:

1. The first and possibly most obvious thing I did was download a copy of Proverbs to my computer using a translation that I liked. On my first attempt, I failed to check the copyright permissions for that translation – ultimately that decision led to my abandoning that attempt. My second attempt used the NET Bible (New English Translation) because it is free of copyright restrictions as long as you stay within their rules.
   
   
2. In my opinion, the Bible verses should be placed in a database application. While a spreadsheet might work for a while, I believe you will quickly outgrow that approach unless you are extremely clever. I used Microsoft Access which worked very well for me, placing each verse in a separate row in one common table. I also had tables that listed each book of the Bible and each translation that was being used. When the Bible verses were added, I recorded the ‘address’ information: translation, book, chapter, verse number and verse text.
   
   
3. I then created two additional tables: keywords and topics. Keywords and topics were added as I discovered them. For each keyword, I tentatively identified the topics. Even the keywords were tentative at this stage because what I was looking for a working set of topics.
   
   
4. The next part was a bit more complicated: I designed two more tables that contained just the relevant verses for each topic. In the case of Proverbs, many times the reference was restricted to just one verse but that was not always the case. If you are working with a narrative portion of the Bible, it is important to know the beginning and end of the passage. There also can be breaks where the narrative begins for a few verses, something irrelevant is discussed, and then then passage continues. The relevant portion may also be restricted to just a portion of a verse. The two tables that I designed were a) the reference and b) the specific verse portions for each reference.
   
   
5. The time consuming portion came next: I read the entire text in context. By using the keywords, the references were located along with the verse portions. I found it absolutely necessary to read what preceded and what followed the identified verses, else I incorrectly categorized something or missed verses that were relevant. During this period, I finalized the list of topics and added other passages that the keyword search did not identify.
   
   
6. I can't tell you how many times I analyzed Proverbs but it was a lot. At times it was numbing. Most of the time I found it necessary to categorize a verse into more than one topic. When I've looked at how others have categorized Proverbs, that is most important: verses are often not restricted to one topic.
   

   “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into a person’s innermost being.” (Proverbs 18:8 NET)

   That particular verse was categorized under ‘Gossip / Rumors’, ‘Heart’, and ‘Speech that Destroys’.
   
   
7. In time, I found that the English language sometimes twisted the original intent of the passage. I found a location that had all the Strong's Numbers for each verse, loaded that into another table in the database, and used that to refine my queries. This proved very helpful.
   
   
8. To each topic / reference combination, I identified a keyword or keywords that qualified the passage. In the case of Proverbs 18:8, for example, the word gossip was highlighted for the ‘Gossip / Rumors’ topic which the words innermost being were highlighted for the ‘Heart’ topic.
   
   
9. Sometimes I had comments to make about the passage that I felt were relevant to the topic. For example,
   

   “‘I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.’” (Proverbs 8:17 NET)
   The words “I” and “me” give personification of Wisdom.

   You too might wish to add relevant comments either for your own use or eventually end up being published.
   
   
10. Using database software, it was a relatively easy matter to prepare the final text in alphabetical order with the references organized sequentially. In my case, I was able to create a PDF from Microsoft Access that was sent to the publisher – it never touched a word processor.
    
    

I took the above approach because I like a challenge and because I believe that the Lord prompted me, “Tom, you can do something that many other people are not trained to do.” However, by the third time I went through Proverbs, I became ready to move on – that work remains nearly finished but unpublished.

If you are considering the analysis of just one topic such as “money”, this type of structure may an overkill. A word processor might do just as well. But whichever you use, be very, very careful to never modify the Biblical text. Your final proofread should include a line-by-line comparison of your text with a paper copy of the Bible. Never assume your work is error free.

For more information about Tom, see A Bit About Me. You may also want to see more details about A Topical Treasury of Proverbs.

Having Problems With Your Daily Bible Reading Plan? There is a Better Plan

Are you struggling with your daily Bible reading plan? Do you feel like the schedule is in charge and you're not? Do you sense that while you attempt to regularly follow that plan, your enjoyment of the Bible seems lacking?

It is all too common these days (they are very busy days, it seems) that in committing to read through the Bible every day, that we become slaves to the schedule. Many times we are encouraged to read through the Bible in a year. Some plans are different than others, but the point is that people everywhere are being told that they should daily be in God's Word. What better way, we ask ourselves, than to establish this regular routine? I do not endorse any of them.

Christians can often feel that a regular discipline is necessary for a fulfilled life. Christianity is often viewed as a sacrificial lifestyle, so a daily Bible reading plan is the answer. I agree that discipline is appropriate but I think there is a better approach.

I write this from experience. Three times I read through the Bible in a year and it became increasingly tedious each time. I encourage every born-again believer in Jesus Christ to read through the Bible at least once. But a forced march? No, I don't agree with that.

I personally think that a first-time reading plan that starts with the book of John and then is followed by the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, etc. is a great beginning point. That puts the books of Luke and Acts together so we can see the move of the Holy Spirit more clearly. There are many other approaches so please don't let me legislate your schedule. And please, read at your own pace.

The problem with most regimented reading plans is that the pace often takes the joy out of God's beautiful Word. Please, allow yourself to slow down and savor what the Lord inspired. His Word is profound and it is tailored just for you.

I have observed a growing Bible illiteracy among the church and possibly you have too. But for those that do read on a regular basis, I sense it does not seem to be as meaningful as it once was. That is the problem as I see it: we race to Beat-the-Daily-Reading clock but we miss the nuggets.

I personally have become a very strong proponent of a discipline called “literary criticism.” It is an awful name for a wonderful topic: a focus on the beauty of God's Word. For those that have been through the Bible, I see nothing wrong with reading a book like The Sword of His Mouth by Robert C. Tannehill as your daily reading. It is the Bible in expository form and I have read many such books either in part or in whole. Expositories and commentaries help the Bible reader see it in a new dimension. In this case, Tannehill teaches from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). His book may be read with it in one hand and the Bible on your lap. (Unfortunately I found his first chapter to be boring.)

Another approach might be to read all of the footnotes in a certain book of a good study Bible. It is common for me to spend weeks studying just one book of the Bible. Please, take your time and enjoy His Word for you today.

For most people, I suggest doing something Bible related on most days. I do not advocate a devotional such as The Daily Bread as the major input because it can become a weak substitute for the Bible itself. Even worse is the random approach that opens the Bible to any page, like pulling a playing card from a deck of 52.

I suggest that a purpose is best but not a schedule. Some days I read a little; other days I spend 4-5 hours or more deeply in His Holy Word. My life can get busy and I'm sure yours can too.

To me, I have found the saying "A Living Bible" to be very true. God's Word does speak to me and I very much relish the times when that happens. It is alive, it is vibrant, and it is personal.

Rebellion During the Forty Years in the Wilderness

It has been nearly seven years since I published my first book, Joshua's Spiritual Warfare: Understanding the Chiasms of Joshua. It has been my most popular book – a look at the chiastic structure within the book of Joshua and also a look at the spiritual warfare that Joshua had to contend with as he led his people into the Promised Land – but I had not looked at it for a while.

Recently I started a slow walk through the history books of the Old Testament and am currently studying the book of Numbers. As I was reading, I was reminded of the rebellion that was identified in my Joshua book. I was impressed enough with it that I decided to post the following excerpt from pages 76-79. My hope is that someone might benefit from this teaching.

Disobedience During the Forty Years

Let us look back over the previous forty years in the desert. During those forty years, they stumbled and fell many, many times:

•	The whole Israelite community grumbled about the lack of food, so the Lord provided manna (Ex 16:1-4). In time, the manna became very distasteful because of repetition.
•	Some of the Israelites disobeyed Moses by keeping the manna for the following morning, but the manna bred worms and stank (Ex 16:20).
•	The people quarreled with Moses about the lack of water at Massah, so the Lord had Moses strike his staff on the rock (which was Christ) causing water to come out (Ex 17:1-7).
•	Aaron and the Israelites rebelled against Moses and the Lord by casting a golden idol, causing the Lord to bring a plague against the rebels (Ex 32:1-6, 25-35; Deut 9:15-17).
•	Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu, upon seeing the glory of the Lord in the form of a fire, boldly offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, so they died before the Lord (Lev 9:23 - 10:2).
•	The son of an Israelite woman blasphemed the Lord's name and cursed, so the Lord had him stoned to death (Lev 24:10-14).
•	Some Israelites complained about their hardships, which aroused the Lord's anger and caused Him to burn and consume some of them (Num 11:1-3).
•	The people coveted meat and complained about the manna, so the Lord provided quail which turned into a plague (Num 11:4-33).
•	Miriam and Aaron, the sister and brother of Moses, questioned the authority of Moses, so the Lord gave Miriam leprosy for seven days (Num 12:1-10).
•	The ten spies lacked the faith that the Lord would be with them in conquering the land. The Lord struck them down and they died of a plague (Num 13:26-33, 14:36,37).
•	When the Israelites disbelieved the two spies and then treated the Lord with contempt by grumbling against Moses and Aaron, the Lord condemned all men twenty years old or older to death (that is 601,730 men) over a forty year period so they would not enter the Promise Land (Num 14:1-29).
•	Against the advice of Moses, some people attempted to conquer a part of the Promised Land using just their own strength (self reliant). The Lord was not with their effort and they were defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites (Num 14:39-45).
•	A man disobeyed one of God's laws by gathering wood on the Sabbath day, so the Lord had him stoned to death (Num 15:32-35).
•	Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled and disrespected Moses and the Lord, so the Lord judged the rebellious people by opening the earth and swallowing them (Num 16:1-33).
•	Two-hundred and fifty people followed Korah's example, so they were consumed with fire from the Lord (Num 16:2,35).
•	In the same disobedience, 14,700 people died by a plague from the Lord because they too had picked up this same rebellious attitude (Num 16:41-49).
•	Moses and Aaron, after being instructed by the Lord to speak to the rock, instead struck the rock. Even though water came out, this disobedience failed to honor the Lord as holy, so the Lord prevented them from entering the new land (Num 20:1-12).
•	The Israelites became impatient about having to go around Edom and spoke against the Lord and Moses, so the Lord sent snakes that bit and killed many of the people (Num 21:4-6).
•	Israelite men indulged in sexual immorality with the Moabite women, so the Lord brought a plague which killed twenty-four thousand people (Num 25:1-9).
•	When the Israelites passed through the land of the Amorites, the Lord gave king Sihon a stubborn spirit and an obstinate heart, so the Lord delivered the Amorites into their hands, killing them all (Deut 2:24-34).

It may be easy, when reviewing a list as long and challenging as this, to dwell in our minds on the judgments from the Lord. But look again at this list: could some of these examples be from an evil force pulling these people away from the Lord? Today we see or experience rebellion, deception, criticism, individualism, lust, selfishness, etc., and the list goes on and on. It was the same way during the time of Moses – the disobedience was often prompted by demonic forces, pulling a person down and pulling them away from God. That was the devil's purpose then and it is his purpose today.

Two of the above examples questioned the authority of Moses:

•	Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled and disrespected Moses and the Lord, so the Lord judged the rebellious people by opening the earth and swallowing them (Num 16:1-33).
•	Miriam and Aaron, the sister and brother of Moses, questioned the authority of Moses, so the Lord gave Miriam leprosy for seven days (Num 12:1-10).

While both questioned the authority of Moses, Korah was put to death but Miriam and Aaron were disciplined. Why? May I suggest that the difference is spiritual motivation? Korah had a spirit of rebellion, while the poor choice of Miriam and Aaron was followed by a heart of confession and repentance.

The story of Korah in chapter 16 of Numbers is particularly instructive of how a spirit of rebellion can attempt to defeat us. Korah, as leader of the rebellion, first got Dathan and Abiram to go against Moses. Pretty soon they were joined by another 250, and ultimately another 14,700 were caught in this spirit of rebellion. This exponential increase shows how quickly the problem can spread, just like a virus can spread in our places of work. If the problem had not been addressed with the 14,700, the entire camp would have been infected.

The Israelites had lived four-hundred years in Egypt. Even though they had lived separately from the Egyptians, they had been in bondage to them. But the most serious problem was the rebellious spirits that they had picked up while in Egypt. These spirits caused them to sin and to move further away from purity. For forty years, the Lord had to deal with the rebellion and disobedience of the people because they were not ready to enter into the Promised Land. Their wickedness, caused by bad personal choices and by demonic spirits, needed to be purged. The battle for their minds was clearly illustrated by their frequently stated desire to return to Egypt.

Years later, Samuel the prophet reminded the people of Israel what the Lord said: "I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you" (1 Sam 10:18). Egypt had a power of oppression. Truly, that forty year period was a time of intense spiritual warfare.

Notice how quickly the Lord dealt with the many issues above. Spirits of rebellion, complaining, deceit, coveting, etc. must have been at work attempting to defeat the Israelites. But the Lord had to quickly take action because He knew how quickly the damaging fire can spread. Let this be our motto, whether the problems are in our homes, our workplaces or our churches: do not let the problems fester!


Conclusion: Issues of spiritual warfare should be dealt with quickly.

Copyright © 2008, 2014 Bible Discernments, Thomas B. Clarke
Joshua's Spiritual Warfare is available at Amazon.com for $14.99.

What Darkened the Sky on the Day of Christ's Crucifixion?

Immediately before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Bible states, "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour" (Matthew 27:45 ESV). That same account is also identified in Mark 15:33 and Luke 23:44. Yet the Bible does not state what caused the sky to darken. Could it have been the moon, excessive darkness, or something else?

In an article published by Answers.com, I provide what I believe is the correct understanding of that passage. You may see that at: http://christianity.answers.com/jesus/what-darkened-the-sky-on-the-day-of-christs-crucifixion.