Episode 231 - "Death for Disobedience" - Genesis 2:10-17

Gen. 2:10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Gen. 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

I believe that there’s a good reason for every word that is in the Scriptures. However, it is hard to discern the purpose for some of the details. Genesis 2:10-14 is an example of this. For example, why are these details concerning the location of Eden and its garden important when it would have been long gone by the time this book was written? Why would people need to know where it was and about the valuable resources that had been there?

Here are some thoughts. First of all, what we do recognize and know are the current locations of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. They are both in modern-day Iraq. We know that Cush later in the Bible is identified as modern-day Ethiopia. However, there is disagreement over whether it’s referring to a river running through Ethiopia. There is a common agreement that no one knows where Havilah is. The point is we don’t really know where Eden was located. Furthermore, wherever it was, surely there were significant changes in the courses of these rivers after the flood, which we’ll read about soon, and rivers often change their course over time. But don’t miss the point that there is specific detail to where it was. This suggests that the author is not making up a mythical place with no basis of geography and reality. The detail suggests that it was a real place.

Another potential purpose for the detail is to describe a lush and luxurious place that might indicate a place of God’s presence. The prophets later speak of the Promised Land becoming like Eden. (Ezekiel 36:35, Joel 2:3, Isaiah 51:3, Zechariah 14:8, Revelation 22:1-2) See also Haggai 2:7-8 and Revelation 21:18. Admittedly, I am pushing the text a bit more than what is given in the immediate context. But I don’t think it’s wrong to point out that what this setting in Eden looked like at the beginning of time when God created it and how it parallels the New Jerusalem we read about at the end of time. This is an important observation as we begin to read Genesis because it begins a long story about God and his perfect creation, the conflict that arises and brings chaos into the world, and the long road to resolution when God brings his followers back to a garden of Eden like setting to live for eternity. The Bible is a grand story of God and we don’t want to quickly gloss over this information as though it is irrelevant.

At the very least, this description of Eden paints a beautiful scene in which God’s story will quickly unfold. It describes his creativity and goodness. The rivers help sustain life for plants, animals, and humanity, and this scene describes an abundance of God’s provision.

In both Genesis 2:8 and Genesis 2:15, the author says that God “put” the man in the garden. But the verb that is translated as “put” in each of the verses is different than the other. John Sailhamer, in The Bible Expository Commentary, Genesis, points out that the verb in verse 15 is used elsewhere in the Scriptures to indicate “God’s ‘rest’ or ‘safety,’ which he gives to man in the land (e.g., Gen 19:16; Deut 3:20; 12:10; 25:19), and the ‘dedication’ of something in the presence of the Lord (Exod 16:33-34; Lev 16:23; Num 17:4; Deut 26:4, 10.” If this is the intent of the verb used in verse 15, it would lend support to the description of Eden in verses 10-14 as a place of God’s presence. The idea is that in giving man responsibility, it was not a labor of toil but purpose and fellowship with God.

Verses 16-17 contain some of the most important words uttered in the history of the world. God commanded the man to eat freely of every tree in the garden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you recall, this tree and the tree of life were said to be in the center of the garden. So, the man could eat as much from the tree of life as he wanted. It would seem that doing so would sustain his life. But eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would result in certain death.

When our sons were young, they sometimes asked, “Why did God put that tree of the knowledge of good and evil there for people to eat if he didn’t want them eating it?” That’s a good question and the answer is not in the text. My speculation is that it was a test to see if people would listen to their Creator or do whatever they wanted to do. It clearly wasn’t a trap. God made it clear what was expected and what would happen if he disobeyed. Furthermore, God encouraged him to eat the variety of good things he had provided in the garden. It’s not like the man had no options. Lastly, being made in the image of God indicates to me that man needed to exercise his will on what he would and wouldn’t do. God exercised his will to make the earth and life and to make it very good for us. Enjoying the abundance of God’s provision and trusting the One who made it all sounds like a good choice to make.

This is a valuable lesson for us. Do we believe that God is good? Do we believe that God wants what is best for us and that he wants us to trust him? When some of Jesus’ followers abandoned him, Peter expressed that Jesus had the words of eternal life. Like Peter, we may not always understand what God is doing. But we need to trust that he alone gave us life and can give us eternal life.

Episode 221 - "O death, where is your sting?" - 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

1Cor. 15:50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

1Cor. 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

My immediate thoughts upon reading this section are: first, this is pretty straightforward. Our resurrected bodies will be different because they will be imperishable or immortal. We will live forever in these bodies. The second thought is how moving and encouraging Paul’s words are as he concludes his argument for an actual resurrection from the dead and an explanation of what that will be like. These Christians at Corinth have had their challenges, and Paul has been somewhat like a disciplinary schoolmaster or parent in this letter as he has sought to correct them on various issues. Death is going to be ultimately conquered, and that will happen because of Christ. (v. 56)

But I don’t want to gloss over this because there are important truths that warrant our attention. First of all, God’s kingdom is imperishable. Therefore, it’s reasonable that we will be given imperishable bodies to dwell in and be a part of that kingdom. Note: This has NOT happened yet. This is something that is yet to come. Why is that important? Often, people think that when a loved one dies, they are “dancing with Jesus” or somehow otherwise living the eternal heavenly party. But how can that be if they don’t have a body? It is true that the Scriptures tell us that to be “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinth. 5:8) So, it seems reasonable that what can be said is that when a believer dies, they are in God’s care. That’s encouraging. But it’s not to that which we are anticipating and longing for. We want Jesus to return and raise us from the dead to life in an imperishable body.

So, what about believers who are still living and haven’t died at this end-of-time event? How can they get resurrected if they haven’t died? Paul addresses that in verses 51-52. When he says, “We shall not all sleep,” he is saying that those who haven’t died will simply be changed instantly. Cool!

This event is precipitated by a trumpet sound. What must it be like for a trumpet sound to be heard around the world? I can’t say how it matters. But it seems like we might want to be aware of this in case we hear a loud or unusual trumpet sound.

In what seems like a victoriously mocking tone, Paul quotes Isaiah 25:8, “Death is swallowed up in victory,” and Hosea 13:14: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” How can you not love Paul’s jubilant confidence in the Lord’s promise of our resurrection?

Paul continues, “The sting of death is sin, and zthe power of sin is the law.” (v. 56) What is his point here? His point is that Christ has atoned for our sins through his death on the cross (See Romans 3:21-26) and has fulfilled the Law (Romans 8:1-4). In other words, there are no loose ends with God’s work through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Paul’s closing thought in light of this is to exhort the Corinthian believers to be faithful and determined in their work serving the Lord. He wants them to be confident in the hope of the resurrection and eternal life and let that confidence motivate their service to the Lord.

Death is not something to look forward to. But we trust that because Christ was raised from the dead and promised to raise us from the dead, it’s going to happen, and we will receive a body that will be imperishable. Let us serve the Lord today in faith that in Christ, the sting of death will be removed.

Episode 84 - The Whole World is Going After Him - John 12:12-26

John 12:12   The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

John 12:15   “Fear not, daughter of Zion;

behold, your king is coming,

sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

John 12:16   His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

John 12:20   Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

It would be easy to handle this Scripture in multiple sections. However, I have a purpose in treating this as a whole. That purpose is to help you see the consistency of prophecy given to prophecy fulfilled. When we see how often God reveals something that will happen and then later fulfills it, it should increase our confidence and trust in the God of the Bible. 

The historical context is the very first Palm Sunday. We celebrated that a few weeks ago. But, it is worth reviewing in order to see what unfolds from that event. Jesus has recently raised Lazarus from the dead and the report of this sign is spreading among people in and around Jerusalem as they arrive for the Passover celebration. It’s created excitement and faith in Jesus among many. But, it’s also fueling the hatred and rejection of his antagonists. 

John records that people are coming out to see Jesus as he enters the city because of this miracle. Furthermore, they are waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (v. 13) Why is this important? First, the palm branches were symbolic of the nation of Israel. As a people who are under the thumb of the Roman Empire, they are looking for hope of deliverance from that. The cry “Hosanna!” is a verbal expression meaning “Save us!” The cry is the crowd citing Psalm 118:25-26. Then, they add, “even the King of Israel!” This is not from the psalm. But, just like the crowd who had been miraculously fed and wanted to make Jesus the king, so this crowd wants Jesus to be their Messianic King. In this, we see how the people understand Jesus’ miracle as evidence that he is the One who God has sent to fulfill His prophetic promises from long ago. 

Jesus’ response also fulfills the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 which says, “Zech. 9:9   Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

What’s important is that Jesus is not coming into Jerusalem riding on a horse like a conquering king, but one who is humble, righteous, and bringing salvation. It’s not what they expect. Even John records that his disciples did not understand the significance of what he was doing until later. But, God is fulfilling His promises.

In response to the crowd that was going to see Jesus, the Pharisees (his antagonists) respond, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (v. 19) I love how John records people saying things out of their own evil motives, yet God superintends the words to reveal a significant truth. In this case, this statement reveals that all the efforts of mortal mankind against God’s purposes will “gain nothing.” Furthermore, in the greater context of this book, their hyperbole that “the world has gone after him” is proof that God is accomplishing his purpose. Earlier in John’s gospel we read, “For God so loved the world . . . “ (3:16) That was the point in sending His own Son into the world is for the world to come to him. So, is it true? Is that prophecy fulfilled? Look at the beginning of the next paragraph.

In verses 20-23 John records that there were some Greeks at the feast requesting to see Jesus. The Greeks represent “the world.” They are not Jews. They are not among “his own” as suggested in John 1. However, they are representatives of the outsiders who God is making His own. John records this to help us see that everything is falling into place of God’s plan and promises. We know this because when Jesus is told that these Greeks are seeking him, he recognized the significance and says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” (v. 23) Jesus is telling us that the Father is fulfilling his word. He understands that the Father’s time for him to go to the cross is very near. 

In view of this, Jesus speaks his prophecy about his own death that will soon happen and the significance to those who follow him. To summarize Jesus’ point in this teaching, he is not calling his followers to be suicidal. When he says, “whoever hates his life in this world” is drawing a comparison of our attempts to seek fulfillment in this life/world compared to the eternal and perfect life he calls us to. In that respect, our priorities upon God’s plan and God’s eternal kingdom and the eternal life he offers us should negate our desire and obsession to only find pleasure in this short, mortal life. 

When we realize that the God of the Bible has revealed His plans and consistently does what He says, it should give us confidence and awe, and desire to serve Jesus and align our priorities with His eternal plans. 

Episode 80 - "It is better for one man to perish . . ." John 11:45-53

John 11:45   Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on, they made plans to put him to death.

You may have noticed that I included a few verses from the end of our last episode. I thought this was appropriate to help frame the events that followed. What had just happened was that Jesus called a man who had been dead and buried for four days back to life. Talk about “seeing is believing.” That would be a fantastic thing to witness, and I would think it quite convincing that this person was particular. Many people did indeed believe in Jesus. However, “some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. (v.46)”  The implication is that while they had witnessed this miracle, it was not resulting in them having faith. It is essential to understand the distinction between understanding facts and faith. Faith is a conviction that this truth is to be valued. Faith moves beyond knowledge into our values and our actions as well.

Notice how the Jewish leaders respond to this news. They also believe the report they have received. They do not discredit the people who tell them that Jesus has raised a dead man back to life. They know what Jesus did, but they do not have faith to affect their values and actions. Instead of saying, “If he did that, he truly must be the Messiah” or “He must be the Son of God,” they say, “If we let him continue, everyone will believe (have faith) in him.” (My paraphrase) We might think to ourselves, “Is that a problem? Is it a problem that Jesus continues to heal people and even give people back their life?” Their answer is, “Yes. It is a problem because if he becomes that popular, the Romans will take notice and take away our place and our nation.” (v. 48) What are they saying? They are saying that they would rather keep the status quo. They had made a comfortable way of life with their control over the people and appeasing the Roman authorities over them. They were saying, “We do not trust God to let this man Jesus deliver us from these Roman oppressors and sin and death itself.” How tragic!

There is a sense of sad irony in the fact that God had promised a Messiah on an eternal throne. That would suggest that they would not be under any pagan oppression but under a righteous king forever. Jesus met the requirements of that king. But they didn’t want him. 

The irony builds when the high priest Caiaphus tells the leaders, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” (Vv. 49b-50) He thinks that killing Jesus is the solution to their problem. Jesus’ death is the solution to their problem, but not the problem they believe they have. 

John explains that what Caiaphus said was a prophecy. Caiaphus said something from his evil and ignorance. But God superintended his words to speak God’s righteous message that it was better for one man (Jesus) to die than for the nation of Israel and others outside of the Jews to perish. (Vv. 51-52) Why is that? The reason is that none of us can undo our problem, our condition of being under oppression, not of a foreign and ungodly government, but the oppression of our rebellious “sinful” nature. We can do nothing to make it right with God. We deserve death, as the Scriptures make it clear. But, God doesn’t want us to experience that. He chose to send His perfect and righteous Son, who was God himself, into this world He made.  The purpose was for the perfect God-Man to die in our place. Just as he had raised Lazarus from the dead, he would overcome his own death. This demonstrates that we can trust his promise to raise us from the dead.

In this text, we see the approaching culmination of what John wrote in this book’s early chapters. He said, “He (the Word) came unto His own. But, His own did not receive Him. But, as many as have received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:11-12) In chapter 3, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) 

The question before us is, “Do we believe Jesus is God’s Son who died for our sin and was raised from the dead and who will also return to raise us from the dead to eternal life?” The alternative, as stated in the text, is to perish. How tragic for anyone to suffer this fate when this hope is being offered to the world. Let us receive this truth in faith.

Episode 78 - Jesus wept - John 11:28-37

John 11:28   When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Just as Martha went out to meet Jesus on his way to Bethany, we see that Mary goes out to him as well. The reason is not given why Jesus remained outside and allowed Mary to come out instead of him going to her. But, at the very least, it probably afforded her the one-on-one interaction with Jesus. It’s obvious from verse 37 that the word has spread how Jesus gave sight to the man born blind because people reference this miracle in verse 37. 

When Mary comes to Jesus she falls down before him and says the same thing her sister had said to him. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Mary has the same kind of faith in Jesus as well as the same kind of doubt, ignorance, or whatever about Jesus. Like her sister Martha, Mary believes that Jesus could have prevented their brother from dying. But, does she believe that Jesus could restore the life to Lazarus’ dead body? Apparently, she does not.

John mentions Jesus seeing Mary and others with her weeping. It is in this context we find what people like to point out is the shortest verse in the Bible; “Jesus wept.” Often it is interpreted as showing Jesus empathizing with our grief and our own emotions. But, let’s take a closer look at this.

It seems unlikely that Jesus is weeping for Lazarus because he knows what is going to happen. John records that Jesus’ first response to the weeping of Mary and the Jews with her is that he was “deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.” (v. 33) The Greek word that is translated “deeply moved” is often translated more like “indignant.” This emotional response of Jesus is not just of great sadness and empathy, but more like anger. From this emotional response, he moves to the place of burial and sees the tomb. At this point, John records that Jesus wept. 

What does this mean? It’s difficult to say with certainty. But, I don’t think that Jesus is upset with Mary and Martha or the people. I also don’t think he is weeping over the loss of Lazarus even though the people present, upon seeing him weep, take it as an indication of how much Jesus loved Lazarus. But, John often shows the people around Jesus expressing a truth, but often missing the full significance of what is happening.

I think that given the confessions by Martha, Mary, and even the crowd that they believed Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying, but they have no expectation that Jesus is the “resurrection and the life.” They don’t have any notion that Jesus is not only able but about to restore life back to Lazarus. Therefore, Jesus is weeping over the effects of sin and death and the “darkness” that comes from sin. As the truly righteous one, he is angry to the point of weeping at sin and death. 

Here is the take-away from this segment. Shouldn’t we also be angry and grieved at sin? When we lose a loved one, are we just sad for our own loss or are we deeply moved and troubled by the sin that brought it about? It should affect us so that we respond to the Lord as David did when he said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)