I’ve always wondered why in the old testament God’s gives such very specific directions of how He wants things made or set up. Such as in Exodus the detailed description of the tent of meeting. Why is that important for us to know. I just use that as one example. For me it isn’t something I’ll ever remember.
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Maybe it wasn’t for us. A better question is, why did the Jewish faith consider that information important to preserve?
The Bible was not just given to us by God. It was pulled together from a variety of surviving letters, oral traditions, and books (books from another religion, rearranged and recategorized).
This was done by a group of church leaders (pulled together by Rome) way way back when there was no single church. Just a bunch of scattered churches believing and doing their own things. Different beliefs, different traditions.
This happened 300 years or so after Christ… Really absorb that… How many generations of people that equals…?
Each of those little churches had their own letters, books, or oral tradtions that were passed down. But who can say everyone was asked to come to the table for that discussion…? And maybe not everyone wanted to be unified… necessarily…
That group of men who was there was formed by Rome, to create a single religion that would align with Rome’s mission to conquer the world. A religion that would help asimilate all other peoples into Rome.
And ironically it continued to do so long after Rome the government disappeared. It was a religion that would take the gods and goddesses from those conquered nations, different religions, and assmilate then into Christian history as saints, angels, and demons.
So from a few men representing the whole of Christiandom, we got what we call the Bible. They argued about including and excluding a variety of items. And they argued about what our core beliefs should be from a variety of beliefs.
To give you an idea of what could have been, one of those sects from way back then that disappeared from history (rediscovered in recent times) referred to the Holy Spirit in the feminine. And there is an Old Testament arguement to that. The Spirit of the Lord is referred to as Sophia in a scripture.
Personally I think it is a little suspicious that we had a culling of Christians before this unification under Rome happened. Was it simply because Christians weren’t liked? Could it be because some churches resisted the unification? And under that kind of threat, wouldn’t you give in to Rome’s demand if it meant the faith would survive in some form?
History can of course be rewritten… We are witnessing it right now where bull faced lies are just accepted as truth… Give a lie a few generations and no one will be left to say otherwise. Especially after the competition is killed off.
We are told they were martyrs, heroes to the faith…An inspiriation to keep the Roman made faith… When maybe they were just killed off instead… Murdered… To keep the secret. Discouraging resistance.
Regardless, even after the Bible was pulled together, it was hidden from the public for a number of centuries. Only Clergy had access. Until…I believe…Martin Luther and the printing press appeared and he rebelled against what he saw to be corruption in the unified church. Gangsters ran it for a time… The Borgias for example.
If you want to know the truth, you have to dig deeper. Ask the tough questions when things don’t add up. Ask the hard questions without the fear of losing your faith in God. Or despite it. Because some things are worth sacrificing if it makes your faith real.
Believing what you are told to believe without question is not faith. It is control. You want to know why God doesn’t speak to people today like way back then? Maybe He does… But real faith is sparse, and those hearing aren’t talking. They know better.
Joan of Arc, burned as a witch… For example.
Faith ia about believing in unseen things. It does not mean we believe without question. It does not mean the spirit goes untested.
Greetings
if I may
reason why
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
"When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God has commanded you?’
Deut 6:20 (NKJV)
And they might not be as their fathers, fathers a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
Psalms 78:7-8 (KJV)
Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
2 Cor 12:14 (KJV)
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
Heb 12:7 (NKJV)
If read Numbers 14 and Psalm 95. This saying, do not be like
that generation, meaning the Israelites during the 40 years in the wilderness, they were rebellious against the Lord, Joshua’s generation complied at the walls of Jericho
lhtrever
I think VERY differently from what Tillman said.
The precision of detail spoke volumes about the one prescribing. God IS precise, of whom James calls, "the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.James 1:17. God is not a being of “good enough” or “do what you think is best”, but a perfect and Holy being, “with whom is NO variation”. The eternal dwelling of GOD is a temple of perfection; blood bought souls that GOD himself perfects to be his perfect dwelling place (Ephesians 2:22 and Rev 21:3).
The example you noted, “the tent of meeting” was symbolic of the whole body of Christ, created in perfection, without flaw, in the image of Jesus. Each perscription God gave to His chosen people was so they could accurately represent eternal and unwaivering truths.
You say “For me it isn’t something I’ll ever remember”, but maybe that is because it has not found relevence in your heart and mind. You remember the things that are important to you. I challenge you to read, re-read, wait, ask for help, read again, ask for help again, wait, and expect God to give you understanding.
Again quoting James:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-8
God gives wisdom “liberally” and doesn’t try to make you feel stupid for asking. he is a loving Father, who loves to give good gifts of truth to his kids. Ask and wait.
Resting in Him with you
KP
Hi,
Obedience.
There was one, and only one, way to build an Arc of the Covenant.
That is God’s way.
Now you obviously can build a box u(which is what the Arc of the Covenant essentially is) many ways.
But only one way is acceptable
Does that remind you of something else?
There are many ways that people proclaim salvation.
But there is only one way that is acceptable to God.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
All of the specific instructions are meant to make the believer’s life easier.
You do not have to guess if something is correct.
If you follow God’s word, and do it His way, you know you have performed the task correctly.
And that brings peace of mind.
Blessings
One of the reasons for the precision was to clearly dileneate sacred space (where God’s presence was) and profane space. The rules were not only to set Israel apart from the other nations, they were to remind Israel how holy He is and how approaching Him must be done with care.
And sometimes… A tent is just a tent… And maybe Jesus likes to bedazzle same as the next guy.
No one is ever going to think IKIA instructions are scripture
Though knowing this generation there is no telling what people will do when the Satelites get wiped out of the sky and the internet is shut down for good.
Brother against brother. Everything is so divisive anymore…
But I think we can all agree with this- Thank God for the ability to think for ourselves. Amen?
I will always cherish the ability to think for myself, and I am grateful to have the ability to walk away from collective opinions. Especially cults with misguided leadership.
And I am grateful that God does not require me to have the right opinion or understanding to be either saved or loved by Him.
God does not ask that I jump through hoops, or obey any specific church or church group to be saved or loved by Him. Especially when so many good churches go astray. Nor do I need to agree with any of them either, or mimic their way of talking. Amen?
Thank God. Amen.
I hear ya. You keep being you. I do read, consider, and appreciate your perspective.
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If the bible is a xeries of invented or misremembered tales…
How do you know what you believe is actually true?
Paul commended the Bureans because having heard him preach they checked what he said against the scriptures.
What do you check your religious ideas against?
Never said that.
Where did Paul commend? Are you quoting the Bible to prove the Bible?
- I don’t know. That is what makes it faith
- i am not religious. I follow Christ
To be honest, I am not looking for a payoff of heaven and a free ride with no work. I am looking to transform and become something new, something more. I don’t want to be what I was. So I read the teachings of Christ. I put it into practice. And if you did this, you might find the key to your freedom.
Why does the Bible need to be perfect in order for you to believe in Christ? Or find God? God is everywhere. If you look for Him, you will find Him.
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That would suggest to me we don’t have to memorize the Bible. I would memorize the commandments, however.
Which two do you think are the most important to memorize?
That we should love the Lord with all our hearts, minds, and souls, and love our neighbors as ourselves.
What does it mean to love your neighbor?
And how do you show love to God?
To love your neighbor would be to treat him as you’d have him treat you, off the top of my head. To love God would be to obey his commandments.
Have you obeyed all of God’s commandments?
How do you love your neighbor?
How do you define “God’s commandments”?
How do you love your neighbor? As I said, treat him the way you’d have him treat you.
You said to love God is to obey his commandments. My question was have you obeyed all of them? And along with that, if you don’t obey all of them, what does that imply about your love for God?
I suppose I should have asked you, how do you define God’s commandments…
Baaically, I want to know how you show God love?
An example please?
And, who is your neighbor?
When discussing God’s commandments, some say God gave us hundreds of commandments to obey, and it is impossible to obey them all. But I don’t believe everything God told the Jews to do should be classified as a commandment. There are decrees, statutes, ordinances, and testimonies. I would define “commandment” as the ten found in the Old Testament and the two great ones in the New Testament. As far as whether or not I obey them all, there is one that I do not know if I fully understand, and I struggle with it. Does that imply I don’t love the Lord as I should? Perhaps.
As for doing unto others as I would have them do unto me, you asked for an example. Well, I wouldn’t want someone to come up and kick me in the shin, so I don’t go around kicking people in the shin.
Who is my neighbor? Everybody, I guess.
How do I show God my love? I try to obey all his commandments, and I try to be in constant prayer.
I keep better records on how I love than I do on how much I hate. Just let me know.