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Acts, Bible Studies

Acts 8 The Persecuted Church

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The Acts of the Holy Spirit Empowering the Church

It is now six years since the church started, and God allows persecution in order to , among other things, to spread the church. Chapter eight sees the persecution of the church led by Saul, Phillip in Samaria encountering Simon, a charlatan, and his subsequent encounter with an Ethiopian court official, and his genuine conversion.

And so persecution goes on to this day. Persecution.org estimates there are around 200 million Christians suffer some form of persecution for their faith. That day may not be long in coming for us. So while we are able, we must  be “Phillips”, used and usable of the Holy Spirit, to share the Good News.

Antsal, wife of one of the 21 men killed in Libya shares how she found peace.

Acts 8:2 – Does this mean we should make lamentation? Devout men means God fearers, not necessarily even Christians. These men did not understand about the fate of those who died in Christ until Paul explained this in 1Th 4:13-18.

Either way, may God give us more stout hearted men like these!

Acts 8:3 – Havoc – lit. describes the wounding of a wild boar. The boar loses all sense of sanity. Paul moves beyond consent to a frenzy of Satanic activity.

Acts 8:4 – They scattered, but look, they also preached the Word.

Acts 8:5-39 shows two back to back seeming conversions.  How can we be sure?

Re Simon, unsaved:

  1. Wrong view of self (v9-10). He projected himself with great pride, even to his conversion. i.e. his conversion too was proud and pompous
  2. Wrong view of supernatural power (v18-19). This is the practice of simony, trying to buy one’s way into power. He did not want power to change his character, but to further his ambitions. A true conversion is done in humility. “Make me a servant.
  3. A wrong view of the Spirit (v18-21). That purchase may be attempted by money, or through the flesh,
  4. Wrong view of sin. (v24) The conversion doesn’t take, he doesn’t want the sin rooted out, but to avoid the consequences. Simon  believed in signs and wonders and not God, to his own ends. His attitude was, what will it do for me.

Contrast this with the Ethiopian’s conversion:

  1. It was a sovereign work of the HS (v26) – note the HS working took Phillip out of a revival in Samaria to one guy out in the desert. The eunuch was cultured enough to be able to read Hebrew though he himself was a Gentile. The HS draws us, not vice versa Rom 3:10-12
  2. The searching heart of a sinner. We respond to the HS after HE seeks us out.,
  3. Scriptural basis for salvation (v35) – As opposed to being drawn by signs and wonders as was Simon. Rom 10:17
  4. The sincere expression of a servant(v37)  – The Eunuch’s response was ass a faithful response, not for his personal gain.

Persecution.org

Acts 8:6 – Here is Phillip, another table server-deacon we saw in Acts 6:5. If we are faithful in the little things, God will give you bigger and bigger responsibilities. And now Phillip followed Jesus example by going into the area were Jews would avoid John 4:4-42

Hearing miracles – the word of wisdom spoken as Jesus did to the woman at the well.

Acts 8:7 – 2Ki 17:7-41  This chapter of 2 Kings outlines the origin of the Samaritans. After reviewing this chapter, one can see the Pharisees calling the kettle black! (Being hypocrites)

Demons fled as Phillip was preaching and ministering. Demons are still alive and well in the 20th century. We offer psychological excuses for the present day work of demons and evil.

Acts 8:8 – Mat 2:10, Luke 2:10 The power of sin is broken. The joy of Christianity.

Acts 8:17 – Perhaps Phillip wasn’t gifted in the laying on of hands, reemphasizing the importance of the Body. Peter and John were empowered in this area, so they lay on hands. 1Co 1:14

And don’t get hung up on Baptism. It’s necessary, but it happens in various ways, (Acts 10)

Acts 8:18 – Simon does not appear to be possesed demonically, but wants to purchase a magic trick, as magicians do to this day.

Acts 8:20 – This absolutely refutes the buying of popeships during the Middle Ages. And Protestants are no better, as when the pastor is deeded the pastor, and the congregation buys back the church, or when an a person buys an “elder” position.

Acts 8:24 – HE didn’t ask for his heart to change, but to avoid the consequences of his sin.

Acts 8:25 – Tradition says that Simon went insane and buried himself alive, but not before starting the heresy of Gnosticism

Acts 8:26 – Revival is happening. People are being saved, and now the HS sends Phillip elsewhere. Note that the HS didn’t say why to go. Why go to a rock and sand filled desert? Go do step 1, and then you’ll get step 2.

Acts 8:27 – This was perhaps the second most important man in Ethiopia. He desired to know God, hence the trip to J-lem, but came back empty, as shown here.

God will do whatever it takes to tell a hungry person about Jesus. God will reach them. No one will be able to say they sought God and did not find Him.

Acts 8:30 – Wow! He ran! Enthusiasm is En-Theos, full of God.

Acts 8:32 – Isa 53:8f

Acts 8:35 – He spoke of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. He also hopped right into Isaiah, connoting his knowledge of Scripture.

Acts 8:37 – Earlier, Simon believed with his head, and here the eunuch believes in his heart.

This is verse not in the NIV or RSV (See nivmiss.inx)

Acts 8:38 – Note immersion baptism here and elsewhere.

Acts 8:40 – He stayed there and raised 4 daughters who became prophetesses. A beautiful place on the beach. Phillip started waiting on tables, became a deacon, then an evangelist, then raised a family.

Bible Studies

Acts 7 – No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

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When we last saw him, our man Stephen, having been set up by the Synagogue of the Freedmen, is hauled up before the Sanhedrin. This is their their third testimony of Jesus by the Church.

The outcome is considered horrible by most standards. We (mostly)  don’t grow up saying we want to be stoned to death as our life’s ambition. Certainly the non-Christian would want to avoid such a terrible end, save perchance to rescue a loved one or something like that.  Even the Christian (author included) would want to duck and run rather than stand up for our faith.

But God gives us the special grace in times like this. Operating under the power of the Holy Spirit, Stephen is given, wisdom, courage, and deep love to deliver God’s words of everlasting life.  God is willing to allow martyrs in His church for His own good reasons. Some of those reasons can be multiplication; the church often grows rapidly under a time of persecution.  Another is the realization that although the martyr will suffer, his reward is great in Heaven. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Don’t be complacent. Don’t be afraid. Do be close to Jesus. Do take courage.

Notes

Acts 7:1 – What things? He was accused of preaching Jesus such that it would lead to the destruction of the Temple and the dissolving of the Law. (Acts 6:13) They like many people today believed that spirituality revolved around a place and a procedure. (a church building and liturgy and works righteousness). So now he begins to dispense with the place argument

Acts 7:2 – Here is one of the classic powerful presentations of the Gospel found in the Bible (and fv):

When and where did God appear to the father of the Jews first? In a foreign (Babylon, a bad place) land.

So now he begins to dispense with the place argument Acts 7:2-19

Acts 7:3 – Follow me, says God Mat 4:19 through John 21:22

Acts 7:4 – Abraham stopped in Haran, tsk tsk, (he wasn’t supposed to…)Gen 11:31,32

Whenever we stop and park, we miss out, as we are on a pilgrimage.

Acts 7:6 – Stephen is starting to unglue their religiosity in the idea of a place, rather than a person, Jesus.

Acts 7:8 – Abraham had no inheritance in the land, rather, he was told to put the blade to the flesh. He did all this without a Temple or the Law.

Acts 7:9 – God was with Joseph in Egypt, again away from Jesrusalem and the nonexistent Temple. Joseph is a picture of Jesus in many ways. Eph 4.

Stephen is pointing out the parallel between Joseph and Jesus. At some point, the elders must have realized what Stephen was doing.

Acts 7:13 – The brothers, going down to Egypt, did not realize

Acts 7:17 – The Jews grew and multiplied from 75 to over 2 million. All this fruitful outside of the land of Egypt.

Acts 7:20 – Having shown that the place is not the issue, Stephen now goes on to destroy the myth of clinging to procedures. V Acts7:20-39

Acts 7:21 – Moses is nourished by an Egyptian. Where did they get the idea of putting Moses on a little boat (Ark)? Perhaps from a hypothetical oral tradition from the story of the flood.

Acts 7:22 – Moses, raised at the palace of Pharaoh, by the best scholars of the premier power of the time. See also Exo 15:26

Papyrus  Ebers and Edwin Smith Papyrus describe are medical documents of the time. Some purported cures:

Cure for Burns:

Create a mixture of milk of a woman who has borne a male child, gum, and, ram’s hair. While administering this mixture say: Thy son Horus is burnt in the desert. Is there any water there? There is no water. I have water in my mouth and a Nile between my thighs. I have come to extinguish the fire.

Note: There is not a single medical error in the Bible.

Cure for Lesions of the Skin:

After the scab has fallen off put on it: Scribe’s excrement. Mix in fresh milk and apply as a poultice.

Cure for Cataracts:

Mix brain-of-tortoise with honey. Place on the eye and say: There is a shouting in the southern sky in darkness, There is an uproar in the northern sky, The Hall of Pillars falls into the waters. The crew of the sun god bent their oars so that the heads at his side fall into the water, Who leads hither what he finds? I lead forth what I find. I lead forth your heads. I lift up your necks. I fasten what has been cut from you in its place. I lead you forth to drive away the god of Fevers and all possible deadly arts.

Source:http://www.mysteries-in-stone.co.uk/medicine.htm

Acts 7:26 – Note the ministry of Moses left the palace and served his brothers He:

  1. Seeks to bring liberation (v24)
  2. Seeks to bring reconciliation among his people

This is another parallel of Jesus

Acts 7:27 – And Moses is rejected by his people. Another parallel.

Note that Stephen is destroying their prideful boast that they are followers of Moses.

Acts 7:29 – So, rejected by his people, he goes to the Gentiles and takes a Gentile bride.

Acts 7:34 – This is a great devotional. God would say that to us who are in oppression to some Pharaoh. And although it took 400 years to do so, it required that much time to prepare Canaan for their arrival. God gave the people of that land that 400 years to repent.

Acts 7:35 – Stephen is twisting the knife. They sought to reject Moses. It was only in his second coming that he was accepted. And don’t think this was lost on Stephen’s audience.

Acts 7:36 – The church and Israel have many parallels, and this is one of them. The Red Sea represents Baptism. And they gathered around the table and ate manna.

Acts 7:37 – Now even Moses foretells Jesus coming op cit (Acts 3:22) by Peter and John miracle references to this verse.

Acts 7:39 – Rejected: Moses and Jesus (7:27)

Acts 7:41 – Hey boys, you were so proud of Moses, you rejected him again, and made idols, gratitude to God, not.

Acts 7:42 – host of heaven – astrology

Acts 7:43 – Moloch was the god of prosperity and success. Parents would offer their children and burn them alive. Things have NOT changed.

“You want idols”, says God, “Then I will send you to the Idol City.”

Acts 7:49 – Isa 66:1

You are gonna build Me a little house? God never asked for a Temple. These Jews did not like what they were hearing.

Acts 7:50 – Isa 66:2

Acts 7:51 – The issue is not feling the Temple, but resisting the HS.

Acts 7:55 – In the beginning, he said “the God of glory…”. He now ends his message by seeing the Glory of God. The same blessing is ours also. It is a joy indeed to share your faith with others.

Acts 7:56 – This is the only time Jesus is spoken of as standing at the right hand of God, interceding for us. And to welcome Stephen in glory.

Acts 7:57 – First they gnash their teeth, and now they stop their ears. When the elders looked down, they had this ugly reaction, as opposed to Stephen, who looked up to heaven, and had an angel’s countenance. Don’t look down on people.

Bible Studies

Acts 6 Building From Within

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The church is exploding . In Acts 2 God added daily. In Acts 6 God multiplied (KJV & NKJV). Now growing pains are setting in. The Apostles could have easily been sucked into this need. But they wisely concluded that they should have others fill it. And because they kept their focus sharpened (v2), and priorities clear, this is the result.

In Chapters 4-5 the church subtracted Ananias and Sapphira. It’s never easy, usually painful, personally. But the good news is that God will explode the work.

During this multiplying, there is a tendency to feel neglected, and this causes murmuring Three things were happening in the early church:

  1. Discriminating – Felt by the Hellenists (Greeks) by the Hebrews. Do we do this? You bet! We do  this almost every Sunday. Former (?) sinners, bikers, “losers”, and those we don’t like.
  2. Professionalizing – If you are aware of a problem, you are probably being called to be the solution. This is the sign of a healthy church.
  3. Prioritizing – Keeping the eye on the prize (Rom 12)

Jesus and the mustard seed comparison is rather puzzling as mustard plant is a smallish bush (Mat 13:31-33, Mar 4:31-32, Luke 13:18). The implication is that the church would start out right, but would grow large and distended, and birds would lodge in it; the birds a symbol of evil. And truly that has come to pass. Acts pleads for simplicity (Act 2:42).

Stay focused on the Word of God as our best source for “Church Growth.” Romans  12 says we are His body. Look at, to, and on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. As with Him:

1) His body was conceived by a miracle, birthed supernaturally. Perhaps He moves in a new virgin territory. And we give God the glory when it happens.

2) All His members functioned – Every member is to function.

3) His body was physically coordinated. How? The body responds to the impulses from the head and responds. Eph 4:15-16 says He is the head, we are the body, the HS the nervous system.

4) Upon birth, the body was attacked. Herod threatened Him immediately. And so us.

5) He grew in wisdom and stature and found favor in God and man. Luk 2:40

6) He was attacked again

7) He cannot be destroyed. Story of Jesus going through the center of the crowd.

8) In His body baptized in water and in spirit. His knowledge of the Word confounded the teachers at age 12. He was receptive to baptism. Mat 3:13-17, Mar 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-23

 

9) Jesus was all these offices (Ephesians 5)

  • Apostolic – Governing – sent by God
  • Prophetic – Guiding ministry
  • Evangelical – Gathering
  • Pastoring – Guarding
  • Teaching – Grounding in Scripture and doctrine

 

10) Flowing in the Gifts in Romans 12 and Manifestations in 1Co 12

 

11) Being broken – recall Jesus on the road to Emmaus. When they broke bread, they recognized Him. So too we must be broken to receive the life of Christ. See v2

 

Acts 6:1

People who are productive have proper priorities. Why give ourselves to the Lord for service?: Rom 12:1-2

 

1)Present your body to the Lord wholly acceptable to God

2) Where we are going to spend eternity.

3) What it does for me presently, it brings us happiness.

 

Acts 6:2-4

Exodus 18:17 shows the original distribution of responsibilities by Moses’ father -in-law, Jethro. God’s intention is to delegate the work. Spiritual gifts are the tool God gives to do the work of the church. In Exodus, God used Jethro to communicate this to Moses. Here the Holy Spirit. Often God will communicate to us through other people. One way to know: It makes sense, it may sting a little, and our and others spirit will be settled in the matter. (v5)

The ones chosen are good, Godly,  and gifted. The leaders concentrate on the most important tasks of leadership:

  1. Prayer – Communication with and on behalf of the people
  2. Ministry of the Word – Correctly hearing back from God and communicating to the people.

Acts 6:5

Stephen was a powerful Bible expositor. Paul says the deaconate would be given great boldness in ministry. Phillip was the father of 4 prophetesses. Prochorus, secretary, bishop of NIcodea(?).

 

Some believe that Nicolas veered off the track into heresy and founded the Nicolaitains. Meaning shepherds of the laity, heavy oppressors of the flock instead of helpers of their joy. Not overbearing oppressors. Not dominion. Rev 2:6,15

A Table of Possible  Gifts of the Early Church

Name Meaning  Spiritual Gift
Stephen Crowned Prophesying
Phillip Fond of horses or lover of horses Serving
Prochorus Before the dance or leader of the chorus Teaching
Nicanor Victorious or conqueror Encouraging
Timon Valuable or honorable Giving
Parmenas Constant, faithful or abiding Mercy
Nicolas Victorious over the people,  Victor of the people Leading / Administering

Acts 6:6

Note the order: pray first and then lay on hands. Is that what Paul says when he says not to lay hands on too quickly? Laying on of hands goes back to the consecration in Numbers 8:10. This is identifying with those dedicated for service, a linkage between the parties.

Acts 6:7

Spreading the Word of God – Very very important. Acts 12:24 & 19:20 and here show the crucial link between spreading the Word of God, and the building of the Church. It simply cannot nor should be attempted without God’s Word, the Gospel.

The priests would have to come to that conclusion, given the things they saw; the veil rent in half. And that was no ordinary veil. It was 10 inches thick 60’x30′, it took a hundred priests to manipulate it. Mat 27:51, Mar 15:38, Luk 23:45

Acts 6:8

A dynamic deacon indeed!

 

Acts 6:11

These men resorted to deception, as they were outgunned by him by the HS.

 

Acts 6:13

They are in to churches Jeremiah 7:4 and rituals, and not the one behind them. Churches, cathedrals and rituals can draw us away from real fellowship

 

Acts 6:14

They are STILL misrepresenting Jesus statement of John 2:19 destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days..

 

Acts 6:15

His face glowed like an angel, being near to God. Exodus 34:35. The Israelites had the very same reaction to Moses as they did with stephen. Paul adds the reasoning for this, in the reading of the Old Covenant, the veil over their heart remains until they turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away, the liberty of the New Covenant shines. 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 explains the dynamics of this and the next chapter of Acts.

Some of the notes in this chapter are taken from sermons by Jon Courson at Searchlight from my earliest days as a Christian.

Acts, Bible Studies

Acts 5 Holiness Over Hypocrisy

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Disappointment: It’s a life sapper. It turns our expectations upside down and let’s sorrow leak into our expectations of life. It sniffs of injustice meted out unfairly in our direction. It beaks our heart.

Solomon had a thing or two to say of disappointment. He said

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” – Proverbs 13:12

In finance, disappointment means a shrinking portfolio. Or a shrinking checking balance. What to do, what to do? The wise investor diversifies. A loss in one investment does not spill over to others.

How about spiritually? Not so much. To Moses and the chillun’ of Israel God said:

“Thou Shalt not have other gods before Me.”   Exodus 20:3

And He means it. Ananias & Sapphira were caught up in the heady displays they saw, and the acclaim that no doubt came to them of the generosity of people of the primitive church in Jerusalem. But instead of the whole hearted devotion to God  displayed by Barnabas, Ananias and Sapphira wanted it both ways; to put on a show of benevolence, and hedge their personal futures.

This is another example God set when He a began new thing:

  • First Nadab & Abihu’s strange fire (Lev 10:1-2)
  • Aachen’s theft in Joshua, when God said to devote to him the spoil of Jericho, and Uzzah when he touched the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:3-8)
  • Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 4:36-5:5)

See also Donald Grey Barnhouse,  Men Whom God Struck Dead.

Acts 5:1 Ananias – God is gracious & Sapphira – A sapphire . Beautiful names.Hypocrisy kills:

  1. Kills our witness. It’s no excuse, but it’s true. Don’t knock the hospital because of sickness.
  2. Kills our joy. We become sour and analytical, as we must now become accusing and finger pointing to avoid having to look at ourselves.
  3. Kills our peace. We are unstable and upset.
Acts 5:3 This is a proof text of the personality of the HS.James Mc Donald has said misery is caused by people trying to look rather than trying to be.Note how Peter picked up on the scam.
 Acts 5:5 The principle of precedence says in essence, that God makes a strong point the first time so that it doesn’t need to be emphasized later. Jos 7. God wants us to know the seriousness of sin, and the dread evil and harmfulness of it. Now the point is made, sin is bad.So now we are in a new entity, the church. This lie is being exposed in the same way Aachen was achin’.
 Acts 5:7 How could she not know her own husband was killed, caught in a lie. The whole town knew! (v5)Satan is that last one to tell us about our own sin. So as we learn this, we need to listen to others, as they may correct us.
 Acts 5:10 Why is it the young men found them?
Acts 5:13 Would YOU join this church, in light of what just happened?
 Acts 5:14 The Church  was no longer just for the curious. And although uncomfortable, the faith of the church was magnified. There is great fear and awe in the people of the church.
Acts 5:16 Power is happening, healing is flowing. Understand there is no power in Peter’s shadow, but in the faith of the people healed in God. It was a trigger, a point of release.
 Acts 5:20 words of this life – refers not just to the afterlife, have life and that more abundantly Joh 10:10
Acts 5:21 Early in the morning –  Get going on our spiritual life. Early in the day. Just as in the secular realm, the spiritually wealthy get what they want. Pro 10:5, 18:9
 Acts 5:24 KJV= where unto this would grow.
 Acts 5:28 “Don’t teach in the name of Jesus” say these threatened men. And oh, that we would be accused of this! Mat 27:25
Acts 5:29 The authority over us are ministers appointed by God (Rom 13). If they act contrary to God, we are to submit not to them, but to God. This is true of all non Godly authority. Exo 1:17-20, Jos 2:1-6, Dan 1:8-16There are two qualifications here:

  1. By authority. That is, by Scripture
  2. With humility, without hostility. They did not resist violently, no bitterness, or emotionalism.
 Acts 5:34 One of the few men to be called, Rabbin, called the beauty of the Law. He walked in great integrity in order to keep it. He was also a teacher of  Paul (Saul). In his notes, was a criticism of Paul saying it was impossible to find enough reading material for him. Paul’s sentence structure and intellectual prowess were awesome.
Acts 5:36 Both Theudas and Judas claimed to be Messiah. Theudas to spiritual illumination, Judas, a political Messiah. How to spot a FP:1) One who claims to be supernatural or special in some way.2) Watch for those who draw people away to themselves instead of Jesus.
 Acts 5:39 Wise words.
 Acts 5:42 Yeah! Churchill said a fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.

Memory Verse:

Acts 5:42 –  And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Acts, Bible Studies

Acts 4 Truth and Power

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We saw earlier in Chapter 2 the “acts” the early church was engaged in, in Acts 2:42 it says (paraphrasing) they continuously devoted themselves to the apostle’s doctrine, to fellowship, breaking bread, and to prayer.

Here, we can see for characteristics the early church exhibited:

  • Boldness – To Preach under duress
  • Urgency – Not waiting for someone else
  • Obedience – To God
  • Courage – Knowing whom to fear.

 

Acts 4:1 In the gospels, the primary opponents of Jesus was the Pharisees, fundamentalists, traditionalists. In fact, many Pharisees are converted, (Saul for instance).The Sadducees vigorously opposed the resurrection, they had their own concept of truth. In could care less, very liberal, love peace, be nice and so on.
Acts 4:2 Why are these groups upset about the Resurrection of the dead? 

A) The Sadducees didn’t believe in it.  (Mat 22:23).  The Sadducees appear to be skeptics, using the pretense of religiosity as a device to dominate and aggregate political power.

 

B) The Apostles usurped the priestly function of being teachers, as were the Sadducees. Like the Sadducees, their power was in their teaching magisterium, not unlike Roman Catholicism, and gnostic cults that gain power by persuading people to follow them because of their revelations.
Acts 4:3 Recall this began around 3 in the afternoon. They had probably been there some time
Acts 4:4-6 They heard the Word, right on! Mat 16:18 shows us the need to allow Jesus to build His church.Annas was deposed by Rome in 25AD although president of the Sanhedrin. Caiaphas was his son-in-law, although it is quite possible the body considered Annas the real high priest.  It’s a bit odd, as Numbers 3:10 called the position to be for life.
Acts 4:7 Consider the ones asking the question, the same ones two months previous who questioned Jesus.
Acts 4:8 And now, the old weak Peter is about to read these same guys the Riot Act. So instead of being by the enemies fire in intimidation, he is lit by the fire of the HS.And when we are on fire, we will inevitably find ourselves under fire, (Eph 6:10 ff)
Acts 4:9 Look at Peter, wow, what a change!
Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22. – We are called living stones, and we are being quarried here in the quarry, being perfectly carved together. This is a basic tenet of life, and there is going to be chafing and hurting, etc. as we are sanctified. This is our preparation.And now Peter nails it to the wall as the rejected cornerstone, Jesus, Dan 2:34-35, 45
Acts 4:13 Right on! What a parallel to today, with our apostate seminaries. But the key is being with Jesus. And just been, but are with Jesus.Moses spent time with God. Woe Moe, your face is aglow! But look at Moses. The way to put down the Law is to spend time with Jesus, then we have the authority to lay down the Law. We must be glowing.And time spent with Jesus, in prayer and in the Word, gives us the confidence borne of the Holy Spirit. Don’t leave home without it.
Acts 4:14-18 A wonderful apologetic argument. And the man healed stood with Peter and John. The only true test of friendship is staying there in the breach when the chips are down. And we can evaluate our friendship with Jesus when the same circumstances happen. We are the lame man, will we stand by the Lord as this lame man did?But as we see,. this argument  had no documented effect on these leaders. Miracles do not make converts, they bring one to a decision.
Acts 4:19 Here is the exception. In most other things,  we are to obey our God-appointed rulers. Here, since they oppose God’s orders Mat 28:20-21, they ought to be and were in fact, opposed.
Acts 4:20-24 Would to God that I could not stop talking about Him.  How is this?
Acts 4:25-29 Psalm 2:1-2
Acts 4:34-37 Lev 27:16

Memory Verse:

Acts 4:12“ – And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts, Bible Studies

Acts 2 & 3 The Fire Catches

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8:16 PM

 

Acts 2:37-42

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit

He convicts the people of their sin. John 16:8. The Good News is not the Good News unless the consequences of the Bad News is known. We can share that God is love; He is, but without knowledge of the sin problem, there’s no reason to be “saved.” Repentance is that first step, a changing of the mind regarding sinfulness, and one’s own personal sin.

The promise is the promise of the Holy Spirit  in Isa 44:3, 54:13, nd Joel 2:32. Far off is not just physical but also in the heart, Eph 2:13.
Acts 2:42-47 That which the Church is apart. This is what it’s about.1) apostle’s doctrine – they devoured and disseminated the Word; throughout the OT Jos 1:8 and do so steadfastly, Christianettes listening to sermonettes can’t take the meat. We need to progress to strong meat.2) Fellowship (koinonia) communion or communication, transparent communication, as opposed to frivolity and socialness. Speaking of the things of God.

3) Breaking the bread – we must value the breaking of bread, binding together.

4) Prayer – There is a unique dynamic in corporate prayer. There is power when we agree in prayer. He delights in hearing that. This is not the same as trying to manipulate Him.

Steadfastly they continued. Steadfastly. Not making excuses for corporate gathering. No need for programs. Three reasons why we should be steadfast from Luke’s works:

1)Who is watching –  Acts 6:15, Stephen is about to be stoned. They looked steadfastly to be a good example. Stephen’s face shone like an angel, as did Moses’, when he was seeking God.

2) The place we’re going – Acts 7:55 Stephen looking up into heaven. The fact is, we are headed for Heaven. The body is decaying as we speak.

3) Luke 9:51 The steadfastness of Jesus, what He did for us, this is why we must be steadfast.

43 – This is a unique occurrence of this behavior, a magnification of koinonia. Fellowship is sharing, and this is the ultimate in fellowship; the sharing of our wealth.

44-46 Such tenderness and unity. Not unanimity, but unity in purpose and heart

47 – Don’t miss this. It’s God who builds the church. Mat 16:18. Not programs, music, persuasive pastors, good coffee, good works. God adds to the church.
Acts 3

The Spirit heals the beggar through the faith of Peter.

This vignette is a picture of us, believers as the lame man. We are lame in the sin of Adam. We can not go after the things of God. We were getting by. Aware of our lameness. Poor. Defeated. Out of joint. The man couldn’t enter the Temple to worship, despite any qualifications to ministry, such as being a Levite.

Then Jesus came and touched us, while begging outside the Temple. Romans 3:10 quoting Psalms 14 & 53: There is none righteous…

And now we enter in like the beggar with thanksgiving and praise.
Acts 3:1-10 The ninth hour (3 PM) was special as it was the the time when Jeus said “It is finished”. A special time for all, esp. Christians.Note some essential elements present in John & Peter’s lives that prepared them for this ministry:1) Consistency – going in at the appointed hour of prayer. Faithful. v1

2) Flexibility – identifying the priority in the situation at hand; as opposed to going by and praying. v3

3) Sensitivity – awareness, brought on by the Spirit. Often we miss the moment.

4) Authority – We must have the authority of the Lord. We may have the power, but lack the Authority, or vice versa; like a car waiting for a light at an intersection

 

5) Humility – Peter was in great peril potentially after the miracle by taking credit for it, instead of giving the glory to God. In v 12, he asks the crowd why they marvel at this, instead of remembering their heritage (history) of the miracles wrought by God.

V2  Acts 3:2

Also known as the Golden or Eastern Gate.

We cannot do everything, I mustn’t do nothing.  How do you we discern this dilemma, with the needy?

1) Have sensitive hearts – Peter & John  undoubtedly passed this man dozens of times. Be sensitive to the HS stirring our hearts. This is different from cultural guilt. Your eyes fasten upon that person, and the Spirit works on you.

John 5:2-9 It is quite possible Jesus went by that man many times. And at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus ignored the many to minister to the one furthest away. Why did Jesus do that? Perhaps to show us to minister in response to obedience, not according to need. Therefore, never minister according to need, but to obedience. The Spirit directs us to the specifics. He will never overburden us; and that is a telltale sign we are ministering to need. Watch for it. Jeremiah 31:33

2) Discerning minds (spirits) – Peter & John saw the man asking for money, but that was not his need. What they cry for is not what they need. Also, note that in ch 3, about 5,000 had just converted and brought much money and laid it at their feet. They perhaps simply refused silver & gold to find the real need.

3) Dynamic Words –  Ever wonder what Peter & John must have thought right before they said those words?

a) Peter and John were men of preparation. They were going to the Temple to pray, every day, at 3 PM. Mat 3:17 at the Transfiguration, a man whose son was demon possessed. They commanded, but nothing happened, and Jesus  declared “this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” It’s too late to start fasting when the need arises, it needs to be done in advance, so that a backlog or history of prayer and fasting exists. For faith comes by hearing and hearing by …

b) They were men of impartation – filled with the HS. Do we hunger and thirst? Do we wait on the HS

c) They had authorization – For something to happen, there must be a convergence of power and authority. Like a sports car at a red light. Or an old VW at a green light. You need both. The green light came on in Peter & John. This requires sensitivity and discernment.

Note that the culture had been born into was one of mercy; compare his survival with the movie 300, a movie of Sparta, where weaklings were thrown over the cliff. This man, in his weakness, was able to glorify God, whereas the strong, acting under her own his own power, could not.

Acts 3:7

The language implies that dislocated bones had the bones pop back into the sockets.
Acts 3:11-26 Acts 3:11If faith teaching were true, the faith teachers should send $1,000 to us, instead of what they now do. The faith is from God’s grace, sovereignly. (v16)Acts 3:12

The “men of Israel” knew full well their history, and Peter rightly redirects that awe to the One to whom it is due, God.

Isa 42:8 serves as a reminder of this. Start taking God’s glory, and God will shelve you faster than an overpaid librarian. 1 Cor 4:7

Acts 3:13

The reason for the miracle was the exaltation of the One sent to you, whom you killed, boys.

Acts 3:16

It was not Peter’s faith that saved that man, but a gift of God given to them in that moment; God is fully responsible for the miracle. Note that it was not the lame man’s faith that healed him, either, again, faith of and through God.

Acts 3:17

What great tact Peter shows here, allowing the elders to save face.

Acts 3:18

That Jesus was sacrificed was no mistake.

Acts 3:19

Repent – change your mind about Jesus, the Prince of Life! Peter is not saying get it together, just believe in Him. The time of refreshing has many OT passages

Acts 3:21

Some people say that restitution means that all will be restored, Satan included. However that is a misinterpretation of Scripture. Mat 25:41  everlasting – 166. aionios is the same  word used in John 3:16. If we think that aionios is not really forever, then our salvation is also temporary; our salvation included.

The restitution of all things refers to the restitution of Israel, acknowledging Jesus as Lord Jer 30:7 the time of Jacob’s trouble. Romans 9, 10, 11 address this specifically.

Karl Marx was himself a Jew. And many kibbutzes in Israel are some of the purest forms of Marxism known. But since the collapse of communism, and the influx of the Russian Diaspora, there has been a massive reversal of the kibbutzes. And there is a wholesale return to traditional Judaism, Sabbath, yeshima, learning the Torah, etc. A tremendous return to prepare them. The rebuilding of the Temple, all to allow the Spirit rentry for the return of Jesus.

Acts 3:22

Deu 18:15-19 referencing Jesus coming.

Acts 3:25

Peter exquisitely quotes Scripture. Fantastic. Those who would be used by the Master must have keen knowledge of His Word. 2Sa 18.9-33

Ge the full story, study.
Acts, Bible Studies

Acts 2 – The Day of Pentecost

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This is the beginning of the Church. The real transition from the Old to New Testament, as we shall see.

The Day of Pentecost

Acts:2-1 Here then are the essential elements the church then and now should be mindful of:

  1.  The day is fully come. The Holy Spirit, God the ply Spirit moves sovereignly as the Father directs. His timing is always precise and on time. We often feel there is nothing happening, a gap, or supposed silence befalls us, as it did for those 120, or the 430 years between Malachi and John the Baptist. Not a half measure, our heavenly Father  is precise in His timing. It is our act of worship/faith to accept this and anticipate something far beyond our own expectation. The word used is meant o be understood filled up completely, or fulfilled.
  2. The word used to describe one accord in the King James and NKJV is the word  ὁμοθυμαδὸν homothymadon, with a single mind. They were all in agreement and single minded about obeying Jesus and awaiting the Holy Spirit. Any thoughts otherwise were not publicly entertained, or subsumed to the unity of the group. This is an imperative for the church. We must seek the Father’s will if the Holy Spirit can work within us unimpeded by pettiness, distractions, or unreigned pride.
  3. They were gathered together in one place. (Can’t think of the meeting together passage. In other words, they were not scattered across in individual places, but come together (as shown in the previous chapter, to pray. Mat 18:20)

 
Acts 2:2-4 This giving of the Holy Spirit is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Mat 3:11 Mark 1:8 & Luke 3:16,  Luke 11:13. John 7:38 & 39 Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as rivers of living water. John 20:22 was an advance of this baptism. We receive the baptism of the Spirit when place our faith in Jesus Christ. It is not now something we wait on, it is an accomplished fact.It differs with having the Spirit come upon us. These occurrences we seek for daily. This amounts to a yielding to the Spirit and asking for his will in our life. Waiting on the Spirit now consists to yielding to His timing, and being in tune with Him not to get ahead or lag behind.

 

Sometimes we can only see this in hindsight. This is the relationship of faith in the believer, to step out, not desiring a “fleece” – some sign that we ask of God as to direction, but rather stepping out KNOWING that if the doors are open we go through. And usually, they do. If not, then we chalk the experience up to a no, or wait, I have something better response from our Heavenly Father.

 
Acts 2:4 Now, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, they begin speaking in tongues, (here languages), as directed by the Spirit. These are not “unknown tongues”, they were known by the people they were speaking to, as the list following showed, they were unknown only to the Disciples!There is a place for unknown tongues. But what is being exercised here is The Holy Spirit “what to speak in that hour, to quote Jesus. Luke 12:12
Acts 2:5-13 Part of the Holy Spirits exquisite timing is the gathering of all Jewish men who were able to Jerusalem for three feasts,  Feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, (Shavout), and the Feast Tabernacles (Succot). All faithful Jewish men attended these. And they did so via the excellent roadways of the Roman Empire. So that when the church was born, all the conditions were there to allow it to expand rapidly far & wide, as desired by God.Of course that rapid spread would never be or is now, without scoffers, those who lok for a miraculous sign, obviously one here, or those who see this as foolishness. 1 Cor 1:18-21

 

The countries themselves form a compass around Israel on the Mediterranean.

 

It was common practice of the day at Synagogue, to include a reading of the mighty works of God; the Red Sea crossing, leading out of Egypt, and other victories given the Jews. In fact, it is often our most powerful testimony, to speak of the mighty works of God in our own lives. They may dispute the Bible, or the Gospel, but they cannot refute your personal testimony!

 

Peter’s Potent Portion

 

Acts 2:14-16 He starts the (2nd) greatest sermon ever by dismissing the mocking by refuting the accusation: this was not 21st century America were bars and liquor stores are open at 6 in the morning. It was unheard of to be drinking at 9 in the morning (the third hour).  1 Th 5:7 supports this. Drinking was a nighttime activity for that culture.Rather, he wants to ratchet up this crowd out of the earthy, crowd mentality, to a much higher plane. And he does it the same way we do, appeal to Scripture, appeal to the Bible. Don’t justify it, let it do it’s own work as Isaiah quotes Isa 55:11 and 2 Tim 3:16
Acts 2:16-21 Quoting Joel 2:28-32, Peter shows they assembled that the moment they are witnessing is a direct fulfillment of Scripture, as great as to being a witness to Neil Armstrong’s setting foot on the moon in 1969! To their as yet not believing eyes, they witnessed the power of the Spirit, which needed to be explained to them, as any good pastor should do.Peter ends the opening part with a Biblical call to salvation.
Acts 2:22-28 Now he quotes Psalm 16:8-11 in an apologetic to show how the plan of God was also freely carried out by their own people. They themselves knew Jesus. It also shows very clearly that the sovereignty of God is in no way at odds with the free will of mankind. They are not in opposition, as this passage clearly shows.Authentication:

Authentication is the way we show we are the person we say we are to someone who doesn’t know us. Almost all of us use passwords or scanners, etc. to prove who we are to people who don’t know who we are. This is precisely why Jesus performed the miracles, many unique, restoring vision (John 9:32) to authenticate He was who He claimed to be,  so that if you chose (choose now) to reject that claim, you did(do) so willfully ignoring the facts.

The Scripture Peter quotes he explains:
Acts 2:29-36 Peter sets up that the person David was talking about was not David, but one of his descendants v30, the Messiah V31. Peter shows now that Jesus is that Messiah spoken of by David.He then reiterates that is was not Davis in the passage, but Jesus, and then convicts the crowd of being participants-in-fact of that unjust  murder, to which God turns into His most glorious act, the salvation of the world!
Acts, Bible Studies

Acts – Chapter 1

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Acts
I had been dreading this moment. Up until now, it was simple drill. For eight hours we were shaken, hung out on ropes, yelled at, pushed and shoved, until we were ready for the big moment: My first parachute jump.
Heart in my throat, the plane climbed to altitude. My follow novice jumpers and I shared grim stares, oh, a few laughs and grins belying the inner terror. But we knew what was coming.
The jump master, Anna B. stood up, walked to back with the photographer, and up stood the first (I should say last) row of jumpers, inside a loud noisy, old, leaky DC3, #817.
First Jump. Didn’t see that coming.
They disappeared from view, with static lines, long strips of cord tied to the parachute pack so that the parachute pack to open it. It seemed silly, why not just jump out and pull that baby (the ripcord). After all, we were using old fashioned parachutes, “T-10’s” the kind you saw watching old World War II films. Just “hop and pop.” No worries.
My moment came. Dang! It was a LONG ways down. I looked at Anna, she smiled, and yelled: “IN THE DOOR. STANDBY. GO!” Out I went.
After a fashion, (about 3 seconds per Anna, I went through my drill and saw that glorious old green canopy over my head, and I was floating serenely, quietly, to Terra Firma.
It took a couple of weeks to remember what happened. The sensation is not anything I could describe to someone who has never jumped out of a perfectly good airplane from 3,000 feet.
It’s one thing to anticipate a major event, it’s quite another to realize afterwards it was nothing like what you thought it was going to be.  Such is going out to do the commandment of Jesus without the power of the holy Spirit. We might think we know what and how to do, but no, it’s not like anything we may think of.

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Some tips to reading this book

Ask yourself if the person(s) here are yielded to theHoly Spirit (and receiving His power, or their own power.

Timeline

Acts Timeline

Outline

Witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem  Ch1-7
Witnesses of Jesus in Judea & Samaria Ch 8-12
Witnesses of Jesus to the Uttermost Parts of the Earth Ch 13-28
Acts 1:1-3
Introduction. Theophilus is mentioned in Luke 1:3 as “most excellent,” a title of Roman officialdom. There is a linkage of authority to the Spirit through which Jesus now communicates to His people, His church. This flows rather well as a continuation from the end of Luke (Luke 2436:-53)
Acts 1:4-8
Jesus commanded the disciples not to leave Jerusalem. This nay have been a difficult commandment to keep, what with all the powers that be arrayed against the followers of Jesus.
Perhaps one of the most misunderstood person is Jesus, and by extension, God, Himself. Although He deliberately hides much of what He was going to do, for good reason, even after plainly explaining the order of events, the Disciples, and us by extension, armed with their (our) own preconceptions, are expecting something else.
So when Jesus is asked regarding the persistent “Kingdom Now!” expectation, He has to redirect the Disciples to remind them who is in charge. Remember, Jesus Himself did not know when (on Earth at lest) He would return. Matthew 24:35.
Instead, He has a much broader work to accomplish first, the establishment of the Church.
All through this book, we are given practical methods to accomplish how Jesus wants us to establish His church. What have we seen thus far?
Acts 1:9-11
A parallel of Luke 24:51-53. Now I wonder why the angels did this?
Acts 1:12-14
A Sabbath day journey, 2,000 cubits. Understood by the Rabbis from Exo 16:29 and Num 35:5 (Credit Ryrie study notes)
As far as not indwell by the HS, they did well here by being in constant prayer. This may have been partially motivated by the many people wanting to see them dead or otherwise MIA.
Acts 1:15-26
Peter proceeds to do what the pre-HS in-dwelt Peter did, shot first, then aim. More in a moment.
The account he relates of Judas Iscariot appears to be in odds with the account from the Matthew’s gospel Mat 27:5. It’s merely the completion of the story told there.
The Bible is full of such seeming contradictions. If you run across one, or some “Bib le Scholar” confronts you and you don’t know, say so and go and dig for yourself. It’s well worth the effort.
Peter proceeds to call a church meeting to elect a new Apostle. He certainly knew his Bible, quoting from Psalm 69:25 and 109:8.
Establishing the guidelines (having been with Jesus), he then proceeds to cast lots and elect Matthias, who is never heard from again. Q: Does this look like a Spirit inspired act?
Bible Studies, Habakkuk

Habakkuk Chapter 3

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“It’s not opposite day.” So would begin a game my older daughter and I would sometimes play saying the opposite of something. Everything you said had to be the opposite of what you really wanted to say.

It’s charming game, and stretched the creative and thinking juices of a witty nine year old against her slower father. “We’re not going to the store to buy ice cream, dad” was especially hard to resist. The biggest challenge was how to end the game. I smile thinking of those times.

Events in the Fall of 2014 do not often evoke such fondness. The times nag and bring discomfort, near panic, steeped in worry and anxiety.

Evil reigns. Across the ocean evil people seek to kidnap, rob, behead, and intimidate in the Middle East. Our only friend there, the very apple of God’s eye, Israel, is surrounded and attacked at every turn. Abroad, enemies of the Jews circle her waiting and encouraging her downfall. Even our own allies and those in our land share their sentiment.

In North Korea, a third generation despot threatens nuclear death to its neighbors and to us, and arms outré enemies with nuclear capability and delivery systems.

In Africa, an ugly virus is out of control, killing thousands and brings its death to our shores where leaders in name only have not the political backbone, who cower and acquesce to political correctness to not close the borders to protect the nation.

Inside our once fair country, where the national motto was not merely a slogan on a now devalued coin, sexual sin is promoted as a life style, mind altering drugs are legal, leaders openly flaunt the law, and universities teach lies , businesses promote greed and want, and national law enforcement turns its back on the law.

And these events continue to accelerate.

But God

Chapter three is Habakkuk’s response to God’s plan of judgment. God will restore righteousness, Habakkuk saw that, as should we. As his times were, ours are. To God the world is not turning itself upside down or inside out, opposing righteousness. To God, it’s not opposite day.

The Watchman’s Response

Habakkuk 3:1-2

He prays, he reverences Yahweh, and he worships with a song written for the profound revelation he received. His shigionoth a powerful heart-felt musical piece.

He asks Yahweh to “revive His work,” to do again what He once did for Israel to being it out of its spiritual torpor. He knows judgment is needed to waken the country back to acknowledging their special relationship and need for God, as a loving father spanks his child, not from anger, but to get the attention of a wayward child.

The Two-fold Response to God’s Glory

Habakkuk 3:3-5 – The Watchman Beholds God’s Glory

He beholds splendor, beauty and loving awe. God appears from Teman, a place in Edom This verse is close to Moses’s swan song in Deuteronomy 33, which we shall see at the end of the chapter. During the Exodus, the Edomites would not give Israel safe passage Num 20:17-22. This was recounted in Psalm  137, a lament. In v 7 where Edom was eager to have the Babylonians raze Jerusalem to its foundations.

It is little wonder that the Almighty was already in Edom, to execute judgment. Even when we cannot see God working, we can know that He is already in the midst of things.

His splendor is like the radiance displayed in Revelation 1 & 4 and 5.

Habakkuk 3:6-11 – The Nations Behold God’s Glory

Evil requires shaking to bring it out of its Godless torpor also to see God’s Glory, to be directed against evil rulers and the who obey them.

God brings out and demonstrates His lordship over His creation. All things obey Him. And we, who have the Holy Spirit, can behold Him without need of physical manifestations like these. We Christians like top use the word “awesome,” but awesome is more like this. Jesus gave His perspective of an Awesome God:

  “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” – Luke 12:5

The narration speaks of the Day of the Lord predicted in Joel and other places, and culminating in the Great Tribulation. V9 Speaks of letting loose Yahweh’s weapons and His promise to let fly judgment. Think about that! (Selah)

Habakkuk 3:12-15 – Judgment of Judah’s Oppressors

The same will be done against Israel’s enemies, (Hebrews 13:8). It is a side of our God that we too often ignore or minimize because it does not match our template of who we think our God should be. And that borders on idolatry, making God inout image, instead seeing Him for who He really is.

Yahweh uses the weapons Israel’s enemies meant for Israel, just as He reversed the plot of Haman. Esther 7:10

Habakkuk 3:16-17 – The Watchman’s Response

Habakkuk’s predictable reponse is reverential fear, as we have discussed previously. In the middle of Judah’s chastisement, Habakkuk’s intimacy with Yahweh reassures him that this is a chastisement, a spanking, not a whipping

Habakkuk 3:18-19 – The Conclusion of the Matter

The prophet was assured he would walk confidently  the high ground which had been his enemy’s , but now strode on by Habakkuk. God is the master of this sort of “inside out” thinking. All through the Bible, Yahweh demonstrates over and over victory at the last moment where despair ruled just prior. Some examples include

Joseph thrown into a dry pit, sold into slavery, thrown again into prison by a shunned adulterous woman, to be exalted to the number two position in Egypt; all part of The Plan. Gen 37:18-36, 40,41

 

The story of Job, lost his children and all his possessions, given a grievous skin disease, mocked at by his wife and friends, reprimanded by God, yet restored double in possessions and children (he never lost the first ones)

Daniel’s friends in the lion’s den, David vs Goliath, Mordecai vs Haman, Israel in the present day, and of course, the ultimate reversal, Jesus mocked, spat upon, tortured and agonizing death reversed into God’s greatest  glory, His salvation.

But the end of the matter is from the beginning of the chapter. Moses tread, babysat, led, adjudicated, interceded, was very angry with his flock, the nation of Israel. He watched all the generation of 20 and up at the beginning of the Exodus die in the wilderness. He saw the harassment, the murmuring, the enemy attacks.

Yet he had not represented God well at Meribah-kadesh (Numbers 20:8-12) when he became angry at the people and struck (twice even) a rock after he was specifically told to speak to it. It was a carefully constructed analogy Yahweh wanted to make regarding His Son. And now, God told him to go up a hill in what was to be a Gentile land, and see, but not go into the promised land. It was a harsh, but necessary chastisement to Moses, the people, and leadership (then and NOW) that leaders are to keep Yahweh’s Name holy in all that they do. And so he died and God buried him…

The very next verses in the narrative, Deuteronomy 33 shows the blessing Moses gave to the tribes. But see how he begins it:

 “The LORD came from Sinai,
And dawned on them from Seir;
He shone forth from Mount Paran,
And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones;
At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them.  – Deu 33:2

Pretty close to the same way Habakkuk began this chapter; with God coming from Paran and Teman, all in Edom, Israel’s half-brother and bitter enemy. But like Moses, Habakkuk held faith and worshipped then as had Moses previously. Neither knew exactly how the matter would turn out.

But God.

Moses died having never gone into Canaan. But wait, he DID.

“Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”  – Luke 9:28-31

God had a way to allow Moses to enter the promised land after dying. This is because of His great love and tenderness for us. Even in our rebellion against Him, like Judea rebelled against God. Perhaps Habakkuk took stock in the next verse of Moses’ great blessing, and re-enforced his confidence and caused him to walk as confident as a deer on a high place for his country’s chastisement, just as Moses was able to bless after his chastisement:

“Indeed, He loves the people;
All Your holy ones are in Your hand,
And they followed in Your steps;
Everyone receives of Your words.”  – Deu 33:3

Memory Verse – “The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.” Habakkuk 3:19a

Application –To remain steadfast in harrowing times, call on Him and remember the good promises made to us.

Bible Studies, Habakkuk

Habakkuk Chapter 2

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Perspective. Values. They define how we interpret events. They really define as individuals, as our perspectives and values are manifestations of our deepest selves. We may talk sports and events and “skin  deep” subjects, but deep down, we interpret life by our values which form our world-views.

Habakkuk Chapter 2 is an intimate glimpse into the heart of God. From it, we see what God values most; His Word, His Son, His salvation, His holiness. He detests pride, drunkenness  unbelief, idolatry, thievery, injustice, immorality.

Habakkuk 2:1-4 – The Watchman and His Proclamation

Keeping watch. This is a minor theme of theme of the Bible. The idea is that since He first stands guard over us, (first mention is the agreement of Jacob and Laban’s marriage agreement, sometimes called the covenant of Mizpah, where God would watch over them. Gen 31:43-51)

God appoints Ezekiel a watchman and gives him certain responsibilities in Ezekiel 3:17-21. They included accountability of Ezekiel if he failed to warn Israel of anything God told Easy-K (his thug name) , God would require his blood. (Yikes!) Hal Lindsey describes himself as a watchman, warning believers and non-believers alike to make peace with God, and take action and live for Christ.

Recording the vision was the first step in being a watchman. Diligently, from the Ten Commandments (Exo 31:18)to the vision at Ephesus (Rev 1:17) to the Law written on our hearts (2 Cor 3:3). As with the covenant of Mizpah, God first does the writing, as His perfect example for us.
V2 Runs (his eyes over the document).

Vision Glorious Vision

The Vision begins with the sacredness of the Word. Faith that trusts its truth is highly rewarded, like the watchman and those who heeded the watchman’s warning. It will not come to pass in our time, but His perfect time, without fail.

But the glory is that when it comes to pass, the vision is amplified and made more glorious and wonderful when refocused in the lens of the New Testament: in Hebrews 10:37-38, the vision is resolved as the as a Jewish convert/believer undergoing trial and suffering,mockery and deprivation, the the glory of the coming of the Messiah!

The vision is glorious because it is diffracted to reveal God’s great salvation glory, His precious Son, the Gospel, in Galatians 3:11

The vision is glorious because it resolves God’s salvation to Jew and non-Jew, faith from start to finish;  the overwhelming power of the Gospel in Romans 1:17. In it we are saved from the impossible requirement of personal works to become right with God; the chain of sin is shattered.

Despite the glorious vision of faith, the present Habakkuk’s vision, focusing on the judgment of both Israel and Babylon. (Wow, so perfect!) The proud is indicted on his pride, while the humble admit their need of help.

The Five Fold Indictment

Habakkuk 2:5-8 – Greed

Isa 14:4 & Jeremiah 50:13 speak of the Taunting reproof of those oppressed by drunken Babylon. Like Abigail’s husband, Nabal, who rebuffed David’s men, he found himself dead after God struck him paralyzed and dead.  1 Sam 25:3-ff

Habakkuk 2:9-11 – Extortion

Evil gain for his house. House can be thought of literally as the family of the person, while the literary allusions use a house as the comparing point. The stones cry out here, also in Joshua at his final dismissal (Josh 24:27), and Jesus at the fulfillment of Daniel 9:26 in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Mat 21:9 & Luke 19:38 quoting from Psalm 118:26

Habakkuk 2:12-14 – Slavery

Jehoiakim used forced labor and confiscated funds to build his palace. Toiling for fire means that ultimately, everything built in iniquity was burned up and did not survive. Our works will be so tested. 1 Cor 3:13 and 1 Peter 1:7.

Instead of human building of dinky temples and palaces and monuments, it will be pale in comparison to the knowledge of the glory of the Lord (ahem, that would be His glorious, saving-son).  This is the millennial kingdom, I cannot wait for it. It is told here also in the Old Testament: Numbers 14:21, Psalm 72:19, Isa 6:3, 11:9 and of course, here.

Habakkuk 2:15-17 – Sorcery

This is not unlike pornography, in that they treat victims by drugging them with alcohol to lust upon them, and treat them as so much meat. The same can be said of the pornographer, there is no dignity, only exploitation, and shattered lives of those shamed, and those gazing upon them.

The rape of people was also done to the forests of Lebanon. Isa 14:7-8

Habakkuk 2:18-20 – Idolatry

Dagon fall over go boom
Dagon fall over go boom

The foolishness and base insult to God of the idol maker is on trial. While the idol is incapable of making a sound, unless it falls over and crashes (1 Sam 5:2-7), the Sovereign Lord commands silence

Memory Verse:

Habakkuk 2:4b – “But the righteous will live by his faith.”