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About Us
- Read the Bible Together
- MILTON, FLORIDA, United States
- This is a project of Bay Area Vineyard in Milton, Florida. For more information on our church go to www.bavineyardchurch.com
Read The Bible Together WELCOME
This blog has been established because many of us wanted to read the Bible together. We have adapted a two-year program of Bible reading and study and this blog site is for recording our discussions, reflections, and questions concerning what we are learning.
30 comments:
Cosmology
1. the metaphysical study of the origin and nature of the universe
2. the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution and structure of the universe
It is amazing that the more astrophysics learn about the universe the better their theories seem to line up with the simple description given us in Genesis 1. You can read more about this at...
http://www.reasons.org/resources/fff/2000issue03/index.shtml#big_bang_the_bible_taught_it_first
Did God Create Darkness?
Sense God created everything then He must have created darkness... right? Well not exactly. Darkness only had to be defined when God created light. So defining darkness only had meaning when God introduced light because darkness is the absence of light. If you think about it, what is physical light? It is something (photons-things that sometimes act like energy and sometimes matter) bouncing off something (matter) causing the eye and brain to perceive different colors and shapes. Without these “somethings” and the laws of physics there would only be darkness. So God did not create darkness since to create implies that something is brought into existence. Darkness is just like the word nothing ... which the absence of something. (Is this fun or what?)
Interesting that it says that God saw that it was Good as he created. Could be why we enjoy nature so much. But the last day it says And God saw every thing that he made (and that includes us as humans) and behold it was VERY GOOD.
It's funny how RBT has told me before about "The Big Bang Theory" kind of proving God right. Since I have been learning about the Bible and taking my journey, this is really making sense.
As for the darkness question, without even reading your blog, I answered the question the same way...nothing is darkness.
How else would a perfect entity see things that he creates? I guess it takes a culmination for it to be very good though.
I can't stop reading and I won't be near a computer for a couple of days so I better post early.
It is interesting how men were created from dust and every kind of animal and bird were created from the soil; however, woman was created from our rib or a part of man's side depending on translation.
I love verses 23-25 in Genesis 2. I have read this part numerous times but never for understanding. I just can't believe how true that is, or at least should be, about marriage. Together again.
As for our New Testament reading:
I'm a huge fan of Joseph, considering he took his pregnant virgin fiancee. Also never really realized how bad Herod was, but of course, if I had been ruler and someone made claim for my throne, I don't know how quickly I could have gave it up either. Don't know if I could have pulled off genocide though...seems extreme.
A comment for April 17 reading on Genesis 2:9: The CEV (Contemporary English Version) translates verse 9 in an interesting way. It says, “...One of the trees gave life—the other gave the power to know the difference between right and wrong.” I added in the margin, “...but not the power to chose right.”
The "other tree," the tree of life was protected afterward by angels but could it exist still today?
Another question is what would have happened if they ate of the tree of life. The tree of life is also mentioned in Revelation 22:14.
Did you notice the contrast between the two chapters we read today? One is about the first Adam (or man) who did not do what God wanted him to do and Matthew 3 is about the second Adam (Jesus) who says this concerning His baptism, “For now this is how it should be, we must do all that God wants us to do.” (Matthew 3:15 CEV)
In Genesis 4, when God warned Cain of his impending sin he violated what little relationship he had with God and eventually killed his brother. His lack of relationship with God affected his relationships with all people and radically changed his life style.
It soon filtered down to later generations. (Something to ponder… sin is not so much an act as it is a breach in one’s relationship with God.)
With regard to the tree of life, God said that it would have made them like "us," the Trinity. At least, that is how I interpreted it. Am I wrong?
It never specifically said why God did not accept Cain's offering. Can anyone shed some light?
If anyone killed Cain, then they would have faced seven times Cain's punishment. Any idea what that actually means?
Secondly, Lamech mentions he killed a youth and said if anyone takes revenge on him, then they would be punished 77 times. Where does he get that?
You have to love John "The Baptist." Can you imagine being in his shoes? The Savior approaches you and asks you to baptize him. I think my reaction would have been the same.
The Devil isn't to bright either. Trying to tempt Jesus which was more like deceiving him. Trying to preach scripture to the guy who wrote it. Now that is funny.
My last thought of the night is the disciples were extremely trusting. It doesn't mention that they even knew who Jesus was (I assume they did). Just drop what you are doing and come with me. You'll have no money and be ridiculed beyond belief but it is worth it.
Genesis 4:5-My study bible states Cain had the wrong attitude when he gave and challenges us to check our attitude and motives when we give. Hope that helps.
Matthew 4:20-Again it staes they knew Jesus and what kind of man he was and were convinced he would change their lives. John 1:35-42 Boy does He!
Chapter 5 of Genesis really did not do a whole lot but that Methusalah sure was old.
The start of the Sermon on the Mount was very interesting. It definately speaks to me and tells me what I need to work on (dog on that mercy thing). Gentle and low are not far behind.
Verse 20 says I need to obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees. Without me cheating and reading way ahead, can someone let me know my Pastor isn't one I need to obey God better than (I think I am behind in that aspect).
When dealing with anger, are we not allowed to get angry or is it just how we deal with it?
As for divorce and adultery, the Bible says in verse 32 that if you marry a divoced woman you are commiting adultery. It gives a caviate in the previous verse with regards to divorce but not in this verse. Is it just assumed that it carries over? Is it also OK for divorce in cases of abuse?
Jesus was angry several times and he was without sin. Anger is an emotion and as such can not be directly controled. What we do with it can be.
also some versions say "without a cause"
I enjoy being able to read and study the Bible as a group. It brings further unity to our church.
Genesis 9:20-27 proves that even the most godly people can sin and their bad influences affects families.
This is for Kedoasdad and this comment:
My last thought of the night is the disciples were extremely trusting. It doesn't mention that they even knew who Jesus was (I assume they did). Just drop what you are doing and come with me. You'll have no money and be ridiculed beyond belief but it is worth it.
You are right, it does seem as thought this was the first encounter they had with Jesus, however, we have four gospels to give us a more accurate picture. In the gospel of John chapter 1 beginning with verse 35, we have a more complete picture of what was going on. It seems Peter’s brother Andrew was following John the Baptist and he referred them to Jesus. Most of the guys from the fishing company had been around Jesus for a while. In Luke 5 verse 1, Jesus borrowed Peter’s boat to preach from.
In the passage in Matthew, he was inviting them to come be students in his school of ministry. According to the book of John and Luke, this was not the first encounter. It was common for a Rabbi to enroll disciples in this way; however, it was probably not normal for ordinary fishermen to get such an invitation.
Gensis 11 shows me that once again, like in the Garden, man was trying to be God like. Adam and Eve were trying to have God's knowledge and the Tower builders were trying to reach heaven in a literal way. God sort of gave mankind a do over with Noah and I think he really didn't want us to blow it again. So, He scattered us and made communication more difficult.
Here is an excert from an article you may find interesting while reading Genesis 11
The post Genesis Flood picture that emerges form this research depicts God's dealing with Noah's descendants. For years people stubbornly refused to "multiply and fill the earth," as God had commanded.(13) God nudged humanity (see the Babel account) to scatter beyond Mesopotamia.(14) Thousands of years later, that scattering reached the geographical limits of the eastern hemisphere. Warm land bridges formed about 14,000 years ago, and the scattering continued. Over a few thousand years, humanity moved into all the habitable land masses of Earth. From about 11,000 to 10,000 years ago, the land bridges quickly closed, perhaps preventing humanity from uniting again, as in the pre-Flood era, in defiance of God.
For the whole article go to http://www.reasons.org/resources/faf/97q4faf/97q4pelg.shtml
I am just now checking out this website and I think this is such a marvelous idea!
After reading all the posts I would like to respond to Kekosdad's April 20th comment on anger:
In the 4th chapter of Ephesians (v. 25), the KJV says, "Be ye angry but sin not". Not only are we allowed to be angry but in the KJV it almost sounds like a command. Any mental health counselor can attest to the fact that repressed anger is unhealthy both mentally and physically. We were created in God's image and that includes the creation of our emotions. But the second part of that verse tells us, "let not the sun go down on your wrath" or, in the NIV, "Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry" and the following verse (27)goes on to say "for anger gives a foothold to the devil". My rule of thumb for my own life is GET MAD, BE CAREFUL HOW YOU EXPRESS IT, AND GET OVER IT. This is not always easy to do but I know that following the rule of not going to bed angry has carried my husband and I through some rough patches over the years. I will admit, however, on more than one occasion following this rule has meant staying awake until sun up talking through our issues.
I have a comment about today's reading in Genesis 16. Sarai insisted that Abram sleep with Hagar in hopes that she would produce a child for them. Then when Hagar bagan to despise Sarai, Sarai blamed Abram - "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering." Seems like the age old problem Adam and Eve had in the garden- the blame game.
Genesis 17:7-WOW! When I read this verse this morning it really touched me. The words everlasting covenant between us and generation after generation. Again and again God shows us how much he loves us and it overwhelmes me. Oh to be like you Lord!
The Lord was not upset with Abraham when he slept with Sara's servant because he took her as a wife but did the Lord ever tell Abraham who he would have Ishmael with?
As for Sodom, WOW. Good riddance. That place was kind of freaky. I don't know if I could offer my daughters up to anybody. What was the Lord's outlook on Lot's daughters taking advantage of him? Does it ever say? Again, they were freaky.
I think that it is interesting that Sodom was destroyed for lack of having righteous people. The earth was flooded because the only righteous was Noah. The disciples were told that town that did not receive them would be worse off than Sodom and Gomorrha. Sodom would have been saved from destruction with only 10 righteous . Makes me think how important it is to be right with God not just for ourselves but also for those around us.
Reading the selection in Matthew impressed me anew with how little Our Lord cares for "religious rules". And when he used the scriptures to justify his actions to the Pharisees, it made them so angry they wanted to kill him. What a contrast to what we see happens in Genesis 19 when Lot's wife disobeys,not a religious law, but God's Word to her.
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40.
The common celebration of Easter says that Jesus was buried on Friday and rose early Sunday. How was this three days and three nights?
In Answer to "country girl's" question:
Many people think that Jesus Christ was crucified on a Wednesday (or sometimes Thursday), in accord with the "three days and nights" of Jonah's stay in the fish's belly, or that it was not possible for Jesus to be crucified on a Friday. Orthodox Christianity has always held that Jesus was crucified and died on a Friday afternoon (hence, Good Friday), and rose from the dead in the very early morning on the following Sunday (hence the Christian day of worship and Easter Sunday). The reason for this is as follows:
"Three days and three nights" is simply Hebrew idiom.(An idiom being speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as in 'keep tabs on'.) The phrase "one day and one night" meant a day, even when only a part of a day was indicated. We see this, e.g., in 1 Sam 30:12-13 (cf. Gen 42:17-18).
We know that Jesus was crucified on a Friday because Scripture tells us that the Sabbath (Saturday) as approaching (e.g., Mt 27:62, Mk 15:42, Lk 23:54, Jn 19:31 - the "day of preparation" is Friday, the day before the Sabbath: Saturday, and the Sabbath was considered to begin on sundown on Friday, as with Jews to this day).
We also know from the biblical data that the discovery of His Resurrection was on a Sunday (e.g., Mk 16:1-2-,9, Mt 28:1, Lk 24:1, Jn 20:1). And we know that "three days and three nights" (Mt 12:40) is synonymous in the Hebrew mind and the Bible with "after three days" ((Mk 8:31) and "on the third day" (Mt 16:21, 1 Cor 15:4). Most references to the Resurrection say that it happened on the third day. In John 2:19-22, Jesus said that He would be raised up in three days (not on the fourth day).
It would be like saying, "This is the third day I've been working on painting this room." I could have started painting late Friday and made this remark on early Sunday. If I complete the task on Sunday, then the chronology would be just as Jesus' Resurrection was. The only difference is the Hebrew idiom "three days and three nights" which was not intended in the hyper-literal sense as we might mistakenly interpret it today.
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