Deborah~ Why a Female?

Why not a female! It says that Deborah was a prophetess in Judges 4:1-4:

4:1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead. 2 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
3 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

A prophetess speaks for God.  In the Old Testament God could communicate to a man or woman via spirit upon them. It was temporary and usually on someone God chose to lead the rest of his people.

After experiencing freedom during the time of the judge, Ehud, God's people were oppressed by Jabin, a Canaanite king. It went on twenty years. Working with Barak, Deborah coordinated a strategy to remove the oppressors from the land. Barak was encouraged by Deborah and said he wanted her to accompany him.  He recognized the spirit of God working upon her and the strategy was successful and she recognized him and the job he needed to do.

The plan was brilliant and the weather brought the enemies weapons into a sluggish mire. They got turned around and outflanked just by these two working together with God. This is about a faithful woman and a warrior working to bring out God's victory.  

5 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 2 Praise ye the Lord.....

A Great Woman - Deborah

The 4th judge mentioned in the Book of Judges is Deborah. In verse 4 of chapter 4, we see that she was a prophetess and a judge. The children of Israel had gotten into one of their down cycles of unbelief and were experiencing 20 years of oppression. They cried out to God for help.

God's love extends to everyone. If a person or group turn out and away from God, they eventually fall into oppressive pressure traps, not because God ceases to love them, but because he can't reach them outside his boundaries. Many people blame God or diss him for all sorts of reasons when the only one to blame is really themselves. All of what God has created is meant to bless. People who stick up their nose at him are ignorant or have mistaken notions about love, sin, good and evil.

Some don't like boundaries, but God has boundaries. 'Sin' is defined as 'missing the mark' as it is an ancient archery term. There's a target and there is an area outside the target. Hitting the target is golden and has significance and reward. I like to define 'sin' as 'missing out on'. Actually, I looked at a frequent Greek word for 'sin' and it essentially means 'missing a share or a portion'.  'Missing the mark' connotes to me a 'performance condition'. Our performance is not the issue.  It is believing what has been provided for us.  The boundaries keep us within reach.

When Israel cried to God, he worked through a woman. A prophetess speaks for God. In order to speak for God, she had to have spirit upon her. In the Old Testament, this is how God worked through an individual to bless a group and rescue them out of the clutches of oppression.  In the New Testament, the spirit can take up residence in anyone who chooses God by confessing the Lordship of his son and believing that God got Jesus up from the dead.

This lady was also a judge:

4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. Judges 4:4-5

She didn't have to belong to any international or national organization for women's rights, she had God at her back. God's view of women has been so distorted by people throughout history. She didn't run around giving everybody a piece of her mind to show strength, she gave her heart. At the center of her heart was God.

She is an example of a great woman. In the New Testament, we have an even greater potential as women. The spirit of God has been made available to anyone (male or female) who chooses. We can truly walk in the love of God free from the coldness of sin and evil, to do good.  In that context, we can be anything we want to be!

What Does Freedom Look Like?

The media is all aglow with an uproar over an actor on Broadway who made a public statement to our newly elected Vice President.  Governor Pence's comment to his daughter was interesting. He referred to the expression of the actor as 'what freedom looks like'. His comment got me to thinking. What does 'freedom' truly look like?

The greatest freedom I have ever found is in knowing God.  You can't get it from education, relationships, drugs, alcohol, money, fame or anything else this world has to offer. True freedom comes from the truth about God.

Freedom is not obligatory, static, wild, over-indulgent, undisciplined, unruly, insistent, self-centered vain and certainly not controlling. It involves love, patience, courage and fearlessness .

In Romans 8:21, the first use of 'liberty' (or freedom) in the New Testament is found:

20 For the creature (creation) was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature (creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Because of what happened way back in Genesis (as recorded in chapter 3:1-19) in the garden of Eden, the creation became subject to a great frustration as the earth fell under new management. The world around us now is not idyllic. There has been a lot of corruption. Mankind has fallen into bondage because of the evil intentions of a force other than God. But God has promised to deliver his people from this bondage of corruption and  bring them into glorious 'liberty' as his own children. True freedom does exactly that. Godly truth sets people free. To be free indeed, we have to know God and his son, Jesus Christ.

What does this freedom look like? Freedom has God at the source and lives in a heart that rests in righteousness. It is peace, it is love, it is joy. It is gentleness, goodness and endurance. It is also faith, humbleness, and self-control.

Life can be a pressurized rat race without God. The restlessness of the soul and the striving for something that  really doesn't bring joy is not '"freedom's safest place".  When our heart is genuinely free, it doesn't matter if we are alone or in the center of a crowd. It doesn't matter what other people think of us even if they misjudge us. It is a rest that enables us to love freely and is built on a rock-solid assurance that we are loved by the creator of the universe.

Have a glorious Thanksgiving!

Life as it rolls.......

When a feather floats along the ground it is subject to the bumps, scrapes, and impediments along the way. Should even a gentle wind happen its way, it can be lifted into the air to float with the wind on a less destructive path. As we roll with life along the terrain, we too can be jostled around in a path we seemingly cannot control. We can choose, however, to take a higher route and stay above the dust and dirt and launch into the wings of God soaring and not subject to the meanders that push people along.

The Book of Judges illustrates this beautifully. The promised land experience was an up and down trip. When they allowed God to provide the path, they were fine.  When, during times of prosperity, they let things slide they inevitably ran into problems. God does not control, he simply provides a path. Man chooses and acts upon his/her choice. The judges that rose up during that time were temporary deliverers.  Jesus Christ is the once and final deliverer that God has sent under the new covenant.

You never will get to know God unless you look for him. You have to do it, otherwise, something else will try to define him for you. Jesus Christ is the only path to God. It was Jesus who said:

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? John 7:7-11

Jesus Christ has provided the lift to live life to the fullest. After he died and was resurrected to his position on the right hand of God as God's high priest to man, he sent the gift of holy spirit to provide for and tie us all together:

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. John 17:20-26

When we rely on others to find God, we relinquish the richness of the fellowship indicated in the above verses. God can work through others if need be, but the ultimate responsibility for each of us is in a relationship with the Father and his son.

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. I John 1:3-4

The First Amendment of the Constitution

Thanksgiving is a reminder of the Mayflower days and the men and women who made the courageous believing journey across the Atlantic to find religious freedom establishing a new world based upon God's abundant goodness.  Life wasn't handed to them on a silver platter, but they were blessed with the the greatest freedom and peace. We have all benefited by their actions and commitment.

The United States of America is not a theocracy but the 1st amendment guarantees freedom of religion.

 Notice that the phrase 'separation of church and state' does not appear in the amendment. This phrase was first used by Thomas Jefferson in response to the Danbury Connecticut baptists in 1807 to calm their fears of government intervention in church affairs. 

In the 21st century, America has the greatest diversity of religions and is one of the most religious countries in the world. There is much evidence that this country started in Christian Theism. God is mentioned in our national anthem and referenced to in the Declaration of Independence four times (Nature's God, Creator, Supreme Judge of the world and divine Providence). There are Bible verses as well as the name 'God' etched in stone and brass all over Washington D.C. The Bible was at one time used as a textbook in schools. Our founding fathers often utilized biblical quotes in their writings.

According to the amendment, the government is not to establish a particular denomination as the official denomination according to the Constitution. It also restricted government meddling in church business. This did not apply to states. Several states originally had state religions. The courts did not interfere with this for over 150 years. In 1947,  the Supreme Court utilized the words 'separation of church and state' in a ruling of the Everson vs Board of Education case reversing previous rulings and applying the Establishment Clause to states. From this point on in history, there has been increased pressure to separate church and state in many avenues of American life.

Reformation Day

Yesterday was Reformation Day on the calendar. It was  the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses (also called 'Disputation of the Power of Indulgences) on the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517.  The indulgences were certificates that a person could purchase to reduce penalties for sin for himself or someone else that was already in purgatory. Purgatory  and indulgences are never mentioned in the Word of God. In fact, Luther saw how both ideas contradicted what he read in the Bible.

Martin Luther discovered the reality of the scriptures and he saw how far religion had swerved off the plain path of the grace of God. It is easy to see why. We live in a world that pushes so hard that it is quicker and easier to trust what is said by pulpiteers (not that pulpiteers are necessarily wrong)  than what God says about himself and his son Jesus Christ. So many people are afraid of God and have not realized how much he has shown throughout the Bible that he loves to be believed. We need not be afraid to go to God ourselves. .Jesus Christ is the way to that kind of righteousness.

Luther had problems with the word "righteousness" until he saw the reality of the phrase "the just shall live by faith'. When it registered in his brain what that truly meant, righteousness became a lovely word to him.  With 'rightousness' came  the dynamic duo: grace and peace.

3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:3-5

In his commentary on Galatians 1:3, he said: "Grace released sin, and peace maketh the conscience quiet.  The two fiends that torment us, are sin and conscience.  But Christ hath vanquished both these monsters, and trodden them underfoot, both in this world, and that which is to come." 

When you read through record after record in the Old Testament, book after book, this is so visible.  In the New Testament, grace and peace start almost every epistle and certainly the life of Jesus Christ in the gospels oozes both.

Reformation is an ongoing event, not just something that happened almost 500 years ago. Peeling off the false doctrines that sneak their way into religion is not easy intellectually sometimes, but believing God to show you is relatively easy once sin and condemnation are removed. Jesus Christ paved the way for this to happen.

Disobedience and Obedience

Today I got into looking at the word 'obedience' in II Corinthians 2:5 and 6:

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. II Corinthians 10:5-6

First of all, it is important to look at these verses in light of the context.  This particular section is about the criticisms that had been leveled at Paul. He was reminding them about judging the way things look rather than looking at things spiritually.

In light of this, the word 'obedience' is translated from the Greek word 'hupakoe' which is from two words 'hypo' (beneath) and 'akouo' (to hear); literally it means 'to hear attentively'. The word 'disobedience' is 'parakoe' (imperfect hearing, parallel hearing, hearing alongside). All this is referring to our thought reasonings(imaginations= logismous- logic). Remember Romans 10:17:?

7 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Listening attentively to the word brings faith (trust in God). Read Matthew 21:21-22!

Truth is truth, regardless of comparing ourselves to each other, boasting and moving in areas that are not our assignment (vs. 12-16). Our job is to listen attentively to Christ, through the word and utilization of the spirit.

The other day I happened to catch a short clip of a television minister and what he happened to be talking about was something I had been working in the word. It was great and I knew it was from God for me to hear what he was saying. If I was to just physically assess this preacher (he looked more like a biker than a world-renown preacher) I would have missed a rich nugget.  Even if I don't totally understand some of his scriptural points of view, I got something out of this one point because of my own studying of the word and the spirit of God working in my heart.

Later on in Corinthians, Paul says:

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity (singleness) that is in Christ. 
II Corinthians 11:5-6

The whole message of Christ is messianic. God provided a way to himself through Jesus Christ. He provided the gift of holy spirit to connect us all together without losing our unique and individual relationship with him. It is amazingly simple! As we ask God for answers, we get them if we listen attentively. (Reread II Corinthians 10-11 about his topic)

Who are you to judge?

The Book of Judges is taking on new meaning for me in light of this current time we are experiencing. There is nothing new under the sun! Of course, when reading the Old Testament we

have to remember that it is the OLD Testament and that there is a NEW Testament, but there are some things that have not changed between the two.

Human nature hasn't seemed to change.  Human beings are still subject to evil. Not only are humans subject to evil, we have the choice to engage in it either by ignorance of deliberate decision.

God's original and eternal intention was and still is to bless his creation. When something goes awry it is something other than God that is setting a variance to the creation he set up. The trouble is when something goes wrong, man's natural inclination is to respond to what is wrong and diminish our relationship with God. We, humans, are great complainers when we engage our negative selfishness. It is not wrong to care about ourselves. We should; but to push it into a negative mindset and continue to stay hunkered down there is not what God had in mind for us. God has given us so many 'outs' for this dilemma, that it is a wonder why evil still floats around. God has given us so much through his love in his creation, his word, his spirit and his son. That is where our focus should be. Light dispels darkness, not the other way around. Focusing on the light is the only way out of any deep hole!

In Judges, it is a constant cycle of self-interest, stumbling, complaining, giving up, crying out and eventual deliverance similar to what is recorded in The Book of Exodus. God is so patient!
In each cycle, God was able to find someone to lead people out of the dark corners that they had drifted into.

Who were these judges? These were people who knew what they had to do because they loved God. They were not perfect but they must have been able to listen to God. Othniel was the first judge.  He was related to Caleb of whom we know 'wholly followed' the Lord. Othniel also had shown the same kind of tenacity in taking care of the enemy who had invaded the land in Judges 1.

10 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. Judges 3:1

The result was 40 years of rest for God's people!

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the rescuer today. Because of his life, every believer has the spirit of God in them to discern the good and the bad of this world without fear. Jesus Christ exposed the adversary and the idols that draw people away from God. He is the head of the church today and he lives on forever. We can distinguish those things that distract, oppress and abuse us and stand up without fear holding us back because of his living reality.

Government

The Book of Judges is a very relevant book in light of today's culture. God's first and foremost intent is a "Theocratic" government or more simply put, simply God ruling directly over his people. So where did labels like democratism, republicanism, socialism, monarchism, communism come from?

In the early days of the New Testament, God raised up a leader to lead his people by communicating spiritually to that leader. After Joshua died, God did not select another leader to guide the Hebrews.  It was not God's will for God's nation to be ruled by one man.

29 And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. 31 And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.Joshua 24:29-31

Judges arose during Israel's 'Theocracy' because of problems, sin and bad situations that developed for the Hebrews. A cycle of governance was repeated over and over again during Israel's history of that time.

11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim: 12 And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger.

13 And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

16 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. 17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.

18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. Joshua 2:11-19

This could be written today and applied to our culture today. Our government is not a theocracy as evidenced by confusion, corruptness, immorality, lack of believing, greed and self-centeredness. When  people turn their backs to the God who created the universe, man scrambles to construct 'ism's' in God's place to control and regulate the problems that ensue. The only way to get rid of problems is to follow the right way and get back to loving and believing God.

http://truefrase.blogspot.com/2012/10/god-bless-america.html

Part II - Reconciliation and Propitiation

In the New Testament, the King James Version, uses the word 'atonement' only once in Romans 5:11:

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:11

The Greek work that 'atonement' is translated from is the Greek word, 'katalagge' which in the other 5 places that it is used is translated 'reconciliation'. This word has been defined as 'restoration to favor' and tied to the greek verb, 'to reconcile'  indicating 'to change thoroughly'. Probably the translators should have stayed with the word 'reconciliation' rather than 'atonement'. The words reconciliation and to be reconciled are also found in II Corinthians 5:18-20:

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Corinthians 5:18-19

 It is important to recognize that reconciliation involves being reconciled to God. It is in turning to God that we receive all that God has made available to us. When we have our back to God we don't receive. There is absolutely no darkness in God; God is pure love. Darkness comes upon us when we turn away from the light.

Sin is turning our back to God. It is when we take off in a dark direction, ignoring the light. Jesus Christ was a light unto the world:

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.John 8:1

This ties into the word 'propitiation'.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. I John 4:9-11

In the New Testament Covenant, the way back to God is not through the blood of lambs, goats or bird or bulls offered on a continual basis.  Instead, Jesus Christ was the once and all time propitiation and path for victory over darkness for  all men specifically for those who choose to change direction and follow light.

The word of reconciliation has been committed to us. God is very much in favor of reconciliation to him. In II Corinthians 5:19-20 above, notice the phrase "not imputing their trespasses unto them". Does God focus on sin? No! Does God focus on having a relationship with him? It certainly seems so!

Part I: Covered- Atonement

In the Bible, the words, atonement, reconciliation, propitiation, are huge building blocks in scripture. Many theologians write about what these words mean and it can get very confusing because of the various theologies that have been spawned. The best place to look is God's word. God never intended to make his word difficult, therefore we need to keep it simple and expect to get answers from him.

The word 'atonement' is almost exclusively used in the Old Testament.  In Genesis 6:14, the first usage of the Hebrew word for atonement is 'kaphar' and translated 'pitch'.  'Pitch' was a tarry substance.  It was a sealer God instructed Noah to cover the ark in pitch :

14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. Genesis 6:14

The ark had to be covered inside and out to prevent leaks.  Atonement in the Old Testament was a covering. It was a type of rescue on a temporary basis.The Hebrews had various offerings and sacrifices that could be used  to worship, receive forgiveness and exhibit commitment to God. These offerings were repeated and continued for reconciliation with God.

The next few places in the word where atonement is found is in Exodus 29-30 and indeed shows repeated action:

10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord. Exodus 30:10

In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve lived in paradise, until they chose to not listen to God and thus sinned. Sin is simply not listening to God and therefore consequences develop because people look to something else other than God.

What caused the problems in Genesis 3? It wasn't God. God is love and in God  is no darkness at all. As a result, he provided Adam and Eve with coats of skin  from animals for a covering. They had made fig leaves to cover their shame of their nakedness.

21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Genesis 3:21

God meets needs of people where they at in their minds. Covering up is not God's heart.

Jesus Christ, who was God's propitiation, brought about true, permanent reconciliation with God.  In the New Testament, the Greek word from which reconciliation was translated from means to change thoroughly. Reconciliation with God is to have a complete relationship with God.

Next: Reconciliation,Propitiation