The Study of God: Recent Episodes
Daniel Whyte III
Today's passage of Scripture is Psalm 10:4 which reads: "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."
Today's words from a theologian are from Abraham Kuyper. He said: "In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, 'That is mine!'" Our first topic for today is titled "What Characteristics of Himself Does God Share With Humans? (Part 2)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron. --- [The Characteristic of] Love “God is love”, and so he acts in love. The exodus is the great Old Testament symbol of this; because of God’s love, he redeemed his people from enslavement in Egypt. The cross is the great New Testament symbol; because of God’s love, he sent his own Son to die for sinful people. What does love mean? Here is a generally accepted definition: Love always does what is best for the object of love, regardless of the cost. If you really love someone, you will desire the best for them, and to the extent that you can, you will do what is best for them— even when they may not think it is best and even when it may require self-giving and even sacrifice. ... Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Prophetic Era (Part 2)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns. Isaiah is unusually descriptive in depicting Messiah's future kingdom blessing to Israel and the nations. The prophet refers to Messiah as the "Branch of the Lord"; Messiah will sprout out of the Davidic line and bring blessing to the entire earth. Messiah will also be Immanuel, "God with us," in His life and ministry. It is clear from Matthew 1:23 that the prophecy finds fulfillment in the birth of Christ. Christ's presence through His words and works demonstrates "God with us," for He performed the works of God and spoke the words of God. Isaiah describes Him both as "a child born" and "a son given," the former suggesting His humanity and the latter His deity. Isaiah's titles of Messiah also emphasize His deity: "Wonderful Counselor", "Mighty God," and "Eternal Father". ...
Today's passage of Scripture is Ezra 8:22 which reads: "The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.."
Today's words from a theologian are from E. Stanley Jones. He said: "God, to redeem us at the deepest portion of our nature -- the urge to love and be loved, must reveal His nature in an incredible and impossible way. He must reveal it at a cross."
Our first topic for today is titled "What Characteristics of Himself Does God Share With Humans? (Part 1)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
Even the characteristics of himself that God shares with humans—communicable attributes—are not quite the same in us. All of these are perfect in God but imperfect in people. Nevertheless, it is with regard to these attributes that we as humans can most relate to God.
--- Justice/Righteousness
Closely related to God's holiness is his justice or righteousness Both English words are used to translate the Hebrew and Greek terms that are biblically applied to this aspect of God's being, and while they share a moral sense, there are other nuances as well.
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Prophetic Era (Part 1)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
--- FUNCTION OF THE PROPHET
The prophets of Israel played an important role in declaring Israel's future kingdom blessings regarding the original promise given to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 and amplified under the Palestinian covenant and the Davidic covenant.
The prophetic office was instituted in Deuteronomy 18:15-18 and immediately anticipated the greater prophet, Messiah, to whom the people would listen. Several different terms are used to describe a prophet. The Hebrew term "nabhi" means a spokesman or a speaker and denotes "one who has been called or appointed to proclaim as a herald the message of God himself."' A second Hebrew term describing the prophet is "roeh", which means "to see"; it is the older word for prophet and is basically synonymous with "nabhi." "Roeh" was the popular designation, whereas nabhi was the technical term.; A third term, seer, means "to see or behold," and is also synonymous with "roeh." All three terms are used in 1 Chronicles 29:29, suggesting they are synonymous.
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Today's passage of Scripture is 2 Chronicles 30:9 which reads: "For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him."
Today's words from a theologian are from Michael Horton. He said: "Once we truly grasp the message of the 'New Testament', it is impossible to read the 'Old Testament' again without seeing Christ on every page, in every story, foreshadowed or anticipated in every event and narrative."
Our first topic for today is titled "God’s Unique Characteristics (Part 6)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
Another attribute of God is his holiness. God is sinless, morally perfect, totally apart from evil. Even further, he is the very standard of moral perfection. Numerous times in Scripture, God says, "Be holy, because I am holy." All laws and commands that come from God flow from and reflect his holy nature.
However, we still have not gotten to the most basic meaning of God's holiness, which is that he is distinct from everyone and everything else. God is unique, in a category all by himself. This is expressed in Exodus 15:11, "Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness?" The answer: No one. Similarly, 1 Samuel 2:2 says, "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God." One effect this should have upon us is what it had on Isaiah. After having a vision of God and hearing angels say, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty", he was humble, repentant, and willing to serve God however he could. An understanding of God's holiness will revolutionize one's life.
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Monarchial Era" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
In God's original promise to Abraham, He promised to bless the patriarch, giving him an innumerable posterity. God promised to give Abraham a great name and make him a blessing through his posterity. It is the promise regarding these promised descendants in Genesis 12:2 that is amplified in the Davidic covenant of 2 Samuel 7:12-16. God promised David that he would have a son, Solomon, who would establish his throne; moreover, David's lineage would be perpetuated, ultimately issuing in the kingdom rule of Messiah, who would have a political kingdom, an earthly rule that would endure forever.
--- THE DAVIDIC COVENANT
The kingdom concept reaches its zenith in the Davidic covenant, which predicts the future millennial reign of David's greater Son, the Messiah. Nature of the Covenant In 2 Samuel 7 God promised David the following: (1) David is to have a child, yet to be born, who shall succeed him and establish his kingdom. (2) This son (Solomon) shall build the temple instead of David. (3) The throne of his kingdom shall be established forever. (4) The throne will not be taken away from him (Solomon) even though his sins justify chastisement. (5) David's house, throne, and kingdom shall be established forever.
Today's passage of Scripture is 2 Samuel 22:32-34 which reads: "For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places."
Today's words from a theologian are from Ernest Holmes. He said: "We can no more do without spirituality than we can do without food, shelter, or clothing."
Our first topic for today is titled "God's Unique Characteristics (Part 5)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
Another incommunicable attribute of God is his immutability. This means he never changes in his essence or nature. James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Hebrews 13:8 says of Jesus, the Son of God, he "is the same yesterday and today and forever."
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Mosaic Era (Part 3)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
The book of Deuteronomy anticipates the possession of the land by Israel. The people journeyed through the wilderness and came up on the east side of the Dead Sea in anticipation of possessing the land. This is an important emphasis of the book since "sixty-nine times the writer of Deuteronomy repeated the pledge that Israel would one day 'possess' and 'inherit' the land promised to her." The Lord reiterated the conditional nature of the covenant by citing the necessity of obedience for blessing while citing the judgments for disobedience. The judgments anticipated the dispersions by Assyria (722 B.C.), Babylon (586 B.C.), and Rome (A.D. 70). However, when all those calamities were over, God revealed that Israel would once again possess the land. This would ultimately be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Joshua 23:3 which reads: "And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you."
Today's words from a theologian are from Charles Hodge. He said: "The ultimate ground of faith and knowledge is confidence in God. Our first topic for today is titled "God’s Unique Characteristics (Part 4)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron. The best and highest goal God has chosen is to glorify himself. One of the very best means toward this goal is how God has created. Psalm 104:24 says, "How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all." Another means to God's glory is how he has made salvation available for all. After reflecting on the riches of his grace through Jesus Christ, resulting in justification by faith, which Paul had just unpacked, he wrote, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! ... To him be the glory forever! Amen". ... Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Mosaic Era (Part 2)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns. Constitution of the Nation Having entered into a covenant with the nation Israel, God gave Israel her constitution, comprising much of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. These were the stipulations of the covenant in the mediatorial kingdom that Israel was to obey if the nation was to enjoy the blessing of God. The Law can be divided into three categories: the civil, ceremonial, and moral laws. ...
Today's passage of Scripture is Joshua 23:3 which reads: "And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you." Today's words from a theologian are from Stanley Hauerwas. He said: "To be a Christian means you become a part of the most significant story the world has ever heard. You don't become part of that without an ongoing questioning of what it means to become part of that." Our first topic for today is titled "God’s Unique Characteristics (Part 3)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron. In addition to being all-powerful and everywhere-present, God is all-knowing, an attribute known as omniscience. This means he has perfect and eternal knowledge of all things. He cannot learn anything because he has always known everything. He also knows all things that could have happened but did not. An interesting biblical illustration is in 1 Samuel 23:10-13, where God tells David what would happen if King Saul came to a certain city looking for David. As it turns out, Saul never came and those things never happened. God knows what would have happened if ... (you had married so-and-so!). ... Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Mosaic Era (Part 1)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns. When Jacob, his sons, and their families descended into Egypt, it was a large family that was migrating to Egypt; however, as the book of Exodus opens, the family of Jacob has grown into a nation. This nation will be the key instrument of God's revelation to humanity. When the Hyksos people and later the Egyptians oppressed Israel, God determined to bring the Israelites out of bondage. In Exodus 12, at the climax of the plagues, God sent the death angel through Egypt. Whoever had applied lamb's blood to the doorposts and above the doorways of their houses was redeemed—it took an act of faith to apply the blood to the house. This great act of delivering Israel from Egypt foreshadowed a greater act of redemption that God would accomplish through a descendant of Jacob—the Messiah. God led redeemed Israel down to Sinai, where He entered into a covenant with the nation. He was setting the Israelites apart as a special people for Himself. Israel became the mediator of God's theocratic kingdom on earth through the Mosaic covenant. ...
Today's passage of Scripture is Joshua 1:8-9 which reads: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
Today's words from a theologian are from George Gillespie. He said: "Reformation ends not in contemplation, but in action."
Our first topic for today is titled "God’s Unique Characteristics (Part 2)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
Dr. Daryl Aaron continues talking about some of God’s incommunicable attributes...
God’s sovereignty means he rules over and controls his entire creation absolutely and completely. The Bible often uses terms like reign, authority, and dominion to describe this. Read King David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:10-16, where, even though he does not use the word sovereignty, the concept permeates what he says. Sovereignty is why Paul can say that God “works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will”. What God wants to do, God does.
Because he is God, he does not tolerate encroachments upon his sovereignty. We must always be humble before him and gladly willing to submit to him. The story of King Nebuchadnezzar, recorded in Daniel 4, is an illustration. Another application is that we can trust the work of God implicitly. He is in perfect control of all circumstances of our lives, even when those circumstances seem to us to be totally out of control.
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Patriarchal Era (Part 1)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
The kingdom concept becomes more evident in Genesis 12. This chapter marks a change in God's dealing with humanity. In the early chapters of Genesis God dealt with mankind in general. With the sinfulness of the human race established, God now moves to bless and redeem a fallen humanity by working through a special people. Abraham becomes the central figure through whom God will work. He promises a blessing to Abraham and His posterity that will result in Messiah's advent with blessing to the Hebrew people and the nations of the world in the millennial kingdom.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 33:27 which reads: "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them."
Today's words from a theologian are from Norman Geisler. He said: "Only Jesus has prophecies made hundreds of years in advance made literally true. Only He did miracles; only His immediate followers claimed He died and rose from the dead, so in comparison, He comes out superior to other great religious leaders."
Our first topic for today is titled "God’s Unique Characteristics (Part 1)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
Theology that focuses on God specifically — who he is and what he has done — is known as "theology proper." This is really the most important topic in theology, because if you do not understand God properly, you cannot understand the rest of theology properly. Everything else flows from God’s character and work, even what we have already looked at: God’s Word.
God is an infinite being, and therefore we cannot know him perfectly and exhaustively. In this sense, God is "incomprehensible." Nevertheless, God has revealed himself — primarily through his Son, Jesus Christ — and therefore he is comprehensible to an extent. Our goal, then, is to so desire to know our amazingly great God that we continue to deepen our understanding of him for the rest of our lives.
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Noahic Era (Part 3)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
TOWER OF BABEL
In the land of Shinar the people found a plain and settled down. Here they decided to build a city "and a tower whose top will reach into heaven". Some think this was a ziggurat, an elevated platform on which worship was conducted. When the Lord saw what the people were doing, He confused their speech to prevent them from proceeding with their construction. The terminology describing God's action is illuminating. The Lord's transcendence and immanence are evident. He who is distant "came down" to see what the people were doing. The Trinity is also implied in the statement "Let Us go down".
The sin of the people was: (1) they were rebelling against the explicit command of God; (2) they were seeking their own glory instead of the Lord's glory. They declared, "let us make...let us build for ourselves...let us make for ourselves"; (3) they wanted to make a name for themselves. They wanted to build a tower that would bring them honor; (4) they wanted to avoid dispersion so they built a tower that would become a rallying point. They wanted to build their own kingdom instead of God's kingdom. Through the confusion of the language, God accomplished His purpose. The people were scattered and fulfilled His command by filling the earth.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 20:4 which reads: "For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."
Today's words from a theologian are from Austin Farrer. He said: "Christ does not save us by acting a parable of divine love; he acts the parable of divine love by saving us. That is the Christian faith."
Our first topic for today is titled "What Are the Implications of the Bible Being the Word of God? (Part 6)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
Not only is the Bible sufficient for what we are to know and do, but it is also understandable to the average reader. The theological term for this is perspicuity (which is not very clear, although that is exactly what the word means!). Psalm 19:7 says, “The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Psalm 119:130 declares, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” It’s encouraging that graduate training in Hebrew, Greek, and theology are not necessary to comprehend the Bible.
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Noahic Era (Part 2)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
THE NOAHIC COVENANT
The first act of Noah following the flood was to build an altar and worship the Lord. This is the first account in the Old Testament of worshiping the Lord through a blood sacrifice on an altar. The burnt offerings would later be revealed as dedicatory offerings.
Having earlier announced His covenant, God established it with Noah following the flood. The Noahic covenant establishes principles whereby man is to rule over God's kingdom on earth. (1) God made provision for the transmission of the human race. Man was commanded to fill the earth because the population was down to eight persons. The command to subdue the earth is no longer present; that was forfeited through sin. (2) Fear of man was placed in the animals. Animals had voluntarily subjected to man previously, but because man would now become carnivorous, God placed the fear of man in animals for their protection and preservation. (3) Provision for sustaining human life. Man no longer must be a vegetarian; he was now given meat to eat. Blood, however, was not to be eaten because it represented life. (4) Provision for protecting human life. As the administrator of God's kingdom, Noah was to guard the sanctity of human life. God placed a value on human life to the extent that whoever killed another man would have to forfeit his own life. God viewed murder as an assault on His person because man is made in the image of God. This is a consistent teaching of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Vengeance was not to be taken personally as a blood avenger, but it was to be taken through constituted governmental authority. (5) God promised never again to send a flood that would destroy all humanity.
Noah mediated God's covenant to all humanity. It is also an unconditional covenant inasmuch as no conditions are attached to the covenant. God indicated it was something He would do.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 20:1 which reads: "When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."
Today's words from a theologian are from Frederick William Faber. He said: "They always win who side with God."
Our first topic for today is titled "What Are the Implications of the Bible Being the Word of God? (Part 5)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
What we have in the Bible — Old and New Testaments — is what God intended for us to have. We are not waiting for further revelation or clarification. The Bible is sufficient in the sense that it contains all we need to know to be made right with God and live before him in a way that pleases him.
This was really true at each stage of God’s progressively revealing his Word. Paul wrote to Timothy, “From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." The “Holy Scriptures” Paul was referring to were what we call the Old Testament. Even though the New Testament was yet to come, the Old Testament was sufficient at that time, until God inspired the New.
The very next thing Paul wrote was the aforementioned primary text regarding the doctrine of inspiration: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Noahic Era (Part 1)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
CAINITES & SETHITES
The Noahic period sees the degradation and deterioration of the human race. This age marks the cleavage between the godly line of Seth and the ungodly line of Cain; two distinct branches of humanity are being worked out. The period could be characterized as describing the "natural development of the human race… (while) revelation here bears on the whole a negative rather than positive character. It contents itself with bestowing a minimum of grace."'
The downward trend of sin during the period begins with Cain murdering Abel. Cain became angry when God acknowledged the offering of Abel who had brought a better offering because he brought it by faith. The Lord warned Cain of sin "crouching at the door". Keil and Delitzsch picture sin "as a wild beast, lurking at the door of the human heart, and eagerly desiring to devour his soul. In a premeditated act, Cain killed his brother, Abel, and was banished by the Lord. The ground that had received the innocent blood of Abel would now resist Cain; in toil and hardship he would draw the produce from the ground.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 10:17 which reads: "For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward."
Today's words from a theologian are from Kevin DeYoung. He said: "The mystery of the Christian life is that Christ expects us to flee sin and the devil, but does not expect us to rid ourselves of either on this side of glory. Repentance is a way of life, and so is the pursuit of godliness. I wish every Christian could be reminded of these two things." Our first topic for today is titled "What Are the Implications of the Bible Being the Word of God? (Part 4)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron. So far we have seen that the Bible is inspired, meaning it is indeed God’s Word. Thus other things must be true by way of implication. One is that the Bible is inerrant. God does not make mistakes, and his Word does not include them. Another is that the Bible is infallible. If there are no mistakes in it, then it will never fail in what it says or cause anyone to fail in believing it. This also implies the unity of Scripture. There are no contradictions in it, just as there are no contradictions in the mind of God. Let's look at another important implication. ... Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Edenic Era (Part 3)" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns. PROMISE OF REDEMPTION In Genesis 3:15 God announced the enmity that would come between Satan and mankind. This is the protevangelium, the first announcement of the gospel in Scripture. Satan would be dealt a destructive, head-crushing blow. This is a reference to Christ's victory over Satan at the cross when Christ would render Satan powerless, enabling man to be forever restored to fellowship with God, making possible man's ultimate rule. Satan would have a minor victory ("you shall bruise him on the heel"), suggesting the death of Christ; however, that very death would spell Satan's defeat. Although Adam and Eve had sinned, incurring death, God moved to resolve man's dilemma by pointing to a future Savior who would eliminate death, restore believing man to fellowship with God, and consummate history with Messiah's reign on earth to restore all that Adam had lost. Even though Adam lost considerable authority in his kingdom rule as God's mediator, Genesis 3:15 looks to the future when the messianic kingdom will be inaugurated, restoring all that Adam lost. ...
Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 9:3 which reads: "Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee."
Today's words from a theologian are from Adam Clarke. He said: "If you go forward in the spirit of the original apostles and followers of Jesus Christ, trusting not in man but in the living God, he will enable you to pull down the strong holds of sin and Satan, and that work by which he is pleased will prosper in your hands."
Our first topic for today is titled "What Are the Implications of the Bible Being the Word of God? (Part 3)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
The Bible Is a Unity
Because the Bible ultimately comes from one source and mind (God’s), it reflects a perfect harmony of thought. Thus it contains no contradictions, as there are no contradictions in God’s mind. One portion will never contradict any other; a biblical text will always agree with and complement all others.
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Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Edenic Era: Fall and Judgment" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
The Temptation and Sin
God placed man in the garden and gave man the opportunity to obey Him and lead the human race into eternal blessing (he could have been confirmed in righteousness by eating from the Tree of Life). It was a test concerning Adam's loyalty and obedience to God.
The solicitation to sin came to Eve through the serpent. The fact that the serpent could tempt Eve suggests evil was present (although man had not yet sinned). It must forever remain a riddle as to where sin came from; it is one of the mysteries of life. Although it was the serpent speaking, it was Satan who engineered the temptation. It was possible because he was "crafty". The serpent opposed the glory of God and sought to disrupt man's fellowship with God and man's rule over God's creation. Satan, through the serpent, raised doubt about God's word; he lied by saying that man would not die, expressing it in strongest terms, "You surely will not die. Eve submitted to the temptation, sinning in the manner common to the human race: through the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Adam also participated in the sin; although Eve was deceived, Adam realized what he was doing, hence, the greater judgment. For this reason Adam is constituted the first sinner.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 6:4-5 which reads: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
Today's words from a theologian are from Martin Chemnitz. He said: "For Christ, both God and man, must lay hold on us in order that there may be a union between Him and us." Our first topic for today is titled "What Are the Implications of the Bible Being the Word of God? (Part 2)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron. The Bible Is Trustworthy Because God is faithful and always can be trusted to do what he says, the Bible, as the Word of God, also can be trusted. The theological way of saying this is that the Bible is infallible. This word frequently gets used as a synonym for inerrant, but, more precisely, it says more by taking an additional step (based on inerrancy): Because the Bible is without error, it will never fail in its message or purpose, nor will it ever cause anyone to fail, be led into error, or be fooled into believing something unworthy of belief. Jesus made a startling statement that reflects this idea in Matthew 5:17-18: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." ... Our second topic for today is titled "Theology of the Edenic Era: Creation and Its Purpose" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns. The Creator No defense is given concerning the existence of God. The record concerning Him is simply, "In the beginning God." The existence of God is assumed. He reveals Himself as Elohim, which is related to the name El, having a root meaning of "power" or "fear." It suggests "God's greatness or superiority over all other gods." The name Elohim identifies God as "the subject of all divine activity revealed to man and as the object of all true reverence and fear for men." It emphasizes His sovereignty; His role as Judge; His majesty or glory; His role as the Savior God; and His intimacy with His people. While God presents Himself as a transcendent God, He is also immanent, seeking fellowship with man. He recognizes the creation of man as very good; He creates man in His own image and likeness that He may have a relationship with man and that man may rule over the earth; He speaks with man; He creates an environment especially for man; He tests man's loyalty; He seeks man. ...
Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 4:31 which reads: "(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."
Today's words from a theologian are from Oswald Chambers. He said: "Holiness, not happiness, is the chief end of man."
Our first topic for today is titled "What Are the Implications of the Bible Being the Word of God? (Part 1)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
If the Bible is in fact God's Word, then there are very important implications we must consider. Scripture itself presents some of these implications.
The Bible Is True
Because God is always truthful and correct in whatever he says, his Word also is truthful and correct in whatever it says. Jesus said to his Father, "Your word is truth." He does not just say God's Word is true but rather equates it with truth itself -- ultimate Truth. Theologically, this is to say that the Bible is inerrant, that is, without error.
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Our second topic for today is titled "The Methodology of Old Testament Theology, Part 4" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
Today, we will look at the EMPHASIS OF OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
Old Testament theology can be summarized under the central theme of kingdom. From the beginning of history God has worked through appointed mediators in administering the mediatorial kingdom through-out Old Testament history. All of those administrations, however, anticipated the culminating mediatorial kingdom: the millennium under the rule of Messiah. The unconditional covenants of the Old Testament in particular define the nature of the future millennial kingdom. With the Abrahamic covenant God began to deal with a special people, Israel. God promised them a land, a posterity that would issue in Messiah and a people over whom He would rule, and spiritual blessing that would involve forgiveness. Throughout the remainder of the Old Testament writings, God deals with Israel to bring her to a place of spiritual blessing in which she will be the agent for God to bless the nations of the world.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 4:24 which reads: "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."
Today's words from a theologian are from John Calvin. He said: "There is no one so great or mighty that he can avoid the misery that will rise up against him when he resists and strives against God."
Our first topic for today is titled "How Do We Know the Bible Is the Word of God? (Part 2)" from the book, "Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
THEORIES OF INSPIRATION
Down through the centuries since the New Testament books were completed and added to the Old Testament, many have claimed to believe in biblical inspiration under definitions that differ to some degree from what the Bible says on the matter. The following are "defective ideas of inspiration":
Verbal dictation, or mechanical inspiration, is the view that God fully dictated the Bible, and that the human authors merely wrote down what he told them to record, basically reducing them to word processors with a heartbeat.
There is some truth in this. For example, Moses wrote down the Law as God instructed, and maybe some prophetic messages were received from God word-for-word. But if he dictated the entire Bible, there would be one style of writing -- God's -- and this is not what we observe. Each human author has a different style.
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Our second topic for today is titled "The Methodology of Old Testament Theology, Part 4" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
Today, we will look at the IDENTIFICATION OF AN OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
Several elements should be evident in an Old Testament theology.
(1) The doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture is necessary if justice is to be done to the biblical text. There can be no true examination of the biblical text if man sits in judgment upon that text with the criterion of human reason.
(2) Old Testament theology should involve exegesis of the biblical text, applying proper hermeneutical principles, thereby allowing the biblical text to speak for itself. This results in an inductive rather than a deductive study.
(3) Old Testament theology is built on the premise of progressive revelation and, through exegesis, discovering the progress of the revelation of God in history.
(4) Old Testament theology examines the different eras, particularly as noted through the covenants God made with His mediators, to discover how God has revealed Himself in biblical history
(5) An Old Testament theology should discern a unity of the Scriptures; the revelation that God has given concerning Himself should reflect an ultimate consummating purpose whereby the God of the Old and New Testaments brings glory to Himself. That unity is found in the kingdom concept.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Deuteronomy 3:24 which reads: "O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?"
Today's words from a theologian are from Robert McAfee Brown. He said: "The Church cannot be content to live in its stained-glass house and throw stones through the picture window of modern culture."
Our first topic for today is titled "How Do We Know the Bible Is the Word of God? (Part 1)" from the book, “Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
Dr. Daryl Aaron writes:
We have seen that God’s specific or special revelation to us is the Bible. This is the primary (though not exclusive) source for what we know about God and the various subjects of theology. So it is absolutely vital that we understand what the Bible claims about itself, and the implications that follow.
Christians refer to the Bible as the Word of God, but why? One of the main reasons we know this is true is that it makes this claim for itself. Is the assertion invalid because Scripture makes it? Not necessarily. And there is a lot of supporting evidence.
There is extra-biblical (“outside the Bible) evidence that the Bible is God’s Word. For example, prophecies recorded in Scripture happened in history. The Messiah’s birth was foretold to be in Bethlehem; the birth of Jesus fulfilled that prophecy. Isaiah mentioned the name of a Persian king, Cyrus, more than 150 years before he reigned. Daniel 11 is an amazingly detailed prophecy of a series of Greek kings who reigned between the Old and New Testament periods.
Who knows the future well enough to reveal it before it happens? Only God.
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Our second topic for today is titled "The Methodology of Old Testament Theology, Part 3" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
First, today, we will address New Biblical Theology Method
Brevard Childs has called for a "new biblical theology" that moves beyond the historical-critical method (which exalted human reason as the ultimate authority and treated the Bible like any other book) that underlies most Old Testament theologies. He suggests the abandonment of the historical-critical method (rejecting the history of religions school) and proposes as his thesis the canon of the New Testament church. He suggests dealing with the biblical text in its final form as the normal method of doing Old Testament theology.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Numbers 23:19 which reads: "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"
Today's words from a theologian are from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He said: "A god who let us prove his existence would be an idol."
Our topic for today is titled "How Can I Know God? General Revelation" from the book, “Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron.
In our last episode we looked at general revelation; today, we are going to look at specific revelation.
Dr. Daryl Aaron writes:
Whereas general revelation is available to all people generally, specific (or special) revelation is only available to specific people and at specific times and places. Historically, this has taken many forms, such as the following:
First, God has revealed himself through an audible voice. This seems implied in Genesis 12:1 which begins with the words, "The Lord had said to Abram..." A clear example is when God called out to Samuel, and at first Samuel thought Eli was calling him.
Second, God has revealed himself through dreams, such as Joseph's. Later, Pharaoh had two related dreams and God enabled Joseph to interpret them. Joseph specifically told Pharaoh, "God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do."
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Our second topic for today is titled "The Methodology of Old Testament Theology, Part 2" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
First, today, we will address The Topical Method
John L. McKenzie develops an Old Testament theology without consideration of the New Testament. In contrast to other Old Testament theologies that attempt to see a relationship between the testaments, McKenzie writes as if the New Testament did not exist. He agrees with Harnack or Bultmann, who apparently stated that the Old Testament is not a Christian book. McKenzie develops his Old Testament theology around Israel's experience of Yahweh. Recognizing that not every experience is of equal value, he is selective in determining what is included in his study but emphasizes that "the totality of the experience" is the important thing. Other works that fit this category are Georg Fohrer’s “Basic Theological Structures of the Old Testament and W. Zimmerli’s “Old Testament Theology in Outline.
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Today's passage of Scripture is Exodus 34:5-7 which reads: "And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty..." Today's words from a theologian are from Jakob Bohme. He said: "If men would as fervently seek after love and righteousness as they do after opinions, there would be no strife on earth, and we should be as children of one father, and should need no law or ordinance. For God is not served by any law, but only by obedience." Our topic for today is titled "How Can I Know God? General Revelation" from the book, Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron. We can know God for one reason only: God has made himself known. If God had not chosen to do this, we could not have known him. That is, God is not accessible through our senses, our reason, our experience, or any other means apart from his willingness to be accessible. Our knowledge of God is absolutely dependent upon divine revelation; and not only is he willing to be known, he desires to be known. The term revelation comes from the Greek word apocalypsis (also the title of the New Testament’s last book), which means an “uncovering or “revealing of something that was previously unknown. The doctrine of revelation, then, means we can know God because he has chosen to make himself and his works known. There are two kinds of divine revelation: general and specific. General revelation refers to knowledge of God that is available to all people of all times and all places. Such knowledge comes in three ways. ... Our second topic for today is titled "The Methodology of Old Testament Theology, Part 1" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns. There is no consensus concerning the methodology of Old Testament theology. Over the past two centuries there has been considerable diversity in the development of an Old Testament theology. The following are some of the approaches that have been used: The Dogmatic-Didactic Method, The Genetic-Progressive Method, and The Cross-Section Method. ...
Today's passage of Scripture is 1 John 4:8 which reads: "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
Today's words from a theologian are from Karl Barth. He said: "In the Church of Jesus Christ there can and should be no non-theologians."
Our topic for today is titled "The History of Old Testament Theology, Part 2" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
The history of religions school followed the temper of the nineteenth century. It built upon Darwin's evolutionary theory, applying the theory to religion. The Hebrew faith was not seen as a unique religion but as having a relationship with other religions, because they all evolved from a common source. Similarities between Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism could readily be seen. Thus, the Old Testament was evaluated, not as divine revelation, but in its historical development. Old Testament theology, according to the history of religions school, accepted the theories of Wellhausen, which denied the unity of the Old Testament by relegating the writings of individual books to several authors over a period of time. Thus, the Old Testament "was reduced to a collection of materials from detached periods and consisted simply of Israelite reflections of as many different pagan religions.
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Our second topic for today is titled "How To Do Theology" from the book, Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron, a professor of biblical and theological studies at Northwestern College.
First, one truth that Christians have long understood may initially seem counterintuitive: We must do theology in faith. Normally we would assume that after we thoroughly understand something, we decide whether or not we should believe it. But the Bible teaches another order. The apostle Paul says: "But the natural man [the unbeliever] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God [such as God’s Word, the Bible]: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
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Today's passage of Scripture is 1 Peter 2:2-3 which reads: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
Today's words from a theologian are from Albert Barnes. He said: "It does not require great learning to be a Christian and be convinced of the truth of the Bible. It requires only an honest heart and a willingness to obey God."
Our topic for today is titled "The History of Old Testament Theology" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
There is no evidence of an organized study of biblical theology in the Old Testament or New Testament. The earliest evidence is found with Irenaeus who recognized the progressive revelation of God. Later, Augustine suggested five historical periods of divine revelation. During the Reformation the issues were basically soteriological, and thus biblical theology as a science did not develop during that time.
Our second topic for today is titled "What is Theology?" from the book, Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron, a professor of biblical and theological studies at Northwestern College.
Many people, after hearing the word theology, roll their eyes and envision esoteric scholarly debates that have little if any bearing on real life. However, theology is much more basic, more foundational, than this, and it has everything to do with real life. The word itself comes from the Greek terms for "God" (theos) and "word," "thought," or "reason" (logos). So theology means: "that which can be said or thought about God—essentially, the study of God." If the primary (though not exclusive) source of information about God is the Bible, theology can be thought of as the study of the Bible: What does it teach? What is true, according to Scripture?
Today's passage of Scripture is John 1:10-12 which reads: "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
Today's words from a theologian are from William Barclay. He said: "The tragedy of life and of the world is not that men do not know God; the tragedy is that, knowing Him, they still insist on going their own way."
Our topic for today is titled "Introduction to Old Testament Theology" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
The Study of Old Testament theology is a complex task. There is no unanimity among Old Testament scholars on which approach to take. The discussion under "Methodology of Old Testament Theology" will introduce the reader to the varying approaches that are taken. It is possible to study the Old Testament under the topics of God, sin, salvation, and so forth, but that is limiting inasmuch as it is little more than a systematic theology of the Old Testament. Because of the span of time involved it is profitable to study the Old Testament dealing with the differing eras it records in which God has revealed Himself. Within that framework it is possible to study the major doctrines within each era—which is helpful, but it fails to tie the study together. It is also possible to see a common theme in the different eras as does Kaiser in his helpful work. This is important in seeing a unity in Old Testament theology...
Our second topic for today is titled "God and Glory" from the book, Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day" by Dr. Daryl Aaron, a professor of biblical and theological studies at Northwestern College. He writes:
God gave the prophet Jeremiah a research project: "Pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?"
In other words, "Jeremiah, see if you can find an example of a pagan people who has traded in one god or gods for another god or gods." The implication was that he would come up with nothing. God then contrasts this discovery with the condition of Israel: "but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit." That is, "The ones who belong to the one true God, the only God ('their Glory'), have done what not even pagans do — traded me in for nothing gods."
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Today's passage of Scripture is Jeremiah 9:23-24 which reads: "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."
Today's words from a theologian are from Hans Urs von Balthasar. He said: "Prior to an individual's encounter with the love of God at a particular time in history, there has to be another, more fundamental encounter, which belongs to the conditions of the possibility of the appearance of divine love to man."
Our topic for today is titled "The Methodology and Importance of Biblical Theology" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
Biblical theology of the Old Testament is best understood when examining the Old Testament for a "center" or unifying principle. Many different proposals have been suggested concerning a unifying theme of the Old Testament. Walter Kaiser has suggested "promise" as the unifying theme; Elmer Martens suggests "God's design" as the focal point; whereas Eugene Merrill suggests "kingdom" as the underlying theme of the Old Testament. Whatever theme is emphasized, biblical theology of the Old Testament should be able to see the unfolding of that theme in the different periods of the Old Testament (progressive revelation).
Since the writing of the New Testament books probably encompassed less than fifty years, biblical theology of the New Testament must concern itself with the viewpoint of the different New Testament authors. Thus, the biblical theology of the New Testament is studied according to Pauline theology, Petrine theology, Johannine theology, and so forth. This study evaluates what particular doctrines the writers of the New Testament emphasized and how they developed those doctrines.
Today's passage of Scripture is Romans 15:4 which reads: "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
Today's words from a theologian are from Eberhard Arnold. He said: "Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves in the object of their wonder."
Our topic for today is titled "The Relation of Biblical Theology to Other Disciplines" from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
Several elements are important to observe in the definition of theology.
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Exegetical Studies
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Introductory Studies
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Systematic Theology Studies
Today's passage of Scripture is Romans 15:4 which reads: "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
Today's words from a theologian are from Johann Arndt. He said: "Consider then, O man! whether there can be anything more wretched and poor, more naked and miserable, than man when he dies, if he be not clothed with Christ's righteousness, and enriched in his God."
Our topic for today is titled "Definition of the Term Biblical Theology" (Part 2) from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns.
Several elements are important to observe in the definition of theology.
SYSTEMIZATION
Biblical theology investigates the periods of history in which God has revealed Himself or the doctrinal emphases of the different biblical writers as set forth in a systematic fashion. Biblical theology, while presented in a systematized form, is distinct from systematic theology that assimilates truth from the entire Bible and from outside the Scriptures in systematizing biblical doctrine. Biblical theology is narrower. It concentrates on the emphasis of a given period of history as in the Old Testament or on the explicit teaching of a particular writer as in the New Testament.
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This podcast is designed to give you a basic understanding of God, the Bible, and Christian beliefs. As. J. Dwight Pentecost said, "There is no higher activity in which the mind may be engaged than the pursuit of the knowledge of God."
Let's start out reading the Word of God itself. Today's passage of Scripture is 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 which reads: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."
Today's words from a theologian are from Thomas Aquinas. He said: "We can't have full knowledge all at once. We must start by believing; then afterwards we may be led on to master the evidence for ourselves."
Our topic for today is titled "Definition of the Term Biblical Theology" (Part 1) from "The Moody Handbook of Theology" by Dr. Paul Enns. And, I want to remind you to take advantage of our special offer. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase a copy of this book -- "The Moody Handbook of Theology." It is available on our website for just $50.
The term ‘biblical theology' can be used in different ways. Although the way we will use it focuses on a special method of theological study, it should be understood that the term is widely used to refer to a movement that is basically antagonistic to evangelical faith. This negative usage is considered and discarded before the legitimate meaning of biblical theology is discussed.
First of all, then, this expression is used to describe the biblical theology movement. This was an outgrowth of liberalism and neo-orthodoxy. It began with the publication of Walther Eichrodt's first volume of Old Testament theology in 1933 and ended with the publication of von Rad's second volume of Old Testament theology in 1960. Brevard Childs suggests the movement experienced its demise in May 1963 with the publication of John A.T. Robinson's Honest to God.
The movement initially was a reaction to liberalism and sought a return to an exegetical study of the Scriptures, particularly emphasizing a study of biblical words. Kittel's monumental ten-volume Theological Dictionary of the New Testament is an outgrowth of that. As a movement, however, it never separated itself from its liberal underpinnings; it retained the historical-critical methodology. For example, in studying the gospels, adherents of the biblical theology movement applied the historical-critical methodology in attempting to discover which of the words attributed to Christ were actually spoken by Him.
While the movement recognized the weak message of liberalism of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it retained the liberal presuppositions concerning the Bible. Adherents held to the neoorthodox view of revelation, taught evolution as a theory of origins, and emphasized the human aspect of the Bible rather than the divine. As a result, the movement was self-defeating. It was impossible to do a serious, exegetical study of the Scriptures while at the same time denying the authority of the Scriptures.
A second way in which the term biblical theology is used is for that methodology that takes its material in a historically oriented manner from the Old and New Testaments and arrives at a theology. It is exegetical in nature, drawing its material from the Bible as opposed to a philosophical understanding of theology; it stresses the historical circumstances in which doctrines were propounded; it examines the theology within a given period of history (as in Noahic or Abrahamic eras) or of an individual writer (as Pauline or Johannine writings).
Biblical theology in this sense may be called "that branch of theological science which deals systematically with the historically conditioned progress of the self-revelation of God as deposited in the Bible."