Joshua 23-24God Keeps His Covenants; No Promises Failed; Yet Future Promises; God Gave Israel’s Land Borders; Choose To Serve The Lord; We and Jesus Are Like Abraham; Choose To Serve The Lord; free choice;

choose; free will

Let's read Joshua 23

3 Section Outline

• Section 1; The Conquest Of The Land, 1:1-12:24

• Section 2; The Division Of The Land, 13:1 – 21:45

• Section 3; The Farewells, 22:1 – 24:33

Joshua 23:8

Joshua 23:11, God's Love Letter• NAU Joshua 23:11 "So take diligent heed to

yourselves to love the LORD your God.• Psalm 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD; They

are studied by all who delight in them. • 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself

approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,

• NAU Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Joshua 23:11, God's Love Letter• “Make careful choice of the books which you read: let

the holy Scriptures ever have the preeminence. Let Scripture be first and most in your hearts and hands and other books be used as subservient to it. While reading, ask yourself: 1. Could I spend this time no better? 2. Are there better books that would edify me more? 3. Are the lovers of such a book as this the greatest lovers of the Book of God and of a holy life? 4. Does this book increase my love to the Word of God, kill my sin, and prepare me for the life to come?”

• --Richard Baxter (12 November 1615 - 8 December 1691, was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymn writer, and theologian)

Joshua 23:14

Joshua 23:14God Keeps His Covenants

• NAU Joshua 23:14 "Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.

• NAU Joshua 21:45 Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.

• The next seven slides are copy from my PowerPoint on Joshua chapter 20-22, http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers/joshua-2022-cities-of-refuge-lords-promises-not-failed-land-not-processed-yet-future-promises-that-rest-altar-of-remembrance-holocaust-holokautoma

Joshua 21:43The LORD’s Promises Are Good

• NAU Joshua 21:43 So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. 44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.

• Those who do not want Israel to have God's promises fulfilled in the future emphasize the “all came to pass” rather than the fact that God's promises do not fail.

Joshua 21:45 No Promises Failed

• The Israelites had failed in many regards. Very much of the land was still not in their possession.

• The Nelson study Bible, Page 388, says “… Some of the cities were not actually in Israel's possession at this time (for example, Gezer, v. 21), and some appear never to have been in Israel's control for any length of time (for example, the Philistine cities of Eltekek and Gibbethon, v. 23). These names may simply reflect the actual allotments in Joshua's day. Much land remain to be taken even after it had been allotted (13:1; 15:63; 16:10; 17:12, 13).”

Joshua 21:45 No Promises Failed

• The Israelites did not take possession of Jerusalem until the time of David, 400 years later.

• NAU 1 Chronicles 11:4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.

• The “all came to pass” of Joshua 21:45 means that everything that needed to be accomplished before Israel could settle in, and cease their marching around, as they have been doing for more than 40 years, was now completed.

Joshua 21:45, Future Promises• The “all came to pass” of Joshua 21:45 cannot possibly

mean that all of God's promises up to that point where fulfilled because;

• In Genesis 3:15, God promised the virgin birth of the seed of the woman (Jesus), that Satan would strike His heel (the crucifixion), and that He would crush Satan's head (still not yet fulfilled).

• God promised Abraham the land boundaries; NAU Genesis 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:… 21 …the Canaanite… and the Jebusite.”

Joshua 21:45, Future Promises• NAU Deuteronomy 30:1 "So it shall be when all of these things

have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished [the Diaspora] you, 2 and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul [not yet] according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, 3 then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity [regathering, not yet], and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you [on going].

• God has made many promises which will absolutely be fulfilled in the future (23:5 is future)

• No promises failed, but not all promises were completed.

Joshua 21:43, All Promises Fulfilled, or The Promised Land in The Millennium

• Q. “…Joshua 21:43-45 seems to suggest that the land promises were fulfilled. I know other places in scripture suggest otherwise…”

• A. In the Messianic Kingdom the land grants will be redistributed in a manner that’s substantially different from what they were when the Israelites first entered the land as recorded in the Book of Joshua. The Temple will be in a different location and there will be a new Holy City with a new name as well, which will essentially be Earth’s capital city during the Millennium. This will be the ultimate fulfillment of the land grants. You can read all about it in Ezekiel 45:1-8 and Ezekiel 47:13-48:35.

• http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/the-promised-land-in-the-millennium/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

God Gave Israel’s Land Borders• NAU Deuteronomy 15:18, + 1:7 'Turn and set your journey,

and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negev and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.

• NAU 1 Kings 4:21 Now Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

• NAU 2 Chronicles 9:26 He was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River even to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt.

Let's read Joshua 24;1-15

Thus says the Lord, free choice, choose, free will

Joshua 24:1Shechem

• NAU Joshua 24:1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Joshua 24:1, Shechem, Mount Gerizim

• NAU Joshua 8:33 All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had given command at first to bless the people of Israel.

• Deuteronomy 11:29 "It shall come about, when the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.

• Judges 9:7

Joshua 24:1, Shechem, Mount Gerizim

• NAU Judges 9:1 And Abimelech…went to Shechem to his mother's relatives…

• Judges 9 should be called “the Shechem chapter”. The word "Shechem" is used more in chapter 9 than in any other book of the NAU Bible.

The City of Shechem

• Its name means “shoulder,” probably because the city was built mainly on the slope, or shoulder, of Mount Ebal.

• ThomasNelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary

• Some scholars say it means “saddleback.” A saddleback is curved in 2 directions. A place of decision.

The City of Shechem

• 17. MOUNT GERIZIM AND MOUNT EBAL These two mountains overlook the ancient city of Shechem, where Joseph’s bones were buried (see Josh. 24:32)

Joshua 24:1Shechem

• NAU Joshua 24:1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Joshua 24:1, 25, 32 , Shechem• Today's fabulous photo by Zev Rothkoff brings the Bible to life! A modern-day shepherd is

overlooking the 4,000 year old city of Shechem, where the biblical Joseph is buried.

Josh 24:2-4, We Are Like Abraham

• Abraham’s dad was an idol worshipping gentile!• Josh 24:2-4…"This is what the Lord, the God of Israel,

says: 'Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac…

• All Christians where idolatrous sinners also, but…!• Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us

in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Josh 24:2-4, We Are Like Abraham

• Gal 3:6-13 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of [=like] Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

Abraham and Jesus

Joshua 24:15 Choose To Serve The Lord

• NAU Joshua 24:15 "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

• All day long we are constantly making choices, many have an eternal consequences/rewards.

• Choose To Serve The Lord

Joshua 24:15 Choose To Serve The Lord

• C. S. Lewis said, “Every time you make a choice, you are turning the central part of you, the part that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before.”

• NAU Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

Joshua 24:15, Cannot Serve Two Masters

• Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

• The best biblical argument against polygamy.• You cannot serve two masters

Let's read Joshua 24;16-33

Thus says the Lord, free choice, choose, free will

Joshua 24:19Forgiveness Of Sins

• NAU Joshua 24:19 Then Joshua said to the people, "You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins.

• The consequences of sin persist, the penalty for sin can be transferred.

• Justice must be served. The penalty for sin is death. God had graciously given Israel the provision of a blood sacrifice for sin. Us too!

• Alan Paton said, “When a deep injury is done to us, we never recover until we forgive.”

Joshua 24:19, Abstain From Fornication

• Joshua 24:19 …He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. [a very scary thought]

• Joe's in the confessional… "Father, I committed adultery” "The priest starts thinking of the most promiscuous women in town. "Was it with Marie Brown?” "I'd rather not say who it was.” "Was it with Betty Smith?” "I'd rather not say," says Joe. So the priest gives him absolution and Joe leaves. Later, Joe's friend asks if he received absolution.

• "Yes, and two very good leads!"• Acts 15:20 …abstain from…fornication…• Exodus 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery.• Proverbs 6:32 …adultery with a woman is lacking sense• Mark 2:7 Hosea 4:13, 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins...

Joshua 24:32 Tomb, Bone Box• NAU Joshua 24:32 Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which

the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph's sons.

Josh.24:32, The Samaritan Woman• NAU Joshua 24:32 Now they buried the bones

of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem…

• NAU John 4:4 And He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob's well was there…7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."

So, in conclusion;

• NAU John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

• 1 Corinthians 4:5, 5:12, Joshua 20:6

THEENDIS

NEAR

BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave KooyersValley Bible FellowshipBox 433Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325God bless you as you examine His Word,Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge.

Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

Joshua 23:11, • Make careful choice of the books which you read: let the holy Scriptures

ever have the preeminence. Let Scripture be first and most in your hearts and hands and other books be used as subservient to it.

• While reading, ask yourself: 1. Could I spend this time no better? 2. Are there better books that would edify me more? 3. Are the lovers of such a book as this the greatest

• lovers of the Book of God and of a holy life? 4. Does this book increase my love to the Word of God, kill my sin, and prepare me for the life to come?

• --Richard Baxter (12 November 1615 - 8 December 1691, was an English Puritan church leader, poet, hymn writer, and theologian)

• • Psalm 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who

delight in them.• 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a

workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,

Purim 2016 is March 23-24• "Beginning in the spring, the seven Jewish feasts are Passover, the Feast of

Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The Jewish feasts are closely related to Israel’s spring and fall harvests and agricultural seasons. They were to remind the Israelites each year of God’s ongoing protection and provision. But, even more importantly, they foreshadowed the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Not only did they play significant roles in Christ’s earthly ministry but they also symbolize the complete redemptive story of Christ, beginning with His death on the cross as the Passover Lamb and ending with His second coming after which He will “tabernacle” or dwell with His people forever."

• READ MORE: • "Question: "What are the different Jewish festivals in the Bible?"" • http://www.gotquestions.org/Jewish-festivals.html

Joshua 24:2, Aramean/Syrian• NAU Deuteronomy 26:5 "You shall answer and say before the LORD

your God, 'My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty and populous nation.

• All of the modern translations that I checked rendered this word “Aramean”, however all of the translations from the KJV family translate it “Syrian.” <0761…Arammi… Meaning: …Aram (Syria)

• NAU Genesis 11:31 Terah took Abram his son,…and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans…and they went as far as Haran, and settled there.

• NAU Joshua 24:2 Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.

Joshua 24:1, Shechem, MOUNT GERIZIM AND MOUNT EBAL

• Deuteronomy 11:29 "It shall come about, when the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.

• Joshua 8:33 All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had given command at first to bless the people of Israel.

• Judges 9:7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, "Listen to me, O men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

Josh 24:2-4, We Are Like Abraham

• Gal 3:6-13 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of [=like] Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

CONSIDER ABRAHAM, GAL 3:6 Gal 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the

blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

15 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

REWARD OR GIFT? NOT BOTH Abraham’s dad was an idol worshipping

gentile! Josh 24:2-4…"This is what the Lord, the God

of Israel, says: 'Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, 4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

REWARD OR GIFT? NOT BOTH Gal 3:17-18 What I mean is this: The

law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Last time we looked at….

Josh 24:2-4,David L. Kooyers, look at gen 12 ppt, slide 21, Reward or Gift? Not Both

• Abraham’s dad was an idol worshipping gentile!• Josh 24:2-4…"This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:

'Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, 4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

• Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Dlk, look at gen 12 ppt, slide 18-32,

Joshua 24:32 Tomb, Wrapping the Body, Bone Box

• Tomb, Matthew 27:60 Mark 15:46 Luke 24:2 John 11:38 John 20:1• Dr. Reagan: Let's take a look at the New Testament tomb. It was a classic rolling stone type of tomb.• Dr. Fleming: Yes, and it would have been quite big. Joseph of Arimathea was one of the elders, which means a member of the Jewish ruling Sanhedrin. Archaeologists have discovered some tombs

in Jerusalem with this same large entry stone, so we know the tomb Jesus was put in must have been a wealthy tomb.• The entry stone rolls uphill to open. It would be easier to close the tomb than open it. Because opening was going to take a lot of pushing, that's why the women who came to prepare Jesus' body

were wondering who would help them push back the stone.• Usually a wealthy Jewish tomb's entryway was decorated with floral or geometric designs.• Outside of the tomb, there would be a mourner's bench. For one week you would visit the tomb daily and you would cry. There were even tear vases or tear cups that they would use to collect

their tears. That way the mourners could inter their grief by putting the tear cup into the tomb. Archaeologist have found many tear cups in the tombs. The act is about burying your grief with your loved one. There are even mentions of these tear bottles in the Bible.

• After coming up a flight of stairs in our tomb here at the Center, we enter the anterior of the tomb. In order to have people be able to view the inside of the tomb easier, we've made it so there are three fully preserved niches and two of these niches are preserved though the roof "broke" and later "collapsed" for ease of viewing externally.

• There would be three more niches running in other directions. In front of the niches is a U-shaped bench on three sides. That's where you would dress the body and then afterwards slide it into a niche. At the Center we have one sort of example "body" to see.

• The tomb of Christ is a typical Herodian Period tomb. These kind of tombs were only found in Jerusalem from 37 BC to 70 AD, which is a very restricted period. Because of the timing, they're called Herodian Period tombs.

•Wrapping the Body,

• Dr. Fleming: You can imagine then that Friday Jesus' body would have been brought up to the tomb, but not yet slid into a niche. He would have simply been laid on the bench because due to the Sabbath the women couldn't work and so would have had to return to the tomb on Sunday to add grave cloths and spices. Usually the women would be bringing grave clothes with the body. Possibly Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea may have been bringing a mixture of myrrh and olives and some grave cloths as well so that they could have wrapped the body with the spices. But, the Sabbath was coming so they couldn't properly prepare the body for burial. Remember the Scriptures say as they exited the tomb the Sabbath was being manifest, and that means the Jewish people were lighting their oil lamps just before the sunset. It wouldn't be then the tradition of the women to come back on Saturday.

• At the first light Sunday morning, the women wanted to add more grave cloths because they didn't have enough time before sunset Friday night to properly prepare Jesus' body. So, here they are coming back to the tomb wondering who would help them roll back the massive stone that covered the entryway. Anyone familiar with the Resurrection story knows the stone was already rolled back when they got there, and so we have this mystery of the resurrection narrative.

• Let's mention a bit more about burial practices. Those tending the body would wrap the body from foot to head. Notice they'd have to tie off the shoulders and then come around again and start with the head. The head was a separate wrapping from the body. That separate head wrapping is mentioned in John 11:44 and the Gospel narrative of John 20:7.

• If someone had just stolen Jesus' body after unwrapping the grave clothes, you'd expect to see a jumbled pile of grave clothes left behind. Instead, the women and Apostles saw the head wrapping separately folded apart from the body wrapping. Remember that there's a little space between them because there is a tying off at the shoulders and starting anew with the head. That's significant!

• When the women tell the disciples, and Peter and John run to the tomb, remember John got there first. I guess he could jog faster. He stooped and looked in because the entryway was only five to seven hands high for the door. Peter when he got there walked right in, so he is the first one to witness the empty tomb. It must have been so strange a thing to see when he saw the head wrapping separate from the body wrappings. Once he saw them all neatly laid out, he finally believed. If someone had stolen the body and left the grave cloth,s there would have been just a pile of grave cloths.

• People back then would have understood to tie off the body and then start again coming in from the shoulders for the head. The witnesses to the Resurrection were seeing the head clothes separate from the body clothes, and that made them realize they could not explain the arrangement of the grave clothes. The body was missing, but the grave clothes were left undisturbed.

• Normally what would happen is that the preparers of the body would add more spices the rest of that week as the body decomposes and gets smellier. Remember in the Lazarus story in John's gospel Martha says, "By now Lazarus stinks." So, they would have added more spices for the entire week as they kept coming back for the funeral wake. They would add time for crying out on the bench out in front.

•Bone Box

• Dr. Fleming: The interior of the tomb of Jesus has an arrangement of a U-shaped work area inside. The angel part of the resurrection narrative was there, one angel sitting at the head and one at the foot. Their positions showed the body had not yet been slid into a niche. A niche again is made to hold the body in a family tomb, and so the body would slide in headfirst.

• The climate in Jerusalem would take about two years to decompose a body. So, the plan would be at the end of those two years to come back and collect the bones and put them into a bone box called an ossuary.

• The proof of the resurrection of Jesus however is not just found in the folded arrangement of the grave clothes, which could not be explained. Rather, Jesus' followers turned that First Century upside down. They should have returned to their nets had the resurrection not occurred, but instead they turned the First Century upside down.

• It was the early disciples' belief in the Resurrection that kept them serving God. It kept them even in spite of danger and persecution. They were willing to give their lives in obedience to God's will, sharing the Gospel throughout the Roman world.

•In the seventeenth and last part of this series with archaeologist Dr. James Fleming at his Explorations in Antiquity Center, we'll glean some biblical insights by looking at the economy of First Century living.

Joshua 24:15Get Up, Get Going, Serve The Lord

• QUESTION FOR THE DAY, Dear Compass:• Can you please expound on your GML answer when you stated:• "It is also worth noting that God assumes motion on our part. We move, He guides us. Like a ship, we can't be steered unless

we're moving!"•

ANSWER:• You gotta get out of bed in the morning . . . you don't wait for God to "move" you!• The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside; I shall be slain in the streets!" —Proverbs 22:13 God gave all Believers at least one

gift: Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men." —Ephesians 4:8 And He expects us to use it, get in motion . . . Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 1 Timothy 4:14 Motion can also be work, for instance: having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. —1 Timothy 5:10 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. —1 Timothy 5:17

• Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. — 2 Timothy 2:21

• that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. —2 Timothy 3:17• But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. —2 Timothy 4:5• Point is, get up, get going, serve the Lord with gladness, and let Him guide your steps (motion).

Joshua 24:15, Choose Life• QUESTION FOR THE DAY, Dear Compass,• What do I tell someone who has repeatedly heard the gospel yet still doesn't believe in God? He says he wishes he could believe. We just don't know

what else to tell him that would get his attention.•

ANSWER:• The problem is that YOU can't get his attention—GOD has to do it. Everyone's salvation is dependent on God and God's timing. Having said that, it is

possible that your witnessing is ineffective because you are trying to talk him into heaven when what he really needs is to understand the consequences of hell.

• On the surface, if you witness to someone about how wonderful it is to go to heaven and/or make their life on earth better, they have a tendency to compare what they have now to what they perceive they will receive.

• But anyone who understands the truth of their ultimate destiny without Christ—-• extreme heatAnd he [the rich man] cried out and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in

water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame." —Luke 16:24• darknessbut the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. —

Matthew 8:12Then the king said to the servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." —Matthew 22:13

• Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. —Matthew 25:30• agonybut the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. —

Matthew 8:12Then the king said to the servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." —Matthew 22:13

• Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. —Matthew 25:30• and despair and torment FOREVER(!)for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of

torment. —Luke 16:28• A person has to be a moron to choose hell if they understand the choice!•

About Compass...

Joshua 24:15• Today is November 18, 2013•

Verse of the Day -- Psalm 16:4•

The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied.•

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY• Everyone has a god.•

MINI BIBLE STUDY FOR THE DAY• Human beings were created to worship. The only thing that varies is the object of our worship. We

fashion gods out of self, money, status, careers, excessive TV, other people—the list is endless.• Notice that David used the word "bartered." Whenever we choose to worship any god other than

the true God of Heaven, we trade away all purpose, meaning, and future hope for our lives. And because these "gods" have no ability to satisfy the deepest needs of our souls, we find at the end of this worship nothing but sorrow and emptiness.

• . . choose for yourselves today whom you will serve . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. —Joshua 24:15

Josh.24:32, The Samaritan Woman• The story of the Samaritan woman is one of the most beloved stories ever told by the gospel writers. The story is read and heard dozens of times

throughout the life of almost every Christ-follower. Yet some key questions in the story seem to remain unanswered.

Why does John mention to the reader that the conversation takes place in the presence of the silent witness - the bones of Joseph? (Every Israelite knew that the bones of Joseph were buried in the plot of land that Jacob gave to Joseph (John 4:5; Josh.24:32)). Is it because the woman suffered much in her life, and just as with Joseph, her suffering will lead to the salvation of her people? Why did the Samaritan woman (if she really was a woman of ill repute, as traditional interpretation has it) command such a sway over the religious Samaritan society, that upon hearing her the villagers drop what they are doing and immediately come to meet a young Jew that is passing through Samaria at her request? These are not the only issues that seem to seriously question the traditional reading of the Samaritan woman. There are many others. One of the key problems that we face today is that we do not understand the ancient inter-Israelite polemic, as did John and his readers.They knew that Samaritans (as oppose to Samarians) believed themselves to be the faithful remnant of Israel, preserving the original Mosaic and Abrahamic traditions.

They were not Samarians (שומרונים) inhabitants of Samaria who once offered to help rebuild the Jerusalem Temple (Ezra 4:1-3). They were the Samaritans (שומרים) - the Guardians of Torah. They could not possibly come to help the returned Judean exiles, whom they considered straying away from the original Israelite religion and bringing back to Israel their dangerous Babylonian practices.

• The difference between Samarians and Samaritans would be easily discernible if you had the basics of Biblical Hebrew. Come join us on this exciting journey. To explore, click HERE.

• Yours,

Dr. Eli Lizorkin-EyzenbergDr.eli@eTeachergroup.com

, Thus says the Lord• Thus says the Lord = 419 NAU uses in OT• The Lord said = 233 NAU uses OT & NT• the Word of God• The Christ in Prophecy Journal• God's Revelation to Man: Authenticity of the Bible• Posted: 04 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST• By Dr. David R. Reagan• Why should anyone believe that this book called the Bible is different from all other books? What sets it apart? How do we know it came

from God?• A good place to start is the fact that the Bible itself claims to be divinely inspired. More than 3,000 times the biblical writers claim to be

speaking the words of God. Over and over, the writers say, "Thus says the Lord," or "The Lord said." These are the most common phrases in the Bible.

• The writers also repeatedly refer to the Scriptures as "the Word of God" (1 Samuel9:27 and Acts 6:2), and they affirm that it is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16).

•The Attitude of Jesus

• Most importantly, Jesus affirmed the Scriptures as the inspired Word of God. On one occasion, as Jesus was teaching, He was interrupted by a woman who yelled, "Blessed is the womb that bore You!" To which Jesus replied, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it" (Luke 11:27-28).

• In His Sermon on the Mount, delivered early in His ministry, Jesus affirmed that He had come to fulfill the Scriptures, and He asserted that heaven and earth would pass away before one jot (the smallest letter) or tittle (the smallest stroke) of God's Word would pass away — thus affirming the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures (Matthew5:18). At the end of His ministry, in the last prayer He prayed with His disciples, Jesus referred to the Scriptures as the Word of God and then added, "Your Word is truth"(John 17:14-17).

• Jesus' life is a testimony to His belief in the divine authority of the Scriptures. At age 12 He confounded the spiritual leaders of Israel with His knowledge of God's Word (Luke 2:41-51). He used the Scriptures to justify His Messianic claims (Luke 4:16-21). He used Scripture to teach the fundamentals of kingdom living (Matthew 5-7). He used Scripture to confront and confound Satan (Matthew 4:1-11). He used Scripture to teach His disciples after His resurrection (Luke 24:27, 44-45).

• Jesus quoted Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets. And yes, He quoted the two Old Testament books that modern day liberals despise the most — Jonah and Daniel.

•The Respect of the Apostles

• The disciples of Jesus evidenced the same respect for the Scriptures. The Gospel of Matthew quotes Old Testament passages repeatedly from beginning to end, attempting to prove to Jewish readers that Jesus fulfilled Messianic prophecy.

• Paul refers to the Scriptures as "inspired by God" (2 Timothy 3:16). Peter refers to the Hebrew prophets as men who were guided in what they said by "the Spirit of Christ within them" (1 Peter 1:11). The Apostle John asserted that the one who loves the Lord is the one who "keeps His Word" (1 John 2:5).

•In the third segment of our study of God's revelation to man — the Bible, we'll answer whether it is circular reasoning to use the Bible to prove the Bible.

Free Choice, Free Will, Election, Predestination

• Free Choice Vs. God’s Plan• Friday, May 2nd, 2014Salvation• Satan• Q. I know there is free choice given to us by God. I also know the hairs on our head are known to

him and our days are known and he has a plan for all of us. In the shooting and stabbing rampages we see happening around us, it is free choice for the people who do those things, or is it in God’s plan for all the random people to be killed?

• A. God, who knows the end from the beginning, knows everything that will happen. But the shooters and stabbers are still accountable for making the choice to kill those people, and the people who died will go to Heaven or Hell based on choices they made as well.

• Knowing something will happen is not the same as making it happen, and evil men use their freedom of choice to do evil things, so God doesn’t make these things happen. But until Jesus comes back and takes over, this world is under the control of the Evil One, (1 John 5:19) so he’s ultimately the one to blame. As long as we’re in the world we’re all subject to things like this happening around us.

• Why doesn’t the Lord put a stop to it? He’s patient, not wanting any to be lost, but for all to come to repentance. In the mean time our enemy keeps things stirred up in his effort to steal as many souls as possible while He can. Our best defense is to make the choice for Jesus as soon as possible in our lives, so if we’re ever victimized by such an evil situation as this, we’ll just get an early ticket home.

2 Timothy 2:10 James 1:13-14, Free Will and God's Sovereignty, By Mark King

• Free Will and God's Sovereignty• By Mark King• I am a Calvinist (if I have to label myself) and I think to some extent the interplay between divine sovereignty and human

responsibility is a mystery. But in some cases, I think Calvinists have been too strong in their explanations. Let me do the best I can. And of course, I think we need to look to Scripture to get the answers.

• First of all, it is clear from Scripture that nothing falls outside of God's sovereignty. For that reason, to some extent, everything that happens is part of his plan. If someone commits a terrible sin, God could have prevented it if He had wanted to. Think of the terrorist attacks of 911. Could God have prevented those? Absolutely! He could have done it by changing the minds of the terrorists, but he could have done it by having them get caught before they had a chance to carry out their plan. Perhaps He did prevent one attack by using the passengers who overpowered the terrorists on the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. Perhaps there are countless other attacks that He has prevented and we simply don't know about them. On one level, we can say that anything that happens is God's will in that He did not prevent it from happening. We can rest assured that no matter how bad a particular event is, God has a purpose and a plan to use evil to overcome evil and bring about good. We simply cannot see the whole picture. On another level (and using a slightly different definition of "God's will") we can say that it is never God's will for people to sin — He is against it and has commanded people not to do it. As a parent, I can understand this. There are things my children do that I am against. In some cases, I could physically prevent them from doing the thing that I oppose. However, even though it is "against my will" I allow them to do it because they need to learn from their mistakes. So on one level it is against my will, yet on another level, it is my will that they do what they have planned because I allowed them to do it.

• Does this mean that God causes people to sin? Scripture is clear: "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone: but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed." (James 1:13-14). God does not entice anyone to do evil. It is our own nature to be enticed by it. However, that does not mean that God can't direct our own evil desires in such a way that his plan is furthered.

• What about free will? I believe that people are free to do what they want to do. The problem is, our wills have been corrupted by sin — we don't want to please God. "As it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one" (Romans 3:10-12). The only way any of us will ever come to faith in Christ is that God moves in our hearts before we ever started looking for Him, convicting us of sin and of our need. When we finally "choose" Him, it is only because He has been pursuing us, and has turned our hearts toward Him.

• Somehow, God is sovereign over everything that happens. Yet His sovereignty has allowed enough human freedom so that we are responsible for the choices we make, and the choices we make have real consequences. There are several passages in Scripture where we see God's sovereignty and human choice working hand in hand. The authors of Scripture can refer to both in the same context without seeing a contradiction.

• Peter, preaching on the Day of Pentecost: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know — this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men" (Acts 2:22-23). So Peter says that Jesus' death was according to God's plan, yet the people who crucified him are guilty.

• Paul endured all kinds of hardships in his gospel ministry. Why would he do this? "Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Timothy 2:10). Paul does it so the elect (those whom God has chosen to save) will actually be saved. You might expect him to say "God is planning to save certain people, so why should I go through all this hardship if God is going to save them anyway? The reality is that God has chosen to save people through the proclamation of the gospel, so Paul will go through hardship, knowing God will use it to save people.

• Finally, I like this last example because it is not as theoretical or theological. In Acts 27, Paul is on a ship for Rome. I quote the text below and will make some comments along the way. Picking up in verse 13:

• When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."

• Although they had given up hope, Paul announces that God has guaranteed that everyone on board will be spared. So you might think this means that Paul will just sit back and relax — but read on:

• On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

• The sailors tried to abandon ship and Paul thwarts the plan. Look at what he says: "unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." I thought God had guaranteed that everyone would live. Apparently, the way He was going to accomplish this was to have experienced sailors on board who could maneuver the ship as necessary. If they had abandoned the ship, the people could not have survived. However, in God's sovereignty, Paul noticed what was going on and told the centurion who thwarted their plan and the necessary sailors stayed with the ship.

• Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food — you haven't eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head." After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. Altogether there were 276 of us on board. When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

• Once again, Paul encourages them to eat because they will need their strength to survive. If God had guaranteed that everyone would live, why bother with eating? Paul actually uses God's promise to encourage them so that they will feel like eating, because they need to be strong to survive what was to come. God's plan and human choices are working together.

• When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.

• Now we know why the sailors had to stay with the ship. The average passenger would not have known what to do in this situation. These maneuvers were necessary to get the ship close to shore.

• But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan.

• Once again, God had prepared things ahead of time. It would have been normal practice to kill the prisoners to prevent escape. But Paul had won favor with the centurion and he overrules the plan, saving not only Paul but all the prisoners, continuing the fulfillment of God's promise that no one on board would be lost.

• He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship.

• So, if God promised that everyone would survive, why bother swimming or hanging on to boards? Well swimming or hanging on to something that floats if you can't swim is the way that God has ordained that people normally survive getting dumped in the water. They had already eaten, so they had some strength, due to the maneuvers of the sailors, they were as close to land as possible.

• To sum it up verse 44 states "In this way everyone reached land safely." — Just as God had promised, but it took a series of human decisions and actions to accomplish what God had promised.

• It is a bit of a mystery. If you rely so much on God's sovereignty that you abdicate your own responsibility and get complacent, you are misunderstanding God's sovereignty. If you rely so much on human choice and responsibility that you become fearful that God's plan may be ruined, then you are also misunderstanding God's sovereignty.

• DLK adds “on Page 2 of this article he examines Acts 27”• “…It is a bit of a mystery. If you rely so much on God's sovereignty that you abdicate your own responsibility and get

complacent, you are misunderstanding God's sovereignty.tweet If you rely so much on human choice and responsibility that you become fearful that God's plan may be ruined, then you are also misunderstanding God's sovereignty…”