CREATION

“I have made the earth, and created man on it. I - My hands - stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded" (Isa. 45:12 NKJV).

In our schools today, students should be taught this verse in their science classes instead of what is currently being taught. This verse tells us some very important truths about creation. It tells us of the source of creation, the service of creation, and the Sovereign of creation.

Source of creation – “I have made the earth, and created man on it. I - My hands - stretched out the heavens.” Our verse makes it very plain that God is the Creator. He made the earth, man, and the sky. The Scriptures does not teach evolution or a big-bang theory. However, the Scriptures do speak of a deliberate act of creation which had purpose and design (the word “made” in our verse carries the idea of purpose and design). The theories of mankind emphasize happenstance which has no purpose or design. On the other hand, the Bible’s explanation of creation is logical and sensible.

Service of creation – “All their host.” The word “host” means servant and involves service. Herein lies our purpose for existing - we are created to serve God. There are some folk today who complain they do not know who they are and why they are. This verse spells out clearly that we are God’s creation, created to serve Him. Man, however, does not like the idea that he is God’s creation and is obligated to serve God. When we get away from the Bible, we become a mess in our thinking.

Sovereign of creation – “All their host have I commanded.” God’s rule over creation is stated plainly here. He gives orders and commands to creation, for He is the Sovereign of creation. God’s authority is the highest authority over mankind. Thus if we want a meaningful, productive, and blessed life, we will have to submit to His commands for our life. His commands reflect His plan for our being created. His commands will accomplish His purpose for our existence.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Nature is but a name for an effect whose cause is God!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Disgrace

In Luke 1:125 we read, “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men” (NASB).

Disgrace is the Greek word oneidos (ὄνειδος = on'-i-dos). It means reproach, disgrace, insult, rebuke, censure, or blame. In classical Greek, oneidos to revile or insult. In the Septuagint oneidos carries the idea of reproach or blame. Oneidos only occurs once in the New Testament and also mean reproach or blame. Here in Luke 1:25, after becoming pregnant in her old age, Elizabeth felt that her disgrace (reproach) had been removed. In Old Testament times it was considered something of a public embarrassment not to have had children. The impending birth of John the Baptist would relieve her of this embarrassment.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah is a learned Counselor for the weary (Isa. 50:4)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 7:29; 11:28-29

Did You Know…

In the Bible, it states that Jesus will judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1; cf. John 5:22, 27).

Bible Quiz

Whom did God ask, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?”

**Answer to last week’s trivia: When the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River into the Promised Land what went before them? The Ark of the Covenant (Josh. 3:6).

Everyday Expressions Alluded to in the Bible

“When the Spirit moves you”

“And the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol” (Judges 13:25 NKJV).

“When the Spirit moves you” - The expression “when the spirit moves you” carries the idea of when you feel like it. In context, the birth of Samson brought light and joy to Manoah and his wife, who thought they would never have a family. His birth also began to bring light to Israel during the dark days of Philistine oppression. The phrase “Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him” meant that he was being urged, impelled, had a strong desire to accomplish something for their deliverance. When one is called of God, he will evidence that call at home (Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol). If he does not, there may be justification in believing he does not possess the calling he claims to have. If you are unwilling to serve in your own church, you will likely be unwilling to serve in any other church.

Did You Know – Christian History

Harold J. Ockenga was born July 6, 1905 and was raised in Chicago, IL. He was a Congregational minister and a prolific author.

As a teenager, Ockenga had a strong sense of God calling him to pastoral ministry. Ockenga attended Taylor University, Westminster Theological Seminary, and the University of Pittsburgh where he was awarded the PhD degree in 1939.

Ordained as a minister, Ockenga began his pastoral ministry in New Jersey, at two Methodist churches. He then went on to be the associate pastor at Park Street Church, Boston, MA. During his pastoral career at Park Street Church, Ockenga delivered many sermons that later formed the substance of various books he wrote. In all he wrote a dozen books dealing with biblical themes, and pastoral commentaries on biblical texts and bible characters.

In 1942 Ockenga co-founded the National Association of Evangelical to counter the liberal American Council of Churches. A few years later, he co-founded Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California and became its first president. The school was set up as a conservative alternative to East Coast seminaries which had backed away from the inspiration and accuracy of Scripture, as well as other key Christian doctrines.

When Ockenga recognized that fundamentalism was isolating itself from effective social action, he came out as a neo-evangelical, a position he advocated in a 1948 speech. As Ockenga saw it, evangelicals needed to be involved even with the enemies of the church rather than be completely separated. Evangelical needed to engage social issues, and needed to take part in the theological dialog of the day, even though this meant opening discussion with liberals.

Because of his active involvement in higher education and his board relationship with the evangelical magazine Christianity Today, Ockenga helped give intellectual credibility to the modern evangelical movement in America. Too often, evangelicals had been suspicious of higher learning.

In 1963, Ockenga passed the presidency of Fuller Theological Seminary over to David Hubbard. Six years later, he helped found another Christian school, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Once more, he served as president. Ockenga died in 1985.

A Little Humor

Manager: “I am sorry I cannot hire you; there isn’t enough work to you busy.”

Applicant: “You would be surprised how little it takes.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“God without man is still God; man without God is nothing!”