YAHWEH, THE GOD OF HEAVEN, REIGNS OVER ALL!
Daniel 2:1-49
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Yahweh gets Nebuchadnezzar’s attention through a reoccurring, troubling, dream and Nebuchadnezzar reacts with impatience and anger (Daniel 2:1-13).
A. The second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s actual “full-year” reign would have been between April 603 B.C. and March 602 B.C. (verse 1).
B. The king assembled the experts in sacred writings (magicians), in dead spirits (enchanters), in occult practices (sorcerers), and star readers (astrologers) (verse 2).
C. The king wanted to test the validity of these “experts” by having them tell him his dream and would have them killed if they couldn’t (verses 3-13).
1. Daniel 2:4b through 7:28 is written in Aramaic, the common, “universal” language of the time. The rest of Daniel was written in Hebrew, the language of Israel . Daniel became proficient in both languages (verse 4).
2. The king promises great reward to the one who could tell him his dream and a cruel death to each of these wise men and their families if they can’t (verses 5-9).
3. Another classic battle between the so-called gods of humans and the only God of Heaven (Universe) is going to happen in the pages of Scripture! (verses 10-13, also chapter 1:6, I Kings 18:36,37).
Thought: Where is our focus and mind centered on for the solution to our problems today? Are we reacting with impatience and anger or trust?
II. Yahweh reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to Daniel through answered prayer (Daniel 2:14 -23). Daniel’s response is like a sermon=2 0on how believers should handle difficulties.
A. Daniel speaks with a right tone of voice and with wisdom and tact
(verses 14, 15; Proverbs 15:1,2).
B. Daniel asked the king for some more time to accomplish the task. He wanted some time to pray about his situation personally (verse 16).
C. Daniel recruited prayer support from his believing friends and they prayed for specific Yahweh-honoring requests (verses 17, 18).
D. Daniel received the answer and praised God’s name specifically for His power to rule and His wisdom to reveal (verses 19-23).
Thought: Think and pray through these steps and ask Yahweh to make us stronger and more trusting in Jesus name.
III. Daniel explains the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, brings glory to Yahweh, and ends up getting blessed in the process (Daniel 2:24 -40).
A. Daniel makes sure to give the God of Heaven, Yahweh, all the glory and honor for this answered prayer (verses 24-30).
B. He explains to the king that his dream explains what will happen in “days to come,” “latter days” or “the end of days” (verses 28, 29). This term relates to bringing in Messiah’s reign on earth (Gen. 49:1; Deut. 4:30 , 31:29; Isa. 2:2; Ezek. 38:16). It specifically seems to relate to things dealing with the time period between the crucifixion of Christ and Second Coming of Christ in the New Testament, before Christ’s Millenial Reign (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17).
C. The actual dream consists of an enormous, dazzling statue composed of four different metals: A gold head, silver chest and arms, bronze belly and thighs, and iron legs connected to feet of iron and clay. Then a stone made without hands smashes the statue to powder, which is blown away by the wind. The stone then grows and became a great mountain and filled the whole earth (verses 33-35).
D. The interpretation of the dream is found in verses 36-45.
1. The God of Heaven has purposed four kingdoms to rule over and dominate this earth (as of the time of Daniel) before He (the God of Heaven) sets up His own eternal kingdom (verses 36-43).
a. The gold head we know was Babylon which ruled from 605-539 B.C. Isaiah calls it “the golden city”) (Isa. 14:4). It had golden domed temples with its chief god, Bel-Marduk which was made of solid gold.
b. The silver chest and arms we know was Medo-Persia which ruled from 539-331 B.C. It did not have the impressiveness of Babylon and their taxes were paid in silver.
c. The bronze belly and thighs we know was Greece which ruled from 331 B.C. – (approx.) 168 B.C. &nbs p;Greek soldiers wore all bronze armor and were called “brazen coated.”
d. The iron legs best fits the empire of Rome which ruled from ~168 B.C.- 476 A.D. Iron expresses the toughness and fierceness of Rome . They were never overthrown by a fifth empire but were invaded by barbarian northern tribes and divided up into ten tribes which became modern Europe .
2. Eventually the God of Heaven will set up His kingdom that will never be destroyed and will destroy all other kingdoms. This is the stone which was made without the hands of man’s kingdoms because God Himself, Yahweh, will bring it to pass (verses 44-45).
a. Amillenialists (people who do not believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ) say that this was a spirit ual kingdom started by Jesus Christ at His first coming.
b. Premillenialists say that the kingdom was inaugurated by Christ’s first coming but will be literally fulfilled during His second coming (Rev. 19:5).
E. Daniel and his friends are promoted in Babylon (verses 46-49).
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Daniel 1:1-21
Daniel 1:1-21
as taught by "guest geek" Richard Weisenberger
A key theological point of Daniel chapter one is this: God is sovereign in the world at both the national and individual levels. This is seen in the three-fold use of the Hebrew term nathan (give) by God:
1) Verse 2 – The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand which altered the course of world history.
2) Verse 9 – God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials thus precluding the spiritual assimilation of Daniel and his friends into the religion of Babylon.
3) Verse 17 – God gave Daniel and his three friends knowledge and insight which effectively defeated the religious practitioners of Babylon.
The Context – Deportation to Babylon (vv 1-2)
4) This event is the fulfillment of both Covenant promises (Deuteronomy 28:36-37) and prophecy (Jeremiah 25:8-9).
5) The use of the term Lord (Hebrew Adonai) in verse two emphasizes God’s sovereignty over Nebuchadnezzar’s victory.
6) Daniel mentions the deportation of the temple articles and their deposit in the Babylonian temple. Why is this important?
The Contest – Daniel’s First Test (vv 3-16)
7) The king orders that some of the conquered nobility be taken into his service. This was common practice and provided the king with access to the deported populace.
8) These youths were the cream of the crop, handsome and without shortcomings, intelligent and knowledgeable.
i. They were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans to better serve the king. This training would take three years.
ii. They were to partake of the king’s own table.
iii. They were given new names which were related to the Babylonian gods.
Daniel – “God is my judge”
Belteshazzar – “Lady [wife of Marduk] protect the king”
Hananiah – “Yahweh has been gracious”
Shadrach – “I am very fearful”
Mishael – “Who is as God?”
Meshach – “I am of little account”
Azariah – “Yahweh has helped”
Abednego – “Servant of the shining one (or Nabu)”
9) The four submit to all of these conditions without objection save one.
i. They can serve God and serve in a pagan court.
ii. Their training in Scripture and the religion of Yahweh would not be overcome by their training in Babylonian religion and thought.
iii. The Babylonian names appear to be jokes on their gods.
iv. But Daniel makes up his mind not to defile himself by eating the king’s food. What is really at stake here?
10) Daniel’s Test:
i. Daniel takes the initiative to ask for leniency.
ii. God intervenes in adjusting the attitudes of the commander of the officials.
iii. The commander of the officials has a legitimate concern.
iv. Daniel proposes a test to the overseer and submits himself to his final judgment.
v. God honors Daniel’s commitment. He and his friends pass the test and they are allowed to keep their vegetarian diet.
The Conclusion – Daniel’s Rise to Favor (vv 17-21)
11) God’s sovereignty comes again to the fore when He supernaturally augments the four friends’ natural intellectual abilities.
12) To Daniel God gives the special ability to understand visions and dreams. This anticipates significant portions of the book.
13) So great were their God given abilities that they were found by the king to be “ten times better” than all the magician/conjurers in the realm.
14) The chapter ends where it started, with a time note: God preserves Daniel from his youth through several Babylonian rulers down to the time of Cyrus, king of Persia, when he is about 90.
as taught by "guest geek" Richard Weisenberger
A key theological point of Daniel chapter one is this: God is sovereign in the world at both the national and individual levels. This is seen in the three-fold use of the Hebrew term nathan (give) by God:
1) Verse 2 – The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand which altered the course of world history.
2) Verse 9 – God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials thus precluding the spiritual assimilation of Daniel and his friends into the religion of Babylon.
3) Verse 17 – God gave Daniel and his three friends knowledge and insight which effectively defeated the religious practitioners of Babylon.
The Context – Deportation to Babylon (vv 1-2)
4) This event is the fulfillment of both Covenant promises (Deuteronomy 28:36-37) and prophecy (Jeremiah 25:8-9).
5) The use of the term Lord (Hebrew Adonai) in verse two emphasizes God’s sovereignty over Nebuchadnezzar’s victory.
6) Daniel mentions the deportation of the temple articles and their deposit in the Babylonian temple. Why is this important?
The Contest – Daniel’s First Test (vv 3-16)
7) The king orders that some of the conquered nobility be taken into his service. This was common practice and provided the king with access to the deported populace.
8) These youths were the cream of the crop, handsome and without shortcomings, intelligent and knowledgeable.
i. They were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans to better serve the king. This training would take three years.
ii. They were to partake of the king’s own table.
iii. They were given new names which were related to the Babylonian gods.
Daniel – “God is my judge”
Belteshazzar – “Lady [wife of Marduk] protect the king”
Hananiah – “Yahweh has been gracious”
Shadrach – “I am very fearful”
Mishael – “Who is as God?”
Meshach – “I am of little account”
Azariah – “Yahweh has helped”
Abednego – “Servant of the shining one (or Nabu)”
9) The four submit to all of these conditions without objection save one.
i. They can serve God and serve in a pagan court.
ii. Their training in Scripture and the religion of Yahweh would not be overcome by their training in Babylonian religion and thought.
iii. The Babylonian names appear to be jokes on their gods.
iv. But Daniel makes up his mind not to defile himself by eating the king’s food. What is really at stake here?
10) Daniel’s Test:
i. Daniel takes the initiative to ask for leniency.
ii. God intervenes in adjusting the attitudes of the commander of the officials.
iii. The commander of the officials has a legitimate concern.
iv. Daniel proposes a test to the overseer and submits himself to his final judgment.
v. God honors Daniel’s commitment. He and his friends pass the test and they are allowed to keep their vegetarian diet.
The Conclusion – Daniel’s Rise to Favor (vv 17-21)
11) God’s sovereignty comes again to the fore when He supernaturally augments the four friends’ natural intellectual abilities.
12) To Daniel God gives the special ability to understand visions and dreams. This anticipates significant portions of the book.
13) So great were their God given abilities that they were found by the king to be “ten times better” than all the magician/conjurers in the realm.
14) The chapter ends where it started, with a time note: God preserves Daniel from his youth through several Babylonian rulers down to the time of Cyrus, king of Persia, when he is about 90.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO DANIEL
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO DANIEL
Daniel 1:1,2
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Purposes for the writing of Daniel.
A. Yahweh is faithful, loving, encouraging, and protective of His disobedient people in their Babylonian exile (especially chapters 3,6,9,12).
B. Yahweh is in control of the events of this world (Sovereign) while holding His human creation responsible for their God-given freedoms (especially chapters 2,4,5,7-12).
C. Yahweh’s redemption program is for Israel ’s message to bring His light to all people and nations (especially chapters 2-7,9,12)
D. Yahweh will certainly bring His King, the Son of Man (Jesus), into this world and eventually will set Him up as His only ruler for all time in Jerusalem (especially Daniel 2:44,45; 3:25; 4:34,35; 5:23; 6:26,27; chapter 7; 8:25; chapter 9).
E. Yahweh rules over the trials of this world as well as physical death and has promised resurrection during the rulership of His King (especially chapters 1,3,6,12).
II. Historical dates and rulers as they relate to the book of Daniel.
A. Daniel was taken captive from Jerusalem in 605-604 B.C. and taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1:1). His last written vision was during the third year of King Cyrus of Persia in 5 35 B.C. Therefore, the book spans about 70 years.
B. Daniel mentions four rulers during the time of this writing:
Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 B.C.), Belshazzar (550-539 B.C.), Darius the Mede (539 B.C.), and Cyrus (539-530 B.C.).
C. Daniel chapters 1-4 are under Nebuchadnezzar, chapters 5,7, and 8 Belshazzar, chapters 6 and 9 Darius the Mede, and chapters 10-12 Cyrus.
III. The authorship of the book is accepted by conservative, supernatural accepting scholars to be the same statesman-prophet of the book, Daniel.
A. He probably compiled and completed this book during his retirement between 532-530 B.C. He was probably around 90 years of age.
B. It appears that Daniel (chapters 9:2,20; 10:2) and Jesus (Matt. 24:15, Mark 13:14 ) relate to his authorship and Ezekiel probably refers directly to his godly character as his comtemporary (Ezekiel 14:14 ,20). There are also numerous references in Matthew 24, I and II Thessalonians, and especially Revelation that use the same words and language found in Daniel.
C. Some liberal, non-supernatural accepting scholars like to assign a date of 200-150 B.C. due to the complete accuracy of the prophecies, miraculous events, the two language format (Hebrew, chapters 1,8-12 and Aramaic chapters 2-7), and the third person (chapters 1-7) – first person (chapters 8-12) changes.
IV. Important historical dates for Israel and Jerusalem as it relates to the dates of Daniel.
A. Isaiah prophesies Judah ’s and Jerusalem ’s fall to Babylon because of disobedience before 703 B.C. (Isaiah 39).
B. There were three separate times Judah and Jerusalem were deported to Babylon :
1) 605 B.C. – Daniel and others,
2) 597 B.C. – Ezekiel and others (2 Kings 24:11-16),
3) 586 B.C. – the complete destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1-21), Jeremiah is taken to Egypt and writes Lamentations.
C. There are three main returns of the exiles back to Jerusalem :
1) Zerubbabel 538 B.C. (Ezra 2),
2) Ezra 458 B.C. (Ezra 7), and 3) Nehemiah 444 B.C. (Neh. 1).
The new Jerusalem temple began under Cyrus (536 B.C.) and was completed under Darius I (515 B.C.). Psalms 107-150 (Book 5) records the joy of the return, the temple, an d the completion of the walls.
V. Daniel 1:1and 2
A. The invasion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar is well documented in 2 Kings 23:36 – 24:1 as well as Babylonian historical records.
1. Therefore, as believers, we welcome historical scrutiny.
2. Two things to reason through:
a. This says the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign and Jer. 25:1, 36:1, 46:2 say the fourth year. This is because the Babylonian system Daniel was under only counted full years rather than a rounding up system Jeremiah was under.
b. Nebuchadnezzar is called Nebuchadrezzar in Jeremiah (Jer. 25:2 for example) and Ezekiel. The original Babylonian language, Akkadian, spelling in English is Nabu-kudurri-usur. So the r sound is actually more accurate. Evidently as the language progressed, the n and r sounds interchanged after a d sound due to ease of speech.
B. Some of the items from the Jewish temple were taken during this 605 B.C. invasion and placed in the temple for the Babylonian gods. Possibly Marduk was one of the main gods. Therefore, from the very beginning of the book, we are presented with a conflict between the power of the only God of the Universe Yahweh against the Babylonian gods.
Daniel 1:1,2
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Purposes for the writing of Daniel.
A. Yahweh is faithful, loving, encouraging, and protective of His disobedient people in their Babylonian exile (especially chapters 3,6,9,12).
B. Yahweh is in control of the events of this world (Sovereign) while holding His human creation responsible for their God-given freedoms (especially chapters 2,4,5,7-12).
C. Yahweh’s redemption program is for Israel ’s message to bring His light to all people and nations (especially chapters 2-7,9,12)
D. Yahweh will certainly bring His King, the Son of Man (Jesus), into this world and eventually will set Him up as His only ruler for all time in Jerusalem (especially Daniel 2:44,45; 3:25; 4:34,35; 5:23; 6:26,27; chapter 7; 8:25; chapter 9).
E. Yahweh rules over the trials of this world as well as physical death and has promised resurrection during the rulership of His King (especially chapters 1,3,6,12).
II. Historical dates and rulers as they relate to the book of Daniel.
A. Daniel was taken captive from Jerusalem in 605-604 B.C. and taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1:1). His last written vision was during the third year of King Cyrus of Persia in 5 35 B.C. Therefore, the book spans about 70 years.
B. Daniel mentions four rulers during the time of this writing:
Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 B.C.), Belshazzar (550-539 B.C.), Darius the Mede (539 B.C.), and Cyrus (539-530 B.C.).
C. Daniel chapters 1-4 are under Nebuchadnezzar, chapters 5,7, and 8 Belshazzar, chapters 6 and 9 Darius the Mede, and chapters 10-12 Cyrus.
III. The authorship of the book is accepted by conservative, supernatural accepting scholars to be the same statesman-prophet of the book, Daniel.
A. He probably compiled and completed this book during his retirement between 532-530 B.C. He was probably around 90 years of age.
B. It appears that Daniel (chapters 9:2,20; 10:2) and Jesus (Matt. 24:15, Mark 13:14 ) relate to his authorship and Ezekiel probably refers directly to his godly character as his comtemporary (Ezekiel 14:14 ,20). There are also numerous references in Matthew 24, I and II Thessalonians, and especially Revelation that use the same words and language found in Daniel.
C. Some liberal, non-supernatural accepting scholars like to assign a date of 200-150 B.C. due to the complete accuracy of the prophecies, miraculous events, the two language format (Hebrew, chapters 1,8-12 and Aramaic chapters 2-7), and the third person (chapters 1-7) – first person (chapters 8-12) changes.
IV. Important historical dates for Israel and Jerusalem as it relates to the dates of Daniel.
A. Isaiah prophesies Judah ’s and Jerusalem ’s fall to Babylon because of disobedience before 703 B.C. (Isaiah 39).
B. There were three separate times Judah and Jerusalem were deported to Babylon :
1) 605 B.C. – Daniel and others,
2) 597 B.C. – Ezekiel and others (2 Kings 24:11-16),
3) 586 B.C. – the complete destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1-21), Jeremiah is taken to Egypt and writes Lamentations.
C. There are three main returns of the exiles back to Jerusalem :
1) Zerubbabel 538 B.C. (Ezra 2),
2) Ezra 458 B.C. (Ezra 7), and 3) Nehemiah 444 B.C. (Neh. 1).
The new Jerusalem temple began under Cyrus (536 B.C.) and was completed under Darius I (515 B.C.). Psalms 107-150 (Book 5) records the joy of the return, the temple, an d the completion of the walls.
V. Daniel 1:1and 2
A. The invasion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar is well documented in 2 Kings 23:36 – 24:1 as well as Babylonian historical records.
1. Therefore, as believers, we welcome historical scrutiny.
2. Two things to reason through:
a. This says the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign and Jer. 25:1, 36:1, 46:2 say the fourth year. This is because the Babylonian system Daniel was under only counted full years rather than a rounding up system Jeremiah was under.
b. Nebuchadnezzar is called Nebuchadrezzar in Jeremiah (Jer. 25:2 for example) and Ezekiel. The original Babylonian language, Akkadian, spelling in English is Nabu-kudurri-usur. So the r sound is actually more accurate. Evidently as the language progressed, the n and r sounds interchanged after a d sound due to ease of speech.
B. Some of the items from the Jewish temple were taken during this 605 B.C. invasion and placed in the temple for the Babylonian gods. Possibly Marduk was one of the main gods. Therefore, from the very beginning of the book, we are presented with a conflict between the power of the only God of the Universe Yahweh against the Babylonian gods.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
I John 4:20 - 5:21
PRACTICAL CONCERNS AND CHRISTIAN CERTAINTIES
I John 4:20 - 5:21
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Now that the Apostle John has finished the main body of his letter in I John 4:19,
he now discusses three practical issues the churches need to know about in
I John 4:20 - 5:17.
A. The practical issue of who Christians are and why we as Christians should love
them (I John 4:20 - 5:3a).
One of my professors, Fred Chay of Phoenix Seminary, said it this way:
1. Love does not mean that I trust them or like being with them.
2. Love does mean desiring what God wants for them.
3. Love does mean doing for them what God wants for them.
4. We are to pray for them Matt. 5:44 and James 5:16; encourage
them I Thes. 5:11; and forgive them Eph. 4:32.
B. The practical issue of how we as Christians overcome the world (I John 5:3b - 15).
1. The fact that Jesus overcame the world gives Christians the power to have
overcome and to overcome through Him (I John 5:3b-5; John 16:33).
2. The fact that God has given us a reliable, historical record as to the human
Jesus being the Christ (prophesied Anointed One) and the Son of God (second
person of the Trinity, God in the flesh), gives Christians overcoming power
(I John 5:6 - 13).
a. The testimony of the Spirit includes the descent from heaven upon Jesus
(John 1:32), the descent upon and in the believers (Acts 2; I Cor. 12:13),
the written testimony of the apostles and those who knew the apostles
(John 14:15-26; the New Testament), and the Resurrection of Christ
(John 16:6-16; Acts 1:1-11).
b. The testimony of water was the baptism of Christ along with the voice
from heaven (John 1:32-34; Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22).
c. The testimony of blood was the crucifixion of Christ (John 19:28-37;
Matt. 27:32-54; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49).
d. The Old Testament testimony was established by two or three witnesses
(Deut. 17:6; 19:15) and this idea was carried over in this and other New
Testament contexts (Matt. 18:16; John 8:17-18).
e. The heretic Cerinthus taught that the divine Christ descended on the human
Jesus at his baptism and ascended before his crucifixion. John’s writing
shows the error of this thinking and shows the reliable record Christians
have of overcoming false prophets of any kind!
f. The “these things” in verse 13 relates to I John 5:6-12 rather than to the
whole letter as already discussed (see I John 1:4, 2:1, and 2:26).
3. The fact that God lives in His believers, lives by His Holy Spirit in their new
natures, gives Christians overcoming power as they pray according to His
will (I John 5:14,15).
C. The practical issue of praying for other Christians as we see them sin
( I John 5:16, 17).
1. Christians can and still do sin in their total person or mortal body while living
out their faith (I John 1:5 - 2:2; I Peter 2:1; Gal. 6:1).
2. God has taken some Christians home early through physical death
(Acts 5:1-11; I Cor. 11:27-32) but because of God’s graciousness, only
suddenly on infrequent occasions.
3. By praying for our fellow believers, who are caught in sin, things according
to Gods will, and being willing to help bring them back to the truth, we can
add time and blessings to their physical life (James 5:19,20; Rom. 6:16-23;
Prov. 10:2, 11:4, 19; 12:28).
II. Final Closing: Three certainties and an admonition (I John 5:18-21).
A. We know that: A Christians new nature is free from sin and Satan (vs 18).
B. We know that: A Christian is on God’s side and the world is on Satan’s side
(vs 19).
C. We know that: A Christian has been given spiritual intelligence about the Son of
God and is in the Son of God (vs 20).
D. Christians should guard themselves from opposite ideas (vs 21).
I John 4:20 - 5:21
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Now that the Apostle John has finished the main body of his letter in I John 4:19,
he now discusses three practical issues the churches need to know about in
I John 4:20 - 5:17.
A. The practical issue of who Christians are and why we as Christians should love
them (I John 4:20 - 5:3a).
One of my professors, Fred Chay of Phoenix Seminary, said it this way:
1. Love does not mean that I trust them or like being with them.
2. Love does mean desiring what God wants for them.
3. Love does mean doing for them what God wants for them.
4. We are to pray for them Matt. 5:44 and James 5:16; encourage
them I Thes. 5:11; and forgive them Eph. 4:32.
B. The practical issue of how we as Christians overcome the world (I John 5:3b - 15).
1. The fact that Jesus overcame the world gives Christians the power to have
overcome and to overcome through Him (I John 5:3b-5; John 16:33).
2. The fact that God has given us a reliable, historical record as to the human
Jesus being the Christ (prophesied Anointed One) and the Son of God (second
person of the Trinity, God in the flesh), gives Christians overcoming power
(I John 5:6 - 13).
a. The testimony of the Spirit includes the descent from heaven upon Jesus
(John 1:32), the descent upon and in the believers (Acts 2; I Cor. 12:13),
the written testimony of the apostles and those who knew the apostles
(John 14:15-26; the New Testament), and the Resurrection of Christ
(John 16:6-16; Acts 1:1-11).
b. The testimony of water was the baptism of Christ along with the voice
from heaven (John 1:32-34; Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22).
c. The testimony of blood was the crucifixion of Christ (John 19:28-37;
Matt. 27:32-54; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49).
d. The Old Testament testimony was established by two or three witnesses
(Deut. 17:6; 19:15) and this idea was carried over in this and other New
Testament contexts (Matt. 18:16; John 8:17-18).
e. The heretic Cerinthus taught that the divine Christ descended on the human
Jesus at his baptism and ascended before his crucifixion. John’s writing
shows the error of this thinking and shows the reliable record Christians
have of overcoming false prophets of any kind!
f. The “these things” in verse 13 relates to I John 5:6-12 rather than to the
whole letter as already discussed (see I John 1:4, 2:1, and 2:26).
3. The fact that God lives in His believers, lives by His Holy Spirit in their new
natures, gives Christians overcoming power as they pray according to His
will (I John 5:14,15).
C. The practical issue of praying for other Christians as we see them sin
( I John 5:16, 17).
1. Christians can and still do sin in their total person or mortal body while living
out their faith (I John 1:5 - 2:2; I Peter 2:1; Gal. 6:1).
2. God has taken some Christians home early through physical death
(Acts 5:1-11; I Cor. 11:27-32) but because of God’s graciousness, only
suddenly on infrequent occasions.
3. By praying for our fellow believers, who are caught in sin, things according
to Gods will, and being willing to help bring them back to the truth, we can
add time and blessings to their physical life (James 5:19,20; Rom. 6:16-23;
Prov. 10:2, 11:4, 19; 12:28).
II. Final Closing: Three certainties and an admonition (I John 5:18-21).
A. We know that: A Christians new nature is free from sin and Satan (vs 18).
B. We know that: A Christian is on God’s side and the world is on Satan’s side
(vs 19).
C. We know that: A Christian has been given spiritual intelligence about the Son of
God and is in the Son of God (vs 20).
D. Christians should guard themselves from opposite ideas (vs 21).
Friday, May 22, 2009
I John 2:28 - 4:19 (Part 3)
CONFIDENCE BEFORE CHRIST AT HIS COMING: Part III
I John 2:28 - 4:19
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. Manifesting Christ’s righteousness brings confidence to the believer (previous lesson I John 2:28 - 3:10a).
"In saying that the regenerate inward person (Rom. 7:22) keeps himself (from sin), John is not saying, of course, that our inner self can somehow prevent all sin in the Christian life. John’s discussion in 1:5-10 shows he could not mean something like that. What John means is that God’s "seed remains in" the regenerate inward self (I John 3:9) as the controlling element of his born again nature and is impervious to even the slightest contamination from the wicked one. Thus not only can Satan not defeat the regenerate man, but he cannot even touch him (I John 5:18). It is reassuring to remember that whatever failures may be, they do not really touch what we are at the core of our being as God’s children. In the last analysis, our failures are due to the sinful "programming" of our earthly bodies, as Paul himself taught in Romans 7:7-25. Christians need to know this. At the very moment that we are most humbled by our sinful failures, and when we confess them, it is helpful to be confident that those failures have not really changed what we are as children of God." Zane C. Hodges, "The Epistles of John," page 242.
II. Loving our fellow Christians with Christ’s love brings confidence to the believer(I John 3:10b - 3:23).
A. Believers are the only ones that can love other believers with Christ’s love. But it is a choice (I John 3:10b -12; John 13:34; Gen. 4). Choosing to love your brother reveals Christ’s life abiding in you (I John 3:13-15; Rom. 6:6-18).
B. Christ is the believers example for loving other believers (I John 3:16-17).
C. Choosing to love other believers quiets our inner core and increases our confidence with God in prayer (I John 3:18-23).
III. Abiding in the truth of Christ’s Spirit brings confidence to the believer (I Jn 3:24-4:16)
A. A believer has been given the Holy Spirit of God at the time of belief (I John 3:24; I Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9).
B. Believers need to "test the spirits" by testing if a person’s words line up with the historical and Biblical message about Jesus Christ (I John 4:1-6; 2 Cor. 4:4,5; 2 Cor. 11:3,4; Gal. 1:6-9). - I ask this question, "Do you believe that Jesus is the only God of the Universe (Son of God, Yahweh) who came into this world and lived, died, and rose again for the sins of the world (Jesus as Savior and the prophesied Christ) so that you personally might have eternal life through Him?
C. Believers who continue in the correct teaching of God’s love shown to this world through the work of God’s Son, Jesus the Christ, reveal the abiding Holy Spirit in them (I John 4:7-16).
IV. Manifesting Christ’s righteousness, loving fellow believers, and abiding in the truth of Christ’s Spirit brings inner and outer confidence to believers (I John 4:17-19).
A. In John’s mind, these true spiritual realities are the goal of ones faith between Christ’s first and second coming (I John 2:28; 3:2; 4:17).
B. He calls this perfected or matured love which brings confidence to a believer and eliminates fear (verses 17,18) to the glory of God (verse 19).
Thursday, May 14, 2009
I John 2:28 - 4:19 (Part 2)
CONFIDENCE BEFORE CHRIST AT HIS COMING: PART II
I John 2:28 - 4:19
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. In the last lesson, we learned that the main body of this letter goes from I John 2:28 - 4:19.
A. The overall theme of this section is written by John to explain how believers can have confidence at Christ’s coming and judgment seat. He uses the inclusio device with the word confidence (parresian) in 2:28 and 4:17 (with another tossed in the middle at 3:21).
B. The subsections of "abiding in Christ," "manifesting Christ’s righteousness," and "loving fellow believers through Christ" were introduced in I John 2:28 - 3:3.
C. There should be no doubt that John’s audience is his fellow believers.
1. Everything discussed from 1:1 - 2:27 has been to explain fellowship (koinonia).
2. John is writing to the "little children" in this section starting at 2:28. This has already been used in 2:1, 12, and was used first by Jesus in John 13:33 after Judas had left and He was talking to only His true believers and disciples.
3. John uses the word abiding which is his word for discipleship whereas belief is his word for justification salvation.
4. He uses the concepts of manifesting Christ’s righteousness and loving Christians with Christ’s love. Both of these come after belief (justification) and they cannot happen before belief.
II. John outlines the subsections of this main body from I John 2:28 - 4:19 by using more inclusios.
A. He uses the inclusio of "manifesting" (phanero) in 2:28 - 3:10a, the inclusio "loving" (agapao) in 3:10b - 3:23, and the inclusio of "abiding" (meno) in 3:24 - 4:16.
B. John concludes his thoughts of this main body of his letter from 4:17 - 4:19. He explains that if the manifesting, loving, and abiding in Christ are carried out, a confidence before Christ can happen in believers. This he calls perfected or mature love.
III. Manifesting Christ’s righteousness brings confidence to the believer (I John 2:28-3:10a).
A. Jesus Christ manifested righteousness in His first coming to take away or bear sin (I John 3:5; Romans 3:21-26).
B. Jesus Christ will be manifested in glorified righteousness in His second coming (I John 2:28; Rev. 1:12-18; 19:9-16).
C. Believers are now children of God through Christ and have been given a new nature and Christ’s imputed righteousness (I John 3:1-3; 2 Cor. 5:17-21).
D. The new nature of the believer is as sinless as Christ’s nature. Christ lives in the believers sinless new nature by His Holy Spirit (I John 3:3,6,9; Rom. 8:9,14).
E. As a believer abides in Christ, by submitting his/her total mortal body to the control of the Holy Spirit and his/her new nature, that believer lives without sin (I John 3:6). This act undoes the work of the devil in the believer’s life for that instant (I John 3:8).
F. John calls this walking in the light or the truth (I John 1:6-8; 2 John 2:4).
Thursday, May 7, 2009
I John 2:28 - 4:19
CONFIDENCE BEFORE CHRIST AT HIS COMING: PART I
I John 2:28 - 4:19
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. The main body of the apostle John’s letter is written to explain how believers can have confidence at Christ’s coming and judgment seat (I John 2:28 - 4:19).
A. We know that this is the main section of the letter because of a literary device known as an inclusio.
1. The Greek word “parresian” is given in 2:28 and 4:17 to explain the almost synonymous phrases of “confidence (parresian)...before Him at His coming(2:28)” and “boldness (parresian) in the day of judgment (4:17).”
2. The Greek word “parresia” can mean confidence, boldness, outspokenness and frankness. It is the exact opposite of the concept of shame and shrinking back.
3. In the middle of this section, we have the word “parresian” used again to explain how answered prayer also fits into this confidence (3:21).
B. As believers our confidence is found by abiding (“meno” in Greek) or remaining in Christ and His teachings (2:28).
1. John first uses this term in his gospel in the verses of John 1:32, 38-39, and 2:12. In these verses, it is translated as remaining and staying.
2. John’s use of the word “meno” dramatically picks up after chapter 12 of his gospel when he starts emphasizing discipleship. In Jesus’ upper room discourse in chapters 14-17, most of the 40 uses of “meno” in the gospel of John are recorded with 11 uses recorded in John 15:3-11 alone!
3. I John has “meno” used 24 times. In this letter, John continues Jesus’ use of the word as stay, remain, reside, continue, and endure in obedience for the sake of fellowship and discipleship.
C. As believers we have had Christ manifested already in our hearts, however, our confidence and boldness grows as that inner life is manifested in our day to day lives (2:28). The Greek word “phanero” translated manifested is used six times from 2:28 - 3:10.
D. Believers are eternally saved through belief in Christ and His work alone (justified) and can never be lost (John 4:24, 10:27-30; Rom. 3:20-24, 8:37,38). However, according to many Scriptures, believers must give an account before Christ at His judgment seat (Bema) (I John 2:28, 4:17; Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10).
1. It will be comprehensive according to how Christ’s work was used as a foundation and a motive for the basis of reward (I Cor. 3:8-15) or lost reward.
2. It will involve the things good and bad done in our bodies and, therefore, may involve shame (when dealing with unconfessed sin) (2 Cor. 5:10).
THOUGHT: As we think about standing before Christ’s presence, what thoughts and feelings come to mind?
II. As believers abide in Christ and His teaching, they confidently sense Christ in them, their new birth alive in them, their adoption, and their future hope(I John 2:29 - 3:3).
A. We should not expect the world to know that we are internally alive and adopted by Yahweh because the world never recognized Christ for who He was and is (I John 3:1b).
B. We know that Christ rose from the dead with a new body and is with the Father. We have this hope and certainty also (I John 3:2,3; Luke 24: I Cor. 15:20-57 I Thes. 4:13-18).
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