Judges 13
Philistines oppress Israel for forty yearsverse 1
And the children of Israel did EVIL again in the sight of the LORD
and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines
FORTY YEARS
Angel of the LORD appears to Manoah’s wifeverses 2-5
And there was a certain man of Zorah – of the family of the Danites
whose name was Manoah – and his wife was barren – and bare not
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman
and said to her
BEHOLD now – you are barren – and bear not
BUT you shall conceive – and bear a son
Now therefore beware – I pray you – and drink not wine nor strong drink
and eat not any unclean thing – FOR lo
you shall conceive – and bear a son
and no razor shall come on his head
FOR the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb
and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the
hand of the Philistines
Manoah informed by wife of visit of angelverses 6-7
Then the woman came and told her husband
saying
A man of God came to me
and HIS countenance was like the countenance of an
angel of God very terrible
BUT I asked HIM not whence HE was
neither told HE me HIS name
BUT HE
said to me
BEHOLD – you shall conceive and bear a son
and now drink no wine – nor strong drink
neither eat any unclean thing
FOR the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the
womb to the day of his death
Manoah prays for return of angelverses 8
Then Manoah entreated the LORD
and said
O my Lord – let the man of God which YOU did send come again
to us – and teach us what we shall do to the child
that shall be born
LORD answers Manoah’s prayerverses 9-10
And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah
and the angel of God came again to the woman
as she sat in the field
BUT Manoah her husband was not with her
And the woman made haste – and ran – and showed her husband
and said to him
BEHOLD – the man has appeared to me
that came to me the other day
Conversation between Manoah and Angelverses 11-18
And Manoah arose – and went after his wife – and came to the man
and said unto him
Are you the man that spoke to the woman?
And HE said
I am
And Manoah said
Now let your words come to pass
How shall we order the child?
How shall we do to him?
And the angel of the LORD
said to Manoah
Of all that I said to the woman let her beware
She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine
neither let her drink wine or strong drink
nor eat any unclean thing
All that I commanded her let her observe
And Manoah said to the angel of the LORD
I pray YOU – let us detain YOU
until we shall have made ready a kid for YOU
And the angel of the LORD
said to Manoah
Though you detain ME – I will not eat of your bread
and if you will offer a burnt offering
you must offer it to the LORD
For Manoah knew not that HE was an angel of the LORD
and Manoah said to the angel of the LORD
What is YOUR name
that when YOUR sayings come to pass we may do
YOU honor?
And the angel of the LORD
said to him
Why ask you thus after MY name – seeing it is secret?
Manoah offers sacrifice to the LORDverses 19-20
So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering
and offered it on a rock to the LORD
and the angel did wondrously
and Manoah and his wife looked on
FOR it came to pass
when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar
that the angel of the LORD
ascended in the flame of the altar
And Manoah and his wife looked on it
and fell on their faces to the ground
Manoah thought he had seen Godverses 21-22
BUT the angel of the LORD did no more appear
to Manoah and to his wife
THEN Manoah knew that he was
an angel of the LORD
And Manoah said to his wife
We shall surely die – BECAUSE we have seen God
Wife comforts Manoahverse 23
BUT his wife said to him
IF the LORD were pleased to kill us
HE would not have received a burnt offering
and a meat offering at our hands
neither would HE have shown us
all these things
nor would as at this time have told us
such things as these
Samson bornverses 24-25
And the woman bare a son – and called his name Samson
and the child grew – and the LORD blessed him
And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times
in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. (7451 “evil” [ra] means reprobate, morally objectionable behavior, bad, wicked, noxious, disagreeable, or unwholesome)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel had over thirty years of peace with some judges. Now the end of the time of peace was ending because the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD.
It is not hard to do evil in the sight of the LORD when you are not trying to please the LORD. The children of Israel stopped trying to please the LORD and instead wanted to please themselves. Sin is breaking the standard God has set for HIS people.
Now they had been turned over to another nation that they didn’t conquer when they came into the LORD. They were disobedient at the beginning by not conquering all the people of the land.
So for forty years they were under the rule of the Philistines. They were a nation that lived next to the Mediterranean Sea. They had five key cities. They worshiped false gods.
Now Samson was born to be the next judge for Israel. The LORD heard the prayers of HIS sinful people and prepared the next judge to come to deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines.
Can the LORD do the same today in any nation that will turn to HIM in repentance? The answer is yes. We have to get our act together as a body of Christ to go to the LORD in prayer for revival in our hearts and for HIM to work though HIS people to influence the nation toward HIM again.
CHALLENGE: Are we praying for the impossible? Is it too late? Only the LORD knows for sure. We have to do our part.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 For, lo, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. (3467 “deliver” [yasha] means to help, save, to be victorious, rescued, saved, to save from moral troubles, or to give victory to)
DEVOTION: The angel of the LORD appeared to Samson’s mother. She had been barren all her married life. It was thought that she would never have any children. Now along comes an angel of the LORD telling her something different. Remember that every woman in Israel wanted to have children. There was the thought that one of them would have the Messiah that was promised to come in the future.
So we have a messenger from God to this woman. Her husband was not with her when HE first appeared to her. The LORD wanted to test her faith. HE wanted to know if she believed that the LORD had the ability to give a barren woman a child.
Not only was she going to have a child but it was going to be a boy. He was special because he was going to join a group of individuals who from birth to death were supposed to follow these special instructions that the angel gave to his mother and later to his father.
The angel told her the purpose of her son. He was going to begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. God was going to not only make him a special boy but also give him a special purpose.
God knows about the day of our birth. HE knows what HE wants from us. HE didn’t send an angel to announce our birth but we are told that each of us has a guardian angel. That is that every heir of salvation has an angel. This is not the angel of the LORD who is talked about here. The angel of the LORD here was a theophany of Jesus Christ in the flesh.
Christ came to give us an abundant life that is manifested through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life.
Samson obeyed the Holy Spirit at times and disobeyed at others.
CHALLENGE: Is this true in our life as well?
: 14 She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe. (8104 “observe” [shamar] means to keep, watch over, guard, preserve, to conform one’s action or practice to, treasure up, or restrain)
DEVOTION: Israel was back to their sinful ways. The LORD delivered them to the Philistines for forty years. Now HE was going to relieve them of their enemies. HE was going to send a new judge to them.
First, the angel of the LORD, talked to Manoah’s wife regarding the son she was going to have in the future. HE gave special instructions that were to be followed. Manoah wanted the angel of the LORD to repeat the instructions to him.
Once the instructions were given it was expected to be obeyed and followed when the child was born.
God wants us to observer the instructions HE gives us in the New Testament with learning from the Old Testament. HE wants us to understand what it means to be a genuine follower of HIM. HE wants HIS people today that are called Christians, to obey HIS instructions on a daily basis.
If we obey the instructions, HE can bless us a person and as a group that are HIS representatives in this world.
Too often we want to practice our beliefs the way we want to instead of the way the LORD gives us instructions. This causes problems in the church and hinders our witness to the world.
The Israelites were not good witnesses because they continued to disobey the LORD’S instructions. They were just as human as we are today. We need to make sure that we keep our commitment to obey HIM daily if we want HIS blessings.
CHALLENGE: Daily obedience is necessary and the only way we can do it is if we guard our actions daily with HIS help and the help of fellow believers.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 18 And the angel of the LORD said to him, Why ask, You thus after my name, seeing it is secret? ((6383 “secret: [paliy] means wonderful, remarkable, incomprehensible, or extraordinary)
DEVOTION: Here we find another theophany which is, the visible appearing of deity in the Old Testament. This is Jesus Christ in a pre-incarnate form. HE speaks with Manoah and his wife. HE gives instructions. HE makes statements like “ I said” and “I commanded.”
When we look at this meeting between the Angel of the LORD and Manoah, we find that it is unique. What is unique about this meeting? It was a meeting between God and a man. The person of the Godhead who appears in physical looks is only God the Son.
When we read in Isaiah about the names that are given to the child, we find the name wonderful. HE is remarkable. HE is extraordinary. This is God the Son giving instructions to man, just like HE did in the New Testament with the disciples.
This meeting was a time of giving instructions to a member of a nation that was supposed to be worshiping the LORD. They were far from the LORD but HE was still close to them. They had sinned. They were still the people of the LORD. Praise HIS name.
Samson was to live a separated life of a Nazarite. This is a man who vows to follow the LORD in every area of his life. He is not to eat or drink certain things. He is not to touch certain things. If he breaks the vow he can be judged of the LORD.
Today we realize that God is still working in our lives. We are still supposed to be living a separated life in our world. There are certain things that we are not to eat and drink or touch. There are certain places we shouldn’t go.
People in our world should see a difference in us. There was to be a difference in the life of Samson. He didn’t measure up to the standard set by the LORD, do we? Remember that God has used sinners who were followers to spread HIS message. Our salvation is based on the work of Christ, not on our works. Our fellowship depends on our confession and service to the LORD.
We have to realize WHO we serve. HE is wonderful, remarkable, incomprehensible, and extraordinary. Names can’t describe our God.
CHALLENGE: Worship HIM in wonder and amazement. HE still does great things through repentant sinners. That describes all of us!!!!
: 25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. (6470 “move” [pa‘am] means thrust, push, to impel, endow, or stir)
DEVOTION: Samson was born through a special announcement. He was to be a Nazarite. He was to follow special instructions all of his life. His mother was given special instructions regarding her eating and drinking habits. His father was given instructions regarding his future life.
Now he was born and the Holy Spirit was stirring up his emotions regarding his responsibility toward the children of Israel. The Holy Spirit was training him for the future. As a youth he had to learn what was expected of him for the future by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit indwells every genuine believer at the point of salvation. HE instructs and gifts each believer with a task that the LORD wants him/her to fulfill in their life. HE doesn’t expect us to do this task alone. HE has promised to give us strength. HE has promised to pray for what we need even when we are not sure what we need.
When it is the right time the Holy Spirit stirred up Samson to do something for the LORD. He was not always obedient but he knew that he received his strength from the LORD.
We have to come to the same conclusion in our walk with the LORD. Our strength is super-human when we are doing the work the LORD has called us to do.
Time in prayer gives us the right instructions regarding our future responsibility for the LORD. This is a fulltime activity.
CHALLENGE: Each day comes new mercies and new instructions.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Manoah prays (entreated)verse 8
LORD answers prayerverse 9
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Burnt offeringverses 16, 23
Meal offeringverses 19, 23
Offered a sacrificeverses 19- 20
Manoah and wife fell on their facesverse 20
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 13, 15-21, 23-25
Sight of the LORDverse 1
God – Elohim (Creator)verses 5, 6, 8, 9, 22
God hearkenedverse 9
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Angel of the LORD or God [theophany]verses 3-21
Instructions to Manoah’s wife
Man of God
Angel of God
Lord
His countenance was very awesome
Didn’t give his name to wife
I am
Honor angel of the LORD
Tells Manoah his name is secret
Did wonderously
Angel ascended in flame of offering
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Spirit of the LORD on Samsonverse 25
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angel of Godverses 6, 9
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Philistines – forty yearsverses 1, 5
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Evilverse 1
Killverse 23
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Deliveranceverse 5
Teachverse 8
God hearkenedverse 9
Order the childverse 12
Blessedverse 24
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Children of Israelverse 1
Manoah the Danite (Zorah)verse 2
Wife barrenverses 2, 24
Bares son: Samson
Angel of LORD visits wife: sonverses 3-7
No wine or strong drink
Eat not any unclean thing
No razor
Nazarite to God
Manoah entreated the LORDverses 8-23
Man of God appear again
Teach
Angel of God appears again
Order the child
Nothing to drink from vine
Not eat unclean thing
Offering to angel of the LORD
Asks angel’s name
We shall surely die – we have seen God
Samson bornverses 24, 25
Child grew
LORD blessed him
Spirit of the LROD moved him
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things >(Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
18–22 The angel avoided a direct answer to the question, as he had done with Jacob centuries before (Gen 32:29). In the phrase “beyond understanding” (v.18), however, there is a clear indication of his divine nature. The phrase is a translation of the word pilʾî which can also be rendered “wonderful.” The same root occurs in “an amazing thing” in v.19 and in “wonders” in 6:13. In Isaiah 9:6 the closely related noun peleʾ is translated “Wonderful (Counselor),” a title for Christ himself.
Proof that this was the angel of the Lord came when Manoah presented the burnt offering and its accompanying grain offering (v.19). As the flame rose, the angel ascended in it before the couple’s startled eyes (v.20). This was even more spectacular than the disappearance of the angel who talked with Gideon (6:21). Manoah’s reaction to the miracle, however, matched Gideon’s; Manoah too thought he would die as a result of seeing God (vv.21–22; cf. Gen 16:13 and comment on 6:22). (Wolf, H. (1992). Judges. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, p. 464). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
13:19–23. Then Manoah sacrificed a young goat (cf. v. 15) with a grain offering (cf. Lev. 2) on a rock to the Lord. He and his wife were amazed as the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame that blazed up from the altar. Realizing the identity of the divine Messenger, Manoah expressed fear of impending death because of their having seen God (cf. Gideon’s similar response, Jud. 6:22–23). Manoah’s wife more practically pointed out that God’s acceptance of the sacrifice and the promise of a son indicated that immediate death was not God’s plan for them. (Lindsey, F. D. (1985). Judges. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 404). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Ordinarily, Jewish worshipers had to bring their offerings to the tabernacle altar at Shiloh; but since the “man of God” commanded Manoah to offer the burnt offering, it was permissible to do it there, using a rock as the altar. Suddenly, the visitor ascended to heaven in the flame! Only then did Manoah and his wife discover that their visitor was an angel from the Lord. This frightened Manoah, because the Jews believed that nobody could look up on God and live (see 6:19–23). Using common sense, Manoah’s wife convinced him that they couldn’t die and fulfill God’s promises at the same time. Every baby born into a godly home carries the responsibility of honoring the family name. Samson’s inconsistent life brought shame to his father’s house just as it brought shame to the name of the Lord. Samson’s relatives had to pull his body out of the wreckage of the Philistine temple and take it home for burial (16:31). In one sense, it was a day of victory over God’s enemies; but it was also a day of defeat for Samson’s family. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1994). Be available (pp. 108–109). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Ver. 22. And Manoah said unto his wife, &c.] Being risen from the ground, where they fell on their faces: we shall surely die, because we have seen God: by which it appears that he not only believed him to be an angel, and not a man, but a divine Person; for though angels are sometimes called Elohim, the word here used, yet good men were not wont to fear death, or conclude they should die on sight of an angel; but their notion was, that an appearance of God to them was death, and were surprised when it did not follow, Gen. 32:30. Judg. 6:22, 23. see Exod. 33:20. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 350). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
Manoah asks if he might entertain the angel, and the messenger promises to wait until an offering is made to God. Manoah asks the messenger’s name; the angel replies that his name is completely beyond human comprehension. Finally, the offering is made and miraculously consumed by a fire from heaven; Manoah realizes that he has dealt with God himself. He falls into a panic, and tells his wife that they are doomed to die. Manoah’s wife maintains a very commonsense attitude toward the whole business. God would not have done all this just to kill them! The mother of the promised deliverer shows true faith. (Bowling, A. C. (1995). Judges. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 171). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
THE HOLINESS OF GOD
Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16
God’s moral attributes are, in a sense, communicable. Something corresponding to them is to be found in men and women. What are these? Well, first we must mention the holiness of God. What is holiness? I think we almost inevitably tend to deal with it in negative terms, and we define it as meaning that God is entirely separate from and apart from sin. Holiness primarily means separation–separation from evil.
But, of course, holiness is also something positive. It is absolute purity. The Bible teaches us everywhere that God is holy, and a part of the manifestation of this holiness is His hatred of sin and His separation from sin, from the sinner and from all that is evil.
Let me give you certain outstanding examples and illustrations of the Bible’s teaching on this. God has revealed His holiness by granting visions of Himself to certain people. There is the great case of Moses, in Exodus 33 and in other places, where God appeared, as it were, to Moses, and Moses was overwhelmed by the sense of His holiness. The same thing happened to Job, to Isaiah, and to Ezekiel. Anyone who has ever come anywhere near to God has always been impressed by His absolute holiness.
The Bible teaches this in certain terms that it uses; it refers to God as “the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25), and we have God’s injunction, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16), which is a specific, explicit statement of God’s holiness.
I suppose if you were to be asked to say where the Bible teaches the holiness of God most powerfully of all, you have to go to Calvary. God is so holy, so utterly holy, that nothing but that awful death could make it possible for Him to forgive us. The cross is the supreme and the sublimest declaration and revelation of the holiness of God.
A Thought to Ponder: The cross is the supreme and the sublimest declaration and revelation of the holiness of God. By Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Genesis 44
Joseph’s older brothers are tested.
INSIGHT
Sometimes we get a second chance. When we do, it is important to seize the opportunity.
Judah did. When his brothers plotted to kill Joseph, Judah intervened. But he still fell short of rescuing Joseph.
Judah’s second chance came when, from his perspective, Benjamin’s life was in danger. Judah put his own life on the line. Perhaps this commitment was taken into account in the blessings he passed on to his sons, resulting in the Messiah coming through the tribe of Judah.
Throughout life we are given second chances. We should take these chances and set things right. (Quiet Walk)
The Deepest Places
I am worn out from my groaning.
Psalm 6:6
Victor Hugo (1802-1885), a poet and novelist during the social and political upheavals of nineteenth-century France, is perhaps best known for his classic Les Miserables. Over a century later, a musical adaptation of his novel has become one of our generation’s most popular productions. This shouldn’t surprise us. As Hugo once said, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
The psalmists would have agreed. Their songs and prayers provide us with honest reflections on life and its inevitable pain. They touch us in places we find difficult to access. For example, in Psalm 6:6 David cries out, “I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.”
The fact that such raw honesty is included in the inspired songs of the Scriptures gives us great encouragement. It invites us to bring our fears to God, who welcomes us into His presence for comfort and help. He embraces us in our heartfelt honesty.
Music can give us the ability to express our feelings when words are hard to come by, but whether that expression is sung, prayed, or silently cried, our God reaches into the deepest places in our hearts and gives us His peace. By Bill Crowder – Our Daily Bread
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Romans 5:1
Justification is opposed to condemnation, and nobody can bring an accusation because it is God who declares people just.
Justification is legal and forensic, and as you go on with the Scriptures you will find this in other places: “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). And in Galatians 2:16 there is a statement that is parallel to those in Romans: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians is the great epistle that gave Martin Luther his liberty. His famous commentary on the epistle to the Galatians is a book that you should read, and the more you go on with it, the more you will enjoy it. Do not be put off by his polemic against the Roman Catholics. He had to do that because you must show what is wrong as well as what is right. People do not like
that today, but Luther had to do it, and I think we must do it in our age and generation.
God makes a legal declaration that all the demands of the law upon us, as a condition of life, are fully satisfied with regard to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are no longer in a state of condemnation: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1). “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Why? Because God has declared it. He is the Lawgiver, and He says that Christ has satisfied the law. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes” (Romans 10:4).
A Thought to Ponder: God is the Lawgiver, and He says that Christ has satisfied the law. (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 171-172, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Thy Light and Thy Truth
“O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.” (Psalm 43:3)
This old troubled world desperately needs light to find the way out of its darkness and truth to rightly plan its future. But they must be God’s light and God’s truth, not the seductive lights and humanistic philosophies of man’s fabrications.
God has, indeed, already sent out His light and His truth, but “men loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:19) and, although they profess to be “ever learning,” they yet are “never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” and, in fact, “turn away their ears from the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7; 4:4).
That was true in the psalmist’s day, and perhaps even more so in our day, although we surely have far more light and access to truth today than the psalmist ever had. We now have, for example, God’s complete written Word (Genesis through Revelation). Another psalmist had promised: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105), and also had promised: “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light” (Proverbs 6:23).
God’s truth surely is what we need—in fact, all we need—for our faith as we look to our future. This also is revealed in the light of His Word, both His inspired written Word and His incarnate living Word. The Lord Jesus not only claimed “I am…the truth” (John 14:6), He also prayed for us, saying: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). And for all who believe His revealed truth: “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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