Numbers 10
Instructions regarding silver trumpetsverses 1-4
And the LORD spoke unto Moses – saying
Make you two trumpets of silver – of a whole piece shall
you make them – that you may use them for the
calling of the assembly
and for the journeying of the camps
When they shall blow with them – all the assembly shall
assemble themselves to thee at the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation
And IF they blow but with ONE trumpet – THEN the princes
which are heads of the thousands of Israel
shall gather themselves unto you
Silver trumpets sounded for moving of campverses 5-8
When ye blow an ALARM
THEN the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward
When ye blow an ALARM the SECOND time
THEN the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey
they shall blow an ALARM for their journeys
BUT when the congregation is to be gathered together
you shall blow – but you shall not sound an ALARM
And the sons of Aaron – the priests – shall blow with the trumpets
and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever
throughout your generations
Silver trumpets sounded to warn of enemyverse 9
IF ye go to WAR in your land against the enemy that oppresses you
THEN ye shall blow an ALARM with the trumpets
and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God
and ye shall be SAVED from your enemies
Silver trumpets sounded to celebrateverse 10
ALSO in the day of your GLADNESS – and in your solemn days
and in the beginning of your months
you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings
and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings
that they may be to you for a memorial
before your God
I am the LORD your God
Children of Israel traveled when cloud movedverses 11-13
And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month
in the second year – that the CLOUD was taken up from off
the tabernacle of the testimony
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai
and the CLOUD rested in the wilderness of Paran
And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD
by the hand of Moses
Order of the movement of the campverses 14-28
In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of JUDAH
according to their armies – and over his host was Nahshon
the son of Amminadab
And over the host of the tribe of the children of ISSACHAR
was Nethaneel – the son of Zuar
And over the host of the tribe of the children of ZEBULUN
was Eliab – the son of Helon
And the tabernacle was taken down
and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward
bearing the tabernacle
And the standard of the camp of REUBEN set forward according to
their armies – and over his host was Elizur – the son of Shedeur
And over the host of the tribe of the children of SIMEON
was Shelumiel – the son of Zurishaddai
And over the host of the tribe of the children of GAD was
Eliasaph – the son of Deuel
And the Kohathites set forward – bearing the sanctuary
and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came
And the standard of the camp of the children of EPHRAIM set forward
according to their armies – and over his host was Elishama
the son of Ammihud
And over the host of the tribe of the children of MANASSEH
was Gamaliel – the son of Pedahzur
And over the host of the tribe of the children of BENJAMIN
was Abidan – the son of Gideoni
And the standard of the camp of the children of DAN set forward
which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts
and over his host was Ahiezer – the son of Ammishaddai
And over the host of the tribe of the children of ASHER
was Pagiel the son of Ocran
And over the host of the tribe of the children of NAPHTALI
was Ahira – the son of Enan
Thus were the journeys of the children of Israel according to their armies
when they set forward
Moses invites Hobab to guide Israelverses 29-32
And Moses said unto Hobab – the son of Raguel the Midianite
Moses’ father-in-law
We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said
I will give it you – come you with us
and we will do you good
for the LORD hath spoken good
concerning Israel
And he said unto him – I will not go
but I will depart to mine own land – and to my kindred
And he said
Leave us not – I pray you
forasmuch as you know how we are to encamp
in the wilderness – and you may be to us
instead of eyes
And it shall be – if you go with us – yea – it shall be
that what goodness the LORD will do unto us
the same will we do unto you
Moses prayed before each moveverses 33-36
And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey
and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them
in the three days’ journey
to search out a resting place for them
And the CLOUD of the LORD was upon them by day
when they went out of the camp
And it came to pass – when the ark set forward – that Moses said
Rise up – LORD – and let THINE enemies be scattered
and let them that hate YOU flee before YOU
And when it rested – he said
Return – O LORD – unto the many thousands of Israel
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Make you two trumpets of silver, of the whole piece shall you make them: that you may use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. (4744 “calling” [miqra’] means convocation, assemblies, convoking, reading, sacred assembly, or a call to appear in person at a given place and time)
DEVOTION: The LORD had a plan for the children of Israel in the wilderness. One part of the plan was to organize them in such a way, so that, they would know what to do at any given time.
One way this was done was by the sounding of the trumpets. They were used here to tell the people of Israel that it was time to move to the next location. They would sound and that would cause the first group to be ready to move. Than the others would follow.
The children of Israel knew the plan of the LORD and were willing to follow HIS plan. We need to know the plan of the LORD for today and follow HIM when HE calls us out to serve HIM.
We don’t hear trumpets today but we do have the ministry of the Holy Spirit who tells us when we are to move and when we are to stand still and hear the Word of the LORD.
As believers today it would be good to have some trumpets sounding for us to move into service for the LORD. Too often many believers stay in the camp and never move out of it to follow the LORD’S leading.
CHALLENGE: Are we listening to the LORD enough, so that, we know when HE is leading us into a new place of service? Is HE sounding the trumpet and we are standing still?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. (5265 “took their journey” [naca‘] means departed, forward, went, set forth, go forth, or to leave, as on a trip or journey)
DEVOTION: Organization is the way the LORD works around HIS people. HE wants the children of Israel to know what to do when. HE wants the same for us. Too often we seem to think that everything happens at random in our world. Nothing comes into the life of a believer that the LORD didn’t know before the foundation of the world. HE allows things to happen for our good.
Now the children of Israel are ready to move forward toward the Promised Land. The cloud is going to move. The order of the Tabernacle is set. The order of the marching order of the tribes is set. It is time to head out.
Obedience has to be followed if the mission of the LORD was to be completed. If there is rebellion there will be judgment. The twelve tribes were organized to have the Tabernacle and the priests in the middle, so that, the rest of the tribes can protect them.
We need to follow the instructions we are given in the New Testament and the example of the disciples when we want to see the LORD’S work advance. The trumpet is going to sound in the future to call all believers to Christ. We are to be working when the trumpet sounds. God doesn’t want us to be sitting on our lees when HE calls us home.
CHALLENGE: Are you ready to be one of the firsts to follow the LORD into the wilderness toward the promised land of heaven?
: 31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray you; forasmuch as you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you may be to us instead of eyes. (5869 “instead of eyes” [‘ayin] means sight, appearance, look, the range of the eye, pupil, using perception or a part of the body that is the eye gate)
DEVOTION: Moses invited his father-in-law to be their guide through the wilderness. He wanted him to help. He knew that his father-in-law knew the desert well. He thought he was offering him a good opportunity. His father-in-law refused to be his guide.
Remember it was the LORD who was going to give them direction with the cloud and with the fire. Moses was still thinking in a human manner. He wanted a human guide. He didn’t want to get lost.
This is the way we act sometimes. We want others to guide us into the right decisions in our life. Instead of depending wholly on the LORD for our direction in life we are looking to others. Others can help but our dependence must be on the LORD.
Hobab knew that he was not supposed to guide the children of Israel. He knew that the LORD had gotten them out of Egypt HE would surly get them into the Promised Land.
How confident are we in the leading of the LORD in our life? Has the LORD taken you down some paths you wished HE had not taken you on? What did you learn on that path? Was it for your good?
There have been paths in my life that I wished HE had not put in my life but as I look back all of them were for my good. I sometimes learn lessons very slowly. HE understands me. HE loves me. HE has provided for me on each path that HE has put before me.
CHALLENGE: HE is doing the same for you. HE knows our hearts and if we are genuine HE will lead us everywhere we need to go to be more like HIS Son Jesus Christ.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 32 And it shall be, if you go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do to us, the same will we do to you. (2896 “goodness” [towb] means beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, favor, fine, glad, graciously, joyful, kindly, loving, pleasant, precious, prosperity, ready, wealth, welfare, well-favored, happiness, agreeable, or valuable)
DEVOTION: Moses gives the final instructions of the LORD regarding the movement of the camp. There has to be two silver trumpets made to sound the time of the movement of the camp. The trumpets play a part in the life of the children of Israel even in the Promised Land.
Moses invites his brother-in-law Hobab to be their guide through the wilderness because he knows all the places that would be good for the children of Israel to rest. Moses also invites him with the promise that he could share in the blessings of the LORD.
He said that whatever prosperity HE gives to the Israelites, his brother-in-law could enjoy. His brother-in-law chose to not go with him. He wanted to stay with his own people, in his own land. Moses had appreciated the treatment he received from Hobab’s father. He was showing his appreciation by invited him to join them for all of their journey through the wilderness.
Moses knew that he had the guidance of the LORD through the cloud but knew he could use human eyes to help also. His brother-in-law wanted to be with his relatives, more than, with Moses and the children of Israel. However, it seems that he changed his mind and came with Moses. The book of Judges states that he became a guide for the children of Israel.
Many times we say that we want the blessings of the LORD but we chose to go our own way. God has to redirect us, so that, we can experience HIS blessings. The redirection usually hurts. This redirection also causes the individual to grow in the LORD.
Let’s chose to go the LORD’S way each day. Let’s accept the daily challenges HE sends our way, as well as, the daily blessing. God wants to share HIS wealth with HIS people. God most of the time uses individuals to ask us to service HIM in a special way.
God has used a pastor to ask a relative to become the music director at his church. The relative realized that this was of the LORD. He has been a blessing to the church and the church has been a blessing to him. God wants us to use our gifts for HIS church.
When asked to serve – SERVE!!! There are many Christians who have the gift of discernment to see where others are gifted by the LORD. However, watch out for those who say that they KNOW the will of the LORD for your life.
CHALLENGE: There has to be agreement between your knowledge of your giftedness and the individual coming to ask you to serve.
: 35 And it came to pass, Rise up, LORD, and let your enemies be scattered; and let them that hate you flee before you. (6965 “Rise up” [quwm] means stand, confirm, become powerful, to stand good, get up, stir up, strengthen or to engage in battle.
DEVOTION: Moses is asking the LORD to help them as they travel to face their enemies whoever they may be. He is praying for the LORD to join them each time they move to a new location. Remember the LORD had made a statement that they would be led but HE would not follow.
Moses prayed for the LORD’S presence during all their journeys. We want the LORD to be with us on all our journeys but many times we don’t start with prayer.
Sometimes we start a journey and if something hard comes along then we pray. That is not the example set by Moses. He prayed for the LORD’S presence before the journey began.
When we are facing our enemy, it is an occasion to see the LORD work in our life and in the live of those around us. Each day we face the enemies of the world, the flesh and the devil. We are NEVER WITHOUT an enemy to fight.
There were people who hated the LORD and HIS people at the time of Moses and they are still around today. The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun and that is true.
Once we become a follower of Jesus Christ, we are not fighting any battle alone. HE is always with us to help us in any situation. HE will never let us down. We can let HIM down by trying to fight our battles alone.
The Old Testament was setting an example for us to follow. We need to follow Moses’ lead – pray before every journey for the LORD to win the battle.
CHALLENGE: Are you ready to move with the LORD’S when HE moves the cloud?
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)
Moses prayer for Israelverses 35, 36
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Tabernacle of the congregationverse 3
Day of your gladnessverse 10
Solemn daysverse 10
Beginning of monthsverse 10
Burnt offeringsverse 10
Peace offeringsverse 10
Tabernacle of testimonyverse 11
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Ordinanceverse 8
Commandment of the LORDverse 13
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 9, 10, 13, 29, 32-36
God (Elohim)verses 9, 10
LORD your God verses 9, 10
I am the LORD your Godverse 10
Goodness of the LORDverse 32
Mount of the LORDverse 33
Covenant of the LORDverse 33
Cloud of the LORDverse 34
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Enemyverses 9, 35
Wilderness of Sinaiverse 12
Wilderness of Paranverse 12
Mount of the LORDverse 33
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Hateverse 35
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Saved from your enemiesverse 9
Gladnessverse 10
Spoken goodverse 29
Goodnessverse 32
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mosesverses 1, 13, 29-32, 35
Spoke to father-in-law
Two trumpets of silververse 2
calling of assembly
journeying
Gather at the tabernacle of the congregationverse 3
Princes gather at one sound of trumpetverse 4
Priests blow the trumpetverse 8
Burnt offeringsverse 10
Peace offeringsverse 10
Cloud taken up 2/20/02verses 11, 34
Tabernacle of Testimonyverse 11
Children of Israelverse 12
Cloud restedverses 12, 36
First place to move: camp of Judahverse 14
Nahshon the son of Amminadab
Issachar- Nethaneel the son of Zoarverse 15
Zebulun – Eliab the son of Helonverse 16
Tabernacle was next to moveverse 17
Sons of Gershon
Sons of Merari
Reuben – elizur the son of Shedeurverse 18
Simeon – Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddaiverse 19
Gad – Eliasaph the son of Deuelverse 20
Kohathites – bearing the sanctuaryverse 21
Ephraim – Elishama the son of Ammihudverse 22
Manasseh – Gamaliel the son of Pedahzurverse 23
Benjamin – Abidan the son of Gideoniverse 24
Dan – Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddaiverse 25
Asher – Pagiel the son of Ocranverse 26
Naphtali – Ahira the son of Enanverse 27
Dan – Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddaiverse 28
rereward
Hobab father in law of Mosesverse 29
Midianite
Israelverses 29, 36
Ark of covenant of the LORDverse 33
Thousands of Israelverse 36
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
Finally, the wording of the blessing section is significant for the presentation of the idea of the rhetorical use of numbers in the census lists. The Hebrew phrase for “countless thousands” is “myriads of thousands” (v.36). The idea is akin to “untold numbers” or “teeming millions.” This deliberative hyperbole (no matter how many peoples the census lists indicate) is perhaps an example of Moses using “power numbers” in his Battle Cry (see the Notes; see also the Introduction: The Problem of Large Numbers; The Large Numbers—Toward a Solution).
Thus in these words of Moses we have a shout of victory based solidly on the faithfulness of the Lord to his covenant promise to the Fathers. The people are on their way to Canaan; soon Canaan will be the land of Israel, or so we might think, based on these words of exuberant confidence in God. Significantly, these words of Moses are used by David in the beginning of his triumphal song in Psalm 68. (Allen, R. B. (1990). Numbers. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, p. 784). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
10:33–36. The first leg of the journey from Sinai lasted three days. The travel was undertaken only in the daylight hours; at night the cloud and the ark rested along with the people. As an indication of the warlike nature of the journey, a foretaste no doubt of the military conquest which lay ahead, Moses would lead the people in a battle cry in which the presence and conquering power of the Lord were invoked (v. 35; cf. Ps. 68:1). When the day’s march was over he would entreat the Lord to abide among His people through the night. (Merrill, E. H. (1985). Numbers. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 226). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Glorifying the Lord (vv. 33–36). The suggestion here is that Moses and Aaron marched ahead of the tribes, just behind the ark. Each time the pillar of cloud signaled a move and the tribes were assembled, Moses prayed to God for guidance and victory; and when the nation stopped to camp, he prayed that God’s presence would again rest with His people at the tabernacle. The ark would be put into the holy of holies and the pillar of fire would rest over the tent.
No matter how many times the Israelites started and stopped in their journey, Moses repeated these prayers. He wanted the people to know that God, not Moses, was in charge of the nation, and that Israel was an army that depended on the Lord for victory. Like the invocation and benediction at a church worship service, these prayers became familiar to the Jews, but these brief prayers were essential to Israel’s well-being as a nation. Moses put God first in the life of the people; and had the Jews paid attention to this, they would have avoided the sins that later brought them so much sorrow. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1999). Be counted (pp. 44–45). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
35, 36. Each forward movement and each rest of the Ark was made to bear a sacramental character. The one betokened the going forth of God against His enemies; the other, His gathering of His own people to Himself: the one was the pledge of victory, the other the earnest of repose.
v. 36 may be translated: “Restore” (i.e. to the land which their fathers sojourned in), “O Lord, the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.” (Cp. Psalm 85:4, where the verb in the Hebrew is the same.) (Barnes, A. (1879). Notes on the Old Testament: Exodus to Ruth. (F. C. Cook & J. M. Fuller, Eds.) (pp. 205–206). London: John Murray.)
Ver. 36. And when it passed, &c.] The ark, and the cloud over it: he said; Moses stood and prayed, as before, according to the above Targums, in the following manner: return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel; who were six hundred thousand footmen, besides women and children, ch. 11:21. the import of this petition is, that upon the resting of the ark God would take up his abode with them, grant them his presence, and manifest his love, grace, mercy, and goodness unto them; or, as it may be rendered, that he would return the many thousands of Israel; that is, to the land which he had sworn to their fathers, as Ben Gersom interprets it; and who observes that the word return is used, because of the holy fathers who dwelt in the land of Israel; or else, as the same writer further observes, the sense of the petition is, that it might be the will of God to turn the thousands of Israel into myriads, or increase and multiply them ten times more than they were; and so the Targum of Jerusalem is, “bless the myriads, and multiply the thousands of the children of Israel.” Perhaps Moses, under a spirit of prophecy, might have a further view, even to the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, when they shall return and seek the true Messiah, and be turned to him, and when all Israel shall be saved. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 750–751). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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 Post-Church Christian by J. Paul Nyquist and Carson Nyquist
Paul: father
But the contemporary landscape is littered with over one hundred thousand parachurch ministries today. (p,.79)
Each practice serves to mature the church while also protecting the church. Teaching equips us but also guards against heresy. Fellowship encourages us but also guards against forgetfulness. Communion inspires us but also guards against forgetfulness. Prayer deepens us but also guards against independence. (p. 83)
So put the needs of others about yours. Look past your baggage with the evangelical church. Choose to reengage. (p. 86)
Galatians 5
As Christians walk by the Spirit, they will manifest His characteristics.
INSIGHT
As Paul teaches in Romans 7, a civil war rages within every child of God. The opposing forces are the power of the flesh and the power of the Spirit. Paul refers to these as the “outer man” and the “inner man.” What is at stake is the control of the child of God. As we yield ourselves to the control of the Spirit, then love, joy, peace, patience, etc., begin to take root and bear fruit in our lives. As we yield ourselves to the control of our unrighteous promptings, then anger, jealousy, impurity, etc., begin to take root and bear fruit in our lives. We must yield our “members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13) and begin to taste of the fruit of God. (Quiet Walk)
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CHILDREN OF GOD
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 3:1
How have we become children of God? John answers in this way: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” This is a very interesting way of putting it. John does not merely say that God has shown His love to us, nor that He has revealed it or manifested it or indicated it. He does not merely say that God loves us, though He does love us and He has shown and displayed His love to us. “Yes,” says John, “but He has gone further—He has bestowed His love upon us.” Now that means there is a sense in which God has put His love into us, implanted Himself if you like, infused or injected His love within us, and we must emphasize that because what really matters is the word that, which should be translated “in order that.” “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, in order that we may become, be made, the children of God”; that is what John actually says.
In other words, what really makes us children of God is that God has put His own life into us. God’s nature is love, and He has put His nature into us so that we have the love of God. We cannot be children of God if we are not like God; the child is like the parent, the offspring proclaims the parentage, and God in that way makes us His children. He puts His own nature into us, and we become His children, and that nature that is in God is in us, and it is acting and manifesting and expressing itself. Paul says that “the love of God…is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost” (Romans 5:5).
A Thought to Ponder
What really makes us children of God is that God has put His own life into us.
(From Children of God, pp. 16-17, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Continue in the Faith
“If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope f the gospel.” (Colossians 1:23)
In the New Testament, the use of the definite article “the” always modifies the noun that follows. In this case, “the faith” insists on a particular body of doctrine that defines the Christian life. For instance, as Paul and Barnabas were returning from their initial missionary effort, they went back to each area “confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith” (Acts 14:22).
There are nearly 50 occurrences in the New Testament where “the faith” is used in this way. These references always speak of obedience to specific teachings that embrace the core of the godly lifestyle that represents holiness and the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Thus, one who is “grounded and settled” in the faith will be both knowledgeable and stable in his Christian testimony and ministry.
It is necessary, of course, to build on the foundation of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:11), but only the “gold, silver, precious stones” have any lasting value (1 Corinthians 3:12- 15)—hence the requirement in Jude: “It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).
Furthermore, those who continue in the faith will not be “moved away from the hope of the gospel.” That hope acts as “an anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19) and is the drive that motivates us to maintain a purity of lifestyle (1 John 3:3). “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
Once “Harry Potter” author J. K. Rowling became persona non grata over her stance on the transgender issue, progressive writers are left with only one literary reference: Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Even before Amy Coney Barrett was picked to replace Justice Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, opinion writers compared her to the misogynistic leaders in Atwood’s dystopia because of her views on abortion. Not a one of these opinion pieces references any book predating the 1980s.
The Great Books, argues Luther Ray Abel, have been largely abandoned. And, our culture-wide unfamiliarity with the great books can be directly attributed it our culture-wide unfamiliarity with the Good Book. An undergrad from a small liberal-arts school, Abel is consistently surprised that his peers do not know even the best-known accounts in the Bible. “When a class must stop at almost every biblical reference in the poetry of Emily Dickinson—so that a student or the professor can explain who John the Baptist was or why the Book of Revelation is kind of a big deal—the quality and pace of instruction decline.”
The Bible, of course, looms large in Western literature. Augustine, Chaucer, Dante, Shakespeare, Milton, Dickens, Dostoevsky, Melville, Mark Twain, and even (ironically) Margaret Atwood allude to the Bible in their metaphors, turns of phrase, and portrayals of the human condition. In fact, the Bible is like a key that unlocks many of these works. To read and understand them requires some basic knowledge of the Bible.
In fact, the English language itself has been significantly shaped by Holy Scripture. Several years back, Anglican minister Glen Scrivener delivered an incredible spoken-word poem on YouTube to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. In it, Scrivener highlighted the many phrases owed to that historic translation, such as, “A law unto themselves,” “A man after his own heart,” “A thorn in the flesh,” “All things to all men,” “Eat, drink, and be merry,” “An eye for an eye,” and “By the skin of my teeth.” These familiar expressions, used countless times by authors, poets, politicians, leaders, and story tellers of various kinds, are Biblical expressions.
Think of the references to biblical stories and concepts still common to our speech. “That guy has ‘the patience of Job,’” we say. “That rule is ‘written in stone.’” “I’d like to ‘extend an olive branch’ to my opponent.” Or even, (and especially apropos to 2020), “This year has been ‘apocalyptic.’”
The Bible is the beating heart of Western language and literature. Our lack of Biblical knowledge both reflects and reinforces the sort of “chronological snobbery” that dominates higher education and public discourse today.
The quick and easy remedy to this lack of knowledge, the way to open the closed door to the past, is simple: Know the Bible. Crack the cover open, absorb God’s words, let them work on our hearts and minds. Scripture is inexhaustible, with relevance and application that never run out. It’s like a pool in which a child can wade and an elephant can swim. Like a certain Lion you may have read about, the Bible has this way of growing bigger as we grow older.
God has given us the gift of others who have invested their lives in understanding Scripture. Their works can help saturate us is Scripture, from Gordon Fee’s How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, to Eugene Peterson’s Eat This Book, to The Big Picture Story Bible for kids.
One of the most helpful resources in understanding Scripture is actually on YouTube. The Bible Project’s collection of beautifully-illustrated explainer videos walks through books of the Bible, the Big Story of the Bible, and essential themes of the Bible. Together, the videos provide a tremendous course of study in this Book of books.
Though an appeal to Biblical study may fall on deaf ears in our culture (as will that reference), we can increase our knowledge of the Bible and, by extension, the reach and impact of Western literature. At the very least, we’ll have better references for current events than Margaret Atwood. (BreakPoint)
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