Joshua 2
Joshua sends out two spiesverse 1
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men
to spy secretly
saying
Go view the land
even Jericho
And they went – and came into an harlot’s house – named Rahab
and lodged there
King of Jericho told of two spiesverses 2-3
And it was told the king of Jericho
saying
BEHOLD – there came men in hither tonight of the children of Israel
to search out the country
And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab
saying
Bring forth the men that are come to you
which are entered into your house
for they be come to search out all the country
Rahab hides the spiesverses 4-7
And the woman took the two men – and hid them
and said thus
There came men to me – but I know not whence they were
and it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate
when it was dark – that the men went out
whither the men went I know not
pursue after them quickly
for you shall overtake them
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house
and hid them with the stalks of flax
which she had laid in order on the roof
And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan to the fords
and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out
they shut the gate
Rahab’s testimonyverses 8-11
And before they were laid down
she came up to them upon the roof
And she
said to the men
I know that the LORD has given you the land
and that your terror is fallen on us
and that all the inhabitants of the land faint
because of you
FOR we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the
Red sea for you – when you came out of Egypt
AND what you did to the two kings of the Amorites
that were on the other side Jordan – Sihon and Og
whom you utterly destroyed
AND as soon as we had heard these things – our hearts did MELT
neither did there remain any more courage in any man
BECAUSE of you – FOR the LORD your God
HE is God in heaven above
and in earth beneath
Rahab’s requestverses 12-13
NOW therefore I pray you – sware to me by the LORD
since I have showed you kindness
that you will also show kindness to my father’s house
and give me a true token
and that you will save alive my father
mother – brethren – sisters
and all that they have and deliver our lives
from death
Spies promise to keep her and her family safeverse 14
And the men said to her
Our life for yours
IF you utter not this our business
And it shall be when the LORD has given us the land
that we will deal kindly and truly with you
Rahab’s adviceverses 15-16
THEN she let them down by a cord through the window
for her house was upon the town wall
and she dwelt on the wall
And she said to them
Get you to the mountain – lest the pursuers meet you
and hide yourselves there THREE DAYS
until the pursuers be returned
and afterward may you go your way
Rahab to leave scarlet thread in windowverses 17-20
And the men
said to her
We will be blameless of this your oath
which you have made us swear
BEHOLD – when we come into the land
you shall bind this line of SCARLET thread in the window
which you did let us down by – and you shall bring
your father – mother – brethren
and all your father’s household
home to you
And it shall be – that whosoever shall go out of the
doors of your house into the street
his blood shall be on his head
and we will be guiltless
And whosoever shall be with you in the house
his blood shall be on our head – if any hand be on him
And IF you utter this our business
THEN we will be quit of your oath which
you have made us to swear
Rahab accepts conditionsverse 21
And she said
According unto your words – so be it
And she sent them away – and they departed
and she bound the SCARLET line in the window
Spies hide for three daysverse 22
And they went – and came to the mountain
and abode there THREE DAYS
until the pursuers were returned
and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way
but found them not
Spies give a good report to Joshuaverses 23-24
So the two men returned – and descended from the mountain
and passed over
and came to Joshua the son of Nun
and told him all things that befell them
And they
said to Joshua
Truly the LORD has delivered into our hands all the land
for even all the inhabitants of the country
do faint because of us
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for you shall overtake them. (5381 “overtake” [nasag] means to collect, reach, to catch up with, able to secure, be able to put one’s hands on, to attain, or to come into contact with)
DEVOTION: Rahab admitted that the spies had been in her house. Apparently, there were neighbors who saw them come in. So the soldiers asked her to give them the spies.
She told them that they were not in her house anymore but left the city before the city gates were closed. They believed her and didn’t search her house. If they had they would have found them.
Here we have someone lying to protect someone from death. Is it something that believers should do to protect life? Is lying ever not a sin? The book of Revelation tells us that liars are not going to get into heaven.
So does that mean that anyone who has ever lied is not getting into heaven but going to spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels? Remember that the devil is the father of liars.
When the Bible lists sins it is usually to inform us that those who live in a particular sin are going to spend eternity in the lake of fire. It is talking about those who never confess their sins and continue to live in those sins.
Do believers lie? YES! Are believers supposed to lie? NO! We are to confess our lies to the LORD who will restore us to fellowship with HIM. If we refuse to confess our sin of lying to HIM HE will have to chasten us and that means we will not receive HIS blessing during that time period. Also if a believer continues to live in the lie he can experience death pre-maturely. God wants HIS servants to be honest with HIM and others.
The New Testament in the book of Hebrews implies that Rahab believed in God before the spies entered her house. That would mean that she lied as a believer.
CHALLENGE: God wants us to be truthful and honest in our dealing with our fellow human beings. Our goal should be to never lie. If we lie we have to confess our lie to the LORD and if we can to our fellow believer to restore fellowship with that fellow believer.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did MELT, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. (4549 “melt” [macac] means to liquefy, to waste, to faint, discourage, or grow fearful)
DEVOTION: Joshua was told by Moses and the LORD that he was going to conquer the Promised Land with the help of the LORD. He was told that he had to be strong and of good courage.
Well Moses is dead and buried. Joshua is in control. What does he do? He sends spies into the land to see what is going on in the land. The two spies go into Jericho and stay with Rahab. The king of Jericho wants the spies but Rahab doesn’t give them up. She asks for a special privilege when the children of Israel come to conquer and it is granted by the spies.
Why did Joshua even send spies into the land? The LORD had promised him the land. However, it seems that the LORD does HIS part when HIS leaders do their part.
Joshua’s plan was to go into the land and conquer it with good information. God didn’t give him the details of the land or the attitude of the people. When the spies returned they told Joshua that the LORD had sent a terror of them amongst the people. That was good information for both the spies and for the people.
Rahab is telling the spies that they had heard of all the miracles the LORD had done for them in their journey through the wilderness. They had heard how they had defeated their neighbors on the other side of the Jordan. Their reaction to all this knowledge was to lose all courage. They were faint at heart.
This was the best news the spies could hear from their enemies. They couldn’t wait to return to Joshua and give him the report. One problem was that there were men of Jericho looking for them. They had to wait three days before they could return to Joshua. The good news for us is that we don’t have to wait to hear from our enemies that the LORD is the God of heaven and earth. The Bible tells us that God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. HE is on our side because we are HIS children. Our enemies are defeated.
One side note: Rahab married into the tribe of Judah and was listed as one of five women in the genealogy of Christ.
Are we praising the LORD for our victory in Jesus? Are we doing our part in our service to the LORD?
CHALLENGE: God gives us promises but we have to act on HIS promises. Too often we are not doing our part in service to HIM. Do your part for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Be a witness!!)
: 14 And the men answered her, our life for yours, if you utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land that we will deal kindly and truly with you. (1697 “business” [dabar] means matter, occupation, case, affair, some situation or event that is thought about, message, report, or tidings.)
DEVOTION: Here is someone who treated the spies with respect. She had the courage to believe in the LORD and knew that HE had delivered other kingdoms into their hands before they came to Jericho.
She wanted her family to be safe when the invasion came to her city. She wanted a guarantee that they would keep her family save from death.
The spies said that they would spare the lives of her family. They guaranteed their statement with their own lives. They had some restrictions regarding their promise to save her family.
The restriction was that she would promise not to betray them to the soldiers of Jericho. They had the desire to get back to Joshua to give a good report. They didn’t want her to betray them.
In our lifetime we have individuals who can protect us from harm. Our parents are supposed to protect us from harm the best they can while we are growing up. It is not always easy to protect children from some of the cruelty they might experience at school or on the playground around their house. It takes effort for parents to protect their children from things that can harm them during their first years of life.
The LORD honored the spies promise when they came into the city of Jericho. HE will honor our promise to protect our children during their years at home with the parents help. Our responsibility to our children is to pray each day with them and train them on how to be good Christians. There will still be some bumps and hurts in their life but they will learn to turn them over to the LORD.
Children need to communicate with the parents if something is happening in their life that is questionable. Parents can only act on what they know. The LORD can act because HE knows it all.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 21 And she said, according to your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. (8144 “scarlet” [shaniy] means crimson, a color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge, coccus, or a vivid dye obtained from eggs of the shield louse)
DEVOTION: The spies made their promise. They gave the restrictions to their promise. One of the restrictions was that there had to be the scarlet cord in the window of the house of Rahab. Her family had to stay in the house during the invasion of the city of Jericho.
Anyone leaving the house was responsible for their own life. Those who stayed in the house were the responsibility of the spies. Rahab agreed to the condition of the promise. She kept the scarlet cord in the window. She knew they would protect her. She knew the LORD was going to give the city to the children of Israel.
Some commentaries use this scarlet cord or red cord to trace the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. HE shed HIS blood to give life to all those who believe. The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.
Red was used in the Word of God to symbolize sin. Once sin was removed the individual was white as snow. Their sins were washed away by the blood of the lamb.
Our life is spared spending eternity in the lake of fire because of the blood if Jesus Christ. HE is the only way into heaven. There is no other way. It is just like Rahab and her family being spared because of the scarlet cord so we are spared eternity in the lake of fire by the blood of Jesus Christ.
CHALLENGE: We have to stay in the house of the LORD to be saved. All others will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.
: 24 And they said to Joshua, Truly the LORD has delivered INTO our hands all the land, for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us. (4127 “faint” [muwg] means melt, dissolve, to waver, to despair, to wave, to be or become disheartened or afraid, or to melt away)
DEVOTION: We don’t understand the fact that those outside of Christ are afraid that if what we are teaching is true they will spend eternity in a real hell. This is one thing that the devil is trying to make sure that they don’t believe. He is afraid that this truth might affect people to the point that they will turn from their sin and serve a living Savior.
This verse shows the reaction of the people who really understand who God is and what HE has done in the past. They knew about what happened in Egypt. They knew what had happened to the nations around them. They knew they were next.
Yet we find that they didn’t even think about surrendering to the children of Israel. They were determined to fight. They were determined not to serve the Living God of the Bible. This is true today as well.
Many of those around us are afraid of Jesus Christ but instead of yielding to HIM they would rather fight HIM. They are doing everything in their power to fight anything to do with the message of salvation that is presented in the Bible.
They think that if they can say enough bad things about God and the Bible they will not have to face the fact that it is true and they are going to face an eternity without Christ.
Our message needs to be the same as the spies. They had to give Rahab hope. They had to make a promise to her of salvation. She believed them.
In spite of what is thought by many, the world doesn’t want to hear our message because they know it is true. They are afraid to make a change and follow the one true God of the Bible.
CHALLENGE: We have to spread the word because it is true. We have to inform people of the promises of God.
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)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 9-12, 24
God (Elohim)verse 11
LORD your Godverse 11
HE is God in heaven and earthverse 11
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)
Rahab of Jerichoverses 1, 3-21
Lied to king
Hid spies
Knew the LORD was giving them the land
Terror has fallen on land
Hearts did melt
Wanted kindness
Cord of scarlet
Bring family into her house
Scarlet line in the window
King of Jerichoverses 2, 3
Red seaverse 10
Egyptverse 10
Kings of the Amoritesverse 10
Sihon and Ogverse 10
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Harlotverse 1
Lie (men went out)verse 5
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Inheritanceverse 9
Deal kindlyverse 14
Deal trulyverse 14
Blamelessverse 17
Honor an oathverse 17
Guiltlessverse 19
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Joshua the son of Nunverses 1, 23
Two spiesverses 1-24
Promised Rahab life
Three days in mountains
Not found
Jericho – first city in Promised Landverse 1
Children of Israelverse 2
Terror of Israelverses 9, 24
Do faint
Inhabitants faint before Israelverse 24
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Deathverse 13
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QUOTES regarding passage
Since the spies did not know that God would use a miracle to capture the city, they may have arranged a plan by which Rahab would deliver the city into Israel’s hands. This could be what Rahab was not to tell anyone (v.20). The statement “she tied the scarlet cord in the window” (v.21) forms a fitting conclusion for this section because it points to Rahab’s faith in action. (Madvig, D. H. (1992). Joshua. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, p. 263). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
2:15–20. As the spies prepared to go they again confirmed the pact by repeating and enlarging the conditions Rahab must abide by. First, her house must be marked by a scarlet cord hung from the window. Because of the position of the house on the city wall (see comments on v. 21 about the house on the wall) the cord would be clearly seen by the Israelite soldiers again and again as they would march around the walls (6:12–15). Her home would be clearly marked out and no soldier, however fierce and eager he might be in the work of destruction, would dare violate the oath and kill anyone in that house.
Second, Rahab and her family were to remain in the house during the attack on Jericho. If anybody would wander out and was killed the guilt for his death would be his own, not the invaders‘. Finally, the spies again emphasized that they would be free of this oath of protection if Rahab exposed their mission. (Campbell, D. K. (1985). Joshua. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 332). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
It’s important to note that Rahab and her family were saved by faith in the God of Israel and not by faith in the rope hanging out the window. The fact that she hung the rope from the window was proof that she had faith, just as the blood of the slain lamb put on the doorposts in Egypt proved that the Jews believed God’s Word. Faith in the living God means salvation, and faith in His covenant gives assurance; but faith in the token of the covenant is religious superstition and can give neither salvation nor assurance. The Jews depended on circumcision to save them, but they ignored the true spiritual meaning of that important rite (Rom. 2:25–29; Deut. 10:12–16; 30:6). Many people today depend for their salvation on their baptism or their participation in the Lord’s Table (the Eucharist, Communion); but this kind of faith is vain. Rahab had faith in the Lord and in the covenant promises He had made through His servants; and she proved her faith by hanging the scarlet rope from the window. When the Jews captured Jericho, they found Rahab and her family in her house; and they rescued them from judgment (Josh. 6:21–25).
Rahab was a woman of great courage. She had to tell all her relatives about the coming judgment and the promise of salvation, and this was a dangerous thing to do. Suppose one of those relatives told the king what was going on. She also had to give a reason for the scarlet line hanging out her window. Since Jericho was “securely shut up” (v. 1, NKJV), it isn’t likely that there were people outside the walls; but a stranger coming into the city for safety might have seen the scarlet cord. Or somebody visiting Rahab’s house might have asked about it.
The spies left Rahab’s house and hid until they were sure their pursuers had given up the chase. Then they returned to the camp of Israel and gave Joshua the good news that the fear of the Lord had brought the people of the land to a place of helplessness. Rahab not only brought hope to her family, but she also gave great encouragement to Joshua and the army of Israel.
The people of Israel, however, weren’t ready yet to cross the river and conquer the enemy. They had some “unfinished business” to take care of before they could be sure of the blessing of the Lord. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Strong (pp. 42–43). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Now Rahab did something that manifested the new attitude that she had taken toward the God of Israel. She was an idolater; she had been worshiping idols all through the years, but she had heard of the wonderful power of Jehovah, as had all her people. They had heard of how God had delivered Israel out of Egypt, and of the drying up of the Red Sea, and the way He sustained this multitude throughout their journeying in the wilderness. And Rahab’s soul was strangely moved. There was something about the stories which she heard that appealed to her heart, and she felt it was a divine providence that she had the representatives of the God of Israel in her house. She did what she could to protect them. She took them to the top of her house and hid them with the stalks of flax. (Ironside, H. A. (1950). Addresses on the book of Joshua. (p. 28). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
Ver. 20. And if thou utter this our business, &c.] So that others would either hang out scarlet threads or get into her house for shelter, see the note on ver. 14. then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear; be under no obligation to make it good, by saving her and her father’s house.
Ver. 21. And she said, according to your words, so be it, &c.] She agreed, that if the conditions required were not performed, they would be quit of their oath, but if they were, she expected it would be fulfilled: and she sent them away, and they departed; took their leave of each other: and she bound the scarlet line in the window; immediately, as Abarbinel thinks, and in the sight of the spies, that they might see that she conformed to their direction, and that they might take notice where she fastened it; and that she herself might, at the sight of it, be put in mind of the design of it, and be an encouragement to her faith as to the safety of her and her father’s house; and it being a thing so trifling and insignificant in itself, would not be taken notice of by the inhabitants, or be thought to be done with any design; though, according to the instruction of the spies, it seems as if it was to be done when they came into the land, and into the city, and which seems most likely that it was then done. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 185). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
Dispensationally the application is equally interesting. When Israel is about to be restored to their land, a witness is sounded forth once more, the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 24:14). Before the judgments of the Lord are executed in the world, those will be saved during the end of the age who, like Rahab, hear and believe this last Kingdom message. They will do good to the Jewish messengers of this final testimony, before the coming of the Lord in power and in glory, as Rahab did good to the spies, the messengers of Joshua. They are those to whom the Lord will say, “What ye have done to the least of these, my brethren, that have ye done unto me.” Rahab was saved and remained in the land to enjoy the earthly blessings with Israel. So the Gentiles, who hear and believe the last message, who have done good to the messengers of the King, the Lord’s brethren, will be saved from the wrath to come. For a more complete unfolding of this interesting theme, we refer the reader to the exposition of the Olivet discourse in the Gospel of Matthew. (Gaebelein, A. C. (2009). The annotated Bible: Joshua to Second Chronicles (Vol. 2, pp. 14–15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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!!)
NO GOD BUT GOD: Breaking with the Idols of Our Age
by Os Guinness & John Seel
The two main American examples today are the megachurch leaders marrying managerial technique and the Christian publishers romancing therapeutic solutions. (p. 9)
On the other hand, modernity makes many people satisfied with privatized, individualistic, and subjective experiences that are pale counterfeits of true revival. (p. 10)
For if the nation’s crisis is largely because of the decreasing influence of faith on American culture, the church’s crisis is largely because of the increasing influence of American culture on the Christian faith. (p. 12)
They also ignore the current evidence that evangelicalism appears to be vastly careless about orthodoxy as well as being the worldliest tradition in the contemporary church and productive in idol-making. (p. 16)
Repelled by “seminary theology” that is specialized, professionalized, and dry, evangelicals are attracted by movements that have replaced theology with emphases that re relational, therapeutic, charismatic, and managerial (as in church growth.) (p. 18)
There can be no believing communities without an unswerving eye to the detection and destruction of idols. (p. 28)
2 John 1
False teachers do not confess Jesus Christ as God incarnate.
INSIGHT
The Bible teaches that Christians are to be tolerant, understanding, and compassionate. We are to go out of our way to be kind and loving to others; we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. However, how should we act toward false teachers who subvert our faith? The Bible teaches that while we should not be unkind, we should have no fellowship with them. John writes: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine (salvation in Christ), do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (vv. 10-11). (Quiet Walk)
The Argentine women’s basketball team came to their tournament game wearing the wrong uniforms. Their navy blue jerseys were too similar to Colombia’s dark blue jerseys, and as the visiting team they should have worn white. With no time to find replacement uniforms and change, they had to forfeit the game. In the future, Argentina will surely double-check what they’re wearing.
In the time of the prophet Zechariah, God showed him a vision in which the high priest Joshua came before God wearing smelly, filthy clothes. Satan sneered and pointed. He’s disqualified! Game over! But there was time to change. God rebuked Satan and told His angel to remove Joshua’s grubby garments. He turned to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you” (Zechariah 3:4).
We came into this world wearing the stench of Adam’s sin, which we layer over with sin of our own. If we stay in our filthy clothes, we’ll lose the game of life. If we become disgusted with our sin and turn to Jesus, He’ll dress us from head to toe with Himself and His righteousness. It’s time to check, Who are we wearing?
The final stanza of the hymn “The Solid Rock” explains how we win. “When He shall come with trumpet sound, / Oh, may I then in Him be found; / Dressed in His righteousness alone, / Faultless to stand before the throne.”
(By Mike Wittmer, Our Daily Bread)
GOD’S WORK IN US
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13
I have the assurance that if God’s work in me has begun, the work will end. I “know” that if I have eternal life, I shall stand one day faultless and blameless, without spot and blemish, in the presence of God’s glory. So as I meet temptation and sin in this world, I realize that I am not left to myself. I cease to feel helpless and frustrated. I say, “If God is in me, if God has destined me for that, then He will come and hold me though all hell and the devils be opposed to me.” That was the mighty argument of a man like Martin Luther.It was because he knew he had eternal life that he could defy all those enemies the way he did, and all those who have this hope in them can say the same thing.
And were this world all devils o’er
And watching to devour us,
We lay it not to heart so sore;
Nor they can overpower us.
If we have eternal life and know that we have it, we know that God’s work in our souls will be carried on until it ends in ultimate perfection and glory. As Paul puts it in that mighty bit of logic in the middle of the eighth chapter of Romans, “Whom he called, them he also justified; and whom”—you see the jump—“he justified, them he also glorified.” If He starts, He will finish; so if the life is in me, I can be certain of the glory. Far from presuming on that in order to sin, while I am in this life and world I rather say with John, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure”
(1 John 3:3).
A Thought to Ponder
God’s work in our souls will be carried on until it ends in ultimate perfection and glory
(From Life in God pp. 111-112, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Science—True and False
“And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:9)
It is significant that the first reference to “science” in the Bible is in connection with the tree of the “science” of good and evil. The English word “science” comes from the Latin scientia, meaning “knowledge.” In both Old and New Testaments, “science” and “knowledge” translate the same Greek and Hebrew words respectively. Science—properly speaking—is what we know, not naturalistic speculation (as in evolutionary “science”). Adam and Eve knew a great deal about God and His creation, and all of it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31); they did not need to have a knowledge of evil, and God warned them against it (2:17).
But they partook of the evil tree anyway, and therewith evil knowledge entered the hearts and minds of mankind. Throughout the long ages since, true science has been of great good in the world and false science has wrought great harm. The apostle Paul has warned us against it: “Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Timothy 6:20). In the context of the times, Paul was specifically warning against the evolutionary pantheism of the gnostic philosophers.
In contrast, the final climactic reference in the Bible to knowledge is Peter’s exhortation to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), and in Jesus Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Therefore, let us resolve to eschew the knowledge of evil and grow in the knowledge of Christ! (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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