Posted by: thaishin | January 30, 2016

Humble and Dependent Attitude in Prayer

Teachings from Dr Michael Rydelnik on January 23, 2016 on open line moody radio:

Ephesians 3

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, …  -kjv

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray …  -niv

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray  … -hcsb

In Ephesians 3:14-21,  Paul is actually praying for the Ephesians and he is praying that they will live according to their spiritual wealth. In Ephesians 1 to 3, Paul reveals all the spiritual riches, all the spiritual wealth we have as believers and then he transitions in Ephesians 3:14-21 as to how we should live as believers, how we are to live in light of that spiritual wealth. At the end of the entire discussion about the wealth of a believer, the riches that we have in the Messiah Jesus, Paul in Ephesians 3:14, says for this reason I bow my knees to the Father, from whom every family in heaven and earth is named and I pray and he begins his prayer. In Ephesians 4, he picks up and talks about what our responsibilities are in light of our riches.

For the next week few weeks, we are going to go through Ephesians 3:14-21 and learn some principles of prayer because Paul’s prayer is the model for our prayers. If we are to pray for ourselves and for others and to experience all that God  has for us and to live in light of  the wealth that God has for us, this would be a great model for our prayers.

Paul is declaring  in Ephesians 3:14 that for this reason, in light of the spiritual riches that we have, and describes the way that we should pray, basically to have a needy attitude when praying. The first part of a needy attitude is a humble attitude as in I bow my knees in Ephesians 3:14. The typical Jew in the first century do not bow their knees to pray. Generally the Jewish way to pray was to have their heads up, eyes open and arms lifted up and so bowing became quite rare. The reason is bowing was sometimes taken to mean bowing before an idol and people did not want to reflect that idea. However, the idea of bowing is really a reflection of a humble attitude and is a picture of someone bowing before a king. So, Paul is not literally bowing but is saying that he is praying from a position of need, a position of humility and that he is coming as a humble person before the king of the universe. Besides having a humble attitude, if we are to pray with a needy attitude, we also need to have a dependent attitude. Paul calls God as Father in Ephesians 3:14. So often we think we call God our Father because that’s what we do in our families and we get the idea of God our father from families. Actually, what Paul is saying here is that it is the opposite, because there is a heavenly father, our families have fathers, that is it is a reflection of who God is, that we have a tangible earthly reflection of what that relationship ought to be. Every family on earth gets their name from their father. The idea is we come before God as our father because we are needy children, we are dependent children. So we have to have a dependent attitude on Him. Jesus talked about having that kind of attitude with our Father when we pray when he talked about it in Matthew 7:9-11. God wants us to be dependent on him, He want us to turn to Him and then He can help us.

Matthew 7

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  -kjv

 

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Posted by: thaishin | January 22, 2016

What is shekhinah glory?

Moody Radio listener: What is shekhinah glory?

Answer on openline:

The word shekhinah in Hebrew means the dwelling. It is the same word that we have in the Hebrew bible but in a different form for the tabernacle and it is the same root word because God dwells or tabernacles with us. Shekhinah talks about the presence or dwelling of God in glory. We do see the shekhinah glory like the pillar of fire that led Israel in the wilderness. Shekhinah glory also manifested itself  when Ezekiel sees the glory of God departed from the temple. God is everywhere but there are times when he localize himself, the visible manifestation of God. In the same way, no one has ever seen God but Moses saw His back. Moses did not really see as if God has a back but he saw the visible manifestation of God, the shekhinah glory of God.

The answer was given on January 16, 2016, openline moody radio.

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Posted by: thaishin | January 15, 2016

What is firstborn?

Question from moody radio listener:

Is Jesus the first creation of God the father in Colossians 1:15?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

Some of our friends who I think misunderstand the bible misunderstand that verse. I think we will have to start with John chapter 1. It says in John 1: In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God. So whoever the Word was, he is God himself and then it says in John 1 verse 14 that the Word became flesh and then it dwelt among us. So it is saying that Jesus, who is the Word, he is the eternal God and he became flesh. So, we have to be really really clear that the scripture teach that the eternal Son of God is always deity. He is the eternal Word and he became flesh in the Incarnation and became a man. That being said, what does Colossians 1:15 mean when it says Jesus is the firstborn of all creation? The  word firstborn is an idiom and does not necessarily mean the first creation. What it means is the most beloved. For example, of all the nations of the earth, God chose Israel and says that Israel is the first born of the nations. It says that in the book of Exodus. Well, if Israel is the first born of the nations, does it mean that Israel is the first nation? No, there were many nations even before Israel came into existence as a nation. It just means that when God chose Israel, He gave them special status, beloved of the nations. It does not mean that God does not love the other nations. In the same way, Jesus is the beloved, God the father’s special love. It does not mean Jesus is the first created. Just look at the way firstborn is used in scripture and you will see that first born does not mean first in order but means beloved.

Colossians 1

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  -kjv

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  -niv

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.-hcsb

 

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Posted by: thaishin | January 6, 2016

Ram and Goat in Daniel 8

Question from listener on moody radio:

I am wondering about Daniel’s vision of the ram and goat and the goat with a little horn in Daniel chapter 8. Who does all these animals represent and what is the beautiful land? What are the events that have already taken place or are they yet in the future?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

The answer is in Daniel chapter 8 and it starts with a lopsided ram. It has 2 horns and it says in verse 3 that the horns were long and one was longer than the other and the longer one came up last and that’s speaking about the Medo-Persian empire, which was the empire that came and dominated the land of Israel and the world after 539 BC. The Medo-Persian empire came after Babylon. That kingdom was conquered and taken over by the next animal, which is a goat. The ram was charging to the west, to the north and to the south. Why was it not charging to the east? It is because the ram is from the east, it is starting from the fertile crescent from the east where Persia is. The male goat comes and appears from the west, that is from Greece, across the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. It is conquering very quickly. The goat has a conspicuous horns between its eyes and it came to the ram which had two horns, seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with savage fury. The goat has a conspicuous horn, that’s its first king. The passage tells us later on that that is Alexander the great. The prophecy during the time of Daniel about the events of the Medo-Persian empire took place around 120 years later. What is the beautiful land? The beautiful land is Israel. The events have already taken place. Out of the goat comes four kingdoms, four horns. One of which is Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus Epiphanes is the little horn of this passage who is destroyed by God for his oppression of the Jewish people in the land of Israel.

The answer was given on Moody Radio openline on Dec 26, 2015.

 

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Posted by: thaishin | December 30, 2015

Is there more to Isaiah 7:15-16?

Isaiah 7:14 is the verse prophesying the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus:

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  -kjv

A moody radio listener ask if there is more to the verse of Isaiah 7:15-16 following Isaiah 7:14?

Isaiah 7

15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.  -kjv

15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.  -niv

15 By the time he learns to reject what is bad and choose what is good, he will be eating butter and honey. 16 For before the boy knows to reject what is bad and choose what is good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned.  -hcsb

Answer from Michael Rydelnik on this question:

It is a pretty detailed exposition that you will need to do and we can do a whole hour on it easily. Here’s what it is: Isaiah is told to go to King Ahaz, the wicked king, in offering the sign that God will deliver him from the present attack by his enemies. Isaiah is told to bring his son with him, Shearjashub. Ahaz was asked to test God by asking Him for a sign but he refuses and Isaiah turns from speaking in the singular as in King Ahaz to the whole house of David in Isaiah verse 13 as in ‘you all’. The Lord is going to give the house of David, ‘you all’, a sign, that is the birth of the Messiah by the virgin in verse 14. Then Isaiah says when he, that is,the Messiah, rejects what is bad and choose what is good, that is when he’s coming to an age of moral knowledge, he will be eating butter and honey. The thing is when you look at the later part of the passage when Assyria comes to judge the land, they are going to shave the land and there won’t be any domestic agriculture. The Israelites are just going to eat only curds because they are still going to have cattles and goats and they are going to get dairy from that. In other words, curds and honey are the foods of oppression. What verse 15 is saying that the Messiah will be born and grow up under Roman political oppression. From verse 15 to verse 16, Isaiah goes back to the singular and he is now talking to Ahaz again and refers to Shearjashub again and prophesy that when he gets to the age of knowing right from wrong, the two kings King Ahaz dread will be abandoned.

This segment is heard from Moody Radio openline on 26 Dec 2015

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Posted by: thaishin | December 26, 2015

Is our faith given by God or can we grow it?

Question from moody radio listener:

Romans 12:3 says we are distributed a certain amount of faith but Romans 10:17 says faith comes from hearing the word of God. If we are distributed our faith, then it cannot grow but can our faith grow?

Answer from the two Michaels from open line moody radio:

Romans 12:3 the phrase measure of faith is really debated. I think the best understanding of that phrase in Romans 12:3 is not so much that we are given an amount of faith though that is frequently understood that way. The idea is the word measure can actually mean an instrument that we can measure ourselves against and what we can measure ourselves against is faith, that is saving faith. We are all saved by grace through faith, then we are going to think accurately and humbly about ourselves. So if we see ourselves against the standard of saving faith, then I am no better than Rydelnik and Rydelnik is no better than me and we are no better than you are because we are saved by faith. Having said that, that’s about saving faith but in Romans 14, we have another aspect of faith – our strongly held spiritual beliefs or opinions. In Romans 14:1, it says as to one who is weak in faith, welcome him but not to quarrel over his opinion. One person has faith that he may eat anything while the weak person eats only vegetable. So we have here people who are strong in their spiritual beliefs and others who are weaker and even others who are weak can grow strong as they become informed about what scripture says about the host of different issues. Their strength can grow and develop but that’s a different aspect of faith than saving faith. I think God imparts to us the ability to have saving faith. I am not sure that that grows but our ongoing relationship with God based on our knowledge of the truth of the word, that can grow and that can deepen and become much stronger.

Romans 12

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  -kjv

Romans 10

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  -kjv

Romans 14

1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. -kjv

Above explanation given on moody radio openline on December 12, 2015.

 

 

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Posted by: thaishin | December 25, 2015

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Today is 25 December 2015

Blessed Birthday to our Lord and Saviour!

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Posted by: thaishin | December 19, 2015

Why did God become a man?

Hebrews 2:5-18 gave four reasons why God became a man.

1) The first reason God became a man is to restore humanity’s lost dignity found in Hebrew 2: 5-10

Hebrews 2

5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  -kjv

2) The second reason is God became a man to make humanity part of God’s family found in Hebrews 2:11-13

Hebrews 2

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.  -kjv 

3) The third reason is God became a man to free us of the enemy’s grip found in Hebrews 2: 14-15

Hebrews 2

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.  -kjv

4) The fourth reason is God became a man to help us in our weakness found in Hebrews 2: 16-18

Hebrews 2

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.  -kjv

This exposition was given on openline moody radio Dec 12, 2015

 

 

 

 

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Posted by: thaishin | December 16, 2015

Everlasting Father

Question from openline listener:

Does Isaiah 9:6 give the actual names of Jesus? Why is he called everlasting father?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

Isaiah 9:6 declares the titles of the coming king, just like the king and queen of England has royalty titles, Jesus has his royal throne names. The best way of understanding the hebrew passage in the phrase ‘Everlasting Father’ here is the meaning: father of time or father of eternity. For example, he is the father of our country means that he is the beginner of our country. So the father of eternity means that Jesus created time because in Colossians says that God the Father made the world through His Son. It does not mean Jesus is God the Father. Hence, the very first things that God created was beginnings. Jesus/God created time and They existed before time.

Isaiah 9:6

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  -kjv

Colossians 1

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:   -kjv

 

The above question was asked on openline on Dec 12, 2015 on openline moody radio.

 

 

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Posted by: thaishin | December 11, 2015

Prophesied by name

Isaiah 45

1Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;  -kjv

1“This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:  -niv

1The Lord says this to Cyrus, His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him and the gates will not be shut:  -hcsb

Observations and comments:

  1. King Cyrus was named in this prophecy of Isaiah 45:1. Isaiah was written around 700 BC and Cyrus the great came and had his victory over the Babylonians in 539 BC, around 160 years later. King Cyrus was used by God to liberate the Israelites from the Babylonians.
  2. King Cyrus was also mentioned in Ezra. Isaiah was written a bit earlier than Ezra.
  3. Daniel was reading the book of Jeremiah, so he was probably reading Isaiah.
  4. Were Ezra and Daniel contemporaries? Ezra was slightly later than Daniel, maybe in the later days of Daniel’s life as Ezra’s time period and Daniel’s time period overlap.

Heard this over moody radio openline on Dec 5, 2015.

 

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