Blog

by Bill Seng

“I have much to write to you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.” ~3 John 13-14

I don’t know how many people at this point are aware of this, but my wife and I are expecting our second child to arrive with a tentative due date of December 5, 2016. We plan to name him Caleb Carter Seng, and we are really excited to do the whole new parent thing all over again. We have grown quite a bit since the birth of our first son, Jaden William Seng, but we have also learned that there is much to prepare for and certain things that need to be attended to before the baby is born.

One of the things that I have taken upon myself is a second job. Currently, I have essentially been working, well, a lot. I have been putting in a lot of hours, which has resulted in me having to be away from my family more than I would prefer right now. Ever since I made this decision to take a second job I decided that I was going to stick it out as long as I could in providing a weekly blog post for the Worldview Warriors ministry. But lately, the late nights and physical nature of my second job have been wearing me out too much to be able to give to my family the emotional, psychological, and spiritual support they need in preparation for this new addition to our family. Thus, I have determined that I will be taking a leave from blog post writing for a span of time so that I can be the whole-hearted spiritual leader of my household.

It has been a huge blessing being a blog writer for Worldview Warriors. It has challenged me and caused me to grow in ways I would not have imagined.

I believe I started writing blog posts in 2013, pending the release of my first book, The World That Then Was. At that time, my posts were based on Creationism, the existence of God, and the evidence for Jesus Christ. Back then, I tried to answer every single question that was thrown my way with as much detail as I could, lest I forget something and get ambushed with more skepticism. Those days were fun, exciting, and frustrating; wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone thought the same way about everything?

It was in 2015 that we started working through books of the Bible as a group in Worldview Warriors. Even though I have noticed that the interest in my posts have not been as high as what they used to be, working our way through these books has been a lot of fun. If you could only sit in on one of our blogger meetings to hear the discussions we have about the various angles and opinions on each passage of Scripture we write on! One of the things I wish everyone who reads these blog posts could know is what a wonderful bunch of people are contributing to this ministry, of which I am the least. I would give them all kudos right now, but it would take too long, so I will just list them out and give a blanket statement about what I think of them.

Jason DeZurik, Katie Erickson, Logan Ames, Charlie Wolcott, Nathan Buck, Ami Samuels, and Steve Risner are some of the best people you are ever going to meet. They love Jesus, have a heart for people, and have the humility to admit when they are wrong and the boldness to tell you when you are wrong. If only I had the integrity and strength of resolve as the least of these Jesus freaks… well, I honestly don’t know how to finish that statement, but it would be awesome.

What I look forward to now, in terms of Worldview Warriors, is the upcoming event Rooted and Established. During this time off I will be solidifying what I will say at this event so that I can give those who attend my workshops their money’s worth. I’m going to give you a taste of my book 10 Irrefutable Proofs of Creation, a look at how bad theology leads to a bad worldview, provide clarity on why dinosaurs and the Bible matter, and what Satan’s fall means for us.

I cited the Apostle John from his third letter at the top of this post because I think that is the heart of all of the Worldview Warriors team; not just that we could write to you, but that we could meet you face to face and discuss these things with you so that you might experience how much God loves you and we love you in the most understandable way possible. If you can, come to Rooted and Established in Marion, Ohio on November 11th and 12th, not only for our gratification that you came, but also for your own spiritual growth. It will be wonderful reconnecting there and maybe even getting to know some of our faithful followers. Thank you for your support. It is both humbling and a pleasure sharing in the ministry of the Gospel with all of you!

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“No sooner had Gideon died that the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the Lord their God.” ~Judges 8:33-34a

I used to enjoy scary movies quite a bit and, to me, there is nothing scarier than movies involving demonic activity, possession, and other weird paranormal things. A common sign in such movies that demonic activity is occurring is that unusual amounts of flies swarm in areas around the home of the main characters. I used to wonder, “Why do these movies often include flies?” There is a very practical answer to that, which is related to the false god the Israelites worshiped after Gideon died.

As this blog post unfolds you will see that the Israelites made a common mistake that still happens today. It says that they forgot the Lord their God, not that they forsook him. Of course, they departed from him by forgetting him, but it seems like there was some remnant of a thought about God even when they engaged in their idolatry. The Lord is the One who established a covenant, which is a personal and intimate vow, with Israel. When they had forgotten the Lord, they began worshipping Baal-Berith, whose name means Lord of the Covenant.

It is important to take note of the last actions of Gideon before they began to worship this false god. Gideon had created an ephod, presumably to honor God, but instead everyone started to worship the ephod. The band Casting Crowns wrote a song titled Slow Fade, and its message is that once you start to sin a little, your willingness and boldness in sin will grow until the sin has grown out of control and the consequences become dire. This is what happened with Israel under Gideon. Ironically, Gideon was also known as Jerub-Baal for having previously destroyed the idols of Baal and the people in response said “Let Baal contend with him,” assuming that if Baal was a god, he would deal with Gideon. Baal did nothing, exposing him as a false god, and the people chose to follow Gideon and the Lord God.

Anybody familiar with the title of this blog post will recall that the Lord of the Flies was a story about a group of children that became stranded on an island and had to set up their own civilization without the aid of adults. Their attempt quickly crumbled and the boys became savagely violent and contentious against one another. After the death of Gideon, the people lost godly direction (which had already been tainted by Gideon’s worship of the ephod) and they sought to worship a god to whom they could make an idol. They were without direction, which is why they chose to follow Baal-Berith.

Not much is known about Baal-Berith, aside from the meaning of his name. Some have speculated that the name may have derived from the Hebrew word “berit,” which means circumcision, a sign of the covenant. But according to Jewish Rabbinic tradition, Baal-Berith is associated with Beelzebub, who is mentioned in the New Testament. The Pharisees accused Jesus of driving out demons through the prince of demons, Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24). Beelzebub was often times portrayed in the shape of a fly. Hence, the portrayal of demonic activity in movies through swarms of flies. It is meant to show the viewer that Beelzebub, the prince of demons, is in their midst. Some speculate that the covenant referenced in the name Baal-Berith may have been in connection with an idol made in the form of a fly that his worshipers may have carried as a good luck charm of sorts. What can we learn from all of this?

1)      The Bible is our authority on God. When people start trying to find God on their own, but refuse to consult God’s written revelation, they will be unable to learn who he is or what he requires. The people of Israel chose to ignore God’s revelation and to pursue their own interests.

2)      Just because our leaders might engage in ungodly activity does not mean it is okay for us to partake as well. It is all too easy to believe that a leader of any sort knows better than his or her followers. Truth be told, leaders are just as susceptible to evil as anyone else. The only way to know is to hold to a solid set of principles that hold even the leaders accountable.

3)      Avoid being encapsulated by narrow dogmatic teachings. There are core teachings to Christianity that we must be dogmatic about, but there are so many peripheral issues that it is easy to make an idol out of any one of them. For example, I think the topics of predestination, free will, baptism, communion, and speaking in tongues are often times issues in Christianity that we become too dogmatic about. When we overemphasize doctrines like these, it is easy to forget the one who granted us the right to become children of God.

The Israelites knew better, and Gideon knew better, than to worship anyone but the Lord God. The problem is that their faith had been so corrupted by the time Gideon died that they couldn’t remember anything about the Lord other than he was the Lord of their covenant. It became a Lord of the Flies scenario where they ended up worshipping the Lord of the Flies.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“The Israelites said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us – you, your son and grandson – because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.’
But Gideon told them, ‘I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.’” ~Judges 8:22-23

The lust for power is an enticing lure. In a political environment like today’s, it is hard to imagine that anyone would have the audacity, courage, or strength of resolve to refuse an opportunity to seize control over a nation. It is slightly disheartening to think that in order for someone to run for president, he or she must take the initiative to run for that office. What I mean by this is that you must believe that you are the best person for the job. Have you ever thought about the audacity it takes to run for president? Our first president (in the United States) did not have such a reputation.

George Washington was a man renowned for his humility. Now, it has been said that he refused an offer to become the king of the United States, but there are credible sources that would bring this claim into question, thus I will exclude it from one of his noble acts as a leader. What is indisputable is that Washington willingly relinquished power after the Revolutionary War. Considering the dictators that have seized power through force, this alone says that he was a man of tremendous character. Perhaps even more impressive is that he chose to not pursue a third term as President of the United States, despite the temptation to retain power. George Washington knew that he was unworthy of power and that any delusion to believe otherwise would be the first step toward a corrupt mind.

Gideon refused to receive the position of kingship over the Israelites after he had scored a miraculous (literally) victory over the Midianites and their allies. When he was offered the authority to rule, he responded with an answer you wish the Israelites would have taken to heart in the days of Samuel the prophet. At that time, the Israelites demanded that Samuel the prophet anoint the first king over Israel. He was troubled by the request, but God consented. Their response to Samuel’s pleas was, “No! … We want a king over us. Then we will be like all of the other nations, with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Samuel 8:19-20). Although it is not evident in the response of the Israelites in the day of Samuel, it is evident in the day of Gideon that the demand for a king actually sprouted from idolatry.

Gideon’s response to the Israelites was, “The Lord will rule over you” (Judges 8:23). God is King. Why do you have a need for a human to rule over you? You silly people. In fact, if you study ancient history, you will notice that time and time again when an individual is appointed king over any group of people, that person will often be considered a god. This was evident in Egypt, Babylon, and even Greece and Rome. We might not think of our leaders in America as gods, but we can just as easily idolize them.

We often fall into the trap of thinking that our chief executive (the president) will solve all of our problems. In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites state that the king will fight their battles for them; evidently they forgot that their sons would be the soldiers of the king. Leaders and rulers will always disappoint us if they and we forget where their power is derived from. No one has power because of how good or amazing he or she is. God alone grants power to the authorities of this world. George Washington had this figured out and Gideon almost had it figured out. Unfortunately for Gideon and the Israelites, the sin of the nation would not be satisfied until an idol was made and then worshipped. Gideon delivered this request to the Israelites unintentionally by forging an ephod that the entire nation worshipped. Verse 27 records that Gideon and his family were ensnared by idol worship of the ephod. What a disappointment after such a great victory.

Even if you are not a leader according to an official position you occupy, in the Lord’s family we all occupy the position of priests. Thus we are all leaders to someone and need to live lives of humility, always remembering that our position of children of God is only granted through the grace of God. Grace is not grace unless it is undeserved. We should, therefore, be eternally grateful and humbled at the great gift that God has given us.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“He said to the men of Succoth, ‘Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.’” ~Judges 8:5

Some people will go as far out of their way as they can to disrupt God’s work in people’s lives. One of my favorite evangelists in the United States was released from prison last year upon being convicted of some sort of tax fraud. Without going into detail, the case was somewhat absurd and the charges that were brought upon the evangelist could easily have been laid against just about anyone in the United States. After deciding not to fight the charges, as he was expecting the case to essentially be thrown out, the judge, who was strongly anti-Christian, threw the book at him and sentenced him to 10 years in prison, which had expired about a year ago. Now, during that time he brought over 300 prisoners to Christ, but that’s beside the point. Instead of giving this man a lighter sentence or throwing out the charges altogether, these biased legal participants decided to teach this Christian a lesson for being as outspoken for Jesus as what he was.

After forcing the army of the Midianites to retreat, Gideon and his 300 men were in hot pursuit of the remaining forces to wipe them out. They had vanquished 120,000 swordsmen and were looking to finish the job once they caught the fleeing troops. Understandably, Gideon’s men had become tired. Not once but twice, they came upon villages, Succoth and Peniel, and asked for some bread to replenish the battle-exhausted troops. Both villages denied Gideon’s request and sent the men out starving as they pursued their enemies.

2 Timothy 3:12 states, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” In this instance, Gideon and his men were obeying the Word of God. Their request upon these villages was not a toilsome request as there were only 300 men to feed and they were only asking for bread. Nonetheless, those who want to see the saints of God thwarted and humiliated would refuse to spare even this much. Their expectation is that because they deprive the saints a material blessing, they prevent them from fulfilling their cause. In the case of Gideon, this is not true. They continued to pursue their enemy despite their fatigue because God had empowered them to defeat them. Natural circumstances cannot thwart the power or will of God in the hands of an obedient servant.

By denying Gideon’s men a blessing, the people of Succoth and Peniel did not bring down a curse, as they may have expected. Instead, they prevented God from blessing their villages and, furthermore, Gideon returned to bring both villages to justice by oppressing Succoth and killing the men in Peniel. So, not only did they rob themselves of a blessing, they brought a curse upon themselves.

Jesus said that “if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42). To me, this is a very powerful passage. So often do we focus on what factors bring judgment upon disobedient people that we forget how richly God blesses those who graciously bless his saints. It is important for us to be rich in good deeds as God has purposed us to be a blessing to the world and not a curse.

Also remember, although Gideon lived under the promises of the old covenant, we live under the promises of the new covenant today. He cursed the villages that denied him and his men. The Apostle Paul tells us to bless and not curse those who persecute us (Romans 12:14). It is for God to judge the wicked, not us. The covenant established with Israel in the days of Gideon was intended to cleanse the land of evil and establish a holy nation on earth. The promise we have through the new covenant is to establish a kingdom in heaven. Thus, God is the executive of justice, not us.

When oppressors come around, do not be discouraged. God’s will is that we might grow through times of persecution and become more like his Son who suffered through the ills of the world. We can endure and like Jesus, and we can also bless those who might otherwise deserve a curse for how they try to disrupt the plans of God.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords.” ~Judges 7:22

I'm going to take a moment to talk politics without talking politics. I find politics and politicians to be interesting creatures. They defy common sense in oh so many ways. This election season is no exception as two supposedly reviled candidates have secured their respective party's nomination. But what I find most fascinating is how establishment politicians are quick to throw each other overboard.

One side of the political spectrum is particularly notorious for doing this. They vet their candidates so thoroughly (or so they want you to think) that whenever a serious charge arises against a candidate, to the chagrin of their opponents, they will force that candidate to withdraw from a race or even resign from their current position. There are documented instances of this happening where the accused is 100% proven innocent… after the election has taken place or even 10 years later. Sometimes, allies can be one’s own worst enemies.

In Gideon's conquest against the oppressors of Israel, the battle takes a bizarre and unexpected twist. Gideon's 300 men blow trumpets and somehow that causes their enemies to attack each other. What on earth is going on here?

There are a couple of possibilities, but my honest opinion is that the Lord allowed for the wickedness dwelling within these people to get the better of them. There is an instance in Mark chapter 5 where Jesus commands evil spirits to leave from a demon possessed man. The demons did not want to be disembodied, so they asked to be sent into a herd of pigs. The pigs immediately, after being possessed, ran into a lake and drowned themselves. Under the influence of the demonic, they sought only to destroy themselves.

I can think of subtle instances today where the friends of certain groups of people actually turn out to be enemies. In 2014, a movie was released called The Interview. It was notorious for its ending that included the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Apparently the North Korean government didn't find the ending too funny as they engaged in a cyber war against Sony (the company that produced the film). Studio execs are known to be good liberals – you know, social justice warriors that speak up for African Americans, homosexuals, and other minority groups in the name of multiculturalism. Well, the Koreans released some of the emails from one of the studio execs and lo and behold they were wrought with gay and racial slurs. In their secret thoughts, those who hate God hate others as well.

I would not doubt that the camp fighting Gideon's army wasn't much different. They were gathered to fight a common foe, but in their hearts they hated each other. Thus, the Lord merely turned them over to their inward desires to harm and kill those who they were fighting beside, allowing Gideon's victory to be a cake walk.

Do you harbor hatred against someone that you work alongside? The Bible tells us that "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in darkness" (1 John 2:9). Hatred is likened to murder, and murder is of the devil. To harbor hatred is to become a subject of the devil, and hatred will surely lead to your own misfortune. Be unified in Spirit with those around you, particularly believers. It was the obedience of the camp of Gideon that unleashed the power of God against Israel's enemies and forced them to destroy each other. Though we don't desire those who hate us to face destruction, abiding in love tear down the barriers that the evil one sets up as we walk in faith, trusting the word of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” ~Judges 7:10-11

A few months back, I watched a UFC fight featuring Brock Lesnar vs Mark Hunt as the main event. Brock Lesnar had been my favorite fighter in the UFC ever since he threw his hat into the ring because he has a background as a NCAA wrestling champion. On top of this, he was also a UFC champion at one time in his career until an illness debilitated him. I watched a fair amount of the prefight leading up to the event and I was surprised to hear, for the first time leading up to the fight, apprehension in Lesnar’s voice. Mark Hunt has a reputation for having massive punch force and, this being Lesnar’s comeback fight, he really did not know how he would fair against Hunt’s power. Looking at the two fighters, there should have been no doubt that Lesnar was going to win. But for some reason, Lesnar was not fully convinced of this reality before the fight.

God was proving himself to be among Gideon’s camp, but the army could not see the power that they had on their side. They were assured by God that they would be victorious, but after God trimmed their numbers down from 20,000 fighting men to only 300, they were a little nervous. This was not a good military strategy. Sensing there was fear in the camp, God told Gideon that he would permit him to sneak in among the camp of the enemy to hear what they were saying so that they would be encouraged.

Humans are strange when it comes to trusting God, but he fully understands our predicament. We aren’t always aware of the power that backs us up when we are walking in obedience to God’s commands. We see that, in this story, God is patient. He saw that doubts were rising in the minds of Gideon and his men and they needed some reassurance.

Remember, Gideon wasn’t used to the idea of submitting to the will of God. He hadn’t seen all of the miracles of past generations. His experience had mostly been with Israel’s humiliating defeats against her enemies. Who could blame him for still having a little apprehension? Nonetheless, we see that he was still willing to follow through with God’s command to fight the Midianites and Amalekites.

An advantage we have over Gideon is that we have an entire book to remind us of how faithful God has been to all who call on his name. We are able to read about Gideon’s victory. We can read about Moses, David, and Elijah. We can read about how God grew the church in the midst of intense persecution. God is always faithful. It is okay to have a little apprehensiveness when going out on a limb to do God’s will. But always remember God’s faithfulness and do not allow any factor to discourage you from following through with his commands.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

 

by Bill Seng

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all others go home.” ~Judges 7:7

First of all, okay, maybe I over embellished things with the title… a little bit. You remember the battle of Thermopylae and the 300 Spartans that battled an infinitely larger Persian army to a standstill at a narrow pass, right? If you don’t, that’s because that was embellished a little bit too in the movie that immortalized the 300 Spartans (actually a movie title as well) in the movie 300. In the movie, we are made to believe that 300 Spartans blocked off a narrow pass for three whole days against an incredibly massive Persian force. At times it was mentioned that there were others involved, but they were few in number and unskilled.

The truth of the matter was that King Leonidas led an alliance of what is approximated to have been 7,000 soldiers (Greek and non-Greek). The Persians did vastly outnumber them, nonetheless, but the legendary stand by the 300 Spartans came after the Persian army discovered a path that would allow them to flank the Greek army. The Spartans stayed behind with a contingent of 300 men to fight to the death. It was brutal and the Spartans lost.

But there is a story about another 300 soldiers that has a happy ending. Gideon was commanded by God to go to war against the Midianites who were camped in a valley near a hill. Gideon’s force was enormous, but God did not like that. He wanted to whittle the army down so that it would be known that the Israelites did not conquer the Midianites on their own power. It had to be obvious that the only reason why they were victorious was because of God’s divine help. So, God immediately weeded out 22,000 soldiers from the force. And after eliminating 22,000 from them, God told Gideon that he still had too many soldiers. He then filtered down Gideon’s men again until only 300 remained in the force. The Midianites would greatly outnumber the 300 Israelites, but that was exactly the point.

Sometimes we get frustrated when something doesn’t go our way that undoubtedly should. If you’ve ever watched the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament in March, you will see a top-ranked team get defeated by a team who has no business competing on the same court. In those instances, the underdog could boast. On the other hand, it would be silly for a team like Duke to boast about defeating a team like Bowling Green. That should happen every time they play. One of the fascinating things about the little teams, like Butler, is that they often do give glory to God for their victories against legacy teams. And why not? They probably would have lost to them on any other day. But to beat them at the NCAA Tournament draws more attention to the small team and is a perfect opportunity to honor God.

When we struggle with the dilemmas of our lives, we often resort to padding our security blanket more and more in hopes that we won’t be harmed. We resort to trusting ourselves so much that there becomes no reason to glorify God if we are victorious. Instead of keeping one foot in the door and the other foot out, it is often the best idea to go all-in and trust God with the results. David refused King Saul’s armor when he prepared to battle Goliath because it would weigh him down because of its size (1 Samuel 17:38-39). Too often, we choose to wear the worldly armor instead of trusting in God’s armor.

Do you have the courage to take 300 soldiers, selected by God, against an army of 100,000 plus skilled fighting men? That might not be your obstacle, but it is easy to shy away from less intimidating tasks. Remember, when you are on God’s team you have nothing to fear. When he calls you to do something amazing, it will get done if you are available for him to use you. If you make yourself available to God, maybe one day we will be reflecting upon your great act of faith and praising God for how he empowered you to beat the odds.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

 

by Bill Seng

“But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, ‘Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.’” ~Judges 6:31

I love stories about attempted crimes that go wrong. In Findlay, just a few months back, someone tried to rob a Speedway gas station. The criminal did not notice the other people in the store with him and got mugged by the other customers. On YouTube, there is a video of a young man who attempted to rob a bank, but the security doors to the teller slammed in his face preventing him from being successful. He assumed that since the security system was activated, he was locked in the bank. He rammed the door with his shoulder until the glass door broke and he escaped. His escape would have been easier, had he read the sign on the door that said “Pull.”

But one of my favorite stories of a failed bank robbery I heard about when I was about 10 years old. A bank robber had devised a brilliant scheme to break into a bank through its skylight and rappel down into the bank. He successfully broke into the areas with the money and was ready to escape. One problem: the rope was no longer secured to the anchor point at the top of the skylight. The bank doors were locked and the robber was trapped inside. So, he decided to call the police to come and let him out of the bank. It really stinks when what we think the solution to our problem is actually ends up causing us more trouble.

Take the people of Ophrah in Judges. The people of Ophrah really missed the mark. First, they departed from God’s favor by honoring the pagan gods of the land. Next they set up altars, memorials, and other structures to honor the pagan gods. These two things alone resulted in the true God removing his favor from them and delivering them into the hands of their enemies. Then, after Gideon destroyed the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole that stood beside it, they wanted to kill Gideon. When they told Gideon’s father that they wanted to kill his son, he basically said, “You want to kill him because he tore down altars dedicated to false gods? You know that, according to our Law, you should be killed for even having them, right? And what do you think God thinks about this? Maybe you should ask your false god, Baal, to plead his own case.” I bet the deer in the headlights look existed long before headlights existed, because their only response could be a deer in the headlights look.

Some time ago, my family had a fairly good reason to miss church on a particular Sunday. I could tell that my wife, however, still wanted to go and it was possible that we could still make it work. There was only one problem – I didn’t want to go that Sunday! But my wife asked me, “What do you think we should do?” I was kind of hoping we would just stay home without her asking me that question. Instead, I grumbled out my response, “It’s my responsibility, as a man, to make sure my family goes to church.” Then my wife asked, “You are saying you don’t want to go?” I said, “Oh yeah.” We went, but it was a gut check moment. What’s more important? Putting up with a minor inconvenience for a short while so that we could go to church, or succumb to the minor inconvenience entirely and miss an opportunity to worship with other believers? I think the right choice was obvious. The Ophrahites knew what the right choice was, as well. That’s why they spared Gideon.

Let’s be honest, none of us are perfect all of the time. We put things, stupid things, before God way too often. It’s moments like the one the people of Ophrah faced where they were confronted with what they had been doing and forced to make a decision: “Do we honor God or do we continue to play make-believe?” Are you playing make-believe in your life? Is there an area that you have not fully surrendered to God? If so, pray about it and share your struggle with a friend who will hear you out. I’m not guaranteeing that you will not have a deer in the headlights moment, but sometimes we need those.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” ~Judges 6:23

My all-time favorite film franchise is Japan’s Godzilla series. In 2004, Toho, the company that produces the Godzilla movies, decided to make their last Godzilla movie of the decade and indefinitely, titled Godzilla: Final Wars. For those who might not know who Godzilla is, he is a giant dinosaur-like monster that breathes atomic breath. He destroys cities because he was awakened from a long slumber by an atomic explosion, which enraged him. In Final Wars, after Godzilla defeats the final alien menace that threatens to destroy the earth, he is confronted by a band of humans who had previously been battling with him. They poise themselves for battle, but he rears up, ready to wipe them out with a single breath. But then, Godzilla’s son runs between them and protects the humans from being harmed. What appeared to be a moment of sheer terror for these people ended up being a moment of peace and reconciliation.

When I see this scene, I remember the wrath that mankind deserves from God as a result of sin. We forget how terrible our sin is. We often live our day to day lives not only not thinking about sin, but embracing it. When you come to the realization of how severe the consequences for your sins are, it’s like standing at the feet of a 300 ft. tall monster that’s about to melt you with his breath.

Back in the days of the Old Testament, Gideon understood this. Many people understood that meeting God face-to-face was a horrible thing. The Greeks even have myths where people encountered the full glory of a god only to perish in its presence. Even Moses, when he requested to see God’s glory, was only allowed to see a small glance of it as he would not be able to endure its fullness. The author of Hebrews says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (10:31). It is because of our sin that we cannot endure God’s full presence. God has every right to wipe us all off of the face of the earth and cast us into the pit of hell, if that were his desire.

l However, we can rejoice because that is not his desire. Just like Final Wars, God’s wrath had swelled up to the point where he could have destroyed us. It was only because of the intercession of God’s Son, Jesus, that God’s wrath was satisfied and that mankind could be at peace with God. The problem we have now is that not many people are aware that God has made peace with them!

Gideon set up an altar and named it “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24). This is a testimony to God’s goodness that anybody who would pass by would recognize that God is good. God has been so horribly slandered today that people are under the impression that God only desires wrath and has no interest in mercy. Since we know better, we ought to be that reminder for those who are unaware.

Though there is much to be fearful of God about, we have peace with him through Jesus Christ. His wrath against us has been satisfied through the sacrifice of his Son and it was through this sacrifice that we are drawn to him. In Gideon’s day they built altars to receive sacrifices and to commemorate things that God did for them. In Romans 12, we learn that we are living sacrifices. Thus, we are the testimony and the reminder and the witness of God’s love to the world.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

Last year, a well-known politician was confronted by a reporter after he announced that he was going to run for the nomination for President of the United States of America. The reporter was well aware that this particular candidate was a devout evangelical Christian and thus felt it was his duty to trap this politician in his words. So the reporter immediately asked the politician the single most destructive question a conservative Christian candidate could be asked: “What do you think about same-sex marriage?” Without missing a beat, the politician replied, “Why are you people [the media] so obsessed about sex?” I’m sorry to say, it’s not just the media, it’s also our culture.

Asherah is the pagan goddess of motherhood and fertility. Fertility is a very natural idol that one would desire to worship. It is a blessing you want when you plant crops, hence the Asherah pole that would be erected as a symbol of fertilizing the crops. In olden days, people desired to have large families. But let’s be honest, the worship of fertility is really no more than a cleverly disguised practice that gives men (and some women) the excuse to experience one of the most wonderful blessings mankind has been given, but to do so outside of the boundaries God has set in place: the joy of sexual intercourse.

C. S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, likens sexual obsession to food obsession. He describes an auditorium full of people all watching and waiting for a gentleman carrying a covered food tray. Inside the tray is roasted chicken (or something of that sort) and every time the gentleman would lift the tray to reveal a part of the chicken, the crowd would start hooting and hollering as though they were experiencing something wonderful. Is there anything wrong with chicken? No. Is there anything wrong with eating chicken? No. But don’t you think that there is something just a little bizarre about the man who becomes an uncontainable wild animal at the mere sight of chicken? That’s a little messed up.

Likewise when it comes to sex. The opposite gender is good. Sex is good. But when people become uncontrollable wild animals at the mere exposure of a little bit of skin? That’s a little messed up. The more that we neglect God’s boundaries on sex, the more like wild animals we become and the more difficult it becomes to see a God who possesses infinitely more wisdom than ourselves.

Our culture has idolized sex. We aren’t the first culture to do so and we won’t be the last. Europe has obsessed over sex so much that its common place to see naked people and prostitutes wandering about. The Middle East has obsessed over sex so much that as soon as a woman reveals a little bit of skin, every man within a thousand-mile radius feels like he has an obligation to sexually engage her. America obsesses over sex so much that it has been a marketing gimmick that is exploited for the sake of making money. You’ve heard the slogan: “Sex sells.” Right?

Israel fell victim to sexual worship in Biblical times. God set them apart to be a holy people, but they started to mix and mingle with the locals of Canaan and before you would have known it, they were erecting perverse Asherah poles and worshipping the local goddess. Worship of sex goddesses is a normal pagan practice that typically comes complete with temples dedicated to them. Inside of these temples were prostitutes, consecrated for the sake of sexual worship as other women’s husbands came in to “pay their respects” to sexual idols.

If I have not made it clear yet, worshipping sex is not just accomplished through wooden idols, temples, and the purchasing of sexual favors. You might be worshipping a sexual idol and you don’t even know it. Excuse me for a moment while I get rated “R” for a few sentences. Do you use sexual toys to bring yourself pleasure? Do you masturbate? Do you live with a boyfriend or girlfriend? Do you exchange sexual favors on a regular basis (including oral sex, making out, or other non-literal sexual favors)? Do you put a homosexual, bisexual, transgender, or other alternative sexuality above God’s design for sex and marriage? Do you watch pornography?

Friends, I do not mention these things to guilt anyone or to come across as self-righteous or perfect. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 states, “Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders…will inherit the kingdom of God.” Then, verse 11 reminds its readers, “And that is what some of you were.” I think that most, if not all, of us have fallen prey to sexual idolatry at some point in our lives. Maybe you have fallen prey to it today. My message to you is that God loves you, but he hates your sin because he knows it is leading you to death and separation from him.

His desire is that you repent of your sin. Do you struggle with repentance? I might suggest you confess your sin with a close friend. Satan loses his stronghold in our lives when we bring our sins to light, and you will be amazed how much easier it is to overcome temptation after you have confessed your guilt with someone else who does not condemn you. Our call is to live holy lives, free of idols. Sexuality has indeed become an idol in our country. As this politician has stated, it appears as though sex is the end-all-be-all of human existence to the snobbish elite class in this country. Don’t be like them. They aren’t happy with their lives anyway.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“’But sir,’ Gideon replied, ‘if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.’” ~Judges 6:13

How can we say that the Lord is with us today? Within the past month or so, we have endured some of the worst acts of terror in American history. About a month ago, a night club was shot up by a terrorist that ended up claiming the lives of over 50 people. It was the worst act of terror since 9/11/2001. About a month later, we hardly remember the incident now that two African Americans were shot dead by police officers. In protest, a group known as Black Lives Matter walked the streets of Dallas to raise awareness to their cause. In order to prevent riots from breaking out, or from outside groups stirring up trouble with the group, police officers monitored the situation. In doing so, an angry and militant sniper shot and killed 5 police officers, one of which was serving his last shift on the force before retirement. How can you tell me that God is with us when bad things like this are happening everywhere?

Things are not always as they seem in this world. God is indeed good and God is indeed not far from us. In speaking about God’s plan for humanity, Paul revealed to the Athenians, “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out to him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). Not only is God in active pursuit of us, but he puts us in situations where we can seek him out as well.

In the story of Gideon, we see a classic case of God seeking out the one he loves and persuading him to follow his will. Gideon was hesitant at first because he did not recognize the angel of the Lord and thought that he was crazy for claiming that God was with them. When circumstances are grim, we sometimes question God’s goodness and his presence in our lives. There are three good reasons for that:

1) Original Sin: This taints everything that we do, see, and feel. Original sin is what we have inherited from Adam and Eve after they sinned in the Garden of Eden. It affects the whole world and is the reason there is sin, death, and suffering in the world (Romans 5:12-14).

2) The Devil: He has been cast out of heaven. Although it is a time of rejoicing in heaven, it is a time of great distress on earth. He is angry that he has been defeated by Jesus and that his time is now short. As a result, he plans to deceive as many people as he can so that he can drag them down to hell after his failed final bout against God (Revelation 12:10-12).

3) Selfishness: The Apostle Paul writes, “Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10). When we focus on ourselves, we become our own worst enemy. Jesus’ brother James wrote, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1). When we are self-serving and always looking to secure justice for ourselves when we feel wronged, we create circumstances that pale the severity of the former circumstances. Selfishness, in terms of pride, was the Devil’s sin and his sin has condemned him to hell. In taking part with his sin, we reap hellish consequences.

No, God is here. God is with us. Sometimes he chooses to discipline us for the sake of purging our sins. Other times he chooses to discipline us to teach us how to persevere in righteousness. Gideon learned quickly that God was still with him and, in submitting to his will, Gideon did something great in the name of the Lord.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“But you have not obeyed my voice.” ~Judges 6:10

Mark Gungor is a pastor and a marriage/relationship specialist. He has a unique sense of humor that reaches the hearts of believers and non-believers alike. He uses illustrations of his own relationship with his wife to identify with other men in the audience. One phenomenon that he described was how men often don’t do what their wives tell them to do because they cannot remember being told to do something. This problem got so bad in Mark’s own relationship that he consulted a doctor that specializes in hearing. After finding out that he could hear most sounds that only dogs can hear (hahaha), he decided to pay close attention to his wife as she would speak to him.

Ultimately, the following example does not apply in all relationships but will serve to illustrate a lesson we should learn from Scripture. His wife came into the room where he was and she started speaking to him. She then left the room and went to the next room over and was speaking to him. She then proceeded to go all the way to the other side of the house, do the laundry, and even stuck her head in the dryer to pull out close and proceeded to talk to him all the while he sat in the same room in which he started. He made mention of this to her and she responded, “Well, you don’t listen anyway!”

In the Hebrew culture, hearing a teaching from a rabbi was something special. Rabbis were highly respected people, and when you had the privilege to hear one of them speak, you listened intently and then you did whatever it was they said to do. If you did not respond with action, you were said to have never heard what they said. If you hear what a rabbi says and take action, why would you hear the Word of the Lord and not obey, unless you did not hear?

It was not that the people of Israel did not literally hear what God said, they simply refused to either pay attention or to obey the command of God. In Judges 6, God calls them to task by reminding them what he had done for them and how they in turn refused to obey his commands. This is definitely a pattern in the book of Judges. Once again, Mark Gungor can help us out with the rest of his illustration concerning why men “don’t listen.”

He found some studies that revealed that men do not respond the way their wife wants them to the first time she asks. If she wants him to do the laundry, typically she’ll need to ask him two or three times to do it before he actually obeys. He wanted to verify this statistic, so he asked some women at his church about their husbands.

He went to the first woman,
Mark: “Do you have a hard time getting your husband to do what you ask him to do?”
Woman 1: “Pastor, you have no idea…” (she gives an example).
Mark: “How many times did you ask him to do that?”
Woman 1: “Once.”
Mark: “Why didn’t you ask him a second time?”
Woman 1: “I shouldn’t have to.”

Mark: “Do you have a hard time getting your husband to do what you ask him to do?”
Woman 2: “Pastor, you have no idea…” (she gives an example).
Mark: “How many times did you ask him to do that?”
Woman 2: “Once.”
Mark: “Why didn’t you ask him a second time?”
Woman 2: “I shouldn’t have to.”

Mark: “Do you have a hard time getting your husband to do what you ask him to do?”
Woman 3: “Pastor, you have no idea…” (she gives an example).
Mark: “How many times did you ask him to do that?”
Woman 3: “Once.”
Mark: “Why didn’t you ask him a second time?”
Woman 3: “I shouldn’t have to.”

Mark’s take away lesson from this illustration: Women, you have to ask your husband more than once!

Now, in relation to Judges, there is this pattern of God disciplining his people over and over again. He blesses them and they are blessed, they rebel and fall into sin, they get into trouble, God shows them grace and rescues them. This happens over and over. Just like men, mankind is a hard-headed creation! It takes multiple rounds of discipline and reminders to get us to obey God’s laws. We are able to display obedience quicker, but bad habits die hard. Hebrews 12 cites Proverbs and Psalms when its author wrote, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (verses 5-6).

When we get trapped in sin, we can count on God to discipline us. Often times we repent, but we then fall into the same old trap with our sin. In those cases, we can expect God to discipline us again. He is patient with us and we need to be quick to learn from his discipline and take heart in that God only disciplines us because he loves us. That is why he allowed Israel, in its sin, to suffer oppression. That is why he allows us to suffer hardship, whether we are growing in faith or overcoming sin.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. The river Kishon swept them away, the age-old river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul; be strong!”
~Judges 5:20-21

Songs often commemorate great acts of courage. Deborah and Barak were full of joy after defeating their enemies, and the song they composed commemorated the event. Against overwhelming odds, Israel defeated the foreign armies and restored peace to their nation.

Two hundred years ago, a man named Francis Scott Key stood outside of Baltimore Harbor and watched the British shell Fort McHenry with their artillery. For 24 hours, the British bombarded the military installment that was manned by 1,000 soldiers who were unable to retaliate due to the British navy’s overwhelmingly powerful artillery. At the end of the day and the beginning of the next, it was expected that there would be a pile of corpses and a white flag waving in the air. As the story goes, the British were disheartened to see that they had only killed four American soldiers and that the American flag still stood flying over Fort McHenry.

Francis Scott Key was inspired by the sight and recalled the events he had witnessed. He wrote a poem called “Defence of Fort McHenry.” The poem was set to music and it was then renamed “The Star Spangled Banner.” Although it is our national anthem here in the United States, it does contain some religiously inspired lyrics that are not included in the one verse (the first verse) that is typically sung at events.

Verse four reads:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

When we are faced with impossible odds, we can only give glory to God when we pull through. 1 Samuel 2:9 reads, “It is not by strength that one prevails.” Human understanding cannot explain the military victories that were claimed either in the ancient times of Israel or at the founding of this nation.

When we place our trust in God, we need not fear boasting because he makes it clear that we have nothing to boast about except for him. God has strength when we do not. God is bigger than all of our enemies. And it is he who decides the outcome of wars, whether we are comfortable with that or not. When a nation turns to him, it will write its own anthems to praise God for his awesome works.

Here are some additional links for more information on this topic:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hZe8CPGA1E
http://www.harisingh.com/newsMemorialAnthem.htm

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!
    I, even I, will sing to the Lord;
    I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.” ~Judges 5:2

The Song of Deborah and Barak can either be seen as a marvelous work of art, or a bizarre song praising brutal acts of bloodshed. Our culture is definitely squeamish when it comes to the idea of war. A famous commentator puts it the best, “War is about breaking things and killing people.” When you get down to it, that’s about right. But the idea that killing is praiseworthy just sounds so strange to our 21st century Christian ears. Would the Song of Deborah be condemned by the New Testament Church?

When we turn to the words of Jesus, it sounds clear that we should not condone the act of killing anyone. He said not to resist evil, but if someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other (Matthew 5:39). When the soldiers were going to take Jesus into custody, he told his disciples to stand down and that if it was his desire he could have called down 12 legions of angels to kill his attackers (Matthew 26:53). He didn’t do that. What’s more, he did not even lash out in anger when he was hanged on the cross; instead he pleaded for the forgiveness of those who did it to him (Luke 23:34). The Gospel message sounds 100% anti-violence. But what do we do with the instruction from John the Baptist when he was asked by soldiers what conduct they ought to practice? John told them to serve honestly. He did not tell them to depart from his service as a soldier (Luke 3:14).

This is because there are two dimensions in terms of the violence/non-violence discussion as the Bible details it. The first of which is on the personal level. The personal level is what Jesus is most clearly referring to. If you pay close attention to his teachings, he is not addressing matters of war. Rather, he is addressing personal relationships. War is a political matter.

The political dimension is the second dimension, and I believe the Bible makes it clear that war is condoned as a matter of national security and sometimes expansion. When we look at all of the war that happened in the Old Testament, we have to acknowledge the reality that Israel had become a political power and, although they were achieving God’s will, the national identity of any nation is rooted in politics. Even though the government of Old Testament Israel was not the same government system that the New Testament Church had to deal with, one thing it did share in common with the Roman government was that it was set in place by God. When Peter commented on the role of the state in relation to people’s lives, he stated that the government is appointed to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right (1 Peter 2:14). God has granted government the authority to judge between right and wrong and to punish those who act in an ungodly manner.

In terms of war, as I mentioned earlier, it serves for two purposes: national security and expansion. National security is the type of war we feel most comfortable with because it does not step on anyone’s toes and it is merely beating back oppressive forces. However, expansion has served its purposes in the past, particularly for the nation of Israel. I’m going to avoid elaborating on that for now, because there is an underlying aspect of these two purposes that only God knows of: judgment. War is so often used as a judgment, and when Barak and Deborah marched out onto the battlefield, God was casting judgment upon the other nations by using Israel as his instrument. The same thing has happened to Israel by the hand of the Babylonians. War is a very complicated thing!

Should we praise warriors and bloodshed? Maybe to simplify my answer, let me rephrase this: Can people do noble things through war? Yes! I think of the soldiers in the United States military. The more time that passes, the more respect I have for them. They have chosen to sacrifice years out of their lives to serve our country and to preserve the freedoms that we get to enjoy. That in itself is a very noble deed. It is only right that we honor them through holidays like Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July. The Song of Deborah and Barak might sound strange to our ears, but back then it may have sounded much like the Stars and Stripes Forever to them.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

Forgive me for not being able to cite the source, but although Pope Francis has not been perceived to be the most conservative or traditional Pope ever to occupy Vatican City, a spokesperson of his made a very interesting statement when asked if the role of women in the Catholic Church would change. The answer that was given was along the lines of, “Inside the Catholic Church, it is church doctrine that only men can serve in the priesthood.  That does not mean that women do not play an important role within the church.” He then went on to cite people like Mother Teresa and the Virgin Mary. Women have always played a vital role in the Christian Church.

Despite this reality, there are groups of people that might try to convince you that the Church is an oppressive force towards women. They may say that if it weren’t for the Church, women would be able to enjoy more freedoms. There are many other religions and cultures across the world today that are perceived to grant lower status to women. Let me provide a few brief examples.

India is renowned for its Hindu people. Hinduism is perceived by Westerners to be enlightened, smart, and a far superior religion than Christianity. I don’t know official religious Hindu doctrine, but a common practice in India is if a wife does not bear her husband a son, sometimes he will burn her alive for failing to satisfy him.

In many Middle Eastern countries, a woman must stay completely covered head to toe when in public, must always be with her husband in public, and can’t even drive a car unless her husband is with her.

China, an atheistic country, has imposed a limit upon how many children a family can have. For a while, they were limiting each family to one child. Any additional children would need to be aborted. Parents would thus opt to abort their child if it happened to be a girl. Their reasoning was that girls do not have the earning power that boys have (when they grow up) and can end up being costlier when factoring in events like weddings and pregnancies.

Christianity can’t even be compared to these examples. In fact, it is not oppressive at all to women.

There are a few passages that are often cited when this conversation comes up. Let’s look at them.

“If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head” (1 Corinthians 11:6).

“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety” (1 Timothy 2:12-15).

Wow, these sound somewhat harsh, right? So women have to cover their heads and they are not allowed to talk or hold authority. What this is often times translated into is that women cannot preach, they must bear children, and it is imperative that they dress funny. Let’s dissect this really quick.

First, let us acknowledge that if these Scriptures, read as literally as possible and outside of their proper contexts, do mean what they appear to say, these are minor restrictions upon women compared to the cultures that will not permit women to learn to read.

With the 1 Corinthians passage, when we put it into context, it makes more sense. It is not saying that women must always wear a head covering or shave their head. The context is specifically addressing when a woman publically prays or prophesies. To the best of my understanding, this appears to be the only time that Paul says that women need to cover their head. He explains why, but frankly, I still don’t fully understand and it seems to be something that our culture dismisses as not being a priority. Does it matter in the long run? I have no idea.

But notice, Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is permitting women to preach. There are many female preachers throughout the Bible. The first of which that we discussed in Judges 4 is Deborah, who was a recognized prophet. One of the first evangelists, so to speak, was a woman. In John 4, Jesus meets a woman at a well who ends up declaring that she may have just spoke with the Messiah (v.28-30).

In the letter to Timothy that I cited earlier, Paul asks that women learn in quietness and would not exercise authority over men. There has been a lot of debate over Paul’s intentions in this passage which has created two camps: those who believe that women should be allowed to be ordained as pastors inside of the church, and those who do not. Regardless of which side you take, I would like to encourage you to respect anyone who might be preaching the Word of God.

The Prophet Joel revealed that there would be a day when God would “pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy” (Joel 2:28). Not everyone in the camp that thinks women should not be pastors believe women should be allowed to preach. I am in this camp and I disagree. I think the Bible is full of examples of female evangelists. Furthermore, I can only recall one person of whom Jesus said, “Wherever the Gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Matthew 16:13). He said this of Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha.

To me, there is nothing that needs to be defended concerning the status of women in Christianity. I think there are groups that might restrict them too much and I think there are groups that empower them too much. But compared to other religions and cultures, women enjoy freedoms that they would never have been granted had it not been for Jesus. Did I mention that the first people to proclaim Jesus had been raised from the dead were women (Matthew 28:7-8)?

In 1 Peter 3:7, Peter refers to women as the weaker partner. Men, this ought to make us a little jealous (I’m half kidding), because Jesus said that in heaven the last shall be first and the first shall be last (Luke 13:30). If anyone wants to be great, he needs to humble himself and serve others (Matthew 20:26). Perhaps that is why Jesus empowered and respected women the way he did. I cannot recall a single woman in the Gospels that he rebuked, but he was frequently rebuking men for lack of faith and arrogance.

This post could easily go longer, but I want you to digest the examples I have already given of how the Bible has elevated the status of women. Mind you, I didn’t even talk about the status of women before Jesus came. It is only because of his arrival that they are able to enjoy the freedoms they have today.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

You know who the Philistines are. That’s not a question. You know who they are even if you don’t. Anyone who has heard the story of David and Goliath has had exposure to who the Philistines are. Goliath was the champion of the Philistines when they were battling against Israel’s army, led by Saul. In those days the Philistines were the arch nemesis of the Israelites.

The Philistines were born to be bad guys. In the earliest days after the world’s creation, a man named Cain was born and he became the living icon of wickedness. He murdered his brother and was cast into exile (Genesis 4). His bloodline was destroyed by the flood in Genesis, but he was later succeeded in his wickedness by Noah’s son Ham. Ham had a son named Casluhim who gave birth to the Philistines (Genesis 10:14). Of the three sons of Noah that the Philistines could have descended from, it was the one from whom a curse would be transmitted. The Israelites and the Philistines hated each other.

Ultimately, the relationship between the Israelites and the Philistines could be summed up by two bullies: Samson and Goliath. Samson was a man chosen by God to inflict damage to the nation of the Philistines (Judges 14:4) while Goliath was chosen to bring glory to God through David’s victory.

Goliath defined the Philistines: mighty, fierce, and blasphemous. When he stood before the nation of Israel to challenge them to fight, he cursed the name of the Lord and swore by his own gods (1 Samuel 17:43). He was a bad man, but he wasn’t too different from many people alive today. We tend to think that the battle doesn’t only belong to the biggest and strongest, but the most belligerent and irreverent. The Philistines were a ruthless and immoral people as was demonstrated through the Israelites’ champion bully, Samson.

Samson was gifted by God with long hair that would give him strength. The Philistines, despite Samson’s cruelty, were also cruel. They stole his first wife from him and then burned her and her father alive (Judges 15:6). Samson became full of rage and ripped into the Philistines with an animosity that was probably matchless to any other warrior in history. In a single battle he killed 1,000 Philistine warriors (Judges 15:15). Samson’s downfall, though, would come about due to his arrogance. He gave away the secret to his strength, was robbed of it, and was blinded by the Philistines (Judges 16:21).

The Philistines were used as a whip to test the faith of the Israelites and to be an instrument of judgment against them. Samson exemplified the hatred that the Israelites would harbor against the Philistines for a long time, while Goliath was an example of the pure wickedness that the Philistines stood for. Although Goliath was a true bully, in the respect that he boasted in his strength and size and used it to oppress people, Samson was only a bully in the respect that he allowed his success to make him arrogant. It was in this that God again used the Philistines as a judge against him and remind him of his need for God to overcome his greatest obstacles.

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by Bill Seng

The breakdown of family is the breakdown of civilization. The family is the most basic unit of government and the structure given to us by God through which we can learn to build relationships with other people. Ultimately, family remains family no matter what. Even when a family disowns someone, that person will never be separated from the lasting bond that God has built into the family structure. In a positive sense, I would typically use the relationship between Jacob and Esau to describe this aspect of family. But today we speak of the tragedy that occurs when we defy God’s rules for building and maintaining a family, through the example of the Midianites.

So many people, Christians and Christian sects included, have debated about the legality of polygamy inside of the law of God. I will start off by saying that there are commands that make it clear that polygamy is not the ideal for God-honoring relationships. Having said that, Abraham, after his wife Sarah died, became a polygamist. He had children by multiple women and these offspring would further populate the Middle East.

How can Christians make the case that polygamy is wrong when the one who is arguably the founder of the faith was, indeed, a polygamist? For the longest time a particular sect of Christianity claimed that polygamy was practically a pathway to deification because of its ability to allow for the cultivation of families, the size of which would be impossible to attain had it not been for the allowance of polygamy. Those who try to justify polygamy can be easily discredited once it is pointed out what the consequences of polygamy are.

The Midianites are the people who descended from Midian, the son of Keturah, the second wife to Abraham after Sarah died. This information can be found in Genesis 25, which lists his descendants through Keturah but also makes mention that Abraham had concubines who had borne him children. In verses 5 and 6 it mentions that all that he had went to Isaac, but he gifted his other children throughout his life and eventually sent them away (Genesis 25:5-6). Observe closely the families in the Bible that were begotten through polygamous relationships. Their futures don’t end well.

The Midianites became wicked and idolatrous. As with the other groups we have discussed, they became a thorn in Israel’s side. They oppressed the nation of Israel for a long time until they met the sword of Gideon and his 300 fighting men. The Lord made it known through this small dispatch that it was his judgment that was falling upon the people of that region, namely the Midianites (Judges 7:24-25).

There is a reason why God created one man married to one woman to fill the earth and build a great family. It is only inside of that context that both parents can properly tend to the needs of all of their children and raise them up with the knowledge and love of the Lord. Yes, Abraham became a polygamous man and, yes, God did permit this for that time. It, however, was not ideal and resulted in tragedy as his later children would be crushed by his children of promise.

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by Bill Seng

“As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.’” ~Genesis 15:12-16

We should be encouraged to know that all things work for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28). But things don’t always look the way we would like them to be. In these situations it is very easy to think that God has forgotten you. What is more, when wicked people seem to be prospering while you struggle in all things, it’s hard to believe that God has remembered you. The reign of the Amorites may have been such a case in the days of Abram.

The father of the Amorites was Canaan, the one who was cursed by Noah. Although the people who descended from Canaan seemed to be prosperous and powerful, they were all wicked and idolatrous. In the book of Genesis, Abram (later to be renamed Abraham), lived in the same region where the Amorites dwelt. No doubt, Abram was surrounded by all sorts of evil. Abram fell asleep while God was confirming his promise to him and it was while he was sleeping that God revealed the future. Apparently, the sins of the Amorites were linked in some way to Israel’s departure to Egypt and their return to the Promised Land.

It is never quite explained what the sin of the Amorites was. More than likely it was probably along the lines of the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. Many people would say that homosexuality was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, but their sin ran far deeper than that. Romans 1:24-27 reveals that the sins that we know as sodomy and bestiality (the latter of which was not mentioned of the Sodomites) are an indication that a culture has not only defied the natural order of things, but God’s righteous decree. This means that the sins of a nation are more than just condoning of one wicked act, but a multitude.

In the United States, we tend to think that, say, abortion will be the sin by which we are condemned. The reality is that abortion is a symptom of the wickedness of our country. In reality, the greatest sin America has committed is the rejection of the Word of God. Without a foundation in God’s Word, all other sins will inevitably follow. Today, many of us feel like maybe Abram did back in the days before God fulfilled his promise to him. Perhaps we will also have the opportunity to rejoice over the conquering of sin through God’s Holy Spirit and a nationwide revival. There is no telling what God has in store for us.

Nonetheless, God revealed that it would be 400 years until the sin of the Amorites would reach its peak! At the same time, the Israelites would be suffering in Egypt. Talk about discouragement!

Throughout the book of Judges, it is important to know who the Amorites are. For a good portion of the book they appear as a major enemy of the Israelites. Even after 400 years of the Amorites reigning in wickedness, the Israelites would still have to battle them in order to take their land. Ultimately, God would give them victory after Israel repented from her sins.

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by Bill Seng

A former pastor at the church where I attend wanted to make it clear to us that there are always going to be people in our lives that will give us a hard time. Instead of looking at these people as obstacles, he encouraged us to look at them as opportunities. God puts all people in our lives for the sake of our personal growth. When somebody is a pain in my neck, my responsibility is to learn what God is trying to teach me through them. The Amalekites were one of those groups of people who were destined to try the faith of the Israelites.

In the book of Judges, the Amalekites are one of the groups of people hired to fight against the Israelites. The prophetess, Deborah, informed Barak that God was calling him to fight against and defeat the assembly of armies that the Amalekites would be a part of. With God on their side, Israel easily triumphed over them. Within the context of this story, the Amalekites are merely a side note, but it is interesting to learn where they came from. To understand who they are, you must understand the story of Isaac and Rebekah.

Isaac was the only son born of Abraham through his wife Sarah. He was the child that God had promised to Abraham, through whom God would create many nations. After Isaac married his wife, Rebekah, they were dismayed to find out that she was barren. As an answer to prayer, God “blessed” Rebekah by allowing her to carry twins. God said of them, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23).

The twins were named Jacob, who would later be renamed as Israel, and Esau. Esau was considered the older of the two children, thus he would be the servant of Israel. If you read the story of Jacob, it’s difficult find the correlation between the prophecy and these children. It was, however, Jacob who received the greatest blessings. On the other hand, Jacob’s other name, Israel, would become a metaphor for the relationship his descendants would have with God. Israel means “to wrestle with God.” Because of Israel’s strained relationship with God, people would be put in their path who would force them to turn back to him.

I participated in a club wrestling team when I was in middle school. It was in addition to the practices I would attend at Glenwood Middle School, and sometimes wrestlers from rival schools would attend these practices. One day, an ambitious and stern young wrestler came up from Donnell Middle School. We avoided each other until the end of practice when we had to compete against each other. Without divulging too much, we both left that practice not very happy with each other. A few years later, we were placed in the awkward position of having to wrestle on the same team and attend some of the same classes. We got to know each other better and even started to become friends. Eventually, he had a huge impact on my faith walk, and I would like to think that I had an influence on his as well. It’s been nearly 20 years since we first met as enemies and today we are best friends.

In terms of Israel and the Amalekites, the relationship was never healed. The Amalekites became one of the Arab people groups and to this day, they are at odds with the Israelites. But Jacob and his brother Esau had a happy ending. Esau forgave and showed forgiveness toward his brother and Jacob experienced the hand of God at work in healing his relationship with Esau. You never know what purpose people might serve within the course of your life. In the end, we must be open to what God might teach us through them and what God might teach them through us.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.

by Bill Seng

“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” ~Genesis 9:25

James Laurinaitis always dreamed of playing football for The Ohio State Buckeyes. In 2004 his dream was all but certain to come true. He was named Defensive Mr. Football in the state of Minnesota, capturing 193 tackles and 5 sacks in his 2004 season. At The Ohio State University, his career garnered so much success that he went on to play professional football for the New Orleans Saints. But if you knew his family legacy, you might be less likely to be surprised.

His father was a rough character. He took an early interest in power lifting. At 6’2” and in the ball park of 300lbs, he was quite a sight to behold. Although he started his working life as a bouncer, you would be more familiar with him for what he did later in life. He was half of World Wrestling Entertainment’s (formerly World Wrestling Federation) Tag-Team, the Legion of Doom. His name is Joe Laurinaitis, but you may know him better as Animal. He and his tag-team partner Hawk wore big, scarlet, spikey football shoulder pads for their entrance attire. It was almost as though his son James was destined to be a Buckeye.

Family legacies can be either good or bad. In the days before the great flood of Genesis, Noah’s wife bore 3 sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. After the flood had subsided, Ham decided to humiliate his father, who found himself in a humiliating situation. Ham’s other brothers aided their father to prevent him from being ashamed, but when Noah realized what had happened, he cursed Ham and his descendants (Genesis 9:20-25). At the time, Ham had a son named Canaan who would suffer from the effects of the curse. Canaan would establish a land/nation that would be named after him in the Middle East. As much of a blessing as this might sound, it was solely through sinful idolatry that this nation would be established.

Canaan had a son that he named Cush. Cush is not that important compared to his son (grandson of Canaan), Nimrod. Nimrod is credited for having established many great nations in Assyria, the greatest of which was Babylon (Genesis 10:11). It is suspected that Nimrod was the mythologized Babylonian god, Marduk. Marduk was famed for slaying an angry deity known as Tiamat, which some speculate may really have been a ferocious beast of some sort (Nimrod was a famed hunter according to Genesis 10:9). Upon the defeat of Tiamat, Marduk built the city of Babylon. This city was littered with all sorts of temples dedicated to false gods. If Jerusalem could be called God’s capital on earth, Babylon would have been the devil’s. Nimrod’s legacy in the region lasted a long while as he founded other nations after the dispersion of Babel/Babylon. In Judges, we see the Israelites battling against various kings of Canaan. The Canaanites had always been a thorn in the region in which they dwelt.

We must consider what sort of legacy we leave our children and future descendants. Did Ham have to allow his children to become as rebellious as himself? Probably not. It is through pride and an unrepentant heart that parents pass bad habits down to their children. All people are given the opportunity to repent. No matter what sort of legacy your family has left for you, God always allows another chance for repentance.

This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration.  All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved.  Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.