Winter 2008 Numbers Class
Numbers Syllabus and Class Materials
I recognize that many people have difficulty understanding the context and application of the many Old Testament Laws, let alone the entire book of Deuteronomy. However, through the Law, we can observe God Himself and His Son Jesus Christ, the only One to ever keep the Law in its entirety. So, although this course will be challenging, it should be well worth it! At this series, I hope that you will have a better understanding not only of "what would Jesus do?" but also "why Jesus would do it."The format of the series will be interactive. To prepare for each class, I will post biblical readings and public news articles for class discussion through my website: www.biblicaltheology.us. Like previous classes, we will discuss the readings using the Socratic Method.
Although the context of Numbers operates in Theocratic Israel (which has not existed since the 70 AD), the book still has tremendous relevance to us in this present day and age. Using both Old and New Testament sources, we will attempt to answer the question: “What kind of worship does the true God desire?”
Class #1 – The Bible and Racism The God of the Bible despises racism, espcially amongst the priesthood of believers, whether Jew or Gentile. Mistakenly, Christians often think this is a New Testament concept, but it is not. To understand this, we will exegete a theology of racism in Numbers 12 and 13.
Click here to download the slides for Numbers Class #1
Class #2 – The Good News The verse immediately preceding the often quoted John 3:16 is "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." This class gives us an opportunity to understand how the Gospel has always been the center of God's Holy Community.
Click here to download the slides for Numbers Class #2
Class #3 – Balaam and Balak How can someone who knows the God of the Bible and demonstrates spiritual gifts turn his backon God and His holy community? Balaam announces blessings towards Israel through the power of the Holy Spirit, yet he curses himself by allyng with the King of Moab and ultimately ends up damned [2 Pet 2:15]. In short, Balaam introduces the thelogical problem of Judas, but unlike Judas, it appears that Balaam has certain gifts of the Holy Spirit. In this class, we will tackl this difficult theological problem.
Click here to download the slides for Numbers Class #3
Class #4 – Questions and Review or TBD
Take care! In Christ, Marty
I recognize that many people have difficulty understanding the context and application of the many Old Testament Laws, let alone the entire book of Deuteronomy. However, through the Law, we can observe God Himself and His Son Jesus Christ, the only One to ever keep the Law in its entirety. So, although this course will be challenging, it should be well worth it! At this series, I hope that you will have a better understanding not only of "what would Jesus do?" but also "why Jesus would do it."The format of the series will be interactive. To prepare for each class, I will post biblical readings and public news articles for class discussion through my website: www.biblicaltheology.us. Like previous classes, we will discuss the readings using the Socratic Method.
Although the context of Numbers operates in Theocratic Israel (which has not existed since the 70 AD), the book still has tremendous relevance to us in this present day and age. Using both Old and New Testament sources, we will attempt to answer the question: “What kind of worship does the true God desire?”
Class #1 – The Bible and Racism The God of the Bible despises racism, espcially amongst the priesthood of believers, whether Jew or Gentile. Mistakenly, Christians often think this is a New Testament concept, but it is not. To understand this, we will exegete a theology of racism in Numbers 12 and 13.
Click here to download the slides for Numbers Class #1
Class #2 – The Good News The verse immediately preceding the often quoted John 3:16 is "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." This class gives us an opportunity to understand how the Gospel has always been the center of God's Holy Community.
Click here to download the slides for Numbers Class #2
Class #3 – Balaam and Balak How can someone who knows the God of the Bible and demonstrates spiritual gifts turn his backon God and His holy community? Balaam announces blessings towards Israel through the power of the Holy Spirit, yet he curses himself by allyng with the King of Moab and ultimately ends up damned [2 Pet 2:15]. In short, Balaam introduces the thelogical problem of Judas, but unlike Judas, it appears that Balaam has certain gifts of the Holy Spirit. In this class, we will tackl this difficult theological problem.
Click here to download the slides for Numbers Class #3
Class #4 – Questions and Review or TBD
Take care! In Christ, Marty
Yesterday, your notes said "Christ receives the punishment of the serpent and his seed". Are Satan and his demons redeemable, just like Adam's line?
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Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world [John 1:29], "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes on him should not perish, but have everlasting life" [John 3:16]. There have been some heresies that propose that God will save every human being and angel, including Satan and his demons. However, the orthodox church has always rejected such ideas as heresy. This heresy usually results from dropping the clause "whoever believes on him."
Although true that God loves all people, not all people put their faith in Him. Faith is the primary qualifier towards participation in the Holy Community. This is true of the demons as well, "who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling" ... God is keeping these ones "... in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day" [Jude 1:6]. My point is that Adam should have judged Satan, but he didn't and succumbed to sin like Satan and the demons. However, God's plan that Humanity will judge the fallen angels will not be thwarted [1 Cor 6:3]. So, God has willed to redeem a certain elect people from Humanity, which will ultimately judge Satan and his demons. As for other human beings, we the church however are not to judge, for that responsibility belongs to Christ alone.
In terms of your question as to why God won't redeem Satan and his demons, I think the answer lies in the book of James. The demons know that God is one and they know the Scriptures, yet they lie and deceive and never stop blaspheming God. Although they have knowledge of the truth, they never stop sinning. God has rightfully chosen to judge them.
As for us human beings, I think the issue is this. If we come to faith and knowledge of the truth, do we despite it as Satan does, or do we repent? In this age, God has extended mercy to all those who believe and act on that faith in Jesus Christ.
Revelation 20:10-15 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
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Yesterday, your notes said "God gave Adam and Eve authority over Satan," but that Adam didn't use this authority to hang or crucify Satan against the Forbidden Tree. Was it because Adam was not so smart and too weak to stand up to Satan and his temptation?
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God had given Adam the knowledge to know the difference between right and wrong. This is reinforced by 1 Tim 2:14 - "Adam was not deceived." So, Adam was not lacking intelligence nor wisdom. Was he too weak? No, I don't believe so given the clear references to Adam's dominion over the beasts of the field in Genesis 1: 26 and Gen 2:19-20.
To Satan and his demons reckoned with the beasts of the field, Adam would be like God, having been made in His Image and given dominion over the earth. The reason for this is that God had given Adam full power and authority to judge Satan. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus says "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." If through faith, Adam had commanded Satan to be crucified, it would have been so. He certainly could have commanded the Creation to prosecute Satan for his crimes. However, he did not and instead Creation went to war with Adam, evidenced by Adam's curse, the Flood and the current state of the world.
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