understanding

Wilderness Day 7 For The Long Haul: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out For The Long Haul!

The Questions

1) In the beginning of this passage, what truths do we learn that God has affirmed to Moses through his journey?

2) What is Moses asking of God in this passage?

3) What is God’s response to Moses’ questioning?

Exodus 33:12-23

12 Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you have told me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor with me.’ 13 Now if I have indeed found favor with you, please teach me your ways, and I will know you, so that I may find favor with you. Now consider that this nation is your people.” 14 And he replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 “If your presence does not go,” Moses responded to him, “don’t make us go up from here. 16 How will it be known that I and your people have found favor with you unless you go with us? I and your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.” 17 The Lord answered Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and I know you by name.” 18 Then Moses said, “Please, let me see your glory.” 19 He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20 But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.” 21 The Lord said, “Here is a place near me. You are to stand on the rock, 22 and when my glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.”

Original Intent

1) In the beginning of this passage, what truths do we learn that God has affirmed to Moses through his journey?
Throughout the book of Exodus, God’s provision for His people and confirmation of the covenant God has made with His people is clearly evidenced. (Exodus 24) In this passage, Moses recounts what God has confirmed to him. Moses has been called as the leader of the Israelites. God affirmed that He has a plan and purpose for Moses; God knew him and Moses found favor with the Lord. To read of Moses’ first encounter with God, and gain a more full understanding of the truths God spoke to Moses at the beginning of his journey, read Exodus 3!

2) What is Moses asking of God in this passage? Coming off the heels of the Golden Calf experience in Exodus 32, where Israel chose to worship an idol their own hands had crafted rather than continue waiting for the Lord, God told Moses to leave Mt. Sinai and go to the Promised Land. (Exodus 33:1-2) Moses and the Lord had been meeting regularly in the Tent of Meeting. (Exodus 33:7-11) Here, in the sacred space of meeting, Moses cried out for affirmation from the Lord. Moses knew what he had been called to do, and where he had been called to go, yet he sought the Lord’s affirmation again. He had just witnessed the awful rebellion of the people as they dared worship a golden calf idol. (Exodus 32:19-21) Moses understood the gravity of their sin, and likely felt the weighty responsibility of leading such a quickly-erring people to know and experience the One True God. (Exodus 32:32-35) In the literal wilderness where he found himself, Moses needed the reminder of God’s presence and promise, so he pleaded to see God’s glory and hear from the Lord.

3) What is God’s response to Moses’ questioning?
In verse 17, the Lord told Moses He would do as Moses asked because “you have found favor with Me and I know you by name.” The Lord also knows no human can stand to be in His full presence; His righteous glory is so overwhelming anyone experiencing its fullness would be destroyed. (Got Questions) Graciously, He offered a way for Moses’ need to be satisfied while not being consumed. “The Lord said, “Here is a place near Me. You are to stand on the rock, and when My glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back, but My face will not be seen.”” (verses 21-23) God provided for Moses’ need and preserved His life. The Lord evidenced tender mercies in the next chapter by replacing the shattered set of Ten Commandments Moses had broken in his anger. (Exodus 34:1-9) Truly, His mercies are boundless, which Moses began singing of after receiving the second set of Commandments and experiencing the glory of the Lord. (Exodus 34:5-8)

Everyday Application

1) In the beginning of this passage, what truths do we learn that God has affirmed to Moses through his journey?
In our wilderness journeys God has a way of affirming what He has already told us. Moses recounted what he already knew to be true, but he still needed the Lord to reveal Himself and affirm those truths again. The recollection of His truth, His grace, His mercy, and the salvation He offers are all necessary, especially in moments of wilderness and desolation. (Psalm 71:14-24) The Father God, the Creator of the Universe, knows your name (Isaiah 43:1) and He created you with a plan and purpose (Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:9). In our wilderness, whether of our own making or purely due to circumstance, the calling back to God’s Truth and affirmation of His faithfulness is our resting place. (Psalm 25:1-11)

2) What is Moses asking God for in this passage?
For Moses, he needed God’s voice and a visual on the Almighty in the midst of his wilderness. The grumbling of “these people” in his charge was daunting (verse 12); Moses’ heart needed the Lord and His reassurances. The powerful truth of our all-knowing, all-powerful God is He is also a deeply personal and intimate God who seeks out individual relationships with each of His children; nothing can separate us from Him. (Romans 8:31-38) He knows what we need before we ask and yet He desires us to come to Him. (Matthew 6:32-33) Moses asked because He knew he could; he had direct access to God. In the same way, a personal relationship with the Lord opens communication allowing us to kneel in His presence and ask. (Matthew 7:7-8) Ask for deliverance, ask for joy in the midst of sorrow, ask for guidance in the wilderness, and even ask for teachable moments in the midst as Moses did, “please teach me Your ways.” (verse 13) God didn’t remove Moses’ circumstances, but He did answer him and honor his request.

3) What is God’s response to Moses’ questioning?
In this exchange with Moses, God was immediate in His answer and His reply matched Moses’ expectation. This isn’t always the case whether in Scripture itself, or in our everyday lives. God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8) and in our wilderness seasons, our own grumbling and stubbornness can impede what God is trying to teach us about Himself and following Him. It may seem He is silent at the moment of our pleading, but His truth is ever prevailing. His presence is always constant. (Deuteronomy 31:8) Like Moses, our wilderness may not end at the point of our pleading prayer, but our focus should remain on God, what He is doing, and the Truths we know of His character and faithfulness.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with For The Long Haul!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Wilderness Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Word Day 1 Do You Believe?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-15
Matthew 5:1-12
Zephaniah 3:17
John 4

Word, Day 1

Words.
They have the power to carry or condemn.
To hearten or hurt.

“There is one who speaks rashly,
like a piercing sword;
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)

While we’ve all experienced the truth of this verse, when we look at Jesus, who Himself was called The Word, we wonder what kind of Word is He?

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God…” (John 1:1-2)

What words did He choose to speak out loud?
What did He use His words for when He walked the earth?

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

We don’t have camera recordings from the ancient world. We can’t hear His voice inflections or see His physical face, but we do have eyewitness accounts of those who knew Him best. By the power of the Spirit of God, these eyewitnesses recorded His Words for generation to generation to hear and be given life until the Word comes again to bring us Home for eternity!

Christ’s words were filled with gentleness and kindness (Luke 7:13-14), but He never shied away from speaking the fullness of truth, even if it wasn’t popular. (Matthew 21:12-13)

The impact of Jesus’ words are felt in the Wilderness as He confronts Satan’s temptations by pushing back with Scripture. Satan’s response to the Word of God? To give up his attack. (Matthew 4:1-11)

As Jesus encountered the fishermen, Peter and Andrew, His powerful invitation hung in the air, “Follow me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19) Their response to God’s Word in the flesh? “Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:20)

Jesus’ voice warns Peter he would deny Christ. (Luke 22:54-62) Though Peter’s response still ended in self-protection, Jesus’ tender love overwhelmed Peter with words Jesus knew would empower and equip him to give his life away in full surrender. (John 21:15-19)

Jesus’ words did not make Him a favorite of the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day. Even so, His words pierced even these hearts, one of whom was Nicodemus.
Nicodemus approached Jesus “after hours”, in the dark of night so as not to be seen.  Was this man truly Who His words claimed He was? (John 3:1-21)

Jesus made Himself available to anyone day or night.
Just as He is available to you.

Jesus didn’t berate Nicodemus for his questions or tell him it was too late for conversation. He spoke with words Nicodemus would understand, meeting him in the context of his familiarity.

Jesus moved seamlessly from meeting with religious leaders, to connecting with a social outcast (John 4), and speaking healing over a dying Gentile from afar (Luke 7:1-9).

His message remained the same, though His words were different, as He met each pair of eyes and unique story with His faithful, enduring love. He spoke value to the woman who married five times and then shared intimacy with a man not her husband. (John 4) He spoke life to a dead boy in a casket. (Luke 7:11-17) He spoke counter-cultural truth bound up with grace to the masses. (Matthew 5:1-12) The response? Revival. Wholeness. The fullness of life.

At His commanding word, creation itself listened and obeyed.
“He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39)

If He can control the winds and waves, rest assured He is present amid your challenges and chaos. You need only respond to His voice.

He spoke words of life over the elite and least, seeing each of them, loving them all.

“When the woman saw that she was discovered, she came trembling and fell down before Him.” (John 8:47)

Christ’s response to this woman, her shame, and her brokenness?
Words that drew her in as His own to be known, loved, welcomed.

“Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (John 8:48)

Words were never pithy to the Savior, each one was intentional, well-aimed at pointing to deep, unfathomable love discovered in a relationship with Him. The same Christ who called the outcast “Daughter”, called His betrayer “friend”. (John 15:15)

Jesus.
Word of God made into human flesh.
Calls aloud to each of us, inviting our hearts to turn towards His enduring embrace. He tells believers we are His workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
He calls us His own, naming Himself as our Abba Father. (1 John 3:1, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
He longs for none to perish apart from a relationship with Him. (2 Peter 3:9)

The same Jesus who gave Judas, His betrayer, time to repent and be forgiven,
waits now for you.

He waits to call you Daughter.

Whose words are we listening to?
Those of the world or the melody God sings over those who trust Him with their full hearts? (Zephaniah 3:17)

We often listen to the voices of the world to determine our value,
but these tell us we are not enough.

Heed their lies no longer!
Whether you feel like the least, the elite, the hungry, content, or thirsty, Jesus’ words are ready to meet you exactly where you are.

He still has words for you.
Are you listening?
Will you take Him at His Word?

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Word Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Word!

Enough Day 14 Sacrificial Lamb: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Sacrificial Lamb!

The Questions

1) What boasting is Paul referencing in verse 6?

2) Why does Paul care about cleaning out leaven (yeast) and new batches of dough? (verse 7)

3) What feast are we to be observing? (verse 8)

1 Corinthians 5:6-8

6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Original Intent

1) What boasting is Paul referencing in verse 6?
When we read Scripture, it’s extremely important we first read for context. What does the whole passage say? What is the main point? If we fail to do this, we will quite likely run away with a poor understanding of Scripture, of God, and even ourselves. Then we try to apply this mis-alignment to our lives and end up with a mess! The church in Corinth, who first received Paul’s letters we’ve cleverly dubbed “1 & 2 Corinthians” had major issues. They had serious conflict, bad beliefs, and were known for blatant sins that ran counter to Christ and His gospel of love and unity. Yet, they still felt justified in boasting about how great they were doing. Paul’s admonishment was meant to sternly call them out for their lack of love and inconsistency in holding to truth and what it really meant to follow Jesus as His Church. In this specific instance, a man was committing a gross sexual sin by sleeping with his father’s wife, an action not even condoned by Corinthian culture outside the Church. Yet, inside the church, they boasted on how loving they were by not calling this man out for his blatant hypocrisy and sin as he claimed to follow Jesus and love people. (1 Corinthians 5:1-2) They felt they were doing the right thing by ignoring this man’s sin. It’s also very important to note that Paul makes a distinction in verses 9-13; he did not intend believers in the church to cast judgement on people who were not Christ-followers. “I did not mean the immoral people of this world (…); otherwise you would have to leave the world!” Christians are not meant to judge those outside the church, only God can do that! “For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? (…) God judges outsiders.” (verses 12-13)

2) Why does Paul care about cleaning out leaven (yeast) and new batches of dough? (verse 7)
We don’t use the word “leaven” much in today’s world, but it refers to yeast one would use in baking. Why does Paul care about yeast? Well, he actually didn’t; he knew his audience understood “yeast” to be a symbol for “sin”. In the Old Testament, God had commanded His people to rid their houses of yeast as they prepared for Passover, a special festival commemorating God’s rescue of Israel from slavery to the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:14-20) When Paul states, “Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?” (verse 6), he wasn’t trying to mock them for their lack of scientific understanding. Rather, he was illustrating the extreme potency of sin and its deadly affects. If Christ’s Church was like a batch of dough, even a small bit of sin (yeast) would quickly spread throughout the dough. Because the Corinthian church understood yeast to be a metaphor for sin, Paul’s point was abundantly clear, they could not just “ignore” sin within their local church body for eventually, the entire church would be consumed with sin. No one would hold them accountable for their sin because everyone would just “accept” a lower standard and justify each other’s sinfulness. Paul instructed the Corinthians to “clean out the old leaven” by confronting sin within their churches. He reminds them they are indeed a “new, unleavened batch” (verse 7) because Christ has died for them, declaring them righteous! Jesus paid for their sin, so they should respond by fleeing from it and following Christ in living holy lives that honor Him together as a whole church. Out of great love for one another and gratefulness to Jesus, they should encourage each other to reject sin’s allure and run instead toward the life of fullness offered in Christ.

3) What feast are we to be observing? (verse 8)
Imagine the churches of Corinth gathering together in the homes where they regularly met for worship and preaching to listen to Paul’s letter. Jews, Gentiles, men, women, and children all came together under the freedom Christ had come to give them. This was the New Testament church! They had complex lives with countless temptations to sin, worship idols, and pressure to achieve more just like us today. The Jews present, who were probably fewer than the Gentiles, were as familiar with Torah (Old Testament) Law as the back of their hand. Though the Gentiles hadn’t grown up with God’s Law, they were still familiar with Jewish practices, sacrifices, and feasts because they played such a prevalent cultural role. When Paul wrote, “Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us observe the feast…” (verses 7-8), everyone listening immediately understood the connection between Christ and the Passover lamb. Christ was the One crucified on a Roman cross and resurrected from the grave three days later. The Passover lamb was the animal slain every year by every Jewish family during the Passover feast which commemorated God’s rescue of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Paul was tying these two together as the same symbol. Christ had become the Passover Lamb. Once Paul made this clear, he urged the churches to go out and live everyday lives in light of this incredible sacrifice. “Therefore, let us observe the feast…” The audience recognized the feast as Passover, but Paul wanted them to go deeper and understand that feasting was now meant to encompass the whole of the Christian life. Believers were now to feast on Christ as the Bread of Life (John 6:35) who has no sin in Him and calls those who trust Him to also leave behind all sin (yeast).

Everyday Application

1) What boasting is Paul referencing in verse 6?
It’s so easy to justify ourselves, isn’t it? Or maybe it’s just me who is always running ahead with ready defenses for every action, thought, or word. I’d much rather point to the shiny, pretty things I’ve done and completely ignore those sinful patterns I keep right on living with. Shockingly, I was given another opportunity to confront my sin just a few days ago as my husband expressed his frustration with how I consistently interacted with him. Regardless of the suggestion, dream, or feeling he shared with me, I was oh so quick to shut him down with my own counter opinion or critique. As he talked with me about his frustration, the Lord opened my eyes and I realized my husband was right. I was stuck in a pattern of criticism and harshness, but I had justified my attitude and sharp words toward him as me being allowed to have my own voice. Expressing myself was never the issue, my willingness to listen and encourage him was where I was deeply lacking. I’m sure Paul’s sharp words were hard for the Corinthians to hear; facing our sin is generally painful. As difficult as it was, I am so grateful for my husband’s willingness to point out my sinful pattern and for the Spirit enabling me to recognize how I wasn’t loving my husband despite my lengthy list of justifications. Where is the Lord pointing out your sin patterns? Resist the urge to boast in your justification and surrender to His conviction! Maybe you see sin habits in a brother or sister who loves Jesus. Make the loving choice and confront them, calling them to recognize their sin and turn away from it! Our churches desperately need believers to hold each other accountable to following Jesus and loving others! 

2) Why does Paul care about cleaning out leaven (yeast) and new batches of dough? (verse 7)
How often do you think about “getting rid of” the sin in your life? Probably not often! If we look at our sin patterns, we can feel overwhelmed and weighed down with impossibility of breaking comfortable habits. We choose to sin because it’s easy and we enjoy it, but we like it because we have forgotten the far greater delight of following the ways of the Lord. Psalm 119 is FULL of declarations on how joy-full (Psalm 119:14-16), wise (Psalm 119:23-24), life-giving (Psalm 119:25), freeing (Psalm 119:45), and even delicious (Psalm 119:103) the commands of the Lord are to His people who follow them. Proverbs says the path of those who reject wisdom leads to death. (Proverbs 2:19) Paul knew, and had experienced in his own life, that Jesus was always the Better, which is why, when writing to confront the Corinthians of their sin, he turned their focus onto the Sacrificial Lamb. (verse 7) Only when we keep Christ, His love, and His sacrifice that we could never repay in focus, do we become repulsed by our sin instead of drawn toward it. When you think of “getting rid of sin” in your life, begin in prayer and ask the Lord to show you His glory, goodness, and righteousness. As we gaze on Him, His Spirit will stir within us a far greater love for God than for our sin. Only in Jesus do we have victory to break the deadly pattern of sin in our everyday lives! (Romans 7:24-25)

3) What feast are we to be observing? (verse 8)
We don’t have the same contextual benefit the first New Testament churches had when they read Paul’s letters. Most of us don’t celebrate all the Jewish festivals, and we have no concept of an annual Passover Lamb, let alone daily sin offerings through animal sacrifice. While the first century church had real life visuals for these concepts, 21st century believers need to work a little harder to understand the original culture and context. Nevertheless, Paul’s connection of Christ as the Passover Lamb and his urgent call for the early church to reject sin’s pull and move forward into living as God’s holy people is a message for us today! Sin isn’t a plaything, something to be ignored, or passed over as insignificant. Our sin is what cost the Savior His life. If it wasn’t for our sin, there would be no need for Jesus to sacrifice Himself on our behalf, but because He did, we are free to reject sin and love God and others around us! Consider your role in your local church body as you think about what if you had been one of the first believers in ancient Corinth. Would you hear Paul’s Spirit-led words and become an advocate for addressing sin in yourself, your family, and your church body? Would you hunger for the sinless “bread” of Christ, desiring to daily feast on Him through studying His Word and developing a deeper relationship with Him? It’s one thing to claim you’re a Christian, it’s quite another to take your relationship serious enough to leave your sin behind and feast on the holy life God has called us to enjoy together!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Sacrificial Lamb!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Enough Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship VIII Day 4 Everyday Praise: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Everyday Praise!

The Questions

1) Why did Paul interrupt a logical discussion of God’s plan of salvation to break out in praise?

2) Why does Paul refer to both God and the Lord in this passage?

3) What is the significance of the phrase “To Him be the glory forever?” (verse 36)

Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches

and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable his judgments

and untraceable his ways!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? 

Or who has been his counselor?

35 And who has ever given to God,

that he should be repaid? 

36 For from him and through him

and to him are all things. 

To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Original Intent

1) Why did Paul interrupt a logical discussion of God’s plan of salvation to break out in praise?
These three verses at the end of Romans 11 stand as unabashed praise. In contrast, most of Romans is a logical explanation of salvation that includes questions and answers intentionally designed to explain God’s grace and Jesus’ fulfillment of Scripture through His death and resurrection. Chapter 11 begins with the question, “Has God rejected His people?” Paul quickly answers his question with a resounding “Absolutely not.” Paul explains that God used the transgressions of the Jews, his chosen people, to bring salvation to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) so that the Jews would want to experience God’s grace in mercy in Jesus. In verse 11 Paul asks, “I (Paul) ask, then, have they (the Jews, God’s chosen people) stumbled so as to fall (to be forever separate from God)?” (parentheses mine) Continuing into verse 12, Paul answers with certainty, “Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring!” He explains that Gentiles have been grafted into the family of God just as a wild olive branch is grafted into a cultivated olive tree, but Jews are the native branches designed to bear fruit when connected to the root. God’s gifts and calling for the Jews are irrevocable. (verses 16-29) As Paul ponders God’s mercy and plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentile, he can’t help but celebrate “the depths of God’s wisdom and knowledge.” This chapter’s tone changes from logical explanation to unrestrained joy at the realization of God’s mercy and wisdom as He lavishes His love on all people.

2) Why does Paul refer to both God and the Lord in this passage?
Scholars believe that Romans 11:33-34 draws from passages in Isaiah and Job, which are quite similar. Isaiah 41:13-14 says, “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who gave Him counsel? Who did He consult? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding?” Job 11:7 asks, “Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?”
In the Bible, the name “Lord” is used to denote the sovereignty and reign of God as king or master. The general term “lord” means someone who has control and authority based on their position. Isaiah’s words highlight the sovereignty, authority, and understanding of the Lord. Paul restates Isaiah’s phrasing in verse 34, to underscore the reality that only the One True God is all-knowing and all-powerful. “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” The Hebrew word for God is Elohim, meaning “Creator.” It is first used in Genesis 1, “God created the heavens and the earth.” As Paul marvels at the Creator’s plan, he can’t help but praise “the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God.” We can see God’s creative ability in His generosity and provision for all humanity. Even though He alone holds all power and authority, He still shows mercy and kindness to all people and pursues them with love. What love!

3) What is the significance of the phrase “To Him be the glory forever?” (verse 36)
This phrase is often used in the New Testament at the end of letters. (See 1 Timothy 1:17 and 2 Peter 3:18) Paul’s words are not random, rather they are a clear reminder that all glory belongs to God for ever. The initial proclamation of God’s glory in the New Testament is in Luke 2:13-14, “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” Glory is a word of magnificent depth that reflects God’s presence, grandeur, and splendor in infinite ways. The angels broke out in song as they rejoiced at God’s plan of salvation coming to fruition in the birth of Jesus. In the Old Testament, the glory of God is obvious, often accompanying tangible signs as evidence of the unseen God. For instance, the arrival of manna in Exodus 16:7 was evidence of the glory of the Lord. At Mt. Sinai, God’s glory was apparent to everyone thick clouds covered the mountain and the earth shook with His presence. (Exodus 24:16) As the Lord rested His glorious presence on the Tabernacle, Israel stood in awe of the Lord’s magnificent glory! (Exodus 40:34)

Everyday Application

1) Why did Paul interrupt a logical discussion of God’s plan of salvation to break out in praise?

As I read this passage, I identified with Paul’s desire to worship in response to God’s grace and His plan of salvation for all people. His mercy and kindness to all of humanity is amazing. His ability to work all things (even rejection by His chosen people) together for good is evident when I ponder that Gentiles, like me, are now able to experience the abundant blessings of being grafted into His family.  I am amazed by the depths of God’s wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. As a writer, when I study a topic deeply, I sit and marvel at God’s design and His plan, as it is all so far beyond my imaginings. I marvel at the intricacies of nature from the tiniest atom to the vastness of space. A beautiful day leads me to focus on God’s goodness to all of creation. Even my inability to understand God’s inscrutable and untraceable ways contrasts His glory to my finite understanding. Worship fills my heart in response to understanding even a little bit about God. Challenge yourself to view your everyday life through the lens of worship. Where is the Lord giving you opportunities to understand and worship Him more clearly because of ordinary life happenings?

 

2) Why does Paul refer to both God and the Lord in this passage? 

Paul was a well-learned Hebrew scholar, so his choice to use both “God” and “Lord” is a clue to help his readers understand this passage. He wasn’t merely trying to throw in extra words to make himself sound better; these were both intentionally chosen to communicate the vastness of God better. As I read Paul’s words, I thought about God, the Creator, and the exceedingly abundant wisdom and knowledge He used when creating the universe­­; every element, cell, plant, and animal all have a divine purpose to declare His glory and point us to knowing Him. When we come face to face with God’s unexpected and extraordinary wisdom, it is astounding! Understanding Jesus as our Lord keeps us from elevating our knowledge and experience above Him, as He holds all rule and reign. Paul asked, “Who could know the mind or the Lord or be his counselor?” This Greek word for “counselor” has a similar meaning to “consultant.” The Lord doesn’t need our advice. Everything we have, our resources, wisdom, and breath has been given to us by His grace. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” When I remind myself of the Lord’s resources, I start praising and stop worrying. 

 

3) What is the significance of the phrase “To Him be the glory forever?” (verse 36)

The word doxology comes from the Greek doxa, which means “glory, splendor, grandeur” and logos, which is translated “word” or “speaking.” When we write, sing, or speak of the glory and splendor of God, we are sharing His glory with others. Just as the angels burst forth in celebration at the birth of Jesus Christ by proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest,” we have this same opportunity to praise God before others. Our days are rich with chances to offer our own doxology whether privately between us and God, or publicly for others to hear as well. We can bring glory to God by acknowledging His vast riches, wisdom, and knowledge as we see evidence of them in our everyday life. Even in difficulty, our struggles to understand God’s plan for our lives, or when we are amazed at the unfathomable depths of God’s wisdom and judgement, we can reflect His unchanging glory and goodness to those around us.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Focus Day 5 Steady Foundation

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 28:16-17
Matthew 7:24-27
James 2:14-26
Proverbs 3

Focus, Day 5

I’ll never forget the day we realized our home’s foundation was compromised.
We’d only lived there six months, but we had big plans for our first home. With the current living space only having two bedrooms, my husband made remodeling plans to finish the basement, effectively doubling the size of our home.

Excitement was in the air until the day he walked upstairs, level in hand, and delivered the news: the cinder block walls were bowed in.
It wasn’t noticeable at first…
But a level doesn’t lie.
In the initial building process, wise steps hadn’t been taken to ensure a secure foundation. There was no way to move forward with our construction when we couldn’t trust the foundation. It would take four years of research, planning, praying, and consulting to find an affordable way to secure our home’s foundation.

A Sure Foundation
Praise God He is nothing like mankind! Proverbs 3:19 tells us, “The Lord founded the earth by wisdom, and established the heavens by understanding.” God, by nature, is all-wise, all-knowing and has no need to be taught, but is Himself the teacher. The source of wisdom and understanding is God.

Job 28:26 says, “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, to turn away from evil is understanding”.  Likewise, Proverbs 1:7 teaches, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Most would agree that wisdom is a good thing to be acquired and evil should be avoided.  But who says which is which?
And what does fearing the Lord have to do with this?

Who is Wise?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”

Did you catch that? Jesus teaches it is a wise person who “acts on” His words. Obedience lays an unshakeable foundation bringing protection, care, and endurance.  Conversely, a foolish person will not act upon or obey the words of Christ; this decision is like building his home on shifting sand, completely vulnerable to destruction and will eventually washed away by storms.

Obedience matters.
It matters as much as a strong foundation matters for your home.  It matters so much that Jesus equates wisdom with obedience and foolishness with disobedience.  His Word defines what is straight and what is crooked (Isaiah 28:17).

This doesn’t mean we obey to receive a gold star, a badge, or a self-righteous rock.
OUR righteous deeds are actually like polluted garments (Isaiah 64:6).
Obedience does mean wisdom is only found in listening to, following and obeying the words of Jesus.  The way of Jesus is the rock. The Psalmist knew this well, “For God alone, Oh my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.” (Psalm 62:5-7)

Our Foundation Shows
James 2:14-26 gives us another angle on what it looks like in real life when our foundation is Jesus Christ.
Verse 14 says, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?”
Verse 17 continues, “faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.”
Additionally, verse 18 continues, “You see that faith was active together with his [Abraham’s] works, and by works, faith was made complete”.

Is James saying we must work for our salvation?
Is he contradicting Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9?  By no means! The order of things matters and we must use Scripture to interpret Scripture, (a plug for proper hermeneutics!).  In Paul’s writings he helps us understand the only perfect, wise, secure foundation is God Himself, His Word, and His way through Jesus Christ.
This means the moment of justification for a person is an absolute free gift from God.

James then helps us understand how, if that free gift has been planted within our hearts by God (Colossians 2:13), it will show itself as our foundation with lives resting squarely upon Jesus.  What will that look like?  Our actions will be in line with the rock of the words of Christ, and not on the shifting sand of our own desires, sin and unbelief.

To be clear, our lives here on earth will never perfectly reflect the glory of Jesus Christ. We will still sin, fail, and stumble. This is not a perfection game, but a remembering discipline (Proverbs 3:1-4).  When I forget my foundation, I start building a side-hustle castle on the sand of my own desires, which God graciously allows to be swept away reminding me of who I really am in Him.

For our daily remembering, it’s important to ask questions like:
To whom and what am I listening?
With what am I filling my mind?

The answer to those questions will answer these:
How will I prioritize my life?
How will I make decisions?
How will I love today?

When the words of Christ as our foundation, we will walk in wisdom and understanding and we will be hungry to take in His wisdom.  We will choose to obey Him, trusting He is, and always will be, our sturdy rock in an ever-tumultuous sea.

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Sketched Day 4
Abigail: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out Abigail!

Proverbs 2:1-15 English Standard Version (ESV)

My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.

The Questions

1) Who is the “Son” being addressed and whose “words” is he commanded to receive?

2) Why is listening to this wisdom so all-consuming?

3) What does it mean to “understand the fear the Lord” and “find the knowledge of God”?

The Findings for Intention

1) Who is the “Son” being addressed and whose “words” is he commanded to receive?
Proverbs is a collection of instructions for wise living, most of which were written by King Solomon, but there are other authors called out like Agur and King Lemuel of Massa. It is the words of these wise men that the recipient is to listen to and embrace. The reader should note though that even though human men are the “speakers”, it is repeated often throughout the book that this wisdom comes from the Lord. The “son” is meant to include all hearers, but was likely originally compiled for the young men in Solomon’s royal court as they were being trained up. The language of “youth” and “young” is mostly employed at the beginning of the book, but later the audience seems to widen to include older persons as well.

2) Why is listening to this wisdom so all-consuming?
As Solomon was training those in his court, he was undoubtedly mindful of the future of his nation and its leadership. He was investing the best of wisdom into the hearts and minds of those who would be in leadership positions and care for his people. Solomon’s wisdom had come straight from God (1 Kings 3:10-15) and he knew it was the most important legacy to leave behind. He wanted his students to be consumed with seeking knowledge, understanding, and wisdom and he also wanted them to see the Lord as the source of it all. He knew that if they gave themselves fully to seeking God’s wisdom, then his nation and people would prosper.
Additionally, verses 7-15 are overflowing with real-life reasons that Solomon gave for seeking the Lord’s wisdom. Check out this list of descriptions for what His wisdom fills you with: shield, guard, watching over, understanding for righteousness, justice, and equality, pleasantness, and deliverance. Seeking wisdom is definitely worth it!

3) What does it mean to “understand the fear the Lord” and “find the knowledge of God”?
Solomon understood that at the base root of all knowledge, understanding, and wisdom was the Lord God. Apart from His wisdom, there is no wisdom. The “knowledge of God” is bound up in His covenant love offered to His people, Israel (Psalm 25:14). “The fear of the Lord” is tied to His character. No one would dare walk into Solomon’s court without a healthy dose of respect for His position and who he was. Infinitely more so, the same is true with the Almighty. When we “understand” who He is, we can correctly be in awe of His majesty.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is the “Son” being addressed and whose “words” is he commanded to receive?
We aren’t being trained up in Solomon’s royal court, but we are commanded to “grow up” in Christ, to “reach the measure of Christ’s fullness” and to “no longer be children tossed to and fro” as Paul teaches in Ephesians 4:13-14. Whether we are “young” in our faith in Jesus or have followed Him closely for years, we are always called deeper into knowing Him more until we reach full knowledge in Heaven. The wisdom from Proverbs provides not only a firm foundation, but also all manner of wisdom along the pathway of life, especially when it comes to knowing how to love and respect people around us.

2) Why is listening to this wisdom so all-consuming?
As much as Solomon wanted to pass on the importance of seeking God’s wisdom so that his nation would prosper, God calls our hearts to seek Him first (Matthew 6:33), allow Him to consume us (Hebrews 12:28-29), and have no other idol before Him (Exodus 20:3) so that His kingdom would flourish and His glory would be made known. Growing in our faith really begins when we become entirely all-consumed with following closely after Jesus. This looks like committing to spending time with Him, studying His word, and surrounding yourself with other believers who are intent on following Jesus.

3) What does it mean to “understand the fear the Lord” and “find the knowledge of God”?
The “knowledge of God” in Old Testament times alluded to a future where the covenant would be fulfilled, which it was when the relationship between man and God was restored through the sacrificial blood of Jesus .We find this knowledge of God when we begin at salvation and accept His wisdom over our own fallen, sinful understanding. His wisdom is also found in one commandment that sums up all other commands, the law of love (John 14:21, Matthew 22:37-39).

The “fear of the Lord” is found when we apply ourselves to knowing His character. The more that we know about God, the more we stand in awe of Him, rightly aware of our own sinfulness in light of His unending righteousness. This doesn’t mean we are to cower in fear, but rather stand in amazement of His holiness and the vast love He has invited us into. A life that reflects both the “fear of the Lord” and embraces His “knowledge” looks like a heart fully surrendered to Jesus that loves others deeply because we have been deeply loved!

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

The Why!

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Sketched!