s8nfighter

Q1. What kind of credibility would Jesus' ministry have had if he were not raised from the dead, especially when he predicted it ahead of time? If Christ had not been raised from the dead, not only the ministry of Jesus would be in error but the whole word of God would be cast in the shadow of doubt. If you could show me one untruth in the word of God then all the words become subject to question, it is as simple as that. In what way is the resurrection God's seal of approval on him? The resurrection is more than God's seal of approval; it is proof that Jesus is the Son of God. For if Jesus returned to dust, from which Adam came, then he would not have been from God. Instead, He returned to His Father in heaven. Twice God gave His seal of approval by saying, " "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." The resurrection is a confirmation of that seal of approval. Darrell

I am assuming that you are referring to the extremists in your question. Extremists in all cases do not follow the bible. Members of Jones' church called Jones "Father" and Christ said for no one to call anyone Father except our LORD. He also claimed to be Jesus incarnate. This and a whole lot of other things did not line up with the word. Any extreme group which calls for the sacrifice of human life in order to protect the name of God neither lines up with the Old Testament nor the New Testament especially the New because Jesus is the last sacrifice ever needed for sin. Jesus is our atonement. Do you not think it is a pretty small god who needs our protection?? T.V. evangelists who call for a seed offering of faith are also wrong and have done great harm, but millions of people send in their dollars with hope of a monetary return of 100 times; some even promise a greater return. Isn

Q4. Which of the various proofs for the resurrection seems the most compelling to you? Why? If you had a friend who wasn't sure about the resurrection, could you explain why you're sure that Jesus was raised from the dead? According to Webster's dictionary a witness is one who gives evidence, one who provides personal knowledge of, or one who provides through example; serving as proof of a belief. My brother called me a few years ago and asked me to invite his daughter to church. He said although he does not believe in all the things church leaders teach (I don't either because they have done much harm) he knows how much my life has changed for the good and wanted that for his daughter. She is now, five years, later teaching Sunday School and is the Womens Ministry Pres.. Though evidences of the burial and resurection are there the best proof that He has risen and that He is LORD is my changed life and the lives I testify to serving as proof by the way I live in obedience to Him. Darrell

Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection? Truth is a scary thing and the consequences of reporting the truth are harsh at times. The disciples were living in a scary time and knew the risk they would be taking by reporting the truth. In the past 10 years several TV and newspaper reporters have been killed or placed in prison throughout the world for reporting truths while their countries were in conflict. Israel was in its greatest conflict at this time with several different factions vying for influential control. Man seeks the throne of wealth, power, and admiration and that throne was being turned upside-down . The church leaders were making a great profit from sin and feared that Jesus would interfere with this way of livelihood. John 2:13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"(NIV) Rome was building a great empire at this time to rule the world and to proclaim that Jesus was not only King of the Jews but King of the world was not a good thing, but they knew they had to risk it all anyway. The disciples were the reporters of the Good News and had reason to fear getting caught up in the turmoil of mans undoing as reporters today fear getting caught in the conflicts of national unrest. To report truth was to make enemies on all sides but Jesus said.

Psalms 118:8 "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." (KJV) This also goes for fear, the fear of what others may think. That is the main motivater of so called scholars who take away from what the bible says or add to it. If I was to take a pen and cross out everything in the bible that takes faith, I could begin with either Genesis and work toward Revelation or with Revelation and work backwards, after removing everything which takes faith the only thing remaining would be Satan and me. Without faith, who do you beilive made the world? Without faith, who do you believe became a sacrifice for your sin? Without faith, what do you belive this sacrifice will gain you? Psalms 118:8 can be found in the center of the bible and is the central theme of the bible, conservative and liberal alike who have forgotten this point are teaching from a bible filled with holes. The holes in their bibles are like holes in a dam and trying to fill them with mans logic is like trying to patch a dam with sand. Darrell

What is the difference between Jesus' resurrection and his ascension? How do the two fit together? In what sense is the ascension the completion of the resurrection? There were many whom did not believe in the resurrection, the most prominent of these were the Sadducees. Jesus' resurrection was proof that there was indeed life after death and that through Him came life. It was also the final sign to the unbeliever in hopes that they would see and believe. Matt. 12:39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (NIV) The ascension is the returning to where He came from. If Jesus did not descend from God he could not ascend. The ascension shows us that Jesus is who he says he is. John 14:8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. (NIV) I don't think that the ascension is a completion (end) of the resurrection as much as it is a beginning in the next step of God's plan for us. John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (NIV) Eph. 4:9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (NIV) Darrell

Q4. What do we know from the Gospels about the properties of Jesus' resurrection body? What was he capable of in this new body? We know that Jesus overcame death because He ate, drank, walked, talked, and breathed, but we also know that He retained the scars placed there by us. I believe that the reason He kept the scars is not a proof of His resurection but of proof of His love for us and of proof that His will and desire is for us to have eternal life. That is what i believe "the other disciple, whom Jesus loved", finally understood when he saw the linen clothes. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (new KJV) Darrell

For ages people have used what they see and what has been reported to them to either prove or disprove something they already believe in. Whether or not the reports of the events are exactly the same does not matter much if the conclusion is the same. The conclusion is that our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us hope. It is a fragile faith that hangs on strips or sheets of cloth, the exact number of people, which came first, or how many jelly beans are in the jar. The important thing is that He died for our sins in hope that we may overcome the sin that controls our lives and in doing so share that hope with others. My favorite food at picnics is potato salad and fried chicken. If I was to not believe in the chicken or the egg because I didn

Q4. Why did Jesus' enemies heed his prediction of being raised on the third day even more than his disciples? The lifestyle of the the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Romans was built upon piety, pomp, prestige, power, and positon. If the resurection was true all of this would change. If the resurection were true that would mean Jesus really was the Son of God, the LORD of our llives, our redeemer, our high priest, our healer, our provider, our ruler, and the lifestyles of the leaders at that time would soon sink as if they were built upon sand. Matt. 7 Did his enemies expect him to rise? No they didn't expect him to rise, but they feared that the influence they had on people would soon disappear if his disciples took his body and hid it. For if Christ would truly rise that would mean that God would sow in each and every one of us the seed of faith, (instead of us sowing a seed of faith into the religious leaders) it would mean that God has a hope in us that differs from what we mistakenly place in religious duty and religious celebrations. Did his followers? I don't think his followers disbelieved as much as they misunderstood. In Isaiah 43 the LORD says he was about to do something new and different. Isaiah 43: 19 For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert! This was it, this is what He was talking about 650 years prior to. This is what was going to cause Israel to embrase her God and people who are not His people to be called His people. Sometimes, something new and defferent is hard to understand.

My daughter (a single mom working her way through school) works at a hospital in the emergency room. When she came to pick up my grandson she said that the government needs to do something about insurance for all. A woman had fallen, receiving head injuries, and because of the lack of insurance there was no doctor willing to provide care for her. My daughter was upset as much about the financial burden being placed on the hospital as the lack of care provided for the patient. So I asked her what she would do if all of her living expenses were paid. What would you do if a house, food, clothing, and your education was all taken care of? My daughter said that she would, after her son was older, go and help others in need, providing medical care for them free of charge. I told her that that opportunity had been provided to many last night and all turned it down. Why? When the cost of life's struggle is met people will either want more and more or they will contribute to others. There is a cost for medical care just as there is a cost for sin. Without the price being paid, life is at best in doubt. What would you do if the price of sin had been paid? Continue to run up the debt or feeling the burden being lifted, begin to live a life acceptable to God? That choice was easy for me to make. I had lived under the burden of guilt and judgment from others for the first 36 years of my life (being raised in an alcoholic family). I started going to church in search of the God that so many talked about and seldom showing, I found him one day while sitting quietly in church. He said the thing that keeps you from having a relationship with me and life is the guilt you are feeling. You see I had thought God was only a god of the righteous. I didn't know that Jesus could lift the burden of guilt allowing me to live a life acceptable to Him, thus giving life!!! You see I don't have to worry about a house, food, clothing and anything else. (John 14:1-3) 1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (niv) Darrell

All will see the LORD twice in our lives, that is a given. First is at birth when the breath of life is given to us from God. The second is at death, when we stand before our maker. What we do between the two meetings determines the outcome of the second meeting. First evidence of this is in Genesis. Cain stood in judgment of Abel and took his life. But, even in death there was life for the blood of Abel cried out to God. Even in death there was still a communion with God. God stood in judgment of Cain, found him guilty, and banned him from his presence. So even with life there was death. This leads me to believe that the resurrection of the righteous will result in an ever presence with God. And as Solomon pointed out "all" without the presence of God is nothing. (Vanity, vanity all is vanity). What is righteousness? God has given us a list of civil laws (how we treat each other) to live by, and we have over time added to them and taken away from them. God has also given us his divine law (how we revere God) to live by. These laws are not for us to judge others; but to live by!!!!! Which carries more weight? Jesus pointed out that they carry the same weight, that they are two sides of the same coin, and you cannot have one without the other. Love God with all your mind, heart, and soul. And love your neighbor as you love yourself. For all the law and the prophecy hangs on this. What will the role of the righteous be? Paul didn't even know what his role would be, and he had a three day talk with Christ. But he did know that it would be a great, everlasting relationship with his maker. What more can we long for? Darrell

In Sheol there was a separation from God, both body and spirit. It was the final judgment of sin; something to be feared. Here Job has given a little insight of what was yet to come, God's redeeming sacrifice to all. To redeem is to buy back, to pay the price for. To redeem also means to remove the obligation of; the obligation of the penalty of sin was death. Job indicates that there is no longer a need to pay that price; hence the restoration of a the body and soul. Job 19 is full of the words of Christ. Although we face judgment of others, Job cautions us to be careful to not judge others lest we face judgment of God. Job 19 also mirrors John 1 in the fact that he reveals that our Redeemer was, is and is yet to come. Progressive revelation is revelation little by little. Progressive revelation waits for history to prove it. History or proven revelation is easier to understand, I guess that is why hindsight is easier than vision but less profitable. Darrell

The point Paul is trying to make here is not about self-guilt, because we all have been found guilty, rather it is about our relationship with one another. The LORD's birth, life, death, and even the LORD's supper is about forgiveness of sin resulting a right relationship with our Father and one another. It is about rightness not righteousness. What was happening in the early church is the same as today, bitterness, envy, judgement, and unforgiveness which lead to divisions in the body. I have often wondered; if there is only one message, one God, and one way why are there so many chuches half full? Jesus said, Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Give forgiveness and it will be given to you. Give judgement and it too will be given to you. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. (Yes, Matt. 7 amd Luke 6 is about forgiveness of sin and not finances) Paul is pointing out the fact that you should not come to the LORD's table seeking something for the flesh and you cannot come to the LORD's table expecting forgiveness while holding on to judgement. How can we conduct self-examination and self-judgment so that it has a healthy rather than an unhealthy result in us? I don't know, but Jesus said here is a good place to start. SO IN EVERYTHING, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Q1. (11:29) Why does "not discerning the body" at the Lord's Supper constitute such a grave sin? Aren't there worse things a church could have done? Exodus 20:8 says, "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." For this reason: "For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then he rested on the seventh day." How quickly we have forgot who made the heavens, earth and us and put more importance on what we are to do, when we are to do it, rather than who we are to worship. I think that is why Jesus simply stated, "Do this in remembrance of me." Nothing legal, nothing ritual, just remember Me. And how do we do that?? Re-read John 12 They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." 22 Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24 The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone

Why are so many of Jesus' teachings oriented toward the future? JOHN 14:1 "Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly."(nlt) I work in construction and I have never seen any one build a new house for themselves and not move into it. The other thing I have never seen is old, broken and worn out furniture moved into a new home. As a new home is nearing completion the new owners will go through the old house and get rid of the things which will only clutter and mess up the new house. The things that just won't work in the new house are either sold or hauled off to the dump. Rev. 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever." 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making all things new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."(nlt) "For the old world and its evils are gone forever." There are certain things that just won't work in the LORD'S new house either. These things are hauled off to the dump: 1 Peter 2:1 So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don't just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing. 2 You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness." There is a new heaven and a new earth beinig prepared just for us, the time is nearing for us to take possession, the time is now to go through the closets and get rid of the things that just won't work. Darrell

How does the promised New Covenant differ from the Old Covenant? The destination is different but the way is similar. 20 "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. John 15:9-17 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. What are our responsibilities under the New Covenant? Yes we still have the responsibility to obey, nothing has been unwritten from the law. fullfilled does not mean removed. Darrell

How was the covenant with Israel ratified? The covenant of the LORD was ratified by the sprinkling of the blood upon the people from the burnt and peace offerings. "And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words." What promise did the people make twice in this passage? Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do." The difficulty of being obediant to all of God's commands is evident but as Samuel pointed out to Saul, ("Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed, than the fat of rams.) it is still God's desire for us to obey his law because it is a worthwile way of living. What was eaten? I don't know if Moses and the rest took along part of the offering from the oxen which were sacrificed or if the LORD provided the meal. The menu is not as important as the company they kept. Darrell

Paul's reminder to the church of Corinth is that we are all of one body. Much like Christ's only two commandments to us. The church of Corinth must have been adding to the gospel to benefit themselves and to exploit others. "8 You think you already have everything you need! You are already rich! Without us you have become kings! I wish you really were on your thrones already, for then we would be reigning with you! " This is unlike the calling of Paul "9 But sometimes I think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world

Leviticus 4 describes the sin offerings for the church leaders, for the nation, and for the individual. Why is our remembrance of Christ's death so important? [ It should make it much harder to sin [/i]if we remember the cost. What happens to Christianity if we neglect remembering in this way? I think James 1 describes it best " 26 If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us." (nlt) At times I think we all get caught up in our differances that we forget why we are the same. What happens to us personally when we forget Christ's death? James 1:23 "For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law

As I was sitting in church on a communion Sunday, feeling too guilty to partake in the LORD's Supper, I picked up the bible from the pew. I opened the bible and began reading, not knowing much about the bible, I read how Christ gave His life's blood to cover my sins. I read his words saying that He is the one that forgives all sins. Not just everyone elses but mine also. I could no hold back the tears and went up to recieve communion. That was the point my life changed. So I must say that the grace of God is what I remember most and the price He paid. Darrell

How can an extreme symbolic interpretation cause a person to have too little respect for the Lord's Supper and its elements? Where is the balance, do you think? Any time we take things to the extreme and put too much importance on things of God rather than placing all importance on God we face trouble. Evidence of this is found in Acts 19:13 A team of Jews who were traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus. The incantation they used was this: "I command you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But when they tried it on a man possessed by an evil spirit, the spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul. But who are you?" 16 And he leaped on them and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and badly injured. And the LORD cautions us through John in Rev. 2 Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first. If you don't, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. It is not about bread and wine as it was not about the handkerchiefs or cloths in Acts 19, it is about remembering Christ Jesus and loving Him because he first loved us. I don't think anyone who believes in a purely symbolic interpretation of the Lord's Supper and remembers the crucifiction and resurection can lose any respect for our Savior. I just don't see how that is possible. Darrell

Q1. How does your particular understanding of the bread and the wine (literal or figurative) help you grow closer to Christ when partaking of the Lord's Supper? When I partake in the Lord's Supper I cannot help but to feel a deep sorrow for God. His only desire, His only will is that we should love Him.... These two verses most always come to mind when I partake of the Lord's Supper, Isa. 43:19 "For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert! " and Luke 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me." I feel sorry for God because man has made difficult what God wanted to be easy, "love Me with all your heart, mind, and soul." Darrell

Grace by definition is "unearned favor". For 20 years of my late teen and adult life I drank even though I swore that I would not. I had good reason to hate all things that alcohol does to a family; and not me I was not going to let that happen to my family, the suffering was to stop with me. When I did begin to drink alcoholicly, I prayed to an unkown God to help me stop, I hated this unkown God because he did let it happen to me and wouldn't let me stop, especially when others spoke so highly of thier blessing from Him. Then Jonh Merrick said, "Come with me and let me introduce you to this friend of mine, called Jesus. Come with me and meet the God you have prayed to with unanswered prayers." That was 17 years ago. Seventeen years ago the LORD said your sins are forgiven. Seventeen years ago the LORD healed me from a path of destruction. Seventeen years ago I met this wonderful savior, called Jesus. Over the last 17 years I have learned that the power of the Holy Spirit through the grace of God cannot be marketed on tv, cannot be marketed in book stores, cannot be marketed through tapes and cd's, and cannot be marketed through world-wide crusades. The power of the Holy Spirit through the grace of God can be shared only when we open our lives to others, when we take the time to say to another, "Come with me, I want you to meet a friend of mine, called Jesus." Darrell

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me. 38 And now look, your house is left to you, empty and desolate. 39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! (Matt. 23) 19 For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert!(Isa.43) I often think of just these two verses and weep for God. How we must hurt Him each and every day. God has created the pathway for us to come home, like the father that builds roads, our Father has created for us a pathway. Along that narrow path there is complete joy in pleasing the Father by not running off the road. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!" (Ps 21:1 ) It is not that kind of joy we often seek, the joy that comes from pleasing God. But oh what joy, there is none quite so fullfilling as to think maybe just maybe you were the one that brought a smile to the Father. I grew up pretty poor, but therre was one thing that made me happy as a child, one thing that still makes me overflow with joy today, even though my mother has long since pass on. That one thing is the smile on mom's face when she saw that my chores were complete. She never got angry if the chores were not done, she would just do them herself after working all day, but the happiness I gave her when they were done. The Father, Son is a relationship. Take the Father, Son out and there is no relationship. It took the life of Christ to put that relationship in there why would anybody want to take it out. For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? Darrell

So the Now the LORD observed the extent of the people's wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them. It broke his heart. 7 And the LORD said, "I will completely wipe out this human race that I have created. Yes, and I will destroy all the animals and birds, too. I am sorry I ever made them." (Gen. 6 niv) Mans desire to know right and wrong and his inablility or lack of desire to do right in the sight of the LORD caused the first divorce. And for the same reasons God divorced Israel again. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. (Jer. 3 niv) Yes God is committed to Israel even to the point of abandoning her and allowing her to continue in her evil way, yet constantly hoping she will return to Him. Just like the days of old we cannot put our faith, hope, trust, and service toward the god of Baal and expect to remain married to the God of all. God did promise Abraham that he would become a great nation. And God kept that promise in spite ot the people. (I will say it again: The LORD your God is not giving you this good land because you are righteous, for you are not