...We Answer
Not every answer might comply with everybody's way of seeing things. Then I kindly ask you to hold it with Paul, who said in 1 Corinthians 13 that we now see in part. All of us answering here, stick to the basic faith statements as defined in the Apostle's Creed, yet further to that we know that there are also Biblical topics not related to salvation itself, that different people understand and see differently. So please keep this in mind in case you "stumble" over a certain answer - we would like you to be blessed by the challenge of different aspects!
Answer Set 16
Question: What does Deuteronomy 1:11 mean?
May the LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!
Answer from Polly: If the nation had any doubt about God's intention or ability to fulfill His ancient covenant with Abraham she had only to look at her present condition. Israel had become so numerous that they were like the stars in the sky (verse 10). This, of course, was one thing God had promised Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 26:4, Exodus 32:13). The nation's growth thus proved both God's intention and ability to fulfill His original promises to Abraham. Moses was confident God would continue to increase and bless them for they had the same Lord as their ancestors. The God of your fathers is a common title of the Lord in Deuteronomy (1:21, 4:1, 6:3, 12:1, and 27:3). The words 'the Lord your God' (Deuteronomy 1:10) occur over 250 times in Deuteronomy, no doubt to affirm to Israel that her God is not some dead pagan god but is Yahweh, the Living Lord who made a covenant with her.
Question: I was wondering if you could help me out. I was wondering if you could tell me what Joshua 6:12-19 means. I am having a problem figuring it out. I need it for Bible study tomorrow night. Thank you very much.
12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the LORD and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. 15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.
Answer from Polly: Joshua chapter six is a test of faith and obedience on the part of the Israelites and a show of faithfulness and power from God. The Israelites were to march around the wall of Jericho once a day for six days and then seven times on the seventh day. No fortress had ever been conquered in this fashion but Joshua did not question; he trusted and obeyed. Probably the Israelites received their orders on a daily basis so that their obedience was not a once-for-all matter but a new challenge every morning. We, too are required to do our daily 'march' with little or no knowledge of tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1, James 4:14, Matthew 6:34). At the end of the seventh circuit the people gave a loud shout and at that moment the wall of Jericho, obeying the summons of God, collapsed.
Question: What did the bible say about greed?
Answer from Polly: Greed, according to the Bible, is nothing but trouble. It makes one unclean (Mark 7:20-22), stirs up dissension (Proverbs 28:25), brings trouble on one's family (Proverbs 15:27) and tears down countries (Proverbs 29:4). Greed is a characteristic of a depraved mind (Romans 1:28-29) and is of an earthly nature (Colossians 3:5). It is improper for God's people (Ephesians 5:3) and Paul gives strong warnings not to associate with greedy people (1 Corinthians 5:9-11). The greedy will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10, Ephesians 5:5).
Question: Who makes the enemies a footstool for His feet?
Answer from Polly: Jesus Christ makes a footstool for His feet. This is a metaphor showing that the work is done and God is at rest. The Levite priests could never sit down on the job since their sacrificial services were never completed. But Christ's sitting on the right hand of God is both a signal that His sacrifice (Birth, Death, and Resurrection) was offered for all time and also that He can now confidently await final victory over His enemies (death). He destroyed death and the pain of death by offering us eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:50-57, Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 1:18).
Question: You folks have helped me so much, thank you.... I am wondering about this: in Exodus, chapter 11 verses 4-5 it says all the first born shall die. In some of the other Bible's in our class it says "first born males" and some just say only "first born". Was it the males or any first born? This is very interesting to me. Thanks again for your help... may GOD bless all you do.
Answer from Polly: Exodus 11:5 is using a merismus (a figure of speech in which two extremes represent the first, last and everything in between); the top extreme here being Pharaoh and the bottom extreme being a female slave. A more complex merismus would be the Alpha and the Omega, meaning the beginning and the end, but we also know that God is everything in between.
Why the difference in translations is a matter of interpretation of the Hebrew language which I am told is quite complicated. The Hebrew word for firstborn son can take on both masculine and feminine plural endings which I assume account for some translators' reasoning that every firstborn, both male and female, would die and not just the sons.
Question: I am trying to learn what they are trying to say in Proverbs 31:21. I would also like to get the meaning of scarlet thank you.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
Answer from Polly: The cold that accompanied the snow is what the woman had no fear of because she had prepared warm clothing for her family. Two translations come with the word scarlet; scarlet was used to describe fine materials and thread (Exodus 25:4, 28:15, 36:37, Numbers 4:8, 2 Samuel 1:24) perhaps saying that the "good and godly" need not dress in drab colors since your goodness comes from within (1 Samuel 16:7). A second meaning of scarlet for Proverbs 31:21 is "double-garment" or a double set of clothing therefore offering more warmth.
