...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 22

Question: Was Hagar Abram's wife? It says that Sarai gave Hagar to be Abram's wife. Genesis 16:3

Answer from Polly: Genesis 16:1-3: In the legal custom of Biblical days a barren woman (Sarai) could give her maid (Hagar) to her husband (Abram) as a wife, and the child born (Ishmael) of that union was regarded as the first wife's child. If the husband said to the slave-wife's son, "you are my son", then he was the adopted son and heir.

Question: The prayer that people use at church for dismissal, is it a prayer that is supposed to be used in church? 'May The Lord Watch Between Me and The.' I did a little research and found something in Gensis 31:49 referencing this, but I also found it in other places. Could you please explain this to me?

Answer from Polly: Genesis 31 is the story of Jacob escaping from his father-in-law, Laban whose mood was dangerous and his sons were growing bitter against Jacob. Laban had exploited his daughters' wealth (inheritance) and had lost their good will so they were willing to leave their father and go with their husband, Jacob. Laban pursued Jacob and the strife between the two became worse so Laban suggested they make a covenant (a treaty) for a boundary between them. Jacob set up a tall stone and then piled a heap of stones around it. Laban called them by the Aramaic name, Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called them the Hebrew, Galeed and Laban explained that the name means a heap of witness but he added the Hebrew name Mizpah (watchtower) entrusting God to watch over them. The stipulations were that Jacob would not harm Laban's daughters and that Jacob and Laban would stay apart. This account later had great significance for Israel; God would deliver and protect Israel as He brought them back to the land from Egypt. Here Israel would see God's victory over idols and idolaters, God's use of dreams for deliverance and protection and the boundary by which God would keep His people apart from her enemies. This has nothing to do with the way you should pray in church for Hebrews 4:14-16 says Christ has given us the right to approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and Paul adds to pray for everything (Philippians 4:6). "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us" (Romans 8:26-27). Jesus spoke against tradition saying that "these people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men" (Matthew 15:8-9). Perhaps you should talk to the church leaders to find out exactly what is meant by their closing prayer.

Question: What does the Bible say about being open with each other?

Answer from Polly: To be “open” usually means “confession”. We all have sinned (Romans 3:23), therefore we all have things to confess. The purpose of confession (to be open) is to draw us closer to God and to one another. To be open is to share the gospel (Acts 1:8); teach (Colossians 3:16-17); knit together through the love of Christ (1 John 3:11) and finding mercy (Proverbs 28:13). John described the blessings from open fellowship (2 John 1:12); Galatians 6:1-2 says to carry each others’ burdens; Romans 12:10, 15:7, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 teach to encourage one another and Hebrews 10:24 tells us to spur one another on. All of these things that are taught suggest that you must first be open to one another; in Christian love and not to make openness a gossip session.

Question: Why for many many times, in the case of Abraham decendants, the younger son gets the blessings? For example, Isaac instead of Ishmael, Jacob instead of Esau, Joseph instead of Reuban and Ephraim instead of Manasseh. And previously, Seth instead of Cain. Is this trying to imply something in the bible?

Answer from Polly: We expect God to work in certain ways but often He did things differently to our thinking and sometimes even unconventionally. His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9); however, sometimes His ways are more apparent in the Scripture than at other times. Cain killed his brother Abel and brought God’s curse upon himself, being banished from His presence. Seth was the replacement of Abel, therefore God’s image in Adam was then reproduced in Seth (Genesis 4:1-25). For four consecutive generations, this reversed pattern was followed; Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over Reuben and Ephraim over Manasseh. Ishmael was not the promised son of Abraham from God but the son of Sarah’s handmaiden because of Sarah’s disbelief in God’s promise (Genesis 15:1-6, 16:1-2). Jacob received Isaac’s blessings through deceit (Genesis 27:1-33). Reuben was the firstborn of Israel but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, son of Israel (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). When Joseph saw that his father was blessing Ephraim over Manasseh, he protested. But Jacob’s words, I know, my son, I know, expressed the confidence of his faith. He was blessing according to the divine plan, not according to normal custom. He had learned that in spite of what man attempted to do God had blessed him, the younger. This he now carried forward to Joseph’s sons (Genesis 48:17-20).

Question: In Luke 1:69, who does the 'horn of salvation' refer to? Why?

Answer from Polly: John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied with a psalm known as the Benedictus, which is written in Luke 1:67-79 and covers four ideas:

(1). Zechariah gave an exhortation to praise God;

(2). Zechariah noted the reason God should be praised; He has come and has redeemed His people;

(3). Zechariah described the deliverance for Israel through the Messiah. The Messiah was to be Israel’s HORN OF SALVATION. The horns of an animal symbolized its power. Thus the Messiah would be strong and would deliver the nations from her enemies. Of special import in these verses is the mention of His Holy covenant, the oath God swore to our father Abraham in Genesis 22:16-18;

(4). Zechariah prophetically described the ministry John would have. Zechariah had understood the message of the angel, so he foretold that his son John would be the one to go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him. He (John) would be a prophet of the Most High. Luke 1:77 may refer to the Lord rather than John, but John did preach the same message of forgiveness of sins.