Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - 2

 2

One of the problems we have in trying to fully understand the Bible is our lack of knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek languages. These are the two languages used in compiling most, if not all, of the Bible. In addition, the alphabets used in these languages are composed of symbols which depict not only letters but also numbers. This situation often conveyed meanings far beyond what might be obtained by merely reading the material. And this is evident in even the first part of the first line of Genesis: In the beginning.

This phrase, which begins the first book of the Bible, is apparently written in Hebrew as “bereisheet” - In the beginning. The first letter of this word in Hebrew is called “bet” (ב) and it has the numerical value of 2. In addition to its numerical value, the same letter also represents blessing. So, in the first letter of the first word in the first book of the Bible we have this meaning which would be evident to the Hebrew people but is hidden from those of us unfamiliar with the intricacies of Hebrew.

This is significant because a careful look reveals that God created the world in twos. He created the heaven and the earth. He created day and night, the sun and the moon, the seas and dry ground. He enabled evil to exist along with good for only by having the choice can one really determine one’s desired way to go. And that means that we have free will coupled with a predetermined course that eventually leads to eternal salvation or eternal damnation. Of course, in addition to all of this is the fact that there are two created sex types, male and female

If the two opposites come together in the way God meant for it to be, the blessing follows. If the wrong choices are made or the wrong combination results then the opposite of the blessing may occur. In any case, it is still a result of the number 2.

בראשית ברא אלוהים את השמים ואת הארץ

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(Genesis 1:1)

Who could have imagined that so much meaning could be hidden in the first letter of the first word of this statement.

It is really something to think about.    

Matthew Trott Sept 29, 2024

Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Book of Jonah Part 2

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - OBEDIENCE

 

OBEDIENCE

Throughout the Bible, we are told how important it is to follow God’s direction. In Deuteronomy, this is made quite clear when God talks about the blessings and curses that follow obedience or disobedience to His word. Deuteronomy states that:

 

…all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, 

because you obey the voice of the Lord your God

(Deuteronomy 28:2)

Later on in the same chapter, the alternative to obedience is spelled out.

But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, 

to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes…

that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…

Deuteronomy 28:15

In both cases, the blessings that follow the first statement and the curses that follow the second statement are listed in detail. So, in view of this, let us look at two people.

Abraham (Abram) was a non Jewish man living in a place called Ur when God called him to:

“Get out of your country, from your family…

to a land that I will show you…”

(Genesis 12:1)

Thus:

…Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him… 

(Genesis 12:4)

Now we don’t know how long it took Abram to depart from Ur, but he did go as directed. His obedience was further tested later when he prepared to sacrifice Issac to God before his hand was stayed by angelic forces. But all in all, he was obedient to the Lord and it is stated that:

 

…he believed in the Lord, 

and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

(Genesis 15:6)

And God promised to make Abram:

 

…a great nation; 

I will bless you

And make your name great; 

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you, 

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

(Genesis 12:2-3)

On the other hand, there was a prophet named Jonah who was also told by God to:

…go to Nineveh…and cry out against it… 

(Jonah 1:2)

Now instead of doing as God requested, Jonah went in the other direction to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. As a result, there was a…

 

…mighty tempest on the sea, 

so that the ship was about to be broken up. 

(Jonah 1:4)

The disobedience of Jonah resulted in an almost instant reaction and set in motion a number of events that apparently would have been avoided had he followed God’s direction in the first place. Unlike Abraham, who went on to found a nation and a people, Jonah, the prophet, except for some references in the future to his past life, is never heard from again in the Bible. It indicates how quickly the curses referred to in Deuteronomy may come to pass. Remember, Christ said He came to “Fulfil the Law not destroy it.”

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.

I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. 

(Matthew 5:17)

So the laws mentioned in Deuteronomy are still in effect even though the penalty can now be avoided. But the blessings and curses may still remain. As a result, obedience to God is still something we should all think about.   

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Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Book of Jonah Part 1

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - IT IS FINISHED

“IT IS FINISHED”

These were the last words of Christ as He was hung on the cross - His life on earth finished. We all have an idea as to what was referred to by these words but do we really know as to what “it” actually referred to and “finished” really meant? In fact, according to the commentaries, “it” really referred to a number of things and the verb “telco,” used for the word finish, referred to payment of a debt. Therefore, “it is finished” could actually mean “Paid in full.” As such, these last words of Jesus referred to a lot more than just His last days in human form. It comes down to everything being paid in full and accomplished.*

All the types, promises, and prophecies of the ancient prophets 

had been fulfilled and finished.

All of the sacrifices and ceremonies of the priesthood were finished 

and no longer required then or now.

Christ’s perfect obedience to the Father had been done 

and was in many ways an example for all in the future.

The requirement of God’s justice had been satisfied and completed 

and no further requirement was therefore needed. 

God’s satisfaction was complete and finished.

Any power that sin, death, and Satan had over man 

was finished.

And all of this happened because Jesus voluntarily gave His life on earth for us, no one took or commandeered His life from Him. As it is said in John 10:17-18:

Therefore My Father loves Me, 

because I lay down My life that I may take it again.

No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. 

I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again. 

This command I have received from My Father. 

As a result, nothing further has been required from that day on only the acceptance of what already had been accomplished and completed. Unfortunately, many still do not accept what Jesus did for them on the cross many years ago. They still look for other ways to appease God rather than just accepting all that has been finished. Perhaps it’s because it seems hard to believe what happened over 2000 years ago, but sources other than the Bible attest to the validity of the crucifixion. Jesus was mentioned:  

• in a letter written by Mara bar Serapion to his son (ca. AD 73)
• by Josephus, the Jewish historian (ca. AD 90)
• by Tacitus, the Roman historian (ca, AD 110-120)
• in the Babylonian Talmud (ca. AD 200)

We merely have to accept the fact that Jesus did finish the reconciliation of man with God when He died on the cross. Other than that acceptance, and living in that acceptance, nothing more needs be done. For those who believe, It Is Finished.

Just something more to think about.

*in part from David Guzik’s commentary on John 19 

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Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - ALPHABET

Alphabet

It has often been said that one should read the Bible and while that is true, just reading the Bible is like taking a major highway from point A to point B. One will get to the right destination, but the most amazing points of interest are often off the main road and on the side trips that one can, and should, frequently take. 

The same is true for scripture in that many of the most interesting points can only be found by studying the Bible instead of just reading it. We also miss a lot by not being able to read the scriptures in the origin Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Even the common words such as the one above, alphabet, may have an interesting connotation. 

In Hebrew, the word alphabet is composed of two Hebrew letters “Aleph” and “Bet*.” The first letter of each - A and B - spell the Hebrew word for father (e.g.: ABBA aka “God the Father”) indicating the Hebrew alphabet comes from God the Father.

In addition, in both the Hebrew and Greek, each letter has a numerical value so that the Aleph and Bet combined have a value of 523 as noted in the reference cited below. Also, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the “aleph and tav” also have a numerical value of 523. This is the equivalent of the Greek where aleph and tav become Alpha and Omega - the first and last.

523 is also significant because, in Hebrew, it is the full numeric value of:

 

those who know your name trust you Psalm 9:10

Immanuel         Isaiah 7:14

the virgin                 Matthew 1:23

As such, there is a mathematical connection between the three concepts above and all relate to the Messiah. Nuances that would never be found by just reading the Bible and not exploring the side roads along the way. It is in many ways a more complex book than we could ever really imagine. 

Just a little something to think about.

*Adapted from Mysteries of the Messiah by Rabbi Jason Sobel, p.g.:XIV-XV  

 

Jacquie Ross Sept.1, 2024