Be Still, and Know

Before there was a Bible, there was a voice. God did not begin His revelation with pen and paper, ink and parchment. He began by speaking. He spoke to Adam. He spoke to Noah. He spoke to Abraham. For generations, God’s words were heard before they were ever written. Think about the world at that time - I am talking about 1500 to 2000 years before Christ - although writing existed, this was an oral world. Stories, laws, promises, covenants — all of it was spoken aloud, remembered carefully, and passed from one generation to the next. When God made covenants, He spoke them. When He called prophets, He spoke to them — sometimes directly, sometimes through angels. Revelation came as voice long before it became manuscript. Only later do we hear something new. God says, “ Write this down. ” In Exodus 17:14, after the victory over the Amalekites, God tells Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and recount it in the hearing of Joshua.” Write it so it will be remembered. Write it so it ...

Have you ever thought that humans were originally intended to be plant-eaters? Now, this is just an observation. When you read Genesis carefully, we see three phases of the initial world: the world post-creation, the world post the fall of man, and then the world post-flood. And what humans are allowed to eat changes across these phases. Right after the finished work of creation, in Genesis 1:29, we read: And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Not just humans. In the next verse, He goes on to give plants as food for animals and birds as well. Now right before the fall, as God is forbidding the tree of knowledge in Genesis 2:16,17, we read: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall s...

There is a hope inside of you.  If you are a believer, this hope was born in you when you were born again. The Greek word for this hope is ἐλπίς (elpis)  which means "confident expectation". It is the hope that there is life. The hope that death is not the end. The hope that there is eternal life after death. The hope that one day you will meet your Creator face to face. This is the hope of Jesus Christ. Now when this hope is inside you, it does something to you. First — this hope gives you stability in times of trouble. Romans 5:3,4 says, “ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ” Trouble does not destroy you, it deepens you. It does not shake you, it strengthens your hope. Second — this hope sets you free from fear. Psalm 46:2,3 says, “ Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into th...