| by Laura Lee (Bismarck, North Dakota) |
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| I have no idea how many times I have read my Bible from cover to cover, since I bought my first Bible when I was in third grade. Recently two different people have pointed out scriptures which I clearly don’t think I ever saw before. Yes, I read them many times, but I never saw them before. I am sure that not just me, but others have read right over these same scriptures and probably many others and for some reason they just never registered. Rachel and Deborah (This section written by Dwight Fleming.) When Jacob went to find his uncle. He came to a well where the sheep were watered. Rachel, Jacob’s cousin, appeared on the scene. This is very important to understand about Rachel which is not revealed in the KJV. Notice: “While he [Jacob] was still speaking with them [the other shepherds], Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd” (Genesis 29:9 NIV). Jacob’s uncle Laban had two daughters and no sons. Rachel was doing a man’s job and deserved the same respect as any man worth his salt. She was a leader under her father’s authority and guidance. She did whatever she had to do to support the family business. No wonder Jacob fell in love with her. Here was a woman every bit his equal. The reason that I found the scripture on Rachel being of great importance for us today is because often a church may have mostly women there in attendance and few men. At times, there are only a handful of women and just the minister there for a church service. The minister may be compelled to do it all: opening prayer, lead song service, give announcements, fulfill prayer requests, give a sermon, and more song leading and finally end with a closing prayer if the guy has not fainted by then. In such circumstances, if no other men are present to help with the speaking duties, would God forbid any woman who desired to help with the speaking responsibilities? The example of Rachel should provide some light in this area of church protocol. When Laban had no sons, his daughters took on a son’s responsibility. Makes perfect sense even today. Another example found in the Bible is Deborah. Deborah is another good example of how women are very capable of serving in a leadership capacity. It was very sad to hear at church one time the minister state that the “spiritual condition of the men at that time was so low that God had to choose a woman.” This was a back-handed insult toward women which caused me to write a critique of that sermon afterwards which was not well accepted, nor any apology given for his attitude. Because Deborah was a female judge over Israel, Barak is considered weak and a “wimp” because he asked Deborah to go with him. Here is the hypocrisy in that thinking: If Deborah had been a male judge over Israel, then Barak would not have been considered weak. Why the double standard in their thinking by some ministers? “Would John Wayne or General Schwartzkopf have to wait for a woman to tell them what to do?” This was met with laughter which I did not find funny at all. Yes, indeed they would! What general or commander, even John Wayne, would go into battle without obtaining as much intelligence about the enemy as possible? Only a complete idiot. Just as with Rachel, a vital point is overlooked about Deborah. “Now, Deborah, a PROPHET, . . .” (Judges 4:4 NIV). So, Deborah was chosen to be a Judge over Israel at that time not because “all the men were so spiritually low that God had to choose a woman” (what nonsense!), but because she had the gift of prophecy which made her a PROPHET. This gift gave her insight which would be necessary for judging. When Barak asked Deborah to go with him, it wasn’t because he was a “wimp.” Rather, like any good general, Deborah was a kind of “Intelligence Officer” which would be able to give him good intelligence about the enemy. Would John Wayne or General Schwartzkopf listen to a woman? You bet! Anyone who could provide them with good intelligence would gain their ear. Forget the gender bias. (End Quote by Dwight Fleming.) Rachel and Deborah In the King James Version one of the meanings of “Kept” (H7462) is “Shepherd”. So, Rachel was a shepherdess. Gen 29:9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them. (KJV) Gen 29:9 He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel has come with the flock which her father has, for she [is] shepherdess; (LSV) Gen 29:9 He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel hath come with the flock which her father hath, for she is shepherdess; (YLT) Gen 29:9 While he was still speaking to them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. (Darby) For Deborah the King James Version flat out says it like it is: Jdg 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. (KJV) God has no gender bias so why do men? To go along with this, Dianne D. McDonnell wrote a great article in regard to the Apostle Junia and how men tried to cover it up by changing her name to a male name that never existed at that time in history. The name of the article is called “Junia, a Woman Apostle” and was printed in Issue #7 of this newsletter. Titles Darwin was doing some research for a different article when he ran across these scriptures: Job 32:21-22 (KJV) Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away. Sounds like a serious matter to flatter people with titles and yet we have this going on all around us. Janitors don’t want to be called Janitors; they want to be called Maintenance Engineers. Sales Clerks are no longer Sales Clerks they are now Associates as if to make them look like they own part of the company when even if they have a few shares actually have no say. Some ministers insist on being called Mister rather than to use their first name to address them. This can also be talking about fairness and justice. For example, when you believe a man with a criminal record should be treated better than the police officers who are trying to get him under control while he is in the commission of a crime. I won’t mention any names, but we all know this is going on all over now. Instead of putting the criminal in jail they now want to get rid of the police. When you make a criminal into the good guy and let him get away with hurting people and property with no consequences you are being a respecter of persons. Both the criminal and the police officer should always be held to the same standards. There should not be one law for known criminals and another for those who hardly ever break the law. Sometimes it is perfectly okay to use a title, such as in the case of someone you don’t know at all and yet you want to get their attention. In that case you could address them as Mister or Miss which would show respect as opposed to disrespect. The following articles come to mind on this particular subject: “Is Calling Someone “Mister” Christian?” by Nathaniel Burson, printed in Issue #2 and “Respect or Respect of Persons?” by John W. Ritenbaugh, printed in Issue #41. Dinosaurs One of my favorite subjects’ dinosaurs. Darwin also found this scripture while he was doing research for another article. The scripture is: Job 40:15 (KJV) Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. So, did you catch it? What the scripture is saying is that God made the dinosaurs on the same day He made man. Job 40:15 Now behold, behemoth, That I made with you: He eats grass as an ox. (LSV) Job 40:15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. (Webster) Job 40:15 Lo, I pray thee, Behemoth, that I made with thee: Grass as an ox he eateth. (YLT) Job 40:15 See now the behemoth, which I made with thee: he eateth grass as an ox. (Darby) Job 40:15 Behold behemoth whom I made with thee, he eateth grass like an ox. (DRB) In other words what is being said is that the dinosaurs were made on the same day as man. So, on the sixth day God created dinosaurs and Adam and Eve. I know, the story goes that the dinosaurs lived long before man lived, and God destroyed that part of His plan which helps man reconcile the Bible with Evolution. Why do we even need to reconcile the false narrative of Evolution with the Bible account. When will we understand that Scientists skew actual science in order to promote the false narrative of Evolution? When will we all believe what God said when He said: Exo_20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Exo_31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. God Himself said He made heaven and earth and all that is in them in the first six days, and He rested on the seventh day. There is no gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 that allows for dinosaurs to have lived millions or billions of years before God created the Earth. The verses say He made Heaven and Earth in six days. Why are you believing Scientists over God? And do you honestly believe that Evolution needs to be reconciled with the Bible? Evolution teaches the earth is millions or billions of years old and God says “NO” it was all created in Six days and then He rested on the Seventh Day. If you believe God can resurrect you then why don’t you believe Him when he tells you about the creation and how long it took Him to make it? The book of Job is one of the oldest books in the Bible. No one seems to know exactly when it was written. Most scholars believe Job lived shortly after the flood but were things in place shortly after the flood for Job to have the wealth that he had? I don’t know but I would say it is more likely that Job lived before the flood sometime and dinosaurs were an everyday part of his life. If God would talk to us about behemoths and leviathans we would be confused because we haven’t seen them. Job never argued the point when God brought it up. Job knew exactly what God was talking about. Many people believe these were elephants or hippopotamuses. Some even say they are elephants with big bellies. The problem is that the Bible describes the behemoth, and it doesn’t have a small tail like those mentioned here. Job 40:15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. Job 40:16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. Job 40:17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. Job 40:18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. Job 40:19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. Job 40:20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. Job 40:21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. Job 40:22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. Job 40:23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. Job 40:24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares. The behemoth is most likely a sauropod dinosaur such as diplodocus or brachiosaurus—dinosaurs with long necks and gigantic tails. And God says they were made on the sixth day with man. Why do people continue to call God a liar? Evolution is the one that takes millions and billions of years, but God said he did it all in six days and then rested. Take God at His word for He does not lie. Many ancient caves have images of dinosaurs on them. Notice the tail like a cedar.  Noah’s Ark While this article was but a thought in my mind, along comes James Steinle with one of the best videos in regard to Noah’s Ark and a young earth. The video is one hour and twenty minutes long and is excellent. The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRoQL7W5jg8 The evidence is everywhere for dinosaurs to live at the same time as man and for God to have created the heavens and the earth and everything in them in only six days. Believe God, not man’s made-up fairy tales. David Rives comes to mind, so I will end with a quote from him: “Truly…the heavens declare the glory of God.” |
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