Is God a Murderer?, Women, Jesus’ “Secret”, Atheist’s Claim,
Charges in Isaiah, Exodus…
Response to comment: "God is a murderer."
God does not murder. Murder is the taking of innocent life. The lives that God took were not innocent. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gn 6:5, NASB).” Man was depraved. God flooded the whole earth, all but 8 people. God saw everything and it was good then something changed. Genesis Chapter 3, sin came into the picture. Death came to all men because man had sinned.
God's ways are higher than our ways (Isa.
55:9) not lower.
Response to statement: “So when I have a child I have a right to kill them? Yes,
I do. If God does, so do I. After all, I created them. I should be able to take
them out of this world if I want to!…The fact that the child had no choice to be
born.”
We do not have the rights that God has. He is the Creator, we are the creation.
You did not create children by reproduction. God did. Only God gives a soul at
fertilization. We are to speak up for the unborn: “Open your mouth for the
speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die (Pr 31:8, NKJV).”
The Psalmist said, “You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s
womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:13-14,
NKJV).” “I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me (Ps
51:5, NKJV).”
We are made in God’s image (Gn) but we are not God, nor will we ever be gods
(e.g. Mormon theology).
To some liberals children are considered a “mistake”. For the Christian,
children are considered a blessing.
Response to statement: “The Bible and the Church have been the greatest
stumbling blocks
in the way of women's emancipation." Elizabeth Cady Stanton - American
Suffragist (1815-1902)."
[T]he position of women vis-à-vis their husbands was not as weak as the laws
envision. The Shunnamite woman was able to entertain Elijah without the prior
consent of her husband (2 Kings 4:8-17), and Abigail could commandeer large
amounts of her husband’s supplies and bring them to David (1 Sam. 25). The
biblical laws probably indicate the ideal male-female relations envisioned by
their male formulators rather than reflect the social situation as it actually
existed. (Achtemeier, Paul J. ; Harper & Row, Publishers ; Society of Biblical
Literature: Harper's Bible Dictionary. 1st ed. San Francisco : Harper & Row,
1985, S. 1139).
When a woman behaves like a man, why doesn’t she behave like a nice man? —EDITH
EVANS, quoted in The Observer ( Merriam-Webster, Inc: The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary of Quotations. Springfield, Mass. : Merriam-Webster, 1992, S. 448).
Frailty, thy name is woman! —SHAKESPEARE, Hamlet
Women: Religious privileges of, among early Christians, Acts 1:14; 12:12, 13; 1
Cor. 11:5; 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:11. Domestic duties of, Gen. 18:6; Prov. 31:15–19;
Matt. 24:41. . Kept vineyards, Song 1:6. Tended flocks and herds, Gen. 24:11,
13, 14, 19, 20; 29:9; Ex. 2:16. Worked in fields, Isa. 27:11; Ezek. 26:6, 8. Was
doorkeeper, Matt. 26:69; John 18:16, 17; Acts 12:13, 14. ; Virtuous, held in
high estimation, Ruth 3:11; Prov. 31:10–30. As rulers, Isa. 3:12; Deborah, Judg.
4:4; Athaliah, 2 Kin. 11:1–16; 2 Chr. 22:2, 3, 10–12; Queen of Sheba, 1 Kin.
10:1–13; Candace, Acts 8:27; Persian queen sat on throne with the king, Neh.
2:6. Patriotic: Miriam, Ex. 15:20; Deborah, Judg. 5; women of Israel, 1 Sam.
18:6; of the Philistines, 2 Sam. 1:20. Aid in defensive operations, Judg. 9:53.
As poets: Miriam, Ex. 15:21; Deborah, Judg. 5; Hannah, 1 Sam. 2:1–10; Elisabeth,
Luke 1:42–45; Mary, Luke 1:46–55. As prophets: Miriam, Ex. 15:20, 21; Mic. 6:4;
Deborah, Judg. 4:4, 5; Huldah, 2 Kin. 22:14–20; 2 Chr. 34:22–28; Noadiah, Neh.
6:14; Anna, Luke 2:36–38; Philip’s daughters, Acts 21:9. In business, Prov.
31:14–18, 24. Property rights of: In inheritance, Num. 27:1–11; 36; Josh.
17:3–6; Job 42:15; to sell real estate, Ruth 4:3–9. First at the sepulcher, Mark
15:46, 47; 16:1–6; Luke 23:27, 28, 49, 55, 56; 24:1–10. First to whom the risen
Lord appeared, Mark 16:9; John 20:14–18. Social status of: In Persia, Esth.
1:10–22; Dan. 5:1–12; in Roman customs, Acts 24:24; 25:13, 23; 26:30. Good
[instances of women in the Bible]: Instances of: Deborah, a judge, prophetess,
and military leader, Judg. 4; 5. Mother of Samson, Judg. 13:23. Naomi, Ruth 1;
2; 3:1. Ruth, Ruth 1:4, 14–22, and Ruth 2–4. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, 1
Sam. 1:9–18, 24–28. Widow of Zarephath, who fed Elijah during the famine, 1 Kin.
17:8–24. The Shunammite, who gave hospitality to Elisha, 2 Kin. 4:8–38. Vashti,
Esth. 1:11, 12. Esther, Esth. 4:15–17. Mary, Luke 1:26–38. Elisabeth, Luke 1:6,
41–45. Anna, Luke 2:37. The widow who cast her pennies into the treasury, Mark
12:41–44; Luke 21:2–4. Mary and Martha, Mark 14:3–9; Luke 10:42; John 11:5. Mary
Magdalene, Mark 16:1; Luke 8:2; John 20:1, 2, 11–16. Pilate’s wife, Matt. 27:19.
Dorcas, Acts 9:36. Lydia, Acts 16:14. Priscilla, Acts 18:26. Phebe, Rom. 16:1,
2. Julia, Rom. 16:15. Mary, Rom. 16:6. Lois and Eunice, 2 Tim. 1:5. Philippians,
Phil. 4:3.
Figurative: Of the church of Christ, Psa. 45:2–15; Gal. 4:26; Rev. 12:1. Of
saints, Matt. 25:1–4; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 14:4.
[N]ot only did Jesus speak to women in public (John 4:27), He dared to take them
by the hand (Mark 5:41). He encouraged a woman who desired to follow Him, even
when it conflicted with her household duties (Luke 10:42). And as He tried to
help people understand the kingdom of God, He used illustrations that women as
well as men could relate to.
Though excluded from the inner courts of the temple, Jewish women were welcome
among Jesus’ followers. He showed that rules of “clean” and “unclean” no longer
determined who could approach God. He had come to open a new way, and everyone
was welcome to participate. In doing so, He turned the world upside down.
( Thomas Nelson Publishers: What Does the Bible Say About-- : The Ultimate A to
Z Resource Fully Illustrated. Nashville, Tenn. : Thomas Nelson, 2001 (Nelson's A
to Z Series), S. 427).
God loves women: “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above
rubies (Pv 31:10, NKJV).”
Response to statement: “Jesus told him a secret - that everyone will go to
heaven, even those who don't believe in God!”
There is no historical evidence for this claim. We cannot pin our hopes on
hearsay; we must look to the authority of God’s word in scripture.
Response to statement: “Atheism: A rational response to an irrational cause. All
religions are fairy tales”.
“…the most plausible answer to the question of why something exists rather than
nothing is that god exist.” (William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith).
Cosmological argument:
• Everything that had a beginning has a cause.
• The universe had a beginning.
• Therefore, the universe had a cause.
Design argument:
• Every design has a designer.
• The universe—and life—has a highly complex design.
• Therefore, there is a Great Designer.
Moral argument
• Moral laws require a lawgiver
• Absolute moral laws exist.
• Therefore, there is an absolute Moral Lawgiver.
Commentary Isa 14:21:
Babylon (modern day Iraq). We see history future happening before our eyes.
All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his
own house [Isa. 14:18].
Babylon was controlled by Satan. You remember that Satan offered to the Lord
Jesus the kingdoms of this world (see Luke 4:5–7). Babylon belonged to him. Back
of Babylon and all the kingdoms of this world is Satan. In the future, Babylon
will evidently become the rallying point for all the nations which are against
God.
For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts and cut off from
Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will
sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts [Isa. 14:22–23].
If you have ever seen pictures of the ruins of Babylon, you realize how
literally these verses have been fulfilled. In the future, Babylon will be
rebuilt (though at a different site). It will once again be a place of world
rulership, and it will be a Tower of Babel lifted against God. And again God
will come down to judge, and that will be the final judgment. The reason that
these great truths have been given to us is so that we will know what is coming
in the future ( McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed.
Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 3:235-236).
Commentary Ex 12:29:
And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the
land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the
firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of
cattle.
And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the
Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where
there was not one dead [Exod. 12:29–30].
This final judgment claimed the life of the firstborn in each house. Up to this
point God had not touched human life. Now he does, but do not say that God is a
murderer. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the
Lord.” He who creates life has the authority to take it away ( McGee, J. Vernon:
Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997,
c1981, S. 1:ix-240).
Commentary Isa 13:15-18:
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity;
and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible [Isa. 13:11].
“I will punish the world for their evil”—We are living in a world today that is
moving toward judgment.
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge
of Ophir [Isa. 13:12].
When Christ died for you and me on the cross, that added value to us.
Verses 13–16 go on to tell us that the Tribulation will be a time of worldwide
destruction when no “flesh would survive” except for the fact that God will
preserve a remnant for Himself.
DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON IN THE DAY OF MAN
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver;
and as for gold, they shall not delight in it [Isa. 13:17].
Who are the Medes? Media and Persia became a dual nation and a mighty empire
that conquered Babylon. Isaiah is speaking of that which was going to take place
in the immediate future. He identifies those who will destroy Babylon:“ the
Medes.” ( McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed.
Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 3:231).
References to Messiah in the Bible: Dn 9:25; Jn 1:41; 4:25; Meaning: Jesus is
Messiah; Messiah is the Hebrew work, translated into Greek, as Christ. Both
words mean “Anointed One” (one especially appointed by god for His plan and
purpose). Christ, Anointed One (Mt 1:16; Ps 2:1,2). (Names of Jesus, Rose
publishing 2006).
References to Yahweh (Jehovah) in the Bible: Is 10:3-5, Mt 3:3; 28:19; Ph
2:6-11; Ex 3:14. Meaning: Jesus as God’s name. The holy name Yahweh means “He
who is.” It expresses the idea that only god has self-existent being. The name
was so hol that the Jews would not utter it out loud. Christ possess this name.
Related titles: I am; Who was, who is and Who is to come (Mk 6:50, Lk 21:8, Jn
8:24, 28, 58; Rv 4:8).
Text originally posted at EvilBible.com