Posts Tagged ‘ Balaam ’

Malachi Chapter 2: What God thinks of the Disobedient, Levi, Divorce

Mar 9th, 2012 | By | Category: Malachi, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)

It is hard to “turn many away from iniquity” if one is not a good example himself of walking properly before God. The priesthood of Malachi’s day was doing the opposite and, consequently, was leading many into iniquity.

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The Integrity of the Bible

Mar 16th, 2010 | By | Category: The Basics (click on Article name)

“We hear so much said of this suspected text, and that doubtful passage; of this probable interpolation from the margin, and of the long quarrel which scholars have waged over that Greek letter, mark, or accent, that we sometime forget that God, in his constitution of the Bible, has made it impossible to seriously pervert it.

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Numbers Chapter 24: Balaam’s Third Blessing, Promise of Messiah, Destruction of Arabs

Mar 1st, 2010 | By | Category: Numbers, Psalm 83 and Gog & Magog, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)

The ultimate future king of Israel will be “higher than Agag.” Agag, the king of Amalek, sometimes pictures Satan. Therefore, this prophecy is saying that Jesus, the Messiah, will be higher than the god of this world, Satan. Jesus will overcome, defeat, and destroy Satan, the antitypical Agag, and his minions.

Incidentally, “Agag” is really Gog, for the vowels are supplied. Thus the king of the Amalekites is a prototype of Gog at the end of both the Gospel Age and the Kingdom Age. The enemies of Israel who die in Jacob’s Trouble will be buried in a cemetery called Hamon-gog (see Ezek. 39:11–15). Thus Haman in the Book of Esther, who by birth was an Agagite, is appropriately a picture of Gog.

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1 Corinthians Chapter 10: Lessons from Israel in the Wilderness, Meat Offered to Idols, The Lord’s Supper

Nov 19th, 2009 | By | Category: 1 & 2 Corinthians, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)

Just as the Israelites back there were under God’s protection, so when we consecrate, we are under the shadow of the Almighty. We go under the cherubim curtain and enter the Holy of the Tabernacle under His protection. This is the common experience of all true Christians who dedicate themselves to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, the rock Moses smote, out of which came water, represented Christ, and that Rock was a moving Rock. The Israelites “drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them,” keeping them under God’s care. In other words, what happened literally to the children of Israel back in Moses’ day has a spiritual counterpart with God’s people during the Gospel Age.

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Psalm 8 A View of God

Sep 22nd, 2009 | By | Category: Psalms, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)

The Eighth Psalm is an exultant Psalm. We especially appreciate verse 2, which shows that the great God of the universe, with all His wondrous attributes of wisdom, justice, love, and power, considers babes. We are reminded of Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” God’s very name is holy, yet He dwells in the heart of the lowly and the contrite. Now we see the spirit of the Heavenly Father—with all His power and might and wisdom, He is a God of love. And Jesus is the same in character development, for he said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…. for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:28,29). Jesus was meek and lowly in heart while down here but not in glory. While on earth, this disposition rubbed off and became a part of Jesus’ very character, and we want to be the same.

How wonderful are the sentiments of this Psalm, revealing that God even considers us! We view the term “visiteth him” in verse 4 from our perspective. God sent Jesus on a mission down here for a temporary time of 33 1/2 years at the First Advent. From God’s standpoint, He sent forth Jesus on a visit to us, and from our standpoint, we received Jesus as a visitor.

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Proverbs 30 The Burden of Agur

Jul 23rd, 2009 | By | Category: Proverbs, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)

“The man spake unto … Ithiel and Ucal.” The logical conclusion would be that Agur was talking to these two scholars, disciples, or friends, but based on the context, that is not the case. “Ithiel” means “God is with us.” “Ucal” means “I am strong.” In other words, Agur is saying, “God is with me, and I am speaking in His strength.” The superscription or heading indicates that Agur is giving an important message: a prophecy, a burden. “God is with me, and I am strong because of that. Therefore, the message is not mine but God’s.”

Before uttering the message, Agur said, “This message is not of me.” This reminds us of the Apostle Peter’s words: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:20,21). Agur continues, “This message is not the product of my own capability. In fact, I am not an educated person.”

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Ezekiel Chapter 8 The Secret Abominations Exposed

Jun 25th, 2009 | By | Category: Ezekiel, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)

The time setting was now about 611 BC, the sixth year of Zedekiah, or the sixth year of Jehoiachin’s (Jeconiah’s/Coniah’s) captivity. As the elders of Judah were seated before Ezekiel in his own house, honoring him and wanting his counsel, a trance seized the prophet. This chapter, recorded later, is the record of what he saw.

The vision began with a representation of God, the One seated on the throne. It was like the earlier vision by the river Chebar (Ezek. 1:1).

A hand lifted up Ezekiel by a lock of his hair to a position between heaven and earth and took him to Jerusalem. Ezekiel was about to see things and hear God speaking to him, yet he would be unobserved by those in the Temple. He would get an insight into the abominations committed by God’s nominal or professed people.

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The Book of Jude

Jun 16th, 2009 | By | Category: Jude, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)

It seems providential that the Book of Jude is found next to the final book in the Bible, the Book of Revelation, which is one of the last books to be understood this side of the veil. The Epistles of John (not the Gospel), the Epistle of Jude, and the Revelation of John—all three of these last messages to the Church—each contain special prophetic warnings and admonitions with respect to the future. Moreover, each sequential message, as it is given, contains increasingly greater detail and thus ascends in importance. First, there is John’s allusion in his epistle to Antichrist and its identity; then comes Jude’s stern message; and finally the Apocalyptic scene of events of the Gospel Age provides an overview that helps us, in turn, to locate, identify, and further understand the climactic predictions of the age, particularly its conclusion.

Let us observe how strange it is that Jude’s epistle is sandwiched between the two messages of the same apostle John—between his epistles and his Apocalypse. Does not this placement of Jude suggest to us the possibility—nay, the probability—that these last three perhaps least-studied, least-understood books are to be considered as a special triad or unit unto themselves, which in due process of time would assume greater import?

The Book of Jude seems to have been written especially for the end of the age. What is the evidence or proof for such a statement? Verses 14 and 15 of the epistle inform us that Enoch prophesied of conditions that would prevail in the last time or day, and this prophecy of Enoch was directed against a class that Jude himself repeatedly refers to in his epistle. This book provides a rather startling revelation of conditions that will exist not in the world but in the Church, and it is from this standpoint that we will consider the letter.

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Balaam’s Character

Mar 16th, 2009 | By | Category: Character Studies

A study given after Balaam: A Way that Seems Right, going into more detail on Balaam’s character. August 5, 1990

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Balaam: A Way that Seems Right But Leads to Death

Mar 16th, 2009 | By | Category: Character Studies

Sermon: “There is a way that seemeth right but leads unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Trust in the Lord with all your heart…lean not unto your own understanding.” Do we as Christians try to do things our way or God’s? God gives us very explicit instructions on how to do things, but we as fallen human beings tend to like to do it our way, and our way is not God’s way and holds consequences. As the prophet Jeremiah says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” Following an untrained heart will always lead us into opposition with God. This sermon gives different examples throughout the Bible where man has followed their own hearts and ways and not God’s.

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