God seeing into the future - The serpent

[irishbeast]

1 hour ago, Michael37 said:

Quote From Albert Barnes' Commentary on this verse: 

Mat 5:38-39  You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."  (39)  But I say to you, Do not resist evil. But whoever shall strike you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

An eye for an eye ... - This command is found in Exo_21:24; Lev_24:20, and Deu_19:21. In these places it was given as a rule to regulate the decisions of judges. They were to take eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, and to inflict burning for burning. As a judicial rule it is not unjust. Christ finds no fault with the rule as applied to magistrates, and does not take upon himself to repeal it. But instead of confining it to magistrates, the Jews had extended it to private conduct, and made it the rule by which to take revenge. They considered themselves justified by this rule to inflict the same injury on others that they had received. Our Saviour remonstrates against this. He declares that the law had no reference to private revenge, that it was given only to regulate the magistrate, and that their private conduct was to be governed by different principles.

Thanks!

Its really good to be able to "bind" the laws of the old Testament with the teachings of Christ. I have not read enough yet to make those sort of connections so thanks again for the response. Makes absolute sense. :)

[Michael37]

6 minutes ago, irishbeast said:

Thanks!

Its really good to be able to "bind" the laws of the old Testament with the teachings of Christ. I have not read enough yet to make those sort of connections so thanks again for the response. Makes absolute sense. :)

Your welcome. You might find esword useful if you haven't yet discovered and downloaded it. Lots of free commentaries and Bible versions, plus there are study materials like Vines Expository Dictionary of the Bible that can be purchased in e-form.

[irishbeast]

7 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Your welcome. You might find esword useful if you haven't yet discovered and downloaded it. Lots of free commentaries and Bible versions, plus there are study materials like Vines Expository Dictionary of the Bible that can be purchased in e-form.

Cheers. I will have a look. 

I did try some bible apps on my phone, learn the bible in a year things. However they just just from one book to another without logical cohesion so I sacked them off and will just read it from front to back. Been given a load of books by people in church, some of which are as big as the Bible itself so they will have to wait! There's only so much reading I can do! Nice of them though!

"Bible Answers" by Derek Prime and "The Bible Application Handbook" by Derek Williams which ironically is more of a shovel book as nobody has hands that large! :)

[enoob57]

8 minutes ago, irishbeast said:

Cheers. I will have a look. 

I did try some bible apps on my phone, learn the bible in a year things. However they just just from one book to another without logical cohesion so I sacked them off and will just read it from front to back. Been given a load of books by people in church, some of which are as big as the Bible itself so they will have to wait! There's only so much reading I can do! Nice of them though!

"Bible Answers" by Derek Prime and "The Bible Application Handbook" by Derek Williams which ironically is more of a shovel book as nobody has hands that large! :)

I will warn you of Catholic doctrine leads one to think works is necessary for salvation...

[irishbeast]

6 minutes ago, enoob57 said:

I will warn you of Catholic doctrine leads one to think works is necessary for salvation...

I am a protestant so no chance of that! I avoid the catholic doctrine like the bubonic plague. Nothing against Catholics of course but I'm sure you get me :)

[other one]

44 minutes ago, irishbeast said:

Cheers. I will have a look. 

I did try some bible apps on my phone, learn the bible in a year things. However they just just from one book to another without logical cohesion so I sacked them off and will just read it from front to back. Been given a load of books by people in church, some of which are as big as the Bible itself so they will have to wait! There's only so much reading I can do! Nice of them though!

"Bible Answers" by Derek Prime and "The Bible Application Handbook" by Derek Williams which ironically is more of a shovel book as nobody has hands that large! :)

For me, I learned more from listening to the Bible more than reading.   My Job with Xerox had me driving about 3,500 miles a month, and for about 20 of my 38 years I listened to the Bible off and on all day.  Things seem to jump out at me doing that.   I still listen every day, but not 4 hours a day.

[enoob57]

32 minutes ago, irishbeast said:

I am a protestant so no chance of that! I avoid the catholic doctrine like the bubonic plague. Nothing against Catholics of course but I'm sure you get me :)

I said this based on your book selection "The Bible Application Handbook" by Derek Williams

[irishbeast]

58 minutes ago, enoob57 said:

I said this based on your book selection "The Bible Application Handbook" by Derek Williams

Ah right! Not my choice of book. I was given them by friends at church

[Who me]

Hubris  is I think the Greek term for the ' gods ' driving an arrogant man mad.

Certainly Dawkins with his claim of being a cultural Christian is starting to realise  that evolution says nothing about morality or about the value of human life and that in attacking Christianity he has opened a window for far nastier beliefs to become prominent.  

[tatwo]

On 2/9/2025 at 6:52 PM, irishbeast said:

If God is all knowing and knows what is going to happen in the future, then why did he bother creating the serpent in the first place?

Greetings @irishbeast...Good question here's my brief and basic response.

God is as humans say “all knowing”…He set the entirety of the realm of creation…in place…which He brought forth as “the heavens and the earth” to completely fulfill the very purpose for which He determined…and this within His eternal self. He is the “Alpha” beginning and He is the Omega” the end…He “knew” all of it prior to any of its realized existence.

Now depending upon who it was that taught you about the origin of the serpent…you might have heard the story this way…the “serpent” was an angel of a lofty order…until iniquity was found in it.

You could study Ezekiel 28 for some insight about the serpent. If I remember correctly either the book of Jasher or Enoch speaks to this or both…it’s been a while since I read those books.

My point is this @irishbeast…the purpose for which God the Father of creation…put forth “His creation”…was to take from it…”a man in His image and likeness”…that “Man” is “Christ Head and Body”…also known as the Son of God! And this He is doing.

There is nothing that the serpent or anything in the created heavens and on the earth…that could thwart His eternal plans. So He simply allowed  the fallen angelic and humans alike…do what it was He knew they in their “fallenness” would do…and use that…in part…to bring forth His greatest delight and pleasure…which was to “bring many sons unto glory"…these “sons” are what comprises His ”Christ.”

Tatwo...:)