Men in Bibletimes

WISDOM · November 19, 2002

Here's a good one for you angels....how about King Josiah??

angels4u · November 19, 2002

Hi Wisdom,

Do you want to be the first one this time with the life of Joshia or somebody else?

I hoped there would be more people interested doing this,we can learn so much from them,

God Bless, Angels

Dad Ernie · November 20, 2002

Greetings All,

I am jumping in a little late, and indeed this is an interesting thread. Since you are already at Joseph, I hope you don't mind if I digress a bit back to Adam. I'll through in some possibly controversial items.

First, a statement was made that God said Adam was very good as God created Him. Not so. Here is the verse:

Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

God looked over all His hands had created and saw that it was -very good-. Nowhere does scripture say that Adam and Eve were -very good-.

So in connection with this, here is another applicable verse:

Romans 8:20-21 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

2937 ktisis {ktis'-is}

from 2936; TDNT - 3:1000,481; n f

AV - creature 11, creation 6, building 1, ordinance 1; 19

1) the act of founding, establishing, building etc

1a) the act of creating, creation

1b) creation i.e. thing created

1b1) of individual things, beings, a creature, a creation

1b1a) anything created

1b1b) after a rabbinical usage (by which a man converted from idolatry to Judaism was called)

1b1c) the sum or aggregate of things created

1c) institution, ordinance

As we know from the rest of scripture, this world and all "creation" was never intended to be "eternal". In the end, we will inherit a Heavenly Jerusalem, and all of creation will be destroyed that was originally created.

There is a universal law called the 2nd law of Thermodynamics that basically says that everything is running down hill. Everything is losing energy. Everything eventually dies of this creation. The Romans vs. above mentions that the "creature was made subject to 'vanity' " which in the Greek is:

3153 mataiotes {mat-ah-yot'-ace}

from 3152; TDNT - 4:523,571; n f

AV - vanity 3; 3

1) what is devoid of truth and appropriateness

2) perverseness, depravity

3) frailty, want of vigour

So this was the condition of Adam and all of creation from the very outset. Now don't get me wrong, this was not a "bad" thing, because God had better plans in store for the people of His creation than this earth. As can be seen, He subjected the same in "hope"...

Now the next thing I want to point out has to do with this vanity, and I believe the definition #3) above mostly applies to Adam. As you know, Adam came from the "dust" which is inanimate and has no life in it. So when God first created Adam, there was "form", but NO life. Then He breathed upon it and it became a "living creature". Now it (Adam) had "life", but no power or authority. But God said:

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

and so it was:

Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Now what I am pointing out is that the image of God has to do with AUTHORITY and DOMINION.

Consider:

Psalms 8:5-6 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

Hebrews 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Look also at these verses:

Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

The attributes of God that we ascribe to His "image" are:

Omniscience

Omnipotence

Omnipresence

Eternal

None of these attributes belong to man (Adam), and when Jesus came He was made in the likeness of Adam, that is He became a "servant", giving up His POWER and AUTHORITY and became totally reliant upon the Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of God in His life.

This is the example set for us.

Adam relinquished his authority to Satan when he sinned. Man never regained it back until Christ and the first we see of this is in:

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

This was said to the serpant. And it reveals that man's "seed" which will be "Christ", shall "bruise thy head". It will be Christ that ultimately defeats Satan in the end.

Today, as Christians, we have been given back a "measure" of authority and dominion through Christ, and are thus remade in His image as we take up our authority and use it to defeat the powers and principalities of this world.

Well, I gotta run for now.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

angels4u · November 20, 2002

Thank you Dad Ernie for responding, I think its so interesting to learn more from the people in the Bible and their backgrounds and also how they teach us.

Can you add you Joseph too before we move on?

I would love it if you would join in the discussions

God Bless, Angels

WISDOM · November 20, 2002

Hi Wisdom,
Do you want to be the first one this time with the life of Joshia or somebody else?

I hoped there would be more people interested doing this,we can learn so much from them,

God Bless, Angels

Sure angels, no problem..

If we read in 2 Chronicles we find a remarkable story of our FATHER use of a child King. Josiah had ascended the throne of Judah at the tender age of EIGHT years, which was brought on by the untimely death of his evil father, King Amon.

Amon had been assassinated by his servants (2 Chronicles 33:21-25). What we can see that is very interesting about this young King Josiah is that despite his youth, the chronicler reports that, "He did what WAS RIGHT in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his ancestor David". I think that as a result of his very early attempt to seek to emulate the great King David, the young monarch, "In the twelfth year (of his reign) he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the sacred poles and the carved and the cast images". In other words, like today he realized how deeply entrenched his people had gotten involved/rooted into the world system and had turned their backs on our FATHER!

It was only after he had initiated the repair of the temple (which had laid in ruins) that he discovered how far short both he and his subjects fell in living up to all that GOD required of them. Read 2 Chronicles 34:21 (and 2 Kings 22:3-13) to see how shocked King Josiah was when he realized after reading a "lost" copy of the Law which he'd never seen before how much Judah failed to live up to our FATHER's Word. Despite the fact he admits his people's failures were due to ignorance, he still affirms that: "The wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us is great, because our ancestors DID NOT KEEP the Word of the LORD, to act in accordance with ALL that is written in this book". I believe this is a way of saying that his generation would pay for the neglect or sins of their fathers. What I find fascinating about this young King is that in those dark and shameful days which preceded Judah's captivity (under Babylon), Josiah stands out (despite his youthfulness at age 20) with as brilliant a light as any of his predecessors.

Please keep in mind that when he came to the throne the complete overthrow of Jerusalem was inevitable, though he himself was promised security. Instead of doing this he made energetic efforts to honor our LORD and to give inspiring leadership to the people TO DO THE SAME! (2 Chronicles 34:29-33) What I also found remarkable about this young King is that although he wasn't the King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (the nation was at that time split into a Northern and Southern kingdoms, which each had their own King), he still included the remnants of that nation who had not been taken away into captivity by the Assyrians in his decree that ALL Israelites should return to GOD. Wow! At twenty years of age our FATHER gave him a heart of a lion....of Judah...hmmmmm!!

King Josiah's action was based upon the desire to do that which was right; the knowledge of our FATHER's will inclined him to take appropriate action. The urgency is that the lack of the knowledge of GOD's Law does not exempt us from the requirement to obey.

angels4u · November 20, 2002

Wow interesting , a little boy only 8 years of age when he His was crowned King!!.

His grandfather Manesse was a very evil king who had ruled for 55 years, he destroyed all the copies from Gods law he could find and closed the Jesusalem temple.

At age 16 Josiah experienced a personal conversion and when he was 20 he began purging Judah of idolatry.

During the repair of the temple they found the a copy of the lost Law,and then Josiah discovered how far this nation had gone astray from God.He sent immediately for Huldah a prophetess who learned him that Judgement would come ,but after his time.

He was totally dedicated to the Lord and he revived the Passover celebrations.

He also went into Israel and tore down the idol and altar erected by Jerobeam (fulfilling a prophecy.)

After he died the nation slipped quickly back into idolatry.

In less than 30 years the nation fell to the Babylonians.

As was true for other kings Josiah's relationship with God is the key to evaluate his rule.

Josiah, an example for today.

He was completely dedicated to the Lord,but the revival he led was superficial,the hearts of the Israelites never turned to the Lord.

Hab1:1-5 Yet Josiah remains one of the OT truly model man.

We also have to stay commited to the Lord, no matter the cost, Josiah showed himself willing to Gods will.

He had a very interesting life don't you think? But not at all easy.

Love in Christ,Angels

WISDOM · November 20, 2002

Not only was it interesting, it was BOLD! :thumb:

Dad Ernie · November 20, 2002

Greetings All,

In regards to Joseph, I picked these up on the web:

http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/gen37v2.html

Genesis 37-50

Messiah ben Joseph

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

http://4-11.org/books/genesis/gen17.html

JOSEPH'S LIFE POINTS TO CHRIST

Joseph was loved by his father, as Jesus was. (Genesis 37:28. Matthew 3:17 ).

Joseph was sold, like Jesus. (Genesis 37:28. Matthew 27:3 ). He for 20 pieces of silver, Jesus for 30 pieces.

Joseph became a servant, like Jesus. (Genesis 39:1. Philippians 2:7 ).

Joseph victoriously resisted temptation, like Jesus. (Genesis 39:8. Matthew 4:1-11 ).

Joseph was a blessing to others, like Jesus. (Genesis 39:5. Ephesians 1:3 ).

Joseph was condemned and bound, like Jesus. (Genesis 39:20. 2 Corinthians 5:21 ).

Joseph was exalted as a prince and saviour, like Jesus. (Genesis 41:41. Ephesians 1:22. Revelation 1:5 ).

Joseph was a provider of bread, like Jesus. (Genesis 41:48. John 6:48 ).

Joseph was revealed to his brethren, like Jesus. (Genesis 45:1-3. Acts 1:3 ).

Joseph was closest to Pharaoh, like Jesus to His Father. (Genesis 41:41. John 14:9. Matthew 28:18 ).

God Bless,

Dad Ernie

angels4u · November 20, 2002

Wow, that is powerful, its a amazing how Joseph was a picture of Jesus so long before Jesus was born.

Thanks Dad Ernie,

God Bless,Angels

I like to read it again and maybe post it again so we can dwell on this..