Malachi: "I loved Jacob...I hated Esau"
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- Created on Tuesday, 20 March 2012 11:53
Although it is often said that "God loves the sinner, but hates the sin," the words that open the book of Malachi could suggest otherwise. According to Arthur Pink in The Sovereignty of God, "It has been customary to say God loves the sinner, though He hates His sin. But that is a meaningless distinction. What is there in a sinner but sin?" This passage in Malachi is quoted in the book of Romans and is often used as a "strong exegetical support to a traditional Calvanistic interpretation of God's election: God chooses those who will be saved on the basis of his own will and not on the basis of anything - works or faith, whether foreseen or not - in those human beings so chosen" (The Epistle to the Romans, Eerdmans, 1996, page 597). God..."hated the non-elect before their birth" (The Death of Christ, pg. 227, Owen). In this lecture we will consider another way of interpreting this passage.
Esther and "The Tank Man"
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- Created on Friday, 02 March 2012 11:53
The courage of Esther to risk her life for the good of others is a remarkable story that is a reflection of agape love: "There is no greater love (agape) than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13). We also considered the brave action of an unknown common worker, known as "Tank Man" who defied the entire Chinese army and, in the process, changed the world. The video below was shown during the Bible study.
Malachi Audio, 2008
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- Created on Thursday, 16 October 2008 11:53
The book of Malachi has a number of challenges. Did God hate Esau and his descendants? Does God choose to love some people and to hate others. Is personal salvation God's choice or our choice? And, the book of Malachi includes an incredible description of the coming Messiah: "But who will be able to endure the day when he comes? Who will be able to survive when he appears? He will be like strong soap, like a fire that refines metal. He will come to judge like one who refines and purifies silver. As a metalworker refines silver and gold, so the LORD's messenger will purify the priests, so that they will bring to the LORD the right kind of offerings" (Malachi 3:2-3). Do these words apply to the humble carpenter of Nazareth?
Esther & Malachi Audio, 2008
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- Created on Thursday, 08 May 2008 11:53
This Bible study concludes our trip through the Old Testament. Do these words in Malachi 3 refer to gentle Jesus? "Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears?" In what sense? Malachi says that Jesus came to purify the priests that they may offer the proper sacrifices. What does this mean? The last half of this Bible study reviewed the translation of the English Bible. Can we really trust the Bible? Which version of the Bible is most trustworthy?
God of the Old Testament
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- Created on Wednesday, 07 May 2008 11:53
Before we leave the Old Testament, here is one last summary look at these 39 books. Stories in the Old Testament have turned many individuals away from God. Here was Mark Twain's opinion of God, based largely on the Old Testament stories:
“It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand”
“The two Testaments are interesting, each in its own way. The Old one gives us a picture of these people’s Deity as he was before he got religion, the other one gives us a picture of him as he appeared afterward”
