International Standard Bible Study

I will rise

Josh Hunt — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:22:17 +0000

What was Ur like

Josh Hunt — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:01:48 +0000

Sir Leonard Woolley’s excavation of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur in the 1920s and early 1930s was a media event. During the thirteen years of excavations, the great newspapers of the world followed his progress in countless articles. Woolley’s discovery of the royal cemetery of Ur with its large cache of gold objects and evidence of human sacrifice attracted travelers from around the world, including mystery writer Agatha Christie. Young Agatha married Woolley’s assistant, M. E. L. Mallowan, and set her 1936 mystery Murder in Mesopotamia in an excavation in Iraq. Later she wrote in her autobiography:

Leonard Woolley saw with the eye of imagination: the place was as real to him as it had been in 1500 b.c., or a few thousand years earlier. Wherever he happened to be, he could make it come alive. While he was speaking I felt in my mind no doubt whatever that the house on the corner had been Abraham’s. It was his reconstruction of the past and he believed in it, and anyone who listened to him believed in it also.

Having seen the traveling exhibition of “Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur” at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, I can testify to Woolley’s ability to make the past real. His scaled map of the city of Ur in the time of Abraham with its ziggurat topped with the temple of Nanna (the moon god), the palace of Ur-Nammu, the temples of Ningal and Enki surrounded by the city’s walls and harbors, his schematic drawings and photographs of the “Great Death Pit” with seventy-three bodies of servants arranged in sacrifice around Queen Puabi’s gorgeously decorated corpse—all serve to make the past come alive.

But most of all the artifacts themselves make Abraham’s context live. Puabi’s incredible golden headdress and beaded cape, the gold and lapis lazuli headbands of her attendants, the gold beech leaf wreaths beaded with carnelian, the gold, silver, and ivory vessels, and the great lyre with the golden bull’s head portray the ruler’s vacuous hopes of a good life to come. Puabi’s body, and those of her unfortunate servants, as well as her gold and silver all lay for over three thousand years in the Death Pit until unearthed by Sir Leonard.

These treasures of Ur tell us that Abraham’s social and religious context was as sophisticated and pagan and claustrophobic as that of any Babylonian or Egyptian dynasty. Ur was desolate and barren of knowledge of the true God. Ur’s intrusive, lunar religion dominated life from birth to the grave.

During the ten generations from Noah through Shem to Abram the whole family of earth had played out its future and had nowhere to go. The culture of Babel, though dispersed, had triumphed. There was no foreseeable future other than darkness. And there was certainly no human power to invent a future. Mankind was hopelessly lost, except for the distant promise to Shem that blessing would come through his line (cf. 9:26, 27).

Preaching the Word – Preaching the Word – Genesis: Beginning and Blessing.

Our amazing universe

Josh Hunt — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:25:31 +0000

Anger costs

Josh Hunt — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 19:00:35 +0000

Anger is hazardous to your health.

In a study conducted by the Gallup Organization and reported in 1994, Philadelphia ranked first among U.S. cities on what was called the “hostility index.” The hostility index was based on a nine-question scale that asked people how they felt about such things as loud rock music, supermarket checkout lines, and traffic jams. Other cities on the hostility top five were New York, Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit. At the bottom of the hostility index were Des Moines, Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, and Honolulu.

Medical experts looking at the results felt it was no coincidence that the cities that rated high on the hostility index also had higher death rates. Commenting on the study, Dr. Redford Williams of Duke University Medical School said, “Anger kills. There is a strong correlation between hostility and death rates. The angrier people are and the more cynical they are, the shorter their life span.”

750 Engaging Illustrations.

Selected Proverbs Regarding the Tongue

Josh Hunt — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:47:19 +0000

10:11 — “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.”
10:18 — “He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.”
10:19 — “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
10:20 — “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.”
10:21 — “The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment.”
10:31 — “The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.”
10:32 — “The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.”
11:9 — “With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.”
11:11 — “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.”
11:12 — “A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.”
11:13 — “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.”
12:6 — “The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.”
12:19 — “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.”
12:22 — “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”
13:3 — “He who guards his lips guards his soul, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”
14:3 — “A fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.”
15:1 — “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
15:2 — “The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.”
15:4 — “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
15:7 — “The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.”
15:14 — “The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.”
15:23 — “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply — and how good is a timely word?”
15:28 — “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.”
16:1 — “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.”
16:13 — “Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.”
16:23 — “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.”
16:24 — “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
16:27 — “A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.”
16:28 — “A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.”
17:4 — “A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.”
17:7 — “Arrogant lips are unsuited to a fool — how much worse lying lips to a ruler!”
17:9 — “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”
17:20 — “A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.”
17:27 — “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.”
17:28 — “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”
18:2 — “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.”
18:4 — “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.”
18:6 — “A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.”
18:7 — “A fool’s mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”
18:8 — “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”
18:13 — “He who answers before listening — that is his folly and his shame.”
18:20 — “From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.”
18:21 — “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
19:1 — “Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.”
19:5 — “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.”
19:28 — “A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.”
20:15 — “Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.”
20:19 — “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
21:6 — “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”
21:23 — “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”
21:28 — “A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever.”
23:9 — “Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.”
24:1, 2 — “Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.”
24:26 — “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.”
24:28 — “Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive.”
25:11 — “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
25:15 — “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.”
25:23 — “As a north wind brings rain, so a sly tongue brings angry looks.”
26:2 — “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.”
26:7 — “Like a lame man’s legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.”
26:9 — “Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.”
26:20 — “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.”
26:22 — “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”
26:23 — “Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.”
26:24, 25 — “A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.”
29:20 — “Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
30:11, 12 — “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth.”
31:26 — “She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”

Disciplines of a Godly Man.

Sadie Hawkins Day and Ruth

Josh Hunt — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:53:00 +0000

In November of 1937 Sadie Hawkins first appeared in Al Capp’s comic strip, Li’l Abner. Sadie was so ugly that her father, the powerful mayor of Dog-patch, U.S.A., was afraid he’d never marry her off. In desperation, he decreed a Sadie Hawkins Day. All unmarried men in Dogpatch had to line up, and they got a ten-second head start before Sadie and the other unmarried women began running after them. The man each woman caught would end up in front of Marryin’ Sam for a shotgun wedding. Apparently Sadie was as quick as she was ugly and caught her man. But the ladies of Dogpatch liked it so much that it became an annual affair cherished by women and dreaded by bachelors.

While we smile at Al Capp’s cartoon world, there is no way around the fact that Ruth said to Boaz, “Marry me.” Think about it. Ruth was not a brazen woman. Would she have done this if Naomi had said nothing? No. She had a pattern of presuming nothing in her own behalf about anything (2:2,7). But here we see “a woman proposing to a man; a young person proposing to an older; a field worker proposing to the field owner, an alien proposing to a native, a poor person making the demand of a rich man” (Block, 687, 692).

Ruth put herself on the line. But this way, she could show her love for God by obeying his Word. She was willing to take part in a levirate custom for the Lord’s sake and for the sake of one of his people. As a consequence, by grace she was placed in the genealogical line of her Messiah!

Why take such a risk? There is a difference between giving of yourself and giving yourself! The hen and the hog were discussing their respective contributions to breakfast of eggs and bacon. For the hen it was an offering; for the hog it was total commitment! Everyone in this chapter is a “giver” not a “taker.” Naomi sought Ruth’s best interest. Ruth sought Naomi’s and Boaz’s best interests. Boaz sought Ruth’s and Naomi’s best interest. And sometimes total commitment involves taking risks—by faith!Holman Old Testament Commentary – Holman Old Testament Commentary – Judges, Ruth.

What does redemption mean?

Josh Hunt — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:25:24 +0000

The classic Bible example of redemption is the Exodus, when God set the people of Israel free from Egypt. In Egypt they were slaves—oppressed, suffering and in misery. But God acted to redeem them by sending them a man, Moses, through whom he brought them out of slavery and eventually into the land he had prepared for them. God so delights in redeeming people and is so expert in it that he does not only provide one illustration of his redeeming work, he provides many, including the story of Ruth. His redeeming work in the lives of Naomi and Ruth comes to its climax in Ruth 4.

The Vincent Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam displays many of the well-known masterpieces of the famous Dutch painter of the nineteenth century. In the basement of the museum there is a display of sketches Van Gogh did in advance of particular parts of his final masterpieces. So, for example, on the first page of one sketchpad, there is a pencil sketch of a human finger. On the next page there is a sketch of the same human finger, and on the next another, and on the next another, and so on. If we were able then to take that sketch and put it next to a finger of a character in one of Van Gogh’s masterpieces, we would find it was an exact match. Van Gogh, the master expert painter, produced these sketches—brilliant in themselves—all sketched in preparation for the final full colour masterpieces.

Every story of redemption in the Old Testament is similar. While stories like the Exodus are brilliant acts of redemption in themselves, they are actually only (as it were) illustrative sketches in advance of, and in preparation for, the ultimate masterpiece of redemption, when God provided for the redemption of rebellious sinners through the Redeemer, Jesus, to set them free from the chaos and disaster caused by sin.

Prime, J. (2007). Opening up Ruth (78–79). Leominster: Day One Publications.

What’s the deal with the kinsman redeemer?

Josh Hunt — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:22:35 +0000

His words in verse 4 indicate how important he regards the matter to be. The literal translation, “I thought I should uncover your ear,” indicates something of almost revelatory significance about to be communicated. Working strictly to the letter of the law, Boaz presents the challenge to the nearer kinsman, recognizing his prior claim but also asserting his own readiness to act if the nearer kinsman declines.

We hold our breath, only to be amazed by the man’s reply, “I will redeem it.” What has gone wrong? All that we have been led to expect since chapter 2 seems about to be blown to smithereens! But verse 5 reveals Boaz’s master stroke. The responsibility of the goºel (the redeemer) is also at the same time the responsibility of the “levir.” Probably the kinsman has dismissed the second idea, recognizing that Naomi’s age made it impossible for her to raise up another heir for Elimelech were he to marry her. The property would therefore have reverted to him alone, there being no heir, and this may well explain his eagerness to buy it. But Boaz now introduces the fact that Elimelech’s property, having technically passed to Mahlon and Chilion with his death, is somewhat entangled. The redeemer’s duty involves not only the mother of the two sons but their widows, of whom only one, Ruth, is present in Bethlehem. So, it is not just a straight case of buying the land, but of contracting the levitate marriage with Ruth to raise up a grandson to Elimelech. The one cannot be divorced from the other. The privilege entails the responsibility (v. 5).

The kinsman’s previous enthusiasm is stopped in its tracks (v. 6) and the reason he gives is that he would incur heavy financial obligations. David Atkinson comments, “Had he just been required to redeem the land, he would have been financially poorer, but at least the land would be his. The only way he could lose it would be if … a levirate son was born to Naomi, to whom the property would revert as legal heir of Elimelech … But if he were to marry Ruth and give her a levirate son, the property would revert to the son, and the kinsman would lose both his money and eventually the land.”

Jackman, D., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1991). Vol. 7: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 7 : Judges, Ruth. The Preacher’s Commentary series (344–345). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.

What is a kinsman redeemer?

Josh Hunt — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:47:00 +0000

The second concept that the Book of Ruth emphasizes is redemption. God’s providential hand in redeeming Ruth and Naomi from poverty is evident. He controlled circumstances so that Ruth and Boaz would meet, and He prompted Boaz to fulfill the responsibilities of the “close relative” or the kinsmanredeemer (3:9). The kinsman-redeemer was “the defender of family rights.” This individual was a close relative who had the financial resources to rescue a poverty-stricken family member, stepping in to save that relative from slavery or from having to sell the family’s ancestral land. In the story of Ruth, Boaz redeemed the land that Naomi was about to sell. He also took on another of the kinsman-redeemer’s responsibilities—the obligation of providing an heir for Ruth’s deceased husband, Mahlon. Dying without an heir was considered a tragedy in the ancient Middle East. To rectify this situation, the brother of a deceased man was expected to marry the widow in order to produce a child, who would be considered the heir of the deceased. This was called a levirate marriage. Boaz willingly took on this duty, even though he was not the nearest relative (3:12, 13). He bought the land from Naomi, married Ruth, and carried on the family name through the birth of their son. Through all these actions, Boaz exemplified the compassion and love of a redeemer. His life is an illustration for us of the compassion of Jesus, who is our Redeemer (Gal. 3:13).

Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

Reputation

Josh Hunt — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:21:25 +0000

A young man employed by our Sunday school board told the following searching story. He was invited at the last minute to preach at a church in Nashville. On sudden impulse he used as his text, “Thou shalt not steal.” The next morning he stepped on the bus and handed the driver a dollar bill. The driver handed him back his change. He stood in the rear of the bus and counted the change. There was a dime too much. His first thought was, “The bus company will never miss this dime.”

Then quickly came the realization that he could not keep money that did not belong to him. He made his way to the front and said to the driver, “You gave me too much change.” Imagine his surprise when the driver replied, “Yes, a dime too much. I gave it to you purposely. You see, I heard your sermon yesterday, and I watched in my mirror as you counted your change. Had you kept the dime I would never again have had any confidence in preaching.” What a tragedy if he had done the wrong thing! Remember our influence, our shadow-selves, may fall where we can never be. (Cf: Exodus 20:15)

—Sunday School Builder

Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.