Session 2

September 8, 2024

PURPOSE ABANDONED

Psalm 8:1-6; 14:1-7

Potential. The word is filled with promise, as in, “He has such great potential…” But it is also riddled with doubt. “…It’s a shame he didn’t live up to it.” And so it is with mankind. God created the world so that His greatest creation would have a place to live out his greatest potential. It’s a shame we couldn’t live up to it! David authored both Psalm 8 and Psalm 14. In Psalm 8, we see man’s great potential. In Psalm 14, we see man’s great folly.

Man’s rightful place (8:1-6). Here, the King James shines: “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” The first Lord is Yahweh, the Lord’s covenant-keeper name. The second Lord is Adonai, best translated as “master.” But it’s the second phrase that carries such emotion. His name is magnificent, and His authority stretches throughout creation, from the earth to the heavens. So profound is His majesty, that simple and innocent children proclaim it even when God’s enemies do not (v. 2; see Matt. 21:16). It is against this backdrop of God’s magnificence that David compares the station of man. I can’t help but picture him as a boy, on the hillsides of Bethlehem, stretched in the dewy grass above his sheep, gazing at the stars. Who can walk out in the star-filled night (v. 3), take in such endless galaxies, and not feel terribly tiny and incredibly insignificant? (v. 4). And that’s the point! Yet man, in all of his frailty, is the crown jewel of creation. We were made in God’s image (v. 5) and given special honor. And our Creator—in His infinite and ever-surprising wisdom (or whimsy?)—for some reason, put us in charge of the place! For reflection: How do you reconcile God’s sovereignty with man’s folly? Did mankind let God down? Or is man’s sinfulness somehow part of God’s wise plan? What do you think?

Man’s wrongful pride (14:1-3). In direct contrast to God’s display of magnificence in Psalm 8, David records the atheist’s display of foolishness: “There is no God.” I have often taught that an atheist is not an intellectual, but a liar. And he is lying to himself! The God-denier is a fool for several reasons. First, the atheist denies the clear teaching of Scripture. Romans 1 makes it clear that creation itself demonstrates there is a God, as does man’s own conscious; what I call the “hole in our soul” that bears witness internally that there is indeed a God (see Rom. 1:18ff). Second, the atheist is foolish because he will one day face the judgment of our God, who loved the same people that deny Him! In reality, the atheist is troubled about God. If one acknowledges God, he is then accountable to Him, and thus required to submit to Him. Adrian Rogers used to say, “An atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman!" The remaining verses (some of which are quoted by Paul in Romans 3), describe what I call the “sinfulness of sin.” Yet all this depravity stems from verse 1, the notion that no God exists, and if He does, He is impotent against us. For reflection: Remember, when all is said and done, there is really only one sin: pride. It got Lucifer kicked out of heaven (Is. 14). It got Adam and Eve kicked out of the garden (Gen. 3). And it’s the issue we all struggle with every day. Deep down, we all want to be God!  

God’s righteous retribution (14:4-7). The downward slide of this Psalm comes to its lowest level in verse 4. The God-deniers simply don’t get it. Because they prey on the righteous and because they refuse to call upon the One who can save them, they run headlong into God’s judgement. The remaining verses form the Psalm’s happy ending. Notice both a promise and a plea. The promise comes in verses 5-6. The days of the foolish are numbered, and God’s judgement is certain. The plea comes in verse 7. David speaks for all of God’s people here. His passionate disapproval of the foolish is turned to an anxious awaiting for God to demonstrate not only His existence…but His righteous retribution. For reflection: Do you think all lost people are God-deniers? Or does God make special allowances for the innocent? If so, who qualifies as innocent?

Session 1

September 1, 2024

PURPOSE QUESTIONED

Ecclesiastes 1:1-14

We’ve all been there. We find ourselves in a melancholy mood and question whether who we are and what we do in this life has any significance whatsoever. Does my life matter? Will I leave some legacy that others might remember? Does anybody really care? Do I even care?

Perhaps these kinds of thoughts were those that King Solomon felt as he penned the book of Ecclesiastes. At first glance, the book is somewhat depressing. But by the end, the lesson is profound. It’s all about the quest for finding meaning in life, and it all starts with a question.

Unfulfilled expectations (vv. 1-3). The word ecclesiastes has no direct English equivalent. Basically, it denotes one who calls a meeting, or addresses an assembly. In our context, the best translation is “preacher.” The book is one continuous composition. As king (v. 1), Solomon had the time and resources to reflect on those things that he felt ought to bring meaning to his life. Indeed, he was on a quest. Verse 2 sets the theme for the entire book. The word “futility” (in the Holman) or “vanity” (in the King James), is the Hebrew word for vapor or breath. It appears thirty-seven times in Ecclesiastes’ 12 chapters. It conveys the idea of a fading mist. In essence, Solomon suggests that everything he has done—and by extension, everything that mankind has done—is temporary, empty of meaning, insignificant, and soon forgotten. How depressing! To make his frustrations tangible, he asks the question in verse 3. Notice the negative tone of the verse. In his mind, man should “gain” something in this life. It is marked by “effort” and “labor” toiled about “under the sun.” Even as king, Solomon felt that life was a struggle. For reflection: Notice that Solomon begins his quest by stating his conclusion to it! The rest of the book explains why he felt that way.

Unending cycles (vv. 4-7). These verses set man’s life in the context of nature. The earth itself is still here (v. 4), a permanent stage upon which the human drama is played out. Generations of humanity have come and gone, yet nothing seems to change. Verses 5-7 give examples of the seemingly never-ending cycles that we observe. The sun rises every day with great certainty (and promise), only to fade—panting—in the evening to reappear at dawn. By implication, the days turn into weeks, then months, then years. The wind moves about from north, to south, to east, to west, with no discernable pattern and no lasting effect (v. 6). Yet it continues to blow. The streams of water all continue to flow, ultimately emptying into the sea (v. 7), yet the sea doesn’t fill up; hence, the process never ends. For reflection: I love the beach and the constant (and mesmerizing) motion of the waves. I often say its great appeal is that the waves are never changing, yet never the same. Solomon sees these cycles as futility, but is there not some value to consistency? What do you think?  

Unanswered questions (vv. 8-11). Set against the steadfastness of nature is the frailty of humanity. Verse 8 can refer back to the previous verses, indicating the preacher could go on and on with countless examples; or it can point forward to man’s inability to find satisfaction as pointed out in the verses that follow. Either way, Solomon infers that thinking about all this and trying to express it is exhausting! Seeing it unfold doesn’t help, and hearing about it is equally frustrating (v. 8). His conclusion? “Whatever we think we are doing for this world has already been done (v. 9); whatever freshness we think we bring to life is not fresh at all (v. 10); and whatever lasting contribution we make to life is not lasting at all” (v. 11). For reflection: How much of Solomon’s argument do you agree with? Is he being cynical, or just being honest?

Unsatisfied explorations (vv. 12-14). These verses finish up the introduction to the remainder of the book. As king, Solomon had the unique opportunity not only to contemplate the meaning of life, but to pursue those things people think will give meaning to life. His story is often sad yet gave him the perspective he needed to understand where true meaning can really be found. For reflection: Remember that thus far, Solomon is approaching all this through the eyes of a lost person. Read the entire book of Ecclesiastes to see what happens when God is added to the mix!

Session 6

August 25, 2024

BARUCH

Jeremiah 36:4-8, 16-18; 45:1-5

a·man·u·en·sis: noun.

-a literary or artistic assistant; in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts.

There are several indicators that some of the Bible authors used amanuenses to record some of their Scriptures. The apostle Paul depended upon Tertius to record the book of Romans (Rom. 16:22). Isaiah had his own following of disciples, and they, too, may have recorded some of his dictation (see Is. 8:16). Peter mentions a Silvanus “through” whom he wrote. But the best-known amanuensis in the Bible is probably Baruch, who wrote down the Scriptures as dictated by the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. In his story, we see the importance of those people who came along side of God’s heroes, and who did such important work. Three characteristics of Baruch made him a valuable asset to the prophet.

Honesty (36:4-8). The name Baruch means “blessed.” When he was introduced in 32:12 as “the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah.” There, he was charged with witnessing and delivering the bill of sale for a purchase of land Jeremiah made from his cousin. Here, his pedigree is barely mentioned, but is given to identify this Baruch as the same one. Obviously, Baruch was more than “blessed;” he was trusted. This was important to Jeremiah, for his assistant was charged with two substantial responsibilities. First, he was instructed to record the words of Jeremiah that the prophet received by divine inspiration (v. 4). Hence, the inspiration, inerrancy and infallibility of God’s word was absolutely preserved. Second, because Jeremiah was imprisoned at the time, Baruch was charged with reading the scroll to both the general population and the Jewish leaders at the temple in Jerusalem (see vv. 10-15). Additional responsibilities were not assigned but assumed. Baruch would be forced to defend himself before the Jewish leaders (v. 17), then hide and protect Jeremiah from the repercussions of what he wrote (v. 19). It’s important to note that Jeremiah shared with Baruch his motivation. Verses 7-9 reveal the Weeping Prophet’s sorrow at what would take place in his prophecy and his plea that his people would repent. For reflection: Verse 8 seems insignificant at first glance. Why do you think these lines were added? What do they tell us about Baruch’s character? 

Accuracy (36:16-18). As instructed, Baruch read the scroll that Jeremiah had dictated to the people and the Jewish leaders on a day of fasting proclaimed by the king (v. 9). The message of God’s coming judgement against Judah so shook the people that Baruch was summoned to a meeting with the temple leaders and instructed to re-read the text to them (vv. 11-15). The scribes were sufficiently afraid of the prophesied calamity, and sufficiently loyal to their duties, that they dared not keep the message of it from Jehoiakim the king (v. 16). But before doing so, they needed to confirm the accuracy of the scroll. This was not meant to discredit Baruch; their respect for him and for Jeremiah was already established. But they wanted details before going to the king. Brauch’s response was simple and direct. Jeremiah dictated the words, and as he spoke them, Baruch wrote them “on the scroll in ink” (v. 18). For reflection: I mentioned the people’s respect for Baruch and Jeremiah was already established. What clues from the story indicate this respect?

Accountability (45:1-5). Many scholars suggest these verses are out of place and were intended for the end of chapter 36. Either way, this seemingly “tagged on” text gives us some fresh insight into Baruch’s thoughts and actions. In general, this seems to be God’s response to Baruch’s uncertainties regarding his task. Verse 3 indicates Baruch’s personal fears of the coming doom. No doubt, as he wrote the prophecies of Judah’s destruction, he saw the lives of his family and his people at stake. This added the misery he described, his fatigue and lack of rest. The encouragement came in the form of a mild rebuke that reminded Baruch of God’s absolute sovereignty (v. 4), and in the form of a promise: Baruch’s life would be spared (v. 5). For reflection: Baruch worked for Jeremiah, yet God had a special word for him. What does this text tell us about God’s expectations? What about His rewards?