Darash Chai - Seek Life!

Throughout the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul has been imploring the church at Corinth to seek unity over division in their dealings with each other. And each chapter of this book has been leveraged towards attempting to address areas of division within the body. But when we get to chapter 16 it seems as if all of that simply goes out the window in favor or personal greetings and Paul's future plans. But when we really stop and examine the chapter in full we find that Paul has not abandoned his previous topic, he is simply brining it full circle.

If there is one place in scripture where a person can turn to read the contents of the good news of the Gospel, that is 1 Corinthians 15. But when people approach this chapter, they often stop after verse 9. But that presents an issue, because the entirety of the gospel is not contained in just the first 9 verses. It is the entire chapter that relates the gospel message.

In the course of the Bible, there is only one chapter that even begins to talk about the practical application of Spiritual Gifts in the corporate worship service. And when covering this topic Paul uses two gifts in particular to make his point. Tongues and prophecy. Perhaps the two most controversial gifts in the modern age. But when we get down to it, there is one focus that is put on the church service when it comes to the gifts. Order over Chaos.

Ahh, the love chapter. So sublime. So poetic. So perfectly descriptive of the depths of love. Often when we come to this chapter in 1 Corinthians our minds shut down because we get lost in the depths of the love that is described in this chapter. But this chapter does not stand alone. It appears in the midst of Paul's description of the usage of the gifts of the Spirit. Why is it that Paul takes this moment to stop and extoll the greatest virtue of love?

In chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians Paul introduced a metaphor for the church that is aptly descriptive and yet goes much deeper than most realize. Yeshua while on this earth walked in a body. When His body left the earth in the ascension, you might assume that His body is no longer present. And yet, in 1 Corinthians Paul calls the church the body of Christ. And if we are the body of Yeshua then what are the implications of this line of thought?

For the past 3 chapters of 1 Corinthians, Paul has been addressing concerns that were raised in a letter that he received from them. In these chapters he has offered great insight into the role that the Christian should play in these situations. If we stop and examine all of these past four chapter and the problems that are addressed we will find that the solutions that Paul offers are not many. There is one solution. A solution that solves each of the issues that the church in Corinth faced.

The idea of sacrifice is all throughout scripture. From the very beginning when Cain and Abel offer the first recorded sacrifices, to the NT where sacrifice is something that becomes more personal. In the city of Corinth sacrifice was a ubiquitous practice but not to God. There were many gods worshipped in the city of Corinth, and food that was available to purchase had likely been offered in sacrifice to one of the many gods in the city. What was the Christian in this situation to do?

Paul has made the case in the previous chapters that there comes a point where a Christian should limit their actions when it comes to causing others to stumble. But in this chapter, Paul brings this topic home as he turns to the one thing that nearly everyone can agree is an important matter. Finances.

For many, the desire to be right is central to their belief. After all, truth is of vital importance and so defending what we see as true is a just cause. But there is a danger to the focused defense of the truth. A side effect that leaves victims in our wake as we seek to elevate our own ideas of what is true over the ideas of others. And as Paul continues in this letter he has addressed this danger, but in this chapter he brings his thoughts on the matter to the front.

When coming to Christ is is all too easy to become zealous. Zealous for God, for His kingdom, and for truth. But all too often this zealousness confuses being right with righteousness. And this can be a problem, because when we become zealous for being right, the outcomes can be detrimental to everything that Christ stands for.

There will from time to time arise issues between believers. We are human and we make mistakes, so what do we do when this occurs? Do we take it to the courts, or do we take it to the church? Well, Paul recommends taking these disuptes to the church, and his reasoning for saying this is quite profound.

It is all too easy as a Christian to try to disassociate from people who are engaged in egregious sin. There is a desire to try to remain pure in a world of wickedness and that means not engaging the wicked without addressing their sin. But Yeshua ate with sinners! Not as a way of legitimizing their sin, but as a means of calling them to repentance. So too, Paul recommends continuing relationships with sinners who are outside of the church. But those who continue to sin inside the church, well that is another matter.

Judgment is a hot topic in the modern world. Verses from Scripture are pulled out of context in order to make the claim that people are not to judge each other. And 1 Corinthians 4:5 is one of those verses. But when we take the entire context of this chapter, this verse cannot be a complete moratorium on judgment. Rather it is about engaging in a specific type of judgment.

The division in the Corinthian church was a major issue for Paul. It is such a foundational issue that Paul found it necessary to address this issue first. And with all of the other issues that Paul addresses in this letter to have this be the first, should tell us a lot about its importance. In chapter 3 Paul begins to address the source of unity for the church and to provide metaphors to describe the relationship between the foundation of the Christian faith, and what men build on that foundation.

The church of Corinth was divided and in disarray. Factions were forming and standing in opposition to each other. It is into this fray that Paul sends this letter to the Corinthian church. In the first few chapters, Paul makes an appeal for unity among the members of this church, but we also know that throughout the book, Paul demonstrates that division is also to occur from time to time. The question that then follows is, where does that line between division and unity lie?

The church at Corinth was a mess. There were many issues that it faced that Paul decided to confront through written letter. But what were those issues? What was the underlying cause that allowed those issues to propagate within the church? To discover this we need to examine the culture and context of the city of Corinth. Only then can we begin to understand the daunting task of discipling this church.

As the book of Joshua closes, Joshua gathers the leaders of the people of Israel to Shechem for the last time before his death. While there, Joshua closes the book in the same way that it opened. He encourages Israel to remain true to God and to keep His ways. It is in these last two chapters and the way that Joshua presents his appeal to Israel, that we find what set Joshua apart from the rest of his kinsmen.

As the war for Canaan draws to a close, the two and a half tribes that had chosen to settle beyond the Jordan River are released from their vow and are sent home. And all is at peace in the land. But on the way home these tribes decide to create a thing meant to bring continued peace and camaraderie with their brothers in the land, but this token of brotherhood is misunderstood and nearly leads to civil war.

In these two chapters of Joshua we read of the cities that were given to the Levites as their inheritance in the land of Canaan. As we read through this list there is one city that stands out among the others. The city of Hebron. A city that had already been granted to Caleb as his inheritance. How can this be? How can two families both inherit the same city?

Prophecy is a very misunderstood spiritual gift. But using this chapter and its descriptions of the tribal allotments for the remaining tribes, and then looking at the prophecies spoken over the tribes by both Jacob in Genesis 49 and Moses in Deuteronomy 33, we read of prophetic blessings that were spoken over each of the tribes, and when we compare these blessings to the tribal locations we discover some things of interest. Map 1: https://seeklifesc.com/wp-content/uploads/podcast/tribalallotments.jpg Map 2: https://seeklifesc.com/wp-content/uploads/podcast/settledland.jpg

The next two chapters of the book of Joshua are among the most dry chapters in the Bible. There is not a lot that occurs in these chapters as they are simply an accounting of the tribal allotments for the remaining seven tribes of Israel. But at the beginning of chapter 18, Joshua sends out men to scout the inheritance that lay before them and report on it. Well, we too have an inheritance and this chapter serves as a great time to scout out our own inheritance that God has given us.

After the tribe of Judah has been given their inheritance the next in line are the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. The sons of Joseph who were adopted by Jacob. When these tribes are given their allotments thought there is a huge discrepancy. Ephraim only gets one allotment while Manasseh receives 10! Why is it that Manasseh receives 10x the land while having less that 2x the people, and what must Ephraim do in order to gain more room for growth?

As we begin to read the chapters of Joshua that deal with the dividing of the land to the various tribes, it is easy to simply check out and seek to move on to more exciting texts. But if we were to do this we would miss out on the simple story that is featured in the midst of these lists. The story of Caleb's tribal brother. A man who is also a son of Kenaz. A Gentile for all intents and purposes. And this gentile is rewarded with status and honor for his feat of prowess, but the reward is not enough to sustain life. More is required and so more is requested.

In Numbers 13 and 14 we read of the faith of Joshua and Caleb when they reported on their scouting trip to Canaan. Despite their faith, Israel reacted in fear to the report of the spies and that generation was prevented from entering the land. Forty-five years later, Israel is in the land and the time has come for Caleb to get his reward. But as we consider the reward that was granted to Caleb we discover that there was more going on than we might expect.

With the fighting over and Israel now firmly ensconced in the land of Canaan, we are introduced to a problem. Not all of the enemy was driven out of the land. And not all of the land was settled. This issue becomes a problem for Israel in the centuries that follow, and this chapter hints at, not just the problem, but also at the reason for the problem.

This short pivotal chapter that takes up the prime real estate of the middle of the book is perhaps one of the most boring of the book. This chapter features simply a list of names of the kings that Israel had conquered up to this point. But while this chapter is short and repetitive, there is a principle that is hinted at that explodes this book wide open. Especially when we compare it to the other book at the other end of the wilderness. The book of Exodus.

The book of Joshua is often derided as presenting a God who is unloving and vengeful. These remarks often come from people who want a God who is all love. One who would never judge them or anyone else for wickedness or sin. But the Bible presents a different view of God from the one that the world wants. A God who is love, yes, but also a God who is Just. A God who will pay back evil deeds on those who persist in their evil without repentance.

Joshua is often considered a book of conquest, and yet when you read Joshua you discover that only two chapters of the book contain any sort of prolonged warfare, and the first of these is chapter 10. Now, it is all too easy to be tempted to pull out maps and attempt to discern the various places and to read this chapter simply for its historical value, but when we get down to it, that doesn't help us much. Instead, we need to use the book of Joshua as a guide. Because we are all in a war at all times. A spiritual war for the very lives of men. And when we examine Joshua from the viewpoint of what we can learn when fighting this war, we discover that there are many truths presented here that we can use even today.

The idea of covenant is central recurring themes of Scripture. From the covenants with Noah, Abraham, and David, to the Old and New Covenants with Israel, covenants are found throughout. Every time that we find a covenant it is binding on all parties, and breaking the covenant comes with serious consequences. So what do you do when you are tricked into making a covenant with your enemy?

After the crushing defeat at Ai, and the removal of the offense from the camp of Israel, the army is now ready to attack this small fortress once a second time. But this time, rather than making the decision on how to attack Ai on their own, they consult God on the strategy to use, and from this we can learn a lot about how to wage our own battles.

Just after the victory at Jericho, Israel presses on to their next target. A small fortress town called simply Ai. After what had happened in the first victory, this small town should pose no real threat. And yet, in their first encounter with this city, Israel is defeated and driven back. The reason that Israel loses is quite simple. Commands had been given regarding what was to be done with the plunder from Jericho, but one man got greedy and decided to take some for himself.

The battle for Jericho is one of the more memorable stories in the Bible. The armies of God march around a city and in the end the wall fall down and Israel is able to defeat the first city of Canaan without any sort of opposition. Most people are at least passingly familiar with this story. But when we dig into the story in the context of the narrative, and in the context of scripture, there are several things that are revealed that shed a new light on this old story.

The first thing that Israel does after crossing the Jordan is to engage in a practice that would leave them in physical pain and vulnerable to attack. This cutting of the flesh is then followed up by a memorial festival of Passover. The reason that these steps are necessary might seem shocking, but let's just say that Israel in the wilderness was not as faithful to God's commands as we might think. Even this second generation had left things undone, and that needed to be remedied.

While Israel is still crossing the Jordan, God asks Joshua to build something. A memorial to the event that is currently happening in the narrative. Just one of many memorials that we find being commanded in the Bible. Why is it that God commands people to create and enact memorials? Because we are human, and we trust our senses of the current world more than we trust our memories of what God has done. And a memorial bridges the gap to act as a current physical reminder of that past to propel us forward into the unknown.

The time has come for Israel to cross the Jordan river into the land of Canaan. Normally this would not be a great undertaking, until you consider the size of the Israeli army, and that it was flood season for the Jordan. There was no reasonable way to get the army across the river. That is, until God intervened. He had parted the water before, and He does so again in spectacular fashion. But that is just the setting of this narrative. There is something more going on here, just below the surface. Pun fully intended.

Before the conquest begins, Joshua sends two spies into Jericho. While in the city, these spies encounter a woman who engaged in an inherently sinful profession. And in this woman we find a microcosm of the larger story at play in the book of Joshua. Two forces. Two leaders. Two nations. Two Spies. And one woman with two lives. It is in this contrast of twos that we find the second step on the journey toward the inheritance.

The book of Joshua is often seen as a book of history in the modern world. Simply a recounting of historical facts with little theological implications to be drawn from it. But in the Jewish tradition, Joshua is a book of prophecy. It is a book with a revelation to the people of God. As such, it contains a message that is applicable today. As such, it contains a pattern. A pattern that culminates in inheritance, but it begins with a call to faith.

The final chapters of Job include one of the more fascinating depictions in the Bible. Two grand creatures that appear out of mythology and onto the pages of scripture. It is extremely easy, while in these last chapters, to get distracted by the Behemoth and Leviathan and miss the concepts that are present in the last chapter. Concepts that are meant to be central to the life of every believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God finally speaks. Job has asked for this moment. He has wished for a chance to make his case before God, and God has responded. The response Job gets, however, is not what anyone was expecting. Rather than receiving an answer to suffering, Job is simply presented a host of unanswerable questions.

As Elihu ends his speech much of what he has to say sounds good. In fact, vast portions of his speech are repeated in the upcoming chapters by God Himself. And yet, when God arrives on the scene He accuses Elihu of being without knowledge and of dark speech. What is it in this speech that is so far off from the truth? Well, Elihu reveals something about himself in these closing chapters. He reveals a double-minded nature that is so easy to fall into. Fortunately we have this example to look at so that we can avoid making the same trap.

Job's friends have finished their arguments. Job has finally laid to rest his defense. Out of nowhere comes a zealous young man who feels it is his duty to defend God from Job's assertions. There is a problem. Elihu's certainty of how God is capable of acting blinds him of how God has actually acted. This is a trap that anyone and everyone can and likely has fallen into, and when we do so, we do this to our own detriment.

Last Episode Job's friends rested their case against Job, but how did it come to this? Job suffered a great loss and was a victim, and yet, as his friends tried to comfort him, their comfort turned into an attack against Job's character. In response He was forced to defend himself. This week Job rests his defense with a series of speeches that address this state of affairs. How did this person tragedy of loss turn into a direct indictment of Job, and did he in some way deserve this treatment?

With one last short shot across the bow, Bildad and the rest of Job's friends have had their say. This leaves Job open to finally be able to speak his mind. As Job begins to speak, at first he simply repeats what has already been said, but then, in a surprising move, Job begins to question the source of wisdom. It is at this point that, in this abstract discussion that we find the turning point in the book.

Job has turned a corner and is beginning to gain his footing once again. And it is a good thing that Job is thinking more clearly once again, because the confrontation of Job's friends is about to get real personal. Before, the comments about the evil person have been rather generalized. "They do this," and "he does that." Now Eliphaz changes these statements into a direct attack against Job. "You are doing these things, Job." In response, Job doesn't get angry. Rather he offers a contrast between himself and the wicked.

Job's friends continue to cast accusations at Job by comparing Job's current situation to their own ideas of how God should work in the world. Their only understanding of God as the one who punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous does not allow for a righteous man to experience tragedy. Up until now, Job has been floundering. At first these attacks left him reeling and grasping for a defense, but as the same accusations continue to be thrown at him he is slowly getting his bearing. This week, Job changes tactics. His previous defenses have fallen on deaf ears, but now Job takes a different approach.

Round and round the condemning thoughts go. Accusing and condemning and circling around and around without ceasing. Bildad is back and this time he is pulling no punches. The tactic that Bildad takes in attacking Job is all too common. How can we ensure that we don't fall into the pattern of Bildad when confronted with those who are on the downward spiral?

At this point in the book of Job we begin to encounter a lot of repetition. Everything that is being said seems to have been said already? Why is it that this ancient scroll would spend so much ink rehashing these same arguments over and over? Unless there is something of profound importance that we can learn from the nuances that are found in the midst of this repetition.

The three friends of Job have had their say. Each of them have been less than helpful in their own way. For the next three chapters Job responds to the friends and in doing so we see him turn the page on his grief. Through some subtle clues we find that Job is no longer in the stage of depression. He is moving on as the reality sets in, and as he finds a closer target for his anger than God.

When attempting to help a person who is dealing with grief and depression, it can often feel like the process is taking too long. At some point the temptation arises to take a hard line with the person that is

As Job continues to be challenged by his friends we see one of the more common issues that people face with depression. The continuous cycle of negative thoughts that seem unescapable. Round and round the mind goes, trodding the same

As Job's friends continue to counsel him after the great losses that he has suffered, they continue to go back to the tried and true understanding of God that is contrary to Job's lived experience. Bildad, like Eliphaz before, points