Who Created God?

 Natural laws point us to God.

Joshua Earle

WHEN GOD CONFRONTED Job, he used rhetorical questions to reveal his omnipotence. He spoke of the sea, of rain in the desert, and of mysteries beyond the grave. Toward the end of the chapter 38, God also asks Job about the stars and the sky, saying:

Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you establish their rule on the earth?

Job 38:33

In using the word ordinance, God reminds Job that the universe doesn't spin by accident. The galaxy rotates on purpose at the command of the creator. In fact ordinance, as defined by Merriam Webster, means, "a law set forth by a governmental authority."¹

This is an important distinction, because laws—whether natural or not—point to a lawgiver. Consider what physicist Isaac Newton had to say about natural laws:

The Undiscovered Country: God's Plan to Redeem You and Eliminate Suffering

Because Jesus faced the gates of death, we need not fear them.

Anton Konovalov

HAVE THE GATES of death been revealed to you,

    or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

Job 38:17

These are just two of the many rhetorical questions God asked Job in response to Job's request for audience with the LORD. Job asked why, and God responded with questions of his own.

These weren't intended to dismiss or avoid Job's concerns, but rather to reinforce God's omnipotence and omniscience. The questions instead served as a reminder to Job that he could not possibly comprehend the complexity behind the answers he sought.

Yet this isn't to say God didn't offer any hope or satisfactory answers. On the contrary, Job walked away fully content. Perhaps all he needed was reassurance that God really is in control. And God did offer hope as we see in verse 17 above. While the mention of death and deep darkness may not stand out as particularly inspiring, bear with me as I attempt to explain.

Why Do the Wicked Still Sacrifice?

A preview of June's email-only article.

Mouaadh Tobok

WE CANNOT MANIPULATE God.

That sounds obvious, right? But if it's so apparent, why do people still attempt to do so?

Solomon wrote about the sacrifices of wicked people and how they are an abomination to God, which lead me to ask why. Why would the wicked even bother offering sacrifices to the Lord?

I attempt to answer that very question in this month's email-exclusive article. And, while the concept of sacrifice might seem foreign to us, we still do the very same things Solomon warned against.

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Here's a snippet of this month's exclusive:

THE WORD SACRIFICE is a foreign term to our ears. Sacrifice carries tones of ancient mythologies, Eastern mysticism, or Central American temples. We still use the word, but it carries a different connotation, often in the context of time or money. A good man might sacrifice to provide for his family, for example. 

Readers of the Old Testament are familiar with concept of sacrifice in the Jewish context, but the notion still rings odd in the 21st century Western ear because of our lack of first hand knowledge. It's a little like learning about music from a book; you have to experience it for yourself to understand. 

Nevertheless, sacrifice was an essential part of the ancient world.

 

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What Are You Known For?

  Start living for what you want to be known.

Tim Mossholder

WE KNOW PEOPLE based on their actions. Good or bad, reputations have a way of preceding us. John was "the Baptist." Frank Sinatra, "the Voice." Pinocchio, liar.

In Proverbs 21:24, Solomon writes about a different nickname. He wrote,

"'Scoffer' is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

    who acts with arrogant pride."

In case you're wondering, as I was, what exactly the word scoffer means, here is the definition according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Stop Acting Rich

   A preview of May's email-only article.

IT IS UNDENIABLE that God has a heart for the poor.

The Bible is replete with commandments and admonitions to care for the less fortunate. King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 21:13 that "whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered." And Jesus echoed a similar message with the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16.

But Jesus pushed the issue beyond material wealth, which gives Solomon's proverb another level of meaning. And that's exactly what we're discussing in this month's email-only article.

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This is a chilling parable for those who heed not the words of Solomon and ignore the cries of the poor. And Abraham's mention of Moses and the Prophets reinforces the point above. God not only cares about the less fortunate, but he also commanded the people of Israel numerous times and in multiple ways to take care of them.

But I bring up the parable here only to show that Solomon's proverb contains a spiritual dimension as well.

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Don't Follow Your Heart

 Your heart is a liar.

Jon Tyson

YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD the terrible advice in movies, on Instagram, or even in person from a friend or family member: Follow Your Heart.

For example: "Follow your heart: it knows the way."

Or this frightening quotation: "When you are in alignment with the desires of your heart, things have a way of working out."

The aphorism is so prevalent, you might conclude the advice originates somewhere in Scripture. In fact, the Bible tells us the opposite. Jeremiah 17:9 is a good example: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Not exactly something you would want to follow, is it?

Solomon wrote about the heart in similar fashion. He wrote, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart" (Prov. 21:2). This passage is not as explicit as the one above, but is just as telling. Taking a deeper look will help us understand why it's unwise to follow your heart and what to do instead.

Why We Fear The One Who Made Us

  A preview of April's email-only article.

Caleb Woods

DOES IT EVER seem like God is hiding from us?

If he's really out there, why won't he show us his glory?

It turns out there's a good explanation for this phenomenon, something we're examining in this month's email-exclusive article.

Every month I publish an exclusive article for my email subscribers, and if you'd like instant, free access, fill out the form below. (If you are already a subscriber, check your inbox!)

Here's a snippet of this month's exclusive:

GOD CANNOT BE contained in any analogy we could conjure, but have you ever considered the paradoxical nature of our sun? Without the sun we could not survive. But were we to venture too near the sun we would perish as well. Even gazing at the yellow dwarf proves injurious.

 

God is a little like the sun. We cannot stand in God's presence without ceasing to exist. And yet, since God is our creator and sustainer, we would not exist at all without him.

 

When Moses asked to see God's glory, God replied he would show Moses his "goodness," but he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live" (Exo. 33:19, 20). Even Moses, who met regularly with God, could not survive an unveiled glimpse of the Almighty.

 

Job was well aware of the awesome, terrifying, and potentially fatal repercussions of an interaction with God. And yet, what he wanted most above all else was an audience with the Creator so he could plead his case. So after preparing his arguments, Job requested two things of God: "Withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me" (13:21).

 

This passage is intriguing. Here's why.

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