The Second Book of Esdras

How the Bible was canonized is not clear.  Apparently it was canonized in several phases over several years.  Why 39 plus 27 books?  Why not 70 books or 76 books? See https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/who-decided-what-went-into-the-bible.html

In particular, which apocalyptic books to include was even harder to imagine.  Why the Book of Revelation was included in the New Testament?  Why the Second Book of Esdras was included only in the Apocrypha?

2 Esdras tells us many interesting things about the End of the Age.  It answers many questions which we ourselves would ask:

Here are some excerpts:

"Please tell me," I asked "do you think I will live until that time (the end of Age)? If not, who will be alive when it happens?"
He answered "I can tell you some of the signs of the end, if that is what you are asking;  but I am not here to tell you how long you will live, and in any case, I don't know.
"But these are the signs:  The time will come when all people on earth will be in the grip of great confusion.  The way of truth will be hidden, and no faith will be left in the land.  Wickedness will increase until it has become worse than you have ever known it to be.  The country that you now see ruling the world will lie in ruins with no inhabitant or traveler there...
I replied.  "But couldn't you have created all human beings, those of the past, the present, and the future, so that they would all live at the same time?...
He answered, "The creation cannot move faster than the Creator.  And besides, the world wouldn't have been able to hold all the people if everyone had been created at the same time."...

For more interesting conversations, read all the 7 visions of Esdras.

No, Prayers are not answered all the time.

Priests and pastors have been telling people why prayers are not answered.  So far, I have not heard a truly good explanation.

"All prayers will be answered if they are prayed according to God's will".  Are they?

I note 2 obvious scenarios where, even if the prayers are 'according to God's will', they are not answered.

1) Even if it is according to God's will, if sinful humans mess up, the prayers will not be answered. For example, at every weekly mass, devout Catholics pray for their pope, bishops, priests and religious.  Yet in some countries, the church is filled with some priests who are also paedophiles.  Yes, prayers by devout Catholics for God's blessings on their church leaders are according to God's will.  But God would not answer these prayers to bless the sinful ones.

2) Even if it is according to God's will, if Nature mess up, the prayers will not be answered.  For example, Christians pray for peace all the time.  They prayed for safety when a disaster, could be a hurricane or a typhoon, was expected.  The disaster did come, and many people perished.  Surely it is according to God's will for His people to live safety.  But God also allowed Nature to exercise its freewill.  God would not go against the fury of Nature most of the time. Hence the prayers of the devout were again not answered.

I must add that, God being all-mighty, could of course override the sinfulness of men or the fury of Nature, and answer all prayers for peace and for well-being.  But usually He allows the free-will of men and Nature to prevail.  However, once in a while, He may do otherwise.  We do not know when.  It is a mystery.

1 Samuel Chapter 1: Godly Assurance. Hannah's joy.

"Go in peace." Eli said, "and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for." 1Sam 1:17.

If we believe in God, and we pray to God, then why we are still anxious after we pray?

It's because we do not know whether God agree with our prayer.  We are not sure.

Once we are assured that we are praying according to God's will, we will not be anxious anymore.

That was what happened to Hannah.  She was deeply distressed and prayed for a son.  The priest Eli assured her that "God give you what you have asked Him for".  Assured, she went away, no longer sad.

If we are not assured, we will remain miserable and anxious.  So how and where to find God's assurance?

Well.  Know God.  Read the Bible.  The answer is there.  The Holy Spirit speaks through the written words.

Everyone did whatever he pleased

The last sentence in the Book of Judges summarized half the book, or even the whole book.

Judges chapter 14 to 16.  The story of Samson killing more people at his death than he killed during his life, was quite unbelievable.  (Really? Just by cracking 2 columns of a big building?)  But let's not interpret it literary.  Just glean the message of how Samson had failed God.

Judges chapter 17 to 21.  The episode of how Israelites went to war to wipe out one of her own tribe, the Benjaminites.  And then worried about the prospect that Israel would end up with eleven tribes instead of twelve, since the remaining Benjaminites had no women to procreate.  And how they devised a terrible plan of procuring women by war.

It was a total mess.  The conclusion:  "There was no king in Israel at that time. Everyone did whatever he pleased." Judges 21:25  As if, if there is a king, things could be much better.  LOL.

Now, look at the world today.  The trade war between US and China, the fire that burnt off the Amazon forest and the Indonesia forest and all the wild animals there.  The mess created by the protesters in Hong Kong, the miseries of climate change, the Brexit fury and hurt.  Basically the world is getting messier each day, and heading towards self-destruction.

But we have Kings and Presidents and Prime Ministers in the world in the present era.  Plenty of them.  Some even elected by the people themselves.

So may I add Judges 22 verse1:  "By and by, there were many kings and rulers, and they did whatever they pleased.  LOL.

Lets go back to the Lord.

Don't Believe Everything (Sirach / Ecclesiasticus)

Years ago, while in church, some passages were read from Ecclesiasticus.  I could not find the Book of Ecclesiasticus.

The Book of Sirach has many other names.  It is also called the Wisdom of Sirach, the Book of  Ben Sira and the Book of Ecclesiasticus.  I used to confuse this book with the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is one of the 66 books of the main bible.  Ecclesiasticus is written between 200 to 175 BCE, and is found in the inter-testament or deuterocanonical books section.

It's amazing how so many words of wisdom, written 2,200 years ago, are still applicable today.

Sir 18:17:  Kinds words are more effective than the best gifts.

Sir 19:6:    Avoid idle talk, and you will avoid a lot of trouble.

Sir 19:15:  DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR.

Sir 20:18:  A slip of the tongue is worse than a slip on the pavement.

Sir 21:25:  Presumptuous people talk about things that are none of their business.

Lessons from the California Fire 2018

The California Fire (now, November 2018) is a big thing.  Whole town is on fire.  31 fatalities and the count is rising.

Of course God knows about the raging fire. But since God is merciful, and Christians are praying, so why God is not acting?

The simple answer, gleaned from all the Israelite-events (except one**) recorded in the Old Testament, is that the omni-present God has turned His face away, waiting for the people to come back to Him.  I do hope the Californian people will respond positively and seek God again.

The only exception** in the Old Testament where the godly suffered immensely, is JOB.  JOB suffered beyond what he could bear, all because God trusted his godliness, and permitted satan to test him.

God has kind words for all who turn to Him.

"Behold the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save;
Neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear."
"...If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Isaiah 59:1, 2 Chronicles 7:14.

There is Hope.

GRACE - A new era

Dake's Annotated Bible mentions that after the birth of Christ, this era is the 'Dispensation of Grace'.

Now, as I read the Old Testament this week, I encountered my favorite verse 2 Chron 7:14 again:
If my people who are called by My name
- humble themselves
- and pray,
- and seek My face
- and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will 
- hear from heaven,
- will forgive their sin,
- and heal their land.
So in the Old Testament era, we need to do 4 things, then God will do 3 things.

Now, in the New Testament, my favorite verse is John 3:16:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
So in the New Testament era, we do not have to do anything.  We just believe in Him.

This is Grace.  We are saved NOT because we deserve it, NOT because we work for it.  

It sounds funny and too simple.  But the LORD is near to all who call upon Him. (Ps 145:16).  Dispensation of Grace.

Judaism and Reincarnation

The attached article is from THE CATHOLIC NEWS dated 28 October 2018, Singapore.

I find it very interesting that Judaism believes in reincarnation, just like other eastern religions.  When I read the Bible, there were some references where the Jewish people asked whether Elijah had come again,  or whether Moses had come again.

However, eastern religions go one step further and included the principle of Karma. And base on the  combined concepts of reincarnation and karma, the eastern religions could answer any question relating to death, life and suffering.

The power of self-suggestion

Let's say you dislike eating papaya. Then try this: Repeat "I like eating papaya" 30 times a day. Do that for 5 years.  Would you manage to convince yourself to like eating papaya?  Most likely you can, less likely you can't.

Some people call this psycho-yourself, or auto-suggestion, or simply manipulating the mind. It is powerful.  WhatsApp viral messages can use this technique to change the way a person thinks. Advertisers use this technique to sell their products.

Awareness is our best defence.

Why did God want to kill Moses ?

I have been puzzled by this for a long time:

Exodus 4:21-26 reads (NIV version):

²¹ The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. ²² Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, ²³ and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'"
²⁴ At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. ²⁵ But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. ²⁶ So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.) (Exodus 4:21-26)

In Exodus 3, God asked Moses to take on the task of confronting Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses retorted that he was neither suitable and nor up to the task. God provided Moses with power, and the assurance that Moses could accomplish this.  And so finally, Moses packed his bags and brought his family to travel to Egypt to carry out his assignment.

Then out of nowhere, Exodus 4:24 says God met Moses along the way and was about to kill him.  I was puzzled why God suddenly wanted Moses dead.

I searched the internet and read a few commentaries.  Experts tried to speculate that Moses had sinned and now God had to remove him.  But it doesn't make sense because God had just patiently convinced him to take on the most mammoth job.

I find the following explanation logical:  The verses in the NIV, NASB, TEV bibles have been inaccurately translated. God did not meet Moses and 'was about to kill him'. The King James Bible was easier to understand.  Please click on the link

http://www.kjvtoday.com/home/is-the-kjv-confusing-in-exodus-424-26
and find out for yourself.

Sometimes words and translations cannot convey the truth accurately.

Happy searching to know God better.

They didn't recognise Jesus

John the Baptist asked Jesus why He came to him to be baptized. Jesus answered him "Permit it at this time, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" John the Baptist recognized Jesus.   Matt 3:14-15.
But when John the Baptist was in prison, he entertained some doubts. So he sent someone to ask Jesus "Are you the Coming One, or shall we look for someone else?"  He doubted.  Matt 11:2-3.

The apostles (excluding Thomas) gathered in the Upper Room. Jesus appeared but they did not recognize Him. Jesus had to deliberately show them His hands and His sides. John 20:19.

After 8 days, the apostles (including Thomas) were in the Upper Room again.  Jesus showed Himself to all and to Thomas in particular. "...See My hands...My side, and be NOT unbelieving, but believe."  John 20:26.

Christ's disciples did not recognize Him after He was raised from the dead. The reason is due to 'unbelieve'.  A Rev Dr Hand also suggested that it was not because the resurrected Jesus did something to veil their eyes from recognizing Him.  Instead it was the rational minds of the disciples that kept them from believing what their own eyes beheld.

Is your rational mind also hindering you from believing in the resurrection, and from recognizing Jesus?

Sinners and Habitual Sinners

We all know the story of David and Bathsheba.  David sinned.  In fact he committed the vilest sin.

But read more about David.  He was not a regular sinner.  He was not a habitual sinner.  He did many things right with God, and did not fail God on many occasions.

Life is like that.  At times, we all fail to be good.  We have good husbands who went astray and attempted to be unfaithful.  We have good teachers who, in moments of weakness, committed sin on their students.  We have godly priests who sinned against God.  We have honorable leaders and politicians who failed to uphold our trust.

The story of David is the reality of life.  We all fall short, and succumb to temptations sometimes.  But we must bounce back.  We must not be habitual in our failures and sins.

And for those of us who have been hurt and let down by our loved ones, we must also forgive their wrongdoings no matter how hurting.  Are they habitual sinners or are they like King David?

Soon it will be Easter.  Lets remember God more this Holy Week.

Wish you peace.

The heart must be right

How did the 3 wise men from the East follow the stars to reach Infant Jesus ??

When I was a young Platoon Commander in the military school, I would choose a starry night to teach new recruits how to 'see stars'.  So on a hilltop, I would point out to them the Big Dipper and North Star, and the Southern Cross.  (On most night, could only see 1 out of 2.)  The North Star shows the direction of the North, and the Southern Cross, the South.

The stars can show the general direction only. Stars do not pin-point a location. On a starry night, while standing at Toa Payoh, a star could be directly over my head.  If I move 10 kilometres away and stand at Yishun, that same star is still directly over my head.

And so, the 'star' could only guide the 3 wise men to the broad vicinity where Infant Jesus was. How did the wise men pin-point that particular stable where the Jesus lied in the manger.

That was where the heart took over.  When their hearts were right, when they seek God sincerely and truthfully, God would lead them to the exact place.

When the heart is right, seek and you will find.

Japanese Shrines and Shinto

I took a holiday in Japan.  Tourists in Japan will surely visit some of their Shrines and Temples.

I was confused.  Fortunately I met a lady who spoke to me in English, and I took the opportunity to ask her what is the difference between a Shrine and a Temple.  She told me that Shrines are Shinto, Temples are Buddhist.  Ohhh!

While visiting the Shrine of Emperor Meiji, I picked up a pamphlet and learnt a lot from it.  The pamphlet says:

Meiji Jingu is a Shinto Shrine. Shinto is called Japan's ancient religion, and it is deeply rooted in the way of Japanese life.  Shinto has NO FOUNDER, NO HOLY BOOK, AND NOT EVEN THE CONCEPT OF RELIGIOUS CONVERSION, but Shinto values for example harmony with nature and virtues such as "Magokoro (sincere heart)"  In Shinto, some divinity is found as Kami (divine spirit), or it may be said that there is an  unlimited number of Kami, You can see Kami in mythology, in nature, and in human beings.  From ancient times, Japanese people have felt awe and gratitude towards such Kami and dedicated shrines to many of them.

Now I understand Japanese culture a little bit more. No wonder they built a Shrine of Emperor Meiji (1852-1912), the great grandfather of the current Emperor.

Really, there are a lot of Shrines in Japan.  When you see a Torii Gate, there is a Shrine.  What religious people !!

The virgin birth, The resurrection, The future coming.

Week after week, we recite the 'Mystery of Faith' during church mass:  Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again.

The introduction to the Book of Romans was exceptionally well written.  In Chapter 1:4, Apostle Paul did not dwell on the virgin birth of Christ (which is impossible to prove and has to be accepted by faith).  He did not dwell on the future coming of Christ (which has yet to happen and we do not know when).  He simple grabbed the irrefutable miracle, the Resurrection of Christ, as the key proof that Jesus is the Son of God.

Try to proof that Christ did NOT rise from the dead, and He did not appear to his disciples and hundreds of people after His resurrection?  You just can't.

No doubt.  He is the Son of God.

Romans 1:4 "...was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Jeremiah's Curse

The extreme expression of sadness and hopelessness is suicide.  And just before reaching this extreme, the expression of deep anguish and sorrow is by cursing the day when one is born.  Jeremiah the prophet was so hurt that he did this.

Jeremiah 20:14 onwards: Cursed be the day when I was born...Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father, saying 'A baby boy has been born to you!'...Because he did not kill me before birth, so that my mother would have been my grave, and her womb ever pregnant.  Why did I ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow, so that my days have been spent in shame?'

The language used by Jeremiah is extreme.  I could feel his pain, his sorrow, his bitterness, his despondency.  By cursing his own birth, he cursed himself.

Fortunately Jeremiah did not go on to commit suicide.  God had asked Jeremiah to be His prophet and assured him.  "But I will deliver you on the day," declares the Lord, "and you shall not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread.  For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me." declared the LORD. Jer 39:17,18.

When God calls us, life could be painful some times, or even most of the time.  But God has promised that we will not be tested beyond what we could bear.  In Jeremiah's case, he was indeed tested to the very limit he could bear.

God will always provide for us, so that we will not be stretched beyond the point we can endure. 1 Cor 10:13.

Blessed Assurance.

Hell, not at all.

Deep in our hearts, many of us Christians do not believe the damnation of Hell.

I remember watching a film on the holocaust of the Second World War.  To exterminate the Jews quickly, they were herd into the gas chamber a few hundred at a time. The door was closed, and the Jews died inside.  Death was relatively quick, perhaps in minutes or hours. Their cries of pain and anguish could not even be heard, because all the German guards left the place after the gas was turned on.

That scene could not be erased from my mind.

Jesus Christ is not like that. On the Judgement Day, He will not condemn millions and billions of people to the eternal fire of Hell.  He will not close the door of Hell and let anyone suffer eternally inside.  Our God is a God of Love, Lovingkindness and Mercy.  He may chastise and punish us for our sins, but the punishment will not be eternal Hell.

So if you were told Christians go to Heaven, and non-Christians go to Hell, think again.  It is impossible for God to use Hell to inflict eternal punishment on any of His own creation.  Jesus will forgive 70 x 7 times, or even 700 x 7 times.

That is the confidence of  knowing the character of God. The wonderous love of Jesus Christ.

Idols and Mammon

"Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods; I am the Lord your God." Lev 19:4.

"...Ye cannot serve God and mammon."  Matt 6:24.

In their preaching, many pastors asked their congregations to examine themselves. "You may not be worshipping idols, but is mammon your idol? Are you worshipping wealth and materials?  Do you care more about pursuing money, fame and power?"

"Idols" are spiritual in nature.  Most idols are benevolent and generous, otherwise few would be interested in them.  People worship idols for health and wealth, for power, for good luck, for all kinds of blessings.  Often, these idols would oblige them generously in return for their worship.

"Mammon" is not idol.  Mammon are things of the world.  They are non spiritual, hence they do not require anyone to worship them.  Mammon could be anything of worldly value - such as the pursuit of money, wealth, power, fame, beauty, wisdom, worldly success and longevity.  Mammon distract us from God. Mammon are also used by idols to separate us from God.

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind...You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matt 22:37-39.

Avoid both idols and mammon.

Lord, Have Mercy

This post is the result of personal experience and deep reflection.

When our friends and loved ones are sick, we pray for healing. That is the normal thing to do.

But while praying for healing, the condition got worse, from stage 3 to stage 4 to end stage cancer, from stage 3 to stage 7 to end stage Alzheimer's, from grade 2 pain to grade 10 over 10 on the pain scale, we know the end is near.  We became convinced, became 200% sure, that praying for healing is not according to God's will anymore.  When a case has deteriorated till the pain is beyond bearable, as advised by a priest, beseech God for His mercy.

The daughter of this internet friend had cancer, and despite everything they do, had reached the stage of grade 10 over 10 on the pain scale. The doctor finally advised her to let go since even experimental drugs had no effect, let alone morphine and other painkillers. Finally after 4 years, she rest in peace.

My own father, also with cancer, left 3 years ago. I asked God for his healing. But it got worse and after 6 months, he told the palliative doctor that it was 9, sometimes 10 over of 10 on the pain scale. On the final days, he sat at the sink and cough out blood every few minutes.  We all let go - we do not pray for healing anymore, but for mercy and a peaceful journey.

I have some other personal experiences, but it is unnecessary to cite them.

On the way to the cross, Jesus did not ask God to spare Him.  He fully understood His purpose and acted according to God's will.

Yes.  We pray for healing when we are sick.  But if circumstances relentlessly point in the opposite direction despite fervent prayers for healing, then, "Lord have mercy, Thy will be done".

Nothing is yours...

And so he asked:
-- "Surely the house and the car that I bought are mine?" No.  They are not yours. When you leave, they are someone else's.
-- "Surely my children are mine?" No. They own their own lives.
-- "Hah, the savings I deposited in the bank, for my own use, they are mine!" No. They are yours only if you use them.
-- "How about all my achievements, my professional degrees, the energy and money I spent in feeding the poor?"  No. When you pass on, you could not bring those along.
-- "Now, surely my time is mine. Yesterday I had 24 hours.  Today I have another 24 hours!" No. Time is not yours.  Time simply pass us by.

-- "Then what is mine???"
    The moments are yours.  Only the moments, no the time.  Those intangible feelings of joy, peace, love, gratitude, dignity, are yours to enjoy and treasure.  Those negative feelings of disappointment, regrets, guilt, anguish are your too. Only you can overcome them and discard them; or continue to keep them in your memory to torment yourself.

Live and enjoy each precious moment of your life. Store up the positive moments and keep them in this life and beyond.  Discard the negative ones, do not dwell on them.

Thank God for every moment.  That is the only thing that you own and could bring beyond the grave, besides your personal relationship with the Divine.

What is Ninth Hour?

Today is Good Friday.  Every year during Good Friday, we read and re-read the account of Christ's passion, trials and crucifixion.

The pendulum clock was only invented 1656. During Christ's time, a 'day' began from sundown and end on the next sundown. A 'day' was divided into 4 watches and 12 hours.

First watch  --  Sundown to 9 pm
Second watch  --  9 pm to midnight
Third watch  --  midnight to 3 am
Fourth watch  --  3 am to sunrise
1st hour   --  sunrise to 8 am
2nd hour  --  8 am to 9 am
3rd hour  --  9 am to 10 am
4th hour  --  10 am to 11 am
5th hour --  11 am to 12 noon
6th hour --  12 noon to 1 pm
7th hour --  1 pm to 2 pm
8th hour --  2 pm to 3 pm
9th hour --  3 pm to 4 pm
10th hour  -- 4 pm to 5 pm
11th hour  --  5 pm to 6 pm
12th hour --  6 pm to Sundown

According to the Gospels, Jesus was crucified and finally died  at the 9th hour, which is between 3 to 4 pm, present clocktime.

But then, He rose again on the third day, and never die again.

Alleluia. Let us welcome Easter joyously.

Those very enigmatic bible verses...

"DO NOT RESIST HIM WHO IS EVIL; BUT WHOEVER SLAPS YOU ON THE RIGHT CHEEK, TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO.  AND IF ANY ONE WANTS TO SUE YOU, AND TAKE YOUR SHIRT, LET HIM HAVE YOUR COAT ALSO..."  MATT 5:38 to 44

This is an example of Bible verses that is hard to understand and practice. We don't do this when someone does bad to us.  When a robber robs you of your wallet, you don't voluntarily ask him to take your watches as well.  When a bully punches you on the left side, you don't volunteer the right side to be punched too. When Israel lost a city to an invading enemy, Israel did not say "Take my other cities as well." When Jesus was slapped by the soldiers who came to detain Him, the Bible did not mention that He turned the other cheek too.

Sometimes the Bible verses surprise us, some go against common sense and are unnatural for us to follow.

In such incidences, we should not follow the Bible verses literary.  We should mull over the exhortations and the intentions behind those words, and apply those underlying lessons which are consistent with other verses in other parts of the Bible.

So now, if a Christian accidentally took some poison, please seek medical assistance.  Do not just pray and do nothing.  Mark 16:18 does not apply.

Holofernes versus Judith (History continues)

See my last blog entry for the background. Holofernes had conquered all the other nations and now tightening his grip on Judah. Judah had only 5 days of water supply left.

Judith was a widow in Judah, albeit, a rich one. When the leaders of Judah did not know how to deal with Holofernes, Judith volunteered to save the Jews with her own plan.

When Judith had finished her prayer to the God of Israel... she took off the sackcloth and her widow's clothes, took a bath, and put on rich perfumes.  She brushed her hair, tied a ribbon around it, and dressed herself in the fine clothes she used to wear on joyful occasions when her husband Manasseh was still alive... Judith gave her slave woman a leather bag of wine and a jar of oil to carry.  She filled a bag with roasted barley cakes of dried figs, and several loaves of bread baked according to Jewish food laws...

As the two women walked through the valley, an Assyrian patrol met them.  They arrested Judith and questioned her, "What is your nationality?  Where did you come from and where are you going?"

"I am a Hebrew." she answered, "but I am running away from the Israelites because God is going to let  you destroy them. I am on my way to see Holofernes, the general of your army, to give him some reliable information..."

By and by, Holofernes' bodyguard and his personal servants came out and led Judith into the tent.

By and by, Judith remained with Holofernes for 3 days. On the fourth day of Judith's stay in the camp, Holofernes gave a banquet for his highest ranking officers... Holofernes was so charmed by Judith that he drank more wine than he had ever drunk at one time in his whole life...Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes who was lying drunk on his bed...All the guests and servants were now gone, and Judith and Holofernes were alone in the tent.

Judith stood by Holofernes's bed and prayed silently, "O Lord, God Almighty, help me with what I am about to do for the glory of Jerusalem.  Now is the time to rescue your chosen people and to help me carry out my plan to destroy the enemies who are threatening us."  Judith went to the bedpost by Holofernes' head and took down his sword.  She came closer, seized Holofernes by the hair of his head, and said, O Lord, God of Israel, give me strength now."  Then Judith raised the sword and struck him twice in the neck as hard as she could, chopping off his head.  (Apocrypha Book of Judith chapter 11 to 13).

If you like to know the happy ending, please read the Book of Judith. 

God Bless You.  And Happy Chinese New Year of the Rooster. 28 Jan 2017

Before Alexander The Great there was Holofernes The Feared

Holofernes was the commander of King Nebuchadnezzar's army.  This story happened around 200 years before Alexander The Great.

Just as the king had ordered, Holofernes chose 120,000 of the best infantrymen and 12,000 of the best mounted archers and arranged them in battle formation.  He also took along a very large number of camels, donkeys, and mules to carry the equipment, as well as many sheep, cattle, and goats for food, Every soldier received plenty of rations and a large payment of gold and silver from the royal treasury. Then Holofernes and his entire army set out, advancing ahead of King Nebuchadnezzar...

Three days after they had left the city of Nineveh, they reached the plains around Bectileth near the mountains north of Cilicia, where they set up camp.  From there Holofernes advanced into the hill country with his entire army, his infantry, cavalry, and chariots.  He totally destroyed the countries of Libya and Lydia, then plundered all the people of Rassis and the Ishmaelites who lived on the edge of the desert, south of the land of the Chelleans.

Then Holofernes crossed the Euphrates River and marched through the land of Mesopotamia, completely destroying all the walled towns along the Abron River as far as the sea.  He seized the territory of Cilicia, killing everyone who resisted him, and went as far as the southern borders of the land of Japheth, near Arabia.  He surrounded the Midianites, burned down their tents, and slaughtered their sheep.

Holofernes went down into the plains around Damascus during the wheat harvest, burned all the fields, slaughtered the flocks and herds, looted the towns, devastated the entire countryside, and killed all the young men.  Panic seized all the people who lived along the Mediterranean Sea, and they shook with fear.  Everyone in the towns of Tyre, Sidon, Sur, Ocina, Jamnia, Ashdod, and Ashkelon was terrified.  (Apocrypha Book of Judith chapter 2)

All other nations sent peace delegations to King Nebuchadnezzar and offered to surrender to be the King's slaves.

By and by, Holofernes arrived at the doorsteps of Judah.

If you like to know how the people of Judah defended themselves from Holofernes, see the next blog entry...

How They Desecrated The Temple of God

The Apocrypha is a set of 12 books found in the Jewish 'old testament', but not the Christian Old Testament. I enjoy reading them very much.  In 2 Maccabees 5,6, we can learn how much the Jewish people suffered.

Antiochus took 135,000 pounds of silver from the Temple and hurried off to Antioch...Antiochus hated the Jews so much that he sent an army of 22,000 mercenary troops from Mysia to Jerusalem under the command of a man named Apollonius, with orders to kill every man in the city and to sell the women and boys as slaves... 2 Mac 5: 21-24.

Not long after that, the king sent an elderly Athenian to force the Jews to abandon their religion and the customs of their ancestors. He was also to defile their Temple by dedicating it to the Olympian god Zeus. The temple on Mount Gerizim was to be officially named "Temple of Zeus the God of Hospitality," as the people who lived there had requested.
The oppression was harsh and almost intolerable. Gentiles filled the Temple with drinking parties and all sorts of immorality.  They even had intercourse with prostitutes there.  Forbidden objects were brought into the Temple, and the altar was covered with detestable sacrifices prohibited by our law.  It was impossible to observe the Sabbath, to celebrate any of the traditional festivals, or even so much as to admit to being a Jew. Each month when the king's birthday was celebrated, the Jews were compelled by brute force to eat the intestines of sacrificial animals. Then, during the festival in honor of the wine god Dionysus, they were required to wear ivy wreaths on their heads and march in procession...It was easy to see that hard times were ahead. For example, two women were arrested for having their babies circumcised.  They were paraded around the city with their babies hung from their breasts, then they were thrown down from the city wall.  On another occasion, Philip was told that some Jews had gathered in a nearby cave to observe the Sabbath in secret. Philip attacked and burned them all alive... 2 Mac 6:1-11

So all through history, it was never easy to be God's people.  Thank God we are not persecuted as Christians in Singapore.

Birth and Death at Christmas

We remember the Birth of Christ at Christmas. And with Christ, the salvation of sinful man, is now possible.

But the birth of Christ was achieved with many death.  As a direct result of Christ's birth at Christmas, Herod the king ordered the massacre of all male below the age of 2 during that time.  Hence many thousands must had died innocently when God implemented His redemption plan.

Therefore, knowing that so many had died in order for us to enjoy salvation through Christ, we too must embrace death to our former self. 

As Paul taught, "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things had passed away, behold, new things have come." (2 Cor 5:12, also Gal 2:20) 

Let our old sinful self be dead too.

Merry Christmas.

The anguish of first generation Christians

I accepted Christ over 40 years ago and am a first generation Christian.  None of my previous generations were Christians.

My sister died 4 years ago, my mum 3 years ago, and my father 2 years ago.  They were all wonderful people and very close to me.  None of them accepted the saving grace of Jesus Christ prior to their demise.

As a Christian, I believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and no one could be saved without Him. 
Therein lies the anguish of first generation Christians.  The thought of being saved in Heaven, and yet looking down from Heaven and seeing your closest family members, siblings, parents, grandparents, etc, suffering in Hell for eternity, is the most anguishing thought.

Christ had taught us to forgive others 70 times 7 times.  Would God forgive his creation 70 times 7 times too?  Why would non-Christians be condemned to Hell's eternal fire for not knowing Christ in just ONE lifetime.  Or even 70 times 7 lifetimes.  Eternal punishment is unthinkable.

There will be no joy in Heaven, as long as Heaven's inhabitants know of their loved ones suffering in eternal Hell.  That is simple common sense. 

Faced with such prospect, first generation Christians have developed a coping mechanism - the possibility of accepting Christ's salvation even beyond the grave.  The soul of a person lives on after the physical death.  There is still hope for the soul to acknowledge Christ's salvation even after the physical death, because Love and Faith and Hope endure forever. (1 Cor 13.)  Even after one is physically dead, salvation through Christ is still possible - because there is Hope.

I will continue to pray for the salvation of my departed relatives till the day I die.  God would not punish any of His creation permanently forever, at most only temporarily - because God is Love.

In some sense, I have rejected the doctrine of eternal punishment.  This reasoning may not be biblical.  But all humans are God's creation and should not be condemned to eternal punishment - because God is Merciful.

Stop nagging at humans. Nag at God.

Nobody likes to be nagged at, especially children.  "Don't keep telling me all the time to pack my bed or tidy the room."

God is majestic.  He is King of the world.  So I don't bother God with small insignificant things.  I don't pray to God and ask him what time I should leave the house, what bus to take, or what brand of toothpaste to buy.

But, funny.  The Bible seems to advise us to do the opposite.  "Pray without ceasing... (1 Thess 5:17), it says.  Pray without ceasing about what??  It must include praying for insignificant things as well.

The parable of the naggy woman (Luk 18:1-5) suggests that when God does not answer, nag Him.  The judge gave in to the naggy woman because he reasoned that her nagging would wear him down.

And in Luk 11:5-8, Jesus taught another parable.  Through persistency (repeat, insist, nag, nag, nag) a man was rewarded with the loaves of bread he wanted from his friend. 

In both these parables,  the trick was to continue to nag and irritate the other party until he gave in to the request.  This applies to praying to God.

I find this prayer strategy, of nagging our Heavenly Father, disconcerting.  But then, it is recommended in the Bible. 

Alleluia!

Habakkuk's world and Our world

Read the first few verses of Habakkuk in the Old Testament, and you may find the world in similar situation.

Habakkuk asked (Hab 1):
How long O Lord, will I call for help and Thou wilt not hear?
I cry out to Thee "Violence!", yet Thou dost not save.
Why dost Thou make me see iniquity and cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises.
Therefore, the law is ignored and justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous, therefore justice is perverted.

The Lord Replied:
Look among the nations, Observe! Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days--you would not believe if you were told.
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
That fierce and impetuous people who march throughout the earth
To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.
They are dreaded and feared.
Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
Their horses are swifter than leopards and keener than wolves...
They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.
All of them come for violence, ...they collect captives like sand...

Well, if you replace the word CHALDEANS  with ISIS TERRORISTS, you may find that what is happening in the world today is same as what was happening in Habakkuk's time.

But the Chaldeans were raised by God to punish the sinful people during that time.
The ISIS Terrorists are not 'raised by God' to punish the sinful people during our time.  God has already sent His only Son to die on the cross for all our sins.

ISIS is not sent by God.  It is the result of the sins of humankind.

Both God and Us are Changing

C S Lewis is a renowned author if Christian books.

In the movie SHAWDOWHANDS, he was depicted reflecting on the nature of prayer.  Asked why he prayed, he responded, "I pray because I can't help myself.  I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping.  It doesn't change God; it changes me."

This is an unfair depiction in the movie.  Most likely, C S Lewis did not say that. 

When we pray, God listens and changes.  He may change a lot, or change very little, but he changes.  See the lesson in Luke 11:5-9, about the sleeping man who was moved to get up by persistent requests for bread.

When we pray, we also change ourselves.  "It changes me".  The airplane passengers prayed for safe journey, but the flight turned out to be disastrous.  What happened would surely change how the passengers think.

Don't say "It doesn't change God".  God the Father does consider our prayers - maybe not giving in to what was prayed for, but changes the outcome in other ways.  God is good, always.