Jealous Husbands

Q. In the OT if a husband suspects his wife to be unfaithful he can bring her to the priest to be tested, but nothing was said about a wife suspecting her husband. Isn’t this male chauvinism?

A. The law of jealousy and the test for an unfaithful wife are given in Num 5:11-31. You need to remember several things before we conclude that the Bible is chauvinistic and unfair.

First, the Mosaic law is case law i.e. based on judicial decision and precedent set in earlier cases rather than on statutes or legislative action. It is practically impossible to list all cases exhaustively, so whatever principles established in the case of a jealous husband suspecting his wife to be unfaithful, would be equally applied to the case of a jealous wife suspecting her husband to be unfaithful. There was no intention of singling wives out and turning a blind eye to husbands.

Secondly, Jewish society at that time was patriarchal i.e. controlled by men, rather than matriarchal (women dominated). Therefore the cases first cited as illustrative examples used a jealous husband rather than a jealous wife. Even with this patriarchal characteristic, the Bible is way ahead of the customs of surrounding nations in how women is treated.

Third, the test (which involved dust from the tabernacle floor and ink washed off into bitter water) may seem strange to the scientific mind, but invoked divine intervention to determine whether the wife was guilty or innocent. If she was innocent, the test would clear her of guilt and prevented her husband from wrongly executing judgment without grounds. While superficially one-sided, the law provided the wife protection against false accusation in a male dominated society.

Considered in this light, the law is actually not chauvinistic, but fair. Hope this helps.

Imprisoned Spirits?

Q. Who were the imprisoned spirits in 1 Pet 3:19?

A. The identity of the imprisoned spirits is given in the immediate context:
• 1 Pet 3:19-20 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared,

V20 indicates the spirits are those who disobeyed in the days of Noah. Noah’s story is recorded in Genesis 6:
• Gen 6:1-2 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
• Gen 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

In Noah’s days the “sons of God” took “daughters of men” as wives, and bore children called Nephilim. Who are these “sons of God” and Nephilim? The term “sons of God” appears 3 other times in the Bible, and is translated “angels” in the NIV.
• Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
• Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
• Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Nephilim appears twice in Num 13:33, and means “fallen ones”. They were giants, as revealed in the verse itself:
• Num 13:33 There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
So the evidence points to [fallen] angels having sexual relations with human women who gave birth to giants as a result. Some commentators believe “sons of God” simply meant godly men, but that appears unlikely as godly men taking daughters of men as wives do not reproduce giants.

A further corroboration is in:
• Jude 6-7 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
These angels did not keep their own angelic domain, indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh. They crossed the boundary and engaged in sexual relations with human women, producing giants as offspring. This perversion led to their being kept in eternal bonds for judgment. The wickedness of man and continual evil further led to the Flood blotting out man as punishment.

In conclusion, after Jesus’ resurrection He went to proclaim victory over the fallen angels who sinned by cohabiting with women during Noah’s days. Not all scholars agree with this view but I believe the above best fits all available evidence.

Growing Up Fast!

Our grand-children have really grown over the last two months. Here’s what they look like now:

Kristen explains what is love. Notice how the definition changed when it comes to her favorite toy.

Small World. Just after a trip to Disney World.

Making it rain. His favorite bunny. They bought 10 to avoid running out!

Zach on the move. Almost ready to walk.

Farewell to Nova Scotia; Seven Up!

Scene 1: One of our grand-daughter’s favorite tunes is the folk song “Farewell to Nova Scotia”. The reason? Her dad sang it to her often until both the tune and the lyrics got etched in her mind. He in turn knew it so well because as a child he heard it frequently from his dad!

Scene 2: In 1964 a British director filmed the lives of 14 seven-year old children from different social class, and followed their lives with another episode every seven years. The original was called “7 Up”, then “14 Up”, “21 Up” and so on. The latest was 49 years later, called “56 Up”. The premise was that the children’s social class predetermined their future. While this held up in most cases, another theme that emerged was that their character traits influenced largely who they become.

Like it or not, what you learned when you’re young often shaped you, for better or for worse, for the rest of your life. Reminds me of the Jesuit motto: “Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man.” (Francis Xavier) Watch what you feed your children, not just physically, but spiritually. It affects them more than you can imagine. Eph 6:4 Fathers,do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Diet Laws

Q. Why did God had so many dietary laws? What has God against eating pork, lobster and shrimps? We Chinese eat pork more than beef and lamb, and we just love seafood. What’s it all about, and does it apply today?

A. You are most likely thinking of Leviticus 11 or Deuteronomy 14. The Israelites were forbidden to eat certain foods:

• Lev 11:1-3 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.’
• Lev 11:9 ‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales.’

Examples of land animals that were forbidden include the camel, hyrax (like guinea pigs), rabbit, and pig. Sea or fresh water creatures that were not permitted include the catfish, eel, squid, octopus etc. (no scales) and all types of shellfish (lobster, shrimp, crab, oyster, clam etc.). No specific rules were given for birds, but many examples were cited as disallowed. All of these are classified as “unclean”. Why?

The reasons are not explicitly given in the text, so we have to make educated guesses:

1. They are ceremonially unclean (Lev 11:4) because some are used in pagan worship e.g. pig (Isa 66:3), who chose their own way.

2. Some are mixed and do not fall into pure categories e.g. chews the cud but does not have a divided hoof. This is symbolic as only pure categories can represent holiness.

3. Some are literally unclean and forbidden for hygiene reasons e.g. pigs are known to carry tapeworms and other parasites and must be thoroughly cooked.

4. Some are bottom-feeders or scavengers and carry high amounts of contaminants or diseases e.g. catfish, raven, gull.

5. Some have high cholesterol which are bad for one’s health e.g. shellfish.

6. Some are predators (carnivores) e.g. the eagle, kite, owl, hawk etc. or feed on carrion e.g. the vulture.

7. Lastly, some scholars believe the rules were simply arbitrary to test the Israelites’ obedience, rather than some intrinsic qualities which disqualify them.

My personal opinion is that it is probably a combination of all of the above, as we cannot be dogmatic when the Bible did not say so.

Do they still apply today? I would think not:
• Acts 11:6-10 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.
• 1 Tim 4:3-5 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

The Lord had freed us from abstaining from certain foods. We just need to remember that not everything is beneficial, and that we will not be mastered by anything (1 Co 6:12). Hope this helps.

Glory to You; Alleluia

(Continued from yesterday)

These songs by Tanya Bondar sing of God is worthy of our praise, and then give praise to God.

Often we focus too much on ourselves – how we feel, what others are doing to us. This is misguided. It’s not about us. It’s about Him. Learn that and we will resolve many of our problems.

O Christ; Set me Free

We met a very talented singer, Tanya Bondar, who recorded two praise CDs. She has a gentle spirit and a very nice voice, but is not known in the West. She wrote some of the songs herself, with the tune and the lyrics coming together after hours of prayer and fasting. With her permission I’m posting 4 of her songs here, 2 today and 2 tomorrow.

The songs exalt Christ and tell of Him setting people free. What great themes!

Orthodox Church

We visited an Eastern Orthodox church, the majority religion in that area. One very noticeable characteristics as you walk in is the presence of many icons – flat pictures of Jesus, Mary, or a saint used as an aid to devotion. Some would consider this idolatrous. At the front center of the sanctuary is the altar, but it is behind closed doors which only the priest is allowed to enter. This is strange considering when Jesus died, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, as by His death our Lord provided free access to God.

Another practice very different from evangelical churches is that there are no sermons expounding the word of God, only short homilies. Some might like that! For that matter, there are no pews in the churches. Believers would go to church to meditate in front of icons, to burn a candle, or to receive communion. There are no seats to sit down and listen to sermons, only a few short benches along the wall for the aged to rest if they are tired.

The cross is also different from the West. The top piece is the notice “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” fastened to the cross. The long middle piece is the horizontal crossbar. The bottom is the footrest.

A functioning Orthodox church for the village.

Note the icons and receptacles for burning candles.

Sanctuary. Notice the altar at the center behind closed doors which only the priest is allowed to enter.

There are no seats for the congregation to sit down to listen to sermons.

Orthodox cross with three cross pieces.

Places we Visited (2 of 2)

We also visited several points of interest – a large square downtown, two institutions of higher learning (one commerce, one arts), and an orthodox church frequented by foreign dignitaries. It was also the annual conference of the Baptist churches, and we were able to sit in the balcony as guest observers. The night view of the city center is also very beautiful.

downtown Square

Economics University

Academy of Music

Well-known Orthodox Church downtown.

Annual conference of Baptist pastors

Night view of river running through the city.

Places we Visited (1 of 2)

We went to several places to visit our friends – churches, the market, and the library. M. is a very clean city with wide streets. Prices are somewhat lower than in Canada but incomes are considerably less. US$1,000 a month is considered a good salary for a white-collar worker.

Sanctuary of first church we visited.

Sanctuary of second church.

Open-air market resembles “Women’s St.” in Hong Kong, only wider and less crowded.

The market is not all outdoors; parts have moved indoors.

The National Library

Walking in the Snow to the Metro. Reminds me of the “Nameless Preacher”.