The Thoughts of Wesley son of Cornelius

"In the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits [about 15 feet] high. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits--ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip. The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape. The height of each cherub was ten cubits. He placed the cherubim inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. He overlaid the cherubim with gold. ... The priests then brought the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim." (1 Kings 6:23-28, 8:6)

"And the LORD God said, 'The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.' So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he hand been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life." (Genesis 3:22-24)

"In the thirthieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions by God. ... I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north--an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was that of a man, but each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had faces and wings, and their wings touched one another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved. Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. ... Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River." (Ezekiel 1:1, 4-10, 10:15)

"In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face of a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

You, pretending to be the High Priest, stand in the Holy Place. You start to shake and cold shivers go throughout your body; however, under all the layers of clothes (Exodus 28) you notice you are sweating. You look toward the Most Holy Place. If you were the High Priest in Solomon's temple, you would probably see two doors.



"For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood with five-sided jambs. And on the two olive wood doors he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with beaten gold." (1 Kings 6:31-32 NIV)

"... the inner doors to the Most Holy Place" (2 Chronicles 4:22)

However, when the doors were opened, you would see the curtain. There were no doors in the Tabernacle.

"He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it." (2 Chronicles 3:14)

"Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman. Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place." (Exodus 26:31-33)

"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' ... And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split." (Matthew 27:45-46, 51 ESV)

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:19-22)

The excitement is still building about the Most Holy Place. I have put the posts concerning the Most Holy Place off a little longer to add to the excitement. Personally imagine a night right before a big event--a test, surgery, important meeting with a client, a speech, etc. The fear of the High Priest the night before the Day of Atonement must have been many times greater. Now imagine that this is the first year you are the High Priest. Will you do everything correctly? Will you forget something? What if you die in 'there'? I am shivering just thinking about it!

The Most Holy Place is for tomorrow. But until then, I will wet your appetite with this:

"Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high--its horns of one piece with it. Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding--two on opposite sides--to hold the poles used to carry it. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Put the altar in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the Testimony--before the atonement cover that is over the Testimony--where I will meet with you. Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come. Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD." (Exodus 30:1-10)

"He made a bronze altar twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and ten cubits high." (2 Chronicles 4:1)

Resembling the altar at the Tabernacle:
"Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. Make all its utensils of bronze--its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried. Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain." (Exodus 27:1-8)

"This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old. Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight. With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning--a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire. For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory." (Exodus 29:38-43)

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

Need I say any more?!

We have slowly progressed from outside the temple (pillars, basins, etc.) into the Holy Place (tables, lampstands, bread, etc.). During the next few days, we will enter the Most Holy Place. Until then, I will let the anticipation build!

"He made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north." (2 Chronicles 4:8)

"Make a table of acacia wood--two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. Also make around it a rim a hand-breadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them. And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings. Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times." (Exodus 25:23-30)

"No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I [Jesus] tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I [Jesus] am the bread of life." (John 6:46-48)

"He then made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north." (1 Chronicles 4:7)

Modeled after the lampstand for the tabernacle:
"Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand--three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on once branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. ... Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." (Exodus 25:31-33, 37-40)

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)

"You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light." (2 Samuel 22:29)

The following is a difficult passage to interpret, but very thought provocative:
"Then the angel who talked with me [Zechariah] returned and wakened me, as a man is wakened from his sleep. He asked me, 'What do you see?'
I answered, 'I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.'
I asked the angel who talked to me, 'What are these, my lord?'
He answered, 'Do you not know what these are?'
'No, my lord,' I replied.
So he said to me, 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the LORD Almighty.
'What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of "God bless it! God bless it!"'
Then the word of the LORD came to me: 'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.
'Who despises the day of the small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
'(These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range throughout the earth.)'
Then I asked the angel, 'What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?'
Again I asked him, 'What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?'
He replied, 'Do you not know what these are?'
'No, my lord," I replied.
So he said, 'These are the two who are annointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.'" (Zechariah 4)

"I [John] turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone 'like the son of man,' ..." (Revelation 1:12-13a)

"He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing." (2 Chronicles 4:6)

For complete detail of basins and stands see 1 Kings 7:27-39.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" (Matthew 28:18-20)

"He [Hiram, again] made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits [or C = pi*D ~ 31.4 cubits] to measure around it. ... The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths." (1 Kings 7:23, 25-26)

The Sea corresponds to the bronze basin of the tabernacle:
"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting an offering made to the LORD by fire, they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.'" (Exodus 30:17-21)

"O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?" (Jeremiah 4:14)

"Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8)

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us, generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)

Pictured in baptism:
"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." (Acts 22:16)

Before God in Heaven:
"Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal." (Revelation 4:6a)

"He [Hiram] cast two bronze pillars, each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits around, by line. He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; each capital was five cubits high. ... He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin ['he establishes'] and the one to the north Boaz ['in him is strength']. The capitals on top were in the shape of lilies. And so the work on the pillars was completed." (1 Kings 7:15-16, 21-22 NIV)

"LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us." (Isaiah 26:12)

"The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace." (Psalm 29:11)

"For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in a my [Paul's] ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews." (Galatians 2:8-9)

"Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he [God] leave it." (Revelation 3:12a)

• Two bronze pillars
• Sea (reservoir) of cast metal
• Ten movable stands of bronze
• One bronze basin to go on each of the ten stands
• pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls
• Golden altar
• Golden table on which was the bread of the Presence
• 10 gold lampstands
• Pure gold basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and censers
• Two large cherubim statues

Now for something a little more serious:

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV)

"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

"What agreement is there between the temple of the living God. As God has said, 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'" (2 Corinthians 6:16)

"Eli asked, 'What happened, my son?'
The man who brought the news replied, 'Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy loses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.'
When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years." (1 Samuel 4:16-18)

The next few posts are passages in the Bible that make you giggle. My last few posts have been a little heavy; now for a lighter side of the Bible.

"After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, 'David is in the Desert of En Gedi.' So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, 'This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, "I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish."' Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe." (1 Samuel 24:1-4 NIV)

"I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. 'Expel the wicked man from among you.'" (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

"If a man is caught kidnapping one of his brother Israelites and treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from among you." (Deuteronomy 24:7)

The phrase 'you must purge the evil from among you' can also be found in:
Deuteronomy 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,22,24; 24:7 (just to name a few!)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." (John 1:1-2 NIV)

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him." (1 John 4:7-9)

"But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

If (A) the Word is (B) God, and (B) God is (C) Love; therefore, (A) the Word is (C) Love, right?

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my [Jesus speaking] words will never pass away." (Matthew 24:35)

"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:8-10, 13)

This post is in memory of my little nephew or niece and Heather:

"'Yes' they replied, 'he is dead.'
Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
His servants asked him, 'Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
He answered, 'While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, "Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live." But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." (2 Samuel 12:19b-23)

Heather, one day you will see your little one!

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
(Luke 2:25-32 NIV & KJV)

What insight! Simeon, a Jew, under the rule of Gentiles knew that Christ, also a Jew, did not come merely for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well. On earthly justification, Simeon had all right to hate the Gentiles and wish for the Messiah to take kingship and over-turn Rome. However, Simeon saw with the aide of the Holy Spirit that Christ came to save 'all people.' I pray for the insight that Simeon had!

"The LORD [YHWH] said to Moses, 'The tenth day of this seventh month [Ethanim or Tishri] is the Day of Atonement [Yom Hakkippurim]. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.'" (Leviticus 23:26-27 NIV)

"But only the High Priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year [on Yom Hakkippurim], and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance." (Hebrews 9:7)

"When Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:11-12)

"For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence." (Hebrews 9:24)

"The High Priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood." (Hebrews 13:11-12)

"Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs." (Proverbs 10:12)

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:7-8)

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times [Or seventy times seven].'" (Matthew 18:21-22)

"But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace." (Psalm 37:11)

"'Therefore wait for me,' declares the LORD, 'for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them--all my fierce anger. ... On that day you will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from this city [Jersulem] those who rejoice in their pride. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the LORD.'" (Zephaniah 3:8, 12)

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)

"... Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches [Israel], he will not spare you [Gentiles] either." (Romans 11:20b,21)

"... if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2)

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:13-16)

"A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself." (Proverbs 11:17 NIV)

"A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly." (Proverbs 14:29)

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." (2 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV)

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong-doing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16,17 ESV)

"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.'" (Luke 14:25-27 NIV)

This passage is one of those passages that does not seem to cohere with the rest of Jesus's message. But from what I have seen over the last few days, I might understand the above passage a little better. The name of my blog might be a little misleading. In past blogs (and in future blogs) I have tried to concentrate on just Biblical passages without too much commentary. This post is leaning closer to MY thoughts.

Several days during the week I work at SMG Technology Elementary Magnet School. This school could probably be classified as an inner city school. I work with an after school program for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. There are two sets of brothers, W.A. & J.A. and R.S. and T.S. The other day J.A. threw a cookie at R.S. In retaliation both R.S. and his brother T.S. ganged up on him. Of course W.A. jumped into the picture since his brother J.A. was outnumbered. This is a typical example of what children do. However, is it not typical for adults as well?

I think as adults we sometimes feel obligated to stand-up for our 'brother' even if he is at fault. When I say 'brother' I do not nessicarily mean the son of our parents. As an example, our brother could be in the same gang or a fellow Freemason member. Our brother might even be symbolic of an educational institution or charitable organization--even a church. Many times I see that a brother is sometimes someone in our same people-group (rich, poor, Jew, Gentile, black, white, etc.) .

I think God wants us to hate sin and to not stand-up for it, even if our 'brother' is the one who commits the sin.

(Please give your thoughts!)

A mole is an oddly-named unit in chemistry. Like a dozen or a gross, a mole refers to a particular number of things. A dozen refers to 12 'things'; a mole refers to 6.022x10^23 'things'. This number is so large because atoms are so small. Here is an example: 22.4 liters of a gas is equivalent to one mole. This volume is about how much air is in an empty kitchen drawer. This "empty" kitchen drawer has approximately 6x10^23 air molecules in it. Let's say you put all the air molecules on your desk and start to count them (like coins). Let's say you are the world's quickest counter--you can count 1,000 molecules every second. 1000 ... 2000 ... 3000 ... etc. At this rate it would take you around 20,000,000,000,000 YEARS (i.e. 20 trillion years) to count every molecule in your unused kitchen drawer. Okay, after some practice, you learned to count 1 million molecules every second. Now it will only take you 19,000,000,000 YEARS (i.e. 19 billion years). Wow! (see post Number? at http://www.joenapalm.blogspot.com/)

"And he [Jesus] said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:3-4 NIV)

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." (1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV)

"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of his age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

"The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:


But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:6-16 NIV)

"When I [Paul] came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NIV)

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.' [Jeremiah 9:24]" (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV)

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 NIV)

The above picture was painted by Raphel (or Rafael Sanzio de Urbino) in 1509 AD. Several famous ancient "wise men" are depicted in the painting:

1. Aristotle: upheld as greatest philospher of all time
2. Plato: founded Academy School in Athen, very well-known philospher
3. Socrates: taught 'Socratic irony,' the ability to lead listerners to admit their own ignorance by speaking in the negative
4. Xenophon: Greek philosopher who described leadership with his 'Great Man' theory
5. Zeno: Greek philosopher who reasoned that a man's senses could not be trusted
6. Epicurus: Greek philosopher who sought happiness, the chief human good, by removing fear
7. Averroes: Arab philosopher who specialized in Islamic law, mathematics, and medicine
8. Pythagoras: famous Greek philosopher and mathematician (a^2 + b^2 = c^2)
9. Parmenides: Greek philosopher who believed anything that changes cannot be real
10. Heraclitus: Greek philosopher who believed change was real and that all things come from fire
11. Diogenes: Greek philosopher who believed all things come from air
12. Euclid: Greek who wrote Elements, the world's most definitive text on geometry
13. Zoroaster (or Zarathushtra): Iranian prophet who taught the saying, 'Good Thoughts, good words, good deeds'
14. Ptolemy: Greek philosopher who used eccentric circles to explain his geocentric theory of the solar system

(just to name a few!)