Musing – How much of our Theology do we get from Hymns?

Hebraic Musing – How much of our Theology do we get from Hymns?

Do you find yourself singing, or at least humming, the Praise and Worship songs as you drive home from church after services?  Did theology, teachings and lessons get into your head and heart as a result?      (BTW - I am not claiming significant meaning in some of the “7 words; 11 times” songs.)

We’re not the only ones using hymns to understand truths in God’s Word; Moses included songs in the Torah:
  - :I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously…the horse…” (Ex. 15:1-19)
  - :Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth” (Deut. 32:1-43)

And Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving - “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord”  (I Sam. 2:1-10)

And great hymns in the Book of Isaiah - “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts…” (Isa. 6:3)
   - “We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks” (Isa. 26:1-21)

OT Israelites were suffering from lack of availability of God’s written Word, until David wrote and promoted Psalms! aka Songs!  And Paul promoted the use of hymns in his message to the Colossians (3:16) “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”  

In the NT we have benedictions which come from local first century hymns/songs. A few examples:
  - by Luke – “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel” (Luke 1:68-79)
  - by Zacharias – “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace “ (Luke 2:29-32)
  - by Simeon, the “Magnifcat” – “My soul doth magnify the Lord” (Luke 1:46-55)
  - by Angels – “Glory to God in the highest…” (Luke 2:14)
  - fragments of Isaiah 6:3 repeated in Rev. 4:8 – “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty…”
  - and a classic – “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom,
                        and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev. 5:12-14)

I’ve heard it said most of our theology is formed around the songs and hymns we sing.  John Wesley believed “if you can’t sing it, don’t preach it.”  And he authored many hymns that preach theology i.e. “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise…”  And many were lifted from Scripture, especially Psalms!

How can one sing all verses of “Amazing Grace” and not get saved all over again?  (>:

Martin Luther is not always recognized for authoring church hymns, but consider this for example - “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing….”

More recently we have contributions from Bill & Gloria Gaither like “Because He Lives…” and “God sent His son, they called Him Jesus…”

Then we have delightful seasonal songs that even play on the sound system in department stores - “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King! Let every heart…”  And it is PC to sing them aloud!!! 

What did the Apostles do after the Last Supper?  ”When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”  Mark 14:26

So next time you are praising and worshipping God, listen to the words you are singing.  Let them penetrate and fill your heart with praise; and let them help you bow in gratitude before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

How many times did you find yourself continuing to sing the …’s above?

How many times in reading the Bible do you recognize a familiar song or hymn?
And then you can’t help singing to yourself, or out loud!
(I’ve drawn treble clefs next to verses in my Bible I recognize as songs!)

♫  “In my heart there rings a melody,…a melody of love…” ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          November 26, 2019
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Notes -             Inspired by and excerpted from Kurt Johnson’s “Bible Bites” from Feb.17, 2007
Suggestion - Google “Christian Hymns of the first century” and be blessed!

Musing - Which Religion to Believe? Evolution or Creation?

Hebraic Musing - Which Religion to Believe?  Evolution or Creation?

It would seem that parents of our younger generations especially have abdicated education of the children to the State, AKA Public Schools.  So now we have a societal assumption of million/billions of years of chance evolutions resulting in the world we know today.  As a result, the reliability of the “Creation” account in Genesis is questioned, which results in a credibility problem for the rest of the “truths” in the Bible.  So which is it - Evolution or Creation?  I question the veracity of the “religion of Evolution” based on:
 - Our recent Bible study explaining the impossibility of evolution to create today’s world.
 - Just read “In Six Days: Why Fifty Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation” by John F. Ashton
 - Materials from the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY (Visiting this week, while you are reading this!).

Science has/is confirming the truth of many fascinating passages in Scripture:

·      Where is life?  “For the life of a creature is in the blood, …”  Lev. 17:11  (What happens when you die?)

·      Heavens declare - “The heavens declare the glory of God;  the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth …”  Psalm 19:1-4  NIV

·      Amazing body parts… “Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.”   Prov. 20:12 

·      All our Energy is from the Sun, designed to be available through Vegetation - “Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.’”  Gen. 1:29

·      God created life, according to kinds or families - “So God created … every living and moving thing … according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.”  Gen. 1:20-21 
Each kind is unique and unable to cross-breed with other kinds!  

·      Noah had “kinds” on the Ark - “They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, ….” Gen.7:14 

Why does a simple cut finger heal itself?!?!  I’ve always been impressed with this body God gave me; especially when I reflect on the miraculous way self-healing is built into us.  Todah Rabbah Jehovah Rapha!

What is meant by Col.1:15-16?   “He is the image of the invisible God,  …For by him all things were created:   things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, … all things were created by him and for him.”

God warned us about these false teachings when He wrote Romans 1:18-23.  “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  …  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”  God is not surprised by these lies.  The truth is plain to see, if one wants to see it!

Bottom line – Science is confirming the enormous complexity of life, especially human life, such that all the evolution-based hypotheses are being proven false.  They are now recognized as deliberate “Lies” to avoid acknowledging the Creator God who spoke the world into existence 6,000 years ago in six days!

Points to ponder   and/or   RSVP

Jews consider God’s hand in the design and creation of our bodies
when they recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing* at certain times of each day.

♫  “What a mighty God we serve,…” ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      November 19, 2019
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*  “Asher Yatzar” blessing: “Blessed is He who has formed man in wisdom and created in him many orifices and cavities. It is obvious and known before Your throne of glory that if one of them were to be ruptured or one of them obstructed, it would be impossible for a man to survive and stand before You.  Blessed are You that heals all flesh and does wonders."

Musing – Is Salvation of the Family Scriptural?

Hebraic Musing – Is Salvation of the Family Scriptural?

Something special happens when even one member of a family accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior; especially when it is the father, but it might be any member!  Let’s look at some well-known examples:

·      Rahab, the inn-keeper woman, asked in faith – “Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death.” Josh.2:12-13 NIV    And it was fulfilled in Josh.6:22 – “Go into the prostitute's house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.”  Faith saved her & family!

·      Passover - “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family,…”  Exod.12:3  Thus, the families with faith were spared from the Angel of Death.

·      “The LORD then said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation….’”  Hmmm… Noah was the only one found righteous!  The family’s salvation was confirmed in 1 Pet.3:20 – “In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,…”

·      An Official - “Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he and all his household believed.”  John 4:53  It started with the father’s belief!

·      Jesus called Zacchaeus “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” After confession time, Jesus spoke again – ““Today salvation has come to this house,…”  Luke 19:5-10

·      Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth – “When she and the members of her household were baptized,” Acts 16:31

·      And the famous Jailer – “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’   They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’”  Acts 16:29-31

Now here is the most important example of a family finding Jesus.  This is a true story of a seven year old girl, Susan, who was invited by neighbor kids to join them on their Sunday School bus.  After two months of attendance Susan came home, went straight to her room, got down on her knees and said (or prayed) what she heard at church – “I know that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  And “the wages of sin is death.”  She concluded by saying “Jesus, please save me.  I don’t want to go to hell.”

Susan prayed for her whole family to experience what she had experienced.  A few years later Susan’s mother joined her at church and also accepted the love of Jesus.  Susan’s mother told each of Susan’s brothers about Jesus and each of them accepted Jesus as their “Lord and Savior”!

Susan and her brothers prayed fervently for their father.  Finally, ten years later, Susan’s father came home and announced to the family “I talked to Jesus!”  They asked him “Does that mean you are Born Again?”  He said “I don’t know what you call it, but I talked to Jesus and I want all of you to have the same experience.”  They replied “We already have; we’ve been praying for you!” BTW – Susan is my daughter.   

Here is our whole family of Christians celebrating a 50^th anniversary.

So this is what Jesus meant when He said - “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matt.19:14

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

How important is a “Children’s Ministry” or a “Bus Ministry”?

♫  Jesus loves the little children, all….  ♫    or     ♫ I’m so glad I belong to the Family of God…♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          November 12, 2019

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Musing – What is meant by a Biblical Family?

Hebraic Musing – What is meant by a Biblical Family?

God’s purpose for the family according to Focus on the Family:
1. The family is a masterpiece of God’s Creation. 
2. Marriage and parenthood reveal God’s character. 
3. God put children in families so they can experience His love and learn how to love others. 

Today the family is under attack; as a result we have only a few (some even say less than 10%) children going home to both of their original parents.  What is missing according to Scripture?  Biblical Marriage was established at creation; “… a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Gen.2:24   And Malachi reinforced that with “Has not [the LORD] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.  ‘I hate divorce,’ says the Lord God of Israel,…” Mal.2:15-16  NIV

How important are the two original parents as the governing authorities?  “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Rom 13:1    God specifically told us twice to “Honor your father and your mother,…” Ex.20:12   And Paul expanded on it.   “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’” (and in v.4) “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  Eph.6:1&4   Verse 4 assumes the father is available for “training and instruction of the Lord”.  But what if both of them are not in the child’s full-time family life!?!?!

What’s expected of children Biblically?  Note that the role of the parents and their availability is assumed?
“Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.” Prov.1:8
“My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.” Prov.6:20
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” Col.3:20
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Prov.22:6

Parental roles:  The Bible presents a society, where women were highly respected and could have considerable responsibility.  The father lovingly assumed responsibility for the family and serves the needs of those under his authority.  He should be the spiritual leader of the family; and as such he is responsible to fulfill Deuteronomy 6:6-7 to train up his children.  “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  The child needs his/her father!

Proverbs 31:10-31 describes the “Wife of a Noble Character.”  Her husband trusts her! And notice she is a “wife”, not a single parent!  “A wife of noble character who can find? … Her husband has full confidence in her … She brings him good, not harm,  …   Her husband is respected at the city gate…   Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  ….”  The family is to be led by two persons working together!

The Torah did not allow for rebellious children.  Parental discipline is assumed; an incorrigible child was to be stoned to death.  (But interestingly, there is no record of that ever taking place!)  Whole families attended the pilgrimage feasts in the OT; today they should be going to Church together.

In summary, Our Lord God is using the family to help us understand Himself as Father, and Jesus as the bridegroom.  We are loved, taught and are expected to give that love and those teachings to others. 

Final word, I recognize not all families fit God’s ideal model.  I have utmost appreciation for those having to overcome past events and find themselves striving to raise children, or they themselves being raised, in less than perfect conditions.

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Prayer – Thank you God for all your blessings to me and my family;
and for the strength you give me each day;
and for all the people around me who make life more meaningful.

♫  “I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,…” ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          November 5, 2019
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Notes -             Inspired by and excerpted from “A Biblical Family” by   Johanna Hocker, Aug.21, 2019