____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ August 3, 2003 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Slug Eaters (David Diestelkamp) 2) God's Nobleman (Clarence R. Johnson) 3) Melchizedek (Tom Edwards) ____________________________________________________ -1- Slug Eaters by David Diestelkamp I read an article reporting that scientists are trying to design small robots that can be fueled by digesting slugs. The hope is that eventually self-sufficient machines can be developed which refuel themselves by finding and digesting slugs. I was fascinated by what science sees as almost insurmountable hurdles in making a machine that can turn slugs into fuel (not to mention the artificial intelligence necessary to do things like find slugs and know what to do with them). What actually drew my attention to slug digesting machines was the protests scientists are facing which challenge this research. There are a number of people who believe technology of this sort is dangerous. They believe if machines are given any form of autonomy, any ability to decide or act without human control, they'll rebel--or worse, take over. Man clearly sees machines as his creation. They are the fruit of his creative mind and his physical labor. From the very start they were made to serve man and his interests. It is a ludicrous, yet daunting, thought that machines would someday "think" they were the master and man their servant. Anyone who thinks all of this is too far fetched need only wonder who is serving whom when a car won't start, a computer won't boot, a VCR won't stop flashing 12:00, or an automated phone system refuses to cooperate. This picture rings all too familiar in another realm. Man is God's creation, the fruit of His creative mind and His labor. God made man for His glory (Isa. 43:7). Man was created to do the will of God, His commands were intended to be man's programming (Ecc. 12:13). But unlike a mere machine, God wired us with the ability to think and choose. This ability opens unlimited opportunities of communion with God, yet there is always the threat of rebellion--or worse, attempts to take over. Some see the complexity of man and the incredible abilities he has been given and praise man (humanism). But the psalmist had it right, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" (Psa. 139:14). All that man is and has is ultimately from God and we express this when we use all we are and have to His praise. In the end, machines won't take over, but neither will man. How silly of us to get a belly full of slugs and then in our arrogance forget Who made us and why! -- Via Think on These Things, January-February-March 2003 ____________________________________________________ -2- God's Nobleman by Clarence R. Johnson After severe persecution arose in Thessalonica, "the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11, NASB). Let us note some reason that the Holy Spirit by the pen of Luke describes the people in the synagogue in Berea as being noble-minded. By following their example, we, too may be noble in the sight of God. We must. 1. Study the BIBLE. They examined the Scriptures. There are many books that have been written about the Bible. Some of them can be helpful, but as a friend of mine in Texas said a number of years ago, "some helps aren't, and some aids don't." It is of primary importance to study the Bible itself. There is absolutely no adequate substitute. 2. Actually STUDY the Bible. They examined the Scriptures. It is one thing to casually read the Bible; another thing to studiously examine or search (KJV) the Scriptures to learn what God has said. Some people read a chapter in the Bible each day, but never really STUDY the Bible or search out what God has said about a particular matter. 3. Study the Bible FREQUENTLY. They examined the Scriptures "daily." The Bible, the inspired word of God, is the most important book in the world, and we should study it often. It has more importance to our every-day living than the daily newspaper and should be valued far above it. 4. Study the Bible to know what IS TRUE. They examined whether the things they were hearing were so -- that is, whether or not it was in harmony with the written word. Too much Bible study is for the purpose of confirming ideas we already hold. While it is true that if such ideas are religiously true, they can be confirmed by the Bible, it is far more important to study the Bible to learn what God would have us to know and do. We must be willing to make any changes our study should demand. 5. Study the Bible with eagerness (readiness of mind, KJV), not only to learn what God has said, but to put it into practice. Perhaps the greatest hindrance to learning is an unwillingness to put into practice what one is learning. Even if one were to learn God's will, and not put it into practice, no spiritual blessing will result (James 1:22-27; Matt. 7:24-27). Many other suggestions regarding Bible study could be offered, but these simple observations should be helpful to those who want to know and do what God has commanded of us. Only then can we be the noble-minded men and women God wants us to be. -- Via The Susquehanna Sentinel, August 3, 2003 ____________________________________________________ -3- Melchizedek by Tom Edwards Though he was a unique priest, and depicted as having a priesthood greater than that of the Levitical priesthood, very little is said in the Bible about Melchizedek, who was not only a priest, but also a king. His name is mentioned just ten times in the Scriptures -- with only two of those times in the Old Testament. He is spoken of primarily in Hebrews 7. A contemporary of Abraham and, therefore, of the Patriarchal Period, Melchizedek comes closer to prefiguring the priesthood of Jesus Christ than does any other priest. For this reason, it is said of the Lord, "...'Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Heb. 7:17). Some of these similarities are set forth in Hebrews 7:3, though figuratively in the case of Melchizedek: "Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he abides a priest perpetually." What this actually means is not that Melchizedek was some type of eternal, divine being without a father and mother, as some people have wrongly assumed; but, rather, this passage figuratively expresses his priesthood as not having been based on his genealogical records. For he was a human being; but without record of his birth, his lineage, or his death. To serve in the Levitical priesthood, however, required verification of one's pedigree. Ezra 2:59-62, for example, speaks of those who "were not able to give evidence of their fathers' households, and their descendants whether they were of Israel...These searched among their ancestral registration, but they could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood." It is said of Melchizedek that "...he abides a priest perpetually" (Heb. 7:3). The idea of "perpetual" is sometimes used in the Scriptures to refer to "age lasting," and not literally without end. For example, the offering of incense (Exo. 30:8), observing the Sabbath (Exo. 31:16), and practicing circumcision (Gen. 17:10-13) were said to have been perpetual or everlasting; but they all came to an end at the cross of Christ when He did away with the Old Covenant and, thus, established the New (Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:13-17). Melchizedek was to serve "perpetually" throughout the duration of his life, and what would make that even more so is that there was no record of his death. His name literally means "king of righteousness" (v. 2); and since he was the "king of Salem," this also signifies that he was the "king of peace," for "Salem" means "peace" (v. 2). Though found just 4 times in the Bible, "Salem" is an abbreviated form of "Jerusalem." (See Psalm 76:1,2.) The greatness of Melchizedek can be seen in his encounter with Abraham (Gen. 14:18-20): "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, `Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' And he gave him a tenth of all." Melchizedek blessed Abram, which was a duty of the priests (Deut. 21:5); and Hebrews 7:7 informs that "the lesser is blessed by the greater." The time of this account is when Abraham was returning from his rescue of his nephew Lot who had been kidnapped by Chedorlaomer and the three other kings with him. The pursuit took Abraham and his 318 trained men to Dan, and then all the way to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. Abraham triumphed. "And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people" (Gen. 14:16). Notice also Hebrews 7:4: "Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of his choicest spoils." As to Melchizedek's superiority over the Levitical priesthood, consider verses 9 and 10: "even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father [Abraham] when Melchizedek met him." The children of Israel were to give their tithes to the Levites (which is another good argument for why tithing is not to be practiced today), but here we find Levi (the family head of the Levites) paying tithes (figuratively through Abraham) to Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:11 states: "Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?" This indicates that there was an "imperfection" of the Old Law, but what exactly was that? Simply put: the inability to atone for sins. As the Hebrew writer states, "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Heb. 10:4). Though the law was perfect in being all that it was supposed to be -- for even Jesus said that "not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished" (Matt. 5:18); thus, indicating that it was all true and not to be tampered with -- yet, it could not atone for man's sin and was, in that sense, a lesser covenant to the New Covenant. For those OT sacrifices "cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience" (Heb. 9:9). But Jesus nailed that Old Law to the cross by His sacrifice (Col. 2:14) and, thus, established the New Covenant, which is a "better covenant" with "better promises" (Heb. 8:6), and with a better "high priest" (Heb. 9:7) who entered the "greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (vv. 11,12). Though little is said about Melchizedek in the Scriptures, just these few verses show of the superiority of his priesthood over that of Aaron and his descendants. These verses also show why Melchizedek better foreshadows the priesthood of Jesus than that of any other; but as is generally the case with types and antitypes (the latter is greater than the former), this is definitely seen in the heavenly priesthood of Jesus Christ over that of any other -- even Melchizedek's, of whom the Lord's priesthood is "according to the order of." ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________