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Day 916 – 1003 BC Census – God or Satan? – Wisdom Wednesday

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 916 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

1003 BC – God or Satan? – Wisdom Wednesday

What is a Biblical Worldview 1

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 916 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, it is required that you also have a proper understanding of God’s Word.

Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors.  In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Census are taken quite often in the United States and other countries to determine a variety of information, in addition to the count of people. Although there are several places in the Bible where the people were counted, God wanted David to rely solely on Him and not the size of the population. David was not supposed to take a census of his army or people. Today’s essay explores an interesting topic which is…

1003 BC Census – God or Satan?

One of the more vexing problems in the Old Testament is how to parse the parallel accounts of 1 Chronicles 21:1-17 and 2 Samuel 24:1-25.

1 Chronicles 21:1-2 2 Samuel 24:1-2
Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel.  So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are.” Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him.

So the king said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the tribes of Israel—from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south—so I may know how many people there are.”

 

The two accounts are nearly identical, save for one glaring disparity: The Chronicler’s version has Satan as David’s instigator, while 2 Samuel names Yahweh, the God of Israel, as the provocateur. The Chronicler’s account notes that David’s act “was evil in the sight of God,” but this line is omitted in 2 Samuel. Both accounts have God posing three punishments before David, but David leaves the decision to the Lord.

The Angel of Yahweh executes a plague on the land in both versions. The two accounts are contradictory. The options for resolution are all somewhat disconcerting. If we want to blame Satan, we must identify Yahweh as Satan. The reverse strategy requires that we identify Satan with the Sovereign Yahweh. If Satan can somehow be removed from the picture, then we are faced with the fact that Yahweh incited David to do something, and then punished him for doing so. Is there any way out of this mess?

The solution is surprisingly straightforward. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for satan is not a proper personal name. This is because the definite article in Hebrew (the word “the”) is nearly always attached to it. Like English, Hebrew does not permit its definite article to be paired with a proper personal name (I don’t call myself, “the Guthrie”). The noun satan, paired with the definite article, simply means “the adversary.”

There are only a handful of places in the Hebrew Bible where satan is not preceded by the definite article, 1 Chronicles 21:1 is one of them, and thus many interpreters see this as a rare instance of the being known as Satan appearing in the Old Testament. If this is the case, though, we have a blatant contradiction. There is a better explanation.

The only other place in the Old Testament where satan lacks the definite article and the term is used of a divine figure is Numbers [22:22] where we read that the Angel of Yahweh stood in the way of Balaam and his donkey “as an adversary” (satan). The Angel was opposing Balaam: he was a divinely-appointed adversary, like the satan in 1 Chronicles 21. This is not referring to The Satan as a personal being.

This connection between the word satan, meaning “an adversary” and the Angel of Yahweh is crucial to understanding the discrepancy between 1 Chronicles 21:1 and 2 Samuel 24:1. In both accounts, the Angel dispenses God’s judgment upon David. God and the Angel of the Lord were frequently identified with each other in the Old Testament, such as in Exodus 3, Joshua 5, and Judges 6.

Thus, it seems that we don’t have Satan (God’s cosmic enemy) in the Chronicles passage. Instead, the writer is referring to the Angel, who is Yahweh in human form. This means that both the writers of 1 Chronicles and 2 Samuel have Yahweh initiating the census, and there is no contradiction.

One question looms, despite this solution: Why? Why would Yahweh incite David to do something for which He would later punish him? Both accounts begin by saying Yahweh was angry with Israel, not David. Yahweh chose to use David as His instrument of judgment against the nation, similar to the way He would use Nebuchadnezzar centuries later. As the Babylonian king was still accountable for His actions, so was David. Judgment (and its means) both belong to the Lord, but human agents are still accountable. Sometimes as humans this is hard for us to reconcile. In times like this I am brought to Isaiah 55:8, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.’”

Next Wisdom Wednesday we will continue with the Old Testament as we look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled “Cooking the Books.” I believe you will find this another interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical Worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer and help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 915 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com.  I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow!

Day 915 – Dependability Is Critical – Wisdom Unplugged

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 915 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Dependability Is Critical – Wisdom Unplugged

Unplugged1-1024x609

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 915 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget…

Today’s quote is from Zig Ziglar, and it is, “Ability is important in our quest for success, but dependability is critical.”

Dependability Is Critical

Yes, in order to be successful in any profession, whether it is in business, sports, music, ministry, or even a hobby, you need to have either natural or learned ability to succeed. And even then success is not guaranteed. It is only when you combine that ability with dependability through being persistently consistent that success will be achieved.

No amount of natural or learned talent will make a person successful if he is not willing to be very dependable on a daily basis. Therefore dependability is as important, or even more important, as ability.

Yes, I realize that no matter how dependable I am at 5’ 4” tall, I will never be a quarterback for the NFL or play Center in the NBA. In most situations and opportunities in life though, if I desire to be successful and am willing to invest the energies and resources needed with dependability I should succeed. You can do the same.

Proverbs 12:11  – A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.

Proverbs 21:5  – Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 914 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly I am your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!

Day 914 – It’s Going to Be Okay – Meditation Monday

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 914 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

It’s Going to Be Okay – Meditation Monday

Meditation Monday

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 914 of our Trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For some, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. Some may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind. 

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. How many times have you blown it in life or failed miserably? How many times have you been cast aside by family or friends when you needed love and mercy? How many times have you chastised your kids for something they did without showing mercy? In our Meditation Monday today we need to realize that…

It’s Going to Be Okay

I came across the following true story in a book The Number of Hope by Max Lucado, which I thought would make for a good meditation today. Here it is:

Bill Tucker was sixteen years old when his dad suffered a health crisis and consequently had to leave his business. Even after Mr. Tucker regained his health, the Tucker family struggled financially, barely getting by.

Mr. Tucker, an entrepreneurial sort, came up with an idea. He won the bid to reupholster the chairs at the local movie theater. This stunned his family. He had never stitched a seat. He didn’t even own a sewing apparatus. Still, he found someone to teach him the skill and located an industrial-strength machine. The family scraped together every cent they had to buy it. They drained savings accounts and dug coins out of the sofa. Finally, they had enough to pay cash for the machine.

It was a fine day when Bill road with his dad to pick up the equipment. Bill remembers a jovial, hour-long trip discussing the bright horizons this new opportunity afforded them. They loaded the machine in the back of their truck and secured it right behind the cab. Mr. Tucker then invited his son to drive home. I’ll let Bill tell you what happened next:

“As we were driving along, we were excited, and I, like any sixteen-year-old driver, was probably not paying enough attention to my speed. Just as we were turning on the cloverleaf to get on the expressway, I will never ever, ever forget watching that sewing machine, which was already top-heavy, begin to tip. I slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. I saw it go over the side. I jumped out and ran around the back of the truck. As I rounded the corner, I saw our hope and our dream lying on its side in pieces. And then I saw my dad just looking. All of his risk and all of his endeavor and all of his struggling and all of his dream, all of his hope to take care of his family was lying there, shattered.

“You know what comes next, don’t you? ‘Stupid, punk kid driving too fast, not paying attention, ruined the family by taking away our livelihood.’ But that’s not what he said. He looked right at me. ‘Oh, Bill, I am so sorry.’ And he walked over, put his arms around me, and said, ‘Son, this is going to be okay.’

If you feel your life has been shattered into pieces like the Tucker’s sewing machine, then God is whispering the same to you. Those are his arms you feel. Trust him. That is his voice you hear. Believe him. Allow the only decision maker in the universe to comfort you. Life at times appears to fall to pieces, seem irreparable. But it’s going to be okay. How can you know? Because God so loved the world. If God can make a billion galaxies, can’t he make good out of our bad and sense out of our faltering lives? Of course, he can. He is God.

Isaiah 61:3 tells us, “To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.”

Also in John 3:16 we know, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Go in peace today.

Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 913 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast and Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow!

Day 913 – What Is Your Secret? – Ask Gramps

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 913 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

What Is Your Secret? – Ask Gramps
Pushing Through - Ask Gramps 1

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 913 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time where we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

Since Gramps has been answering questions about various areas of life for several months now, next week Gramps will begin a new multi-week series exploring and explaining what really drives each of us at our very core. Addressing and answering the questions of why we act and react to situations and events of life. We will also explore how we can better understand those with whom we interact and have the opportunity to impact. We will dig into the details starting next week on our Friday’s “Ask Gramps” episodes.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. For those of you who have listened to my podcast or read the daily journals, you know that I am a big proponent of taking excellent care of our soul, mind, and body. It is important that we focus on all three areas simultaneously because they are intertwined with each other and cannot be separated. One aspect directly impacts both of the other ones. So the question today is…

“Hey Gramps, even though you are over sixty now, you are still very active and appear to take care of your body, mind, and soul. What is your secret and what type of regimen do you stick to?”

What Is Your Secret?

First of all, there is no secret. There are no secret pills or diets that will allow you to lose 50 pounds or more and keep you slim. There are no magic devices that will give you rock-hard abs in a week. There are no business books or online resources that will allow you to be a genius and an overnight success. There are no devotional study books, study Bibles, or special prayers that will make you super-spiritual in a month.

If you want to take care of your soul, mind, and body properly, then it is up to you and will take months or even years to achieve. It is not about a special plan, but a change in mindset and lifestyle. This starts with the changing of your mind. Romans 12:2, says “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Yes, I will be 62 next month, but the older and wiser I become, the more I realize that I still have much to learn. Learning is a lifelong process.

Many years ago and every day since, I determined that I did desire to be healthy, wealthy, and wise in all areas of my life. Although it is a continual uphill trek, and there are times of respite and rest, and even times where I have slipped back a bit, the key is that my desire is to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle and strong, robust relationships with others. That desire drives me forward each day.

Although my exercise routine, eating habits, sleeping habits, study habits, and devotional time vary slightly in different seasons of the year and seasons of my life, they remain consistent over long periods of time.

Keep in mind that what works for me, may not work for you. Don’t copy what I do and expect it to work, but use it as a guide. Each person, situation, and season of life is different.

The shell of what I do has been in place for many years, but I will share with you the details of my current regimen.

Monday through Friday I get up at 5:00 am – no exceptions. No snooze buttons, no skip days, no excuses. I don’t necessarily like getting up this early, neither do I spring from my bed ready to fight the world. I get up every morning because I desire a healthy lifestyle more than a few more minutes of sleep.

After getting dressed I look up the verse of the day on Bible.com on my smartphone, read it, reflect on it, and then post it. It is then that I am ready to begin my exercise time. I usually will start with 10 pull-ups, then 30-50 push-ups, and 30-50 reps with the ab roller. This usually only takes about 10 minutes. After that, I head to the basement where our exercise equipment is located.

Because of my broken femur last July my surgeon suggested switching from a treadmill to a low impact machine. A few months ago we invested in a HIIT trainer, which is a combination of a short stride elliptical and stair stepper. Although we still have the treadmill, and I use it occasionally, the HIIT has become my machine of choice. It has a built-in Android tablet on it with Google Street view embedded in it. This allows me to follow preconfigured routes to “run” each day.

I usually work out on the HIIT for about 60 minutes with a goal of running between 7 and 8 miles. I vary the resistance during the workout incrementally changing it every minute from very hard to easy. This takes care of my exercise portion.

During my workout routine, I also listen to several Bible passages and other devotional materials. This includes reading through the Bible in a year, the book of Proverbs monthly, and the book of Psalms twice per year. Along with prayer throughout the day, this helps me to grow in the spiritual aspects of my life.

When I have additional time available during my workout, I also listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and other information to assist in growing and expanding my mind. I try to mix a variety of types of topics so that I can learn new and helpful information for my overall life.

As part of my healthy body aspect of life, we rarely eat out, and our meals consist of healthy meats and vegetables, a limited amount of fruit, and very few foods with carbohydrates or sugar in them.

Sleep is another important part of our lives. While I do need to make improvements in this area, I try to get between 6 and 7 hours of sleep each weeknight and 8 plus on the weekends.

I take very seriously that my body is considered a temple of God’s Holy Spirit as we are told in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” God deserves the best temple that I can maintain. To do otherwise is not honoring to God. With a solid temple, a sharp mind, and a nourished soul, we can be fully utilized by God to be bearers of His image and to further His kingdom on earth.

Next week we will begin a new series on “Ask Gramps” that I think you will really enjoy. The information that we explore will allow you to unlock who you are as we travel on our trek and discover some of the things that make you who you are. I know you will find these insights interesting, practical, and profitable in living a rich and satisfying life.

Our next trek is Mediation Monday when we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 912 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Apple Podcast or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you on Monday!

Day 912 – Beauty Is Only Skin Deep – Humor Unplugged

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 912 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our five days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 912 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in  Proverbs 15:30, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled…

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep

Little Jimmy watched, fascinated, as his mother gently massaged cold cream on her face.

“Why are you rubbing that on your face, Momma?” he asked.

“To make myself beautiful,” said his mother.

He watched with interest as Momma diligently applied the cream until her entire face was covered, even down on her neck.  Momma sat there reading a book and chatting with little Jimmy.  After about 20 minutes she began removing the cream with a tissue. This surprised Jimmy.

“What’s the matter?” Jimmy asked his momma. “Are you giving up?”

Sourced at: www.mikeysFunnies.com

Today’s Thursday Thought is “Don’t ever give up on being a beautiful person.”

Proverbs [31:30]-31

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

That’s a wrap for today’s Humor Unplugged. If you enjoy these short stories, let me know so I can continue to bring a bit of cheer to your week. As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 911 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on Apple Podcast or Google Play so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!