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Day 1449 – Journal Articles and Cross-References for Bible Study – Meditation Monday

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Welcome to Day 1449 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Journal Articles and Cross-References for Bible Study – Meditation Monday

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1449 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 you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, Meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making 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 continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our first few insights will focus on study habits to build a strong foundation. Today let us meditate on:

Journal Articles and Cross-References for Bible Study

·      Insight Nine: Read Journal Articles

When people see the word “journal,” they think of a diary or travelogue. Those aren’t what I’m talking about in this situation. Instead, think academic research journals. I understand that academic journals make for challenging reading. Scholars write them for scholars and their students (pastors, seminarians, or graduate students). That being said, they are an excellent tool for biblical research. Since they are published a few times every year, they are more up-to-date than commentaries and Bible dictionaries. They are the cutting edge.

Academic journals are like magazines. They usually have between five and ten articles covering a hundred or so pages. They are not magazines. There are crucial differences.

Journal content is peer-reviewed. Articles that appear in a magazine like TIME are not submitted to a panel of field experts. They are written by journalists who may or may not have academic exposure to the field of their article. For example, there is a clear difference in tone and quality between an article on Alzheimer’s that appears in the Journal of the American Medical Society (JAMA) and TIME magazine. An article in TIME will be written for nonspecialists and have a strictly imposed word count. It’s a diluted summary of the topic. You get the basics.However, an article in a journal may run thirty pages, use technical vocabulary, and will have undergone peer review. It’s scientific research discussed by experts. You get all the hard data.

You ought to know about scholarly journals in biblical studies and read them from time to time. Major news magazines seem to annually produce hit pieces on the historicity of Jesus and the Gospels every Christmas and Easter. What readers get in those articles is the work of a journalist, not a scholar. That journalist might interview a handful of scholars for a half-dozen quotations. Those are sound bites. You’re getting crumbs that a nonexpert with no expert supervision decides you need to read.

As a serious Bible student, you should know that anything you’d ever read in a popular magazine about the Bible is selective in content and guided by an editorial agenda. Academic journals will show you what experts in the field, of all theological persuasions, including those with a high view of the Bible, are actually saying. Read them.

·      Insight Ten: Lookup Cross-References

Any seasoned Bible reader knows what cross-references are: chapter and verse references inserted in your Bible near (or within) the verses you’re actually reading. Print Bibles use several conventions for cross-references. A typical strategy places tiny superscripted numbers or letters next to words that correspond to other verse references located somewhere else on the page, usually the bottom. A fundamental principle in Bible study is letting the Bible interpret itself. Cross-references are an essential gateway to making that happen.

The purpose of cross-references is to alert you to other verses in the Bible that say something similar. For example, let’s say we are in Ephesians l, and we come to verse 7: “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” The ESV puts superscripted letters next to several words in that verse: in, redemption, through, forgiveness, according. Those letters give me a total of ten cross-references to other verses that reiterate or develop the ideas of Ephesians 1:7.

The more cross-references you can find, the better. Many concepts in Scripture are threaded throughout its pages, not just echoed here and there. When Scripture becomes a commentary on Scripture for you, you re starting to do biblical theology.Ten cross-references may sound like a lot, but it isn’t. The ESV Study Bible lists nearly ten more verses that I could look up in regard to Ephesians 1:7. But you can do a lot better than that.

One of the tools every Bible student should have, in print or digital form, is The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. The latest edition claims to be “the most complete listing of cross-references available anywhere.” It’s not an idle boast. The entire book is a compilation of cross-references. That’s right—a book full of nothing but lists of verses. No prose. It’s wonderful. It provides nearly forty cross-references for Ephesians 1:7.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge is most conveniently used within a Bible software platform. The speed saves you a lot of time. But even in hard copy, this is a must-have tool. There are so many free and paid software programs available today for your computer or phone, there is no excuse to remain ignorant and lacking in your Bible Study.

Joshua 1:8

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

That is a wrap for today’s Meditation, 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 ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’  If you would like to listen to any of the past 1448 daily treks or read the daily Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

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

As we take this Trek of life 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 1448 – Augmented Reality – Implications and Opportunity – Ask Gramps

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Welcome to Day 1448 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Augmented Reality – Implications and Opportunity – Ask Gramps

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1448 of our Trek, and our focus on Fridays is the future technological and societal advances, so we call it Futuristic Fridays. My personality is one that has always been very future-oriented. Since my childhood, I have yearned for the exploration and discovery of new technologies and advancements for the future. I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and even today, while I am on my 64th revolution around the sun, I still dream of traveling in space. Each week we will explore rapidly converging technologies and advancements, which will radically change our lives. At times, the topics may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but each area that we explore is already well on its way of becoming a reality over the next couple of decades.

To keep with our theme of “Ask Gramps,” I will put our weekly topics in the form of a question to get us on track. So this week’s question is, Hey Gramps, what are some of the implications and opportunities of Augmented Reality and its impact on the world. 

Augmented Reality – Implications and Opportunity

Last week on Futuristic Friday, we explored how Augmented Reality is and will impact significant sectors of industry. Today, we will focus on the implication and opportunity of AR. Our world is in a disruptive mode, which will speed up the exponential technology that is changing our world today. I am using some of the information mentioned in Peter Diamandis’s blogs and book “The Future is Faster Than You Think.”

If you could choose, how do you want to see the world? As an on-going game? A constant shopping extravaganza? A classroom that spans the planet and never stops teaching? How the Earth appeared 100 years ago? Augmented Reality (AR) will allow everyone to view the ultra-dynamic and highly immersive digital world of their choice.

Turn on Game mode, and when you’re walking down the street, everything you look at becomes part of a game… Star Wars, Star Trek, Pokémon, or Harry Potter. Entertainment information layers permeate all physical environments.In Shopping mode, online merges with offline environments. Every storefront is only showing you things you desire; your AI knows precisely what you’re shopping for, what you need, what colors and fabrics you prefer. Specifications from price, color, and brand, are preferentially displayed by your AR headset. Your AI filters even the advertisements you see (or lack thereof).

Turn on Education mode, and wherever you look, your AI-enabled AR headset can deliver to you physics lessons, historical rundowns, or linguistics courses. Virtual educators appear on demand, answering nearly any question you could possibly think of. (Every action, from an arching football to an ocean wave, can teach you about physics.) Every moment is filled with constant learning and growth.

Or switch on Tourism mode: Explore any location with a personalized, expert guide. See a site as it appeared during any time-period—rewind 600 years or 6,000. Don’t miss any of the most renowned local food spots, particularly those your AI knows best match your palate.

·      The AR Cloud

As AR hardware advances within its deceptive growth phase, the business opportunity for AR content creators is now—whether building virtual universes or digitizing our physical one.

To create multi-player games, social media communities, and messaging platforms linked to the same physical space, a centralized AR Cloud must first unify all headsets within a synced virtual overlay.

Just as search engines like Google serve multiple operating systems, the AR Cloud will serve every headset. Yet unlike today’s Cloud computing infrastructure, the AR Cloud will need to churn constant input-output loops in real-time, crunching, and serving up far more data than we can currently comprehend.

While most AR apps available today offer one-time wonders like furniture try-outs or human anatomy lessons, AR-native apps linked to daily tasks in the physical world will change the way we do everything. It may be a few years off yet, but it is coming.

Ori Inbar, the co-founder of Augmented World Expo, believes; “A real-time 3D (or spatial) map of the world, the AR Cloud, will be the single most important software infrastructure in computing. In a nutshell, with the AR Cloud, the entire world becomes a shared spatial screen, enabling multi-user engagement and collaboration.”

The AR Cloud is also set to transform how information is organized. Currently, we actively input our questions and find answers through 2D mediums. But the AR Cloud will soon enable a smart environment that feeds us what is relevant, when relevant.Local businesses that are inherently pertinent to you and your problems will auto-populate individualized data in your AR interface. Individuals’ backgrounds will pop up at networking events, particularly of those who share your industry, interests, or might be great partners for your next joint venture. That computing system you’ve just been shipped will guide you interactively through the assembly process—just give it a gaze and activate instructions with a blink.

·      Technological Requirements

But how do we actually build the AR Cloud?

As I’ve mentioned in previous Futuristic Friday Episodes, the closest we have come to a widespread communal AR experience was Pokémon Go. To function, the game’s servers store geolocation, player activity, and specific location data. Even in the case of this sophisticated online-merge-offline AR experience, there is no shared memory of activities occurring in each location.

In tomorrow’s AR Cloud, a centralized AR backend would incorporate shared memory data, allowing us both individual gamification and seamless shared experience.

To do so, the AR Cloud requires us to perfect point cloud capture, a method of capturing and reconstructing 3D areas. Several techniques—laser scanners like LiDAR, depth sensors like Kinect, or drone and satellite camera footage—will together enable a universal, high-integrity point cloud.

Along a similar vein, a tremendous upcoming business challenge involves inputting scans from many hardware devices and outputting data accessible to a range of platforms. i.e., the process of digitizing and updating every square foot of physical space as user-worn sensors collect data.

To achieve this, we might think of solutions similar to (but far more sophisticated than) Google Tango’s “area learning,” wherein devices use camera footage and location data to recognize places they’ve seen before. Depth sensing and motion tracking will also play a critical role in environment creation.

In terms of AR self-orientation, companies will need to develop universal localizers that give devices ultra-fast positional awareness. In this instance, crowdsourced 3D mesh stitching might be employed to stitch together all data generated by AR users, thereby recreating digital versions of shared physical environments.

Finally, the AR Cloud will ride on massive surges in connectivity. Some examples are 5G, balloons, and satellite networks proliferate worldwide would reduce latency (i.e., the delay in data transfer), which will vastly improve access across AR devices, allowing constant real-time updates to the cloud.

Even today, network giants like Cisco, Microsoft, and IBM are already starting to tackle the AR Cloud’s infrastructural components.  Take Cisco, which now innovates across various IoT platform solutions such as Cisco Kinetic, Cisco Jasper, and Cisco DNA (Digital Network Architecture)—supporting the ever-increasing bandwidth needs of smart, connected devices.

Another example is the global non-profit Open AR Cloud (OARC), which spans projects from spatial indexing, to edge-computing and 5G, and also incorporates security and privacy.

·      The Implications….

So what does it all mean?

Instant skills training: Anyone capable of following decent audiovisual explanations can become an expert on anything, whether in the middle of NYC or rural Bangladesh, on-demand.Screens go away: Your AR headset can project your watch, phone screen, health metrics, entertainment, anywhere, and to the scale you desire. We first dematerialized radios, calculators, measuring tapes, and almost every computing tool into a handheld device. But now, we are dematerializing screens themselves— seeing through interfaces, not looking into them.

Control what you see: Eliminate what you don’t want to see and populate ordinary environments with your desired reality. Your office floor becomes a calm pond, your windows a mountain view. Your kids might be surrounded by open canvases, how-it-works rundowns on any tool, or written vocabulary as you speak to them. Imagine telling your AI, “every time you see a coffee cup in the world, fill it with flowers.”

Never forget anyone’s name or birthday: The combination of facial recognition, AR and AI will allow you to recognize anyone by name. You immediately know a familiar face when you see one, how you know that person, and relevant information at the right time.

Instantly recognize any “thing:” Look at any tool, piece of art, product (you name it!) and know exactly who made it, what it costs, what it does, how it might be assembled or disassembled, and the supply chain that brought it about.

The advent of digital fashion: Digital garments are overlaid seamlessly on your body in the AR Cloud, and digital copies of yourself might model new styles or innovative fashion ideas at whim. You can control who sees you in what clothing. Your colleagues can see you wearing one outfit, pedestrians, another, your family members a third.

Training your AI: AR headwear will know where you’re looking, tracking your facial expressions, eye dilation, and focus—all working with your personal AI to learn what you love, how you think, and what catches your imagination most.

·      Final Thoughts

Consider how companies, governments, artists, and leaders will vie for priority in presenting AR-delivered data to your visual cortex.

Ponder how you (or your AI) will curate your digital world, how you might maintain privacy (of which information and how much?). Do you want people looking at you to know your name? Your profession or birthdate?

AR will not only transform our world. It will fundamentally redefine it. Your combined AR/AI system can help you focus on what’s important, block out distractions, or help lift your mood when required.

The convergence of AR, gigabit/low-latency networks (such as 5G), IoT (i.e., sensors), AI, and Blockchain is about to change almost every industry in the decade ahead, and create more opportunity for wealth creation than was possible in the past century!

Entrepreneurs should pay attention! Consider these two economic predictions to understand the magnitude of what is coming.

  • First, the McKinsey report predicts that IoT will create $6.2 TRILLION of new economic value by 2025.
  • Second, Gartner predictions that AI augmentation will create $2.9 TRILLION of business value and 6.2 billion hours of worker productivity globally by 2021.

AR will be a significant factor in both.

My advice to everyone… DON’T BLINK, the Future is Faster Than You Think!

As a Christ-follower, you might wonder how we should engage with this new technology. Just like all technologies of the past from the printing press to the cotton gin, we should fully embrace it to build God’s kingdom to earth as it is in heaven. The best is yet to come. This reminds me of:

1 Corinthians 2:9

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us again next Futuristic Friday for another interesting question about our future on our ‘Ask Gramps’ episode. Our next trek is Meditation Monday, where 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 ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’If you would like to listen to any of the past 1447 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

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

As we take this Trek of life 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 1447 – Go Forth and Multiply – Humor Unplugged

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Welcome to Day 1447 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Go Forth and Multiply – Humor Unplugged

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your Captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1447 of our Trek, and 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 give 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:

Go Forth and Multiply

After the great flood, Noah was so anxious to rid the Ark of all the animals, and move onto a normal life. After investing 100 years building the Ark and then being quarantined for over a year with a bunch of smelly animals, Noah opens up the Ark and let all the animals out. Follow God’s commands, Noah stands at the door and tells every pair of animals to “Go forth and multiply!” This feat alone took over a week before all the animals were out of the Ark. After he thought all of the animals we out, he went back in to sweep the Ark clean and to make sure no animals or creatures were left behind. Noah thought he was all finished, but did one last walk through with his family checking every corner.  As Noah was closing the great doors of the Ark, he hears something move in a dark corner. When checks closer, he notices that two snakes are sitting in a dark corner.

Noah being very disturbed that the snakes were not off of the Ark. So Noah says to them, “Didn’t you hear me? You can go now. Go forth and multiply.“

The snakes looked a bit embarrassed and replied, “We can’t; we are adders.“I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a kind smile each day. Our Thursday thought is, “When you’ve been around a snake long enough, you learn how to crawl in the dirt.”

Here is our verse for today:

Genesis 9:1

Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.

Just 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 ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1446 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com.  I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you 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 of life 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 Futuristic Friday!

Day 1446 – Divine Council – Overcoming Objectives – Worldview Wednesday

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Welcome to Day 1446 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Divine Council – Overcoming Objections – Worldview Wednesday

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. Today is Day 1446 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, on our Worldview Wednesday episode, we will continue with our study based on a course I recently completed taught by Dr. Michael Heiser. Our study is titled “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny” Throughout this multi-week course we will demonstrate that, in the Old Testament, “sons of God” and “holy ones” refers to supernatural beings whose Father is God and who work with God to carry out His will and that this divine family was present before humanity. By fully engaging with biblical texts such as Psalm 82; Psalm 89, and Deuteronomy 32:8–9, our study will show that this divine family functions as a template for God’s human family. God desires of humans, as His imagers, to participate in His council. This study addresses issues such as polytheism, the nature of the (little ‘g’) “gods,” and the uniqueness of Yahweh. Within this study, we will apply insights to the New Testament texts and shows how the metaphor of being in God’s family informs our sense of identity and mission as believers.

Divine Council – Overcoming Objections

·      Segment 7: Idols Part 2

Elohim and the Divine Council Does Not Refer to Idols

We are talking about the language of divine plurality in Psalm 82 (the plural elohim), and whether we should understand that language as referring to idols. To be honest, at this point, you’re probably wondering how this question is even relevant, how it makes any sense.

Fear of Polytheism

Well, a lot of people gravitate toward this option because they don’t want plural elohim to be real because of the fear of polytheism. We’re going to see later that that is an unsubstantial fear. Biblical theology does not teach polytheism, but we need to continue with this question because Bible teachers and even some scholars raise it.

Additional Support For a Divine Council in Daniel 7

We already saw last week in 1 Kings 22 that we have in God’s council a heavenly host of spirit beings. That makes perfect sense; they are the ones who carry out God’s decrees. In that example, it was God’s decree that Ahab was going to die. In Daniel 7, we pick up another passage. Again, keep in mind, idols don’t work for God. God does have an entourage; He does have a heavenly host; He does have a council, but we are not talking about idols here. So, in Daniel 7:9-10, we read this, Daniel says,

As I looked,

thrones were placed,

and the Ancient of Days took His seat;

his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames;

its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued

and came out from before him;

a thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;

the court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

What we have here is a divine council meeting. We have thrones (plural) set up to render a judgment. We have a court, a council sitting, books are opened because God and His council, His entourage, His assembly, are going to render a judgment. About what? Well, if we read through the whole of Daniel 7, they are meeting to decide what is the fate of these four beasts in the vision of Daniel 7. The point for our purposes, though, is that these are not idols, and God does not work with idols.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream and the Divine Decrees in Daniel 4

In Daniel 4, we see something similar, except not quite as dramatic. This is the chapter in Daniel, where Nebuchadnezzar gets news that he is going to go temporarily insane. In Daniel 4:13, Nebuchadnezzar begins explaining to Daniel what happened—you know, what he saw in his vision or his dream. And we read in verse 13, “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.”

Now, the language here is significant. “Watcher” is a word that’s used several times in Daniel and other Jewish literature for a divine being, a member of the heavenly host. He is referred to here as a “holy one.” We’ve already seen references to a council of holy ones back in Psalm 89, and so here, they are in this scene in Daniel 4.

Now, what happens is Nebuchadnezzar explains his dream, and its meaning is not good news for him. He is going to go temporarily insane. In Daniel 4:17, we read this, “The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.”

So we have this decision about Nebuchadnezzar being judged associated with a group: “this is the decree of the watchers [plural], the decision by the word of the holy ones [plural].” Just so that we don’t misunderstand and say, “Oh, we’ve got just a rogue bunch of holy ones up there making decisions that God isn’t any part of,” Daniel 4 is going to cut that thought off pretty clearly. In Daniel 4:24, we read very similar language to verse 17; it says, “This is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Highest, which has come upon my lord the king.”

Why Does God Need a Council?

Let us get to the heart of the question; what does God need with a council? So we might as well address it here. Frankly, God doesn’t need a council. He doesn’t need anything, but this is what He does. He wants it.

I think a good parallel would be to ask, “Why does God need humans? “Why does God need us as individuals? Why does God need the church? Why does God need people for evangelism, the Great Commission?” Well, the short answer is He doesn’t. God could just sort of flip switches on and off about who is going to believe and not and call it a day, but He doesn’t do that. He has humans participate with Him in something He wants to get done.

So there is no council acting without God’s approval. This is God making a decision, and the council participates with Him to carry out what God wants to happen, God’s decrees.

And this takes our mind back to in our introduction this whole idea about a template. We are learning something about how God operates in the supernatural world with His divine family. His divine bureaucracy. His divine council. Understanding how God works with His divine family is going to help inform us about how God looks at our participation as humans. God has tasks that He wants His earthly family to participate in. He has responsibilities for us. So God doesn’t need a council; He doesn’t need us either. This is just how He works.

 Summary

So back to our main thought at this juncture: we’re not dealing with idols. Idols are enemies of God. They are objects in which fallen; rebellious, hostile, divine beings were thought to reside. This council of Yahweh is in the skies; it’s in the heavens. It’s not on earth where idols are, and idols are hostile anyway.

Now, the implication here I think we’ve seen very clearly is we have a participatory sort of relationship between God and the members of His family. He allows genuine participation in carrying out His will. A sub-thought of that is the notion that, well, if He is allowing genuine participation, what about predestination? Isn’t everything predetermined anyway? And we’re going to discover in future lessons that no, that isn’t the case.[1]

That will conclude segment 7 in our study, “Sons and Daughters of God: The Believers Identity, Calling, and Destiny.” Join us again next week as we explore Shared Rule with the Heavenly Council. I believe you will find each Worldview Wednesday contains thought-provoking topics 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, which will 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 ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’If you would like to listen to any of our past 1445 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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 in 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 Tomorrow!

[1] Heiser, M. S. (2019). Sons and Daughters of God: The Believer’s Identity, Calling, and Destiny. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Day 1445 – Stay Focused – Wisdom Unplugged

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Welcome to Day 1445 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Stay Focused – Wisdom Unplugged

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1445 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. 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  German Proverb, and it is:    He who begins too much accomplishes little.     

Stay Focused

It is so easy in today’s busy and hectic world to get caught up in the vicious cycle of trying to accomplish too much. We start too many projects, we volunteer for too many commitments, and we get involved in too many obligations. The result of this, we end up not accomplishing much at all. We have dozens of projects left undone. We disappoint others who are counting on our assistance. We end up feeling like a failure. A wise person will know their limitations and only commit to obligations that they are sure they can finish. It is much better not to start a project or decline an invitation than to over-commit ourselves. Many times failure comes when we are not solely focused on a limited number of obligations. In fact, it is better to begin a few projects, and successfully finish them than to be involved with many and never finish them. We can accomplish more when we focus on one task now with all of our attention.  Once we achieve that one task, then we can move onto the next. We can only focus on one thing at a time. Do that well, and then move on.  Don’t fall into the miserable trap of over-commitment, which leads to the cycle of failure. Begin a task with all your focus, finish that task, and then move on. It is then you will see an abundance of continual success cascade over you.

Philippians 3:12-14

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1444 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player 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 of life 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 Worldview Wednesday!