Why was Abel's sacrifice greater?

This is a question that has come up many times, and with many many different interpretations. As I meditated on Hebrews 11, I think I saw one of the main reasons.... correct me if I am wrong!

Genesis 4: ¹ Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.” ² Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. ³ And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
⁶ So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
⁸ Now Cain talked with Abel his brother;^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
⁹ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
¹⁰ And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. ¹¹ So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”
¹³ And Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! ¹⁴Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”
¹⁵ And the LORD said to him, “Therefore,^{b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]} whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

I think the answer is in Hebrews 11, where it is said, "⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks."

This is because, though Cain's sacrifice was of the ground, I think that even if Cain had offered a lamb it would have had the same results - because if the sacrifice was not done in faith, then it is just dead works, but 'by FAITH Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain". Faith without works is dead.(James 2). I conclude from Scripture too, that Works without faith is dead. It is by FAITH that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice, for the Bible says,

1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

What do you think about this, after meditating on Scripture?

Why revival tarries?

Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill is a remarkable book. I was reading it last week before going to Melaka. It is full of such revelation and truth, and the beautiful language it is written in is a plus. Ravenhill constantly quotes other men and women of God, their poetry and writings, at the end of each chapter. It is very refreshing to read.

I have been listening to the audio series, “Unlocking the Bible”, by a Bible teacher from England called David Pawson. Every few nights I turn on a cd and listen to it until I sleep. It has been really helpful and a blessing. You can tell how much Pawson loves the Bible and just wants you to love it and understand it too. He opens up a lot of Scripture. I would really recommend the series.

After hearing his teaching on Lamentations, I decided to try to write an acrostic poem to pray for Israel, because sometimes I just don’t know what to pray. It isn’t a masterpiece, but here goes:

Israel.

A people that does not desire YHWH,

Blackslided, Choked full of themselves.

Called and Chosen by YHWH as His own Special People, they

Despised Him, turning to adultery, rejecting and forgetting His Name, (YHWH)

Even though they did not love YHWH,

Falling into sin again and again

Grieving YHWH’s heart,

He still loves them and sent Yahshua to die for them, that they may be saved.

In everything they rejected Him, and

Yahshua wept over Jerusalem, mourning for them, for they,

Killed the Prophets and stoned those sent to her.

Love God and keep His commandments, that they did not do,

Many times they were punished, but turned again to sin.

Now they eyes are blinded.

Open their eyes, YHWH!

Paul prayed that Israel may be saved, O that they may,

Quieten their hearts and

Repent, so that You may raise them up as a people that

Serves You will all their heart.

Trusting in Yahshua, who is the Son of YHWH, who came in the flesh, crucified, buried and raised again, now seated in the heavenly places at the right hand of YHWH,

Under Your wings.

Vain thoughs and imaginations – pride! Will be gone.

When see the One whom they pierced, and repent!

Accept their prayers then, O YHWH, from broken and contrite hearts.

You yearn for your people, for

Zion.

Listening to this now!

Why Couldn’t I Understand the Bible?

Why Couldn’t I Understand the Bible?

A lot of people, I’m sure, were like me at one point or another, and perhaps still am. The Bible once seemed a complete mystery to me. It didn’t make any sense. It didn’t seem to apply to my life, or change me, or anything. I knew the facts, I knew all the “stories”, I could answer all the questions that the Sunday-school teacher asked. I knew the Parables, I knew the Gospel, and I knew who created the heaven and earth, so what?

Even after reading through the Bible in three months NOTHING seemed to penetrate. I felt like I was just scratching the surface over and over again, like someone searching for gold but only uncovering soil and soil.

Now I believed God in His word, and I believe that He was God, and He was Creator, and He saved me from sin, but I only knew that God did this and God did that, I didn’t know God as the God who IS, who WAS, and WHO IS TO COME. I didn’t know GOD, and who HE was. I only knew what He did.

It usually starts like that.

Hebrews 11 ¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
³ By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Our journey must begin on the basis of faith, even if it just believing that God Almighty is the creator of heaven and earth, etc. We must have FAITH to begin with. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17)

But when our journey progresses, works MUST come after us. Faith saves us, but is inside. Works are the things on the outside that show evidence of what is inside. Sometimes people may have only the outside and lack the inside. Then those works are dead. We must have a living faith in the living God for our works to be living.

James 2

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does I tprofit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your^[d] works, and I will show you my faith by my^[e] works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?^{[f] 21} Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[g]And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Notice James repeats again and again that faith without works is dead? So works without faith, I believe is dead also. My father quoted from somebody once, that faith and works are like two oars, without one or the other we simple go round and round in circles in our walk with God. Belief/Faith is not enough! Even the demons believe in God – but they are trembling!

^{Hebrews 11:8} By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
¹¹ By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child^[b] when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

By faith Abraham obeyed (Works). He obeyed and went out. If he simply said he had the faith but didn’t go out to the place God called him that is not faith at all. So also Sarah.

Hebrews 11 verse ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

By FAITH Abraham OBEYED, hand in hand. Without faith we cannot please God, no matter what we do. We MUST have faith. Faith is what saves us. Works are what show that we are saved. Here we come to the Key of my sharing – God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I had faith in God, I didn’t know Him personally yet, but I believed Him to be the rewarder of those who diligently sought Him. And so I continued to try and read His word, which seemed dry and boring to me. I struggled to memorize it, to meditate on it, and for months I seemed like nothing was happening. I had the faith, I obeyed Him by trying to read His Word, though it seemed fruitless, and then over time God rewarded me.

God WILL reward you, no matter how hard it is, no matter how tiresome it seems, no matter how boring you think the Bible is, no matter how you struggle and struggle and struggle, because GOD is faithful, you must be faithful too. You be faithful, you diligently seek Him –He will reward you. It doesn’t happen overnight. It doesn’t happen suddenly, or the first time we pick up the Bible and decide to read it. Infact, the first time you try to read it you probably wouldn’t “get anything down your system”.

Do you know that God’s Word is a living Word, and it is God speaking to you? Do you want to hear what God is saying and not what the world is saying? Of course! But of course it is very difficult. When all your life you listen to the dead words of a dying world that is all that you are accustomed to then of course you will not be able to take the living Words of a living God so easily. You have been trained, your sense have been trained, your mind has been filled with the wisdom of this world.

God revealed Himself to me slowly, it came not all at once. Through memorizing His Word, I came to understand more and more. I copied the Book of Colossians in the beginning because I found reading tiresome and sleepy. Copying helped me stay awake, and to concentrate instead of skimming over words. My handwriting was terrible at first, and as my writing progressed, so did my spirit. I ended up memorizing it, and these words here.

When God gives you understanding and revelation of His Word, it doesn’t come over night. He doesn’t give it to you all at once, otherwise I probably would have become a proud know-it-all, like before. The understanding of God’s Word comes over time, and even experienced Christians still receive more and more revelation as they continue to seek God.

Slowly, I actually began to enjoy God’s Word, and learn more and more every day. Ps Susan always says that God’s Word is a requiring Word, and God never wastes His words. God became to require from me things which I never dreamed off before. He led to me learn obedience, and diligence, and showed me what a wretched sinner I had been and still in a way was. He showed me the narrow way, a way so narrow you can’t even lean one way or the other without falling. The ways is so straight and narrow.

Matthew 7

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! ¹² Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

See here is the promise. Ask. I heard in a CD by David Pawson, that the verb is in present continous tense, in the originally Greek. The last thing this verse is talking about is monetary and physically gifts from God, nay! Keep asking, and it will be given to you; Keep seeking and you will find; Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. Even a simple passage like this a great treasure to me. What do you think Jesus is talking about – doesn’t it speak something to your spirit? Yes, my heavenly Father gives good things to me, blessed wonderful things! The chapter goes on to say:

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because^[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

So narrow, so difficult, and that’s where the grace of God comes in. I heard this illustration from Aunty Dorothy, and read it in Wiersbe’s Bible Commentary too. The narrow road’s entrance holds a banner which says, “Whomsoever will”, and once you step in, and turn around, behind is written “Chosen”. Indeed we are all called to the Way, which is Christ, those who enter are chosen, but we MUST remain faithful, for God IS the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

What a joy the word of God is – I do not enjoy it in a way that is fleshly, or carnal, for in the third chapter of James it says,

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct tha his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The word of God will become like a sword that will pierce you, a mirror that shows you how dirty you are (Hebrews 4, James 1), YET IT IS LIFE! IT IS TRUTH! Amen.

I will continue this article in a series of articles I write for my blog. If you truly struggle but seek to love God’s Word, please read the Psalm 119 and Joshua 1:8

Joshua 1:8 (New King James Version)

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

א ALEPH

¹ Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the LORD!
² Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
³ They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
⁴ You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were directed
To keep Your statutes!
⁶ Then I would not be ashamed,
When I look into all Your commandments.
⁷ I will praise You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
⁸ I will keep Your statutes;
Oh, do not forsake me utterly!

ב BETH

⁹ How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
¹¹ Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
¹² Blessed are You, O LORD!
Teach me Your statutes.
¹³ With my lips I have declared
All the judgments of Your mouth.
¹⁴ I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on Your precepts,
And contemplate Your ways.
¹⁶ I will delight myself in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.

×’ GIMEL

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
¹⁹ I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
²⁰ My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
²¹ You rebuke the proud—the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
²² Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept Your testimonies.
²³ Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
²⁴ Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors.

ד DALETH

²⁵ My soul clings to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
²⁶ I have declared my ways, and You answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
²⁷ Make me understand the way of Your precepts;
So shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
²⁸ My soul melts from heaviness;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
²⁹ Remove from me the way of lying,
And grant me Your law graciously.
³⁰ I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
³¹ I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
³² I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.

×” HE

³³ Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
³⁴ Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
³⁵ Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
³⁶ Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
³⁷ Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.^[a]
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
³⁹ Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
⁴⁰ Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

וWAW

⁴¹ Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD—
Your salvation according to Your word.
⁴² So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
⁴³ And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
⁴⁴ So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
⁴⁵ And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
⁴⁶ I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
⁴⁷ And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
⁴⁸ My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

×–ZAYIN

⁴⁹ Remember the word to Your servant,
Upon which You have caused me to hope.
⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
⁵¹ The proud have me in great derision,
Yet I do not turn aside from Your law.
⁵² I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD,
And have comforted myself.
⁵³ Indignation has taken hold of me
Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
⁵⁴ Your statutes have been my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
⁵⁵ I remember Your name in the night, O LORD,
And I keep Your law.
⁵⁶ This has become mine,
Because I kept Your precepts.

×—HETH

⁵⁷ You are my portion, O LORD;
I have said that I would keep Your words.
⁵⁸ I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
Be merciful to me according to Your word.
⁵⁹ I thought about my ways,
And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
⁶⁰ I made haste, and did not delay
To keep Your commandments.
⁶¹ The cords of the wicked have bound me,
But I have not forgotten Your law.
⁶² At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
⁶³ I am a companion of all who fear You,
And of those who keep Your precepts.
⁶⁴ The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes.

טTETH

⁶⁵ You have dealt well with Your servant,
O LORD, according to Your word.
⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
⁶⁸ You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.
⁶⁹ The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.
⁷⁰ Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.
⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
⁷² The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

×™YOD

⁷³ Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
⁷⁴ Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
⁷⁵ I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
⁷⁷ Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
⁷⁸ Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
⁷⁹ Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
⁸⁰ Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.

×›KAPH

⁸¹ My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
⁸² My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
⁸³ For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
⁸⁴ How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
⁸⁵ The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
⁸⁶ All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me wrongfully;
Help me!
⁸⁷ They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
⁸⁸ Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

לLAMED

⁸⁹ Forever, O LORD,
Your word is settled in heaven.
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it abides.
⁹¹ They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
⁹² Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
⁹³ I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
⁹⁴ I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
⁹⁵ The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.
⁹⁶ I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

מMEM

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
⁹⁸ You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts.
¹⁰¹ I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.
¹⁰² I have not departed from Your judgments,
For You Yourself have taught me.
¹⁰³ How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
¹⁰⁴ Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.

× NUN

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
¹⁰⁶ I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
¹⁰⁷ I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.
¹⁰⁸ Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,
And teach me Your judgments.
¹⁰⁹ My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.
¹¹¹ Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
¹¹² I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.

סSAMEK

¹¹³ I hate the double-minded,
But I love Your law.
¹¹⁴ You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.
¹¹⁵ Depart from me, you evildoers,
For I will keep the commandments of my God!
¹¹⁶ Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
¹¹⁷ Hold me up, and I shall be safe,
And I shall observe Your statutes continually.
¹¹⁸ You reject all those who stray from Your statutes,
For their deceit is falsehood.
¹¹⁹ You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross;
Therefore I love Your testimonies.
¹²⁰ My flesh trembles for fear of You,
And I am afraid of Your judgments.

×¢AYIN

¹²¹ I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
¹²² Be surety for Your servant for good;
Do not let the proud oppress me.
¹²³ My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation
And Your righteous word.
¹²⁴ Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,
And teach me Your statutes.
¹²⁵ I am Your servant;
Give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
¹²⁶ It is time for You to act, O LORD,
For they have regarded Your law as void.
¹²⁷ Therefore I love Your commandments
More than gold, yes, than fine gold!
¹²⁸ Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things
I consider to be right;
I hate every false way.

פPE

¹²⁹ Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
¹³⁰ The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
¹³¹ I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
¹³² Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.
¹³³ Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
¹³⁴ Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
¹³⁵ Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
¹³⁶ Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.

צTSADDE

¹³⁷ Righteous are You, O LORD,
And upright are Your judgments.
¹³⁸ Your testimonies, which You have commanded,
Are righteous and very faithful.
¹³⁹ My zeal has consumed me,
Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
¹⁴⁰ Your word is very pure;
Therefore Your servant loves it.
¹⁴¹ I am small and despised,
Yet I do not forget Your precepts.
¹⁴² Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.
¹⁴³ Trouble and anguish have overtaken me,
Yet Your commandments are my delights.
¹⁴⁴ The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting;
Give me understanding, and I shall live.

קQOPH

¹⁴⁵ I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O LORD!
I will keep Your statutes.
¹⁴⁶ I cry out to You;
Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
¹⁴⁷ I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
¹⁴⁸ My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O LORD, revive me according to Your justice.
¹⁵⁰ They draw near who follow after wickedness;
They are far from Your law.
¹⁵¹ You are near, O LORD,
And all Your commandments are truth.
¹⁵² Concerning Your testimonies,
I have known of old that You have founded them forever.

רRESH

¹⁵³ Consider my affliction and deliver me,
For I do not forget Your law.
¹⁵⁴ Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.
¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
¹⁵⁶ Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
¹⁵⁷ Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
¹⁵⁸ I see the treacherous, and am disgusted,
Because they do not keep Your word.
¹⁵⁹ Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
¹⁶⁰ The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

שSHIN

¹⁶¹ Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
¹⁶² I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
¹⁶³ I hate and abhor lying,
But I love Your law.
¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.
¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
¹⁶⁶ LORD, I hope for Your salvation,
And I do Your commandments.
¹⁶⁷ My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.
¹⁶⁸ I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.

ת TAU

¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come before You, O LORD;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
¹⁷⁰ Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
¹⁷¹ My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
¹⁷² My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
¹⁷³ Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
¹⁷⁴ I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments

Dear readers,

In this post I will quote a letter by Bonhoeffer to a friend, translated in the book I mentioned in the last post. It has helped me tremendously, his revelation of God’s Word, which though certainly is not new, but has been repeated and revealed to many people of God, is very refreshing in the way he writes it, how we need to understand the Bible. I hope this is not illegal, I just want to share with others part of a writing that has blessed me.

However, because this was originally written in German, I think you cannot take a sentence out of it and make an individual conclusion. You have to read the whole paragraph to get the feel of what Bonhoeffer is saying, you have to read it in its context to get the whole “picture”.

Letter to Rudiger Scheleicher, written on April 8^th, 1936, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Dear Rudiger,

… I will first of all quite simply make a confession: I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions and that we need only to ask insistently and with some humility for us to receive the answer from it. One cannot simply read the Bible like other bookd. We must be prepared really to question it. Only in this way is it revealed to us. Only if we await the final answer from it does it give that Word to us. The reason for this is that in the Bible God speaks to us. And we cannot simply reflect upon God from ourselves; rather, we must ask God. Only when we seek God does God answer. Naturally one can also read the Bible like any other book, as for example from the viewpoint of textual criticism, etc. There is certainly nothing to be said against this. Only that it is not the way that reveals the essence of Bible, only its superficial surface. Just as we do not grasp the word of a person whom we love, in order to dissect it, but just as such a word is simply accepted and it then lingers with us all day long, simply as the word of this one who has spoken to us in this word that moves us ever more deeply in our hearts like Mary, so should we treat the Word of God. Only if we dare for once to enter into relationship with the Bible as the place where God who loves us really speaks to us and will not leave us along with our questions will we be happy with the Bible….

If I am one who says where God shall be, so I will always find a God there who corresponds in some way to me, is pleasing to me, who belongs to my nature. If it is, however, God who speaks where God chooses to be, then that will probably be a place which does not at all correspond to my nature, which is not at all pleasing to me. But this place is the cross of Christ. And the one who will find him there must be with him under the cross, just as the Sermon on the Mount demands. This doesn’t suit our nature at all but is completely counter to it. This, however, is the message of the Bible, not only in the New but also in the Old Testament (Isa 53!). In any event, Jesus and Paul intended this: with the cross of Jesus is the Scripture, that is, the Old testament fulfilled. The whole Bible will, therefore, be the Word in which God will allow the divine self to be discovered by us. This is no place which is pleasing or a priori sensible to us, but a place strange to us in every way and which is entirely contrary to us.

So now I read the Bible in this way, I ask in every place: What is God saying to us here? I ask God to show us what God wants to say. Thus we are not at all permitted to seek after the general, eternal truth which would correspond to our own “everlasting” nature and as such would be made evident. Rather, we seek the will of God who is entirely strange and contrary to us, who ways are not our ways and whose thoughts are not our thoughts, who hides under the sign of the cross at which all our ways and thoughts come to an end. God is wholly other than the so-called eternal truth. That is always still our own thoughts of self and our wished-for life everlasting. God’s Word, however, begins where God points us to the cross of Jesus at which all our ways and thoughts, also the so-called “everlasting” converge, namely in death and God’s judgment.

This paragraph ends with stating that he is ready to sacrifice his own personal intellect and that everything outside the Bible is too uncertain. He goes on to say in the final paragraph,

I also want to say to you quite personally that since I have learned to read the Bible in this way – and that is not so very long ago – it becomes more wonderful to me every day. I read it every morning and evening, often also during the day. And every day I take for myself a text that I will have for the entire week and immerse myself entirely in it, in order to be able to really listen to it. I know that without this I would no longer be able to live properly. Or, every before that, to believe in the right way.

I hope you will find this letter helpful, and if not, these Passages.

Joshua 1: ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.