by Gary L. Evans
88 — What was Jesus’ instruction for his disciples?
“Tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10)
Mat 28:9-10 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
“Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17)
Joh 20:17-18 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Jesus said these things, that’s true. What else does John say that Jesus told His Disciples before He Ascended?
Joh 20:19-23 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
What else does John say that Jesus told His Disciples before He Ascended?
Joh 20:24-29 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
What else does John say that Jesus told His Disciples before He Ascended?
Joh 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John explains that Jesus said and did many other things that he has not presented in his book. And then he explains his purpose for writing his Gospel. Then he continues providing more detail of what Jesus said and did before His Ascension in chapter 21 which ends with this verse:
Joh 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
89 — When did the disciples return to Galilee?
Immediately, because when they saw Jesus in Galilee “some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). This period of uncertainty should not persist.
Mat 28:9-10 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
The women went to the Disciples and told them they had met Jesus, and that He had said that The Disciples must now go into Galilee and Jesus would meet them there.
Mat 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
After at least 40 days. That evening the disciples were still in Jerusalem (Luke 24:33).
Luk 24:30-35 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Jesus appeared to them there and told them, stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49).
Luk 24:46-49 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
He was appearing to them “during forty days” (Acts 1:3)
Act 1:1-3 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
And “charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise…“(Acts 1:4)
Act 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
There is no contradiction in these accounts. Each writer focuses on events that another writer omits. So their accounts complement each other. In this case we see that Matthew focused his account to present our Lord’s Great Commission to His Disciples making them all evangelists to spread The Gospel all over the world, whereas Luke focused his account to present our Lord’s commandment for The Disciples to wait in Jerusalem to receive The Holy Spirit according to The Promise of The New Covenant.
90 — To whom did the Midianites sell Joseph?
“To the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37:28)
Gen 37:21-25 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
Dr. Bullinger states: “Ishmeelites. Gen_39:1. In Gen_37:28 and Gen_37:36 called Midianites. Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar (Gen_16:11, Gen_16:12); Midian the son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen_25:2). See Jdg_8:24, Jdg_8:25, where they were mixed together, and were distinguished only by their noserings. (Compare Gen_24:47; Gen_35:4. Exo_32:2, &c.)”
Gen 37:26-28 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Midian and Ishmael were brothers, sons of Abraham, in league together, and their descendants banded together into one nomadic tribe. And the names are used interchangeably. See Dr. Bullinger’s note above.
“To Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh” (Genesis 37:36)
Gen 37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.
Nine of Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him, because Jacob loved Joseph, who was the youngest son until Benjamin was born later. But Reuben wanted to protect Joseph so he told the others to just put Joseph in a dry pit. But while Reuben was away, the others caught Joseph, put him in a pit, and when a Midianite (Ishmaelite) caravan came by, they sold Joseph to them for 20 pieces of silver. Then the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s Captain of the Guard in Egypt. There are no contradictions in this story, just historical facts.
91 — Who brought Joseph to Egypt?
The Ishmaelites bought Joseph and then “took Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28)
Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Dr. Bullinger states: “they, i.e. Joseph’s brethren.”
So Joseph’s brothers pulled him up out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites.
This verse makes it obvious that the tribal names “Midianites” and “Ishmaelites” were used interchangeably.
“The Midianites had sold him in Egypt” (Genesis 37:36)
Gen 37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.
Yes. The Ishmaelites, also called Midianites, sold Joseph to Potiphar.
Joseph said to his brothers “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt” (Genesis 45:4)
Gen 45:1-4 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Joseph spoke the truth. His brothers had indeed sold him into slavery, which in turn caused him to be sold to Potiphar in Egypt. No contradiction here, just facts.
92 — Does God change his mind?
Yes. “The word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I repent that I have made Saul King…” (1 Samuel 15:10-11)
1Sa 15:10-11 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
The phrase ” It repenteth me” is from “naw-kham'” which means “A primitive root; properly to sigh, that is, breathe strongly; by implication to be sorry, that is, (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself).
Note that this word means nothing even similar to “repentance from sin.” And in this context it could be translated to “avenge oneself” because The Lord had trusted Saul and had made him King over Israel. But Saul betrayed The Lord by rebelling against Him and turning to lawlessness.
Dr. Bullinger refers us to Appendix 6 in The Companion Bible: “An-throp’-o-path-ei’-a; or, Condescension, is a figure of speech (Gen_1:2; Gen_8:21. Psa_74:11. Jer_2:13. Hos_11:10). Ascribing to God what belongs to human and rational beings, irrational creatures, or inanimate things.
So here this figure of speech is used to show that God does have emotions that we can relate to, which in this case is “sorrow and extreme disappointment, even vengeance.” When God made Saul King of Israel, Samuel anointed Saul and he was filled with The Holy Spirit. But Saul later rejected The Holy Spirit and became completely wicked. Note that the people suffer for the sins committed by their King, thus Saul was not just hurting himself but all of Israel.
No. God “will not lie or repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent” (1 Samuel 15:29)
1Sa 15:22-23 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
1Sa 15:24-25 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.
Saul begged Samuel to mediate to God for him.
1Sa 15:26-29 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
The word “lie” is from the Hebrew “shaw-kar'” and means “A primitive root; to cheat, that is, be untrue (usually in words): – fail, deal falsely, lie.”
Here we see the sharp contrast between God and man. GOD CANNOT LIE. He does have some emotions similar to ours which are always presented in a figurative sense, but God is absolutely not a man, and does not have emotions like ours in a literal sense.
For example, our anger is rarely if ever justified, but God’s Anger is in Righteousness. Man is not righteous. Only God is righteous.
Yes. “And the Lord repented that he had made Saul King over Israel” (1 Samuel 15:35).
1Sa 15:34-35 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Dr. Bullinger states: “Samuel mourned: i.e. as for one dead. We do not read that Saul mourned for himself.”
Notice that the above three quotes are all from the same chapter of the same book! In addition, the Bible shows that God repented on several other occasions. (Lots of other such references).
“The Lord was sorry that he made man” (Genesis 6:6). “I am sorry that I have made them” (Genesis 6:7)
Gen 6:1-4 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
The Fallen Angels (sons of God) came to earth and married the female descendants of Adam thereby defiling them. And those women bear the giants of ancient times.
Gen 6:5-8 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Satan’s Army had nearly completely defiled the bloodline of the descendants of Adam with hybrids, half angel half human, with one exception. Noah and his family still had pure pedigrees being of the Pure Adamic Bloodline, which was necessary to preserve in order to bring in The Promised Messiah.
“And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people” (Exodus 32:14).
Exo 32:9-14 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Moses stood up as a Mediator and Advocate between God and Man as a type of Christ Who would come much later. And The Lord spared the children of Israel.
God loves us as His dear children, so He will hear our sincere prayers of repentance and forgive us our sins. Whereas The Lord also declared, whosoever commits Sin will Die, He also is willing to Forgive us our sins so that we do not die. We are learning some of The Divine Nature of God. And God’s Nature is not any kind of contradiction. God is Perfect. God is Love.
93 — The Bible says that for each miracle Moses and Aaron demonstrated, the magicians did the same by their secret arts. Then comes the following feat:
Moses and Aaron converted all the available water into blood (Exodus 7:20-21) The magicians did the same (Exodus 7:22). This is impossible, since there would have been no water left to convert into blood.
Exo 7:15-21 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
There was no surface water for the Egyptians to drink. But look ahead a few verses:
Exo 7:24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
So there was drinkable water underground where the Egyptians were digging.
Exo 7:22-25 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
Dr. Bullinger states: “magicians . . . did so. Evidently from the water referred to in Exo_7:24.”
So it appears that Pharaoh’s Magicians were so eager to impress Pharaoh that they did their Satanic Magic and turned the underground water that the people had dug up and collected into blood.
94 — Who killed Goliath?
David (1 Samuel 17:23, 50)
1Sa 17:23-25 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.
1Sa 17:45-51 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
Elhanan (2 Samuel 21:19)
2Sa 21:18-19 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant. And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
Note that The King James shows the phrase “the brother of” in italics to indicate the words are not in the text.
Dr. Bullinger states: “the brother of Goliath. Omit the italics, and understand another giant of the same name as the Goliath of 1Samuel 17.”
There was an entire family of giants living among the Philistines.