Introduction

• II Timothy 1:16-18 – Onesiphorus is only mentioned in three verses.
• III John 1:12 – Demetrius only gets a commendation in one verse, but it’s a good one!

“He often refreshed me.”

• Contrast II Timothy 1:15 – These men turned away from Paul in Asia.
• Am I refreshing or am I something else?
• I Corinthians 16:17-18
• Philemon 1:4-7, 20-21
• Proverbs 6:19
• II Corinthians 12:20
• Let us be refreshing and give people comfort and hope.

“Was not ashamed of my chains”

• II Timothy 4:6 – Paul had no expectation of release.
• Nero blamed the great fire in Rome (AD 64) on Christians and took that opportunity to persecute Christians. History tells us that Paul was executed in the days of Nero. It was certainly not safe to associate with Christians in those days, especially high profile ones like Paul.
• Romans 1:15-16
• Onesiphorus was not ashamed!
• Am I ashamed of Christ, His Word, or His people?
• Luke 9:26
• Psalms 119:46
• I Peter 4:12-19

“He eagerly searched for me and found me … and you know very well what services he rendered at Ephesus.”

• Do I only help people when it’s convenient?
• Romans 12:10-13

Deuteronomy 23

• Deuteronomy 23:1-8 – Those excluded from the assembly of the Lord
  • It is not entirely clear what is meant by “assembly” here. Possibly, they were to be excluded from the nation of Israel.
• Deuteronomy 23:9-25 – More miscellaneous laws
  • Deuteronomy 23:15 – Slaves could find refuge in Israel.
  • Deuteronomy 23:19 – Interest on lended money cannot be charged to fellow Israelites.
  • Deuteronomy 23:24-25 – Travelers were allowed to take from the land on their way through, but not harvest.

Deuteronomy 24

• Deuteronomy 24:1-4 – Divorce and remarriage
  • God set up laws even around things that were not supposed to happen in the first place. Compare Deuteronomy 17:14-20. Perhaps this was a contingency plan to limit the damage once the wrong path had been chosen. See Matthew 19:3-9. Matthew 13:8 would lend support to the idea that this was a contingency plan. See also Matthew 5:31-32.
• Deuteronomy 24:5-22 – Miscellaneous laws
  • Deuteronomy 24:7 – Human trafficking was a capital offense!
  • Deuteronomy 24:16 – Everyone shall answer for his own deeds.

Last week

• Onesimus
  • Runaway slave
  • Converted by Paul
  • Sent back
• Slavery in 1st Century Rome
  • How one came into slavery
  • Where slaves were employed
  • Laws protecting slave owners, not slaves
  • Treatment of slaves

Treatment of slaves under Rome

• Fair treatment was economically sound
  • Hard work often came with an allowance (peculium)
  • Some allowed to marry
  • Some made wills
  • Some held property
  • Some became close to household members

Celebrity slaves – gladiators

• Usually POWs or convicted criminals
• Physically fit
• Sent to special school
  • Trained by ex-gladiator trainers
  • Learned combat plus protocol
• Did not always die in the fight
  • Fighting a good fight was prerequisite for living
• Some became well-known celebrities
• Could be granted freedom

Paths to freedom

• Process called manumissions – several types
  • Most common – magistrate ceremony
  • Master’s will
  • Declared free by master – apply for citizenship
  • Slave women
    • Marrying their masters
    • Allowed children to be born free
  • Least common – buying one’s own freedom
• Some who gained freedom also did very well.
  • Eurysaces: a freed slave who opened a baking operation that made him rich.
• Although being a slave in Rome made life difficult, it was not always a hopeless situation.

Slavery and the Bible

• Old Testament
  • Curse upon Canaan (Genesis 9:25-27)
    • Was the “curse of Canaan” upheld in perpetuity by God?
    • Who were/are the descendants of Canaan and how many generations bore the curse, if it was to be borne?
    • Does God condemn people because of the sins of their ancestors? Ezekiel 18
  • Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers
    • Did God approve or was this part of God’s plan?
    • Did God condone the act?
  • Slaves held by Israelites
  • Law of Moses – Exodus 21-23
    • Treatment of slaves
      • Protects the slaves
      • Not the owners
      • Slaves to be freed after seven years
    • Taking of slaves
      • Allowed
      • Not allowed
  • God stated His distaste for his people being slaves – they were His.
    • Hosea 2:23; I Peter 2:10; I Corinthians 7:21

Did God approve of slavery?

• Did not approve of divorce – stated so
  • Malachi 2:16
  • Mark 10:2-12 (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:3-9) – “From the beginning”
• Where it starts
  • Exodus 21:16 – To forcibly take a slave = death
  • Appears forced slavery not allowed
  • Not restriction as to nationality or religion
• Fact of slavery
  • We know that God did not condone forcibly taking one into slavery at the time the law was given.
  • He did not want an Israelite to be a slave beyond Jubilee every. Why? Leviticus 25:55
  • God approved of slavery as punishment – Exodus 22:2-4

Caleb

• The familiar account
  • From Numbers 13 and 14
    • Spies chosen – one from each tribe (Numbers 13:2)
    • Caleb chosen from Judah (Numbers 13:4)
    • Contention upon their return (Numbers 13:25-33)
    • Caleb quiets their murmuring (Numbers 13:30)
    • Israel’s rebellion (Numbers 14:1-10)
    • Caleb and Joshua tear their clothes (Numbers 14:6-9)
    • Threat of stoning
    • Glory of the Lord fills the tent of meeting (Numbers 14:10)
    • God condemns Israel (Numbers 14:11-12)
    • Moses contends for Israel (Numbers 14:13-19)
    • God relents, passes judgment (Numbers 14:15-38)
• What follows
  • God’s promises
    • Joshua and Caleb survive (Numbers 32:10-12)
    • Caleb now arbiter of Judah’s inheritance (Numbers 34:16-19)
    • More on why this has come to pass (Deuteronomy 1:34-39)
      • Promise of land to Caleb
      • Note who will possess the land
      • Instructions concerning Joshua – encourage him
• Taking the land
  • Conquests of southern and northern Canaan
  • Conquests east of Jordan
  • Dividing the land (Joshua 14:5)
  • Caleb’s request of Joshua fulfilled (Joshua 14:6-15)
  • He’s got it, now he has to take it
• Taking possession
  • Starts in Joshua 15
    • Caleb takes Kiriath-arba
    • Drives out sons of Anak (remember Numbers 13:33?)
    • Offered his daughter to one who took Kiriath-sepher
    • Othniel wins the prize
• Passing it on
  • Caleb gives Othniel his daughter
    • She convinces Othniel to ask for land from Caleb
    • He agrees, she makes the request
    • Obtains Negev and its upper and lower springs
    • Stays in the family
    • Othniel becomes the first judge over Israel
• Takeaways
  • Caleb had faith in God and His promises
    • Expressed that faith
    • Stood for God when dangerous to do so
    • Continued in his faith
      • Patience for 40 years to enter promised land
      • Patience for 45 years to receive his inheritance
  • God rewarded Caleb’s faithfulness
    • Fulfilled His promise to Caleb
    • Added to that promise – became father-in-law to the first judge of Israel

Introduction

• Luke 16:14-17
• Matthew 23:23
• Mark 7:9, 13

Brief overview of Jesus’ history with the Pharisees

• Luke 7:30
• Luke 11:37, 45
• Luke 12:1
• Luke 14:1-6 – Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath
• Luke 15:1-32 – The joy of sinners who repent.

The Pharisees were lovers of money

• Luke 16:14

The Pharisees heard all these things

• Luke 11:54 – They heard, but not with righteous intent.
• James 1:21
• Luke 23:35

The Pharisees were exalting themselves – Luke 16:15

• God is the one who justifies. The Pharisees wanted to justify themselves in other people’s eyes.
• Luke 10:29
• Matthew 23:35
• Proverbs 21:2
• Luke 7:36

Conclusion

• Do not be complacent. Do not be proud or disdainful of others.
• We must have a right attitude toward money and possessions.
• Cultivate a humble godly attitude towards ourselves and encourage that in others.

Introduction

Thank God for the book of Daniel! Let the liberals and skeptics be ashamed and hang their heads in disgrace for their attacks upon it. - Homer Hailey

• Daniel 9:23; 10:11, 19 – Daniel was “highly esteemed.”
• Time period covered
  • Daniel 1:1 – 605 BC
  • Daniel 1:21 – 536 BC
  • The book covers about 70 years.
  • The word “year” occurs nine times in twelve chapters. An accident?
    • Historical accuracy of Daniel
    • Insight into the consistent character of Daniel

Why is Daniel so highly esteemed by God?

• The 80+ year life of Daniel tells us.

The chronological order of the book of Daniel

• Daniel 1-4 – Captivity and first interpretations of dreams and visions (605-602 BC)
• 50 years of silence
• Daniel 7 – Vision of the four beasts (553 BC)
• Daniel 8 – Vision of the ram and male goat (551 BC)
• Daniel 5 – Belshazzar’s feast – conquest of Babylon (539 BC)
• Daniel 9 – Vision of the seventy weeks (539/538 BC)
• Daniel 6 – Daniel in the lion’s den (539/538 BC)
• Daniel 10-12 – Daniel’s prayer and visions (536 BC)

The life of Daniel

Daniel 1:1 – third year of Jehoiakim (605 BC) – 18 years old

• Daniel 1:1, 21
• Had convictions and refused to compromise them – Daniel 1:3-13
• Courteous and respectful – Daniel 1:8, 12
• Good reputation with all – Daniel 1:20

Daniel 2:1 – second year of Nebuchadnezzar (602 BC) – 21 years old

• Daniel 2:1
• Interprets dreams: five kingdoms
  • Babylon
  • Medes-Persians
  • Greeks
  • Romans
  • God’s
• Sought wisdom from God – Daniel 2:19-23
• Gave God glory, was humble – Daniel 2:19-23
• Caused king to glorify God – Daniel 2:47-48

• Daniel’s first prophecy of Media-Persia: 605 BC
  • Media-Persia ascended to prominence: 539 BC
  • 605-539 = 66 years prior to fulfillment
• Daniel’s first prophecy of Greece: 605 BC
  • Greece ascended to prominence: 330 BC
  • 605-330 = 275 years prior to fulfillment
• Daniel’s prophecy of Alexander the Great: 547 BC
  • Alexander the Great rose to power: 330 BC
  • 547-330 = 217 years prior to fulfillment
• Daniel’s first prophecy of Rome: 605 BC
  • Rome ascended to prominence: 27 BC
  • 605-27 = 578 years prior to fulfillment

Daniel 3-4 – second year of Nebuchadnezzar (602 BC) – 21 years old

• Friends refuse to bow down to image – Daniel 3
• Order to interpret king’s (Nebuchadnezzar’s) dream – Daniel 4:1-18
• Spoke boldly to king: warning, advice – Daniel 4:19-27
• Nebuchadnezzar turned to animal – Daniel 4:28-33
• Caused king to glorify God – Daniel 4:34-36

50 years of silence

Daniel 7:1 – first year of Belshazzar (549 BC) – 74 years old

Daniel 8:1 – third year of Belshazzar (547 BC) – 76 years old

• Daniel 7:1; 8:1
• Vision of four kingdoms
  • “I desired to know” – Daniel 7:19
• Continued curiosity
  • “I kept looking” – Daniel 7:9
• Visions of oncoming kingdoms
  • “I sought to understand” – Daniel 8:15

Daniel 5 – first year of Darius (539 BC) – 84 years old

• Daniel 9:1-2
• Observing in “the books”
• Speaks plainly to Belshazzar – Daniel 5:22-23
• Foretells end of Babylonian kingdom; sees its fall – Daniel 5:13-31

Daniel 9 and 6 – first year of Darius (539 BC) – 84 years old

• Continues his study of scriptures – Daniel 9:1
• Prays for sins of his people – Daniel 9:2-19
• Held in high esteem by God – Daniel 9:23
• Refused to pray to king, prayed without ceasing to God – Daniel 6:1-15
• Lived life above reproach – Daniel 6:4
• Put God’s will above man’s – Daniel 6:13
• Thrown into lion’s den – Daniel 6:16-28
• Trusted God – Daniel 6:23
• Caused Darius to glorify God – Daniel 6:24-28

Daniel 10-12 – third year of Cyrus (536 BC) – 87 years old

• Daniel 10:1; 11:1
• Held in high esteem by God – Daniel 10:11, 19
• Set his heart to understand, humbled himself – Daniel 10:12

• All of these age groups are represented in the Benchley congregation. Compare our character to Daniel’s at the comparable stage of life.

Thank God for the book of Daniel! Let the liberals and skeptics be ashamed and hang their heads in disgrace for their attacks upon it. - Homer Hailey