Bible Riddle, 2

 ~ Here Is The Answer ~  

The Riddle  ~   

A Bible character without a name,

Who to corruption never came,

Died a death none ever died before,

And shares a part in each household store.

The Answer  ~   Lot’s wife

“The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:23-26).

“In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left” (Luke 17:31-36).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Solomon’s Priorities

~ Just the Facts! ~        

Someone has remarked that you can accurately determine a person’s real priorities by examining their checkbook register and their credit card statements. In 1 Kings 6-7 we find an accounting for Solomon’s building of God’s house and a similar accounting for Solomon’s building his private residence.

Construction Time 

Temple  ~  “And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it” (1 Kings 6:38).

Residence  ~  “But Solomon took thirteen years to build his own house; so he finished all his house” (1 Kings 7:1).

Comparison   

Solomon completed his temple in seven years.

Solomon completed his residence in thirteen years. 

Size of Structure

Temple  ~  “Now the house which King Solomon built for the Lord, its length was sixty cubits, its width twenty, and its height thirty cubits” (1 Kings 6:2). 

Residence  ~  “He also built the House of the Forest of Lebanon; its length was one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, with four rows of cedar pillars, and cedar beams on the pillars” (1 Kings 7:2).

Comparison   

Solomon’s temple was approximately 90’ x 30’ x 45’ high  or 121,500 cubic feet.

Solomon’s residence was approximately 150’ x 75’ x 45’ high or 506,250 cubic feet. 

Additional Comment 

It is well worth reading all of 1 Kings 6-7 for a more complete overview of Solomon’s building projects and his priorities. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

3 Great Truths About Jesus Christ, 2

~ Consider The Book of Romans ~

   

Consider three great truths concerning Jesus Christ found in the book of Romans.

There Is No Condemnation In Christ  ~  “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). 

There Is No Separation From Christ  ~  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).

There is No Reservation In Following Christ  ~  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). 

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 88

~ The Suffering Messiah Would Be Thirsty ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:21).

The Messiah  

“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:28-30). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Bible Riddle, 2

 ~ Do You Know The Answer ~   

A Bible character without a name,

Who to corruption never came,

Died a death none ever died before,

And shares a part in each household store.

Please provide your answer in the comments below!

The correct answer will be provided in a future blog.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW