Tag: Old Testament Sinners and Saints

Biblical People: Lot

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

We don’t know how old Lot is when his father dies, but his grandfather, Terah, appears to take him in. We can assume this because when Terah heads out for Canaan, he takes grandson Lot with him, along with son Abram, and daughter-in-law Sarai.

When Terah dies, Abram travels on to Canaan, taking Lot with him. The trio of Abram, Sarai, and Lot travel together, but seeing how Lot’s story unfolds, he may have been better off staying behind.

The first glimpse into Lot’s character comes after Abram’s and Lot’s herdsmen fight over grazing land. The pair decide to separate themselves and their flocks.

Being the oldest, the choice belongs to Abram, but he lets Lot pick. Lot takes the best land for himself and leaves the subpar area for his uncle.

Later Lot moves to the city of Sodom, which God decides to destroy for their sinfulness. God tells his plan to Abram, now called Abraham. Abraham lobbies God for mercy, but God doesn’t waver in his decision.

He does, however, provide a rescue for Lot and his family, sending two angels to extract them prior to the city’s destruction.

When the angels arrive, the men in the city want to have sex with them. Lot tries to intervene, offering them his daughters instead. What a horrifying decision.

What does this teach Lot’s daughters about their value? Fortunately for them, the men aren’t interested. Lot tries his best to rescue the angels from the men, but the visitors end up rescuing Lot instead.

With time running out, the angels drag Lot, his wife, and their two daughters from the city. As God’s destruction falls upon Sodom, Lot’s fleeing wife looks back to see what she’s leaving behind. She dies instantly.

This leaves Lot with his two daughters. Fearing for their safety, they end up living in a cave.

With their biological clocks ticking and no men in sight, the girls conspire to get their father drunk and sleep with him on successive nights. Lot impregnates them both, and they each have boys. This is the last we hear of Lot.

The life of Lot serves as a tale of what to avoid. We see him as a selfish man who lacks integrity and does what’s best for himself. He’s also a poor father who fails to raise godly daughters, disregarding their purity and diminishing their value.

It’s no wonder they have no reservation in seducing him to produce children for them.

Do we make self-centered decisions that reveal a lack of integrity? Are we doing all we can to raise godly children and positively influence those around us?

[Read Lot’s story in Genesis 11:27–14:16 and 19:1–38. Discover more in 2 Peter 2:4–9.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Abram/Abraham

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

While living in Harran, God comes to Abram and tells him to go to the land he will show him. Abram obeys, setting out from Harran when he’s seventy-five years old. He takes his wife Sarai and nephew Lot, along with the possessions they acquired while living in Harran.

They head for Canaan. The Bible doesn’t explicitly state Canaan to be the place God shows him, but we can assume this is the case.

Interestingly, Canaan is where Abram’s father Terah had originally headed to when he stopped midjourney to live in Harran instead. This leads us to wonder if God had originally called Terah to Canaan, a mission Abram had to finish after his father failed to complete it.

Upon arriving in Canaan—an act of obedience—Abram’s real story begins. His life stands as an inspiring journey with God. It’s a faith-filled adventure, with a few hiccups along the way. Yet he perseveres and God esteems his faith.

One of the pivotal junctures in Abram’s life occurs when God forms an everlasting covenant with Abram when he is ninety-nine years old. The Almighty affirms Abram’s faithful walk with him and calls him blameless. What an astounding affirmation.

God also promises to make him the father of many nations, even though he has no children.

At this point, God changes his name from Abram to Abraham. Abram means “exalted father” and Abraham means “father of many.” This name change represents an expanded scope, despite Abraham having no offspring—yet.

The phrase “Father Abraham” reflects both his old name and new. It appears several times in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

Another notable aspect of Abraham’s life is the idea of God blessing him to bless others. The ultimate form of this blessing comes through Abraham’s descendant Jesus, who dies as the once-and-for-all sacrifice to make us right with Father God.

This idea of being blessed to be a blessing to others is a vision we can all follow. God blesses us so we can bless others.

There’s much more to share about Abraham’s life. We’ll cover key aspects in the next several chapters.

Would God esteem us for our faith? How well do we do at blessing others when God blesses us?

[Read about Abram in Genesis 11:26–17:4, and read about Abraham in Genesis 17:5–25:11. Discover more in Acts 3:25; Romans 4:1–3; and James 2:20–24.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Terah

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

The Bible tells us that Terah is the eighth generation from Noah’s son Shem. So our story picks up a couple of centuries after Noah and the great flood. Terah has three sons, Abram, Nahor (2), and Haran.

Haran dies at the start of our story, but not before he has a son, Lot, Terah’s grandson and Abram’s nephew.

Though the Bible doesn’t tell us why, Terah decides to go to Canaan, which is a long journey. He takes with him his son Abram, Abram’s wife Sarai, and his grandson Lot. He leaves behind his other son, Nahor, Nahor’s wife, and most likely some grandchildren.

Though they head for Canaan, the troop never makes it there. Midway on their trip, Terah aborts his journey. He stops at Harran and settles there instead of Canaan, his original destination.

Terah dies in Harran, leaving Abram, Sarai, and Lot to figure out what to do next.

Traveling to Canaan represented a long journey for Terah and his family. Though we can later infer that God had his hand in this ambitious move, it’s only speculation.

What we do know is that Terah had a plan but gave up before he completed it.

Are we known for not following through with our plans? When we say we’ll do something, do others have confidence that we’ll do it?

[Read Terah’s story in Genesis 11:24–32. Discover more in Joshua 24:2.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Elihu (1)

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

Aside from the three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, we also encounter a fourth man on the scene, Elihu, son of Barakel.

The Bible doesn’t say if he came with the three others or arrived later. But Scripture does say he defers to them because they’re older. He does this as a sign of respect.

Though Elihu only speaks once, his rant is by far the longest.

He starts by responding to Job’s claim that though he calls out to God, there’s no answer. Elihu says God speaks through dreams, visions, circumstances, and audible words, even through angels. It’s up to us to perceive his message. If Job isn’t hearing, it must be his fault.

In Elihu’s limited understanding of God, he perceives the Almighty as one who fairly administers justice but nothing more. But we’re frail people, we do wrong. We sin. If God only administers justice, then he must punish us for all our mistakes.

As Elihu continues to speak, we see him arrogantly proclaim that he has the knowledge his friends lack. He repeats his view of God’s justice and implies Job is receiving the punishment he deserves.

How does God speak to us? Are we open to hear from him regardless of how he reveals himself? Have we accepted the solution Jesus offers as an alternative to the justice we deserve?

[Read what Elihu says in Job 32:6–37:24.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Zophar

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

Zophar the Naamathite is the third of Job’s friends to speak. But unlike them, he only talks twice. Might he have realized that their words were only causing their friend distress? Could he have concluded that, sometimes, saying nothing is better than saying something?

In his first monologue, Zophar says that Job thinks his beliefs are flawless. Ironically, Zophar acts the same way about his.

Like his two friends, Zophar does nothing to offer Job comfort or clarity. Instead, Zophar uses the logic of an incomplete theology to conclude Job is suffering so much because he has sinned.

The second time Zophar speaks, he shares his view that God always punishes the wicked, making them suffer for what they’ve done. Zophar concludes by saying that Job’s deep suffering confirms he’s an especially wicked man.

Do we equate suffering with divine punishment? How can we use our words to help people rather than hurt them?

[Read what Zophar says in Job 11 and 20. Discover more in Job 2:11 and 42:7.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Bildad

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

The second man in Job’s trio of friends is Bildad the Shuhite. Like Eliphaz, Bildad also offers Job three speeches.

In his first oration, Bildad looks at Job’s situation and assumes he received what he deserves. Bildad equates right living with God’s favor and hardship with sin and God’s displeasure. While this certainly can be the case, it isn’t absolute, which is hard for many people to accept. It doesn’t seem fair.

When he speaks a second time, Bildad assumes he knows the truth and Job is in error, since his life is on track and Job’s isn’t. Bildad thinks his prosperity gives him the right to speak, and Job’s misery requires him to listen.

But high status does not make us wise. Though Bildad thinks he has something worthwhile to say, he is wrong. His words shoot forth as arrows, inflicting hurt as well as failing to help.

In his final and shortest speech, Bildad gives Job something to think about. Between worshiping God for who he is and acknowledging we are nothing next to him, Bildad asks, “How can a mere mortal be worthy to stand before the Almighty God?”

From our perspective today we know that by ourselves we can’t, but through Jesus we can. Thank you, Jesus.

What can we do to make sure the words we say build people up and don’t tear them down? How do we view our relationship with God?

[Read what Bildad says in Job 8, 18, and 25. Discover more in Job 2:11 and 42:7.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Eliphaz (1)

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

Job has three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who hear of his plight and come to offer sympathy and comfort. The sight of his suffering appalls them, and they barely recognize their friend.

They weep for his condition, tearing their clothes as a sign of mourning, and sprinkling dust on their heads to show their sorrow. They say nothing for several days.

These three men don’t appear elsewhere in the Bible, so we know little about them, except for what they say to their struggling friend.

Each takes their turn in offering a series of monologues to Job, but as we’ll see, they fall short in offering him sympathy and comfort.

Eliphaz the Temanite is the first to speak. He might go first because he is the oldest. Or the wealthiest. Or the wisest. Or perhaps he’s simply bolder than his two friends.

Eliphaz has had a long time to consider what he’ll say to Job. Though his words could have offered comfort to his suffering friend, instead they come out as an accusation, judging Job for presumed shortcomings.

Eliphaz doesn’t know Job’s heart, and he certainly lacks an understanding of God’s perspective, but Eliphaz speaks as though he knows both. We might wonder if his critical words are more directed to himself than to Job.

Then his two friends follow him with their own speeches. After hearing them speak, Eliphaz tries a second time. Instead of correcting the errors of his first diatribe, he doubles down.

He persists in the notion that the hardship Job endured stands as a confirmation of Job’s evil heart and a mark of God’s disapproval. But Eliphaz speaks through arrogance and ignorance.

His view of God is incomplete, so his conclusions fall short. And when he casts his flawed logic on Job, he inflicts unnecessary pain on his friend.

For his third and final speech, Eliphaz claims our relationship with God is transactional. He assumes that if we behave right, then God will bless us. And if we do what is wrong, God will punish us. Eliphaz sees Job’s situation as God’s punishment, concluding that Job suffers because of his sins.

Thankfully, this isn’t how God treats his people.

How can we make sure our words help others and don’t cause pain? When things go wrong, do we view it as God’s punishment, whether on ourselves or on others?

[Read what Eliphaz says in Job 4, 15, and 22. Discover more in Job 2:11 and 42:7.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Job

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

We don’t know when Job lived, but many Bible scholars consider him a contemporary of Abraham. This places Job several generations after Noah in our biblical timeline.

Job lives in the land of Uz. We know four key things about him:

First, he is a righteous man, acting justly in all he does and conducting himself with blame-free confidence. He puts God first and avoids evil.

Next, Job is a family man. He and his wife have ten children, a quiver full (Psalm 127:5), which people see as a sign of God’s favor.

Third, Job is concerned for his kids and their future. After they have a party, he offers a burnt offering sacrifice for each one of them to purify them of any sin or careless thought. He wants to help make them right with God.

Last, Job is rich. He owns over 10,000 animals, with a large staff to oversee his herds. He is the wealthiest man in the area and esteemed by all.

As such, Job enjoys an idyllic life of ease with favor from God. Everyone looks up to him, and Job’s life seems perfect.

Yet Satan seeks to torment Job. Though God gives Satan permission to act, God isn’t the cause of Job’s suffering, Satan is. Don’t forget that.

Satan strips away Job’s wealth and kills his children. Then Satan attacks Job’s health, leaving him clinging to life with an unsupportive wife. But in all this Job remains faithful to God.

Job perseveres through these afflictions and doesn’t buckle under his friends’ less-than-helpful advice, as we’ll see in the following four chapters.

Eventually, God rewards Job for his faithfulness by restoring his health, returning his wealth times two, and giving him ten more children. Job lives another 140 years, celebrating life with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

When unthinkable hardship afflicts us, how can we remain steadfast in our devotion to God? When it seems everyone and everything is against us, will we continue to put God first?

[Read Job’s story in the book of Job, especially Job 1, 2, and 42. Discover more in Ezekiel 14:13–14 and 9–20.]

Learn even more about Job and his friends in the devotional Bible study I Hope in Him: 40 Insights about Moving from Despair to Deliverance through the Life of Job, which explores this classic story as a modern-day screenplay.

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Japheth

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

We’ve covered Noah’s sons Shem and Ham. Now we’ll look at the third, Japheth.

Of the three boys, the Bible tells us the least about Japheth, though we know that Japheth, along with Shem, acts with integrity to cover his father’s drunken nakedness. And we know that Noah blesses Japheth for his action.

That’s it.

Though Scripture gives us Japheth’s family tree, it’s a brief one, shorter than the lists of his brothers’ lineage. In scanning the record of Japheth’s descendants, no familiar names pop up.

As far as the biblical account is concerned, Japheth and his family disappear from its pages.

What can we do to live a life that honors God? What can we do to encourage our descendants to do the same thing and, as a result, preserve our lineage for God’s glory?

[Read about Japheth and his brothers in Genesis 9:18–27. Discover Japheth’s family tree in Genesis 10:2–5.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Ham

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 9, 2022

Of Noah’s three sons, the Bible lists Ham second, even though he is, in fact, the youngest. Scripture only gives us one story about him. It’s his role in the account of his father’s drunken stupor.

It’s Ham who discovers his father inebriated and naked. He could have discreetly covered his dad. He doesn’t. Instead, he tells his brothers. Though we don’t know Ham’s motives, we doubt he seeks their advice on what to do.

More likely he approaches them with the glee of a gossip, sharing the tantalizing tidbits of what dear old dad has done. In short, he’s laughing at his father and expecting his brothers to join him.

While Ham does nothing to help alleviate his dad’s situation and prevent future embarrassment, brothers Shem and Japheth do both.

When Noah sobers and learns what happened, he blesses Shem and Japheth for their proper response but not before cursing Ham. We don’t know why, but Noah directs his displeasure at Ham’s son Canaan, pronouncing Canaan will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers.

And later, while blessing Japheth, Noah specifically proclaims Canaan will be the slave of Japheth. This makes us wonder if Canaan wasn’t also involved in his father Ham’s folly.

Ham has four sons. In addition to Canaan, he has Cush, Egypt, and Put. From Canaan we have the Canaanites, a recurring irritant to God’s chosen people, the Israelites, who descend from Canaan’s uncle Shem.

The only other reference we see of Ham occurs in Psalms, where it talks about the tents of Ham and the land of Ham, presumably where some of Ham’s descendants settled.

Whether we’re the youngest in our family or not, what can we do to rise above our station to act with integrity? When we see someone’s misfortune are we quick to tell others about it (gossip) or do we keep it to ourselves?

[Read about Ham and his brothers in Genesis 9:18–27. Discover Ham’s family tree in Genesis 10:6–20.]

Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.

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