Father God, thank you for this time that we can spend together reading and studying your holy word. Lord, I pray that we will come to understand that we are not to look for signs today in the dispensation of grace, nor are we to seek after worldly wisdom, but rather that we will desire to mature spiritually through your holy word rightly divided. In Christ's name we pray, amen.
1 Corinthians 1:22 | Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
The Jewish nation seeks for signs from God, mostly because they have had many signs in the past (the parting of the red sea for example) because of God's covenant with them (and they have many prophecies yet to be fulfilled in the ages to come). In Exodus 34:10 it says,
10 And he [God] said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the Lord: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.
The Lord during His earthly ministry even told the disciples to pay attention for the signs of his second coming.
Luke 21:28
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Matthew 24:33
“So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”
However, Israel wasn't always so good at really seeing the signs. During the Lord's earthly ministry, the Jews were blind to the fact that the Lord, their Messiah, was in their midst and that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. They "requested" signs from him, but didn't really want to see the truth! They were really just being facetious.
Matthew 16:1-4
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
The Gentiles, especially the Greeks at that time, desired wisdom. During this time in history the Greeks were all about philosophy. These philosophers are becoming more popular again today as more people are reading books about Stoicism and other ancient philosophies. It's also interesting that in the dispensation of grace, the world has a lot more knowledge about science, technology, space etc. However, knowledge doesn't always mean wisdom and wisdom doesn't always mean godly wisdom. The Greeks wanted worldly wisdom, to make themselves like gods. Gentiles have always sought wisdom. Look at some of the ancient architecture, its really incredible. No one today has figured out how the pyramids were built or how or even why ancient megalithic structures around the world were created or even how they were moved around. That is lost wisdom, but it's also wisdom that has no eternal value (plus, the purpose of the structures probably had to do with worshipping false gods, human sacrifice and glorifying men). They say that the great pyramids of Giza were Tombs for Pharaohs. Wow, what huge egos those Pharaohs must have had! Unbelievers today in pagan and new age religions still obsess over this lost wisdom and worship at these ancient places - Stonehenge is one example. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of people flock there at certain times of the year to observe the solar cycle, and yet none of them actually have any clue how or why these stones are there! So far, archeologists have found that it is an ancient graveyard of ancient pagan royalty and politicians, with their families and perhaps servants cremated with them. It may have also been a place for sacrifices as many animal bones were discovered there, and maybe even HUMAN sacrifice, but modern pagans and newagers would never want to think it was like that! There is a similar place in Germany that is called "Germanys stonehenge" that they conclude did have human sacrifice. Creepy! Yet newagers and modern pagans flock to these places and think it has "good vibes". What fools!
That being said, Jews seek for signs and Greeks seek after wisdom. In the dispensation of grace, believers are to walk by FAITH and not by sight. We are also to seek knowledge and wisdom from God's word, by reading and studying the scriptures rightly divided and then allowing Christ and His word to live in and through us.
Homework: Words mean things. Every word of God is pure. Pay attention to words and define them. Try not to overlook things. Do you really know what a word means?
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