Wisdom-Trek © - Archive 4

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy.

Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1096 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.

To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”

Our perspective about a situation or circumstance creates our reality, which may not sync with actual reality. In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover…

The question many Christians and Bible scholars debate about surrounds eschatology or future events that is the end times. Is the book of Revelation a linear chronology of distant future events, or does the book describe the Roman persecution of Christians and Rome’s destruction of the temple events that occurred in John’s lifetime? The first view opts for a mid-AD 90s authorship (long after the temple was destroyed), the second supports a pre-AD 70s authorship (when the temple was still standing). Each of these readings is complicated by Revelation 11:1-2,“Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months.”

Taken literally, these verses indicate the Jerusalem temple still stands—apparent proof that Revelation was written before AD 70. If so, the idea that John is describing the Roman persecution and invasion, empowered by Satan and his hatred for the Church, must be valid. However, while the defense of this view takes this passage literally, most people who prefer to see Revelation written before AD 70 read the rest of Revelation symbolically, matching John’s descriptions to some feature of the Roman Empire and its Caesars.

Those who read Revelation in terms of distant future events often point to the mid-90s authorship. They prefer a symbolic reading of Revelation 11, a departure from their preference for taking the rest of Revelation quite literally. Even to the point of describing futuristic military weaponry in John’s visions.

Who is the literalist now? It’s difficult to be consistent in the book of Revelation.

The early church father Clement of Rome offers us clues for understanding how this passage might be understood. Clement wrote long after the Jerusalem temple had been destroyed, but he used the present tense when speaking of the temple (1 Clement 40-41). He does this to strike an analogy between the orderly worship of the temple in times past with a current concern about worship. The same may be true of Revelation 11:1-2. It’s not unusual for biblical writers to speak of a past event in language that sounds contemporary. In other words, the temple might be long gone, but references to it serve some other literary or theological purpose taking center stage in the writer’s mind. Nonetheless, this doesn’t exclude the possibility of interpreting Revelation in light of events in Rome. It just proves that neither approach can be fully accepted.

When reading a complicated book like Revelation, it’s helpful to address where views deviate in their interpretive approach. It might be more revealing than we ever expected. When it comes to the study of eschatology, it is best to realize that there is much we do not know. Therefore, we should not become overly dogmatic or cause divisions within God’s Kingdom over such issues.

That will conclude our essay for this week. Next Wisdom Wednesday will be our final essay from Dr. Heiser’s book. The final essay is titled “Constantine, Conspiracy, and the Canon.” I believe you will find this another interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer and help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1095 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1095 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek.  Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today.  So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from John D. Rockefeller, and it is, “Every right implies a responsibility, every opportunity an obligation, every possession a duty.”

There are many in today’s modern culture that propagate that we have various “rights,” but they are unwilling to accept the responsibilities that come with those rights that they desire. It is a wise and mature person who knows and understands that with every right we are granted, there is an equal and offsetting set of responsibilities. For every opportunity that comes our way, we have obligations that are inexplicitly bound to those opportunities. For every possession that we obtain, we have a duty to take care and maintain that possession. There are no free lunches without someone sacrificing, and there are always strings attached to it.

So the next time that you demand your rights, be willing to step up and be responsible to pay the price for that right. The next time you seek an opportunity, then be willing to fulfill the obligations that come with taking advantage of that opportunity. The next time you choose to obtain a possession, be willing to sacrifice the necessary blood, sweat, and tears that are required to obtain it.

Also, realize that you then have a duty to take care of and maintain that possession until it is no longer yours. It boils back down to the laws of planting and harvesting. If you desire to harvest, you must first invest yourself into the planting and nurturing, or the harvest will not happen.

As we are told in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: ‘Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.'”

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. Just as you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1094 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1094 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time, to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind. 

When we are faced with giants in our lives, do we focus on the giant or how God will help us through? In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…

On his father’s instructions, David just showed up to the battlefield completely unexpected. He left his sheep with other shepherds and delivered bread and cheese to his brothers on the battlefront. That’s where David hears Goliath defying God.

Read the first words recorded in the Bible by David in 1 Samuel 17:26, “David asked the soldiers standing nearby, ‘What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?'”

David shows up discussing God. The soldiers mentioned nothing about him, his six brothers never spoke God’s name, but David takes one step onto the stage and raises the subject of the living God.

No one else discusses God. David discusses no one else but God.

David sees what others don’t and refuses to see what others do. All eyes, except David’s, fall on the brutal, hate-breathing hulk Goliath. The people know his taunts, demands, size, and strut. They have majored in Goliath.

David majors in God. He sees the giant, mind you; he just sees God more so. Look carefully at David’s battle cry in 1 Samuel 17:45, “David replied to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'”

Let God, train us to walk on His path. Let God teach us to see Him in situations that are dangerous and difficult. Like David, when we are surrounded by overwhelming challenges may our thoughts, and words turn first to God. Rather than discuss the problem, let us be reminded to focus on God. May our first thought in the morning and our last thought at night be centered on God. Rather than worry about the impossibilities, let us major in God’s mighty power. When we are tempted to look at the giants in our lives, let us choose to focus on God.

That is a wrap for today’s meditation. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1093 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1093 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

We often wonder how best to help others, but are often hesitant when other people look like they have caused their own problems by the choices we make. The fact is that we don’t know what others are struggling with and need to be very careful about judging others and more willing to help.

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, I know that the Bible tells us to love your neighbor as yourself, but what does that really mean?”

“Love your neighbor as yourself” is a commandment of Scripture but is sometimes difficult to interpret. How far does our obligation go? After all, who is our neighbor? Most of us don’t even know our literal neighbors! How can we love them? What do these words really mean, “to love our neighbor”? Listen to this tale that I came across recently, and decipher for yourself!

Early one evening, Jim, a very successful young businessman, took his new Mercedes XLR to the mall to buy his girlfriend a Christmas present. Jim saw on his GPS that his usual route was closed off, so he decided to chance it and go through the crazy-dangerous area of downtown to get there. Jim figured it was a better choice than having to go all the way around the city, thus adding two hours to his journey.

Well, the area he had to cut through was in the north end of the city, which was known for its gang warfare and biker bars. What Jim did not realize is that he had chosen the completely wrong time to go through as young gang members started to gather for their nightly escapades, and certain young ladies went outside to claim their piece of the sidewalk for their nightly business of selling themselves.

At a red light, Jim stopped and found himself in the middle of a gang war. The gang member from one group took a shot at his enemy across the street, and Jim in his Mercedes was the unfortunate barrier between them. The bullet barely grazed his shoulder, but it started to bleed quite a bit, he cried out loudly in sharp pain. Carefully he managed to pull over and stop the car.

Jim got out of the car, intending to go get help, but in his weakened state attracted the wrong kind of attention. A couple thugs looking for some quick drug money noticed his stupor, and decided it would be easier to rough him up, than try to break into a store. They also noticed his car keys were left in the car, and the car running close by, and put the two and two together. Soon, he was out of a car, his cell phone, and his wallet.  They left him there battered, bruised, and still bleeding.

By the time the thugs drove off, Jim was in rough shape and lay smashed and dirty on the sidewalk. Jim managed to pull himself over to the edge of a building and lay there for what seemed like hours, but was only a few minutes. Jim was thrilled when he looked up and saw a pastor from a local church walk by. “Help me, Pastor!” he cried out feebly, but the pastor crossed over the other side of the sidewalk and did not even look his way.

The pastor did not usually walk this way, but he was on his way to a board meeting for all the churches in his district. Unfortunately, it was in one of the rougher areas of town, and the pastor really wasn’t comfortable in this environment. The pastor wished he had been able to find parking closer, but he had been forced to walk several blocks to his destination.

The pastor saw the man lying against the building from a few feet away and felt nervous. Who knows what that man had been drinking in order to be that intoxicated? Often these people were dangerous and unpredictable. Just for security’s sake, he crossed over to the other side of the street. The pastor was already late for the meeting, and he didn’t want any complications. “I’m sure the police will deal with him,” he thought. “I need to get going.”

A faint wave of guilt washed over him, hoping this man would be okay, but the pastor quickly told himself that he wasn’t responsible for saving the world. “They have people for that,” he thought. “It’s not my calling.”

About a half hour later, a very frequent church-going lady walked by in a rush. She was carrying a Bible, and the Jim thought for sure she would help him. He tried to call out to her, but she did not help. Instead, she put her nose in the air and quickly walked away in horror and disgust.

The woman had lived on that street for years and had seen everything decline in the last decade. What had once been a hard-working, respectable part of town was now overrun by hookers, pimps, and drug addicts. Every day, she heard of more horrors on the nightly news, and it made her sick. She had once been proud to live here, but now she lived in fear. When she heard the young man call out to her, she was sure he would be begging for money to buy some more booze. She was tired of being lambasted by these welfare-dependent bums. She looked at him in disgust and anger at the way the country was going. She hurried home to her little apartment, safe with bars on the windows and a good security system. She knew she shouldn’t have gone out so late in the afternoon.

Just as Jim was almost passing into unconsciousness, he caught a glimpse of a rough looking man with a long beard and tattoos in a jean vest covered with decals and tight pants. Jim would have normally been afraid of this biker-looking man under different circumstance, but he had no fear left, only empty curiosity. In a stupor, Jim thought, “I wonder what kind of bike he rides.”

The man, who was dressed as a biker, parked his Harley-Davidson and decided to hoof it to the bar where he was going to relax for a few hours. He had had a hard week at the mill and was looking forward to forgetting his troubles with some good friends. Later, the biker thought he would grab a cab and pick up his bike in the morning. No one on the street would dare to touch it.

As the biker neared his destination, he noticed Jim who looked like he’d been beaten up pretty badly. Feeling sorry for him, he went over and gently felt his wrist. Yes, he was still breathing. “Are you okay?” he whispered, not wanting to startle him. “Not really,” Jim replied. Let me call you an ambulance…you look like you’re in pretty bad shape. The biker used his cell phone to call 911, waited with Jim until they arrived, and paid the ambulance driver the $500 fee. “Take my cell,” he told Jim, “and use it to call your Mom, Dad, and girlfriend about where you are. Here’s a couple hundred dollars to tide you over until you get all your I.D. straightened out. Sorry for what happened to you, man. Those guys were thugs.”

Jim left in the ambulance and went to the hospital, used the cell phone to call his family and friends, the police, and afterward called the biker to give him back his cell phone. “How can I repay you,” he asked. “Don’t worry about it,” the biker told him. “There are still a few good guys left in this world.”

Three people passed by our young man and saw three different things. One saw a dangerous drunk, another saw a lazy bum, and one saw a person that needed help. Who was the one that helped his neighbor?

It is said, love your neighbor as yourself. Who is your neighbor? Think about this tale and discover for yourself.

This is an adaptation of a parable told by Jesus, as recounted in Luke: [10:25]-37. Here is the story as told by Jesus in the Scriptures:

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this, and you will live!”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

 “By chance, a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.  A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.  Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.  The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Join us again next Friday for another question on our “Ask Gramps” episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday when we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1092 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you on Monday!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1092 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in  Proverbs 15:30, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled…

While working as a radiology technician in a hospital emergency room, Sarah took x-rays of a trauma patient. After she was finished with several complicated x-rays, Sarah organized and cataloged them. She informed Kathy the radiologist they were ready to be analyzed. Kathy invested a long time studying the multiple fractures of the femurs and pelvis.

“What happened to this patient?” Kathy asked in astonishment.

“He fell out of a tree,” Sarah reported.

Kathy was amazed at the amount of fractures there were and inquired what the patient was doing up a tree.

“I’m not sure, Sarah replied, but his paperwork states he works for Bob’s Expert Tree Service.”

Gazing intently at the x-rays for several more minutes, Kathy blinked and finally said, “Cross out ‘Expert’ on that paperwork.'”

Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile onto someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is “He who knows the limits of his capabilities will save much embarrassment.”

And our verse for today is 1 Corinthians 3:10,“Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.”

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1091 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1091 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.

To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God’s Word. Especially in our western cultures, we do not fully understand the Scriptures from the mindset and culture of the authors. In order to help us all have a better understanding of some of the more obscure passages in God’s Word, we are investing Wisdom Wednesday reviewing a series of essays from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. He has compiled these essays into a book titled “I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible.”

The number 666 in the Bible is recognized by believers and non-believers alike as the “number of the beast.”  In today’s essay, we will explore passages that cover… 

If there’s one part of the Bible virtually everyone has heard of, it’s 666—the “number of the beast.” If there’s one thing no one can agree upon, it’s what that number stands for. We see 666 in Revelation 13:18, “Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.” The wording here is important. John tells readers that the number must be “calculated,” which means there must be a hidden meaning behind it. But how do we calculate it?

One option for solving this biblical riddle is gematria, the idea that numbers have symbolic meaning. While some have called gematria a tool for speculation, it actually derives from an ancient convention in languages like Greek and Hebrew where letters of the alphabet are used to represent numbers. But gematria is not limited to just Revelation; the New Testament contains several other symbolic figures. The 153 fish of John 21:11 could be interpreted as ancient symbolism for the Church, the body of Christ, and the Old Testament sons of God as analogous to believers in the Church. The Greek word for “dove,” like the dove that descends on Jesus at His baptism, has a numerical value equivalent to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, thus symbolizing the Alpha and Omega as recorded in Revelations 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.'” 

When it comes to 666, one gematria explanation is that the number represents Nero Caesar. The Greek Xeron Kaisar adds up to 1,005, but when the name is transliterated into the Hebrew letters nrwn qsr, the sum is 666. Nero Caesar also would explain the variant number of the Beast (616) found in some New Testament manuscripts. Transliterating the Latin Nero Caesar into Hebrew, nrwn qsr, yields 616, suggesting John may have been thinking of the well-known Nero Redivivus myth when writing about the beast (i.e., that Nero would rise from the dead to destroy Christians).

The gematria solution presents three major problems…It could be viewed as cheating with the spellings (the usual Hebrew spelling for Caesar is q’st, not qsr, although the qsr form does exist). It assumes that readers knew Hebrew well enough to do the transliteration from Greek back into Hebrew. And, perhaps most tellingly, the early Christian commentators who knew of the Nero redivivus myth never identified 666 with Nero.

There is another possibility. 666 is a magic square. From very ancient times, philosophers and mathematicians were fascinated that the numbers 1-36 could be arranged in squares so that each row and diagonal would add up to the same sum (the same principle as modem Sudoku). One magic square has four rows and two diagonals that each add up to111. The six lines of 111 equal 666. Each magic square in ancient Jewish and Greek tradition was also associated with a celestial body. In the case of the 666 square, that body was the sun, which was associated with Zeus, the highest god in the Greek pantheon.

Zeus was often associated with Baal and the mythological north (tsaphon) of Canaanite religion. Most relevant to the Beast of Revelation is Baal’s (and Zeus’) title, “lord of heaven” (Baal-shamem). It is possible that the “abomination of desolation” in Daniel 9:27 (shiqquts-shamem) is a play on Baal- shamem, since the Old Testament writers sometimes substituted words that meant “shame” or “abomination” into proper names that formerly contained “Baal” (e.g., Mephibosheth, Ish- Bosheth). This would mean 666 is a symbol for the abominable Baal, the dark lord of the Old Testament world, satanic power in New Testament thinking.

As with all studies concerning escatology or what is considered the “end times,” it is best that we do not get too hung up or fixed on a particular position. Just as in the coming of the Messiah the first time was misunderstood by nearly everyone of that day, there is much we do not know and will not know until God’s kingdom is fully established on earth. Until then, let us focus on building His kingdom by sharing the good news to all the world.

That will conclude our essay for this week. Next Wisdom Wednesday we will continue in the New Testament as we look at Dr. Heiser’s next essay titled “Perspective Changes Everything.” I believe you will find this another interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer and help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1090 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge.  Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1090 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged.  This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Napoleon Hill, and it is, “Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success.”

As any farmer or gardener will tell you, for any plant to grow, you must first plant a seed. If that seed remains a seed, it will produce nothing. Only when that seed dies and is destroyed will the plant emerge from its nucleus. What may seem like the seed failing is actually allowing the plant to begin a new life.

So it is with success. Unless we allow failures to die and become the nucleus for new growth, we will never be able to achieve the success that we hope for. Success starts out just like a plant beginning from the seed dying.

First, just a little sprout of green emerges, then with the proper nutrients and water, the plant begins to grow. It must be continually nurtured until it is mature and is able to produce fruit many times more than the original seed that died. It is not different with success. When we take the dying seeds of failure, learn the lessons, and nourish the lessons learned, success will slowly begin to sprout. If we continue to care and nurture the beginning sprouts of success, it will eventually grow to maturity and produce many times the return from the seeds we planted at the beginning. So take your seeds of failure and nurture them so that they will grow into mature successes that will produce many times your original investment.

John 12:24 – I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1089 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1089 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you too will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind. 

There are times in our lives where we really blow it. We mess up and hurt those whom we love most and who are close to us. We usually will have an opportunity for a do-over, but those scars may stay with us for the remainder of our lives. In our Meditation Monday today I want us to reflect on…

Have you ever read a familiar passage in the Bible, then all of a sudden it jumps out are you as if you were reading it for the first time? It nearly explodes in your mind with a new impact that you have never seen before. Mark 16:1-8 is one such passage. Maybe it is the excitement of the resurrection and the empty tomb that makes another part of verse 7 so easily overlooked.

Let me read this passage to you, “Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning,  just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.  On the way, they were asking each other, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, ‘Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth,  who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.’  The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.”

Did you catch the last part of verse 7? “Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee.”

Now tell me if that’s not a hidden treasure. Remember that just three days prior to this event, Peter had denied that he even knew Jesus three times. In fact, he even swore his denial in a curse.

What a line. It’s as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall, and it’s as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again. In our modern day vernacular, it would read. “Be sure and tell Peter that he’s not left out. Tell him that one (or even three) failure(s) doesn’t make a flop.” He is not destroyed by this failure. What a relief for Peter!

No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance. We have the same second chances for us, even when we deny our Lord and Savior, just like Peter did.

It may seem like there are not many second chances in the world today. Just ask the kid who didn’t make the little league team or the fellow who got the pink slip or the mother of three who got dumped for a “pretty little thing.”

You may feel that there are not many second chances. If it feels like you are confronted with… “It’s now or never,” “Around here we don’t tolerate incompetence,” “Not much room at the top,” “Three strikes and you’re out,” or “It’s a dog-eat-dog world!”

Remember, Jesus has a simple answer to our crazy world. Why let a bunch of other failures tell you how much of a failure you are? In Christ, you are never a permanent failure. You can have a second chance.

Just ask Peter. The message came loud and clear from the celestial Throne Room through the divine courier.  In the divine baseball game of life, the angel told the women, “Be sure and tell Peter that he gets to bat again.”

It’s not every day that you get a second chance. Peter must have known that. The next time he saw Jesus, he got so excited that he barely got his britches on before he jumped into the cold water of the Sea of Galilee. It was also enough, so they say, to cause this backwoods Galilean to carry the gospel of the second chance all the way to Rome where they killed him. If you’ve ever wondered what would cause a man to be willing to be crucified upside down, maybe now you know.

It’s not every day that you find someone who will give you a second chance, much less someone who will give you a second chance every day. But in Jesus, Peter found both.

That is a wrap for today’s meditation. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1088 daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1088 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad but for whatever reason are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

Events and circumstances that happen to us in life are not always as they appear on the surface, and certainly may not be what they appear to others. We need to keep this in mind and not jump to conclusions for ourselves or others.

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, can you tell me a story of a situation where something seemed to be tragic, but looking back at it, there was much good and many lessons learned through it?”

There have been many situations in our lives that at the time seemed devastating, but as we look back at them, we know that it was within God’s plan for our lives and have shaped us into the people that we are today. Situations like my mom dying much sooner than we would have liked, a business failure that was financially devastating, our granddaughter being diagnosed with leukemia…There are many more, but I think the story that I read of “The Carpenter’s Wisdom” teaches us a valuable lesson that we all need to learn.

Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.

People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. “This horse is not a horse to me,” he would tell them. “It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor, and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. “You old fool,” they scoffed. “We told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”

The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?”

The people contested, “Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse.”

The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”

The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor carpenter, an old man still cutting wood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, but he had also brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. “Old man, you were right, and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.”

The man responded, “Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?

“Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t.”

“Maybe the old man is right,” they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.

The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.

“You were right,” they said. “You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age, you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever.”

The old man spoke again. “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”

It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in a war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.

“You were right, old man,” they wept. “God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever.”

The old man spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”

As we conclude this story, we realize that the old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life’s mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life’s storms until we know the whole story.

I don’t know where this old carpenter learned his patience. Perhaps from another carpenter in Galilee. For it was that Carpenter who said it best in Matthew 6:34, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

He should know. He is the Author of our story. And he has already written the final chapter.

Join us again next Friday for another question on our “Ask Gramps” episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday when we will help you reflect on what is most important in life.  So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1087 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you on Monday!

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1087 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in  Proverbs 15:30, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled…

Jim, a strong young man with a chiseled body, worked at a construction site. Day after day he bragged that he could outdo anyone in a feat of strength. He made a special case of making fun of Fred, an older worker who had worked for the company for nearly 40 years.

After several months of hearing Jim brag every day, Fred had enough. “Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is,” Fred told Jim. “I’ll bet a week’s wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that outbuilding that you won’t be able to wheel back.”

“You’re on, old-timer,” Jim braggingly replied. “Let’s see what you got.”

Fred defiantly reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then, nodding to Jim, he said, “All right. Get in.”

Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is, “Eventually, you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.”

And our verse for today is Proverbs 13:16, “Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1086 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for Philosophy Friday!