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Welcome to Day 2685 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2685 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:40-55 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2685 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2685 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Unyielding Rebellion Meets Unwavering Faithfulness - A Trek Through Psalm 78:40-55 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 40 through 55. In our journey through Psalm 78, Asaph, the psalmist, has been delivering a solemn history lesson to future generations. We’ve seen Israel's early failure, the Ephraimites turning away from battle because they forgot God's covenant. We then witnessed God’s amazing, yet sometimes punitive, provision in the wilderness – water from rocks, manna, and quail, followed by judgment for their greedy, unbelieving hearts. Most recently, in verses 32-39, we reflected on Israel’s superficial repentance, their deceitful hearts, and God's incredible, enduring compassion despite their persistent unfaithfulness, remembering they were merely mortal. Now, as we move into this next chapter of Israel's story, Asaph intensifies his account of Israel’s repeated rebellion and their blatant provocation of God, even while recounting the truly devastating plagues God unleashed on Egypt for their sake. This section powerfully contrasts Israel’s obstinacy and forgetfulness with God’s unwavering faithfulness, His overwhelming power, and His meticulous fulfillment of His covenant promises to bring them into the Promised Land. It reveals a pattern of human failure that, tragically, even divine miracles often failed to break. So, let’s lean in and absorb the humbling lessons of Israel’s persistent provocation and God’s relentless, powerful love. (Reads Psalm 78:40-42 NLT) Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland. Again and again they tested God’s patience and put the Holy One of Israel to the test. They did not remember his power or the day when he rescued them from their enemies. Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph returns to the agonizing theme of Israel's persistent unfaithfulness, summarizing their wilderness behavior: "Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland." The exclamation "Oh, how often" (Hebrew: kamah) emphasizes the frequency and multitude of their acts of rebellion. This wasn't a single incident; it was a continuous pattern throughout their forty years in the desert. Their actions "grieved his heart" (literally, "pained him," "vexed him") – a powerful anthropomorphism (attributing human emotion to God) showing God's deep sorrow and distress over their constant defiance. The "dry...

Welcome to Day 2684 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2684 – Insights and Introduction: 1, 2 & 3 John Putnam Church Message – 07/27/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John Insights and Introduction: 1, 2 & 3 John   Last week was the final message in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we learned about: The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan.” This week, we begin a new systematic verse-by-verse study of the letters 1, 2, & 3 John, followed by Jude. If it goes as planned, it should take us up to Thanksgiving. Today, we will cover some insights and an introduction to the letters from John. While we won’t focus on any verses, we will anchor today’s teaching on 1 John 1:3-4 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.[b] Opening Prayer The Old Storyteller's Ancient Text Imagine, if you will, a community nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains, where generations had always depended on the wisdom passed down through cherished narratives. Their most precious possession was the Ancient Text, a truly sacred book of wisdom. It wasn't just old parchment; it held the very essence of their mountain identity, their family history, their enduring promises, and their profound joy. This Text had been intimately penned and bestowed by the Founding Elder himself, a wise and benevolent patriarch who had received its truths directly from the very Source of Ancient Wisdom. Now, only a few, very old members of this community, the Original Scribes and Storytellers, had actually lived with the Founding Elder. They had seen him write the Text with his own hand, heard his direct explanations of its profound truths, and literally handled its pages, studying its intricate details. Their lives were interwoven with the Text's living story. As the Original Scribes and Storytellers grew older, nearing the twilight of their days, they noticed a troubling trend in the valley. Younger folks, who had never personally met the Founding Elder, were starting to forget the true nature of the Ancient Text. Instead of seeking out the Original Scribes for genuine understanding, they were listening to "Whispers from the Fading Pages." These whispers weren't outright lies, not at first. Some claimed, "Oh, the Text is purely for personal interpretation; you don't need to actually read its words or live by its wisdom, just feel its presence." Others spread rumors that "the Text's wisdom is too old-fashioned for these new times." Still others introduced cheap, flimsy pamphlets, filled with easy platitudes, that looked shiny and new but utterly lacked the profound truth and life-changing power of the Ancient Text. These whispers created confusion, apathy, and subtle divisions within the extended mountain family. The most...

Welcome to Day 2683 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2683 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:32-39 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2683 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2683 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Heart's Deceit – God’s Enduring Compassion - A Trek Through Psalm 78:32-39 Guthrie Chamberlain: Welcome back to Wisdom-Trek, your compass for navigating the profound landscapes of faith and life. I’m your guide, Guthrie Chamberlain, and today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 32 through 39. In our last conversation, we delved into a sobering chapter of Israel's history recounted by Asaph in Psalm 78:17-31. We saw their persistent rebellion and direct testing of God, demanding food in the wilderness despite His astounding provision of water from rock. We then witnessed God’s righteous fury and His miraculous, abundant provision of manna and quail, which, for their ungrateful and unbelieving hearts, turned into an instrument of swift judgment. God struck down their strongest men while the very meat they craved was still in their mouths. It was a stark lesson on the cost of demanding, ungrateful faith. Now, as we move into this next section, the narrative continues to unfold, revealing a disturbing cycle: Israel’s seemingly superficial repentance, their deceitful hearts, and their short-lived loyalty, juxtaposed with God's incredible, unwavering compassion and patience. This portion of the psalm offers a profound insight into the human heart's capacity for backsliding and God’s enduring commitment to a people who often failed Him. So, let’s lean in and absorb the humbling lessons of human frailty and the breathtaking truth of divine steadfastness. (Reads Psalm 78:32-33 NLT) But despite all this, they kept on sinning; they refused to believe in his wonders. So he ended their days in a puff of wind; their years vanished in terror. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist opens this section with a heartbreaking continuation of Israel’s pattern: "But despite all this, they kept on sinning; they refused to believe in his wonders." The phrase "despite all this" refers directly to the mighty acts of God and even His recent judgments described in the previous verses—the miraculous provision of manna and quail, and the subsequent plague. Even after witnessing such undeniable power and experiencing such direct consequences, they "kept on sinning." This highlights their profound spiritual stubbornness and resistance. Their fundamental flaw was persistent unbelief: "they refused to believe in his wonders." They saw the miracles, they experienced the divine provision, they even endured the judgment, yet they still refused to truly trust in God's power, His goodness, and His faithfulness. This wasn’t ignorance; it was active disbelief in the face of overwhelming evidence. This unbelief was the root cause of their continuous sin. The consequence of this sustained unbelief and...

Welcome to Day 2682 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2682 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:17-31 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2682 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2682 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Testing the Almighty – The Cost of Ungrateful Hearts - A Trek Through Psalm 78:17-31 Today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 17 through 31. In our last conversation, we began Asaph’s solemn history lesson for future generations. We saw the painful example of the Ephraimites' failure in battle due to their unfaithfulness, their refusal to keep God’s covenant, and their tragic forgetfulness of God’s glorious deeds. Then, Asaph immediately reminded us of those very deeds: God’s astounding miracles in Egypt, His splitting of the Red Sea, His constant guidance by cloud and fire, and His miraculous provision of water from solid rock in the wilderness (Psalm 78:9-16). The contrast was stark: human rebellion against divine faithfulness. Now, as we move into this next section, the story continues, detailing a new, disturbing chapter in Israel's journey: their persistent rebellion and direct testing of God, even in the face of His overwhelming provision. It reveals the devastating consequences of demanding hearts that question God's power and generosity, demonstrating that God provides, but also justly judges ungrateful unbelief. So, let’s lean in and absorb the sobering lessons of Israel’s continued rebellion and God’s mighty, yet sometimes punitive, response. (Reads Psalm 78:17-20 NLT) But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? Yes, he hit the rock, and water gushed out, and streams flowed like rivers! But can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” Guthrie Chamberlain: Despite the astonishing miracles of water from the rock, the constant guidance by cloud and fire, and the fresh memory of Red Sea deliverance, Asaph immediately reveals Israel’s shocking reversion to rebellion: "But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert." The word "continued" (yâsaph) emphasizes the persistent, habitual nature of their sin. They weren't just making a one-time mistake; this was a pattern of defiance. They rebelled "against the Most High" – El Elyon, emphasizing God's supreme authority and transcendence. This rebellion occurred "in the desert," a place of utter dependence on God, making their unfaithfulness even more grievous. Their rebellion manifested as a direct, stubborn challenge to God’s power: "They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved." To "test...

Welcome to Day 2681 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Sacred Space” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2681 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2681 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 8th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter eight: “Sacred Space.” The Israelites spent over a year at Mount Sinai. Why so long? They had already entered into a covenant with God and received the Ten Commandments. But they still had a lot to learn. It was one thing to promise to believe in and be loyal to the God of their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was another to know what God expected and what he was like. The Concept of Holiness Many of the strange laws and practices of the Old Testament are grounded in the need to teach people that God is unlike everything else. In his nature and character, he is unique; he is completely other than humanity and anything else. For Israel, that was a truth that had to be reinforced at all times. Otherwise, God might be thought of as ordinary. The biblical word for the idea of God’s unique otherness is holiness. It means “to be set apart” or “to be distinct.” The concept isn’t necessarily about moral conduct​—about the idea that we should behave a certain way to reflect God’s distinct moral standards—though that is included (Lev. 19:2). God wasn’t content to simply give Israelites an intellectual explanation of holiness. He wanted the concept of his otherness to permeate life in ancient Israel. The Bible tells us this was accomplished through rituals (symbolic acts) and by rules for approaching sacred areas. How Is God “Other”? The short answer to this question is “in every way,” but that’s too abstract. The Bible is much more down-to-earth, and the rituals and rules for Israelite community living reflect that. For example, the Bible teaches us that God was not only the source of Israel’s life—he was life. God is not of this earth, a place where there is death, disease, and imperfection. His realm is supernatural. Our realm is terrestrial. The earthly space he occupies is made sacred and otherworldly by his presence. The space we occupy is ordinary. God is the polar opposite of ordinary. In ancient Israel, these ideas were conveyed by the fact that people had to be invited and purified to occupy the same space as God. Many laws in the Old Testament regulate this purifying. Israelites could be disqualified (made “unclean”) from sacred space by a variety of activities and conditions. Having sex, losing blood, certain physical handicaps, and touching a dead body (human or animal) all rendered an Israelite unclean. Israelites were forbidden from eating certain birds of prey that ate from dead animals (e.g., vultures, hawks; Lev. 11:13–19) or animals that might be found on or inside a carcass (e.g., lizards, mice; Lev....

Welcome to Day 2680 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2680 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:9-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2680 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2680 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Remembering God’s Wonders, Recalling Our Failures - A Trek Through Psalm 78:9-16 Today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 9 through 16. In our last conversation, we opened Psalm 78, a powerful didactic psalm by Asaph. We heard his solemn call for God’s people to listen to his "teaching" and "parables" – profound truths from their collective past. The purpose was clear: to ensure that the next generation would "not hide these truths from our children," but would learn from history, set their "hope anew on God," obey His commands, and avoid being "stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful" like their ancestors (Psalm 78:1-8). Asaph was setting the stage for a critical history lesson, explaining why it was so vital to pass on the glorious deeds of the Lord. Now, Asaph begins that very history lesson, starting with a stark example of early Israelite failure, followed immediately by a powerful reminder of God’s overwhelming, miraculous power during the Exodus and wilderness journey. This juxtaposition is key: human unfaithfulness contrasted with divine faithfulness. It challenges us to examine our own patterns of forgetting God’s past goodness when faced with new trials. So, let’s lean in and absorb the hard-learned lessons and awe-inspiring wonders of Israel’s early history. (Reads Psalm 78:9-11 NLT) The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned and fled on the day of battle. They did not keep God’s covenant; they refused to live by his law. They forgot what he had done— the wonderful miracles he had shown them. Guthrie Chamberlain: Asaph immediately plunges into a painful historical example of Israelite failure, focusing on a prominent tribe: "The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned and fled on the day of battle." Ephraim was a powerful and numerous tribe, the descendants of Joseph, and often held a leadership role in the Northern Kingdom. The "bow" was a significant weapon in ancient warfare, implying they were well-equipped and prepared for battle. Yet, despite their military readiness, they "turned and fled" when it counted most – "on the day of battle." This wasn't a strategic retreat; it was a humiliating defection, a failure of courage and commitment. This military failure, however, was not simply due to a lack of skill or strength. Asaph reveals its deeper, spiritual root: "They did not keep God’s covenant; they refused to live by his law." Their military cowardice was a symptom of their spiritual unfaithfulness. The "covenant" (berit) was the foundational agreement between God and Israel, establishing their...

Welcome to Day 2679 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomDay 2679 – New Testament Orientation – “The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan”
Putnam Church Message – 07/20/2025
Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 12: “The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan” 
Last week, we explored "The General Letters of the New Testament:” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT)  9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”[b]
This week is the 12th and final message in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we will learn: The Church, Salvation, and Eschatology: God's Unfolding Plan” Ephesians 2:13-14 (NLT) "But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united us both into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us."Opening PrayerOur Loving and Sovereign God, as we reach the culmination of our journey through Your New Testament, we pause to reflect on the grand tapestry of Your plan for Your Church, for our salvation, and the culmination of all things. We pray that You would open our eyes to see these profound truths with the clarity and anticipation of the early believers. May we grasp the depth of Your reconciliation, the wonder of Your salvation, and the glorious hope of Your coming kingdom. Empower us, by Your Spirit, to live as Your unified people, eagerly awaiting the Day of Christ. Amen.Introduction: The Final Unveiling of God's Purpose
We’ve journeyed from the Jewish roots of the Gospels, through the explosive growth in Acts, and explored the profound theology of Paul's letters and the General Epistles. Today, we bring it all together by considering three essential topics that define the conclusion of God's unfolding story: the Church, the nature of Salvation, and Eschatology—the doctrine of last things.
Our core verses from Ephesians 2:13-14 serve as a magnificent summary of the radical new reality Jesus inaugurated: "But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united us both into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us." This passage speaks of a profound reconciliation, not just between humanity and God, but between the two great divisions of humanity: Jew and Gentile. This reconciliation defines the very nature of the Church.
For the early...

Welcome to Day 2678 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2678 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 78:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2678 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2678 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Passing on the Legacy – Learning from Our Past - A Trek Through Psalm 78:1-8 (Intro Music: Reflective, instructive theme fades in and out) Today, we begin a crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing its foundational verses, 1 through 8. Psalm 78, like Psalms 73 through Pslam 77, is attributed to Asaph, one of King David’s chief musicians and a prophet. However, this psalm stands out as one of the longest in the Psalter, acting as a grand historical narrative. It’s a didactic psalm, meaning its primary purpose is to teach. After Asaph’s personal spiritual crisis in Psalm 73, his communal lament in Psalm 74, and his triumphant declarations in Psalms 75-77 that anchored his faith in God’s past deeds, Psalm 78 now explicitly lays out the vital importance of recounting that history, not just for reassurance, but for instruction. This psalm, often referred to as a "history lesson," delves deep into Israel’s past, recounting their repeated cycles of rebellion and God’s unwavering faithfulness. But it’s not merely a historical record; it’s a living lesson for every generation, particularly for the youth. In the ancient Israelite worldview, the transmission of national and spiritual heritage was paramount, ensuring that future generations understood their identity, their covenant with God, and the consequences of obedience and disobedience. This psalm is a powerful call for elders to teach and for the young to listen, so they can break the cycle of past failures. So, let’s lean in and absorb the wisdom of this profound call to remember and learn. (Reads Psalm 78:1-4 NLT) O my people, listen to my teaching. Open your ears to what I say. For I will speak to you in parables; I will explain mysteries from the past— stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalm opens with an urgent and authoritative call to attention from Asaph, the teacher: "O my people, listen to my teaching. Open your ears to what I say." This isn't a casual invitation; it’s a solemn command, delivered with the weight of someone who has profound and essential truths to impart. "My people" emphasizes his pastoral care and his sense of shared destiny with the community. The call to "listen" and "open your ears" highlights the critical importance of receptive hearts and attentive minds for what is about to be revealed. Asaph describes the nature of his instruction: "For I will...

Welcome to Day 2677 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2677 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 77:13-20 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2677 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2677 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: The Unseen Path of the Unchanging God - Concluding Our Trek Through Psalm 77:13-20 Today, we reach the powerful and awe-inspiring conclusion of our trek through Psalm 77 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 13 through 20. In our last conversation, we plunged into the raw, personal anguish of Asaph, the psalmist. We heard his desperate cries in the night, his sleepless torment, and the agonizing questions that plagued his soul: "Has the Lord abandoned us forever? Will he never again be kind to us? Has his unfailing love vanished forever?" He was a man drowning in doubt, unable to find comfort, even from the thought of God. But then, a pivotal moment occurred: Asaph intentionally shifted his focus, resolving to "recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago." This act of remembering God’s ancient wonders became his lifeline, the first step out of the mire of despair. Now, in these concluding verses, we witness the glorious outcome of that deliberate act of remembrance. Asaph’s perspective completely transforms from anguish and questioning to profound awe and unwavering trust. He no longer asks if God has changed; instead, he declares God’s unchanging holiness, His incomparable power, and His unfailing, sovereign leadership, even when His path is hidden. This is the ultimate resolution of his spiritual crisis, leading to a powerful affirmation of God as the Shepherd-King. So, let’s allow our hearts to be filled with awe as we witness the triumph of faith over doubt, anchored in the undeniable truth of who God is and what He has done. (Reads Psalm 77:13-15 NLT) O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the nations. By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this section with a triumphant declaration of God’s unparalleled character, a stark contrast to his earlier questions about God’s mercy and love: "O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as great as our God?" The word "holy" (qadosh) here signifies not just moral purity but also God's separateness, His transcendence, His utterly unique and unapproachable majesty. God’s ways, His actions, His very nature, are completely set apart from all human imperfection and doubt. This is a foundational truth that silences all questioning. The rhetorical question, "Is there any god as great as our God?" echoes the triumphant certainty we saw in Psalm 71, "Who can compare with you, O God?" It's a resounding affirmation of God's incomparability, a direct refutation of any doubt that might have crept into...

Welcome to Day 2676 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Rules of Engagement.” – Supernatural Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2676 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2676 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today, we continue with the 7th of 16 segments of our Theology Thursday lessons. I will read through the book "Supernatural," written by Hebrew Bible scholar, professor, and mentor Dr. Michael S. Heiser, who has since passed away. Supernatural is a condensed version of his comprehensive book, ‘The Unseen Realm.’ If these readings pique your interest, I would recommend that you read ‘The Unseen Realm.’ Today, we will read through chapter seven: “Rules of Engagement.” Our story so far: God cast aside the nations and their peoples at Babel. The lesser gods assigned to them took dominion (Deut. 32:8–9). When God started over with Abraham, it was clear that he planned to one day reclaim the nations through the influence of Israel (Gen. 12:3). But the gods of the nations would have to be forced to surrender their power and worship (Ps. 82:6–8). That meant conflict—in both the seen and unseen realms. As soon as there was an Israel, she was in the crosshairs of the gods.  Who Is Yahweh? It doesn’t take long in the biblical story for Israel to wind up in a precarious position. The story of Joseph (Gen. 37–50) explains why Israel went to Egypt. God’s providence turned the harm intended Joseph by his brothers to the salvation of Israel from famine (Gen. 46:3–4; 50:20). That God didn’t tell Israel to leave Egypt right away was also intentional. God knew the pharaoh who honored Joseph would die and be replaced by an enemy (Ex. 1). He had foreseen that Egypt would put the Israelites into forced labor (Gen. 15:13–16). He also knew he would rescue Israel when the time was right (Gen. 46:4). But why wait? God always has a good reason for suffering. We just can’t always see it. In this case, though, Scripture makes it clear. After Moses had fled Egypt and taken up residence in the wilderness, God called him at the burning bush (Ex. 3:1–14) to send him back to Egypt. His orders were simple: Tell Pharaoh “Let my people go” (Ex. 5:1). Pharaoh had other ideas. He was god in the flesh in Egypt, the emblem of all its glory and power. He wasn’t going to let some invisible God of Hebrew shepherds tell him what to do. He didn’t even know whether the God of Moses was real. He mockingly replied, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?” (Ex. 5:2). He was about to get an answer—one that would hurt. God had set him up. God had told Moses, “I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go” (Ex. 4:21). God had a fight to pick. After they had oppressed the Israelites for centuries, it was time for Egypt and its gods to be punished. Pharaoh’s hardening was part of that plot. The Bible tells us the plagues were aimed at Egypt’s gods—especially the last one, the death of the firstborn (Ex. 12:12; Num. 33:4), which turned out to be a direct assault on Pharaoh’s house: “At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of...