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Welcome to Day 2645 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2645 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:29-33 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2645 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2645 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. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, today, we’re witnessing a remarkable turning point in our trek through Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. We’ve navigated the turbulent waters of the psalmist’s despair, heard his cries of being overwhelmed, unjustly accused, and deeply mocked. We’ve even explored the challenging territory of his imprecatory prayers for God’s justice upon his enemies. Now, as we arrive at verses 29 through 33, a profound shift occurs. Amidst his continued suffering, the psalmist’s spirit turns, and a note of confident hope and triumphant praise begins to emerge. This transformation from intense lament to declarations of praise is a common and powerful characteristic of many psalms. It’s a testament to the resilience of faith, the power of persistent prayer, and the unwavering conviction that God ultimately hears and responds to the cries of His people. This section also offers a profound insight into what truly pleases God – not merely ritual, but heartfelt worship, especially from a place of genuine need. Let’s allow the spirit of praise to uplift us as we delve into Psalm 69, starting with verses 29 through 30: (Reads Psalm 69:29-30 NLT) I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power. Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins by clearly stating his current reality, not sugarcoating it: “I am suffering and in pain.” He doesn’t deny his ongoing anguish, despite the turn towards hope. The depths of his distress are still very real. This authenticity is a hallmark of the psalms and a vital component of genuine faith. We don’t have to pretend everything is fine when it isn’t. God knows our pain, and the psalmist affirms that openly. Yet, immediately following this acknowledgment of pain, comes a renewed, direct plea for divine intervention: “Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.” He isn’t asking for just any help; he’s specifically appealing to God’s “saving power”—that same mighty power that delivered Israel from Egypt, that brought them through the wilderness, and that conquers all enemies. This shows his unshakable belief in God’s ability to deliver him, no matter how dire his circumstances. And then comes the incredible declaration of what his response will be once God acts: “Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.” This is a vow of praise. It’s a promise to publicly celebrate God’s deliverance. It’s not just an intellectual acknowledgment, but an emotional and communal expression. In the ancient Israelite context, singing was a fundamental expression of joy, praise, and corporate worship. To “praise God’s name with singing” means to celebrate His very character, His identity, His reputation. To “honor him with...

Welcome to Day 2644 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2644 – New Testament Orientation – Jesus' Message to Gentiles and Jews - the Cross Putnam Church Message – 06/01/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 6: “Jesus’ Message to Gentiles & Jews - the Cross”   Last week, we explored The Four Gospels - Four Witnesses to the King Core Verses: Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) This week is Sermon: 6 of 12 Title: Jesus’ Message to Gentiles & Jews - the Cross Core Verses: Hebrews 3:1-2 Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Core Verses: Hebrews 3:1-2 (NLT) “And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our faith. For he was faithful to God who appointed him, just as Moses had been faithful in all God’s house.” Opening Prayer Our Gracious and Holy Father, we come before You this day with hearts open and minds eager to receive Your truth. As we gather to explore the profound message of Your Son, Jesus, we pray that your Holy Spirit will illuminate our understanding. May we grasp the depth of His faithfulness, the power of His victory, and the boundless love extended to all—Jew and Gentile alike—through His sacrifice on the cross. Guide our thoughts, stir our spirits, and transform our lives, we pray, in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Introduction: The Unveiling of a King’s Message As we continue on this incredible journey through the New Testament! We are now in our sixth week, and today, we stand at a pivotal juncture, peering into the very heart of Jesus’ mission. If you could have walked up to Jesus, as many did, and asked, “What are you about? What is your core message?” what would He have said? Today, we will explore four crucial aspects of His message—ideas that might not always get the attention they deserve, but are foundational to understanding Jesus, His kingdom, and the radical inclusion He brought to all nations. We’ll speak of Jesus’ faithfulness, His decisive victory over demonic powers, the revolutionary relationship between Jew and Gentile forged in Him, and finally, the profound meaning of the cross. (Bulletin Insert)

1. Jesus’ Faithfulness: A Quiet Carpenter’s Perfect Obedience

Our journey begins with a look at Jesus’ faithfulness, a quality often overlooked amidst the dazzling miracles and powerful teachings. The writer of Hebrews—a sermon in itself—highlights this in our core verses today: “He was faithful to God who appointed him, just as Moses had been faithful in all God’s house” (Hebrews 3:2, NLT). Imagine Jesus, not as the public figure we know from His ministry, but as a young man in Nazareth. For nearly 30 years, He lived a quiet life as a carpenter, the son of a carpenter. There were no public miracles, no grand sermons, just the humble rhythm of daily life. And yet, when He emerges for His public baptism, the heavens declare, “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:17, NLT). What was God pleased

Welcome to Day 2643 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2642 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:22-28 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2643 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2643 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. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, today we continue our journey into the raw and profoundly human expressions of Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. We’ve already spent time in the depths of the psalmist’s despair, hearing his cries of being overwhelmed by floodwaters of trouble, unjustly accused, and cruelly mocked even for his heartfelt devotion to God. He felt the pain of being abandoned, offered gall and vinegar instead of comfort. Now, as we move into verses 22 through 28, the tone shifts dramatically from lament to imprecation—a fervent prayer for God’s judgment upon his enemies. This section of Psalm 69, like other “imprecatory psalms,” can be challenging for us to understand from our modern perspective. It often seems to clash with the New Testament call to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. However, to truly grasp the wisdom here, we must understand the ancient Israelite worldview. These are not expressions of personal vengeance taken into human hands, but desperate cries for divine justice, handed over to God alone to execute. The psalmist is not acting as a judge; he is pleading with the ultimate Judge of all the earth to intervene where human justice has failed. Let’s lean in and explore these challenging yet truthful words, starting with Psalm 69, verses 22 through 24: (Reads Psalm 69:22-24 NLT) Let their bountiful table become a snare, and let their prosperity be a trap. Let their eyes go dim so they cannot see, and make their backs stoop forever. Pour out your fury on them; unleash your fierce anger. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins his imprecatory prayer with a plea for the very source of his enemies’ comfort and strength to become their downfall: “Let their bountiful table become a snare, and let their prosperity be a trap.” In ancient society, a “bountiful table” symbolized prosperity, security, and enjoyment of life. It was a place of feasting and conviviality. For this symbol of their well-being to become a “snare” or a “trap” means that what they enjoy and trust in will turn against them, leading to their capture or ruin. Their very success and abundance, gained perhaps through injustice and oppression, will become the instrument of their judgment. Imagine a predator setting a trap, using bait to lure its prey. The psalmist is asking God to turn the tables, to make the enemies’ own blessings the bait that leads them to their doom. This highlights the idea that their unjust prosperity is not a sign of God’s favor, but a temporary illusion that will ultimately ensnare them. The prayer then extends to physical and spiritual debilitation: “Let their eyes go dim so they cannot see, and make their backs stoop forever." “Dimmed eyes” could refer to physical blindness or, more powerfully, spiritual blindness – an inability...

Welcome to Day 2642 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2642 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:16-21 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2642 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2642 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. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, today we continue our deep dive into the raw, emotional depths of Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. In our previous treks, we’ve joined the psalmist in his desperate cry for help, feeling overwhelmed by literal and metaphorical floods. We’ve seen his anguish over unjust accusations and the profound pain of being mocked for his sincere devotion to God, even by his own family and the lowest members of society. Now, as we delve into verses 16 through 21, the psalmist intensifies his plea for divine compassion and vividly describes the cruel abandonment and bitter rejection he experiences in his suffering. This section is particularly poignant, capturing the essence of feeling utterly alone in a sea of hostility, desperately longing for God’s presence and comfort. While steeped in the ancient Israelite experience of shame and ostracization, these verses also carry a prophetic weight, foreshadowing the ultimate suffering and rejection of the Messiah. For our purposes today, we’ll focus on the psalmist’s immediate human anguish and his appeal to God’s merciful character. So, let’s open our hearts to these words of desperate appeal. (Reads Psalm 69:16-18 NLT) Answer me, Lord, for your unfailing love is good. In your great compassion, turn to me. Don’t turn away from me, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come and rescue me! Save me from all my enemies. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist’s plea begins with an urgent, direct appeal to God’s character: “Answer me, Lord, for your unfailing love is good. In your great compassion, turn to me.” Having laid bare the depth of his suffering and the injustice he faces, he doesn’t appeal to his own merit, but solely to God’s inherent goodness and mercy. “Unfailing love” (hesed) is that steadfast, covenant-keeping love, loyal and true, even when circumstances seem to contradict it. “Great compassion” speaks to God’s deep empathy and pity for those in distress. The psalmist is essentially saying, “God, because of who You are – because of Your good, unfailing love and Your great compassion – You must respond to me.” This appeal to God’s nature is a powerful lesson in prayer for us. When we feel overwhelmed, instead of focusing solely on the problem, we can anchor our prayers in the unchanging character of God – His love, His mercy, His power, His faithfulness. The urgency of his situation is palpable: “Don’t turn away from me, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.” To have God “turn away” would be the ultimate abandonment, a sign of divine displeasure or indifference. The psalmist desperately fears this. His distress is acute, his trouble immediate. He isn’t asking for a leisurely response; he needs God to act now. This urgency highlights the direness of his situation, where every...

Welcome to Day 2641 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Constantine, Conspiracy, and the Canon” –  I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2641 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2641 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 is the 58th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Constantine, Conspiracy, and the Canon.” Dan Brown’s best-selling conspiratorial thriller The Da Vinci Code seems like ancient history now. At its peak of popularity, the novel set records both for sales and for irritating scholars with its view that Jesus and the 12 apostles held to gnostic heresies. The book’s bizarre plot focuses on Jesus’ bloodline extending through a child born by Mary Magdalene. Within that narrative. Brown asserts that the New Testament canon was determined by the Roman Emperor Constantine—who was not friendly to gnostic Christianity—at a time much later (fourth century AD) than any New Testament scholar would endorse. Unfortunately, this myth has since taken on a life of its own. The notion that Constantine decided which books should constitute the New Testament springs from the ancient Life of Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea (AD 263-339). Eusebius reports that in a letter written in AD 331, the emperor instructed him to ... order fifty copies of the sacred Scriptures, the provision and use of which you know to be most needful for the instruction of the Church, to be written on prepared parchment in a legible manner, and in a convenient, portable form, by professional transcribers thoroughly practised in their art. This same Constantine had earlier convened the Council of Nicea (AD 325), famous for its focus on the full deity of Christ against Arianism, which taught that Jesus was a created being. Brown carelessly conflated the two events in The Da Vinci Code to put forth the preposterous idea that Constantine had decided at Nicea which books belonged in the New Testament. But can we be sure this didn’t happen? And if not, what exactly did Constantine demand in this letter? We can be certain that the Council of Nicea did not determine the books of the New Testament at Constantine’s request. The date of Eusebius’ correspondence tells us that Nicea did not consider the issue of the canon. Today, anyone can read the 20 decisions rendered at Nicea (coincidentally called “canons”).- None of them concerns the New Testament Scriptures. In addition, accounts of what happened at Nicea were described by several early church historians and theologians who lived at the time of the event or shortly thereafter. Their testimony is unanimous in opposition to the idea that Constantine...

Welcome to Day 2640 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2640 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:9-15 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2640 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2640 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. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we continue our trek through the turbulent waters of Psalm 69 in the New Living Translation. In our last trek, we entered the raw, desperate cry of the psalmist, who felt like he was drowning in troubles, overwhelmed by enemies, and unjustly accused. We witnessed his exhaustion, his tears, and his profound sense of betrayal, even by his own family. As we continue today, the psalmist reveals an even deeper layer to his suffering: his fervent devotion to God has become the very fuel for the scorn and mockery he endures. This particular section of Psalm 69 resonates deeply with the experiences of those who choose to live wholeheartedly for God, often encountering misunderstanding, ridicule, and even hostility from the world around them. For the ancient Israelite, public shame and social ostracization were profoundly painful. This psalm gives voice to that specific agony, while simultaneously offering a powerful example of persistent prayer even when faced with unimaginable contempt. So, open your hearts and minds as we immerse ourselves in Psalm 69, verses 9 through 15. (Reads Psalm 69:9-12 NLT) For passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. When I weep and humble myself with fasting, they scoff at me. When I wear sackcloth to show my sorrow, they make jokes about me. I am the favorite topic of town gossips, and drunkards sing taunts about me. Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist immediately identifies the core reason for his suffering: “For passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” This is a powerful declaration of his fervent devotion to God and God’s dwelling place, likely referring to the Temple in Jerusalem. “Passion” or “zeal” for God’s house speaks to an intense, consuming commitment to God’s presence, His worship, and His honor. This kind of zeal means that God’s concerns become one’s own. In the ancient Israelite context, “God’s house” was the center of their spiritual life. To have zeal for it meant a deep love for God’s commandments, His presence, and His glory. This devotion wasn’t passive; it was active, causing the psalmist to prioritize God’s honor above his own comfort or reputation. The consequence? The “insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” Because he identifies so strongly with God and His honor, the contempt directed at God is effectively aimed at him. He is bearing the reproach of God. This is a profound foreshadowing of Christ, for whom zeal for His Father’s house would indeed consume Him (John 2:17). The psalmist then details how his pious acts of devotion, intended to express humility and sorrow before God, have become targets of mockery: “When I weep and humble myself with fasting, they scoff at me. When I wear sackcloth to show...

Welcome to Day 2639 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2639 – New Testament Orientation – The Four Gospels - Four Witnesses to the King Putnam Church Message – 05/25/2025 Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation Message 5: The Four Gospels   Last week, we explored how Jesus appears in history outside the Bible. Our core verses were: Matthew 25:31-36   This week is Sermon: 5 of 12 Title: The Four Gospels - Four Witnesses to the King Core Verses: Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) (Opening Prayer) Heavenly Father, we gather today, much like those early followers of Jesus gathered centuries ago, to learn more about the one you sent into the world. We thank you for the collection of sacred writings we hold – this “biblos,” this library of books that tells your story and your plan. As we open the pages that tell the story of Jesus, the four Gospels, we pray for your Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds. Help us to hear these accounts not just as ancient history, but as living witnesses to your Son. Grant us eyes to see Him through the unique perspectives of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. May their words draw us closer to Jesus, deepening our faith and empowering us for the mission He has given us. In His name, we pray, Amen. (Introduction) We continue our journey through the New Testament with our fifth message, which turns our attention to the heart of this collection of writings: the Four Gospels. The word Bible, its original name, “biblos,” simply means “book” or “scroll.” It wasn’t initially a religious term, but it became the name for this unique collection of divine writings over time. The New Testament is a collection, not a single, continuous narrative written by one hand at one time, but a library. We have letters penned by apostles like Paul, a historical account of the early church’s actions (the Book of Acts), and then we have these four extraordinary books that stand at the beginning: the Gospels. What exactly are the Gospels? They aren’t typical letters like Paul wrote. They seem like histories, bio/graphical accounts, and maybe even theological treatises> in some sense. Unlike modern books with authors clearly listed on the cover, the Gospels are, strictly speaking, anonymous within their texts. Yet, from very early times, strong traditions connected these writings to specific individuals: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These weren’t random scribes but people closely linked to Jesus or His closest followers. These four distinct accounts of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection became foundational. Imagine being an Israelite or early Christian in the first century. You’ve heard stories about Jesus – perhaps you even saw Him, or have spoken to someone who did. Now, people are writing down these accounts. Why four? Why not just one definitive story? As we delve into Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we’ll see that while they tell the same core story, they each offer a unique portrait of Jesus, emphasizing different aspects of who He is and what He did. They are four witnesses, each highlighting the glorious King from a slightly different angle, tailored for different audiences and purposes within that burgeoning early faith community. Let’s explore these four unique yet harmonious voices. (Bulletin...

Welcome to Day 2638 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2638 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 69:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2638 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2638 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. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’re embarking on a trek through a different kind of terrain – the deep, often turbulent waters of lament. We’re opening our Bibles to Psalm 69, starting with verses 1 through 8 in the New Living Translation. Psalm 69 is one of the Bible’s most poignant and powerful lament psalms. It’s a raw cry from a soul in deep distress, feeling overwhelmed by suffering, enemies, and profound reproach. While it speaks to the personal agony of the psalmist, often attributed to David, it is also a profoundly Messianic psalm, with many of its verses finding their ultimate fulfillment in the suffering of Jesus Christ. For our trek today, however, we’ll primarily focus on the psalmist’s immediate experience, allowing his desperate plea to resonate with our own moments of overwhelming hardship. Lament is a vital part of faith. It’s the language we use when life doesn’t make sense, when we feel abandoned, attacked, or misunderstood. The ancient Israelites understood this well; their psalms provided a divine vocabulary for every human emotion, including profound sorrow and confusion. This psalm offers us a sacred space to bring our deepest pain and rawest emotions before God. So, let’s immerse ourselves in the opening verses of Psalm 69. (Reads Psalm 69:1-4 NLT) Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am drowning in deep waters; the floods overwhelm me. I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is hoarse. My eyes are swollen red from weeping for my God. Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs on my head. These enemies who want to destroy me are powerful. They make me pay for crimes I didn’t commit. I am forced to return what I didn’t steal. Guthrie Chamberlain: What a visceral, immediate cry for help! The psalmist wastes no time in conveying the urgency and desperation of his situation. He uses powerful, evocative imagery of being consumed by water: “Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am drowning in deep waters; the floods overwhelm me.” This is more than just a metaphor for trouble; it speaks to a profound sense of being utterly submerged and losing control. In the ancient Near East, deep waters, floods, and mire often symbolized chaos, death, and overwhelming peril. When the psalmist says the waters are “up to my neck,” it means he is on the verge of suffocation, barely clinging to life. He’s not just in the water; he’s sinking into “mire,” thick mud that offers no solid ground, no hope of escape. He’s being “overwhelmed” – completely overcome and consumed by the torrents of his troubles. Have you ever felt like that? Like you’re sinking, unable to find firm ground, with the pressures of life threatening to swallow you

Welcome to Day 2637 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2637 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 68:28-35 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2637 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2637 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. In today’s Wisdom Nugget, we’ve arrived at the triumphant conclusion of our trek through the powerful Psalm 68 in the New Living Translation. This psalm has taken us on an incredible journey, revealing God as the mighty Divine Warrior, the compassionate Defender of the vulnerable, the faithful Leader through the wilderness, and the triumphant King dwelling in Zion. Now, in these final verses, the psalmist brings these themes to a magnificent crescendo, focusing on God’s enduring strength, the future recognition of His sovereignty by all nations, and the ultimate source of power for His people. These verses offer a prophetic glimpse into a future where God’s glory is fully revealed and His reign is universally acknowledged. They would have filled the ancient Israelites with hope, reminding them of God’s ultimate plan amidst their present circumstances. Let’s conclude our exploration of Psalm 68 by reading verses 28 through 31: (Reads Psalm 68:28-31 NLT) Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past. The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem. Rebuke these enemy nations— these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war. Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bring tribute to God.   Guthrie Chamberlain: The psalmist begins this concluding section with a powerful plea and affirmation: “Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.” This isn’t a request for God to somehow become more powerful; it’s a fervent prayer for Him to activate and demonstrate the immense power that is inherently His. The psalmist recalls God’s past acts of power – the Exodus, the victories in the wilderness, the scattering of enemies – and asks for that same mighty power to be openly displayed once again. It’s a prayer rooted in confidence in God’s unchanging nature and His historical faithfulness. This display of God’s power has a remarkable consequence, a vision of a future reality: “The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem.” In the ancient world, tribute was a sign of submission and recognition of a greater sovereign’s authority. Kings bringing tribute to Jerusalem, the site of God’s Temple and His dwelling place, signifies the acknowledgment of God’s supreme kingship by the rulers of the world. This was a truly audacious vision from an ancient Israelite perspective, given the power and arrogance of the empires that often dominated their world. It was a prophetic hope that one day, all earthly power wouldbow before the Almighty. The psalmist then calls for God to deal with persistent enemy nations, using vivid animal imagery: “Rebuke these enemy nations—these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.”

Welcome to Day 2636 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – “Perspective Changes Everything” –  I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2636 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2636 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 is the 57th lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God’s redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it’s also a book that seems strange to us. While God’s Word was written for us, it wasn’t written to us. Today’s lesson is: “Perspective Changes Everything.” 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 rod like a staff, and I was told, "Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty- two 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...