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Bible bites: Going Home and Coming Home, Exodus and Ezra

November 17, 2022 by Ellen 2 Comments

This month is the start of the holiday season, where food abounds! So, we’ll be talking tasty tidbits from scripture. You know those little bites of deliciousness that you can nibble on all day. Little bites, small but meaty and oh so good for your soul.

Today we’ll be talking about going home and coming home. Let’s begin in Exodus.

“I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.” Exodus 3:21-22 NASB

God knew Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Hebrew people go easily. Pharaoh wouldn’t give them anything for their journey home, either. He was a meanie! But God! He provided for His people. The material the Israelites plundered and carried out of Egypt became part of what they used to construct the tabernacle. God sent them on their way with building supplies.

I image the Egyptians were happy to provide what was needed. After all, they’d been subject to God’s plagues: Bloody water, frogs, gnats, flies, diseased livestock, boils, hail and fire, locusts, darkness and finally the unthinkable-death of the first born child in each family. Horrors! I would’ve kicked them out too! Get out! And don’t come back!

Next, we have the Israeli exiles returning from Babylon. They had been captives for 70 years. Slaves in servitude, like their forefathers in Egypt. After 70 years, God stirred the heart of King Cyrus to allow the exiles to go home and rebuild.

Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed long ago when Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to the city and surrounding area. The Hebrew people would be freed slaves, traveling with nothing, going home to nothing. Zilch. Zero.

But God.

“‘Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering. Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods;” Ezra 1:4, 6-7 NASB

God provided, so His people could come home and rebuild His temple. Going and coming, building or rebuilding, God will provide all you need. Amen and amen!

What a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness!

Bible Bites: Cornerstones and Capstones

November 3, 2022 by Ellen 2 Comments

November is the month of thanksgiving, gathering with friends and family over a great meal and Bible Bites.

Bible what?? Well, I am somewhat of a foodie (not a professional foodie by an means) and love to feast on hearty meals with meat, chicken, fish and roasted veggies. But what I really love are appetizers. You know, tasty tidbits of food that you can nibble on all afternoon and evening. Little bites of deliciousness.

I’ve found some awesome tidbits in scripture, too. Little bites, small but meaty and oh, so delicious. They’ll give you something to chew on. The Bible bite we will discuss this week is from First Peter:

“For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, the stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, and a stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.” 1 Peter 2:6-8 (CSB, italics mine)

Do you notice how the word cornerstone is used twice here? Yes, I did too! And it made me wonder, “What is the difference?” Well, here ya go…

The original greek used for cornerstone in verse six is this:

204. akrogōniaíos; from ákron (206), extreme, and gōnía (1137), corner. The foundation cornerstone.^⁠1

The foundation cornerstone is traditionally the first stone laid in the foundation of a building. All the other stones (or whatever building material is used) are built around this first piece. For the Christian church, Jesus is our cornerstone. He is the foundation, the first stone laid, and sustains the whole structure. As members of the body of Christ, we are the building blocks.

However, the second use of the word cornerstone has a completely different meaning. This is the original greek for that word:

2776. kephalḗ. The head, top, that which is uppermost in relation to something. Metaphorically of things, the head, top, summit, e.g., the head of the corner, meaning the chief stone of the corner, the cornerstone.^⁠2

Generally, this top stone is referred to as the capstone. It is the final stone laid in the building project. This is also referring to Jesus. Those who don’t believe in Him will stumble because of their refusal to believe in and obey the Gospel.

And here’s the little nugget that I love: It’s all about Jesus. He is the foundation cornerstone and the capstone; the first and the last; The Alpha and the Omega. Amen and amen!!

Don’t you just love that?

¹Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

²Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).