BASEBALL VERSUS THE BIBLE

BASEBALL VERSUS THE BIBLE

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

2Timothy [GW] 2 My child, find your source of strength in the kindness of Christ Jesus. You've heard my message, and it's been confirmed by many witnesses. Entrust this message to faithful individuals who will be competent to teach others. Join me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Whoever serves in the military doesn't get mixed up in non-military activities. This pleases his commanding officer. Whoever enters an athletic competition wins the prize only when playing by the rules. A hard-working farmer should have the first share of the crops. Understand what I'm saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things. Always think about Jesus Christ. He was brought back to life and is a descendant of David. This is the Good News that I tell others. I'm suffering disgrace for spreading this Good News. I have even been put into prison like a criminal. However, God's word is not imprisoned. For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive salvation from Christ Jesus with glory that lasts forever. This is a statement that can be trusted: If we have died with him, we will live with him. If we endure, we will rule with him. If we disown him, he will disown us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful because he cannot be untrue to himself. Remind believers about these things, and warn them in the sight of God not to quarrel over words. Quarreling doesn't do any good but only destroys those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn't ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly. Avoid pointless discussions. People who pay attention to these pointless discussions will become more ungodly, and what they say will spread like cancer. …

  “The Bible is boring, especially all those begats. Now baseball, there’s something to occupy a man’s thoughts!”

  Thought I hold little interest in baseball or other team events, I don’t say they are boring. Do I consider reading begat lists as exciting? No, and yes. For me, reading the begat passages is a word slog, and difficult to connect the dots. Using a color coded Bible and world history charted timeline is an enlightening thought provoking happy hike thru God’s Word.

  Here’s an example:

·         Noah lived 950 years. He was about 656 years of age when the Great Flood inundated the earth. He lived nearly 300 years beyond the flood. Gen.5:32; 9:18, 19, 28, 29.

·         Shem was about 130 years old at the time of the flood, and lived to be about 600. This means he lived about 470 after the flood. Gen.11:10-11; 1Chr.1:17-27.

·         Ham lived far less, about 215 years. He was about 140 at the time of the flood, living only about 75 years after. Gen.5:32; 9:18-24.

·         Japeth lived about 300 years. He was about 180 when the flood inundated the earth, living about 120 years after. Gen.5:32; 10:2.

·         Methuselah lived 969 years. Gen.5:25-29. What I hadn’t realized is that he died shortly before or possibly in the Great Flood. Gen.7.

·         Noah outlived Ham by about 125 years and Japeth by about 160.

·         Shem outlived Noah by about 150 years.

  And this means what? Different things to different people: More boring statistics to some, mild interest in genealogy to others. Yet others, being now able to better visualize the family picture surrounding the greatest cataclysmic world event. Or possibly other perspective.

  What do we see of Eden, Noah, and beyond unto this day and our future? Or is our vision clouded by more interesting things?

EBB4