Does the Joseph Story Tell Us About End Times?

After Jesus rose from the dead, he taught his disciples "what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." He did this "beginning with Moses," meaning the first five books of the Bible (Luke 24:27). One of the remarkable evidences for the Bible is the way that verses and stories in the Bible have layers of meaning that fit together in a beautiful way. Even in Genesis, there are stories that teach important lessons but also fit a pattern of prophecy that even speak of events in our future.

Take the story of Jacob wresting with a "man" in Genesis 32:24-30. Multiple times the text says that Jacob wrestled with a "man." But Jacob concludes that this man was actually God (32:30). Yet, for the entire night, God could not "overpower" Jacob. Does this story teach that Jacob had superhuman strength, making him an equal match with God in physical strength? Clearly not. The story shows us the possibility of a God-man, pointing us to Jesus. In addition, God limits his power and wrestles with Jacob all night as an occasion for making a prophecy. The point of the whole story is explained in Genesis 32:28 when God tells Jacob, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." The wrestling match was really a mini-version of the much longer story of the nation of Israel. As the ancestor Jacob/Israel wrestled with a God-man all night, so the nation of Israel will struggle with God and man throughout their history, and ultimately prevail. Israel has struggled with men, facing possible annihilation from the Assyrians, Romans, Persians, Arabs, Crusaders, Germans - just to name a few. Yet they are still a nation today! They have struggled with God. The prophets in the Old Testament warned them to turn to God in repentance or face God's judgment. Throughout history, the majority have rejected God's Messiah, Jesus. Yet here too, they will overcome! The Bible speaks of a time when Israel will recognize Jesus as the true Messiah (Zechariah 12, Romans 11, Acts 3).

I would call the wrestling story a "prophetic mini-drama," an acting out in one night the basic elements of another story that would take place over the many following centuries. I think the same thing is true of the Joseph story in Genesis 37-50. Much of the story speaks about the first coming of Jesus, but one part speaks about the second coming.

Consider the parallels between Joseph and Jesus:

Joseph was Jacob's favorite son (Genesis 37:3)

Jesus was God’s beloved son (Mat. 3:17)

Joseph was born when God opened Rachel’s womb (Gen. 30:22-24)

Jesus mother Mary also had a miraculous birth. (Luke 1:26-27)

Joseph’s brothers envied him (37:11), Jewish leaders envied Jesus (Mt. 27:18).

 

Joseph was sent to his brothers by his father (37:4). Jesus was sent to Jewish people by the Father (Acts 3:26).

 

Joseph was betrayed by brothers and sold for twenty pieces of silver, the going price for a slave (37:28), Jesus was betrayed by Judas for thirty pieces of silver, the going price for a slave.

 

Joseph was handed over to foreigners (37:28), Jesus was handed over to the Roman governor, Pilate and the Roman soldiers.

 

Joseph was "killed" by his brothers. While they did not literally kill him, they slaughtered a goat and put the blood on Joseph's robe. For the next several chapters, the brothers and Jacob refer to Joseph as dead. In Genesis 42:22 Reuben says "we must give an accounting for his blood." Jacob says Joseph is "dead" (Genesis 42:36, 38). The slaughtered goat immediately draws parallels with the Passover lamb or goat, the ram that replaced Isaac, and the two goats from the Day of Atonement. All picture the sacrificial death of Jesus that saves us from sin. Jesus died as a sacrificial lamb in our place.

 

Joseph went to Egypt and later returned to Canaan (After his death, see Gen. 37:28, 45:5). Jesus also went to Egypt and returned to Canaan (Mat. 2).

 

Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph, but he remained blameless (39:7-12), Satan tempted Jesus and he remained sinless (Mat. 4).

 

Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh (Gen. 41:46)

Jesus was 30 years old when he began his public service to Israel (Luke 4:1).

Two men imprisoned with Joseph, one restored, the other executed. (Genesis 40). Two men were crucified with Jesus, one saved, the other lost (Luke 23).

Joseph was not bitter toward his brothers (41:39-40), Jesus forgave from the cross.

Joseph was made second in authority only to Pharaoh (41:44), Jesus was seated at the right hand of God the Father (1 Cor. 15:27).

Joseph’s actions bring salvation from starvation to all Israel and to the Gentiles. Jesus’ actions bring salvation from sin and death to Jews and Gentiles.

All bowed to Joseph (41:43), every knee will bow to Jesus (Phil. 2:10).

Joseph's brothers report that Joseph is "Alive again!" (Genesis 45:26). Many translations say, "still alive," but "alive again" is more literally correct. Joseph is symbolically resurrected from the dead, Jesus is literally resurrected from the dead.  

Jacob (Israel) was deceived and thought Joseph was dead (41:29), Jews today think of Jesus as dead.

Joseph appeared like a foreigner to his brothers in language, dress, and appearance. Jesus appears like a foreigner to the Jews today.

Joseph’s brothers repent and embrace Joseph, Jews will repent and embrace Jesus.

While much of Joseph's story applies to Jesus' first coming, the last three  parallels listed above apply to Jesus' second coming. Joseph looked Egyptian to his brothers. He spoke Egyptian and wore Egyptian clothes and make-up. Jesus appears foreign to Jews. In paintings he does not look Jewish. The Jesus most Jews are familiar with does not practice the Jewish customs (although the real Jesus did), he does not speak Hebrew, and he seems to be a god for foreigners. However, these perceptions do not match reality. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.

Peter picked up on this in his preaching to the Jews at Pentecost. Compare what Joseph says to his brothers when he reveals himself to them with what Peter says about Jesus:

Joseph:

         Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they came closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ "Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶ "For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. ⁷ "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. ⁸ "Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹ "Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰ "You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. ¹¹ "There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished."'

Peter:

        "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-- this Jesus whom you crucified,” and “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" (Acts 2:36, 39-40).

There are many parallels in these two speeches. If the Joseph story is prophetic, it means that one day the Jews will embrace Jesus just as Joseph's brothers finally recognized and embraced Jesus. The exciting thing is that we are seeing this beginning to take place right before our own eyes! Jews are coming to see that Jesus is the Messiah like never before. The other exciting thing is that Peter connects this event with the return of Jesus. Consider Acts 3:19-20 where Peter is preaching to the Jews in front of the Temple:

"Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; ²⁰ and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration"

I think the greatest evidence that we are nearing the return of Christ has to do with the growing numbers of Jews who recognize Jesus as the Messiah!


Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. You can listen to previous programs online here: http://www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

Do We Need the Old Testament?

The very name "Old Testament" suggests that this group of 39 books of Scripture is outdated or not as important as the rest of the Bible. Some of the commands seem strange and antiquated, such as "Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of materials" (Leviticus 19:19). Many people who even claim to be Christians say that we can simply ignore teaching in the Old Testament that does not comply with "modern" ways of thinking.

However, Jesus could not have made it more clear that those who follow him must follow the Old Testament. This includes the "least of these commands" (Matthew 5:19). The authority of the Old Testament continues "until heaven and earth disappear," (Matthew 5:18). Following Jesus means to follow all Scripture, including the Old Testament. Jesus' teachings are not only recorded in the "red letters" of the New Testament. Jesus taught his followers that He is God and that all of the Bible is God's Word. In other words, since Jesus is God and the Bible is God's Word, all of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the teaching of Jesus. Besides, the Old Testament makes up 77% of the whole Bible. The Bible is "a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105). If you do not use and apply Old Testament, you are missing a large part of the helpful Bible teaching God has given us.

So, do we all need to go through our closets and get rid of all clothing made out of 50% cotton and 50% polyester, as Leviticus 19:19 says? I'll come back to that, but first let me address some common misunderstandings.

1. "The Old Testament God is angry and the New Testament God is loving."
Many claim this is why they follow the New Testament. For instance, some say they support same-sex marriage because Jesus was about love and tolerance, whereas God in the Old Testament was angry and judgmental. However, if you actually read the whole Bible, you will find this statement is completely false. If it was scored by a fact checker, it would probably get the worst possible rating, "Liar, Liar Pants on Fire." The Old and New Testaments are full of descriptions of both God's love and righteous judgment. The New Testament gives some of the most graphic depictions of God's wrath in Revelation and in the many references to the agony of hell. Jesus himself speaks of how he will judge many and sentence them to hell. The Old Testament describes God as a shepherd who takes care of us (Psalm 23), and as one who is a "compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6).

2. "The Old Testament was written to people living under the old covenant, the New Testament was written to Christians."
This is technically true, but implies something that is false. It implies that the Old Testament is not as relevant or important as the New Testament to believers today. Again, Jesus completely rejected that concept.

3. "The Old Testament is just too difficult to understand."
The background and culture of the people in the Old Testament is far removed from 21st Century America. How are we to make sense of the lists of numbers, the different types of sacrifices, the genealogies, and the strange sounding laws? Admittedly, it is difficult. Yet, the same is true of the New Testament. Doing good Bible interpretation is difficult in both testaments. You must first understand what the text is saying, then understand what it is saying to you. This involves understanding the context of the teachings in the text and in the times. Then, you must translate that teaching to your context. I'll give an example of this below. The point here, however, is that you must do this for both the Old Testament and the New Testament. True, there is less distance between us and the New Testament, yet Jesus never said we should only pay attention to the passages that are easiest to understand.

So, what about our closets? Context is the key. Remember when the Israelites left Egypt and were caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army? God commanded Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground" (Exodus 14:16). When we read this, we do not assume that we should get the next flight to Egypt, get a tour guide to take us to the Red Sea, and stand at the shore with our hand stretched out over the water! The command was given to Moses at a particular moment in history, it is not a command we follow. However, this does not mean that we should not study the verse and apply it to us. The text says that Moses was told to stretch out his hand over the sea. The text does not say that to me. What it says to me is that I must trust God and obey him, even if I don't understand why God would lead me someplace. In the most desperate of circumstances, Moses obeyed God's instructions and God delivered him.

Many commands in both the Old and New Testaments are like that. We have to differentiate between what the text says and what it says to me. A careful study of the book of Leviticus reveals that Leviticus 19 contains laws that are given to the nation of Israel. What Leviticus 19:19 says is that Israel was to obey God even in the clothing that they wore. The fabric could not be made of two types of material. Everything about their daily routines and annual calendar was to remind them about their devotion to God. The clothing kept at the forefront of their mind that they were to be completely devoted to the God of Israel. They could not mix their religious practices with the pagan worship around them, as illustrated by the singular type of fabric in their clothing, as well as many other customs that the Israelites practiced. But this is not a command to all Christians today. What the text says to me is that I should incorporate customs into my daily life that remind me of my devotion to God. I might choose to wear a cross or adapt another tradition. I am not obligated to follow this principle the same way that Israel did.

Leviticus 19:18 says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus calls this the "second commandment." What this text says is, "Love your neighbor as yourself." What it says to me is, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Yes, there is no difference. Even in the Old Testament, determining the application of a command is sometimes easy. Notice also that the commands in Leviticus 18 on sexuality are explicitly said to apply to all nations, not just the nation of Israel (Leviticus 18:24-27). This is why Christians take seriously the commands in Leviticus against homosexuality, but do not follow all Old Testament commands literally.

There is so much more to say about interpretation and the Old Testament, but I hope this points you in the direction of studying and learning from the whole Bible. God speaks to us as we study His Word, including the Old Testament. Paul shows thoughtful interpretation and application of Deuteronomy 25:4 in his first letter to the Corinthians. Notice how he states what the command says and then explains what it says to us:

 

"For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?" -1 Corinthians 9:9-11

 

May you hear God's voice more clearly as you study the Old Testament. Please let me know if you have any questions that I can help you with on this topic.

 

 

Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. You can listen to previous programs online here: http://www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most difficult texts in the Bible. I believe it also summarizes in a few chapters everything that it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Understanding the Sermon on the Mount is to understand the Bible. Matthew records Jesus' words in chapters 5-7 of his Gospel. It is undoubtedly the greatest sermon ever preached.

At first glance, the sermon seems to place an overwhelming burden on the shoulders of the followers of Jesus. "Love your enemies," "Turn to them the other cheek," "Anyone who is angry with a brother will be subject to judgment." Our default thinking is to take commands as challenges that we must do in order to prove ourselves. But this is not the message of the Bible, nor of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are wary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

The sermon is primarily a call to repentance in order to enter heaven. In the previous chapter, Matthew tells us that when Jesus started his public ministry he, "began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.'" So Jesus started and continued preaching a message that is best summarized, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." The Sermon on the Mount follows as an example of what that kind of preaching sounded like. In the sermon, Jesus speaks of needing righteousness that "surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law," in order to "enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). He warns that those who express anger are, "in danger of the fire of hell," (Matthew 5:22). Near the end of the sermon he describes many disciples who are deceived and will be sent away at the judgment. He finishes by urging people to follow his words so that they will not come to ruin in the judgment (Matthew 7:24-27). The subject matter throughout is clearly a call to repentance in order to enter heaven.

Jesus also emphasizes true righteousness. Meeting God's standards requires more than making oneself stay within a certain boundary. The "Pharisees and the teachers of the law" had a type of outward righteousness, but it was not sufficient. Later, Jesus calls them "whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean" (Matthew 23:27). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes some of the commands in the Bible and reveals that they require outward and inward righteousness. "You shall not murder," is not satisfied merely by not killing someone. God is not looking for people who can stop themselves from doing what they really want to do. He is looking for people who love their enemies and are not "angry with a brother" (Matthew 5:21-22). They don't murder because they don't want to bring harm on their enemies. God says "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." The law, in other words, was never saying you are righteous as long as you don't cross a certain line, it was about pointing to true righteousness, the kind that God has, obedience that is in line with the desires of your heart.

Can any of us truly meet this standard? No! So why does Jesus teach this as the way to heaven? The key to understanding the sermon is the beatitudes. Jesus begins by saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). Repentance is to recognize that you fail to meet God's standards. Then you "mourn" over sin. Then you are "meek," meaning that you have an accurate view of who you are, that you are not righteous or good in God's sight. Therefore, you "hunger and thirst for righteousness." You find mercy in the cross, and therefore you are now empowered to show mercy to others. All of these things are descriptions that Jesus gives of the "blessed," those who have embraced the Gospel as their hope of salvation (Matthew 5:3-10).

Moses received the ten commandments on a mountain after going without eating and drinking for forty days and nights. Jesus also fasted forty days and nights before going up on a mountain to teach about the law. Rather than giving ten commandments, Jesus begins with eight blessings. The "blessing" statements are not things to do, but to be. "Blessed are the..." The beatitudes list the characteristics of those who are true disciples of Jesus, those who have been changed by his grace. As Jesus would later say, repentance is not like the Pharisee who prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people- robbers, evildoers, adulterers..." Instead, repentance is like the tax collector, who stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God have mercy on me, a sinner" (Luke 18:9-14). He was "poor in spirit."

The rest of the sermon has two functions. First, it emphasizes how high God's standards are with the goal of humbling us and bringing us to repentance. Second, it describes the kind of righteousness that all disciples of Jesus are aiming for. With a changed heart brought about by the Holy Spirit, disciples of Jesus grow to become more and more like the person described in the Sermon on the Mount. They do not do this to achieve righteousness, but in response to the righteousness Jesus has given.


Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. You can listen to previous programs online here: http://www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

The Bible and Government

Why can two people use the Bible and come to very different political positions? Is it because the Bible is not useful for addressing political issues? No, the Bible says a lot about government, and since the Bible is God's Word, everything the Bible says is the final authority. I think the problem is in the way that the Bible is used. What often happens is that people develop their political beliefs first, then they look for justification for their beliefs from the Bible. If the Bible is true and the authority in your life, you must start with the Bible and develop a biblical understanding of what government is. Then you can think through specific issues.

Matthew 19:8 Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning."

Jesus introduces a principle here. The Bible tells us about the beginning of something in order to understand it's purpose. This applies to marriage, but it also applies to government, as I will explain below.

Here are seven biblical principles about government.

1. All authority belongs to God. Governments exercise authority all the time. They send people to prison and even execute others. They declare wars and collect taxes. But only God has true authority. As the creator and all powerful being, nothing happens without God's knowledge and permission.

2. God lends his authority to earthly governments for a time. This was not always the case. Although God did give people the task of ruling animals (Genesis 1:26), God did not allow them to exercise authority over other people. God protected Cain who murdered his brother from other people. God alone was to judge people. But mankind became so wicked that God's judgement did come in the form of a catastrophic flood. After that time, God allowed mankind to judge and rule over other men. God now indirectly judges mankind through governments (Genesis 9:6). Jesus tells Pilate this in John 19:10. During Jesus' trial, Pilate tells Jesus that he has the power to set Jesus free or have him crucified. Jesus responds, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." Jesus acknowledges that Pilate has that power, but only because God has given it to him.

3. Government's purpose is to punish wrong actions and commend right ones. Peter writes that governors are sent by God "to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right" (1 Peter 2:13). Paul writes that government "is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4).

4. Governing power is a special and distinct duty. In normal interactions on a personal level, we are called to love our enemies, forgive, and turn the other cheek. It is God's place to judge. But a government is acting in God's place when it comes to judging. Governments are supposed to judge. They have the God-given power to punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right. You do not have to be a Christian to hold a position of power and serve God. Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar are examples of God's servant's who didn't believe in the true God (at least for a time). Pilate had God-given power to execute Jesus, even though he did not believe in God. A Christian can also serve God as a judge or governor. This role is separate from how he functions in other personal relationships.

5. You are a governor! You may not hold elected office, but if you are an American citizen who is eligible to vote, you have a certain amount of governing power. That power is given to you by God. Use it to honor him!

6. Government power is limited. Just because God has given government the power to do some things does not mean that government has the power to do everything. Government cannot punish what is in a person's mind or heart. That is an area reserved to God alone because only God can see the heart. This is why Jesus commanded the church to spread the message of the Gospel through preaching, not the sword. Government cannot punish a person for having the wrong beliefs without overstepping the authority God has given it. Governments also are in error when they command something that contradicts God's commands, because they are supposed to be serving God, not opposing him. When officials ordered Peter and the apostles to stop preaching, they replied, "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29) Although there are wicked governments and no government is perfect, the world is better off because of government. The world is better than if there were no government at all.

7. Use this understanding of government as the starting point for thinking about political issues. Can the government "legislate morality?" Absolutely, that its purpose! The government cannot force you to think that something is wrong, but it can punish you for doing what is wrong. Christians should use the Bible to determine what is right and wrong and support government that will punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right, as long as it is within the bounds of what government has been given the authority to do. What about programs for helping the poor? This is a complex area. Often the Bible is quoted to support social programs because the Bible is concerned about the poor. However, the Bible is usually speaking to personal responsibility, not governments. God gives the authority to punish those who abuse the poor, but it does not have the authority to punish people for lacking generosity. I think care should be taken to achieve broad agreement from the people when government seeks to take on roles in this area. With this in mind, I will be happy to address any questions or comments about specific issues.

Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. You can listen to previous programs online here: http://www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

The Bible and Politics

It's the middle of an election season. Candidates with very different political views proclaim their support of the Bible. Many conservatives and progressives will argue that the Bible supports their positions. Does the Bible really say who to vote for? If so, why is there so much disagreement?

I believe many of the issues that seem to separate Americans during elections aren't really the issues that separate us. We see the tip of the iceberg, but the real differences are somewhere below the surface. Our assumptions about God, the Bible, morality, and politics are all interconnected. So when we argue about a specific position related to issues like taxes or abortion, we're not really arguing about taxes and abortion. There are a number of beliefs we hold to deeply that we have decided before we get to a specific political question. We don't see why others don't agree with us, because we aren't even talking about the issues that divide us.

My observation has been that most people on the right and the left don't really allow the Bible to guide their political opinions. They have a certain set of political beliefs, and then they appeal to Scripture to support their positions. Of course, many don't really care what the Bible says at all.

However, to Trust the Bible, is to see it as God's Word. The Bible says a lot about politics and government. I believe everything the Bible says is right, and therefore, I don't want any of my political views to contradict the teachings of Scripture. Anything less than that would be to reject the Bible as something we can trust. The difficulty is that the Bible was not written with the American political system in mind, nor 21st Century issues in mind. The Bible doesn't say "vote for candidate "_____" in this election, or "support this specific healthcare policy." The Bible does give us principles of what government is supposed to be and do.

I also think it is healthy for Christians following the Bible to disagree about who to vote for in a particular election. If in every election a candidate knew that all the Christians were going to vote for them, or that none of the Christians were going to vote for them, they could ignore the questions and concerns of the whole group. But when there is fluid movement between candidates in the Bible believing community, then they are a group that those running for office will want to reach out to.

In my next post, I will discuss what the Bible says about the purpose of government. If you don't first establish what Government is, understanding what the Bible says about specific issues is confusing. If you really want to follow the Bible in every area, including political ones, you need to start at the foundation and work up to specifics. The use and abuse of Scriptures in the political realm causes doubts about whether we can trust the Bible, but the answer lies in finding what the Bible teaches on the primary political issues, instead of starting with specific and secondary ones. However, I will welcome comments and questions on specific issues and will respond to them.


Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. You can listen to previous programs online here: http://www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html