Today was, like, majorly hot dude! Like totally.
It was over 100 degrees I think, maybe even up to 104 if you trust a pick-up's temperature-measurement system.
I sort of liked it too, once I just abandoned myself to being hot and sweaty and dirty. It's not so bad, then. Thankfully, I wasn't in the sun most of the time.
Pop quiz: if the Bible says a king is 8 in one passage and 18 in another, is the Bible wrong?
posted by Byran @ 10:11 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Hey, By! I read your blog all the time, and have wanted to post a comment for a while but never have. I was prompted to tonight because Bible trivia is totally my thing! To what two passages were you referring? You have piqued my curiosity!
Ha! You already know my thoughts on this! :) I'm quoting from a book, but they're my opinions too:
"Even if there are seeming contradictions, I feel it is imperative to go by what the traditional Masoretic text has as its reading and let the Lord figure out what may seem contradictions to us. Keep what God has given and preserved through the ages and let the Lord figure out why. It could be both eight and eighteen and have a harmonization we don’t know anything about." ...
:)
Morgan
I heard a discussion of this on the radio today, and I thought it was interesting, as well as enlightening.
Actually, two apparent contradictions were brought up, one regarding Jehoiachim and another...I forget. And forgive my spelling. One passage said the king was 8 when he began reigning, the other 18. In the other example, one said 22 and one said 42. Both issues were comparing passages in Kings and Chronicles.
The contradictory passages for Jehoiachin are II Kings 24:8 & II Chronicles 36:9. Maybe he reigned with his father as a "co-regent" for ten years (starting when he was 8) and then reigned after his father's death for three months at the age of 18. As usual, you have me thinking, but I trust God that He gave us a perfect Book!
Morgan, I just don't know about that view. It's not satisfactory because it seems to require a suspension of intellect. "I can't explain this contradiction, so I'll just let God take care of it." How, then, could you talk passionately about the inspiration and perfection of Scripture with a skeptic?
Anyway, the explanation the "Bible Answer Man" gave is that the apparent contradiction can be resolved by means of a copyist error. He said, for instance, that the dude had to be 18--not 8--because he already had several children at this time, according to Scripture. Now, I haven't looked into that, so I'm taking his word for it. Anyway, this guy believes that a transcription error in the copying (not in the original texts, of course, thus preserving the divine inspiration of Scripture) explains these contradictions.
You go, Byran!! Good way to put it -- "suspension of intellect."
I am very concerned about how often I and my acquaintances slip into this "excuse." I'm afraid too often it signals a "lazy" spirit. Why aren't we searching things out with the intent to find God and His heart on the matter? Why aren't we crying out to Him to reveal His truth when we encounter these seeming "contradictions?"
One source I've found very helpful in this specific type of issue is a compilation of writings by Josh McDowell. He's worked hard to face these things head-on and find intelligent, godly answers.
For what it's worth,
Merry
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