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Assembly Summary: Read Books!

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Mr. John Strain used his lecture to give us some books that would help us understand “what’s behind the pastoral information and things that we believe.”

He commented that the Living Church of God’s Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs represents what we believe, what we teach, and what we should be practicing. It also defines why we are in the Living Church of God and not somewhere else. Mr. Strain reminded us that though there are different Church of God groups and some think they are all alike, we do not believe all the same things. He challenged us to think about the question “Why are you here?”

Books Recommendations

1. Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstong, vol. 1

The first book Mr. Strain recommended for us to read was the first volume of the Autobiography of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. We are continuing the work that was started by Mr. Armstrong, and this book tells us how he was called and how he began the work as we know it today.

2. The Mystery of the Ages, by Mr. Herbert Armstrong

Mr. Strain commented that Mr. Armstrong wrote the book when he was about 93 years old. This book can serve to augment our beliefs in the Living Church of God, as it addresses seven mysteries that the world does not understand.

3. The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy by Herbert Armstrong

Even though we have a booklet on the subject written by Mr. John Ogywn, because Mr. Armstrong wrote extensively on the subject and it is a part of our fundamental beliefs.

4. Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World by Niall Ferguson

We’ve heard the statement that the sun never set on the British Empire, and this book goes into details that reveal how this small nation became as dominant as it did. This book can help us understand the physical realities of the The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy 

5. The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton

This book deals with the American Civil War and its causes. American society has been torn apart by social constructs, and The Coming Fury illustrates the reasons behind this and gives a history of modern-day Manasseh. Mr. Strain believes that God allowed the American Civil War to happen so that the United States would not be permanently divided.

6. Lincoln by David Herbert Donald

President Lincoln was criticized for being undereducated but ended up with one of the most famous speeches ever written. We were advised to go back and read Mr. Lincoln’s speeches if we wanted to know how to communicate and stir people. Mr. Lincoln was well educated because of all the reading he did.

7. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

After Mr. Lincoln was nominated as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, he unexpectedly won the presidency. William Seward was secretary of state under President Lincoln, who was convinced that America should buy Alaska. Alaska is a strategic location for protecting the United States, which makes it an important part of God’s plan. Salmon Chase, Edwin Bates, and William Seward were vying for the presidency at that time and were rivals. Once Lincoln won, he put all three men in his office because of their skills and knowledge that he did not have himself.

8. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman

This book describes the events led to World War I, highlighting that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand triggered the war. Describing the years leading up to Ferdinand’s assassination, this book details the social, industrial, and political structure that led to the war. The Balfour Declaration, stating that the Jews should have a homeland to return to, in turn led to them making enemies with the Arab nations. Britain prolonged the fulfilment of the declaration, which then led to World War II. 

9. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer

A history of Hitler and the Nazi party, this book describes Hilter’s chancellorship, dominance during World War II, and the fall of the Third Reich. What struck Mr. Strain most about this book was that people who are passionate, even if they are passionate about the wrong things, can be very influential in a society. 

10. O Jerusalem! by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre

This book details what the Jews did to prepare themselves when the last Jewish ship left Britain to depart to the Middle East. They knew that the surrounding nations did not want a Jewish nation, and would try to drive them into the sea. The Jews were ultimately successful in expanding their territory. Britain was able to declare the Jews deserving of a homeland due to General Allenby freeing Jerusalem in 1917. Britain was then the caretaker for Palestine and had command over what happened there. 

Why Read?

“Reading gives you a chance to study things, draw your own opinions, put perspective behind what you know to be the truth of God,” said Mr. Strain. He recommended one final book that had been recommended to him by Mr. Weston, This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by Nicole Perlroth, which is about cyber warfare affecting our world today. While the students are unable to read these books now, we are encouraged to do our own reading when we have time. We will have to manage our time in order to read. Mr. Strain said in closing, “Don’t let social media… dominate your life.”

Course Spotlight: Profile of Herod Agrippa I

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Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great, born about 10 B.C. and raised in Rome. Imprisioned for six months by Emperor Tiberius on charge of treason because of his exploition of relationships for wealth and power, in particular seeking the favor of Caligula. He persecuted the church in Jerusalem but may have been interested in Jewish roots.

COURSE SPOTLIGHT FROM ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: (UNIT 2) APOSTOLIC TOUR
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Digging Deeper: Death of the Righteous

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Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education

Estimated Reading Time: 6 min. 29 sec.

Did you know that an Old Testament soothsayer aspired to die the death of the righteous?

Even though God had prophesied through this man in the past, at the time he pronounced this wish he had been hired by a Moabite king to curse Israel as they journeyed to the Holy Land to conquer it from the resident pagans. This anomalous story focuses on a bizarre character of the Old Testament. Nonetheless, what he proclaimed about the death of the righteous has inspired Bible readers ever since. Today’s Digging Deeper examines this intriguing account.

Our focus verse for this study is: “Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!” (Numbers 23:10 KJV throughout). These words are part of the first oracle of a false prophet named Balaam. He had been hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse Israel as they passed through his territory on their way to the Promised Land (Numbers 22:1-41; 23:1-30; 24:1-25). Balaam recognized that the righteous have hope in their death (Proverbs 14:32). This glorious future is their “last end.” However, he seemed to realize he was not part of their destiny.

Who are the righteous?

Just who are these righteous that Balaam described? Some may think the righteous are perfect people. However, Israel was anything but, as explained by the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary: “This designation of ‘upright,’ or ‘righteous’ people, given by Balaam to Israel, was applied to them, not on account of the superior excellence of their national character-for they were frequently perverse, disobedient, and rebellious-but in reference to their being an elect nation, in the midst of which God, ‘the just and righteous’ (Deuteronomy 32:4), dwelt” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers defines the original word: “The Hebrew word yesharim (upright, or righteous) is applied to Israel because God, who is just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4) had chosen His people to be a Jeshurun (Deuteronomy 32:15; 33:5,26)—a holy and peculiar people, following after righteousness and judgment” (e-Sword 13.0.0). To bring this concept into our time, Adam Clarke’s Commentary declares: “A righteous man is one who is saved from his sins, who is justified and sanctified through the blood of the covenant, and who lives, not only an innocent, but also a holy and useful life. He who would die well should live well; for a bad death must be the issue of a bad life” (Ibid.). Based on this, God’s people are the righteous.

The soothsayer’s dilemma

Balaam was from Mesopotamia (Deuteronomy 23:4) and is described as a soothsayer (Joshua 13:22). James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary declares: “Balaam is a mystery. He comes from Mesopotamia where the knowledge of the true God lingered after it had been lost in the other parts of the known world. He is one of the group containing Melchisedec and Job, who testified that although Jehovah was now revealing Himself peculiarly to the Hebrews, yet He had not left Himself without witnesses in the other nations” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

Balak brought Balaam from Aram (Mesopotamia) to curse and defy Israel (Numbers 23:7). The Bridgeway Bible Dictionary clarifies what is meant: “Cursing in the ancient Hebrew world was not a burst of bad language as it usually is in the world of today. It was a pronouncement of judgment believed to bring the release of powerful forces against the person cursed (Numbers 22:6; Judges 5:23; Job 31:30; Proverbs 30:10)” (e-Sword 13.0.0). This was an ancient custom, as Fausset’s Bible Dictionary declares: “It was a practice of ancient nations to devote their enemies to destruction at the beginning of their wars; the form of execration is preserved in Macrobius, Saturnalia, 3:9” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

However, God, Israel’s Protector, would not permit Balaam to curse the Israelites (Numbers 22:12). Balaam tried more than once to curse Israel; instead, God’s words coming from his mouth were only blessings on Israel (Numbers 13:2). Even though Balaam was self-serving in his plot with Balak, God still spoke through him (Numbers 23:5). Balak demanded that Balaam curse Israel instead. Balaam retorted, “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?” (Numbers 23:8 KJV). Our focus verse for this article comes from this exchange of intense and desperate words.

Balaam admitted he could only proclaim what God put in his mouth (Numbers 23:12). F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Day by Day notes: “On the contrary, he could forge no weapon against Israel that could prosper, and when he tried to raise his tongue in judgment against the people of God he was condemned. It was as if God said, ‘Touch not mine anointed.’ Psalm 105:15; Isaiah 54:17; Romans 8:31” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

Balak later declared why he did not go to war with Israel. He tried to curse them through Balaam (Joshua 24:9-10; Judges 11:25) instead. John Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature explains that “From Judges 11:25, it is clear that Balak was so certain of the fulfillment of Balaam’s blessing, ‘blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee’ (Numbers 24:9), that he never afterwards made the least military attempt to oppose the Israelites (comp. Micah 6:5; Revelation 2:14)” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

What the death of the righteous requires

Even though Balaam wanted to die the death of the righteous, he did not get his wish. When the Israelites were victorious over their enemies in taking the Promised Land, among the people they executed was Balaam (Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:22). Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers explains: “The end of Balaam (Numbers 31:8) presented a strange contrast to his prayer, and showed that even the prayer of the wicked is abomination in the sight of the Lord (See Proverbs 28:9)” (e-Sword 13.0.0). William Robertson Nicholl’s Sermon Bible presents this alarming picture: “His own death was perhaps the most miserable of all that are recorded in the Old Testament” (Ibid.). David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary declares why: “Balaam was one of the many who long to die the death of the righteous, yet have no desire to live the life of the righteous. The two go together” (Ibid.). Few today are willing to live the life of the righteous so that they will experience the death of the righteous.

Death is not pleasant; often it is exceedingly difficult. Nonetheless, this assurance is offered by William Robertson Nicoll’s Sermon Bible: “By the death of the righteous is not meant merely a happy end, but any circumstances of death whatever after a holy and obedient life. The worst death of those who are accounted righteous before God is better than the best and easiest death of an unrighteous person” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Dying in the faith of Jesus Christ reassures Christians that, though they sleep in Jesus through death for a time (1 Thessalonians 4:14), they shall rise in glorious bodies like their Lord’s (Philippians 3:21). The resurrection of the righteous is the sequel to “the death of the righteous.”

Kenneth Frank headshot

Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.

Forum Summary: The Forgotten Key to Individual Growth

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated reading time: 2 min.

For this week’s forum, Dr. Douglas Winnail shared with the LivingEd students what he called a forgotten key to individual growth—that key being reading.

He discussed the alarming trend of neglecting books and showcased the many benefits of reading to encourage the students to read more books. 

Spending Your Time Wisely

In 2 Peter 1:5–6, Peter says to add to your faith virtue and knowledge, a deepening awareness of facts and information. He also implores us to add to knowledge self-control—in other words, deciding how we will use our time. It’s incredibly easy to waste time, yet so very important to spend it well.

Reading Is on a Decline

There is a sharp decline in reading today. One study from 2014 entitled Decline of the American Book Lover has shown that 25 percent of adults don’t read a single book in a year. Children have also begun to read less and less. What are the consequences of this? 

A 1991 study entitled The Death of Reading addressed the consequences of not reading. One of its findings was that when we don’t read, we lose a form of thinking. Children who watch TV rather than read can even lose the ability to write and speak coherently. Electronic entertainment is replacing reading and home libraries are being replaced by entertainment centers.

When You Read, You Think

Reading provides time for reflection. When you read, you can visualize things in your mind in ways you can’t when watching TV. It helps you process and analyze information, enhances your imagination and cognitive ability, and broadens your perspective. When we read a book, we have the opportunity to “walk” with its author and learn from their experience. Of course, there are many useless books, but if we’re selective, we can get into the minds of people who have had an impact upon the whole world.

Dr. Winnail used the remaining time in his message to encourage the students to read other books in addition to their class textbooks and assigned reading materials and recommended a selection of books he found personally beneficial. In his conclusion, he shared a number of quotes on reading. One quote he shared by the English poet Joseph Addison summarized his point well: “Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body.”

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Assembly Summary: Your Choice

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated reading time: 3 min., 36 sec.

“What is involved in the choice you make?”

This was one of the thought-provoking questions that Mr. Peter Nathan asked. We students made a choice to follow God’s way of life and also to be part of the Living Education program. As Mr. Nathan spoke on the importance of making godly choices, he looked at the Second Commandment. God has commanded us not to make idols, yet people make the choice to do just that. Moses warned the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that  I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Mr. Nathan explained, “We are given a choice of life and death, and if we choose life, we get blessings rather than curses.” 

Two Paths

Mr. Nathan continued by saying that our choices will lead to one of two paths, which he termed as “Philosophy” and “Biblical.” He made a comparison between the two choices, and it can be expressed in the table below:

PhilosophicalBiblical
Rationality:
– Universal principles that supposedly guide human life		Revelation:
– God reveals truly universal principles to us, which are not based on what the human mind can deduce.
How to live the good life:
– Unity
– Completeness
– Abstract
– Mastery over our nature		How God wants us to live:
– God places limits on us.
– Particularity—the calling of God is not universal.
– Concrete
– Concerns eschatology—what happens after death
A closed universe where there is no spiritual input, provided mostly through evolutionary theoryAn open universe wherein we pray to a Spirit Being who transcends the physical universe

Abraham Maslow’s Self-Actualization Theory

Mr. Nathan then expanded upon the topic of the choices presented to us using the more widely known self-actualization theory. Mr. Abraham Maslow’s theory is focused on the self. Maslow’s beliefs are summarized by a pyramid, where the most basic human needs are on the bottom of the pyramid. The order for the pyramid, from bottom to top, is as follows: survival, security/safety, belonging, esteem/ego, and, finally, self-actualization. Maslow’s pyramid fits perfectly into the philosophical way of life. In contrast, we are taught in Jeremiah 10:23 that man cannot guide his steps and is in need of God to do so. A comparison between Maslow’s theory and the Bible’s teaching is summarized in the table below:

MaslowThe Bible
The spiritual is an afterthought.The spiritual is the greatest reality
Relationships are built on securityRelationships are built on God’s law
Security is our starting pointSecurity is our Father’s problem

Mr. Nathan admonished us that we should continue on the biblical path that leads to life by putting God at the center of our lives. A model illustrating the biblical way of life is a series of circles, the innermost circle being where God is. Following this innermost circle is one that is transpersonal, describing how we relate to God in terms of His laws. The third circle concerns our relationships and, finally, the fourth circle is based on practicality, dealing with business, social, and even survival needs. 

Three types of knowledge man needs

Mr. Nathan also reiterated that Mr. Armstrong spoke about the three types of knowledge that man should have:

  • How to relate to the God Family
  • How to relate to fellow humans
  • How to deal with the physical

God desires for us to have a relationship with Him so that we can share His Kingdom. Our first priority is to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, as shown in Matthew 6:33. “Righteousness is defined as a state of being right with God, and not something that we define for ourselves; we are to live in righteousness,” admonished Mr. Nathan. Matthew 5:6 tells us to be hungry and thirst for righteousness. We must be careful of the choices we make and place our trust in the Eternal.

Course Spotlight: Under the Influence: Hellenism in ancient Jewish Life

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How and why and to what extent Greek culture was absorbed into the ancient Jewish world is not always clear, but that it was is undeniable. Read about Hellenism in ancient Jewish life in this Biblical Archaeology Review by Martin Goodman.

COURSE SPOTLIGHT FROM ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (UNIT 1) THE CHURCH BEGINS
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Digging Deeper: Least of All Seeds

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Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education

Estimated Reading Time: 8 min.

Did you know that Jesus is criticized for comparing the growth of the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed, which He said was the smallest of all seeds?

Critics charge that this seed was not the smallest of all seeds, displaying Jesus’ ignorance of Holy Land botany. They claim such statements reveal that the Bible is unscientific. How should Christians respond to such a charge? This Digging Deeper delves into this issue to discover what Jesus meant by His bold statement.

Our focus passage is: “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof” (Matthew 13:31-32 KJV throughout). Parallel passages are Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 13:18-19 which substitute “kingdom of God” for “kingdom of heaven,” used synonymously. Matthew’s audience was largely Jewish people who customarily employed a euphemism (heaven) when referring to God.

Which plant is it?

There is a degree of uncertainty as to which plant Jesus referred. The NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible reports that: “Scholars do not all agree about which plant is in view here, but ancient sources agree in describing the mustard seed as proverbially small (v. 32)” (Tecarta Bible App). Jesus said that when it is grown, it is “the greatest among herbs,” which the Companion Bible annotates as: “greater than [garden] herbs” (e-Sword 13.0.0). The KJV Study Bible explains that the Greek word lachanon for herbs describes “…garden plants or vegetables…” (Tecarta Bible App).

Describing it as the “least of all seeds” is explained by The ESV Study Bible: “It was the smallest of all agricultural seeds in Palestine” (Tecarta Bible App). There were smaller seeds, as The Biblical Theology Study Bible notes: “Scientists today know of smaller seeds than the mustard seed, but it was ‘the smallest of all seeds’ (v. 32) that anyone cultivated in first-century fields or gardens in Israel. Normally the plant grows into a medium-size bush, but eight-foot high small ‘trees’ have been discovered, even if rarely” (Ibid.).

In v. 32, Jesus declares that it becomes a tree. A Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke clarifies: “The term tree is applied by botanists to plants of the larger kind, which grow to the magnitude of shrubs; and for that reason are termed plantae arborescentes” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Additionally, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible adds: “The Hebrew writers speak of the mustard-tree as one on which they could ‘climb,’ as on a fig-tree. Its size was much owing to the climate. All plants of that nature grow much larger in a warm climate, like that of Palestine, than in colder regions” (Ibid.). Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible illustrates: “The Jerusalem Talmud, tract Peah. fol. 20, says, ‘There was a stalk of mustard in Sichin, from which sprang out three boughs; one of which, being broken off, served to cover the tent of a potter, and produced three cabes of mustard seed. Rabbi Simeon ben Chalapha said, A stalk of mustard seed was in my field, into which I was wont to climb, as men are wont to climb into a fig tree.’ See Lightfoot and Schoettgen” (Ibid.).

Science or rhetoric?

We need to remember that languages use figures of speech, as explained by The NET Bible Notes: “This is rhetorical hyperbole, since technically a mustard plant is not a tree. This could refer to one of two types of mustard plant popular in Palestine and would be either ten or twenty-five ft (3 or 7.5 m) tall” (Ibid.). The biblical record often used trees to illustrate the change of governments, as Henry Alford’s The Greek Testament: An Exegetical and Critical Commentary, Volume I declares: “The comparison of kingdoms to trees was familiar to the Jews: see Daniel 4:10-12; 20-22; Ezekiel 31:3-9; 17:22-24; Psalm 80:8-11” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

It is important to remember Jesus’ audience. The Defender’s Study Bible declares that “Jesus was not speaking to botanical specialists, of course, but to ordinary people, on their level. The actual Greek allows the meaning ‘among the least of all seeds’” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Every day terminology is often less technical than scientific language, as explained by Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers: “The description is, of course, popular, and need not be pressed with microscopical exactness” (Ibid.). English speakers use metaphorical language and figures of speech all the time in everyday conversation, which is generally understood.

Why is Jesus not afforded that same liberty? Critics look for anything unusual to criticize but, in the end, they display their ignorance of the biblical record. Notice this remark from A Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke: “The phrase, the least of all seeds, is a figure frequently used in common discourse, and signifies one of the least; or the least of all those seeds with which the people of Judaea were then acquainted; so small, that it was proverbially used by the Jews; to denote a very little thing. ‘The globe of the earth, say the rabbies [rabbis], is but a grain of mustard-seed, when compared with the expanse of the heavens'” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

Using common expressions

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia provides additional rabbinical background: “Among the rabbis a ‘grain of mustard’ was a common expression for anything very minute, which explains Our Lord’s phrase, ‘faith as a grain of mustard seed’ Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6” (e-Sword 13.0.0). John Lightfoot’s Commentary on the Gospels illustrates: “Hence it is passed into a common proverb, According to the quantity of a grain of mustard: and According to the quantity of a little drop of mustard, very frequently used by the Rabbins, when they would express the smallest thing, or the most diminutive quantity” (Bible Analyzer 5.4.1.22).

Some expositors interpret the birds of the air that lodge on its branches as demonic spirits. Contrariwise, The NKJ Study Bible explains: “The birds of the air do not represent evil as they do in the parable of the soils (vv. 4, 19). In the OT, a tree large enough to support nesting birds was considered prosperous and healthy (see Ps. 104:12; Ezek. 17:23; 31:6; Dan. 4:12, 21). The kingdom, though having only a small number of people at the beginning of the age, will ultimately be large and prosperous” (Tecarta Bible App).

What Jesus really meant

Describing God’s kingdom, The NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible declares: “The ‘kingdom’ (v. 31) too will begin as insignificant in size and impact but become surprisingly large and powerful” (Tecarta Bible App). Jesus’ lesson is explained by The NET Bible Notes: “The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Mr. Herbert Armstrong years ago used a metaphor along this line: “The church is the Kingdom of God in embryo.”

The Expository Notes of Dr. Constable explains why Jesus chose this simile: “The Jews correctly believed that the messianic kingdom would be very large. Why did Jesus choose the mustard plant since it did not become as large as some other plants? Evidently He did so because of the small beginning of the mustard plant. The contrast between an unusually small beginning and a large mature plant is the point of this parable. [Note: Cf. N. A. Dahl, Jesus in the Memory of the Early Church, pp. 155-56.] Jesus’ ministry began despicably small in the eyes of many Jews. Nevertheless from this small beginning would come the worldwide kingdom predicted in the Old Testament. [Note: See Mark L. Bailey, “The Parable of the Mustard Seed,” Bibliotheca Sacra 155:620 (October-December 1998):449-59.]” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

The lesson of this parable is the coming rapid growth of the kingdom even though it starts very small. It will expand beyond expectation from seemingly so small a beginning. Jesus was not ignorant of botany since, as Creator, He designed the various plants of the world. He metaphorically spoke in common language that His hearers would not have thought unusual. Critics look for loose bricks to sling at the Bible. However, it has withstood the critics’ charges throughout history. Understanding basic principles of common speech answer many supposed inaccuracies. Jesus said precisely what He meant. Faithful disciples give the benefit of the doubt as they strive to understand His meaning.

Kenneth Frank headshot

Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.

Forum Summary: “Unlocking the Mystery of Life”

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Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22

Estimated Reading Time: 2 min., 34 sec.

Mr. Richard Ames used this week’s LivingEd forum to share Unlocking the Mystery of Life,

an insightful documentary in which scientists showcase the undeniable evidence of intelligent design in nature. Mr. Ames only had time to showcase a portion of the documentary, but encouraged the students to watch the rest when they could.

Irreducible Complexity

Charles Darwin, the most renowned mind behind evolution, said that even complex organs such as eyes and hearts can develop through small, gradual steps through a process called natural selection. But consider the tail-like organ of a bacteria cell, called a flagellum, which bacteria use to move around. Every part of the flagellum—the propeller, driveshaft, and others—must be there for the flagellum to work; but how could all the parts of this organ develop at once? The problem with natural selection, then, is that it only selects features that serve the organism in a functional, advantageous way. Without having fully developed its parts, a flagellum would just be a tail. That would serve no advantage—and, as such, be rejected by natural selection in the evolutionary process of the bacteria. This concept is known as irreducible complexity; the organ cannot be simplified without ceasing to function at all.

Where does information come from?

Another factor is that all these parts are not only essential to a working flagellum, but also must develop at the right time and in the right place. All the information required to build the flagellum is stored in a bacterium’s DNA and RNA; but how did that information come to be there in the first place? Observation tells us that information only comes from intelligence. Consider the improbability of coherent information being constructed by accident. The documentary uses an example of dropping Scrabble letters on a tabletop and expecting two lines of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to form from them. Clearly, this is impossible! Now consider that the specific instructions required to build a single protein in even the simplest one-celled organism would fill hundreds of pages of printed text. 

Of course, biologists who are genuinely interested in the origin of life do not believe that life has come about by chance alone; instead, they theorize that natural selection used random variations among chemicals to produce the first life. The problem with this is that, by definition, natural selection could not have operated before the existence of the first living cell. It can only operate on organisms that can replicate themselves—cells that pass on their DNA to future generations.Along with these, the documentary highlighted many more examples to prove that the concept of intelligent design should play a vital part in scientific research. One can’t reasonably deny the evidence for the intelligent design of life, and Unlocking the Mystery of Life powerfully showcases this fact.

Assembly Summary: Your Next Opportunity

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Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte 2021/22

Estimated reading time: 3 min. 33 sec.

Mr. DeJager’s opening comment to the students was, “There is something that we all experience from time to time in our lives, whether we are looking for it or not.”

He then went on to explain that we have opportunities that come to us and there is a consistent framework in which to approach these opportunities. He divided this framework into four categories: where you start, what to do when you face the opportunity, what is needed in every step of the opportunity, and finally, staying committed.

Where do you start?

  • Always bring your hopes and wishes to God. Mr. DeJager stressed this as the first and most important thing that we can do when faced with an opportunity. We are to also ask God for opportunities; He will provide them. He cautioned us that not all opportunities will work out the way we hope, but the more we practice asking God, the more things will start to fall into place.
  • God knows our wishes and desires before we ask, because He knows us. Christ has explained this in Matthew 6:8, saying that “your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” We were admonished that though God knows our desires before we ask them, this does not mean that we should not ask. God wants us to come to Him and express what is in our hearts.
  • We are to have confidence in our prayers, as we read in 1 John 5:14-15: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
  • Asking to be given the right opportunity according to God’s will is crucial (James 4:3; Proverbs 3:5).

What do you do when faced with the opportunity?

  • Count the cost. It does not matter what we are looking into doing; whether it’s big or small, we must consider what we need to put into it before we commit (Luke 14:28).
  • Seek counsel. Mr. DeJager advised that we should consider not only seeking the opinions of our close friends, who might tell us what we want to hear, but also seeking counsel from other individuals who can provide sound advice (Proverbs 15:22).

What is needed in every step of the opportunity?

  • Be diligent and faithful. Our daily routine and accomplishments influence and help develop our character. If we do it for God, we will develop our character in a way that pleases Him (Colossians 3:23). 
  • Take care of the small things in life and the big things will fall into place. Mr. DeJager stated, “I was told not to worry about the small things, it’s the big things that count; but as I go through life, I realize that that is not so.” 
  • Be willing to do hard things. By challenging ourselves, we gain experience, and with more experience, we grow and develop our abilities.

Stay committed.

  • “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” We were advised to commit to the Lord, as we read in Proverbs 16:3 and Psalm 37:5.
  • Keep your eyes on the goal and do not give up.

Mr. DeJager expressed that though every opportunity is uniquely different, this framework is applicable for each opportunity. We must remember that it is not by our own strength that we get things done, but by God’s (Philippians 4:13). We were also reminded that in every opportunity we are to give thanks to God through Jesus Christ. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).