Devotion Thought: Helping Someone :)

When was the last time I help someone?

Usually the people I meet are my offices’ colleagues and family members. Yes, helping around in the family is normal. Helping colleagues getting things done is also normal.

OK, there is this neighbour who is an elderly woman leaving alone. She also has some sickness. Whenever she needs help, she would call my wife and she would go over to her flat to help her or talk to her. She is not a Christian and I think she is not easy to live with because she has dismissed her maid which she used to have. Her son and wife are staying and working in Melbourne who were once our neighbour before his mother came to stay in this flat.

Be a good neigbour. Not point clashing with people, especially we tend to see them often.

In today’s Our Daily Bread - http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2010/01/22/devotion.aspx (Luke 10:29-37)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is about helping someone (even a stranger) who is in need. Would I go all the way to help such a person?

The priest and Levite would likely be going down to Jerusalem to perform their duties. Hence they may rationalize that helping the needy would delay their travelling or make them unclean. Yeah! We all rationalize when we see someone in need and we are not helping. There’s always a reason not to help :)) or :(:( ??

So this parable is a good reminder and also a time to reflect about doing good or at least be kind to someone who cross our path daily.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Mat 5:16)

Devotion Thought: What is Christian Friendship?

What is true Christian friendship?

From Our Daily Bread on John 15:9-17:
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2010/01/21/devotion.aspx


The Lord Jesus Christ gave us a definition of Christian friendship:

You are my friends if you do what I command (verse 14).

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (verse 12).

This is my command: Love each other (verse 17).


So, a Christian friend is someone who loves other exactly like how Jesus loves him.

King David has 3 kinds of friends which we also need:

1. Jonathon (1 Sam 18)
- someone who truly love you, encourage you and stand by you even when everyone is against you.

2. Nathan (2 Sam 12)
- someone who chastise and discipline you when you go wrong or fall into sin.

3. Mephibosheth (2Sam 9)
- someone who you can help and care for, knowing that he will never be able to repay your kindness.

Years ago, I have a “Jonathon” where we encourage one another in every aspect. I can consider my spiritual mentor during my younger days as a “Nathan”. Now I don’t have any.

In BPCES, we dare not chastise one another when we see something wrong. Even when I wrote about it, it is considered dangerous and highly critical. Our friendships are just “Sunday” friends, like someone once wrote in my blog. We don’t dare to intrude into others lives, even when they have problem, they try to remain anonymous. None of us want to be a “Mephibosheth” and let others be our “David”.

So, to all Bethanians, be these 3 kinds of friends. Will you?

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity (Prov 17:17)

Devotion Thought: PRESSING towards Heaven! :)

Like the proverb says: “Time and tide wait for no man”, Life can only move forward, not backward. PRESS ON!!

Each of us has our own success (and failure). For me, I have won many trophies in cross-country race, sword-winner for Officer Cadet Course, scholarships for undergraduate and graduate (oversea study),…

But as I read today’s Daily bread http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2010/01/19/devotion.aspx (Phi 3:7-14);

I couldn’t agree more with Apostle Paul that the greatest event in my life is knowing Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord (verse 8). While we may strive to achieve greatness is all our pursuit – like 9A1s for “O” Levels, gold medal for polytechnics studies, scholarship for undergraduate studies, trophies for sports and arts, sword-winners for Officer Cadet Course, CEO and Entrepreneur Excellence in business, etc, still all these achievements are temporal and “side-shows” (non-events & non-accreditation) when one day we stand before the LORD for accountability. After achieving success (or even failure), we don’t need to savor that sweet feeling (or hurt) but continue press on in life.

That doesn’t mean I can slack in all my duties and tasks. No, I still do my best in all things, and bring glory to God in all achievements. But worldly success or failure is just a passing of this sojourning on earth. So, Press on!!

My real goal is achievement for Christ Jesus. That is my life goal!! :)

(memory verse)
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Phi 3:13b,14 NIV)

THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM

Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."


The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.


"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later...


Some people come into our lives and quickly go…

Some people
become friends and
stay awhile...
leaving beautiful
footprints on our
hearts...


and we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend!!



Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow a mystery.
Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present!

(VIII) Styles & Techniques of Biblical Stories

Ancient writers do not use paragraph, heading and sub-heading. They just write from the beginning to the end. Nowadays, we can use italics, bolded and coloured print for emphasis which were not used long ago.

So, to aid in bringing out the message and also make hearing easier to follow, certain techniques like repetitions and structures are used.

1. Repetitions
· Keywords: words relating to the theme that are repeated. Example: “It is good.”

· Motif: words or items not significant by themselves or related to the theme.
When they are repeated brings out certain significance. Example: The word “tall” and “handsome” appear in numerous places in 1Samuel

· Theme: idea, principle or theological statement being emphasized. Example: In the book of Judges, “The land had rest” keep appearing after each cycle of judges. There is a significant idea of the Sabbath rest after God’s creation.

· Sequence of Actions – a repeat of a sequence of 3 or more actions. This is very clear seen in the book of Judges with repeated cycles of: (1) did evil; (2) Suppression; (3) Cry to God, (4) Raise Deliverance, (5) Land rested.

· Type scene – e.g. woman at the well; removing shoes at holy ground; first born is looser

For example: In Exodus chapter 1, the words & phrase “multiplied, numerous” keep appearing (verses 7; 9; 12; 20).

2. Determine relationship
In reading Bible Stories, one should also see the relationship between characters and sequence of action. Often times, it has the following effects:
(1) Similarity / repetition
(2) Contrasting
(3) Progress – regress
(4) Cause – effect


3. Structure
- inclusion,
- chiasm,
- parallelism,
- linear progression/regression
- spiral (seldom used)


4. How to identify the structure of a passage?

My approach:

1. Read through the passages a few times. For the first time, try to understand what the story is about and what the narrator is speaking to his readers. (Narrator’s point of view)

2. Read through the second time to study each character in the story and their dialogue.

3. Read through the third time to see repetitions, similarity and contrast. At this point, once you have seen a few repetitions, the structure usually can be detected at this stage.

4. Read through a few more times, to ensure that the structure is really there and not your own imagination.


5. Example of a Chiastic Structure (Genesis Chapter 6-9)

Transitional Introduction (6:9-10)

A Violence in Creation (6:11-12)
B ......First divine speech: resolve to destroy (6:13-22)
C ...........Second divine speech: “enter ark” (7:1-10)
D ...............Beginning of flood (7:11-16)
E ....................The rising flood (7:17-24)
X ........................God remembers Noah
E’ ..................The receding flood (8:1-5)
D’ ..............Drying of the flood (8:6-14)
C’ ..........Third divine speech: “Leave ark” (8:15-19)
B’ .....God’s resolve to preserve order (8:20-22)
A’ Fourth divine speech: Covenant (9:1-17)

Transitional Conclusion (9:18-19)

By B.W. Anderson (Word Biblical Commentary, Genesis 1-15 page 156)


Here end my sharing on the approach to study Bible Stories. I have written a 34 pages on this topic on Understanding Bible Narratives. If you want a copy, please email me. Include in this write-out are some examples on structures, charts and also applications aid to Bible Narratives.

Charis Kai Irene (Grace and Peace) to you all

Mark Lim

(VI) The Plot of Bible Stories

In every stories or movies, there is a plot. The plot is the body. It consists of an organized and orderly system of events, arranged in temporal sequence.

The plot of a Bible story is constructed as a meaningful chain of interconnected events. This is achieved by careful selection. Any incident which does not fit in logically with the planned development of the plot is omitted.


Look at sequence of events, similar pattern/actions

Example. Gen 22:1-14 describes the test of Abraham.

The story begins with the narrative telling us that God wanted to test Abraham. If the narrative did not give us his point of view, we might be wondering why God wanted to kill Isaac after having Abraham to waiting for 25 years for the birth of Isaac.

The reader will ask: “How is God going to test Abraham?”

The conflicts begin when God calls Abraham to sacrifice Isaac at a place called Moriah. This is like a pagan worship where worshippers pledge allegiance to their God through child sacrifice. We need to remember that there is no Law yet at this point in time.

We are not told what Abraham is thinking all this while.

The conflict gets most intense when Isaac asked his father where the offering is. Confidently, Abraham answered that God will provide. What was Abraham thinking when he gave this answer? We will never know but the impact of the whole story is ended with a strong memorial statement in verse 14: “Abraham called the place – THE LORD WILL PROVIDE”

It indicates that the experience is forever etched in Abraham’s life that he can trust the LORD to provide.

Do you have this Mount Moriah experience?

It is the place for the test of obedience to God.

(V) Dialogues In Bible Stories

Generally, you really get to know someone when he starts to talk. Whether he is talking about fact, opinions, feelings, or even gossiping, he is actually revealing himself to you. Sometimes a person may lie. We need discernment when listening to others talk.

Likewise, Bible characters also make speeches, just like movies.

(Except Mr. Bean, which is silent.)

What the characters talk reveal their traits and inner self. It also reveal relationship (when they address one another as brothers and sisters; Gen 33:9; 2Sam 13:11), social standing (as in addressing king as “my lord”)

Some important point about Dialogues

1. Dialogue happen usually between two people or at most three.
By using dialogue, the narrator sometimes makes it as part of the plot and structure.

Example #1: Gen 27 – Jacob deceives Isaac for the blessing
In this example, each conversation involved only 2 people at any time. And it is always one parent with one child:

A Isaac and Esau (vv. 1-5) ...........A’ Isaac and Esau (vv. 31-40)
B Rebekah and Jacob (vv. 6-17) ....B’ Rebekah and Jacob (vv. 42-45)
C Isaac and Jacob (vv. 18-30) .......C’ Isaac and Jacob (v 46; 28:1-5)

(taken from JP Fokkelman, Reading Biblical Narrative)

This is also a parallel structure.

Example #2: 2Sam 13 – Amnon and Tamar
In this example, we see that the plot and structure are very well played out using dialogues. Again, the conversation is only 2 people at any time

..................................(4) Tamar – Amnon
.......................(3) David – Tamar (5) Amnon - Servant
............(2) Amnon-David ........................(6) Servant-Tamar
(1) Jonadab-Amnon ............................................(7) Tamar-Absalom

There is a link and pattern in this structure. All the links are connected to one another by the fact that the second character in each of them is the first in the succeeding one.

The structure is also symmetrical in the fact that Jonadab, who is close to and supports Amnon, appears in the first link whereas Absalom, who is close to and supports Tamar, appear in the last one.

(taken from Shimon Bar-Efrat; Narrative Art in the Bible)

2. Most important speeches come from God – the final authority, then angel, prophets and individual.

Example: Judges 6 (about Gideon) – When the angel of the LORD first appeared to Gideon:

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." (verse 12)

14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

In these 2 speeches, the LORD called Gideon a mighty warrior, but Gideon portrays himself as someone weak and insignificant. Who is right? And why did Gideon do that?

3. Sometimes, the speeches are repeated verbatim
For example: Marriage arrangement of Isaac & Rebekah (Gen 24)

The command of Abraham to the servant to get a bride from his kindred in Gen 24:3,4 is repeated in verses 37 & 38.

The servant’s prayer (Gen 24:14) is repeated in verses 43 & 44.

The focus on this marriage arrangement is therefore God ordained.

4. Other times, the speeches sequences are changed or certain part omitted or added.

Example: in Gen 2:16,17 God told Adam (before Eve was created):

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

But when the woman answers the serpent about what God told them, she said:

3:3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "

Eve added to the speech of what God has said. We do not know how she knows about what God said. Probably Adam told her and add “you must not touch it” into the conversation.

In Summary, always pay attention what is spoken by the characters. They help in interpretation and understanding of the Bible stories.