Granddaughter Two: This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible.
And here's my grandpa, the OG Godcaster Steve Webb
Steve Webb: I think that's the best introduction I've ever had
on the show. That was my second oldest grandchild. She and her
older sister were over at the House last couple of days. We
did a lot of Christmas baking and cooking. And then her
parents were over last night and we fed the family, and I had a
whole lot of fun. So Bree told you what show this is and who I
am. And I'll tell you that I'm coming to you from Riverside,
California. This is a daily podcast and you and I are
reading through the entire Bible in a year. I'm glad you're here.
The website is Lifespringmedia.com. And this is
poetry Thursday, we're going to be reading Job, 19 and 20, which
should have been the reading for last week, but I actually read
which should have been today's reading Job 21 and 22 instead,
so by reading 19 and 20 today, we'll be back on track. Sorry
about the mix up. I'm calling today's episode,My Redeemer. And
it's December 15 so we'll have Christmas question number 15.
sent in by Sandra Kim today. Of course, our Christmas expert
James Cooper of Why christmas.com will be answering
Sandra in his usual very thorough and informative and fun
way. But before we read, let's pray. Our gracious heavenly
Father, we thank you so much for your word. And we thank you for
the book of Job which teaches us how we can respond to
difficulties that inevitably come into our lives. Teach us
today I pray in Jesus name, amen. Okay, let's begin.
Job chapter 19. Then Job responded, how long will you
torment me and crush me with words? These 10 times you have
insulted me. You are not ashamed to wronged me. Even if I've
truly errored, my error lodges with me if indeed you vont
yourselves against me and prove my disgrace to me. know then
that God has wronged me and is closed his net around me.
Behold, I cry violence, but I get no answer. I shout for help,
but there is no justice. He has walled up my way so that I
cannot pass and he has put darkness on my path. He has
stripped my honor from me and removed the crown from my head.
He breaks me down on every side and I am gone, and he has
uprooted my hope like a tree. He has also kindled his anger
against me and considered me as his enemy. His troops come
together and build up their way against me and camp around my
tent. He has removed my brother's far from me, and my
acquaintances are completely estranged from me. My relatives
have failed, and my intimate friends have forgotten me. Those
who live in my house and my maids consider me a stranger. I
am a foreigner in their sight. I call to my servant, but he does
not answer. I have to implore Him with my mouth. My breath is
offensive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own brothers.
Even young children despise me, I rise up and they speak against
me. All my associates abhor me, and those I love if turned
against me, my bone clings to my skin in my flesh, and I have
escaped only by the skin of my teeth. Pity me, pity me, Oh,
you, my friends, for the hand of God is struck me. Why do you
persecute me as God does and are not satisfied with my flesh? Oh,
that my words were written, oh, that they were inscribed in a
book, that with an iron stylus and led they were engraved in
the rock forever. As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and
at the last he will take his stand on the earth, even after
my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh, I shall see God whom I
myself shall behold, and who my eyes will see and not another.
My heart faints within me. If you say, How shall we persecute
him? And what pretext for a case against him Can we find then be
afraid of the sword for yourselves for wrath brings the
punishment of the sword so that you may know there is judgment.
Job chapter 20. Zophar from Nana said, Therefore my troubled
thoughts make me turn back because of my inner turmoil. I
hear teaching that insults me. But I am forced to answer based
on my own understanding. Do you know this from long ago from
when humans were placed on Earth, that the rejoicing of the
wicked is short, the joy of the godless brief, though their
height reaches Heaven, and their heads touch the clouds, they
will perish forever like their dung. Those who saw them will
say, where are they? They will disappear like a dream, and no
one will find them carried way. They're like a nighttime vision.
The eye that saw them will do so no more. They won't be seen
again at home. Their children will repay the poor, their hands
will give back their wealth, vigor fill their bones and now
sleeps with them and the dust. Though wickedness is sweet in
their mouths, they hide it under their tongues. They like it
won't let it go. They hold it in their cheeks. Food turns their
stomachs becoming a cobra is poison inside. They swallow
wealth and vomited. God dislodges it from their belly.
They suck cobras poison of vipers tongue kills them. They
won't experience the streams, rivers of honey and brooks of
cream. They won't receive the reward for their labor. They
won't enjoy the wealth from their business. They crushed and
abandoned the poor stole a house they didn't build. Didn't know
contentment in their belly couldn't escape with their
treasure. nothing remained of their food so their riches will
not endure. Even in their plenty. They are hard pressed
all sorts of trouble come on them. Let God fill their belly
unleash His burning anger on them rain punishing blows on
them. If they flee an iron weapon, a bronze bow pierces
them, they pull it out, but it sticks out from their backs. Its
shaft in their liver brings terror. Complete, darkness waits
for their trusted possessions. Fire that no one's stoked
consumes them. What's left in their tent is ruined. Heaven
exposes their guilt. Earth opposes them. Their household
wealth will be carried off by rushing streams on the day of
his anger. This is a wicked person's lot from God, their
heritage decreed by God.
Well, today I'd like to talk a little bit about Job 19 The
chapter begins with job responding yet again to his
friends turned accusers asking how long will you torment me and
crushed me with your words, and he continues by recounting how
utterly miserable he's become. Even God seems to have turned
his back on him, even persecuting him. And yet in
verses 23 through 27, we see that indeed, Job's faith in God
remains steadfast. He says, As for me, I know that my Redeemer
lives, hallelujah. Let's take a closer look at the word
Redeemer. The Hebrew word is go out G O E L, we see the Go l in
Joshua 27 through eight and numbers 3512 through 28 Were the
Cities of Refuge were established. Remember, we talked
about that on the show. In these chapters in Joshua and numbers,
the GL L is translated as the avenger of blood. It was almost
always the nearest family member who was appointed as go hell.
And it was his responsibility to rightly carry out justice when a
family member was murdered. But it's important to note though,
that Old Testament justice was similar to our justice system,
there's criminal law and civil law, the avenger of blood dealt
with criminal law. on the civil side, the NGO L is a redeemer.
According to je Campbell Morgan, the gowell stood for another to
defend his cause to avenge wrongs done to him and to acquit
him of all charges laid against him. Steve Lawson put it this
way. A Redeemer was the Vindicator of one unjustly
wronged. He was a defender of the oppressed, a champion of the
suffering, an advocate of one unjustly accused, if you were
ever wronged a redeemer would come and stand beside you as
your champion and advocate. So Job was saying that even though
he felt that God had abandoned him, even though he felt that
God was wrongly persecuting him, he knew that God was his go owl,
his closest family member, his Redeemer, his Vindicator. Job
knew that in the end, God would make things right, all beloved,
to have faith like Job, even in the midst of agony and despair,
to know that we do have a redeemer. Charles Spurgeon said
this. Remember, too, that it was always considered to be the duty
of the girl, not merely to redeem by price, but where that
failed to redeem by power. There are two redemptions, redemption
by price and redemption by power. And both of these Christ
hath wrought for us by price by his sacrificing upon the cross
of Calvary, and by power by His Divine Spirit coming into our
heart and renewing our soul. I love Charles Spurgeon. Beloved,
Jesus is even now advocating for you and for me at the throne of
God. He has redeemed us with his blood. And when the enemy the
accuser brings charges against us, Jesus is there to say, No,
this one is mine. And I have paid the price for this precious
one. Tell me your thoughts, call the Lifespring family Hotline at
plus 1-951-732-8511 Or write me an email at Steve at Lifespring
media.com. Or go to comment Lifespring media.com. Tomorrow
is prophecy Friday and we'll read Isaiah 56 through 61.
Our associate producer today is Howie who sent in a $100
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Christmas question number 15 comes in from Sandra Kim. Sandra
has been a Lifespring member at least since last season, if I'm
not mistaken, and she asks When and why did the Advent tradition
begin and who started it? Sandra says I'm enjoying these
Christmas tidbits each day. Thanks. Well, thank you, Sandra.
It's great to hear from you again. And I'm so glad you're
enjoying these informative little moments with James. Me
too. So James, you're up.
James Cooper: Many of us will have opened an advent calendar
or perhaps even listen Advent candle. But what's it all about?
Well, Advent is the period of force on Days and weeks before
Christmas. Or if you're using a calendar, it's normally from the
first of December to Christmas Day. Advent means coming in
Latin. And this is the coming of Jesus into the world. Christians
have used these four Sundays and weeks of Advent for hundreds of
years to prepare for the real meaning of Christmas. But there
are three meanings of coming. The first is the most tilt of my
hand about 2000 years ago, when Jesus came into the world as a
baby. The second meaning of coming in Advent is now when we
can accept Jesus into our lives. And the third meaning of coming
he's actually sometimes called to second coming by Christians
as it will happen in the future when Jesus will come back to the
world as judging him and not as a baby. Advent starts with
advent Sunday, and that can be from the 27th of November, when
Advent is the longest it can be as it was in 2016. And it was in
this year. And the Advent can also be as late as the third of
December when advence The shortest it can be as it was in
2023. And it will be next year. And when only starts on the
first of December when Christmas days on a Wednesday, which will
happen in 24. So we've had the longest Advent next year will be
the shortest Advent and then in 2024 will have Advent on the
first of December. No one's really sure when Advent was
first celebrated, but it dates back to at least 567 When monks
were ordered to fast during December leading up to
Christmas. And still today. Some people fast, don't eat anything
or don't eat certain foods during Advent to help them
concentrate on preparing for Jesus is coming. In many
Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches. Advent actually lasts
for 40 full days. And it starts on the 15th of November and it's
called the Nativity fast. In medieval and pre medieval times
in parts of England, there was an early form of nativity scene
called an Advent image or even a vessel cup. They were a box
often with a glass lid and was covered with a white napkin.
They contain two dolls representing Mary and the baby
Jesus. The box was decorated with ribbons and flowers and
sometimes apples. They were carried around from door to
door. It was thought to be very unlucky if you hadn't seen a box
before Christmas Eve. People often paid the box carriers or
hate me or half penny to see the box and we have Christmas carols
but some of those are actually Advent carols. These include
people look east come down unexpected Jesus. Lo he comes in
clouds descending on Jordan's banks, the Baptist cries and
perhaps the most popular Advent song of all Oh Come O Come
Emmanuel. Using candles to countdown Advent have been done
so for hundreds of years. Lutheran churches in Scandinavia
use 24 little candles to countdown through December from
the 1700s you can get Advent candles now where you burn a bit
each day and you have to remember to blow it out before
it burned through seven days and you've missed a week. I've done
that on more than one occasion. and you can get an Advent crown
and they're often used in churches. The crown is made up
of a wreath of greenery or candle stand and it has four
candles around the outside and one in the middle or in a
separate place. The first candle is lit on the first Sunday of
Advent, two candles are lit on the second Sunday of Advent and
so on. Each candle has a different meaning. And different
churches have given them different meanings over the
years and it can be very confusing working out who does
what, on what Sunday. But what I was taught when I was growing up
was that the first represents Isaiah and the other prophets in
the Bible that predicted the coming of Jesus. The second
represents the Bible. The third represents Mary, the mother of
Jesus. And sometimes this has a pink or different colored candle
in many churches. And the full Sunday represents John the
Baptist, Jesus, his cousin who told the people of Israel to get
ready for Jesus. The middle or separate candle is lit on
Christmas Day and represents Jesus the light of the world.
Perhaps the most common way of counting down Advent, well,
really December, all the advent calendars that are so ubiquitous
these days, and now they normally have chocolate, which
is a good thing. In the 19th century German Protestant
Christians countdown to Christmas by marking 20 virtual
blinds on a door and rubbing one off every day in December. Paper
calendars became popular in Germany around the early 1900s.
Although some people had made their own from the 1850s. That
is a debate about exactly when the first mass produced calendar
was made. But it was in the first decade of the 1900s. The
first paper calendars consisted of two pieces of paper, a blank
piece of card with the numbers one to 24 printed on it, and
then a separate sheet of pictures that you cut out on
stick on to the numbers. The first calendars with doors were
made in Germany in the 1920s. The first record of an advent
calendar in the UK was in 1956. And I imagine it'd be similar in
the USA. The first calendar was chocolate, it was made in 1958.
And here in the UK, Cadbury's made their first chocolate
calendar in 1971. However, they didn't really sell many to start
with. Chocolate calendars only really became popular in the
1980s. But there are other forms of calendar as well. Some
European countries such as Gemini, use a reefer with 24
bags hanging from it. And each bag or box, there's a little
prison. So I think it's time for me to like my Advent candle
today. And then I've also got to remember to blow it out.
Steve Webb: Well, that's where having a timer on the old cell
phone comes in handy. I use the timer app on my phone several
times a day. And by the way, James, you just confirmed that
you and the lovely lady Leanne would get along famously because
as soon as she hears this, she's gonna want to run right out to
get a chocolate advent calendar to Thank you, James for
answering Sandra's question. And thank you Sandra for sending it
in. Now, beloved, it's time for you to send in your Christmas
question. I'm running out. I'd like to be able to feature one
Christmas question on each show until Christmas. So I need you
to pick up the slack. And to sweeten the offer. Of course I'm
having a drawing on Christmas Day. I'm going to give away two
pairs of tickets to the upcoming movie Jesus revolution which
will be released in February 23. And in order to be in the
drawing you just have to send in a Christmas question for every
question you send in you'll get an entry also on Christmas day
I'm going to have a drawing for a signed copy of my book webs
easy Bible names pronunciation guide and to be entered into
that drawing your question will have to be one that was answered
on the show. So send your questions to Steve at Lifespring
media.com and put Christmas question in the subject line.
For our Christmas music today I've got a jazzy little
treatment of We Three Kings by E type jag until tomorrow may God
bless you richly thank you for inviting me to be a part of your
day. My name is Steve Webb
Music: We Three Kings of evolving and bearing gifts we
traverse field and fall to mourn mountain following your Mr. O
star one star nine star with beauty Westwood leading still
proceeding guide us to that vana king bed God I bring to crown
him again. King for embassy sing wonders star star with beauty
bride Westwood leading still seating got us to that perfect
consents to offer incense owns a day of prayer and raising
raising worshiping God on the star of night start with raw
beauty right leading still proceeding got us to that big
lie It's better for breathe a lot of gathering gloom sorrow
and sighing bleeding time sailed in the Stone of two Oh star upon
the star of nine star with royal beauty bride Westwood leading
still proceeding God has to perfect Scott stop we're gonna
shoot