1 Timothy 4 and 5

They are alive. All right, well we were in the book of 1 Timothy. We had just finished with chapter 3 at the last Bible study. And if we just recall a little bit, maybe set a little bit of a background, remember the Apostle Paul is writing to the young minister Timothy. And he's specifically giving him instructions on how to conduct yourself. How to be a good minister. And so there's various information that Paul gives him. And in that context is where we begin in chapter 4 then.

And so Paul starts to instruct Timothy about the latter times here in the beginning of chapter 4. He says, the Spirit expressly says in the latter time some will depart from the faith. Now that's not God's Spirit speaking in that way. In a sense, God is directing things. We know that through His Spirit God accomplishes things. And so God's Spirit is inspiring and directing things. And we know that one of the things God's Spirit inspired is prophecy. And so when you look at what it's saying here that in the later times, it seems to be referring to the end times. Specifically, the word itself doesn't mean end times, but it's talking about later, later on. And of course, if you're thinking of Timothy at this time in the first century, it was going to be quite a bit later from that time to where we are today. Here we are about 2,000 years later. So we're quite a bit later than where Timothy was at. But it does seem to be referring back to some prophecies, some things that were specifically prophesied about the end times. And of course, you think about, well, is it referring to some of the prophecies of Christ? Matthew 24, dealing with some of those kinds of things. Perhaps the prophecies in the book of Daniel. Daniel certainly prophesied about the little horn and the false prophet that would come. And that would give, it says, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. So when you put this latter times and people leaving the faith and connect that with doctrines of evil from evil spirits, that's literally what that's talking about, teachings that are inspired by demons, demonic things. And of course, we know that Satan is the prince of the power of the air. And so he can certainly infect people's thinking with wrong ways of preaching and teaching and perverting true doctrine. And he loves to mix it up, doesn't he? He loves to give you a little bit of truth and then mix in all kinds of error. And so things might sound good, but that's what makes it deceiving, that it's not true, it's misleading. And specifically, this word for deceiving, it's almost like seducing people. Here's a little nugget of something that might be truthful, but it's mixed with so much error that it certainly can only be categorized as a deceiving spirit and a doctrine that is inspired by demons. And so he's warning Timothy, he's reminding him of some of these prophetic things. And Timothy's going to have to deal with some of these situations. That's part of being a pastor, that sometimes these types of things are going to come up. And he says, of those doctrines, he says, what are these people doing? He says, they're speaking lies, verse 2, in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.

Well, that's pretty graphic representation there, isn't it? That they're hypocritical.

They're lying spirits, which certainly characterizes demons, and they're influencing people to believe false doctrine. And they believe it to such an extent that they don't have a conscience anymore. God can't seem to get through to them anymore. And so it says their conscience is seared with a hot iron. It seems that that phrase has to do with being callous. And oftentimes, you read that passage and think about this conscience being seared and being calloused.

That's a pretty good description of what our society is like today, isn't it? We have a callous society. It seems like things that are evil are called good, things that are blatantly in opposition to God. People like that. They don't even have a conscience. There is no shame anymore. And all you have to do is turn on the news to see that. Watch the latest television program.

Someone just gave me a copy of a little program that was just featuring a gay sex, and that was such a great thing he was talking about. Well, what is that all about? How does that fit with Scripture? And so you see the standards of God are just thrown away. And that is a lie. It's hypocritical. It's being seared. And it's interesting that if you think of it in terms of being calloused, there is also a connection, I think, with the way it's seared with a hot iron. I think we talked about it the other day about how you brand cattle.

Can this have something to do with being branded? And if you think about being branded, and you think about the end times that Paul is reminding Timothy of, what comes to mind? Are there going to be marks in people's hands and in their foreheads that they're going to be seared? They're going to be branded with the mark of the beast, the mark of Satan in a sense? Could that be something that's being referred to here as well? I mean, we're not told specifically, but it's interesting that it puts people that are in that category past normal feelings.

They don't have normal feelings anymore. And so you can see how far off track that society is becoming. In fact, he seems to be referring to some that were in Timothy's area, perhaps, certainly within the first century history. And when we look back to that time, there were individuals that were deceived by doctrines of demons. There were individuals already that were speaking lies in hypocrisy.

And in fact, he begins to talk about a couple of things specifically in verse 3. He talks about two things that he begins to talk about. He says, these people, one of their items that characterize who they are, it says, they forbid to marry, and they command to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. So what is he talking about here? Well, as he lists two of these examples, these two examples represent some false ideas, false ideas of how people assume that they're right with God, about how they're closer to God.

It says it's a lying thing, it's a deceitful thing. And one of the things that was prevalent in the area at that time was asceticism. What ascetics would believe would be if they would abstain from physical pleasures, that somehow they were more right with God, because physical things that brought pleasure were evil. And so if you denied yourself, if you punished your body, if you didn't eat certain foods, if you abstained from becoming married, that somehow that would draw you closer to God.

And that was some of the ideas behind this asceticism. And of course, back at this time, Gnosticism seemed to be tied in with that. And rather than getting into a long discussion about that, but Gnosticism in maybe its simplest form was through this higher knowledge that people could get closer to God. It would be in addition to Scripture. So if you denied yourself, that would somehow bring you closer to God.

If you put your physical pleasures aside, that somehow that would make you holy. And of course, that's ridiculous. That's hypocritical. That's just not the case. And yet at the same time, it's also interesting that it's not just the Gnostics that were of this perspective. I mean, there are also different Jewish sects that took on some of those kinds of beliefs as well.

Some of the group that oftentimes is credited with the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Essenes, they seem to be a group that certainly were ascetic. They had many regulations. They prohibited all kinds of foods and marriage and different things like that. And then if you were to be married, well, it was only to perpetuate the race, and that was it. There was absolutely no enjoyment in marriage. That's not what marriage was for in their eyes because you got to punish your body, take away anything that was pleasurable in any sense of the word, because that was evil.

There was also a Jewish sense of that as well. Some of the Greek thought comes into play in this whole thing, too. If you've ever heard of the mathematician Pythagoras, and he's come up with all kinds of different theories credited with some great mathematical discoveries, but he also had a philosophy of life. And part of that philosophy was also an ascetic form of thinking. And one of the things that his followers are famous for, and perhaps you've heard the story that one of the things that they would do to punish themselves so they would be more righteous, more religious, they would set up banquets of all kinds of wonderful foods. So if you can imagine your favorite foods, and maybe here we are just before Thanksgiving. Imagine a Thanksgiving dinner all laid out before you, and you've got the turkey and the dressing and the mashed potatoes, you're getting hungry. You've got this whole banquet set before you. They would come and they would sit at the table, and they would smell these beautiful foods. But see, as an ascetic, you can't touch it, you can't eat it. That wouldn't be acceptable. So they would smell this food as it would all set up, and then they would get up and they would throw it all away and leave the table. Because somehow they felt that was building character, because to enjoy something like that would not be a good thing. So you see how that's just opposite of God's way of thinking, well, why did God make food? Certainly to nourish us, but God didn't have to make food taste good, but He did, because He wants us to enjoy it. He wants marriage to be a good thing. And so that's one of the issues here, that that's what He's talking about, these two things, whether it's foods, and in fact in this case, when you look at the word foods, I think it's in the King James that says meats, abstain from meats, which God created. It's the general word for food there, the Greek word for food, and not specifically for meat. And so we're going to keep that in mind as we look at a couple of the other passages that are to follow here. So God created these things for us to enjoy, and yet this asceticism said, no, don't taste that, don't touch that, don't enjoy things. And somehow that's going to bring you closer to God. But that's a doctrine of demons. That's what it comes down to. So then in verse 4, He continues this thought on. He says, for every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it's received with thanksgiving. And so every creature, now remember, we're not just talking about food here. We're also in the subject of marriage, was part of what He's talking about here. And so it brings up a question. Can we eat anything we want? And oftentimes people will take this particular verse and they'll pull it out of context, and they'll say, well, see right there, every creature of God is good, and you shouldn't refuse it. You know, if it's a big ham sandwich, you know, or eat some crawfish, that'd be good for you if you receive it with thanksgiving. You see, that's all you need to do, and that makes it all right. Or they continue on in verse 5, it's sanctified by the word of God in prayer. So if I'm thankful for it, and if I pray over it, well, great, go ahead and eat it.

And so if you were to look up in various commentaries, they would refer to that. They'd say, well, you know, there's nothing wrong with eating anything you want. God created all things. It says, every creature, it's good, and we pray over it, we receive it with thanksgiving, and it's okay to eat whatever you want. Oh, is that really what he's saying here? Is that what he's talking about?

Well, no, he's not. He's not. What is he getting at? He says, these things, it says, every creature of God is good. If he's referring back to the food here, it's sanctified, it says, by the word of God. What does sanctified mean? It means set apart. It comes from that same word that holy comes from, the same word that we have the word saint from, hagios, that's the base word for that, set apart, or it's consecrated. It's set apart by the word of God. So, what does the word of God say about food? I think that's what we've got to come back to. What does God's word say about food? Well, if something is set apart, there's kind of three things that come into play, I think. If you're set apart from other things, foods can be set apart. There's all kinds of things out there that you can eat. Does praying over something and receiving it with thanksgiving make poison ivy good for you to eat? No, but boy, I guess it would be good if you continue that way of thinking. But that doesn't fit, does it? So, God's word is going to set apart certain foods from other kinds of foods. It's also interesting that you can be sanctified or you can be set apart for a specific purpose, right? You can be set apart from other things, but you can be set apart for specific purposes. We see that all the time, you know, in the church when we think about it for a second. When you're sanctified, when you're set apart and you have hands laid on you, a number of things can come into play. You have hands laid on you at baptism. What are you set apart from? You're set apart from the rest of the world. What are you set apart for? You're set apart so that you become a new creation in Christ, so that you become like Christ. We put on His mind. We put on His thinking. So, there is a specific purpose involved in being set apart. Same thing when we ask to be anointed, when we're sick. We're set apart for healing. We are sanctified for that specific purpose of healing. James 5 tells us that, doesn't it? And so, it also reminds us that when God sets something apart, who does the sanctifying? Who is it that sets things apart?

Yeah, we've got to look to God. We've got to look to Jesus Christ and see what does He set apart. So, when you take that principle and you apply it to food, what is food that's set apart? What is food that is sanctified by the Word of God? Well, you have to go back to Leviticus 11. Doesn't that give us a whole listing of things that are good to eat that God has set apart by His Word?

Absolutely. Deuteronomy 14 says the same thing, that God sets apart certain things that are good to eat. And so, that's what sanctifies it. It's the Word of God. And God sets it apart from every other kind of food that might be out there, other things we think would be edible. And He says, this is what I want you to eat. And we're set apart, in a sense, for a specific purpose as well. Have you thought about why has God set certain foods apart? You might say, well, because it's bad for you. And some studies have shown certain foods there that lots of people eat are bad for you. But is that why He said, don't eat them? Or are they set apart for a greater purpose? I think they're set apart for a greater purpose. Does it remind us, when we have to eat certain things and we don't eat these things, if we're not going to eat pork ribs, if we're not going to eat that, is that just saying, well, that might make me sick, I might get cancer later in my life? Is that why we're not eating it? Or is it to realize that God is our God? And just like I'm not going to let any old thing go in my mouth, I am not going to allow any old thing to come into my brain. I'm not going to allow that to come out in my actions. And so do we remember that as we don't eat that ham sandwich, we don't eat those crawfish, we don't eat those things. And it reminds us, we're set apart. And so my life, not just what I eat, but what I say and what I do should be set apart. And that's that constant reminder because we have to eat every day. And boy, you got to pick up the label sometimes and look and see what's on that thing. You know, are you crazy? What are you looking at that in the store for examining these different things? But it reminds us, and hopefully it's more than just an exercise of checking out the ingredients. Hopefully it's a reminder that as we're living our life, that's got to be something we're reminded of every day. I'm not going to eat any old thing because God's going to remind me every day by what I eat that my life should be a reflection of His way. I'm going to allow His Spirit to live in me and live through me. And that's going to be what really ultimately nourishes us spiritually. So it's a fantastic lesson here by what He draws to our attention that we sanctify it or God sanctifies it by what He says. And God is the ultimate authority in that. So we look to Him. I think that's where I was going to leave off. Okay. So we'll continue with verse 6. I'll read it here for you, then we'll comment on it.

It's a new thought now. If you instruct the brethren in these things, you'll be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. As we learn from the introductory Bible study on the books of Timothy, so much of what the Apostle Paul covers is to warn against false teachings, false doctrine, and fables. The secondary theme is basic church administration. And we're going to get into some of that tonight as well. Things like administering third tithe fairly, ordaining leaders in the church, and who should do the preaching at services.

So you've got that, some of these administrative things, and then you've got the importance of doctrine. While much of what Paul wrote to Timothy is addressed to the ministry, every one of us should be following the same principles of Christian life that we read here that Paul is outlining to Timothy. What I'd like to do here is give you a sampling, a reminder, based on verse 6, of how many times the word doctrine is used just in the books of Timothy, just in 1 and 2 Timothy. Because we read here in verse 6 that we're to be nourished in the words of faith. Of course, Mr. Mize is talking about food that's nourishing, but we're also to be nourished in the words of faith, and of the good doctrine which you, Timothy, have carefully followed, Paul says. Now, you won't have time to turn to all these, but you may want to just make a note of them. Just in the books of Timothy, how many times the term doctrine is used? And I've got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 times. First of all, back in chapter 1 verse 3, 1 Timothy 1 verse 3, where Paul says, As I urged you, when I went into Macedonia, remaining Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. So there was a warning against other doctrine here. 1 Timothy 1 verse 10, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for lyes, for purgeras, and if there's any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. 1 Timothy 4 verse 6, which is what we just read, of course. 1 Timothy 4 verse 13, Paul says, Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Now, in the United Church of God, we've placed a high emphasis on correct biblical doctrine, making sure that what we teach is based on the Scriptures and can be proven. And much of what we say comes right from the books of Timothy. Notice 1 Timothy 4 verse 16, Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 1 Timothy 5 verse 17, Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 6 verse 1, Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.

God's doctrine is not to be blasphemed. We have to be very careful what we teach. 1 Timothy 6 verse 3, If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ enter the doctrine which accords with godliness. 2 Timothy 3 verse 10.

Be of carefully followed by doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance. 2 Timothy 3 verse 16, All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for a proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 4 verse 3, The time will come when they will not endure a sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.

So just that quick overview shows you how important doctrine was to Paul, and he wanted to make sure that Timothy followed suit, and that he instructed the brethren in these things, as would a good minister of Jesus Christ do. And so that's verse 6 here back in 1 Timothy chapter 4.

And then he continues in verse 7, But reject profane and old wives, fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. It's interesting that he uses the word exercise here, because in the very next verse we talk about exercise. But we're to exercise ourselves towards godliness, avoiding old wives, tales, and fables.

You may want to make a cross reference in Titus chapter 3 verse 9 in this regard. Titus 3 verse 9, Paul told Titus, But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and the strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and useless. So vain, contentious disputes. And then in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 23, But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

And so those were a couple of parallel verses to 1 Timothy 4 verse 7. About rejecting profane, old wives, fables, and looking instead towards things that uphold godly values, and of course true doctrine. Then we get into verse 8, where Paul reminds Timothy, For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Paul is saying that exercise profits for a little time. You go work out at the gym. It does help you stay more healthy. But godly exercise, godliness, or holiness, profits for eternity. It has a much longer lasting effect than going to the gym.

The term here in verse 8 for exercise is only used once in the entire New Testament. It is the word, gumnasia. It is G-U-M-N-A-S-I-A. It is almost like gymnasium or gymnasium. It is gumnasia. You use just this one time in the whole New Testament.

Gumnasia means the exercise of the body in a cholesterol or school of athletics.

So there was a very particular word that Paul used that was talking about exercise that would have been used, for example, getting ready for the Olympics, for athletics, for sports.

And so he's talking about actual bodily exercise here, which does profit you for a little while.

But it's not long lasting if you don't keep it up, whereas godliness is profitable for all things.

Spiritual exercise and effort is what our mind really needs. Not to discount physical exercise as staying healthy, but spiritual exercise and effort is what our mind really needs. And it takes us back towards verse 7, exercise yourself toward godliness.

And this kind of exercise, in godliness or holiness even, as some translations put the word for godliness as holiness, is something that will lead you towards the promise of eternal life. Not a temporary physical life of working out at the gym, but the promise of eternal life that now is and is of that which is to come. This is a permanent type of exercise when you exercise godliness in your life. In verse 9, this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance.

He actually says that back in chapter 1 verse 15, Paul 13, 1 Timothy 1 verse 15, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. He says that when he wants to emphasize the point, that this is something we need to listen to. So it's a faithful saying, worthy of listening to. So this is verse 10, for to this end we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

So this is our overall goal, our end game, to suffer if necessary and trust God, our Savior, and look toward the promise of eternal life. This is spiritual godly exercise, he says. This is the end, to labor and suffer reproach because we trust in our living God, the Savior of all men. These things command and teach, he says in verse 11. I'm just going to read to you verses 6 through 10 from the message Bible translation, or paraphrase, and then just listen to it as I read verses 6 through 10 now in more modern lingo. You'll see what I mean. Paul says to Timothy, you've been raised on the message of the faith and of followed sound teaching. Now pass on this council to the followers of Jesus Christ there and you'll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God. No spiritual flabbiness, please. Workouts and gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we're throwing ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers. So that's the next six verses there. First, with chapter 4, Mr. Miser is going to finish up the chapter. Okay. It's interesting that Paul tells him these are things you're to command, that it's not just a request, but this is a requirement. It's a requirement for us as we're striving to live God's way. So we're teaching that and expecting that. So we need to expect those things out of ourselves as well. I think that's part of the challenge as we read through the book of Timothy. Paul addresses some specific things to him as a young minister, but then as we read through some of these things, we put ourselves in that position. As Paul is instructing Timothy, how am I doing when it comes to the things that he's instructing him? And so up next in verse 12, he said, let no one despise your youth. And so, why not? Why not? Why shouldn't people despise him? In fact, it's interesting if you were to look up this word. This was something that was happening. This didn't seem to be a theoretical type of thing that perhaps some of the elders in Ephesus, where it seems to be where Timothy was, were probably older than he was, probably been around a lot longer. And to them, he would have been this little kid. But we also have to remember that in the Roman way of counting, it could be, Timothy could be as old as 40 years old or so. So he wasn't a child and he wasn't a teenager. You know, he was a young minister, but yet Paul says, don't allow that to happen. He said, that's not the way it should be. So they were being contemptible toward Timothy. And so Paul, in a sense, is saying, stop allowing anyone to do that. Don't let him put you down.

Not because of Timothy himself, but because he's a minister of Jesus Christ. Because he held that office by the laying on of hands. So Paul is saying, because of this office, you hold on to this. Don't let people push you aside like you're a little kid, like you're a little boy, but you are a man of God. And as long as he's acting as a man of God in the office that the laying on of hands brought, then that is something. It's the office itself should be something that should be respected. So he's telling him that he's got certain responsibilities that he bears because of that. And so he says, be an example. Be an example. What we do, what we say should be imitated. So he's telling this minister, that's the way it should be. Be an example to the believers in word. That's a good example for all of us in what we say. Are we an example to others? He says in conduct. So not only what we say, but what we do as well. In love. Interesting that he throws that in. It's not just an authority thing because we might get that impression by saying, don't let anybody push you around. And right away he comes back with, well, you could get carried away with that thinking that you're the be-all and end-all of authority, but he can be in charge and let no one despise him by loving people. It's an interesting connection that he makes there as well. And he says in spirit, in faith, in purity. Many of the translations leave off in spirit. It doesn't seem like it really fits there. A lot of the scholars think it was perhaps something that was added later and they feel that should just be kind of left out. But it's interesting then as you look at the qualities that he talks about, having faith and having purity. Not only what you do is pure in your actions, but your motives for doing things would also be included in this. That why we do what we do is out of a pure motivation, not for just self-gain. And so he goes on then in verse 13, "'Til I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.'" And so once again, we have the teaching, the true teaching of God. He's reminding Timothy that reading Scripture, and now he's not just saying private study of the Bible is not what he's referring to here when he's talking to Timothy. As a minister, there are times you read Scripture out loud. And so don't we do that every Sabbath? During our sermons, we get out the Bible and we read the Word of God.

Faith comes by hearing. You're hearing the Word of God, so he's exhorting him. Give attention to reading. And of course, the Word wasn't as prevalent, wasn't as available then as it is now. And so he makes a specific point of that. Read Scripture out loud. Give attention to it. Exhort people. Preach the Word. And that's an important part of every pastor's responsibilities, to read God's Word to the people and then exhort them to live by it, to do it, to obey the Word. And so we all need instruction in how to live as God's people, how to be good Christians. And a good pastor helps people to understand that and fill that need for instruction. And so Paul tells Timothy, the best way you can fulfill your responsibilities is give the people a balanced diet. You see, we've got a pretty balanced selection of words that are used here. You're an example in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. You're reading God's Word out loud. You're exhorting people. You're encouraging them. And you're doing it in the truth of the Word of God. And so perhaps part of the implication that if you focus too much on one thing and not another, you'll be out of balance. And so he's saying, be focused in the way that Christ would be focused. Properly nourished means you get a balanced diet. So that seems to be part of what Paul is referring to here as well. Then he gets a little personal. Verse 14, he says, do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of hands of the eldership.

Now of course, in a quick reading, it would seem, well, that must be talking about God's Spirit, that Paul's telling Timothy not to neglect his God's Spirit that's in him. Some feel that might be the proper interpretation, but it seems there's something more to that because it says it was given to you by prophecy. Now if we're baptized, we've received God's Spirit by the laying on of hands. We know that's the only way that God's Spirit is given, by the laying on of hands. But why does he also include here by prophecy with the laying on of hands? What does prophecy have to do with Timothy having this gift? Well, it seems to go back just a little bit back to chapter 1. If we turn back just a couple of pages here, look at 1 Timothy 1.18. Here is Paul writes, he says, This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare. So this seems to be indicating that there were specific prophecies that were given about Timothy. And so Timothy, Paul is in a sense holding him accountable, that there were certain things that were foretold about you. There was this fourth telling that Timothy would have, what was it, some special gifts, some special abilities that God gave him. Maybe it was discernment. Maybe it was that he was a hard worker. He would work hard to preach the gospel. Maybe he was a good preacher, was a special gift that was given. It seems like perhaps that ties in with what Paul is exhorting him here, not to neglect that gift, to put it to good use. Maybe it's just the preaching of the gospel. We're not sure. We're not given all the details of what exactly that specific gift or gifts might be. But it seems like it ties in with something more than just being baptized and receiving God's Spirit, but that there were certain things that were foretold about Timothy and seem to be evident. So he's encouraging him. Of course, if he's being put down and people are despising him, which he's saying, don't let them despise you, perhaps he was maybe backing off a little bit and not getting out there and doing what he needed to be doing. And Paul is encouraging him to do those things. And so it seems to fit in then with what he says in verse 15. Meditate on these things, which can also mean to really put them into practice, to think about how they can be applied. How can I apply these things? How can I apply the gifts that God's given me? Paul's encouraging to do that. He says, give yourself entirely to them. You know, make the most of every opportunity. Put it into practice, he says, that your progress may be evident to all. So he's telling them that you're, as a minister, you're supposed to make that path. You're to be the pioneer that's forging the way ahead. In fact, that word for progress seems to fit in with that idea that you're blazing the trail. And you as a minister are leading God's people and make sure you're giving yourself entirely to that. And of course, for any of us, if we are totally giving ourselves to God and we're submissive to His ways and we're putting that word into practice, is our progress going to be evident?

I think Paul's saying, yes, it will be. It will be evident. It will be something that will be noticeable because we are dedicated to serve. Was it noticeable with the apostles? After they received God's Spirit, would you say that there was definitely a difference when they gave themselves entirely to the Word of God? What happened when they got beat up for preaching the Word? They say, oh, well, we better be quiet and go home and just stay indoors. They didn't do that.

They took it as an honor to be beaten for preaching the truth. And they went out there and right back at it, they gave themselves. And their progress was evident. It was evident that these were men inspired by the Word of God, and they weren't going to quit. They were going to continue to do those things. So here Paul is encouraging Timothy to really give himself fully and submit to God's Spirit and continue to grow and as a good minister to lead the way, to lead the way for God's people. And so then in verse 16, to conclude the chapter there, he says, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. As Mr. Eddington said, don't neglect the truth, the true teachings of God. Watch your life. Watch what you say. Watch what you preach. Focus on that. Keep your attention. Take heed. Notice. Be specific. Watch doctrine and you're teaching closely. And so that's such an important thing. He says, continue in them. For in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you. And so in a sense, he's saying, there's an outward appearance of things. He said, people are going to notice your progress. But wait a second. You better make sure inwardly you're doing those things as well. So it's not just this outward appearance of things. It has to be an inner thing. Your thoughts, your feelings. You know, we have to be careful as ministers that we're going to continue in doing these things, the things that we're preaching and talking about. We better be doing them. We better be thinking about those things. We better be putting them into practice in our own lives. And so, he's drawing those two things together. That yeah, we can say all the right words. We can preach all the right things. But if we're not living by them, if there's a flaw in our character that comes out because we're not staying close to God, because we're not doing those things, what's going to happen to a minister? It'll ruin them. It'll become their ruin if what they're saying on the outside is not what's on the inside. And so, he's saying, watch it. Be careful. Keep an eye while you're keeping an eye on your congregation and being a good minister, keep an eye on yourself at the same time. Keep things in perspective. And so, he says, continue in them. Persist in them. The word means to persevere. Persevere in these things. Continue on. And so, he says, by doing those things, you're going to help God's people save yourself and those who heal you. And of course, he's not literally saving them, but because he's preaching the truth, if people obey the truth and live by it, ultimately, they're going to be in the kingdom. They're going to be a part of God's way. They're going to be faithful to the things that are being taught. And so, when we live by God's standards, God sees things as though they already are. And so, we can look forward to being a part of His family forever. All right. Well, that kind of concludes the chapter there. All right.

We'll move on into 1 Timothy, chapter 5. And the first two verses pretty much stand alone as one particular thought. And then in verse 3, it goes on to a slightly different subject. But in 1 Timothy 5, verse 1, Timothy is reminded, Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, and younger men as brothers. Paul is here in these first two verses reminding Timothy or instructing Timothy on the right kind of relationship that he would have as their elder in the congregation, as their leader, the kind of relationship he would have with the congregation. You might recall back in verse 12 of the previous chapter, you know, Don't let anyone despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word conduct, in love and spirit and faith, and in purity. We see purity mentioned again in verse 2, where he says to treat the older women as mothers, younger as sisters with all purity. Be above reproach in everything you do, Timothy, so that no one can accuse you of anything, especially with the younger sisters, the younger women. In verse 1, Do not rebuke an older man, that's not retook, some translations say, Do not rebuke an elder. It is talking about an older person, an older man, not another minister. And the word rebuke here comes from the Greek word epi-plaeso, E-P-I-P-L-A-F-O-O, epi-plaeso, and this word also is only used one time in the New Testament. It's a specific word that Paul used, and it means to strike upon or beat upon.

He says, Timothy, don't beat upon people. Now, he's not here talking about literally with a club, right? Because the secondary meaning to epi-plaeso is to chastise with words, to chide, up-braid, or rebuke. So these are the kind of rebukes that would be like you're beating someone down, hitting them, striking them verbally. Don't rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father and younger man as brothers. So it's how, as the elder in the congregation, Timothy was to treat people, how he was to come across as their minister, verse 2, older women as mothers, younger as sisters with all purity. And purity, of course, here is being above reproach in everything you do, especially in dealing with the women. Even in the ministry today, the ministry is exhorted to be very careful how they interact with other women in the congregation, and not to be in any compromising situations where people might talk, and where even if nothing goes on, you are not above reproach. The word here for exhort in verse 1, but exhort him as a father, this word exhort actually is used a lot. It's the Greek word perikileo, and it means to beseech or comfort, to pray for, to entreat, and to call to one's side, get somebody on your side, to summon someone to be with you. Perikileo means to address, speak to, call upon, or call to, which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, to console, to encourage, to strengthen by consolation, and to comfort. So that's the very opposite of epi-paleso, the very opposite of rebuking. To exhort is to bring someone on side, to comfort them, encourage them, strengthen them. So don't rebuke, exhort. Don't beat someone over the head in your sermons, but encourage and exhort them when you're preaching or teaching, and when it comes to doctrine. So that's verses 1 and 2. Verse 3 then gets into a different subject here slightly. Are the widows who are really widows? When's a widow really a widow?

What we're seeing here actually is more of a category of widows. We all know that a widow is someone who's lost their husband no matter what their age. But what Paul is talking about here to Timothy is those widows who actually have a particular need in the congregation. The authorized version, the King James says, those who are widows indeed. Honor widows who are widows indeed. And the New King James says, honor widows who are really widows. And as we'll see, Paul saw a need for the church to primarily take care of elderly women, women who had no husband or other means of support, especially no other means of financial support. And these were real widows, is what he's saying, those who have a particular need. And we'll see that he addresses younger widows and older widows here as we go through chapter 5. If you turn with me back to Deuteronomy chapter 14, I want to read two verses from Deuteronomy chapter 14, verses 28 and 29.

Deuteronomy 14 verse 28, at the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. This is talking about a special tithe every third year. This is what we call the third year tithe or the third tithe. And watch it 4 verse 29, and the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and you may remember that when Israel entered the promised land, the Levites were not, the tribe was not given a plot of land like Ephraim was, or Manasseh was, or Judah was. The Levites' job was to be the priesthood.

So, and the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the stranger and the faveless and the widow who are within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. So, what was this third year tithe for? It's for taking care of the Levites, the priesthood, but also the faveless and the widow. The third tithe was used to help the widows who had no other means of financial support. And so that's how it was administered in early times. In those times, the Levites distributed the third tithe assistance amongst themselves and the faveless and the widows. And today, that responsibility falls upon the modern-day priesthood and the administration of the Church of God. And so, we're told, honor widows who are really widows. Now, let's read on in verse 4. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, some translations say children or nephews, but it is talking about grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents, for this is good and acceptable before God. So here we see the family providing support for their aging parents, not the Church. There should not need to be a third tithe burden on the Church if the family can pitch in first. So if there really are widows and they have children and grandchildren, the kids should be helping out here. It shouldn't be all coming out of third tithe assistance.

And for this is good and acceptable before God, is how verse 4 ends. Piety here in verse 4 means dutiful regard and reverence. It means respect for the elderly.

And it's a commandment, isn't it, to honor our parents. And so out of respect for the elderly, out of reverence for their position in the family, the kids should repay their parents properly and take care of them. And there are some societies that do that very well, especially the oriental societies. We find less of that in the Western world when it comes to taking care of the elderly. So verse 5, now she who is really a widow, the one who really needs the third tithe assistance, shall we say, and who's left alone, she doesn't have children or grandchildren to help, well, she has to trust in God. And she who's really a widow and trusting God should continue in supplications and prayers night and day. The widow who is really alone, as the authorized version said, who is desolate, should receive church assistance. She will not be alone before God. Even if she's alone physically and has no kids to support her, God will support her, and it'll be through the strength of the church. This will be even if she has no physical family to support her. And this kind of widow that is worthy of this honor and support from the church will prove her dedication to God and will appreciate the support the church provides to her through her prayers and supplications night and day.

So this is a faithful church member that is, shall we say, worthy of this kind of assistance. She's proved herself over many years. She has no other way to support herself. She's done she's desolate, left alone, and now is trusting in God and the church. And the church, Paul says, should step up to the plate and help in that situation. He then provides a contrast in verse 6. And I might mention in verse 5 something that we must not forget, and that is that the church moves forward on its knees. And the contribution that the elderly make in the church when they have no physical strength, shall we say, left to do physical work for the church, the contribution that the elderly can make on their knees should not be underestimated. And because the church does move forward when people are praying, and that is certainly appreciated even today. But verse 6 is a contrast. But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. You see, she who lives a life of little concern for the church, she who lives a life of little concern for the spiritual needs of the church, is spiritually dead, yet still breathing, is what Paul is saying here. So if someone lives a life of pleasure, maybe even a widow, he's starting to fall into a different category here. Someone who's maybe not so worthy and accepting of the assistance that it would be coming from the church. It's a warning to those who may have ulterior motives even for receiving third tithe assistance from the church. That kind of person with ulterior motives is spiritually dead, even though they're still standing up on two feet and breathing. These things command that they may be blameless. And as we continue here with verse 8 in a moment with Mr. Myers, we're going to see a couple of different categories of widows now. So there is the widow who's the widow indeed, the real widow that deserves the assistance and the help from the church. Verse 7, these things command that they may be blameless. I think I'd put it this way. The church must provide for its elderly, especially widows and those who have no other means of support. This is a command, Paul is saying. It's part of the third tithe doctrine, shall we say. We ought to be blameless before God in this regard, in looking after those in need.

And those who receive church support should be blameless, honest, godly and doctrinally faithful, too, and be worthy of that kind of support from the church, which ultimately comes from God's tithes and offerings. So that's the first seven verses, and Mr. Myers is going to read the next seven or so. I was just thinking when you were going over that passage here about she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives. I was just thinking about that as you were talking, and it reminded me of Revelation 3, where it's talking about the Sardis church. It says, I know your works that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. So I think we all have to be careful of that. We have the name of Christ. We are supposed to be Christians, and so we carry this name, but is it just in name only? Are we really alive? Are we alive in living? Are we living proof that we are Christians, or is it just in name only? I think that's an interesting connection there. All right, going on in verse 8. We don't want to take this out of context. We're going to take it within these previous verses, and it says, if anyone doesn't provide for his own, and especially of those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

So oftentimes we'll read this, and we'll say, well, if you're a husband who doesn't have a job and your family's suffering, certainly that must be what this is referring to. And I think in one sense it certainly is. If we're not providing physically for the means of our family, it says, that is an evidence of good faith. But if you were to tear this word apart to provide, we can't relegate it only to money, because there's much more to providing for your family. I mean, we probably all know people who provide very well for their family, but when it comes to their emotional needs, they are a wreck. And when it comes to really supporting their family, being a family, taking care of the children, all of those, it includes all of those kinds of things. So it's not just a monetary thing. So there's also a companionship involved, and there's the whole aspect of what a family is. And that kind of harkens back to Ephesians, where it talks about what the family really represents. We're supposed to be representative of God's family. So this physical family is a representation of the whole plan of God. And so we've got to provide for all of their needs. We've got to make sure that all the needs are met, not just the food and the clothing, but that all the other aspects of our emotional needs are met as well. So we have to provide for our own, our own household. And if we don't, are we really a Christian? And providing for your own, specifically, you're talking about your relatives. We've got to provide for your family, the members of your household. And in a sense, it's harkening back to verse 4 here, where it says, if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them show piety at home and repay their parents. So it's not just mom and dad that have to take care of the kids. So oftentimes we'll read this, you don't provide for your own household. Well, you think of parents. But Paul is using this in a much broader sense as well. He's saying, kids, you as grown adults, you have to take care of your parents. You have to repay them. You have to take care of them. If you don't, you're denying your faith. In fact, if you were to look in some of the Greek laws, it was law that kids, grown adult children, were legally bound to support their parents. And if you didn't, you could get thrown in jail, you could lose your rights as a citizen, and all kinds of things. So this was a practical thing that Paul is talking about. And so if we really are faithful Christians, then we better make sure our own household is taken care of. Now, with the same sense, then we expand that from each of us as individuals, making sure our kids are taken care of, making sure our elderly parents are taken care of. Now we expand that to the church, because what is the church? The church is the household of God. So the household of God has to be taken care of as well. And that's where then the widows, the widows indeed, the ones who are true widows, need to be taken in. And they need to be taken care of. And so Paul gives some very specific instructions about that, beginning in verse 9. He says, Don't let a widow under 60 years old be taken into the number, and not unless she's been the wife of one man. So there is some kind of a list that says, taken into the number, or some translations say, enrolled or enlisted. It seems like here's this list of widows that are over 60. They're over 60 years old. And that was kind of a marker in society back then.

A little older for retirement age these days, but back then that was a marker of old age. And so some will argue about this passage. They'll say, well, that means different things.

It seems most likely to point to a list of widows that need to be supported by the church. That are widows indeed, there are no children to take care of them, or unable to take care of them. And they truly are widows, and so the church has to take care of them.

Because of the wording here, though, just so you know a little bit of the background and what some commentators say about this particular passage, some say, well, that's just talking about deaconesses. And they'll try to squeeze this idea of a deaconess that comes onto a list, and the church somehow should support them in that regard. But what doesn't fit there, it doesn't seem like 60 would be, you know, that's too old for the office of a deaconess. They're to help and wait on tables and serve the brethren and do all these things. And that was pretty elderly, especially for that day. So it doesn't seem to fit real well with that.

But then the other interesting aspect that's spoken about this particular passage is if there's a group of widows who had some type of special responsibilities in the church, that these would be the ones that were called to visit other women, that were there to help with the sick, perhaps with those that were fatherless, the orphans, or to help serve the other widows. And so it's kind of an interesting connection when you think of these different ways that people interpret these things. Now, could it be talking about that? Well, I think it's a little bit of a stretch. It seems by the context, when you look back, let's say when you just look back to chapter 5 at the very beginning, verse 1, where it's talking about older men as a father, younger men as brother, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters. And then who is really a widow down in verse 5? It seems like the context most likely points to this idea that this is a list, an enrollment of those ladies who are over 60 who have no other means of support, so that the church should watch over them and take care of them. It says that she had been a faithful wife. She had been the wife of one man, faithful to her husband. So this wasn't somebody that was running around. This was someone who was a faithful person. Verse 10, well reported for good works. Not only that she did good works, but people knew it. She was known for doing good works. So you see, there was evidence of the fact that this is a converted lady. If she's brought up children, not only having been a mother, but it seems also to point back to the father list as well, so that yes, she brought up her kids, but she also watched out for the ones who didn't have parents. She would have cared for them as well. It's as if she's lodged strangers. We were to be hospitable, and the women at that day who were going to be enrolled taking care of the church should have been women that were hospitable, that did watch out, looked out for strangers in that regard. So if she's washed the saint's feet, it goes on in the middle of verse 10. If she's relieved the afflicted, if she's diligently followed every good work, those are the ones that should be enrolled. Those are the ones that certainly the church needs to take care of. They're self-sacrificing. They're watching out for others' needs. They're helping with others' suffering. They're devoted to all kinds of...they're diligently...they're devoted ladies that we need to take care of. And so Paul is giving Timothy a whole list of things to show the way and what the proper means of taking care of these older women was and how the church had a responsibility in that.

On the other hand, verse 11, he just doesn't talk about, here's the ones that should be taking care of. He points out, now here's ones that shouldn't be on that list. These are ones that shouldn't be taken into the number. Verse 11, it says, refuse the younger widows. For when they've begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to be married. And so the younger ones, seems to be referring much younger than 60, they're the ones who want to be married again. They're the ones that are focused on that. And so it seems to be making that point that there can be a conflict then. If we're really focused on serving the church, if we're really focused on that, then that's a good thing. But we can get off track if our desires become just being remarried.

And if that's your goal, and that's what's at the forefront of your mind all the time, that's not being focused on what God would have us be. And so we can get off track in that way. And so here we see that's kind of what he's referring to. They can grow wanton against Christ.

Literally, it's talking about their desires. Their desires are more than their dedication. Their desires to be remarried overcome their faith in some ways. So he's saying, Timothy, don't be taken in by that. If they're alienating themselves from doing all these wonderful things that those enrolled are, you know, they're lodging strangers, they're taking care of children, they're relieving the afflicted. If they're more concerned about getting remarried than acting like godly women, he says, they don't fit in this group. That's not going to be someone that we're going to be able to take care of. And so that's their focus. They're bent on it, some translations say, they're bent on being remarried, or they are just absolutely determined.

And it's not that being remarried is a bad thing, either. That's not a bad thing. But we keep it in the context of what godly behavior is. And you know how it is when you just get your mind set on something and I've got to have it. And suddenly that's your only focus. Well, with these people, their only focus was to get remarried, and that was not a right motivation. That I just have to be married. And so Paul's bringing that to his attention there. I think at the same sense, when you think about being remarried, is there anything wrong with a widow remarrying? No, he's not saying that at all. I think what he's pointing at is that younger women have probably more of an emotional need to remarry than perhaps an older widow might. And if that's the case, they're not ones that would be included in that list as well. So it's not necessarily just a negative character flaw, but if that's their focus, that they have, let's say, younger children. They wanted a father for those kids and that sort of thing. That emotional need also has to be met. And so those would be ones that ultimately their new family would take care of as well. Then he comes back to this idea in verse 12 that if their only focus is that they're determined to remarry and their faith is sliding because of that, he says they're having condemnation. Verse 12, because they've cast off their first faith. The condemnation is not talking about necessarily being thrown in the lake of fire there, but they're off track. They're off track and they better repent and have their first love. Boy, that harkens back to what we read in Revelation as well, doesn't it? That there were some that lost their first love. Well, we've got to make sure that we're devoted to live first as godly people and serve God in all of our things. And so he's saying otherwise we've got to change our way of thinking. Of course, look what some of them were doing. Because of this verse 13, it says, besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle, but gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. And so they've gotten in the habit of, well, since there wasn't much else to do, might as well talk about people. Might as well gossip about things. You know, the word there for gossiping can be just talking idly, never being quiet about things. Sometimes accusations could be involved in those things. The word can mean all of those different things. Even malicious words could be included in this word for gossips. And it also refers to busybodies, which gives it a little bit different slant. Not only talking nonsense and idly and accusing people and being malicious, but then this brings in this idea of getting into other people's affairs, prying into other people's business. That's none of their business.

Paying a lot of attention to things that they just shouldn't be concerned about. And so he says those are things that they just shouldn't be doing. And so he's saying that's the group that can't be included in this group. The next three verses finish up this idea of assistance for the widows, verses 14, 15 and 16. I think what Paul is telling Timothy here is if you give free money to young women who are young enough to be working and helping in the church and earning a living themselves, they're only going to then get into trouble. And when they have a vocation or time well spent. And I think it explains that a bit more here in verses 14, 15 and 16. Their for I desire the younger widows marry. Their children manage the house, give an opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully, for some have already turned aside after Satan.

So Paul is saying it's good for young widows to marry if the right man enters their life once again. Obviously it has to be for love. Young women, like all of us, are to be above reproach. And in Paul's time, unfortunately, this wasn't always the case when women didn't have a vocation or things to do. Because as we read in verse 13, some young widows had too much time on their hands.

They were turning into busybodies, getting involved in other people's lives where they shouldn't. Some may have even left to faith, turning aside to Satan, as it says in verse 15. You know, leaving the church. And young widows may face an additional challenge not to turn aside from the truth if they're not careful, especially if the church is providing their living for them. And like I said, you know, free money. Paul said to Timothy, that's not a good model to follow. There are those widows who really need it, and there are those who are still young enough to be busy in other ways. These are not the women that are benefited by free church financial assistance. He says, Timothy, they need to be occupied, busy, above reproach, contributing to the church family, and even remarrying if the situation provides itself. Verse 16, if any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them. Do not let the church be burdened that it may relieve those who are really widows. So it's kind of like a conclusion or a summary. Once again, he says, let the family support their widows wherever possible.

The church's limited financial assistance, or third tithe, should be reserved for those who really have no other recourse. I'm going to read you, like a little bit earlier, these verses from the New Living Translation. Not the Message Bible this time, but the New Living Translation. And here's how the New Living Translation puts it. Verses 11 through 16, you can listen up. The younger widows should not be on the list because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they'll want to remarry. Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. And if they are on the list, they'll learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people's business and talking about things they shouldn't. So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children take care of their own homes, then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. So I'm afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan. If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who truly are alone. So it's kind of a, you know, management policy almost for the congregation. And that's what we see here in Timothy. We've got instructions to elders. We've got how to care for the church, how to administer the third tithe, etc. Let me just read verses 17 and 18. It's a new subject now.

It's about appropriate compensation for those serving us. And this verse really is talking about financial compensation. Verse 17, let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. The word honor, be counted worthy of double honor, means price or sum, a value by which the price is fixed. It's from the Greek word timé. It's like time, t-i-m-e, time, pronounced timé. And it means of the price itself, of the price paid or received for a person or thing bought or sold. So it is talking about financial compensation here, that let those who rule well, that's not just any elders, it's those elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. So especially those who are teaching the truth and faithful doctrine, once again. And this book of Timothy is filled with the word doctrine, as I mentioned earlier. For the scripture says, verse 18, you shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and the laborer is worthy of his wages. So elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching faithful doctrine.

And so we're getting closer now to nine o'clock. What do you want to do? We've got a few verses to go to the end of chapter. Finish it up? I think so. Okay. We could take some of the questions next time, or maybe deal with them on the BT. Answer questions on BT Daily? Maybe we can do that too. Okay. So verse 19 then is where we left off. Okay. Verse 19. Well, maybe that would be the best place to start. What do we got? Five minutes? You want to do a couple of questions? The one we probably should wait for. One's a question about first Timothy as women's roles, which we talked about a little bit. I think it's more of a comment than a question. The other one was a question about second Timothy, which we'll be getting into later. So that takes care of that one. I think we're down to these two. This one's interesting. I heard in a sermon that for ordinary weekly, monthly, etc. fast, sundown to sundown was not necessary. The only fast required for sundown to sundown was a day of atonement. So if I want to fast for a particular thing or just to get closer to God, is a 12-hour fast, day fast, so to speak, acceptable to God? If so, why couldn't I fast through the night and sleep through the fast? I was taught sundown to sundown was the only acceptable fast.

And I would say that sundown to sundown is not the only acceptable fast. On the day of atonement, it is the only acceptable fast. Some fasts can be longer than 24 hours. Some have been days long, weeks long in the Bible, as you know. I don't recommend 40 days. You probably would not make it.

But if you sleep through the night and don't eat, that is not the purpose of a fast. The purpose of a fast is to draw closer to God. So an example of a less than 24-hour fast might be when you get to work that day, you skip lunch and you don't eat from breakfast until dinner. And you use that lunch hour for extra prayer and study instead of eating. So you've denied yourself food for a time in order to spend more time studying God's Word and praying. That's an acceptable use of not eating for a while. Now you may decide to go longer than that, or you may decide to skip breakfast and lunch so that you can spend more time with God. But you may have dinner an hour earlier than you quit the night before. It may not be a full 24 hours, but it would still be an acceptable fast. If the idea of your fast is to draw closer to God and study His Word, the day of a tournament, yes, has to be 24 hours, is the minimum. But sleeping through the night would not be acceptable. Because the idea is to draw closer to God. Yeah, Isaiah 58 talks about that, what is an acceptable fast. And if we're avoiding eating by sleeping, that doesn't seem to fit the category. We should be substituting spiritual food for the physical food. And if we're sleeping, we don't normally eat during that time anyway, do we? All right, I don't know that we've got much time, but maybe we can address at least a little bit of this one. That one we'll save for later. What does it mean in Zechariah 13.7?

Zechariah 13.7, where it says, strike the shepherd, the sheep will be scattered. There's a second part. We'll see how we do if we can get to that. I think it's just a totally different question here.

I think there's a couple of things here. If you turn over to Zechariah 13, if we think of the context of what's happening here in Zechariah just really quickly, there's some prophecies that are dual here that are talking about certain situations, but are also reflective of end time events as well. So oftentimes throughout the book of Zechariah, we'll read about in that day. That's referring to the end time. So we see that by chapter 12, verse 9, talks about in that day, chapter 13, verse 1. Verse 2, in that day it shall come to pass. So there's all kinds of things that are pointing to the duality of this particular passage. And so then verse 7, it says, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my companion, says the Lord of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I'll turn my hand against the little ones. So just as a simple thing, we see who is the ultimate shepherd. Well, Christ is the ultimate shepherd. Even some of the translations, there's capital letters that are used throughout here. And of course, we know, certainly as God's shepherds led His people, and they were good shepherds, the people responded, and they followed God. But when the shepherd was taken away, struck down, the people had trouble. That's kind of the history of Israel, isn't it? Now you fast forward to Jesus Christ, what happened when Christ was taken? All the disciples ran away. He even talked about that. I will be left alone. And so certainly referring to that as well. Now, if we had to carry on from there, we also see some prophecies that talk about the end times, and they tie in with some of the things that are in the book of Revelation. So we see some of the things that are talking about what will come to pass. Verse 8 says, the Lord, two-thirds of it shall be cut off and die, one-third shall be left. Some of those things are pointing forward. We really don't have a lot of time to get into some of the specifics of things. But pointing forward to some of the prophecies of end times events during the day of the Lord. And so in its simplest form, I suppose that's a real quick synopsis of some of the things it's pointing to. Yeah, verse 7 definitely has an application of Jesus Christ. There's a lot of end time duality in Zechariah chapter 13.

Maybe we should go there after we're done with Timothy. Maybe talk about some of these types of things as well. We'll have to see if maybe that would be a possibility. So what was the other one? Do we have some time or not? She said, would you please explain Acts 8 verse 4? Acts 8 verse 4. And it's a fairly quick one. Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Acts 8 verse 4. Now you notice verse 3, As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house and hailing men and women, committing them to prison. This is, of course, before Saul was converted and became Paul. And he was persecuting the church. Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. And it's just simply the church was scattered, but they did not stop doing what they were commissioned to do by Jesus Christ. That was to make disciples and preach the gospel of the kingdom. Verse 9, Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them.

So just because you're being persecuted, just because you're being scattered abroad, doesn't mean you stop doing your work for God. You don't stop preaching the gospel. You don't stop strengthening the church. So that's... Yeah, I wonder if they're trying to tie in the two passages striking the shepherds, Zechariah, and then here in the book of Acts. I don't think you take away the shepherd in that sense. Christ is ultimately the shepherd at all times. And certainly that is the indication here that we all have a personal responsibility for living by the Word of God. And that will certainly be part of the preaching of the Word that refers to there as well. All right. I think that's probably about all we have time for for tonight. We've got a couple other questions we'll save for next time. We may deal with a couple of these on this BT Daily that we've started, so keep your eye on ucg.org and take a look at those. If you've got any suggestions, please let us know. If you've got any questions, go ahead and send them to us. We'd certainly love to have those. And maybe what we'll try to do is dedicate a little bit more time next time so that we can answer a few more of those. So, I appreciate you being with us. And have a good evening! See you next time!