QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (39)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Dictionary.com gives the following definitions of the word “question.”

1.      A sentence in an interrogative form addressed to someone in order to get information

2.      A problem for discussion

3.      A matter of some difficulty or concern

 

B.      All of the definitions just listed are reasons why you ask questions on our Q&A Night. 

 

C.     Since I was gone on the first Sunday night, I thought it would be good to continue the Q&A tonight.  We do not want you to miss your most favorite sermon of the month.

 

D.    Tonight we will be answering three questions that you have submitted.

 

I.                   QUESTION #1:  Nimrod

 

A.    Stated:  Who was Nimrod?  Why is the world so obsessed with him?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Nimrod is the great grandson of Noah (Gen 10:8; I Chron. 1:10).

 

And Cush begat Nimrod…

 

a.      Noah…Ham…Cush…Nimrod

b.      Ham was the son who looked upon his father’s nakedness (Gen. 10:22) and a curse was placed upon one of his descendants named Canaan (Gen. 10:25).

2.      Other facts about Nimrod

a.      The meaning of his name:

1)      BDB:  rebellion or valiant

2)      “The very name of Nimrod was almost certainly derived from a pair of Semitic roots 'n*mr' (leopard) and 'radah' (subduer). Sooooo he really was ‘the leopard subduer’ by name.” (https://animesuperhero.com/forums/threads/bugs-bunny-and-the-word-nimrod.3555791/)

b.      He was a mighty one in the earth (Gen. 10:8).

1)      The word “mighty” means “powerful.”

2)      He could have been a warrior.

3)      Some think he might have been a tyrant.

c.       He was a mighty hunter before the Lord (Gen. 10:9).

d.      He was responsible for building what eventually became the Babylonian and Assyrian empires (Gen. 10:10).

 

And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erch, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

 

1)      The name “Nimrod” means “strong” or “rebel.”

2)      Notice that he built the city of Babel. 

a)      Some believe that Nimrod was responsible for the rebellion of the people against God and the building of the tower of Babel.  NOTE:  The Bible does not tell us this.  It comes from extrabiblical sources.

b)      It appears that since Nimrod was a strong man, a hunter, and associated with Babel that all kinds of stories and myths were circulated about him.

3.      Often we hear the word “Nimrod” spoken in derision today.

a.      “You are a nimrod.”

b.      The word refers to a dimwitted or stupid person.

c.       In 1932, Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck used the word in this way in reference to Elmer Fudd.  It was intended as an ironic connection between the “mighty hunter” of the Bible and the “poor little nimrod,” Elmer Fudd, a hunter also.

 

II.                QUESTION #2:  Blessing Others

 

A.    Stated:  It is okay to state that our actions/works “bless” someone?  Some denominations speak this way.  “We blessed the Atlantic Beach area with a clothing drive.”  Is it walking a shaky scriptural line?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      The word “bless” is found 127 times in 117 verses in the Bible.

2.      Definition:

a.      OT

1)      Strong (1288):  to kneel, to bless

2)      BDB:  to kneel, bless, praise

b.      NT

1)      Strong (2127):  to speak well of, to bless, invoke a benediction upon

2)      Thayer:  to invoke blessings, to bestow blessings upon

3)      Vine:  to speak well of, to ask God’s blessing upon a thing,

3.      Notice that one of the definitions of the word “bless” is “to bestow blessings upon.” 

a.      Our actions can bestow blessings on others.

1)      Giving money to a homeless person blesses them with food for a day.

2)      Watching a single mother’s child blesses her with time to take a test that will certify her for a job that will make her life better.

3)      Giving a coat blesses someone with warmth on a cold winter day.

4)      Praying for another blesses them with the movement of God’s providence in their direction.

5)      A positive word blesses another with the motivation he needs to complete a difficult project.

b.      James 1:17 tells us that “good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights…”  However, there are times when God uses us to bring His blessings to others.

c.       NOTE:  We can even bless our enemies (Matt. 5:44).

 

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you…

 

4.      Just because a denomination does something that we do does not make the action wrong.

a.      We give to charities.  The denominations give to charities.  Is that wrong?

b.      We support missionaries.  The denominations do the same.  Is that wrong?

c.       We stand against abortion.  So do the denominations.  Is that wrong?

d.      NOTE:  What makes an action right or wrong is what the Bible says about it, not what others are doing.

 

 

 

III.             QUESTION #3:  Mark 11:24

 

A.    Stated:  Can you explain in detail the meaning of Mark 11:24?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Mark 11:24

 

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

 

2.      Context:

a.      The day before this teaching, Jesus and His disciples had come from Bethany and Jesus was hungry (Mark 11:12).

b.      He saw a fig tree having leaves, but no fruit (Mark 11:13).

c.       Jesus offered a prayer that cursed the tree (Mark 11:14).

 

And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever.  And the disciples heard it.

 

d.      On this day, they passed the tree and “they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots” (Mark 14:20).

e.       Peter called Jesus’ attention to the tree that He had cursed the day before (Mark 14:21).

f.        Jesus then taught them about the power of faith in prayer (Mark 14:22-24).

 

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye shall receive them, and ye shall have them.

 

1)      Have faith in God

2)      Shall not doubt in his heart

3)      Shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass

4)      Believe that ye shall receive them

3.      If we do not have faith that we will receive the things for which we ask, we will never receive them (James 1:5-8).

 

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering:  for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.

 

4.      We must also keep in mind that there are other conditions to acceptable prayer.

a.      The Lord’s will (I John 5:14)

 

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.

 

b.      Not wanting to have things to spend upon our own lusts (James 4:3).

 

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We have looked at some interesting things tonight.

1.      We have looked at Nimrod, the son of Cush, the great grandson of Noah.

a.      You can be a “Nimrod” and be a mighty hunter.

b.      Or, you can be a “Nimrod” and be an Elmer Fudd.

2.      We have seen that God can use us in ways that will bless other people.  Thus, we should pray:  “Father, let my life be a blessing.”

3.      We have seen that we must pray in faith, nothing doubting in order for our prayers to avail before God.  However, there are also other elements of prayer that must also be considered when it comes to our getting an answer from God

 

B.      The first Sunday night of next month, we will do our next Q&A Night.  I am considering questions about the origin of some of the holidays that we celebrate and a question about the casting of lots.  It should be an interesting lesson.