Is there a Bible verse that says, "Count your many blessings”?

Sincerely,
Grateful Mathematician

Dear Grateful Mathematician,

“Count Your Many Blessings” is the name of a popular hymn, but it isn’t a Bible verse.  Having said that, the idea of counting your blessings is a very Biblical idea.  Php 4:8 tells us to dwell upon good and pleasant things.  2 Cor 1:11 gives us the example of being grateful when we receive blessings.  Eph 1:16 points out that the apostle Paul never ceased giving thanks for people who blessed his life.  Php 4:6 tells us that thanksgiving should be a regular element in our prayers.  There is no doubt that the thoughts expressed in the hymn “Count Your Many Blessings” is right on target with Scriptural ideals.

In Revelation 21:1, the narrator said, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea."

Now, my question is: is this to be taken literally?  Or is it just a symbolic description?  Also, in Isaiah 65:17, it says, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind."  Is this a prophetic verse for our time?  Or was it a metaphor for that civilization?  In 2 Peter 3:13, it says, "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness."  So, indeed, we expect the new heaven and new earth?  Is this the new Paradise?

Sincerely,
Looking Ahead

Dear Looking Ahead,

Any time we see terminology like “new heavens and new earth”, we need to make sure that we are keeping it in its context.  Depending upon the circumstance and the situation, the phrase may mean different things.  A new heaven and earth stands for a change in world-order… the new world can only be understood by looking at the context and seeing what the old world was.  In Isaiah chapter 65, the prophet is discussing the new covenant that would be set up by Christ.  The old covenant Jews are being compared to the new covenant christians.  The Jews rejected God (Isa 65:12), and the christians would be a new Jerusalem that would faithfully serve God (Isa 65:18, Heb 12:22-24).  The new heaven and new earth of Isa 65:17 is the church and the New Covenant in Christ.

However, Rev 21:1 and 2 Pet 3:13 are talking about an entirely different situation.  Once again, context is the key to understanding these verses.  In both Revelation and Second Peter, the context is dealing with the end of this physical world and the beginning of eternity in a spiritual realm (Rev 21:4, 2 Pet 3:7-10).  In those verses, the new heavens and earth represent the change from a physical world to a spiritual world.

My question is on Genesis 34:19.  Shechem has agreed to be circumcised to be able to keep Dinah.  It says, "…he [Shechem] is more respected than all the household of his father".  Then the account goes on to show that he, his father, and all the men were slain by the sons of Jacob in revenge for violating Dinah.  That is after they do what was asked of them and were circumcised.  What does ‘respected’ mean in this case?  Why is that verse there for us to read?  What truth is God revealing?  This verse has me stumped, and it is good to have AskYourPreacher around for an answer :).

Sincerely,
Respectfully Stumped

Dear Respectfully Stumped,

Shechem loved Dinah, but he did a sinful and dishonorable thing by laying with her before marriage (Gen 34:2).  Shechem truly loved her and realized that he had done something wrong and asked for his father to do whatever it took to obtain Dinah for him as a wife (Gen 34:3-4).  Jacob tells Shechem’s father, Hamor, that the only way that they can intermarry with them is if their people, the Hivites, all became circumcised.  The verse in question, Gen 34:19, explains that Shechem was more than willing to be circumcised because he was “more respected” (other translations say “more honorable”) than anyone else in his father’s house.  Shechem wasn’t a perfect man, but he did have a moral code and was willing to be circumcised, a very painful operation, in order to repent of that sin.  Shechem had a sense of honor.

Eventually, Jacob’s sons, Levi and Simeon, kill all the men in the city out of revenge, but that wasn’t something that was pleasing to God.  Jacob rebuked them for being so bloodthirsty and vengeful (Gen 34:30).  Shechem was a good man who made a bad choice, and Levi and Simeon killed him and all of his household deceitfully.

I have been reading through your archives and saw many people who asked about Christians keeping the Sabbath day.  Since Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament when He died on the cross, why do Christians still go to church on Sunday?  Many act like it is required, that you MUST go to church, but is that true?

Sincerely,
Do I Have To Go?

Dear Do I Have To Go,

Christians do not need to keep the Sabbath day… but the Sabbath isn’t Sunday.  The Sabbath was an Old Testament day of worship – it was on Saturday (Ex 16:26).  Christians are commanded by God to meet on Sunday.  We know this because there are two things that the church has to do every Sunday.

1. The church is supposed to gather together and take the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 11:18-20).
2. The church is supposed to take up a collection every Sunday to further God’s work (1 Cor 16:1-2).

While those two acts are commanded for Sunday and Sunday only, there are plenty of other things the church needs to gather to do.  The church needs to be praying together, studying God’s Word together (Acts 2:42), and singing praise to God on a regular basis (Col 3:16).  Heb 10:24-25 says that it is a sin for a christian to forsake the assembly.  Every christian needs to make it a clear and consistent priority to set Sunday aside to serve and worship God.  Sunday worship is a part of a christian’s duty.

If "thou shalt not kill", then does that mean that most American (or any) soldiers that have fought in wars are going to hell?  Or police officers that have had to shoot a suspect to protect their own life are doomed?  The commandment doesn't have an "except for this situation" addition to it.

Can you explain this to me please? Thank you.  Please don't reply with, "Well, they will be okay as long as they ask for forgiveness".  Murder is murder, and the sixth commandment says nothing about it being "okay" as long as you ask for forgiveness.

Sincerely,
Curious Agnostic

Dear Curious Agnostic,

The Hebrew word used for ‘kill’ in the Ten Commandments literally means ‘murder’.  There is a difference between killing someone in self-defense and pre-meditated, intentional murder of another human being.  The Bible has plenty of examples of faithful people going to war (David killed Goliath in battle – 1 Sam 17:49-50).  The Bible is also full of examples of capital punishment for certain crimes (Num 15:35).  Num 35:15-16 makes a distinction between accidentally killing someone and premeditated murder.  A police officer may have to kill someone while serving the community, but that isn’t murder.  There is a difference.