When God cast Satan out of heaven and gave him the earth to rule over, why then would God make the choice to create man on Earth?  The more I read the Bible, my feelings towards being a christian began to change.  God creates man on earth, knowing Satan is there.  God destroys the earth with the Great Flood because He saw that the earth was wicked.  God binds Satan for a thousand years and then turns him loose again to rule once more before he is cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.  This life God gave us seems to me to be a stage for His amusement.  I love my children and would never set up such drama in order for them to prove to me they love me... why has GOD??

Sincerely,
Toyed With

Dear Toyed With,

If God had set the earth up as a stage for His amusement, then He never would have come and died on a cross for us (Jhn 3:16).  God specifically restricts Satan’s ability to tempt us (1 Cor 10:13), and God makes it clear that He never asks us to endure any trial that He isn’t also willing to endure (Heb 2:18).

This life is all about letting people have the freedom to choose their own destiny (Deu 30:19).  Even the flood that Noah’s family endured was for their benefit – it saved the only faithful people on the planet from the corruptive influence of sin (1 Pet 3:20).  God doesn’t desire any of the wicked to perish (Ezek 18:23).  His desire is for all mankind to choose Him.  God honors our freewill by giving each of us an entire lifetime to choose for ourselves whether we want to spend eternity with Him or away from Him.  It isn’t about us proving our love… it is about God respecting the freedom He gave us.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

Is it true we should have deacons in church?

Sincerely,
Servant Supporter

Dear Servant Supporter,

Deacons are a part of God’s design for the church.  The qualifications for deacons can be found in 1 Tim 3:8-13.  The word ‘deacon’ means ‘servant’.  In the context of the Bible, a deacon is a servant who helps the elders (Php 1:1).  Every local congregation is led by an eldership (1 Pet 5:1-3) if there are qualified men who can serve as elders (Tit 1:5-9).  As elders lead the church, there are so many tasks and responsibilities that the eldership can be overwhelmed by the work… that is where deacons come in.  Deacons are faithful men that the elders can delegate work to, so the congregation can more effectively get the Lord’s work done.

(This is a follow-up to “Laban’s Luck”)

I have another question similar to the last question about divination.  According to Genesis 44:5, Joseph uses a cup for divination.  Again the Bible doesn't give much information about this.  So far I can think of two possible methods: hydromancy (which is divination using water or maybe other liquids) and/or scrying (which is an occult practice by means of seeing physically on anything clear such as glass, gemstone, crystal, and water or anything that reflects such as mirrors and, again, water).  The most popular object is a crystal ball.  If scrying is it, then either Joseph filled the cup with water and scryed, or if the cup can reflect, then he can scry on the cup.  But I don't know.  Do you know exactly what method he used?  If not, then do you know where I can get more information about this?

Sincerely,
Crying For Scrying

Dear Crying For Scrying,

The Bible gives absolutely no details on how Joseph used that cup for divining… it doesn’t even say that he does – it just mentions that Joseph’s steward was supposed to say that to Joseph’s brothers (Gen 44:1) as part of his ruse to get them to come back (Gen 44:14).  The proof that Joseph actually did use the practice of divining is tentative at best.  Regardless, divining is wrong today.  Though God spoke to the prophets in various forms in the past, today God speaks to us through His Son’s Word (Heb 1:1-2).  When we become christians, we throw away all occult practices (Acts 19:19).  There is nothing to divine that the Lord hasn’t already taught us in His Word (2 Pet. 1:3).