Wisdom-Trek ©

H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III
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Do you desire to gain wisdom, make an impact on your world, and create a living legacy? Through the use of positive/encouraging stories, parables, allegories, and analogies we will explore the trails of everyday life in a practical and meaningful manner as we scale towards our summit of life. The purpose of our Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal is to teach you wisdom and discipline, to help you understand the insights of the wise, to teach you to live disciplined and successful lives, to help you do what is right, just, and fair. By obtaining this wisdom then you will be able to create a living legacy for today that will live on and be multiplied through the lives of others. Wisdom-Trek.com is your portal to all things pertaining to the acquisition of wisdom, insight, and knowledge. The Wisdom-Trek platform includes this website along with a daily journal, and a daily podcast on wisdom and creating a living legacy. It is your portal because it is our hope that everyone will share and participate in gaining wisdom, insight, and discernment. As we gain wisdom it is so we can share what we have learned with others. No single person is ‘all-wise’ and when we share with each other that we all gain wisdom. We encourage you to share insights, ask questions, and grow together. Join us today and become part of the Wisdom-Trek team.

  1. 1H AGO

    Day 2807 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 116:15-19 – Daily Wisdom

    Welcome to Day 2807 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2807 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 116:15-19 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2807 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2807 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Costly Departure – A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Today, we are bringing our deeply personal journey through Psalm One Hundred Sixteen to a glorious, triumphant conclusion. We will be trekking through the final stanza of this profound song, covering verses fifteen through nineteen, in the New Living Translation. Before we take our next step, we must look back over our shoulder at the trail we just traveled. In our previous trek, covering the first fourteen verses of this psalm, we stood beside a man who had stared into the terrifying abyss of the underworld. We heard his raw, trembling testimony. He told us how the ropes of death had wrapped around his neck, and how the terrors of the grave had overtaken him. In his absolute helplessness, he cried out a simple prayer: "Please, Lord, save me!" And Yahweh, the Most High God, bent down from the heavens to listen. He severed the cords of death, dried the psalmist's tears, and stabilized his stumbling feet. In overwhelming gratitude, the psalmist lifted the "Cup of Salvation," promising to praise the Lord in the land of the living. We also remembered that this is part of the Egyptian Hallel, the collection of psalms sung during the Passover. Jesus Himself sang these very words in the Upper Room, just hours before He faced the ultimate terror of the cross. Now, as we enter the final five verses, the psalmist transitions from the private terror of his near-death experience, to the public courts of the temple. He begins with a stunning revelation about how God views the death of His people, and ends with a communal feast of thanksgiving. It is a transition from the darkness of the grave, to the bright, joyful center of cosmic geography: Jerusalem. Let us walk into the temple courts, and listen to the conclusion of this magnificent testimony. The first segment is: The Weight of the Faithful: A Costly Departure. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verse fifteen. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. This single verse is one of the most famous, and frequently quoted, comforts in the entire Bible, especially during times of grief. But to truly understand its depth, we must peel back the layers of the original Hebrew language, and view it through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview. The word translated as "precious" is yaqar. In English, when we hear the word "precious," we often think of something sweet, sentimental, or cute. But that is not what yaqar means. In biblical Hebrew, yaqar means heavy, rare, costly, or of immense value. It is the word used to describe rare jewels, or the heavy, expensive stones used to lay the foundation of the temple. Therefore, the psalmist is not saying that God finds our death sweet or pleasant. Death is the enemy. Death, in the ancient mindset, was the ultimate expression of the chaotic realm of Sheol. Instead, the psalmist is making a profound statement about our value: "Heavy, costly, and of immense consequence in the sight of Yahweh, is the death of His faithful ones." God does not view the passing of His people casually. He does not treat us as expendable pawns on a cosmic chessboard. When the forces of chaos and disease try to drag a believer down into the grave, the Lord takes it personally. It costs Him something. He values His human imagers so highly, that their departure from this earth is an event of cosmic gravity. The term "faithful servants" is the Hebrew word chasidim, which is rooted in Hesed—God's unfailing, loyal, covenant love. The chasidim are the loyal ones, the ones bound to God by covenant. Because He is fiercely loyal to them, He does not surrender them to the grave without a fight. In the case of this psalmist, God looked at the high cost of his death, stepped into the fray, and said, "Not today." He severed the ropes of Sheol, because the life of His servant was simply too valuable to lose to the darkness. When Jesus sang this verse on the night of His betrayal, He was acknowledging the profound weight of what He was about to do. His death would be the ultimate, costly departure. Yet, because it was so precious in the sight of the Father, it would become the very mechanism that defeated death forever. The second segment is: The Joyful Captive: Freedom Through Submission. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verse sixteen. O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. Having reflected on how much God values his life, the psalmist responds with an absolute surrender of his identity. He repeats his title twice for emphasis: "O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant." The word for "servant" here is ebed, which can also be translated as slave or bondservant. But this is not a forced, oppressive slavery; this is a willing, joyful submission to a benevolent King. The psalmist adds a beautiful, intimate detail: "born into your household." Literally, the text says, "the son of your maidservant." In the ancient Near East, a slave who was purchased from a foreign land had a very different status than a slave who was born within the master's own house. A servant born into the household was practically considered family. They grew up under the master's roof, ate the master's food, and enjoyed the master's protection. By calling himself the son of a maidservant, the psalmist is claiming a deep, lifelong, family connection to Yahweh. He is saying, "Lord, I belong to You. I have always belonged to You. I am a child of Your estate." And here is the beautiful paradox of the biblical worldview: true freedom is found only in becoming a servant of the Most High God. Notice the next phrase: "you have freed me from my chains." Just a few verses earlier, the psalmist was wrapped in the ropes of death. Those were the chains of chaos, destruction, and fear. By submitting himself entirely to Yahweh as a servant, those chains of oppression were shattered. In the Divine Council worldview, humans will always serve a master. We will either be enslaved by the dark, rebellious principalities of this world—forces that seek to bind us in addiction, fear, and ultimately the grave—or we will bind ourselves to the Creator, whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light. The psalmist declares that because God broke the chains of death, he is now happily, permanently bound to the Lord. He is a free man, precisely because he is God's servant. The third segment is: The Public Feast: Testifying in the Sacred Courts. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verses seventeen through nineteen. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people— in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! Now, the psalmist takes his private, internal gratitude, and makes it undeniably public. He transitions from the prayer closet, to the temple courts. He promises: "I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving." This is a very specific reference to the Levitical law. In the Book of Leviticus, Chapter Seven, the Todah—or Thanksgiving Sacrifice—was a type of peace offering. When an Israelite was rescued from a life-threatening illness, a dangerous journey, or a deadly enemy, they were instructed to bring an animal sacrifice, along with unleavened bread, to the tabernacle. But this sacrifice was unique. It was not burned up entirely on the altar. The priest took a portion, but the vast majority of the meat and bread was given back to the worshiper. The worshiper was then required to host a massive, joyful feast, inviting their family, friends, and even the poor, to eat the meal with them on that very same day. Think about the profound psychology of this ritual. You could not eat an entire animal by yourself. You had to invite a crowd. And as you passed the meat and the bread, people would naturally ask, "What are we celebrating?" That was your moment to testify. That was the moment to say, "I was standing at the edge of the grave. The ropes of death had me. But I called on the name of the Lord, and He saved me!" This is exactly what the psalmist intends to do: "and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence...

    13 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Day 2806 – Theology Thursday – Exegesis vs. Eisegesis: How We Read the Bible Matters.

    Welcome to Day 2806 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Exegesis vs. Eisegesis: How We Read the Bible Matters. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2806 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2806 of our Trek.   The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today’s lesson is titled  Exegesis vs. Eisegesis: How We Read the Bible Matters. When we read the Bible, we never approach it as a blank slate. We bring assumptions, cultural filters, personal experiences, and expectations. Scripture, however, demands that we lay those things down. The way we approach the Bible determines whether we are hearing God’s voice or simply amplifying our own. This is where the distinction between exegesis and eisegesis becomes critical. Exegesis is the process of drawing meaning out of a biblical passage based on its context, grammar, historical background, and literary structure. The term comes from a Greek word meaning “to lead out.” It asks what the author intended to communicate to the original audience and what God is saying through that text. Eisegesis, on the other hand, means “to lead into.” It involves importing one’s own ideas or assumptions into the text, whether consciously or not. While it may sound harmless, eisegesis can distort theology, promote error, and mislead sincere readers. The first segment is: Laodicea and the Lukewarm Church. Revelation three verse sixteen says, “So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” A common interpretation suggests that Jesus prefers people to be either fully committed or openly rebellious rather than half-hearted. But this understanding contradicts the consistent call in Scripture for repentance and faith. Laodicea’s geography explains the metaphor. The city sat between Colossae, known for cold, refreshing water, and Hierapolis, famous for its hot springs. By the time water reached Laodicea through aqueducts, it was lukewarm, mineral-heavy, and unpleasant. Jesus is not comparing spiritual passion and apathy. He is saying the church had become spiritually useless, offering neither refreshment nor healing. Exegesis brings this context to light. Eisegesis misreads the metaphor entirely and turns the passage into a strange statement about God’s preferences. The second segment is: Two or Three Gathered. Matthew 18:20 is frequently quoted to affirm the power of small group prayer: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” While it sounds encouraging, the verse does not refer to prayer meetings or informal worship. In context, it concludes a section on church discipline. Jesus is assuring His followers that when they faithfully carry out difficult acts of correction or accountability within the church, His authority is present in their decisions. Used out of context, the verse suggests that Jesus is only present when multiple believers are gathered, as if He abandons solitary prayer. Exegesis clarifies that His presence is not limited by numbers. Eisegesis strips the verse from its legal and communal context and weakens other promises, like His assurance in Matthew 28 that He is with us always. The Third Segment is: Where There Is No Vision. Proverbs 29:18 in the King James Version says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” This verse is often quoted at leadership conferences or planning meetings to emphasize the need for goals and mission statements. However, the Hebrew word translated “vision” refers to divine revelation, not personal ambition. The full verse, which is often overlooked, says, “but blessed is he who keeps the law.” This makes the meaning clear. When people reject or are deprived of God’s instruction, moral chaos follows. Exegesis connects the verse to biblical authority and obedience. Eisegesis treats it as a motivational slogan and detaches it from the seriousness of spiritual rebellion. The fourth segment is: Putting Away Childish Things. In 1 Corinthians 13:11, Paul writes, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” This is often used in messages about growing up emotionally or assuming adult responsibilities. But Paul is not giving a general commentary on personal development. Instead, he is describing the difference between our present, limited spiritual understanding and the complete knowledge we will have when we are in the presence of God. This verse fits into Paul’s broader message about love enduring beyond spiritual gifts and current limitations. Exegesis places the passage within this eschatological framework. Eisegesis hijacks it for surface-level advice about maturing. The fifth Segment is: All Things for Good. Romans 8:28 is one of the most frequently cited verses in times of difficulty: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” The comfort is real, but the meaning is often misunderstood. People assume this verse guarantees that every trial will end in material blessing or emotional closure. Yet in the surrounding verses, Paul speaks about groaning, suffering, weakness, and the hope of redemption. The “good” that God works toward is not comfort or success but our conformity to the image of Christ and participation in His eternal glory. Exegesis keeps the focus on God’s eternal purpose. Eisegesis turns the verse into a false promise of temporary ease, which can lead to disappointment and doubt when things do not improve quickly. In Conclusion. Reading the Bible faithfully requires discipline, humility, and a willingness to be corrected. Exegesis draws us into the world of the text. It requires that we listen before we speak, observe before we assume, and seek God’s meaning rather than our own. Eisegesis reverses that process. It turns the Bible into a mirror for our own ideas, even when those ideas conflict with the truth. These five examples show how easily we can twist Scripture when we ignore its context. Misinterpretation may start small, but over time it weakens theology, confuses believers, and gives false confidence in promises God never made. When we allow the Bible to speak clearly and consistently, even hard truths become life-giving. That is the task of every student, teacher, and follower of Christ. If we are serious about discipleship, we must be serious about interpretation. Scripture is not a tool for affirming our desires. It is the voice of the living God, calling us into truth. And the only way to hear that voice rightly is to let the text lead—and to leave our own agendas behind. For further analysis, consider these Discussion Questions. Why do you think eisegesis is so common, especially in modern devotional or motivational uses of Scripture? How can we guard against reading our own ideas into the text? What tools or habits can help us become better at exegesis? How might improper interpretation of verses affect someone’s faith or expectations? Do you think it’s ever okay to use a verse devotionally if it’s not the original meaning? Why or why not? Join us next Theology Thursday to learn the why Order vs. Dominion: A Key to Understanding the Uniqueness of Yahweh. If you found this podcast insightful, please subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of  ‘Wisdom-Trek,       Creating a Legacy.’                 Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly,   I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:                 Liv Abundantly.      Love Unconditionally.              Listen Intentionally.             Learn Continuously.               Lend to others Generously.            ...

    10 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Day 2805 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 114:1-14– Daily Wisdom

    Welcome to Day 2805 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2805 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 114:1-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2805 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Cup of Salvation – Rescued from the Cords of Death Today, we are continuing our profound journey through the Egyptian Hallel. This is the collection of praise songs, sung by the Jewish people during the Passover festival, commemorating their deliverance from slavery. We are stepping into the deeply personal territory of Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, covering verses one through fourteen, in the New Living Translation. To fully appreciate where we are standing today, we must look back at the trail we just hiked in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen. In that previous trek, we stood amidst the great, living choir of Israel. We heard the worship leader call out to the nation, the priests, and all who fear the Lord, commanding them to trust in the Maker of heaven and earth. We learned that the heavens belong to Yahweh, but the earth has been given to humanity, as His authorized representatives. The psalm ended with a stark reminder: the dead cannot sing praises; therefore, we must praise the Lord while we still have breath in our lungs. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen takes that final thought about life, death, and praise, and turns it into a vivid, first-hand testimony. If Psalm One Hundred Fifteen was a massive, public choir singing about the theology of God, Psalm One Hundred Sixteen is a single, trembling voice, singing about the intimacy of God. The psalmist has just survived a near-death experience. He was standing on the absolute brink of the grave, staring into the abyss, and God reached down and pulled him back. As we read this, remember that this was sung by Jesus and His disciples on the very night He was betrayed. Jesus sang these words about the "snares of death," knowing that within hours, He would be facing the cross. So, let us walk closely with the psalmist, and discover what it means to lift the cup of salvation. The first segment is: Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verses one through four I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, Lord, save me!" The psalm begins with a raw, unfiltered declaration of affection: "I love the Lord." It is actually quite rare in the Psalms for the writer to begin with such a blunt, personal statement of love. But why does he love God? "Because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy." Notice the beautiful, physical imagery the psalmist uses to describe God’s attentiveness: "Because he bends down to listen." In the Hebrew, it conveys the idea of God turning His ear, inclining His head, to catch the faint whisper of a broken human being. We serve the Most High God, the Commander of the heavenly armies, yet He is a God who leans in. He leans down from the heights of the Divine Council, past the angels and the stars, just to hear the crack in your voice when you pray. And because God listens, the psalmist makes a lifelong commitment: "I will pray as long as I have breath!" But why was the prayer so urgent? "Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me." To grasp the terror in these words, we need to understand the Ancient Israelite worldview. In the ancient Near East, Death (Mot) and the Grave (Sheol) were not just biological events or holes in the dirt. They were viewed as cosmic forces, representing the chaotic underworld. Sheol was the realm of shadows, a spiritual fortress with gates and bars, actively hostile to the realm of the living. The psalmist feels as though Death has thrown a lasso around his neck. The "ropes" or "cords" of the grave have physically entangled him, and are violently dragging him down into the darkness. He is completely overwhelmed. He says, "I saw only trouble and sorrow." There is no human escape. His wealth cannot save him; his friends cannot save him; his own strength is entirely gone. In that moment of absolute, suffocating despair, he utters the simplest, most powerful prayer in the universe. "Then I called on the name of the Lord: 'Please, Lord, save me!'" When the theology of the mind hits the crisis of the body, our prayers lose their fancy vocabulary. We do not need eloquent words; we just need the Name of Yahweh. The psalmist cries out for rescue, invoking the very Name that possesses ultimate authority over the forces of Sheol.   (Reads Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verses five through eight NLT) How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. The rescue has occurred! The ropes have been severed. And the psalmist responds by bursting into a description of God’s character. "How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!" He has experienced the Hesed—the loyal, covenant love—of Yahweh firsthand. He realizes that God does not just possess these attributes; He acts upon them. And look at who God chooses to protect: "The Lord protects those of childlike faith." Other translations say, "the simple," or "the helpless." In the kingdom of God, you do not have to be a spiritual giant, a brilliant theologian, or a perfect saint to receive divine protection. You simply have to be self-aware enough to know that you are helpless. The Lord defends those who lack the ability to defend themselves. The psalmist admits, "I was facing death, and he saved me." Because of this great deliverance, the psalmist speaks directly to his own inner being. He commands his turbulent, traumatized emotions to calm down. "Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me." Trauma has a way of leaving our souls agitated, constantly looking over our shoulder for the next disaster. But the psalmist preaches to himself. He reminds his soul that the crisis is over. God has intervened. He lists the threefold salvation he has received: "He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling." God rescued his life from the grave, healed his emotional agony by wiping away his tears, and restored his physical stability by keeping his feet from tripping. It is a complete, holistic salvation—body, mind, and spirit. The Second Segment is: Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verses nine through eleven. And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth! I believed in you, so I said, "I am deeply troubled, Lord." In my anxiety I cried out to you, "These people are all liars!" Because his feet have been kept from stumbling, the psalmist makes a joyful declaration about his future: "And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!" Literally, this translates to "in the land of the living." Sheol tried to drag him into the land of the dead, but Yahweh secured his place in the land of the living. And he does not just walk; he walks "in the Lord's presence"—literally, "before the face of Yahweh." His entire life is now lived with an acute awareness that the God of the universe is watching over his steps. Then, he reflects on his state of mind during the crisis. "I believed in you, so I said, 'I am deeply troubled, Lord.'" This is a fascinating verse, and the Apostle Paul actually quotes it in the New Testament, in Second Corinthians, Chapter Four, saying, "I believed, therefore I spoke." The psalmist is telling us that true faith does not mean pretending everything is fine. True faith is what allows you to be brutally honest with God. Because he trusted God, he was able to openly confess, "I am deeply troubled." He did not hide his pain; he brought it to the only One who could heal it. In his panic, he had also...

    13 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Day 2804– The Devil Never Made Him Do It – Luke 4:1-13

    Welcome to Day 2804 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2804 – The Devil Never Made Him Do It – Luke 4:1-13 Putnam Church Message – 01/18/2026 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Devil Never Made Him Do It.”    Last week investigated a prophet who was unmatched in all history, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, in a message titled “The Greatest Mortal Who Ever Died.” Today, we begin our study through the ministry of Jesus Christ in a message titled: “The Devil Never Made Him Do It.” Our Core verses for this week are Luke 4:1-13, found on page 1595 of your Pew Bibles. Follow along as I read. OPENING PRAYER Holy Father, we gather today in the name of Jesus, our victorious Savior. As we open Your Word, teach us to recognize temptation, to discern the lies of the enemy, and to cling to the truth that sets us free. Strengthen our hearts by Your Spirit, steady our minds by Your Scriptures, and shape our lives to reflect the obedience of Christ in the wilderness. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and forever. Amen. Today, we come to a moment in Luke’s Gospel that occurs quietly, without crowds, without choirs of angels, without disciples watching in awe. There are no miracles, no sermons, no parables, and no healings. Instead, there is silence, sand, hunger, and a solitary battle in the wilderness. It is here that Jesus faces the enemy of our souls in a way no other human ever has — and He triumphs. And He does so not by leaning on His divine authority, but by walking in obedience as a human filled with and yielded to the Holy Spirit. Our preaching text this morning comes from Luke 4:1–13 (NLT). Luke writes: “Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.” (Luke 4:1–2) Luke wants us to see something right away: Jesus did not accidentally wander into temptation. He did not stumble into a spiritual ambush. He was led there. Led by whom? Led by the Spirit. And with that, Luke invites us into one of Scripture’s most profound mysteries: God can lead His children into places of testing for the purpose of strengthening, purifying, and proving them. This is not new. Israel experienced the same. Moses reminded the people in Deuteronomy 8:2 (NLT): “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you…” Jesus is reliving the story of Israel — but where Israel failed, Jesus prevails.     Context: Between Baptism and Ministry Before we move further, we must notice the timing: Just before the wilderness comes the baptism. Just before the temptation comes the affirmation. Just before the war comes, the voice from heaven. In Luke 3, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father declared: “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” (3:22) Immediately after that, Jesus is taken to the desert. This pattern is familiar to anyone who has walked with God: Mountaintops are often followed by valleys. Affirmation is often followed by assault. Calling is often followed by testing.   Some of you have lived this. A breakthrough in faith… then spiritual warfare. A new obedience… then unexpected discouragement. A step forward… then a push backward. If you’ve ever wondered why, Luke is showing you: Testing is not a sign of God’s absence — it is often evidence of His presence.   MAIN POINT 1 — The Devil First Attacks Where We Feel It Most (vv. 3–4) Luke writes: “Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.’” (4:3) By this point, after forty days, Jesus is physically weakened. The hunger is real — painfully real. Some of you know how foggy your mind becomes after fasting one day, let alone forty. Satan starts where we are most vulnerable. Not where we are strongest. He does not begin with lofty philosophical arguments or obscure theological debates. He begins with hunger — with the body — with basic need. Satan’s opening move can be summed up with one sentence: “You can meet your needs apart from the Father.” That was also the approach in Eden, / when Satan caused Eve to question whether God was withholding something good. Behind the bread, there is a deeper whisper: “If you really are God’s Son, why is your Father letting you go hungry?” You can almost hear the indictment: “Surely a good Father wouldn’t restrain you. Surely a good Father wouldn’t withhold. Surely a good Father would make this easier…” One of the devil’s oldest strategies is not to get us to hate God, but to doubt His goodness. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it beautifully: “Satan does not fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.”  And forgetfulness is often the doorway into sin. Jesus’ Response Jesus responds not by arguing, not by performing a miracle, not by demonstrating power — but by quoting Scripture: “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’” (4:4, quoting Deut. 8:3) Notice what He does not say: He does not deny the hunger. He does not pretend the need is imaginary. He simply asserts that obedience matters more than appetite. That trust matters more than immediacy. That the Father supplies what the Father demands. In our world — governed by hurry, convenience, and instant gratification — this sounds foreign. But Jesus is anchoring Himself in the Word rather than in the urgent cravings of the moment. Object Lesson – “The Bread Box” Imagine I bring a lunchbox to church and open it, revealing pieces of bread. I ask the children: “If you are hungry, what do you need?” They will quickly say: “Food!” Then I take out a small Bible and ask: “What do we need when we are tempted, afraid, or discouraged?”  It teaches the same point — bread sustains the body; the Word sustains the soul. Modern Analogy Consider how modern advertising works. Commercials rarely try to sell us “things.” They sell us “needs.” They whisper: “You deserve this.” “You shouldn’t have to wait.” “Why settle?” “Treat yourself.” And if we believe that our well-being depends on having our needs met immediately, we become easy prey. But Jesus shows us that our needs are not met best by grasping, but by trusting. Summary of Point 1 When Jesus is hungry, He refuses to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way. That is why this matters: Temptation rarely invites us to pursue something evil. It invites us to pursue something good in the wrong way or at the wrong time. Hunger is not sin. Appetite is not sin. Desire is not sin. But mistrusting the Father to pursue satisfaction apart from Him is.   Main Point 2 — Satan Offers a Shortcut to Glory (vv. 5–8) Luke continues: “Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ‘I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,’ the devil said, ‘because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.’” (Luke 4:5–7, NLT) This temptation is not about bread — it’s about power, purpose, and calling. At its heart, this temptation is Satan telling Jesus: “You can have the crown without the cross.” The Father had already promised the Son all nations as His inheritance (Psalm 2:7–8; Daniel 7:13–14). So notice — Satan is not offering Jesus something He couldn’t have. Satan is offering it without obedience. Without suffering. Without sacrifice. Without Calvary. Or to put it differently: “I’ll give you the throne now — no rejection, no betrayal, no Gethsemane, no nails, no tomb.” This temptation speaks deeply to the human condition because nothing entices us like shortcuts.  ...

    36 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Day 2803 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 115:9-18 – Daily Wisdom

    Welcome to Day 2803 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2803 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 115:19-18 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2803 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2803 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Living Choir – Trusting the Maker of Heaven and Earth Today, we are continuing our grand expedition through the Egyptian Hallel, that magnificent collection of praise songs sung by the Jewish people during the Passover festival. We are stepping into the second half of Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, covering verses nine through eighteen, in the New Living Translation. To properly set the stage, we must remember the theological fireworks from our previous trek. In the first eight verses of Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, the psalmist drew a sharp, mocking contrast between the God of Israel and the gods of the surrounding pagan nations. He declared that our God is in the heavens, doing whatever He pleases, while the idols of the nations are nothing more than dead blocks of wood, silver, and gold. They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see, and feet but cannot walk. The chilling warning was that those who make them, and trust in them, will become just like them—spiritually deaf, blind, and paralyzed. Now, in this second half of the psalm, the tone shifts from a theological argument, to a vibrant, liturgical choir. Having exposed the absolute uselessness of the pagan idols, the psalmist turns around to face the congregation of Israel. If the idols are dead, where should we put our trust? The answer rings out in a beautifully structured, responsive song. We will see the congregation divided into three distinct groups, receiving a threefold call to trust, followed by a threefold promise of blessing. Finally, the psalm concludes with a profound statement about cosmic geography, revealing our true human purpose on this earth, and the urgent necessity of praising God while we still have breath in our lungs. So, let us enter the temple courts, and join the choir. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verses nine through eleven O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. Imagine being in the temple courtyard. The worship leader, perhaps the High Priest, stands on the steps, and calls out to different sections of the gathered crowd. This is a responsive liturgy, designed to engage everyone present, regardless of their status or background. First, he addresses the entire covenant nation: "O Israel, trust the Lord!" This is the baseline of their identity. They are the people brought out of Egypt, the physical descendants of Jacob. In a world full of glittering, tempting idols, they are commanded to place their entire weight, their complete confidence, on Yahweh. Second, he turns to the religious leadership: "O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord!" The house of Aaron had the intense, dangerous job of mediating between a holy God and a sinful people. They handled the sacrifices. They stood in the holy place. Yet, even the spiritual elite cannot rely on their rituals, their lineage, or their religious garments. They, too, must practically, and daily, trust the Lord. Third, he looks beyond the ethnic boundaries of Israel, and addresses a broader group: "All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord!" In the ancient world, there were many Gentiles—foreigners—who recognized the bankruptcy of paganism, and attached themselves to the God of Israel. They were known as "God-fearers." The psalmist throws the doors wide open. You do not have to be born a physical descendant of Abraham to experience the protection of Yahweh; you simply have to fear Him, revere Him, and trust Him. And what is the congregational response to each call? A resounding, united shout: "He is your helper and your shield." Think about the contrast from the first half of the psalm. An idol needs you to be its helper. If an idol falls over, you have to pick it up. If it gets dusty, you have to polish it. If it needs to move, you have to carry it on your shoulders. But Yahweh is completely different. He carries you. He is the helper, the one who steps into the battle to deliver you. He is the shield, the active, defensive barrier between you and the chaotic forces of the world. You do not protect Him; He protects you. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verses twelve through fifteen The Lord remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly. May the Lord richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. When we offer our trust, God responds with His blessing. The psalmist assures the congregation, "The Lord remembers us and will bless us." In the biblical worldview, when God "remembers," it is not merely cognitive recall. It is not as if God suddenly slapped His forehead, and said, "Oh right, I forgot about Israel!" For God to remember, is for God to act upon His covenant promises. When God remembered Noah, He sent a wind to recede the floodwaters. When He remembered Rachel, He opened her womb. When He remembers us, He unleashes His active blessing. Notice how the blessing flows back down to the exact same three groups that were called to trust: the people of Israel, the descendants of Aaron, and those who fear the Lord. God’s blessing is tailored and specific, reaching both the great, and the lowly. The high priest in his jeweled breastplate, and the poorest foreign widow gleaning in the fields, are both equally recipients of divine favor when they trust in Him. Then, the psalmist pronounces a beautiful, generational benediction: "May the Lord richly bless both you and your children." In the Hebrew, it literally reads, "May the Lord add to you, to you and to your children." The blessing of Yahweh is expansive. It multiplies. It is not a stagnant pool; it is a flowing river that spills over the banks of your own life, and waters the soil of the next generation. And the source of this blessing is absolutely crucial: "May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth." The idols of the nations did not make the heaven and the earth; they were made from the earth. They are pieces of the creation, shaped by human tools. But Yahweh stands outside the cosmos. He is the uncreated Creator. When you are blessed by Him, you are tapping into the ultimate source of reality. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verse sixteen The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity. This single verse is a masterpiece of cosmic geography. It beautifully encapsulates the Ancient Israelite Divine Council worldview, as taught by scholars like Dr. Michael S. Heiser. It explains exactly how the universe is structured, and what our job is within it. "The heavens belong to the Lord." The spiritual realm, the unseen dimensions, the headquarters of the Divine Council—this is Yahweh’s exclusive domain. He is the Most High God, reigning supreme over all spiritual authorities, principalities, and powers. That is His throne room. "...but he has given the earth to all humanity." Here is the stunning paradox of the biblical narrative. God is the sovereign owner of everything, yet He chose to delegate the administration of the physical world to human beings. This takes us all the way back to Genesis Chapter One. God created humans in His own image—His Imago Dei. In the ancient Near East, victorious kings would set up stone images of themselves in distant territories, to declare, "I am the ruler of this land." God did not create stone or wooden idols to represent Himself. He created you. He created humanity. He breathed His Spirit into dirt, and said, "You are my living statues. You are my imagers. I am giving you the earth. Rule it, subdue it, and steward it on my behalf." The pagan nations got it completely backward. They built dead idols, and begged them to bring the power of heaven down to earth. But Yahweh says, "I don't want dead statues. I want living partners. I have given the earth to you. Your job is to reflect my character—my justice, my creativity, and my love—into the physical world." We are the authorized vice-regents of the King. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verses seventeen through eighteen

    10 min

  6. FEB 20

    Day 2802 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 115:1-8 – Daily Wisdom

    Welcome to Day 2802 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2802 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 115:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2802 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2802 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today’s Wisdom-Trek is: Our God is Supreme Today, we are continuing our journey through the "Egyptian Hallel," the magnificent collection of praise songs sung by the Jewish people during the Passover festival. We are stepping into the first half of Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, covering verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. To set the stage, let us remember where we stood in our previous trek. In Psalm One Hundred Fourteen, we witnessed the sheer, terrifying power of the Theophany. We saw the earth tremble, the Red Sea flee, and the Jordan River turn back at the very presence of the God of Jacob. It was a psalm of action, movement, and cosmic disruption. Yahweh stepped into history, and the chaotic forces of nature panicked. But as we turn the page to Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, the tone shifts from the dramatic trembling of the earth to a profound, theological reflection. According to Jewish tradition, while Psalms One Hundred Thirteen and One Hundred Fourteen were sung before the Passover meal, Psalm One Hundred Fifteen was the first hymn sung after the meal was finished. Imagine the scene. Jesus and His disciples have just finished the Last Supper. The bread has been broken; the cup of the new covenant has been poured. And before they walk out into the dark night toward the Garden of Gethsemane, they lift their voices to sing these exact words. They sing about the glory of God, the foolishness of the world's idols, and the absolute sovereignty of the King of Heaven. This psalm is a brilliant polemic—a theological argument—against the gods of the surrounding nations. It contrasts the living, unrestrained God of Israel with the dead, handcrafted statues of the pagan world. It challenges us to ask: Where does the glory belong, and what are we truly placing our trust in? Let us dive into the text. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verse one. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. The psalm opens with one of the most profound statements of humility in the entire Bible. The psalmist repeats the phrase for emphasis: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us." This is the ultimate deflection of human pride. When Israel looked back at the Exodus—when they remembered the sea parting and the enemies drowning—it was incredibly tempting to pat themselves on the back. It is human nature to assume that if God blesses us, saves us, or uses us, it must be because we are somehow special, worthy, or superior. But the psalmist violently rejects that idea. He says, "Lord, do not give us the credit. We did not part the sea. We did not defeat the Egyptian empire. The glory belongs entirely, exclusively, and completely to Your Name." And why does the glory go to His Name? Because of two foundational attributes: His "unfailing love" and His "faithfulness." In Hebrew, these are our old friends, Hesed and Emet. God’s loyal, covenant-keeping love, and His absolute, bedrock truth. God saved Israel not because Israel was great, but to vindicate His own character on the cosmic stage. He made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He staked His own divine reputation on keeping it. Therefore, all the applause of history must be directed toward the throne of heaven. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verses two through three . Why let the nations say, "Where is their God?" Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. Here, the psalmist introduces the conflict. The "nations"—the pagan neighbors of Israel—are taunting them. They are sneering and asking, "Where is their God?" To understand the sting of this insult, we must view it through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview, particularly the Divine Council theology taught by Dr. Michael S. Heiser. In the ancient Near East, a nation’s power was directly linked to the visible presence of its god. The Babylonians had massive, towering statues of Marduk. The Philistines had enormous temples dedicated to Dagon. The Moabites bowed to the idol of Chemosh. When these nations looked at Israel, they were utterly confused. Israel had no statue. They had a temple, yes, but the Holy of Holies was empty, save for a golden box. There was no carved image of Yahweh. To the pagan mind, a god you cannot see, touch, or carry into battle is no god at all. So, when Israel faced political trouble or military defeat, the nations would laugh and say, "Where is your God? Did He go on vacation? Did He get lost? We can see our gods right here on their pedestals, but yours is nowhere to be found!" But the psalmist delivers a brilliant, crushing response in verse three. He says, "Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes." This is a statement of absolute, unrestricted sovereignty. The psalmist is essentially saying, "You want to know where our God is? He is not confined to a block of wood in a local shrine. He is not trapped in a temple made by human hands. He occupies the cosmic control room. He is in the heavens, ruling over the stars, the angels, and the spiritual principalities!" And because He is in the heavens, "He does as He wishes." He is not bound by magical incantations. He does not need to be fed by priests or carried by strongmen. He is the Uncreated Creator, and His sovereignty is absolute. Having established the majestic supremacy of Yahweh, the psalmist now turns his attention to the gods of the nations. And what follows is a masterful, devastating piece of divine mockery. Psalm One Hundred Fifteen: verses four through seven. Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and cannot make a sound in their throats. The psalmist takes the pagan idols and completely deconstructs them. He strips away all the mystical, religious awe and exposes them for what they truly are: manufactured products. First, he points out their material origin: "Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands." No matter how expensive the materials are, and no matter how skilled the artisan is, the idol is still a created thing. How absurd is it for a human to chop down a tree, overlay it with silver, and then bow down to worship the very object he just built? In the ancient world, pagan priests performed an elaborate ritual called the "Opening of the Mouth." They believed that through magical chants and ceremonies, a spiritual entity—a lesser elohim or a demon—would inhabit the physical statue, allowing it to see, hear, and accept sacrifices. But the psalmist laughs at this idea. He conducts a full anatomical inspection of the idol, completely dismantling its supposed power. "They have mouths but cannot speak." Unlike Yahweh, whose spoken Word called the universe into existence, the idol is utterly mute. It cannot offer comfort; it cannot issue decrees; it cannot grant forgiveness. "And eyes but cannot see." Their eyes are painted wide open, but they are completely blind to the suffering of their worshippers. They did not see the affliction of Israel in Egypt, but Yahweh did. "They have ears but cannot hear." You can scream to them all day long, just like the prophets of Baal did on Mount Carmel, but there is no answer. "And noses but cannot smell." They cannot even enjoy the aroma of the incense burned before them. "They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk." In Psalm One Hundred Fourteen, we saw that Yahweh’s presence made the mountains skip and the sea flee. But these idols? If a fire breaks out in the temple, their feet cannot run away. If they fall over, their hands cannot push them back up. They have to be bolted to the floor just to stay upright. Finally, the psalmist adds the ultimate insult: "and cannot make a sound in their throats." They cannot even manage a guttural moan, a whisper, or a cough. They are profoundly, permanently, and pathetically dead. The contrast is absolute. The God of Israel is invisible, yet He does whatever He pleases....

    12 min

  7. FEB 19

    Day 2801 – Theology Thursday – Ancient Kings and Giants: Were the Sumerian Rulers the Nephilim?

    Welcome to Day 2801 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Ancient Kings and Giants: Were the Sumerian Rulers the Nephilim? Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2801 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps!   I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2801 of our Trek.   The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website   theologyinfive.com.   Today’s lesson is titled  Ancient Kings and Giants: Were the Sumerian Rulers the Nephilim? In the earliest layers of Mesopotamian literature, the Sumerian King List stands as a remarkable record of legendary rulers. These kings, beginning with Alulim of Eridu, are said to have reigned for tens of thousands of years. Alulim ruled for Twenty-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred years, while others, such as En-men-lu-ana of Bad-tibira, are credited with reigns of Forty-Three Thousand Two Hundred years. The list presents eight antediluvian kings in total, whose rule was said to have lasted for Two Hundred Forty-One Thousand, Two-Hundred years before the heavens brought a great flood. These numbers are not historical in the modern sense. They are symbolic and rooted in the Sumerian sacred use of numbers, especially the sexagesimal base-sixty system. Lifespans were often structured as multiples of Three Thousand, Six Hundred, a unit known as a sar. The theological point is clear. Kingship was believed to have descended from heaven, and these early rulers were seen not merely as political figures but as mediators between gods and mortals. Their reigns reflect divine favor, cosmic order, and a time when humans stood closer to the divine realm. The flood marks a dividing line in the narrative. After it, reigns become shorter and more grounded. The mythic age gives way to something closer to recognizable history. Cities shift, dynasties rise and fall, and the divine distance from humanity becomes more evident. What survives is a memory of a time when the lines between human and divine were blurred, when kings were more than men, and when the age before the flood carried an aura of sacred timelessness. The First Segment is: Echoes from Akkadian and Babylonian Tradition. The Akkadian-speaking cultures of Babylon and Assyria preserved an expanded version of the Sumerian memory in two major works, the Atrahasis Epic and the Epic of Gilgamesh. These texts also recall a time before the flood, inhabited by extraordinary beings, divine-human figures, and a collapse of order that led to judgment. In the Atrahasis Epic, the gods create humans to relieve themselves of labor, but humanity quickly multiplies and becomes noisy and disruptive. Enlil, the chief god, decides to destroy them. A series of plagues and famines fails to work, so a flood is sent to wipe out the human race. The god Ea (or Enki) warns Atrahasis, a righteous man, who builds a boat to survive. After the flood, humanity is restructured and reduced, and a new social and spiritual order is established. The Epic of Gilgamesh continues this tradition but shifts the focus to a single post-flood hero seeking immortality. Gilgamesh, part divine and part human, seeks out Utnapishtim, the man who survived the great flood and was granted eternal life. Gilgamesh’s journey reveals a memory of a former age when divine beings and humans interacted directly, when giants and kings performed mighty deeds, and when immortality seemed within reach. But that age is gone. The gods no longer grant such favor, and the great men of old are now dead or deified. These stories reinforce the pattern. The pre-flood world was filled with hybrid figures and divine knowledge, but it ended in judgment. Though the motivation in these texts is often capricious or cosmological rather than moral, the structure is consistent with Sumer, Greece, and Israel. A golden age of greatness is followed by corruption, a divine reckoning, and the preservation of a single man through divine favor. The Second Segment is: Echoes in Greece: Another Memory of the Antediluvian Age. Ancient Greece, like Mesopotamia, preserved its own memory of a pre-flood world. In Hesiod’s Works and Days, the human race is said to have passed through five successive ages. The first was the Golden Age, in which men lived without sorrow or toil under the rule of Cronos. This was followed by the Silver and Bronze Ages, which saw decline, violence, and moral failure. Then came the Heroic Age, when demigods and warriors like Hercules, Perseus, and Achilles walked the earth. Finally, the Iron Age marked the present, filled with toil, injustice, and suffering. The Heroic Age is especially notable. It was populated by beings who were born of gods and mortals. Like the Nephilim, these demigods were mighty men, remembered in epic tales for their strength and deeds. But they were also chaotic and destructive. Their stories end in war, betrayal, and the unraveling of the ancient order. These hybrids, while glorified in Greek poetry, share the essential features of the Nephilim. They are the offspring of a heavenly realm mingling with humanity, producing figures whose fame is great but whose legacy is violent and unstable. Greek myth even preserves a version of the flood. In the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha, humanity is destroyed for its wickedness. Prometheus warns his son Deucalion, who builds a chest to survive the flood. Afterward, Deucalion and his wife repopulate the earth. While this version lacks the theological framework of Genesis, the parallels are unmistakable. A divine judgment falls on a corrupt world. A remnant is saved. A new age begins. All of this supports the idea that ancient civilizations retained fragmented memories of a real event and a real spiritual rebellion. The names and interpretations differ, but the structure remains. A divine-human crossing. A rise of hybrid rulers. A world plunged into chaos. A flood of judgment. And the reshaping of history that follows. The Third Segment is: The Biblical Response: A Polemic Against Pagan Memory. Unlike the mythologies of Sumer, Akkad, and Greece, the biblical narrative deliberately strips away the glorification of hybrid beings and divine kingship. It reframes the ancient past not as a time of greatness, but of growing rebellion and degeneration. Genesis 6:1–4 tells the story of the “sons of God” who saw the daughters of men and took them as wives. Their offspring were the Nephilim, described as mighty men of old and men of renown. But their presence marks not a heroic golden age, but the tipping point into total corruption. Their arrival immediately precedes the flood. Later Jewish tradition, especially in the Book of Enoch, expands on this cryptic account. The sons of God are portrayed as fallen angels, known as the Watchers, who descend to Mount Hermon and father hybrid offspring with human women. These beings grow into giants who teach humanity sorcery, astrology, weapon-making, and forbidden knowledge. Violence fills the earth. What other cultures remember as a gift of civilization, Enoch presents as spiritual poison. The flood is not just a natural disaster. It is God’s judgment on a world defiled by rebellion from both angels and men. This stark reframing continues in Genesis 5, which lists the ten pre-flood patriarchs from Adam to Noah. Each lives for centuries, but none approaches the inflated timespans of the Sumerian kings. Adam lives 930 years. Methuselah, the longest-lived man in the Bible, reaches 969. These are ancient men, but they are not divine. The genealogy is punctuated by a refrain that drives the point home. “And he died.” Mortality, not divinity, defines the human condition. The only exception is Enoch, who walks with God and is taken. He does not die but is preserved. His life stands in contrast to the violence and pride of the Watchers’ children. Where Sumer and Greece honored their hybrid heroes and king-gods, Genesis offers a sobering polemic. These figures were not bringers of enlightenment. They were the reason the flood was necessary. Their might and renown were hollow. Their legacy was death and destruction. The world needed cleansing, not celebration. The Fourth Segment is: Comparing the Memories of the Antediluvian World. All these traditions preserve memories of a time before the flood. Each describes a world filled with long-lived, powerful beings, whether kings, giants, demigods, or culture heroes. Each marks a boundary between that world and the present. Each sees the flood as a rupture in history. But only one tradition openly condemns the former age. Mesopotamia celebrates the kingly descent from heaven. Greece honors its demigods as founders of legend. The Bible condemns them as corruptors of the created order. Where others see nostalgia, Genesis sees judgment. Where others see greatness lost, Genesis sees rebellion purged. The Fifth Segment is:...

    14 min

  8. FEB 18

    Day 2800 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 114:1-8 – Daily Wisdom

    Welcome to Day 2800 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2800 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 114:1-8 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2800 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Wisdom-Trek: The Earth Trembles – When the Presence Moves In. Today is a milestone day! We have reached day two thousand eight hundred. That is a lot of trekking, and I am so grateful you are walking this path with me. We are celebrating this milestone by stepping into one of the most compact, high-energy psalms in the entire Bible. We are exploring Psalm One Hundred Fourteen, covering the entire hymn, verses one through eight, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred Thirteen, we began the "Egyptian Hallel"—the series of psalms sung at the Passover. We saw the "Stooping God" who sits high above the nations but bends down low to lift the poor from the dust and the barren woman from her grief. That psalm set the theological stage: God is great because He is humble. Psalm One Hundred Fourteen moves from theology to Theophany. A "Theophany" is a visible manifestation of God. This psalm describes what happened when that "Stooping God" actually touched down on planet Earth to lead His people out of Egypt. It is a psalm of movement. In just eight verses, we see a nation moving out, a sea fleeing, a river turning back, mountains skipping like scared sheep, and the solid rock turning into a fountain. It describes the sheer, terrifying, joyful disruption that occurs when the Holy One invades the realm of chaos. In Jewish tradition, this psalm is sung right before the Passover meal. It recounts the moment Israel became God’s peculiar treasure. So, let us imagine ourselves in the Upper Room, or perhaps standing on the shores of the Red Sea, as we witness the earth tremble at the presence of the Lord. The First Segment is: The Great Migration: Establishing the Sanctuary. Psalm One Hundred Fourteen: verses one through two. When Israel went out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of strange language,  Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The psalm begins with a historical flashback to the defining moment of the Old Testament: The Exodus. "When Israel went out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of strange language..." The mention of a "strange language" (or foreign tongue) emphasizes the alienation of Israel. They were strangers in a strange land. In the Ancient Israelite worldview, Egypt was not just a political oppressor; it was a spiritual "Iron Furnace." It was the domain of foreign gods—Ra, Osiris, Horus. Israel was living in a culture where the very words spoken were dedicated to idols. To leave Egypt was to leave the jurisdiction of these foreign elohim. But look at what happens the moment they step out: "Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion." This is a profound statement of Cosmic Geography. Dr. Michael Heiser often taught about the concept of "Holy Ground." Before the Exodus, Yahweh had no "footprint" on earth in terms of a nation. The nations had been disinherited at Babel (Deuteronomy Thirty-two: eight). But now, Yahweh is carving out His own portion. The text says Judah became His "sanctuary" (qodesh—literally, His "Holiness" or "Holy Place"). Wait, wasn't the sanctuary a tent or a temple? Yes, later. But here, the people are the sanctuary. Before a single tabernacle was built, God decided that the camp of Israel would be the place where Heaven touches Earth. He moved in. He decided to dwell among them. And Israel became His "dominion" (memshelot). This implies absolute rule. God is not just their mascot; He is their King. He has reclaimed a piece of the planet from the chaotic rule of the nations and established His headquarters in the midst of a redeemed people. The Second Segment is: The Panic of Nature: The Sea and the River.   Psalm One Hundred Fourteen: verses three through four. The Red Sea saw them and fled; the Jordan River turned back.  The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. Now, the psalmist personifies nature. He describes the physical world reacting to this new reality of God moving in with His people. And the reaction is pure panic. "The Red Sea saw them and fled..." Literally, "The Sea saw and fled." We must read this through the lens of the Ancient Near East. To the Canaanites and Babylonians, the Sea (Yam) was a god. It represented chaos, death, and the untamable force that threatened to swallow the earth. In their myths, the storm god (like Baal or Marduk) had to fight a violent battle to subdue the Sea. But here? There is no battle. Yahweh doesn't have to fight the Sea; He just shows up. The Sea "sees" Him—it sees the Shekinah Glory leading the "Sanctuary" of Judah—and it turns tail and runs. It is terrified. The great monster of chaos, Yam, is reduced to a frightened animal fleeing from a superior predator. "...the Jordan River turned back." This creates a beautiful bookend. The Red Sea was the beginning of the Exodus; the Jordan River was the end (under Joshua). Both bodies of water—the entry and the exit barriers—were forced to yield. The Jordan didn't just stop flowing; it "turned back" (Joshua Three: sixteen says it piled up in a heap). Then, the reaction moves from the water to the land: "The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs." This refers to the quaking of Mount Sinai when God descended in fire (Exodus Nineteen: eighteen). But the imagery is playful. Massive, immovable granite mountains are described as "skipping" (raqad)—dancing or leaping—like young sheep. Why rams and lambs? Perhaps because the presence of the Great Shepherd makes even the mountains act like a flock. The most stable things in the physical world—the mountains—lose their stability when the Creator draws near. Nothing is solid except God. The Third Day is: The Divine Interrogation: Why Are You Running?. Psalm One Hundred Fourteen: verses five through six. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan River, that you turn back?  Why, O mountains, do you skip like rams? O little hills, like lambs? The psalmist now adopts a taunting tone. He interrogates the forces of nature. "What ails you, O sea, that you flee?" This is a mocking question. "Hey, Big Bad Sea! You, who swallow sailors and terrify nations! Why are you running away? What's the matter? Did you see a ghost?" He asks the Jordan, "Why are you flowing backward?"   He asks the mountains, "Why are you trembling like frightened sheep?" This is a theological power play. The psalmist is emphasizing that the "gods" of nature are not gods at all. They are subjects. They are terrified servants who have been caught standing in the way of the King. It highlights the absolute absurdity of anything trying to oppose the march of God’s Kingdom. When God decides to move His "Sanctuary" (His people) from Egypt to Canaan, the laws of physics and the powers of chaos are simply pushed aside. The Fourth Segment is: The Answer: The Trembling Earth. Psalm One Hundred Fourteen: verses seven through eight. Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.  He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock. Having asked the question ("Why are you fleeing?"), the psalmist now gives the answer. "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord..." The NLT uses the word "Tremble," but the Hebrew word is Chuli. It literally means "writhe"—like a woman in labor pain. The psalmist is commanding the earth: "You should be writhing! You should be shaking!" Why? "...at the presence of the Lord." The Hebrew word for "Lord" here is Adon (Master/Ruler), not Yahweh. And then he parallels it with "at the presence of the God of Jacob" (Eloah Yaakov). The reason the Sea fled and the mountains skipped wasn't because of the wind or the tectonic plates. It was The Presence. In the Divine Council...

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Do you desire to gain wisdom, make an impact on your world, and create a living legacy? Through the use of positive/encouraging stories, parables, allegories, and analogies we will explore the trails of everyday life in a practical and meaningful manner as we scale towards our summit of life. The purpose of our Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal is to teach you wisdom and discipline, to help you understand the insights of the wise, to teach you to live disciplined and successful lives, to help you do what is right, just, and fair. By obtaining this wisdom then you will be able to create a living legacy for today that will live on and be multiplied through the lives of others. Wisdom-Trek.com is your portal to all things pertaining to the acquisition of wisdom, insight, and knowledge. The Wisdom-Trek platform includes this website along with a daily journal, and a daily podcast on wisdom and creating a living legacy. It is your portal because it is our hope that everyone will share and participate in gaining wisdom, insight, and discernment. As we gain wisdom it is so we can share what we have learned with others. No single person is ‘all-wise’ and when we share with each other that we all gain wisdom. We encourage you to share insights, ask questions, and grow together. Join us today and become part of the Wisdom-Trek team.

Information

  • Creator
    H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    314
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    2015-2025 ©
  • Show Website
    Wisdom-Trek ©