One God & One Lord

• Acts 18:18 NASB - Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow.

Just what was Paul’s vow? The majority of commentators say that it is unknown and was probably a vow he had made “in one of his seasons of difficulty or danger” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary) or the suggestion that we shouldn’t conjecture at all because “where nothing is recorded, conjecture is useless” (Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible).

However, I do not believe that “nothing is recorded” regarding Paul’s vow. In fact, I believe that Paul’s vow is revealed in context, in that very chapter.

Acts 18:1 tells us that Paul is now in Corinth. Verse 4 tells us that he was going to the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. After the arrival of Silas and Timothy, Paul began concentrating on convincing the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

• Acts 18:4-5 NASB
  (4)  And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
  (5)  But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

But in verse 6 we find out that the Jews resisted Paul’s testimony and blasphemed. It is here where Paul makes his vow to God:

• Acts 18:6 NASB  - But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.“

Paul went from visiting the synagogue every Sabbath to vowing to avoid them altogether and concentrate on the Gentiles. Verse 7 tells us that after making this vow, he went to the house of a man named Justus (or Titius Justus; some translations), “a worshiper of God.” This man was a Gentile, whose house was next to the synagogue.

• Acts 18:7 NASB  - Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue.

After being assured in a vision that he would not be harmed, Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six months (Acts 18:9-11). But eventually the Jews rose up against Paul, attempting to convict him before Gallio, a Roman leader of the province. When Gallio refused to take action against Paul, the Jews turned their anger against a synagogue leader. Shortly after this incident, Paul chose to leave Corinth and head for Ephesus. This brings us to the verse where we learn that Paul was keeping a vow:

• Acts 18:18 NASB -  Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow.

The cutting off of his hair signifies the end of the vow (see Numbers 6:5). Now notice the very next verse:

• Acts 18:19 NASB - They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

This is a reversal of his vow earlier where he said that he would from then on go to the Gentiles. There is no record between that time and this that he had entered a synagogue to proclaim the word to the Jews.

Sometimes the best explanation goes unseen right in front of our eyes.

 Just a couple of stray thoughts I’ve had recently regarding John 8:58 and the trinitarian belief that Jesus was claiming to be the “I AM” –

1.  Isn’t it odd that Jesus would blurt out to the Jews that he was God when he didn’t even want his disciples to reveal that he was the Christ (Mark 8:30, Matthew 16:20)?

2.  Then there’s the odd view of an escaping God. One who, after supposedly identifying himself as God with the “I am” statement, hid himself and left the temple because some Jews were going to throw rocks at him (John 8:59). Can you imagine God saying “I AM GOD,” then running away?

LUKE

In Luke’s gospel account, he writes in the very first verses of those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning, and how he (Luke) investigated everything from the beginning. The text continues on, intertwining the births and ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus.

• Luke 1:1-3
  1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
  2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
  3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;
  (Continues on, intertwining the births and ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus.)

MARK

Mark also starts right off speaking of the beginning, the beginning of the gospel. He quotes the word of God and includes the story of John the Baptist.

• Mark 1:1-4
  1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
  2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY;
  3 THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’”
  4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

ACTS

In the first chapter of Acts, again the beginning of the gospel of Christ is discussed:

• Acts 1:21-22
  21 “Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us–
  22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

In Peter’s preaching to Cornelius, he spoke of the beginning of the word, how it went out from Galilee after John the Baptist’s ministry:

• Acts 10:36-38
  36 “The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)–
  37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting (i.e., beginning) from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed.
  38 “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

1 JOHN

The epistle of 1 John also starts right off discussing the beginning. He writes about what they have “heard,” “seen,” and “touched” from this beginning. This can only be, then, in the context of Jesus’ ministry.

• 1 John 1:1
  1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life–

The clear pattern—in two of the Gospels, the book of Acts, and an epistle of John—is that the “beginning” is the start of Jesus’ ministry, heralded by John the Baptist.

So then, with this foundation, how is it possible to look at the opening verses of John and think that the “beginning” refers to the beginning of Creation? John even follows the same pattern of speaking of the beginning and going right into the story of John the Baptist in John 1:6.

JOHN

• John 1:1-2,6
  1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
  2 He was in the beginning with God.
  6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The many Scriptures which speak of the same thing, in the same pattern, using the same words, should assist in interpreting John’s gospel. John’s way of expression is different; a bit more spiritual perhaps. But that doesn’t mean he was writing about something different than or unique from what the others have written.

Believe in God and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. “Believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).

To believe in “the name” of Jesus Christ (1 John 3:23, 1 John 5:13) is, I believe, to recognize Christ as Lord in your heart and of your life (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 4:5), believing that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

The commandment of God is to believe in His Son, and the commandment of the Son is to love one another. It’s as simple as that.

• 1 John 3:21-23 NASB
  (21) Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
  (22) and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
  (23) This is His (God’s) commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He (Jesus) commanded us.

Simplicity and Purity of Devotion to Christ

• 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NASB
  (3) But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
  (4) For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.

Did you ever consider that all the different doctrines that are out there, and the emphasis on what one must believe in order to be “right,” that very mess of confusion itself is a deception leading us away from the simplicity of Christ?

The commandment of God is to believe in His Son, and the commandment of the Son is to love one another. It’s as simple as that.

In Sunday school this past Sunday we read and discussed Acts chapter 9. As it happens, I’m reading the Gospel of John at home and on Monday morning I read chapter 9. Some interesting similarities between the story of Jesus giving sight to the man born blind and Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road jumped out at me.

Commentary:

1. Jesus is associated with light in both texts.

2. Jesus put clay (or mud) on the blind man’s eyes; scales fell from Paul’s blind eyes.  The word translated “scales” means also “flakes.” Dried mud may also resemble flakes. The sequence is different in the two verses. In Acts, the scales fell from Paul’s eyes, then he was washed (baptized). In John, the washing removed the clay from the blind man’s eyes.

3. The man born blind was sent to the pool of Siloam, which itself means “sent,” by Jesus, where he would regain his sight. Ananias was sent to Paul by Jesus so that Paul would regain his sight.

4. People who knew them both were astonished that such a change had occurred in them. The man born blind was no longer blind and Paul no longer persecuted Christians, but rather became one.

5. The man born blind, after receiving his sight, proclaimed Jesus to the Jews.  Paul, after regaining his sight, preached Jesus to the Jews in Damascus.

I’ve recently started reading a book by G. K. Beale titled, We Become What We Worship. I’m finding lots of little gems in the book. Among them:

His study is centered on Isaiah 6. Emphasis added by me.

A bit of background text:

“Thus the idols have eyes and ears but cannot really see or hear either physically or spiritually, and their worshipers‘ sensory organs are also described as malfunctioning, which reveals that they have become spiritually blind and deaf like their false objects of worship. … If we looked up “ears and eyes” in a concordance, what would we find? That wherever Israel is addressed as those “who have eyes but cannot see and who have ears but cannot hear” or such like language they are being convicted and reprimanded for being idol worshipers!” (Page 49)

“In this ancient ritual of preparing idols to be receptacles of a god’s presence, an image would be manufactured in a workshop near a canal, a garden-like area or a temple, and then the idol would be led to the threshold or gate of the temple and then formally set up. At that time, the living essence of the deity would be transferred into its temple statue and given life by the ritual. Though the image was produced by human hands, the gods were seen as the ultimate makers of the image. The cleansing rite enabled the mouth of the image to be opened and to become the conduit through which the god spoke … . In this respect, one could say that the image mystically becomes the god that it represents without limiting that god, so that the god remains transcendent; hence the image was like a theophany transubstantiated. (Page 65)

Later…

“The point in Isaiah 6 would be that the prophet Isaiah has been taken from among idolatrous Israel as one, like his people (a “people of unclean lips”), tainted with the uncleanness of pagan idols and who has become like its idols, which can never be cleansed. Isaiah has been brought into the true heavenly temple of the true God. In that heavenly temple he had his mouth ceremoniously cleansed and transformed by members of the divine council and joined that council, so that his whole being was transformed by being filled with God’s Spirit and presence in order to reflect the holy image of this true God. Accordingly, he becomes the human image of God that God originally intended. Though not perfect, he had become a transformed representation of the divine and the purified, living image of God and spokesman for God.” (Pages 67-68)

And…

“We have seen that images are in the likeness of the gods they represent. Similarly, the ancient Near Eastern conception of kings being in the image of their various gods may form a very general background here. Just as Adam, a kingly figure representing humanity, was in the image of God, and therefore like God, so it was believed that ancient Near Eastern human kings were like the gods of which they were an image.” (Page 69)

— End of Beale Quotations —

• 2 Corinthians 4:4-5 NASB
  (4) in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
  (5) For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.

• Colossians 1:15 NASB
  (15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

• Hebrews 1:3 NASB
  (3) And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at thea right hand of the Majesty on high,

• Colossians 2:9 NASB
  (9) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

• John 3:34-36 NASB
  (34) “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.
  (35) “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
  (36) “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
• Matthew 13:13 NASB
  (13)  “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
• 1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB
  (14)  But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

An idol is a lifeless and imperfect representation/image of a false god or of the one true God (such as the golden calf in Exodus 32).

Jesus is the living and perfect representation/image of the one true God.

I am a young earth creationist; I believe the physical heavens and earth were created in six days as accounted for us in the book of Genesis. Answers in Genesis (AIG) is a large, worldwide creation ministry, based in the United States and Australia. In recent years AIG has opened a huge creation museum in Kentucky, which I would like to visit one day. I have attended talks by AIG speakers; they are extremely knowledgeable and engaging. I have financially supported AIG in the past and have subscribed to their magazines.

A couple of years ago I made the decision to not support AIG anymore and not to renew my subscription to their magazine. Why? Because they apparently decided to branch out from their focus of teaching about creation, to promoting in their magazine a specific flavor of theology, namely, Calvinism. I disagree with Calvinism and choose not to support ministries that promote it. However, AIG’s Calvinistic teachings are not what this article is about.

I am a young earth creationist. I am also a preterist. It was on a preterist website that I read about AIG’s craftiness, which I then personally verified for myself.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon is a well-known Calvinist preacher from the 19th century. Content of his sermons and writings are quoted by many, Calvinists, Arminians, and others. At the start of this year, 2009, Answers in Genesis began posting Charles Spurgeon’s sermons to their website in a section entitled, “Charles Spurgeon—Reloaded.” One of those sermons, article #30 posted on 26 February 2009, is titled, “The Power of the Holy Ghost.” Here is a quotation from that sermon on the AIG website:

But if you will look in the first chapter of Genesis, you will see there more particularly set forth that peculiar operation of power upon the universe which was put forth by the Holy Spirit; you will then discover what was his special work. In Ge 1:2, we read, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Our planet has passed through various stages in creation, and different kinds of creatures have lived on its surface, all of which have been fashioned by God. But before that era came, when man should be its principal tenant and monarch, the Creator initially created the world as a chaotic mass on the first day of creation. It was entirely without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

I quoted a bit more than necessary because I wanted to make sure I include surrounding context. Below is a quote from the same sermon, copied from The Spurgeon Archive:

But if you look in the first chapter of Genesis, you will there see more particularly set forth that peculiar operation of power upon the universe which was put forth by the Holy Spirit; you will then discover what was his special work. In the 2d verse of the first chapter of Genesis, we read, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” We know not how remote the period of the creation of this globe may be—certainly many millions of years before the time of Adam. Our planet has passed through various stages of existence, and different kinds of creatures have lived on its surface, all of which have been fashioned by God. But before that era came, wherein man should be its principal tenant and monarch, the Creator gave up the world to confusion. He allowed the inward fires to burst up from beneath, and melt all the solid matter, so that all kinds of substances were commingled in one vast mass of disorder. The only name you could give to the world, then, was that it was a chaotic mass of matter; what it should be, you could not guess or define. It was entirely “without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”

If you compare the two quotations, you’ll note that some of the language was updated or abbreviated, such as instead of saying “In the 2d verse of the first chapter of Genesis,” the AIG version simply says, “In Ge 1:2.” I don’t have a problem with that. But another thing you’ll notice is that the AIG version is considerably shorter than the original version. Why? What’s missing? Well, here is the original quotation again, this time with the portions highlighted in dark red that were omitted from the AIG version. The bracketed text in green were {added} to the AIG version.

But if you look in the first chapter of Genesis, you will there see more particularly set forth that peculiar operation of power upon the universe which was put forth by the Holy Spirit; you will then discover what was his special work. In the 2d verse of the first chapter of Genesis, we read, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” We know not how remote the period of the creation of this globe may be—certainly many millions of years before the time of Adam. Our planet has passed through various stages of existence, and different kinds of creatures have lived on its surface, all of which have been fashioned by God. But before that era came, wherein man should be its principal tenant and monarch, the Creator gave up the world to confusion. He allowed the inward fires to burst up from beneath, and melt all the solid matter, so that all kinds of substances were commingled in one vast mass of disorder. The only name you could give to the world, then, was that it was {initially created the world as} a chaotic mass {on the first day of creation.} of matter; what it should be, you could not guess or define. It was entirely “without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”

It does not take a college professor to see that AIG has removed the parts of Spurgeon’s sermon that disagree with the teachings of AIG, and they have reworded portions to agree specifically with their teaching.

Friends, that is dishonest. And that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.

This is an update to the previous entry, Was Jesus Omniscient?

Someone responded that Jesus had to be God manifest in the flesh because he could read the thoughts of men. This person quoted the following verses as proof texts:

• Matthew 9:3-4
  (3)  And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.”
  (4)  And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?
• Luke 11:17
  (17)  But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls.
• John 1:47
  (47)  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

To study and learn and know the word of God is to grow in wisdom. Here is a word of wisdom from Psalms 12:5:

The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

Are there other examples in scripture of righteous men “knowing the thoughts” of other men? Yes.

• Job said he did:
  Job 21:27
  (27)  “Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me.”
• David knew the thoughts of his enemies:
  Psalms 56:5
  (5)  All day long they distort my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil.
• God revealed to Daniel what the thoughts of Nebuchadnezzar were:
  Daniel 2:29
  (29)  “As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place.

Therefore, Jesus knowing the thoughts of others, that there was evil or deceit in their thoughts or hearts, is not unusual among the righteous men and prophets of God.

As a defense of the deity of Christ, trinitarians cite certain verses as demonstrations that Jesus was indeed omniscient. He knew of a certain coin that would be in a fish’s mouth before the fish was caught (Matthew 17:27), he knew specific details about the life of a woman he had not previously met (John 4:16-19), and he knew the very thoughts of others (Matthew 9:4). However, these were not unique abilities to be attributed only to the omniscient Almighty God. Well, actually they are, but it doesn’t have to mean that it is “God in the flesh” demonstrating this knowledge. Rather, it is through special equipping by God that men can know such things.

We will look first at 1 Samuel chapter 9. A prophet (”man of God,” 1 Samuel 9:6) was called a “seer” in those days (1 Samuel 9:9). It was expected that the seer/prophet would know everything about the person who consulted him. That is, indeed, why seers were sought out. Here are examples from 1 Samuel 9:

• 1 Samuel 9:6 NASB - He said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor, all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.
• 1 Samuel 9:19 NASB - Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind.”
• 1 Samuel 9:20a NASB - “As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found.”

Now lets compare what we know about the seer/prophet/man of God from 1 Samuel 9 with some passages about Jesus.

In John 4:17-18, Jesus reveals to the Samaritan woman at the well that he knows about her past and present life, her having had five husbands and that the man she now has is not her husband. Her reaction is, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet” (John 4:19). Then in verse 25 the woman tells Jesus of her expectation of the Messiah, who “will declare all things to us.” Jesus responded in verse 26, “I who speak to you am he.”

• John 4:29 NASB - “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”

One does not have to be God to know the hearts and intentions of man, they need only be a “man of God,” a prophet. Look at Luke 7:39 -

• Luke 7:39-40a NASB - Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet he would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered him…

From 1 Samuel chapter 10 we can see an example of a prophet telling someone specifically what they will see and do later that day.

• 1 Samuel 10:2-5 NASB  (Samuel speaking to Saul)—
  “When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”‘
  “Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand.
  “Afterward you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying.”

Stating matter-of-factly what will take place is what prophets of God do. One does not have to be God to know such things.

• Matthew 21:2-3 NASB - [Jesus sent two disciples,]  saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me.”If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

• Mark 11:5-6 NASB -  Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission.

These demonstrations of knowledge do not prove that Jesus is God in the flesh any more than they prove that the prophet Samuel was God in the flesh.

See also Mark 1:1-10, Luke 6:8, Luke 11:17, Luke 19:29-38, John 2:24-25, John 13:11, Hebrews 1:1-2.

• Psalm 49:7 NASB - No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him–

I have been seeing this verse put forward by trinitarians as proof that Jesus had to be God in order to redeem mankind by his blood. However, viewing Psalm 49:7 in this way is to yank the verse completely out of context.

If one looks at the whole of Psalm 49, they will see that the context of the psalm is “The Folly of Trusting in Riches” (the NASB subtitle). In other words, the foolishness of thinking that material, worldly wealth will be able to redeem a man from death.

Verse 7 has absolutely nothing to do with the precious blood of the man Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Here is the entire psalm for your review:

Psalm 49 (NASB)

1 For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high, Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle on the harp.
5 Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,
6 Even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?
7 No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him—
8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever—
9 That he should live on eternally, That he should not undergo decay.
10 For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called their lands after their own names.
12 But man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah.
14 As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah.
16 Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he congratulates himself—And though men praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They will never see the light.
20 Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish.