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Today’s Feature
Without Faith It Is Impossible to Please Yahweh
Habakkuk 2: 3-4 says, “For the vision is yet for the appointed time (the End of Days); it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” In other words, without faith we are dead.
Our faith in Yahweh leads to our righteousness and salvation. Righteous people live by faith. God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. It makes sense to us that God should require good works from us as the price for our salvation, but in reality our good works are not good enough. They do not stand up against Yahweh’s standard for righteousness—that is His righteousness and His perfection.
As the proverb says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 16: 25) What seems right to us is actually wrong. If we persist in pursuing a course that seems right, but is not, we will miss out on righteousness and salvation altogether.
Let’s take a look at what Abraham did that made him righteous before God, since Isaiah used him as the example we should follow. Genesis 15: 6 says, “Then he (Abraham) believed in Yahweh; and He (Yahweh) reckoned it to him as righteousness.”
A literal translation of the Hebrew for this verse reads as follows: “Then he believed in Yahweh, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”
If you search the Bible thoroughly you will find nothing that even suggests Abraham’s righteousness was dependent on anything except his faith in Yahweh. If you doubt this, then look for yourself, or ask someone you trust to show you. Notice I did not say you should ask them to tell you. Make them show you, because it does not exist.
Why is this important? Because Yahweh made promises to Abraham that we all depend on for our salvation, and all Yahweh’s promises, every single one of them, were and are dependent on our having faith in Him just as Abraham did. That is why Isaiah said, “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, who seek Yahweh: Look to the rock from which you were hewn and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain.” (Isaiah 51: 1-2)
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SnyderTalk® Commentary
Barbary Pirates—Part 3
Ancient Piracy: It Isn’t New
Long before seamen ventured beyond the horizon, traders used land routes. Civilization grew along those roads, and cities developed at major intersections. The origin of piracy can be traced to marauding bands of wandering thieves who preyed on trade caravans moving goods from east to west, north to south, and back.
Jacob and Esau were twins. Esau is called Edom in the Bible. He is the ancestor of the Edomites. Esau and his people settled in the hill country of Seir. It’s a treacherous mountain region east of the Dead Sea in modern-day Jordan. The Edomite capital, Petra, was a natural stronghold for nomadic bandits.
Jacob and his sons were shepherds, but Esau and his family were the ancient equivalent of seafaring pirates. They made their living by extorting funds and goods from merchants moving their wares along what was probably the most lucrative trade route in ancient times. Petra was ideally located between Egypt and Gaza in the west, Bosra and Damascus in the north, Aqaba on the Red Sea in the south, and across the desert to the Persian Gulf in the east.
Middle East Trade Route Map
Petra is a natural fortress city. There is only one narrow entrance that is only a few yards wide. It is protected on both sides by steep cliffs. Anyone attempting to invade Petra would have to successfully lead an army through what amounted to an impenetrable gauntlet. That meant Petra was very secure. Easy or unexpected access was virtually impossible.
The Narrow, Winding Entrance to Petra
When you enter Petra, you discover a magnificent development capable of sustaining tens of thousands of people. It’s stunningly beautiful. Ornate edifices carved out of solid rock served as homes, communal space, and businesses. The caves behind the beautiful chiseled stone facades have natural climate control because the temperature inside them remains constant and comfortable year-round. Although Petra is in an arid region, it gets plenty of water from a nearby spring in Wadi Musa. The stream has flowed continually for thousands of years. Water from it was stored in large cisterns.
The Treasury inside Petra
Inside Petra, you can see Mount Hor. At the top of the mountain, you notice a small structure glistening in the distance. That monument is Aaron’s tomb. Visiting the site isn’t easy. I won’t go into the reasons why in detail, but I will say this. Muslims regard it as a holy site, and they limit access to it the same way Muslims in Jerusalem today want to control who visits the Temple Mount.
Mount Hor with Aaron’s Tomb at the Summit
Aaron’s Tomb on Mount Hor
Esau’s racket was much like organized crime today. He and his warriors provided “protection” for caravans in exchange for handsome fees. The traders had a choice. Either they paid Esau or they fought him. In the end, paying was the sensible option. Traders simply added the cost to the price of their cargo. It was also in Esau’s interest not to kill the traders and take their goods because they traveled that route frequently. You can kill someone and take their possessions only once. In that sense, Esau’s extortion game was similar to a modern-day annuity.
While the Israelites were in captivity in Egypt, the Edomite kingdom grew and prospered, but eventually they were destroyed and Nabataeans took control of Petra. They continued construction and used it as their capital city. Nabataeans were a strong tribe of warriors unmatched among the nomads of Arabia.
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His Name is Yahweh
There is a wealth of material available for free download on www.hisnameisyahweh.org including the book His Name is Yahweh. His Name is Yahweh is also available at Amazon on Kindle for just $5. If you haven’t read His Name is Yahweh, you should. The importance of Yahweh’s Name is becoming more apparent with each passing day.
Available on Amazon Kindle and it can be downloaded at www.hisnameisyahweh.org
