Jannes and Jambres in the Last Days

I received the following question:

The mention of Jannes and Jambres by Paul in 2 Tim. 3:8-9 is the only Biblical reference to these two by name.  Jewish legend says that Jannes and Jambres were the two magicians who were trying to counter the miracles of the ten plagues.

Origen says that there is a book called “The Book of Jannes and Jambres”.  This book has not been found.

As we know their magic was always shown up by the greater miracles of God.  But it should be noted that these two men were performing what many consider super-natural acts.  No one today can recreate their magic.

This informs how we are to understand what Paul is saying in 2 Tim.

8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.
9 But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.

So in the resulting days there will be people who oppose God (as always), but the folly of their opposition will be exposed.  But it appears that something more than a political stance is being viewed here.  Jannes and Jambres’ exposed folly was the black magic they were working.  What was exposed was that God’s miracles were more powerful than their Satan powered magic.  So is Paul saying that in the resulting days Satan’s restrain in the area of black magic will be reduced?  And that this black magic will ultimately be shown to be not as powerful as the power of God?  Hard to tell exactly, but it does seem to suggest it.

It says clearly in the passage how these men are like Jannes and Jambres. In the translation you offer:

Questions from Bullinger’s Notes

I received the following questions about Bullinger’s notes in the Companion Bible:

I was a little confused when in the Companion Bible Bullinger referenced Abraham in Malachi 2:15 about him being the one.  Any thoughts?

He does seem to pull Abraham out of the air there. I took it that the one seeking a Godly seed had best stick with one wife, as God intended. I don’t quite see why Abraham has anything to do with it, either.

In Gen. 1:1-2, Bullinger says the earth became waste by an enemy at this point and why man became ruin? I don’t get it.

Bullinger believed in the gap theory, or that there were millions of years between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Those who believe this imagine an earlier creation on earth populated by angelic beings, which was corrupted when Satan fell, and was destroyed by a great flood.

Leah Versus Rachel

I received the following question:

Why does Leah seem to be more praised than Rachel? Is there something with their burial places (Gen 49:31. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah.)?  Or because Rachel stole her father’s gods (did she worship them too)?

It does seem rather odd that Leah seems to be preferred by the Lord. Just looking at the story on the surface, Leah conspires with her father to steal her sister’s fiancé (Genesis 29:23,) not a very nice thing to do to your sister. Then, when Jacob married Rachel as well, she accused her of stealing her husband, as if she hadn’t been the one to try that in the first place (Genesis 30:15.) Overall, she was very jealous of her prettier younger sister, and seemed to live her life in constant, bitter competition with her. She doesn’t seem like the most pleasant person overall.

The “Blessing” of Jacob

I received the following question:

Why are blessings called blessings when they don’t always seem to be a good thing (for example in Genesis 49)?

Actually, Jacob’s words in Genesis 49 are never called a “blessing” in the passage. They are called “commanding” in verse 33. What he said was not so much a blessing as it was a prophecy over his sons. Some call it his blessing, but that is just a name people have made up describing the passage. I do not believe it was a blessing.

Strictly speaking, “to bless” is to speak well of something. (At least, sometimes. The word is not very well translated, and can be from multiple Hebrew or Greek words.) So it would not apply to words that were not good. That is probably why Jacob’s words are not actually called a blessing.

The Inheritance of Simeon

I received the following question:

Genesis 49:5. “ Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. 

6. Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honor be united to their assembly; 
For in their anger they slew a man, 
And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.

7. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel! 
I will divide them in Jacob 
And scatter them in Israel.

Were Simeon’s descendents scattered or given land?

Simeon originally had their inheritance south of Judah going down to the very southernmost part of Israel. However, they seem to have become scattered into Judah, and were more or less lost in the tribe of Judah. They are not really even considered, it seems, when the nation split apart.

Priests Before the Levites

I received the following question:

Genesis 41:50. And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.

What did the priests do who were priests before the Levites were separated as priests?

Well, regarding that verse in particular, it is hard to say if this particular priest was a priest of the Lord or not. He is called the priest of “On,” a city in Lower Egypt. This city was generally known for being the center of sun worship. Remember, Pharaoh gave Joseph this woman. It may well be that he considered them both of the religious “caste.” Joseph certainly would have told her about a very different kind of God than the sun. I suppose it could be that he was a priest of the true God. Certainly, Joseph would have had some influence over Egypt regarding that, but that would have been more in the years following his marriage.

How Did Abraham Carry the Fire?

I received the following question:

Genesis 22:6. So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

How does Abraham carry the fire?

It appears that God’s sacrifices, at least those requiring a burnt offering, were made with fire started by God Himself, usually by fire falling from heaven. This was also a sign that a sacrifice was accepted. This fire would be tended and not allowed to go out. Remember, Nadab and Abihu died for offering “strange fire.” This would have been a fire of their own kindling. So it probably means that he was carrying a burning torch or oil lamp or some such thing. The fire he carried would have been kept burning since a time that God had sent fire from heaven.

When Were Languages Divided?

I received the following question:

In Genesis 11:1 it says the whole earth had one language, yet in chapter 10 it says how they were divided according to their languages. Is this another thing like Genesis 1 and 2 where the first chapter is overview and second chapter is detailed?

Yes, Genesis 10 declares an overview of what happened, whereas Genesis 11 goes back and explains it in more detail.

I am not sure that Genesis 2 is entirely just a more detailed repetition of chapter 1. It does offer more detail about the creation of Adam on day 6. I don’t think much else is a repeat, however.

When Was Eve Created?

I received the following question:

So was Eve created on the 6th day? I know Genesis 1 is an overview and chapter 2 is detail but then did Adam name all the creatures and get Eve all in one day?

“Male and female created He them” may refer to the fact that Adam was both male and female combined in one when he was created. This would be rare, especially among the higher orders of animals, though it does occur in nature, and I believe that is the way God made Adam. If Adam was not this way, then God HAD to make Eve, rather than choosing to make her. You can’t have male without female and have any kind of procreation! I believe that God made woman by choice, not because he had to. Adam could have had children on his own before Eve was separated out from Adam.

It could also be, though, that he did get Eve on the same day he was created. If so, he had a busy day!

Remember that Adam may have only named the types of creatures, not every variety. One name for bugs would be much easier than naming every last variety.

Luke 22 Part 4

47. And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.

Before the Lord has finished speaking, a multitude arrives. In most plays and movies that are made depicting this, there is a group of soldiers that arrive, but nothing like a multitude. Indeed, I have never seen pictured even close to the number that is actually described here by this word “multitude.” This was a very large crowd indeed of His enemies, come out to try to capture Him once and for all.

Most depictions of this make these men to be largely Roman soldiers. Yet none of the four gospels actually says that there were even any Roman soldiers present. What we do see in all four gospels is rather a crowd of followers of the chief priests and Pharisees. Although Israel was not allowed an army, there was a strong and able temple guard, and it was no doubt these men whom the enemies of our Lord sent after Him en masse to arrest Him in the garden.