There he built an altar to the Lord

Genesis 12:8
And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. 


The verse above occurred in Abraham's journey when he had arrived in Canaan. God had promised Abraham that the land of Canaan would belong to his descendants. This could be Abrahams's first arrival in the land of Canaan. Before this, God had called him out the city of Ur. The promises that God made to Abraham from the very beginning included:

Genesis 12
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”


Just as Abraham followed God out of Ur, when God showed him the promised land and continued to lead him on, Abraham did not stay or procrastinate to go further. He was faithfully listening to God's direction. He did however built the altar before leaving Canaan, then built another altar near the mountain between Bethel and Canaan.

It does not give detailed motives for the altars but they could mean various things to Abraham. He could build it to mark God's promises to him to remind himself, he could have build in faith and declaring the land to be his in the future or he could be humbled by the favour of God and decided to mark the place where he prayed to God. In any case, he left physical symbols about his relationship with God.

, 

The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body

The main part of this Scripture talks about the tongue and its destructive power. The tongue is only an organ, it is the actual speech that is destructive, but the tongue is used here as a symbol. The power of the tongue is compared to the bridle that controls the horse, the rudder that controls the ships. It is also like a little fire that starts a forest fire, it cannot me tamed by man, it can be used for cursing just after blessing. However, using the tongue in such contradictory fashion makes the person unfruitful.

The second part talks about godly wisdom. This kind of wisdom is pure and will bring peace, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits







James 3
The Untamable Tongue

1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed,[a] we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.[b]

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints

Paul discusses the specific gifts of tongues and prophecy. The gift of prophecy is greater than tongues because it is delivered to the church and is meant for edifying the church. Tongues edifies the individual only and it allows the person to speak directly to God.

It also seems like the church of the Corinthians has been using the gift of tongue for the wrong purpose. It seems that some may have been using their gifts in tongues publicly, perhaps in public prayer or during group meetings. Paul explains that the tongues is for the private individual. If spoken in a crowd such as during church gatherings, it needs an interpreter otherwise the others would not get any message from it. Paul also regard the gifts of tongues as a sign of God to unbelievers whereas prophecies are for believers.

Besides using the gifts of tongues inappropriately, it also seems that the members where using tongues in church, hence making lots of noises and causing confusion. There also may be women speaking loudly and causing commotion in the church which let Paul to call for an orderly conduct. At the end of this Paul clearly encourages us to ask for the gift of prophecy and also clarify that he is not against speaking in tongues.



1 Corinthians 14
Prophecy and Tongues

1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for[a] he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

Tongues Must Be Interpreted

6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers

20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.

21 In the law it is written:

“With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,”[b]
says the Lord.

22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus[c] the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

Order in Church Meetings

26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

34 Let your[d] women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.

36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.[e]

39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Behold, Bless the Lord

A simple psalm to remind us to praise and bless the Lord at night. Blessings and praises come from both our mouths as well as with lifted hands. Also a reminder that the Lord is God who made the heaven and earth. It must be a wonderful end to a day to look up into the night sky and praise the Lord with lifted hands.


Psalm 134
Praising the Lord in His House at Night
A Song of Ascents.

1 Behold, bless the Lord,
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!

2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the Lord.

3 The Lord who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion!

Lord, Remember David

The psalmist recalls the exemplary way which David approached God. David is famously described as "after God's own heart". Here it mentions that David would not sleep until he finds God. So the psalmist encourages all to seek out the LORD in His tabernacle and the priests to be prepared. It establishes the LORD as the God of Israel who has a special relation with them, enabling them to be accessible to Him.

In the last part, God answers that He is in His resting place. He will bless his people with provision, especially the poor, give salvation to His people. The final verses may be a reference to the Messiah with words like "horn of David", "the Anointed" and "His crown shall flourish".


Psalm 132
The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion
A Song of Ascents.

1 Lord, remember David
And all his afflictions;

2 How he swore to the Lord,
And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3 “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,
Or go up to the comfort of my bed;

4 I will not give sleep to my eyes
Or slumber to my eyelids,

5 Until I find a place for the Lord,
A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
We found it in the fields of the woods.[a]

7 Let us go into His tabernacle;
Let us worship at His footstool.

8 Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.

9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.

10 For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.

11 The Lord has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.

12 If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:

14 “This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

15 I will abundantly bless her provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

17 There I will make the horn of David grow;
I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed.

18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”

They Have Mouths, But They Do Not Speak

A great praise to God that the LORD is the only true living God. Compared to the other gods who are just idols:

"They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;"

The God of Israel is the one true God. So this psalm encourages people to put their trust in their LORD and they will be blessed in many ways. Everything belongs to God, including the heavens and Earth; but God has given men the Earth. This is a picture of the Almighty God who is living and has relationship with His people.



Psalm 115  
The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God

1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.

2 Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”

3 But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.

5 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;

6 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;

7 They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.

8 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.

13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,
Both small and great.

14 May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.

15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.

17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

Thus They Have Rewarded Me Evil For Good

The psalmist is probably David in this case. He described his situation in which his enemies were coming against him. What follows is a request or curse on his enemies. He requested God to bring various kinds of disasters on his enemies. He asks God to reward his accusers according to their unrighteous and wicked deeds. It may be questionable to ask God to deal harshly with our enemies, but the psalmist seems to be asking God to give them what they deserve.

Then the psalmist ask God for His mercy and to deliver him, describing himself as feeble and needy. He cries to God from his soul, trusting the LORD to deal with his enemies. He delights in praising the LORD and trust that God will save those oppressed.



Psalm 109
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

 1 Do not keep silent,
         O God of my praise!
 2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful
         Have opened against me;
         They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
         And fought against me without a cause.
 4 In return for my love they are my accusers,
         But I give myself to prayer.
 5 Thus they have rewarded me evil for good,
         And hatred for my love.
       
 6 Set a wicked man over him,
         And let an accuser[a] stand at his right hand.
 7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
         And let his prayer become sin.
 8 Let his days be few,
         And let another take his office.
 9 Let his children be fatherless,
         And his wife a widow.
 10 Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg;
         Let them seek their bread[b] also from their desolate places.
 11 Let the creditor seize all that he has,
         And let strangers plunder his labor.
 12 Let there be none to extend mercy to him,
         Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
 13 Let his posterity be cut off,
         And in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
       
 14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
         And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
 15 Let them be continually before the LORD,
         That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
 16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,
         But persecuted the poor and needy man,
         That he might even slay the broken in heart.
 17 As he loved cursing, so let it come to him;
         As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
 18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
         So let it enter his body like water,
         And like oil into his bones.
 19 Let it be to him like the garment which covers him,
         And for a belt with which he girds himself continually.
 20 Let this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers,
         And to those who speak evil against my person.
       
 21 But You, O GOD the Lord,
         Deal with me for Your name’s sake;
         Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
 22 For I am poor and needy,
         And my heart is wounded within me.
 23 I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens;
         I am shaken off like a locust.
 24 My knees are weak through fasting,
         And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.
 25 I also have become a reproach to them;
         When they look at me, they shake their heads.
       
 26 Help me, O LORD my God!
         Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
 27 That they may know that this is Your hand—
         That You, LORD, have done it!
 28 Let them curse, but You bless;
         When they arise, let them be ashamed,
         But let Your servant rejoice.
 29 Let my accusers be clothed with shame,
         And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.
       
 30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth;
         Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
 31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,
         To save him from those who condemn him.

God Be Merciful To Us and Bless Us

God is indeed merciful. Today let the angels sings because one of God's child is saved. As the proverb goes, a man plans his ways but it is God who directs His path. The means may not be as planned but it will work out according to God's will.
The result of God's mercy is His Salvation plan. The people should praise him no less. What is lacking now and what is written is that when all the people praise God, as a nation and as a world, the whole earth would be fruitful and all will be blessed.

Psalm 67
To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments.[a] A Psalm. A Song.

 1 God be merciful to us and bless us,
         And cause His face to shine upon us,  Selah 
 2 That Your way may be known on earth,
         Your salvation among all nations.
        
 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
         Let all the peoples praise You.
 4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
         For You shall judge the people righteously,
         And govern the nations on earth.  Selah 
        
 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
         Let all the peoples praise You.
 6 Then the earth shall yield her increase;
         God, our own God, shall bless us.
 7 God shall bless us,
         And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

Because Your Lovingkindness is Better Than Life

David's yearning for God is like a thirst for water. David's desire is to experience God's glory, power and lovingkindness. For this, David have searched for God, praise Him, bless Him, lifting up hands, meditate on Him,

Psalm 63
A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

 1 O God, You are my God;
         Early will I seek You;
         My soul thirsts for You;
         My flesh longs for You
         In a dry and thirsty land
         Where there is no water.
 2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
         To see Your power and Your glory.
        
 3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
         My lips shall praise You.
 4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
         I will lift up my hands in Your name.
 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
         And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
        
 6 When I remember You on my bed,
         I meditate on You in the night watches.
 7 Because You have been my help,
         Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
 8 My soul follows close behind You;
         Your right hand upholds me.
        
 9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
         Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
 10 They shall fall by the sword;
         They shall be a portion for jackals.
        
 11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
         Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;
         But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

None of Them can by any Means Redeem his Brother

This psalm brings the revelation that only God can be our Salvation. No amount of riches is able to buy our salvation. The wealth that is stored up, amounts to nothing beyond this life. The fame, honour and respect gained in this life is not transferable beyond this life. To depend on any such things apart from God is foolishness.

Psalm 49
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

 1 Hear this, all peoples;
         Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
 2 Both low and high,
         Rich and poor together.
 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom,
         And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
         I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.
        
 5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
         When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
 6 Those who trust in their wealth
         And boast in the multitude of their riches,
 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
         Nor give to God a ransom for him—
 8 For the redemption of their souls is costly,
         And it shall cease forever—
 9 That he should continue to live eternally,
         And not see the Pit.
        
 10 For he sees wise men die;
         Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
         And leave their wealth to others.
 11 Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,[a]
         Their dwelling places to all generations;
         They call their lands after their own names.
 12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain;[b]
         He is like the beasts that perish.
        
 13 This is the way of those who are foolish,
         And of their posterity who approve their sayings.  Selah 
 14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave;
         Death shall feed on them;
         The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
         And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
         For He shall receive me.  Selah 
        
 16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich,
         When the glory of his house is increased;
 17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away;
         His glory shall not descend after him.
 18 Though while he lives he blesses himself
         (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
 19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
         They shall never see light.
 20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand,
         Is like the beasts that perish.