Mark Tabata

Bible Studies with a Kentucky Gospel Preacher

Mark Tabata — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 01:38:10 GMT

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When Job Wished God Had Never Made The Universe

Mark Tabata — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 01:07:28 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Friday August 28 2026

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Job 3:1-11-After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 And Job spoke, and said: 3 "May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.' 4 May that day be darkness; May God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it. 5 May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it. 6 As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number of the months. 7 Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it! 8 May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan. 9 May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day; 10 Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes. 11 "Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?

In the midst of his bitterness, pain, and anger, Job wished not only that he had been born, but that the Earth itself had not brought forth for mankind to dwell upon.

Instead of wishing only for death, Job wishes he had never been born in the first place–and even implies he wishes there had never been any light or space for any human life at all. This raises questions about Job’s motives for speaking, which will be important to keep in mind as we consider the chapter. It is also important to remember that the word ‘wish’ is probably too weak, for curses and blessings in the Old Testament express not just wishes but count as ritually effective speech, helping to bring about what they describe. Although Job perhaps did not literally expect creation to dissolve into chaos around him as he spoke, his first poem does count as a verbal assault on God’s world. To appreciate the gravity and magnitude of this curse, it should be remembered that an ancient Semite like Job would have viewed creation significantly differently from modern Westerners. Job is verbally assaulting not just impersonal matter obeying scientific laws, but that beautiful, complex, dependent environment God made for us for the sake of significant relationship and satisfying work (Gen. 1; Ps. 104). But the goodness and grandeur of God’s world in no way restrains Job’s pain (2: 13). Job’s curse encompasses not just himself, but all of existence. Job begins by cursing not just the day of his birth, but even the night it was announced he was conceived (v. 3). Let that day be darkness, Job says; let it simply fall out of existence (v. 4). The first clause of verse 4 echoes God’s initial calling into existence of light in Genesis 1: 327–the first hint that Job is restricting his curse not merely to his own existence, but to the whole world. A second hint comes in the next verse, when Job calls on the ‘shadow of death’ (my tr.) to claim the day he was born (cf. Ps. 23: 4). This is no natural darkness Job is summoning to seize, to dwell on, to terrify his birthday; he hopes spiritual darkness will ‘win back [its] demonic rights’ over creation. 28 Unusually, verses 4–6 each have three clauses, as if the vigour and viciousness of Job’s curse cannot be contained within the normal two-part structure of a poetic line. Leviathan himself is mentioned in verse 8, where Job cheers on those magicians skilled to rouse the chaos monster that would overwhelm creation. Ancient Egyptians imagined that a giant serpent, Apep, would try to swallow the sun (Ra) each night as it travelled through the underworld on a ship, and their priests had extensive magic rituals that would help to repel that chaos so that the normal order of sunrise could continue each day. 29 Job here poetically calls on these religious specialists to reverse their normal procedure and help chaos win–but, of course, if Leviathan is aroused, the ‘fleeing serpent’ (see Job 26: 12–13) will do far more than just swallow Job’s day. All light and life will be endangered. The next verse ends Job’s curse in a moving way as we watch the stars at twilight wink out and the ‘eyelids’ of morning wake to nothing (v. 9). (Eric Ortlund, Piercing Leviathan: God's Defeat of Evil in the Book of Job (New Studies in Biblical Theology 56), 21-22 (Kindle Edition): Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)

Many through the years have experienced pain and sorrow, but few I have known had wished that the Earth itself had never been brought forth. It raises the interesting question:

Would non-existence be better then existence?

Better to be, then not to be?

Years ago, one author I read explored this idea.

Nonexistence rather than existence: what an idea! Still, it’s worth asking, if the world is a package deal, if free will for man means the choice to do good or evil, and if natural suffering comes built into the infrastructure of nature and of evolution, well, then is the whole thing worth it? Did God do us a favor by creating us, or would he have done us a greater favor not to have created us in the first place? To answer this question, it might help to try an exercise in reflecting on your life. Make a list of the really bad things that have happened to you. Don’t focus on the things that are your fault, though; enumerate all the unfair and terrible injustices you have suffered, either at the hands of others or through unavoidable calamity. Don’t leave anything out; go ahead and show us all your scars. Do this for the past year, and then do it for your whole life. Now make a second list, and here I’d like you to put down all the really good things that have happened to you. Again, let’s not focus on the rewards of your own efforts, on the successes you feel you have merited. Rather, enumerate, as far back as you can remember, all the sublime and wonderful and hilarious experiences that you’ve had. I did this recently, and I found that my “good” list vastly outweighed my “bad” list. In fact, it was no contest. And I suspect that for the vast majority of people, positive experiences will be common and bad experiences relatively rare. The point here is that by the irrefutable test of experience, life for most of us is a very good thing, and thus our overall response to it is not regret but gratitude. (Dinesh D'ouza, Godforsaken: Bad Things Happen. Is There A God Who Cares? Yes. Here's Proof!, 184-185 (Kindle Edition); Carol Stream, Illinois; Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

Job himself learned that existence is better then non-existence.

How often do we count our blessings?

Father, thank You for every good and perfect gift. We know that they come down from You. Continue with us. Amen.

Will God Reject My Baptism Over Eating In A Church Building?

Mark Tabata — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 01:05:59 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Thursday August 27 2026

2 Peter 3:18-but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

If a person is baptized into Christ believing that it is a sin to eat in a church building, does that mean that God has rejected their baptism?

Strange as it may sound, this is a question that I have been asked before. Some years back, I worked with a family who were absolutely convinced that it is a terrible sin to eat in a church building. Their reasoning proceeded from what the Apostle Paul wrote to our brothers and sisters at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 11:22-What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

It was their belief that, in this passage, Paul was condemning Christians who ate and drank in a church building.

Of course, that wasn’t what Paul was doing here.

In the first century, the Christians often had a fellowship meal after their worship services together. Thus, they ate the Lord’s Supper in worship (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; Acts 20:7), and then they also partook of the “love feast” afterwards, inviting their non-Christian friends and neighbors to join them (cf. Jude 12). At Corinth, the Christians were mixing together the Lord’s Supper and the love feast, which was a sinful thing to do. Indeed, Paul is condemning Christians who turn an act of worship (the Lord’s Supper) into a common meal, and who then further compound that offense by neglecting the poor and needy in the congregation while serving food to the rich and powerful!

Paul wasn’t condemning eating in a church building.

When this man and his wife learned that, they were both relieved.

And they were also horrified.

You see, their belief was that a person who misunderstood anything at the time of their baptism was rejected by God.

As such, they had another question:

“Brother Mark, do we need to be rebaptized now?”

I told them “No.”

Why?

Let’s study.

First, knowledge of Scripture is something that we grow in as disciples of Christ. Peter made that clear (2 Peter 3:18), and so do several other passages of Scripture in the New Testament. Knowledge is not something that “we have” and then, that’s it. Instead, we are diligent to show ourselves approved unto God by rightly dividing His Word (2 Timothy 2:15). Furthermore, the Bible teaches that we will continue to learn throughout eternity itself (Ephesians 1:1-7)!

Second, part of maturing as Christians is acknowledging that there are some things that we may have misunderstood on our journey. Yet misunderstandings do not automatically somehow invalidate our baptism and salvation. In fact, most of the baptism passages in the New Testament are written to baptized believers who had misunderstood some very important facts-sometimes even about baptism itself-and are still acknowledged as saved Christians!

Think about it.

Nearly all of Paul’s Epistles are written to brethren who had either misunderstood or been deceived by those who advocated Judaism or Gnosticism. They had been misled, which sometimes resulted in the Christians living in lifestyles and practices that were contrary to God’s Word and needed to be repented of.

Despite their misunderstandings and sins, how did Paul address these brethren?

Romans 1:7-8-To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

1 Corinthians 1:2-To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Galatians 1:2….the churches of Galatia

Ephesians 1:1…To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 1:1….To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Colossians 1:2-To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-4-We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

Paul corrected misunderstandings among all of these brethren, and some of those were pretty serious. Nevertheless, their misunderstandings did not take away from their status as saved Christians who had been baptized into Christ.

Third, when we come to learn that we have misunderstood something, we patiently and carefully study it. If it turns out that we have misunderstood something-even something important-then we grow with that new knowledge and understanding.

Fourth, it is important to realize that a disagreement with a brother on a subject-even something important-means that either you or your brother are somehow lost. It may just mean that you have understand something differently, and that you are both sincere and still studying on said topic.

Case in point: eating in the church building.

Our brethren that I mentioned at the beginning of this article were no longer persuaded that eating in a church building would lead them to Hell, yet it remained their desire not to eat in that church house.

That was cool: they were following their conscience.

What impressed me, however, was that they did not try to force their newfound understanding on others. They did not go back to their brothers and sisters who believed in the “no eating in a church building” doctrine and tell them they were bound for Hell. These faithful followers of the Lord had learned that Christians of good conscience can sometimes disagree, and this does not mean they have to be disagreeable and condemn one another to perdition.

We need to strive to have that level of grace with each other as well.

Romans 15:1-2-We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

May the Lord help each of us to always treat one another with grace and humility.

Guide us, Lord. Amen.

Christians Cannot Sin?

Mark Tabata — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 01:03:10 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Wednesday August 26 2026

1 John 3:6-9-Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Do Christians sin?

The Apostle John declared:

1 John 1:8-If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Yet later, the same Apostle declared that whoever abides in Christ does not sin! He further states that whoever sins has neither ‘seen” nor “known” Jesus, and that whoever has been born of God cannot sin!

What’s going on here?

Let’s study.

In 1 John 1, John very emphatically declares that Christians do indeed commit acts of sin. Indeed, the blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing Christians of every sin as they continue walking in the light of God’s Word (1 John 1:7), which includes repentance and confession of sins to the Lord and trusting that He will continue forgiving (1 John 1:9). This hope is rooted in the fact that Jesus is our Advocate (1 John 2:1-2).

So what does John mean when he says that Christians “do not sin” and that they “cannot sin?”

Some believe that John is referring to a specific sin in these verses, and not to sin in general. They base this on what the Apostle wrote earlier.

1 John 3:4-Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

In the Greek of this passage, the definite article appears before both “sin” and “lawlessness” here:

“Whoever commits THE sin also commits THE lawlessness.”

This has led some to believe that John is referring here to a very specific sin (possibly the way that the Gnostics were so perverting the Gospel truth of Who Jesus is to try and justify their wicked lifestyles). What’s more, there is an Old Testament background to this which makes it possible.

The passage 3: 6–9 is part of the treatment of the fundamental connection between knowing God and doing righteousness found in 2: 29–3: 10, where the author provides a basis for distinguishing between those who are the children of God and those who are the children of the devil. The connection between sin and the devil is made three times in this passage, the connection being made both by explicit references to the devil (3: 8, 10) and by equating sin (hamartia) and lawlessness (anomia) (3: 4). Anomia is found only in this verse in 1 John, a letter in which the word nomos (law) does not even occur, suggesting that we should not jump to the conclusion that here it denotes specifically violations of the Mosaic law. As noted above, de la Potterie points out that in the LXX anomia translates about twenty Hebrew words and becomes virtually synonymous with hamartia. In some places in the LXX anomia has satanic associations, and in two places it is used to translate Belial (2 Sam 22: 5; Ps 17: 4 [ET 18: 5]). These things pave the way for the teaching in later Jewish texts that the sins of the people of Israel are brought about by the powers of wickedness—by Satan and his spirits (cf., e.g., Testament of Dan 5: 4–6; 6: 1–6; Testament of Naphtali 4: 1; Rule of the Community [1QS] 3: 18–21; 4: 9, 19–20, 23). People who commit sins are then called the children/ men of iniquity (1QS 3: 20; 5: 2, 10; 10: 20). 152 Among the Gospels, only Matthew uses the word anomia, and he does so consistently in association with false prophets or others who oppose God’s kingdom, always with some association with the last days or the final judgment (Matt 7: 23; 13: 41; 23: 28; 24: 21). In the Pauline corpus the singular form of anomia is in all cases but one used to denote a sinful power working in the world, one to which Christians must not submit themselves (Rom 6: 19; 2 Cor 6: 14; 2 Thess 2: 3, 7). In the NT anomia meaning transgression of the law is completely absent. 153 All this suggests that when the author of 1 John says “sin is lawlessness,” he does not mean sin is the violation of the Mosaic law, but rather that sin constitutes opposition to and rebellion against God, like the opposition and rebellion of Satan. If this is the case, then the author is really saying that those who claim to have seen God and know him, yet persist in sin, certainly do not know God and are in fact in league with Satan. So the point the author wants to make in the passage is clear enough, and this is all summed up in 3: 10: “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.” (Colin G. Kruse, The Letters of John (The Pillar New Testament Commentary (PNTC), 206-208 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)

So Kruse (and others) are suggesting that when the Bible says that a person born of God “cannot” sin, it is speaking of committing a specific sin: one that is inspired by devotion to the devil and that the Gnostics were indulging in. This viewpoint also is espoused by some of the early church fathers. Augustine, for example, claimed that “the” sin that a child of God cannot commit is specifically “unbelief.” He also wrote that this “unbelief” is manifested in a lack of love from one Christian to another who is destitute.

However, the definite article here does not demand that John is focusing on one particular sin, a fact which several Greek scholars have pointed out over the years.

Although the Article distinctly takes sin in the sense of an offence [old English: missing . M.] towards God , and ἀνομία as an opposition to the law of God, and removes all indefinite generality, yet no qualification within this ethico-religious sphere is admissible. But we must not attach too much importance to this, since the Article is wanting in 1 John 3: 9: ἁμαρτίαν οὐ ποιεῖν and ποιεῖν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν and ἁμαρτάνειν ( 1 John 3: 4 ; 1 John 3: 6 ; 1 John 3: 8-9 ) are used promiscue , so that we must not attach too much importance to ποιεῖν. To this must be added that καὶ before τὴν ανομίαν conveys the idea that the doing of the ἁμαρτία is as such also as the doing of the ἀνομία. (Düsterdieck.) Quishquis committit peccatum, idem committit iniquitatem . (Erasmus.) Καὶ must neither be taken in a causal sense, nor changed into yea (Brückner); but we have to hold with Ebrard that the fuller idea, ποιεῖν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, in the beginning helps to qualify the other terms, ποιεῖν ἁμαρτίαν, and ἁμαρτάνειν, and that the antithesis ἁγνίζειν ἑαυτὸν is also co& euml; fficient, and that the reference, so far from being to sins of haste or infirmity, is rather to sin, though only a single Acts, yet a voluntary act. Hence the following explanations cannot be received: that ἁμαρτία denotes peccatum mortale (Estius and the Roman Catholics), or grave, unrepented sins (Luther, al.), or that ποιεῖν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν is = peccare contumaciter (Aretius), contra conscientiam el impœnitenter (Rosenmüller), or peccato operam dare (Beza), peccare scientem et volentem (Spener), or the actual moral bias of life (Brückner). It is equally inadmissible to assume an intensification of the notion ἁμαρτία into ἀνομία (Baumgarten-Crusius, Bengel), or that ἀνομία includes crimes and vices proper, as if ἁμαρτία were the principle and source of the ἀνομία (de Wette). Paraphrases of ποιεῖν ἀνομιαν, such as Deum offendere (Grotius) and religioni adversari (Carpzov), do incorrectly weaken the idea. The two ideas, although distinguished from each other, are not convertible. We have here the general proposition: whoever doeth sin, of whatever kind it be, doeth also lawlessness, violates the Divine rule and order, which is not directed against Antinomians, but against all those who are loose on the subject of sin; the idea of ἀνομία imparts a peculiar severity to that of sin. (Johann Peter Lange, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical, 42098-42099 (Kindle Edition): Omaha, NE: Patristic Publishing: emphasis added, M.T.)

John could simply be explaining to us that at the heart of it, all acts of sin are like the lawlessness which characterized Satan’s fall and which are described throughout the Old Testament.

Another weakness of this argument, in my understanding, is that it suggests a believer can never apostatize into unbelief. So then, it is argued, any Christian who falls from the faith was never really saved to begin with.

The problem with this is that there have been many persons throughout the Bible who were in a saved relationship with God, but who then chose to rebel against Him. We could mention a few examples here.

Satan (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19);

The angels who sinned (Genesis 6:1-4; Revelation 12:1-10);

Nicolas (Acts 6:1-5, who is said to have been filled with the Holy Spirit and who the church fathers claimed later formed the Gnostic group known as the Nicolaitans mentioned by John in Revelation 2:6, 15);

And of course, Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:12-13). In this passage, we are told that the Samaritans believed and were baptized, and that Simon did so “also.” This links his salvation with that of the other Samaritans. However, Simon then apostatized (Acts 8:14-23).

Furthermore:

Doesn’t Jesus Himself proclaim that there are some who believe and later fall away (Luke 8:11-15)?

Did Jesus not declare that some who are “in Him” are cast out as branches if they do not bear fruit (John 15:1-8)?

Was it not the Apostle Peter who declared that some who have been cleansed and delivered from the corruption that is in the world may again turn back to it and be lost (2 Peter 2:20-22)?

Did not the same Apostle also proclaim that there were even some who had been purchased/redeemed by the blood of Christ and later became false prophets (2 Peter 2:1-3)?

These are just two problems with this particular interpretation of 1 John 3:6, 9.

A much more likely interpretation of this passage rests in the chosen and abiding lifestyle of the persons here described, and as illustrated by the nature of the verbs. The Apostle in this passage is describing those who are trying to live for the Lord, versus those who have given themselves over to the demonic teachings of the Gnostics. John assured us that while Christians commit sins (1 John 1:7-2:2), they do not desire to live in sin as a continual way of life. This is because they continue to look to Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him (1 John 3:6), allowing His seed to abide within their heart (1 John 3:9).

One gentleman who used to believe in the doctrine of “once-saved-always-saved” describes this in detail.

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." What a precious promise! But John also warns, "Whoever remains in Him does not practice sin: whoever practices sin has not continued seeing Him, nor continued knowing Him." The renderings of the Authorized Version make John appear to contradict himself: Whoever sins has an advocate-Jesus Christ; but whoever sins is a stranger to Christ and is of the devil (2:1 and 3:6, 8). There is no contradiction, of course. The Authorized Version fails to depict the difference between the punctiliar aorist subjunctive in 2:1 and the linear aspects of the verbs in chapter 3. It is the difference between sin as an isolated act, and habitual sinning as a deliberate pattern of behavior. For the man who follows such a pattern, Jesus cannot intercede before the Father's throne of judgment. He cannot serve as Advocate for men while they deliberately consent sent to sin. Grace is for sinners; but not for wilful sinners who deliberately pursue sin. "My dear children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. But if any man sin...." Despite our best intentions and holiest aspirations, we do sin. But thank God, "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins." There is a remedy for the sins of the saints: "If we keep on confessing' our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9) . An essential aspect of confession before our High Priest is the sincere intention of forsaking the sins we confess. We cannot not ask forgiveness for sins we have no intention of forsaking. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we claim that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we [God and the believer-v. 6] have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:5-7). There is no promise of forgiveness and cleansing from sin except for men who sincerely endeavor (though, at best, imperfectly) to "walk in the light, as He is in the light." "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). We cannot walk with Him whose habitation is light unless we are willing to share His enmity against sin. If we consent to His conditions, if we come before Him with contrite heart, if we forsake the sins which nailed Jesus to His cross, we may know that we have an Advocate with the Father who is, Himself, the propitiation for all our sins. We may confess fess our sins in full assurance that "He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He has given His word. Let us trust Him. (Robert Shank, Life in the Son: A Study Of The Doctrine Of Perseverance, 1472-1490 (Kindle Edition): Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers)

As long as the child of God continues to look to Jesus, grow in relationship with Him, and allows His Word to abide in his heart, it is impossible for him-as long as he meets these conditions-to live a lifestyle of unrepentant and continual sin.

Father, thank You for our hope of salvation that rests in Your Son. Help us to always look to You for guidance and grace. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

Fallen From Grace

Mark Tabata — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 01:01:12 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Tuesday August 25 2026

Galatians 5:4-You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

When the Apostle Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians, he addressed the believers in that area.

Galatians 1:1-5-Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Notice to whom Paul addresses his Epistle: to the “churches of Galatia.”

The Apostle wishes them continuing “grace” and “peace,” focusing on how God’s Son had given Himself for our sins, in the hope and desire that He might “deliver us from this present evil age.” These are clear indicators that the churches of Galatia are composed of those had been saved from their sins, as other passages in the Epistle clearly demonstrate (cf. Galatians 3:3, 7, 26-29; 4:6; 5:16-17; 6:1-6, 16).

When the Apostle writes these words, there were some in the churches of Galatia who had been influenced by Judaizers (those who were attempting to bind the Law of Moses on Christians) and Gnostics (those who attempted to combine Christianity with paganism). Sadly, some were exchanging the New Testament for the Old, not realizing that they were by doing so rebuilding what God had gone to such lengths to tear down would be sin (Galatians 2:17-20). There were also those who were being tempted to renounce Christ and return to serving the “elemental spirits of the universe” (Galatians 4:3). It leads Paul to make the declaration that he does in Galatians 5:4.

From this text, we can learn several important lessons.

First, the subjects of this passage are the same as those addressed throughout the entire Epistle: Christians!

Some believe that Paul changes subjects in this passage because he speaks of how they have “fallen from grace” For many in the religious world, this presents a problem, since some hold to the idea that once a person is saved from sin they can never do anything to forfeit that salvation. So it is argued that the subjects of this verse must have somehow changed from Christians to “fake” Christians.

Despite this, it is clear that the subjects of the passage are saved Christians. Not only does the “you” of the passage refer continually to saved individuals throughout the Epistle, but consider also that Paul says they have “fallen” from grace and have become “severed” from Christ.

How could a person fall from a state of grace if they had never been in a state of grace?

How could a person be estranged (or “severed”) from Christ if they were not first joined to Christ?

Clearly, Paul is addressing Christians.

Second, what Paul says here is a profound warning for every child of God: it is possible to fall from grace and to become severed from Christ. To be “estranged” or “severed” from Christ meant to be removed from Him. In fact, the word was sometimes used synonymously with “divorced” (cf. Romans 7:2). Again, the phrase “fallen from grace” has reference to the “grace” that the Galatians had been called into through the Gospel (Galatians 1:6-9), showing us that those in this fallen state they were abandoning the hope of the Good News of Jesus Himself.

It is possible for a Christian to live in such a way that his salvation in Christ may become forfeit. A life of willful sin without repentance leads to this state.

Finally, there is hope for the child of God who departs from Christ! If he will come back to the Lord, he can be ‘restored’ to Him.

Galatians 6:1-Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

There is hope for all who will turn from sin and return to Christ Jesus.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your grace that enables us to be restored. Open our eyes to the security that we have access to in You. Amen.

Bring It All To God

Mark Tabata — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 18:29:05 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Monday August 24 2026

Psalm 88:14-18-LORD, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? 15 I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. 16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. 17 They came around me all day long like water; They engulfed me altogether. 18 Loved one and friend You have put far from me, And my acquaintances into darkness.

One of the powerful lessons that we learn from the Books of Wisdom and Poetry (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon) is that God understands when we bring our doubts, questions, pain, and anguish to Him. The patriarch Job expounds on this theme in so many profound ways. Far from believing that it is wrong to question God, Job voiced his fury and bitterness to the Almighty.

One bold message in the Book of Job is that you can say anything to God. Throw at him your grief, your anger, your doubt, your bitterness, your betrayal, your disappointment—he can absorb them all. As often as not, spiritual giants of the Bible are shown contending with God. They prefer to go away limping, like Jacob, rather than to shut God out. In this respect, the Bible prefigures a tenet of modern psychology: you can’t really deny your feelings or make them disappear, so you might as well express them….He permitted them, yes, but the account of The Wager presents Satan, not God, as the instigator of Job’s suffering. In any event, God was surely not Job’s enemy. Far from being abandoned by God, Job was getting direct, almost microscopic scrutiny from him. At the very moment Job was pleading for a courtroom trial to present his case, he was actually participating in a trial of cosmic significance—not as the prosecuting attorney jabbing his finger at God, but as the main witness in a test of faith....From Job, we can learn that much more is going on out there than we may suspect. Job felt the weight of God’s absence; but a look behind the curtain reveals that in one sense God had never been more present. In the natural world, human beings only receive about 30 percent of the light spectrum. (Honeybees and homing pigeons can, for example, detect ultraviolet light waves invisible to us.) In the supernatural realm, our vision is even more limited, and we get only occasional glimpses of that unseen world….Simply this: the big picture, with the whole universe as a backdrop, includes much activity that we never see. When we stubbornly cling to God in a time of hardship, or when we simply pray, more—much more—may be involved than we ever dream. It requires faith to believe that, and faith to trust that we are never abandoned, no matter how distant God seems. At the end, when he heard the Voice from the whirlwind, Job finally attained that faith. God reeled off natural phenomena—the solar system, constellations, thunderstorms, wild animals—that Job could not begin to explain. If you can’t comprehend the visible world you live in, how dare you expect to comprehend a world you cannot even see! Conscious of the big picture at last, Job repented in dust and ashes. (Philip Yancey, Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud, 262-266 (Kindle Edition); Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan)

The Book of Psalms also strongly emphasizes this. Most of the Psalms are people crying out to the Lord in sorrow, disappointment, and anger to the Almighty.

The Psalms also help us explore the unthinkable. How can we voice anger, anxiety, our deepest fears and darkest thoughts to God? Psalms drill down into the marrow, getting to the core issues of life. Through the Psalms, God provides therapy for these intense and sometimes painful issues. They help put us in touch with buried issues. I have discovered that the Psalms often surface enormously significant feelings I did not even know were there. Or even more to the point, the Psalms unearth things we desperately need to face—wounds that will not be healed unless they are surfaced and dealt with carefully. We know they are in there somewhere, but we don’t want to deal with them. They seem too painful or too frightening or too threatening to face. As we move through the Psalms, however, some of them take us into that unthinkable emotional geography we might otherwise avoid. They lead us to process painful feelings we might otherwise stuff down inside. This processing releases healing into our souls....The Psalms give us permission to let God know when we feel abandoned or mistreated. Even Jesus himself gives us permission to pour out our grievances to God, to express negative feelings of being abandoned by God. The cross is not the only place we see Jesus praying lament or protest prayers. When Jesus had come back to Jerusalem during the Passover, he went with his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, just across from a city gate. In the garden Jesus pleaded with his Father, “Let this cup pass from me.” He was talking about the cup of suffering on the cross. In essence, he was asking God to find another way. He went through the sense of abandonment one feels when our prayers do not seem to be answered. This becomes crystal clear when Jesus, hanging on the cross in the gathering darkness, cries out with a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At that horrendous moment, Jesus was praying the words from Psalm 22: 1–3...What we are hearing from Jesus is a prayer of deep lament. And in these moments, with these words, Christ did a great service to the world. These words, welling up out of his deepest agony, give us permission to cry out as well. Our “make me happy” culture programs us to avoid painful or negative feelings. But serious downsides come with this kind of avoidance. Mental health professionals have long since discovered that swallowed painful feelings—such as anger, fear, and shame—usually produce even more negative consequences. These feelings frequently come out in some destructive form, such as clinical depression, substance abuse, or sexual acting out. The Psalms are not about stuffing or denying buried issues. Perhaps this is why looking at the Psalms—or any Scripture—from a moralistic or legalistic perspective drains the life and pursuit of God out of those coming from these perspectives. Psalms are not to-do lists or even not-to-do lists for entrance into heaven. Neither are the Psalms pure venting. Venting alone—particularly the kind that diminishes other people or God—can make our problems seem larger than life and spread the stress to others. Rather than stuffing or venting, we’re instructed to pray to God. The Psalms give us a praying voice that is not stuffing, not venting, but something much more. Reading, praying, singing, memorizing, and ministering the Psalms gives us an emotional and spiritual health that helps us deal with the dark side of our hearts. God knew this before the Psalms were ever voiced....Approximately seventy percent of the recorded Psalms in the Old Testament are psalms of complaint, lament, or imprecation, which means vengeance. By praying these Psalms we lay our stuff honestly at God’s feet. God is big enough to let us beat on his chest. We need not pretend we have no negative, angry feelings toward God. In fact, he already knows we have those feelings anyway. Rather, we have both permission and language to open our hearts and show rage, disappointment, and anger at God. (Lynn Anderson, Talking Back To God: Speaking Your Heart To God Through The Psalms, 65-69 (Kindle Edition); Abilene, TX; Leafwood Publishers)

When you have questions and doubts, bring them to the Lord. He understands, and He invites us to Him.

Father, thank You for showing us in Your Word that You love us and welcome our questions. Thank You for sharing in our pain and understanding what we face. Help us to look to You as we continue this journey of life. Walk with us gently. Amen.

God Versus Satan/Leviathan/Rahab

Mark Tabata — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 20:22:36 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Friday August 21 2022

Job 26:12-13-He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm. 13 By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

Throughout the Book of Job, we see several references to Satan that often go unnoticed because we do not usually study the Bible through the lens of Jewish culture from the Old Testament era. We see several examples right here in this passage, and when we break it down, we learn many fascinating things.

Let’s study.

Job here is speaking to his three friends (Bildad, Zohar, and Eliphaz). They have been trying to convince him that the reason for his suffering is that God is punishing the patriarch for some terrible hidden sin. However, they are incorrect! Sometimes people suffer in this life and it is not Divine punishment for sin (cf. John 9:1-4). However, Job is convinced that God is behind these vicious attacks upon him, and he doesn’t understand why it is happening.

In this passage, Job is discussing God’s power over creation. Job 26:5-11 describes the events which occur before Genesis 1:2-31, in the time frame between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. This corresponds with another passage which again elaborates on God’s operations in the universe before the events of Genesis 1:2.

Psalm 74:13-17-You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. 14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. 15 You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up mighty rivers. 16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun. 17 You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter.

Writing of this passage, Gilbert and Peck hone in on how these events clearly take place between Genesis 1:1 and 2.

Psalm 74 is a bit different. We learn that God is from old, working salvation in the midst of the earth (which again, at the beginning would have been only water). Then we learn God divides the seas (which, in Genesis, occurs in Genesis 1:6) and breaks the heads of the sea monsters, along with crushing the heads of Leviathan. Later, we learn that God establishes the heavenly lights and the sun (which, in Genesis, doesn’t occur until the fourth day, described in Genesis 1:14–19). It is generally believed among biblical scholars that Psalm 74 and Genesis 1 are likely polemics of the Baal Cycle. That is to say, they are attempts to take credit away from Baal for subduing chaos (Leviathan) and giving proper credit to YHWH for this and for creation itself.…Therefore, what we have in Genesis 1 and Psalm 74 is not a scientific description of how everything was created, but a symbolic polemic describing who gets the credit for creating everything. According to the Bible, it’s not Baal. It’s not Marduk. It is YHWH.…We see this same sort of thing in Psalm 89:9–11, which reads: You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. (ESV) We also see this idea repeated as an apocalyptic idea in Isaiah 27:1, which reads: In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. (ESV) In Psalm 89, “Rahab” is a name for Egypt, but is also equated with the sea beast Leviathan. In Isaiah 27, we read of a time in the future when chaos is not simply subdued, but is done away with forever.…The idea coming out of comparing Psalm 74 with Genesis 1 is, by the time the actual creation starts, Leviathan/ chaos is already subdued. This would seem to indicate in the text, at least in the mind of the writers of these passages, that a lot more is going on with Genesis 1: 1–3 than what we are typically taught in Sunday school. We learn in the very first verse that God created the heavens and the earth. However, what was that process like? What were the conditions? How long did it take? We are not told specifically, but we are given clues if we think of this as a polemic on ancient Canaanite religion. Whether taken as literal or symbolic, the texts indicate a Creation story unlike anything we are ever taught in the Church, but one biblical scholars are very familiar with. The sea represents chaos, yet as we see in Genesis 1: 2, chaos is already subdued by the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters. The battle is over before it really began. Derek P. Gilbert & Josh Peck, The Day the Earth Stands Still: Unmasking the Old Gods Behind ETs, UFOs, and the Official Disclosure Movement, 264-269 (Kindle Edition): Crane, MO: Defender Publishing)

Again, notice that in this passage in Psalm 74, God is said to have broken the “heads of the sea serpents in the waters,” and “the heads of Leviathan in pieces.” This is connected with the time God “broke open the fountain and the flood,” when He “dried up mighty rivers.” It is specifically at the time when “the day is Yours, the night also,” and when God “prepared the light and the sun,” and when He “set all the borders of the earth” and made “summer and winter.” These refer to the events of Genesis 1:2-31. Many of the Jews believe that there was a “gap” of time between Genesis 1:1 and 2, based partially on these events that are described in these passages.

Though it was seldom a point of discussion, the concept of a gap was common among ancient Hebrew rabbis. Akiba ben Joseph, who was executed by the Romans in 135 AD, left a clear witness in what would become known as the Mishna. One of Akiba’s disciples, Simeon ben Jochai, wrote The Book of Light, or Zohar. His commentary on Genesis 2: 4–6 expresses the common view held during the lifetime of the apostles and into the second century. “These are the generations of heaven and earth… Now wherever there is written the word ‘these’ () the previous words are put aside. And these are the generations of the destruction which is signified in verse 2 of chapter 1. The earth was Tohu and Bohu. These indeed are the worlds of which it is said that the blessed God created them and destroyed them, and, on that account, the earth was desolate and empty.” This ancient writer who was contemporaneous with the early church had no agenda other than interpreting the Hebrew Scriptures, a living language in his day. The text itself forces the conclusion that the heaven (not heavens) and earth were created at some point prior to Genesis 1: 3 and became “empty and desolate” (without form and void) through an act of judgment...Arthur C. Custance (MA in Hebrew and Greek and PhD in biblical archeology and anthropology) was a Canadian anthropologist, scientist, and author specializing in science and Christianity. In 1970 he privately published Without Form and Void. “We are in no position at present to determine precisely how the Jewish commentators made the discovery, but their early literature (the Midrash for example) reveals that they had some intimation of an early pre-Adamic catastrophe affecting the whole earth. Similarly, clear evidence appears in the oldest extant Version of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Targum of Onkelos) and some intimation may be seen in the “punctuation marks” of the Masoretic text of Genesis, Chapter One.” (p. 2–3) The Jewish Midrash, originating after the Babylonian captivity, over 500 years before Christ, contains early interpretations and commentaries on the Hebrew Bible. It was the basis of rabbinical teaching at the time of Christ. A copy of it was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, predating the New Testament. There are other preserved copies dating from the second century AD, just decades after the apostles. The Midrash is a highly respected exegesis of the Hebrew Bible from various perspectives by many writers and traditions, providing us with a history of their understanding of the text. How could modern writers dare suggest that Gap Creationism is a new idea designed to accommodate modern evolutionary thinking when we have clear records of its antiquity? (Michael Pearl, The Gap Fact and Out-of-Whack Creation Scientism, 13-14 (Kindle Edition): NGJ Ministries)

During that time (between Genesis 1:1 and 2) God fought against Leviathan and defeated him. In the passage before us, Job seems to be referring to those events. Indeed, he further here describes God defeating “the proud.” That Hebrew phrase is the word Rahab, which (as we learn from other Scriptures and texts outside of the Bible) was the name of a pagan goddess who is often identified with Leviathan.

RAHAB ר ה. I. Rahab is one of the names in the OT of the chaos monster(s) (cf. also →Leviathan, →Tannin, Tehom [→Tiamat], and Yam). Although there are in the neighbouring cultures many parallels to this phenomenon of chaos monsters, the name Rahab seems to have no cognates. The only exception is in an Akkadian text about a chaos monster usually called Labbu. The first syllable in this name is written with the sign kal which can be read as lab as well as reb; so the reading Rebbu (<*reb-bu) is possible too (Lambert 1986:55 n.1). The Hebrew name is probably related to Heb rhb, ‘assail’, ‘press’, and Akk raʾābu(m), ‘tremble (with fear or rage)’ and especially with its derivate rūbu, ‘overflow’, because this is not only said of rage but also of water, whereas Rahab is usually related to the →sea. It occurs as a divine name in Isa 51:9; Ps 89:11; Job 9:13; 26:12; and Sir 43:25; and as a reference to Egypt in Isa 30:7 and Ps 87:4. The plural rĕhābîm in Ps 40:5 can be interpreted as a reference to related →demons. II. The reference to Rahab in the OT should be read against the background of ancient Near Eastern mythology describing creation as based on victory over the powers of chaos, viz. the primordial oceans. These powers are represented as monsters. The best known example is the Babylonian myth Enūma eliš describing →Marduk’s creation of the kosmos by defeating the chaos monster Tiamat with her helpers. In the Ugaritic myth of →Baal there are references to a primordial battle between Baal or his consort Anat against the god of the Sea Yam and other chaos monsters (KTU 1.2 iv; 1.3 iii; 1.5 i). The same myth tells us that this battle did not stop with the creation of the world: the powers of chaos remain a threat which has to be confronted again and again. A ritual text (KTU 1.82) describes how these forces can afflict human life and how they can be exorcized. A clear picture of such a watery chaos monster can be found on an Assyrian cylinder seal (Keel 1977:43, pl.48) which shows a →dragon with a body of waves. The dragon is attacked by a warrior with two helpers. On a Hittite cylinder seal (ANEP 670 and Keel 1977:44, pl.50) we see two gods fighting a dragon pictured as waves curling over. III. In the OT texts relating Rahab to the sea its original character of chaos monster is preserved. They also point to a conception of a battle between →Yahweh and →chaos preceding the creation of →heaven and →earth. Job 26 describes the steadfast order of the universe preserved by God after having struck down Rahab (cf. also Ps 89:7–13). Job 9:13 mentions Rahab’s helpers. This has a parallel in the army of monsters siding with Tiamat according to Enūma eliš I 125ff and also in ‘the Big Ones’, monsters supporting the sea god Yam, the adversary of Baal and Anat in KTU2 1.3 iii:38ff. And the ritual text KTU 1.109:21 mentions helper-gods among a number of gods residing in the netherworld (TUAT II/3, 317). (K. Spronk, “Rahab,” in Karel van der Toorn, Bob Becking, and Pieter W. van der Horst, Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, edited by 2nd extensively rev. ed., 684–686 (Logos Edition): Leiden; Boston; Köln; Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge: Brill; Eerdmans)

Both are ancient names for the being that we know as Satan.

What is especially fascinating is the description of this “serpent” as “fleeting.” The word in Hebrew has reference to something which is slippery and able to escape, then reappear later. Whereas the word used here in the Greek Old Testament refers specifically to this creature being openly rebellious and opposed to God. These are both, of course, appropriate qualifiers of the being that we know as Satan. Yet in the end, God will triumph fully over Satan. While there are times that the fleeting serpent has continued in his wicked rebellion, the Second Coming of Christ will put an end to all of his scheming and attacks. We may, like Job, place our faith in the goodness and power of God to overcome evil in His time.

We praise You Lord and we thank You. Amen.

When God Swaddles The Raging Sea

Mark Tabata — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:35:38 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Thursday August 20 2026

Job 38:8-11-Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb; 9 When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band; 10 When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors; 11 When I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!'

To the Jewish student of the Old Testament, the sea and ocean represented the embodiment of chaos and danger. Many believe that this stems all the way back from the first chapter of Genesis, when the seas covered the Earth as a punishment from God before the creation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:1-2). Several Scriptures seem to describe a world that existed before the events of Genesis 1:3-31, and the raging ocean was used as an instrument of God for cleansing and defeating evil. As such, the Jews often looked upon the ocean with fear and trepidation.

The watery abyss is the ordinary starting point for creation accounts in the ancient world. In Gen 1, we find sea and earth reduced to their true state: they are no longer feared, let alone worshiped, as primeval deities. Most ancient religions had a goddess of the earth as well as a goddess of the sea. Sea and earth are prepared for the benefit of humanity, not to rule over us, terrorize us, or prevent us from attaining happiness. Against the teaching of the pagan myths, the watery chaos of Gen 1 constitutes no ultimate threat. 74 In ancient Hebrew thought, the sea was a dangerous place. 75 Among Israel’s neighbors, Yam was the terrifying sea-god. Unlike their neighbors the Phoenicians (modern Lebanon), the Israelites were not especially fond of boats. The primeval waters of Gen 1 are frightening and chaotic. During “de-creation” (the flood), the primeval waters deluge the earth while Noah’s family is rescued (1 Pet 3: 20; Ex 14: 22). The Red (or Reed) Sea is another scene of divine rescue, although the waters flood back once the Hebrews cross over to dry land, killing the pursuing Egyptians. Joshua, too, crosses the water (near Jericho), a similar miracle preparing the way for the Israelites to enter the promised land; and the parting of the waters takes place yet again in the lives of Elijah and Elisha (Josh 3: 16; 2 Kings 2: 8, 14). (Paul Copan & Douglas Jacoby, Origins: The Ancient Impact and Modern Implications of Genesis 1-11, 71 (Kindle Edition): New York, NY: Morgan James Publishing)

That is one reason that God’s statement in Job 38:8-11 is so fascinating.

Job had been accusing God of being cruel and capricious towards the creation that He had made, demanding an opportunity to put God Himself on trial. When the Lord finally shows up to reason with Job, He begins asking the patriarch several questions about the creation itself. These questions are not designed to intimidate Job by showing his ignorance. Instead, they are brought forth to demonstrate to Job that God’s goodness in creation is shown in numerous ways. In point of fact, God’s goodness is illustrated in His subduing and patiently dealing with the oceans that so frighten humankind.

In Job 38: 9, however, when this baby is ‘born’–a metaphor for the creation of the waters–God puts a swaddling cloth on the sea! Not unfairly, Norman Habel calls the image ‘deliberately absurd’. 32 Are we to imagine the Almighty cooing and singing to this newborn as he cradles it in his arms? Even if this goes too far, the gentleness of the image against the background of the normal biblical portrayal of yhwh’s thunderous defeat of the waters is very striking, and speaks strongly to the gentleness of the God whom Job has maligned as amoral and violent. If God is this gentle with the raging waters, surely he is a much kinder person than Job has imagined? 33 A second surprising dimension of this passage is the implication that God’s care for the sea endures even as the sea continues to resist him. That the sea resists God in this passage is not universally agreed upon; in the light of the unexpected maternal imagery used for God’s care of the sea in this passage, some conclude that the ocean does not here take on the full significance of a great chaotic power over which God triumphs in battle, as it does elsewhere in the Old Testament. 34 But we should probably understand the sea to play the same hostile role described elsewhere in the Old Testament, and only God’s action to be portrayed differently. This is the case because of the limit God places upon the sea: Why else would bars and doors be needed, except that the waters are trying to overwhelm creation? The reference to the ‘proud waves’ ending verse 11 substantiates this. The word suitably translated ‘proud’ (gāʾôn) literally means ‘exaltation’, in either a positive or negative sense, either describing God’s exaltation (Exod. 15: 7; Job 37: 4; Isa. 2: 10; cf. Mic. 5: 3) or negatively for human pride (Lev. 26: 12; Job 35: 12; Ps. 59: 13; Prov. 8: 13). A different noun from the same root describes the raging, rebellious sea in Psalm 89: 9 (gēʾût instead of gāʾôn), and even though the word is not repeated, the same image is used in Psalm 93: 3. This implies that the ocean continues (but unsuccessfully!) to defy God proudly even after being ‘swaddled’. This ‘absurd’ image demonstrates God’s goodness like no other: if God nurtures even the chaos and evil present in his creation, and if he does so even as it (unsuccessfully) strikes out against him, then his goodness truly knows no bounds. 35 This is God’s ʿēṣâ, his plan or counsel or strategy, for how he administers his realm, a plan Job has obscured. (Eric Ortlund, Piercing Leviathan: God's Defeat of Evil in the Book of Job (New Studies in Biblical Theology 56), 72-73 (Kindle Edition): Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)

The imagery is of God continually holding back the seas from unleashing continual destruction upon the world of man. God knows what terrifies and terrorizes humanity, and He in kindness and mercy continues to nurture us with sweet victory and salvation. Job learned that he could trust in the goodness and provision of God, and so can we!

Far from being the hostile witness to God that Job envisioned in his times of pain and anguish, the creation itself is one of the Almighty’s greatest supporters to demonstrate the Lord’s goodness.

This knowledge comforts and supports us when we face the raging storms in our own lives. We can trust in the God who swaddles even the fiercest seas for the wellbeing of His people.

Father, we thank You for Your goodness shown throughout the creation. Comfort our hearts with this knowledge as we face the uncertainties of life. Amen.

THE BIBLE, THE CHURCH, AND IMMIGRATION

Mark Tabata — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:37:43 GMT

Now Available As Paperback And Kindle!

Immigration is one of the most debated and emotionally charged issues in America today.

For Christians, however, the most important question is not simply:

“What does my political party say?”

The question must be:

“What does the Bible say?”

The Bible, The Church, And Immigration examines immigration from a biblical perspective, asking what Scripture teaches about strangers and foreigners, civil government, civil disobedience, undocumented immigrants, the rights and responsibilities of immigrants, and the responsibility of the church during times of political and social crisis.

📖 TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Bible And Immigration: An Introduction — Page 3
Strangers And Foreigners In The Old Testament — Page 17
Detailed Analysis Of Romans 13:1-7 — Page 25
The Plan Of Salvation On The Day Of Pentecost — Page 52
Is It Ever Right To Disobey Civil Law? — Page 66
Do Undocumented Immigrants Have Any Rights? — Page 96
What The “Mixed Multitude” Of The Exodus Teaches Us About Immigration — Page 108
Learning From Other Immigration Situations In American History — Page 112
The Witness Of The Church And The Immigration Crisis In America: A Season Of Great Opportunities — Page 120

This 132-page study considers questions such as whether Romans 13 requires unquestioning obedience to government, whether civil disobedience can ever be justified, how God commanded Israel to treat foreigners, and how Christians can respond to immigration in ways that demonstrate both truth and mercy.

The book also challenges Christians to resist allowing political parties to define their convictions:

“We must be resolute to follow the Lamb of Calvary, even if it costs us the respect of the donkey and the elephant.”

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Immigration is a political issue — but for Christians, it is also a biblical issue. Before allowing politicians, television personalities, social media, or political parties to tell us what to believe, we need to ask: What has God said?

“Satan” Or “The Satan?”

Mark Tabata — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:42:13 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Wednesday August 19 2026

Job 1:6-7-Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."

In the Book of Job, there is an interesting detail about Satan that is often overlooked in many Bible translations. Every time he is mentioned in the Hebrew language of the Book of Job, Satan is identified as “the” Satan. Some have suggested that this could mean that this person identified in the opening chapters (and incidentally in the end of the Book under the name Leviathan) is not actually talking about the person that we know of by the name “Satan” from the New Testament. Instead, it is often argued that the person identified as “the Satan” is a godly angel of the Lord who serves God as a type of prosecuting attorney.

What shall we make of this?

Let’s study.

Throughout the Greek Old Testament of Job, “the Satan” is translated with the word “diablos,” which is the Greek word for the being we know of as Satan. The word “Satan” simply means one who is an accuser.

Before addressing these issues regarding the identity of hasatan, it will be helpful to briefly consider the root of satan in the OT. In Hebrew, satan generally refers to an accuser, often an adversary, enemy, or slanderer (noun), or one who opposes or accuses (verb), as in a legal context.88 Job 1–2 and Zechariah 3 are the only two OT passages where hasatan (satan with the article) appears. However, the root of satan appears thirty-three times in twenty-eight OT verses (in noun and verb forms).…Notably, the LXX consistently translates hasatan as diabolos with the article, which always refers to the devil in the NT.95 The identity of hasatan does not hinge on whether hasatan is taken to be a personal name or a description of an office or function in the heavenly council or something else. It could be that a description of this agent came to later be used as the name of that agent (perhaps by the time 1 Chron. 21 was written).96 The use of the article, then, does not by itself indicate whether hasatan should be identified with the person called Satan in the NT; it might only indicate that at the time of writing, satan was not a proper name. Further, even if one takes hasatan to be playing a prosecutorial role in the heavenly council, we need not conclude that hasatan is doing so as a loyal servant of Yahweh…The text itself indicates the disposition of the satan as an opponent of Yahweh.…Further, as in NT depictions of Satan, the satan of Job possesses power to bring about calamity within specified (but dynamic) limits and demands permission to test or antagonize a servant of God. This function comports well with the NT depiction of Satan as the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; cf. 2 Cor. 4:4), who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8) and who “demanded permission to sift [Peter] like wheat” (Luke 22:31). (John C. Peckham, Theodicy of Love: Cosmic Conflict and the Problem of Evil, 77-81 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: emphasis added, M.T.)

Just because Satan is identified as “the” Satan throughout Job 1-2 does not demand that the Scriptures are talking about someone other than the being known as Satan throughout the Bible. Likely, Job 1-2 is simply referring to Satan’s attributes as an accuser.

Thankfully, Satan’s lies are exposed in the light of God’s Word and through the remarkable courage and perseverance of Job. Just as the patriarch eventually came to better understand and trust in the goodness of God, so we may also. Indeed, the suffering that Job endured points us to the Messiah Who came as the Mediator that he so longed for.

The most significant question, however, is the third one: what kind of Savior do we need? Or to put it another way, what kind of man does the universe need? The more I have bashed my head against the text of Job year after year, the more deeply convinced I have become that the book ultimately makes no sense without the obedience of Jesus Christ, his obedience to death on a cross. Job is not everyman; he is not even every believer. There is something desperately extreme about Job. He foreshadows one man whose greatness exceeded even Job’s, whose sufferings took him deeper than Job, and whose perfect obedience to his Father was only anticipated in faint outline by Job. The universe needed one man who would lovingly and perfectly obey his heavenly Father in the entirety of his life and death, by whose obedience the many would be made righteous (Romans 5:19). (Christopher Ash (Edited by Kent Hughes), Preaching The Word: Job, 21 (Kindle Edition); Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway)

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being our Advocate against the accusations of the enemy. We praise You. Amen.

Protect Your Identity

Mark Tabata — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 06:43:06 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Tuesday August 18 2026

Colossians 2:18-19-Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Several months ago, I spoke with a member of the FBI and some social workers regarding the events that led up to my wife and I having to relocate from Hazard, Kentucky (our home of nearly twenty years) back in 2023. As part of the regular proceedings associated with all of that, a background check was performed on me.

I was amazed at what I discovered!

In 1986, when I was seven years old and living in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia, someone from across the country used my name and social security number to purchase land somewhere in North Carolina.

Well, I hope that they at least got beachfront property near the ocean for all that trouble that they went to!

Anyway, it made me start thinking about the subject of identity theft. This is something we hear about so often today. There are entire businesses that operate to protect people from having their identities stolen.

There is a spiritual application to this also.

The enemy that we face as Christians wants to rob us of our identity. Satan and the powers of darkness would have us forget who we are as the church of Christ. We must not forget that our identity is rooted in who God says in His Word that we are.

1 Peter 2:9-12-But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

You are God’s:

Progeny

Priesthood

Proclaimers

People

Pardoned

Pilgrims

Pioneers

Platoon

Don’t let the enemy rob you of your identity in Christ.

2 John 8-Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

Revelation 3:11-Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

Remember who (and Whose) you are.

Father, thank You that our being is found in Christ. Help us to safeguard that spiritual identity and live accordingly. Amen.

THE DANGERS OF CHRISTIAN ZIONISM

Mark Tabata — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 22:17:46 GMT

📚 NOW AVAILABLE ON AS PAPERBACK AND KINDLE!

Bible Studies With A Kentucky Gospel Preacher

By Mark Tabata

What does the Bible actually teach about modern Israel, the land promises, the Jewish people, the Third Temple, Iran, Magog, and Bible prophecy?

In The Dangers of Christian Zionism, Mark Tabata examines these controversial questions directly from Scripture and challenges readers to carefully distinguish between what the Bible actually teaches and what is often assumed in popular end-times teaching.

This study considers the promises made to Abraham and Israel, the teachings of Jesus and Paul regarding national Israel, Ezekiel’s Temple, claims surrounding a future Third Temple, and the role that Iran and Magog are sometimes said to play in biblical prophecy.

📖 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction — Page 3

Abraham And Israel — Page 14

The Land Promises — Page 20

What Jesus Taught About National Israel — Page 34

What Paul Teaches About Israel After The Flesh — Page 40

The Israel Within Israel — Page 42

Ezekiel’s Temple — Page 53

The Third Temple — Page 60

Iran And Bible Prophecy — Page 67

Magog And Iran In Bible Prophecy — Page 71

Conclusion — Page 78

🔥 Some of the questions examined include:

• Did God completely fulfill His land promises to Israel?

• What did Jesus teach concerning national Israel?

• What did the Apostle Paul mean when he distinguished Israel according to the flesh from the true people of God?

• What is the meaning of “all Israel will be saved”?

• Does Ezekiel really predict the construction of another physical Jewish Temple?

• Does Bible prophecy require a Third Temple to be built in Jerusalem?

• Does modern Iran have a specific role in end-times prophecy?

• Is Magog a prophecy about Iran or modern Middle Eastern warfare?

• Should Christians identify the modern political State of Israel with the Israel of biblical covenant promises?

Whatever conclusions we reach about these difficult subjects, our beliefs must ultimately be determined by Scripture rather than political movements, popular prophecy teachers, or current events.

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Mark Tabata — Gospel Preacher

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Why Are You Waiting?

Mark Tabata — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 14:51:20 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Monday August 17 2026

Acts 22:16-And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'

The words spoken here to Saul of Tarsus (who would eventually become known as the Apostle Paul) teach us some very important lessons about baptism. Consider the following words by brother Everett Ferguson.

The memorable moment was the baptism. Ananias said, “What are you waiting for? Get up [cf. 9: 18], be baptized [βἀπτισαι] and wash away [ἀπóλoυσαι] your sins, calling on his name [ἐπικαλεσἀμενoς τò ὄνoμα].” Paul’s account lays the emphasis on what he was expected to do. Once more, he had to “get up.” “Be baptized” is actually middle voice. The middle voice expressed what one did to oneself, for oneself, or to involve oneself. 559 The latter two would express the force of the middle voice here. In the Jewish context of ceremonial purification, one would translate, “Baptize yourself.” In the Christian context of an administered baptism, however, the meaning of the middle voice would be brought out by the translation, “Get yourself baptized” or “Experience baptism.” Such a translation keeps the emphasis on what Paul did but also brings out that the action was something done to him but in his interest. That a water baptism is intended is underscored by the next verb, “wash away.” This is the verb we found in Josephus and others to describe the baptisms of the Jews and of John. The use again of a middle imperative verb may mean “you wash away,” or, to give it the same force as the verb for baptize, we could translate, “get your sins washed away.” The washing away of sins is associated with the baptism. Special interest attaches to this verse, not only because it associates baptism with forgiveness of sins, but also because of the further statement that the baptism was accompanied by a “calling on his name.” Is this God or the Righteous One (22: 14)? According to the flow of thought probably the latter, for the pronouns at the end of verse 14 and in verse 15 refer to him. The language picks up the quotation from Joel 2 that introduced Peter’s sermon in Acts 2: 21. In Joel the “name of the Lord” was God, but in Peter’s application the reference was to Jesus Christ (2: 38). The salvation that comes to those who called on the name of the Lord is associated here, as in Acts 2, with baptism. In Acts 22: 16 the calling on the name is clearly done by the one being baptized, not by the baptizer. It may refer to a prayer (cf. Luke 3: 21) or to a confession of faith (Acts 8: 37 in the western text); as an invocation of the Name it may be considered an equivalent to “baptism in the name of Christ.” 560 The wording here may give some indication that the formula “in the name” refers to what was spoken or affirmed by the baptizand rather than to something pronounced by the administrator. (Everett Ferguson, Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries, 3755-3744 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)

Let’s notice a few things.

First, this passage clearly teaches the fact that the baptism of the passage is in water. Some claim that Paul is discussing Holy Spirit baptism in relating Ananias’ words here, but that is not the case. The same word used here was used by the Jews of Paul’s day to refer to water baptism. This makes sense, especially because baptism in water is what is said to last till the end of the age by Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20).

Second, the baptism of this passage is one that is personally chosen. The verbs here are in the middle voice, denoting action that one personally chooses. There is no indication in Scripture of infant baptism. Infants are without sin (Ezekiel 18:20; 28:15), and are born spiritually alive in the world (Romans 7:9). The common denominational doctrines of “original sin” and “total depravity” are taken from paganism and are not rooted in the Word of God.

Third, baptism here is connected with both the washing away of sin and calling upon the name of the Lord. This reminds us that the words here of the Apostle follow the same pattern of baptism and salvation that we find throughout the New Testament, i.e., baptism always precedes salvation whenever they are mentioned together in Scripture (cf. Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15-16; John 3:5; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 5:26; Colossians 2:11-15; Titus 3:2-9; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 3:18-22).

It is also noteworthy that the baptism of the passage is connected with calling on the name of the Lord, which was a common Old and New Testament designation for obedient prayer (Isaiah 55:6-7; Zephaniah 3:9). This is especially interesting because Saul had been praying for three days and nights to the Lord Jesus at this point (Acts 9:9, 11), yet was still in his sins till he was baptized into Christ Jesus. Please also notice the fact that “calling on the name of the Lord” is not something done by the administrator of baptism, but by the one being baptized.

Finally, the phrase “why are you waiting” was a common Jewish expression denoting urgency (2 Maccabees 7:2, 30; 4 Maccabees 9:10). It was also used in early Christian literature to denote someone not hesitating in making an important decision (Martyrdom Of Polycarp 11:2; Acts of John). We therefore see here another subtle indication that baptism is part of the plan of salvation, and should not be put off and delayed by one who has believed in Jesus and repented of sin.

All of this raises the important question:

If you have not been baptized into Christ, why are you waiting?

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

The Cosmic Consequences Of Our Suffering

Mark Tabata — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 14:49:32 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Friday August 14 2026

Job 1:6-12-Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Recently, I have been contemplating one of my favorite Books of the Bible: the remarkable Book of Job.

There is much about this remarkable champion of God and his encounters with the Almighty that have puzzled and, at times, troubled me. It is no secret that Job went through a great deal of adversity that the Lord allowed upon him and his life, at the behest of Satan.

Why would Satan’s accusations against God in the Book of Job make such a difference?

Was it really serious enough for God to allow Job to go through the suffering that he did?

At the root of Satan’s attacks here is the slander that God is not really good.

The satan’s response further suggests a broader point of contention between them. He alleges that Job does not “fear God for nothing” but does so only because God has blessed him and “made a hedge about him” and his belongings and would bitterly curse God if met with calamity (Job 1: 9–11; cf. 2: 5). 77 This not only attacks the sincerity of Job’s loyalty but also amounts to an accusation against God, who previously declared that Job is “blameless” and “upright,” both “fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1: 8). The satan thus directly contradicts God’s judgment of Job. Lindsay Wilson notes that this “is a questioning not just of Job’s motives but also of God’s rule. The accuser is saying to God that Job does not deserve all his blessings, and thus God is not ruling the world with justice.” 78 Likewise, Frances Andersen comments, “God’s character and Job’s are both slighted.” 79 Hamilton adds that this response is “patently slanderous.” 80. (John C. Peckham, Theodicy of Love: Cosmic Conflict and the Problem of Evil, 74 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic)

The devil’s accusations against God’s goodness mirror what he had said in the Garden of Eden.

If the serpent is believed, God is a liar who does not really want what is best for Eve. On the contrary, the serpent asserts, God is withholding something good from Eve (i.e., knowledge) in order to oppress her.6 She should “be like God,” but God is keeping her from becoming so. As Hamilton puts it, this is “a direct frontal attack” against God’s character. There is a “mixture here of misquotation, denial, and slander fed to the woman by the snake.”7…Given this identification, we find the devil slandering God’s character at the outset of Scripture, slyly alleging that God is not an all-benevolent ruler. This attack prompts humans to distrust God’s character, leading to broken relationships with God and one another (Gen. 3:7–12) as humans are cut off from Eden and it is guarded by “cherubim and the flaming sword” (v. 24). (John C. Peckham, Theodicy of Love: Cosmic Conflict and the Problem of Evil, 89-90 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic)

Some years back, I was studying with a sister that I had baptized into Christ. She had gone through a great deal of adversity in her short life, and we were making our way through Job. She possessed a keen insight into the Scriptures, and one day she pointed out something fascinating to me that I had never considered before.

Sally (not her real name): Brother Mark, could the place of Satan’s accusations against God in the Book of Job have something to do with why Job suffered so much?

Mark: I’m not sure I understand what you mean. (More likely, I said, “HUH?”).

Sally: The Bible says that Satan made his charges against God in front of the other angels. Could that be importnat?

I had never really thought of that before, but our sister made an excellent observation. It is indeed very likely that one of the reasons that God allowed Job’s suffering and ordeals was to demonstrate His goodness-not only to humanity, but also to the angels.

In Job 1 the satan appears before the heavenly council as part of an apparently ongoing dispute with God. Whereas God declares Job is “blameless” and “upright” (v. 8), the satan claims Job is not sincere (vv. 9–11), which amounts to an accusation not only against Job but also against God’s judgment (cf. Rev. 12:10). God responds to the satan’s charges before the heavenly council by agreeing to allow the satan to test his theory, within limits. However, despite numerous horrible afflictions by the satan, Job remains faithful (vv. 20–22; 2:9–10), falsifying the satan’s charges. This scene shows that bad things happen to good people,31 which falsifies the theology of retribution set forth by Job’s friends.32 The satan, not God, is the antagonist who instigates and wreaks havoc on Job (e.g., Job 1:12; 2:7). Readers are often troubled by God allowing the satan to harm Job and his family.33 However, if we understand that the satan is bringing an implicit charge against God’s judgment and protection of Job (Job 1:10) and that the heavenly council is more than merely decorative and has some real juridical function (cf. Dan. 4:17), it follows that God is not making these decisions unilaterally but is responding to the satan’s charges and requests before the heavenly council.34 In doing so, God takes into account the other minds involved, toward the larger purpose of demonstration within the cosmic conflict (cf. 1 Cor. 4:9), for the flourishing of love and thus the best good of everyone in the universe. Frances Andersen believes “the Lord did have a good reason” for this—“namely to disprove the Satan’s slander” of God’s character.35 John Hartley notes that “the main function of this assembly here is to provide an open forum in which Yahweh permits the testing of Job. That is, the plan to test Job was not hatched in a secret meeting between Yahweh and the satan. Rather it was decided openly before the heavenly assembly. In this setting Yahweh’s motivation, based on his complete confidence in Job, was fully known and thus it was above question.”36. (John C. Peckham, Theodicy of Love: Cosmic Conflict and the Problem of Evil, 94-95 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic)

Could it be that there are cosmic implications to our suffering that we do not fully understand?

Is it possible that angels themselves are watching us and learning through our difficult times about the goodness of God?

The Book of Job certainly suggests that this is the case.

Father, no matter the reasons behind our suffering, we know that You are good and that You do good. Encourage us and guide us in this world that has been so corrupted by sin. We look forward to the good that You will bring, and we thank You! Amen.

📖 FIRST STEPS IN YOUR CHRISTIAN JOURNEY

Mark Tabata — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 03:34:06 GMT

By Mark Tabata

Are you a new Christian—or do you know someone who has recently obeyed the Gospel and is wondering, “What do I do now?”

First Steps In Your Christian Journey is a practical 15-lesson Bible study designed especially for new and growing Christians.

Becoming a Christian is the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith. This book is designed to help Christians build a strong biblical foundation, understand God’s Word, develop their prayer and worship life, learn about the New Testament church, grow in faithful Christian living, and ultimately become equipped to share the Gospel with others.

Whether you are a new Christian, Bible class teacher, preacher, congregation looking for new-convert material, or simply someone wanting to strengthen your knowledge of Scripture, First Steps In Your Christian Journey provides an extensive Bible-based course of study.

📚 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction To This Book

Chapter One: Learning Who You Are And What You Are Living For

Chapter Two: Saint, Son, Soldier

Chapter Three: The Old Testament

Chapter Four: The Messianic Hope

Chapter Five: The New Testament

Chapter Six: Questions And Answers About Prayer (Part One)

Chapter Seven: Learning How To Pray From The Son Of God

Chapter Eight: The Organization Of The New Testament Church

Chapter Nine: The Worship Of The New Testament Church

Chapter Ten: Questions And Answers About Worship

Chapter Eleven: The Christian Life As Worship

Chapter Twelve: A Brief History Of The Church (One)

Chapter Thirteen: A Brief History Of The Church (Two)

Chapter Fourteen: A Brief History Of The Church (Three)

Lesson Fifteen: Becoming A Soul-Winner For Jesus

📕 PAPERBACK — $10.00

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“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” — 2 Peter 3:18

If you—or someone you love—has recently become a Christian, First Steps In Your Christian Journey can help provide a strong biblical foundation for a lifetime of faithful service to Jesus Christ.

📖 Perfect for:
• New Christians
• New-convert Bible classes
• Personal Bible study
• One-on-one discipleship
• Church Bible classes
• Evangelism and follow-up studies
• Christians wanting to strengthen their biblical foundation

Every Christian journey begins with a first step. Keep walking, keep studying, and keep growing in Christ!

✍️ Mark Tabata — Gospel Preacher

The Dangers Of Christian Nationalism

Mark Tabata — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 21:06:34 GMT

🇺🇸📖 WHEN FAITH AND POLITICS COLLIDE…

THE DANGERS OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

Bible Studies With A Kentucky Gospel Preacher — #4, May 2026

By Mark Tabata (Gospel Preacher)

What happens when Christianity and political power become fused together?

Did Jesus establish His church to seize control of governments and nations—or to transform hearts through the preaching of the Gospel?

In The Dangers Of Christian Nationalism, I take an in-depth, Bible-centered look at one of the most controversial issues confronting American Christians today: Christian Nationalism and Dominion Theology.

This study examines Christian Nationalism through Scripture, American history, church history, and historical evidence. It considers both areas where some Christian Nationalist ideals may agree with biblical principles and areas where the ideology seriously conflicts with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The central question throughout the study is simple:

Is the mission of Christ’s church political conquest—or the conversion of souls through the truth of God’s Word?

📚 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1️⃣ Introduction

2️⃣ The Two Competing Forces At Work In The Founding Of The United States

3️⃣ Areas Of Agreement Between The Bible And Christian Nationalism Ideology

4️⃣ Profound Differences Between The Kingdom Of Christ And Christian Nationalism

5️⃣ The Doctrine Of The Two Kingdoms Versus Dominionism

6️⃣ Relevant Scriptures On The Subject Of Christian Nationalism

7️⃣ What Should The Christian Response Be To The Events Of January 6, 2021?

8️⃣ Final Thoughts Regarding Christian Nationalism

📖 SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND SUBJECTS EXPLORED INCLUDE:

✝️ What is the biblical role of nations and civil government?

🇺🇸 Was America founded as a Christian nation?

📜 What religious and philosophical forces shaped the founding of the United States?

🤝 Where do biblical principles and Christian Nationalism agree?

⚠️ Where does Christian Nationalism conflict with the teachings of Jesus?

👑 What is the difference between Christ’s Kingdom and the kingdoms of this world?

🏛️ Should Christianity ever be established or enforced through governmental power?

🗳️ What is the proper relationship between Christianity, patriotism, politics, and government?

⛪ What is Dominion Theology, and how does it compare with the historic doctrine of the Two Kingdoms?

⚔️ What does the Bible teach Christians about violence, revolution, political power, and enemies?

📜 What can Christians learn from historical examples such as the Crusades and the Inquisition?

🇺🇸 How should Christians respond to political turmoil and the events of January 6, 2021?

📚 The study also contains dozens of Scriptures, historical quotations, scholarly sources, and early Christian testimony.

Jesus said:

“My kingdom is not of this world.” — John 18:36

There is nothing wrong with loving our country. But Christians must always remember that our highest allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ.

In an age when political identity can easily become intertwined with religious faith, this study encourages believers to open their Bibles, examine the evidence, ask difficult questions, and determine whether modern political movements truly reflect the teachings and mission of Christ.

🔥 NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!

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For $7.00, the paperback provides a substantial Bible study that can be used for personal study, Bible classes, discussion groups, or as a resource for anyone trying to understand the growing debate over Christianity and American politics.

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READ. INVESTIGATE. ASK QUESTIONS.

AND COMPARE EVERYTHING WITH THE WORD OF GOD.

The Trustworthiness Of Jesus’ Genealogies

Mark Tabata — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:33:11 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Thursday August 13 2026

Matthew 1:17-So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

The genealogies of Jesus recorded in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38 are very important in establishing that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Throughout the Old Testament, God had promised that the Christ would be descended from a very specific bloodline. The Messiah would arrive from the bloodline of Eve (Genesis 3:15), Shem (Genesis 9:26-27), Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), Isaac (Genesis 17:19; 21:12; 26:3-4), Jacob/Israel (Genesis 28:13-14; Numbers 24:17; Judah (Genesis 48:9-10), Jesse (Isaiah 11:1, 10), David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 89:3-4, 35-37), and Solomon (1 Chronicles 22:9). The genealogies in Matthew and Luke clearly demonstrate that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah.

However, are these genealogies reliable?

The evidence from archaeology and secular history confirms that the Romans, the Jews, and the Christians came to the conclusion that these genealogies of the Lord are indeed historically credible and authentic.

At any rate, the report is also appropriate for Matthew as biographer: there is little doubt that Jesus' family historically stemmed from Davidic lineage. 9 All clear early Christian sources attest it (e.g., Rom 1: 3); Hegesippus reports a Palestinian tradition in which Roman authorities interrogated Jesus' brother's grandsons for Davidic descent (Euseb. H.E. 3.20); Julius Africanus attests Jesus' relatives claiming Davidic descent (Letter to Aristides); and, probably more significantly, non-Christian Jewish polemicists never bothered to try to refute it (Jeremias 1969: 291). Jesus' relatives known in the early church seem to have raised no objection to the claim of their family's background (Brown 1977: 507). Thus Matthew opens and closes the genealogy with a title for Jesus significant but rare in his Gospel: "Jesus Christ" (1: 1, 18; against Fenton 1977: 42). (Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, 114 (Kindle Edition); Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)

Again:

After Zerubbabel, Matthew relies on extrabiblical sources of which we know nothing. But there is good evidence that records were kept at least till the end of the first century. Josephus (Life 6 [1]) refers to the “public registers” from which he extracts his genealogical information (see also Josephus, Ag. Ap. 1.28–56 [6–10]). According to Genesis Rabbah 98: 8, Rabbi Hillel was proved to be a descendant of David because a genealogical scroll was found in Jerusalem. Eusebius (Hist. eccl. 3.19–20) cites Hegesippus to the effect that Emperor Domitian (AD 81–96) ordered all descendants of David slain. Nevertheless, two of them, when summoned, though admitting their Davidic descent, showed their calloused hands to prove they were but poor farmers. So they were let go. But the account shows that genealogical information was still available. (D.A. Carson, Matthew (The Expositor's Bible Commentary), 165 (Kindle Edition); Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan)

The genealogies of Jesus are true, and remind us that God keeps His Word and is faithful to what He has promised.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and the truthfulness of Your Word. Lord Jesus, thank You for being born in the world just as You promised and when You said that You would appear. We praise You, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

🛸📖 WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT UFOs? 📖🛸

Mark Tabata — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:32:36 GMT

BIBLE STUDIES WITH A KENTUCKY GOSPEL PREACHER — #5

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BIBLE AND UFOs

By Mark Tabata (Gospel Preacher)

UFOs. UAPs. Aliens. Demons. Nephilim. Ancient writings. Ezekiel’s mysterious wheels.

What in the world is going on—and does the Bible have anything to say about it?

If you’ve ever wondered how the modern UFO phenomenon fits within a biblical worldview, this special issue of Bible Studies With A Kentucky Gospel Preacher takes a deep dive into some of the most fascinating—and controversial—questions of our time.

📚 250 PAGES IN PAPERBACK!

📱 331 PAGES IN THE KINDLE EDITION!

🛸 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

🌎 Eight Ways To Know That God Exists

👽 Does Science Support Extraterrestrial Life?

😈 What Are Demons?

😈 Are Demons Still At Work In The World?

🛸 UFOs And Demons: Let’s Ask Some Experts

👽 Bible Prophecy, Nephilim, And Aliens

🌊 The Bible Link Between Demons And Oceans (And Why It Matters)

🔥 The “Wheels” Of Ezekiel

❓ Questions And Answers About UFOs And Aliens

📖 The Firm Foundation Of God’s Word In The Midst Of Unsteady Times

👽 AND THAT’S NOT ALL!

Along the way, we’ll tackle even more fascinating questions, including:

🛸 Are Aliens Time-Travelers?

✝️ Was Jesus Christ An Alien?

📜 What Do The Extra-Biblical Books Say About These And Related Issues?

👽 What should Christians make of alleged extraterrestrial encounters?

😈 Could some UFO phenomena have a spiritual or demonic component?

📖 What can ancient biblical and extra-biblical writings contribute to the discussion?

🔥 What about the mysterious “wheels” in Ezekiel?

👀 And how should Christians evaluate extraordinary claims while remaining firmly grounded in the Word of God?

Whether you’re a Bible student, preacher, UFO enthusiast, skeptic, or simply curious, this issue invites you to investigate one of today’s strangest subjects from a distinctly biblical perspective.

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🛸 The UFO question isn’t going away.

Maybe it’s time Christians joined the conversation.

Mark Tabata — Gospel Preacher

Bible Studies With A Kentucky Gospel Preacher

🌐 More Bible Studies:

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✝️ READ. INVESTIGATE. ASK QUESTIONS. AND COMPARE EVERYTHING WITH THE WORD OF GOD. 🛸📖

Why Is My Bible Translation Missing Verses?

Mark Tabata — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:22:27 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Wednesday August 12 2026

Matthew 24:35-Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

When you are comparing the King James Version or New King James Version of the Bible with other translations, it will not take you long to realize that there are some interesting differences between them, especially in the New Testament.. One of the most common examples is in realizing that there are some verses and phrases that are found in the KJV and the NKJV which are “missing” in other Bible translations. Here are some examples (Matthew 17:21; 18:11: 23:14; Mark 7:16; 11:26; Luke 17:36; Romans 16:24, etc.).

What is going on here?

Let’s study.

Our knowledge of the New Testament comes from three sources.

1). The Greek manuscripts (copies of the original New Testament Scriptures of which we have over five thousand in number).

2). The versions (manuscript copies of the Greek New Testament translated into other languages, of which we have over twenty thousand).

3). Quotations from the church fathers (the writings of the Christians between the second and fifth centuries A.D., of which we have so many that if we did not have any Greek manuscripts or versions, we could still reproduce the entire New Testament, minus eleven verses).

With this background in mind, think through some things with me.

Some Verses And Phrases Are “Missing” Because Scribes Had Vision And Hearing Problems. Scribes who made copies of the New Testament had vision and hearing problems, just like people from all ages of human history. Sadly, they didn’t have access to our modern conveniences such as eyeglasses, medicines, hearing aids, etc. As such, the reason for the vast majority of “missing verses” or words is due to these scribal conditions and circumstances.

Unintentional changes of various kinds all arise from the imperfection of some human faculty. These constitute by far the vast majority of all transcriptional errors. 1. Errors of the eye • Wrong division of words that resulted in the formation of new words—early manuscripts were not punctuated, and letters were not separated into words by spaces. • Omission of letters, words, and even whole lines occurred when the astigmatic eye mistook one group of letters or words for another, sometimes located on a different line. • Repetition results in an error opposite the error of omission. Hence, when the eye picked up the same letter or word twice and repeated it, it is called dittography. • Transposition is the reversal of the position of two letters or words. This is technically known as metathesis. In 2 Chronicles 3: 4, the transposition of a letter would make the measurements of the porch of Solomon’s Temple out of proportion—for example, 120 cubits instead of 20 cubits as in the LXX (Septuagint). • Other confusion of spelling abbreviations or scribal insertions account for the remainder of scribal errors. This is especially true about Hebrew letters, which were also used for numbers and could be easily confused. These errors of the eye may account for many of the numerical discrepancies in the Old Testament (cf. 2 Kings 8: 26; 2 Chronicles 22: 2). 2. Errors of the ear occurred only when manuscripts were copied while listening to someone read them. This may explain why some manuscripts (fifth century onward) read kamelos (a rope) instead of kamēlos (a camel) in Matthew 19: 24. In 1 Corinthians 13: 3, kauthēsomai (he burns) was confused with kauchēsomai (he boasts). 3. Errors of memory. These are not so numerous, but occasionally a scribe might forget the precise word in a passage and substitute a synonym. 4. Errors of judgment. The most common error of this kind is caused by dim lighting or poor eyesight. Sometimes marginal notes were incorporated into the text under the misapprehension that they were part of the text....5. Errors of writing. If a scribe, due to imperfect style or accident, wrote indistinctly or imprecisely, he would set the stage for future error of sight or udgment. Rapid copying was no doubt responsible for many errors in writing. This is viewed especially in the parallel accounts of the Kings-Chronicles corpus. (Ed Hindson & Ergun Caner (General Editors), The Popular Encyclopedia Of Apologetics: Surveying The Evidence For The Truth Of Christianity, 98-99 (Kindle Edition); Eugene, Oregon; Harvest House Publishers)

Most of the “missing verses” and “textual variants” fall into this category.

The overwhelming majority of these four hundred thousand supposed variations stem from differences in spelling, word order, or the relationships between nouns and definite articles. In other words, a copyist simply switched a couple of letters, misheard a word, or skipped a line of text. Such variants are readily recognizable and, in most cases, utterly unnoticeable in translations!...In the end, more than 99 percent of the four hundred thousand or so differences fall into this category of variants that can’t even be seen in translations! (Timothy Paul Jones, Conspiracies And The Cross, 1531-1540 (Kindle Edition); Lake Mary, Florida; FrontLine)

Sometimes A Scribe Inserted Something From Another Book. There are many examples where a scribe would know that a parallel account in another passage included some word, text, or detail that were not included in the manuscript of the Book that that he was copying. For example, James White makes this point clear in his thorough study of the matter.

Other passages that fall into the same category of inserted text from other places in the gospel accounts include Matthew 17:21 (borrowed from Mark 9:29); Matthew 18:11 (from Luke 19:10); Matthew 23:14 (from Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47); Mark 11:26 (from Matthew 6:15); Mark 15:28 (from Luke 22:37 or Isaiah 53:12); Luke 17:36 (from Matthew 24:40); and Luke 23:17 (from Matthew 27:15 or Mark 15:6). In fact, nearly every verse that is displaced from the modern texts is a copy, so to speak, of a verse found in all the Greek manuscripts. Obviously, then, there is no purposeful agenda to remove any of these verses for doctrinal reasons. (James R. White, The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust Modern Translations? 200 (Logos Edition): Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House)

This is often known as harmonization, whereas a scribe joining two or more longer passages together is known as conflation.

So sometimes, the Greek text behind the KJV/NKJV is based on manuscripts that a scribe made where he “added” some word, phrase, or name from other accounts that he was familiar with. So any “questionable” word or sentence from one passage is attested to without question from another passage. For example, Matthew 17:21 is not found in some ancient manuscripts, yet is clearly attested to in Mark 9:29. See also Matthew 18:11 with Luke 19:10; Matthew 23:14 with Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47; Mark 7:16 with Matthew 11:15 and Luke 8:8; Mark 11:26 with Matthew 6:15, etc.

Even With All The Textual Differences Between The Thousands Of Manuscripts, Their Unanimous Consistency Is Astonishing. Do the amount of textual variants and “missing verses” destroy confidence in the textual accuracy of the Bible?

Not at all.

There are over five thousand manuscripts of the Greek New Testament, although only one manuscript contains a whole Testament. This number is far greater than the number of manuscripts supporting the Greek and Latin classics, some of which have a mere handful of ancient manuscripts. The Greek manuscripts of the New Testament were written very soon after the writing of the original texts. The manuscripts are from various parts of the ancient world-Palestine, Asia Minor, Egypt, and the West. Because so much has been said about textual variants, many people have received the impression that the New Testament is on shaky ground. Not so! Fully eighty-five percent of the text is the same in all types of manuscripts. As for the other fifteen percent, we should point out that much of the material concerns details that do not even show up in an English translation. Such things as word order, spelling, and slightly variant forms of some verbs seldom are reproduced in translation. Most of the variations are caused by accidental copyists' errors. (Arthur L. Farstad, The New King James Version: In the Great Tradition, 104-105 (Kindle Edition): Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Rest assured in the foundation of God’s Word.

Psalm 119:89-Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

Thank You, Lord, for preserving Your Word. Amen.

Did God Approve Of The Men Of Benjamin Abducting Hundreds Of Women And Forcing Them Into Sexual Slavery?

Mark Tabata — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:53:00 GMT

Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals

Tuesday August 11 2026

Judges 21:20-24 (ERV)-So the elders told the men of Benjamin about their idea. They said, "Go and hide in the vineyards. 21 Watch for the time during the festival when the young women from Shiloh come out to join the dancing. Then run out from where you are hiding in the vineyards. Each of you should take one of the young women from the city of Shiloh. Take them to the land of Benjamin and marry them. 22 The fathers or brothers of the young women will come and complain to us. But we will say, 'Be kind to the men of Benjamin. Let them marry the women. We could not get wives for each of them during the war. And you did not willingly give the women to the men of Benjamin, so you did not break your promise.'" 23 So that is what the men of the tribe of Benjamin did. While the young women were dancing, each man caught one of them. They took them away and married them. Then they went back to their land. The men of Benjamin built cities again in that land, and they lived in them. 24 Then the Israelites went home. They went to their own land and tribe.

This is one of the strangest and most horrifying episodes of the entire Bible.

The tribe of Benjamin had nearly been destroyed in a war against the other tribes. Their brethren took pity on them and devised a plan for them to continue as a tribe. Women would gather together at a feast and dance. Any of the men from Benjamin who showed up could chase down a woman and make her his “wife.”

This highlights a serious problem: how could God condone such an action? Actually, the answer to that difficulty is found in the last verse of the Book, immediately after this incident.

Judges 21:25 (ERV)-In those days the Israelites did not have a king, so everyone did whatever they thought was right.

In other words, we are being told that God did not command or even approve of this moral atrocity: the people did not want to heed His Word, and so “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (NKJV).

Please consider two lessons with me from this.

First, there are many things which the Bible records as historical fact which take place without Divine sanction or approval. When dealing with violence and questions of immorality from the Bible, we have to remember the importance of context. Fleischer has powerfully demonstrated the importance of this principle.

As we have seen throughout this book, the key to understanding the violence in the OT (and to properly interpreting everything in the Bible, for that matter) can be summed up in a single word: context. Nothing in the Bible was written in a vacuum nor intended to be interpreted in one. The true meaning of every word, sentence, paragraph, chapter, and book can only be found by analyzing them within their biblical, literary, historical, and cultural contexts. Therefore, the problem of violence in the Bible is ultimately a problem of interpretation: ignorance of (or indifference to) context. In this regard, I want to highlight two more context-related points before we conclude. First, the Bible doesn’t condone everything it describes. (It’s unfortunate I need to make this point, but I do.) Just because it’s in the Bible doesn’t mean God approves of it. There’s a difference between reporting something and endorsing it. The OT writers often documented Israel’s actions without ever explicitly or implicitly indicating that God ordered them, partook in them, or approved of them.…Respecting the immediate literary context surrounding each violent OT passage is actually relatively easy. We simply need to ask ourselves a few basic questions: What is the genre in which the violence occurs—narrative, poetic, prophetic, apocalyptic, etc.? Who is using violence—God, one of God’s followers, or someone else? Does the passage merely describe what occurred or does it indicate God actually ordered it or otherwise approved of it? What do other passages say about it? Do they say it was praiseworthy or condemnable? What is the purpose of the violence? Is it offensive or defensive? Is it perpetuating or combatting injustice? Who is harmed by it and who benefits from it? Were the recipients of the violence warned and given time to repent? Is there some other non-violence related lesson clearly being taught? If we answer these simple, introductory questions, we will notice that most of the violence in the OT is described but not condoned and the violence that is condoned is almost always aimed at an obvious injustice. In other words, we don’t even have to know anything about the extra-biblical historical or cultural contexts to see that most of the violence in the OT is not presented in a favorable light. We simply have to read it carefully enough to avoid jumping to scripturally unsupported conclusions.…There’s a reason why the OT spends so much time describing what “is” instead of what “ought to be.” Through it, God identified and described the human problem. He demonstrated that we are sinful and broken, the extent to which we are, and the pain and suffering it produces. He demonstrated the existence and reality of our fallen condition. This is another reason why the OT law seems so harsh and its demands so unrealistic—because our current fallen state is so far from the state of wholeness God originally created. God also demonstrated that we can’t solve our own problem. We can’t fix our own brokenness or cure our own fallen condition. We can’t save ourselves. Even when given specific instructions on exactly how to do so by God himself, we are incapable of carrying them out. As such, God demonstrated humanity’s need for a savior, for his son Jesus. As Johnson puts it, “The Old Testament was to prepare humanity for a savior—not just to prepare them to receive one, but to prepare them to ask for one.” 2. (Matthew Curtis Fleischer, The Old Testament Case for Nonviolence, 229-231 (Kindle Edition): Oklahoma City, OK: Epic Octavius the Triumphant, LLC)

Don’t assume that because the Bible records something it necessarily means that God smiles upon it.

Second, this event with the men of Benjamin (and all Israel) shows us another important lesson: fallen man left to his own devices grows worse and worse. When you divorce a person and society from the Word of God, there will be a terrible downward spiral. The Book of Judges teaches us that we are only one generation removed from terrible apostasy.

May we each be reminded of our need to draw closer to God and to follow in the light that His Word provides.

What are some other instances in the Bible of terrible things that people do without God approving of them?

Can you think of other examples from our world where people turning away from the Bible has brought about some terrible things?

Father, thank You for the perfect Savior we have in Jesus. Thank You for Your Word which reveals the right way to live. Teach us and walk patiently and mercifully with us each step of the way in this journey of life. In Jesus Name we pray together, Amen.