anything in Genesis was copied from the epic of Gilgamesh.
As they talked about the basics of the story it was a reminder
of just how without hope the world really is without Jesus
Christ. Gilgamesh is character that after searching high and
low for a way to not die ultimately decides that he has no
hope of eternal life and needs to make the most of this world.
Whether there is any basis for him as real king is debatable
but either way the philosophy of Gilgamesh permeates the
world of those who don’t know God. How sad it is to put our
hope in this temporary world!? They can say “let us eat, drink
and be merry; for tomorrow we die.” But what is so merry
about a story that ends in death? They can even say “A wise
generation plants trees it’s children will eat from.” Which
although true does not save those children from death either.
Natural philosophy is way too constricting on the human
soul which was created by God for much more then this
earthly life has to offer. Even though everything can be
beautiful in it’s time it is still ultimately vain. In the book of
Ecclesiastes Solomon said “Vanity of vanities, saith the
Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a
man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? One
generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the
sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the
north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth
again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea;
yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers
come, thither they return again.” In nature we see that things
live and things die, there is light and dark, good and evil.
Most things in the material world loop around in a big circle
whether it’s the air, the water, the nutrients in the soil. But the
Bible says that God made us with eternity in our hearts (Ecc.
3:11) ; he didn’t create us to be satisfied with temporal things.
As C.S Lewis correctly pointed out “If I find in myself desires
which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical
explanation is that I was made for another world.” In the world
to come there is no cycle of life and death, there is only life.
As it says in 1st Corinthians 15:26 “The last enemy that shall
be destroyed is death.” There is no light and dark, but only
light. As it says in Revelations 21:23 “And the city had no
need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the
glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
And also 1st John 1:5 “This then is the message which we
have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all.”
In light of these truths we don’t live how the world lives. We walk by faith and
not by sight. We have overcome this world by faith. (1st John 5:4) We don’t lay up
our treasures on earth where the moth and rust corrupts but in heaven where
there is no corruption. (Matt-6:19) John 6:27 says “Labour not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of
man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” Not that we should
starve but that our focus should be on the things that endure forever. Even manna,
which came from heaven, has little value compared to the one who gave it,
because the people who ate it still died. It says in John 6:49- “Your fathers did eat
manna in the wilderness, and are dead…. I am the living bread which came down
from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that
I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” So we should keep
in mind these truths when the world seems overwhelming. “For which cause we
faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day
by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” We are pilgrims like
Abraham, the Bible says he “looked for a city who’s builder and maker was God.”
He wasn’t looking at the world’s cities which rise and fall through corruption, but
by faith, and not sight, he was looking for an eternal city. We need to remind
ourselves of what is temporary and what is eternal. 1st John 2:16 “Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And
the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.” 1st Corinthians 13:13- …And now these three remain: faith, hope
and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Please leave your feedback for Jeff in the comments below! If your interested in finding more online content, please take a look at past blog entries as well as stay tuned for the future ones to come on hopefully a monthly basis! We also upload our weekly sermons including Sunday School lessons and Wednesday Night devotionals. These can be found on the “Sermons” section of this website. Interested in getting connected or planning your visit to our church? Please reach out to us via phone call/voicemail at 732-244-8123 or private message us on Facebook or Instagram @fbcoftomsriver.
Comments(2)
Casey Bird says:
January 4, 2023 at 5:26 pmAwesome insights as always Jeff! I look forward to us being able to use this website for further digital evangelism!
Wendy says:
January 8, 2023 at 5:18 pmIt is so true! We must rely on God’s Holy word for the truth. All other words must match up to God’s word. If not, it’s foolishness.