Wisdom's Corner
Pithom and Raamses "

In 1883, the treasure or store cities of Pithom and Raamses were unearthed. The lower courses of the walls were made of the usual sun-dried mud bricks in which chopped up straw had been mixed for binding the clay together and strengthening it. In the middle courses, the bricks lacked straw, but contained stubble and roots of the grain crop, which the labourers had put in to take the place of straw. It appeared that they had put in whatever they could find. (Junior Bible Archaeology by H.V.Morsley, 1963,p.48)

In Exodus 1:8,11; Exodus 5:6-8,10-14 we read about the Israelites building these cities and being forced to gather stubble. At first the Egyptians gave the Israelites the straw needed to make the bricks. But Pharaoh got angry when Moses came to him asking him to allow the Israelites to go to the wilderness to worship God. So Pharaoh told the taskmasters to no longer give the straw for making the bricks.

Paul says that these false teachers and trouble makers are serving their own belly. He says that these false teachers use good words and fair speeches to deceive the innocent. Paul wants them to beware of such. And Paul says that they are to desire to be wise in that which is good.

Then Paul says that the God of peace will bruise Satan shortly under the Roman Christians' feet. In the context, this statement must be referring to the marking and avoiding of false teachers. These trouble makers were going to be cast out of the assembly of the Christians.

Many people today do not want to believe that there is to be church discipline. They will say that God is a God of peace and that we should all just get along. They are correct to say we are supposed to get along with one another. And they are correct to say that God is a God of peace. But the God of peace requires that those who cause division be disciplined. When these individuals are disciplined, Satan is bruised. Satan loves sinners and hates Christians. To discipline those that Satan loves is to bruise Satan.

Make sure that you follow God. Do not be a person who causes division among God's people. And beware of those who teach something other than what God has given us in the Bible. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 2002

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)