 |
 |
Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
I May Be Wrong, But . . .
It doesn’t take a special talent to be wrong every once in a while. All of us have found ourselves in that predicament. Even the most talented and intelligent people have been wrong at times – sometimes dramatically wrong! Albert Einstein is quoted as saying in 1932:
“THERE IS NOT THE SLIGHTEST INDICATION THAT NUCLEAR ENERGY WILL EVER BE OBTAINABLE.”
What…no nuclear energy?
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the 1930’s, he proclaimed:
“AIRPLANES WILL NEVER BE USEFUL IN BATTLE AGAINST A FLEET OF SHIPS.”
He must have been embarrassed a bit on December 7, 1941.
Perhaps Charles H. Duell, Commissioner of the U. S. Patent Office, made the most amazingly wrong statement of the 19th century:
“EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE INVENTED HAS ALREADY BEEN INVENTED.”
Perhaps that seemed to be true in 1899, but it is so pitifully wrong that Duell’s comment is among the most often quoted when this subject arises. “What will they think of next?” may cross our mind occasionally, especially when we see new technology arising almost overnight. No one has a “patent” on being wrong.
Someone has said that the hardest single word to say is “no,” the two hardest words to say are ”I’m sorry,” and the three hardest words to say are “I was wrong.” History, politics — even the Bible — tells of those who were “oh so wrong,” and often wrong about the most significant matters.
King Saul may have been the best man available at the time to
serve as king over Israel, but he was insecure and fearful of the opinions of the people. Consequently, he made some poor choices, disobeyed God’s commands and was rebuked by God’s prophet, 1 Samuel 15:16-23.
Ahab was a most wicked King and he and his wife, Jezebel, called Elijah “the troubler” of Israel, but he was dead wrong.
The Jewish Sanhedrin Court was wrong when they thought they could silence the rise of true Christianity by putting Jesus to death. The High Priest was wrong when he plotted to arrest Jesus, wrong when a mockery of a trial was held, and wrong when he refused to believe in Jesus. His name is best known, even centuries later, as one who put to death the Son of God. No, it is not profitable to be wrong, whether in our investment portfolio, choosing a profession or failing to protect our health. The results can be devastating.
Why not consider the following “wrongs” common to the present:
- The “fool” is wrong when he says, “there is no God,” Proverbs 14:1, 53:1. The evidence is compelling for all who will examine with an open, logical mind.
- Christians are wrong when they fail to study the revelation of God, the Bible. Within its pages are found the very substance of faith, the hope of eternal life, the way of truth and right, and the solution to man’s troubles with others. You haven’t been wrong about this, have you?
- America is wrong when we prefer diversity over unity, perversion over purity, talent over integrity, beauty over character and individual rights over what God has declared “right”.
- The religious world is wrong when men think they can live in sin, rebel against God, but expect to inherit heaven anyway. Religious leaders are wrong when man’s opinions and doctrines are held up as equal or superior to God’s Word. They endanger their own souls as well as those of their hearers when they refuse to “handle aright the word of truth,” 2 Timothy 2:15. And we are wrong if we are afraid to herald the truth about God and His Word.
- God’s people are wrong when we refuse to give as we have been “prospered” and fail to “pray without ceasing” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Are we not wrong when we put most of our energy into making money, improving our physical skills and professional opportunities rather than to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” Matthew 6:33?
- Our educational systems are wrong when they hide their eyes and ears from the evidence for God and creation, avoid their responsibilities to encourage morality, and when they deny their mandate to motivate our youth to seek truth regardless of its impact upon what is “politically correct.”
It is not strength and wisdom that tells us to ignore the possibility that we are “wrong,” or to suggest there is no such thing as being “wrong.” Consider Solomon’s words:
“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, instruction and understanding,” Proverbs 23:23
|
|
|
|
“The man who says ‘I may be wrong, but...’ does not believe there is any such possibility.”
“Men are apt to prefer a prosperous error to an afflicted truth.”
“Scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand.”
|
|
|
|
|
Parallels: Jesus and Joseph
The lives of Joseph the Patriarch and Jesus of Nazareth have some interesting parallels. Yet, Adam Clarke, noting these in his Genesis commentary, warned: “Parallels and coincidences of this kind should be received cautiously, for where the Spirit of God has not marked a direct resemblance…it is bold, if not dangerous, to say ‘such and such things and persons are types of Christ” --- we should beware how we attribute designs to God that He never had, and employ the Spirit in forming trifling and unimportant similitudes,” (pp. 223,232).
- Of both Joseph and Jesus it was prophesied that they would reign over their houses, Genesis 37:5-10 and Luke 1:30-33.
- Both were beloved of their fathers, yet hated and envied by their brethren, Genesis 37:3,4,11; John 7:5,7; Luke 19:14.
- Both were sent by their fathers to visit their straying brethren, Genesis 37:13-17 and Matthew 15:24; Luke 19:9-10.
- Both were conspired against and sold for a few pieces of silver by a man named Judah (Greek: Judas), Genesis 37:18,26-28 and Matthew 26:3-4,14-16.
- Both were rejected by their brethren, but through this means God worked their brethren’s salvation, and the entire world’s, Genesis 45:7; 50:20 and Luke 24:47; Acts 2:23-24.
- Both were found between two criminals, one of whom was granted life, the other condemned to death, Gen. 40; Luke 23:39ff.
- Both were released from their bonds and exalted to the position of Lord and Saviour, to whom every knee bows, Genesis 41:14, 43; 45:7-8 and Acts 2:24, 33, 36; Philippians 2:10-11.
- Both men’s words were given all authority, and the people were directed to them by the King, Genesis 41:40,55 and Matthew 17:5; 28:18-20; John 14:6.
- Both received their kingdoms in a far country and later sat in judgment over their brethren, Genesis 45:9, 13, 26; 44:14-17 and Luke 19:12-15.
- Both forgave their penitent brethren and prepared a place for them in a new land, Genesis 45:5, 10-11; 50:14f and Luke 24:47; John 14.
Doubtless, there are other similarities between Joseph and Jesus not included here. But those listed are sufficient to cause wonder that no inspired writer clearly links the two together in a typical relationship! In the absence of such inspired commentary, we ought not to insist upon what may be coincidence as a matter of divine design. Yet we should note the use the inspired preacher Stephen made of the Joseph story in his great Sanhedrin sermon (Acts 7:2-53). Stephen portrayed Joseph as envied, sold, delivered, favored, appointed and revealed (Acts 7:9-13). Joseph, like Moses, is at first misunderstood and rejected, yet later he is set over his brethren as a “ruler and a deliverer” (Acts 7:25,35). Stephen’s argument was that Israel’s history had repeated itself in Joseph and Moses, and now in Jesus, the “Just One” whom they had betrayed and murdered (Acts 7:51-52).
What is the lesson for us? We must do more than simply note the interesting parallels between Joseph and Jesus. We must be sure that our own relationship with Jesus does not parallel the misunderstanding, rejection and surprise revelation of Joseph to his brethren. Stephen noted that “the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers” (Acts 7:13). So also Jesus will “appear a second time” (Hebrews 9:28).
But if one waits until that second coming to “know” Jesus, there will be no parallel between the happy ending to the Joseph story and the tragic end awaiting “those who do not know God, and … who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
