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| Bible says.... |
Ever listen to people talk? Sure, not to would be just rude! It’s really cool to hear folks use phrases that come out of the Bible. The Bible’s impact on literature and society goes deeper than you might think. Here are a few of my favorite sayings that come from the Bible. I’ll add more as more come to mind.
A Leopard Can’t Change it’s Spots
I’m sure you’ve heard that a Leopard can’t change it’s spots? They heard it way back in Jeremiah’s time too! It was written in the scrolls around 600 B.C. Here’s Jeremiah 13:23:
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
who are accustomed to doing evil
Better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt – Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was possibly our most spiritual President. Drawing on God for strength during a very trying time in our history. He also knew scripture! Compare his quote above to this out of the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 17 verse 28:
28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue.
Don’t Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand is Doing
You might have complained about a company that is so disorganized, “The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing over there.” While this phrase is usually used as a criticism these days it wasn’t always so. Jesus said that when we give we should do it not to be seen by men, but to keep it between us and God. Matthew 6:3:
3“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
Fall on Your Sword
You might “Fall on your sword” for a co-worker, so they don’t get in trouble. Or, maybe you just messed up and you are going to fall on your sword and accept the consequences. King Saul fell on his sword once, but only once. 1 Samuel 31:4&5:
4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me ” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid So Saul took his sword and fell on it.
5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.
Go the Extra Mile
How many times have you been encouraged to “Go the extra mile” for someone? When Israel was conquered by the Romans, an Israelite could be asked by any Roman soldier to carry his armor a mile. “But I have to be home, my wife is expecting me.” It didn’t matter. You had to do it. No excuses. Here’s how Jesus said we should respond in Matthew 5:41-42:
41“Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
42“Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
Head on a Platter
Well, that’s never good. It certainly wasn’t for John the Baptist. King Herod had married his brother’s sister (that’s weird) and John the Baptist told the King that such a thing wasn’t legal (it’s weird too). Not a good idea to argue with the King if you want to stay out of prison. Of course, John was thrown in prison, but Herod was afraid of John, because he knew that John was a righteous man. So, Herod is having a party and his wife’s daughter (technically, Herod’s stepdaughter AND niece! weird) dances for the king. Herod was so pleased with the dance he says, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half my kingdom.” Here’s what happened next in Mark 6:24-28:
24And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her.
27Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison,
28and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
Needless to say, the Disciples were sad when they got the news. Good thing these days, “Head on a Platter” is just an expression!
He Will Take the Shirt Off Your Back/He Will Give You the Shirt Off His Back
Matthew 5:40 says:
40“If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
I guess if you really want to sue me for my shirt, I have an extra coat you can have too!
I barely escaped by the skin of my teeth.
Job can tell you more about that in Job 19:20:
20“My bone clings to my skin and my flesh,
And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.”
If you are married, never go to bed mad at each other and you will have a long and happy marriage.
I remember when I got married, I was told the same thing. I wasn’t a Christian then and unfortunately didn’t take the advice. The scripture that this advice is based on is Ephesians 4:26:
26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the Sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.
When I was much younger I tried stand-up comedy a few times. One of the few jokes that got laughs was, “When I got married I was told, if you never go to bed mad at each other you’ll have a long, happy, marriage. So, after three years of no sleep, I’m divorced…”
Pulling Your Hair Out!
Ever get so fed up and frustrated that you wanted to pull your hair out? Yeah. Ezra to:
Ezra 1: 1After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
There’s Nothing New Under the Sun
Solomon was very wise. The wisest King ever! (see 2 Chronicles 1:12) He wrote Ecclesiastes at the end of his life. He took his knowledge, mixed it with a lifetime of experience and added revelation from God. Solomon sums up a man’s life like this: The most important thing is to “Fear God and keep His commandments” – Ecclesiastes 12:13. Earlier in the book, Ecclesiastes 1:9, Solomon points out:
9That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.
Thorn in My Side
Is someone bugging you? Are they a thorn in your side? It’s even a song by the Eurythmics. Thorns have been in peoples sides for a long time. When God was leading Israel to, and into, the Promised Land, He warned them about the inhabitants of the land. Judges 2:3 is a good example of what God was saying:
3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
The inhabitants in the land these days are temptation and sin. Be careful what you let into your heart because out of your heart flow the issues of your life! Entertaining sin in your life, or allowing it into your life can end up being a snare to you, and a Thorn in Your Side. Thankfully, we have Jesus we can run to and receive forgiveness and a clean heart.
See 1 John 1:9 
Writing On the Wall
Should’ve seen the handwriting on the wall. Or, “it’s gonna happen, you can see the writing on the wall.” There was a hand writing on the wall in ancient Babylon, and the news was not so good for young King Belshazzar. See, he decided to throw a party and use the “gold vessels” that had been taken out of the Temple in Jerusalem when Babylon conquered Israel. They were having such a great party! …and then in Daniel 5:5&6:
5Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.
6Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.
Daniel was called in to interpret. You can read it
here. Let’s just say the news was not good for the young king. He was killed that very night. No hand’s writing on any walls for me please!
Knees Knocking Together
It’s right there in the story above! How cool is that?
You Don’t Know the Half of It
When the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon, she was amazed at his knowledge. Not only were the rumors true, but she hadn’t heard the half of it!
1 Kings 10-6:8
6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.
7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.
8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
Welcome to studying the Bible on the internet. You are to be commended for your interest in studying God’s word, the Bible. This course pertains to a very important subject concerning our Eternal Salvation. What subject could be more important? It is my hope that the scripture references pointed out in this study will be of benefit to your faith in your striving to go to Heaven. In this course I have tried to point to only what the Bible says, and not to what I think. We must speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent. We must do things in Bible ways and call things by Bible names. Anything that is less than, more than, or different from what the Bible says is false doctrine. False doctrine will cause one to lose his soul in eternity. 
