When did Joseph the Father of Jesus, Married Mary?

How Old Was Joseph?

Q. We know that Mary was a teenager (when she was betrothed), how old was Joseph?

A. Yes it’s likely that Mary was just a teenager, since that was the custom of the day. Joseph’s age is not indicated but circumstantial evidence can lead us to conclude that he was much older.

For example, the word generation is defined as the length of time from a man’s birth to the birth of his first child. In the Bible this averaged out to be about 40 years, suggesting that a man would normally be in his mid to late thirties at the time of his marriage.

Also, a Jewish man had to pay the girl’s father a negotiated “bride price” before taking her, and show that he could provide for her and the family they’d have with a stable income and a suitable house for them to live in. It would normally take years after learning a trade for a man to become financially prepared for marriage. So all things considered it seems likely that Joseph would have been much older than Mary.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Did Jesus Practice What He Preached?

Was Jesus Wealthy?

Q. I was having a conversation with a sister and I asked what Joseph and Mary did with all the gold and precious spices the wise men gave to them when they came to worship the Lord. This sister told me that Jesus was not a poor man, that He wouldn’t have called up His disciples to leave their families poor and unfed, and that He wore the clothes of a rich man otherwise why else would the soldiers gamble for His clothing.

This goes against everything I’ve known. I don’t think it’s a correct view. I think He survived on donations, and I have read that Mary Magdalene was an independent woman of means who was one of the key monetary contributors. What say you? I am very confused by this. How could Jesus be touting the forsaking of money and possessions, yet be a rich man? That would have made Him a hypocrite, and that’s impossible.

A. Your friend is mistaken, and has probably been influenced by the so-called prosperity Gospel teachers. Tradition has it that the gifts brought by the Magi were used to support the Lord’s family during the 2 years they spent in Egypt hiding from Herod.

Jesus never owned a home or any other possessions. He learned a trade, lived with his brothers and mother until he began his ministry, and after that wandered through Israel and the surrounding area with His disciples, sleeping under the stars. They were supported by contributions, and although they always had enough, were not wealthy. The soldiers did cast lots for his robe, a seamless garment of linen usually worn by royalty, but it was likely the only clothing he had. The Bible doesn’t say how He got it.

Of course at any moment Jesus could have conjured up enough wealth to buy anything he needed any time He wanted to. He could have had a fancy chariot and horses, caravans of camels and servants, stayed in all the best hotels, and ate at 5 star restaurants. But that was not His mission. He was to live an ordinary life, just like any one else, humbling Himself even to the point of living like a servant (Phil. 2:5-8).

None of this is meant to imply that Jesus was opposed to wealth. He just doesn’t like the way money often causes a person to be too focused on the things of this world, and not focused enough on things of the kingdom. That’s why He told us not to worry about money, but to trust that God would make sure that we always have what we need (Matt. 6:31-33). I think He practiced what He preached.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Was Adam a Literate?

Could Adam Read And Write?

Q. I think you mentioned in one of your articles that there is evidence that Adam could read and write and that possibly he even wrote books that Moses read and used to write the first five books of the Bible. I would love to know the evidences for this. What do we have that shows both Adam’s ability to read and to write, and what evidences are there also for his writings influencing Moses? Thanks as usual for your wisdom and heart. I read your emails daily.

A. The first appearance of the Hebrew word for book is in Genesis 5, in reference to Adam. But beginning in Genesis 2:4 we have Adam’s account of the Creation (chapter 1 being God’s version). The doubt about Adam’s ability to read and write stems from the foolish claim that man evolved from monkeys. According to the Bible Adam was created in the image of God. Do we question whether God could read and write?

Sumerian Cuneiform writing dates back about 5000 years and discoveries in Egypt and Pakistan are even older. Since Adam was born about 6000 years ago and lived for 930 years, this would place archeological evidence of writing within his lifetime. I believe the evidence of Scripture shows that man could read and write from the beginning.

I think it also makes sense that Moses had written documents from which he compiled the Book of Genesis. It contains the accounts of Adam (Gen. 5:1), Noah (Gen 6:9), Shem (Gen 11:10), Terah (Gen. 11:27), Ishmael (Gen 25:12), Isaac (Gen 25:19), Esau (Gen. 26) and Jacob (Gen. 37). The other four books of the Torah contain events that occurred during the lifetime of Moses and are eye witness accounts.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Are ghosts / hauntings real?

Question: "What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings?"

Answer: Is there such a thing as ghosts? The answer to this question depends on what precisely is meant by the term “ghosts.” If the term means “spirit beings,” the answer is a qualified “yes.” If the term means “spirits of people who have died,” the answer is “no.” The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are spirit beings, both good and evil. But the Bible negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.

Hebrews 9:27 declares, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul-spirit after death—judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23) and hell for the unbeliever (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24). There is no in-between. There is no possibility of remaining on earth in spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts, according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.

The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings who can connect with and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God. Angels are righteous, good, and holy. Demons are fallen angels, angels who rebelled against God. Demons are evil, deceptive, and destructive. According to 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities that demons possess.

The closest biblical example of a “haunting” is found in Mark 5:1-20. A legion of demons possessed a man and used the man to haunt a graveyard. There were no ghosts involved. It was a case of a normal person being controlled by demons to terrorize the people of that area. Demons only seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10). They will do anything within their power to deceive people, to lead people away from God. This is very likely the explanation of “ghostly” activity today. Whether it is called a ghost, a ghoul, or a poltergeist, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it is the work of demons.

What about instances in which “ghosts” act in “positive” ways? What about psychics who claim to summon the deceased and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is that people trust in a psychic instead of God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to mislead, corrupt, and destroy.

Interest in the paranormal is becoming increasingly common. There are individuals and businesses that claim to be “ghost-hunters,” who for a price will rid your home of ghosts. Psychics, séances, tarot cards, and mediums are increasingly considered normal. Human beings are innately aware of the spiritual world. Sadly, instead of seeking the truth about the spirit world by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray by the spirit world. The demons surely laugh at the spiritual mass-deception that exists in the world today.

Website: www.gotquestions.org

Can a believer be demoniacally oppressed?

Question: "What does the Bible say about demonic oppression?"

Answer: As background, please read our articles on “What does the Bible say about demon possession?” and “Can a Christian be demon possessed?”. Because there is strong biblical evidence that a Christian cannot be demon possessed, the question then arises regarding what influence/power a demon can have over a Christian. Many Bible teachers describe demonic influence on a Christian as “demonic oppression,” making it clear that a Christian cannot be “possessed,” but can be “oppressed.” So, the question becomes to what extent can a Christian be oppressed by demons?

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the devil seeks to devour believers (1 Peter 5:8), and Satan and his demons “scheme” against Christians (Ephesians 6:11). As Satan did to Jesus (Luke 4:2), the demonic forces tempt us to sin and oppose our efforts to obey and serve God. Should a Christian allow the demons to succeed in these attacks, oppression results. Demonic oppression is when a demon is temporarily victorious over a Christian, successful in tempting a Christian to sin, and able to hinder a Christian’s ability to serve God with a strong testimony. If a Christian continues to allow demonic oppression in his/her life, the oppression can increase to the point that the demonic has a very strong influence on the Christian’s thoughts, behavior, and spirituality. Christians who allow continuing sin to fill their lives open themselves up for greater and greater oppression. Confession and repentance of known sin is necessary to restore fellowship with God who can then break the power of demonic influence. The Apostle John gives us great encouragement in this area: “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him” (1 John 5:18).

For the Christian, the power for victory over and freedom from demonic oppression is always available. The Apostle John declares, “…the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9) is always available to overcome demonic oppression. No demon, not even Satan himself, can prevent a Christian from surrendering to the Holy Spirit and thereby overcoming any and all demonic oppression. In fact, Peter went on to encourage believers to resist the devil, “standing firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:9). Being firm or steadfast in the faith means relying on God and the power of the Holy Spirit to successfully resist demonic influence. Faith is built up through the spiritual disciples of feeding on the Word of God, persistent prayer, and godly fellowship with others who can encourage and pray for us. Strengthening our faith by these means enables us to put up the shield of faith with which we can “extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).

Website: www.gotquestions.org

Is there a real meaning to this Life?

Question: "What is the meaning of life?"

Answer: What is the meaning of life? How can purpose, fulfillment, and satisfaction in life be found? How can something of lasting significance be achieved? So many people have never stopped to consider these important questions. They look back years later and wonder why their relationships have fallen apart and why they feel so empty, even though they may have achieved what they set out to accomplish. An athlete who had reached the pinnacle of his sport was once asked what he wished someone would have told him when he first started playing his sport. He replied, “I wish that someone would have told me that when you reach the top, there's nothing there.” Many goals reveal their emptiness only after years have been wasted in their pursuit.

In our humanistic culture, people pursue many things, thinking that in them they will find meaning. Some of these pursuits include business success, wealth, good relationships, sex, entertainment, and doing good to others. People have testified that while they achieved their goals of wealth, relationships, and pleasure, there was still a deep void inside, a feeling of emptiness that nothing seemed to fill.

The author of the biblical book of Ecclesiastes describes this feeling when he says, “Meaningless! Meaningless! ...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). King Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, had wealth beyond measure, wisdom beyond any man of his time or ours, hundreds of women, palaces and gardens that were the envy of kingdoms, the best food and wine, and every form of entertainment available. He said at one point that anything his heart wanted, he pursued. And yet he summed up “life under the sun”—life lived as though all there is to life is what we can see with our eyes and experience with our senses—is meaningless. Why is there such a void? Because God created us for something beyond what we can experience in the here-and-now. Solomon said of God, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men...” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). In our hearts we are aware that the “here-and-now” is not all that there is.

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we find that God created mankind in His image (Genesis 1:26). This means that we are more like God than we are like anything else (any other life form). We also find that before mankind fell into sin and the curse of sin came upon the earth, the following things were true: 1) God made man a social creature (Genesis 2:18-25); 2) God gave man work (Genesis 2:15); 3) God had fellowship with man (Genesis 3:8); and 4) God gave man dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26). What is the significance of these things? God intended for each of these to add to our fulfillment in life, but all of these (especially man's fellowship with God) were adversely affected by man's fall into sin and the resulting curse upon the earth (Genesis 3).

In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, God reveals that He will destroy this present earth and heavens and usher in the eternal state by creating a new heaven and a new earth. At that time, He will restore full fellowship with redeemed mankind, while the unredeemed will have been judged unworthy and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). The curse of sin will be done away with; there will be no more sin, sorrow, sickness, death, or pain (Revelation 21:4). God will dwell with them, and they shall be His sons (Revelation 21:7). Thus, we come full circle: God created us to have fellowship with Him, man sinned, breaking that fellowship, God restores that fellowship fully in the eternal state. To go through life achieving everything only to die separated from God for eternity would be worse than futile! But God has made a way to not only make eternal bliss possible (Luke 23:43) but also life on earth satisfying and meaningful. How is this eternal bliss and “heaven on earth” obtained?

Meaning of life restored through Jesus Christ

Real meaning in life, both now and in eternity, is found in the restoration of the relationship with God that was lost with Adam and Eve's fall into sin. That relationship with God is only possible through His Son, Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 1:12; 14:6). Eternal life is gained when we repent of our sin (no longer want to continue in it) and Christ changes us, making of us new creations, and we rely on Jesus Christ as Savior.

Real meaning in life is not found only in accepting Jesus as Savior, as wonderful as that is. Rather, real meaning in life is when one begins to follow Christ as His disciple, learning of Him, spending time with Him in His Word, communing with Him in prayer, and in walking with Him in obedience to His commands. If you are not a Christian (or perhaps a new believer), you might be saying to yourself, “That does not sound very exciting or fulfilling to me!” But Jesus made the following statements:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10b). “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

What all of these verses are saying is that we have a choice. We can continue to seek to guide our own lives, which results in emptiness, or we can choose to pursue God and His will for our lives with a whole heart, which will result in living life to the full, having the desires of our hearts met, and finding contentment and satisfaction. This is so because our Creator loves us and desires the best for us (not necessarily the easiest life, but the most fulfilling).

The Christian life can be compared to the choice of whether to purchase the expensive seats at a sporting event that are close to the action, or pay less and watch the game from a distance. Watching God work “from the front row” is what we should choose but, sadly, is not what most people choose. Watching God work firsthand is for whole-hearted disciples of Christ who have truly stopped pursuing their own desires to pursue instead God's purposes. They have paid the price (complete surrender to Christ and His will); they are experiencing life to its fullest; and they can face themselves, their fellow man, and their Maker with no regrets. Have you paid the price? Are you willing to? If so, you will not hunger after meaning or purpose again.

Website: www.gotquestions.org

Can a Believer Be Demon Possessed or Only Oppressed?

Question: "Can a Christian be demon possessed? Can a Christian be demonized?"

Answer: While Bible does not explicitly state whether a Christian can be possessed by a demon, related biblical truths make it abundantly clear that Christians cannot be demon possessed. There is a distinct difference between being possessed by a demon and being oppressed or influenced by a demon. Demon possession involves a demon having direct/complete control over the thoughts and/or actions of a person (Matthew 17:14-18; Luke 4:33-35; 8:27-33). Demon oppression or influence involves a demon or demons attacking a person spiritually and/or encouraging him/her into sinful behavior. Notice that in all the New Testament passages dealing with spiritual warfare, there are no instructions to cast a demon out of a believer (Ephesians 6:10-18). Believers are told to resist the devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9), not to cast him out.

Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Surely the Holy Spirit would not allow a demon to possess the same person He is indwelling. It is unthinkable that God would allow one of His children, whom He purchased with the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19) and made into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), to be possessed and controlled by a demon. Yes, as believers, we wage war with Satan and his demons, but not from within ourselves. The apostle John declares, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Who is the One in us? The Holy Spirit. Who is the one in the world? Satan and his demons. Therefore, the believer has overcome the world of demons, and the case for demon possession of a believer cannot be made scripturally.

With the strong biblical evidence that a Christian cannot be demon possessed in view, some Bible teachers use the term “demonization” to refer to a demon having control over a Christian. Some argue that while a Christian cannot be demon possessed, a Christian can be demonized. Typically, the description of demonization is virtually identical to the description of demon possession. So, the same issue results. Changing the terminology does not change the fact that a demon cannot inhabit or take full control of a Christian. Demonic influence and oppression are realities for Christians, no doubt, but it is simply not biblical to say that a Christian can be possessed by a demon or demonized.

Much of the reasoning behind the demonization concept is the personal experience of seeing someone who was “definitely” a Christian exhibiting evidence of being controlled by a demon. It is crucially important, though, that we do not allow personal experience to influence our interpretation of Scripture. Rather, we must filter our personal experiences through the truth of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Seeing someone whom we thought to be a Christian exhibiting the behavior of being demonized should cause us to question the genuineness of his/her faith. It should not cause us alter our viewpoint on whether a Christian can be demon possessed / demonized. Perhaps the person truly is a Christian but is severely demon oppressed and/or suffering from severe psychological problems. But again, our experiences must meet the test of Scripture, not the other way around.

Website: www.gotquestions.org

Being Too Religious to Avoid All Outward Gnats Size Sins Possible, But Forget the Big Camel Size Sin Nature Inside

Straining Out Gnats

Q. I read once, long ago, something about doing something “to a gnat and swallowing a camel”. I cannot find the verse, but I was wondering if you could and tell me exactly what does that mean???

A. The verse you’re thinking of is Matt. 23:24. “You blind guides. You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel”. Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees who were diligent to a fault in keeping the Law. For example, before taking a drink of water they poured it through a cloth to strain out any small insect that might have fallen into it. In this way they made sure not to accidentally ingest something unclean. The Lord was accusing them of being so focused on the most insignificant of details that they missed the big picture of what the Law was meant to teach them.

Later Paul would explain that the Law was never intended to save anyone, but to reveal the extent of man’s sinfulness (Romans 3:20) and confirm his need for a Savior. The Pharisees had forgotten this and went to impossible extremes in their effort save themselves by keeping it.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Salvation Before and After the Cross

Question: "How were people saved before Jesus died for our sins?"

Answer: Since the fall of man, the basis of salvation has always been the death of Christ. No one, either prior to the cross or since the cross, would ever be saved without that one pivotal event in the history of the world. Christ's death paid the penalty for past sins of Old Testament saints and future sins of New Testament saints.

The requirement for salvation has always been faith. The object of one's faith for salvation has always been God. The psalmist wrote, “Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:12). Genesis 15:6 tells us that Abraham believed God and that was enough for God to credit it to him for righteousness (see also Romans 4:3-8). The Old Testament sacrificial system did not take away sin, as Hebrews 10:1-10 clearly teaches. It did, however, point to the day when the Son of God would shed His blood for the sinful human race.

What has changed through the ages is the content of a believer's faith. God's requirement of what must be believed is based on the amount of revelation He has given mankind up to that time. This is called progressive revelation. Adam believed the promise God gave in Genesis 3:15 that the Seed of the woman would conquer Satan. Adam believed Him, demonstrated by the name he gave Eve (v. 20) and the Lord indicated His acceptance immediately by covering them with coats of skin (v. 21). At that point that is all Adam knew, but he believed it.

Abraham believed God according to the promises and new revelation God gave him in Genesis 12 and 15. Prior to Moses, no Scripture was written, but mankind was responsible for what God had revealed. Throughout the Old Testament, believers came to salvation because they believed that God would someday take care of their sin problem. Today, we look back, believing that He has already taken care of our sins on the cross (John 3:16; Hebrews 9:28).

What about believers in Christ's day, prior to the cross and resurrection? What did they believe? Did they understand the full picture of Christ dying on a cross for their sins? Late in His ministry, “Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21-22). What was the reaction of His disciples to this message? “Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’” Peter and the other disciples did not know the full truth, yet they were saved because they believed that God would take care of their sin problem. They didn't exactly know how He would accomplish that, any more than Adam, Abraham, Moses, or David knew how, but they believed God.

Today, we have more revelation than the people living before the resurrection of Christ; we know the full picture. “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Our salvation is still based on the death of Christ, our faith is still the requirement for salvation, and the object of our faith is still God. Today, for us, the content of our faith is that Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Recommended Resource: Salvation: God's Marvelous Work of Grace by Lewis Sperry Chafer.

What's new on GotQuestions.org? What does it mean that a Christian is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the pre-wrath view of the rapture? What is the New World Order? Why is a bronze serpent used to save the Israelites in Numbers 21:8-9? Are the demons the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim? What was the meaning and importance of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)? Is Christianity a white man's religion? What is Federal Vision Theology? What is theosis? What was the significance of the ephod? How does one handle conflict in a marriage (or any relationship for that matter)? What is a kinsman redeemer? Website: www.gotquestions.org