The Obligations Of Faith According To The Torah
Faith in God Without Idolatry
But I am the Lord your God... You shall acknowledge no God but Me, no Savior except Me. (Hosea, 13:4)
O Lord... there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below. (1 Kings, 8:23)
I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God... so that from the rising of the Sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. (Isaiah, 45:5-6)
I am the Lord your God... You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for your self an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them... (Exodus, 20:2-5)
This is what the Lord says... the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from Me there is no God. (Isaiah, 44:6)
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can prof it him nothing? He and his kind will be put to shame; crafts men are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy. (Isaiah, 44:9-11)
... Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood... There is no God apart from Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but Me. "Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other." (Isaiah, 45:20-22)
And you shall know... that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other... (Joel, 2:27)
Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you. (Deuteronomy, 6:13-14)
... Before Me no God was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you... I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. When I act, who can reverse it? (Isaiah, 43:10-13)
Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own Creation; he makes idols that can not speak. Woe to him who says to wood, "Come to life!" or to life less stone, "Wake up!" Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it. (Habakkuk, 2:18-19)
See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion. (Isaiah, 41:29)
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. (Psalms, 40:5)
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?... O Lord God Almighty, who is like You?... The heavens are Yours, and Yours al so the earth; You founded the world and all that is in it. (Psalms, 89:6, 8, 11)
But those who trust in idols, who say to images, "You are our gods," will be turned back in utter shame. (Isaiah, 42:17)
But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will up root... from My land, which I have given them... (2 Chronicles, 7:19-20)
Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. Worship the Lord your God... (Exodus, 23:24-25)
If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord's anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land He has given you. (Joshua, 23:16)
Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed. (Exodus, 22:20)
... You have forsaken Me and served other gods [God is beyon this]. (Judges, 10:13)
Gratitude to God
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. (Ecclesiastes, 5:19)
Sing to the Lord, you saints of His; praise His holy name... that my heart may sing to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever. (Psalms, 30:4, 12)
I will praise You forever for what You have done... (Psalms, 52:9)
We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks, for Your Name is near, men tell of Your wonderful deeds. (Psalms, 75:1)
Then we Your people... will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will recount Your praise. (Psalms, 79:13)
And said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job, 1:21)
... There were... songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. (Nehemiah, 12:46)
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalms, 100:4-5)
I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. (Psalms, 9:1-2)
Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles, 29:12-13)
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. (Psalms, 106:1)
Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the up right and in the assembly. (Psalms, 111:1)
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever... Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He sat is fies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. (Psalms, 107:1, 7-9)
I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart... I will sing Your praise... will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness... When I called, You answered me; You made me bold and stouthearted. May all the kings of the earth praise You, O Lord... (Psalms, 138:1-4)
All You have made will praise You, O Lord; Your saints will extol You. (Psalms, 145:10)
I thank and praise You, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, You have made known to me what we asked of You... (Daniel, 2:23)
I will praise You with an upright heart as I learn Your righteous laws. I will obey Your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. (Psalms, 119:7-8)
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever... Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give You thanks, for You answered me; You have be come my salvation. You are my God, and I will give You thanks; You are my God, and I will exalt You. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. (Psalms, 118:1, 19-21, 28-29)
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths of the grave. (Psalms, 86:12-13)
... Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever. (2 Chronicles, 20:21)
Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. (1 Chronicles, 16:8-10)
... They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening. (1 Chronicles, 23:30)
It is good to praise the Lord and make mu sic to Your name, O Most High, to pro claim Your love in the morn ing and Your faithfulness at night, to the mu sic of the ten-stringed lyre and the mel o dy of the harp. (Psalms, 92:1-3)
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise His holy name. (Psalms, 97:12)
Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. (Psalms, 105:1-2)
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. (Psalms, 136:1)
... "I will praise You, O Lord. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has be come my salvation." In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted." (Isaiah, 12:1-4)
May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. (Psalms, 67:3-4)
Praise the Lord. Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. (Psalms, 113:1)
Submission to God
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. (Psalms, 28:7)
Those who trust in the Lord... which can not be shaken but endures forever. (Psalms, 125:1)
He said: "The Lord is my strength, my fortress and my deliverer; my God... in Whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—from violent men You save me." (2 Samuel, 22:2-3)
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs, 29:25)
Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One Who sustains me. (Psalms, 54:4)
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. (Psalms, 27:1-3)
Trust in the Lord... Delight your self in the Lord and He will give you the de sires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this. (Psalms, 37:3-5)
Wait for the Lord and keep His way... When the wicked are cut off, you will see it. The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him. (Psalms, 37:34, 39-40)
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. (Proverbs, 16:20)
A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the Lord will prosper. (Proverbs, 28:25)
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. (Isaiah, 12:2)
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the eternal strength. (Isaiah, 26:3-4)
This is what the Sovereign Lord... says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." (Isaiah, 30:15)
... Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. (Isaiah, 50:10)
But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. (Jeremiah, 17:7-8)
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua, 1:9)
... "Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god." (Isaiah, 45:14)
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalms, 27:13-14)
I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my strength, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my strength, in Whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, Who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalms, 18:1-3)
In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help... He... drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out in to a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. (Psalms, 18:6, 16-19)
You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. (Psalms, 18:28)
... He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the strength except our God? It is God Who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. You give me Your shield of victory... You broad en the path beneath me, so that my an kles do not turn. (Psalms, 18:30-32, 35-36)
... Exalted be God my Savior! Who saves me from my enemies... from violent men You rescued me. (Psalms, 18:46, 48)
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness... Be my strength of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since You are my strength and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for You are my refuge.Into Your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord the God of truth. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord. (Psalms, 31:1-6)
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my strength and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my strength and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my... refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. (Psalms, 62:1-2, 5-8)
But I call to God, and the Lord saves me... Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. But You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption... But as for me, I trust in You. (Psalms, 55:16, 22-23)
He trusted in the Lord, the God... He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow Him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook... (2 Kings, 18:5-7)
But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing love. In the shelter of Your presence You hide them from the intrigues of men; in Your dwelling You keep them safe from accusing tongues... Love the Lord, all His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful... Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. (Psalms, 31:14-16, 20-24)
You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalms, 32:7)
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are up right in heart! (Psalms, 32:10-11)
... And put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. (Psalms, 40:3-4)
Be pleased, O Lord, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me... You are my help and my deliverer; O my God... (Psalms, 40:13, 17)
... The Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life... The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and re store him from his bed of illness. (Psalms, 41:1-3)
I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies... (Psalms, 44:6-7)
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. What he trusts in is fragile; what he relies on is a spider's web. He leans on his web, but it gives way; he clings to it, but it does not hold. (Job, 8:13-15)
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. (Psalms, 9:9-10)
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure... You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. (Psalms, 16:8-11)
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. (Psalms, 20:7-8)
For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken. (Psalms, 21:7)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me... Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalms, 23:4-6)
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God... No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous with out excuse... For You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. (Psalms, 25:1-5)
... I have trusted in the Lord with out wavering. (Psalms, 26:1)
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalms, 4:8)
... Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld. Have faith in His Prophets and you will be successful. (2 Chronicles, 20:20)
Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold... But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. (Psalms, 52:7-8)
When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, Whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?... I will know that God is for me. (Psalms, 56:3-4-9)
In God, Whose word I praise, in the Lord, Whose word I praise—in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?... For You have delivered me from death and my feet from tumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. (Psalms, 56:10-13)
And Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, You are our God..." (2 Chronicles, 14:11)
Even though some one is pursuing you to take your life, the soul of my Lord shall be kept, as in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies He will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. (1 Samuel, 25:29)
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. (Proverbs, 3:25-26)
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; He is my helper... It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man... I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my praise; He has become my salvation. (Psalms, 118:6-9, 13-14)
... Trust in the Lord—He is their help and shield. You who fear Him, trust in the Lord—He is their help and shield. (Psalms, 115:9, 11)
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is stead fast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear... (Psalms, 112:7-8)
For the Lord God is a Sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He with hold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You. (Psalms, 84:11-12)
Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands. They would not be like their forefathers—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him. (Psalms, 78:7-8)
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge... Be my strength of refuge, to which I can always go... You are my strength and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on You; You brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise You. I have become like a portent to many, but You are my strong refuge. (Psalms, 71:1-7)
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that over takes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence... (Proverbs, 3:25-26)
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua, 1:9)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.(Deuteronomy, 31:6)
The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.(Deuteronomy, 31:8)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because... there is a greater Power [God] with us than with him. (2 Chronicles, 32:7)
He Who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust." Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday... If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, Who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread up on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves Me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call up on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation." (Psalms, 91:1-7, 9-16)
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. (Psalms, 107:6)
In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and He answered me [and]... set me free [from all of them]. (Psalms, 118:5)
The righteous cry out... the Lord... delivers them from all their troubles. (Psalms, 34:17)
God is our refuge and strength... (Psalms, 46:1)
Commit your works to the Lord, and your purposes will be made certain. The Lord has made everything for its own ends. (Proverbs, 16:3-4)
Obedience to God's Commandments
So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. (Deuteronomy, 5:32-33)
Oh, that their hearts would be in clined to fear Me and keep all My commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! (Deuteronomy, 5:29)
Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees He has given you. Do what is right and good in the Lord's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. (Deuteronomy, 6:17-18)
The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case to day. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. (Deuteronomy, 6:24-25)
Remember how the Lord your God... test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. (Deuteronomy, 8:2)
You must obey My laws and be careful to follow My decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep My decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord. (Leviticus, 18:4-5)
... Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. (Ezekiel, 18:30-31)
... Your people whom You brought out of Egypt have be come corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made a cast idol for themselves. And the Lord said to me... They are a stiff-necked people indeed!... I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. (Deuteronomy, 9:12-14)
... But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You did not trust Him or obey Him. You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you. (Deuteronomy, 9:23-24)
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is... the great God, mighty and awesome... (Deuteronomy, 10:16-17)
... Lord your God, Who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he [wicked one] has tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you. (Deuteronomy, 13:5)
... He is to... learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law... (Deuteronomy, 17:19-20)
The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in His ways, that you will keep His decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey Him... that you are to keep all His commands. (Deuteronomy, 26:16-18)
Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out. Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" (Deuteronomy, 27:26)
"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you... (1 Samuel, 13:13)
... To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams... Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king. (1 Samuel, 15:22-23)
A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—with out remedy. (Proverbs, 29:1)
... For you are a stiff-necked people... you have been rebellious against the Lord. (Deuteronomy, 9:6-7)
They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles You performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But You are a for giving God, gracious and compassionate.. .and abounding in love. Therefore You did not desert them... (Nehemiah, 9:17)
However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all His commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come up on you and over take you:You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking Him. The Lord will plague you with diseases until He has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. (Deuteronomy, 28:15-21)
If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God—the Lord will send fear ful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy, 28:58-61)
I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! (Deuteronomy, 31:27)
"Woe to the obstinate children," declares the Lord... heaping sin upon sin. (Isaiah, 30:1)
... Those who oppose You will be as nothing and perish. (Isaiah, 41:11)
They are all hardened rebels... They are bronze and iron; they all act corruptly. (Jeremiah, 6:28)
Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. (Jeremiah, 17:23)
This is what the Lord Almighty... says: "Listen! I am going to bring on this city and the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked and would not listen to My words." (Jeremiah, 19:15)
... They and their fathers have been in revolt against Me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, "This is what the Sovereign Lord says." And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a Prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak My words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. (Ezekiel, 2:3-7)
... "Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house." And He said to me, "Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your country men in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says,' wheth er they listen or fail to listen." (Ezekiel, 3:9-11)
... Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth. (1 Samuel, 2:10)
If you fear the Lord and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God-good! But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against His commands, His hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers. (1 Samuel, 12:14-15)
They... refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. But they... rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep His statutes. Like their fathers they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow. (Psalms, 78:10-11, 56-57)
For they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High... Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. (Psalms, 107:11, 17)
You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were stead fast in obeying Your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all Your commands. I will praise You with an upright heart as I learn Your righteous laws. I will obey Your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. (Psalms, 119:4-8)
... I obey Your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey Your word. I have not departed from Your laws, for You yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from Your precepts; there fore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow Your righteous laws.(Psalms, 119:100-106)
The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. (Proverbs, 16:5)
... I said, "Obey Me and do everything I command you... But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep." (Jeremiah, 11:4, 8)
Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed Him or followed His law or His decrees or His stipulations, this disaster has come upon you, as you now see." (Jeremiah, 44:23)
And if you reject My decrees and abhor My laws and fail to carry out all My commands and so vi o late My covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring up on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. (Leviticus, 26:15-16)
"If you remain hostile toward Me and refuse to listen to Me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve... If in spite of these things you do not accept My correction but continue to be hostile to ward Me, I my self will be hostile to ward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over... If in spite of this you still do not listen to Me but continue to be hostile to ward Me... I my self will punish you for your sins seven times over." (Leviticus, 26:21-28)
Because he has despised the Lord's word and broken His commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him. (Numbers, 15:31)
So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord's command and in your arrogance you marched up in to the hill country. (Deuteronomy, 1:43)
... She has rejected My laws and has not followed My decrees. Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "You have been more unruly than the nations around you and have not followed My decrees or kept My laws. You have not even conformed to the standards of the nations around you." Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "I Myself am against you... and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations." (Ezekiel, 5:6-8)
But they rebelled against Me and would not listen to Me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. (Ezekiel, 20:8)
But the children rebelled against Me: They did not follow My decrees, they were not careful to keep My laws—although the man who obeys them will live by them... I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against Me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living... (Ezekiel, 20:21, 38)
I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses... (Ezekiel, 39:24)
Because you did not obey the Lord... the Lord has done this to you to day. (1 Samuel, 28:18)
But if you or your sons turn away from Me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off... the land I have given them... (1 Kings, 9:6-7)
... Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever. (1 Chronicles, 28:8)
... He [Zechariah] stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: "Why do you disobey the Lord's commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has forsaken you." (2 Chronicles, 24:20)
Whoever does not obey the law of your God... must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment. (Ezra, 7:26)
... O our God, what can we say after this? For we have disregarded the commands You gave through Your servants the Prophets... (Ezra, 9:10-11)
We have acted very wickedly toward You. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws You gave Your servant Moses. "Remember the instruction You gave Your servant Moses, say ing, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to Me and obey My commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name'." (Nehemiah, 1:7-9)
You warned them to return to Your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed Your commands. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on You, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. (Nehemiah, 9:29)
... [They] bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord. (Nehemiah, 10:29)
... We have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws He gave us through His servants the Prophets... has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You. "Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster... Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to Your truth." (Daniel, 9:10-13)
This is what the Lord says: "... I will not turn back [My wrath]. Because they have rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept His decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed." (Amos, 2:4)
Heeding the Conscience
I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live. (Job, 27:6)
I will praise the Lord, Who counsels me; even at night my heart in structs me. (Psalms, 16:7)
A man tormented by the guilt of murder will be a fugitive till death... (Proverbs, 28:17)
... I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands. (Genesis, 20:5)
... My bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. (Psalms, 38:3-4)
Timelessness and Belief in Destiny
For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. (Psalms, 90:4)
I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed."(Ecclesiastes, 3:17)
The lot is cast in to the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs, 16:33)
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a Prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah, 1:5)
I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men should fear before Him. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before... (Ecclesiastes, 3:14-15)
Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. (Isaiah, 46:9-10)
Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. (Psalms, 139:16)
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes, 3:1)
[There is] a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot. (Ecclesiastes, 3:2)
... [There is] a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build... He has made everything beautiful in its time... (Ecclesiastes, 3:3, 11)
Man's days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. (Job, 14:5)
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. (Proverbs, 19:21)
Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely, O Lord. (Psalms, 139:4)
... All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. (Psalms, 139:16)
... It [the time of the end] will still come at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:35)
Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them. (Ecclesiastes, 9:12)
Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. (Psalms, 58:3)
Listen to me, you is lands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth He has made mention of my name. (Isaiah, 49:1)
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs, 16:33)
Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities in to piles of stone... But I know where you stay and when you come and go... (Isaiah, 37:26,28)
... But you did not look to the One Who made it, or have regard for the One Who planned it long ago... "Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for"... (Isaiah, 22:11, 14)
Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord. (Psalms, 102:18)
... All the curses written in this book will fall upon him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven. (Deuteronomy, 29:20)
... I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book... (2 Chronicles, 34:24)
"Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities in to piles of stone." (2 Kings, 19:25)
The Importance of Prayer
The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love Him... (Psalms, 145:18-20)
... Let us go at once to entreat the Lord and seek the Lord Almighty... (Zechariah, 8:21)
Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord Who makes the storm clouds. (Zechariah, 10:1)
"When my life was ebbing away... and my prayer rose to You." (Jonah, 2:7)
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, Who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands." (Daniel, 9:3-4)
... At night His song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalms, 42:8)
He [Job (pbuh)] prays to God and finds fa vor with Him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God... (Job, 33:26)
... But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands." (Nehemiah, 6:9)
I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy... I cry to You, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." (Psalms, 142:1, 5)
... If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I... forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles, 7:14)
But we prayed to our God... (Nehemiah, 4:9)
You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship You. (Nehemiah, 9:6)
This is what the Lord says, He Who made the earth, the Lord Who formed it and established it—the Lord is His name: "Call to Me and I will answer youand tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah, 33:2-3)
I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord... When my spirit grows faint with in me, it is You Who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me... I cry to You, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. (Psalms, 142:1-6)
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me... I called for help, and You listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all Your waves and breakers swept over me... But You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, Lord, and my prayer rose to You, what I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." (Jonah, 2:1-9)
O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mer cy; in Your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief... I spread out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide my self in You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For Your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life; in Your righteousness, bring me out of trouble... (Psalms, 143:1, 6-12)
Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high... There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides You; there is no strength like our God... For the Lord is a God Who knows, and by Him deeds are weighed... The Lord brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up." The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap... "For the foundations of the earth are the Lord's... He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. It is not by strength that one prevails." (1 Samuel, 2:1-9)
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed... they could have children again. (Genesis, 20:17)
Then he prayed, "O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham." (Genesis, 24:12)
Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. (Exodus, 10:18, 8:30)
... But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the Lord... pardon every one who sets his heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of his fathers?" (2 Chronicles, 30:18-19)
... Three times a day he [Daniel] got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. (Daniel, 6:10-11)
Then Solomon stood... spread out his hands to ward heaven and said: "O Lord... there is no god like You in heaven above or on earth below—You Who keep Your covenant of love with Your servants who continue wholeheartedly in Your way. O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying in Your presence this day... You will hear the prayer Your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people... when they pray toward this place. When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before Your altar in this house... judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on his own head what he has done... when they turn back to You and confess Your name, praying and making supplication to You in this house, then... forgive the sin of Your people... and bring them back to the land You gave to their fathers. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and when they praytoward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin... then forgive the sin of Your servants... Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land You gave Your people for an inheritance. When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, and when a prayer or plea is made by any of Your people...—each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands to ward this house—then... forgive... since You know his heart (for You alone know the hearts of all men), so that they will fear You all the time they live in the land You gave our fathers. As for the foreigner... has come from a distant land because of Your name—for men will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your out stretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this house... so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You... and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to You with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to You toward the land You gave their fathers, toward the city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name; then... hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. And forgive Your people, who have sinned against You; forgive all the of fenses they have committed against You... may You listen to them when ever they cry out to You." When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. (1 Kings, 8:22-54)
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: "O Lord... we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from Your commands and laws. We have not listened to Your servants the Prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. "Lord, You are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame... in all the countries where You have scattered us because of our un faithfulness to You. O Lord, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against You. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws He gave us through His servants the Prophets... Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing up on us great disaster... Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come up on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to Your truth. Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant... We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, forgive!... For Your sake, O my God, do not delay... (Daniel, 9:3-19)
... The Prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "... I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me... and that You are turning their hearts back again." (1 Kings, 18:36-37)
... I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. "O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God... hear the prayer Your servant is praying before You day and night... Give your servant success today." (Nehemiah, 1:4-7, 11)
Hezekiah received the letter... and spread it prayed "O Lord Almighty... You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth." (Isaiah, 37:14-16)
And seek the peace of the city... and pray to the Lord for it... (Jeremiah, 29:7)
Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives. (2 Kings, 19:4)
... [They] pray for the well-being... (Ezra, 6:10)
And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: "O Lord... You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth." (2 Kings, 19:15)
And Elisha prayed and said, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see..." (2 Kings, 6:17)
Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the Lord, "O Lord my God, let this boy's life return to him!" (1 Kings, 17:21)
Hear my voice when I call, O Lord... Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior... Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path... (Psalms, 27:7-11)
Belief in Angels
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread up on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves Me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call up on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation." (Psalms, 91:11-16)
... All at once an an gel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. (1 Kings, 19:5-8)
He replied, "The Lord, before Whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success." (Genesis, 24:40)
The Lord replied... "Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and My angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for Me to punish, I will punish them for their sin." (Exodus, 32:33-34)
Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. (Genesis, 32:1)
But when we cried out to the Lord, He heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. (Numbers, 20:16)
Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back in to its sheath. (1 Chronicles, 21:27)
With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take... your two daughters who are here..." (Genesis, 19:15)
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them... (Genesis, 19:1)
"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since My Name is in him. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. My angel will go ahead of you..." (Exodus, 23:20-23)
I will send an an gel before you... to the land flowing with milk and honey. (Exodus, 33:2-3)
And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he with drew to his own land in disgrace. (2 Chronicles, 32:21)
Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His orders, who obey His word. Praise the Lord, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will. Praise the Lord, all His works everywhere in His dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul. (Psalms, 103:20-22)
Praise Him, all His an gels, praise Him, all His heavenly hosts. (Psalms, 148:2)
I asked, "What are these, my lord?" The angel who was talking with me answered, "I will show you what they are." Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the Lord has sent to go through out the earth." And they reported to the angel of the Lord, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace." (Zechariah, 1:9-11)
Then the angel who talked with me answered me, "Don't you know what these are?"... And he answered, and spoke to me, saying: "This is the word of the Lord..." (Zechariah, 4:5-6)
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." (Judges, 6:12)
The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son... The angel of God came again to the woman while she was out in the field." (Judges, 13:3, 9)
