As some of you know I’ve been teaching through the book of Jeremiah over the past several months in Bible study on Sunday mornings. While doing some research on his life & death I ran across a very provoking section of a book entitled, “All the Men of the Bible” (Lockyer, Zondervan 1958). In this part of the book there was a chapter on “The Great Host of Unnamed Bible Men” It so intrigued me I decided to share it with you in this newsletter.
Did you know that there are thousands upon thousands of unnamed men (and women of course) in the Bible? Many of them can be called “God’s Anonymous Men.” Too often we fix our attention exclusively on the greater characters of the Book, yet the vast host of the inconspicuous and unnamed has been preserved by the pen of inspiration as being worthy of our meditation. The unknown saints – unknown, that is, to human fame---must not be passed by. While full consideration must be given to those God called into the limelight, we dare not ignore others who remain in the shadow of obscurity or anonymity. So let us think of many Bible men whose deeds are recorded, but not their names. The following list is by no means complete.
While three of Adam’s sons are named, others born of him and Eve are not named (Gen. 5:4). Were they among the many who perished in the Flood?
None of the carpenters who assisted in the building of the Ark are mentioned, neither are several of those who labored in the preparation of the Tabernacle. The same is true of the overseers of the Temple repairs in the reign of Jehoash, whose honesty was such that their superiors had no need to scrutinize their accounts.
Also among the unnamed of the Bible we have the seven thousand who refused to bow to Baal. God knew them but Elijah was not aware of them. If only the members of this host had openly declared themselves as being on God’s side, how they would have cheered the lonely heart of Elijah!
The nameless prophet who has been referred to as, “this great man of God who comes out of a cloud, shines for a splendid moment before all men’s eyes, and then dies under a cloud,” is another unknown man. Heroic, he was yet human, an unnamed man whose fascinating story lies in its mixture of courage and weakness (1 Kings 13:1-3).
The New Testament abounds in its anonymous characters, historical and literary. By the latter, we mean those employed in parabolic form, which our Lord freely used. Those He portrays might have been individuals He had observed. Many of the literary characters are as forceful as many of the historical ones!
Paul in his Epistles sent personal greetings to many of his fellow laborers whom he knew and named. But think of those who are summarized as “the brethren” or referred to as “other fellow laborers, whose names are written in the book of life.”
Many heroes of the faith are named by the sacred writer (Heb. 11), but what about the others equally faithful and sacrificial, about whom the historian did not write (Heb. 11:32,36)?
We cannot but wonder why there are so many anonymous servants. Tradition has given names to several of them such as the Wise Men, the Rich Ruler and the Two Thieves, but Scripture is silent as to their identity.
It is comforting to realize that although multitudes of workers are “unknown” they are ‘yet well known.” They are “manifest unto God,” who sees that which is hidden from the human eye, and whose approval is the highest reward. Their abiding influence cannot be hid.
For ourselves, it is sufficient to know that, whether our names are blazoned abroad or unknown, easy or difficult to pronounce, short or long, full of meaning or unattractive, they are written upon God’s palms and in heaven every child of His is to have a new name (Isaiah 49:16; Revelation 2:17).”
I pray the thoughts contained in this newsletter gives you encouragement to seek only God’s approval. It’s really not important to seek the approval and recognition of the world!
Pastor Pat
If you have a private prayer request, even if that request is to know Jesus as your savior, e-mail us at torsogong@ yahoo.com. We will forward it immediately to the appropriate ministry, whether it be the pastor and elders and/or our Prayer Warriors. Please title the subject of your e-mail "Prayer Request".
God bless you.
Did you know that there are thousands upon thousands of unnamed men (and women of course) in the Bible? Many of them can be called “God’s Anonymous Men.” Too often we fix our attention exclusively on the greater characters of the Book, yet the vast host of the inconspicuous and unnamed has been preserved by the pen of inspiration as being worthy of our meditation. The unknown saints – unknown, that is, to human fame---must not be passed by. While full consideration must be given to those God called into the limelight, we dare not ignore others who remain in the shadow of obscurity or anonymity. So let us think of many Bible men whose deeds are recorded, but not their names. The following list is by no means complete.
While three of Adam’s sons are named, others born of him and Eve are not named (Gen. 5:4). Were they among the many who perished in the Flood?
None of the carpenters who assisted in the building of the Ark are mentioned, neither are several of those who labored in the preparation of the Tabernacle. The same is true of the overseers of the Temple repairs in the reign of Jehoash, whose honesty was such that their superiors had no need to scrutinize their accounts.
Also among the unnamed of the Bible we have the seven thousand who refused to bow to Baal. God knew them but Elijah was not aware of them. If only the members of this host had openly declared themselves as being on God’s side, how they would have cheered the lonely heart of Elijah!
The nameless prophet who has been referred to as, “this great man of God who comes out of a cloud, shines for a splendid moment before all men’s eyes, and then dies under a cloud,” is another unknown man. Heroic, he was yet human, an unnamed man whose fascinating story lies in its mixture of courage and weakness (1 Kings 13:1-3).
The New Testament abounds in its anonymous characters, historical and literary. By the latter, we mean those employed in parabolic form, which our Lord freely used. Those He portrays might have been individuals He had observed. Many of the literary characters are as forceful as many of the historical ones!
Paul in his Epistles sent personal greetings to many of his fellow laborers whom he knew and named. But think of those who are summarized as “the brethren” or referred to as “other fellow laborers, whose names are written in the book of life.”
Many heroes of the faith are named by the sacred writer (Heb. 11), but what about the others equally faithful and sacrificial, about whom the historian did not write (Heb. 11:32,36)?
We cannot but wonder why there are so many anonymous servants. Tradition has given names to several of them such as the Wise Men, the Rich Ruler and the Two Thieves, but Scripture is silent as to their identity.
It is comforting to realize that although multitudes of workers are “unknown” they are ‘yet well known.” They are “manifest unto God,” who sees that which is hidden from the human eye, and whose approval is the highest reward. Their abiding influence cannot be hid.
For ourselves, it is sufficient to know that, whether our names are blazoned abroad or unknown, easy or difficult to pronounce, short or long, full of meaning or unattractive, they are written upon God’s palms and in heaven every child of His is to have a new name (Isaiah 49:16; Revelation 2:17).”
I pray the thoughts contained in this newsletter gives you encouragement to seek only God’s approval. It’s really not important to seek the approval and recognition of the world!
Pastor Pat
If you have a private prayer request, even if that request is to know Jesus as your savior, e-mail us at torsogong@ yahoo.com. We will forward it immediately to the appropriate ministry, whether it be the pastor and elders and/or our Prayer Warriors. Please title the subject of your e-mail "Prayer Request".
God bless you.
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