5 Smooth Stones

For instance, in the garden of Eden God provided a covering for man, God’s plan, which man then tried to imitate with fi g leaves after he sinned. This did not work out for man. When we speak of “spiritual covering” it is the biblical concept of relational protection that is being referenced. In another record where Moses was under the extreme pressures of leadership his father-in-law recommended that he chose leadership to help him, summing up the purpose of eldership by saying, “they will bear the burden with you.” The end result was that Moses was able to endure, and the congregation received peace (Exodus 18:22, 23). Jesus summed it up this way: Mark 10:42 “But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them,"You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 "And whoever of you desires to be fi rst shall be [bond] slave of all.”

ENDNOTES: 13 The Holy Bible, King James Version. New York: American Bible Society: 1999; Bartleby.com, 2000. www.bartleby.com/108/. [March, 2018].

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