Thoughts on the readings for April 24th (Deuteronomy 8, 9, Ecclesiastes 3, John 20, 21)

Deuteronomy 8 tells of the difficulties Yahweh brought upon His people that they might truly hunger for His Word. Verses 1-3 speak of this truth, which Israel failed to learn despite the LORD feeding them manna for 40 years. Our Lord Jesus Christ quoted this verse to his tempter in Matthew 4 verse 4 after hungering in the wilderness for 40 days. Verses 4-10 speak of the great blessings that their Sovereign bountifully bestowed upon His people during their wilderness wanderings. Verses 11-20 remind the LORD's people to maintain their faithfulness to the Almighty. The nation's Creator was jealous of His own nation's loyalty to their Creator. Moses reveals the great miracles that their Redeemer had performed for His people. Chapter 9 speaks of Yahweh's love and care for His people not for their strength, nor for their importance, nor for their righteousness. The first twelve verses of this chapter establish the basis of their inheritance of the Promised Land was because their Sovereign was faithful to the covenant He had sworn to Abraham; and because of the wickedness of the nations that the Almighty would purge from His land. Verses 13-21 inform the nation of their treachery to the LORD at Horeb in the incident of the golden calf. Moses tells of his intercession to God to spare His wilful and unfaithful people. Moses relates another example of Israel's rebellion against their Maker at Taberah; and yet again Moses prays to God to spare the nation. The basis of Moses' plea was that the LORD would be scorned by the surrounding nations; and also their Sovereign's faithfulness to His promises sworn to the nation's fathers. Ecclesiastes 3 begins with there is a time for everything under the sun. These verses, one to eight, were quoted at Camp David by Israeli President Menachim Begin when he signed the peace accords together with President Carter and the Palestinian Chairman Arafat. Please carefully read these verses aloud and contemplate. When President Begin finished his speech by saying and now is the time of peace. Sadly he was wrong, though the time of peace nears; but it will not happen until the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ returns to establish his kingdom and bring the 1,000 years of peace and blessings - see Isaiah 9 verses 6-7. Sadly this time will be preceded by a time of war and suffering. Verses 9-15 speak of the putting into our human heart a yearning for eternity. Quoting from the later half of verse 11 as translated by the ESV, "Also, He (Ie God / my insertion) has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he (man / again my insertion) cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end". Every culture throughout all time has had a yearning to live forever. But the truth of this matter is not to be determined by philosophy; but rather through enlightenment by what the LORD has revealed in His Word. Some aspects of this truth are told to us in the last segment of this chapter - verses 16-22 (noticing that verse 22 speaks of its relevance to the portion of verses 9-15. These verses distinguish between human beings and every other form of animal life. While it is true that both humans and animals alike have one breath - Hebrew "ruach" ie spirit, or vital life force - all have one common end, death and total destruction in the grave. There is an important difference, ie in aspiration - humans aspire for eternity, animals simply live for the immediate present. This is because the Almighty has placed a longing for a future life in the human heart. These verses should be read together with those from Ecclesiastes 9 verses 1-6, 10. In John 20 we find Jesus risen from the dead, as discovered by the women who arrived early at his tomb. The women tell the Apostles, who remain sceptical. Peter and John ran to the sepulchre and find it empty (the younger John outrunning the older Peter). John stands at the sepulchre's entrance, taking in what he observes. But the ever impetuous and baffled Peter goes in. John sees evidence of the Lord's resurrection in the way the grave clothes were laying. Jesus' first appearance following his resurrection is to Mary Magdalene, who mistakes him for the gardener (an apt error as he is the one through whom Eden ie the paradise, or garden of God - will be restored). Our Lord tells her not to hinder ie delay him since he has not yet ascended to his Father. Read aloud verse 17 - pause and ponder. Jesus was not God - he was a grand, incomparable and glorious man (read Psalm 45: and Hebrews 2). Later that night Jesus appears to his Apostles and gives them the Holy Spirit. "Doubting" Thomas is not with them and refuses to believe their report without physically putting his fingers into the wounds in Jesus' hands and side. Eight days later our Lord provides Thomas with that proof. Verses 30-31 state the objective of the narrative written. Slowly read those verses aloud and ponder their words. Chapter 21 contains the eighth sign John outlines in the catching of the 153 great fish. It occurs in Galilee and the chapter also deals with our Lord's resolution with Peter over Peter's threefold denial of his Master. The miracle reflects the time of the Apostle's call to follow the Lord. The 153 fish certainly represent those who are saved in the gospel net. The gematria of the Hebrew expression "the sons of God" is 153 and may be the intended message. Peter is three times asked by his Lord as to whether he has a love for Jesus. Christ asks Peter whether his love for his Master exceeds that of the other Apostles. The first two times Jesus uses the Greek word " agape" and Peter responds with Greek word "phileo" - meaning to have affection, or to be a friend. Peter is grieved when on the third occasion Jesus asks whether Peter has a 'strong affection' (phileo) for Jesus. An exchange occurs between Jesus and John as our Lord prophesies the manner of Peter's death. John concludes his record by stating how vast were the Lord's acts and that what was recorded was but a small sample. Penned by Warwick Rosser and his team, produced by Christadelphianvideo.org See more Thoughts from the Christadelphian Dialy Bible Reading Planner (By R.Roberts) here... https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-readings-for-april-24th-deuteronomy-8-9-ecclesiastes-3-john-20-21/?feed_id=90379&_unique_id=680883f55fbc4