In Deuteronomy 32 verse 1-3 Moses in calling upon: the rulers and the common people of the nation of Israel, ie the heavens and the earth, to listen carefully to his song - verses 1-3. Moses' teaching, in his last words, though the song is similar to David's final words - 2 Samuel 23:1-4. The gentle instruction resembles the gently falling rain. Moses' objective is to an elevating of his Sovereign in the mind of the people of God. This is so important in our lives that we praise our Omnipotent Maker for who He is and what He still continues to do for us. Contemplate how the Psalms constantly resonate to this theme - "Great is Yahweh and greatly to be praised and His greatness is unsearchable". In verse 4 our God is described as "the Rock". He is eternal, stedfast and unchanging". Once more an elevating contemplation as we feebly fail and fumble our way through life. Verses 5-6 tell us of our weaknesses and needs. Verses 7-14 give some reflections from Moses on what the Almighty has done for His children - and He still is the same. Once our Sovereign sets His love on His children He will move heaven and earth to bring them into His kingdom. He raises us up to stand on mountains. He gently bears us on eagles' wings - Exodus 19:4-6. Verses 15-17 contrast sadly and record Israel's pitiful and insulting response to the goodness of their God. It is needful for the Almighty to discipline His wayward children as verses 19-27 outline. Verses 28-39 tell of the yearnings of Yahweh for His erring yet still loved children, So verses 30-38 speak of the LORD's heartfelt plea to them. From verses 39-42 He remonstrates with the nation to recognise that He alone is God and only He can rescue us from our troubles. Verse 43 concludes the song with adoration to our Almighty LORD. In verse 44-47 Moses encourages Israel to take these words to heart. From verses 48-52 we have a simple account of the Omnipotent Creator telling Moses of how his God will lay Moses to rest.
Isaiah 5 speaks of Israel as the LORD's vineyard in a parable concerning His people. The only purpose of the vine is to produce fruit and our Lord Jesus Christ describes himself in John 15 as the vine. Our fruitfulness is dependent on our abiding in Jesus and his Father. Psalm 80 describes the Jewish rulers as ruthlessly attacking and ravaging our Lord as God's strengthened vine - verses 8-19. The prophet tells what all Israel's Sovereign was doing for them. Nothing more could be done for them. The LORD was left with no alternative than to uproot them. Although talking of the fig tree in the first instance (Luke 13 verse 6-9). Later our Lord Jesus speaks of a similar problem which had overtaken the nation in his day in Matthew 21 verse 18-22. Verses 8-15 denounce the nation for its injustice and give examples of the evils that were being practised among them. Verses 16-17 contrasts that condition with the supreme integrity of our Sovereign. Verses 18-24 denounce the wickedness of the people of the LORD and in a graphic metaphor speak of them heaping their sins onto a cart and dragging it along with ropes called wickedness. A series of woes is pronounced upon God's people. Verse 25 tells us that the Almighty had to respond to such provocation. This He did by raising hostile nations to bring judgment against His nation in order to humble them and bring them back to a state of mind that would allow Him to at a future time restore them.
Colossians 2 together with Romans 6 provides the most complete description of what baptism is and what it achieves. Verses 1-5 tell us that in Christ we find a complete embodiment of the wisdom of God in a single individual. So we, the body of believers need to model and pattern ourselves on the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 9-10 tell us that all can know about the Almighty is to be found in Christ. Verses 11-15 describe what baptism is - it is like circumcision in that it tells us that "in the flesh" - that is within our nature (dwells nothing innately good). There is nothing in human nature that can do anything good for God. And so human nature is rightly related to death. In dying Christ destroyed a body identical to ours - in that every sin which has been done could have been done in Jesus' body. The Jews and Romans were driven by the lusts of their natures to try to destroy our Lord Jesus Christ. But by not yielding to the passions which controlled his enemies our Lord victoriously triumphed in his sinless death. That death on the stake was a demonstration of the truth that human nature is rightfully related to death. Only when the lifeless body of our Lord hung on the stake was sin conquered in him and in his resurrection the process of salvation completed for him - and by establishing a basis for our forgiveness and thereby the way for our salvation. Therefore in crucifixion Jesus destroyed sin (called in Hebrews 2 "the devil"). So from verses 16-21 Paul tells the Colossians to focus on the pivotal and central teachings of the truth, and not to be distracted by side issues.
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-may-15th-deuteronomy-32-isaiah-5colossians-2/?feed_id=92101&_unique_id=68243e2cb6415
No comments:
Post a Comment