A @Christadelphians Video: When the two angels came to Sodom about sunset they were met by Lot, who sat in the gate - a position of authority in ancient towns. The angels once more seemed to be ordinary men and told Lot of their intention to sleep in the street. He begged them to reconsider, rather than be subjected to the vile practices of the Sodomites. With great difficulty he persuaded them to accept his hospitality. No sooner had this happened than all the men of city - everyone of them a sodomite - encompassed Lot's house demanding the two men be brought out to be abused. Lot ironically offers them his two unmarried daughters instead. They were enraged at this calculated rebuke and said that they would vent their anger on Lot. The 19th chapter of Genesis tells us that the angels used their powers to smite the men of Sodom with dazzlings, so that in their confusion they became weary in trying to find the door. The angels then urged Lot to hastily gather his family and escape the impending doom. Lot was mocked by his Sons-in-law who couldn't accept the message that the cities of the plain would be destroyed by the Almighty because of their immorality. Lot was eventually taken away with his two unmarried daughters and his wife; and they were commanded to not look back. Lot's wife's heart remained in Sodom and she was encrusted in salt. Let us heed our Lord's warning to not be caught in the affairs of this world when Jesus returns to judge it (Luke 17:26-33; slowly read aloud. Pause and ponder). Lot was graciously allowed to escape to the tiny town of Zoar.
The immense and overwhelming disaster produced fear in Lot and his daughters, who further withdrew to a cave in the mountains. Lot's daughters made him drunk and committed incest with him in the mistaken belief that every man of that region had been destroyed. But God had remembered Abraham and delivered Lot as this chapter tells us in verses 27-29 (see 2 Peter 2:6-10; where Peter tells us the wicked are reserved for judgment and the godly are preserved for salvation). Psalm 22 is one the greatest psalms of David from the entire 150 in the book. It is a Messianic Psalm, which focuses on the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. It also gives us glimpses into our Lord's thoughts and how he was able to use prayer to resolve incredible trials and testing of his mind at this time of immense physical trial and enormous mental pressure. The words of this Psalm may have been uttered in their entirety whilst our Lord hung upon the stake (cross = Greek stauros; a stake, or a pole; called in Peter "the tree"). The opening words "My God, my God why have you forsaken me" are found in the gospel records of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Some suggest that Jesus said this in Aramaic leading to the confusion among some of those around the stake to believe Jesus was calling for help from Elijah. Others have suggested that the word used in Psalm 22 for "forsaken" means to be trapped in a thicket, such as the ram was in Genesis 22.
The records tell us that His Father had withdrawn from Jesus the Holy Spirit power leaving our Lord with an incredible feeling of aloneness. Whatever it was, Jesus drew immense strength from the Scriptures and how they told of God's deliverance to those who had committed themselves in trust to the Almighty. Jesus also felt the weakness of his human condition when in verse 6 he calls himself "a worm, and no man". The word worm speaks of the grub which,when crushed, yielded the scarlet cochineal dye. The scarlet dye yielded from the crushing of the cochineal grub spoke of our Lord Jesus' human condition as the sin-bearer - co Isaiah 1:18; 53:4-6. Truly he bore all our weaknesses in his flesh; as Hebrews 2:12-18 tells us. The taunts of verse 8 in this Psalm were spat out at our Lord, who as Hebrews 12 tells us "endured such contradiction of sinners". Note the similarities between his trials in the wilderness after his baptism and the taunts to him whilst he calmly agonisingly hung on the pole. But God had been his God from the time of his birth and would not fail him now.
The brute bulls of Bashan sought to gore him to death. In himself he felt like melted candle wax. His mouth was so dry it seemed that his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He was so emaciated that his bones seemed to protrude through his flesh; allowing him to count each bone. His hands and his feet were pierced with massive crude iron nails. He watched them tear his outer garment into 4, a part for each soldier and they cast dice to see whose would be his inner garment. Yet he confidently knew the Father heard and would deliver him, not from death - but rather out of death by resurrection after 3 days lifelessly lying in the tomb. The Psalm concludes from verses 22-31 with the triumphant victory speech Jesus will deliver to those his offering will have saved and likewise brought them (as the Captain of salvation Hebrews 2:5-18) to immortality in his Father's Kingdom. In Matthew 12 we have two incidents, both deliberately performed on the Sabbath day, illustrating that Jesus was indeed the Lord of the Sabbath, in contrast to it having authority over him .
The first of these was the right of his disciples to pluck and eat the ears of grain ( he cites the precedent in David's eating of the shewbread, which our readings from two days ago highlighted). The second was the healing of the man with the withered hand. This evidenced our Lord Jesus Christ to be Yahweh's chosen Servant of Isaiah 42. These are followed by grievous charges being leveled at Jesus of doing miracles by Beelzebul, the prince of demons and amounted to blasphemy against God's power being flagrantly denied despite incontestable evidence that he was from God. The lesson of the fruits of the tree indicated that Jesus was the Son of the Deity and that they were of the carnal mind in every respect. Our Lord would advance further incontestable proof of his Sonship with a prophecy of his resurrection from the dead as the sign of Jonah - the prophet from Galilee (see John 7:50-52). The chapter concludes with the parable of the unclean spirit and then Jesus' own family seeking to 'rescue' him from the trouble he, in a seemingly disturbed state, was wilfully provoking.
https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-bible-readings-for-january-10th-genesis-19-psalms-22-matthew-12/?feed_id=82067&_unique_id=677fc0e61e090
Showing posts with label Bible readings for. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible readings for. Show all posts
Thursday, 9 January 2025
Thoughts on the Bible Readings for January 10th Genesis 19; Psalms 22; Matthew 12
A @Christadelphians Video: When the two angels came to Sodom about sunset they were met by Lot, who sat in the gate - a position of authority in ancient towns. The angels once more seemed to be ordinary men and told Lot of their intention to sleep in the street. He begged them to reconsider, rather than be subjected to the vile practices of the Sodomites. With great difficulty he persuaded them to accept his hospitality. No sooner had this happened than all the men of city - everyone of them a sodomite - encompassed Lot's house demanding the two men be brought out to be abused. Lot ironically offers them his two unmarried daughters instead. They were enraged at this calculated rebuke and said that they would vent their anger on Lot. The 19th chapter of Genesis tells us that the angels used their powers to smite the men of Sodom with dazzlings, so that in their confusion they became weary in trying to find the door. The angels then urged Lot to hastily gather his family and escape the impending doom. Lot was mocked by his Sons-in-law who couldn't accept the message that the cities of the plain would be destroyed by the Almighty because of their immorality. Lot was eventually taken away with his two unmarried daughters and his wife; and they were commanded to not look back. Lot's wife's heart remained in Sodom and she was encrusted in salt. Let us heed our Lord's warning to not be caught in the affairs of this world when Jesus returns to judge it (Luke 17:26-33; slowly read aloud. Pause and ponder). Lot was graciously allowed to escape to the tiny town of Zoar.
The immense and overwhelming disaster produced fear in Lot and his daughters, who further withdrew to a cave in the mountains. Lot's daughters made him drunk and committed incest with him in the mistaken belief that every man of that region had been destroyed. But God had remembered Abraham and delivered Lot as this chapter tells us in verses 27-29 (see 2 Peter 2:6-10; where Peter tells us the wicked are reserved for judgment and the godly are preserved for salvation). Psalm 22 is one the greatest psalms of David from the entire 150 in the book. It is a Messianic Psalm, which focuses on the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. It also gives us glimpses into our Lord's thoughts and how he was able to use prayer to resolve incredible trials and testing of his mind at this time of immense physical trial and enormous mental pressure. The words of this Psalm may have been uttered in their entirety whilst our Lord hung upon the stake (cross = Greek stauros; a stake, or a pole; called in Peter "the tree"). The opening words "My God, my God why have you forsaken me" are found in the gospel records of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Some suggest that Jesus said this in Aramaic leading to the confusion among some of those around the stake to believe Jesus was calling for help from Elijah. Others have suggested that the word used in Psalm 22 for "forsaken" means to be trapped in a thicket, such as the ram was in Genesis 22.
The records tell us that His Father had withdrawn from Jesus the Holy Spirit power leaving our Lord with an incredible feeling of aloneness. Whatever it was, Jesus drew immense strength from the Scriptures and how they told of God's deliverance to those who had committed themselves in trust to the Almighty. Jesus also felt the weakness of his human condition when in verse 6 he calls himself "a worm, and no man". The word worm speaks of the grub which,when crushed, yielded the scarlet cochineal dye. The scarlet dye yielded from the crushing of the cochineal grub spoke of our Lord Jesus' human condition as the sin-bearer - co Isaiah 1:18; 53:4-6. Truly he bore all our weaknesses in his flesh; as Hebrews 2:12-18 tells us. The taunts of verse 8 in this Psalm were spat out at our Lord, who as Hebrews 12 tells us "endured such contradiction of sinners". Note the similarities between his trials in the wilderness after his baptism and the taunts to him whilst he calmly agonisingly hung on the pole. But God had been his God from the time of his birth and would not fail him now.
The brute bulls of Bashan sought to gore him to death. In himself he felt like melted candle wax. His mouth was so dry it seemed that his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He was so emaciated that his bones seemed to protrude through his flesh; allowing him to count each bone. His hands and his feet were pierced with massive crude iron nails. He watched them tear his outer garment into 4, a part for each soldier and they cast dice to see whose would be his inner garment. Yet he confidently knew the Father heard and would deliver him, not from death - but rather out of death by resurrection after 3 days lifelessly lying in the tomb. The Psalm concludes from verses 22-31 with the triumphant victory speech Jesus will deliver to those his offering will have saved and likewise brought them (as the Captain of salvation Hebrews 2:5-18) to immortality in his Father's Kingdom. In Matthew 12 we have two incidents, both deliberately performed on the Sabbath day, illustrating that Jesus was indeed the Lord of the Sabbath, in contrast to it having authority over him .
The first of these was the right of his disciples to pluck and eat the ears of grain ( he cites the precedent in David's eating of the shewbread, which our readings from two days ago highlighted). The second was the healing of the man with the withered hand. This evidenced our Lord Jesus Christ to be Yahweh's chosen Servant of Isaiah 42. These are followed by grievous charges being leveled at Jesus of doing miracles by Beelzebul, the prince of demons and amounted to blasphemy against God's power being flagrantly denied despite incontestable evidence that he was from God. The lesson of the fruits of the tree indicated that Jesus was the Son of the Deity and that they were of the carnal mind in every respect. Our Lord would advance further incontestable proof of his Sonship with a prophecy of his resurrection from the dead as the sign of Jonah - the prophet from Galilee (see John 7:50-52). The chapter concludes with the parable of the unclean spirit and then Jesus' own family seeking to 'rescue' him from the trouble he, in a seemingly disturbed state, was wilfully provoking.
https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-bible-readings-for-january-10th-genesis-19-psalms-22-matthew-12/?feed_id=82067&_unique_id=677fc0e61e090
Wednesday, 8 January 2025
Thoughts on the Bible Readings for January 9th (Genesis 17, 18; Psalms 19, 20, 21; Matthew 11)
January 9th
(Genesis 17, 18; Psalms 19, 20, 21; Matthew 11)
When Abraham was 99 years old an angel representing the Almighty visited Abram and Sarai and gave the covenant of circumcision and told them that their names were to be changed. Abram's name was changed to Abraham; and Sarai's to Sarah. Abram meant "lofty father" and Abraham was "father of a multitude" - emblematic of the promise of Genesis 12:3; ie of all nations in the world. The divine name of Yahweh is 4 letters in the Hebrew YHWH (called the Tetragrammaton). So both Abraham and Sarah become "heirs together in the grace of life" (1 Peter 2:7); by the addition of the 5th letter in the Hebrew alphabet, signifying "grace". It was when human worth and generative capability was repudiated that God could now work through Abraham and Sarah to produce the "promised seed"; the heir of the promises. The chapter concludes with the circumcision of Abraham and every male in his household. Abraham was, as we said, 99 and Ishmael 13 (the age at which Islamic boys are circumcised). Chapter 18 says Abraham and Sarah were visited by 3 men, who are in fact angels - unbeknown to Abraham and Sarah (prompting Paul's comments in Hebrews 13:2). Eastern hospitality was shown and the angels prophesy Isaac's birth which means "laughter". He was so named because Sarah initially refused belief; but, later in faith tells us that she conceived when she believed - Hebrews 11:11. After this Abraham walked with the angels towards the place of impending judgment - Sodom. They tell Abraham of their intentions, because of Abraham's faithfulness - slowly read aloud the words of verses 17-19; and pause and ponder. How wonderful that the LORD so knows each us. But has he foreseen diligence and faithfulness in our dealings with our families? Abraham enters into negotiations with the name bearing angel to spare Sodom, where his nephew Lot and his family lived. Abraham finally stopped pleading for the city to be spared should there be 10 righteous people in the city. He must have been confident of this given the vast numbers of Lot's "ecclesia" in Genesis 13.
Psalm 19 is a magnificent example of Hebrew poetry; which speaks of the wonders of the Almighty's creative hand evident in the stars; and our sun in particular. Hayden's Creation Hymn draws thoughts from this Psalm - "the unwearied sun from day to day doth His Creator's power display ...". Surely when we gaze upon the night sky, as Abram was asked to do in Genesis 15, we are caused to wonder at the awesome power on display (Genesis 1 says he just scattered the stars from His hand). On day 4 the sun was appointed to rule the day - emblematic of the sun of righteousness (Malachi 4; Matthew 13:43). Verse 3 tells us that the universal message is that there must be an Omnipotent Creator (Romans 1:20); and they = Sun, moon and star - symbolically proclaim the gospel message (Romans10:18). In the Psalm David says, that the sun is like a strong man running a race; it is also like a bridegroom - the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3). The Psalm finishes by exhorting the reader to contemplate the sweetness and preciousness of God's Word; and its saving power.
Psalm 20 continues the theme of trusting in Yahweh's saving strength. This might is in no horse; no battle weapon; no man. But it has been consistently and dependably exercised by God in the cause of delivering the faithful.
Psalm 21 is a Messianic Psalm in which the LORD's strength and salvation is evident in his chosen king - the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no salvation in any other name (Acts 4:12).
Matthew 11 shows the sorely tested John the Baptist in Herod's prison seeking reassurance of the Messiahship of Jesus Christ. Disciples return to John with the evidence that Jesus was indeed the Son of God and the fulfilment of Isaiah 42 and 61. Our Lord then testified of John's greatness, being second only to Messiah and a prophet on an unwavering mission. His abstemious and aloof behaviour was as appropriate and necessary among society as was Jesus' preparedness to involve himself among those he was saving. Next follows a denunciation of those unrepentant cities for closing their eyes to the evidence of Messiah's work. Finally an appeal to each and everyone of us to join with Jesus, who will carry us into his glorious kingdom if we join him in bearing his yoke, which is described as easy (the Greek word being "Chrestos" ie kindly, or imparting benefit to the bearer). Pause, read aloud verses 28-30 and meditate.
https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-bible-readings-for-january-9th-genesis-17-18-psalms-19-20-21-matthew-11/?feed_id=81937&_unique_id=677e86d58946f
Bible readings for January 8th (Genesis 15, 16; Psalm 18; Matthew 10)
readings January 8th
(Genesis 15, 16; Psalm 18; Matthew 10)
Abram's spurning of the powerful king of Sodom meant that he now had a mighty foe. The Almighty encouraged Abram with the comfort that He was Abram's protector and in Yahweh he would be recompensed for his faithfulness. Abram's age has advanced by about 10 years since the promise of chapter 12 and as yet he has no "seed", "heir". His faithful steward, Eliezer from Damascus was his nominated heir. The LORD says, this man cannot be your heir - it must be a son born from you. Abram is brought out into the brilliant night sky and told that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars. We are told a great truth about how God counts belief as righteousness (verse 6). It should be read, "Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness". Believing God vastly exceeds mere belief IN God - see James 2:18-26). Yahweh then cut a covenant with Abram as proof that the Almighty had vouchsafed the covenant that would be sealed by the offering of the Lord Jesus Christ some two thousand years after the death of Abram. Abram was told that his descendants would be afflicted for 400 years as strangers in a land that was not theirs. This culminated in their deliverance from Egypt at precisely the time predicted, even on the same day that the LORD had spoken to Abram (Exodus 12:40-41; the 430 years refers to the time of the promise the difference in years refers to 30 years prior to the affliction commencing). Genesis 16 speaks of Abram and Sarai's attempt to circumvent the Almighty's way to fulfill the promise. It involved Abram taking a concubine, Sarai's maid (most likely acquired in Egypt) to produce an heir to Abram. The situation led to Hagar vaunting herself against her mistress Sarai. The disruption brought to Abram's household caused the divine command for Abram to cast out the bondswoman and her son (the literal event being a parable explained by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 4:21-31). Hagar together with her son were rescued by the angel of the LORD; and she was told to humbly submit to her mistress. There will be some material blessings to Ishmael, as he is Abram's son. The chapter concludes by telling us that Abram is now 86 years old.
Psalm 18 is a Psalm in which David exalts and celebrates the deliverance from Saul he has received from his majestic and dependable deliverer - Yahweh. It is Yahweh's consistency as the Father, the Rock that anchors our lives. David uses wonderful poetry and figurative language in which he describes his God. This language is inspiring. Yahweh is described as riding upon the storm clouds, which serve as His cherubic chariot. Yahweh is described as David's "Rock", meaning a large, unmoving rock. Moses had ascribed this characteristic to his God in his great song in Deuteronomy 32:4 - stop for a moment to read this. Then pause and contemplate. The reason his Omnipotent Sovereign has wrought mercy, faithfulness and deliverance for David was David's steadfast love of and faithfulness to his God; and the kindness and mercy demonstrated to his fellow humans. Jesus taught us to ask for forgiveness, insofar as we have been prepared to forgive others. If you want to be froward (that is, to be tricky, or and wrestle with God); you will be dealt with according to the same measure; and will find that when wrestling against God's values. When we enter into a contest with the Almighty that will be one contest which we can never win. A divine principle is that we reap what we sow: Galatians 6:6-9. The greatest key to living an acceptable and godly life is "meekness", or "teachableness" - note our Lord Jesus' words in Matthew 5:5 (quoting the entire context of Psalm 37; particularly verses 9-11); and James' comments 1:22-27; 3:17-18. Without humbleness of mind we are bound to always fail (James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5-11. Please stop and read aloud Psalm 18 verses 20-30. With these values guiding our life we will eventually emerge victorious. Pause and ponder.
In Matthew 10 the twelve Apostles are instructed and commissioned to heal and proclaim the gospel within Israel. They are warned of persecution and opposition, but urged to courageously fulfil their charge. The Gospel will polarise people's responses, even within families. Finally they are told that a reward awaits those who support the preaching of the "good news". Matthew 10 teaches us that if we love the present life more than the future life we will be disappointed; by contrast, God will reward present sacrifice with eternal life. This important principle of - "love life you will lose it: lose life and you will find it" is stated in 5 places in the Gospels, corresponding to 3 separate occasions! It must be important!
https://christadelphianvideo.org/bible-readings-for-january-8th-genesis-15-16-psalm-18-matthew-10/?feed_id=81869&_unique_id=677e5a607aa8c
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