2 Thessalonians 1

 6-7 "After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels."

The authors of the many Psalms cry out for justice and judgment. For most of us, we want it now. The question that bothers us and sometimes causes people to walk away from their faith is that it isn't happening now. In fact, it looks like it will never happen in this life. According to Paul, this is correct. We won't see justice in this world. We won't see God punish them, or we will rarely see it. These verses are a reminder that Jesus never promised that in this world we would have a perfect life. The only people who were offered something like a good life in this world was Israel if they obeyed God faithfully, and they didn't. By the way, we won't have done any better. 

God is going to make things right, but not on our timetable. We will have more peace in our lives if we adjust our expectations to meet reality, God's reality. 

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Joshua 2

 Give me some proof. This is what Rahab wanted. She wanted something that would give her hope that her giving help to Israel would mean that they would find safety for her and her family. The spies' answer was, as I would say it, "We're trusting you not to betray us, aren't we?" This is a very reasonable answer. We have to trust one another. It is sad that in our world, trust is often betrayed. What is making the difference here is one very big difference: God. The spies are serving God, and Rahab is trying to reach God. 

People may betray, and people who serve God may betray, but God never betrays us. God promises to watch out for those who follow him. I remember that Jesus, too, was betrayed, but God delivered him as he will deliver us. This doesn't mean that we won't face pain; we do, and we will. However, God will make it right. When we do trust wisely, it is amazing what happens. The story of Rahab is a picture of that. 

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Joshua 1

 

"Be strong and courageous," God instructs Joshua four times in this first chapter to do this. This isn't something that God is telling Joshua that he is going to do, but something Joshua is to demonstrate. God was going to do his part, but Joshua had to have the courage and the strength to do his. God wouldn't ask Joshua to do something that wasn't possible with God's help. Personally, I believe that God will give us strength, but we have to be willing to use what we have before He will give us more. What we can't see that God supplies, but if we aren't willing to have the faith and courage to follow God, then we can't expect God to help. 

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Pointing out the Crazies

 

I recently heard someone say it was easy to identify the crazies—those who are so off the wall that it seems obvious to everyone that they are wrong. Then the person mentioned that it's hard to see it in ourselves. We may not be "radically" wrong, but we can be misguided in how we live our lives. Jesus said that he came to bring division (Luke 12:51), and the Scriptures divide (Hebrews 4:12). Though Jesus' truth can cause division among people, what we truly need is the Word of God to separate us from sin, erroneous doctrines, pride, and selfishness. 

We require the Word of God to divide us more internally than externally. It is easy to use the Bible to create division among people, and some division is necessary. However, the problem arises when we use the Bible primarily as a tool to separate people rather than to distinguish what is wrong in us from what is godly. We need the Bible to help us break free from bad habits and erroneous thinking. 

We need it to effect genuine change in us. This is the purpose of the Bible, but it won't fulfill that purpose if we don't engage with it properly and consistently. I can have a great diet plan, but if I don't adhere to it correctly, it won't be effective. I can be given a new computer program, but if I don't learn how to use it properly, it may ultimately cause more problems. The truth is, if the Bible isn't utilized regularly and appropriately, it can be more dangerous than not having it at all. It's like the old saying: a little knowledge or truth is a dangerous thing. A small amount of Biblical knowledge can be equally perilous. 

There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to Bible application, but the Bible is meant for everyone. Discover what works for you and engage with it. 

Jeremiah 1

Jeremiah 1:18-19 "Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord."

It's popular today in the USA to make statements against our leaders and the people of the nation in general. This isn't true or even safe in most of the world, and it wasn't during Jeremiah's time. Jeremiah wasn't wanting to set himself up as the guy who knows it all or the guy with all the answers. He told God he wasn't qualified. Yet God chose him to do something hard. God did promise him that he would take care of him, but as the book proceeds, this didn't mean that Jeremiah didn't suffer. Jeremiah suffered, but God took care of him and rescued him from death. 

There were other prophets that God didn't deliver. In the New Testament, Jesus promised persecution and death. However, following God is always worth the price. Before someone says it's not worth it, I have to say I've seen people without hope of eternity, and what they have is, in my opinion, not worth it. 

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Numbers 36

Note that Moses didn't say that only this one group of women will inherit; he gives the command for when a woman inherits land. What was done for the daughters of Zelophehad was a precedent for the future. It didn't always happen, but it was supposed to. 

"These are the commands and regulations the Lord gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho." Thus ends the book of Numbers. God in Numbers has again laid out the commands that were first given decades earlier to a new generation. The book takes place not long before Israel enters the promised land, but God isn't done yet.  God will have Moses give the law again in what will be the book of Deuteronomy.  

Mark 16

 

Here are the rough notes for my Easter message from Mark 16.

 Mark 16: 1-9

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.  Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.  As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Are you Afraid?

It seems in the weeks coming up to Easter that there is a new or rerelease of some movie, so-called, documentary and a slew of post claiming that the resurrection was a myth. Or some strange “new” information on Jesus.

The fact that some early manuscripts of Mark don’t contain the verses after verse 9 is touted as proof. They make it sound like it is a new discovery. Ignoring that the early church fathers saw this same thing, examined it and guess what thought it wasn’t a problem. That is, however, a lesson for another day.

The argument that the first nine verses don’t have an account of the resurrection proves that either the people saying this have never read the account and are just quoting other people or they are ignoring the truth. Which is a much nicer way of saying they are lying through their teeth. 

Verses 5-7 say, “As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

Mark makes it very clear the tomb is empty and an Angel no less is pronouncing that Jesus is Risen and is planning to meet the disciples. 

Some may wonder why this is so important. Religion is after all just something that gives you comfort and makes you feel better? 

The answer to that is yes and no.

Yes, religion for most is a way to feel better, either to give live a sense of structure or purpose. This is the way most people come to religion.

If this is all that Christianity offers than we don’t need a literal risen savior. We can use metaphor and story to guide us.

This is not what Christianity is supposed to do? 

Jesus literally rising from the dead means that we don’t have a good teacher to look back on but a living Lord.

The resurrection means we have something that should make us afraid.

I bet you have never heard that before. Easter should make you afraid.

When they saw the empty tomb Mark says they were afraid.

This is like when they saw Jesus walk on water or do some of the other impossible. They were afraid.

Why? There are implications.

If you’re watching a horror movie or a mystery movie and the person in the house thinks they hear something and they walk downstairs and a window is open and eerie music starts playing, you know a jump scare is coming. It either going to be their housemate walking around the corner with popcorn or the cat. But we in the audience know that window is telling us “something got in.”

Let me tell you, “Something got into our world.”

Too often people want to ignore it just like those is the movies ignore the sign that something is there.

The good news for us is that what has gotten into our world means good for us. The problem is that it does mean death. Death to our sins, death to selfish living and pride, Death to well to be honest all the things that are actually killing us anyway. 

The resurrection tells us that the Story of Jesus isn’t something we can ignore it tells us there are repercussion, there are implications.

If you’re are going down the highway and you see a police car pull out from behind you and turn on its lights. 

What are you going to do?

Ignore the nice young man in the car since he’s probably just late for a dinner date.

You pull out your phone to get a selfie with the flashing lights in the back. 

You speed up because your electric car will certainly be able to outrun the police and they never carry radios anyway.

You look down to see if you were speeding. 

When the women saw the empty tomb and heard the words of the angel it meant that everything they knew and thought had to change. They as it were they looked down and saw what they had expected wasn’t true. They, as it were, weren’t going the speed limit. Before now they may have thought what Jesus said was good but now there was no denying that what he said came from God. 

Jesus’ teachings are good advice or nice principles, they are the way we should live.  

The resurrection means that when Jesus said he was the way the truth and the life no one can come to the Father but through him that means there is no other way. Moses can’t get you to God, Muhammad can’t get you to God, Shintoism can’t get you to God, Guess what the Methodist church can’t get you to God. Some of these may point you in the right directions others the wrong, but the only way to God is through Jesus. 

The resurrection was the proof. It means when Jesus said Love your Enemies that he was right. When He said that you need to forgive if you wanted forgiven he wasn’t mistaken. When he said marriage was between one man and one woman he wasn’t leaving open special interpretations.

The resurrection was the proof that he didn’t lie, he wasn’t mistaken, he wasn’t just a prophet, or a good teacher and it especially proves he wasn’t a madman. 

It means as CS Lewis said “you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

I would add not just his words did that but the resurrection takes away all other options. Since Jesus raised, we have to deal with what this means.

I want to tell you however, that though the women were afraid, though the disciples were afraid they realized they didn’t have to be afraid.

You know what it’s like your afraid of something new but when you try it then your like, Wow what was I afraid of. 

The truth of the resurrection calls us to something new, something better but can that be scary. There are times when people, when they are young and sometimes old are afraid of the ocean or the pool but once they are in it’s hard to get them out. Fear is replaced by enjoyment or to say it another way. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

Some of you know what it’s like to go back to college or returning to the workforce after being away for a while or maybe for some of you it’s was or will be retirement. There is a fear of what will it be like, can I do it, but if your prepared then you’re saying “Yes, I’m so glad I did this, I wish I would have done it sooner.”

 So are you afraid? (Why you should be, maybe?)

Jesus is God (You & have disobeyed)

Another reason they would have been afraid is that no one in the book of Mark respected or believed Jesus. Now the word has come, “He is waiting for you” (Go inside your dad/mom wants to talk to you)

His teachings are true 

Prophecies

Scripture 

Moral 

Spiritual

Eternal (heaven and hell)

   

Why you should be gald?

Jesus offers forgiveness

Jesus offers transformation

Jesus offers eternal life

1 Corinthians 15:12-28

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.

Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him. And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15: 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection should give us hope so we can live above sin.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O Death, is your victory?

Where, O Death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (resurrection gives us victory)

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (resurrection gives us hope)

Because of Christ’s resurrection because of the empty tomb, we who have put our faith in Christ now don’t have to be afraid. 

We have hope. It may seem to many that we may lose, we might not according to the standards of the world win, but death isn’t the finish line for the Christian it is the starting line. 

― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle

“but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

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Proverbs 13

 

"Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice" vs.10. There are several great things in this chapter, but this one caught my eye. I thought about the number of places I have worked where strife was part and parcel of the workday. It seemed to me that most of it was meaningless, but as I look at this verse I realize that these meaningless arguments probably had more to do with someone's pride rather than the facts. I had someone refuse to clean an area that I asked them to (I was in charge, and they had never done it yet). They managed to find other things to do until the end of the shift and told me I couldn't make them do it as the shift was over. I told them that they would be doing it tomorrow. They never came back. They quit rather than do something they thought was below their dignity. Pride got them. We were better off without them there, but I truly hope they came to a place where their pride wouldn't cause them to do something everyone else in the area had done. I have other stories, but we all have them. The key is to root pride out of our lives and not just point it out in others. 

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Numbers 35

At the end of this chapter, God tells the people not to defile the land. The way in which this has been discussed in this chapter is the shedding of innocent blood. The only atonement is the death of the murderer, and I might add, only the murderer. There is no allowance for revenge or taking more than that. The idea in the world that if you killed my brother, I'll kill all of yours is absolutely forbidden. There is also no way to keep from defiling the land without taking the life of the murderer. There is something that will go wrong in a country where those who take life go free and those who seek vengeance. It's something to think about. 

Before someone thinks that this would make getting convictions easy in the Old Testament and capital punishment would be handed out easily, remember that you could not convict someone to death on the testimony of one person. However, a person who has accidentally killed someone (or there was only one witness) had to stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. So there was still a price.  

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Numbers 34

 If you have read many of my posts, you will see that I often point out how God used and honored women. God gave them positions of power and prestige, using them as leaders and prophets. However, I have noticed in modern times it seems that rather than claiming we have the best leaders, there is praise for having diverse leaders. I will say that I believe we can get the best from diverse backgrounds, but when we point to diversity rather than quality, we undermine the quality of those who are chosen. What brings this to my attention today is the list of leaders in Israel. These are all men, and they are all Israelites. Some may complain, but considering the day, God was already working in the lives of people, so that women and others would be considered equally important. Any complaints today would be people looking for reasons to complain. This has little to do with our spiritual growth, but just a thought, as CS Lewis would say, feel free to toss it. 

Isaiah 66

 What is happening here? Is God saying that those who offer the sacrifices God commanded are condemned? No God is saying that those who do these things and yet do not listen to him, those who are not humble, and those who choose evil will be condemned. What makes the offerings bad are the offerings it is the heart and hands of the ones offering it. A picture that pops into my mind of someone handing me a sandwich yet their hands are covered with manure or blood. I'm not eating it. God isn't receiving them either. 

Yet for those who follow God, it will be good. The day is coming when God will comfort those who trust him. God will make all things right. We need to make sure we follow God and not others. 

One final note, We won't feel bad for those who are condemned. People think today that we might but God promises that we will not. Why is that? My only explanation is that we will see the truth. Truth has a way of making us see the world differently and in final judgment we will understand.

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Numbers 33

 In the very beginning of this chapter and the story of Isreal's journey it starts with Passover and God saying he executed judgment on the gods of Egypt. For us today this may seem a small detail, but it shouldn't have been to Israel. Israel was going to be tempted to follow other gods. God was starting off this telling of their journey by saying that the gods of Egypt were defeated by God. The gods of a country were what the people believed is what gave them power. God was saying through Moses that the gods of the most powerful nation of the time couldn't stand up to God. The reminder is that if you want victory then be faithful to the God who defeats other gods. God ends the chapter with a warning that He will fight against Israel if they aren't faithful. This showed that God's power wasn't tied to the people but it was always His alone.  

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Mark 15

 

Jesus imparts both feeling and prophecy when he quotes Psalm 22. I have to believe that Jesus was feeling forsaken but it is also very possible that in these words Jesus was saying that Psalm 22 was being lived out before them. A reading of Psalm 22 in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus shows that though the psalmist may have been speaking of his own life, he was in truth speaking a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus. Even here Jesus is teaching those who have ears to hear. 

If he comes down we will believe. These words were spoken but if they wouldn't believe when Jesus raised a man who was dead four days, then it is probably they wouldn't have. Jesus had a greater purpose not to get a few people to believe, but to save the world and that he knew would cost him his life. It wasn't worth it.   

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Psalm 53

 

I recently heard someone say that April 1st is Athiest Pride Day. Of course, it has often been called April Fool's Day in the USA. People think the fool is like a silly and dumb person, but in the Scriptures, the fool is someone who is depraved and empty. Though there can be atheists who have great intelligence ultimately they have nothing inside. Often they will say that nothing matters and the path will end with a world that is empty and depraved. People in the church think that atheists will bring trouble to the world because of this direction.  The problem is not the Athiest in the world however it is the person and something the "Christian" who lives a life where what they do is as if there is no God. They live like what God taught doesn't matter to their lives. At the end of the day, is our life being lived out that God doesn't exist, if it does we are the fool.  To say it another way, without God, nothing is real and will last, everything else will lead to corruption.

Further thought: Many have heard it said that the fool says in his heart there is no God. However, this psalm lists far more than that. The fool is corrupt. They don't do good and abuse God's people. They also will ultimately be put to shame and defeated. I will note that what makes this type of person isn't that they say they are atheists, but that they live from their heart like there is no God. The fool isn't the one who says I don't believe but live like God doesn't believe. This means there are a lot of religious people who qualify as fools. 

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Numbers 32

The tribes that stayed on the Eastern side of Jordan did right by their brothers and God seems willing to allow them, but I have to wonder if this was the best? There is no indication that God told the people to do this, they decided that this place was good and wanted to say.  This bothers me and there isn't any proof that this was disobedience but if it was God's best I would have thought that God would have instructed Moses to do this. I may be wrong but could it be that they gave up, what may have been better for what was good. It is a question that can't be answered but it causes me to pray, God don't let me accept what is good if you have something better for me.

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Numbers 31

 At the end of the chapter, there is a special offering taken by the commanders of the army because they realize that they didn't lose anyone in the battle. They saw this as a gift from God and wanted to give thanks. This is a good thing to recognize and perhaps copy. When we see that God has done something extraordinary we need to acknowledge it. 

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Isaiah 65

Verse 1 speaks of Israel's beginning as a people who did not know God, but it still speaks to my heart that God is reaching beyond that. We see the promise of God reaching beyond Israel to all who turn to him. As the chapter continues those who trust in God will find that eventually, God is going to make all things right. God is going to create a new heaven and earth, as Revelation echoes. It will be a place of joy and fulfillment.  Today we live in a world of disappointment and dreams that fade, but there is coming a day when that will change and we will be in a world that as CS Lewis says in The Last Battle, "now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

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Numbers 30

 

I have long thought that if a husband and wife have a different relationship with God, vast denominational differences, or different religions, then the relationship will suffer. Some have said that it can work out but that is usually because one or both don't look at their relationship to God as strongly or as diligently as they should. I think that is part of the issue here. Those who are in a relationship especially on of dependence and an unmarried daughter and a wife were those in this time. If they were going a different direction than the one they were depending on trouble could come. God however as I have pointed out before has put the entire consequences on the father or husband. To say it another way, If you want to be in charge then you will take the blame. This wasn't just if they nullified a vow later or when it was initially said. God really believed if you had greater power you had greater responsibility and I would add accountability.   

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Mark 14

We see that Jesus gives a warning in the Last Supper when Judas is there that one will betray him. Jesus was trying to give Judas, I believe a chance to change. In fact, when Jesus when speaking about Judas says in Mark 14:21 “But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born,” the word Woe is a lament. Jesus is brokenhearted over what is going to happen to Jesus.

 

Jesus is saddened by the choice of those who choose wrong? Jesus offers them opportunity to forgive while confronting it. Jesus does these things out of love! Jesus did tell us to love not just our friends, family, and those like us. (Sermon on the Mount) He called us to love those who hate us and forgive.

Psalm 50

 God speaks of those who give thanks offerings, also called the fellowship offering. Those who give these offerings are the ones God honors. They are the ones God will save. The thing about this offering is that it wasn’t for a specific sin or to ask for anything but just a way to be in fellowship with God and others. At the end of the day, I would say that what really matters is being in right relationship with God not just doing religious things (sacrifices). 

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Numbers 29

 

It is interesting, that three of the seven feasts God commanded take place in the seventh month. I have been surprised how many feasts God commanded. One would think that the right way to do this would be to spread them out but clearly God didn't think so. It reminds me of the November/December holiday season in the West. When celebrated correctly it is a great time that builds on one another. This is what I believe God was doing here. 

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Numbers 28

 

There are two issues that God reminds the people of again. During a sabbath, you aren't supposed to be working and the sacrifices must be unblemished. God had said this before and he reminds it again and again. This may seem repetitive but Israel was learning what it was to be God's people from a culture that was very different. They needed to learn and repetition is one of the best ways to learn. 

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Excuse of Ignorance

 

I recently heard a group of people talking about pacifism. The main teacher was saying that Jesus was calling us not to retaliate. The discussion quickly went to what if someone breaks into your home or what if we wouldn’t have fought against Hitler during World War 2. There was a lot of back and forth. I won’t say what I believe on the issue of these because I agree with the person who said, “It’s not the guy who might break into my house that I have a problem with it’s the guy who cuts me off in traffic or the grocery store.”

This comment made me realize that often we use extreme examples to give us excuses to apply the practical truths. People say almost anything may give you cancer as an excuse to keep doing the things that we know will probably give you cancer. We use the excuse; I don’t like tofu as an excuse not even trying to moderate our diets. When it comes to the Bible, they use the excuse they can’t understand some part of the Bible as a reason not to learn or apply any of the Bible.  This is a problem.

What is the solution? The solution is not to use the extreme or unknown not to apply what we do know. We may not be able to see with clarity how we should respond to a Hitler (fight/passivity) but what I can say is the Bible is pretty clear on how you should respond to your neighbor. Let’s not use the unclear to justify not following what is clear. 

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Isaiah 64

 

We see in this chapter the doctrine of creation and the imago deo (Man in the image of God), also the doctrine of sin. Paul will agree with this and we see it in Romans 3 and other places as will many others in Scripture. Yet, despite the sin, Isaiah feels he can call upon God's mercy. The reason is that God does have mercy and that is seen going forward in Isaiah and in all of Scripture, Old and New Testaments. 

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Numbers 27

 

I love this picture.

God told Moses he was going to die and that he needed to set Joshua in a position to take his place among the people. For am and many other scholars, it does seem that Moses was preparing Joshua to take his place long before now, but Moses waited until God said, "It's time." This was a reminder that Moses didn't just prepare someone he listened to God about who the person was to be. I have heard it said that preparing someone to follow you in your work is as important or more important than the work. We see Jesus taking a lot of time preparing those who would follow him. In the business world it ahs been seen that a good successor can take the business a long way but a bad one ends in disaster. This chapter reminds me that we need good successors, but also we need to make sure they are God's choice. 

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Mark 13

 

There have been many who have said that a generation after Israel was born as a nation was the fig tree budding that Jesus is talking about. The problem with this is Jesus right after giving the illustration about the tree says no one knows. This means no one knows. We don’t know. The timeline people have created is only good, if and that is a real if, the fig tree represents Israel becoming a nation, and not something else: Israel taking all of their lands?, an event in spiritual Israel?, a revival among Jews?. The idea of a timeline that we can know completely breaks down if Jesus is just using the fig tree in an illustration and the fig tree not being an image, type, or figure of a Jewish nation. At the end of the day, what matters is that we are faithful no matter what is happening around us be it noon, night, morning, or when the rooster crows, which if you have been around roosters is anytime they feel like it. Whichever, WATCH! 

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Psalm 49

 

It doesn't matter who you are we are all alike and need to listen to God. In this world there is often a caste system even among those who claim they don't believe in one but that isn't how the Bible teaches it. We have different strengths and gifting but we are at the end of the day all the same. Paul echos this in Galatians 3:28-29: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." What makes the difference is if we listen to wisdom, or as Paul would say if we are in Christ.

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