Isaiah 21

I like what is said in the Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, "Here again, as in the case of the prophecy concerning Moab, what the prophet has given to him to see does not pass without exciting his feelings of humanity, but works upon him like a horrible dream." When we see the judgment upon our enemies in light of our humanity, we can be moved with compassion. We might justify ourselves otherwise but when we see them as humans changes everything. 

This reminds me of something David McCullough quoted in his book about President Truman. I don't have the quote exactly but though a third nuclear bomb was ready and the Japanese hadn't surrendered yet, Truman ordered a stop to dropping it, because of this thought of the destruction another bomb would have on the women and children of that country. Seeing things through the eyes of humanity changes everything. 

Job 16

 To Job, it seemed that a person couldn't plead to God like one pleads with his neighbor. This idea does seem very real to most people. First, God isn't seen which makes it feel like he may not see or hear you. This of course is incorrect. We often like a child who thinks that just because they can't see you, that you can not see them. God see everyone and hears everything which will be made more clear when God comes to question Job. There is also the false assumption that God doesn't hear our pleading because He isn't doing what we want Him to do. This also reminds me of children but of the older versions, teenagers, who have been known to say "You aren't hearing what I'm saying" when the truth is you aren't agreeing with them. 

We can make our plea to God and he does hear. The issue normally is that he isn't responding how we want. This however doesn't change the heartbreak one can feel when in pain and suffering, one feels all alone. This is where Job was. 

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Luke 20

 I'm really not surprised that the Chief priest and the teachers of the law wouldn't answer Jesus' question about John the Baptist's authority. Like most people who want to look for the faults in others, these religious leaders wouldn't admit the truth if it meant that they looked bad. It was all about finding fault in Jesus. 

This is an example to us. We should be willing to answer tough questions even if it means that we look bad or will be criticized. Yes, there is a time not to answer a question However, let's not be afraid to speak the truth even when it's uncomfortable. Perhaps if we do then we will be able to see our faults clearly rather than just focus on the sins of others. 

Proverbs 4

In this chapter, Wisdom is once again described as a woman. However, I wondered once what Proverbs might have been like if Solomon had written them to his daughters rather than his son. Therefore I started a project years ago with my wife on a paraphrase of Proverbs to women. The project isn't even close to complete (life priorities change), but here is our preliminary work on Proverbs 4.

4:1  Listen, my daughter, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2  I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3  When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4  he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
5  Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6  Do not forsake wisdom, and he will protect you; love him, and he will watch over you.
7  Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8  Esteem him, and he will exalt you; embrace him, and he will honor you.
9  He will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor."
10  Listen, my daughter, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11  I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12  When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13  Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14  Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil people.
15  Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16  For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17  They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18  The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19  But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20  My daughter, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
21  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22  for they are life to those who find them and health to a woman's whole body.
23  Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
24  Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25  Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
26  Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
27  Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Genesis 43

 Both Rueben and Judah try to talk their father into sending them back to Egypt with Benjamin. Yes, it could be argued that things got worse before Judah spoke to his father but I have to wonder if it was something more. Judah didn't offer his children's lives as a sacrifice, but he did agree to be personally responsible for Benjamin and to personally take the blame if anything went wrong. Before this time and possibly before the situation with Tamar, we see no evidence of Judah taking personal responsibility. In fact, when it came to the problem with Tamar at the start, Judah blamed Tamar rather than the true culprits, his sons. Whatever happened Judah at this point began to be a person of responsibility and one who we could imagine kings coming from his lineage. 

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Genesis 42

 

Why chose Simeon? 

This is an interesting question. There is some debate over the reasons usually surrounding the idea that Jospeh heard him being the most insistent on killing him. This idea of choosing Simeon out of revenge is out of character. I lean toward the idea that is supposed that Joseph was going to choose either Simeon or Levi as the captives because together they had schemed to get revenge on not just the man but an entire city for the rape of their sister. Joseph wasn't seeking revenge he was separating the two he knew had a history of scheming, perhaps to help keep them out of trouble. We aren't told but I believe it was for a good reason and not for revenge. The interesting thing is sometimes doing the right thing can look a bit like doing something for the wrong reason. 

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Isaiah 20

 God was telling the people of Israel by Isaiah's words and dress, or lack thereof, that they were foolish to trust someone other than God. This is a refrain found in many parts of Isaiah and other prophets. God reminds the people when they trust in someone other than God eventually those people will fail. Today, at least in America it seems to me, that people are putting their trust in the government, certain politicians (on both sides of the aisle), or the economy. They are not worth it. Eventually, they will fail. The only one we need to put our trust in is God and God alone. For God is our solid rock and as the song goes, "all other ground is sinking sand."

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Job 15

 

"Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return" (Job 15:31). Eliphaz says these words and they are true but the issue is they aren't always seen in this life. Here is the problem with people judging on our time frame as humans. We see only what is happening now and not in the entire scope of eternity. There are times in this life when those who do wrong seem to end their lives with everything going their way and at ease. There are times when those who do right end their lives in poverty, pain, and surrounded by trouble. People judge which ends better but can't know what is going on right after death. We see in the words of Jesus' story of the Rich Man and Lazarus that one may look like they are worthless but end up rewarded and those who look blessed aren't (Luke 16:19-31). Eliphaz is looking at where Job is right at this moment and has in his mind the proof that Job is a wicked person. How wrong.  

Luke 19

"While the people were listening to this, Jesus proceeded to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they thought the kingdom of God would appear imminently" (verse 11).

I heard a fellow minister remind his parishioners that the people of Israel weren't looking for Jesus to come and free them from Romans, then set up a new Kingdom with them on top. They were not expecting Jesus to do the work, he did come to do thus many rejected him. It's easy for us to say, "This is Jesus/God let him do what he knows you really need" to the people of that time. However, how often do we look at God who isn't doing the things we think he should, and be as upset as the Jews of the first century? 

Many people begin to resent God because he isn't doing things their way. However, shouldn't we consider that God knows what we and those around us really need a little more than we do? Yes, we pray. Yes, we hope for the answer we think is right. However, we need to understand there is more at stake than getting what we think we need. 

Is it difficult? Yes, it can be very painful to see what we "know is the best" not happen. It is horrible, if you could ask the disciples what it was like on Saturday night they could tell you. However, after Sunday, or a week later for Thomas, the pain was gone. One day the pain will fade, until then let's learn form the disciples and trust God. 

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Psalm 16

 This Psalm teaches that God will make our way secure (verse 5) and in him, we can be unshaken (verse 9). There are times in life when the world around us is shaken and our lives don't feel secure. Jesus warned his disciples many times of the trials and persecutions that would come. This doesn't mean we aren't secure. If we stay faithful to God, ultimately we will be found to be secure and unshaken. 

A great example of this is Stephen who though martyred, testified that Jesus was standing beside the Father. My personal opinion is to welcome Stephen into eternity. Was Stephen's world shaken? Yes. Did he appear to be in an insecure place? Yes. However, was he? No, Jesus was with him and though his world may have been rocked (pun intended), he came out secure and unshaken. 

We can be secure and unshaken also when our faith is fully in God.   

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Genesis 41

 Preparing for the future. God isn't against preparing for the future. We see here that God warned Pharaoh so that they could prepare. Proverbs 13:22 says "A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children." Proverbs speaks of saving. The issue isn't saving responsibly but hoarding and trusting in your savings rather than God. Yes, Joseph saved but he saved to give it away. The question we have to ask ourselves is why are we saving? 

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Genesis 40

 Joseph did what was right. As it turned out even in prison God blessed him and put him in charge of other prisoners. When the opportunity came to get help Joseph took it. He knew God was going to raise up the cupbearer and asked him to relay his story to the only person who could have had Joseph released. As we know the cupbearer forgot all about Joseph. However, we don't see Joseph getting angry or upset. We see him continuing to do the right thing. 

To me, this is a reminder that we can do what we know to do to get out of trouble, but at the end of the day, we have to trust God to work out the details. 

Did God want the cupbearer to forget? No, there is nothing to suggest it in the scripture. However, as with many things, God works despite people and in the end, Joseph was exalted to the place God wanted him. 

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Isaiah 19

 In verse two, we see the prediction of civil war. The question is why would God bring about violence. There is of course the fact that if anyone has the right to bring about violence to wee judgment fulfilled it would be God. However, there is also the sense that God doesn't make man's heart evil, but there are times he doesn't stop it from carrying out those evil plans. There is also the truth as put forth by some that God's presence will cause people to become, as it were, more of what they already are. To say it another way, the same son that melts butter hardens clay. Whatever the case, God isn't afraid to take the credit/blame. 

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Job 14

 

I have to wonder if the Job of the first part of chapter one would have said these words? I doubt it. Yes, he may realize that life could be hard but there is a difference between seeing it in other people's lives and living them out yourself. It reminds me of a joke an economics professor asked. What is the difference between a depression and a recession? A Recession is when your neighbor is out of work, a depression is when you are out of work. 

My takeaway is to remember that not everyone is where I am. I need to give grace/understanding to them. 

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Luke 18

Augustine points out that the unjust judge isn't an allegory or picture of God. The point of the story is that if a horrible person like this judge can be influenced to do right then how much more will the God we serve, A God of Love, give justice to those who call to him. The question that is hinted at in verse 8 is whether will we hold on to the end. Some look at this as a comment just about the end times, but I think it is more. It is asking if will we keep trusting when it seems God isn't answering? Will we hold on to the end? 

So are you going to trust God? 

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Psalm 15

 I have heard people say that we, Christians, are supposed to love everybody. However, in the same breath, almost, they complain that Christianity is a religion that hates people different from themselves. Perhaps this is because they want us to love everyone (their definition of it) and still have an excuse not to accept it. 

So what does this have to do with Psalm 15? In this psalm, it says that a person who can come before the presence of God finds a vile man contemptible.  This isn't the only place something like this is said, so what is the meaning? Are we to love or have contempt? The answer is yes. We should find the actions of a vile person (flagrant sinners, NLT) contemptible. Yet, we should love them and want to see them changed. God does. God finds the actions of some people so bad it says it angers him*. Yet, it is while we are sinners that the Bible says in Romans that Jesus died for us. The contrast here is key. We should never look up to those who are evil because we may find ourselves pattering our lives after them. 

*Side note, we need to be really careful in the anger area we can't keep it, and an additional side note neither does God.

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