2 Samuel 12:15-31 - The Consequences of Sin

2 Samuel 12:15b-31

Then the Lord struck the child that Uriah's widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. (15b) 

Message: The Consequences of Sin

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying: Chapter 11 records David's sin with Bathsheba. Chapter 12 begins with Nathan and the Lord confronting David with the sin when he had tried hard to escape from it without notice, but there are consequences and this section begins with that consequence - the death of the baby conceived during the act of indiscretion. The child starts out by being very sick. In response, "David fasted." And then the child died and this is confirmed to David. In response David worshipped the Lord. He then began to eat which surprised his servants as they wondered why David responded and he said he fasted while the child was still alive but now that God made his decision he returns to eating. 

David comforts Bathsheba. He lays with her and she has another son - Solomon. 

"Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon." David responds by assembling the rest of the soldiers and then capturing the city for Joab. The crown of the king of Rabbah placed on David's head. Then David returned to Jerusalem. 

David petitioned God through fasting and yet the child did not recover and died. We got to God and petition to him but when things don't work out the way we would like our response to God continues. We accept his decision and move on. We trust Him. 

Summary: The child born to Bathsheba dies and David accepts this and God in his mercy grants the couple a new child in Solomon. 

Promise: God will forgive anyone who repents, but some sins have lasting consequences. 

Prayer: Lord, you are righteous and fair. Sin has consequences that we see often. You forgive, but still we can't expect that everything will always be normal afterwards. There will be hurts at times. Lord, let me continue to seek You. I pray many will turn to You, understand their sin and trust in You. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

2 Samuel 12:1-15a - David Repents

2 Samuel 12:1-15a

Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die." (verse 13)

Message: David Repents

Time: Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). It chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. 

What the Lord is Saying: Nathan comes to David and shares a story or parable with David. It is about 2 men, one rich and one poor. The poor man only has a ewe lamb. "Now a traveler came to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd." This is a striking verse comparing David's sin in taking Bathsheba to the inability of the man recognizing what he already have. That is the sin we often commit. Not everyone time, but often this is how it is seen - God gives us a gift and we tell God it is not good enough and we need something else. Why? - wanting something different? It feels like to me I would say what I have is not as great as it has been and I need a temporary replacement. Or I see something in the public similar to what I had and want to seize it, but frankly it is taking what God has provided and saying to God, "Not good enough." 

David was caught up in the parable and felt the man who came to the traveler must die. At this moment, he has contempt and repulsion but doesn't see himself in the parable. It takes a moment, but David realizes that he has not simply gotten away with his sin and he repents. He has been exposed and he takes responsibility, but it still seems that he was forced to do this rather than voluntarily taking the consequences. I've watched someone close to me in my life voluntarily take the consequences for his indiscretion. He has suffered over the last year and it has been hard for him. He wasn't forced into it or exposed. And yet, not sure if it has made anything easier or different. To me, it means something but I am simply an innocent bystander. 

The Lord pronounces a consequence in verse 11, "I will raise up evil against you from your own household." Not sure what this means. David's sons die: Ammon is killed by Absalom and then Absalom is then murdered himself by Joab and Adonijah is executed by Solomon. Two sons killer two other sons. Their is division and discord within his family. Absalom also lay with his father's concubines. I think wealth and privilege can at times make one think that they can get away with things. The Lord once again shows David that though what he tried to do secretly instead his consequence will known throughout the kingdom and to this day through the reading of this Word. And so Bathsheba's child is killed. 

What matters in this is repentance and a resolve to Love the Lord. I see this as well in the life of the person I have seen confronted with sin, that they too are focused on loving the Lord now. Nathan tells David his sin was taken away and he will not have pay for it through his life. 

Summary: Nathan reveals to David his sin through a publicly and the Lord exposes David publicly. David repents. 

Promise: God declared David chosen and David's sin does not change this. 

Prayer: To think God that You have chosen me. Thank you for helping me to see my sin as well and to see that You have granted me much and I need to only embrace your gifts and nothing else. Keep me front and center. Thank you for the lesson of this passage and what it teaches people to this day. You are to be praised. Your ways are perfect. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 21:15-17 - Jesus Restores Peter

John 21:15-17

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep."

Message: Jesus Restores Peter

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: As Jesus was being interrogated by Jewish and Romans officials prior to being crucified, Peter had an opportunity to show that He was a believer in Christ and yet in that instance denied Jesus three times. It was Peter that Jesus had proclaimed a prediction and plan to build his church - Matthew 16:18. Peter was involved in Jesus walking on the water. He had a boldness about him, but he also seems to have struggled in his complete devotion. Thomas was recorded earlier also about one that needed to see to believe. It is interesting in these few stories of Jesus following His resurrection that we see encounters with Jesus that were not always perfect encounters with perfect believers in Christ but those that experienced honest ideas and reflections. 

In this instance, after Peter dying Jesus three times, Jesus asks Peter three times to tend his sheep. A denial of Jesus does not disqualify one from ministry. Once Jesus has chosen someone that person is sealed. And that person will be a vessel God uses, despite the imperfections. This is a comfort to me. God uses all kinds of people and situations and all types of imperfections. Peter was teachable and one that wanted to be used and wanted to be a vessel. This is what is important. Not that he got all the answers to every question right every time. I really appreciate this. I think in the church and in many circles, some sort of perfection of understanding is expected of people. We are on a journey and trying to figure things out and it is harsh I think to have such high expectations, especially in our world that has so many different flavors. Even there are many different flavors of those that hold to this book, without adding additional texts. 

Thus, this passage speaks to Peter being restored. After denying Jesus 3 times, Jesus is asked three times whether he loved Jesus "more than these." Jesus is restored because his love is real. 

"Jesus gave Peter the duty of shepherding His people, of teaching them the truth that feeds their souls." In the previous encounter of Peter's denial, he denied being a follower of Jesus. Conversely, what restores him is not a direct question of following Jesus but rather obedience to Jesus. I am not simply one that follows God, but I show my true colors by being obedient to Him. 

Summary: After earlier Peter denying Jesus three times, to be restored to his place among the disciples, he confessed three times that he would care for Christ's followers. 

Promise: I am to feed people the Word of God. 

Prayer: O Lord, you are Savior and You are God. You are one I will follow, but also the One that I want to obey and do what you ask. There is fullness and completeness in this. I want to be a person that is a doer of the Word. Give me this strength each day. Thank you for bringing someone into my life that I can speak with. Give me opportunities to speak to others your truths. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Matthew 18:15-20 - The Discipline of the Church

Matthew 18:15-20

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Message: The Discipline of the Church

Time: Matthew, one of the 12 apostles, is credited with this book, despite the fact that he did not sign it. Dating it's writing is difficult, but most agree it to be AD 60-65 since it does not mention the destruction of the temple in AD 70. A Jew, he includes 50 direct citations and many other indirect citations from the Old Testament. 

What the Lord is Saying: 

Church discipline is a defining characteristic of the church - whether it is a part of sacraments or a separate distinction it signifies that a person is not allowed to be a part of the visible church fellowship and therefore is not to partake of the Lord's Supper. 

The reason church discipline is important is the church is commissioned to walk in holiness and be free of flagrant sin and false teaching. I Peter 1:13-25 includes - As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. In addition - love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. The church is the obedient children and we are not to engage our lives in a manner that mirrors our behavior and actions of our life before Christ. Instead, we are to be holy and act holy in all of our conduct. The congregation of the church or the visible church is meant to be different from the world. Yesterday, in Sunday School we talked about characteristics found in Christians that are distinct from the people of the world like Joy and Happiness (something I've always struggled displaying), forgiveness, be encouraging, showing comfort, humility, peace. Admitting your sin is one I hold in high value for I am a person that makes mistakes often and there is no harm in stating you made a mistake. I think also honesty is important. Thus, in church discipline we need to be a people that encourage repentance to keep the church pure and set apart. 

To me church discipline comes about when you have someone in the Body that does not agree that a sin has been committed or is not willing to change from their behavior. 

In this passage today from Matthew 18, Jesus is explaining the practice of discipline or seeing sin in your brother and confronting it. Step 1 in the process - see the sin and tell your brother you have seen it. I can't say in my life I have much experience in this. I think I attempt to bring attention to people their sin when we share the gospel and ask them questions about the ten commandments, but in general it is quite hard these days to confront sin. Step 2 is to bring someone else. Step 3 is to bring it before the church. Step 4 is to treat the person like an outsider in the church. Basically, if someone is unwilling to see their sin then they have no business being in the church. Sounds simple, but the practice I think is more difficult. 

Our goal in all of this is restitution. We do not treat the person as evil. We also hope that forgiveness will follow. Disciplined sinners that turn from their sin are to be restored. 

2 Cor 2:5-11 -- Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Summary: In church discipline, we need to be a people that encourage repentance to keep the church pure and set apart.

Promise: The most important thing we can do to advance the church's purity is to pursue holiness ourselves so that we need not come under official church discipline. 

Prayer: God, you are gracious and good. In life, you tech me that in me I struggle being good. There are times when we waiver further from you and your ways and seek after things that do not give you glory. We are called to be in a Body of believers and yet even in this community we can waiver from you. Discipline is difficult. Correction is hard, but help us Father to always lean toward grace and forgiveness while also dealing with sin. The church is meant to be a light for all to see and so if there are those in our community that are not living holy lives, show us who they are and then I pray that we would have the courage to confront them and they would have the courage and recognition to then turn from their sin. Lord, help us be always a holy people. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am now working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of August is about the Body of the Lord - the Church recovered in the Reformation; July was the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May, Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation, Scripture; January, the doctrine of God. 

Christ's Body

The Body of Christ - The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ loves the church. We are to imitate Christ and see that the Church is how Christ carries out His purposes in the world. The Head of the Church - Christ is Head of the church and he only has final authority and gives life to the church. Life is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. - The Church We Can See - Belonging to a church is not optional, for anyone. We are meant to live in a community with other believers, to hear the Word of God preached, and to grow. The Church We Cannot See - What we see is the Visible church, the invisible church only God knows because He is omniscient and that is the Church we cannot see. 

Truths about the Church from the Apostles Creed

Church Unity - The church is bigger than our local assembly; there are core beliefs among the invisible church. One People Throughout History - God has only one people; throughout the world there are people that share doctrines and truths despite their being differences in where we attend or belong. God's Holy People - By being in Christ, though we still have a fallen nature, God has set us apart as holy, as his saints. True Catholocity - God's people includes men and women from every tribe and every tongue that hold to the biblical gospel. The Apostilic Church - we are fellow citizens with all people from all tribes and tongues throughout history, united by being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets teaching, thus apostolic, with Christ Jesus being our cornerstone.

What the Church Does and Believes

Preaching Christ and His Commandments - A church needs to be committed to faithfully preaching the Word of God. Administering Sacraments - Sacraments (The Lord's Supper and Baptism especially) need to be part of a church existing, but they also need to be rightly administered.

Mark 9:5-8 - Peter's Terror and God's Response

Mark 9:5-8
⁵ Peter *said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. ⁷ Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” ⁸ All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.

Message: Peter's Terror and God's Response

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - As a reminder, this book is from Peter's information, provided to Mark to record. Lately, much of the encounters have been with Peter at the forefront. Jesus has spoken of his purpose suffering many things, be rejected, killed, and rise again and then Peter rebukes him on this; Jesus then says to his disciples what it means to be a true follower of Him. And now he is transfigured before 3 of the disciples and confirms that his nature is different from Moses and Elijah and his mission is different as he is transfigured into the radiant whiteness that was ascribed to God the Father previously at appearances to men. 

I saw this outline. It shows a turning point in the book at Mark 8:27-30. Prior, it was mostly about Jesus revealing himself by what he does and I think that is a very good summary of what I have reading and studying. Going forward, Jesus presses the claim that he is the Christ. I agree with this, as the messages from Jesus are ramping up. 

As I read verse 3 and Peter's response, after seeing the transfiguration and Moses and Elijah being present with Jesus, he states let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. At my first reading, as a Gentile, I don't understand this. So, here is my attempt to understand this. 

Moses and Elijah are figuratively seen as the Law and the Prophets. Their appearance then denotes this and is showing the bridge Jesus is to the Law and the Prophets. For the Jewish person or the Hebrew, the Law and the Prophets is what was known. And in some ways Jesus' ministry, then, is sort of an unknown or a mystery revealed; I wonder if the disciples are following someone they are still trying to figure out. Jesus remarked that he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). Jesus will also say later in this chapter that Elijah does first come to restore all things. This is said to refer to the final day of salvation. God even comes forward later to say basically, "just listen to My son."

Salvation is an interesting term. As a NT believer, salvation takes on a spiritual connotation.  Jesus has just used this word in Mark 8:35 as he states for whoever wishes to save his life will lose it. Salvation occurs when we give up the life that we know and instead choose a life of denial and taking up the cross to follow Jesus. It is believing that Jesus can make us right with God. Thus, following Jesus results in salvation. The term salvation, on one hand, takes on the meaning of Jesus saving us, but the word is also used to describe the end of life. Salvation is not only momentary but life long as Jesus records these words in Mark 13:13 - and you will be hated by all on account of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. Life is a journey, as I often say, not a sprint. But, salvation is not on our own accord as Peter remarks in Acts 15:11 we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus and yet even Jesus states in Luke 19:10 that the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Thus, in the New Testament salvation is an event or a moment in time but it is also a lifetime. It begins and it continues. It is through the Lord Jesus. Jesus saves. 

Yet, for Peter, at this moment of the transfiguration this salvation idea was still being defined before him. They had heard the message of repent and believe (Mark 1:15), yet they were still in a discovery mode of understanding who Jesus is. They obviously knew he was someone significant for otherwise they would not have responded to Jesus and his call to Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men (Mark 1:17). They knew he had done some incredible works and said some incredible things, but they were still putting it together. So, at this moment, seeing Jesus and now seeing Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, and responding Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah, Peter relies on his past understanding of things. These tabernacles therefore took on some significance in their minds. 

Malachi 4:4-6 are the last words of the Old Testament recorded by the Lord - Remember the law of Moses My servant, statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he will restore the hearts of the father to children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse. Elijah, as Jesus recorded will restore all things. 

Salvation is an Old Testament word as well with a slightly different meaning. In the NT it was clearly a spiritual transformation. For the Jew, it represented a future exodus. With God as the active agent, salvation is victory or rescue from danger, defeat or distress. What is clear here is God is the source of salvation. God brings physical salvation to people, like Exodus 14:30 - Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians. Salvation was mostly a word to note a momentary physical happening. Israel obviously experienced a back and forth condition of being saved and being held captive. And yet they looked forward to a day of always being saved physically. But, again it is a physical salvation of not being captive or forced against one will which can be different from this NT idea of a spiritual change or conversion. Despite God saving Israel multiple times, the Israelite still often sought God on their own terms worshiping and serving idols - thus, going after what they could see and in doing this ignored God's commands. God wanted his people to know him. So, although salvation was often a change in physical condition, God still spoke of restoring Israel. As in Hosea 2:19-20 - And I will betroth You to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in loving kindness and in compassion and I will betroth you in Me in faithfulness, then you will know the Lord. 

Thus, the Old Testament yes speaks of physical salvation but also eternally knowing the true God. When Peter spoke of building tabernacles he most have thought that they needed a place to worship God. Tabernacles or tents were constructed and torn down and taken from one place to another. Exodus 25:8 says, And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. And in 25:22 I will meet with you...I will speak to you. Thus, Peter, seemed to desire to build this structure, for he knew that God was present, but he didn't understand it well. For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. Peter was trying. He had goofed before, rejecting Jesus after he had told him his purpose in going to the cross. Peter was always trying to figure out how he was supposed to respond to these things happening to him and the disciples. 

At this moment, it happens, God speaks directly to Peter. Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone. It was clear. God was stating that Jesus was to be heard. Moses and Elijah were gone. Jesus was there. Maclaren writes:

‘Hear Him.’ God’s voice bids you listen to Christ’s voice-God’s voice bids you listen to Christ’s voice as His voice. Listen to Him when He speaks to you about God-do not trust your own fancy, do not trust your own fear, do not trust the dictates of your conscience, do not consult man, do not listen to others, do not speculate about the mysteries of the earth and the heavens, but go to Him, and listen to the only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father. 

Summary - Jesus goes to the mountaintop and brings Peter, James, and John. He was transfigured. They see Moses (Law) and Elijah (Prophets) and Jesus shining as pure white. Something is happening, but they are not sure. Is this the fulfillment now of the final salvation, deliverance, complete exodus from exile? On that note, Peter builds a tabernacle - the place where God speaks. But, still he is unsure and terrified. God steps in and declares to them, what Jesus has already been saying to them, This is My beloved Son, listen to Him. 


Promise: We need to listen. We do not need a lightning bolt or even a voice from the Lord. We are able to simply listen. Jesus has proven to us that we can listen. 

Prayer: Lord, I need to listen to you and never question you. I can take you at your word. You have shown me through the years that your commands are true and that I can trust You. Help me to believe in this. Thank you for this lesson this morning and teaching me through Your Word. Give me insight into Your Word and what I need to understand from it.

Mark 6:53-56 - Healings in Gennesaret

Mark 6:53-56
53 When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. 54 When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.

Message: Healings in Gennesaret

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus comes to Nazareth and continues to teach but also experiences a little opposition from his friends and family. He sends out his disciples to teach and heal. The message is becoming more well known. Herod Antipas, one of 4 rulers of Rome, wonders if Jesus is a resurrected John (John has previously been killed by him and that story is recounted I think partly to show us that the message of the gospel is sometimes not well received). The disciples return and report on what they have done and taught. Jesus sends them away for rest, but the people are there waiting for them, in the 1000s. Jesus teaches the people. The disciples then send them away for food, but Jesus shows the disciples how they can be fed, feeding over 5,000. Jesus then puts the disciples on a boat, sends the people away, and goes to the mountain to pray. Jesus continues to teach the disciples, showing them that he is in control of all and wherever they go they can trust him. No matter what the experience presents itself to them, he can still be trusted. He will literally and figuratively calm whatever comes into their lives.

It is interesting, Mark speaks a lot about Jesus healing. It remains of interest to me what Mark emphasizes in this gospel of Jesus as the gospels seem to me to express the basis of all that we all hold dear in scripture. Thus far the message of Jesus has been simple - repent and believe - and be forgiven. There are other subjects that have come up as Jesus communicates to us that he is more than simply a man and this is what Mark seems to be emphasizing over and over. Jesus is walking as a man, but is more than a man.

As they get off the boat and are in Gennesaret, which is across from the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the disciples come upon a lot of people. Word of Jesus has spread. This is clear. In the feeding of the 5,000, there were thought to be double of triple this amount as 5,000 only spoke of the men. People had come from many other places to see Jesus. And now Jesus sets foot in Gennesaret and once again word of him is out. Perhaps any one of the disciples has already been to this region and spoken of him as well. On a note, Mark's gospel actually offers a difference from the other gospels in this account. While being in Gennesaret isn't a problem, Mark gives the idea that they came from Bethsaida whereas the rest of the gospels speak of the feeding occurring in Bethsaida. For Mark, after the feeding they got in a boat and went to Bethsaida. I've read several accounts and explanations for this, but the consensus is that this is an unanswered question and the writers couldn't have known at the time that every word of there's would be placed under a microscope.

When they got out of the boat, immediately [the people] recognized Him, and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick. In some ways most of the gospel so far has been about healings and miracles. Yet, lately it seems that Jesus is still trying to teach his disciples. Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured. Again, the focus in this passage is Jesus healing. But the people believe in His Power because their desire is simply to touch the fringe of His garment. Like the woman in the crowd who was healed just by touching Jesus' garment, this is the common faith now also. Again, what mere man could have this kind of power over people's lives?

as many as touched it were being cured - this is most compelling. The mere touch resulted in being cured. But, if all Jesus is, is a healer, then people have missed the point. Yes, he is there to change our lives, but it is more than this. Because of His Power, we can trust in who he is and all that he says. He is not a momentary need to our lives, but we need Him every hour. He is on earth, testifying or showing people the true God.

Summary - Jesus and the disciples come to the City of Gennesaret and word of Jesus has spread to the point that people come to him in waves bringing people to Jesus for healing, only wanting to touch his garment to receive healing. Their faith in him is great.

Promise: God is sovereign and he chooses to heal whom he heals. We come to him by faith. But ultimately we trust in Him and see that He has power over our lives in ways that go beyond a healing touch of a physical sickness.

Prayer: Lord, give me understanding of this text and what it means to me today. Thank you for the testimony of this text and the faith of the people that came to you, merely to touch you, to receive their healing. Lord, I pray that my faith is like this.

 

Psalm 78:40-66 - Idolatry and Restoration

Psalm 78:40-66

^40-44 How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Again and again they tempted God, and pained the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the adversary, when He performed His signs in Egypt and His marvels in the field of Zoan, and turned their rivers to blood, and their streams, they could not drink.
^45-51 He sent among them swarms of flies which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them. He gave also their crops to the grasshopper and the product of their labor to the locust. He destroyed their vines with hailstones and their sycamore trees with frost. He gave over their cattle also to the hailstones and their herds to bolts of lightning. He sent upon them His burning anger, fury and indignation and trouble, a band of destroying angels. He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, but gave over their life to the plague, and smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.
^52-55 But He led forth His own people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock; He led them safely, so that they did not fear; but the sea engulfed their enemies. So He brought them to His holy land, to this hill country which His right hand had gained. He also drove out the nations before them and apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement, and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. 

^56-58 Yet they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God and did not keep His testimonies, But turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers; they turned aside like a treacherous bow. For they provoked Him with their high places and aroused His jealousy with their graven images. 
^59-64 When God heard, He was filled with wrath and greatly abhorred Israel; So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, the tent which He had pitched among men, And gave up His strength to captivity and His glory into the hand of the adversary. He also delivered His people to the sword, and was filled with wrath at His inheritance. Fire devoured His young men, and His virgins had no wedding songs. His priests fell by the sword, and His widows could not weep.

^65-66 Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, like a warrior overcome by wine. He drove His adversaries backward; He put on them an everlasting reproach.

Message: Idolatry and Restoration

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

In some ways not much is different in this passage than what was presented in the previous reading from Psalm 78. This Psalm continues to speak of people rebelling, the Lord continues to guide them and yet people respond by turning their back on Him. And so God puts forth his wrath on people. And still he is merciful toward them.

There is an idea in these verses that seems a little baffling to me and that is that God isn't forcing himself on people. He is providing for them over and over and he believes that through this providence and his rescuing that people will find their refuge in Him. Sometimes his wrath will be displayed. He is a God who is to be praised, but the goal is for people to respond to Him. The goal is for each of us to turn from our ways and acknowledge Him as Lord and God.

They did not remember his power
In verses 40-44 this is the message I see. People did not see His power. We do this today. We look at weather and we have an explanation. We look at storms and we have an explanation. We look at all these events and we simply say there are patterns of weather that are making things happen. Sometimes we call this "Mother earth" but there is a growing trend to not call them acts of God. Our rebellion towards God must grieve Him. Man just doesn't acknowledge God's power. 

They went their own way
Also in verses 40-44 is the action of turning away from God. They rebelled against Him. They tempted God. They did not remember all God did for them. I get too distracted with the immediate and I forget the good times.

He tried to get their attention
In verses 45-51, God did things to these people. He used animals and weather, bad things to get their attention. If they don't acknowledge God, he will show them his power. But, no one wants to say these tornadoes or tsunami's or hurricanes come from the Lord. They only want a God that does good things to them. I don't blame them. When good happens, we are fine, but when bad happens we often turn away. It is only when the matter gets beyond our control that we turn to God.

He led his own people. 
There is a contrast here that God led his own people in verses 52-55. So far what I have read in this section is the people did not remember his power and they went their own way, yet God tried to get there attention and through it all he led them. God is leading us. God is leading us and often I need to remember this. I think I get too focused on what I see. He uses the sheep and shepherd idea here. The shepherd is always leading, but at times I go off track or I wander, but this doesn't mean God has stopped leading. I need to trust in God more through each day, each moment. I need to believe that He is at work. I stare too much at my surroundings and not enough at God. I live too much of my life focused on what I want and sometimes I forget to see what God has already provided and I forget to be thankful.

Yet, we turn aside
Verses 56-58 speak that even though God led his people, we rebel. I am a sinner. I sin. I doubt and I question God. He knows this is going to happen. He knows I will rebel and not keep commandments, turn back and act unbecoming to people around me. And through it all I also start looking to other things that I think will satisfy me. 

God can get mad
And I need to remember that God can be bothered at times by my actions as it describes in verses 59-64.  I need to remember that I measure myself each day not against other people but against Jesus and his standard. And if I'm not perfect, I'm a sinner and I deserve his wrath. I spend too much time looking at other people and what they have and wonder why I don't have the same thing. Help me God to be more focused on my relationship with you and not on other people and what they have or don't have. Everyone is different and my job is to trust you with where I am at right now. I can pray for something better and it may result but through it all I can trust you. And if bad things happen, you have your reasons. This nature gets further from you and we now have more natural disasters and more people killing one another and you are showing us racism is a problem and yet we act surprised when things don't go well. Lord, could you be mad at us? If so, help us see that the answer is us to follow you.

God hasn't left
In these final 2 verses, I remember God that you are still there. You haven't left. From my vantage point, you coming to the rescue looks like to me that you finally woke up. But you never sleep. Again, Lord, help me trust in You.


Promise: No matter what, God rescues His people.

Job 42 - Job's Repentance and Restoration

Job 42

Message: Job's Repentance and Restoration

Time: The time of Job is unclear and commonly debated. Often the language of the book can give clues. It seems to be that Job had a lifespan of close to 200 years as Job 42:16 says he lived 140 years after the events in the book.

What the Lord is Saying:

I've been studying these chapters in Job, somewhat selectively, based upon the readings of Tabletalk. It's taken me a while to get through them for the words are poetic and generally are tough for me to understand. As I saw last time, Chapter 42 concludes the book with Job answering the Lord, the Lord speaking the truth about his friends and then God restoring Job's fortunes.

There are 17 verses in this chapter.

Job's Confession
The first 6 verses Job answers the Lord and in his response he admits his error before the Lord. He has listened to the words from the Lord, like chapter 38 that I looked at, and he now understands better. He says in verse 2, I know you that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. It is a rather simple proclamation that Job makes stating that he knows that the Lord can do all things. He is omnipotent, meaning God can do anything or he has unlimited power. I can go about each day with the simple understanding that God is in control.

Job is now a humble person. I think it takes a lot to be humble these days. We are a proud and puffed up people and we think our intellect and knowledge puts us in control. Job mentions in verse 3, I have declared that which I did not understand. He admits that he has made an opinion on things that are beyond his understanding. It's one thing to talk about God through the words of a song, like Chris Tomlin does in God is incomprehensible or rather indescribable. We need this. We need to realize that God doesn't need to be described completely. We need to let there be things about God that are indescribable. We need to admit that there are things we do not know.

For me, this becomes clearer and clearer with each new day. God, I don't understand what is going on in people's lives. I don't understand why some people have and some people have not. I must admit, I am weak, in that my mind wants to ponder this and wants to examine this and figure it out, but O God, help me to turn from that and simply acknowledge that you are omnipotent and I need not understand every tit and tattle. Help me to accept the unknown. Help me to stay in what I do know. Give me wisdom in the day to day. That's where I want to live. If I don't know it, then I need to bring it before you and pray for it. This should be my calling card for life. Forgive me for being so quick to thinking that I must understand it all before I can step forward.

Lord, verse 4 of this chapter, seems to put forth this sentiment well. Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask you, and You instruct me. This is how I should come before God. I come before Him praying and asking and waiting for His instruction. Help this to be all I need.

I like what Albert Barnes says here:

The most holy men may have occasion to repent of their presumptuous manner of speaking of God. We all err in the same way in which Job did. We reason about God with irreverence; we speak of his government as if we could comprehend it; we discourse of him as if he were an equal; and when we come to have any just views of him, we see that there has been much improper boldness, much self-confidence, much irreverence of thought and manner, in our estimation of the divine wisdom and plans. The bitter experience of Job should lead us to the utmost carefulness in the manner in which we speak of our Maker.

Even the most holy men have occasion to repent. 


God Displeased with Job's Friends
God speaks to Job's friends and simply says, you have not spoken of Me what is right and he asks them to repent by offer(ing) up a burnt offering for yourselves. When God confronts us, we need to repent.

O God, forgive me for thinking I know better than you. Forgive me for thinking that I know how to raise my children. Forgive me for thinking that I have it all figured out and that I even have you figured out. Help me to be on my knees more and studying Your Word and accepting of your ways. Keep me anchored in a path of not questioning. I am to father and care for my children. Show me God what this means more and more.

God Restores Job's Fortunes

Job needs to have a right understanding of God. This is what I need in my life. The Lord restored the fortunes of Job. This restoration wasn't necessarily immediate, but it was lifelong. God is more interested in my character than my wealth or social position. I must be focused here.

Job had it all, but then lost it all. He questioned God, but then had a right understanding of God. And God blessed Job. His later days were greater from his beginning. The hallmark of his life was putting his trust in God.

Lord, help me to trust you. Help me O God. Keep me focused on you. 

Promise: Expect restoration while we persist in faith and do not speak ill of the Lord. God will keep his promises.

Jesus Calling: March 9

    Rest in My radiant presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything is a blur. Yet there is a cushion of calm at the center of your life, where you live in union with Me. Return to this soothing Center as often as you can, for this is where you are energized: filled with My Love, Joy, and Peace.

    The world is a needy place; do not go there for sustenance. Instead, come to Me. Learn to depend on Me alone, and your weakness will become saturated with My Power. When you find your completeness in Me, you can help other people without using them to meet your own needs. Live in the Light of My Presence, and your light will shine brightly into the lives of others.

Galatians 5:22

English Standard Version

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

1 John 4:12

English Standard Version

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

What the Lord is Saying to Me
Like I saw yesterday, the world is a needy place. It is a selfish place. The Bible repeatedly mentions that Satan, the Devil, are about misleading the world. When I don't surrender to the Lord; when I don't submit to Him, I am automatically being directed by the ruler of this world. There is no neutral position.

My Prayer
Lord, help me to not look to the world for replenishment of my soul, but to find rest in You. Your Word, Your Music, reading about You, praying are ways I can be renewed. Help me to live in the light of Your love. I pray that the fruit of the Spirit would embody me. May love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness be present in me at all times, whether at work or with my family. May love be the staple of our lives. 

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Zechariah 1

Message: Zechariah is sent to encourage the people to rebuild God's temple and gives them a vision of things to come.

Time: Zechariah 1-8 - Written during the building of the Temple (520-518BC); Zechariah 9-14 - Written after the temple was completed (480-470BC); Zechariah 1 - 2nd yr of King Darius's reign (Darius reigned 34 years)

What the Lord is Saying:

God speaks through Zechariah (and Haggai) to stir up the hearts of the people and renew their labor in building the temple. Haggai focused on the religious life of the people; Zechariah focuses more on the national and political. His ministry extended over 2 years. 

The rebuilding of the temple is significant because as long as the temple is left unfinished, the people were being disobedient to the Lord's commands regarding old covenant worship. And so the real problem may look like an unfinished temple, but in reality it is a problem of the heart of the people. Their sin reigns in them. They care not of the Lord's commands. 

Zechariah 1 - the message is to return to the Lord. Previous leaders have called Israel/Judah to return to the Lord or turn from your evil ways. Evil acts yield not a prosperous life.

Zechariah will see 8 visions (not dreams). Here we have the 1st one.

• An angel was talking to Zechariah, explaining the vision
• Man sitting on a red horse, standing among myrtle trees in a small valley
• Behind him were riders on red, brown and white horse. 
• The man sitting (rider) on the red horse explained
• These are the ones (riders) sent to patrol the earth
• Riders Report -- We have been patrolling and the whole earth is at peace
• Angel's Response is a Prayer
• O Lord of Heaven's Armies, you have been angry with Jerusalem and the towns of Judah for 70 years. When will you show mercy? 
• The Lord spoke kind/comforting words to the angel
• The Angel to Zechariah
• The Lord says, "My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong."
• The Lord says, "My anger is for those other nations enjoying peace and security. I was angry with my people, but the other nations inflicted a greater pain on my people than I intended."
• So, "The Lord is returning to show mercy on Jerusalem. My temple will be rebuilt. Jerusalem will be reconstructed. The towns of Judah will overflow with prosperity. The Lord will comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own."
• Four animal horns
• These are the nations that scattered Judah/Israel/Jerusalem
• Four blacksmiths
• Coming to terrify those nations, throw them down and destroy them

Promise: The message to rebuild the temple is really a message to the people to confront their sin and remember the Lord's commands. The Lord does this through Zechariah by calling them to recognize their evil, their sin and then to turn from their evil ways -- to repent. The immediate response is the simple recognition that evil acts disobey God and we must ask forgiveness. God wants a heart yielded to Him and then our deeds show our love to the Father and those deeds result in a prosperous life. But, the deeds aren't there to yield God's acceptance.

Ezekiel 39

Message: The prophecy against Gog and his hordes continues and just like Ezekiel 38 there is also a word about the restoration for God's people

Time: A message from the Sovereign Lord

What the Lord is Saying:
Gog, you are an enemy of God. It was Gog who in the last chapter attacked Israel and now Gog, as an (appointed) enemy of God will receive what enemies receive. They will be left helpless. You will be food to the vultures and wild animals in the mountains. And through this you and your allies will know that "I am the Lord."

The name of the Lord will not be shamed among the people of Israel.  Again, people will know that "I am the Lord."

There will be a graveyard for God and his hordes. 7 months it will take to bury the bodies. Bones will be buried. And the land will be clean. And then the Lord speaks of a sacrificial feast upon the bodies, but the feast is for the birds and wild animals.

The people of Israel were sent into exile. They were punished for their sin. They were unfaithful. Their enemies destroyed them and God's face was turned. But the Lord also will restore them to their land. He will bring them back to their land not so that they will be well thought of, but so that people will see the glory of the Lord.

Promise: The Lord is Holy. The Lord will not leave any of His people behind.

Ezekiel 37

Message: Valley of Dry Bones; Reunion of Israel and Judah

Time: Ezekiel is carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a place--a valley with bones and then given another message.

What the Lord is Saying: The Lord takes Ezekiel to a valley of bones, all spread out and asks if the bones can have life again. Ezekiel replies that only the Lord knows the answer. So, the Lord gives Ezekiel a message to bring the bones to life. And the bones assembled into a skeleton, then had muscles, and then the winds came to give life to them. The bones represent the people of Israel. And this represents what will happen to the land of Israel, their graves of exile will open and they will rise again.

Then another message comes to Ezekiel. Take wood and carve on it the name of Judah and its allies. And take another piece of wood and carve on it Ephraim and the northern tribes. And then join the pieces of wood together signifying the coming together of Israel and Judah. And the message:

• The scattered people of Israel will come back to their home land and live there generation after generation.
• They will be unified with one king (David) over them all.
• No longer will their lives be polluted with idolatry or rebellion. 
• They will be my people, I will be their God.
• They will obey and be careful to keep my decrees. 
• God will make an everlasting covenant of peace with them. 
• My temple will be among them.

Promise: All nations will know that I am the Lord, who makes Israel holy.

Ezekiel 29

Message: A message of prophecy to Pharaoh and the people of Egypt.

Time: January 7, 10 year of King Jehoiachin's captivity. Message came to Ezekiel from the Lord. This is about 571 BC.

What the Lord is Saying:

The Lord states that he is Pharaoh's enemy. And with that he lets Pharaoh know that the Nile river does not belong to Pharaoh like Pharaoh claims. He condemns Egypt for the way they treated Israel in their time of need. The prophecy states that the people will be dragged away. And no one will inhabit the Nile river. It does not state the area will no longer be a land, but that it would be ruined and (Nebuchadnezzar) would take home spoil from his campaign of it. However, it also mentioned a 40 year desolation of the land and it is possible that this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. And then the Lord will bring Egypt back and He will restore the people to their land, but Egypt will never be a prominent place.

Verse 16 mentions that then Israel will not be tempted to put their trust in Egypt. This is interesting as God wants to remind Israel that He is the only one that should be trusted. That people cannot be trusted.

The Lord gives Nebuchadnezzar a reward of Egypt for their efforts in carrying out the Lord's judgment on Tyre.

Promise: Verse 21 is a reminder to the people that the day will come when Israel will be revived. Also, Ezekiel's words will be respected. And the people will know the Lord.

Ezekiel 28

Message: A message for Tyre's king; a message for Sidon; restoration for Israel

Time: A message that came from the Lord to Ezekiel.

What the Lord is Saying:
Tyre
The Lord gives a message to Tyre's king. It states that Tyre is in the "heart of the sea" so it is an island. I read some comments that this prophecy did not come true because Tyre is still around today. But, the Tyre this seems to be speaking of is the ancient Tyre which was on an Island and that Tyre is no longer here. That Tyre was conquered and destroyed. 

Tyre's king thought he was a god. Ezekiel tells him that he is not a god and he is now wiser than Daniel. The king has amassed a lot in life, riches, and as is the case, riches make us feel greater sometimes than we are. Riches make us feel like we are in control and can do anything.

God tells Ezekiel to tell the prince that He will bring an army against him and humble him. And the prince will see that he is no god. And all his wealth does not sustain his long life.

The Lord then gives Ezekiel a funeral song for the prince of Tyre. The song again was a proclamation of the successful looking life of this man and yet how, in the end, God brought him down.

Sidon
Sidon is 20 miles north of Tyre. The words to Sidon are shorter, but the message is similar. The focus is that the people of Sidon will know who the Lord is through the acts that he does. What will come? A plague. The Lord's holiness will then be seen for Sidon will be effected from every angle.

Promise: The chapter closes with a promise the Lord makes to his chosen people, Israel. They have been scattered, but the Lord will bring them back. The nations around will know that the Lord loves his people. Do not treat God's people with contempt.

Ezekiel 20

Message: Israel's continuous rebellion; God will restore Israel.

Time: 7th year, 5th month, 10th day. Elders came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord.

What the Lord is Saying: Why do you come? To inquire? Your fathers sinned. The Lord made a covenant with his people to save them, to rescue them from Egypt and give them riches. I gave them rules to live by. I gave them my Sabbaths.

But they rebelled. They rejected rules and ignored the Sabbath. I poured out wrath because my name was profaned. My statutes are to be honored, but I spared them and did not put a full end to them.

I asked their children to walk in their ways, but they rebelled as well. But he withheld his anger. The Lord gave them rules that when obeyed would not have good outcomes and nothing to save their life to remind them of who He is.

Idolatry is what reigned in these people's lives.

The Lord makes it known, "I will be king over you." I will bring you out from where you are to purge the evil from your midst. If you are going to do evil, then go ahead and do it. But don't call me Lord and then profane my name. I want people who will serve Me and Me alone. I want those who loathe their sin.

Promise: God does not want people who say one thing and do the other. He wants hot or cold. He wants people who give there all to Him.

Ezekiel 16

Message: A picture of salvation. God saves the ugly and unwanted and gives them life and then people ignore Him. But, God made a covenant with a people and no matter what He will keep it.

Time: A message to Ezekiel from the Lord.

What the Lord is Saying:

Parable of God's Adulterous Wife

Jerusalem came from poor origins. Father - Amorite. Mother - Hittite. At birth, umbilical cord was not cut. And you were not washed clean with water. Not rubbed with salt. Not wrapped in cloths. Despised. No one had compassion for you.

The Lord passed by you and said, "Live!" I made you thrive. You grew up and matured and became very beautiful. I covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you. I made a covenant with you. You became Mine. I washed you and I anointed you. I clothed you in good cloth and gave you leather sandals. And gave you jewelry. You were adorned with beauty. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became royalty. And your fame spread among the nations.

But, the give of beauty I gave you became something that you focused on too much. Because of your fame, you became a prostitute, thinking you could sell yourself now to others. And you gave my gifts to anyone that passed by. You took the jewelry I gave you and turned it into an image to worship. And you set the food I had given you before others. You even took your offspring, my gift to you, and set them before these images, sacrificing them. Through all of this, you forgot where you had been, where you had come from, your birth, your beginnings.

And you kept going. You made a mound and elevated your position above everyone else. And your prostitution, the giving of my gifts to others, increased. My anger was provoked. So, I reduced your provisions. I gave you over to the desire of your heart, to those that hate you. And suddenly you were engaged in rampant prostitution with as many as you could find. From nation to nation. You loved lust. But, unlike a prostitute, you did this all for free. You didn't want anything return. This is how much you enjoyed your sin.

The Lord will gather all those you loved and together your nakedness will be exposed. You will be judged. I will hand you over to them. You will be naked before all. Your houses will burn and I will then stop you from being a prostitute. My wrath will be satisfied. My jealousy will turn away. You walked in the detestable ways of your ancestry (Hittite, Amorite), but you took it a step further and lived more detestable lives than they did. Your sins are so great that your detestable sisters seem righteous. Bear your disgrace. Be ashamed.

You must bear the consequence of your detestable practices. The Lord will deal with you according to what you have done.

But....

The Lord will remember the covenant He made with you. He will establish an everlasting covenant with you. Not because of the covenant you made with me, but because of the covenant I made with you (verse 61, 62). And you will know that I am Yahweh. I will make atonement. You will remember. Your mouth will be closed. 

Promise: God is just and His justice will be served. What matters is His covenant with us. He is Lord. Always.

The Good News of God's Reign - Tabletalk for April 18

This is too good not to post.

We have often commented on how hard it must have been for the Jews in exile to believe that God would and could save them. (When chosen ones get removed from their land and surroundings, hard to believe restoration will occur.) If the Lord had let them go into the exile in the first place, how could they be sure that God would rescue them? Though we might sympathize with them to a point, we must not forget that this doubt was birthed in sin--the same sin of not believing God's warning that there would be dreadful consequences for idolatry, which prompted the exile in the first place.

2 Chronicles 36:15-21

The Lord sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels. He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

That salvation was long in coming for the exiles was not the Lord's fault but theirs. God had no need to believe His own words promising restoration for it to finally come, but the exiles did (need to believe God's words). Their lack of trust in His Word got them into their mess, so the only way they could get out was to believe the Lord. (Note how this historical reality pictures what it takes for us to be reconciled to our Creator. Our failure to believe God's Word in Adam got us into sin. Believing His Word for our justification is what gets us out (of sin))

Romans 5:12-21

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Consequently, Isaiah calls the exiles to faith in today's passage. His declaration that the people need to wake up and loosen their bonds is a metaphor for developing a strong belief in the Lord and His willingness to save

Isaiah 52:1-2

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

After all, it took a particularly strong faith to persevere in believing that God could take that which was downtrodden and powerless--the exiles themselves--and effect restoration.

The persistent doubts of the exiles meant that the Lord would have to intervene despite their failures if they were ever to be rescued from exile. He would have to provide an atonement for their sin of unbelief so that His elect could be released from its bondage and be awakened to faith. He would have to establish His reign for all to see, His blessed presence among His people. The good news for the Jewish exiles and, indeed, for the whole world is that our Creator was willing to do this. Despite the unbelief of the people, Isaiah heard a voice crying, "God reigns" (v.7). The establishment of God's blessed kingdom was sure because it was grounded in the Lord's intent and actions, not the will of men. Faith gets a person into this kingdom, and even this faith is God's gift (Ephesians 2:8-10), but faith does not establish the kingdom. God establishes the kingdom, and in the results of this work He enables His elect to become kingdom citizens by faith alone.

All flesh is grass

In reading my morning devotional today, I stumbled upon the phrase "All flesh is grass." I did a quick search on Google and discovered that this is an often used phrase in the Bible that speaks of human life being transitory or not permanent.

The reading today was on Isaiah 40:1-5 and the essence of the reading was God is still there for his people. He hasn't left them even though it appears that way at times, as people go into exile. The Lord will make provision for their forgiveness and life in the restoration.

God meets us in the lowest point of life and rescues us.

And then verse 6 - 8 reminds us that the Word of the Lord stands forever. "All flesh is grass." Man is not permanent, but God's word is permanent. Grass withers, flower fades, but God's word, it never changes.

So, never forget the Lord's promises. They don't change from generation to generation. God's promises to the Judahites can still be promises to us today. We will be rescued. "The Lord Returns to His People."