1 Chronicles
If you will recall my post from May 10, you will see that I talked about the focus of 1 Chronicles, noting that the author was keenly interested in King David, more so than the other kings of Israel/Judah. We have now come to the end of 1 Chronicles, and the main point of this book has certainly been David. The book started with many lists of names, leading up to an extremely brief narrative of Saul's reign, and then headlong into David's tenure as king. Moreover, we didn't really hear about any of the negative aspects of David's time as king, such as the fights between him and Saul before he became king, or his murder of Uriah, husband of Bathsheba. It was mainly a rosy picture of how God blessed David and prospered him on the throne. It remains to be seen how things turn out in 2 Chronicles, now that David has passed on.
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israel. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Not for the faint hearted
Whoever said that Christianity was only a crutch or was meant for little children certainly missed reading the book of Judges! The stories of God working in the lives of the Israelites are certainly not fairy tales. Take a look at this:
Judges 3:20-25 - Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palaceg and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, 21Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23Then Ehud went out to the porchh; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
Our God has the power to save!
Judges 3:20-25 - Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palaceg and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, 21Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23Then Ehud went out to the porchh; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
24After
he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room
locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of
the house.”
25They
waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the
doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw
their lord fallen to the floor, dead.
Ehud went on to lead the Israelites into battle against the evil king of Moab, and they struck down 10,000 men.
Again, God raised up another judge, Shamgar, and this is what is said about him (3:31) - After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.
Our God has the power to save!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
A witness between us
Joshua
The Reubenites and Gadites had land on the other side of the Jordan, opposite that of the rest of Israel. When they finally went to live on this land, they built a large altar to God, but when the other tribes saw it, they thought it was to foreign gods. But the Reubenites and Gadites set them straight, saying that they had built this altar, not to make sacrifices to foreign gods, but to remind the people on both sides of the river that they all followed the same God. Joshua 22:34 says: "And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us that the Lord is God."
This altar is a great idea! I think we should consider have some sort of icon, or altar, or something that can be put in your work place or home that will remind you and those who visit that the Lord is God and you serve him.
The Reubenites and Gadites had land on the other side of the Jordan, opposite that of the rest of Israel. When they finally went to live on this land, they built a large altar to God, but when the other tribes saw it, they thought it was to foreign gods. But the Reubenites and Gadites set them straight, saying that they had built this altar, not to make sacrifices to foreign gods, but to remind the people on both sides of the river that they all followed the same God. Joshua 22:34 says: "And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us that the Lord is God."
This altar is a great idea! I think we should consider have some sort of icon, or altar, or something that can be put in your work place or home that will remind you and those who visit that the Lord is God and you serve him.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The earthquake at Adam
Joshua
In the past when I've read the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan, similar to that of them crossing the Red Sea, I've always thought that God would sort of have come down with his hand and stuck it in the water and made a dry path. But I read a footnote in my bible today that said that the town of Adam, mentioned in Joshua 3:16, often experienced earthquakes. The latest one, in 1927, ended with a large part of the embankment shearing off and falling in the river, effectively creating a dam and stopping the flow of water down the Jordan for approximately 21 hours. So there's actually a scientific reason for the dry path that the Israelites crossed. Still, what expert timing on behalf of God so that the Israelite priests were at the river the second the river stopped flowing. Amazing!
In the past when I've read the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan, similar to that of them crossing the Red Sea, I've always thought that God would sort of have come down with his hand and stuck it in the water and made a dry path. But I read a footnote in my bible today that said that the town of Adam, mentioned in Joshua 3:16, often experienced earthquakes. The latest one, in 1927, ended with a large part of the embankment shearing off and falling in the river, effectively creating a dam and stopping the flow of water down the Jordan for approximately 21 hours. So there's actually a scientific reason for the dry path that the Israelites crossed. Still, what expert timing on behalf of God so that the Israelite priests were at the river the second the river stopped flowing. Amazing!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Water from the rock
Numbers
And just like that, Moses and Aaron, the leaders of Israel, were not allowed to enter the promised land. Numbers 20 tells us the second story of the water from the rock. Moses and Aaron were to go to the rock and Moses was to speak to it, and water would come out so the people could drink. But when they got to the rock, Moses was too angry to speak to it, and just struck the rock (like he was commanded to a while back the first time God made water come from the rock). Because Moses and Aaron didn't have enough trust in God, they were no longer able to enter the promised land.
Let that be a lesson to us. Sometimes what God asks us to do seems so lame, or we think we have a better way to do it. But God's way really is the better way, and if we don't go his way, then we're missing out on an important lesson or a great blessing.
And just like that, Moses and Aaron, the leaders of Israel, were not allowed to enter the promised land. Numbers 20 tells us the second story of the water from the rock. Moses and Aaron were to go to the rock and Moses was to speak to it, and water would come out so the people could drink. But when they got to the rock, Moses was too angry to speak to it, and just struck the rock (like he was commanded to a while back the first time God made water come from the rock). Because Moses and Aaron didn't have enough trust in God, they were no longer able to enter the promised land.
Let that be a lesson to us. Sometimes what God asks us to do seems so lame, or we think we have a better way to do it. But God's way really is the better way, and if we don't go his way, then we're missing out on an important lesson or a great blessing.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Doing God's will
Numbers
Why is it often difficult to see the fulfillment we can get out of doing God's will rather than our own? It takes great faith to go out into the unknown and trust that God will deliver you. But we can rest on previous experience and knowledge too, that we know God will come through. The entire bible is a testimony to the grace of God, the trustworthiness of God. The Israelites had to make a hard choice: invade a land of enemies and trust that God will prevail, or turn away from God's promised land and not have to face a hard situation. Instead of doing what they did, and turn away, when you're faced with a clear opportunity from God that will bring immense joy and peace, go for it! It may be tough work or take a lot of faith to get to that promise from God, but he'll see you through. He was with the Israelites, even when they ignored him, and they eventually got to where God wanted them to go. He is faithful.
Why is it often difficult to see the fulfillment we can get out of doing God's will rather than our own? It takes great faith to go out into the unknown and trust that God will deliver you. But we can rest on previous experience and knowledge too, that we know God will come through. The entire bible is a testimony to the grace of God, the trustworthiness of God. The Israelites had to make a hard choice: invade a land of enemies and trust that God will prevail, or turn away from God's promised land and not have to face a hard situation. Instead of doing what they did, and turn away, when you're faced with a clear opportunity from God that will bring immense joy and peace, go for it! It may be tough work or take a lot of faith to get to that promise from God, but he'll see you through. He was with the Israelites, even when they ignored him, and they eventually got to where God wanted them to go. He is faithful.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Numbers aren't always boring
Numbers
Well, Leviticus is done! I must admit, it got a little boring reading all those laws. I thought Numbers would be similar, seeing as the first three chapters were about counting the fighting men. However, I read a footnote in my bible that made these numbers seem a little more interesting. It was saying that this census, which occurs at the beginning and end of Numbers, was more than just taking a count of the nation. They were only counting the fighting men because at both times they were preparing to invade the promised land (the first attempt failed because they weren't courageous enough to go through with it). In addition, the men were counted within family units, and organized into family units, so that they're co-fighters would be close family, and more precious to them than simply an acquaintance from some other tribe within Israel. These numbers can actually teach us a lot about God and his people, if we know what to do with them.
Matthew
Today's reading in Matthew (latter part of ch. 21) reminded me of an Adventures in Odyssey episode. This is a children's radio drama show that has been going on for about 25 years. The episode that I'm referring to is a re-enactment of some of the parables in Matthew - the parable of the tenants, the parable of the two sons, and also the section on the authority of Jesus questioned. The episode is called Over the Airwaves, and it originally aired on January 19, 1991. You can read mroe about the episode here.
Well, Leviticus is done! I must admit, it got a little boring reading all those laws. I thought Numbers would be similar, seeing as the first three chapters were about counting the fighting men. However, I read a footnote in my bible that made these numbers seem a little more interesting. It was saying that this census, which occurs at the beginning and end of Numbers, was more than just taking a count of the nation. They were only counting the fighting men because at both times they were preparing to invade the promised land (the first attempt failed because they weren't courageous enough to go through with it). In addition, the men were counted within family units, and organized into family units, so that they're co-fighters would be close family, and more precious to them than simply an acquaintance from some other tribe within Israel. These numbers can actually teach us a lot about God and his people, if we know what to do with them.
Matthew
Today's reading in Matthew (latter part of ch. 21) reminded me of an Adventures in Odyssey episode. This is a children's radio drama show that has been going on for about 25 years. The episode that I'm referring to is a re-enactment of some of the parables in Matthew - the parable of the tenants, the parable of the two sons, and also the section on the authority of Jesus questioned. The episode is called Over the Airwaves, and it originally aired on January 19, 1991. You can read mroe about the episode here.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sacrifices
Leviticus
As I was reading about the sacrifices that the Israelites had to make to appear holy before God, I honestly started wondering, why all these sacrifices? Why the slaughtering and the blood? What's the point?
This is just a picture of what God truly wants. He wants us to understand that approaching him is a serious business. Animal sacrifices are no longer necessary. God desires mercy instead. But mercy is a sort of sacrifice. We're giving up what we would want to do to others, and offering them something else in return. We're giving up what we would want to do in life, and taking up God's will instead. Like it says in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Instead of breaking animals on the altar, we're breaking ourselves, and that is usually a whole lot harder to do.
As I was reading about the sacrifices that the Israelites had to make to appear holy before God, I honestly started wondering, why all these sacrifices? Why the slaughtering and the blood? What's the point?
This is just a picture of what God truly wants. He wants us to understand that approaching him is a serious business. Animal sacrifices are no longer necessary. God desires mercy instead. But mercy is a sort of sacrifice. We're giving up what we would want to do to others, and offering them something else in return. We're giving up what we would want to do in life, and taking up God's will instead. Like it says in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Instead of breaking animals on the altar, we're breaking ourselves, and that is usually a whole lot harder to do.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
The glory of God
Exodus 24:9-11 - "Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank."
These men sat with God, eating and drinking. What an amazing experience. And Aaron was there. I cannot believe that a few chapters later (I'm getting ahead of the reading) he goes down and makes a golden calf for the people, when a few days earlier he had actually seen God!
These men sat with God, eating and drinking. What an amazing experience. And Aaron was there. I cannot believe that a few chapters later (I'm getting ahead of the reading) he goes down and makes a golden calf for the people, when a few days earlier he had actually seen God!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Loving our enemies
Genesis
It's interesting to see how the twelve tribes of Israel came about because two sisters were fighting over who got to sleep with their shared husband. What a different culture! With a more modern worldview, we can look at this story and say that it is clearly a lesson to not have two sisters marry the same man. However, if we put ourselves in ancient Canaanite/Israelite history, we would find that this situation is more common than not.
As for Jacob being deceived by Laban, one can't feel too sorry for him, as he himself was a great deceiver (cf. Esau (twice!) and Laban's sheep).
Matthew
I've often wondered what was meant by Matthew 5:48 - "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Read alone, it suggests that we need to attain perfection, not having any sin. Read in context, "perfect" seems to suggest something a little more attainable (see the commentaries at http://bible.cc/matthew/5-48.htm). Jesus was just talking about loving our enemies, not just our neighbours. Just as God loves all people, and acts with a certain wholeness and consistency, so we must also be whole, complete, and consistent in our attitude, mirroring that of God the Father as represented through Jesus.
It's interesting to see how the twelve tribes of Israel came about because two sisters were fighting over who got to sleep with their shared husband. What a different culture! With a more modern worldview, we can look at this story and say that it is clearly a lesson to not have two sisters marry the same man. However, if we put ourselves in ancient Canaanite/Israelite history, we would find that this situation is more common than not.
As for Jacob being deceived by Laban, one can't feel too sorry for him, as he himself was a great deceiver (cf. Esau (twice!) and Laban's sheep).
Matthew
I've often wondered what was meant by Matthew 5:48 - "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Read alone, it suggests that we need to attain perfection, not having any sin. Read in context, "perfect" seems to suggest something a little more attainable (see the commentaries at http://bible.cc/matthew/5-48.htm). Jesus was just talking about loving our enemies, not just our neighbours. Just as God loves all people, and acts with a certain wholeness and consistency, so we must also be whole, complete, and consistent in our attitude, mirroring that of God the Father as represented through Jesus.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
For three sins or four
Amos
I read somewhere about this passage in Amos. Amos is listing off a number of foreign places, describing God's judgment that will be meted out upon them. Each new place gets a little closer to home, however, and Amos' audience must have been getting a little more anxious as they heard about Damascus, then Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and then, what? Judah and Israel? Yes, God was going to judge them for their sins as well. Don't take God's grace for granted or as a free ticket to sin with impunity.
I read somewhere about this passage in Amos. Amos is listing off a number of foreign places, describing God's judgment that will be meted out upon them. Each new place gets a little closer to home, however, and Amos' audience must have been getting a little more anxious as they heard about Damascus, then Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and then, what? Judah and Israel? Yes, God was going to judge them for their sins as well. Don't take God's grace for granted or as a free ticket to sin with impunity.
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