 |
|
“Blessings”
A rainbow and fall foliage in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North
Carolina - photo taken this week by
April at Mayland Community College –
near Mt. Celo Church
|
My Meditations on Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine
and are used for contemplation.)
A Study in Contrast
Provided by God for Instruction– Jeremiah 35 and 36 (Facts: What It Says – Summarized) God
Illustrates Faithfulness: The word of God comes to Jeremiah to
go…bring…the Rechabites to the house of the LORD and…give them wine to
drink. As always, Jeremiah obeys. Jeremiah brings them before the sons of Hanan
in the House of the Lord and sets bowls of wine with cups before the Rechabites
and tells them to drink wine. They
refuse because their father “forbade them
to drink wine, to build houses, to plant vineyards or seeds all their lives…but
they are to live in tents…that…they may live may days in the land where they
are…sojourners.” God’s Lesson of Contrast: These sons have obeyed all their father
commanded them, but the Chosen People and Nation, blessed, led by, protected by
God…having prophets and messengers sent to them to warn them, will not listen…turn…amend their ways and obey God,
their Father. “Surely the sons of Jonadab, the son of Recab, have performed the
commandment of their father, which he commanded them, but this people has not
obeyed Me.” A
Blessing for the Rechabites: “Therefore,
thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Jonadab the son of Rechab
shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.’” A Pronouncement of Doom against Judah:
“Therefore thus says the LORD God of
hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the
inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against
them…because…I have spoken to them…but…they have not heard; and I have called
to them…but…they have not answered.”’ God Illustrates Faithlessness: Jeremiah has
been told by God to keep a scroll, written with all God’s judgments pronounced
against Israel, Judah, and all the nations from the time of Josiah until this
point in time and read it in the house of the LORD. “It may
be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to
bring upon them…that…everyone may turn from his evil way…that…I…may forgive
their iniquity and their sin.” God
is faithful. Jeremiah is faithful. The scroll is read by Baruch, the scribe,
since Jeremiah is in prison. One man
hears and takes the scrolls to the princes, who in turn take it to the king,
Jehoaikim. The men... store…the scroll
and…tell…the king the contents. Then the
king calls for the scroll to be brought before him…as he sits in his winter
home…in front of a hearth fire. A Lesson of
Contrast: “The king cuts the
scroll with the scribe’s knife and casts it into the fire. They were not afraid, nor did they tear their
garments.” They try to seize Baruch and Jeremiah, but the LORD hides
them. Doom is pronounced on Jehoiakim,
his house, his progeny and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. God commands Jeremiah to rewrite the scroll
and “there were added to them many
similar words.” Principle: The Bible is a study in contrasts – of God
and evil, of the saved and reprobate, of obedience and disobedience, of blessing
and destruction. This reading vividly
illustrates each of those contrasts.
A Study in Contrast
between David and His Enemies – Psalm 119:65-70 (Facts: What It Says – Summarized) David: “You have dealt well with Your servant…O,
LORD…according to Your word. Teach
me…good judgment…knowledge…Your statutes….FOR…I believe…Your commandment…and
will keep…Your precepts…with my whole heart.
Before I was afflicted…I went astray…but now…I keep Your word…You are
good…and do good.” The Enemies: The proud…have forged…a lie…against me. Their heart is as fat as grease. Principle: David has humbled himself before God and
under instruction from, and obedience to God’s Word, which has both afflicted
him and kept him from straying. He has
seen God’s goodness in this. The enemies
are proud – not humbled and have forged (formed) their own words – lies - which
proceed from their “fat heart of grease.” Matt 15: 18-19 and Mark 7:20
A Study of Contrasts
in the Church Age – 1 Timothy 4 (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) The Falling Away of Some:
“The Spirit expressly
says…that in the latter times…some…will 1) depart from the faith, 2) give
heed to deceiving spirits 3) doctrines
of demons, 4) speaking lies in hypocrisy, 5) having
their own consciences seared with a hot iron 6) forbidding to marry, 7) commanding
to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by
those who believe and know the truth. Faithful Steadfastness
of Others: Good ministers of Jesus Christ 1) nourished in the words of faith, 2) of the good doctrine, 3) reject
profane and old wives’ fables, 4) exercise
self toward godliness, 5) labor,
suffer reproach…because…you trust in the living God…who is the Savior of all
men…especially of those who believe, 6) are
an example…to believers…in word…in conduct…in love…in spirit…in faith…in purity,
7) give attention to reading…to
exhortation…to doctrine, 8) do not
neglect the gift that is in you, 9) meditate
on these things, 10) give yourself
entirely to these…that…your progress may be evident to all, 11) take heed to yourself…and to the doctrine
12) and
continue in them…for…in doing this…you will save both yourself…and those who
hear you.” Principle: Stand firm.
Work out your salvation. (Philippians 2:12-13) We are saved by faith, and our actions will
give lie to or evidence of that faith. (James 2:14-26)
My Lessons and
Applications: A study of contrasts presented in the text is one of the
greatest faith builders when studying the Bible. Great truths and warnings are seen in this
type of meditation (Ruth and Orpah, Joseph and his brothers, Christ and the
religious rulers of His day, David and Solomon, Mordecai and Haman…and many
others.). Just take the life of Joseph
and his brothers and think about them as you read the Apostles Paul’s
exhortations to young Timothy. Note how
those studies in contrast parallel each other.
Note how Joseph’s life is illustrative of the steadfast faithfulness
believers will exhibit in the latter days – ”as the Spirit expressly says.” How does my life measure up in steadfastness according to
this? Am I seeing this “falling away” by
many in our modern-day churches? Am I
this 1 Timothy godly example to others?
“The modern church has largely lost the art of pondering
God’s Word, mulling it over, letting it simmer, and focusing prolonged
attention on it. But hard thinking remains
a crucial piece in becoming more like Christ.”
Dr. Charles Stanley, Life
Principles Daily Bible, pg. 1290
No comments:
Post a Comment