I'm writing these comments to and for those at New Song who are following a One Year Bible and involved in a discipleship cell. We're meeting weekly and discussing the texts, not necessarily my comments. We're growing together, learning to become and make disciples who make disciples. We will all be leading others in this process and training them to do likewise.
The comments I'm writing are in no way exhaustive, but meant to give some leading thoughts on how the text applies to us as disciples and to encourage and stimulate our growth in reading the Bible, with the effect that we will grow as disciples and encourage the growth of others as disciples growing in the word. If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible, in fact, no one in our church reads the version I do, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
Genesis 24:52-26:16
This section gives a lot of historical information in summary form, and it's not all in order. This history is meant to convey background and reasons for events that Israel, in the wilderness, would need to understand in becoming a nation and to fulfill its ministry as God's ambassador. Note in all of this, that the promise, which is a promise of redemption, is still present, but its meaning is certainly being forgotten. That's just like what we do. We make churches and do programs, and somehow lose what the main goal of every disciple and church is on this planet: love Christ, reach the lost, make disciples who make disciples.
24:62-67
Isaac was heir to this vast community that had grown up around Abraham. He wasn't just wandering around the countryside. He was probably visiting one of the places they were grazing livestock. All we have recorded is the meeting of Isaac and Rebecca and the account is very condensed. The account almost makes it look like he saw her, took her into a tent that was standing there and they consummated the relationship. Not so. He put her in Sarah's tent, not his. This was a place of privilege in the community. They would have a new leading lady. He "took her," that is, accepted the arrangement of being married to her. He could have refused. They would have been separated before they were married and there was a formal wedding. They were in love.
25:1-6
There are a couple of names here that are notable, one in particular. Can you figure out which one? If you read year after year, this people will come up on your radar on a couple of important occasions as enemies of Israel. You can figure, if one of these men has his genealogy shared, it is because God/Moses wants the people to know where that particular nation came from.
Very realistically, Abraham's life and relationship to Sarah wasn't some romanticized fiction. When she died, Abe grieved, but still needed a wife to be complete.
25:7-18
This section is narrative housekeeping in order to get to the continuation of the progress of the promise of redemption.
First, Abraham's death is recorded and he passes out of the narrative. So, reading his age, why is this interesting that you hear no more of Abraham? Obviously, you might say, because the story is no longer about him. But his age is an interesting factor.
Then, Ishmael's lineage is presented and he is gone.
25:19-34
The Lord made it difficult for Rebecca to have children, thereby making their births and the progress of the promise more significant for them. How long did God make the wait? It's there in the text. Can you imagine waiting that long?
So, we are only this far in the Bible. You might conclude that "waiting" is not a strange thing in God's leading. God forges Faith in waiting. So many people wash out as disciples for this reason alone.
Isaac prays and God hears. Immediately at their births, God overturns the normal process of blessing and inheritance by stating that the elder will serve the younger. Note that the Lord states this to Rebecca in answer to her seeking. She should have rested in this.
Living in the reality of the promise would have been constant because of how God had arranged things. From Abraham to Adam there are only three/four relationships. Abe knew Noah, Noah knew many of the men behind Him and almost all of them knew Adam.
Given the age of Abraham, how old would the twins have been at his death? How long would Abe have known Rebecca before she had the kids? All of this is to say, that Abraham, firsthand would have passed on the importance of the promises to all three.
As disciples, our relationship to Christ, to reaching the lost, and to making disciples who make disciples has to be firsthand. It is hard to pass stuff on because we are so distracted by life and the truth we live is invisible. If it is theoretical to us, it will be theoretical to those we influence also.
Losing the clear focus of what the promise meant might explain what was happening in the family and between the two boys. This fractured family was not healthy. It will get exponentially worse with Jacob.
That there was this contest between the boys was the result of the parents. Jacob was a rat. You might say, at least he had faith, faith in the promise. And Esau was worse, despising the reality of the promise. God is simply gracious here, furthering His will and plan in spite of ungodly behavior. Later, Jacob, who at least had faith, will pay dearly for this.
As disciples, to presume on God's grace, to further our own agenda and desires, even if it is "for God," is a very dangerous thing. Jacob didn't escape and Solomon didn't escape. We have a master and we have to reflect Him, submitting to His will, His way and His timing. I know I've hurt myself forgetting this. God is Sovereign, and also, He's the boss. It's His work, His way.
Ironically, the Lord has already told Rebecca that Jacob would be the receiver of the promise. In Faith, all of this, and what follows was unnecessary.
26:1-16
I'm assuming Abraham was dead by this time. Otherwise, Abimelech would have come to Abe as the head of the clan, and he already had a relationship with Abe.
Isaac receives confirmation of the promise directly from God, but like his father, fears for his life in Gerar and does the "she's my sister" thing. Although for Isaac, this was a total lie. Treasure in earthen vessels?
By this time, Abimelech may not have had dealings with Abe for years and didn't know Isaac. If Abe is dead here, you can figure out how many years ago Abimelech probably made that covenant with Abraham. Apparently Abimelech was a much younger man at the time of that covenant and, although older now, still had an eye for good looking women to add to his harem. So he looks out the window and sees this new guy with his sister…and they're doing what????
The ESV falls down in verse 8. I like the KJV, "sporting," possibly playing badminton? Throwing a football? The RSV is to the point, "fondling." There was no mistake that Isaac was doing that which only a husband ought to do, and the poor guy was so desperate, he was doing it in the open, maybe hidden, but not hidden enough.
Both Abe and Isaac brought these people into jeopardy because of their lack of faith in God's promise and provision. As disciples, we can do the same. Just trust.
Isaac was rich, and everyone knew it was the Lord who had done this for him. They were jealous, but also afraid of him. By this time, Isaac's holdings might have necessitated a community of thousands, making him vaster, richer and more powerful than many of the neighboring cities. This section should have really been included in tomorrow's reading.
Matthew 8:18-34
Very simple here.
Many wanted to follow Jesus, but were not willing to pay the price of commitment. This is the same today. It is easy to go to church, but it is difficult to follow Christ in what is the mission of each disciple and every church. This is also the reason you don't recruit every warm body to become a part of a discipleship cell or project. Jesus himself brought "would be" followers to the place of understanding the cost. Popularity attracts lots of warm bodies, but not always devoted followers of Christ.
Just like Abe and Isaac and Rebecca above, if God says something, you can rest easy. Jesus told the disciples to go to the other side, with Him, the creator of the universe, in the boat. He didn't say, "let's go to the middle and die." Their words to Jesus are, first, a scream, and second, an accusation, that is, "you don't care."
As disciples we are no better, and to impress on our hearts His ability to help, and His ability to save and guide and care for us, He has to take us out on the sea, to the very brink of disaster. How else, like the psalmist, do we learn to trust and sing His praise for His power and deliverance. We are no better than the 12 and we learn the same way.
Matthew is also showing that Jesus, as Messiah was the ruler over nature.
Matthew now shows Jesus' rule over the spiritual world. The demons recognized Him as God the Son in a human body. Matthew's purpose here is only to show Jesus' authority. In Luke, the healed man desired to follow Jesus.
Psalm 10:1-15
Understanding why God waits and does not apply instant justice in this world is something that a fully trained disciple should be able to deal with and explain. It doesn't feel good, but we know it is part of this part of history on earth. We see what happened to Jesus Himself, and the Father allowed it. We see what happened in Acts, and God allowed it. The psalm itself shows that God is understanding and compassionate with our emotional distress and desperate wondering. He wants His followers to trust Him and patiently wait. We, of all people, should know that the earth is not a good place and that this only a small, tragic portion of the whole of reality.
Revelation 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Great words for us as disciples. If you "turn this around," it means that if you think you have it, if you only "so-so" fear the Lord and if you play fast and loose with things, your flesh will wither and your bones will get tired.
I think I've had days and months like that. Time to get wise, as a disciple of Jesus.
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