Our View of Woodside in Queens

If you are interested in seeing where we will live, our address in a month will be 55-08 31st Ave., Woodside, NY 11377, or check the Google maps link and hit street view.  We’ll be in the house with the red door, in the 2nd floor apt. Using street view, you can also turn around and see across the street. You can also go up and down the street.  If you go about 11 blocks to the east, you come to the church.

https://www.google.com/maps/preview/place/55-08+31st+Ave.+Woodside,+NY+11377/@40.756887,-73.906083,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x89c25f112ee7e2a1:0x65a4b6a4b92d7cdf

If you want to see the church (Immanuel Church), and where we are living now, we live upstairs in the missionary room, next to the custodian and his family.

https://www.google.com/maps/preview/place/68-10+31st+Ave+Woodside+NY+11377/@40.757641,-73.89865,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x89c25f0e77256dad:0xe7600446fcdfadd9

Dan and Laura

We’ve safely Arrived in Queens

The packing and moving were fairly unexciting. In our drive to New York, we kept looking at each other and saying, “Are we really moving to Queens, NY?” The excitement really began in trying to navigate our 26’ truck and auto trailer through these very narrow streets. The Lord was good. We unpacked and had lots of helpers from the church doing the hard labor. They made quick work of the 23 feet of furniture and “stuff.” It was a relief to get rid of the truck.We were/are exhausted.

Today we ventured out to Aldi.  The photos below were taken waiting in traffic on Junction Blvd, Northwest Blvd and on 31st Ave. where the church is. If you look closely on one of them, you’ll see the Empire State Building. Some parts of what we see every day reminds me of old Milwaukee growing up.

The Empire State Building is at the end of our street too.

Laura and I are looking forward to eating here.

These homes are near and across from the church.

Laura and I are thankful the Lord allowed us to get here early to ease in, get culture shock and be ready to serve here.

Pray for Laura who will begin Tuesday as part-time church secretary. I’ll be looking over her shoulder trying to learn the ins and outs of the church.

Dan and Laura

On the Road Again

This morning we are clearing out our rental house, loading the last things into a rental truck and setting out on a new adventure.

Laura and I celebrated 10 years of marriage yesterday. I say "celebrated," but it was more like meeting in a clearing in our moving confusion and saying, "Happy Anniversary." Today we begin a new beginning.

The past four years, in particular, have been an unusual miracle and in some respects it reminds us of Abraham and Joseph and Moses. We have been in a kind of wilderness, but it has been a gift and we have worked hard serving and preparing to serve the Lord. He has been working in us and preparing us. The Reading Notes have been born out of the need and desire God has put into our hearts to see the church and its people thrive in the harvest following Christ, reaching the lost and making disciples who make disciples who make disciples. God has kept us and provided for us, and we have the feeling that we still don't know how He did it.

And now we are off for Queens, New York. And all we want is to see fruit for Christ. We are praying that the preparation the Lord has given us will be used. Jesus said, "In this is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." If we can't have that, then we might as well die. Who'd want to stay here a minute longer? Yet, the thought of serving Him and seeing lost people saved and seeing His followers follow and become disciple making disciples is a great desire and makes all this worth enduring. It is all for Him.

So, we would ask for your prayers for everything, but immediately for our packing and travel. These 3 days driving to New York are going to be in the 20's during the day and in the single digits at night.

So, Lord bless you. Thank you for praying for us in this past adventure and we'll keep you up-to-date in what happens in New York after the dust, snow, and the pastor (Dan) and his secretary (Laura) settle.

In Christ,

Dan and Laura

55-08 31st Ave.

Woodside, NY 11377

Cell 901 314-5611

February 8, 2014

FEBRUARY 8

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

Exodus 28

I know the only thing the guys will take away from this section is the invention of underwear in v. 42. They will note that they were boxers.

Vs. 1-5 Notice that everything was made with meaning and it looked good. It was to give glory and honor to both God and the priest who represented the people before God. These garments were to be worn only when they were serving God.

Vs. 6-14 In the making of the ephod, notice the stones that were to be placed on the shoulders. Aaron was to be burdened with the responsibility for the people.

Vs. 15-30 You can see by the amount of space given to the breastpiece, that it was very significant. For the second time the names of the tribes of Israel are carried on his person as part of his dress. Verses 29-30 are the key verses here. For the first time in the Bible the Urim and the Thummim are mentioned. They were probably stones used to inquire of God for making judgments and decisions. The German Bible calls them "light and right (justice or truth)," and you get the idea that using them was to find truth and righteousness in making decisions and giving judgments. The only place in the Bible you see them used in a significant way is with David when he was running from Saul. Notice that in these verses it says three times that Aaron was to have the people on His heart. God says, “Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.”

The disciple of Jesus bears on his heart the reaching of the lost and the making of disciples for the next generation. It doesn’t burden us with guilt, but with joy and excitement; because God and the Spirit are with us to bless us. The Lord sits at the right hand praying for us. We bear the name of Christ as His ambassadors, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. In the grace of Jesus and the plan of God, it should weigh on us that there are so many who do not know Christ. To think of the danger they are facing should weigh upon our hearts. And they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the Lord. (Ex. 28:30)

Having a reason to get up every morning should empower us. All things are ours in Christ.

Vs. 31-35 What is significant about the robe is the bells and the pomegranates in vs. 33-34. This chiming sound would be made when the priest was before the Lord in the Holy Place filling the lampstand, putting incense in the altar of incense and replacing the bread of the Presence. The people would recognize the sound of the priests representing God for them, and it would heighten the awareness of the priest that he was standing before the throne of God just beyond the veil. Anyone entering the Holy Place without this attire would die.

Vs. 36-38 The priest was to represent the people before God realizing their (and his) guilt before God and their need for holiness and forgiveness. This would make the sacrifices acceptable to God.

It is interesting here too that the German Bible uses almost the same words for "Holy to the Lord" as in the Lord's prayer, "make the name of God holy." I think that is a part of the intent of these words on Aaron's chest. He was to present the Lord as holy before Israel.

Vs. 40-43 They were to serve the people before God with dignity both in heart and in attire.

Matthew 25:31-26:13

It is hard to keep all of the events of Christ's second coming in order. The fact that there are so many opinions of what will happen makes this hard. Also, the fact that there is an element of the Tribulation, "Jacob's trouble," that is very specific to Israel makes this order of events a challenge. The entire Tribulation will last seven years.

A general order of events is as follows. First, Christ comes for the church. All the believers of the church age, from Jesus' resurrection to that point, will be resurrected and those alive on earth will be taken to Christ and changed into their resurrection bodies. They will be in heaven during the Tribulation.

The Jews will become believing, and they will present the gospel all over the earth during the catastrophic events of the first 3.5 years.

At the midpoint of the 7 years, it seems that an army from the north will come against Jerusalem but be destroyed in the mountains around the Dead Sea. Then the antichrist come to Jerusalem, kill the two witnesses, break the peace agreement with Israel, desecrate the temple and launch a full scale persecution of the Jews. Destroying the Jews won't be as easy as it sounds, since the world will be wrecked and it will get worse. Still, it will be the most violent persecution of the Jews and followers of Christ that has ever taken place.

At the end of the Tribulation as the nations gather north of Jerusalem, Christ will return to the Mount of Olives. There He will gather all the Jews worldwide and resurrect all the OT believers and head to the battle at Armageddon.

After this victory, Jesus will take His throne in the temple in Jerusalem. Then He will call all the people of all the nations to come before Him. This judgment will be on the non-Jewish world. Their faith in Christ was seen in their willingness to risk life and limb in hiding and helping the Jews and other followers of Christ during the Tribulation. This is the judgment of the sheep and the goats.

Matthew 25:31-46

This judgment will take place immediately after the Tribulation as Jesus takes His throne for His thousand-year reign over the earth. Those who helped the Jews/saints proved their faith in God and will continue in the Millennium, but those who did not help the believers proved their rebellion to God. This means that the Millennium will be seeded and begun with only believers. After the 1000 years, even with Satan bound and removed, the sin of man, with no influence other than from within, will rise up against God so that when Satan is freed, he will find hearts ready for rebellion.

V. 42 Note that the goats are condemned by what they didn't do. Too often we think that sin is only seen in what is done. Not praising God, thanking Him, or following Him is also sin.

This parable makes it necessary for the rapture of the church to occur before the end of the Tribulation. If all believers were removed from the earth and "translated" at the end of the Tribulation, there would be no more sheep, only goats. The best time for the rapture of the church is at the beginning of the Tribulation. The entire Tribulation is called “Jacob’s trouble,” and it is the fulfilling of Israel’s destiny. The church has no reason to be there.

Matthew 26:1-13

Vs. 1-2 Jesus is now ready for crucifixion, except for the institution of the symbol of the new covenant and the final discourse to the disciples in John 12-17. Notice how He warns the disciples again.

Vs. 3-4 This means they wanted to kill Jesus before the feast. They will get their wish.

Vs. 5-13 This is Jesus' preparation for burial by Mary. What is touching in this act of love is that Mary, the rich, aristocratic woman, learned to do this from the example of a woman who was a sinner and low in society. Mary identified herself with those who were low and sinful, pleading before the feet of the merciful Savior. In love, facing the scorn of the disciples no less, she poured out ointment worth a year’s wage at minimum wage.

V. 8 I hate to say this, but it looks like all twelve disciples had all been reading, "Religion for Idiots." In John 12 it says that Judas Iscariot led the charge on this and the others followed. John mentions that Judas was the treasurer and a thief.

Vs. 10-13 I wonder if any of the disciples were shamed and surprised by this rebuke from Jesus. This momentary sacrifice is, and has been, a memorial to her and to all disciples, who pour out their lives at the feet of their Savior in fragrant sacrifice, working in His harvest.

Psalm 31:9-18

As you read this, remember that this is the experience God gave to David to teach and train him. In this psalm you can also sense some of what Jesus experiences.

V. 9 I could understand Jesus feeling something like this on the cross.

V. 10 This wouldn't have applied to Jesus.

V. 11 As with the first part of this psalm from yesterday, I see this in Jesus’ death. When I read, those who see me in the street flee from me, it also sounds like a part of Isaiah 53:3, He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. I think of Jesus being led through the streets of Jerusalem, a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. So too, says Paul, are His disciples in 1 Corinthians 4:9, For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men.

Vs. 14-18 I really identify with the cry for help and the plea not to be put to shame. It takes courage to follow the Lord. A common fear is that God will let us down and we will be shown to be fools for trusting Him and His Word. When you see how Jesus was mocked as He hung on the cross, it appears that His adversaries had the victory and He was put to shame. But that was only for a moment and only revealed their hearts. As the old sermon says, "That was Friday, but Sunday's a comin'." As disciples, we should expect no less. We are not better than our Master. We will share both His humiliation and His vindication.

I like v. 16. David wasn't given a permanent deliverance for many years, but God did give him little ones to encourage him and strengthen his faith. Even in our circumstances we are blessed by God allowing His face to shine upon us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoYdQa6Cprc

Proverbs 8:12-13

You can't deny that God wants us to seek wisdom. It isn't just knowing the Word, but using what we learn in such a way as to live skillfully and understand life. Knowing the Lord should make us like the Lord. He is wise beyond all comprehension. God is not only saying it is OK to hate evil, pride, arrogance and perverted speech, He's saying that when we are wise, we will.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this linkhttp://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

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, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is 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. Send comments or feedback todgkachikis@gmail.com.

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to print.

February 7, 2014

FEBRUARY 7

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

Exodus 26-27

It is probably a good idea to have a diagram of the tabernacle. In the Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT, p. 147, you can find one.

By the way, have you figured out how long a cubit was?

Exodus 26

Vs. 1-29 The tabernacle was actually the inner tent. The area around the tabernacle was the courtyard of the tabernacle. God has already described the ark and mercy seat that go in the Most Holy Place (see the BKC diagram) and the table for the bread of the Presence and the lampstand which were in the Holy Place. In chapter 26 God gives Moses the plan for the inner tent, the tabernacle, where they stood.

Notice the directions on the diagram. The entrance faced east, so if you were looking at the entrance to the courtyard or the tabernacle, you were facing west.

V. 30 This gives you the idea that God also showed Moses visually what it would look like.

Vs. 31-34 This is the veil that separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. This is the veil that was torn when Jesus died, showing that mankind could now have full and unhindered access to the throne of grace, or in this case, the seat of mercy.

Vs. 35-37 Looking in the Holy Place you would be looking west. On the left (south) was the lampstand and on the right (north) was the table for the bread of the Presence. Looking straight ahead you would have seen the veil to the Most Holy Place. Missing at this point would be the altar of incense that stood in the middle just in front of the veil. That incense would represent the prayers of God's people rising up the veil and coming into His presence.

Notice how much detail and “art” God is putting into the tabernacle. This would be a major project for the people. They would give all of the jewels and precious metals and their best craftsmen. The skins had to be cured, cut, dyed and sewn. Interestingly, God had prepared the people to build this center of worship. These are the people who built the cities for the Egyptians, so I’ll bet they had skills. Finding good drawings of the tabernacle, the ark, and the lampstand will help in your appreciation of the art.

My bent is not to go overboard when building buildings for churches, but the people who criticize churches for doing a good job and making the inside and outside look nice have never spent time reading how God designed His “tent of the meeting.”

The tabernacle would prepare Israel for its national identity. In addition to worshipping only Yahweh, they would only worship Him in one place, not all over, under every tree and on every high place, as Israel will do later in idolatry.

By the way, you’re in for a surprise in your “Tabernacle Construction” reading in a couple of days.

Exodus 27

Now that the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place have been described, God describes the altar and the courtyard. God's presence was in the Most Holy Place. The courtyard protected the people from approaching God to their own destruction. God was to be approached through the entrance to the courtyard and then through sacrifice expressing thanks, repentance and worship. All of this would be symbolic of what God would provide for mankind in the death and resurrection of His Son.

Vs. 1-8 This is the making of the altar for sacrifices.

Vs. 9-19 This is the court of the tabernacle.

Vs. 20-21 You can see the conditional nature of this covenant with Israel. God promised to be with them if they obeyed. The lampstand was to burn perpetually. You can see the symbolism in that, yet the people had to bring the oil. I'm sure they didn't always bring it, and at different times in their history I'll bet the light went out.

Yet, God's promise to save mankind and fulfill the promise to Abraham was without condition. What the old covenant couldn't do because of the power of sin, the new covenant has made possible because of Jesus. He has provided forgiveness and has broken the power of sin for all who are reborn in Him.

Matthew 25:1-30

Yesterday I mentioned that I thought the “unfaithful” servant could be a believer. I do, but to be fair to the text and to a normal interpretation, “the weeping and gnashing of teeth” club would put him into the unbelieving category. Jesus often told His parables in different situations and to different groups. When they are applied directly to the Twelve and to those who believed, the impact was more of a warning for reward and punishment. If you want to see what I mean, look at Luke 12:35-48. This teaching was for the Twelve, and although treating a disciple like the unfaithful and dispensing severe punishment was warned, I don't see that as damnation.

I think believers in the western world play too much with grace. We fall asleep in the light. Yes, we are loved and totally accepted and don’t have to do anything to be absolutely accepted and welcomed into the arms of God, yet God wants us to work in the harvest with the passion of our Savior.

Both of these parables are directed to the religiously half-hearted, not to the Twelve. In Luke 13:23-30 someone, probably one of the many who followed Jesus, asked Him a similar question. This would have been a couple months earlier. You can see by Jesus' answer that He was challenging the unsaved followers to become fully serious as quickly as possible.

Vs. 1-13 This is the parable of the 10 virgins and has to do with a person's readiness for the return of Christ. What I’ve appreciated about the Plymouth Brethren is the healthy biblical emphasis they put on looking for the return of our Savior “for His own.” Hardly anyone today mentions our expectant waiting, but Jesus taught it and it is all through Paul’s writing. The first Awana verse I memorized as a new Awana leader was Titus 2:11-13, For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

The five unprepared virgins don’t get in and their condemnation is similar to those religious persons we found in Matthew 7 who did mighty miracles in His name, but to whom Jesus said, I never knew you.

Vs. 14-30 The parable of the talents is interesting because it is told in two different places. In Luke, Jesus tells it at Zacchaeus’ house, before He enters Jerusalem. The point is the same; God expects us to invest the truth He has given us to gain interest, or we would say, to bear fruit. Fruitlessness, by not expecting the master's return and therefore hiding the truth, signifies a lack of love and faith in the master.

Applied to that generation of Israel, they had the truth of God, but did not bring Him the fruit of a believing nation nor of many nations coming to worship in Jerusalem.

If an unbeliever is in view, he goes to eternal punishment.

I would still make some application to us as disciples who are commissioned to follow Jesus in the harvest. The life of Christ in us is meant to bear fruit. John 15:8 is important. One sows, another reaps, all work together; but to slide through without trying is not living in accordance to the love and grace we have been shown. Making disciples who make disciples is not our hobby; it is our business here on earth.

Our punishment as believers, if we live in disobedience and do not prepare for His return, is that we will stand before His judgment seat and see our life’s work burned away. We will stand in shame before the One who endured the scourging and spitting of men and the wrath of His Father to bear our sin and give us His righteousness and life. (Heb. 12:1-13)

Psalm 31:1-8

What a powerful psalm this is. You feel David's desperation and great faith struggling side by side.

Vs. 1-2 In all of the years David was a shepherd, living on the hills with the sheep, he had no refuge. Now after the couple of years of fame after he killed Goliath, David is living on the move, in the mountains and in the wilderness, again, without shelter or refuge. What a brilliant way for the Lord to engineer the need for refuge into David's heart. This seeking of refuge in the Lord became one of David's passions and favorite expressions.

Vs. 3-5 While the first two verses were David's cry for help, these verses express what David knows to be true about God. David experienced salvation and knew he could entrust himself to God's care.

V. 5 Notice that Jesus says the first part of this verse as He dies. Not all of the words of this psalm can be attributed to what Jesus thought or felt on the cross, but many of these thoughts would have been what Jesus experienced. Read this psalm from Jesus' perspective as He is nailed to, hanging from, and taking His final breath, on the cross.

Vs. 6-8 Verse 6 could be looked at as saying that trusting in anything but God involves some sort of inappropriate trust in something else. David knew that God's steadfast love was directed toward him. God not only knew of his suffering, but God kept David 10 minutes ahead of the hounds.

Proverbs 8:1-11

When I read this every year, I wonder if my striving to follow, understand, gain wisdom and hear the Spirit is increasing. I know it is, but if I would have known how much grief it would have saved me, and how much more enjoyable it is to follow after God like this now, I would have made a bigger point of it back when I was twenty. Passion is great, but it can get you into a lot of trouble without the wisdom the Spirit gives. The trouble is, even with the Word sitting in your lap and the Spirit living in your heart, you have to want to dig, hear and submit.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this linkhttp://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

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, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is 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. Send comments or feedback todgkachikis@gmail.com.

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to print.

February 6, 2014

FEBRUARY 6

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

Exodus 23:14-25:40

Exodus 23:14-13

Vs. 14-19 These feasts were a great idea by God to have the entire nation, and the men in particular, always focused on God’s salvation, redemption and selection of Israel. The feasts made the people think of God’s provision and His cleansing of their sin. There is actually much more to this, but it is amazing to think of what is built into these three festivals. More than anything, in a heart of faith, these feasts would have made Israel strong in knowing that the promise of God to redeem all mankind was being worked out through them. They were the chosen people through whom the promise to Adam and Eve and the promise to Abraham would be fulfilled and proclaimed in the world.

As a footnote to these feasts and the presentation of sacrifices and firstfruits, three stipulations are given. Looking at them, it seems to me that each applies to each feast in that order.

V. 18 This has to do with the Passover feast where yeast or “leaven” was not allowed.

V. 19 They should offer only the best as firstfruits. This was the feast at Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover.

The young goat and its mother's milk - this has to do with the feast in October, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. Men smarter and godlier than I have broken their heads trying to understand and explain the prohibition here, but it makes sense to me that it’s just out of line, so if God said not to do it, don’t do it. It could be that there was a pagan ritual involving this. It could also be that since a goat plays a significant part in the Day of Atonement, any goats offered were to be roasted.

In a practical sense, for all the men to come to Jerusalem three times a year would have made Israel very unique in the eyes of all its neighbors. They would have been unique not just religiously, but in terms of sanity, leaving the country unguarded for weeks, in fact, the same weeks every year. For Israel itself, it would have demonstrated great love, faith and dependence on God their savior.

As disciples, we live with reminders of our salvation and the grace given to us. That God would choose us to love, forgive and call to His service is incredible. The Word reminds us of God’s plan to redeem and bring salvation through Jesus. Communion reminds us of the price that was paid to redeem us. The very fact that the Church exists should be a reminder of our Savior, our place in God’s kingdom and our mission to reach a lost world, making disciples. God has built all this, and more, into our lives as disciples; but they only stay vital and meaningful if we are in love with Christ and are following Him in the harvest.

Vs. 20-22 This is a promise to the people that God will give them the land. They have seen His power, so there should be no doubt that God will do this. They see the mountain smoking, burning at the top, lightning, thunder, a blaring trumpet…all indications that what Moses is telling them from God is a pretty good bet.

One question I have is regarding the angel. Is this just an angel or is it Christ? I say this because of what Paul/Spirit says in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

In the verses above it says Christ was represented in the “Rock” or provision of water; but since there is the aspect of following or accompanying them, I would guess that Jesus was that angel who led them. God's presence was with the people, not by proxy, but He was actually there in the person of Christ, the angel of the Lord. Now, in the promise of the Holy Spirit, God is not only "with us," He dwells within us. Amazing.

Vs. 23-33 There is a lot to observe here.

Notice that God says He will bless them and give them victory, but it is repeated that they dare not worship the gods of these people. That sounds like the warning about the tree of good and evil.

Notice that God says He will not drive the people out immediately and why. Also, God says He will drive the people out of the land. This means that, in a sense, Israel never had to fight against anyone. There never had to be any bloodshed. The people of the land knew that God was giving the land to Israel and they could have responded to God and left. That is an interesting wrinkle on what we'll be reading in Joshua, especially when we see what Rahab says.

Exodus 24

Vs. 1-8 This is the “Mosaic Covenant,” that is, the covenant that God made with Israel through Moses. It is a conditional covenant, in that the people have to agree to obey in order to see the blessings. This obedience was to have been driven by their love of God for their salvation from Egypt. It would be saving faith by believing that God was fulfilling the promise to Abraham through them. Even here, the focus was not on them, but on God, who would show them love as a witness to draw the nations.

Moses had already been writing, since he mentions a Book of the Covenant. The Ten Commandments actually signified other commands God had given and those He would still give. This is why in the New Testament we'll see statements that loving God and one's neighbor actually fulfill the law. Just as loving God and one's neighbor fulfilled the Ten Commandments (Romans 13:9), the Ten Commandments summarized all of the laws of the Old Testament.

The people agreed to the covenant and in the only time this happens in the OT, they are sprinkled (somehow) with the blood of the covenant. Those words, the blood of the covenant, will be repeated when Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, in making a new covenant.

Just for clarification, the covenant that Jesus makes with us for redemption and righteousness before God is unconditional. In the Mosaic Covenant (MC) obedience was a mandate. The MC was an “If/Then” arrangement, not for salvation, but for national blessing. I think that the “faith that saved” was in the God of Israel, who redeemed Israel according to His promise to Abraham. No one could ever be saved by obeying the law. Paul says that salvation is, and always has been, through faith.

Vs. 9-11 A meal usually followed the making of a covenant. It says they see God. Jesus, John and Paul all say that no one has ever seen God. So what is happening here? Again, I think that they are seeing the angel of the Lord, the pre-incarnate Son of God. Seeing Jesus is the only time mankind has ever seen God.

Another thing worth mentioning has to do with the men at this meal, two of whom are Aaron’s sons. We need to keep in mind that through these 40 years, God is going to be teaching the people His holiness and the deadliness of sin. These two men are given a great privilege. How many people have eaten with God? Surely they’ve gotta be like “buds” with God, and if they mess up, He’ll cut them some slack. Right? Wrong.

Vs. 12-18 Joshua went further up the mountain with Moses, but didn’t go up to the place where Moses met God. This does mean that Joshua is being given great privilege. I find it interesting that Moses’ successor is already shown to us.

Aaron and the guys went down to the people to take care of stuff. I doubt that Joshua or Moses had food for 40 days. God must have somehow been providing for them too.

Exodus 25

Vs. 1-9 It is interesting that the first thing God does after the covenant is to begin forming the nation around their worship of Him. Notice that the materials for the tabernacle and everything in it were to come from their free offerings as their hearts led them.

God either gave Moses detailed plans or He gave Moses a supernatural memory.

Also, some of these materials for building the tabernacle were probably what the people brought out of Egypt. But in the forty years they were living in the wilderness, I'll bet this community of 2-3 million people became a stop on the caravan routes.

Vs. 10-22 Beginning from the very innermost room, the Holy of Holies, God describes the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. It was here every year on the Day of Atonement that the sins of the nation would be provisionally forgiven as a symbol of the forgiveness that would come through Jesus.

Vs. 23-30 Now God describes the furniture in the Holy Place, the room right before the veil that covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies. It is interesting that the next thing God talks about is the table for the bread of the Presence. The twelve loaves represent the people of Israel always being before God. That this symbol was bread probably signified that the life and provision of Israel came from Him.

Vs. 31-40 The lampstand signified God's light and life to the people. The talent of gold in v. 39 was about 75 pounds.

As you think of these pieces of furniture, remember that in all God is doing here, He is setting the visual aids to what redemption in Jesus would look like.

Matthew 24:29-51

It is good to keep in mind that all of this prophetic information will have a very helpful and specific meaning to the people going through the Tribulation. They will understand these words better than we do. The Lord is giving them a basic outline of what will happen. It is OK if we don't understand everything fully. They will.

Vs. 29-31 I’ve always thought this was comical. In v. 15 from yesterday, the antichrist goes into the temple with an attitude and declares himself to be god. Then he walks out on the temple steps, and basically the earth and the universe go kaput. Cool, he has just pronounced himself captain of the Titanic.

This is not the rapture of the church before the Tribulation. This gathering refers to all believers on earth at the end of the Tribulation. Because of the persecution, they will be driven into all nations. It is at this time, too, that the Lord will resurrect all the OT believers and they will enjoy the Millennial Kingdom of Christ.

Vs. 32-51 The fig tree illustration is a reference to the “birth pangs” that are not the coming of Christ, but give the sign that His “day” is coming. This coming “day” will be all seven years of the Tribulation. For those disciples who are watching, there will be a sense of alertness when they see times of great distress hit the nations and the earth.

Vs. 36-39 Jesus says that the day will come totally unexpected. There will be enough peace on earth to allow the normal flow of life. The reference has to be to the beginning of the Tribulation. This “day of the Lord” will bring such severe judgment that all normal life on earth will end. Once the Tribulation begins, people who are wise can begin marking X's on their calendars.

I understand vs. 40-41 to refer to the rapture, that is, God removing the church from earth before the Tribulation, thus introducing the Tribulation. Just as God made a choice between belief and unbelief in the plagues of Egypt, He will do that also as He begins the Tribulation. The result will be turmoil on the earth and many in Israel will be awakened to belief in the gospel and their Messiah.

Vs. 42-51 This is the second time Jesus has used this example with His disciples. Now all of this information will have a great meaning to the people going through the Tribulation, but Jesus expects all of His disciples in all ages to be awake and alert. I know the final thing Jesus says about the lazy servant can be taken to mean that this servant wasn’t a believer. I think that defeats the purpose of the warning; but then, you don’t want a believer thrown into hell. What are we to do?

My take on this is that the servant is a believer, like millions we have today who live for themselves as good Christians but do not follow Christ into the harvest. When they are judged…and we all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ…their lives and works built on the foundation will be looked at. I think this is another view of 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. To cut him in pieces is a figure of speech like, “the fir will fly,” or “tear him a new one.” These hypocrites will suffer. I think those who live a lukewarm life for Christ will feel deep distress and remorse in that moment when they see their life’s work burned away and realize, in the presence of their Savior, what a waste it was. I know the weeping and gnashing of teeth is usually reserved for those who end up in hell, but I think the anguish can be applied in this case to those who, though believing, treat the love and grace and mission of Christ with contempt.

Psalm 30

The note here that this was at the dedication of the temple probably means the tabernacle when David brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. David must have had times he wondered if he would ever see this day. David's deep despair is felt here, but out of that despair and crying out came this amazing testimony of God's care. Verses 11 and 12 came out of that suffering.

Vs. 1-3 Look at all the things David mentions in these verses. These are the things God would also do for those who came to the tabernacle and sought God's help and mercy.

Vs. 4-5 After all of the civil war and the oppression of enemies, this nation was now united under God, under David. The waiting was worth it. The morning had come. You'll notice that Darrel Evans used v. 5 in "Trading my Sorrows."

Vs. 6-7 David had to experience betrayal and persecution to become humble. That oppression was a blessing.

Vs. 8-10 In persecution is where David learned to cry out to the Lord.

Vs. 11-12 And look what David learned and how finding God as his help changed him.

As we read these psalms, they should give us hope as we are crying out and waiting on the Lord. The joy that God gave David will be given to us also, if we wait on the Lord.

Proverbs 7:24-27

There she is again. In my book, Looking Out For Number One, I used these verses of warning for Andreas when Angela came to get him. I intentionally made Angela look “normal” and “moral,” because most men are smart enough not to go after a wild looking prostitute; but the woman next door, or in the next office who they see at lunch, comes right through their radar. But it all leads to the same place.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this linkhttp://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

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, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is 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. Send comments or feedback todgkachikis@gmail.com.

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to print.

February 5, 2014

FEBRUARY 5

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

Exodus 21:22-23:13

The laws that God is giving here may seem varied and random, but there is a pattern. The laws here do not spell out every possible situation, but they do provide a framework of situations that you could use to make applications to other similar, but unmentioned, events. We see something like this on TV in courtroom dramas. The hot-shot lawyer will find a case like, "Smith vs. the State of Nevada," and use that judgment to help decide a case that has some similar aspects.

It seems that the theme of this first block is restitution and punishment in case of a death.

Exodus 21:22-36

Vs. 22-25 Notice that the baby is born prematurely. Some translations say "miscarry," but the Hebrew has a separate word for miscarriage. This is an injury that causes premature birth. If the child lives, no problem. If either the mother or child is harmed, the father sets the restitution and judges determine if this is fair. If the woman is injured, the penalty will be the same as the injury. If either mother or child died, then death was the penalty.

This is the first mention of the famous law of retribution. Notice that it actually limits what can be done to a person in judgment. Life for life is clear, but the others say that you cannot go beyond duplicating the injury. This limited the punishment. If someone broke your tooth, you couldn't kill them, maim them or take two teeth. It makes it clear too, that this was overseen by the town judges or elders. This wasn't something that took place privately in an alley.

Vs. 26-27 This law gives a slight addition to the law of retribution in the case of a slave. As in the law above, this does not seem to be premeditated violence, but someone losing their mind and lashing out. Not only would the slave owner lose his eye or his tooth, but he would also lose the slave.

Vs. 28-36 These three situations have to do with restitution where animals are inflicting harm or are harmed by carelessness.

V. 30 What strikes me here is that in the first situation, the man who owned the ox was liable for death if he knew the animal was dangerous. Yet in this case, the judges and family of the victim could elect not to kill the man since he himself didn't do the killing, but instead, demand a ransom payment of some kind.

You'll notice in many of these laws that God is sowing thoughts and giving traditions that will point to Christ's sacrifice for us. We are ransomed by His blood.

Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

V. 33 People were responsible to be careful for others and their property.

Exodus 22

Vs. 1-17 This section seems to be laws to clarify the eighth commandment, Do not steal. Notice that this section hangs together because each block begins with If. Verse 18 begins a different kind of thought.

V. 1 This sets the theme of this section. This is like the law of retribution for loss or theft.

Vs. 2-3 Notice that the death of the thief was to be avoided. The burglary at night left the owner defenseless in defending himself. The message is pretty clear. Stuff is not a reason to kill someone. Let it go.

If the thief was caught but spent everything, he was to be sold into slavery to repay what was stolen.

V. 4 This reflects back on v. 1. If the thief was caught and still had the stolen animals, he gave back the animals he stole and an animal for each one he stole.

Vs. 5-6 Again, carelessness resulting in loss had to be paid for.

Vs. 7-13 There were no banks, self-storage rooms or doggy and cattle hotels back then. If you went on a trip, you had to leave your stuff in the care of someone. These laws make sure that the property or animal was not lost as a result of the caretaker.

Vs. 14-15 And then what about borrowing your neighbor’s ox? If the neighbor damaged it, you made full restitution, but if the owner was there either using it to plow or pull out a stump or watching it being done, the owner had responsibility by his ownership to supervise and keep things safe.

Again, these were general situations given to give a baseline in more complex or unexpected situations. I'm sure if the owner was there, but suddenly the borrowing neighbor did something bizarre and the animal died, there were other laws to make sure there was restitution.

Vs. 16-17 It seems that the issue in this section is “restitution for damaging someone’s property or means of revenue.” You might come up with a better title or idea. Back in that day, livestock carried things and moved things and plowed things. You can understand the money, property and livestock, but what is that section about the virgin doing there?

First, when a family married off their virgin daughter, they were given money, cattle or something, the bride-price. If a girl lost her virginity, the family was robbed of the bride-price. Virginity, and the implied faithfulness and virtue thereof, was prized in that day.

Notice, that she is “seduced” and not a willing participant. The girl is not looked on as being responsible. The guy is responsible. Back in that day, a girl could be engaged as a young teen. Some say that Mary, Jesus’ mother, could have been as young as 14 or 15 when she was betrothed to Joseph. In this case, I suppose if she was at a feast or celebration and someone was feeding her wine this could happen. (BTW, when a guy says, “Can I buy you a drink?” that is not a gift, it is a speculative investment.) In any case, this guy was a premeditative predator and the girl is not seen as being of age or maturity to fend off the influence.

The penalty was not only the bride-price, but marriage, unless the guy was such a jerk that the father couldn’t stand thinking of his little girl being hitched to him or having him in the family. Whatever you get from this episode, marriage is seen as the proper context for sex.

Vs. 18-20 So what is this doing here? Generally speaking it seems to be concluding the previous section. If there was an unknown theft or if there was need for prosperity or for information, they were to go to God, not to other sources. The people were to depend on God.

V. 18 Remember when Joseph was testing his brothers in Genesis 44:15, he said that he discovered their "theft" by divination. Joseph didn't really divine anything. He said that to conceal his identity. Divination is how you did things back then. You hired an occultist to see an event or tell you the future. You can see how this would be used as a way to make decisions or find out things. God wanted them to come to Him and use the law to decide. In a short time we'll see God give the people a method for judgment, the Urim and the Thummim, by which they could find out almost anything. They were to depend on God only.

V. 19 Baal worship was a way to obtain fertility and fruit in your fields and livestock. Sexual intercourse with cult prostitutes was part of this worship, as was having intercourse with animals. You wonder how VD was introduced to mankind? I'm not a doctor, but this would be a safe guess.

V. 20 Especially in pagan worship, you worshipped in order to get something. God was the one they were to seek.

Vs. 21-27 Over and over it is mentioned in the NT that loving your neighbor was the fulfilling of the law. These laws regarding the defenseless also have something to do with finance and prosperity.

Vs. 21-24 They might be tempted to take advantage of aliens, widows and children, working them for next to nothing, feeding them little, because there was no one to protect them. That still happens today.

Vs. 25-27 Even in lending money to these kinds of people, you couldn't make interest. Nor could you hold as collateral anything they needed for daily life and well-being.

V. 28 At the heart of the matter was their respect for God and those God put in authority to keep law and order. Just as a note here, Paul quotes this sarcastically in Acts 23:3-5. Paul was saying that he didn't know the high priest was the high priest because the people hated him and made jokes about his corruptness. The fact that they spoke evil of the high priest proved he was not a ruler of the people. Please tell me you got that.

Vs. 29-30 The people were to see themselves completely in God's care. Blessing came from Him; therefore, they were to be quick to give Him what He requested in these laws. Also, these tithes were used for the poor and to feed the priest and Levites who cared for the people.

V. 31 They were to see themselves so completely in God's care that they didn't need to eat road kill. They could trust God for His provision and walk on by.

Exodus 23:1-13

This section looks like there is more emphasis on “love your neighbor,” but there is still a sense of commerce and well-being. These people lived directly from the land, and often from "hand to mouth." God is training them and teaching them to depend on Him. He will take care of them with His love so they can relax and show love to others.

Vs. 1-3 This is the ninth commandment; but again, what did you gain by lying and bearing false witness? It was often for financial advantage or personal well-being. Notice here they couldn't be partial to a poor man. Surely the rich or the thrifty had something to spare. Again, that is the financial aspect of what is implied in this section on truth. Justice was always to be just.

Vs. 4-5 This is not only "love your enemy," but his life and livelihood would be at risk losing an animal. God brings justice and vindication. We "play God," not by vengeance or looking the other way, but by showing His love.

Vs. 6-9 Faith in God gives courage to be just and fair. There is no need to oppress the poor or needy, or to watch it happen. Notice then, that there would be no need to take a bribe or pervert justice.

Vs. 10-13 This is the first mention of the Sabbatical year. This will loom large in Israel’s history, but once we are past Deuteronomy it will become hidden and forgotten, until Jeremiah. It looks like Israel never, under any king, celebrated the Sabbath year. Here, it is mentioned as to how it related to the poor. The poor were free to gather food for a day or two but not harvest. This would have been different than the general provision given later that landowners were always to leave something in the corners of their fields so the poor could find food. In this case, the poor could wander into the fields and take what they found growing for the entire growing year.

Even more than the Sabbath day, the Sabbath year reflected a deep trust and dependence on God. “Can I relax and trust and not work for a day? Sure.” “Can I relax and trust and not sow or harvest for a year?” They never obeyed this one.

Although some of the laws look social and simply humane, God wanted the people to see them as coming from Him so that the message behind the laws and the motivation to obey was, “You are my people. Love Me and love your neighbor.” As Jesus says later, loving God and your neighbor sum up the law. As disciples, we are consecrated to God. We belong to Him to live for Him as lights in the world. For those in the western world, obeying government laws, as it says in Romans 13, should be easy for us because we know why we’re here. Loving our neighbor to show them the love we have found is our mission, born out of our love and appreciation for Jesus saving and calling us to Himself and His service.

Matthew 24:1-28

Vs. 1-2 Jesus is talking about the immediate judgment of Israel and Jerusalem under Titus in 70 A.D. The disciples now knew this was coming. This launches them into asking Jesus what the end of the age would look like.

Vs. 3-28 The Mount of Olives, directly across from Jerusalem, would have given this discourse a great vantage point to view the city. It also gave it a great name, “The Olivet Discourse.”

V. 3 Notice that the disciples ask Jesus about the end of the age. The end of the age is what Jesus is talking about here, not what will happen in 70 A.D. It will be the time of the Tribulation of the Jews that will precede the second coming of Christ and the 1000-year reign of Christ on earth in Jerusalem.

Vs. 4-8 These are the days leading up to the Tribulation. There will be confusion and questioning. Jesus describes these as the pains before the birth. Notice that there will be deception and people claiming to be Christ.

Vs. 9-14 This would be the first part of the Tribulation. It will be a time of disaster on earth, and therefore, people will be looking for Christ. This means that the Bible will be used and people will have some idea of what is happening.

Even during this awful time, the earth will be reached by the proclamation of the Gospel. By whom? By the 144,000 Jewish preachers from Revelation. Israel will rise and fulfill its ministry.

V. 10 During this time of disaster and hardship on the earth, the heart of man will instinctively know that God is responsible and the followers of Christ will be hated by all nations. Imagine that. Since it will not be popular or cool to be a Christian, many "believers" will fall away and will betray and hate other, true, believers. It is a way that the Lord will reveal those who actually belong to Him. How foolish we are to think that the mark of a disciple is anything other than bearing our cross of death with a heart of love and joy, following our Lord into the harvest.

Vs. 15-28 The abomination of desolation refers to a man who will come into the rebuilt temple, stop the worship, and proclaim himself to be god. At this point in time, there will be 3.5 years of tribulation left; and at this point, all heck will break loose on Israel as a nation, and on all of those who have become disciples of Christ. During this time, it will get very desperate, having greater deceiving signs, more destruction and death; and when it gets darkest, Jesus returns. The sign of Jesus' coming will be so pronounced and obvious that all men will see it regardless of where they are on the earth.

V. 28 refers to the appearance of the Son of Man in the heavens. If someone were to ask, "where is the body (corpse)," the answer was to look up to the circling "eagles" (vultures). Jesus was telling His disciples that the question as to where the Christ was, would only be answered one way, "Look up."

As disciples, we know that there is great judgment coming and this earth will get wrecked. We work now realizing this is coming. Things will not get better; they will get worse. We who are saved will be taken before that time, but others will go through the Tribulation. Jesus says the harvest is white; but there won’t always be time to harvest for us, so we follow Him now, every day, reaching out to the lost, making disciples who make disciples.

Especially in election years, we need to remember we are not called or commissioned to obsess about our political situation. We are to work in the harvest as the storm clouds are gathering on the horizon.

Psalm 29

The most natural way to witness is to be overcome by God. Count as precious the love of Christ and His payment and deliverance and forgiveness and gift to you, and it comes out of you. Work with the lost in the harvest, and see what you have that you take for granted as you strain in prayer to God for the salvation of others; and you will find praise and gratitude to God becoming heartfelt and natural.

If you read this slowly, looking for clues to the structure, this beautiful psalm is also a good lesson in studying the Bible.

Vs. 1-2 This section is marked by the word ascribe. What does that mean?

Vs. 3-9 Notice the word voice - the Word of God.

V. 10 He sits enthroned. Cool! Think of the first lines of the Lord's Prayer.

V. 11 Amen.

Proverbs 7:6-23

One of the things that is interesting in reading the Proverbs at this speed, daily, is that you notice how often Solomon is hitting on this theme. Did you ever notice this before this year? I guess God is really, really, really saying, “Watch Out!” Stay away from the willing woman. Beware of sexual adventure. Unplug the computer. If you’re married, make enjoyment with one another your hobby and passion. If you need to be married, lay it before the Lord, submit to Him, make Him your heart’s desire and begin asking God how to seek for a marriage partner. Ask Him where you can get involved in the harvest, and as He leads you toward that person, focus on the harvest now. Don’t wait.

Vs. 8-9 Notice that this man is already "had" because of the openness of his own heart. It isn't the woman or the website that is the ultimate problem. She has him here.

Vs. 10-21 Hollywood!

Vs. 22-23 We think that God is overstating the case, yet our world of leaders, political and spiritual, is a landscape filled with corpses. And each of these intelligent people walked to their demise as the fool in v. 7. When will we learn?

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this linkhttp://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

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, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is 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. Send comments or feedback todgkachikis@gmail.com.

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to print.

February 4, 2014

FEBRUARY 4

Today's Reading in the ESV One-Year Bible

Exodus 19:16-21:21

This is holy ground. God is forming these people into a nation that was meant to be a beacon of light in a dark world. Everything we read from here until Numbers will take place in the next 11 months. There will be little action, but there is a lot to learn about God and about ourselves.

Exodus 19:16-25

This shows something about the Lord, the way He chose to represent Himself to the people. This might seem extreme, but keep in mind that up until now, they had seen many, many miracles and examples of God’s care, but had chosen at every turn to distrust God and gripe at Moses. God has already shown them love and grace in humbling the Egyptians. Now it is time for them to be humbled. God wants them to fear Him. Yet, we will see in Israel that neither God's love and mercy nor His awesome power will persuade them to love and follow Him. Until the power of sin is broken, mankind is helpless.

This event will be used as a lesson showing the contrast of coming to God through the law and coming to God through the redemption in Christ in Hebrews 12:18-22.

V. 22 Notice that there were already priests. It may have been that during the time in Egypt, different tribes set people apart to lead in worship. In a few chapters God will introduce the Levites as the tribe of priests.

Exodus 20

Vs. 1-17 The Ten Commandments!

Some people have an allergic reaction to them because they are in the negative. Someone else has pointed out that often the negative conveys greater clarity in a few words. Imagine trying to reframe all of these in the positive. Also, imagine trying to convey directions and warnings to your kids by only using positive wording, like “don’t run out in the street,” or “don’t put your hand on a hot burner on the stove.”

These 10 "Words" would sum up everything God wanted the people to do. If they followed God in faith, obeying these commandments, the other laws would have been a piece of cake. If the Ten Commandments meant nothing to the people, the other laws would be burdens to them.

The commandments have two parts. Do you see the difference? Also, all but one of these is repeated by Jesus in the NT, the keeping of the Sabbath. Why do you think it is not endorsed and promoted for the church by Jesus?

Vs. 2-3 This is the first commandment. Notice that it is based on God's love and grace to them.

Vs. 4-6 This is the second commandment. Notice too that even here, God's love is mentioned.

V. 7 This is the third commandment to honor the name of the Lord. In Catholic Milwaukee, I grew up thinking it was a commandment to abuse the name of the Lord.

Vs. 8-11 This is the fourth commandment to consecrate the Sabbath and keep it holy. Notice that the Sabbath is connected to the seven literal 24-hour days of creation. God worked on the first six days and rested on the seventh. They would have understood the days of creation as 24-hour days.

Vs. 12-17 Now based on following God in faith and love, you love your neighbor as yourself.

Vs. 18-21 This is the people's response and Moses' explanation for the sound and light show.

If this order is chronological, the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on this short excursion on the mountain. Then he came down to pass on the commandments and to let the people know that God wanted to make a covenant with them, the commandments being representative of their obedience to the covenant. Moses then went back up the mountain to write the book of the covenant with the other regulations for the nation.

The sight must have been fear inspiring. Earlier it is said that the smoke rising off the mountain was like from a furnace, violent and forceful. Add to this the lightning, thunder, and trumpets, and you can understand why the people were petrified.

V. 20 gives the purpose for this show of power. We'll see that it didn't work.

Vs. 22-26 This section fits with the commandments, restating one of the commandments and adding God’s stipulations on how He should be approached in worship and sacrifice. Within the next few months they would begin building the tabernacle, but until the completion of the tabernacle, if they made altars, this was how they should do it.

The main lesson for them here is to approach God in fear and respect, without representing Him in ways that He does not choose. The images and symbols of the worship of Yahweh will come from Yahweh, not from their imaginations. God was always to have been worshipped in spirit and in truth.

For us as disciples, we should also follow this “advice.” If you look at what Jesus says we should do, and how “worship” is referred to in the NT, I wonder sometimes if our “worship” isn’t more a product of our imaginations and needs. I’m not saying all of it is wrong, but if the things that God desires are missing, if there is no worship in serving Him in the harvest, and it’s all to give us a nice feeling, does that really give glory to God? Is any of it really for Him, or simply for us? By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:8)

Exodus 21:1-21

Now, there are lots of places in the Bible, like Proverbs, where the order and connection between verses or themes defies logic or imagination. Since I enjoy the exercise, I’ll suggest some logical connections at times. And if you see something that seems to fit together, go for it. If you can’t see the connection I make, maybe you can make your own.

The last block of verses seemed to address the first four commandments, repeating one of them and generally talking about approaching God. These verses seem to address the last six commandments, repeat the commandment regarding parents, and generally talk about issues in living with one another.

Vs. 1-6 The slavery mentioned here is when a person makes himself a slave because of debt or need. It was like being hired under contract for six years. Every seventh year the contracts were voided. This is not forceful oppression and ownership of humans.

V. 1 hints at the cycle of release that God will institute later. The image of the slave wishing to give up his freedom and to stay "enslaved" to remain with his wife and children has been used as a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, allowing Himself to be “pierced through” for love of his bride. It makes a good image for a disciple.

Vs. 7-11 This was "selling" a daughter into marriage, where the daughter became a concubine or servant wife. This is what Hagar was to Abe. She was a kind of wife, but was still referred to by God as the slave woman.

Notice that what is given here is humane and lawful and is probably a corrective to something bad that had been going on in the culture.

Vs. 12-14 This is the 6^th commandment with the addition of what to do with someone who accidentally kills someone. It was apparently expected that if one man killed another, even by accident, someone had the right to kill the killer. God puts the brakes on this. Thou shall not kill means you shall not murder.

Vs. 15-17 This has to do with the 5^th commandment with v. 16 sitting in. I would suggest that the connection with v. 16 is that “honoring your parents” also meant caring for them, financially and physically, in their old age or need. To take a son from his parents by force, so that he could not care for them, was worthy of death. Think about what Jesus said about “Corban” (Mark 7:11). That was similar to this.

Vs. 18-19 This is two men willingly fighting each other, not one attacking another. Notice that the injuring party had to pay for the injured man.

Vs. 20-21 This was a new, better law. It meant death to the slave owner if the slave died. But if the slave survived for a couple of days, it was, I think, to be looked on as God’s intervention, that God could have saved him but didn’t, and there was to be no punitive justice.

From here on, it will only get more random, at times, and you’ll be happy for the NT portion.

Matthew 23:13-39

Jesus is only days before His sacrifice for our sin, and here He is pronouncing His official condemnation of the Jewish leadership. After three years of being hounded by them, showing them mercy and grace, it is time to strongly “speak the truth in love” to these leaders.

So, how many woes are there? This is like Bible Study 101. Take every woe and figure out what Jesus is stating about the Pharisees and leaders. What is the key thing they were doing wrong? What should we be doing better as followers of Christ in the harvest?

I’ll mention some things that stand out to me.

Vs. 13-15 Notice that the first woe has to do with keeping people from finding God. This was the whole point of Israel’s mission, and the leaders were keeping people out. Although God is reaching people now, through the church, do not think that Israel will not fulfill this purpose. There will come a time when the church is removed, and Israel will come to Christ and evangelize the world as all hell is breaking loose upon them. Redeeming a lost world was and is Israel’s mission. It is Christ’s mission and it is His disciple’s mission.

Vs. 16-22 Jesus has told the disciples never to swear at all. Yet, here Jesus is showing that these men were teaching people to worship stuff and not to worship God in spirit and in truth.

Vs. 23-24 I think this image is funny.

Vs. 25-26 We all do this. We think if we don't get in trouble, don't smoke, don't get people pregnant, etc., we are right with God.

Vs. 27-28 Rather than making people holy or blessed or disciples, everyone who touched them became unclean and disqualified from worshiping God.

Vs. 29-36 The last woe puts the entire OT history on the shoulders of these leaders. Just as the law and prophets continued to John, the guilt of hardhearted rebellion against God and killing His messengers continued to these men who were about to kill the ultimate messenger, the Christ, the Son of Man, the Son of God.

V. 33 Imagine, this is God speaking to these men. Whoa!

V. 34 Notice the I.

Jesus pronounces judgment on this group of people, this particular generation. The imminence of this coming judgment often gets confused with the second coming of Christ. Paul, in particular, had this judgment in view. You see this reflected in the distress that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 7. The judgment with this generation would hit in 70 A.D., when Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed by the Romans.

Vs. 37-39 This is a second lament of Jesus over Jerusalem. The part of this that hits me is the ending. The nation will not see Jesus again until they are so desperate, that like Israel as slaves in Egypt, the collective cry of the nation will be so intense that they cry out for help and are willing to welcome Him, who they as a nation have already rejected.

Psalm 28

I wonder if the crying out of Israel in the Tribulation will sound like this psalm? It would be a blessing to be able to write something like this, but it came at a price for David. To deeply know the Lord will mean to suffer for His sake. And the testimony of praise has much more meaning when it comes from those who have been tested and proven in living for the Lord.

You see some very distinct parts of this song to the Lord:

Vs. 1-2 David is calling out to the Lord for help.

Vs. 3-5 David's distress over the wicked and their attempts to harm him.

Vs. 6-7 David's personal praise and confidence in the Lord.

Vs. 8-9 Israel's need for the Lord and His guidance.

Proverbs 7:1-5

Notice again the figurative reference to binding the Word to your body to control your actions. This is how important and close the Word should be to us. We assent to this, but Solomon and the Spirit are saying we should so passionately understand our need and the danger around us, that we intimately connect ourselves to the Word. We ignore this to our own harm.

Notice, too, that sensual pleasure is the great danger again, and attraction to the Word and wisdom is contrasted to the passion and attraction to the desires that will ruin us as disciples.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this linkhttp://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

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, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is 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. Send comments or feedback todgkachikis@gmail.com.

If you would like documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to print.