FEBRUARY 10
Exodus 30:11-31:18
Exodus 30:11-38
Vs. 11-16 In
the whole scheme of things this mention of giving a ransom for the men 20 years
and older for the coming census seems to be an element that is out of place.
God has just told Moses about the altar of incense. My suggestion is that this atonement
has to do with the men's sense of humility and need before God when they pray.
In Israel, when the priest added the incense in the evening, the men (and
women) would be standing outside praying. They would need to remember they were
a people, humbled and ransomed before God. Their strength was not in their
numbers, but in their God and His salvation.
V. 12 The
element of humility was very important in Israel. Notice how this verse ends
and then think about the plague that God brings against Israel when David
numbers the people in order to glory in (be proud of) the size of Israel’s
army. (2 Sam. 24:10-25)
This ransom
money was to be given when God took a census of the people. That didn't happen
often. Between now and Joshua (40 years) there will be two censuses. These
instructions may only have been given for this occasion.
The payment was
a sign and reminder that all were guilty before God. The half shekel was a
ransom payment, releasing them from God's punishment. In Jesus' day this seems
to become the temple tax. In the NT we've read the story in Matthew 17:24-27,
where Peter is confronted by the IRS about this tax and Jesus tells Peter to go
fishing.
All the tithes
and taxes were to pay for the ministry of the priests and Levites, and for
maintenance. The priests represented the people before God. The Levites were to
serve in the temple and to educate the people, becoming the first Sunday school
teachers.
Vs. 17-21 This
was another symbol. It was another provision and warning for Aaron and his
sons. There was to be a huge basin of water between the altar and the
tabernacle where they could wash before they entered the Holy Place and served
the Lord. The symbolic emphasis was that they were to be holy inwardly.
Symbolic though this was, nevertheless, it was a grave warning that God would
judge them.
In our service
as disciples, our holiness and cleansing is important also. The difference is
that we don't do this out of fear of punishment, because this washing takes
place in the love and grace of Christ as we read the Word and the Spirit
touches our hearts. We need that "washing" every day. Actually,
today's psalm has something to do with this.
Vs. 22-38 In
this section God gives Moses the mixture for both the anointing oil and the
incense. Here, God is introducing the concept of patent protection. No, just
kidding, but God wasn't. The fragrance of this anointing oil and incense would
only be associated with God and worship and sacrifice. God, as a good educator,
is not only covering things conceptually, and not only culturally (the feasts,
etc.), and not only visually, but now also through the association of this
particular smell and God's holiness and their redemption in the activities in
the tabernacle.
Exodus 31
Vs. 1-11 God
not only sought out skilled men, but He skilled them to do this work. He gave
them wisdom and creativity for this task. The same is true of us. Paul's words
are as gripping today as when he said, For
who sees anything different in you? What
do you have that you did
not receive? If then you
received it, why do you boast as
if you did not receive it? (RSV,
"as if it were not a gift") 1 Corinthians 4:7
Interestingly,
the men who built the tabernacle and all of this also perished in the
wilderness because of their rebellion. God isn't impressed with our work or our
skill. He wants our hearts.
Vs. 12-18 More
laws will follow, but this is an important spot. God gives them a sign of this
covenant. This sign shows they, as a nation, were separated from all races for
the Lord's special purpose. It was based on God's work in creation, recounting
the six days of work and His rest and enjoyment on the 7th day. Oddly, this is
evidence that the six days of creation were literal 24-hour days.
When it says
they shouldn't do any work, it literally means work, or, that which you did to
sustain your livelihood and take care of the cares of life. If you think of
this in terms of what Jesus warns about as He teaches the disciples in the
Beatitudes, you get the picture. They were not to care for their lives, but to
seek first the kingdom of God. Jesus made it clear they could help others in
showing mercy. It was to be a day of reflection on the creation, glory and
goodness of God. There was plenty they could do on the Sabbath, but it was a
day of trusting God and kicking back in thankfulness.
As disciples,
whether on Sunday or some other day, we need to stop and chill and reflect on
the creation, glory and goodness of God in Christ. From the outside, Israel
keeping the Sabbath looked silly, but reflection made them stronger. The same
is true for us.
Matthew 26:47-68
Vs. 47-56 This
is Judas' betrayal, Peter's attempt to be an action hero and Jesus' arrest.
There is a lot packed into these verses. Enjoy what you get out of them.
V. 48 It was
dark, so Judas identified Jesus by a sign, a kiss, which meant, "When I
embrace this guy, grab Him!"
V. 51 Luke,
thankfully, tells us Jesus healed the ear.
V. 53 Jesus
could have gotten out of this. Twelve
legions of angels would have been about 72,000. I'd say that might have
done the job.
Vs. 55-56 Jesus
took command of the situation and created a distraction, so Peter & Co.
were not whacked.
Vs. 57-68 We
find out in John, that Peter was let into the courtyard because John knew the
high priest.
V. 63 But Jesus remained silent. This is what Isaiah said would happen in
Isaiah 53:7.
This is utterly
ironic and sad. And the high priest said
to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son
of God.” Did
he really want a true answer?
V. 64 Jesus
said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now
on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on
the clouds of heaven.” "You have said so," meant yes. If this was poker, you would
say that Jesus "sees and raises" him, on this challenge, not only
admitting He is the Son of God, but He also says He is the Son of Man, from
Daniel 7.
Vs. 67-68 I
remember when I read this the first time. When they put the potato sack over
Jesus' head and hit Him and taunted Him it made me cringe. I would not have
wanted to have been one of those guys. The sobering thing is that at one time,
before I knew Christ, I could have seen myself doing something like this.
Psalm 32
Vs. 1-2 In
these verses David declares the truth of being blessed. In the rest of the
psalm, David
tells you how to get there. David is teaching, in the form of this blessing,
what he personally discovered in his relationship with the Lord. He had a lot for
which to be forgiven; in fact, David was guilty of a crime for which there was
no offering. He was pardoned by God's grace and mercy. Paul quotes this psalm
in Romans 4:6. What I find interesting is the link between receiving God's
forgiveness or deliverance, and teaching it to others. That is just like a
disciple.
Vs. 3-5 This
was David's personal battle with his own unconfessed sin. I think we can all
feel the weight of this. This was probably something that happened before his
sin with Bathsheba.
V. 6 is an
exhortation and a warning.
V. 7 This is
one of the hallmarks of David's relationship with God. He sought God to dwell
with God.
Vs. 8-11 Based
on David's personal experience, he is advising those who follow God to do the
same.
Proverbs 8:27-32
If we marvel at
the creation, we are also marveling at the wisdom of God. In the German Bible,
when it says that God gave skill to the men who made the tabernacle, it says
that God gave them wisdom. Deep within everything God does creatively is an
incredible unfathomable wisdom. This same wisdom is available to us as God
appeals to us to live our lives in following and obeying Him.
If you’re reading along
and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link http://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
complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find
it in my book: Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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 to dgkachikis@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.
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