OCTOBER 17
One thing you
notice reading The One Year Bible is that it is hard to find a day when
God is not projecting your vision forward to the time when Christ returns and
the plan of redemption will be complete. God is always interested in
strengthening our hearts and giving us a lasting hope as we work each day in
the harvest.
Jeremiah
30-31:26
Some people call chapters 30-33 the "Book of
Consolation." Almost right in the middle here, God gives the nation a view
of their distant hope and His everlasting love.
Jeremiah 30
Vs. 1-7 After the promise to restore the entire nation,
Israel and Judah together, v. 7 projects ahead to "Jacob's" ultimate
distress at the end of the Tribulation.
Vs. 8-9 In this final deliverance, Israel will no longer be
threatened, and they will be led by a resurrected king, David. Ezekiel 34 also
mentions the return of David.
Vs. 10-17 This is hope mixed with an explanation of why God
needs to punish them to heal them. Notice the mention in v. 17 of Zion. That
will be important. Notice also that the way these promises are stated, the restoration
of vs. 10 and 11 have to be for the Millennial Kingdom.
V. 12 Notice the revisiting of the theme of an incurable
wound. This is also in v. 17. Redemption in Jesus and the resurrection
encompass that cure.
Vs. 18-22 This will be the ultimate restoration of the
people, and of course, before that, there will be events that foreshadow this;
but Israel will never be in true peace until the Messiah rules on earth.
Vs. 23-24 In the
latter days, probably of the Tribulation and the kingdom.
Jeremiah 31:1-26
V. 1 This should probably belong to the last verses of
chapter 30. In order for God to be the GOD of all the clans, they all have to
be believers. This is still in the future and referring to the Millennial
Kingdom.
After this statement come the declarations of the Lord.
Vs. 2-6 The rebuilding of Israel. Jesus said that there
would be a time when those in Judea would need to flee to the mountains in the
wilderness (Matt. 24:16, Rev. 12:14). Notice the everlasting love. It is still everlasting for Israel's future.
Notice that the Lord is in Zion.
Vs. 7-9 This is the regathering of Israel. They have
probably felt this in every age when they have been scattered.
Vs. 10-14 This is the future redemption of Israel. Notice
that this declaration went out to the nations. The result is great joy in
Israel.
V. 15 This is a famous verse, but what is it doing here?
Here is my thought on this. In the plan of redemption the
moment God put His hand on Abraham, he and his family and the nation of Israel
became servants of the world, examples to the world of sin and God's character
and forgiveness. God has put them to hard work for us. They will weep, but
there will be joy and reward.
Rachel's destiny was a part of this story. She died near
Ramah giving birth to the only one of Jacob's children born in the land of
promise. As Rachel was dying she tried to name the child "son of my
sorrow," but Jacob named the child, "son of my right hand,"
Benjamin. Rachel wept in death, losing her children, her sad life and death
being a part of God's plan of redemption.
During Jeremiah's days in that same area around Jerusalem,
many would die. Jeremiah 40:1 indicates that Ramah became the area where
Nebuchadnezzar gathered the people to take them into exile. There would be
people parting, going into exile, who would never be seen again.
When Herod destroyed the children around Bethlehem trying to
kill Jesus, once more Israel suffered tragedy and violence because of its work
in the plan of redemption. It is also interesting that it was from this area
that Joseph took Mary and Jesus, fleeing into Egypt to escape Herod's deadly
brutality.
Vs. 16-17 The nation has wept, but there will be a reward
for their work. That is quite a profound statement.
Vs. 18-20 Israel (designated by the name Ephraim) repents
and God welcomes him. Doesn't this sound like the prodigal son?
Vs. 21-25 God brings them back and restores the holy hill of
Zion in millennial blessing.
V. 22 Usually it is the man who seeks the woman. Here,
Israel, as a bride, seeks the man, the Lord.
V. 26 Poor Jeremiah. What a stressed out guy, always
bringing bad news and being pushed by the Lord and punished by the people. But
this was a good vision of hope from the Lord, and it brought him peace and
comfort, knowing that the end of Israel's work would be joyously rewarded.
1
Timothy 2
So then, since Paul had been chosen by grace to be an
apostle, and in view of the distress of the times and in view of the call of
God on Timothy's life, Timothy was to reestablish the foundation of the church.
Vs. 1-7 This is a general pronouncement for the conduct and
focus of the entire church, and there are some famous verses here.
This is where we get the well-known command to pray for
rulers, but notice that the point of this prayer is so that we can work in the
harvest under the radar.
This is the second time Paul uses the phrase God our Savior. He used it in the first
line of the book and now here. Paul is making sure that the church is
established in reaching out to a lost world.
So, if this is to be the general focus of the church,
praying and working in the harvest, Paul gives some specific instruction to men
and women.
V. 8 Men are to pray, lifting
holy hands; that is, with a godly perspective of life and God's work in
this dying world. They shouldn't be given to anger or quarreling. Anger and quarreling over what? Anything. Not
over the price of gas or the political party. Their perspective is to be in
going to God and having a spiritual perspective on life in the harvest.
Vs. 9-10 Women are also to be focused on the harvest. Good
works as in Ephesians 2:10 are what God has prepared for us to do for our
neighbors in opening doors of opportunity. Like men, women are not to be
consumed by the issues of life, in their case, focusing on looking fine.
Now, I want to suggest something here. When Paul talks about
men and women, sometimes he uses a kind of alternating reference, sort of like
men-women, women-men, men-women. You see this in 1 Corinthians 7:2-4 and
7:12-14. I think that Paul uses alternating references to men and women as he
changes his topic in the rest of this chapter and in chapter 3. I would say it
looks like this:
Topic: Focus in the harvest, Men-prayer
/ Women-good works
Topic: Leadership of the church, Women-submission / Men-serve as elders
Topic: Serving the church Men-as
deacons / Women-as deaconesses
In the Greek there is no chapter break between chapters 2
and 3. I believe Paul is talking about the guiding leadership of the church
beginning in 2:11.
Vs. 11-15 A woman's role in the authority and teaching of
the church is to learn quietly in submission. I think the words teach or to exercise authority are key
to understanding what Paul says here and why he introduces the elders in 3:1.
Elders are the people who are responsible for the teaching in the church (they
determine, protect and oversee the entrusting of that truth) and they exercise
authority in the church. I don't think a woman is to be in the position of an
elder, having responsibility for teaching like an elder; nor should she be in a
position to exercise authority in the church as an elder exercises authority. I
think the limits on a woman's ability to teach and have authority are in the
context of what an elder does. Elders determine the "teaching" of a
church and make sure it is protected and entrusted accurately. Elders have the
authority in a church to oversee this teaching and to call people to account if
they have deviated in teaching or in behavior. Teaching and authority, I think,
is meant in this context.
Vs. 13-14 Paul's/the Spirit's reasoning here is biblical and
not cultural, based on God's decision in the creation order and in the events
of the fall.
V. 15 "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
(Alexander Pope) But making an attempt, here goes. In creation, God created
Adam and Eve differently. A man is saved
(from damage) by doing what God has given him to do, and a woman is saved by doing what she was meant to do.
Each has received roles of leadership and service. To deny these roles is to
put ourselves where we were not meant to be and, therefore, not to discover the
fullness that God has for us. For most women, not all, God's plan involves
bearing children. In the job of being a mom there is not only fulfillment, but
plenty of leadership and service. Women for whom God hasn't designed motherhood
can find fulfillment, a role of leadership, and service in other ways. The
point is that God has designated a role for men and women, and only in staying
true to those roles, do we develop "safely" the way God wants us to
develop.
I remember wrestling with v. 15 and feeling the Lord had
given me some insight into it. So I went to my mother-in-law, Barbara
Youderian, and asked her what she thought v. 15 meant and she not only said the
same thing, but she said it much better and gave me a great example. I sat
there feeling like a kindergartner.
This chapter began by focusing the church and the behavior
of everyone on the harvest.
Psalm
87
This is a very short and amazing psalm. We have just read
something like this in Jeremiah.
Vs. 1-3 Someday this city will be the center of the earth
because of the king who will be reigning there.
Vs. 4- 6 Jerusalem has been judged again and again. It was
the scene of a famous murder and everlasting redemption. God's everlasting love
is directed toward these people whom He has used as an example to the world of
lost humanity. Someday it will be a high honor to hear that someone was born in
Zion.
V. 7 The
Septuagint gives the idea to this verse that everything that brings joy,
refreshment and life is in Zion. That sounds like Revelation
22:2, through the middle of the street of
the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds
of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Proverbs
25:18-19
Amen and "ouch!"
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment