If you don't
have a One Year Bible or prefer something online, this link will take you to
the day's reading, http://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/. This
site allows you to select from several languages and several English
translations.
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.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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
and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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,
as disciples, 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, 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 (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a supplement,
a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we will keep
following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who
make disciples. Being in the Word every
day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the essential
essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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