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MARCH 27
Deuteronomy 7-8
Deuteronomy 7
Vs. 1-5 In reading
this section you might want to review the post for March 20 where we addressed
the issue of God ordering the death of the Midianites in Numbers 31. Hundreds
of years of mercy had been shown these people. Men like Abraham and Melchizedek
had been witnesses among them, yet their cultures became incurable cesspools of
idolatry and sexual perversion. For those who didn't relocate, God was calling
all who stayed in their towns into His presence. The innocent (children below
the age of accountability) would go into a place of comfort, but those who had
been idolaters and not responded to God's messengers, would be put into
punishment. Remember what Abraham said to the Lord in Genesis 18:25, "Far be it from thee to do such a
thing, to slay the righteous
with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from thee!
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
Vs. 3-4 Note that God speaks of the inhabitants of the land as if they
were a danger to Israel, danger by spiritual / cultural infection. This is the
same thing that the Spirit tells us, not to be conformed to this world. It
would be like asking what the acceptable level of growing cancer should be in
your body. Yet all of us are far more tolerant of sin and hindrances than we
should be.
Vs. 6-11 Notice how often love is mentioned in these verses. Anyone who
says that you don't find love in the Bible until you get to Jesus in the New
Testament has never read the Bible. Even though these verses are written to
Israel, there is something in every disciple that should respond to these
words.
Vs. 12-16 In the last section and here, there are some interesting
things going on. The relationship with God, like any relationship, needs trust
and maintenance. In all times in history, for all people, obeying God meant
pleasing Him and receiving His blessing. Disobeying God meant displeasing Him and,
at some point, receiving punishment. In the last section it mentioned that God
was blessing Israel because of the promises made to their fathers. The promise
to Abraham was unconditional and will be fulfilled completely in the future by
Israel in the Millennial Kingdom. The blessings being promised here are very
conditional. They are a part of the Mosaic covenant, the covenant made at Mt.
Sinai. This covenant, the Old Testament, is built on obedience to the law.
According to Romans 7, the law was given to reveal the sin that is a part of
our nature. The law couldn't get rid of sin and it couldn't save. So, this
covenant with Moses under the law has nothing to do with salvation. Salvation
was always through faith in the promise to Abraham. But obedience to the law
from a heart of faith would bring blessing of such a nature that it would
become a testimony to the world. Any outside nation, witnessing the blessings
described here, would want to come to Israel and "drink from their
well," and receive the same blessings.
Vs. 17-26 Here again, there is a mixture of the promise to Abraham and
the covenant under Moses. God would drive the nations out before Israel just as
God humbled Pharaoh in Egypt. This was based on His promise to Abraham. Faith
in that promise would enable Israel to boldly worship God only according to the
Mosaic covenant. They would also know, because of their faith in the promise to
Abraham, that God was doing this and that the idols of these nations were trash
to be destroyed. Israel would also have patience to obey and allow God to
slowly give them the land, knowing that God would certainly fulfill His promise
to Abraham.
Deuteronomy 8
If you need something to underline, look for Lord your God. Literally this is "Yahweh Elohim," Elohim
being in the possessive; that is, "your Elohim." Elohim means the
mighty, all powerful one. Yahweh is the ever living One, who faithfully loves
and keeps covenant with His people. What a combination. It reminds me of the
Lord's Prayer, Our Father, who art in heaven.
Eternal love and power are combined in one person who cares for us.
Vs. 1-5 Notice in v. 1, that the commandment is to be obeyed in view of
God's grace in fulfilling the promise to Abraham. Faith would empower them to
obey.
God educated and disciplined the people out of grace and love. Not only
did God care for them, but in v. 3 He humbled them with need and let them
hunger so that they would see that He could take care of them. You may have
noticed that v. 3 was quoted by Jesus in His temptation.
According to what God has said in the New Testament, this is also how
He disciplines and prunes us.
Vs. 6-10 In obeying the commandments, God would lavish His blessing on
them and in turn they would praise Him.
Vs. 11-20 Notice how this warning is mixed with God's reminder to them
of their deliverance and salvation. God also reminds them that He is the One
who fed and sustained them for 40 years in the wilderness.
V. 16 Notice again the reference to the manna. He used their hunger and need, and the supernatural
provision of this food to humble them. This, too, is why God allows us to
"hunger." He needs to humble us and show us His power and provision.
I guess what speaks to me in all of this is that the glow and joy of
our salvation in Christ needs to be present in all we do and all we are. We
live only because of Him. How can we ignore Him or not follow Him into the
harvest? How can we not surrender everything and take up our cross? How can we
withhold the love and grace we have received and not tell it and share it with
those who are lost?
Why did God choose us to become followers of Christ? Love. If you
witness to people, you understand the miracle of someone who will listen and
open their heart. Why? Because they're smart or sensitive or good? No. Somewhere
in there, I believe there is a molecule of will, so small as to be nearly
inconsequential. The rest is pure grace; God choosing the foolish and the weak
and low and despised to save and make followers of Christ in the harvest. Given
this privilege and calling, we need to keep our love for Christ alive by
treasuring our salvation, as we follow Him in the harvest making disciples, who
make disciples.
Luke 7:36-8:3
One of the things we see in the Gospels is that Jesus was very
sensitive to accepting and responding to the things the Father and Spirit put
into His path. For us disciples, Jesus becomes the model of being a disciple,
walking in the Spirit and abiding in God. One thing I constantly wonder about
is that Jesus accepted so many invitations from Pharisees to dine with them.
Holy heartburn! Every one of them became a conflict, and a divine opportunity
to present people with the truth of God and the person of the Messiah.
Luke 7:36-50
Vs. 36-39 Pharisees, I'm told, often gave dinners and people were invited
to stand against the walls and listen in to the conversations. It seems that
this woman might have already heard Jesus' teaching and was moved by it. The
ointment suggests that she was a well-to-do sinner. This may have some
connection to Luke 8:1-3.
V. 38 This definitely would have been scandalous for a rabbi to let a
known prostitute do something like this to him.
Vs. 40-43 Either Simon's body language gave him away, or probably the
Spirit revealed his thoughts to Jesus. Both of these debts were big. Fifty
days' wages would be nothing to sniff at. 500 days' wages would be enormous.
Vs. 44-48 This comparison and contrast is all based on their perception
of Jesus. Simon invited Jesus out of a feigned respect for Him. In fact, in
terms of acts done, there was no respect shown to Jesus at all. Notice that
Jesus acknowledges Simon's view of the woman, but in an ironic way. Her sins, which were many, were forgiven. The
sinful woman, having heard Jesus and having understood God's forgiveness,
lavished Him with respect and honor. When Jesus pronounced her forgiven, it was
in response to her love that illustrated her faith.
Vs. 49-50 Again, the Jews (leaders) questioned Jesus' right to say
this. Jesus ignored them and stated the reality of the case. Her faith had
saved her. The result of her faith and salvation was to show Him love, respect
and honor.
Just like in Deuteronomy, we are faced with the response of love again.
Love doesn't save us, but it does and should issue from our faith and the
reality of what we have been saved from. We love because He first loved us. The
question for each of us is, were we really, really, really lost, or sort of on
the border? This event and what it teaches cuts right to our hearts too. Those
who follow in the harvest passionately are those who realize the miracle of
their own salvation. They realize they were desperate, with no way to pay. They
were lost, separated and hopeless. They love much and because of this love they
follow their Savior in His mission, seeking the lost, working with the other
redeemed, making disciples, who make disciples.
What does the Lord say to you in this story?
Luke 8:1-3
The connection between the story above and these verses is pretty
clear. This woman may have been one of those who followed Jesus. It is actually
suggested that the woman with the ointment may have been Mary Magdalene. It
doesn't say it is. The woman who anointed Jesus' feet was a sinner, but it
doesn't say she had been demon possessed. Although, obviously, He might have
already cured her, and then, you wonder why Simon wouldn't have had a bigger
fit if she had had demons. Who knows?
What we do know is that another Mary, the rich one who lived with
Martha and Lazarus in Bethany, heard this story; and, just before Jesus was
crucified, humbled herself and did the same thing for Him that this
"sinful" woman did. (John 12)
At the end of this passage it mentions other women who became
disciples. Why did they follow Jesus? Why do you follow Jesus? It wasn't just
because He healed them. They followed out of love for the One who set them
free.
Psalm 69:1-18
Today we just have the first half of Psalm 69. As you begin reading it,
understand that this psalm is quoted often in the New Testament. The Spirit
designed David's experience to mirror what Jesus would someday feel. It is
pretty interesting that God can do that with us and our lives, to be an
encouragement or lesson or model for others. And it's funny that He doesn't ask
us first. He just does it. And since we know He loves us, and we love Him and
know that we would have been dead without Him, we rejoice in His use of our
lives, knowing that, in everything God
works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28, RSV) Read this psalm in terms of Jesus' suffering
on the cross.
Vs. 1-3 Imagine, both David and Jesus felt this.
Vs. 4-5 Jesus quotes v. 4 in John 15:25. I'm sure v. 5 didn't apply to
Jesus. David's accusers lied about him to make the people believe that King
Saul's desire to kill David was justified. The Jewish leaders did the same to
justify their killing of Jesus.
Vs. 6-8 Somehow I feel these verses. David was followed by men and
their families who now shared the same reproach that David did. They were
wanted men. Think of this too in terms of those who followed Jesus.
David had been anointed by God and told he would be king as a young
teen. He was simply honoring God. Saul's jealousy wasn't David’s fault. In the
same way, Jesus’ honoring of His Father became His reproach among the Jews.
V. 8 For not even his brothers believed in him. (John
7:5)
Vs. 9-12 His disciples remembered
that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:17)
Isn't it interesting that David had a deep desire and zeal for seeking God at
the tabernacle and that David was the guy who wanted to build Yahweh a temple
in Jerusalem. So much of what we read in The Psalms shows David's desire to
live in God's presence and be hidden in His sanctuary. David was zealous for
God's house and was accordingly called an idiot by everyone who didn't share
his view of God. I imagine that in Jesus' day, there were those who told
"Jesus jokes" and that there were a couple bar-room songs dedicated
to Him.
Vs. 13-18 This certainly was David's daily prayer as He ran from Saul
for possibly a decade. This may also have been Jesus' prayer or feelings during
His trials from His enemies. It may very well have been what Jesus felt on the
cross.
More tomorrow.
By the way, just like Israel will be honored for God using them as an
illustration to mankind, David will also receive great future rewards for God
using him to teach us waiting, praying and the suffering of our Lord. In the days
to come, both Israel and David will be humbled that God used them like this for
the salvation of mankind.
Proverbs 12:1
There's that "L" word again. When you look at Psalm 69 and
understand this is God's idea of discipline or "pruning," I'm not so
sure any of us would willingly enroll in that course. However, when we first
learn to love God through our Lord and His love, this isn't something that
scares us because we know Him. This kind of discipline is what Romans 5:1-8 is
all about.
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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