March 26, 2012 Reading Notes

March 26, 2012 Reading Notes

http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/

Deuteronomy 5-6

This is another treat today. As I read each paragraph, everything rings so true and seems to apply to me walking in this dying world. These people were not saved by obeying the law, but they were saved, like Abraham, in the promise of God to Abraham. With faith in that promise, their eyes would have been opened and their hearts aflame with the love of God. As you and I read this with our faith in Christ, our hearts automatically connect to the grace of God and wonder of His love for us. It is interesting to me that in the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Moses tells the rich man about sending Lazarus from the dead to his brothers, "If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead." If a person was not moved to God, in love and gratefulness, by what we read today, neither would a miracle have convinced them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vmY2ztb5xc&feature=related

Deuteronomy 5

As you read all of this find some words to mark. We already mentioned, "the Lord your God." If nothing else stands out or captures your interest, look for the word "possess."

Vs. 1-5 This generation might have thought that the covenant back 40 years ago at Mt. Sinai was with their fathers, but God doesn't make covenants with dead people. Many of these people were children back then, but more importantly they are the ones who are alive now and who have been educated, nurtured and preserved by God to enjoy the promise to Abraham. Moses reminds the people of the miraculous awe of that day. For those who had been there, I'll bet they still remembered it vividly and visually.

As a disciple, what do you remember about the time and events shortly before you came to Christ?

Vs. 6-15 The first four of the Ten Commandments have to do with the relationship with God. Notice that this section begins and ends with their deliverance from Egypt and God as their Savior. All of the motivation for loving and obeying God was built on His love for them. How could they have another God? How could they make an idol, since God only revealed Himself in power and with His voice? How could they use His name in a worthless manner? How could they resist taking a day of rest to remember His love and deliverance and to remember that He sustained and provided for them?

As disciples, the importance of our honest, heartfelt gratitude for our salvation cannot be overstated. Jesus said, "He who is forgiven much loves much, but he who is forgiven little, loves little." That is totally based on our perception of our need and the value of what Jesus did for us. Our understanding of this will determine how much we love Jesus back and how we labor in the harvest.

Vs. 16-21 All of these commandments are related to our neighbor, but without the relationship to God, they are just humanitarian. Notice that the love of God flows into the honor of their parents, which in turn has a connection to how long the people would remain in the land.

V. 21 The opposite of this was abiding in God and contentment with His care and provision. That is the same for us today.

Vs. 22-27 These words and this event were permanently "burned" into their minds. The event showed the glory and power of God without presenting an image of Him. This was like nothing that had ever happened on earth. It happened to them as the children of Abraham. It wasn't just a scary event. It was an amazing privilege.

Again, think back on the privilege of what happened to you around the time you trusted Christ as Savior.

Vs. 28-31 The effect of that event was expressed by God in verse 29. Amazingly, that entire event didn't help the fathers of these people, but it did help them. This generation standing here was probably the godliest generation of Israel. Moses' ministry at that time and during the 40 years was to teach the people.

Vs. 32-33 Now Moses will teach the people one final time. He urges them to be careful to obey. God wanted Israel to possess the land and not lose it. Everything said here was out of love for their blessing and success.

What a great chapter. When I read verse 33, it makes me think that in God's work to redeem mankind, nothing has changed. In our lives following Christ, God still wants us to be blessed and bearing fruit for Him. Look again at yesterday's reading in Luke 6:46. We hear and follow, even today, because we are captivated by His love and salvation.

Deuteronomy 6

This chapter is full of good stuff. Take your time and look for repetition and recurring themes. As a disciple, write down every principle you think is important for you, your church, or that "other guy."

Vs. 1-3 Look at the purposes for what Moses is about to say to them. Notice the importance of teaching their children. Notice the importance of hearing God and being careful.

Vs. 4-9 Verses 4-6 are called the Shema of Israel. Shema means to hear. Notice the importance of love. This love is based on their gratitude for their own salvation. That is just like us.

V. 6 This is to bear weight upon their hearts because of God's work for them and the importance of these words.

V. 7 Always, everywhere and forever, parents were supposed to be talking to their children about God.

Vs. 8-9 This is symbolic, not literal. God's Word was to control all their actions (hand) and everything they thought. God's Word was to control their private lives (the house) and their public lives (the gates).

Vs. 10-15 God was going to give them the land as a gift because of the promise. They didn't earn it or deserve it. Faith in the promise to Abraham would save them.

Vs. 12-13 Here again is the importance of remembering their salvation.

Vs. 14-15 How could they serve other gods? But they will and God will punish them.

Vs. 16-19 Jesus quotes this in His confrontation with Satan in the wilderness. Here, to test God was to not obey and to treat the commandments as sort of binding. They were to follow God and thrust the people out of the land. Instead, the next generation will begin making treaties with the people.

Vs. 20-25 Telling the story of their deliverance and salvation was to have guided their teaching of their children. This wouldn't have been academic if each person was genuinely in love with God and grateful for their salvation. This was all to be driven by love. Because of this love, obeying the commands of a loving God would have been easier to have understood and to follow. The failure to come was first in the hearts of the parents, and then the parents got so involved with living that they forgot to share the message, with a heart of love, with their children.

Notice that this chapter almost ends the same as the last chapter.

As you read chapter six, maybe you feel, as I do, that this is as true for us as it was for the people of Israel. A failure to love God for our salvation and a failure to communicate this to our children makes everything we do today a short-term gain, or not a gain at all. The basic core of making disciples begins at home. And as Jesus said, a disciple is not above his teacher. If the parents are fully in love and grateful and devoted to following Christ in the harvest, so will the little disciples be. Tragically, both in Israel then and in the church today, this is not the case.

Just for fun, or if you don't have enough to do, I'm giving you some links to a sermon by Howard Hendricks that I've put up on YouTube. The message is called "Rearing Children, The Home" and comes from Deuteronomy 6. There are 6 parts because it's a long message, but it is the best sermon I've ever heard on parenting or on this section of Deuteronomy. If you don't want the introduction, listen to 2-6. It ends abruptly, but the tape is over 30 years old and it's right at the end of the message. This is Hendricks at his best and should be a part of any church's parenting library. The background picture is one of my favorites by Michael Dudash, "A Father's Heritage."

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acp2V-PD6SY

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDWpEDNt0_g

Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAaOKT2lhs

Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMX5nyJnM54

Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_mjYT62Uv4

Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSwLNsTWCvU

Oh yeah, and they're funny.

Luke 7:11-35

Vs. 11-17 This event is only in Luke. There are a couple things that I get from this story. First, Jesus was led by the Spirit just like we are. Jesus didn't know He would find this going on, but as He saw it, moved with compassion, He knew what the Father wanted Him to do.

I wonder when the guy sat up alive if he just continued where he had left off and said, "And like I was saying,…"

This event apparently was one of the things that caused John the Baptist to doubt. Jesus was leading the life of the Messiah who was freeing captives of sin, not captives of government. John had been sitting in prison under a tyrant a long time and was losing perspective.

Vs. 18-23 Matthew also has this encounter. Jesus' answer to John was to focus on how Jesus fulfilled all the Scripture concerning the Messiah, rather than concentrating on his own circumstances. The works that the Father had given Jesus to do confirmed that Jesus was sent from the Father. John the Baptist would have understood the Scripture and the origin of the signs.

Vs. 24-28 Jesus was trying to get the crowd to think about their fascination with John. They went into the wilderness because his message was authoritative, not political. They went because his lifestyle was hard and illustrated the urgency of the times and his message. He wasn't just a prophet, but he fulfilled Scripture as the forerunner of the Messiah. John was the conclusion of the law and the prophets. He was the greatest man born of that entire period. Think of the people who lived then, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Job. Although John's ministry was short, his task and privilege made him the greatest of that entire era on earth.

But as the new covenant is infinitely better than the old covenant, the followers of Christ have an even greater privilege.

Vs. 29-30 Apparently, as Jesus expressed this, there was an emotional response, sort of a stirring of heart at the truth Jesus just revealed. The people and tax collectors were awed that they had actually participated in a big event by submitting to John's baptism. The Pharisees and scribes (lawyers) just hardened their hearts.

Vs. 31-32 Jesus is actually rebuking that entire generation of people for the childish way they treated this great, historical, redemptive event. They had wanted John and Jesus to conform to them and criticized both.

Vs. 33-35 Though John and Jesus were opposites in appearance and habit, they both confirmed the wisdom and deeds of God.

Not a big point, but in Matthew it says John came neither eating or drinking. Here, maybe for the sake of accuracy and because of legalistic Jewish Christians who followed Paul "correcting" his teaching and who taught the Gentiles abstinence, Luke says that John ate no bread and drank no wine. It is clear in this context that Jesus drank wine. Jesus was the opposite of John in these details. He both ate rich food and drank wine. The word for drunkard is "wine drinker." This would have been a rebuttal to legalistic teachers telling the Gentiles that they needed more abstinence in their faith. Paul warned Timothy about such teachers. 1 Timothy 4:3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Psalm 68:19-35

I suppose it is hard for us to embrace the sense of God's victory over oppression unless we are oppressed. It is hard to rejoice in His victory over enemies unless we have lost family and friends to these enemies. In the western world we are insulated, for the most part, and so we read this from David as primal raving from a primitive, uncultured age. The same God who tells us to love our enemies inspired this in David.

Vs. 19-20 Just like in Deuteronomy, God is a God of salvation. That is the basis of our love, our obedience and our sacrifice for Him.

Vs. 21-23 God will bring justice, vengeance and vindication. This almost has a sense of the final battle at the end of the tribulation.

Vs. 24-27 The procession of God's people coming from the south (Ben and Judah) and from the north (Zeb and Naphtali) are coming to God in the joy of victory.

Vs. 28-31 The nations (in the Millennium) will come before God in submission.

Vs. 32-35 Every knee will bow and God will receive the praise of all nations and all men.

In light of the revolutions of the past year, it is interesting to read here, and elsewhere, that Egypt will come to God and will know Christ.

Proverbs 11:29-31

Good words for the wise of heart. Think of these verses in terms of what we just read in Deuteronomy. Those who loved God for their salvation would make this the atmosphere of their homes and families and that, in turn, would save and preserve the nation.

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 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.

March 25, 2012 Reading Notes

March 25, 2012 Reading Notes

http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/

By now you've worked off your McReuben and Shamrock shake. Set your sights on April 1st, no joke, and work to stay caught up. Deuteronomy is fantastic reading, but there isn't a lot of action. There will be more action in Joshua and then we'll roll for several months reading about one person after another. That will be more interesting for you. By May 1st everything will go faster. We'll be in Judges and in the Gospel of John. For now, if need be, forget about the reading notes and just keep up in the One-Year Bible. If you get behind, put the Bible somewhere where it is visible, like on a kitchen counter, and when you pass by it, sit down, read a page, mark the page as read, and jump back into what you were doing. The discipline you develop will stay with you all your life. You'll feel good about yourself, because you are gaining God's Word and heart, and He'll notice you are doing this for Him. Today we know Him here as we follow Him in the harvest; tomorrow we will be with Him forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxtl4SQcVP8

Deuteronomy 4

These chapters in Deuteronomy are like sitting down to an amazing feast, where everything you'd want is there, but there's too much. Or it's like having a late-night conversation with someone you haven't seen in years who you really respect, and everything they're saying is good and confirms and strengthens your heart, but you know in the morning you won't remember it all. This book, these chapters, are like a deep well that any disciple will want to come back to repeatedly to drink from. So, mark up your Bible and highlight everything that speaks to you, that you think is important for you, for us, as disciples following Christ in the harvest. Next year, and the next and the next, when you read this again in your One-Year Bible, you’ll find more each time.

Vs. 1-4 This is like the prologue to Moses giving the new generation instructions. This long "talk," probably given over a week, will be Moses' final words. Although verse 44 says "law," the word is really "instruction." Moses is advising the people, from his love for Yahweh and his love for them, to follow the Lord.

V. 2 Notice that the Pharisees, like all of us, were guilty of both of these. They added traditions to the law, as if to enforce what can only come from a heart of faith. Then, they lightened the law to create loopholes for the sins they liked, like divorcing a wife for any reason.

Notice the contrast in verses three and four. Listening to Moses and following God was illustrated in what happened at Baal-Peor. Those who sinned died and those who held fast to the Lord lived.

Vs. 5-8 Israel was to have been a very simple country with their entire routine ordered around their feasts. The nations would have thought they were nuts, leaving their homes and fields for these celebrations, always taking one day off of work per week. Nuts. But as they obeyed the Lord, all nations were to have seen that something else was at work. God's blessing of Israel's love and faith would have won nations and people to the Lord. That was the plan.

Vs. 9-14 I think the primary thought here was that the people were to fear the Lord. All of these people, if born at that time, had seen the Lord descend on Mt. Sinai. God wanted to instill a respect and awe. Not only that, they had seen what happened to the generation that rebelled against the Lord and how it caused the entire nation to wander for 38 years. God was to be respected, held in awe and feared. Then, out of love for their kids and concern for the future of the nation, they were to teach their children.

Vs. 15-19 Notice again that this begins with a caution. Moses really loved these people. I never noticed the connection of the people hearing God but not seeing Him, and how that related to not making an image.

V. 19 And they were warned not to worship any of the heavenly bodies. When you read the days of creation you notice that the sun, stars, etc., were made on the fourth day. In an interesting way, that made them secondary and unnecessary, not only because God made them, but because there already was light and vegetation on the earth. They were made only to serve mankind, not to be worshiped by mankind.

Vs. 20-24 God was their Savior and their Lord who visibly led them to freedom and salvation.

Vs. 21-22 Yet even as great as Moses was, his own disobedience to the Word of God brought God's punishment. How much more should the people be alert to obeying God and not making Him angry?

Vs. 23-24 Another warning. It is fair to say here that Moses was saying they were not to treat God like a "religion." They were in relationship to a living, listening and seeing, Lord and Savior.

Vs. 25-31 What an amazing portion of Scripture. This is prophetic to the point of telling of the tribulation and the Millennial Kingdom.

Vs. 25-26 Moses was a wise steward over God's house. He knew these people. This generation was "charged up" on the fear of God, but if they failed to teach the next generation, they would stray from God.

Vs. 27-29 This happened, officially, after the devastating rule of King Manasseh. Israel was exiled for 70 years, one year for every sabbatical year they missed. The book of Daniel accounts for the entire time of the exile. If you want to see an example of verse 29, read Daniel, chapter nine. This promise has been available to every generation of Israel. The last scattering of Israel happened to the generation that rejected the Christ.

V. 30 Israel will pray this prayer earnestly when they see the day of the Son of Man, the tribulation, begin. Then there will be a national turning of Israel to God. For those seven years of tribulation and for the thousand years of the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will be a testimony and witness to the nations of the glory of God.

V. 31 This is the promise to Abraham and the hope of Israel. Israel may fail to obey the covenant they made at Sinai, but God will never forget the covenant He made with Abraham. Notice what both Mary and Zechariah say in Luke 1:50-80. Both of them mention God's promised mercy to Israel. That mercy has always been there, and it will "kick in" with full power when Israel turns to God in the future and begs for their Messiah's return.

Vs. 32-40 Again, this section is a powerful plea from Moses and God Himself for the people to take to heart what has been done for them. What deep love and faithfulness God had shown them.

V. 40 This command is based on the living proof of God's love and salvation.

For us as disciples, our response to God is and always has to be from His love and His salvation. God does call us to hardship and to sacrifice in the harvest, but Jesus walked there before He ever called us. What He paid will always outweigh anything we ever do in this life. We will always be the unworthy servants who, when we have done all that is commanded us, say, "we have only done what was our duty." But we obey and do this because we are, and always will be, overwhelmed by the super abundance of His grace, love and mercy.

Notice the reference to Israel being given the land for all time. This will explain the next few verses.

Vs. 41-43 This might seem out of place. Suddenly there is another subject. Moses has been talking about them polluting the land through idolatry, but there is another way for them to pollute the land, through murder and bloodshed. The next great curse on creation, after Adam and Eve rebelled against God, was that Cain killed Abel and "hid" his blood in the earth. God cursed the ground. When Israel is finally exiled out of the land, which has just been spoken about, it is because of how King Manasseh filled the land with innocent blood.

2 Kings 21:16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides his sin with which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD.

2 Kings 24:4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon.

You don’t really have to wonder what God thinks about the killing of innocent children for the sake of our sexual freedom and convenience. The Canaanites sacrificed the children born through Baal worship to Moloch. For all of this, after hundreds of years of patience, God finally judged them through Israel saying, “The land vomited them out.” If God is silent, God’s silence is scary. There is grace and there is patience, but His patience is His kindness trying to lead us to repentance. When we reject His kindness, only judgment is left.

Romans 2:4 Or do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

As a friend of mine said, “God doesn’t always pay on Friday.” The Bible, from one end to the other, says that “pay day” is coming.

The cities of refuge were a provision to make sure the innocent were protected, so that the land wouldn't be polluted through the shedding of innocent blood.

Vs. 44-49 What we have read is the reason Moses needed to give the coming instructions and motivation to follow the Lord. Now we are told where this all took place. Tomorrow we will begin reading Moses' great sermon to Israel.

Luke 6:39-7:10

Luke 6:39-49

Jesus finishes up His "disciple orientation." Think of what you just read in Deuteronomy. Moses will keep telling Israel to heed God's words. Jesus is telling His disciples to heed His words. How interesting. The instructions Jesus is giving the disciples here will be repeated again in Luke. I wonder how often Jesus repeated these things to His disciples in different situations over the next two years.

When you read these same things in Matthew, chapters 5-7, it is a bit easier to see the logical connections between one thing and another. The order was very logical and necessary for the disciples.

Vs. 39-42 Jesus had just told the disciples that they needed to have a perspective of life on earth, working in the harvest, that was very supernatural. If they didn't have that, they would be horrible makers of disciples, just blind men leading blind men.

V. 40 They had to become total disciples of Jesus to be like Him. Their disciples in the future would reflect their same level of discipleship. That could be good, or bad.

Vs. 41-42 This is a warning to them, and to us. The disciple maker and the disciple are in view here. For the next two years, Jesus would be helping them to examine their own eyes.

Vs. 43-45 Just as the "eye" stood for perception and honesty of heart in the last illustration, the fruit is an illustration for the content of the heart. Disciples of Jesus are not primarily people of skill or ability, but they are deep lovers of Jesus. It all flows from a heart in love with Christ.

Vs. 46-49 And having said all of that about heart, love is seen in obedience. To have a feeling of love is not the same as following. What are His commandments? Most of the commandments I see from Jesus involve following and bearing a cross in the harvest, acknowledging His name before men. That is a love and a life that can withstand this planet.

Luke 7:1-10

This was probably the first big lesson for the twelve. Here was a Gentile who actually had the kind of faith in Jesus that recognized Him as one with authority, a Lord. If you are a master, you say it and it is done. This Roman soldier knew Jesus was a ruler. As in the parable above, not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord,” recognizes Him as Lord. The proof is in the doing.

V. 9 You don't see Jesus marveling over faith very often.

Psalm 68:1-18

David must have been having a good day. This seems to have been written after David brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, fulfilling David's dream to dwell in the presence of the Lord in Zion.

Vs. 1-3 We haven't read about David's life yet, but this is a very joyous summary of his suffering and that God had saved and vindicated David.

Vs. 4-6 This praise is to come from the oppressed and those in need of mercy and comfort. That was David for many years. God is a gentle protector.

Vs. 7-10 All the years before God established David in Zion, Israel lived as a prey of the nations. David is describing God bringing physical blessing and peace to Israel.

Vs. 11-14 This is some celebration among the people of the victories the Lord gave. Apparently the Hebrew is hard to understand, but later, we'll see that when Saul and David returned from battles, the women lined the roads and sang.

Vs.15-18 This is a poetic expression of the greatness of Mt. Zion, Jerusalem, because the Lord chose it as His abode. All the other mountains were envious.

V. 18 Notice that Paul quotes this in Ephesians, chapter four. Yahweh is seen here coming up the mountain into the city in victory, leading the captives and giving gifts to men. Amen.

Proverbs 11:28

The thing is, society exalts the prominence of the rich, but you don't notice the leaves of trees.

I was reading this morning where Jesus told the disciples that it would be almost impossible for those with riches to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples seem to have understood this and were shocked that to have possessions could actually block you from saving faith. But it seems that the issue is really who, or what, is ruling our hearts. If riches are our trust and our comfort and our hope, they are an idol, a god. If a person has that kind of god, it is hard to go to the real God who says, blessed are the poor and "Go, sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come, follow me."

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 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.

March 24, 2012 Reading Notes

March 24, 2012 Reading Notes

http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/

Deuteronomy 2-3

These two chapters are a review, but from God's perspective. You've read about these events as history, but now Moses is explaining the events from his and the Lord's perspective. It's an interesting slant on things.

Deuteronomy 2

Vs. 1-8 This is Israel passing through the land of Edom. Although we read about this event earlier, there are a couple of interesting additions here. First, in verse 29 it says that Esau allowed Israel to go pass through. The Edomites didn't let Israel pass through the middle of their country on the King's Highway, but they did let Israel pass through on the eastern edge of their territory.

V. 7 Along with the command not to fight with Edom because of the relationship between Jacob and Esau, the other reason not to fight was God's blessing. Not only did they not need anything because of what God was doing for them daily, but He had already promised them a land of their own.

Vs. 9-17 This was Israel passing through the territory of Moab. Israel wasn't supposed to fight against them or take their land because they were descended from Lot.

Vs. 10-12 This is an editorial note added later by someone like Samuel, for example. These lands were full of giants. Remember that the spies said there were giants in the land and they couldn't fight against them? The Emim or the Rephaim and the Anakim were giants. Notice what happened to them. Apparently Israel was the only ones afraid of them. The Moabites and Edomites knew that big guys make big targets.

It is interesting that the editorial note was placed here, because the next words have to do with the faithless men who caused the people to be afraid of the giants.

Vs. 13-15 It took about two years for the people to get organized under God and move to Kadesh-barnea where they rebelled. It was 38 years and some months befire they were finally ready to enter the land. Not all 40 years were punishment.

God made it His own project to eliminate that generation of people, using them as examples while preparing the next generation

Vs. 18-23 This was Israel passing through the territory of Ammon. These too were descendants of Lot.

Vs. 20-23 Notice the parenthesis. This too is a later editorial note, probably either from Joshua or Samuel. Once in the land they had the details of who had been dispossessed by the Ammonites. Oddly enough, many of these groups of people were giants.

Vs. 24-37 God had already planned to give Sihon's lands to Israel. Sihon's arrogance must have been stoked by the fact that Israel hadn't fought with the other nations they passed through. God hardened Sihon's own hardness and showed Israel that He could help them against a formidable army.

V. 36 Notice that one of the cities they took was fortified with high walls. This was another reason the 10 spies said to stay out of the land.

Deuteronomy 3

Vs. 1-11 In this account, once again, the report of the ten spies was laid to rest. In verse 5 they took several high-walled, fortified cities. And then in verse 7, there was the issue of Og himself. (Who names their kid “Og?”) His bed may have been the coffin he had prepared for himself. In any case, he was a big guy. A cubit was 18 inches, so 9 cubits puts him at 13.5 feet. I'll bet that's why no one made fun of his name.

Vs. 12-17 This is the giving of the conquered lands to Reuben, Gad and 1/2 Manasseh. This was a foretaste of what would happen in the land. The people had seen the battles, the booty and 2.5 tribes find a home. God protected and blessed them in all of it and they never lost a man.

Vs. 18-20 In Moses' explanation of his leadership, he was showing that he commanded these tribes to fight for Israel in the land. We know the story in Numbers and these tribes sought God and permission to claim those lands and they were more than willing to fight to win the inheritance for the other tribes. This was a very positive thing and a sign of God's blessing.

Vs. 21-22 This was Moses' encouragement of Joshua.

Vs. 23-29 Because of all the blessing Moses must have been encouraged in himself to ask God to let him go into the land. Verse 26 seems pretty strong, but it shows that God and Moses were close.

V. 28 Notice that God gave Moses an assignment. I don't think Moses would have stood around sulking, but this task would be very important and it would take Moses out of his own situation.

V. 29 Now we’re back to “real time.” If you know the song, "Sweet Hour of Prayer," you know the phrase from that third verse that nobody sings, "till from Mt. Pisgah's lofty height I view my home and take my flight." That's a cool verse.

For us in the harvest, God allows us to set goals, but our only sure goal is to follow Christ. God is the one who determines what fruit we bear, when we are to live and when we are to be "graduated." A disciple stays healthy by remembering that a disciple always follows. The commission and the harvest belong to the Lord.

Luke 6:12-38

Vs. 12-16 It would be great to put all of the Gospels together to get the full view of this. What follows is the Sermon on the Mount. Luke is the only one who tells us it was the night before the sermon when Jesus chose the twelve. Also, Luke is the only one who tells us that prior to choosing the twelve, Jesus prayed all night. Mark says why He chose them in a very cool way.

Vs. 17-19 These verses give the idea that Jesus might not have planned to give this sermon here at this time. But when the crowds came to Him and He healed them, I'll bet He was moved with compassion for them and sensed from the Spirit that this was a good time and place to teach the disciples and His newly chosen apostles.

Vs. 20-26 Notice here that Jesus lifts His eyes on His disciples. This is how we know that the Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5-7 is really Jesus' orientation to His disciples. I guess that means to us too.

In reading Luke's version of this sermon, it is good to keep in mind that Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience and Luke was writing to Gentiles. Luke left out material about the law that Matthew included. Also, it is good to remember that Jesus repeated His sermons and stories everywhere He went. The slight difference in wording is probably due to Jesus saying things in a slightly different way on different occasions.

Notice in the "blessed" and "woes" that the word "now" is used. This means that Jesus was suggesting that some disciples, for the sake of the kingdom and the harvest, would choose to deny themselves for this time on earth, so they could devote themselves to following the Lord in the harvest.

Vs. 27-36 What Jesus told His disciples only makes sense if a person is totally devoted to Christ, having no earthly treasure, working fully in the harvest. If we have been saved and understand what is happening on this planet, that should make us capable of living like this.

Vs. 37-38 A disciple is to offer Christ's gift in the harvest, not be a judge on earth. He is to give freely since he has received freely. All of discipleship and making disciples flows out of understanding the love and grace we have been shown in Christ.

Psalm 67

Just like with Psalm 66, this could have been written by Israel as it entered the land, but declaration to all nations is truer to the way David praised God. I think this is David not just celebrating how God saved him, but I think David understood his place in God's plan and was celebrating the fulfilling of the promise to Abraham.

V. 1 Notice that this is the blessing that God gave to Aaron, but it is said as a request so that God will be known in all the earth. This entire psalm is a testimony to the nations.

Verse 5 is quoted by Paul in Rom. 15. The witness to the nations was what Israel was all about as a continuation of the promise to Adam and Eve and the promise to Abraham. All of God's working has always been focused on the redemption of mankind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViyhcNPma18

Proverbs 11:27

There is a kind of justice in the Bible where God gives a person what they want, or here, what they seek. It is not always good to succeed, and just because the Lord lets you have something, doesn't mean it was His will, or that it's good for you. Those who seek God's glory will know His favor, even in death or hardship. Those who seek evil or their own gain may get more than they bargained for. Or as Jesus said, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

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 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.

March 23, 2012 Reading Notes

March 23, 2012 Reading Notes

http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/

Numbers 36

You did it! You finished the first four books of the Bible! If you're up to date in your reading, great. If not, don't sweat it. It literally takes you two or three years to get into shape, to lay down the daily habits; and the only way you do that is by getting behind and coming up with ways to stay on target.

Numbers concludes with the tribe of Manasseh. I don't think this story is put here for trivia. It demonstrates that people learned to seek the Lord and ask for modifications of the laws He had given. First the daughters came to Moses the right way, then the leaders of the tribe asked for an amendment, and finally the daughters complied and did the right thing.

This story was to show that the people now knew to come to God and His appointed representatives, to get answers instead of complaining or doing their own thing. It will be sort of funny in Joshua to see the people come after Joshua for making a decision without consulting the Lord. They got the message.

Deuteronomy 1

One more book to go and you have read the Pentateuch! The Penta-who? The Jewish name for the first five books. Again, as you've seen so far, these books are rich in helping us, as disciples, see the heart of God as the plan of redemption unfolds. There are lots of foundational truths, biographies, stories and symbols. And all of what we find here helps us see the great heart of God, our savior.

Deuteronomy is one big final speech to the people. These are Moses' final words to the nation he shepherded out of Egypt and through the wilderness for 40 years. At the beginning they were 2,000,000+ rebellious, disorganized people. Now Israel is an obedient nation. They will never be this devoted to God again, until the tribulation and the return of Christ.

One of the things to look for here is the phrase, “the Lord our God,” or “the Lord your God.” At some point in Jewish history the Jews stopped saying the name Yahweh and coded it to be the word “Lord.” What Moses is actually saying here is “Yahweh our God.” This is powerful. Yahweh is personal and compassionate. He, the ever-living one, has let the people call Him by His name. God is the word, “Elohim,” powerful and almighty. So if you are interested, underline every time you find the phrase, “The Lord our God.” There are a few of them and they are not filler in Moses’ sermon. These words have great meaning.

Vs. 1-5 Moses is recounting their history, telling the people how they came to this place, both physically and spiritually.

From Mt. Sinai to Kadesh-barnea was only an eleven-day journey. That is when and where they should have entered the land. Now, 40 years later, Moses was standing with the people opposite Jericho. Notice the references to the battles against Sihon and Og. This is a significant notation since, as we’ll see, one of these guys was a giant.

Vs. 6-18 Now Moses will recount their spiritual journey to this place.

Vs. 6-8 This was God telling the people to go to Kadesh-barnea to take possession of the promise to Abraham. Notice the mention of the Euphrates. The promise to Abraham included the land to the Euphrates.

Vs. 9-18 Because of God’s vast blessing on the people, God multiplied them into a nation. This section seems to summarize God organizing them as a nation with different levels of organization and government. Not only this, there was the organization of the nation around the worship of God. They were ready to enter the land.

Vs. 19-46 This is a retelling of the rebellion at Kadesh-barnea. This isn’t just information. It is telling the people what the spiritual condition was and how that led to their spiritual journey in the wilderness.

V. 22 Notice that Moses says it was the idea of the people to spy out the land. In itself, there was nothing wrong with that request and God allowed it, but we know it really came from a heart of fear and unbelief.

Vs. 26-28 This was the effect of the ten spies on the entire nation.

Notice also in v. 29 that giants are mentioned.

V. 36 Notice that God promised Caleb that He would give him the land where he had walked. That was giant country. I’ll bet Caleb couldn’t wait to take a bead on those huge targets.

V. 37 Moses blamed their rebelliousness as part of the reason God wouldn't allow him to enter the land. This is parenthetical since the rebellion at Kadesh occurred 38 years later, but it was spurred on by the same kind of bitterness and complaining of the people.

Vs. 41-46 This again is showing the present generation how the previous generation ruined their own hope by continual rebellion against the Lord.

As disciples, we really should be about the future, working to reach lost people and to make them disciples. Still, it is good to look at history, personally or as a church. When was our faith fresh? If it isn't fresh anymore, what happened? When was the church on target? Was it reaching people? Did it only grow through transfer growth? What have we lost? What do we need to do? I've seen two churches totally ignore their history and refuse to accept what happened to them. It's not in the Bible, but it is true, that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. In Christ there is a very cool "reset" button. That reset button is being broken in Him: His grace, His love, His forgiveness, His freedom, His mission. In any culture on earth, in any time period, newly abiding in Him, His Word and His Spirit will put our lives on the right track, following Him in the harvest.

Luke 5:29-6:11

Luke 5:29-39

Vs. 29-32 The healing of the paralytic, the calling of Matthew and this party happened very near to each other.

Apparently Matthew was well off and wanted his tax collector and sinner friends to meet Jesus. The Pharisees went after Jesus' disciples first, and Jesus told them that He didn't come to call the "righteous." The Pharisees didn't get it and they weren't satisfied either.

Vs. 33-39 Then the Pharisees went to the disciples of John the Baptist to create a division between the followers of John and the followers of Jesus. In Matthew, it is the disciples of John who ask the question, but here it is the Pharisees. The Pharisees must have gone to John's disciples and led them to Jesus, probably initiating the conversation. Jesus' words in these parables would have been understandable to the disciples of John, but the Pharisees would have missed the point. If you read the end of John 3, you'll know why. John the Baptist himself used the bridegroom illustration with his disciples. The minute they would have heard Jesus use this parable, John's disciples would have connected Jesus' words with John's and it would have made them feel better, not bitter.

Jesus' second Passover, mentioned as the "feast" in John 5, happens here before Luke 6. If you read John 5:12, notice the words of the Pharisees, "Who is the man who told you, 'take up your pallet and walk?'"

Luke 6:1-11

Vs. 1-5 According to John 5:16, "For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath." The event of healing on the Sabbath gave the Jews (Jewish religious leaders) something to go after Jesus about. It gave their irrationalism something to justify itself.

In these verses, Jesus and His disciples are walking back to Jerusalem after the Passover. Apparently these are Pharisees from Capernaum who are walking with them. The key phrase here is in verse five. Jesus has told them that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sin. Now He tells them that the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.

Vs. 6-11 Matthew mentions that this synagogue was the synagogue belonging to these particular Pharisees. It appears that this event was set up, trying to trap Jesus. Matthew 12:11-14 gives a better picture of what happened here.

If you read John 5 you'll see that the Pharisees had already decided they had to get rid of Jesus after His actions in Jerusalem. Now they will be constantly following Him, looking for something. These two occasions gave them the necessary proof and motivation to plan Jesus' death. Ironically, He had told them that He was both the Son of God and the Son of Man.

Psalm 66

It doesn't say who wrote this or when it was written, but you could imagine that this was written by David sometime after all of his running had ended. Now, David was King of Israel, as God had promised him at least 20 years earlier.

Vs. 1-4 Notice that this is a call to all peoples and nations to give praise to God.

Vs. 5-7 What the Lord had done was not only seen in His might in creation, but in protecting David, it was like God protecting the children of Israel coming out of Egypt.

Vs. 8-12 Although this sounds like it could have also been written about Israel coming into the land, until David became king, Israel was always an oppressed people. Notice that all the peoples were called to bless God for His deliverance.

Vs. 13-15 This sounds like David. During those years on the run, David had made promises and longed to be in the tabernacle. It was probably during this time of running that David vowed that if he ever became king, he would build a temple, a house for the Lord.

Vs. 16-20 I think this is clearly David. What great praise and what a hope we have. I was reading this morning as Jesus told his disciples a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to lose heart. I think that is David's message also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lec62lXZKTw

Proverbs 11:24-26

Sounds like the Lord is giving us a good argument for tithing and being generous. Again, Jesus told His disciples to use "unrighteous mammon" and the things that belong to God (everything) for the glory of God and for His kingdom. We are to spend generously in the harvest making disciples who make disciples.

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 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.

March 22, 2012 Reading Notes

March 22, 2012 Reading Notes

http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/

Numbers 33:40-35:34

Numbers 33:40-56

Vs. 40-49 This is a continuation from yesterday's overview of Israel's wanderings. Verse 20 is the event mentioned in Numbers 21.

Vs. 48-49 This is the final place Moses would lead them to. You see that it is on the east side of the Jordan, opposite Jericho. At this point Jericho was probably experiencing a "level orange" alert status.

Vs. 50-56 God has Moses tell the people what they are to do in taking possession of the land. Part of their job was to cleanse the land. God was judging the people of Canaan and those people knew this. Israel had been in the wilderness for 40 years and so everyone knew about Israel. When the spies talk to Rehab in Jericho, we'll find out that the people in Canaan knew this was coming. The people could have fled from God's judgment.

In this description is a sense of joy and fulfillment. They would take possession of the land promised to Abraham and it was a nice place.

But, God gives them the first of many warnings to make sure they drive the people completely out of the land. This wasn't just God giving Israel someone else's land. God was punishing these people. His witness to the Canaanites was finished, and they hadn't listened to Melchizedek and others. This people, these cultures, were sick and were to be cleansed out of the land. Israel is warned, and the sad thing is that we know they won't listen. Israel, along with many of its kings, including Solomon, will be idolaters. Idolatry won't be removed from Israel until after the Babylonian exile.

Numbers 34

Vs. 1-12 This isn't all of Israel, but just the land the 9.5 tribes will divide. The tribes of Reuben, Gad and 1/2 Manasseh occupy the eastern side of the Jordan. You can probably find a map online or in a study Bible that gives these boundaries. I found this one and it seems accurate and helpful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_Land_of_Israel.jpg

Keep in mind that these boundaries do not include what Abraham was promised in Genesis 15:8. David would come close to what was promised Abe during his reign, though David only received tribute from some of those northern areas. During the Millennial Kingdom the full promise to Abraham will be realized.

V.11 The Sea of Chinnereth is the Sea of Galilee.

Vs. 13-15 This is what the 2.5 tribes would possess "toward the sunrise."

Vs. 16-29 It is interesting that the Lord selected these men. Joshua and Eleazar were the leaders, and right up there with them, mentioned first, is Caleb.

Numbers 35

Vs:1-8 The Levitical cities were not just places for the Levites to live. God could have put them all around the tabernacle like He did in the wilderness. Instead, the Levites were spread out among the people and were supposed to have a good influence on the nation, copying the books of Moses and teaching the people the Bible. The tithes that came in wouldn't have been enough to care for all of the Levites, so the people were to share their land and cities with them. This really presupposed that the people had faith in God to follow and understood the importance of the Levites.

Vs. 9-15 The cities of refuge were interesting. What hit me was the idea that even in an accidental death, there was an avenger who would seek out the killer. Even if it was proven that the death was a totally freak accident and the "killer" was innocent, he had to live in the city and couldn't go outside until the high priest died. If he did stray outside and the avenger was still mad, the avenger could kill him without penalty. Sounds like Texas. Apparently, even in accidental death it would be looked at as God taking a hand in the action, calling one person to stand in His presence, and assigning the other person to live in a city of refuge for the rest of his life. This was an object lesson. Life was sacred and guilt was upon anyone who took a life.

Imagine what this law should have meant for David and for his son Absalom, both of whom were murderers.

Vs. 16-21 This was the description of death by murder.

Vs. 22-29 This was the case of someone who accidently killed someone.

Vs. 30-34 This is an amazing statement by God. In all of what is explained here, you can see a connection to us and our sin. If our sin and guilt before God can only be paid for by our life or blood, the only thing that could save us would be a ransom in the form of the blood of a holy redeemer. That is the message we take with us into the harvest. It is what Jesus did for us to save us. Without Him, like the person mentioned in this section, each of us could only pay for our sin with our own death and condemnation before God.

Luke 5:12-28

Vs. 12-16 We've seen this story before. After telling the people in Nazareth that the only person ever cured of leprosy was a Syrian, Jesus heals the first Israelite, who promptly disobeys Him. From what we have read in Leviticus, if you touched a leper you would be unclean. Not only did Jesus cleanse the leper, but He laid His hand upon him. Jesus was showing the Jews, and Luke is showing the nations, that Jesus was not only compassionate, but that He had power to cleanse because He was the holy Son of God. He couldn't be made "unclean."

Vs. 17-26 What is interesting here are the visitors. This is early in His ministry, and Jesus had already had a run-in with the leaders in Jerusalem. They even sent Nicodemus to interview Jesus. Now the Jews (Jewish leaders) were investigating Him again. Those words, "Arise, take up your pallet and walk," will become haunting when these same leaders hear them again in Jerusalem coming out of the mouth of a man who has just been healed. When they say, "Who is the man who told you….," they will be remembering this incident. See John 5.

It is interesting that in Numbers 15:30-34, it says that there was no ransom for someone who had shed blood. But here we have Jesus saying that He has the authority to forgive sins. The way He would do that is through the shedding of His own blood, to pay for sin and to ransom us.

Vs. 27-28 Levi was ready to follow, knowing that Jesus was willing to stand against the religious authorities and accept him. If Jesus had compassion for a leper and a paralytic and was willing to touch them and forgive them, then He must be accepting of tax collectors too. The fact that Jesus' choice of disciples was to the lower, less educated people might have been overlooked as a noble thing. But to choose a tax collector as a disciple was almost criminal.

The thing that excites me about following Christ in the harvest is that our message is such that all can understand it and grasp it regardless of culture, education or class. In fact, Jesus thanked the Father that the truth was hidden from the "wise and understanding" and was instead, revealed to babes. It still mystifies me that one person hears the Word and it does little for him and another person hears the same Word, and it ignites him to follow Christ and give everything to serve Him in the harvest. There is a spiritual decision and a spiritual love for Christ that transcends every barrier or human qualification.

Psalm 65

This is a true psalm of praise and worship from David. There is no threat or danger. The fact that Zion is mentioned gives me the sense that this is after David was king of the entire nation and before he fell in the situation with Bathsheba. These were times of experiencing the rewards of waiting on the Lord and seeing the greatness of His deliverance and blessings.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT (page 841) suggests that this may have been a worship song to have been sung yearly at the Feast of the Firstfruits, or as it was also called, the Feast of Weeks, or as it was also called, Pentecost. Now, thinking about Pentecost and the birth of the church and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the joy and thankfulness this psalm expresses should be ours because of the presence of the Spirit in our hearts as we follow Christ in the harvest.

Vs. 1-4 Notice that in this praise it mentions that all flesh (all people) will come to God. So often when David expresses His praise of God's greatness, it becomes an offer for all nations. That is the continuance of the promise to Adam and Eve as seen in the promise to Abraham. All nations will be blessed.

Notice that David not only mentions the atoning for sin, but, as he has said so often, the desire he had to dwell in God's courts and in His house.

Vs. 5-8 The ”God of our Salvation" is also the hope of the ends of the earth. His ability to save is shown in that as creator, all the forces of creation have to bow to Him. And even with all this power, God's signs of His power and control are seen in the joy of every morning and every evening.

Vs. 9-13 David expressed God's love toward mankind in providing all the elements of the harvest, from the first drop of rain, to the final shout of joy. It all is a result of God's grace and blessing. I wonder how many of us appreciate that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBklIr1cOuM

Proverbs 11:23

The desire of the righteous is formed by the desire of God. This truth has nothing to do with acquiring stuff or seeking peace and comfort. This person could be poor and unknown, but because of the love of God and following Christ, his will is to do God's will and so it always ends in good, and eventually, life forever with God.

For the wicked, Jesus said they shall not see life. To think of the irony of living 80 years and never having seen life. And then too, the wrath of God rests upon them.

And so we keep on praying and working in the harvest.

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 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.

March 21, 2012 Reading Notes

March 21, 2012 Reading Notes

http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/

Numbers 32:1-33:39

Numbers 32

Vs. 1-5 The people of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh ask for the land they have just captured on the east side of the Jordan. This is their formal request. Note that this is a request and not a rebellious declaration. Something was learned in those 38 years since Kadesh Barnea.

Vs. 6-15 Moses' words to them have one big point: the rebellion of the few brings God's anger on the many. Notice that Moses doesn’t use an argument against them, but rather the story of their own history. Moses mentions cause/effect danger of what they “might” be doing in verses 14-15. The effect on the people would be as it was 38 years earlier - discouragement and a bitter heart. Moses recounts the history of Kadesh-Barnea, mentioning how that resulted in what they have just lived through for 40 years, and that Caleb and Joshua were the only survivors.

Vs. 16-26 The story had a happy ending because these tribes were not rebelling; they were asking. They were seeking the Lord and seeking permission to do this. In the 40 years, seeing the older generation die because of their rebellion, and understanding everyday that their situation came to them because of the report of 10 men, had ingrained in them that if they sin, others will suffer. These tribes represent what every person in the camp knew and felt. It also shows that they were developing a heart to ask God instead of trying to "complain" Him into submission. God shows Himself to be very flexible and accommodating here.

Vs. 28-32 With a decision of this magnitude, communication was vital and it was important that Moses was still the man in charge. Even though God allowed it, it could have caused bitterness; but with Moses heading up the communication and making this known, it didn't look like new leadership making a bad decision.

Vs. 33-42 Moses was even able to lead Joshua and Eleazar through the exercise of dividing the land for these tribes. In a way, that was also God’s mercy on Moses. He wouldn’t enter the land, but God allowed him to enjoy some of the process and to train the men who would go beyond him.

God gave Israel the victories they needed to encourage them before they entered the land, and the fighting men of Reuben, Gad and 1/2 Manasseh would cross over the Jordan ready to rumble. And, they would be a source of encouragement for Joshua.

I think it is kind of neat that Joshua and Caleb were two of the oldest men in the camp. Both would have been 80+ and both were godly leaders; in fact, we'll see that Caleb still has "attitude."

As disciples this history of Israel provides important lessons to learn about spiritual group dynamics. Criticism and bitterness and pride never, never take us in the right direction. Personally it hurts us in our growth in Christ and our service and focus in His harvest. This sin kills the harvest of a group. If a group of people is reaching no one, something happened. Look for it. If we personally are not reaching out and reaching out with a group, we're on the wrong track. It took God 40 years to develop a heart of obedience in these people so that they were willing to focus on following Him, and to bring them to the understanding of each person’s responsibility to the entire people.

For us as disciples in the harvest, life on earth should be very simple. We follow Christ into the harvest with a group of people, telling lost people what the Lord has done for us and how they can come to know Christ. As people come to Christ, we help them become disciples who make disciples in the harvest. So why is this really very complicated for many churches and believers? That’s good food for thought.

Numbers 33

Just for fun, without looking online or in another book, try to figure out how many times they moved.

Many of these places where they camped were just "areas" in the wilderness and can be referred to by several names. I'll do some leg work for you. They rebelled, we are told later, at Kadesh-Barnea. After 38 years of wandering they return to Kadesh-Barnea where Miriam dies. So where was Kadesh-Barnea in this list, the first time? If you go back to the rebellion, in Num. 13:16, they have just left Hazeroth (where Miriam had leprosy) and arrived at the desert of Paran. In our list today, Paran is called Rithmah. Rithmah must be some landmark at Kadesh-Barnea. Now that you have that piece of the puzzle, figure out how many times they moved before and after Rithmah.

It's interesting in Psalm 90, a psalm Moses wrote about all the wilderness years, he says "You have been our dwelling place in all generations." (Psalm 90:1) Where do you dwell? Now think of David in the Psalms. Where would David want to dwell? I think Moses and David dwelt in the same place.

Vs. 38-39 are actually Numbers 20. Both Miriam and Aaron died that year, four month from one another. This is how you can figure out the time lapse between Ch. 19 and 20.

Luke 4:31-5:11

The events here launched Jesus into being followed by the masses. Before these events, there were no great crowds following Him. After these events, Jesus and the disciples will seldom have time to themselves. It is no accident then that Jesus began asking men to become permanent followers who began to assist Him in His work.

Also, Mark and Luke have these events reversed chronologically. Notice that 5:1 says, "On one occasion." This means that this story is probably not in order but is put here to mark the occasion where Jesus personally called Peter, Andrew, James and John. Jesus already knew these men, and they had already had some adventures together in John 1-4. I think Mark has the right chronology, and Luke is showing logically why Jesus needed to call the disciples. Both events happened, it seems, in the same week.

Luke 4:31-44

Vs. 31-37 In Capernaum in this synagogue Jesus’ mass ministry was launched by driving out this demon. Reports were already going out about Him, but there was something about this event that caused the news to begin circulating rapidly.

Vs. 38-39 Jesus had already stayed at Peter’s house, but from here on out, Peter’s house would be His base of operations in Capernaum.

Vs. 40-41 This great crowd was just the city. When Jesus returned to Capernaum, this kind of gathering at Peter’s house would become a regular event, as it was the day the paralytic was healed.

Vs. 42-44 Jesus rose early and evaded the crowd, knowing they would have kept Him from leaving. This would be the first preaching tour He took the disciples on.

Luke 5:1-11

This, I think, is a flashback. If this was a TV show, it would say, “Three days earlier.”

Vs. 1-3 Notice that Luke identifies the Sea of Galilee by its Gentile name. That Jesus was teaching here was incidental to what follows with Peter and the boys.

Vs. 4-5 Here is the point. Jesus was “presumably” a novice in fishing. Experienced fishermen labored all night and sat by for hours as Jesus taught. Now He was finished. They had done their good deed and finished their work (multi-tasking); the nets were ready for tomorrow. Now they could go home, eat and get ready for the night of fishing ahead. Then, of all things, Jesus tells the pros to go out into the deep in the heat of the day and throw their newly cleaned nets in the water. To Peter’s credit, he did it. Now, it should be mentioned that Peter had seen the water turned into wine and had probably seen other miracles in Jerusalem and in Capernaum when Jesus stayed there with His family after the marriage in Cana.

Vs. 6-7 The key word of faith here is, “when they had done this.” The partners in the boat on land were the Zebedees. James, John and their father were partners with Peter. Later that day when Jesus called James and John, Mark tells us they were in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Here the nets are tearing.

Vs. 8-11 Peter fell at Jesus’ knees because Jesus was probably knee deep in fish. Notice what the call to Peter was. It was to catch men. That's what disciples are supposed to do in following Jesus (switching metaphors) into the harvest. It was no small thing for Peter (and Andrew, James and John) to get the boat to land, hand it off to the workers and probably Peter’s and James’ fathers, and then to leave everything and follow Jesus.

I know this is theoretical, but would we have that same faith to follow Jesus in the harvest or do our stuff and our sources of income and security own us?

Psalm 64

What a contrast to the last psalm.

Vs. 1-6 David is in distress. Maybe it was the next day or next week. There was danger and the lies and threats of the enemy had shaken him. His cry to God for help includes the catalog of the arrogance of these people who are pursuing David.

Vs. 7-8 David wouldn’t work to fight or judge these people, but David was confident that God would. He did.

Vs. 9-10 It takes getting to these verses before David had something to praise God for. David didn’t know when God would vindicate him, but he knew that when He did, it would be visible and all men would fear and learn to put their trust in the Lord. Those who were righteous would learn to take refuge in the Lord.

The psalm itself is a picture of what really brings praise, trust and understanding. It is not until we are so weighed down and desperate, and we have endured, holding on and waiting on the Lord, that we can know this kind of rejoicing. Only when we have taken refuge in Him and seen His vindication, will we be able to praise Him like this. Then the words of verse 10 will flow from our hearts.

Proverbs 11:22

God said it. This is a weird kind of image if you think about it. It doesn't compare the woman to the pig, but to a gold ring in a pig's nose. The beauty of the ring can't hide the pig. So, in this proverb, what is this big, crass, dirty, and for the Jew, unclean animal that can't be hidden or dressed up? It is the woman’s lack of discretion and godly wisdom.

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 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.

March 20, 2012 Reading Notes

March 20, 2012 Reading Notes

http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/

Just as a note, Laura and I are celebrating a little anniversary. On March 20, 2003 we began corresponding. If you'd like to see what we wrote, how it all began, it is posted on a webpage I've opened up as an experiment to make some of my sermons available to churches that are considering us. This is our little celebration of our “March Madness.” https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/

Numbers 30-31

Numbers 30

The logical connection between this section and the last section is that, while taking part in the holy days, people would often be moved to make vows to the Lord. This happens even today. People will be listening to a sermon in church and say, "I've got to call 'so-and-so' when I get home and apologize," or if the preacher is portly they will say, "Lord, I promise to exercise more." J Men and women could also make a vow to serve the Lord in the community or at the tabernacle. We’ll see this in Samuel. Apparently the Levites needed the help. Anyway, this is a restating of what has already been said about vows, with the additional regulations about a woman making a vow.

Vs. 1-2 According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary OT, page 250, a vow was a promise to do something and a pledge was a promise not to do something.

Vs. 3-5 This had to do with a woman who was still unmarried, in her father’s house and under his authority. The familiar pattern given here is that on the day he heard of the vow he either approved by doing nothing, or disapproved by making the vow void.

Vs. 6-8 This is the situation of a single woman who has taken a vow and then marries. When her new husband learns of the vow he must make the decision to let her complete it or he has the right to make it void.

V. 9 This is a parenthetical statement about widows or divorced women. Interestingly, they are not under the authority of any man and so their vow “sticks” the minute they utter it.

Vs. 10-16 This is the case of married woman making a vow or pledge. The interesting wrinkle here is in verse fifteen. The husband, not the wife, can still make the vow void at some later date, but in doing this he bears the guilt or iniquity of the broken vow. According to the law, he would have to offer sacrifices to obtain forgiveness.

Where you see this in action is 1 Samuel 1:9-18, when Hanna prays for a son and makes a vow. According to what the Lord is saying here, Elkanah had the right to either confirm or dissolve this vow shortly after hearing about it.

Also, in 1 Timothy 5 Paul alludes to some version of this that had been accepted by the church in Ephesus, where widows could make a vow of service. Apparently the younger widows were prone to break their vows the minute they found a believing boyfriend. Paul commanded Timothy to refuse to enroll younger widows.

Num. 31

This chapter introduces a very hard topic. It is hard for us to wrap our heads around it mentally or emotionally. Also, sometimes we have the joy of trying to explain this to the unchurched. The question is, “How could a loving God command the killing of everyone in a city, including women and children?” This chapter shows Israel going to war and gives us details on who would live and who would die. Even if you understand that the people Israel fought against were wicked and the cultures were utterly corrupt, you still have to think through the killing of children and women (why don't we really care about the guysL).

So, here are some leading thoughts and you can do with them what you will.

There are "realities" that exist regardless of my feelings or opinions. Gravity works whether I'm having a good day or a bad day. Regardless of my feelings, I always have to keep an eye on gravity, at least while I'm in this life. On earth as a human, there is a “spiritual world” that exists that I can't see. It's there whether I'm having a good day or a bad one. God is there and the angels, good and bad are there. It's as real as the keyboard I'm typing on. It's a reality and someday I'll see that reality. I could see that "other side" of life right now, but to do that, the way things are set up right now, I'd have to die. The way God has designed things at this moment in history, as I am now in this body, I can't see the spiritual world. But if I leave this body by "dying," in a second I will be conscious and alive in a body in that reality, possibly seeing both the physical and spiritual reality together. This is the world and reality that the Bible teaches.

Death is the only way for us to view or enter this other “world.” But what is death? I say, "I'd have to die," to see the spiritual side of life, but I'd actually be "alive" there. So if I'm alive here, and then, a second later, I'd be alive there, what is death? Death is separation. Physically, it is the separation of the soul from the body. Spiritually, death is the separation of man from God. In reality we are never, not living. As humans, during this time, we are either on earth, visually separated from God, or separated from this earth, visually present with God. But we are never dead. This is reality regardless of how I feel. "Death" in a physical sense, is whatever happens to our body that causes the moment of separation, the moment of transition of our spirit from this reality to that reality. But the reality is, we are always "alive" and there is only one reality, with two parts (for us) and there is only one God.

Separation was never meant to be, either from God or from the body. "Death" is an unnatural thing in God's universe and will be done away with. Humans were never created to be separated from God. Whatever that union with God looks like, even saved, we have not yet experienced it. When Adam broke that union, "death," a separation, occurred immediately, like plucking a flower, and though it happened slowly, the body had to decline and decay to the point of the spirit separating from the body. The one separation necessitated the other. No one was ever born to “not” have a relationship with God. No one was ever to have a failing body from which the human spirit could be separated. For now, we rightfully fight against "death," because it isn't normal or what was designed by God.

Our fear of "death" stems from our sin and separation from God. We inwardly fear God. Our sin rebels against God. We can't see beyond this small room (called earth and life) that we live in. Actually, “life” is so much bigger than this “tiny room” that we think is all of reality. Yet fear tells us this is all there is, and sin tells us we can't face God. So we are trapped in fear, in a small little slice of reality, thinking it is everything.

When the body "dies," the soul is separated from this body and we move from the small room into the big room. The Bible teaches that when we step into "life," as Jesus calls “the next life” in John 3, we are fully alert. Some people will become fully alert for the first time in their lives. And we will have a body. We don't even go "bodiless" for more than a second. After that second of separation from the body, every man, woman and child enters God’s world and that, theoretically is a great thing, right? There’s the rub.

Now, God is against murder and holds life to be valuable and sacred for us on earth. But God is about to "call" Moses into His presence. Moses will "die" but not really be dead. As disciples, we know that God has the right to "call" us at any time, and we'll be going to a great place. Paul couldn't wait to get there. If God called you away to work in Argentina for the rest of your life, you'd miss your friends and family, and they would miss you, but you wouldn't be dead. You’d just be living somewhere else. Heaven, God's presence, is "somewhere else," and it's a great place, unless you're not ready to "meet your maker."

In the wars Israel would wage, there was an "object lesson" for all mankind, that societies and cultures can so pollute themselves, that only total cleansing from the earth can stop their sinful influence, like cutting out cancer. Sin in this body cannot be cured in this life [Rom. 7-8] and its power can't be broken by education or reform. Its power could only be "broken" by willing repentance and acceptance of the one true God, revealed then as Yahweh, the God of the Jews. Now, the power of sin is only broken through acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, which gives us forgiveness, allowing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We become connected to God, but the power of sin is there until death and resurrection. Read Romans7- 8.

In these wars that Israel fought, there is the lesson that sin can permeate a culture and society in such a way that God will bring judgment. All the nations around Israel will see this. All the nations knew that Canaan was corrupt, and now they'll see Yahweh bring judgment. In demanding the deaths of these peoples, in reality, God was saying, "Their time on earth is complete, send them into my presence and I will judge them." It's not a bad thing to be in God's presence, unless we're not ready to be there. We get caught up with visual images of slaying and slicing and blood and guts, but the result was to send these people to God. They never stopped living. They came into God’s world and God took the matter from there.

Physical "death" is not something God likes, and it's not something we'll get used to. Christ removed the "sting" from death by dying for us and facing our judgment "unjudged." In Christ, we who know Him will also be "unjudged." We think of death and think of how unfair it is that someone can't live on earth, but reality is far bigger than this earth, and earth isn't really a good place anyway. Heaven is not "on" earth; in fact, when this sad episode is finished here, God will get rid of this earth and make a new, uncontaminated one.

Obviously God wants us to be compassionate and show mercy to victims of war, tsunamis, disasters, sicknesses and hunger. We are commanded to show love and to assist those suffering on earth. But we disciples cannot live with a microscopic view of life, as if this time and life on earth is everything. Reality is much larger, and this sad tale on earth is a very important, but a temporary dot on the surface of eternity. The destiny of every person ever born is to bow before Jesus and confess that He is Lord. God Himself determines when that event happens. We have a choice in whether our confession is compelled from us in heaven, or surrendered freely here on earth, in repentance and acceptance of Christ. As disciples, in the age of grace, we work in the harvest while there is still time. Judgment and wrath are coming to the earth, and for many, before the throne of God.

God is a loving God, but the killing will always seem harsh. It helps to keep the bigger picture in mind. In God commanding the "deaths" of these people, there was the fearful "lesson" to the other nations to fear sin and respect Yahweh, and there was the mission of Israel to send these people from their bodies, from this small room to that great room, into the presence of God.

Back to Numbers 31

Vs. 1-7 God has Moses avenge Israel against the Midianites. What they did was a big thing. They sought to get God to curse His people and they found a way. How they did it might have circulated around the nations. This would show the nations not to mess with God.

Notice that Phinehas leads them into battle.

Vs. 8-12 Among the kings of Midian who they killed, they also killed Balaam. What was he doing in Midian? He must have come back and been given money and a “house full of gold” for giving such good advice on how to make Israel bring God's curse upon themselves. Now he was standing in the presence of God with no gold and in a lot of trouble.

Vs. 13-18 Somehow Moses had the full story on what had happened up on the mountains and what was said between Balaam and Balak. Either God told Moses, or Moses interviewed someone who was there, like Balaam. In 2 Samuel 1, you have the story of the guy who came to David in Ziklag reporting the details of Saul's death, who was immediately thereafter "dispatched" to join Balaam. They probably both got together in the hot part of Hades and said, "Yeh, me too. I thought when I told them the whole story, they'd let me go."

There is an interesting thought here. In order for so many men from Israel to have sinned sexually so quickly, the Midianites must have had a lot of women on the job. Apparently once they had the plan from Balaam, they sent all of the women into the Israelite camp to set up "worship stations" in the name of Baal, and thousands of the women participated. Makes you wonder what kind of moral climate that must have been, being willing to sell themselves for Baal and country, to bring a curse on their enemies.

All the males were killed, old and young, because males carried on the national identity of this culture. Remember they were still alive, just sent into God's presence. If the children were under the age of accountability, they were not judged (Romans 7:9). The rest of these people had somehow heard about Yahweh. Balak knew to send for Balaam, because Balaam had a link to the same God of the Israelites who Balak knew about. Abe-Isaac-Jacob became a large group of people who lived in Canaan over 200 years. Melchizedek, a priest of the most high God, was the King in Salem (Jerusalem) and God was giving testimony to His own name through many men, like Balaam, who we have never heard of. Not to mention that just down the road, for the past 40 years, you had this community of 2 million people whose God had, to their liking and the joy of all in that ancient world, demolished Egypt. We have some evidence, and have to trust God, that they had opportunities to come to him. BTW, Moses' father-in-law was a Midianite priest who became a believer, and this would have been some of the same territory where Moses would have tended sheep for 40 years.

Regarding the captured women: In Deuteronomy 21 the Lord will give them laws on how to incorporate all captured women into the nation. Since these people were not Canaanites (they were actually descendants of Abraham), these women could have been brought into Israel. The reason the women with sexual experience were killed here was because they had participated in the event at Peor.

The young girls who were taken would have become servants of the people or employed in the service of the tabernacle and absorbed into the culture and populace of the nation. God gave laws on how they were to treat these people.

Vs. 19-20 Remember the laws of cleansing and the water of uncleanness that God gave instructions about? Here is how they were to be used.

Vs. 25-47 The Lord himself instituted some rules/laws regarding how to divide the captured goods and people. Everything was to be tithed. The goods and people were divided in half, between the soldiers who fought and the people who stayed at home. The soldiers tithed 1/500^th of their stuff to the priests. The people tithed 1/50^th of their stuff to the Levites.

Vs. 48-54 When the officers of the army counted their men and realized that they hadn’t lost a single soldier, they were moved with gratefulness to God and brought a free-will offering to God of the jewelry and precious metals and stones they had gathered.

Thankfully, following Christ in the harvest, the only death we are to seek is that of our “old self,” and to carry our cross, presenting ourselves, living, on the altar before God. And if we “die,” we actually burst into life in the presence of our Savior. Like Paul, that entrance into His presence, to see Him face to face, is something each of us should be looking forward to.

Luke 4:1-30

Vs. 1- 2 As mentioned before, Jesus, the newly anointed Son of Man and King of the earth, was driven by the Spirit to have a showdown with the “god of this age.” Satan waited until opportune times. There may have been more temptations, but these are the key temptations.

Vs. 3-4 It is interesting that Satan asked Jesus to prove He was the Son of God. In the mind of every Jew, whether they really believed it or not, they understood that the Messiah would be the Son of God. Look at John 1:49 and John 11:27. Jesus, as a man, depended on God for His provision.

Vs. 5-8 Jesus would have had this anyway. Satan was offering Him a way to avoid suffering and God’s will. Notice that Jesus showed that worship (lit. bend the knee) necessitated service. They always go together, or should.

Vs. 9-13 Matthew and Luke have a different order to the temptations. Both have the bread first, but they differ in the next two. Since Matthew wrote with an agenda to show that Jesus was the Messiah of the Jews, and since he takes some other events out of their chronological order, I'm going to suggest that Luke has the right order. It really doesn't matter. My thinking is that Satan was fed up with hearing "It is written," so he quoted Scripture to Jesus to lure Him into putting God to the test. Ironically, if you catch the double meaning in Jesus’ words, Satan was the one who was putting God to the test.

Between the temptation and Jesus' visit to Nazareth, comes John 1-4. A lot of relationship was formed between Jesus and the disciples during this time.

Vs. 14-15 This is a declaration of victory. Now His public ministry would begin and He would present Himself to Israel as their Messiah.

Vs. 16-30 Following a great victory came a great rejection. John mentions this in John 1:11, He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.

Vs. 18-19 These are such amazing verses. Jesus was fulfilling them as He stood there. Following Jesus in the harvest, this is also what His disciples, today, are supposed to do.

To me, it is amazing that some people today present Jesus as a vague teacher with a hidden, indistinct message. Boy, the people in Nazareth sure got the point. Obviously, Jesus touched on their spiritual blindness and their Jewish nationalism, but the change in "temperature" was immediate. I remember hearing Bill Hybels say that if you preach self esteem at church, it's 85 and sunny. If you preach discipleship, it's 32 and falling. Even among believers, if the message is too oriented toward the Great Commission and discipleship, you quickly see who is anchored in their “own” definition of following Jesus in their "rightness," and who is humbly willing to forsake all and follow their Savior into the harvest. One person becomes your critic and the other becomes a disciple of Jesus.

These are the people Jesus grew up with, pushing Him out of the city, taking Him to the hill to kill Him. Once Jesus allowed them to demonstrate their hearts and fully show their intentions, He supernaturally turned about and walked through the middle of the crowd and no one laid a hand on Him.

Psalm 63

This is another of these psalms, where, except for the last 3 verses, this is the crying out of my heart for the day.

Vs. 1-4 This is a long confession to God that He is David’s hope. What a wonderful expression of who God should be to all of us. Remember though, it took suffering to bring David to this place. There is a price to pay if this is what we want our devotion to God to look like. Working in the harvest will do this for us.

Vs. 5-8 David must have had some moments of peace in his flight from Saul. In this quietness he confesses his satisfaction with the Lord’s care. Verse six also describes how the Lord became so rooted in David’s heart.

Vs. 9-11 At this place of peace, knowing that he could be on the run again, David’s confidence was in God. Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojybwVrHTgc

Proverbs 11:20-21

We value things like being street smart and being able to figure stuff out. What about Christians who are just naïve, who really don't get it, who are just blameless and innocent before God? We usually see them as prey, as somebody's lunch, and we roll our eyes and laugh at their dumbness. They are like Forrest Gump. But God loves the Christian Forrest Gumps who are dumb and blameless before Him. They go through life, following Christ in the harvest and God just blesses them, even in their sorrows and trials.

For the wicked it’s like the irritation when you're driving a long stretch of city traffic with "thousands" of traffic lights. You drive like crazy, weaving in and out of lanes trying to make a light, trying to be wise and crafty. But somewhere, miles ago, you passed this old guy or old woman, driving under the speed limit, just moving along. "Ha, Ha! Left him in the dust. The dummy doesn't know he needs to drive faster, smarter, like me." By the time you get to your destination, you're sweaty, you've given yourself another ulcer and you've made several enemies. As you pull into the parking lot you notice that the old dude just passed you. Not only did you not save 30 seconds with all your traffic gymnastics, but guess who God delighted in. And they just passed you.

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 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.