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April
25
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Reading
1 - Deuteronomy 10 & 11
Click
here to Listen
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10
v. 11 - Notice how precise God is here with his language - that they
may go in. Not that you may go in, as God knew that Moses would not, even
after all he had done for the people. Deut.3:23-27,
9:18,25.
Peter Cresswell |
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11v.7
- The fact that they had seen the great works of God with their own eyes
gave them a serious responsibility. We need to recognise too that the more
we come to recognise the great works which God has done onour behalf, the
greater our responsibility to follow Him really is.
Peter Cresswell
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10
v.3 'ark of Shittim
wood' is not the ark of the covenant spoken of in Exodus. It would appear
that Moses made a container for the tables of stones that he wrote the law
on the second time.
10
v.5 And so we
might presume that the tables of stone were place inside the ark of the
covenant, when the tabernacle was built, in the ark [box] that Moses had
made for them at the first.
11
v.10 The idea
of watering crops with their feet refers to the fact that irrigation of
the crops in Egypt was effected using irrigation canals where water was
diverted from the Nile and was pumped into the fields using foot powered
water wheels. This contrasts with the land of Israel, where the fields were
watered directly with the rain from heaven. The spiritual lesson is that
in 'Egypt' man lived by his own strength whereas in 'Israel' man lives by
God's provision.
Peter
Forbes |
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10:12
This language is the basis for the words of the prophet (Micah
6:8) in the context of the deliverance from Egypt. Yet another example
of the details of the wilderness journey being used as a lesson for later
generations.
10:16
This way of living can only achieved through a circumcised heart. Circumcision
of the flesh is not sufficient. These words must affect the heart of the
individual in covenant relationship with God.
11:17
'that there be no rain' is a threat that God make to Israel if they were
unfaithful. This is why Elijah (1
Kings 17:1) prayed that it would not rain. He doubtless hoped that
that the drought would bring Israel to their senses as they realised that
they were suffering because they were astray from God.
Peter
Forbes
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10:17
The language from this verse is quoted (1
Timothy 6:15) to speak of the majesty of God - He hasn't changed from
Old to New Testament.
11:14
When Yahweh told Israel that they would receive the first rain and the
latter rain they would have had no idea what was being spoken of. In Egypt,
where they had been for 215 years, does not have rain, let alone seasons
of rain.
Peter
Forbes
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GETTING
STRONG
The quest for strength has been going on for centuries. From almost the
beginning of time men have competed in games to see who is the strongest,
fittest, fastest, bravest and best. It continues even today with sports
tournaments, Olympics, Commonwealth Games and other events from local to
international competitions.
Yet with all the training and discipline that goes on in preparing for and
competing in these events, most people forget or have not heard the secret
of true strength. It is a simple secret but most people do not recognize
it or refuse to accept it.
Moses told Israel, "Observe therefore all the commands I am giving
you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the
land that the LORD swore to your forefathers to give them and their descendants."
Observing the commands of the LORD certainly will give us a different strength
to that used in games, but it is a stronger and much more lasting strength
with power beyond human imagination. Begin training today. Obey and be strong.
Robert
Prins |
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ch
10 - The children of Israel were by nationality the descendants of Abraham,
but none the less God causes them to remember that they were strangers in
the Land of Egypt, "Love ye therefore the stranger for ye were strangers
in Egypt" (Deut
10:19). So the love of God is emphasised here, as God had loved them
they were also to love the stranger (a temporary inhabitant, a newcomer
lacking inherited rights). This is a teaching that seems to be regularly
focused upon under the Mosaic Law teaching the nation there was no room
for nationalistic or self-righteous pride and that God was no respecter
of persons. This teaching pointed forward to the new covenant that God would
make with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. But some Jewish believers
in the New Testament who claimed to be Christians but still upheld the Mosaic
Law conveniently disregarded this part of the law relating to strangers,
and refused point blank to accept that God through the Gospel of Grace "had
opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. This high handed, nationalistic,
unloving, self-righteous approach was to cause much conflict in the first
century ecclesias. The apostle had to deal with this problem at Ephesus
and in his usual indomitable way exhorted them Ephesians
2:12, That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world: Ephesians
2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.
Roger
and Ruth Sharpe |
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Reading
2 - Ecclesiastes 4
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here to Listen
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v.2
- This hatred of life comes directly from the considerations of how vain
it is, and yet there is only hope of coming to God while we are still alive,
so let us make the best of what we have. ch.2:17,
9:4-6, Job 3:17-21.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.6
picks up a theme that has run throughout Proverbs (15:16,17,
16:18, 17:1 see also Psa.37:16). Perhaps a lesson the those who seek
a 'life of adventure'.
Peter Cresswell
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4:4
'travail' - Ecclesiastes
1:13 2:23,26 3:10 4:4,6,8 5:14 'vexation of spirit' - Ecclesiastes
1:14,17 2:11,17,26 4:4,6,16 6:9 speaks of the emptiness and futility
of life when Yahweh is not seen in life's experiences. Those who comprised
faithless Israel were to experience this when the faithful were blessed.
Isaiah
65:14
Peter
Forbes |
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The
whole depressing chapter is not speaking of the expectations of the child
of God. It is only those with no hope who share the misery described in
this chapter. The brother or sister in Christ should not feel like this.
Peter
Forbes
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:6
How true this statement is. So often we strive for 'things' only to
discover that those 'things' bring with them their own problems.
Peter
Forbes
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In
vs.
8; The first thing that a covetous man desires is to have no one close
to him, this man "heaps up riches and knoweth not who shall gather
them"(Psa
39:6;) This man has no room for friendship for he does not reflect that
loving and kindly disposition that gains friends. Instead of using his fortune
wisely, he hoards it and this causes his heart to despair. The pursuit and
preoccupation of wealth does not satisfy and draws us away from God, Jesus
picks this up in contrast to being preoccupied with following him Matthew
16:26; For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his
soul? The Mammon man who loses his soul is so bound up with his wealth
that he severs his connection with those around him and their activities.
Jesus again said in relation to this kind of attitude, Matthew
6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
In regard to this way of thinking let us take to our selves Solomons qualified
advice, This is also vanity, yea it is a sore travail.
Roger
and Ruth Sharpe |
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STRESS
OR TRANQUILITY
In today's modern world everyone seems to be after the top jobs. To stay
on the top we need cell phones, e-mail, pagers and fast cars. We run around
like mad things trying to keep up and advance our careers. But with all
this running around, tight deadlines, the demand for more, for precision
and economy, comes the biggest killer of the human race - stress. From what
I have seen, it doesn't matter how much stress we put up with, as long as
we can earn the big money and advance our career, it is said to be worth
it. But it is not.
Solomon was right when he said, "Better one handful with tranquility
than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind." If we aim
for the top and put all our energy into getting rich (or, as the preacher
puts it, getting two handfuls) we will find ourselves stressed to the max,
and when we look over our lives later on, we will find that it has all been
a waste of time - a chasing after the wind. But if we content ourselves
with a little less (the one handful), we also find we will gain tranquility.
With the blessing of tranquility we will also find that we have time for
God. We will be able to get close to him and find peace and a place in God's
kingdom.
Robert
Prins |
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Reading
3 - Acts 1
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here to Listen
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v.
3 - These proofs are recorded for us as well. If you have an on line
Bible, you can call up no less than 141 references to this verse, mostly
of times when it is recorded that the disciples received some proof of his
resurrection. We have this written proof as we too, like them, speak of
things pertaining to the kingdom for which we wait. Rom.14:17,
Col.1:13, 1Thes.2:12
Peter Cresswell |
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v.
6 The disciples
question 'Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ...'
is set against
v. 3 'To
whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs,
being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to
the kingdom of God:' The disciples saw the restoration of the kingdom
to Israel as things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Peter Forbes |
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| v.18-25
Peter's comments here about the demise of Judas seem at variance with what
Matthew tells us (Matthew
27:3-5). There is no contradiction. Peter, in Acts, is giving an Old
Testament exposition of the Scriptures which foretold his demise. 1:16
'scripture must needs have been fulfilled'.
Peter
quotes a number of passages from the Old Testament linking Judas with
both Balaam and Ahithophel.
| 1:18 |
reward
of iniquity |
Numbers
22:7 |
| 1:18 |
Headlong |
Numbers
22:32 |
| 1:20 |
let
his habitation be desolate and let no man dwell therein |
Psalm
69:25 |
| 1:20 |
his
bishoprick another take |
Psalm
109:8 |
| 1:25 |
Transgression
fell |
Numbers
22:23 |
| 1:25 |
own
place |
Numbers
22:23 24:25 |
Peter Forbes
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:1
Acts, written by Luke under inspiration, is a companion in particular to
Luke's account of the gospel. :1-2
makes this point clear. We should, therefore, expect to see themes from
Luke continue into Acts.
Peter Forbes |
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God
has left us in no doubt about the qualifications of the twelve apostles,
obviously foreseeing there would be some who claimed to be apostles and
were not. Before the lot was cast for the one to replace Judas. The apostle
Peter quoted Psalm
109:8; after which he went on to say, Acts
1:21,22; Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all
the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the
baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one
be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. Their personal
witness of the ressurction of Jesus underpins the whole of the book of Acts
and the last instruction that Jesus gave the twelve was Ye shall be
witnesses unto me no one else but the twelve apostles were qualified
to undertake this commission.
Roger
and Ruth Sharpe |
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