Yesterday --- Contribute --- Tomorrow |
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Reading 1 - 1Kings 12
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v.
1-2 - Rehoboam = "He enlarges the people" - Jeroboam
= "Increase of the people". These names were virtually
identical. Jeroboam first enters the scene in ch.11:26,
where we are told of his lineage, and in v.
28 we learn that he was a 'mighty man of valour'. He is not related
in any way to Solomon, or, it would seem, to anyone else of consequence,
but God arranges for him to reign over the ten tribes (see the prophecy
of Ahijah - ch.11:29-31).
In fact Rehoboam is only given anything at all by God for the sake of
his Grandfather David, and the city of Jerusalem, which God has chosen.
(v.32)
Peter Cresswell |
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2002 v.15 - The Bible is full of examples of times when God determined what people should say. The reason given here that Rehoboam did not hearken to the wise men was that the prophecy might be fulfilled. We must remember at all times that God is in control. Peter Cresswell |
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2002 Rehoboam, in asking the old men and then the young men as to how he should rule Israel had forgotten to enquire of the only source that mattered He failed to ask his God! He was to sit on the throne of the Lord, but did not see any need to enquire of Him as to how he should govern the country. He was a political, not spiritual, animal. Peter Forbes |
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1Ki
12:32 The great Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles are in
the 7th month, is Jeroboam merely responding to the frustrations his people
feel because of denial of access to Jerusalem, or does he also advertise
the 8th month as a new beginning for his nation. Derek Palmer |
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Reading 2 - Jeremiah 38
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v.4-6
- They wanted to kill Jeremiah - as if that would alter the plans of God!
This shows their lack of understanding. The king, Zedekiah, was no more
honorable. In the end, however, poor Jeremiah suffered a fate worse than
death. He was thrown into a filthy pit with a good layer of mud at the bottom.
What this man suffered as he performed God's will! Let us be ready to do
the same if He requires it. Peter Cresswell |
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2002 v.6 - I cannot get over whta this man had to suffer in the name of God. Whatever we suffer, it cannot be compared with this man. What an honour, but what a terrible life he had. Peter Cresswell |
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2002 38:14 In the way that Zedekiah sought to hear the word of God from Jeremiah but did not want anyone to know he had been asking we see that Zedekiah was a weak man - hardly suitable for kingship - though, doubtless the Babylonians thought - a good man to put on the throne to serve their purposes. Peter Forbes |
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Reading 3 - Mark 12
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v.1
- the word for hedge (phragmos <5418>)
is used only 4 times in scripture. Three of them are in this same context
- i.e. that of a hedge to keep something from something else (Matt
21:33, Mark 12:1, Luke 14:23). These passages are, however, substantially
enlightened by the final occurrence in Eph
2:14, where the same word is used for the 'middle wall of partition'
that the work of Jesus has broken down for us, so removing the 'hedge' that
separated us from God, so making him our Father. Peter Cresswell |
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2002 :10-11 In directing the leaders to consider 'the stone which the builders rejected' Jesus is asking them if they understood Psalm 118 because he is quoting verse 22 of the Psalm. Now the people had been singing the words of this Psalm as Jesus entered the city [11:9,10 quoting Psalm 118:25,26] and the leaders had tried to get Jesus to prevent them doing this [Luke 19:38,39]. So Jesus is again bringing the minds of he leaders back to think about particular Scripture which they did not wish to see applied to Jesus. Peter Forbes |
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RESURRECTION Aha, they thought. If Jesus believes in the resurrection we will ask him our trickiest question about it to show how ridiculous his belief really is. So the Saducees asked their question about the seven brothers who all had the same one wife, concluding with, "At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?" That will get him, they thought. But Jesus not only answered their question, he also solved their problem: The dead will rise and be resurrected. He said, "Now about the dead rising - have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!" It was the hope of the resurrection that gave Abraham the faith to offer Isaac. If there was no resurrection, what hope would he have? Life would be lived in vain. But now Jesus has been raised from the dead as a guarantee of our resurrection, as the first to rise from the dead. It is so certain to God that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are all spoken of as living - even though they are dead. Resurrection is something we can be certain of. Let's make it the basis for our hope in God. Robert Prins |
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