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February 11

Reading 1 - Exodus 21

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v.5,6 - The idea that here there was an instruction to use the judges means that this institution, which appears (ch.18:17-24) to have come from Moses' father-in-law, obviously had God's blessing. God is therefore not averse to man making judgements, though the men have to be well chosen to stand the responsibility and to give spiritually correct answers. As well as this, here in v.6 we have a picture of lifelong commitment, requiring the sacrifice of substantial pain (albeit short term). Notice that the serving for ever was motivated by his love for his master (God), his spouse (Jesus) and his children (Brethren and Sisters). Ps.40:6-8 (the word opened in v.6 means to dig or excavate - clearly a reference back to today's chapter).
Peter Cresswell
v.17 represents the respect that God expects us to show for our parents - as a training ground for the showing of respect to our Heavenly father. The rules regarding respect for parents seem much harsher than most others, and serious consequences ensue from what seem on the surface to be relatively less serious crimes. We must consider what God is meaning us to learn from this.
Peter Cresswell
v.5-6 The way in which the way a servant could dedicate himself to his master forms a pattern of our service to God. This was exemplified in the way in which Jesus gave himself over to his Father's work. So the idea :6 of the pierced ear is taken up in Psalm 40:6 and then on into Hebrews 10:5.
Peter Forbes
The provision regarding the servant is the provision of the year of release which is developed in more detail in Leviticus 25.
Peter Forbes
On this day in 1861, Bro Thomas wrote the preface to the first volume of Eureka.
 
Exodus 21 - The laws in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though they differ from our times and customs, nor are they binding on us, yet they explain the moral law under which Israel now found herself, and the rules of natural justice. The servant, in the state of servitude, was an emblem of that state where man finds himself in bondage to sin. The law, brings man face to face with his God, because by his sins he is robbing God of his glory. However, the Law is based on "Not" teaching. That is, man learns under the Law largely what God is NOT. However, in God's Grace through Jesus Christ, we have learned what God IS. So this, says Jesus, "is life eternal that they might KNOW THEE the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" - John 17:3. Likewise, back in Exodus 21, a servant in being made free, was an emblem of that liberty wherewith Christ, the Son of God, makes free from bondage His people, who are now free indeed - Romans 8:1; and made so freely, without money and without price, through the grace of God - John 8:32.
Cliff York

Reading 2 - Psalm 74

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v.2 - Lots of connections here throughout the scripture. Israel were (and we now are as well) God's congregation, God's holy people, the redeemed of the Lord (Isa.51:11) - who also come to Zion - the place where we can dwell with God - Jesus. It was purchased by God - purchased of course by the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28). Let us remind ourselves of the position of great privilege in which we find ourselves - Ps.33:12, Deut.4:20, 32:9, Jer.10:16, Isa.62:12, Tit.2:14, Rev.5:9.
Peter Cresswell
v.1 (Title) - This Asaph was son of Berechiah - and was the chief (1Chr.15:17-19, 16:5) of David's musicians. Was this Psalm (and Psalm 78) written by him, or written for him? If it was for him , then that would not be the first time - 1Chr.16:7
Peter Cresswell
In this Psalm the Psalmist thinks about the way that God brought Israel from Egypt. Here are some of the verbal allusions.
:1 anger smoke Deuteronomy 29:20
:2 which thou hast purchased Exodus 15:16
:11 Plucked out of thy bosom Exodus 4:7
:13 Divide the sea Exodus 14:21
:14 meat to the people Numbers 14:9
Peter Forbes
David is thinking like this because the sanctuary is desolate (:1-9). This prompts the Psalmist to question why God does not seem interested (:10)
Peter Forbes
Psalm 74 - It appears almost certain that this Psalm is from Hezekiah's time, when the Assyrian went through the land destroying all Israel's places of worship.
 
Psalm 74:4-6 - NEB translates "The shouts of Thy enemies filled the Holy Place, they planted their standards there as tokens of victory. They brought it crashing down, like woodmen plying their axes in the forest; they ripped the carvings clean out, they smashed them with hatchet and pick." Obviously this was a traumatic time for the nation as the enemy went throughout the land, destroying all that Israel had established. Sadly the people in the land must once more endure the Assyrian, the Northern Confederacy headed by Russia, going through the land and wreaking havoc in their final rampage against God's people - Daniel 11:40-45.
Cliff York

Reading 3 - Mark 7

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v.7 - This has been a problem throughout the ages. Human nature adores tradition. We feel great security in repeated ritual. It is essential, as Jesus says here, that we separate in our minds those things which are doctrine from those which are tradition and give each its true place in our hearts. From the start God was concerned that his commandments remained untouched by human thinking (Deut.12:32). So let us heed carefully the message of passages like Tit.3:9, Jas.1:26, Col.2:20-23, Rev.22:18.
Peter Cresswell

v.13 That it is possible to make the word of God void and of none effect by the way that we make our own rules should really make us careful about how we make our own rules to 'make life easy' for ourselves.
v.31 When Jesus passed through Decapolis he was passing through the area where Legion, when he had been healed, went talking about Jesus Mark 5:20.
v.36 A regular feature of the gospels is that Jesus did not want those who had been healed to spread that abroad. Matthew 8:4 9:30 12:16 16:20 Mark 1:44 3:12 5:43 8:30 Luke 5:14 8:56 His desire was that people would come to him because of his word and not just for the miracles [or the bread]
Peter Forbes

:6-7 The way in which the 'people' were vain in their worship because they had replaced the things God required by their own traditions should serve as a powerful warning to us.

We must ask ourselves, with respect to all the procedures that we adopt in our lives, whether they accord with what Scripture teaches or whether the procedures are designed to enable us to avoid thinking about the will of our Father and how it should be implemented in our daily and ecclesial lives.
Peter Forbes
:24-30 It may seem puzzling that Jesus went to gentile territory and then, when the gentile woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter. It might seem reasonable to ask 'why go there if he was not going to heal anyone or preach the gospel?' The way that Jesus responded was designed to enable the woman to show that she had great faith. Not for her benefit but for the benefit of those Jews that were with Jesus.
Peter Forbes
RULES AND TRADITIONS

Most rules and traditions have their basis in a principle or a belief. For example, the rule that says we should wear safety glasses when using power tools is based on the safety principle of "prevention is better than cure." The rule is good in its self, but if the principle is better served by wearing a face shield, then the rule of wearing safety glasses becomes obsolete.

The Pharisees had made traditions and rules around the principles given in the Law of Moses. Essentially they were a hedge around the law to prevent people from breaking the law, and in a way, it worked well. But in other ways it went too far because the people lost sight of God's laws due to all the other rules they had to watch out for. Jesus said to them, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7 v 8).

We too can be governed by a multitude of rules and traditions intended to help us serve God, but which occasionally become a burden or hindrance. Our worship music, Bible Version, dress code, times of meetings, order of services or layout of a plan are all things that are based on principles yet are often enforced by rules. So let us consider the principles behind the rules and re-evaluate our standing before God.
Robert Prins
Mark 7:19 - "purging all meats" - Another translation has this, "Making all meats clean." The NKJV has "Thus purifying all foods" - This was a radical departure from 1500 years of ingrained and inbred tradition and Law. It was a total shock to the mind of the Jew, and we find Peter still grappling with the concept years later in the record of the Acts.
Cliff York