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February
17
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Reading
1 - Exodus 28
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here to Listen
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v.11
(and later verses - 13,14,25)
- The word 'ouches'. (Heb. mishb'tsah
- 04865)
It seems that it suggests a setting for a gem stone, as you would find on
a ring. The word is used extensively in Exodus, but only once elsewhere,
where we have reason to associate it with much higher things. It is in Ps.45:13-17,
where it is translated 'wrought'. This Psalm takes us through a
number of ideas which tell us that the picture is one of the bride being
married to Christ for eternity. All this from a consideration of 'ouches'.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.7
tells us that the two shoulder-pieces were to be 'joined together'. There
is a picture here of the High Priest bridging the gap, as it were, a picture
of our advocate Jesus, the Great High Priest, carrying the people of Israel
- those whose names are written in the onyx stone - v.12,
which were on the shoulders. This is referred back to, I assume, in the
famous words of Isa.
9:6 where 'the government shall be upon his shoulder'.
Peter Cresswell
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:36
The 'holiness to the Lord' on the mitre which was on the forehead of the
high priest testified to his personal commitment to service of his God.
This commitment passes into the way in which the Nazarite was committed
to God when we are informed [Numbers
6:8] that all the days of his separation he is 'holy to the Lord'. This
shows that holiness is not something that can be developed by speaking words.
Rather holiness is something seen in a way of life.
Peter Forbes |
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:1
In taking Aaron from 'among his brethren' we are being shown that the high
priest must share the nature and experiences of those he serves. This is
true to Jesus also Hebrews
5:1
Peter Forbes |
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Exodus
28:12 - The names of the twelve tribes of Israel are very significant
when we put them in order. Aaron would have had 6 of the names memorialised
on each of his shoulders. To any thinking Israelite, he would have learned
with the first six names - "Behold, a son," "hear him," "be joined
to him," "praise him," and in the "judgement" you will "prevail after
wrestling" with your nature. The second six names taught - "The
company" of "the Blessed" will be "rewarded" by "dwelling with" and "increasing"
the family of "the son of the right hand."
Exodus
28:34 - "A pomegranate and a bell..." - The bells
would never have been silent whilst the high priest was active, so the
sound of the gospel should ever be going forth. The pomegranates are a
large red fruit, containing many compartments inside, each compartment
whitish in colour, and each containing hundreds of edible seeds within
a nourishing pulp. The pomegranate speaks mightily of the seed of
Abraham, numerous in multitude, each nourished within separate communities,
yet all bound together as one red coloured fruit.
Cliff
York
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Reading
2 - Psalms 83 & 84
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here to Listen
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84
v. 5-7 - Here we have an account of one of the actions of those who
are in Zion and appear before God - that they pass through the valley of
Baca and make it a well. The word Baca (bakah
- 10506 01507) is the same word translated 'mulberry trees'.
When there was a stirring in the mulberry trees 2Sam.5:24
then it was time for action. That action brought water out of drought -
the purpose of a well (or fountain - ma'yan
04599). Compare the use of this (fairly rare) word in 1Kings
18:5 (translated
'fountains') in the days of Ahab. So we, as inhabitants of Zion,
should turn drought into living waters as we preach.
Peter Cresswell
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84
v.4 - There are quite a number of references to dwelling in God's house.
This refers to the abiding places that Christ's perfection of God's plan
created for us by grace (John
14:1-3). See also Psa.23:6,
27:4, 65:4, 134:1-3
Peter Cresswell
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| Psalm
83 - Certain events in Israel's history seem to be spoken of a number
of times. The defeat of God's enemies by Gideon being one. This Psalm draws
upon these events. :11
Oreb Zeeb Zebah Zalmunna Judges 7:21, 25. We might like to give some
thought as to why this is so.
84:10
Being a doorkeeper in the house of God was no menial task. So we should
not think that it will be a job for the saints in the kingdom - as if
we were to think that we would be happy if that was all we were able to
do.
Peter Forbes
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83:6
The Hagarenes can be identified (1
Chronicles 5:10) as coming from the North East of Israel.
84:4
Jesus knew that those who 'dwell' in God's house are blessed. This is
why he encouraged Peter (John
14:1-2) telling him (and us) that he was going to prepare a place
in God's house for us.
Peter Forbes
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Psalm
83 - "A song or Psalm of David" - Are we about to
see the fulfillment of this Psalm? As Iraq and 'the coalition of the willing'
prepare to go to war, will the spin off be that Israel must face
war too against her hostile Arab neighbours? They all want Jerusalem as
their possession, but this Psalm speaks of Israel's victory and also Israel's
preparedness to acknowledge that any victory as belonging to Yahweh -
Psalm
83:18. The Psalm ends with the words appearing as the superscription
of the next Psalm - "To the chief musician upon Gittith."
Psalm
84 - begins with "A Psalm for the sons of Korah" -
it appears that this Psalm is based on the events recorded in 2
Chronicles 19 - after Israel returned from battle with the Moabites.
Psalm
84:2 - "and my flesh crieth out for the Living God" - Israel
had been sojourners for 400 years and in the land of Egypt for 215 years,
ending up in the hands of a ruthless Pharaoh before we read of their first
cries to the Living God - Exodus
2:23. How long do we have to be under pressure before we take our
cares to God in prayer?
Cliff
York
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Reading
3 - Mark 13
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here to Listen
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v.10
- This, and other verses which we will consider here, ought to have a great
impact on our efforts. We pray for the kingdom, and yet we know that it
will not come until the whole earth have had a chance to hear the word.
What are each of us doing to help to bring this about? Consider these passages
- Mr.16:15,
Matt.24:14, 28:19, Rom.10:18, 15:19, Col.1:6, 23 Rev.14:6.
Peter Cresswell
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v.3
Peter, James and John are singled out a number of times in the gospels
to be with Jesus for specific events on their own. Here is a list of them.
Matthew
17:1 26:37 Mark 5:37 9:2 14:33 Luke 8:51. In the gospels there are
a number of times when Jesus took himself away from the crowds up into
a mountain. Matthew
5:1 8:1 14:23 15:29 17:1 24:3 28:16 Mark 6:46 9:2 Luke 6:12 9:28 22:39
John 6:3 15 8:1. It seems that this was either for solitude for himself
of privacy in order to instruct his disciples. We should note that whilst
Jesus went about preaching and teaching and devoting himself to the Father's
work he did take time out to fulfil his own personal needs.
v.
14 The 'abomination'
is a concept spoken of three times in Daniel (Daniel
9:27 11:31 12:11) and is taken up by Jesus Matthew
24:15 Luke 21:20 to speak of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem One
can imagine that the Jews had often discussed what Daniel was speaking
about when he spoke of the abomination. Jesus, the greatest prophet, when
speaking of this part of Daniel has as his prime concern the welfare of
the disciples, not a detailed understanding of Daniel. Our personal salvation
is more critical than a correct understanding of the details of the time
of the end if Jesus' example here is anything to go by.
Peter Forbes
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Whereas
we might think that this prophecy was given to show the disciples when Jerusalem
was going to be overthrown by the Romans Jesus' focus is more personal.
He is concerned to warn the disciples about the perils that would befall
them at this time. Notice these words.
:5
take heed
:7
be ye not troubled
:9
take heed
:23
take heed
:33
take heed
:35
watch
:37
watch
Jesus' prime focus was to prepare his disciples for that terrible time rather
than to tell them when it would be. Likewise we should view the prophecies
about the events surrounding the return of Jesus as providing us with comfort
and encouragement rather than try to work out in advance exactly what will
happen, and then fall out with our brothers and sisters when they disagree
with our interpretation.
Peter Forbes
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Notice
that Jesus is speaking both of things which the disciples will see
:7,
9, 11, 13, etc:
And of events which will occur after their death
:26
'they'
Peter Forbes
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Mark
13:32 - "knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven,
neither the Son, but the Father" - This was true on the day that
Jesus spoke those words. However, on His ascension into Heaven, God has
revealed much more to the Son and to the angels, so that they closely
work together to bring to a climax, the great plan of the ages. Who knows
the day then? To be sure, we don't - but we know the times and the seasons
- and we have not much longer to go!!
Mark
13:35 - The Jews only had three watches through the night. The Romans
had four. Because Jesus uses the four watches here, He is telling us that
His coming will be whilst the Gentile Romish darkness still reigns supreme
across the earth. Are we watching? How can we sleep with the world as
it is? Are we ready? Behold, He comes, our Leader comes - I can't wait!!
Cliff
York
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