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January 13

Reading 1 - Genesis 24

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v.12-14 - Abraham's servant - not one of the family but under the covenant of circumcision (recently - ch.17:27) which almost makes him a 'gentile' if such a thing could exist so early - makes a prayer of an unusual sort - a sort of bargain with God. He sets the parameters of his requirements himself - and God accepts them and responds accordingly. What faith it took to make a prayer like this and believe in the outcome. The only other example I can think of of this type of request giving God conditions was Gideon - Jud.6:36-40. Are there more?
Peter Cresswell
v.2 - There are two striking similarities between Abraham's servant (was it Eliezer? We are not told - we are here 60 years on from when he was mentioned back in ch.15:2). One was that both are described as being in charge of their master's (in Joseph's case, Potiphar) entire possessions (Gen 39:4). The second is that they are the only two people who are recorded as having been asked to make this particular type of oath (Joseph's was with Jacob - Gen.47:29).
Peter Cresswell

On the matter of making a bargain with God - I cannot think of any others who did so in prayer.  However Abram bargains with the angels [the Lord] over Sodom. Moses, in a rather extreme way - [Exodus 32:32] bargains with God, laying his own life on the line.  And thinking about this Jesus in the garden 'if it be possible ...' [Matthew 26:39].  The example above and these others raise an fundamental question.  Is it possible to change God's mind by praying to Him?  The answer has to be 'yes' else there is no point praying!  Though we tend not to think that He will change his mind in response to what man says unto Him.
Peter Forbes

The behaviour of Eliezar - Abraham's servant - shows his total confidence in the providence of God.
Peter Forbes
:15 In that Rebekah came even before Eleazar had finished praying shows that his prayer (:12-14) was 'according to His will …'
:63 This is the first time we see Isaac since Abraham offered him as a sacrifice - and he is here meeting his bride! A wonderful parable to the return of Christ and the marriage to his bride
Peter Forbes

Gen 24:9 - "And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning that matter" - Our cultural ideas of delicacy may revolt from the rite used on this occasion; but, when the nature of the covenant is considered, of which circumcision was the sign, we are able to perceive that this rite could not be used without producing sentiments of reverence and godly fear, as the contracting party must know that the God of this covenant was a consuming fire.

Gen 24:45 - "... behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder" - What are we carrying on our shoulders? A chip? Or a pitcher of water, ready to share the exciting news of the Gospel with any, and all whom we meet.

Gen 24:67 - "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death" - Observe what an affectionate son Isaac was: it was about three years since his mother died, and yet he was not, till now, comforted. See also what an affectionate husband he was to his wife. Dutiful sons promise fair to be affectionate husbands; he that fills up his first station in life with honour, is likely to do the same in those that follow - Luke 16:10.
Cliff York

Reading 2 - Psalms 29 & 30

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29v.10,11. This is the only reference to flood, using the hebrew mabbuw, outside the story of Noah. It occurs 12 times in Gen.6-9 and here - the 13th and last time. This is then a reference back to the covenant made with Noah - projecting it forward to the future kingdom. Gen.9:11-17, 2Pet.3:5-13.
Peter Cresswell
30:3 - Here we see words that allude to Jesus, as in Psa.16:10
Peter Cresswell
Psa 29 - Notice the emphasis upon the 'voice' of the Lord. We know that 'By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.' [Psalms 33:6] But notice that God expects His creation - us - to use our voices also. So just as the 'heavens declare the glory of God' [Psalm 19:1] so do our voices.

30:9 - Whilst we might think this verse is a useful proof that man does not have an immortal soul David is actually expressing a great truth. He realises that when he is dead he will not be able to praise God - so he has a great desire to remain alive - just so he can praise his God. This contrasts with those who want to be alive just to pursue their own objectives.
Peter Forbes

Psalm 29 - Do we have revealed here, albeit in a veiled way, a description of what John was prevented from describing in Rev 10:4  - "And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not."  Psalm 29 describes a number of Heavenly proclamations, reminiscent of thunder as the voice of God, which proclamations culminate in God being all and in all - 1Cor 15:24-28. 

Psalm 30:5 - Sometimes under trial, we may ask God, even challenging heaven with the question, "How long are you going to try me?" In all our trials we do well to reflect upon the fact that the longest our trials can last is the sum of our mortal probation, "the night" spoken of in this verse. "The Morning" of God's Kingdom comes soon, and in our new found immortal state, we shall forever be standing at "the morning" of our lives, as eternity stretches out for ever and ever and ever before us - 2Sam 23:4.
Cliff York

Reading 3 - Matthew 15

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v.5,6 - The scribes and Pharisees here had invented their own rule to allow the buying of freedom from their parents' authority with a gift - what an attractive idea - maybe this was the way that they encouraged young people to join their beliefs! Maybe the idea came from an out of context understanding of passages like these - Prov.18:16, 21:14, but they certainly had to ignore this advice from the law to which they claimed such pure application in their lives - Exo.23:8, Deut 16:19, and of course, as Jesus refers them - Exo.20:12 - where the promise of long life makes it stand out from the others.
Peter Cresswell
:1-10 Whilst the scribes and Pharisees' questioning was directed specifically to Jesus the whole multitude who were around are called together to hear Jesus' response. Whilst the leaders were trying to fault Jesus he was concerned that everyone knew their hypocrisy.
Peter Forbes
After the death of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:15) the people turned to idol worship. So Zechariah reproved them (2 Chronicles 24:20). Jesus uses the words of his reproof when speaking with the scribes and Pharisees (15:3). Whilst they thought they were upholding the law they were, in fact no better than those rebels who forsook the Lord after the death of Jehoiada. We must take care that the rules we make for life do not violate the principles of God's grace.
Peter Forbes

Matthew 15:6 - An ever present danger for all who follow God, is this danger of replacing God's ways with men's traditions.

Matthew 15:14 - Jesus only ever referred to Pharisaical attutdes as blindness. Their blindness lay in the fact that, though exposed to the ways of God through His Word, they had added to or subtracted from, the power of His word, setting up their own piety as the benchmark of acceptable worship. As such they were busy leading men and women away from God and into oblivion. The fact that Jesus refers to the Laodecians as blind in Revelation 3:17-18, is a revelation as to what was happening in that Ecclesia. Our Lord cannot tolerate hypocrisy - and His approbation is especially reserved for Institutionalised Hypocrisy - Rev 17 + 18.

Matthew 15:38 - A second mighty miracle in feeding a multitude, this time mostly Gentiles it would seem. Though generally described as the feeding of the 4,000 - a careful reading reveals perhaps 16,000 mouths were fed again by miracle. How does Christ do these mighty works? Being a "Creator," Jesus 'merely' takes the already common 'miracle' of multiplying grain into a harvest, which takes place over a period of time, and speeds the process up, so that it takes place in an instant. And the same with the fishes. Who better to rule this starving world in righteousness? May He return soon, to take up the reigns of the Government that is His by right - Ezekiel 21:27.
Cliff York