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January 15

Reading 1 - Genesis 27

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v.20. Why is this verse acceptable to God? Surely here Jacob commits a sin - Ex.20:7, Job 13:7. He tells a lie, and he even implicates God in that lie. The only answer is that was God's will that the deed be perpetrated - based entirely on the knowledge given to Rebekah in Gen.25:23, which, it would seem from today's chapter, was not revealed to Isaac. God works in mysterious ways. I would also ask whether these things were actually necessary in order to fulfil Gen.25:23.
Peter Cresswell
v.29,30 - Surely the only way Isaac could have know this was by divine revelation, and yet we have no record of him asking God for this information. What Isaac says here is a prohecy. I am inclined to wonder how many times in scripture this happens.
Peter Cresswell
27:44 Sarah's comment that Esau's wrath would depart when he 'forgot' what Jacob had done provides a valuable insight into the way in which Esau thought. He was only concerned with the here and now. Consequently the promises meant little. A powerful lesson for ourselves. If we are wrapped up in the things of this life then the things of the kingdom will be of little value to us.
Peter Forbes
:16 The way that Jacob wore the animal skin to deceive Isaac is the basis for Zechariah 13:4
Peter Forbes
Genesis 27:1 - "And it came to pass" - One of the most comforting little phrases in the whole of scripture is this one that occurs some 457 times throughout scripture. Happily nothing "comes to stay" in this veil of tears. John tells us in his 1st Epistle, that "the world passeth away," or as Paul put it so well in 2nd Corinthians - "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."  This whole chapter in Genesis is about a man who could not see [literally], but who ended up seeing the eternal things as they ought to be seen.
 
"When Isaac was old" - Isaac is 117yo in this record, and he still had 63 years left to live. His sons are both 57yo - Esau had acquired two wives around age 40, but Jacob is still a bachelor. The family thought that Isaac was terminally ill, and that he could die at any time.
 
Genesis 27:5,6 - "Isaac spoke to Esau his son" + "Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son" - Here is a real family tragedy. Isaac's household is dysfunctional. Not only has his son Esau married out of the Faith, husband and wife have clear favourites - and the boys know it!
 
Genesis 27:43 - "Now therefore my son, obey my voice" - Each time Jacob obeyed the voice of his mother [at age 57] instead of relying on his Father in heaven, he got himself into deep trouble. Rebekah paid for this lack of faith, in that this is the last time she sees her son, for she died whilst Jacob was with her brother Laban. For Jacob - he simply ran away from a "red serpent" [Esau] into the wiles of a "white serpent" [his Uncle Laban].
Cliff York

Reading 2 - Psalm 32

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v5. - The acknowledgement of our sin - and, it would appear, the declaration of it - brings about forgiveness. Ps.38:18, 51:3-5. Recognition of sin in ourselves is fundamental to our position in Christ 1John 1:8-10. Public confession of sin is also called for - at baptism Mark 1:5 - but also as an on-going policy Jas.5:16, Col.3:9. Now there's a thought.
Peter Cresswell
v. 2 - Strongs gives the following meanings for the word here translated 'guile' - laxness, slackness, slackening, deceit, treachery. This word (r@miyah 07423) occurs only 15 times, and is only translated guile here. Here are all of them:
deceitful - Psa.78:57, 120:2, Hos.7:16, Mic.6:12
deceitfully - Job 13:7, Psa.52:2, Jer.48:10
deceit - Job 27:4, Psa.101:7
slothful - Prov.12:24,27
false - Psa.120:3
guile - here
idle - Prov.19:15
slack - Prov.10:4
Peter Cresswell
David is 'the man [v1] whose sins have been forgiven after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Paul says [Romans 4:6-8] that we are blessed in the same way in that our sins can be forgiven also. Thus David's repentance and God's subsequent forgiveness forms a pattern of forgiveness to those who repent and are baptised.
Peter Forbes
Psalm 32:11 RSV: "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!".
The French Bible (Segond version) says: "Just/True (it's imperative) delight in the Lord (Hebrew Bible Yahweh) and be in liveliness! Push/Urge/ Exhort (2nd imperative) cries of joy, all you who are Loyal/Upright of heart!".
Imperatives give a sense of urgency, as an example of a child who is about to put its hand on a hot surface, the mother commands "stop" she hasn't time to say a full sentence: "Don't do that you'll get burned". The title: "Lord" in English language Bibles is often translated in the Hebrew language Bibles as: "Yahweh". Young's Bible concordance translates "Yahweh" as "he who shall be(come)". In the English sense one thinks of "Lord" as a title, whereas Yahweh has more meaning, and could it be, that it is a reference to the time when He will send His Son, Jesus Christ to redeem that which Adam lost? One dictionary in the French language says: "Straight" in the sense of not being bent, can it be implied, that one should not be double minded, James 4:8 says: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind.".
Beryl Butler
Psalm 32 - is a "Maschil" or "instruction or teaching" Psalm written by David as a public declaration revealing how God had dealt with his sin with Bathsheba. David speaks of his "iniquity, transgression and sin" [v1,2,5] and instructs us as to how Exodus 34:6-7 really works - see also Micah 7:18-20. David had held out on God for nigh on 12 months [v3] but he had suffered terrible traumas of conscience during that time that took their toll on him both physically and mentally and emotionally. It is not until he confesses his sin to God that God can deal with it, hence David's appeal [v9] "to be ye not as the mule" - dumb, stupid and stubborn. The lesson? Do not hold out on God! He knows all - and the sooner He knows that you know He knows, and contritely ask Him to deal with the problem in His righteousness - the better off we are! We cannot deal with sin by hiding it from God. Reveal our weaknesses to Him, and His strength can then be made perfect in weakness - 2 Corinthians 12:9.
Finally, what a contrast in this Psalm [v2] to Jacob in our first reading, who was full of guile and deceit.
Cliff York

Reading 3 - Matthew 17

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v2. - the word for shine (lampo) here is a rarely used one in scripture. It's usage on only 6 occasions is quite instructive. Twice in Matt.5:15,16. It is the light that shines from the candlestick - 'giveth light' in v. 15 and 'shine' in v. 16 - and we learn that we, like the candlestick, must shine, that those around might see. We shine using the light from Jesus face - the very shining that was experienced first hand by these disciples on the mount - 2Cor.4:6. The same is the power and glory of God - see the use of the word in Acts 12:7. The last use of the word is in today's chapter and v.24. It is the light that we look and hope for avidly - the light that 'every eye shall see'.
Peter Cresswell
:22 Here we have a geographical comment about where Jesus and the disciples were. We learn that they were in Galilee until 19:1 for we are there informed that they left Galilee.
Peter Forbes
:17 In calling the people a 'faithful and perverse generation' Jesus is quoting Moses' comment to Israel at the end of the wilderness journey (Deuteronomy 32:5)
Peter Forbes

Mat 17:1 - "After six days" - Mark 9:2 has the same number; but Luke 9:28 says after eight days. The reason for this difference seems to be the following: Matthew and Mark reckon the days from that mentioned in the preceding chapter, to that mentioned in this; Luke includes both days, as well as the six intermediate: hence, the one record makes eight days, the other six, without any contradiction.

"A high mountain" - This may be one of the mountains of Galilee; but whether Mount Tabor or not, is uncertain. Some think it was Mount Hermon. Yet others think it was Mt Nebo, and this may be credible as Moses had been buried there, and Elijah had also been taken to that side of Jordan at the conclusion of his mission with Israel. These three men - Moses, Elijah and Jesus ["Joshua"], are all related to an "exodus." Moses brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt - 1 Samuel 12:6. Elijah will bring the nation of Israel out of Catholic Europe - Malachi 4:5-6; Ezekiel 20:33-44. And Jesus has brought us all out of sin and death - 2 Timothy 1:10.
Cliff York