January 8

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January 8

Reading 1 - Genesis 15 & 16

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The degree of testing that Abram was given was very great. Ch.15 v. 6 tells us that he believed but that in itself, it seemed, needed testing. Ch.16 v.16 tells us that Abram was 86. With hindsight we know that there was still 13 years to go. What a test of faith - and still with so much more to come. We surely stand back in amazement at this. What position do we find ourselves in? God showed his love for Abram this way (Heb.12:6). We must not only expect chastening, but rejoice in it - Jas.1:2,3
Peter Cresswell

15:17 - This vision has similarities with the burning bush Exodus 3:2,3. God speaks it seems quite often from earthquake, wind or fire, using these dramatic natural occurences to remind us of His supremacy. In this case, maybe God was referring to the bringing out of Egypt in those years to come, as this is later described by Moses in Deut.4:20 as "brought you out of the iron furnace".
Peter Cresswell

ch 15 - We might wonder when this promise was first written down. However the apostle Paul tells us [Romans 4:23] that it was written down for Abraham as well as for us.

ch 16 - In listening to his wife [v2] Abraham is following the pattern of Adam. The verbal link [Genesis 3:17] shows what God thought of Abram's decision.
Peter Forbes

ch 15 - Abraham refused the spoil of the war - Genesis 14 - but is concerned that he has no child. His focus is not on material wealth but on the promises of God given in Chapter 12 and 13. This faith is rewarded with the wonderful promise of this Chapter

16:16 So we have a clear time marker. Abraham was 75 when he left Haran (Genesis 12:5). He is now 86 when Ishmael was born - 11 years after he left Haran.
Peter Forbes

GOD SEES

Hagar had trouble. She was pregnant with Abram's baby and as a result had been mistreated by Sarai. The way she was mistreated must have been so bad that Hagar fled from Sarai. But there was something, it seems, that Hagar had not counted on. The LORD was watching. He knew all she had been through, all she was going through, and he also knew the best way to solve her problems. So the LORD appeared to Hagar and he told her what she needed to know.

Hagar learned a very important lesson from her encounter with God. She learnt that he is the God who sees, the God who hears and the God who knows. Ishmael was named as a result of this lesson. His name means, "God hears," or "God sees."

There are times in our lives when we also have trouble. Like Hagar, we may have a relationship that completely breaks down; we may feel like running away, or leaving our marriage or our church because of the difficulties we have. But like Hagar, we have to remember that God sees and hears, and when our trials get too much for us, he will interviene because he will not try us beyond what we are able to bear.

Running away will not solve anything - it will only delay or stunt the development of our characters. Instead, let us give our problems to God and trust him to solve them. After all, he is "The Living One who sees me."
Robert Prins

Genesis 16:12 - "He will be a wild man." so the word is: rude, and bold and fearing no man; untamed, untractable, living at large, and impatient of service and restraint. His hand will be against every man - That is his sin, and every man's hand against him - That is his punishment. Note, Those that have turbulent spirits have commonly troublesome lives: they that are provoking, and injurious to others, must expect to be repaid in their own coin. 'To run away, to run wild;' hence the wild ass, from its fleetness and its untamable nature. What is said of the wild ass, Job 39:5-8, affords the very best description that can be given of the Ishmaelites, (the Bedouins and wandering Arabs), the descendants of Ishmael: "Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the brayer? Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing." Nothing can be more descriptive of the wandering, lawless, freebooting life of the ancient Arabs than this.

It is further said, "His hand will be against every man, and every man�s hand against him" - Many potentates among the Abyssinians, Persians, Egyptians, and Turks, have endeavored to subjugate the wandering or wild Arabs; but, though they have had temporary triumphs, they have been ultimately unsuccessful. Sesostris, Cyrus, Pompey, and Trajan, all endeavored to conquer Arabia, but in vain. From the beginning to the present day they have maintained their independence, and God preserves them as a lasting monument of his providential care, and an incontestable argument of the truth of Divine Revelation. Had the Pentateuch no other argument to evince its Divine origin, the account of Ishmael and the prophecy concerning his descendants, collated with their history and manner of life during a period of nearly four thousand years, would be sufficient. Indeed the argument is so absolutely demonstrative, that the man who would attempt its refutation, in the sight of reason and common sense would stand convicted of the most ridiculous presumption and folly.
Cliff York

15:13 The 400 years is not 400 years in Egypt (that was more like 200). The seed would be strangers from the time of Isaac's birth to Joshua. Then they entered their own land:-

Abraham 2000BC (approx).

Abraham at birth of Isaac (Gen 21:5)
Isaac at birth of Jacob (Gen 25:26)
Jacob on arrival in Egypt (Gen 47:9)
Israel in Egypt
Israel in wilderness _

100
60
130
200
��40
530

Therefore Exodus 1492BC (the commonly accepted date) is not too far out
David Simpson

Reading 2 - Psalm 18

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v2. - the word horn in the phrase 'the horn of my salvation' is the hebrew qeren. This word combines a number of shades of meaning in the hebrew - there is a sense of loftiness (It is translated 'hill' in Isa.5:1) - and the root word qaran means to shine and send out rays. Surely here we have more than just an allusion to Jesus who is 'the Captain of our Salvation' Heb.2:10
Peter Cresswell

v.8,9 - How much similarity of language there is here with our discussion above about the vision of Abraham. The fire and the darkness both feature. It seems that these great men who had occasional direct contact with God suffered very similar, and very frightening, experiences.
Peter Cresswell

The title of this Psalm is found in 2 Samuel 22:1. Two points follow.
1 The psalm titles are inspired
2 This Psalm was written by David at the end of his life. It's position in 2 Samuel 22 places it in it's historical context.
Peter Forbes

:16 In saying 'he drew me out' David is reflecting on the way in which God took care of Moses (Exodus 2:10) to provide a redeemer for Israel.
Peter Forbes

Psa 18:25 - "With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful" -�Christ will deal with men as they deal with each other. This is the general tenor of God�s providential conduct towards mankind; well expressed� in this universal prayer: -

"Teach me to feel another�s woe;
To hide the fault I see:

The mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me."

It is in reference to this that our Lord teaches us to pray -�"Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us." If we act feelingly and mercifully towards our fellow creatures, God will act tenderly and compassionately towards us as we saw 3 days ago in Matt 7:1-2. The merciful, the upright, and the pure, will ever have the God of mercy, uprightness, and purity, to defend and support them.
Cliff York

Reading 3 - Matthew 10

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Whilst recognising that ultimately salvation was to be for the Gentiles, this next 3 years or so, it would seem, was to be a last ditch attempt to restore the Jews to their true faith. (v.5,6). Perhaps this goes some way to explain the lack of understanding the disciples seemed to possess on this issue later on. In connection with 'the lost sheep of the House of Israel' look at Matt.15:24-26, Luke 24:47, Acts 3:25,26.
Peter Cresswell

v10 'The workman is worthy of his hire' is quoted [1 Timothy 5:18] by Paul when writing to Timothy. Therefore we know that the gospel of Matthew was available during the life of the apostle Paul.
Peter Forbes

:21 and :35 In warning the disciples that they will suffer from members of their own families Jesus is reminding them of what Micah had prophesied (Micah 7:6)
Peter Forbes

Matthew 10:4 - "Simon the Canaanite" from Grk. 'Cananaean.' �The word has nothing to do with Canaan. In Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13, the same apostle is called Zelotes. Both terms indicate his connection with the Galilaean Zealot party, a sect which stood for the recovery of Jewish freedom and the maintenance of distinctive Jewish institutions. From the Hebrew kanná, 'zealous;' compare the Chaldee kan�n, by which this sect was denoted.

Matthew 10:4 - "Judas Iscariot" -�More than likely�so called "Iscariot" from Iscarioth, (the place of his birth,) a town of the tribe of Ephraim, near the city of Samaria. This Judas was the only Apostle of the original twelve not to be Galilean. Judas was very astute, probably having good business connections, hence the reason why Jesus entrusted him with the communal funds. I shall show later that Judas was [probably]brother to Lazarus, Mary and Martha and shared their house with them in Bethany.

Matthew 10:33 - "Shall deny me" -�Literally saying "no" to Christ, a complete breach. "I will deny before my Father" - This is a solemn law, not a mere social breach, this cleavage by Christ of the man who repudiates him, public and final.
Cliff York