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June
4
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Reading
1 - Joshua 22
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here to Listen
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I find
it strange that the Israelites so quickly thought ill of their brethren
in this way, especially immediately after the first 5 verses. The altar
was obviously a large structure that could be seen from a distance. Maybe
it reminded them of the Tower of Babel and they were afraid that the two
and a half tribes had turned so quickly to idol worship. Maybe there is
a lesson for us too here. If we see our brethren behaving in a way that
we feel may not be acceptable, let us be sure to investigate its motives
fully before condemning it.
Peter Cresswell |
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It is amazing to me how easily the people were turned from the true worship
of God to idol worship. It seems that within us we have that innate requirement
to worship something. Let us beware as we livein a world where the idols
are subtle and fully accepted of society. Our idolatry may well not be as
obvious as theirs even to those around us, much less so to ourselves. Let
us take heed that in our living we don't choose death.
Peter Cresswell
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v.11-12
The proverbs [18:13]
counsels He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly
and shame unto him. A wise counsel which should have been understood
and implemented by the whole nation at this time. We can easily fall into
the same way of thinking. We may listen to one speaking of another an simply
assume that the one speaking is presenting a complete picture. Wrong judgement
can flow from one who has no intention of misrepresenting another. The error
is simply a matter of not being in possession of all the facts.
Peter
Forbes |
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In contrast to the behaviour of the other tribes the two and a half tribes
answer is so conciliatory - 'A soft answer turneth away wrath' (Proverbs
15:1) We could learn a lot about how we should speak with each other
from this event.
Peter
Forbes
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:13
Does the fact that they sent to 'Phinehas' mean that Eleazar is now dead?
Peter
Forbes
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SUPPORT
YOUR BROTHERS.
For more than five years the tribes of Rueben, Gad, and the half tribe of
Manasseh had led Israel into their land, clearing it of the Canaanites and
settling their brothers in their own towns and villages. Rueben, Gad, and
the half tribe of Manasseh had already inherited their portion of land on
the other side of the Jordan, yet they crossed over, supported, and led
their brothers to victory as Israel conquered the land of Canaan.
Joshua had good words of commendation for them when he said, "You have
done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and you have obeyed
me in everything I commanded. For a long time now - to this very day - you
have not deserted your brothers but have carried out the mission the LORD
your God gave you."
Just think, for five years or more, while they could have been establishing
their own lives, properties and business, these faithful people gave it
all away to help their brothers establish theirs. They considered the needs
of others more important than their own and they did not desert their brothers
even when it must have seemed like the campaign would never end.
Let's live like them. Let's not desert our brothers, but put their needs
ahead of our own as we help each other into the promised land.
Robert
Prins |
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Reading
2 - Isaiah 28
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here to Listen
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v.16
- This verse links Zion quite clearly to Christ - the foundation stone of
this spiritual city in fact on which we can be built - part of the temple.
Peter makes it quite clear that this stone has different effects on different
people, and we must be sure which way we grow. 1Pet.2:6-8.
See also Luke
20:17,18, Acts 4:11,12, Rom.9:33, 10:11, 1Cor 3:11, Eph.2:20.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.10
- I had always assumed that these well known words here were giving us a
clue as to the right way to be about God's word - a sort of drip-feed action,
as it were, but v.13
makes it clear that this is not the meaning. This was a situation where
knowledge had dropped so low that even the prophet spoke without real conviction
- v.11.
Let us be sure to take this to heart. Service to God is not something that
we fit into little parts of of lives - into our spare time, as it were -
it is the core around which we fit in everything else.
Peter Cresswell
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v.1
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim in the
midst of a swath of woes against the nations around Israel must
have come as a shock to Israel. Amos - a contemporary prophet - slips warnings
against Israel and Judah [Amos
2:4 , 2:6] at the end of a list [Amos
1:3, 6, 9, 1:11, 1:13, 2:1] of judgements against the nations around
Israel. A striking warning against complacency which we should learn from.
Peter
Forbes |
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28:16
The foundation that the Lord was to lay in Zion was to replace the stumbling
stone that Ahaz had laid. He had arranged for a copy of an altar that he
had seen in Damascus to be put before the temple. (2
Kings 16:10)
Peter
Forbes
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:16
The foundation stone which the Lord would lay in Zion is to be contrasted
with the altar which Ahaz had made after the fashion of what he had seen
in Damascus (2
Kings 16:10). The stone of the Lord's provision would be a stumbling
stone to those involved in false worship.
Peter
Forbes
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Reading
3 - Hebrews 11
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here to Listen
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v.2
tells us what this chapter is about. There follows example after example
of the way that the 'elders' showed their faith. Most of us, I'm sure, are
very familiar with this chapter, but as I read it today I was struck anew
with the way in which these people demonstrated their belief in God. Are
we making an effort to be included in a list like this?
Peter Cresswell |
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This great
chapter of faithful men and women is a catalogue whose faith was manifest
by their works for they all did something as a consequence of their faith.
Herein is the example for us to follow.
Peter Forbes |
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11:9
To those who are 'conciencious objectors' Abraham's attitude to the land
of promise is great help. We are not citizens of this world. So we do not
see any of the things it offers as our rights.
Peter Forbes
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:19
We do well to accept that the faithful in the Old Testament times - men
like Abraham - actually did believe in the resurrection. Abraham did not
have some shadowy notion about what God would do. He was convinced enough
that God would raise Isaac from the dead that he was willing to slay him.
Peter Forbes
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