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March 17

Reading 1 - Leviticus 25

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v. 10 - The year of jubilee represented the freedom that God had given them from their enemies and the potential freedom from sin which was available too through faith, even under the old covenant (note all the men and women of faith in the Old Testament mentioned in Hebrews 11). It was the ultimate Sabbath, as it were, of which half of the people would only see one in a lifetime and no-one would recall more than two. A time of the greatest rest of all - a picture of the kingdom - bondage gone for ever - Ex.20:2, Ps.146:7, Isa. 61:1-4, John 8:32-36, Rom.6:17-18.
Peter Cresswell
v. 37 - There is so much instruction not to lend money or goods to those who are in the household of faith with a view to making a profit. Exo. 22:25, here, Deut.23:19,20. It seems that this is wrong in God's sight. Later, in the New Testament this goes a stage further Luke 6:35
Peter Cresswell
25:9 cause the trumpet to sound 1 Corinthians 15:52
Shows that the year of release and the jubilee are typical of the resurrection.
25:10 proclaim liberty Isaiah 61:1 Showing that the work of Jesus as portrayed in Isaiah 61 has its completion at the resurrection. An idea picked up by Peter 1 Peter 3:19.
25:23 'The land shall not be sold forever' marks that there is to come a time when the promises to Abraham will be fulfilled. Until that time Yahweh also is a 'stranger' for 'ye are strangers and sojourners with me'.
Peter Forbes
The year of release and the year of jubilee both foreshadowed the kingdom. Israel were given a glimpse of life without the curse of Genesis as they were not allowed to sow or reap [:11] by way of contrast with the curse on Adam 'in the sweat of they face … all the days … [Genesis 3:17] so the releasing of debts answers to the gift of everlasting life in the kingdom at the resurrection.
Peter Forbes

Jesus draws on the law of the year of release to teach trust in God

shall not sow nor read
Matthew 6:26
What shall we eat
Matthew 6:25 Luke 12:22
we shall not sow nor reap
Matthew 6:26 Luke 12:24

Peter Forbes

Reading 2 - Psalms 135 & 136

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135 v.14 - Judgement, we are told here and elsewhere, involves God repenting himself - repenting himself of what he ought to do to us because we are sinners and we are unworthy - but by his grace he counts us as righteous and therefore repents of the evil that we deserve to have done to us. For this we should be constantly grateful to him in prayer. Deut.32:36, 1Chr.21:15, Hos.11:8,9, Amos 7:3-6, Jonah 4:2.
Peter Cresswell
The refrain is repeated so many times that we are almost embarrassed by it in its spoken form. Choruses are quite different when they are sung however. Many songs (especially modern ones) repeat the same words over and over and we find that quite acceptable, so let us overcome this feeling and dwell instead on the wonder and the mercy of our God by whose grace we are saved. It is the very act of praising, as is seen throughout this Psalm, that brings us to realise in humility the great act God has done for us in giving his Son that we might have access to His salvation by grace, for his mercy endureth for ever.
Peter Cresswell

Psalm 135 vs 8-12, in talking about the way that God delivered Israel from Egypt and gave them the land of Canaan, repeats a regular theme in Scripture - the way that Israel were delivered from Egypt is used many times. It is a most powerful evidence that God is in control - by contrast tot he idols (vs15-18)

Psalm 136 Consider reading this Psalm with someone else. One reading the refrain 'for his mercy endureth forever' and the other reading the words preceding the refrain. In so doing you will see how the Psalmist is stating many of the ways in which God's mercies are seen.
Peter Forbes

135:4 In speaking of Israel as a 'peculiar treasure' 5459 the Psalmist is echoing the description of the nation Exodus 19:5 where the same, rare, Hebrew word is used. Likewise we are a 'peculiar people' [1 Peter 2:9] with the same calling as the nation of Israel. The responsibilities, therefore, are great in our lives.

136:5 That God made the heavens by 'wisdom' or 'understanding' RV is echoed in Proverbs 3:19 and Job 39:26 implies that God makes the hawk fly by His wisdom. That 'wisdom' which God shows also conceived of the salvation that is available through faith in the risen Jesus. If we, in our wise foolishness think that the universe came into existence by accident then what do we think about the wisdom of salvation through Christ? Or is that, like it was to the Greeks, foolishness 1 Corinthians 1:18
Peter Forbes

135:8-12 In re stating what happened in Egypt the Psalmist is performing a very powerful reminder and reinforcing action. In remembering what God had done in the past he is reinforcing his conviction that his God is at work in his own life. Maybe we should do the same - reflect on the way that we know that God has worked to encourage us about the future.

136:13 'divided' and 'parts' is the same Hebrew word. (01504 / 01506) The only other place where 01506 is found is Genesis 15:17 where it is translated pieces. God entered into a covenant with Israel when they came through the Red Sea. The language here in the Psalm makes that point.
Peter Forbes

Ps. 135:13 reads: "Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations."

The word memorial comes from the Hebrew word 'zeker'. It means rememberance but it also means scent or fragrance.

The memory of smell is the most powerful and longlasting form of memory. We might forget many things over the years, but the smell of something, even from early childhood, is powerfully evocative. Of all the five senses, smell is the most 'invisible'. Sight, touch and taste are objective sensory awarenesses in the physical plane; hearing is an vibratory representation of something that can be expressed visually (e.g. words or musical notation). However, smell is difficult to quantify and to explain. We cannot see, feel, or taste a scent, and we can only decribe it experientially in similie (e.g it smells like rotten eggs). Thus smell is an invisible but strong memory stimulus. And so, God, who is invisible, should be indelibly remembered in like manner throughout all generations.

The idea of scent or fragrance is extended to our worship of the Almighty. Under the Law, acceptable sacrifice rose as a '"sweet smelling savour". The true disciple of Christ is an acceptable sacrifce to God, and his conduct rises as a sweet smelling savour to Him. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. 2:14-16).
Michael Parry

Reading 3 - Luke 8

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v. 10 - This concept of speaking in parables so that only the enlightened should understand and be saved should really keep us on our toes. Here we have one of the most direct teachings that tells us that serious study is required of us - that we might discover the depth of God's word in the days that are granted to us, each to our own ability. But we are never in a position to shirk this responsibility. ch.10:21-23, Ps.25:14, Rom.16:25, 1Cor.2:7-11, Eph.3:3-9
Peter Cresswell
v.19 Here is a list of the occasions when we are told that His family members came to see him. Matthew 12:46, Mark 3:32, Here, John 2:12. It is only in John that there is no indication of displeasure amongst them. The unbelief of his family must have been a great sorrow to Jesus - only removed at the time of his death when his mother was at the foot of the cross and after his resurrection when he appeared to James 1 Corinthians 15:7. This experience of Jesus should help us to put into perspective our own families reactions - or lack of response to the message of salvation.
Peter Forbes
8:3 Chuza, the wife of Herod's steward may well have been the route through which a greeting could be sent to Philippi from Cesar's household (Philippians 4:22)
Peter Forbes
:10 We must be careful lest we think that Jesus told parables so that everyone could understand his simple message. Parables were told to separate out the 'sheep' from the 'goats'. Those who wanted to understand had t think carefully about his words and reflect on Scripture.
Peter Forbes