|
 |
May
21
|
|
|
|
|
Reading
1 - Joshua 7
Click
here to Listen
|
This chapter
shows us just how quickly after sanctification people naturally turn away
from God. All of us have this very same nature. We all desire the 'accursed
things' whatever they are for us. We sanctify ourselves daily in prayer,
and yet turn away to our own evil thoughts and practices. Any evil of this
sort should be removed permanently (v.15,25)
and should be done without hesitation (v.16).
How much we need the grace and mercy of God!
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.2 - Ai (05857)= "a heap of ruins"
- Bethaven (01007)= "the house
of vanity". There is much to be added to our quality of knowledge by
realising these things. Removed, we are told, to the east of Bethel (01008)=
"the house of God", these two cities stand away from the truth
in the hands of men and their thinking.
Peter Cresswell
|
|
v.1
In coveting some of the accursed thing Achan tried to deceive
his God. In this Ananias and Sapphira were the same. They kept back
part of the money that they received when they sold their land [Acts
5:2]. They were
summarily judged by the One who sees all. Our covetousness may manifest
itself in equally unacceptable ways for Paul told Titus [Titus
2:10] that we
should not purloin which is the same word translated kept
back in Acts
5:2
Peter
Forbes |
|
7:24
Have you noticed in this detailed description of the removal of Achan and
his family and goods that there is no mention of a wife? What does this
signify? Was he a widower or was his wife not party to his deeds and so
was spared?
Peter
Forbes
|
|
:1
Achan was a descendant of the one who was born to Tamar. Zarah was the one
wearing the 'scarlet thread' (Genesis
38:30). A 'scarlet thread' was hung out of Rahab's window. A rarely
used phrase. So we should see the link between Genesis 38 and the deliverance
of Rahab.
Peter
Forbes
|
|
DEVOTED
TO DESTRUCTION
When Achan sinned by taking some of the devoted things from Jericho and
keeping them for himself, God gave Israel and ultimatum. He said, "I
will not be with you any more unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted
to destruction." (v
12)
Fortunately we are not in a position to be tempted by the riches of a city
devoted to destruction. However, Paul reminds us that in our human nature
there are certain things that are devoted to destruction. He says, "Put
to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." And then
he continues, "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as
these: anger, rage malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. Do
not lie to each other." (Colossians
3 v 5 - 10). The things that Paul has just listed for us are the things
in our lives devoted to destruction. It will be a lifetimes work to remove
them all from our lives but we must always ensure that we are making progress
and eliminating the piece by piece.
God said he would not be with Israel. He does not say the same to us. Instead
he says that "those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom
of God." (Galatians
5 v 21). So let us destroy the things that are devoted to destruction
in our lives and replace them with truly Godly qualities.
Robert
Prins |
|
|
Reading
2 - Isaiah 11
Click
here to Listen
|
v.1
- The word translated rod here 02415
is only used twice in scripture, here
and Prov.14:3. This is all we have to discover its meaning. Given the
use in Proverbs, is this saying, like Isa.53:2,
that Jesus would not be comely to look upon - ie. as ugly, as it were, as
the pride of man? I pick this up to point out that this word is different
from all other uses of rod in scripture. The significance of this may be
totally different. This is just an idea.
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.1
- It is a matter of amazement to me that God recognises the worth of David
so much as to describe Jesus as a branch from his root. Jesus, who was to
be the saviour of the world is here presented as 'growing from' David, so
giving David a place of great honour in the purpose of God. This place of
honour is afforded to all who are written in God's book of life, and we
do well to rememeber that, expecially at times of feeling the weight of
our own inadequacy. God forgives, and forgets, as we can see here.
Peter Cresswell
|
|
v.4
The phrase 'meek of the earth' [Psalm
76:9 here Zephaniah 2:3] Provides comfort to those who are struggling
to maintain His standards in a difficult environment. The Psalm shows, in
principle, that He is concerned for those who are 'meek' in that He has
already saved some in this position. Isaiah shows that His judgment will
be on behalf of those. Zephaniah shows a specific occasion - the Babylonian
invasion - which will manifest His care for the 'meek'. This is why Jesus
says 'blessed are the meek ...' [Matthew
5:5]
Peter
Forbes |
|
11:10
In mentioning the gentiles specifically here I think that this is the first
time that Isaiah has spoken so clearly about the call of the gentiles, which
becomes a major theme of the prophecy. These words are quoted (Romans
15:12) as part of Paul's inspired reasoning that the gentiles were always
part of Gods plan of redemption.
Peter
Forbes
|
|
:14-15
The association of Edom, Moab, and Ammon is matched in Daniel
11:41. The destruction of the 'Egyptian sea' is matched in Dan
11:42. The battle described here in Isaiah is the same battle Daniel
speaks of.
Peter
Forbes
|
|
JESUS
AS KING
It is not IF it happens, but WHEN. Jesus will return to rule over the earth
as King. But he will not be like all the kings who have been before - self
centered, greedy, weak, tyrannical, unjust, driven by power and wealth,
oppressive or stupid. On the contrary His reign will be in wisdom and understanding,
in the knowledge and power of God. He will be righteous and just, firm and
faithful. In short, Jesus will be the most perfect king that has ever ruled
over the earth. But it doesn't stop there because unlike all the other kings
that have been in the past, Jesus will be immortal - he will never die and
his reign will never come to an end, it will last for ever and ever. And
there is more again. There will be perfect peace right throughout his kingdom
among all the people of the earth because his kingdom will cover the earth.
That peace will also extend to the animal kingdom and in Isaiah 11 we read
that most beautiful passage of when the wolf will dwell with the lamb and
so on. It is worth reading again. But the question for us is this. Will
Jesus be your king?
Robert
Prins |
|
|
Reading
3 - 2Thessalonians 3
Click
here to Listen
|
v.2
- We all have the need to pray that we be delivered from evil. Here we are
shown that evil comes often in the form of unreasonable and wicked men.
The fact that 'all men have not faith' is still true today, even though
we may not be suffering in the way that Paul and the others did at the hands
of the law, so let us beware. Rom.15:31,
2Cor.1:8,9, 2Tim.4:17.
Peter Cresswell |
|
v.11
The busybody is one who, rather than working - both in the home and the
ecclesia - would rather talk about other brethren and sisters. Clearly this
talking is designed to detract from rather than enhance the reputation of
the one spoken of. The busybody speaks what they ought not [1
Timothy 5:13].
As such the busybody would fall under the condemnation of Proverbs
6:19 inasmuch
as the busybody sows discord.
Peter Forbes |
|
3:8-9
In appealing to the way that he worked lest he be chargeable to the ecclesia
we can be sure that the problem of the disorderly walkers was that they
felt that the ecclesia should support them as they did not want to work
- doubtless so they could, as they might well put it, further the work of
the gospel in Thessalonica.
Peter Forbes
|
|
:8-9
It would appear that Paul was caused to support himself even though the
Gospel allowed him to be supported by his brethren and sisters (1
Corinthians 9:1-6) - how often do our actions and word have an adverse
impact on our brethren and sisters?
Peter Forbes
|
|
