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May 29

Reading 1 - Joshua 15

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You will need a map for this. Try this one!


Peter Cresswell
v.2 - the word bay (03946) is normally translated tongue or language. This presumably meant that it referred to the tongue shaped bay at the south of the dead sea. Without the aid of a map, the only way they would see this is by looking down on the shape of the dead sea from the top of the mountains by way of the massive drop that there is to it shores.
Peter Cresswell
v.63 Isn’t it ironic. The children of Judah were not able to take the city which was later to become the place where the Lord would cause His name to dwell. Surely this is a further demonstration that Yahweh was in control of the conquest.
Peter Forbes
There is a substantial overlap between the period of Joshua and the time of the Judges. Whilst Judges follows on from Joshua some of the events recorded there took place under the leadership of Joshua.

15:16-19 is found recorded in Judges 1:12-15.

15:29 Baalah is actually Kirjath Jearim (16:60) Important to be remembered because of the way in which we are introduced to Baal of Judah (2 Samuel 6:2).
Peter Forbes

Whilst it is difficult, if not impossible, to locate all the places named in this chapter simply getting out a Bible map and looking at the place names mention in the marking of the border (:1-12) will help to clarify, if needed, the actual border of the inheritance of Judah. This can then, of course, be done for all of the tribes mentioned in subsequent chapters.
Peter Forbes

Reading 2 - Isaiah 20 & 21

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20 v.3 - Naked is the state in which we all are before God at all times. We can hide things that we are ashamed of from our fellow man, but not from God. God, however, offers to clothe us if we will accept this, with righteousness. Gen.3:7-8, Exo.32:25,26, 2Cor.5:1-5, Rev.3:18, 16:15.
Peter Cresswell
21:6 - The concept of the watchman in the watchtower is quite a feature of Isaiah - 21:6,8,11,12, 52:8, 56:10, 62:6.
Peter Cresswell

20:4 Ethiopia suffered judgment from God on a number of occasions. At the time of the Assyrian invasion of Israel. [here, 43:3] And the Babylonians [Ezekiel 30:4,9]

21:9 Babylon is fallen, is fallen; - before Babylon has even risen to power. Such is the wonder of the way in which our father works. This prophecy is echoed [Jeremiah 51:8 Revelation 14:8 18:2]. That Isaiah’s words were fulfilled in the coming of the Medo Persian kings gives us confidence that the words of Revelation will also be fulfilled in due course.
Peter Forbes

Enacted parables (20:2) are a feature of some of the prophets. The prophet will do something to demonstrate, over a period of time, what God intends to do. Ezekiel is a classic example of such enacted parables. Consider how you would react if you saw a man behaving as Isaiah was doing at this time. Surely his actions must have had some impact on those who saw him.

ch 21 - Remember that this vision of Judah being freed from captivity in Babylon was written before Israel were taken captive by the Assyrian.
Peter Forbes

ch 20 - One presumes that Isaiah actually performed this enacted parable in Egypt? Or was it for the benefit of Israel who were to invaded by the Assyrians. If Israel saw it Hezekiah may well have taken the fulfilment of these things as the assurance that God would deliver him.

21:13 The burden upon Arabia is matched by a later burden from Jeremiah (49:28)
Peter Forbes

ch.20 - WHAT DO YOU RELY ON?
Sometimes the things we think are the most stable things in our lives are suddenly taken away from us and we find our lives falling to pieces around us. We can often find that we place too much emphasis on possessions, money, jobs, family, relationships or enjoying life that we end up making one or more of them the foundation of our life. If those sort of things become our foundation our whole world can fall down when they fail. There were people in Isaiah 20 who trusted in Cush and Egypt and in their military strength to deliver them from the might of Assyria. But the strength of Egypt and Cush were to fail and those who boasted in their strength were to be afraid and put to shame. There is only one thing that is really strong enough and secure enough for us to place our faith and strength in. That strength is in the LORD our God. He will never change. He will always be strong. He will always be there for us and he will never let us down. So even if the world moves and shifts around us as shifting sands, we can rely on the rock that we have built on - God our stronghold.
Robert Prins

Reading 3 - Philemon

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v.14 says a lot about having the right attitude. What is our reasoning behind the things we do for God? Is it of necessity, or is it willingly? We hear people say words along the lines of 'better to do it out of a sense of necessity than not at all'. Reading passages like this, we see that this is not true. It we work for the Lord out of a sense of duty, rather than willingly, then there seems to be little if anything gained. 1Chr.29:17, Psa.110:3, 2Cor.8:12, 9:5-7, 1Pet.5:2.
Peter Cresswell
v. 24 Demas figures favourably in two of letters Here and [Colossians 4:14] But by the time Paul is on trial for his life Demas has 'left the truth' [2 Timothy 4:10]. There is no 'looking back' once one has put the hand to the plough. It is [Matthew 10:22] 'he that endures to the end' that will be saved.
Peter Forbes
The tenor of the whole of the letter is one of an appeal. Paul appeals to the compassion of Onesimus when encouraging him to accept Onesimus back.. So often we bludgeon others to accept what we want. This letter provides a wonderful example of a quiet, but powerful, appeal to Philemon's appreciation of the Gospel. As such it stands as an example of how we should respond to our brethren and sisters.

1:2 Mention of 'the church in thy house' provides an indication as to where ecclesias met in the first century. We should not let our experience of modern day meetings cloud our appreciation of the way that brethren and sisters opened their houses in the first century. Consider

Acts 2:46 Breaking bread from house to house
Romans 16:5 The church in their house
1 Corinthians 16:19 The church in their house
Col 4:15 The church in their house

Peter Forbes

:2 Whilst Archippus' is mentioned here favourably we may remember that he is rebuked on another occasion (Colossians 4:17)
Peter Forbes
TEACHING

One thing I have learned through teaching the word of God to various people is that the person who has benefited most and come to the fullest understanding from what I have taught, has been myself. It never ceases to amaze me how that teaching something to someone else reinforces what you already know. So Paul's advice to Philemon is absolutely brilliant! He says, "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."

So we learn that there are, not two, but three really good reasons to share our faith. We need to share our faith to spread the gospel message so that others can be saved. We need to do it to obey the commandment that Christ gave. And we should share our faith so that we can consolidate and strengthen our own faith as we obey Christ's commandment and spread the gospel.

Of course, Paul's advice was not just for Philemon, it is for us as well. So let us not just share our faith, but be active in sharing our faith. Let's do it more and more. Paul prayed it for you too, "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."
Robert Prins