Tue, 31 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Mark 3:1-6

¹ Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. ² And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. ³ And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” ⁴ And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵ And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with what is proper for Sabbath observance. The command to set aside one day in seven for the worship of God is in the ten commandments. It is clearly moral law, and so I can’t just throw it out. There would have to be an explicit New Testament command overriding the fourth commandment to convince me that we aren’t still obligated to keep the Sabbath. I find no such override in the New Testament, and so I’m left to the conclusion that we must observe the Sabbath (although on the Christian Sabbath of the Lord’s Day).

But what we do see in the New Testament are passages like this: The Pharisees are the legalists of the day. They have their rules and regulations, and they are watching eagerly to see if Jesus will violate their understanding of the Sabbath. They see the Sabbath in negative terms and seek to pounce on anyone who does anything outside of what they set as the bounds of what is proper for the Sabbath.

Jesus knows what the Pharisees are up to, and He welcomes the opportunity to confront them. He even challenges them by asking “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” In other words, Jesus is making it clear that He is going to heal this man on the Sabbath day. The man has a withered hand, an ailment that clearly isn’t life threatening. He could wait until the morrow to heal the man. Or Jesus could quietly heal the man in a private setting. But Jesus heals the man in front of the Pharisees on the Sabbath, purposefully to challenge their understanding of the Sabbath.

What do we learn from this?

It is because of things like this in the New Testament that I am afraid of holding a legalistic attitude toward the Sabbath. It certainly is easier to approach Sabbath observance on the Christian Sabbath of the Lord’s day with a checklist of things that we can’t do. But to think of it in purely negative terms is to approach the Sabbath in the same way the legalistic Pharisees did. It is to see the Sabbath as a joyless day of seeking to confront others and condemn them for their sin. It is a day that is characterized by what we don’t do rather than by what we do.

I could easily be a Pharisee. It’s in my blood to make checklists, and to follow rules for conduct. I can make all the rules and condemn others for not keeping them. And I can easily turn the Sabbath into a joyless day characterized by what we don’t do. That would be easy for me. What is harder is to understand what Jesus teaches here.

Jesus tells us that when on the Sabbath we pass up the opportunity to do good, we are doing harm. Jesus chose to heal the man on the Sabbath (a good deed) rather than to do nothing for the man (an evil deed).

I still don’t understand what the right balance is in observing the Sabbath. I know I lean toward being a legalist, and I’m afraid I would have been one of the crowd of people who were scandalized by what Jesus did that day. But I am greatly challenged by this passage to see how my Sabbath observance can be a positive good to others rather than a harm to them. I wish it were as easy as making a checklist. I still don’t know what is the right way to do everything on a Sunday. But I do know that my desire is to be more like Jesus than like the Pharisees.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Jesus’ act of healing the man with the withered hand leads the Pharisees to join with their natural enemies, the Roman sympathizing Herodians, for the purpose of destroying Jesus. This early in the book of Mark we see the plans are laid for killing Jesus as his enemies on the left and right are joining forces against Him.

Their hatred of Jesus will continue to build until they finally are successful in their plans and have the Romans crucify Jesus. But God uses their act of sin and turns it into good, as Jesus pays the price for the sins of all His people on the cross. It is there that He wins salvation for all who come to Him in faith. It is for this purpose that Jesus came.

Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?

Tue, 31 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Mark 3:1-6

¹ Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. ² And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. ³ And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” ⁴ And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵ And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with what is proper for Sabbath observance. The command to set aside one day in seven for the worship of God is in the ten commandments. It is clearly moral law, and so I can’t just throw it out. There would have to be an explicit New Testament command overriding the fourth commandment to convince me that we aren’t still obligated to keep the Sabbath. I find no such override in the New Testament, and so I’m left to the conclusion that we must observe the Sabbath (although on the Christian Sabbath of the Lord’s Day).

But what we do see in the New Testament are passages like this: The Pharisees are the legalists of the day. They have their rules and regulations, and they are watching eagerly to see if Jesus will violate their understanding of the Sabbath. They see the Sabbath in negative terms and seek to pounce on anyone who does anything outside of what they set as the bounds of what is proper for the Sabbath.

Jesus knows what the Pharisees are up to, and He welcomes the opportunity to confront them. He even challenges them by asking “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” In other words, Jesus is making it clear that He is going to heal this man on the Sabbath day. The man has a withered hand, an ailment that clearly isn’t life threatening. He could wait until the morrow to heal the man. Or Jesus could quietly heal the man in a private setting. But Jesus heals the man in front of the Pharisees on the Sabbath, purposefully to challenge their understanding of the Sabbath.

What do we learn from this?

It is because of things like this in the New Testament that I am afraid of holding a legalistic attitude toward the Sabbath. It certainly is easier to approach Sabbath observance on the Christian Sabbath of the Lord’s day with a checklist of things that we can’t do. But to think of it in purely negative terms is to approach the Sabbath in the same way the legalistic Pharisees did. It is to see the Sabbath as a joyless day of seeking to confront others and condemn them for their sin. It is a day that is characterized by what we don’t do rather than by what we do.

I could easily be a Pharisee. It’s in my blood to make checklists, and to follow rules for conduct. I can make all the rules and condemn others for not keeping them. And I can easily turn the Sabbath into a joyless day characterized by what we don’t do. That would be easy for me. What is harder is to understand what Jesus teaches here.

Jesus tells us that when on the Sabbath we pass up the opportunity to do good, we are doing harm. Jesus chose to heal the man on the Sabbath (a good deed) rather than to do nothing for the man (an evil deed).

I still don’t understand what the right balance is in observing the Sabbath. I know I lean toward being a legalist, and I’m afraid I would have been one of the crowd of people who were scandalized by what Jesus did that day. But I am greatly challenged by this passage to see how my Sabbath observance can be a positive good to others rather than a harm to them. I wish it were as easy as making a checklist. I still don’t know what is the right way to do everything on a Sunday. But I do know that my desire is to be more like Jesus than like the Pharisees.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Jesus’ act of healing the man with the withered hand leads the Pharisees to join with their natural enemies, the Roman sympathizing Herodians, for the purpose of destroying Jesus. This early in the book of Mark we see the plans are laid for killing Jesus as his enemies on the left and right are joining forces against Him.

Their hatred of Jesus will continue to build until they finally are successful in their plans and have the Romans crucify Jesus. But God uses their act of sin and turns it into good, as Jesus pays the price for the sins of all His people on the cross. It is there that He wins salvation for all who come to Him in faith. It is for this purpose that Jesus came.

Mon, 30 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Genesis 31:22-24

²² When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, ²³ he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. ²⁴ But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

Jacob the deceiver has spent the last twenty years in Laban’s home, where he has been tricked and cheated numerous times. He worked for seven years for Laban’s daughter Rachel only to find that he was married to Rachel’s older sister Leah. Laban then demands another seven years of work for Rachel. Then for the last six years Jacob worked for the flocks. But as God blesses Jacob, Laban changes the terms of the agreement to cheat Jacob.

Jacob has now decided to return to Canaan, and he is worried about how Laban will react. So, in typical Jacob fashion, he decides to sneak out without telling Laban.

Laban finds out about Jacob’s departure, and sets out in pursuit. We aren’t told what Laban intends to do when he catches up with Jacob, but we see that God intervenes. From this we can guess that Laban planned to harm Jacob in some way, and he had to be stopped by God. Perhaps he intended to take the animals, or to force his daughters to return. Whatever Laban’s intentions, God steps in to preserver Jacob.

What do we learn from this?

God preserves and protects His own people. Jacob isn’t a model citizen, but he is the line of promise. God is working in Jacob’s life for his good and God’s glory. We see this as God causes Jacob to live on the other side of deceit. But as God allows Jacob to learn from this, He doesn’t allow Jacob to be destroyed. God only allows Laban to cause Jacob annoyance, but not harm.

So we see that God will allow things into our lives to shape and mold us into the people He wants us to be. But He will not allow His people to be destroyed or ultimately harmed. We can expect to suffer, as God sees that it will help to make us into the people He wants us to be. But God also will carefully limit the extent of what He allows. Nothing will come to us outside of His providence, and all will be for our good and for His glory.

Where is Christ in this passage?

God is clearly working in Jacob’s life. Jacob is fleeing from Laban only to find that God intervenes to stop Laban from harming him. Jacob realizes that he is heading back to his brother Esau who has vowed to kill him. On the eve of that confrontation, Jacob will spend the evening wrestling with the Angel of the Lord. So we see that this story is clearly coming to a crisis point for Jacob.

God is breaking Jacob. He must learn to depend upon God rather than upon himself, and in these situations, God is showing Jacob to rely upon God and God alone. In today’s passage, God makes it very clear to both Laban and to Jacob that God is the one who is protecting Jacob.

God also works in our lives to make us realize our dependance upon Him for our salvation. We can’t save ourselves from our sins. Instead, we must come to God for the salvation He provides in Jesus Christ.

God will work in His elect to bring them to a point where they realize this and come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. It isn’t always in dramatic ways like we see here with Jacob. But God will bring things into our lives to bring us to the place where we realize our dependance upon Him and come to Him in faith.

Sun, 29 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Romans 1:7

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this verse Paul greets the church in Rome as he begins his letter to them.

What do we learn from this?

God’s effectual call is for all whom He loves. As we look around us, we can’t see who is going to be saved and who isn’t. But we do see the visible church. We see the people who have made a public profession of faith and who gather together to worship and serve God in a local church body.

Paul looks at this body of believers in Rome, and tells them that they are loved by God, and that God has called them to be saints. He has declared them to be righteous in His sight, because of the Person and work of Jesus Christ, and this has an effect upon their conduct. They are called to be saints.

Paul then tells them that because of God’s love of them, God’s peace and grace is also extended to them as well. Because of God’s effectual call that brings salvation, we are not only justified, but we have received God’s grace and are now at peace with God. We are no longer at war with God, and we are no longer under His wrath against our sins.

So we see that for those who are God’s people, Paul tells us of the blessings we have: God’s love, grace and peace are ours.

Where is Christ in this passage?

God’s love, grace and peace come to us from the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father, based upon His love, chooses His people from the foundation of the earth. Jesus Christ then comes to earth to live the perfect life, earning the righteousness we need, and then die on a cross to pay the penalty for the sins we have committed. Finally, the Holy Spirit works in all the elect to bring them infallibly to saving faith.

Sat, 28 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Esther 5:9-14

⁹ And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. ¹⁰ Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. ¹¹ And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. ¹² Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. ¹³ Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” ¹⁴ Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

The book of Esther is a thrilling tale that keep you on the edge of your seat. In today’s chapter, we are treated to more suspense.

You could not just walk in on the king of the Medes and Persians. He would only see people on his own terms, and to walk in on the king was grounds for execution. But Esther must intercede on behalf of her people who are doomed to extermination, and so she takes her life in her own hands. She walks right into the king’s presence uncalled. But the king graciously extends to her his staff, showing that he accepts her and will not punish her for this breach of protocol. He even goes further. Realizing that she would only come to him like this if she wanted something, the king encourages Esther to make her request, telling her that he will surely grant it, even if it is a large request.

Instead of directly asking for the king to intervene to save the Jewish people whom Haman has been plotting to destroy, Esther invites the king to bring Haman to a feast, after which she will make her request.

Haman and king Ahasuerus come to Esther’s feast, and the king again encourages her to make her request. But one more time, she delays the request by again asking the king to bring Haman to another feast on the next day.

For whatever reason, Esther is building the suspense of the king (and of the story). Imagine how Ahasuerus must wonder what this request will be. It is a brilliant plan on Esther’s part, and God will use this delay to further work Haman’s downfall, as we will see tomorrow. But today we see how this maneuver by Esther to make her request at the most favorable time is greatly misinterpreted by Haman. He only sees how he is singled out for preferential treatment, and as a very proud mane, it only puffs him up even more. After the first feast, he gathers his friends and his wife and tells them all about how wonderful he is. I’m sure it is a dreadfully dull time for those unfortunate enough to have to listen, but like some people we know, Haman just can’t stop talking about what a great guy he is. And to top it all off, Haman is preparing a gallows on which to hang anyone who, like Mordecai, doesn’t agree with how wonderful Haman is.

What do we learn from this?

Haman puts himself first in every situation. He is always seeking his own personal advancement, and he sees everything in terms of how it reflects on himself. That which makes him look bad must be destroyed, and all must be brought to acknowledge the personal glory of Haman. There is no concern for God or for others. Haman’s universe is only big enough to fit one: Haman.

But in the coming chapters we are about to see fulfilled in Haman’s life what Jesus taught half a millennium later:

Matthew 19:23-30

²³ And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” ²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ²⁷ Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” ²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

God reverses things from the way we often see them. Haman, the prominent, who was first in all things, will be placed in his proper place, and the humble Mordecai will be exalted.

Isaiah 2:12

For the LORD of hosts has a day
against all that is proud and lofty,
against all that is lifted up–and it shall be brought low.

Where is Christ in this passage?

God promises to reverse things. Those who are proud and trust in themselves will be brought low. But those who humble themselves and acknowledge who they really are, coming to God in faith, will be lifted up. You see, the truth is that neither the proud nor the humble have anything to boast of before God. We are all sinners, condemned by God for our rebellion against Him. It is only through acknowledging our need for salvation and humbling ourselves before God, trusting in Jesus Christ, His provision for salvation, that we can be saved. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we can be exalted to the position of being children of God and being accepted into His presence.

All who exalt themselves and think that they have earned God’s favor will find to their everlasting regret that they are banished forever from God’s saving presence. All they will know of God is His wrath poured out upon them for all eternity. But those who humble themselves before God will find His mercy and grace in the person of Jesus Christ.

Fri, 27 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Matthew 27:1-10

¹ When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. ² And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.

³ Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, ⁴ saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” ⁵ And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. ⁶ But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” ⁷ So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. ⁸ Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ⁹ Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰ and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

At Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, when the people of Jerusalem realize their sin, they ask Peter, “What shall we do?” Peter answers, “Repent and be baptized.” We are called to repent of our sins for salvation. Here we see that Judas was filled with remorse and to the extent that he could, he tried to undo what he had done in betraying Jesus.

But Judas isn’t saved. He was the son of perdition. Judas is in hell. Why didn’t his remorse save him?

What do we learn from this?

Remorse and Biblical repentance are two different things. You can feel sorry for doing something without actually repenting. You can be sorry for the consequences of being caught. You can wish you didn’t have to live with the results of what you did. You can even realize that what you have done is evil and loath yourself for being the way you are and doing what you do. All of this you can do without actually repenting before God.

In true Biblical repentance, we acknowledge the sinfulness of what we have done, how it has offended God, and how it places us under His wrath. We then turn away from our sin which is so offensive to God, and turn to Him. In true repentance, we come to God, trusting in Him for His provision for our forgiveness. This is a much different thing that just having remorse for our actions.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Judas has worldly grief, and it only produced death for him.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Yesterday we talked about how God uses evil to bring about good. Here we see the greatest act of evil that was ever done: Judas betrays Jesus Christ. But God turns this act of betrayal into salvation for all those who come to Him in faith.

The great tragedy of this event for Judas is that he not only betrayed the Savour, he also rejected Him. The salvation that was accomplished that evening was not for him, as he chose to kill himself rather than to turn to God in faith.

We face the same situation in our own lives. Will we repent of our sins and turn to God in faith? Will we trust in Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls? Or will we just have remorse for what we have done and die in our sins?

Thu, 26 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Genesis 27:1-29

¹ When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” ² He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. ³ Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, ⁴ and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

⁵ Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, ⁶ Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, ⁷ ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.’ ⁸ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. ⁹ Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. ¹⁰ And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” ¹¹ But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. ¹² Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” ¹³ His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”

¹⁴ So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. ¹⁵ Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. ¹⁶ And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. ¹⁷ And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

¹⁸ So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” ¹⁹ Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” ²⁰ But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” ²¹ Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” ²² So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³ And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. ²⁴ He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” ²⁵ Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” ²⁷ So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed!
²⁸ May God give you of the dew of heaven
and of the fatness of the earth
and plenty of grain and wine.
²⁹ Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

This is a difficult passage, because we again are exposed to the sin of God’s people. Isaac refuses to give the blessing to Jacob, even though God has said that Esau will serve Jacob. Rebekah chooses to deceive her husband in order to steal the blessing for her favorite son. And Jacob goes along with the plan, not bothered by the wrongness of it, but only concerned that he might get caught. In this deception, Jacob lies, and even takes God’s name in vain to give a reason for why he could have the meal ready so quickly.

All in all, it is a dreadful example of sin and deceit.

What do we learn from this?

First of all, we see that the people in the Bible are real people. They lie, cheat, and steal. They fail to trust in God, and take things into their own hands to accomplish their own desires.

In other words, they are just like us.

But despite all their sin, God still uses them, and can use their sin to further His own purposes. Make no mistake about it; what Rebekah and Jacob did was sinful. It was very wrong. Yet, they ended up accomplishing what God had ordained: Jacob is the line of promise, and he receives both the birthright and the blessing.

This does not in any way justify our own sin. Yet it does give us hope that as Christians, even the wrong that we do is used by God to further His purposes.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Jesus Christ is the prime example of how God can take what is evil and use it for His purposes. The monstrous sin of crucifying Jesus Christ was used by God to win the salvation of all His people. Even that terrible act was used by God to further His purposes.

Wed, 25 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Acts 25:6-12

⁶ After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. ⁷ When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. ⁸ Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” ⁹ But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” ¹⁰ But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourselves know very well. ¹¹ If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” ¹² Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

Continuing with Paul’s saga, we see that Paul has now been in Roman detention for two years. Now Paul is given the option of returning to Jerusalem for trial and possible exoneration. But there is a plot afoot to kill Paul when he is taken to Jerusalem. Therefore, Paul, invoking his rights as a Roman citizen, requests a trial before Caesar in Rome. Paul knew that God intended him to go to Rome, and so it probably was easy for him to make the request.

What do we learn from this?

It is not wrong for us to exercise our rights as citizens. We can bring charges against those who commit crimes against us or our property. We can vote. We can take part in the political process. All these we can legitamately do as Christians. And if false charges are brought against us, as in Paul’s case, we can make use of the legal system to vindicate our name.

But once again, we see God’s purpose being furthered even in the difficulties of life. In yesterday’s chapter we saw Paul explaining the gospel to Felix and his wife Drusilla. Tomorrow, we will see Paul bringing the gospel to Herod the Great’s great-grandson, King Herod Agrippa II. Paul, though in custody, is by God’s providence enabled to bring the gospel to people who would otherwise never have heard.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Paul uses his time well. Given the chance to talk freely, as we will see tomorrow with Agrippa, he will tell people about Jesus Christ. We will follow him in his trip to Rome as he talks about Jesus Christ to the people he meets on the way and those he meets in Rome. He doesn’t lament his difficult circumstances, but makes the most of what God gives him in order to point others to Jesus Christ.

Tue, 24 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Esther 1:1-12

¹ Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, ² in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the capital, ³ in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, ⁴ while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. ⁵ And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa, the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. ⁶ There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. ⁷ Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. ⁸ And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. ⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, ¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. ¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

The book of Esther begins with the story of how Esther comes to be in a position to intercede for the Jewish people saving them from the schemes of Haman who was plotting to destroy the Jews.

In this first chapter, we are introduced to King Ahasuerus (aka Xerxes). It is 483 B.C., and the king is holding a lavish display of his power and wealth. The narrative tells us about the rich ornaments and decorations, and the golden drinking vessels. We are told of how extensive is the reign of the king: from India to Ethiopia, including 127 provinces. All this impresses upon us the power and wealth of King Ahasuerus.

It is quite a picture we get. King Ahasuerus is an amazingly powerful king. Yet after he gets all this build up, the narrative tells us that with all his authority, this king can’t control his own family. Queen Vashti refuses his command to come for them. Some people believe the command for her to come before the king and his guests with her royal crown was actually a command for her to come with only her royal crown. In other words, he was commanding her to appear before them naked. We don’t know for sure if this is what was meant, or why Queen Vashti refused. But what we do see is that this man who holds sway over the lands from India to Ethiopia is unable to get his own wife to do what he commands.

What do we learn from this?

The book of Esther is about God’s providence. We keep seeing how God arranges the small events within the book to bring about the physical salvation of His people. In this chapter, we see that because of her disobedience, the queen is deposed, soon to be replaced by Esther. We will see other small events, like the sleeplessness of the king, be used by God to preserve the Jewish people.

What we see from this is that God is in command. We see powerful kings can do whatever they want, yet they are still subject to God’s providence.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Redemptive history is building towards the coming of Jesus Christ. At the time of Esther, Haman attempted to wipe out the Jews. If he had his way, Haman would have destroyed the line of the promise. But God, in order to keep His promise to bring salvation, acts in time to save the Jews. He acts to control the big events and the small events to bring about His desired end. He acts to preserve the line that will bring Jesus Christ into the world.

Mon, 23 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Matthew 23:1-36

¹ Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ² “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, ³ so practice and observe whatever they tell you–but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. ⁴ They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. ⁵ They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, ⁶ and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues ⁷ and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. ⁸ But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. ¹⁰ Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. ¹¹ The greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

¹³ “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. ¹⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? ¹⁸ And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁹ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. ²¹ And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. ²² And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. ³³ You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? ³⁴ Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, ³⁵ so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ³⁶ Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Wow! So much for Jesus meek and mild, as he blasts the scribes and Pharisees with seven woes.

What do we learn from this?

God has a great love for His people and He shows mercy to those who come to Him in faith. But that does not mean He does not have wrath against those who are in rebellion against Him. In particular here we see that He is angry with the religious leaders who hinder people from coming to Him in faith.

God is love. This is true. But God is also just, and those who are outside of faith in Jesus Christ will have to bear the punishment for their sins. The full wrath of God must be poured out against sin. If our sins are not by faith accounted to Christ and paid for on the cross, then we will have to bear the punishment for them ourselves for eternity in hell. God’s woes will be upon all those who have not come to Him in faith.

We also see here that it is possible for people in the church to be obstacles to others coming to God. It could be that we have our own closed group and refuse to admit anyone new. It could be our cold, legalistic attitude that drives them away. It could be that we create false barriers that people must surmount before we will give them the gospel. Or it could just be that we are nasty, mean people. Whatever the case, Jesus makes very clear His displeasure against those who hinder others from coming to God.

May we never be the cause of driving away others from faith in God.

Where is Christ in this passage?

This is Christ speaking these woes. He is the one who saves us from our sins. It is by His death and resurrection that we can be saved. But He is also the one who will judge us at the end of time, and He is the one who pronounces woe against those who do not come to Him in faith.

Sun, 22 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Genesis 23

¹ Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. ² And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. ³ And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, ⁴ “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” ⁵ The Hittites answered Abraham, ⁶ “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead.” ⁷ Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. ⁸ And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, ⁹ that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.”

¹⁰ Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, ¹¹ “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the sight of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” ¹² Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. ¹³ And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “But if you will, hear me: I give the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” ¹⁴ Ephron answered Abraham, ¹⁵ “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” ¹⁶ Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.

¹⁷ So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over ¹⁸ to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. ¹⁹ After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. ²⁰ The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.

We see here that in Abraham’s moment of great sorrow at the death of his beloved wife, God makes a small down payment on His promise of granting the land to Abraham’s descendants.

(Trivia note: Sarah is the only woman in scripture whose age is mentioned. We see her age mentioned a few times, and here we are told how old she was at her death. We don’t know any age information about any other Biblical woman.)

What do we learn from this?

God made several promise to Abraham. He has promised to make him into a great nation, to give the land to his descendants, and to give him a child by Sarah. Abraham has seen the fulfillment of the third promise in Isaac. But here God grants a small picture of the future fulfillment of giving the land to Abraham’s descendants as Abraham purchases a plot of land to bury Sarah. What a comfort to Abraham as he begins mourning the death of his wife: He sees God’s hand working to bring about the fulfillment of His promises.

Abraham is a sojourner in the land that God promises will belong to his children. He wanders around from place to place without being able to claim any of this land that will someday belong to his descendants. But now, for the first time, he actually owns some of the land. It is his land. It is just a tiny plot, yet the details of the transaction are recorded for us so that we realize this land is now legally Abraham’s, and no one can dispute it. It is Abraham’s land and God is working to fulfill His promises.

God will always fulfill His promises. We can to trust God as shown by this lesson from Abraham’s life.

Where is Christ in this passage?

As Sarah dies, Abraham purchases a cave in the promised land for her burial. He wants her to be interred in the land of God’s promise. Maybe it is reading too much into this, but in essence, Abraham is linking Sarah to the promise of God. He establishes her grave as the first claim in the promised land.

Don’t we do something similar as we bury our loved ones who are in Christ? We seek comfort in the promises of God that we will be united with our bodies at the resurrection and will spend eternity in God’s presence in our resurrection bodies. This is the promise we have as we have faith in Jesus Christ. We are comforted by God’s great promise of heaven and a resurrection body for those who have come to Him through faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.