January 17th readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Genesis 35:1-36:43 ~ Matthew 12:1-21
Psalm 15:1-5 ~ Proverbs 3:21-26

Old Testament - Today is a big day for Jacob in that he finally returns to Bethel - the same place where his pilgrimage began with God in Genesis 28:10-22.  Bethel is where Jacob had his dream of the angels ascending and descending the staircase, when he was leaving the promised land for 20 years in Haran.  Below is a good map of Jacob's journeys for his entire life -

Bethel was the place where God first gave to Jacob His covenant promise that was also given to Abraham and Isaac - and the covenant promise is reconfirmed in today's readings in chapter 35 verses 11 and 12 - "Then God said, "I am God Almighty. Multiply and fill the earth! Become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will pass on to you the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants."  These 2 verses are essentially thought to be the climax of the Isaac-Jacob portion of Genesis.  In tomorrow's readings we begin the Jacob-Joseph portion of Genesis. (which is an amazing narrative that begins tomorrow...)  The covenant continues!

Today we read about the passing of Isaac and Rachel.  In chapter 36 we read about Esau's descendants. One interesting note on verse 11 per Zondervan's NIV Study Bible - "Eliphaz: Teman - One of Job's friends was named Eliphaz the Temanite (Job 2:11), and Job himself was from the land of Uz (Job 1:1).  Thus Job probably lived in Edom (see verses 28 & 34 in Genesis readings today)."  Interestingly, I have a friend reading a Chronological Bible where Job is the book that is read just after this portion of Genesis - I think even before the Jacob-Joseph narrative coming up, some Chronological Bibles place the book of Job in the timeline of being read at this point.  Below is an image of Eliphaz the Temanite and Job -

New Testament - Today in Matthew chapter 12 we read about Jesus' teachings surrounding his healing on the Sabbath.  Note that in verse 14 the plots to kill Jesus begin - "Then the Pharisees called a meeting and discussed plans for killing Jesus." Why do you suppose these plots started at this point?  I don't think it was this one incident per se that began the plots in and of itself - but it probably a culmination of Jesus' teaching, preaching, and healing ministries up to this point that started murmurs and discussions and finally led to plots.  I think Jesus' wisdom and power and popularity with the people were seen as a threat.  Do you suppose that Jesus' wisdom and power and popularity with the people are seen as a threat by some in our world today?

I read an interesting commentary on verses 11 & 12 today - "And he (Jesus) answered, "If you had one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you get to work and pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep!" The commentary said that in this verse Jesus contrasts the worth of an animal with that of a human being.  I think for most of us, we would agree that a human life is more valuable than an animal life.  However - interestingly, not everyone in our world today feels that way.  Some of you know that I'm a fan of the Dennis Prager show on radio.  Dennis recently asked a woman if she saw both her beloved dog and a stranger drowning in a lake and she could only save one of the two, who would she save.  And the woman basically said her dog - she hemmed and hawed about saying that straightforwardly, but basically she said her dog was her family.  And so the stranger - the human - would lose out in that situation.  What about you - if you could only save your beloved pet or a stranger (human) from drowning, who would you save?  Who would God save?  Do you think God places a higher value on human life than animal life?  (since we just read the creation narrative in Genesis, this should be a slam-dunk answer! :)

I love the Isaiah prophecy in today's readings, summarizing the quiet ministry of Jesus!  Verse 21 makes me tear up to really meditate upon - "And his name will be the hope of all the world." How does this verse strike you?  Do you believe that Jesus' name is the hope of the world?  Is Jesus' name the hope of your own personal world?

Psalms - Psalm 15 verses 1 & 2 today are awesome - "Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts."  Psalm 15 was written for those that wished to have access to God in his Temple in Jerusalem.  However, I do believe that today, through Jesus, anyone can worship God anywhere - in a church or in our homes or wherever we find ourselves.  However, I do think there is truth in these Psalm verses in that we can worship God beautifully by living a blameless life (not perfect life - only Jesus was perfect this side of heaven - we will need to confess sins & repent sometimes), doing what is right, and speaking the truth from sincere hearts.  I do believe these are acts of worship that demonstrate our friendship with God and our growth in becoming more like his son Jesus in our lifetimes.  Do you seek to lead a blameless life?  Do you seek to do what is right?  Do you speak the truth from a sincere heart?  Do you seek to worship God in some way each and every day?  How?

Proverbs - I love Proverbs 3 verses 21-23 today - "My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling." These verses remind me of a couple of things.  First is the old adage of "Trust in God.  And tie up your camels."  Meaning, tying up your camels to a post so they don't wander away is good planning and good insight.  It's common sense.  Obviously you don't want to live your life on solely your own smarts and your own planning and your own insight.  We need God to be our foundation.  But, at the same time I think God wants us to be smart about how we live our lives.  Yes, trust in God, but wear your seatbelt.  Trust in God, but save some money for a rainy day.  See where I am going with this?   The other thing that these Proverbs verses remind me of is one of my favorite three word quotes - "Habits determine success."  I've spoken about this in some of my weekly emails in regards to reading the One Year Bible each day.  It takes some planning and insight for us to figure out when we will realistically read the Bible for 15 minutes every day.  After this planning and insight and after a week or two we've suddenly built up a great habit.  A habit that will determine our success in reading the Bible in a year.

Comments from you & Question of the Day - Based on my reflections in Proverbs above, how do you go about planning things in your life?   In what ways do you invite God into the process of planning your life?  And in what ways, or at what times, do you simply make decisions based on your own knowledge or common sense?   What is the foundation of your own knowledge or common sense?  Is it the Bible?  Is it God?  Do you suppose with the foundation of God and the Bible in our lives, that we may not need to take every single decision throughout our day to God in prayer because we are operating (generally speaking) from a biblical godly worldview?  How do you balance taking things to God for guidance and making decisions on your own?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[John]

I don't consult God enough. God should not be asked to micro-manage my life, but I need to pray about daily issues more than I do.

I would like to sit down at night and think ahead one day, than a week, then a month, then a year. Ask God about major issues and ask for guidance on what paths to take. I am just too sporadic about doing this process.

If I am not sure, I will strike down certain paths - trusting that the Lord will bring me back or change my direction as per his will.

I an very interested in seeing how others deal with their "vertical" connection.

[Luciano Del Monte (Luch)]

To Mike's question about decision making I have been training myself as per Paul's admonition to Timothy, "train yourself to be godly", to "pray as if it all depends on God, but to work as if it all depends on me." I rememember J.I. Packer, author of Knowing God teach this in a systematic theology class many years ago. I think this adage has merit in that Paul says something to that effect in 1 Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, once quipped, "That God gave us a lot of leading when He gave us a brain." Granted our brains are messed up too with sin but we are told to keep on renewing our minds (Romans 12:1-2)'that you may be able to test and approve what God's will is."

On another note, I also love Matthew 12:21 "in his name will the nations put their hope." So many well intentioned mega church pastors today are declaring that 'the local church is the hope of the world.' I am a pastor, have been for just over 20 years of churches over a 1000. I can't honestly say that I believe the local church is the hope of the world. I have yet to find one verse to that effect. I do read that Christ in you is the hope of glory in Colossians 1:27 in a section where Paul speaks about the church. I agree with George Barna's recent comment in his latest book, Revolutionaries, "that if the local church is the hope of the world then the world has no hope." Shocking to be sure, but worth reading the book to find out why he makes such a daring statement. I think as usual Barna is speaking in the extreme but I do believe that today's verse reminds us where the focus in our local churches needs to be and that's on Jesus Christ, the hope of the nations--all the ethnic groups of the world. I sometimes wonder if we haven't shifted our hope from Jesus to well organized churches with high powered 'hot communicators' and efficiency has become the ruling value of the day in some of our churches not Jesus. I sometimes wonder if people in my own faith community are trusting more in me, our staff, and in our well run church than they are in the Lord Jesus. That thought haunts me.

[Andrew B]

Hi Luch,

This is just to encourage you to follow that haunting thought. How did Jesus intend His people to be? Where and how should we be manifesting His Kingdom? Is it really in these buildings, with these staff members, these organizations and programmes? I had a look at your church website - looks like you have a great building and a cool bunch of people on staff ... but is that it?

Grace and peace,
Andrew

[mangione]

Hi everyone,
Does anybody have anythoughts about the fact that in Genesis6:3 God said man would only live till 120yrs. old,yet Noah, Sarah, Abraham, & Isaac all lived longer than that.

[Luciano Del Monte (Luch)]

andrew,

thanks for the insight and nudge to not ignore the 'hauntings'. I believe in community. In fact, after the gift of Jesus, I think the next greatest gift He gave us was community, but how that community gets worked out is another story. I've been seeking to work it out for the last 32 years. It's interesting that Luke 4:16 tells us that "Jesus went to synagogue 'as was his custom'. As messed up as the synagogue was, He still 'attended'. He must have seen something there worthwhile. It's interesting that even in their day 'the service' was interactive as opposed to just 'lecturing people'.

thanks again bro.

Luch

[tangentrider Laura]

regarding the 120 yrs, it is likely that the time span refers to the years until the flood, rather than to the life span of humans. as you have noticed, lifespan makes little sense because people lived longer than that for quite some time after. the 'years until the flood' idea is probable and makes sense of the data.

[Ramona]

Genesis 35-36:43

AND GOD said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. And make there an altar to God Who appeared to you [in a distinct manifestation] when you fled from the presence of Esau your brother. [Gen. 28:11-22.]
(Genesis 35:1 AMP)

Seven chapters back and twenty years previously, Jacob found himself at Bethel having his first encounter with God. Now God is sending Him back. No matter how prosperous you get, no matter how much God works things out in our lives for His good purpose when we are the called (Romans 8:28) we always must go back to our foundation, or Bethel. When Christ gives the message to John in Revelation He tells the church at Ephesus in spite of all the things they are applauded for, they need to turn back to their first love. (Rev. 2:1-4)

No matter how many passages of scripture we memorize,; no matter how many committees we find ourselves on in our churches; no matter how many folk we bring to Christ if we move from our Jerusalem, the place where we first encountered God, without God, Himself, telling us to move on, we will not be spiritually connected to the One who holds and has purposed our lives.

Grace and peace,
Ramona