January 31st One Year Bible Readings

Exodus 12:14-13:16 ~ Matthew 20:29-21:22 ~ Psalm 25:16-22 ~ Proverbs 6:12-15
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Month One - Today we wrap up Month One of our One Year Bible readings in 2009! Congratulations! Your marathon pace is looking great. The wonderful habit of reading from God's Word every day is starting to settle into place in your life. Keep your eyes forward on the path before you this year and your eye on the prize! As Paul tells us in Philippians 3:14 – "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Let us each press on toward the goal!

Old Testament - This is a big day in our readings today - The Israelites officially begin their exodus from Egypt!  Today in Exodus chapter 12 we read about God instituting the Festival of Unleavened Bread along with Passover.  These both are still observed today by practicing Jews.  Verse 14 states the importance of these festivals to the Israelites:  "You must remember this day forever. Each year you will celebrate it as a special festival to the LORD."

Chapter 12 verses 29 & 30 tell us: "And that night at midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn son of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died."  Below is Dutch painter Laurens Alma Tadema's "Death of the Pharaoh's Firstborn Son" from the year 1872:

Verses 37 & 38 are amazing: "That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. And they were all traveling on foot. Many people who were not Israelites went with them, along with the many flocks and herds."  600,000 men equals probably at least 1.2 million people all together - and probably close to 2 million.  This is a massive Exodus!  Verse 38 is very interesting in that some Egyptians were joining the Israelites in this Exodus!  Think these Egyptians believed in God?

In Exodus chapter 13 we read about God's instructions for the dedication of the firstborn.  Note that based on this law that Jesus, the firstborn of Mary & Joseph, was dedicated to God in the Temple in Jerusalem as we read in Luke chapter 2 verses 21 through 24: "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”"  I think it's also interesting to note that Mary & Joseph did not present a lamb, but a pair of doves or two young pigeons.  This portion of the law came from Leviticus chapter 12 verse 8: "If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering.""  Below is an image of Jesus being dedicated in the temple:

Bible.org's commentary on "The Passover and the Plague of the Firstborn" is at this link.

New Testament - Today in Matthew chapter 21 verse 22 we read these words from Jesus: "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.""  This is a powerful verse if you really stop and think about it...  Do you believe Jesus' teaching here?  Do you believe that if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer?  I do believe this... but then there is always in the back of my mind - "but what about so-and-so who was ill and was praying in belief that they would be healed.  But then they weren't..."   I don't have any easy answer on this one.  I have to believe there are probably some good resources out there for this tough question?  If you know of any resources / books on this subject of prayer - or, more specifically, unanswered prayers - please post up in the Comments section below?  Thanks.

Whoo-hoo!  Today is Palm Sunday in our Gospel reading today!  :)  Hosanna in the Highest!  Hosanna means "Save Now" - Amen!

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Matthew chapter 21 titled "The Triumphal Entry" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 25 verse 22 really stood out to me today: "O God, ransom Israel from all its troubles."  As I read this, the Christmas carol, "O Come O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel" comes to my mind.  Indeed, God would answer this prayer of King David's and send his Son to ransom Israel!

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 6 verse 14 today tells us: "Their perverted hearts plot evil. They stir up trouble constantly." This is a powerful reminder of the utmost importance for us to guard the condition of our hearts continually!

Worship God:  I realize we're 1 month past Christmas, but hey, it's never too early for Christmas 2009 carols is it??  :)  Based on my Psalm 25 reflection above, here is a wonderful video produced by ChristianityToday.com of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" with some incredible artwork:

Do you know Emmanuel?  Click here and be ransomed!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15 NIV

Comments from You and Questions of the Day:  It's interesting to me how fast January 2009 seems to have flown by. February 2009 is now before us. I don't know about you, but I set some big goals and resolutions for 2009 and somehow I'm suddenly a month behind on progress on those goals. However, even though I am feeling behind on some goals for 2009, I know that ultimately my life is in a very good place because I am moving forward with my relationship with God. Reading and studying God's Word every day is a higher priority than any of my other goals and resolutions. Those other goals and resolutions can wait. My relationship with God cannot wait. As long as I am in a growing and loving relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, nothing else really matters. How about you? Are there some goals and resolutions for 2009 that you feel like you might be behind on? Do you agree that reading from God's Word each day and growing in your love relationship with God is more important than those goals and resolutions?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[Luch]

Best resource on prayer on 'unanswered prayer' is jerry sittser's classic "When Your Prayers go unanswered." This written by a man who has experience the tragic loss of his mother, daughter and wife in car accident. Also the author of A Grace Disguised. I have totally found sittser's works to be deep, meaningful and relevant on my walk with Jesus.

[Debi]

No prayer goes unanswered...we may not get the answer we think we should, but God ALWAYS answers. Years ago I had a little pekingese dog who was my "child", and when she became terminally ill, I asked...no, begged God to heal her and let me keep her. When we had to let her go to sleep and I took her to be cremated, I was devastated, and really close to being angry with God. The lovely Christian fellow who ran the Pet Cemetary turned me around tho. when I recited my tale of how I had stayed up night after night praying to God for a healing, and He had not answered my prayer, Brother Ben told me this. He said, "God did answer your prayer. She IS healed, and at peace, and will never hurt again. She is with Him, and you can't hope for a better answer to your prayer!" Major kick in the pity party for me!!! HE ALWAYS ANSWERS!!!
Debi

[Patsy Ray]

My thoughts on Exodus 12:32

“Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave.” (NLT)

Every time I read about the exodus Pharaoh’s words “Go, but bless me as you leave” jump off the page at me. Here was a man who had belittled God asking Moses to bless him as he left. Even though Pharaoh didn’t believe in God he recognized that there was something special about our God and His people.

I truly believe that nonbelievers today note that there is something special about true Christians and our Lord and Savior. Some yearn for what we have and yet they still don’t open up their hearts to Christ. Some so fear us that they want to eradicate us. You don’t fear and seek to eradicate something unless you see it as holding some special power that can inflict pain on you in some way or special power that can demolish all that you put your trust in. Some mock us but even their mockery shows that there is something special about us or else they would just ignore us. Yes, our Heavenly Father is special and all-powerful and we as His children are also special. The worldly people have always known this and yet they still aren’t willing to give up the worldly ways they cherish and get the fulfillment that only Jesus Christ can provide. How sad that is especially since Christ has made it so simple to be one of His flock. All it takes is just acknowledging and loving the Heavenly Father and allowing Him to acknowledge, love and bless us as one of His children!

God Bless!
Pat

[John A.]

Matthew 20

Two Blind Men Receive Sight

Interestring thing here is that this healing is positioned before the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The men acknowledged the Lord and asked for mercy. They wanted to see, and the Lord had compassion and made them able to see.

So???? Just another healing. Perhaps, but maybe it is foreshadowing the fact that if the crowd in Jerusalem acknowledged Him, asked for mercy, that they too would be able to see that Jesus was Messiah - just a thought.
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Matthew 21
The Triumphal Entry

Going to wait for Luke recount to go into more detail, but this entry is a fulfillment of prophecy. Not just Zech9:9 which skeptics charge Jesus manipulated, but also Daniel 9:24-27. Using some math and the Hebrew calender from the date March 14, 445 BC (When Babylon sent Jews back to rebuild the temple) you come to the date of the triumphal entry here 4 days before Passover. Will do the math when we get to Luke.

Notes:
1) There is an ass and a colt. Matthew notes both, other Gospels mention only colt. Matthew includes because he is writing to Jews, and the prophecy (Zech 9:9)mentions both. The mother (ass) was probably brought along to keep the unbroken colt (foal of ass) from acting up while being brought to Jesus.

2)This was Passover Week. One of the Holy Days where every able bodied male Jew was to come to Jerusalem to worship. There may be somehwere in the neighborhood of 2,000,000 people in Jerusalem.

3)The cry of Hosanna (Hebrew - "save us") was from Psalm 118 used on Jewish feast days to proclaim the Messiah. no wonder the Pharisees got upset.

4)Cleaning out the temple - Jesus said this is a house supposed to be dedicated to (heartfelt) prayer. Instead it is a place where worldly and unscrupulous profits are made. You changed it - and that is wrong.

5)Healings here - miracles - sign of authority for the words spoken in #4.

6)The Pharisees are EXTREMELY unhappy. Over a million people proclaiming Jesus king, their profit center cleaned out with an authoritative sign(s) given....Jesus' reply is from Psalm 8:2. Simply put - If the mature (learned teachers) will not give God His just praise, than the immature (mostly unbelieving) crowd will give Him praise. And in Luke even if the crowd was silent - the rocks would sing out. God will have His praise, and the Pharisees could not stop it.

[John A.]

Matthew 21

The Fig Tree Withers

21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

If you do a word study of Fig tree, you would probably come to the understanding that the fig tree represents Israel the nation.

The fig tree had leaves. If there are leaves there is supposed to be fruit. The nation professed belief in God (leaves), but there was no fruit (it was lip service and was not reflecting a fruitful realationship with God.) Hence Christ symbolically cuts Israel off unti such time in the future as the remnant (in Tribulation) of Israel proclaims the name of the Lord. In Luke this is done explicitly.

So what about the mountain? Posted before that the removal of mountains is symbolic Jewish saying for "solving great problems". The source seems to be Babylon Talmud (oral tradition) of rabbis.

So what is Jesus saying in verses at top. Well, this seems to be a continuation of the spiritual lesson Jesus taught after the Transfiguration when the disciples could not cast out demon because of "little faith"

"If you have faith and do not doubt" - In the Greek is just not head knowledge, but a deep felt trust in God and Jesus with no doubt in your trust - a faith that is evidenced by persistent prayer....

Then you can do to the fig tree what I have done - cut off Israel - for the disciples it would be in the same vein as 'what you bind on earth, shall have been bound in heaven'. With a solid no doubt trust in God and Jesus, being believers - they will know the Will of God and can bind and loose things here on earth.

With that same faith you can solve great problems (mountains and removing them).

And all things having this faith and knowing the will of God you will get answered and receive through faithful persistent prayer.
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NOTE: Remember He is addressing the apostles at this point. Judas would not be able to do this in the future - because Judas was not a person of true faith. But the apostles were used to proclaim the Gospel, and build the early Church. They were given great insight at Pentecost and were shown the Will of God as they travelled after the Cross and Resurrection.

Can we do the same? Yes, but we have to develop the same faith and strive to learn the Will of God. It will be imperfect, but as we advance in our walk and begin to understand the Will of God - as His children we too can move a mountain (solve great problems) when it is in His Will.

[John A.]

Exodus 12

1)Again will deal with Passover and its symbolism during the crucifixion week in Gospels.

2)Pharaoh asking for "blessing": Pat has great observation.

3)38 Many other people went up with them,....

It was not just the Hebrews that left Israel, but also Egyptians and perhaps other nationalities residing in Egypt at the time. So while God was passing judgment on Phaqraoh and the country of Egypt - there were individuals who came to believe in the Lord. Same as when Israel as a nation was cut off from the Lord in Gospels - there were individual Jews who came to believe. Were not the apostles Jewish?????

4)Passover restrictions - for the foreginers in the Exodus to celebrate Passover they had to declare a belief in the God of Israel which was physically symbolized by Circumcision.

[John A.]

Exodus 13

Consecration of the Firstborn

In past years there has been some confusion over these passages.

First, this was not to be done until they reached Canaan. Second, NO CHILD IS KILLED WHEN BEING REDEEMED OR CONSECRATED TO THE LORD. Third, it is done as a reminder to the Israelites that in Egypt the first born died, but in Israel the first born lives and serves the Lord.

Redeeming: God's original instruction was for the first born male to be offered up to be of service to the Lord - ALL first borns would be priests. When Israelites were unfaithful later at the golden calf debacle, it was asked who would stand with the Lord aand the Levites responded. They at that time became the ordained priesthood line, but originally the priests should have come from ALL the firstborn males from every tribe.

All first born animals would be given over when in Canaan to the priests for food and/or sacrifice in future ceremonies.

The EXCEPTION: The donkey? Why? The donkey was an unclean unimal, and needed to be redeemed by the blood of an innocent lamb. If not redeemed by lamb - it was to be killed (neck-broken). This is the only incident of death prescribed when talking about consecration of first born.

Symbolism: Foreshadowing Christ. Donkey is unclean. We as sinners are unclean. Unless we are redeemed (accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior) - we die. That is the sentence for rejecting God. Death and eternal separation from God.

[Elizabeth]

Pat, I enjoyed your thoughts on "Go, but bless me as you leave."

Reminds me of the rich young man again too...