Resource Manager Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 26 February 2017 Exodus 39; 40Psalms 1021 Corinthians 10 "WE MUST NOT PUT CHRIST TO THE TEST" Paul’s comments on Moses and how the people “all passed through the sea and all were baptised into Moses” [1 Corinthians 10:1-2] obviously relate to what we have been reading in Exodus. Paul then states, “For they all drank from the Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” [1 Corinthians 10:4] What does he mean? Their baptism in the sea was symbolic of the baptism to come and which the Corinthian believers had experienced. Moses had, at God’s command, been able to produce water from the rock as we read in Exodus 17. This pointed forward to Christ, Jesus knew this and was to say, “on the last day of the feast” when he “stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ [John 7:37-38] These words related to what he had earlier said to the Samaritan woman that, if she had asked, “he would have given (her) living water” [John 4:10] which he then explained, “the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” [John 4:14] Paul draws a vital lesson in our Corinthians chapter; it is the lesson of the tragic failure of the Israelites in the wilderness, a failure the Corinthians must aim to avoid. Paul writes, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did” [1 Corinthians 10:6] despite the evidence before them of God’s care and guidance. Paul makes a particular point in 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction.” Among the things written down Paul particularly notes, as a common temptation, “it is written, ‘the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.’ We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did … we must not put Christ to the test ...” [1 Corinthians 10:7-9] Our Master sees the motives we have in our hearts. Near the end of today’s chapter Paul states a simple but profound principle we must all aim to keep, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” [1 Corinthians 10:31]. A another thought: a “rock” cannot literally follow, but Jesus used exactly the same phrase as Paul did when he taught, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” [John 8:12]. Jesus also said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” [John 10:27] In following Christ means he also follows us, providing for our needs (as distinct from our wants). Let us follow the lessons that were written down for our instruction. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted February 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 27 February 2017 Leviticus 1; 2Psalms 1031 Corinthians 11 "... ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM" Psalm 103 is a very ‘popular’ Psalm because of its emphasis on the love and mercy of the LORD. It is very encouraging for those who struggle to feel ‘right’ before God – and isn’t that all of us at some stage(s) of our lives! We feel in our hearts the urgent need, despite our failures, to feel God is ‘on our side’ – even ‘by our side.’ There is one factor that is repeated in the Psalm that must not be overlooked. If it is - the Divine message of encouragement this Psalm conveys - will be distorted. “Bless the LORD, O my soul” is how the Psalm (which is ascribed to David) begins; “… Forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” [Psalm 103:2-4] The Psalm then takes our thoughts to Moses – “He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.” [Psalm 103:7] It tells us that “the LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” [Psalm 103:8]. The book of Exodus, which we have just completed reading gave us many examples of this. David certainly experienced this and he states, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.” [Psalm 103:10-11] Those final words must not be overlooked! The next verse says, as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us”. - and so, you can go east as far as you like – but you never come to the west! The next verse repeats the qualifications given in Psalm 103:11 “. So the LORD shows compassion on those who fear him.” Psalm 103:17 repeats this for the third time, “the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him. Solomon comments on the strength of a “three-fold cord” [Ecclesiastes 4:12], how much more a three-fold divinely inspired statement! The word “fear”- in the sense of being in awe of the LORD - occurs no less than 26 times in the Psalms – it does not mean to be scared of God – but to be in awe in sensing his greatness and that he is present everywhere through his spirit. [Acts 17:27-28] Let us sense how immeasurably great God must be! Look back at Psalm 36, note David’s words, “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. Oh continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright in heart” [Psalm 36:9-10] We have more reason than ever, with the human discoveries of recent years, to contemplate the immeasurable greatness of the power that brought them all into being – that power is our Heavenly Father – and we address God in that way because we have taken on the name of his son, Jesus Christ. What a wonder this is – and all that flows from our wondrous relationship! Can we say, ‘Nothing is greater’!!-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted February 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 28 February 2017 Leviticus 3; 4Psalms 1041 Corinthians 12; 13 "IN WISDOM YOU HAVE MADE THEM ALL" In today's Psalm [Psalm 104] we read, "O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures." [Psalm 104:24] Today, as naturalists and others explore more of the earth, they are discovering more and more living things they never knew existed. It has long been acknowledged that there is an incredible interdependence in nature – what a totally wonderful architect is the Creator! He created innumerable things, trees, plants, animals, insects, birds, etc. They are interdependent in a whole variety of ways, yet human beings, especially the "western" mind, in discovering more and more of this, are more determined than ever to say it is all the result of blind chance. The God-fearing person sees God as the Master Creator behind it all, even the adaptability within species, which men used to call micro-evolution, is part of his overseeing handiwork. So we see God in his "wisdom" has "made them all." What kind of "wisdom" is this? We immediately thought of David's Psalm 139 as he meditated on God's all seeing eyes; "such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it." [Psalm 139:6]. Yet the modern God-disbelieving mind refuses in human pride to see the situation from this perspective. When we come to Psalm 111 we will read, "Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendour and majesty is his work … the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding." [Psalm 111:2,3,10] Solomon in Proverbs says, "The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heaven" [Proverbs 3:19] Finally our thoughts went to the epistle of James who wrote, "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom … the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits …" [James 3:13,17] Those who seek and develop this wisdom will one day know far more of God's creative wisdom for they will then be "equal to angels." [Luke 20:36].-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts