Resource Manager Posted March 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 26 March 2011 Numbers 7Proverbs 4Luke 18 "THE PATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS LIKE ... " Life is a pathway and the Book of Proverbs has many observations about the nature of this pathway and the challenges to those who walk upon it. Of course, the fact is that everyone is walking on it! Today’s chapter [Proverbs 4] has much to say about the responsibility of fathers to give instruction and guidance to their children as they find their pathway in life. Solomon reflects on the guidance he received. “When I was a son with my father tender … he taught me … Let your heart hold fast my words … and live. Get wisdom, get insight … do not forsake her and she will keep you; love her and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly …” [Proverbs 4:3-8] Let’s try to understand the full meaning of insight. In the 400 year old A V version it uses the word “understanding” – yet in the A V there are 7 different Hebrew words all translated mostly as ‘understanding.’- But our ESV version uses ‘insight’ for this Hebrew word biynah. Our Dictionary defines insight as “A perception of the inner nature of a thing” – we could say, the knowing the true reality of what a thing means. With wisdom of this nature, “the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” [Proverbs 4:18]. There is a growth pattern in our lives in developing wisdom, so that it is a true insight, a real inward vision, into the meaning of our lives before God. Solomon builds up this chapter to a climax of thoughtful perception. “My son, be attentive to my words … keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life … Let you eyes look directly forward … Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.” [Proverbs 4:20-23; 4:25-26] How very much to the point is that advice today as we are confronted by a flood, one could say a tsunami, of fleshly human ways, not only in words, but also before our eyes every day.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted March 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 27 March 2011 Numbers 8; 9Proverbs 5Luke 19 SERVANTS & CITIZENS In our chapter in Luke today [Luke 19] Jesus tells a parable that we usually remember because it starts by giving the reason for the parable. We read that Jesus “proceeded to tell a parable … because they supposed that the Kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, ‘A nobleman (Jesus) went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.” [Luke 19:11,12] Most will know this parable quite well, the nobleman “calling 10 of his servants he gave them 10 minas and said to them, ‘engage in business till I come’” [Luke 19:13] A mina coin is the equivalent of 3 months wages for a labourer and they each have one. When the time eventually comes for his return he calls his servants to him to ask how they have traded. Two examples are given, one who has doubled the money and another has achieved a 50% increase. Both are commended and given positions of authority. There is another that does nothing with the money; he does not even put it into the bank to earn interest, as a result he is called “a wicked servant” [Luke 19:22] What we are inclined to overlook is that there is another class of people in the parable called “citizens.” [Luke 19:14] who are there when he goes away and when he comes back. They are not interested in working for the nobleman at all. The text says, “they hated him” [Luke 19:14]! It is the same Greek word as in Luke 14:26 where Jesus challengingly says that those coming to him must have an attitude of “hate” toward all their nearest relatives “and even his own life” or “he cannot be my disciple.” There is no place for the “lukewarm” [Revelation 3:16] in our relationship with the nobleman. These “citizens” send a “delegation” [Luke 19:14] saying they do not want him as their king! When he returns he counts them as “enemies.” So the world is made up of 3 kinds of people. Firstly those who are diligent and dedicated in their service to Christ: secondly those who accept his “money” but are not diligent, and thirdly, those who want nothing to do with the nobleman, doing with their lives whatever pleases them. What a tragedy to be in the last class, “as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.” [Luke 19:27]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 28 March 2011 Numbers 10Proverbs 6Luke 20 “HE WHO DOES IT DESTROYS HIMSELF” People destroy themselves by committing suicide but our reading in Proverbs today shows there is another way to do so. We read, “He who commits adultery lacks sense, he who does it destroys himself. Wounds and dishonour will he get and his disgrace will not be wiped away.” [Proverbs 6:32,33] Adultery has become a word that is no longer in our western language! Like the word ‘sin’, the western world in particular does not think in this kind of language anymore, but it was quite different when we were young. Attitudes have changed so much in our lifetime. In earlier centuries adultery could actually carry the death penalty as the laws of England were based on the laws of Moses. The world is being destroyed by its permissive attitudes. AIDS is a curse man cannot cure, he can only hold it at bay for a time, and there are plenty of other sexually transmitted diseases that create serious health problems. This made a lot of news 30-40 years ago, but now greater problems occupy people’s minds. It is tragic how so many ignore God’s precepts for a healthy life. Tomorrow we will read of Christ’s warning to “watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of this life and that day will come upon you like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth” [Luke 21:34,35] Jesus also said, “There will be great earthquakes and, in various places famines and pestilences … ” [Luke 21:11] So God will make life more and more miserable for Godless human beings, just like he did for the nation of Israel when their hearts went far from Him. In a sense one can see human beings starting to look more like trapped animals. All kinds of distress and associated fears are dominating the daily news. Jesus said, that day “will come upon you like a trap.” In a sense, human beings are destroying themselves – the so called Christian world in particular; they are committing spiritual adultery. Note how Jesus concluded his message by saying, “stay awake at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” [Luke 21:36] Are you awake? We need to be wide awake!-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted March 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 29 March 2011 Numbers 11Proverbs 7Luke 21 "FOREBODING OF WHAT IS COMING ON THE WORLD" Foreboding is not a word we use much these days, the dictionary says it means – ‘have a premonition of something evil or harmful.’ Jesus used it (as translated by the ESV) in our reading today [Luke 21:26] in forecasting, just before he returned, “distress of nations in perplexity … people fainting with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world.” In our younger days there was always a good degree of optimism of even better times that lay ahead because of the new inventions in many areas. This was not just in the things we buy for our homes, but the better fertilisers and great productivity in many areas. Clever scientists and inventers were making life better and better – and when Communism collapsed as the Berlin wall came down in 1989 it seemed the world was entering a new golden era of peace and prosperity. How dramatically the scene has changed! There is an increasingly uncertain sound about the future; a multitude of voices ‘twitter’ their concerns and lack of solutions. We saw some comparison in this as we read Numbers 11 today. The Israelites had had a wonderful and miraculous deliverance from captivity in Egypt. There was a “honeymoon” period at Mr Sinai and a special tabernacle was built using the gold they had taken from the Egyptians. Then “manna,” the bread from heaven, was provided as their staple food. But today’s chapter starts, “And the people complained about their misfortunes … oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions …” [Numbers 11:1,4,5]. Compare that today! Two hundred years ago nearly everyone believed in a Creator as the source of all blessings, 100 years ago, the majority of people still believed but today the big majority have turned their backs on the God of the Bible, man is now his own ‘god.’ Soon we will read what happened to the faithless Israelites in the wilderness and we are starting to see a parallel to this in our days. Finally in today’s chapter in Proverbs there is valuable advice, “Keep my commandments and live … call insight your intimate friend” [Proverbs 7:1,4]. Remember the significance of the word ‘insight’ we looked at 3 days ago! Is ‘insight’ your intimate friend - or are you increasingly full of foreboding about what is coming on the world?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted March 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 30 March 2011 Numbers 12; 13Proverbs 8; 9Luke 22 "DOES NOT WISDOM CALL?" The above words commence our chapter in Proverbs today. It is a fascinating personification of wisdom. Solomon writes as if ‘wisdom’ is a person – and in much of the text we could use the word ‘Christ’ instead of the word ‘wisdom.’ Christ is crying out to men and women to be wise in the way they live their lives. “My cry is to the children of man. O simple ones learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth … “ [Proverbs 8:4-7] Next the point is made, “All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing crooked or twisted in them” [Proverbs 8:8] What an example to follow as we try to become more like Christ. What a contrast to the carping criticisms and witticisms that goes on among politicians today. If we read newspaper or Internet News there are endless accounts of the inconsistencies and even deceptions by those in positions of authority. In contrast, Solomon’s Proverbs tell us, “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate” [Proverbs 8:13]. Truly dedicated Bible readers and believer are in awe of God and therefore hate every form of deception. Remarkable scientific investigations have uncovered more and more evidence of the remarkable nature of God’s creation – although humans blindfold their minds to cling to the idea that it all happened by chance – that life’s origins are one impossible endless series of “accidents.” This chapter makes the point of how much “wisdom” was needed in creation to make all things work together. We read, “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth … when he established the heavens I was there; when he drew a circle (our globe?) on the face of the deep … then I was beside him, like a master workman” [Proverbs 8:22,23,27,30]. “Does not wisdom call” to each one of us? Real wisdom, as distinct from the wisdom of human beings! Let us all increase our efforts to respond to that “Call!” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted March 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 31 March 2011 Numbers 14Proverbs 10Luke 23 "YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE" Today we read of Jesus on the Cross. “The chief priests and the rulers and the people” [Luke 23:13] opposed Pilate’s decision to release him so he gave in and “delivered Jesus over to their will.” He is crucified between two criminals and one of these derides him saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us,” but the other rebukes him and says, “we are receiving the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong” [Luke 23:39,41] Then he makes a request to Jesus which, together with Jesus’ answer, is widely misunderstood. “ ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’. And he (Jesus) said to him, ‘Truly I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.’“ [Luke 23:42,43] We have quoted exactly as in the Bible (ESV) with one little exception, we have put the comma after the word today instead of before it. The original Greek has no punctuation so translators use their own judgement as to how to punctuate the text when rendering it in English – or any other language; nearly all of them get it wrong in this case. The question the criminal asked indicates he knew the teachings of Jesus but had turned to bad ways: maybe he learnt the prayer Jesus taught, ”Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth …” [Matthew 6:10]. Paradise is to be on earth. The whole world will become the Garden of Eden when Jesus sets up God’s kingdom [Revelation 2:7; 2:25-27]. It is obvious to the attentive reader that Jesus is not referring to heaven in making this promise; after he came out of the tomb he said to Mary Magdalene, “I have not yet ascended to the Father” [John 20:17]. The criminal re-established his relationship with Jesus and because of his faith he received this promise of a place in the paradise of God’s kingdom. He had remarkable faith whereas all the disciples had lost theirs. A closing thought is to note the mistake some make in saying that since the criminal was not baptised – baptism is not essential. They forget that the meaning of baptism from then on was a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus as Paul makes plain in Romans 6:3-8. The whole world – a paradise! What wonders await those who will be with Jesus at that time. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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