Jeremiah 47

WEEK   10                                        Jeremiah 47

SATURDAY  Reflections

The Philistines had been the bane of Israel's existence from the very beginning. Only under David and Solomon were they held in check. When other nations weren't an issue, the Philistines were still there tempting and fighting. Now, as judgment is going to fall on Judah, it will also fall on the nations of the Philistines. They had watched God bless Israel when Israel obeyed and saw disaster come when they refused. For a time, they even held the ark of God in their midst, but they never fully accepted God. They continued to work against God and His people. Finally, God's judgment was falling, and as bad as it was for Judah, it would mean the complete destruction of the Philistine nations.

 

This reminds me of St. Peter's words, "For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17). I don’t point this out with joy, but actually with sadness. It is a reminder that there are people outside of our sphere of influence who desperately need God.

Jer 47:1-7
(1)  The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
(2)  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.
(3)  At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;
(4)  Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.
(5)  Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?
(6)  O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.
(7)  How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.

Ecclesiastes 6

WEEK   10                                      Ecclesiastes 6

FRIDAY  Reflections

Things might be going good now but you might end up losing everything. You're probably going to want more than you can have and if you get it you'll lose it. So why try?

 

This is my summation of this chapter. As I have mentioned before the teacher is absolutely right if there is only life under the sun. Often people use these woes and vanities as a reason to forsake God. They are also used to prove Christians don't see the world for how it really is. However, this book makes it clear the struggle over the unfairness and seemingly purposeless of life isn't something our faith hasn't dealt with. In all truth, we have and we have done it in poetry no less.

Ecc 6:1-12
(1)  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
(2)  A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
(3)  If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
(4)  For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
(5)  Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
(6)  Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
(7)  All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
(8)  For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
(9)  Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
(10)  That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
(11)  Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
(12)  For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

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Matthew 10

WEEK   10                                            Matthew 10

THURSDAY  Reflections

While looking in this chapter I want to highlight the wisdom of Jesus. In verse 5, Jesus tells the twelve not to go to the Gentiles. Some have seen this as Jesus being racist or looking at it as being because they were not in the church age. However, there is another simpler explanation, they weren’t ready.

The Jews had been taught the scriptures and were looking for the Messiah. The Jews wanted God to do something in their midst. The Gentiles had no concept of a God who was really concerned with how they lived nor were they looking for a Messiah. This meant the Jews would be a far more receptive audience to these newly recruited disciples. I agree with Robert Coleman in his book The Master Plan of Evangelism that Jesus, by sending his future apostles out to this crowd, gave them a training ground that was somewhat receptive to the message.

Jesus spent time training and preparing his disciples. He did not send them out until they were ready. Jesus knew this was the next step. They had listened to him and now he was sending them out to those who would probably be receptive.

Jesus sent his disciples out and once they had reached a level of experience he called them to something deeper. In the same way, Jesus will challenge us to go to the next level of training. This training will be more difficult than what you have faced before but it will bring growth. 

*Coleman, Robert. The Master Plan of Evangelism.  http://a.co/0PjyZCF

Mat 10:1-42
(1)  And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
(2)  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
(3)  Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
(4)  Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
(5)  These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
(6)  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(7)  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
(8)  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
(9)  Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
(10)  Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
(11)  And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
(12)  And when ye come into an house, salute it.
(13)  And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
(14)  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
(15)  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
(16)  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
(17)  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
(18)  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
(19)  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
(20)  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
(21)  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
(22)  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
(23)  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
(24)  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
(25)  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
(26)  Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
(27)  What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
(28)  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(29)  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
(30)  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
(31)  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
(32)  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
(33)  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
(34)  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
(35)  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
(36)  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
(37)  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
(38)  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
(39)  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
(40)  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(41)  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
(42)  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Ecclesiastes 5

WEEK  10                                          Ecclesiastes 5

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

Even as the Preacher/teacher examines life under the sun (just from the human perspective), he recognizes that God isn't to be trifled with. Even without an eternity to look forward to, or to fear if you're in rebellion to God, in this life God is a force to be reckoned with. Solomon's advice is simple (and I greatly paraphrase it ) don't tick God off and enjoy it when He blesses you. 



Ecc 5:1-20
(1)  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
(2)  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
(3)  For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
(4)  When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
(5)  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
(6)  Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
(7)  For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
(8)  If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
(9)  Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
(10)  He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
(11)  When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
(12)  The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
(13)  There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
(14)  But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
(15)  As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
(16)  And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
(17)  All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
(18)  Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
(19)  Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
(20)  For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

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1 Kings 9

WEEK 10                                              1 Kings 9

TUESDAY  Reflections

Here again, God reminds Solomon it isn't the temple which will bring a blessing but obedience. God goes so far as to tell Solomon, He will cast this temple aside if Israel lives in disobedience. For God, a temple, even one as beautiful and costly as this one was, didn't impress Him when compared to the obedience of Israel.

 

This is again a reminder that God isn't impressed with what we offer (sacrifice) but the attitude of our hearts. What matters to God is our relationship to Him not what gifts we can bring him. 

1Ki 9:1-28
(1)  And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,
(2)  That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
(3)  And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
(4)  And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
(5)  Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
(6)  But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
(7)  Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
(8)  And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
(9)  And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
(10)  And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king's house,
(11)  (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
(12)  And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
(13)  And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
(14)  And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
(15)  And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
(16)  For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.
(17)  And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether,
(18)  And Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
(19)  And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
(20)  And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
(21)  Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
(22)  But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
(23)  These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
(24)  But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
(25)  And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house.
(26)  And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
(27)  And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
(28)  And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

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