Isaiah 18

WEEK 17                                               Isaiah 18  

SATURDAY  Reflections

This prophecy is a warning against the land of Cush. Cush was the area where the Queen of Sheba most probably came from. This would be most likely modern-day Ethiopia.  

This prophecy doesn’t have the same weight as an oracle or burden(depending on your translation) as other passages which surround it. Yet this is clearly not a sign everything is good.

 

The good news is that from this area there will come those who will worship God. It is interesting to note that Christianity has been a strong force in Ethiopia since the fourth century so in some ways this prophecy has been fulfilled.

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Isa 18:1-7
(1)  Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
(2)  That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
(3)  All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
(4)  For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
(5)  For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
(6)  They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
(7)  In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.

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Job 13

WEEK 17                                                 Job 13  

FRIDAY  Reflections

Job speaks something here that I think many who offer comfort would do good to hear; “If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom” (Job 13:4). 

The writer of Proverbs might have read this before penning, “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues” (Proverbs 17:28).

 

When dealing with grieving people, silence is golden. Knowledge even if right in grief, only brings pain. Comfort is more often found in silence.

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Job 13:2-28

(2)  What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

(3)  Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

(4)  But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

(5)  O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

(6)  Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

(7)  Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

(8)  Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

(9)  Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

(10)  He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

(11)  Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

(12)  Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

(13)  Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

(14)  Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

(15)  Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

(16)  He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

(17)  Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

(18)  Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

(19)  Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

(20)  Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

(21)  Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

(22)  Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

(23)  How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

(24)  Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

(25)  Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

(26)  For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

(27)  Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

(28)  And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

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Luke 17

WEEK 17                                            Luke 17  

THURSDAY  Reflections

Christians often talk about the rewards in heaven. No, we really don't know what they will be or, for me currently, does it really matter? However, Jesus puts everything into perspective in Luke 17:7-10. Jesus points out that after all is said and done, we have only done what we were supposed to do. 

Yes, there are rewards, Jesus taught there are, but these are given out of God's grace. When we are at our best as Christians, we are only servants doing as we have been told and empowered. This is Jesus giving us a reminder that we need to be humble. We aren't as great as we might want to believe.

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Luk 17:1-37

(1)  Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

(2)  It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

(3)  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

(4)  And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

(5)  And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

(6)  And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

(7)  But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

(8)  And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

(9)  Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

(10)  So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

(11)  And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

(12)  And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

(13)  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

(14)  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

(15)  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

(16)  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

(17)  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

(18)  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

(19)  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

(20)  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

(21)  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

(22)  And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

(23)  And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

(24)  For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

(25)  But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

(26)  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

(27)  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

(28)  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

(29)  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

(30)  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

(31)  In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

(32)  Remember Lot's wife.

(33)  Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

(34)  I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

(35)  Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

(36)  Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

(37)  And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

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Psalm 14

WEEK 17                                             Psalm 14  

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

The fool has said in his heart there is no God. This isn’t saying someone who acts silly, or as we call it foolishly, is this kind of person. A fool in Biblical times is someone who was spiritually empty or void of all spiritual understanding. This person sees life as just what they can get. They believe there is nothing else and once you are dead you are dead. They can’t see anything more. Since they believe there is no God there is no ultimate right or wrong and thus they will become vile and not seek good. Why? Because for them nothing ultimately matters. This is a sad existence.

 

The problem is there are many people who say they believe in God but actually live like they don’t. This is where the verse comes into play that says they “say in their heart.” Their words may say something totally different but their actions give another story.

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Psa 14:1-7

(1)  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

(2)  The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

(3)  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

(4)  Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

(5)  There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

(6)  Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.

(7)  Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

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Genesis 37

WEEK 17                                                  Genesis 37  

TUESDAY  Reflections

The root of the quarrel between Joseph and his brothers is the older brothers’ evil behavior, favoritism shown by their father, and the apparent hand of God on Joseph (the dreams). It is easy to point to the latter two and say if Jacob would have been a better father or if Joseph hadn’t had shared his dreams, but what we often miss is that the brothers were not living right. In fact, I don’t believe I have ever heard anyone preach on the sinfulness of the brother.

 

Jesus warned his followers that they would suffer persecution. Jesus suffered after only delivering the truth and healing people. Why? Because sinful people don’t like to be reminded of their faults and a righteous life does that even if it doesn’t say a word.

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Gen 37:1-36
(1)  And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
(2)  These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
(3)  Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
(4)  And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
(5)  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
(6)  And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
(7)  For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
(8)  And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
(9)  And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
(10)  And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
(11)  And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
(12)  And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
(13)  And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
(14)  And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
(15)  And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?
(16)  And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
(17)  And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
(18)  And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
(19)  And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
(20)  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
(21)  And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
(22)  And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
(23)  And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
(24)  And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
(25)  And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
(26)  And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
(27)  Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
(28)  Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
(29)  And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
(30)  And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
(31)  And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
(32)  And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.
(33)  And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
(34)  And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
(35)  And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
(36)  And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

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Genesis 36

WEEK 17                                             Genesis 36  

MONDAY  Reflections

Oh no more genealogies, why are these important we often ask. They are important for laying the foundation for the historic nature of the narrative but here they lay the foundation for a people who are going to cause Israel some trouble when they enter the promised land, the Edonites. (Gen 36:31)  "And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned any king over the children of Israel."

 

What does this have to do with us today, not much but one can never know how the Word of God can touch someone’s life. Rev. Samuel Padget and I talked about this once. He told me how God blessed him in a portion of scripture just about as tedious as these. So don’t be discouraged, keep reading.

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Gen 36:1  Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. 
Gen 36:2  Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 
Gen 36:3  And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 
Gen 36:4  And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 
Gen 36:5  And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan. 
Gen 36:6  And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. 
Gen 36:7  For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. 
Gen 36:8  Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. 
Gen 36:9  And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: 
Gen 36:10  These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. 
Gen 36:11  And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. 
Gen 36:12  And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife. 
Gen 36:13  And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. 
Gen 36:14  And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. 
Gen 36:15  These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, 
Gen 36:16  Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah. 
Gen 36:17  And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. 
Gen 36:18  And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. 
Gen 36:19  These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes. 
Gen 36:20  These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, 
Gen 36:21  And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 
Gen 36:22  And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. 
Gen 36:23  And the children of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 
Gen 36:24  And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. 
Gen 36:25  And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. 
Gen 36:26  And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. 
Gen 36:27  The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan. 
Gen 36:28  The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran. 
Gen 36:29  These are the dukes that came of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, 
Gen 36:30  Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir. 
Gen 36:31  And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel. 
Gen 36:32  And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 
Gen 36:33  And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. 
Gen 36:34  And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead. 
Gen 36:35  And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. 
Gen 36:36  And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. 
Gen 36:37  And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. 
Gen 36:38  And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. 
Gen 36:39  And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 
Gen 36:40  And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, 
Gen 36:41  Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 
Gen 36:42  Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 
Gen 36:43  Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites. 

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