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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Isaiah 17

WEEK 16                                                     Isaiah 17  

SATURDAY  Reflections

Here again, we see in the middle of God's judgment a glimmer of hope. "Yet some gleanings will remain" (Isaiah 17:2). It is easy to focus on the destruction, but looking past it, we see hope. This isn't easy if you are the one in the middle of the destruction, but it is there. There is grace and mercy even in the middle of judgment. Over and over this theme is repeated. God is just but he is also merciful and loving.

 

There is a time to focus on judgment, but today I want to look at mercy because isn't that what we want God to focus on when it comes to dealing with us?  

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Isa 17:1-14

(1)  The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

(2)  The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

(3)  The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.

(4)  And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.

(5)  And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.

(6)  Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel.

(7)  At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.

(8)  And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.

(9)  In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.

(10)  Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:

(11)  In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.

(12)  Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!

(13)  The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

(14)  And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.

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Job 12

WEEK 16                                                       Job 12  

FRIDAY  Reflections

Job here speaks the word many have felt if not spoken themselves; “I have become a laughingstock… men at ease have contempt for misfortune.”

 

People who are at ease miss the point and can’t appreciate what all is happening. Hearing these words reminds me of the term “armchair quarterbacking.” These are the guys who sit at home and always know the right play the quarterback ought to play. They may never have actually played in college or at all, but they know better. Of course, everyone thinks they know better when they stand on the outside of a situation. Yes, sometimes they might be correct, but usually, armchair quarterbacks aren’t right, because they are trying to understand from a place of ease and not in the thick of things.

 

Job is correct in pointing out that these people are out there. They were there 4000 years ago and they are here today.

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Job 12:1-25

(1)  And Job answered and said,

(2)  No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

(3)  But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

(4)  I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

(5)  He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

(6)  The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

(7)  But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

(8)  Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

(9)  Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

(10)  In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

(11)  Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

(12)  With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

(13)  With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

(14)  Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

(15)  Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

(16)  With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

(17)  He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

(18)  He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

(19)  He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

(20)  He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

(21)  He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

(22)  He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

(23)  He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

(24)  He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

(25)  They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

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