October 15 / II Kings 1-2

II Kings 1-2

Dear RTB’ers,

Leaving John’s gospel, returning to Kings. Ahab is gone and his son, Ahaziah succeeds him. Again, the pattern in the Northern Kingdom, “like father, like son”. Ahaziah follows false gods the same as Ahab had. And he gets the same results that his father had gotten – it would be the prophet, Elijah who would speak to his condition, not the prophets of the false god, Baal. Ahaziah thought that he could use his royal power to force Elijah to change his prediction, but to no avail. In fact, the Lord speaks directly to Ahaziah, through Elijah: So he [Elijah] arose and went down with him to the king and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” (vv. 1:15b-16)

Then, finally, in today’s second chapter we see the end of Elijah’s time on earth. We have seen the Lord’s work (Mt. Carmel) and words (that “still small voice”) abounding with Elijah, but he now passes his ministry on to Elisha. And we will now see many more of the Lord’s words and works through Elisha. We are introduced to two today – the blessing of the purification of the waters at Jericho and the cursing (in the name of the LORD, v. 2:24b) of the lads who were taunting him. It seems as if the Lord is indeed honoring Elisha’s request for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit!

Blessings.

See also:

October 14 / John 12:37-50

Dear RTB’ers,

In John’s first quote today, he is quoting Isaiah: LORD, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1) The rest of Isaiah 53 is worth reading. That chapter, together with Psalm 22 is very often quoted with respect to Jesus’ Crucifixion. But it was the earlier verses in Isaiah 53 that hearkened to me today. Here is the whole of the first three verses in that chapter:

Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For He grew up before Him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him,
and no beauty that we should desire Him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,
and as one from whom men hide their faces
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Isaiah 53:1-3

Clearly, in today’s reading, Jesus is despised by the chief priests and Pharisees, rejected by them, and they certainly esteemed Him not. But the question in my mind today was Jesus maturing, His growing-up. Isaiah foretells Him above as a root, a young plant. Surely, when He was first born He was much like any other human baby. And I suspect that Mary related to Him stories of His birth. At age 12 He was …in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at His understanding and His answers (Luke 2:46b-47), so He was clearly maturing in His relationship with His Father, and that would continue, up to and including when He began His public ministry, when it was “His time”.

So now we have today’s closing verses: For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. … What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told Me. (vv. 49-50) Presumably the Trinity had planned man’s salvation long before Jesus’ birth, but when Jesus came to Earth, I’m guessing that the fullness of this salvation plan was “forgotten” by Him, possibly “repressed” by the Father (as it were), and revealed to Jesus as He grew. Thus we have today’s final verses, the final words in Jesus’ public ministry, spoken directly by the Father through Jesus. That’s powerful!

Blessings.

See also:

October 13 / John 12:20-36

John 12:20-36

Dear RTB’ers,

Jesus speaking: “Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. (vv. 27-29a) If you were to ask me to relate those occasions when the Father spoke from Heaven to or about Jesus, I would suggest Jesus’ baptism and His transfiguration. The Father speaking on this occasion is not one that I would recall. But if Jesus’ words today constitute His “Gethsemane moment”, then the Father’s words would have been substantial encouragement to Him.

Again, Jesus speaking: If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; … If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. (v. 26) Just as the Father’s words above must have encouraged Jesus, so too, Jesus’ words here should encourage us in our own service to Him – to our church, to our fellow believers, and to the whole of His created world.

Blessings.

See also:

October 12 / John 11:45-12:19

John 11:45-12:19

Dear RTB’ers,

He [Caiaphas] did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. (vv. 11:52-53) I wonder if the apostle John fully knew what he was writing here. Certainly Jesus’ death would go beyond “the nation”, even to the ends of the earth and centuries beyond!

We celebrate Palm Sunday with greater festivity than most other Sundays or feast days, yet John covers this event in only eight verses. [Matthew covers Jesus’ triumphal entry in eleven verses, Mark in ten, and Luke in thirteen.] Then again, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, so our Palm Sunday celebration serves as an introduction to the week ahead.

Jesus speaking: For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me. (v. 12:8) Matthew records these same words in 26:11a. Mark, however, adds one phrase that the others leave out, For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have Me. (Mark 14:7) I like Mark’s addition. I wish today’s billionaires would take note of Jesus’ words from Mark.

Blessings.

See also:

October 11 / John 11:28-44

John 11:28-44

Dear RTB’ers,

Lazarus, part 2. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” (v. 39a) It’s a simple request by Jesus, yet He is met with opposition from the person who just a few verses earlier had proclaimed Him the Messiah: Martha … said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” (v. 39b) And from Jesus, a simple response, Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? (v. 40)

It’s not me inside the tomb, but I wonder if there are things in my life that I’ve put under a seal and not let anyone see them – not even God! Like I can hide things from God? So if I’ve got something buried and He tells me to open up, would I resist with my excuses? Take away the stone. It’s a simple request…

Blessings.

See also:

October 10 / John 11:1-27

John 11:1-27

Dear RTB’ers,

Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead – His greatest miracle. We all know the story, so I’ll post just a couple of side comments. First, Thomas: So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” (v. 16) Thomas is often known as “Doubting Thomas” because of his refusal to believe in Jesus’ Resurrection until he saw Him himself: “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25b) Thomas seems to be anything but doubtful in today’s reading!!

Second, Martha: “Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, Who is coming into the world.” (v. 27b) This is the same Martha who complained to the Lord about her sister not helping with the housework: “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” (Luke 10:40b) Yet in today’s reading Martha’s profession of faith is as strong a statement as that of any other person that we read in the gospels. You are the Christ!!

Two people, each speaking words that are not consistent with how we typically view them. Makes me wonder about my own preconceived notions that I have of other people…

Blessings.

See also:

October 9 / John 10:22-42

John 10:22-42

Dear RTB’ers,

The following verses have always been confusing to me: Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came, … do you say of Him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (vv. 34-36) The STS note helps clarify, “Even the judges of Israel, acting as God’s representatives, were called ‘gods’”. Jesus is saying that the Old Testament prophets and rulers were called ‘gods’, and the works that He is doing are much greater than what they did. If they are called ‘gods’, then why not Him? Does that help clarify? Or is my understanding more confusing or even misguided?

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (vv. 27-28) Jesus speaks three assurances to His followers – eternal life, never perish, security in His hand. Although (seemingly) in descending order, these assurances should be encouraging to each of us, the level to which Jesus watches over us and protects us. I heard a preacher once expounding on these verses. He was particularly strong on the last assurance, that no one will snatch them out of My hand. His comment: “We ARE His Hand!” Yes, encouraging!!

Blessings.

See also:

October 8 / John 10:1-21

John 10:1-21

Dear RTB’ers,

Today, the Good Shepherd… And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. (v. 16) So, who are the “other sheep”? To whom was Jesus referring? …to people in the crowd who said that He had a demon? (John 10:20) …to the scribes and Pharisees who were constantly challenging Him? …to Samaritans or Gentiles? Who did He have in mind?

Beyond that, what is He saying to us today? Who are the “other sheep” in today’s world? Would Jesus be referring to people in other worldwide religions – Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists…? …or within Christianity, members of other sects, other denominations? …or very locally, our family, friends, neighbors? A suggestion was made to me at Sunday’s RTB gathering that I often think too deeply about Jesus’ words, trying to understand Him in detail, when I should just get the gist of what He is saying and move on. So, to rewrite Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1854), “Mine is not to reason why, mine is but to do or die.” Just do it!

Blessings.

See also:

October 7 / John 9

John 9

Dear RTB’ers,

Today, Jesus’s healing of a man born blind. Carol told me a few years back that she had learned in one of her studies that healing a person born blind was one of the signs that the Jews expected of the Messiah. So we read this today and my thoughts run again to how the Pharisees could fail to believe in Jesus. They charged Him with breaking the Sabbath when something far greater had occurred! They even brought in the man’s parents – were they trying to discredit the miracle? Putting myself into this story, I find that I would surely have sought to follow Him more fully! Aside from bringing Lazarus from the dead (and two other raisings) I find this to be Jesus’ greatest miracle.

My Study Bible summarized the man’s progress toward Jesus quite nicely. He viewed Him first as “…a man (John 9:11), to a prophet (John 9:17), to one who might be followed by disciples (John 9:27,) to one from God (John 9:33), to one who was properly to be worshiped (John 9:38).” A very nice progression…

Although I have never been blind, I do tend to “claim” this one verse: One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see. (v. 25b) Yes, I was blind to my own sinful self, dutifully following Jesus’ “second commandment” and ignoring the first: …to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength (Mark 12:30). Yes, I was spiritually blind, but now I see.

Blessings.

See also:

October 6 / John 8:30-59

John 8:30-59

Dear RTB’ers,

We had some good discussions at our RTB gathering yesterday, one of which focused on John’s gospel, where the point was made that his gospel is more about Jesus’ words than about His actions. Yes, we see dramatic miracles in John’s gospel (Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana; His healing of a man born blind (tomorrow’s reading); His bringing Lazarus back from the dead), but there are probably more of Jesus’ words compared to text or narrative in John’s gospel than in any of the Synoptics. Today’s reading is a perfect example of that, of Jesus in conversation with the Jews.

Beginning with verse 12, the entire chapter is one conversation, with Jesus’ words angering the Jews enough in the end that they are ready to stone Him. He has strong words for them, You are of your father, the devil… (v. 44) and a divine claim for Himself, …before Abraham was, I am. The dynamic of the conversation is interesting. At one point we see some Jews in the crowd believing His words (v. 30), but then He offends those same people as He continues the conversation. No doubt He is speaking words that are completely foreign to their hearing, but it also seems to be the case that their pride keeps them from truly listening to Him. How would I have felt if I were in that crowd? I think I would have felt more confusion than anger. I would have been especially confused of this “Father” of whom He speaks. I would have known of Joseph, his earthly father, but He seems to speak of God being His Father. He would leave me confused!

Thankfully, this side of the Cross (as I have said before) His words are more clear to me, but I remain sympathetic to His first-century listeners!

Blessings.

See also: