Old testament
1. How to set up camp...around the Tabernacle.
2. How to organize the march.
3. Geneology of Aaron and Moses. Remember that Aaron had lsot 2 of his sons.
- The tribe of Levi will attend to the furnishings of the Tabernacle.
- The trobe of Levi will stand in for the firstborn of the Israelites who belong to God. They are consecrated by His destruction of the firstborn of the Egyptians.
- The Levite number 22,000. The real firstborn males of the Israelites number 22,273.
- The extra are redeemed with a set price of silver to be paid to the Tabernacle.
New Testament
4. Mark has already established a theme with his first two stories. How can it be that Israel's faith, rooted in God's Old Testament revelation, had become futile and empty? What was it that had distorted in practice the beauty of the faith God Himself had revealed?
5. Empty authority.
- The chief priests and religious teachers had never commissioned or recognized Jesus, So they liked to think that He spoke without any real religious authority. This despite the fact that Jesus did speak as a Man with authority, unlike their official leaders. Jesus question to them showed how empty their "authority" was. The obvious answer, to anyone who has spiritual authority is that John's baptism derived ultimately from God. So anyone who exercises authority must refer to God and God's will in making his decisions.
6. Misuse of authority. (Parable of the evil farmers)
- Jesus told the parable of the person who prepared the land and planted a vineyard. The leaders realize that Jesus has spoken this parable against them, and became even more determined to arrest Him. They had not used their authority as God's agenst to serve Him at all! They had misused their authority, seeking only their own benefit. Their fathers had been willing to kill God's servants, the prophets, and now this generation was eager to kill His only Son!
7. Hipocrisy.
- The Pharisees and Herodians came to try to trap Jesus. The Herodians were a political party that beleived in accommodation with the Romans. To them Jesus seemed a dangerous revolutionary. Both these groups, usually opposed to each other, feared Jesus and hated Him passionately. His answer to their trap: Let Caesar have his things, but give God your heart.
- There it is again...give God your heart!
Psalm
Proverbs
8. "The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted."
9. "When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation." A lasting foundation!
See you next post...
Showing posts with label Egyptians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Egyptians. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Genesis 42:18-43:34; Matthew 13:47-14:12; Psalm 18:16-36; Proverbs 4:7-10 (New Living Translation)
1. We have the ongoing epic tale of Joseph's life. His brothers travelling back and forth for grain and to save the life of their brother, Simeon.
2. Joseph chose to keep Simeon prisoner while the others travelled home to get Benjamin. Why Simeon?
3. Joseph sent them home with grain and their money. Notice that when the brothers think they are doomed they ask, "What has God done to us?" Not what have we gotten ourselves into, or what have we done?
4. "Poor" Jacob, his main concern in losing Benjamin is that "he is all that I have left." (of Rachel ?) So initially, he won't let him go. At least not until the famine continues and they are starving again. He also seems to have forgotten by this time that he had to send Benjamin in order to get more grain.
5. They prepare gifts and more money for "the man." Joseph is second in command to all of Egypt. He has no need for their gifts, trinkets or money.
6. Simeon is released and they go to Joseph's house to eat. They are given water to wash their feet and feed for their donkeys. Both signs of hospitality.
7. He is overcome by the sight of his brother, alive and well.
8. We also see that the Hebrews and Egyptians are separated. The Egyptians despised the Hebrews. They cannot eat or sit together. This must have been a strange existence for Joseph, since he was second in command, and known to be a Hebrew. This is important as we move these two groups closer to each other.
9. This is an amazing story. Look how God has worked and knitted everything together so that the plan will go forward. So that the promise can be kept. So that a remnant might be preserved. I doubt that anyone, including Joseph could have guessed how this would have turned out. From tending sheep, to the cistern, to slavery, to Potiphar's house, to prison, to second in command...so that his people would be saved.
Matthew text
10. The parable of the net (dragnet) - the kingdom ends with final separation of the unrighteous from the righteous.
11. Jesus finishes His stories, and the people are amazed. This is someone they know. Someone they watched grow up. How can He know these things? How can He really know what the kingdom of God is like?
12. Because of their unbelief "he only did a few miracles there." Do we miss or block our blessings by getting in our own way? Stumbling over our own feet looking for proof? Are we like Thomas? Will we not accept the truth unless we can see it and feel it for ourselves?
13. John, remember John the Baptiser...well he is in prison. For telling the truth. As a gift to his niece, who is also his step-daughter, Herod beheads John. Upon receiving this news, Jesus retreats, but the crowds follow Him. Is He sad and upset, or just disappointed?
14. John was killed for the truth. What are we doing to advance the kingdom?
Psalm text
15. The Lord delights in me...
16. God's way is perfect.
Proverb text
17. Wisdom and judgement...get them
See you next post...
2. Joseph chose to keep Simeon prisoner while the others travelled home to get Benjamin. Why Simeon?
3. Joseph sent them home with grain and their money. Notice that when the brothers think they are doomed they ask, "What has God done to us?" Not what have we gotten ourselves into, or what have we done?
4. "Poor" Jacob, his main concern in losing Benjamin is that "he is all that I have left." (of Rachel ?) So initially, he won't let him go. At least not until the famine continues and they are starving again. He also seems to have forgotten by this time that he had to send Benjamin in order to get more grain.
5. They prepare gifts and more money for "the man." Joseph is second in command to all of Egypt. He has no need for their gifts, trinkets or money.
6. Simeon is released and they go to Joseph's house to eat. They are given water to wash their feet and feed for their donkeys. Both signs of hospitality.
7. He is overcome by the sight of his brother, alive and well.
8. We also see that the Hebrews and Egyptians are separated. The Egyptians despised the Hebrews. They cannot eat or sit together. This must have been a strange existence for Joseph, since he was second in command, and known to be a Hebrew. This is important as we move these two groups closer to each other.
9. This is an amazing story. Look how God has worked and knitted everything together so that the plan will go forward. So that the promise can be kept. So that a remnant might be preserved. I doubt that anyone, including Joseph could have guessed how this would have turned out. From tending sheep, to the cistern, to slavery, to Potiphar's house, to prison, to second in command...so that his people would be saved.
Matthew text
10. The parable of the net (dragnet) - the kingdom ends with final separation of the unrighteous from the righteous.
11. Jesus finishes His stories, and the people are amazed. This is someone they know. Someone they watched grow up. How can He know these things? How can He really know what the kingdom of God is like?
12. Because of their unbelief "he only did a few miracles there." Do we miss or block our blessings by getting in our own way? Stumbling over our own feet looking for proof? Are we like Thomas? Will we not accept the truth unless we can see it and feel it for ourselves?
13. John, remember John the Baptiser...well he is in prison. For telling the truth. As a gift to his niece, who is also his step-daughter, Herod beheads John. Upon receiving this news, Jesus retreats, but the crowds follow Him. Is He sad and upset, or just disappointed?
14. John was killed for the truth. What are we doing to advance the kingdom?
Psalm text
15. The Lord delights in me...
16. God's way is perfect.
Proverb text
17. Wisdom and judgement...get them
See you next post...
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