July - Reading 19

Good afternoon -

Our Scriptures in today's schedule are:

Luke 11:29-36

2 Thessalonians 1:1-7

Psalm 144

2 Chronicles 17-19

May God bless the reading of His Word.

 

Good evening –

Our reading in 2Chronicles today brings us to the much-expanded account of Jehoshaphat. The account of this kings rule in 1Kings 22 is very overshadowed by the space given to Ahab and his conflicts with Elijah. The Chronicler portrays Jehoshaphat in a favorable light and maintains the theme of obedience = blessing. One point of interest to me in chapter 17 is that Jehoshaphat again removes the “high places (verse 6) just as Asa had done. Obviously the people kept rebuilding them.
Chapter 18 gives us another historical insight to Jehoshaphat in that he married into Ahab’s family. The Northern Kingdom was far more powerful (despite their defeat in battle with Judah in last night’s reading and their fall to the Assyrians) and such a marriage would have greatly increased the alliance between these nations. Ahab’s “command” that Jehoshaphat wear the royal clothing into battle in verse 29 shows this dominance.
We also gain more insight into this monarch from chapter 19. He instigated a major judicial reform in Judah and in fact his name means “the Lord judges.” This information would have been of great interest to his audience as the returning exiles would need this precedent in establishing their own courts.

In Luke tonight we read of the “Sign of Jonah.” I think that Luke’s interpretation of this passage offers us more than Matthew did in chapter 11 of that Gospel. The Queen of the South mentioned here is Sheba as we read a few weeks ago in 1Kings and again in 2Chronicles. Christ’s point is that if she was so impressed by Solomon and if the Ninevites were so swayed by Jonah, then the Jews of His time should have been even more impressed by Christ who was wiser and more persuasive than either of these men. Instead, they continuously asked for proof and miracles. This is why Christ goes immediately into the simile of the lamp. He was sending out the Light of the Gospel perfectly. The problem was with the faulty “eyesight” of the Jews.

We began the Epistle of 2Thessalonians tonight as well. This Letter’s purpose is much the same as the first Epistle: to deal with the subject of eschatology, or the end times. This Letter has been doubted as far as its authorship. There are ten words that are not used in any other Pauline Letter. Also, the Letter has a more formal flavor than the previous Epistle that is (assumed) only six month older. Also, the doctrine of the “man of lawlessness” (2:1-12) is found in no other Pauline Letters. Despite these criticisms, however, most modern scholars claim this Epistle is genuine Pauline.
The Book begins with Paul’s typical salutation and follows with the thanksgiving and prayer. Paul was obviously very pleased still with the folks at Thessalonica as he deliberately talks of his boasting about them, a very uncharacteristic feature for Paul. As is fitting with our reading of the Chronicles, Paul speaks in verse 6 of God’s justice and how it reflects the belief of the Christian. The retribution may be immediate or it may came on the Day of Judgement, but nonetheless, it will occur and even those who doubt even the very existence of Christ will know of His presence.

May God bless you

- Clint

 

Sunday School lesson – 11/14/05 - continued

Luke 11:29-32 The Sign of Jonah

The third group who had witnessed the exorcism called for a sign in verse 16. To these Jesus addressed this Passage. The demands for a sign are repeatedly refused by Jesus in the Gospels. Despite the fact that they had seen the exorcism performed before them, they sought to make God prove Himself on their terms. This rejection was termed "evil" by Jesus.

Instead of displaying a miracle for sensationalism, Jesus tells them that they would only receive the sign of Jonah. In Matthew, the sign of Jonah relates to the prophet's experience in the sea creature representing the three days between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. In Luke, however, the sign of Jonah relates to the repentance displayed by the Ninevites at the preaching of Jonah. You may recall that Jonah's sermon was a single sentence and no miracles accompanied it. Yet despite this, the evil and heathenistic Ninevites mourned over their transgressions and repented in sackcloth and ashes. Here before them was One who was much more than Jonah, yet the pious Jews would not repent. Instead they sought proof.

The Queen of the South in verse 31 is the queen of Sheba spoken of 1Kings 10. She had traveled a great distance to see the grandeur of Solomon and to validate to herself the rumors she had heard of him. In doing so she had displayed her honesty and her steadfast search for truth. The Jews of Jesus' time in contrast had the truth before their very eyes and would not accept it. The men of Ninevah and the queen of the south will serve as witnesses at the Judgment to prove the blindness of those who rejected Jesus.

Luke 11:33-36 Receptivity to Light

In this Passage, we have three distinct sayings linked together by the common use of the word "lamp." The first of these has already been used by Luke in 8:16. In this instance, the lamp may represent God's call to repentance through the ministry of Christ. His activities were not private or isolated to certain people but were displayed to the crowds. Just as a person does not light a lamp and hide it under a basket, so too, God did not send Jesus to earth and then hide Him away. He was displayed fully so that everyone had the opportunity to receive His light.

The second saying in verses 34-35 has to do with the lamp relating to the eye and how the eye is the primary organ for perception. If one has a blind or diseased eye, their perception will be hindered and the lamp will be shut out. The problem faced by Jesus' critics is that their spiritual eyes were blind and therefore incapable of receiving the light of Jesus' mission.

The third saying has two possible lines of interpretation. The first is that if we receive the light and are filled with it, we are free from the risk of spiritual deception. The second line of interpretation is that the Christian who is filled with the light of Christ shines brightly to all those around him.

 

Our Scriptures for tomorrow are:

Luke 11:37-54

2 Thessalonians 1:8-12

Psalm 145

2 Chronicles 20-21

 

Our Scriptures for tomorrow are:

Luke 11:37-54

2 Thessalonians 1:8-12

Psalm 145

2 Chronicles 20-21

 

Our Scriptures for tomorrow are:

Luke 11:37-54

2 Thessalonians 1:8-12

Psalm 145

2 Chronicles 20-21

 

Our Scriptures for tomorrow are:

Luke 11:37-54

2 Thessalonians 1:8-12

Psalm 145

2 Chronicles 20-21

 

Our Scriptures for tomorrow are:

Luke 11:37-54

2 Thessalonians 1:8-12

Psalm 145

2 Chronicles 20-21