January - Reading 14

In Genesis 32:13-21 we see the logistics of Jacob’s careful appeasement strategy (550 animals Esau would prize). This may highlight his ability to plan but it highlights even more, given the goal statement at the end (v. 20), his failure to pray and believe that God would change Esau’s heart.

Genesis 32:24-25 (ESV)
24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

The commentary given by Hosea (Hos. 12:4) identifies this Man with whom Jacob wrestled as the Angel of the Lord who is also identified as God, a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Genesis 32:28 (ESV)
28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

Jacob’s personal name changed from one meaning “heel-catcher” or “deceiver” to one meaning “God’s fighter” or “he struggles with God.” Jacob did not actually overcome God in his struggle, but this whole scene is a metaphor, an amazing evaluation of what Jacob had accomplished, i.e., emerging victorious from the struggle. In the record of his life, “struggle” did indeed dominate: 1) with his brother Esau (chaps. 25–27); 2) with his father (chap. 27); 3) with his father-in-law (chaps. 29–31); 4) with his wives (chap. 30); and 5) with God at Peniel (v. 28).

Genesis 33:4 (ESV)
4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Fearfully and deferentially, Jacob approached his brother as an inferior would a highly honored patron, while gladly and eagerly, Esau ran to greet his brother without restraint of emotion. “They wept” because, after 21 years of troubling separation, old memories were wiped away and murderous threats belonged to the distant past; hearts had been changed, brothers reconciled!

[ January 14, 2002: Message edited by: John Wells ]

 

Good commentary Brother John. I would like to add just a few things:
I think there is an element of humor to Jacob's approach to his brother. Imagine Esau walking across this arid plain and encountering not one, not two, but three seperate herds of animals to be given to him. Jacob was truly SCARED of this encounter. Look at how earnest his prayer is in verses 9 - 12. Notice also the defensive formation of his household that Jacob established upon meeting Esau. His favorite wife and son were in the back, furthest from harm's way.
I get a big kick out of the brother's reunion. Esau seems genuinely proud of his brother's accomplishments. This is perhaps one of the lightest moments we have had in Genesis. I find it heart warming.
You gotta hand it to Esau. He had every right to be angry with his brother but he showed himself to be a man who really had his priorities straight.

As for our reading in Acts:
Notice that the eunuch is reading from the scroll of Isaiah. Isaiah was a significant book for eunuchs because that prophet had proclaimed that worship in a public assembly was possible for them. We find in the book of Dueteronomy, chapter 23, verse 1: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Read further in Deuteronomy about exclusion of foreigners as well. However, Isaiah, who was probably considered a religious radical in his time, had this to say about eunuchs and foreigners:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Isaiah 56
4
For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant--
5
to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
6
And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant--
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these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>So it is no surprise that the Ethiopian was reading the scroll of Isaiah when Philip found him.
Also, look at the diversity of people who are being converted. The Ethiopian is a very wealthy, influential man in contrast to the widows whom the deacons were ordained to serve. It is evidence that the Good news was for all of mankind.

Finally, from Matthew, can anyone tell me when the extra two lines of the Lord's prayer were added to our protestant rendition? I am referring to the "For Thine is the Kingdom..." part that is in addition to the scripture of Matthew 6:9 - 13.

May God bless all of you

- Clint

[ January 14, 2002: Message edited by: Clint Kritzer ]

 

Bro Clint,

In some ancient and many later MSS of Mt. 6:13 a doxology follows. In the AV it reads, ‘For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.’ Although the most authoritative MSS do not have the doxology, it has been used in the Christian church from the earliest times, and it is certainly a most suitable and worthy ending for the Lord’s Prayer. That it does not, however, belong to the original text of Matthew is apparent from the fact that vv. 14 and 15 follow naturally after vv. 12 and 13a.

 

I think there is a distinction to be made here between sin and debts or trespasses, and I believe our Lord with great precision said "debt/trespass" instead of "sin" when teaching us to pray.

Leviticus prescribes a sin offering and a trespass offering (Lev. 4:1 - Lev. 6:7). Sin is the offence itself. Trespass is the damage. You'll notice that in the prescription for the sin offering, the focus was on breaking any of "the commandments of the LORD," with no mention of any specific commandment or transgression (4:1 - 4:35). The sin offering is simply (if one may use that word) for sin itself--that condition which results in transgression. But in the tresspass offering (5:1 - 6:7) is mentioned very specific offenses and the damages to be paid.

We should never fear that God's forgiveness of our sins is conditional upon our willingness to forgive others. But His release of our trespasses is very much conditional upon our willingness to forgive others.

[ January 15, 2002: Message edited by: Aaron ]

 

HI Guys,

I'm sorry I log on so late. I'll try to do the Bible study earlier in the day. The house is quiet now and this is a good time for me, but it's not much help as far as sharing thoughts for you folks back east!

Insert short rant: It is COLD here! This is sunny California, and by 9 p.m. it was 20 and dropping. The orange tree will be gone, the lemon threatened, the daisies will freeze and die, and I'm praying my chickens make it through! We just don't do this here! When I went to college in Colorado that was one thing -- you expect it there. You don't expect it here. People's pipes will freeze tonight -- you can bet your bottom dollar the plumbers will be out in full force tomorrow! And there will be black ice on the roads, and some accidents...
I've turned my electric blanket up ALL the way for later.
Rant finished...

OK, some other stuff about today's readings.

Matthew 6:1-15 has a few pithy lessons:
1. No hypocrisy
2. No showing off
3. No babbling to God. He heard you the first time.

It is interesting, in light of the above, that people seem to think that repeating the Lord's Prayer constantly is somehow 'praying well.'

I like this limb, so out I go again...

I think the Lord's prayer is a pattern for how we should pray -- so we don't leave anything out.
Acknowledge God by relationship
Honor and praise Him.
Pray for His will
Ask for your needs
Ask for forgiveness, knowing that we must also forgive.
Please care for us gently and keep the evil one away from us.
"For thine is the power, and the kingdom, and the glory forever" is a lovely ending, even if it is not in the bible. One cannot honor and praise God too much!

The last part of this section can seem confusing. It seems like God's forgiveness is conditional on our forgiving others. I have heard two ways of considering this verse, and I will pass on both. (I like both, that's why!)

1. When we refuse to forgive someone, our hearts are full of anger and bitterness. A full heart cannot receive anything more. So, in forgiving others, we empty out all that mess and our hearts are then open and ready to receive what God has to give us.

2. If a person has not forgiven others, then it is evident that the Holy Spirit is not in charge of that person's life. Forgiving others is a clear sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in a person's life and that this person belongs to God -- and has thus also received forgiveness himself.


The Acts passage, about Philip and the Ethiopian is one of the strongest lessons, for me, personally, in the entire Bible in some ways. First of all, Philip is only told to stay near the chariot by the Holy Spirit.

Philip obeys.

Philip responds to where the Ethiopian is in his understanding, and the only question he asks the man is one designed to help Philip understand what it is the Ethiopian is understanding. It is this concern on the part of Philip which then opens up the Ethiopian so he can ask questions. And Philip is then ready with the answers.

Here is what I get from that:
We are to walk along side people, not 'evangelize' them confrontationally. We are to endeavor to understand them and how they think and what bothers them. We are to be the kind of friend who, in caring, gives them the confidence and freedom to open up and ask questions. And then we are to be ready to answer. And always, always, be responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

What is the result? The conversion of the Ethiopian and the man ends up rejoicing. Philip is then trusted with more work.


Psalm 14 is so often quoted by those who want to slam other people: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'"

This is of course true, but we have to be very careful about not assigned the term 'fool' to anyone -- we just read about that in Matthew 5:22! So we must understand this is a sort of 'generic' fool that is being referred to -- and also that should a person say there is no God, he is showing himself to be a fool, at least at that point in time. But only God knows what the end of that man will be, and we need to shut up.

Nevertheless, for those who choose that road, it is true that they are corrup and their deeds are vile. It can never be said of one of these people that they really do anything good.

But then the Psalm pushes the judgment past that -- there is NNE who does good; no one who really seeks God.

This has to be balanced by the fact that in Romans 1 we read that the wrath of God is being poured out on those who suppress the truth wilfully and knowingly. So we know that people can recognize the truth when it is presented to them, but that whatever truth they are shown will be wilfully suppressed in favor of what they think or prefer. We have all done this -- most especially before salvation. "I want what I want when I want it" mentality denies concern for anyone else and shows no desire for God at all -- at least not any God who isn't a "Santa Claus in the sky"!

And yet, again, we see that the people who are His are considered righteous.

There is something that catches my eye here. John will recognize this, I think, but I don't know how much time anyone else reading this has spent on creation/evolution forums. Very, very often the atheists delight in confusing and mocking the simple believer who only knows that he can trust the Lord and the Lord's Word to be true in a simple, straightforward manner. Rarely does the person who does not know God show any respect for this kind of simple faith -- instead they mock the scientific ignorance of the creationist and do seem to delight in the verbal devouring of these people 'as men eat bread'

But, as the Psalm says, "God is present in the company of the righteous." And God is our refuge even when the evildoers frustrate our plans. They must seem strong, for all they have to depend on is themselves. We do not have to pretend that way. We are weak and we know we are weak. But we have this Shepherd, see......


It's almost midnight here now. The fire is stoked until morning, and as I work to stay awake, let me just say that I think John and clint covered the Genesis text really well. Oh, by the way, Clint, the last part of the Lord's Prayer is not present in any of the earliest manuscripts, but I am not sure when it was added. As John says, though, it is a most fitting close of praise and honor.

God bless you all. See you tomorrow.

Helen

P.s. I'm not proofing this....too tired. If something seems weird, fix it in your head, OK? Thanks.

 

Thanks Clint

I didn't want you to think nobody was reading. I am enjoying it a lot so far especially with the comments from last year and cross-references to the other Bible Reading Forum. I am not able to add much to what has been said, but so far I am keeping up.

Rod

 

Thanks so much Bro. Clint and everyone else who are giving insight. This has been a great help and blessing to me.I have kept up with my reading and look forward to your comments in the evening. MK

 

Our Scriptures for 1/15 are:

Matthew 6:16-24

Acts 9:1-19

Psalm 15

Genesis 34-35

 

Our Scriptures for 1/15 are:

Matthew 6:16-24

Acts 9:1-19

Psalm 15

Genesis 34-35

 

Our Scriptures for 1/15 are:

Matthew 6:16-24

Acts 9:1-19

Psalm 15

Genesis 34-35

 

Our Scriptures for 1/15 are:

Matthew 6:16-24

Acts 9:1-19

Psalm 15

Genesis 34-35