READINGS FOR FEBRUARY 19, 2024: GENESIS 11, MATTHEW 11, PSALM 8 GENESIS 11 This chapter starts with the whole earth using the same language. Yet, just two verses earlier it says that the sons of Shem lived where they did partly due to the specific language spoken in that area. Is this a contradiction? No. Ancient history was not always written chronologically. Remember, Genesis 2 goes back to the beginning and provides a different perspective of creation, which was already described in Genesis 1. In Genesis 10 Shem’s line included six generations, but in Gen. 11:10 his family line starts back over with Shem and moves ahead.
God disapproved of humanity’s plan to “make a name for themselves” by building a city and tower because He believed they would be able to achieve anything they wanted. Now, what’s wrong with that? Aren’t we supposed to dream it and achieve it, to be anything we want to be? This sums up the big problem of our time, perhaps particularly within the American church. This is why we need to study (and obey) the Bible:
· The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice (Prov. 12:15).
- There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death (Prov. 14:12).
- Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart (Prov. 21:2).
- In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25).
- Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight (Isa. 5:21).
- You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever. Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart (Jer. 11:8).
As mentioned above, the last part of this chapter advances Shem’s genealogy ahead several more generations. Again, this mirrors the chronology of Jesus found in Luke 3. The brief statement embedded in this chronology, “Sarai was barren; she had no child,” is a teaser for the next act in God’s interaction with humankind. Much, much more on that count to come.
MATTHEW 11 After Jesus sent out his disciples to various cities, Jesus went to these same cities to support the effort by preaching and teaching, likely in the local synagogues (13:54). His great advance man, John the Baptist, by now was in prison. John sent some of his disciples to double check to see if Jesus really was the promised Messiah. Jesus responded by telling them to report exactly what they saw, which was exactly what was prophesized in Isaiah 35:5 and 61:1.
Jesus used the Bible to respond to John the Baptist here, just as when responding to Satan, the Pharisees, and many others. Roger Nicole, a famous Swiss theologian, commented that about 10% of Jesus’s words in the Gospels are either allusions to or direct quotations from the Bible. If we wish to conform to the life of Jesus, we would be wise to do likewise as appropriate.
READINGS FOR FEBRUARY 19, 2024 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 11, PSALM 8 Jesus then offers John the Baptist an astounding tribute, calling him more than a prophet and as great as any man who ever lived up until then. After that upmost complement, he immediately says the least in the kingdom is greater than John. How could both statements be true? Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost might provide a clue: “Repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The indwelling of the Holy Spirt, available to believers on Pentecost, was not available in this same sense to John the Baptist before Jesus rose from death. It is available to us today when we belong to Jesus through faith (Rom. 8: 9-11).
Another shocking statement by Jesus is His saying that John the Baptist is Elijah. Does Jesus believe in reincarnation, just like the actress Shirley MacClaine and adherents of Eastern mysticism? The angel of the Lord explains this to Zacharias in Luke 1:17. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah and indeed was the fulfillment about Elijah’s coming to precede Jesus (Malachi 4:5-6). So, we should be really humble in our expectations about how God will fulfill his promises to us about the future. Jesus goes on to say that God often does the very opposite of what we expect. Fully believe in His promises. Trust Him with the details.
Jesus provides interesting information about levels of judgments for cities based upon their response to the amount of God’s activity/truth they witnessed/heard. Since we are studying the entire Bible, a really good thing, keep in mind we will be accountable for how we obey all His Word when we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Some great news for us, though, is we don’t have to be geniuses. Just believe what the Lord shows us in His Word (Matt.11:25-27). Unlike the many silly rules the Pharisees added, Jesus’s burden is light and yoke is easy. Walking with Jesus is totally doable for any who desire to follow Him. It’s a joy!
PSALM 8 The Psalmist begins by saying the Lord, who made a stunning universe the size of millions of light-years, is also our personal Lord. He is expansive beyond belief yet closer to us than our breath, if we have confessed Him as our Lord and obey HIs Word. (Of course, we can always do our own thing, if we think we know better.) In God’s wonderful plan, the babbling of little babies stops the efforts of our evil enemy. Jesus took this statement to include the little children praising Him in the temple (Matt 21:16). Let’s not worry about babies crying in the church service. They may be our secret weapon against the devil.
The question about man reminds us that we alone are made in God’s image and have been delegated stewardship responsibility (remember Gen.1-2). We still have it as we struggle with how to manage earth’s resources. In Hebrews 2 we learn God the Son was also made man. By His death He was crowned with ultimate glory and honor because He tasted death for us. O LORD, OUR LORD, HOW MAJESTIC IS YOUR NAME!
