READING FOR JULY 24, 2024: EXODUS 31, 1 TIMOTHY 6, PSALM 71:14-24                                      EXODUS 31 This is the clearest reference in the Bible to God empowering men, Bezalel of Judah and Oholiab of Dan, to serve Him in an artistic task. In this case, the artistry is directly connected to worshipping God, specifically the atonement necessary to address the sins of Israel against a Holy God. In a sense, these artists are offering the first fruits of their artistic talents to the Lord in response to His command. A question: Is this a one-time opportunity or might it serve as a model today for Christian musicians, artists, actors, and dancers? It seems the underlying attitude of today’s artist should remain the same: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17). The major concern of the artist should not be whether people like the artist expression, but that the work be offered to God in alignment with the ability God has given—in other words, somehow in response to the direction/pattern God has provided. 

As the workers are commissioned to build the Tabernacle and all its accompanying items, God provides clear direction about the relationship between work and rest. The main reason for the Sabbath is not for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. God says every time Israel rests on the Sabbath it serves as a reminder that “in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”  The seriousness of this practice is emphasized by the punishment required for those who disobey: death. 

For history buffs, it is interesting to know that in 1792 the French Republic sought to dechristianize its calendar by changing the week from 7 to 10 days. This alternate calendar lasted until 1806. Sabbath keeping became a huge point of contention between Jesus and his detractors. The Pharisees added layers of rules to what God gives in this chapter so that they opposed even healing on the Sabbath. Jesus’s response: “You hypocrites, does each of you on the Sabbath not untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this restraint on the Sabbath day?” (Luke 13:15-16).

As the French discovered, totally abandoning the creational order of the seven-day week doesn’t seem to work. The other extreme is measuring one’s spiritual attainment around extra manmade rules connected with this practice. With Jesus having fulfilled the ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the law, the New Testament permits greater freedom about the keeping of feasts, dietary laws, and the Sabbath: “Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day— things which are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ” (Col. 2:16-17).

READING FOR JULY 24, 2024 CONTINUED: 1 TIMOTHY 6, PSALM 71:14-24                                   1 TIMOTHY 6 This passage does not advocate for or against slavery. It counsels Christians who are already serving as a slave, particularly those whose masters are Christians, to serve in such as a way that God’s name/reputation and the Gospel are honored. Then it adds not to serve halfheartedly just because their master is a brother in Christ, which is the much more important tie between them. This applies today in all employer-employee relationships. 

This echos and clarifies the famous passage in Galatians which highlights our common bond as believers over our still existing differences in earthly categories and/or roles: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal.3:27-28).

Starting with verse six, Paul starts to wrap up the letter much the way he began it: warning Timothy not to allow different doctrines to gain a foothold in the church. Questions: Have we allowed a different doctrine than the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed by the Bible to gain a foothold in our lives, family, or church? Why does Paul constantly warn us about it? 

Paul then writes one of the most quoted verses in the Bible: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil” (vs. 10). This was particularly important for Timothy in Ephesus to understand given the economic impact of the local god: “Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, was, was bringing considerable business to the craftsmen;  he gathered these men together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business” (Acts 19:24-25).    Paul concludes the letter by showing how our current choices affect our future status:

PSALM 71:14-24 Although in verse 12 the Psalmist asks God to hurry, here he says he will wait for Him continually, and praise Him more and more while waiting. This isn’t contradictory. Why would anyone tell God to take His time rescuing from danger, but what else can be done except waiting for and praising God? Depending on the translation, verses 15-16 can be confusing. In checking out the Hebrew, it reads God’s righteousness and deeds are beyond numbering and will keep him busying mentioning all day. Time well spent. Again, the Psalmist remembers God’s faithfulness to him when he was young and asks expectantly for the same in his old age. His desire to share this message with the current and future generation is exactly what should be ours as older folks. Let’s make the same commitment. Let’s sing and play instrumental music praising the God who has redeemed us. Let’s expect God to put to shame those evil forces who are seeking to harm us and our church.