December 5

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR DECEMBER 5, 2024: DEUTERONOMY 24, REVELATION 2, PSALM 119:137-144     DEUTERONOMY 24 Here God makes provision for divorce in the event that the spouse, in this case the wife, is found to be indecent. The Hebrew word for indecent is “erwat,” which refers to nakedness. This would seem to imply some sort of sexual impurity. The husband must provide written documentation to the wife of this action. The parties are free to remarry, but, if divorced again, cannot remarry each other. Jesus makes clear divorce was not God’s intent for us: “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery” (Matt. 19:8-9). Obviously, divorce causes societal damage.  One intriguing feature that would strengthen marriages was to exempt all newly married males from military service for one year. This speaks to the connection between strong marriage and national security. This still sounds like a good idea in 2024. 

Thoughts about other laws: 

  • A lender should not take as a pledge an instrument from the debtor that is required to generate income. Doing so would make it impossible to pay off the debt. We should never exploit anyone. 
  • Israelites who grab a countryman to sell as a slave are executed. Tim. 1:10 also forbids slave trading.  
  • A reminder is provided about obeying all the leprosy requirements. Miriam, Moses’s older sister, is given as a negative example. The Bible is full of negative examples to help us avoid sin. LET’S LEARN.
  • Guidelines are given so that lenders don’t embarrass or harm debtors when taking pledges for loans. 
  • Employers are required to pay their workers on time. Failure to do so can be sinful. Be a fair boss!
  • The people are reminded that each individual is guilty for his/her own sins. Jesus is the only exemption when he paid the full price of our sins on the cross. We just need to believe it. THIS IS THE GOSPEL.
  • Growers must not harvest everything they grow but leave some for the poor to pick and consume. This limit on income while requiring effort from the poor to obtain resources is a great model for us. 

Revelation 2: Imagine getting a personal letter from the President. Even if you didn’t agree politically, you would not treat this letter as casually as we treat piles of junk mail. Imagine getting a personal letter from Jesus! That is what happens in chapters 2-3 of Revelation. Jesus sends a personal letter to 7 churches. Each letter follows a pattern. Jesus first identifies himself with a descriptive phrase that could only apply to himself. He then gives a word of affirmation expressing what each church is doing well. Next, he gives a word of correction in an area in which they need to grow. Thankfully, he doesn’t end there but goes on to share what the church can do about it and then he gives a promise of what obedience will bring. Here is a summary of the first 4 churches in chapter 2. 

READING FOR DECEMBER 5, 2024 CONTINUED: REVELATION 2, PSALM 119:137-144

Jesus sends these letters to the churches not to condemn them but to give them hope. He loves these churches and wants them to prosper and to be faithful. That is still his desire for every local congregation…including Yorktown Methodist Church.

As we contemplate Jesus’ words to these four churches, let us consider this thought: What if Jesus were to write a letter to Yorktown Methodist Church? Would he affirm us for preparing Christmas baskets for the needy this season? How else might he affirm us? Would he correct us for anything? What challenges might he put before us? What promise would he offer us? 

 PSALM 119:137-144 Here we learn that, because God’s character is righteous, all his commands are righteous. Thus, when we say we don’t agree with a command from His word, we are attacking the very character of God. This is not a good position to be in, yet many today have chosen it. The Psalmist not only sees God’s commands as an expression of His righteous character, but also as His faithfulness to us. The Psalmist is heated in his opposition to his enemies, mainly because they have forgotten God words. It is frustrating when those who claim to be believers live contrary to what God has revealed to us. If this makes them our enemies, Jesus commands that we love and pray for them. Let’s do this the next time it seems someone has forgotten God’s words on anything we find important. Do we feel small and despised at times? If so, let’s follow the Psalmist example by actively remembering God’s commands, character, and truth. They certainly don’t prevent trouble from coming our way, but they will bring delight and understanding in the midst of our problems.