February 10

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR FEBRUARY 10, 2025: JUDGES 13, MATTHEW 6, PSALM 5:1-6                        JUDGES 13 It’s easy to lose count of how many times Israel turned away from God. In this chapter, they do so again. This time God gave them to the Philistines for 40 years. How can we avoid this same cycle of disobedience and God’s discipline? In Israel’s case, it seemed they were not mindful of God’s truth and past actions. They were more influenced by contemporary culture around them. Isn’t that our problem today? TV and social media (i.e., contemporary culture) impact us more than the unchanging truth of God’s word. We don’t want to be considered weird or out-of-date by those around us, so we adopt these principles. It’s so subtle but really inevitable if we don’t stay grounded in and obedient to God’s Word. 

God’s deliverance this time begins with an appearance by the angel of the Lord to a woman living in Zorah, a town about 14 miles west of Jerusalem in the territory of Dan. Once again, this seems to be a theophany, a pre-incarnational (before birth in Bethlehem) appearance of Jesus. Clues include his designation as a “man of God;” his direct command rather just conveying a message; his acceptance of a sacrifice; his self-identification as “wonderful” (from Isaiah 9:6); his dramatic ascension; and Manoah’s statement that they had seen God.

Part of this deliverance includes God’s gracious way of foreshadowing an epic life through empowering an infertile woman to give birth. In this case, the boy would be a Nazirite (no alcohol or haircuts), devoted to God from the womb and throughout life. Even the mother had to abstain from alcohol while pregnant. This of course is best prenatal practice today. 

One is struck by the angel’s desire to speak to Manoah’s wife rather than Manoah himself. The wife, however, seemed to want Manoah to hear this himself, perhaps thinking he would not take her word for it otherwise. Also impressive is the wife’s more logical and spiritually insightful thinking compared to Manoah’s. She knew they were not in danger of dying soon because God had just given them a mission: give birth to and raise Samson, Israel’s deliverer. 

MATTHEW 6 Jesus wants us to practice righteousness but to beware that we don’t do so to be noticed by others. In fact, He wants us to go to great lengths to keep our good works as secret as possible. What? If you google “getting the boss’s attention,” lots of articles pop up, including from The Harvard Business Review, The New Times and Forbes Magazine. None mention making sure your good works are invisible. This is hard for us because we don’t really think God notices, so at least we want credit from others. But God does notice and wants us to stay under the radar about them for our own good. Works of righteousness He specifically mentions are giving, praying, and fasting. Surely, however, this applies to all good works. 

READINGS FOR FEBRUARY 10, 2025 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 6, PSALM 5:1-6         

The Lord’s Prayer: We say it at least once a week. We have memorized it. We have studied it. Just a few brief thoughts:                                                                  

  • If we are believers, the one in heaven, in total command of the universe, is as close to us and cares for us as the most loving father. 
  • Although He is a 100% loving father, He is also 100% holy and cannot coexist with sin. That’s why He sent Jesus to pay for our sins with His blood and calls us to be holy. 
  • We should long for His Kingdom, both in terms of Kingdom principles to be practiced now on earth and for the day when His Kingdom is fully in place at the end of this age. 
  • We should come to the Father each day for our needs. He wants us to be continually dependent on Him, but not so worried about the long-term future. That’s true, of course, only if we have received Jesus and possess eternal life.
  • We should pray and expect to be forgiven in the same measure as we forgive others. That should motivate us to be more forgiving if nothing else will. 
  • We need to understand that we are in a battle against evil. He alone can deliver us. 
  • Note that the statement about the kingdom, power, and glory was added about 1,000 years after Matthew was written. Nothing wrong with it, but it is not really in the Bible.

Most of the last 15 verses of this chapter address the intersection between money and anxiety. Jesus restates the same principle in various colorful and beautiful ways. For example, He suggests contemplating lilies. Since they are out of season, go out to the web and look at one. As He says, they don’t last long, but He gives them exquisite attention. As His children (through faith), we will live forever. He gives us so much more attention. “Seek first the His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”

PSALM 5:1-6                                                                                                                                                  Groaning? Crying? Pray to God and expect His answer. If threatened by wickedness, falsehood, deceit, and even danger, know that almighty God stands against those forces with us. Let’s express our honest feelings to God believing that He will deliver us in His way and time.