Reading 1 – 2Ki 8:1-6

“It appears that ‘a great woman’ of Shechem had befriended the prophet, finding him and his servant, from time to time, as they passed by that place, food and lodging. In return for this he sends her a message: ‘Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?’ (2Ki 4:13) Now we should have gathered from previous passages in Elisha’s history, that Jehoram, who was then king of Israel, was not one with whom he was upon such terms as this proposition to the Shunammite implies. Jehoram was the son of Ahab, his old master Elijah’s enemy, and apparently no friend of his own; for when the three kings, the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, in their distress for water, in their expedition against Moab, wished to inquire of the Lord through Elisha, his answer to the king of Israel was, ‘As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee’ (2Ki 3:14). What, then, had occurred in the interval betwixt this avowal, and his proposal to the Shunammite to use his influence in her favour at court, which had changed his position with respect to the king of Israel? It may be supposed that it was the sudden supply of water, which he had furnished these kings with, by God’s permission, thus saving the expedition; and the defeat of the enemy, to which it had been instrumental (2Ki 3:16,17). This would naturally make Elisha feel that the king of Israel was under obligations to him and that he could ask a slight favour of him without seeming to sanction the character of the man by doing so. And this solution of the case appears to be the more probable, from Elisha coupling the ‘captain of the host’ with the king; as though his interest was equally good with him too, which he might reasonably consider it to be, when he had done the army such signal service; and it is further confirmed by another incident related of this same Shunammite in a subsequent chapter. For having fled from the seven years’ famine into another country, she lost her house and land in her own, on which she appealed to king Jehoram. Accordingly, ‘the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things Elisha hath done’ (2Ki 8:4). Elisha having now, no doubt, actually recommended her case to the king. And when Gehazi had named some of these miracles, ‘the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers’; so that the event shows that Elisha on the former occasion had not miscalculated his powers, or the grounds on which he might challenge the king’s favours” (JJ Blunt, “Undesigned Scriptural Coincidences”).

Reading 2 – Lam 4:1,2

The most precious possession — the greatest natural resource of any nation — is its people. Thus, the sons of Zion are symbolized by gold and precious stones. A nation’s vitality is determined by the condition, motivation, and loyalty of its citizens. This was especially true of Judah, for their national economy was as strong as their faithfulness to God. When the sons of Zion were faithful, they were precious in God’s eyes and He became their staff and shield. When they were unfaithful, God became the rod of correction to them, and they became base in His eyes. They were removed from their place of pre-eminence over the nations and like a shattered piece of pottery they were broken and scattered.

In times of stress people often lose whatever “godliness” they might possess. Israel, for example, had become lower than animals with respect to responsibility to their young (2Ki 6:25-29). This is a picture of futility — even depravity, brought about by great tribulation. The city’s inhabitants, once the picture of health, became spiritually and physically “withered”.

“How is the gold become dim!” (v 1): Gold is used throughout the Bible as a symbol of faith — a tried faith in God, as gold that has passed through the fire and been purified (1Pe 1:7; Job 23:10). Thus, gold or faith is the basis for the kingdom of God, both in the past and in the future. In Jeremiah’s time, true faith had all but completely disappeared, and thus the kingdom was removed from the “daughter of Zion” (Ezek 21:25-27). The gold became dim (dark) because of impurities.

“How is the most fine gold changed!” This is a reference to a deed of Solomon, but it is typical of the lack of faith in God common to most men and most times — especially so to Jeremiah’s time. Solomon possessed 300 gold shields (1Ki 10:17) — symbols of faith in God (cp Eph 6:16 — “the shield of faith”). But he unwisely used his wealth to buy leagues with other nations, and thus to glorify the flesh and his own ingenuity. This did not profit him, and after his death Shishak of Egypt removed the remainder of the gold shields during the reign of Rehoboam (1Ki 14:26,27). And Rehoboam replaced the shields of gold with shields of brass — or copper — denoting trust in man. The fine gold was changed!

“The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.” Stones are often representative of people; and the type of stone determines the type of person intended. Peter’s profession of faith in the Messiahship of Jesus is called a “rock” (Mat 16:16) — the sturdy foundation of the Holy City (Rev 21:14), the stones of God’s sanctuary or temple — because all the “stones” of that eternal city will have professed the same faith as Peter. They will be “lively (or living) stones” built up around Christ — the “chief cornerstone” (Isa 28:16; Psa 118:22; Acts 4:11), the “rock” in the wilderness (1Co 10:1-4). Thus Jeremiah is here bewailing the righteous.

“How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers” (v 2). Those who might have been precious stones and fine gold instead failed to please God; and they were to be broken, as in Jer 19:11 and Isa 30:14.

Man is an earthen vessel, made by God (Jer 18:6; Rom 9:21). He must be filled — or fill himself — with the “treasure” of God’s knowledge (2Co 4:6, 7), or else he will be destroyed as vessels of wood and earth (2Ti 2:20).

Reading 3 – 2Co 2:17

“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God” (2Co 2:17).

The word translated “peddle” — which is “kapeleuo” — occurs only once in the New Testament. It refers to a huckster, a retailer, who by implication adulterates the goods he sells, for these hucksters in the apostles’ days were notorious for their habit of watering the wine, and mixing their commodities, such as grain, with sawdust or the like. Men adulterate the wine of God’s Word when they dilute it with the water of their own reason, and read into it what is not clearly there.

Reading 1 – 1Ch 10:13,14

“Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.” (1Ch 10:13,14).

What looks to be a contradiction may be explained by recourse to the meaning of the underlying Hebrew words. In 1Ch 10:14, we are told that Saul “did NOT inquire of the LORD”, whereas in 1Sa 28:6, we are told that he DID “inquire”. The explanation is fairly simple:

The word translated “inquire” in 1Ch 10:14 is “darash”, which signifies “to follow after, and especially to worship”. The word translated “inquire” in 1Sa 28:6 is “shaal”, which signifies “to request, or (even) to demand” (incidentally, it is related to the meaning of the name “Saul”).

So, Saul did “inquire” of the LORD in making requests or demands (1Sa 28:6), but he did NOT “inquire” of the LORD in the sense of truly seeking after Him (1Ch 10:14)! [However, Saul DOES “seek out diligently” (the Hebrew “darash”) the witch of Endor: 1Sa 28:7! Now there’s a sad commentary.]

Reading 2 – Eze 23

Eze 23 possesses some similarity with Eze 16. Whereas the main emphasis in Eze 16 is the actual idolatry of God’s people, however, the main emphasis in Eze 23 is their military and political alliances.

In this chapter the wicked alliances of Israel and Judah are represented under the metaphor of two harlots, disgusting in their lewdness. The “idolatries” of Israel, or the ten tribes — under the name of Oholah — were committed with the Assyrians (vv 5-8), and their punishment for them is declared (vv 9,10). Then the idolatries of Judah, or the two tribes — under the name of Oholibah — are represented as greater than those of the ten tribes (v 11); these idolatries were committed with the Assyrians (v 12) and the Babylonians (vv 13-18).

This chapter contains some verses that are about as graphic and revolting as anything to be found in the Bible. The purpose is not to titillate or to stimulate pleasurably, but to shock. Whether it be in portraying violence or sex, the prophets who wrote the Bible were not interested in staying out of trouble with the “censors”, or in retaining a “G” rating. Nevertheless, when sin is portrayed, there is — unlike with Hollywood — no uncertainty as to its sinfulness, nor any ambiguity as to the ultimate fate of those who practice such things and remain unrepentant.

Reading 3 – Luk 20:46

“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets” (Luk 20:46).

There are many kind of “robes” in the Bible, because men may play many roles, and — to some degree — it is true that “the clothes make the man”. For example, there is the long, flowing robe of pretension (Luk 20:46); the torn robe of sorrow (Job 1:20); the scarlet robe of mock kingship (Mat 27:28); the best robe of righteousness (Luk 15:22); and the white robe of the redeemed (Rev 7:9). We should ask ourselves periodically: which robe or robes are we wearing now?

Reading 1 – 2Ki 18:5

“Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him” (2Ki 18:5).

“Most apparent contradictions are easily resolved by a careful reading of the passages in question in their contexts, and by clearly defining what is, and what is not, said. For example, it is written of both Hezekiah and Josiah that ‘after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him’ (2Ki 18:5; 23:25). As these statements read, they appear contradictory until it is noted in what respect ‘after him was none like him… nor any that were before him.’ It will be seen that Hezekiah was commended because he trusted, and Josiah because he turned to the LORD. Since mutually exclusive statements are not made, the two statements are not contradictory. The problem is resolved by merely noting precisely what the records do say” (Ron Abel, “Wrested Scripture” 238).

Reading 2 – Eze 8:8-10

“He said to me, ‘Son of man, now dig into the wall.’ So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there. And he said to me, ‘Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.’ So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls all kinds of crawling things and detestable animals and all the idols of the house of Israel” (Eze 8:8-10).

“As the prophet stood there God said to him, ‘Son of man, dig in the wall’. He did so, and through the wall he saw a door. Then he was told to go in and see what vile abominations were being committed. When he went in he saw portrayed on the wall all kinds of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel… The description of these gods suggests that the people had adopted some of the gods of Egypt. For some time Israel had been looking to Egypt for assistance in their conflict with Babylon” (WH Boulton, “Ezekiel” 52).

Reading 3 – Luk 4:1-13

IT IS WRITTEN!

Over the course of the 40 days temptation in the wilderness, Jesus resisted the allurements of sin by continual resort to quotations from the Scripture — specifically, in the instances given, from the book of Deuteronomy: Deu 8:3; 6:13; 6:16. Here is a profound lesson for us: while the power of will demonstrated by Jesus is surely extraordinary — even miraculous — and while the Holy Spirit received from his Father must also have played a significant part… nevertheless, there is nothing mysterious about his resorting to the comfort and encouragement of the Bible. This account tells us that the PRIMARY means by which Jesus resisted sin was… the word of God!

And the same will be true of us. Knowing the Bible — its commandments and its promises — and knowing that it IS the word of God, which may effectively work in us… this is the best means to resist all the enticements to evil that come our way. We may pray to our heavenly Father to help us in times of stress and weakness, but surely He will not help us if we have ignored the greatest means of resistance against sin and of growth in righteousness — which we have right here in our hands all the while! — the holy Bible.

Reading 1 – 2Ki 19:14

“Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD” (2Ki 19:14).

Here is an example of a person who made a special effort to bring his problem to God. He didn’t just stop and pray where he was. He went up to the House of the Lord, and he took the letter with him and presented it before God. He made a special effort to arrange circumstances that he felt God would accept. God is there for those who arrange their hearts in humility, and make the effort to present themselves a living sacrifice before Him. Our ‘House of the Lord’ is embodied in Jesus. This is where we must meet with God.

Reading 2 – Eze 9:4

“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it” (Eze 9:4).

All those who had remained faithful in opposition to the detestable idolatries of their countrymen were to be symbolically “marked out” in their foreheads; they would be saved from the coming destructions. The similarity with the original Passover, and the exodus from Egypt, is obvious. The mark was to be placed on the forehead as a statement that their differentiation from the other Jews was to be found, firstly and importantly, in their minds.

This procedure is echoed also in Rev 7:3, where the faithful 144,000 are sealed in their foreheads… because the Father’s name was written there (Rev 14:1; Mal 3:16).

Reading 3 – Luk 5:27

“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus said to him” (Luk 5:27).

This calling of a new type of disciple — a publican, not a fisherman — emphasizes the broadening appeal of Christ’s call — and also that aspect of his ministry that brings him into conflict with the Pharisees: “When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and “sinners”?’ ” (Mat 9:11; Mar 2:16; Luk 5:30).

Reading 1 – 2Ch 3:1

“Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David” (2Ch 3:1).

“So we have this temple, being assembled by Solomon. A place where so visibly God’s power and mercy had been seen. A place where God’s desire to repent of evil had been carried out before. A place where salvation could be had.

“Does this interesting set of links end there? No… because now we jump forward to the time when another son was born, but one that was oh so much more precious and special. The Lord, OUR Lord — Jesus Christ. The time came for him to be presented before the Lord, at His special place, the temple. The same place, the same location as Abraham, David and Solomon. What do we find? ‘Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he HAD SEEN THE LORD’S CHRIST. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. FOR MY EYES HAVE SEEN YOUR SALVATION, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel’ ” (Luk 2:25-32). Again, amazingly, at this place, we see a link to seeing the Salvation of God!

“This is what the Jews missed. They saw the stones, the ornamentation, the architecture, the beautiful temple. What they should have been seeing was God, and the salvation He provides. They concentrated on the temporary, and couldn’t see the eternal. How often do we do this?

“Do we see the stones, and miss the salvation? Do we see our brothers and sisters, with all their potential flaws… and even sometimes the great talents that all of us have in different areas… and miss the important thing… the salvation of God manifested in each and every one of us?

“Do we see the bread and the wine on a Sunday morning as a snack to tide over our hunger for lunch? A way to get rid of the annoying tickle we’ve had in our throats all morning? Or even just a chance to… feel better about ourselves?

“Or do we see the salvation of God?

“So Mount Moriah was all about reminding people that even though we get all caught up in temporary things, there are eternal things, an eternal hope, which we can see, and can draw hope from. It can be as solid a rock and foundation to us as the physical Mount Moriah is.

“Perhaps to us we should use the bread and the wine, the brothers and sisters around us, this place at this moment in time, as our own private Mount Moriah… a place of power and hope… a place to see through the veil of mortality to the plane of reality and immortality, where life isn’t distorted, and things can be seen clearly?” (Michael McAllister).

Reading 2 – Eze 40:4

“The man said to me, ‘Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the house of Israel everything you see’ ” (Eze 40:4).

In other words, ‘Use all your senses, all your faculties, all your wits to understand divine truth.’ When there is light before your eyes, be sure — take careful pains — to see; and, when there is the Word of God spoken to you, be sure to hear. Don’t be one of those men who beholds his image in a mirror, and then goes his way and immediately forgets what manner of man he is (James 1:23,24). How much more might we understand of God’s word if we gave our whole minds to it. We tell our children to learn their lessons “by heart”. If we put the full meaning into that expression, that is the way we should learn the things of God. Learn them all over; take them into yourself by every faculty you possess; strive to get at their innermost meaning by every power that is given you — and surely God will help you to understand.

“Look with your eyes.” Examine, inspect, investigate, search! Do not let the truth flit before you and then say, “Yes, I have seen it.” No. Stop it. Hold it by meditation before the mind’s eye, and see with your eyes. Look into it. Remember what is said of the angels: “Even angels long to look into these things” (1Pe 1:12); not “to look at”, but “to look INTO”! Look into the gospel message: let your eyes be intent and steadfastly fixed upon every truth, and God will give you understanding.

“Hear with thine ears.” A man cannot use his ears for anything else, can he? Spy out the meaning with the mind’s eye; but, besides that, try to catch the very tone in which the promise or precept has been uttered. Listen for the poetry, revel in the imagery, enjoy the “music” of God’s Word. Let every part of the brain, the sensory part as well as the analytical part, HEAR it in its fullness.

But the Lord demands something more. “Pay attention to everything I am going to show you.” This is surely the way to learn from God — by loving all that He says — feeling that, whatever God says, it is the thing you want to know. Set your whole heart on the word. It has been said, “The man who has read many books is not always a learned man; but he is a strong man who has read a few books over and over till he has mastered them. He knows something. He has a grasp of thoughts and expressions, and these will build up his life.” And even more is this true if we think of the ONE BOOK of God’s Word. Set your heart upon God’s word! It is the only way to know it thoroughly: let your whole nature be plunged into it as cloth into a dye (this, as we know, is the literal meaning of the word “baptize” in the Greek — be “immersed” in it!). Become very familiar with every part of God’s Word. And, as you do so, also ask the Heavenly Father for the grace, to be willing and ready to see all that He would have you see, and to hear all that He would have you hear, and to receive into our heart all that He would have you receive. For surely — in the broadest sense — “that is why you have been brought here!”

Reading 3 – John 6:63

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63).

“John the apostle says, ‘the spirit is the truth’. He had learned this from Jesus, who said, ‘It is the spirit that quickeneth: the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life’; and because the apostles believed this, Peter declared that the words he delivered were ‘the words of eternal life’. Paul’s testimony upon this point is equally forcible: ‘The word of God’ saith he, ‘is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’. This word was developed by the Spirit moving holy men of old to write the purposes, promises and teaching of God in a Book called the Scriptures. Hence the truth revealed in these is styled ‘Spirit’, because it came by spirit, and is quickening. He that is quickened by the truth, then, is quickened by spirit, and he that is not quickened by the truth, is not quickened by spirit. Hence, Paul declares the converting power to be in scripture given by inspiration of God, in testifying that it is able to make wise to salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. When we consider what he states the scripture is able to do, we must be satisfied that no other agency in conversion is needed than the scripture in the mouth of faithful men who are able to teach others. He says, ‘it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’ Our proposition, then, is this: He that is taught of the written word is taught of God; and that a man hath just so much of the Spirit of God in him, as he hath of the truth in him intelligently and affectionately believed” (John Thomas, “Herald” 1861).

Reading 1 – 1Ch 7:21

“Zabad his son and Shuthelah his son. Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock” (1Ch 7:21).

Ezer and Elead were men of Ephraim. “[They] had probably joined the families of their grandfather Joseph’s brothers, who had settled in Goshen, only to be slain there on the northeastern border of Egypt by Palestinian raiders who came down from their birthplace in Gath. (But Keil says that Ezer and Elead were killed when they were involved in cattle rustling. The pronouns [‘they’ and ‘their’] are ambiguous)” (Expositors Bible Commentary).

Reading 2 – Eze 20:29

“Then I said to them: What is this high place you go to? (It is called Bamah to this day)” (Eze 20:29).

Bamah signifies “high places” — this is where all the altars were. Yahweh had confronted His people with their use of the high places or hilltops for idolatry. The name of the high places, “Bamah”, had a double significance. It meant “high place,” but it also meant literally “go where” or “go to what” (Heb ‘ba mah’). Thus Bamah became a contemptuous pun. When the people went to the high places to worship idols, where were they going? They were going nowhere of any significance, to do nothing of any importance, since these idols were nonentities (they were, in the sarcastic phrase of the apostle Paul, “no-gods”: 1Co 8:4; 10:19,20!) and could not help them. The name Bamah said more about these places than just identifying them as high places of worship, and Yahweh has perpetuated the name Bamah for this reason.

Reading 3 – Luk 17:27

“People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luk 17:27).

Eating, drinking, marrying… these are all activities which are not wrong in themselves, but only as they become obsessions to those caught up in materialism and self-indulgence. We do well to remember that such activities are the mere “scaffolding” of a life, but not the life itself. They are all destined to come to an end with the return of Christ.

“Then the flood came and destroyed them all.”

“Universal was the doom; neither rich nor poor escaped: the learned and the illiterate, the admired and the abhorred, the religious and the profane, the old and the young, all sank in one common ruin. Some had doubtless ridiculed the patriarch — where now their merry jests? Others had threatened him for his zeal which they counted madness — where now their boastings and hard speeches? The critic who judged the old man’s work is drowned in the same sea which covers his sneering companions. Those who spoke patronizingly of the good man’s fidelity to his convictions, but shared not in them, have sunk to rise no more, and the workers who for pay helped to build the wondrous ark, are all lost also. The flood swept them all away, and made no single exception” (CHS).

One hundred different varieties of evil and indifference and neglect were all swept away by the waters of the flood — unique though each form of life was at the time, they were at last all together in a common death. The only ones who were saved were those who actually sought places in the ark of safety.

Reading 1 – 2Ki 25:8-10

“On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem” (2Ki 25:8-10).

The Babylonians enter the city and destroy the Temple — which had become a symbol of lip-service and outward ceremony (let us learn the lesson here). Later, against his will, Jeremiah is taken to Egypt by the few who remain in the land. We are not told in Scripture how, when, or where he dies.

The people had rejected the admonitions of the Spirit-inspired prophet. The Kingdom of God on earth is rent. The glory departs Israel, only to return momentarily in the person of Jesus Christ at his first advent. The long Gentile night has begun.

Reading 2 – Eze 13:10-16

“Because they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash [“untempered mortar”: AV], therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you covered it with?’ Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the LORD. So I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign LORD’ ” (Eze 13:10-16).

The AV translates here: “untempered mortar”, whereas more modern scholars suggest “whitewash”. The second of these is more likely correct, being supported by the references — in the New Testament — to “whitewashed tombs” in Mat 23:27 and “whitewashed wall” in Acts 23:3. Nevertheless, either translation presents the same basic point: the putting of a “good face” on what is a flimsy structure. This the “prophets” of Judah did!

“Disobedience after the flood brought ‘confusion of tongues’ as a punishment. So long as groups of men speaking a common tongue could live out their own life without much contact with other groups, the full effect of this calamity was not felt. But in these last days, when there has been a comparative annihilation of distance, and when an event in any part of the world may have immediate devastating consequences for all the world, we are experiencing in full measure the effects of that which happened at Babel. If God compared the peace efforts of Israel’s leaders at the time of the overthrow of the kingdom to a ramshackle wall, daubed with untempered mortar [or even ‘whitewash’: GB], to what can the efforts of the leaders today be compared when they try to construct a world out of the discordant elements of every nation?” (John Carter, “Hebrews” 68).

Reading 3 – Luk 9:62

” ‘No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God’ {Luk 9:62). A few weeks ago [actually, now, many years ago!: GB] in a time of transit troubles, a brother who earns his daily bread as a plowman started to walk to the Sunday morning meeting. This involved a tramp of nine miles, and, but for the kindly forethought of another brother who drove out to meet him, he would have had to walk the entire distance. After the meeting he quite unconsciously presented me with this idea, neatly packed up in a single sentence. Speaking of the words quoted above he said: ‘Only a plowman can understand those words in their full meaning. While he keeps his eyes fixed on the mark at the other side of the field, he can plow a straight line; but if he looks back even for a second he misses the mark and the line grows crooked.’

“This presented a new thought in connection with the well-known figure of speech. I had always thought of the looking back, as meaning the wandering of desire toward old associations and old ambitions. The full meaning seemed to be that when once a man is enlightened and starts work for Christ there must be no tardiness and dragging of feet. If he tires of the work and desires to return to his former darkness he is not fit for the Kingdom of God. The plowman with his technical knowledge and experience sees a deeper meaning. He must have no doubt as to the object at the end of his line, and he must keep his eyes riveted on the distant mark. If he loses sight of that even for a moment his plowing is spoiled” (Islip Collyer, “Principles and Proverbs”).

Reading 1 – 1Ki 8:6-8

“The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles. These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today” (1Ki 8:6-8).

These staves, or carrying poles, were so long that the ends could be seen if one were to look into the Holy Place (in other words, the staves extended outside the Most Holy Place). The statement about the staves shows that Exo 25:15 was complied with, that is, that the staves were not to be removed from the ark.

Even though the ark was now in its permanent home, the staves remained in place, a reminder of its journeys at the head of God’s people. Though all the other furnishings of the Temple had been newly made, the ark, representing the ruling presence of God, was still the same as that made while Israel was encamped at Sinai. It provided an unbreakable link with all that had gone before.

It is good to have reminders of who we are and where we have come from. In our ecclesias, this role is often filled by the older ones, and by the history and stories which they can tell, of earlier generations. In the broader sense, the Bible fills this same role for all of us: its pages demonstrate how our faith, as individuals and as a community, is linked with the faith of others who have gone before. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…” (Heb 12:1).

Reading 2 – Jer 34:18-20

“The men who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces. The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, I will hand over to their enemies who seek their lives. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth” (Jer 34:18-20).

This form of covenant is background for, and helps to explain, the events of Gen 15 — when the Almighty made His covenant of promise with Abram.

The terms of the covenant specify that all parties to the covenant must pass between the separated pieces of the sacrificed calf. Evidently, such a practice was common in the Middle East — evidence of such a practice has been found among other peoples of the area, and not just Jews. Two individuals, or two groups, would decide to make a solemn covenant, or contract, with one another; it might be a purely secular matter, having to do with property rights or business arrangements. To confirm the agreement, they would sacrifice an animal, cut the animal in pieces, separate the pieces, and then pass between the parts, or meet in their midst. They would also participate in a common meal of fellowship, each partaking of the animal which they had sacrificed and separated. Thereby they would confirm, by a gesture of great solemnity, their mutual understanding of the terms of their agreement.

They were saying something else as well, something very profound and sobering: if anyone violated the terms of that covenant, then he was deserving of the same fate that had befallen the covenant-victim; he was deserving of death. In fact, he would have already eaten his own condemnation, in the meal itself!

Quite possibly, this is the basis, too, for the oft-repeated and rather enigmatic vow: “The LORD — or God — do so to me, and more also, if…”: Rth 1:17; 1Sa 3:17; 14:44; 20:13; 25:22; 2Sa 19:13; 1Ki 2:23; 2Ki 6:31; etc. May God do WHAT, exactly? The same thing that was done to the covenant-victim!

Likewise, it explains the Hebraism, where “to make a covenant” — as we might put it — is, literally, “to CUT a covenant”!

Also, it may account for the rather gruesome procedure adopted by the Levite, when he cut up his dead concubine into twelve pieces and sent the pieces around to the various tribes (Jdg 19:29)… as well as what Saul did, similarly, with two oxen (1Sa 11:7), and what Samuel did with Agag (1Sa 15:33)… and the words of Jesus in Mat 24:51, where the fate of the unfaithful servant was to be “cut in pieces” or “cut asunder”! Notice also how Isaac and Abimelech (Gen 26:28-31), and Jacob and Laban (Gen 31:44-54) confirm their agreements by a “sacrifice” and a meal.

Reading 3 – Mar 8:19

“[Jesus asked], ‘When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?’ ‘Twelve,’ they replied” (Mar 8:19).

The twelve full baskets represent the 12 apostles, full of the “bread” of life. In ministering to others, they lost nothing themselves. In the atonement of Christ, there is ample provision for all.

The broken pieces of bread represent the “least” of the heavenly blessings brought by Jesus, which the Canaanite woman, like a “dog” under the Jewish “table”, was only too willing to eat (Mat 15:27; Mar 7:28).

Reading 1 – 2Ki 6:1-7

“The company of the prophets said to Elisha, ‘Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to live.’ And he said, ‘Go.’ Then one of them said, ‘Won’t you please come with your servants?’ ‘I will,’ Elisha replied. And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. ‘Oh, my lord,’ he cried out, ‘it was borrowed!’ The man of God asked, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. ‘Lift it out,’ he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it” (2Ki 6:1-7).

The floating ax-head is perhaps related to Canaanite mythology: El, father of the gods, yields rulership of the gods to Yamm (the god of the sea) — who is sometimes interchanged with Nahar (the god of the river). Baal is jealous and goes about to kill Yamm/Nahar, after which he succeeds and becomes the ruler. Baal kills Yamm/Nahar by means of two axes — which fly from the hands of Baal.

Because of this the ax became a cultic symbol to Baal worshippers. Idols have been found of Baal brandishing an ax, and Baal worshipers (rulers/priests/soldiers) would often walk into the river (nahar) holding the ax of Baal to illustrate the supremacy of Baal over Nahar. As the Baal versus Yamm myth was supposed to be a cycle, often these people would stand in the river to associate themselves with the regeneration of Yamm/Nahar (ie, his coming back to life to start the cycle all over again: cp Naaman and the Syrian rivers in 2Ki 5:12).

Here, the ax-head flies into the river… just like Yamm/Nahar (Sea/River god) was killed by Baal’s ax. But, even with ‘Baal’s weapon’ in the river god’s body, the servant of Yahweh has power over both of them. That is, Yahweh is greater than Yam/Nahar, and greater than Baal. Elisha exercised power over the river by having a stick thrown in the water, causing the ax to float.

Compare, incidentally, the related features of Exo 15: where the iron of Pharaoh’s chariots could not part the sea, but the wooden rod of Moses does; and where it is the tree — of wood — that makes the bitter waters sweet.

Reading 2 – Lam 2

In Lam 1, the central theme was the helplessness of Israel — “None to comfort her”. But in v 18 of that chapter, there was recognition of God’s hand in her desolation — which continues as the main theme of this chapter. In the first chapter, the thought “None to comfort her” occurs seven times; in the second, the “Lord” (“Yahweh”) is mentioned by name seven times as the One who “hath done this” (vv 1,2,5,7,8,17,20). Once, in v 16, Jerusalem’s enemies boast proudly, “We have swallowed her up.” But they, as all others outside the understanding of God, have misinterpreted the forces and the reasons behind the history of the Jews. God has thought only to punish the nation temporarily, as a necessary part of His overall plan. Then He must cleanse them and establish them, for they are His peculiar people, and He cannot utterly cast them away, because of His promises to their fathers. The promises to the fathers were made immutable by oath, as Paul reminds us. Nevertheless, their punishments (and their recognition of it as coming from God) are essential.

In this chapter, Jeremiah speaks too as the voice of the righteous remnant — who lament the fate of Zion (vv 13,14), but who never cease to arise and call upon God to remember His people (vv 18-20).

Reading 3 – 1Co 15:42-50

“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable” (1Co 15:42-50).

“We drop a seed into the ground,

A tiny, shapeless thing, shrivelled and dry,

And, in the fulness of its time, is seen

A form of peerless beauty, robed and crowned

Beyond the pride of any earthly queen,

Inset with loveliness, and sweet and rare,

The perfect emblem of its Maker’s care.

This from a shrivelled seed? —

Then may man hope indeed!

For man is but the seed of what he shall be,

When, in the fulness of his perfecting,

He drops the husk and cleaves his upward way,

Through earth’s retardings and clinging clay,

Into the sunshine of God’s perfect day.

No fetters then! No bonds of time or space!

But powers as ample as the boundless grace

That suffered man, and death, and yet in tenderness,

Set wide the door, and passed himself before —

As he had promised — to prepare a place.

We know not what we shall be — only this —

That we shall be made like him — as he is” (J Oxenham).

Reading 1 – 1Ch 15:20,21

Some of the strange words of 1Ch 15:

“Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth” (v 20):

“Alamoth” is the plural of “alma”, which may mean: a hidden one, a covered one, or a virgin (Isa 7:14; Gen 24:43; Exo 2:8).

According to Thirtle, in his work “The Titles of the Psalms”, “Alamoth” appears as a subscription — or “postscript” of Psa 45 (not as it SEEMS to be: a superscription — or “introduction” — of Psa 46).

Probably this means that Psa 45 was assigned to be sung by a choir of maidens (1Ch 15:20), or else they provided accompaniment for it. Such a designation is appropriate to Psa 45, which was plainly a wedding hymn (Psa 45:9,14). The “maidens” described in the psalm (called also “kings’ daughters” and “honourable women”: v 9) are the counterpart of the “daughters of Jerusalem” or “Zion” in Song 1:5; 2:7; 3:5; etc.

And so there were, it is supposed, other psalms and temple songs that were especially composed and prepared for the “maidens’ choir”.

*****

“And Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith” (v 21):

“Sheminith” is the plural of the Hebrew for “eight, or the eighth”. Possibly (this can only be guesswork!) it was used here as a reference to circumcision, performed on the eighth day (Gen 17:12; Lev 12:3; Luk 1:59; 2:21; Act 7:8; Phi 3:5). Since, of course, males only were circumcised, this may indicate a “male choir” — the counterpart of the “maidens’ choir”. And of course, other psalms and temple songs were especially arranged to be sung by the males.

Reading 2 – Eze 27

“The record of Tyre has a peculiar relevance for our day, for those areas in which she excelled and was the envy of the entire ancient world are precisely the fields in which every modern nation seeks superiority. But Tyre has a message for our age, and it is that riches without God are unable to satisfy the heart of man and often keep many from dependence upon God. Has not this spirit invaded the church, and does it not pervade the lives of too many Christians?” (Thomas Constable, “Expository Notes”).

Reading 3 – Luk 24:45

“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luk 24:45).

A man needs more than the printed page of the Bible and a good memory to make him wise to salvation. He needs a mind opened to give earnest heed to the heavenly message. He needs eyes opened to behold wondrous things out of God’s law. He needs Christ in his heart. And when this takes place, he steps by faith into a world in which no shadow of gloom or fear can isolate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. This then must be our faith. The resurrection of our Savior is more than a fact to believe in; it is also a reality to live by: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).