Reading 1 – Deu 17:14-20

“When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ‘Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,’ be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite” (Deu 17:14,15).

These words will echo through the ages of the Old Testament. When the grand old prophet Samuel is rejected by a people he had served so faithfully, it is because they think they MUST have a king “like all the nations”! God Himself assesses the situation: “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected ME, that I should reign over them” (1Sa 8:5,7). In rejecting God, the people selected a “stranger” to rule over them — for Saul proved to be a “foreigner” in his understanding and affections. And even when Saul was displaced by David, the king God chose, the people persisted in rejecting this king as well — the proud, rich Nabal asked scornfully, “Who is David?” (1Sa 25:10), and later the rebel Sheba cried, “We have no part in David” (2 Sa 20:1).

And finally we come to the Roman “Pavement” in Jerusalem, where the king chosen by God above all others stood in the presence of his subjects, crowned with thorns! “Behold your king” (John 19:14). These were not the words of Pilate only; they were God’s words also. But the people cried out with one voice: “We have no king but Caesar!” (John 19:15). Finally and conclusively the nation selected a “foreigner” to be over them, and so it was, and so it has been for nearly 2,000 years.

*****

The commandments for the king, of Deu 17, seem to have been set aside by most of Judah’s kings, and especially by Solomon. But how well they were fulfilled by Christ:

“The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again’ ” (Deu 17:16).

Contrast with Solomon in 1Ki 4:26. The horse was the basic instrument of ancient warfare — the Biblical equivalent of the tank or airplane or missile. Horses were “vain things” (Psa 33:17) when it came to true safety; they could not be the security of a king whom God chose: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psa 20:7).

It is never recorded that Jesus owned or even rode upon a horse. When the time came for his revelation at Jerusalem as a king, he chose instead to enter the holy city in a symbolic gesture of meekness, upon “a colt the foal of an ass” (Mat 21:5; Zec 9:9).

*****

“He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray” (Deu 17:17a).

Contrast with Solomon in 1Ki 11:3. Jesus, understandably, was not married; his mortal life was to be a short one — there would be no time for the proper development of an intimate relationship with even one woman, and no time for the rearing of a family. Nor would it have been true love for Jesus to subject a wife to the sorrow of widowhood and then permanent separation from her husband. “An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs — how he can please the Lord” (1Co 7:32). Jesus’ work was to be all-consuming; the otherwise lawful indulgences of ordinary men were not for him.

*****

“He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold” (Deu 17:17b).

Contrast with Solomon in 1Ki 10:14-23. Probably no man lived up to this standard better than Jesus. And he who had nowhere to lay his head instructed his disciples in the same philosophy: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Mat 6:19-21,24).

*****

The three negative commandments for the king are followed by a last great positive commandment:

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel” (Deu 17:18-20).

How did Jesus spend those “hidden years”, from age 12 to age 30 — while the young “prince” prepared for his role as “King of the Jews”? While the time of his public ministry was relatively short, the time of his preparation was eighteen years — five to six times as long. Most likely, in addition to the ordinary tasks of life (daily work, and oversight of his younger siblings), Jesus spent much of his spare time writing out his own copy of the Law, AND the prophets and the psalms… and memorizing them also, and studying them intensely! The man whose name is “The Word of God” could scarcely have done less. Of him David spoke prophetically: “Here I am, I have come — it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” (Psa 40:7,8).

There are other references to these commandments for the king which also have to do with Christ. And, surprisingly, they present a picture contradictory — on the surface — to that of Deu 17! In Rev 19 Christ appears from heaven to assume his throne: he is riding upon a white horse (Rev 19:11), and followed by the armies of heaven upon a great number of white horses (Rev 19:14). His reason for returning is to claim his bride — a multitudinous bride (the saints: Rev 19:8). And in Rev 21 is shown the results of his victorious war — a “city” of unsurpassed wealth (Rev 21:11-21).

The one who in his mortal life refrained from the multiplying of horses, wives, and wealth is seen as finally possessing all three in the greatest abundance. They are the gifts of his Father. The faithful Son who resisted temptation in the wilderness is at last rewarded. He who saw all the kingdoms of the world and their glory in a moment of time (Mat 4:8; Luk 4:5) refused to strive for their attainment by worldly means. Instead he believed and cast himself upon the Father, who had simply said: “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession” (Psa 2:8).

And why should God bestow upon Jesus all the trappings of a king? The answer is found in a comparison of Rev 19:11,13 with Deu 17:18-20: “He was called Faithful and True… and his name is called The Word of God.”

This man was the only king to write the law of God perfectly upon his mind and his heart — to make it the guide of every moment and the basis of constant prayer. Here was the only King to acknowledge always the sovereignty of a greater Monarch. And thus the Creator Monarch will finally acknowledge him, and give him a name above every other name, that at the name of Christ every knee shall bow and every tongue confess (Phi 2:9-11). Those privileges and honors that kings have always fought to obtain for themselves will be Christ’s by right. Of all the world’s royalty, Christ alone will — with his spiritual “seed” — “reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel!”

Reading 2 – Ecc 9:11

“I have seen something else under the sun: the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned” (Ecc 9:11).

“Five accomplishments are listed, none of which guarantees success or prosperity: (i) the swift-footed may find himself a loser (cf 2Sa 2:18) [cp also Amo 2:14,15]; (ii) military strength is no guarantee of success in battle (cf Isa 36; 37); (iii) wisdom similarly is no guarantee of a livelihood (cf Ecc 9:13-16; 10:1); (iv) understanding may be accompanied by poverty (cf Ecc 9:15); (v) favor may be delayed for innocent Joseph (Gen 37–41) and not come at all for others (Ecc 9:13-16)” (Eaton).

The same point is made by David: “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save” (Psa 33:16,17). And also by Jeremiah: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches” (Jer 9:23) — for all these abilities and achievements of mortal men are so many fleeting shadows; they do not in any way guarantee “success” in this life. But David continues: “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield” (Psa 33:18-20). And likewise Jeremiah continues: “But let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jer 9:24). Each of these Old Testament prophets realizes that God is in control, and will ultimately reward those who have faith in Him, and manifest His character to the world around them. They may be the poorest and the weakest of men and women, and they may possess little of the wisdom of this world (cp 1Co 1:20) — but nevertheless they dwell in the bosom of the Eternal One; they are His special treasure; and all He has will finally be given to them!

“But time and chance happens to them all”: “Chance” is “pehgah”, which signifies to impinge upon, to meet with — apparently by accident, but most often by the providence of God. Some “chance” meetings (where the same word occurs in the Hebrew) — which are plainly not random happenings, but God-directed events — are to be found in Gen 32:1; Exo 5:3; 1Sa 10:5; 22:18; 1Ki 2:29; Isa 53:6; 64:5. “On the lips of an Israelite, ‘chance’ means what is unexpected, not what is random” (Eaton).

Jesus rules out such “time and chance” random circumstances in the lives of believers, when he says: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Mat 10:29,30).

Reading 3 – Acts 8:34

“Who is the prophet talking about?” (Acts 8:34).

“It needs to be recognised, specially by those who write themselves off as incompetent in this field, that even the most ill-equipped among us are capable of Bible study of the best sort. For this is not a matter of erudite commentaries and lots of Greek and Hebrew. It consists, quite simply, of developing the faculty, which we all have, of asking questions. One of the first mathematicians in Britain, a man with an international reputation, once said to me, ‘The way to make advances in mathematics is to find problems that need answering. Once you realise you are faced with a problem that no one else has yet dreamed of tackling, then you are on the way to extending the boundaries of the subject.’ He did not know that he was, in effect, enunciating a wholesome principle for much rewarding Bible study. There is no block of three or four verses in the Bible which when read with care does not provoke questions. And often, though not always, the search for answers leads to wider understanding” (Testimony 50:218).

Reading 1 – Jos 1:6

“Be strong and courageous” (Jos 1:6).

“Two incidents happened recently that seemed irrelevant. Both combined, however, to impress a command. A young father called for some reason, bringing his two small children for a ride. The boy, sweet toddler, was into everything — poker, tongs and cupboards. Finally, he climbed on to a window-seat, fingered my Bible, leaving it open, got down, and raised a protest about having to go home.

“Next day we found a robin in the garden, half stunned, balancing on quivering legs. One side of its head was terribly injured and blinded, though the other bright eye regarded me with no fear. The bird … allowed itself to be picked up, put in a basket, and brought indoors.

“What could be done? If healed in part and later released it would become prey to cat or hawk. But it must now be tended. In a few hours it pecked at food, flew to the window, and even managed to chirrup. What unconscious courage shone from the one bright eye as it clung to my finger! I dared not look at the other side. But the Father who knows when a sparrow falls would hear a prayer for a robin. I asked God just to bless it — and He did. The brave little bird lay next morning with stiff legs pointing to the ceiling.

“I tidied the room. The Bible lay open as the toddler had left it, and there shone forth the words from Jos 1: ‘Be strong, and of a good courage…’

“If a tiny bird, unconscious of its Creator, could show courage worthy of a human hero, then the courage that our Heavenly Father commands His children, who profess faith in Him, should be the source of their greatest consolation of trust. ‘Be strong, and of a good courage… Have not I commanded thee?’ Surely in the smallness of our own puny affairs we must obey that command.

“O Lord, help us to hold fast to this Thy command — ‘until the day break, and the shadows flee away’ ” (Catherine Morgan, “Think on These Things” 43,44).

[This story reminds me of the lines from a poem by DH Lawrence, entitled “Self-Pity”:

“I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.

A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough

without ever having felt sorry for itself.”]

Reading 2 – Isa 7:14

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isa 7:14).

Other Old Testament prophecies of the “virgin birth” are to be found in Isa 41:9; 43:1; 44:2,24; 45:4; 46:3; 49:1; Psa 22:9,10; 71:6; 89:26,27; 110:1,3; 132:11; Gen 3:15; Mic 5:2; 2 Sam 7:14; Gen 49:25; Jer 31:22; Pro 30:4.

The first express prophecy in the Old Testament is Gen 3:15, the seed of the woman (but not the man) who would destroy the power of sin symbolized by the serpent. And the first express fulfillment of prophecy in the New Testament is Mat 1:23. How was this prophecy of Isaiah to be fulfilled? Over the centuries this has become a Jewish controversy, and even a Christian controversy, as witnessed by some modern versions that translate the Hebrew “alma” or the Greek “parthenos” by “young woman” or the like, instead of “virgin”. Of one thing there can be no doubt: no matter what the best translation of the original words, both Matthew and Luke agree that Mary had had no relations with any man when Jesus was conceived. God has clearly shown how Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled despite whatever minor arguments may revolve around the precise words used.

The Hebrew “alma” and its related words are derived from a root signifying to cover or conceal. One common suggestion is that it refers to the practice of keeping unmarried girls in seclusion in their parents’ homes. This explanation would favor virginity as the meaning of “alma”, but would not prove it absolutely. However, a more meaningful aspect comes into view when the antonym is considered; it means “to uncover”. “To uncover the nakedness” (so translated, literally, by the KJV) of another is a Hebrew euphemism for having sexual intercourse (Lev 20:11,17-21). So one who is “covered” — an “alma” — is then specifically one who has not engaged in sexual intercourse.

Reading 3 – 1Th 1:9

“They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1Th 1:9).

Some of the Gentile converts in Thessalonica were “devout Greeks” (Acts 17:4), who had presumably already abandoned the idols of their fathers so as to worship, if only in a secondary way, the God of Israel. But many others must have had little or no connection with the synagogue, since only at the call of the gospel did they turn from their idols. That 1 Thessalonians is written to a predominantly Gentile group is suggested by:

No direct references to the Law of Moses; A scarcity of direct references to other parts of the Old Testament; This v 9, regarding “turning from idols”; and The serious call to sexual purity which is reminiscent of the Jerusalem decree sent to Gentile believers (Acts 15:19,20,28,29), and which in any case should have been unnecessary for those brought up under the Law.

Paul’s description of the Thessalonians’ conversion echoes his preaching in Lystra (“ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God” — Acts 14:15-17), and Athens (“I perceive that in all things [their many idols] ye are too superstitious… the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent” — Acts 17:22,30).

In Greek “idol” literally means a “shadow” or a “phantom.” By Paul’s preaching the “idols” were discredited as mere imaginations of enfeebled, philosophical minds. They were, in Paul’s robust and blunt words, “nothing” — or more literally, “no-gods” (1Co 8:4-6). They simply did not exist. The images of wood and stone had unseeing eyes and unhearing ears, and mouths out of which no speech would ever come (Psa 115:4-7). Some of the most exquisite irony and sarcasm in the Old Testament is reserved for the “no-gods” and those who trust in them (1Ki 18:27; Isa 44:9-20).

Reading 1 – Jos 2:1

“Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. ‘Go, look over the land,’ he said, ‘especially Jericho.’ So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there” (Jos 2:1).

Possibly they met her at a well outside the city walls, entering the gate in her company so as not to arouse suspicion. Only later would they discover that she, of all Jericho, had faith in the God of Israel (Harry Whittaker, “Enjoying the Bible” 23).

Reading 2 – Isa 8:6

“This people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah” (Isa 8:6).

Through the sacred page flow two very different streams. The raging torrent, the seasonal river overflowing its banks, is used by Isaiah as a figure for the advancing Assyrians (Isa 8:7,8). The waters thereof roar and are troubled; proud billows and lashing waves, lofty as hills, sweep aside mountains in their path (Psa 46:3). But in their tumultuous course the wild waters come at last against the immovable height of Zion (Psa 125:1): “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed” (Job 38:11).

For here, beneath Zion’s hill, flows another stream which is the secret of her survival. It is not harsh and overpowering; its waters go softly (Isa 8:6) through the rock-hewn channels of Hezekiah’s conduit (2Ki 20:20) into the pool of Siloam (John 9:7). It brings life to thirsty watchmen on Zion’s walls. In its silent, unerring course it symbolizes the sure and certain purposes of God. Its whispering waters speak in a still, small voice of the blessings of faith in God. This is the river of life, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holy places of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; God shall help her; the Lord of Hosts is with us — here is the promise of Immanuel again (Psa 46:4,5,11). Let us drink of this stream; its quiet waters will restore our souls and bring us inward peace in the midst of stormy trials.

Reading 3 – 1Th 3:6-10

“But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith” (1Th 3:6,7).

There can be no question that Paul loved these people more than life itself. He prays for them continually, and desires more than anything to be with them. They have suffered together, and out of that shared experience of adversity they have developed an unshakeable bond of fellowship (1Th 1:6). Surely this is the “fellowship of his sufferings” to which Paul refers in Phi 3:10.

Although Paul is constantly moving about to preach in new areas, he never abandons the ecclesias he has established. Paul at Athens and at Corinth still feels obligated to the believers in Galatia and Thessalonica. All of his ministry is marked by such concern: although he is heavily involved in the concerns of the Gentile ecclesias of Europe, he nevertheless works hard at taking up an offering for the material needs of the Judaean brethren. Paul’s faith is a global faith, an international faith that ignores (or breaks down, if necessary) the cultural and ethnic barriers that exist in the Roman Empire.

Paul’s strategy takes risks with the newly established ecclesias. It leans heavily upon faith in and prayer to the Father through the Son, and that the Holy Spirit they control can work in ways unrecognized by men to strengthen and comfort believers. Paul cannot be everywhere and do everything himself; with a reasonable view of his own limitations, he instructs and trains (and then trusts!) his assistants in the work — young men like Timothy and Titus. This benevolent responsible attitude allows them in turn to grow to their full potential, and become more useful “fellow-laborers with God.”

*****

“For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith” (1Th 3:8-10).

Until the wonderful news of vv 6,7, Paul was a dying man (perhaps even literally so). But now he has found a new lease of life. Like John, he could experience no greater joy than to learn that his “children” continued to walk in the Truth (3Jo 1:4).

“Life” (ie, v 8) and “death” take on new symbolic meanings for the believer. In his struggles against sin and human adversaries he expects to “die daily” (1Co 15:31) — for he bears about in his body “the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest” in that body (2Co 4:10-12). The believer is a continually changing compound of the old man, who is (or should be) dying, and the new man, who is continually being born or “created” (Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:8-10). And even as the physical body is wasting away day by day, so the inner man is being renewed (2Co 4:16).

The business of serving Christ intensifies the daily experiences of life. Literally everything about one’s life is now seen to hold the potential of affecting eternity. Thus we see Paul cast down and afflicted because of thoughts of problems of other people many miles away. And we then find him, in a moment, overjoyed at the good report about them. “Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?” So it must be small “deaths” and small “resurrections” each day — for one who takes upon himself the care of all the ecclesias (2Co 11:28,29). Is this a difficult way of life? Most assuredly. But can there be any other way for a true follower of Christ?

Reading 1 – Jos 5:13,14

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ ” (Jos 5:13,14).

Joshua was doing all he could to get his (note the “his”!) army ready… when out of the blue (literally) he encountered a man with a drawn sword.

Joshua asks him, “Are you with us or against us?”

“Neither, actually,” the “man” replied. “I am the commander of the army of Yahweh.”

And all the time Joshua had thought HE was the commander!

No wonder Joshua falls facedown before the one commissioned to be HIS commander! The general can recognize true authority when he sees it.

Do we think sometimes that we are the “masters (or mistresses) of our own fates… the captains of our own souls”? We are not.

Do we look in the mirrors in the mornings, and tell ourselves, “I am in charge here”? (Like General Haig famously telling all and sundry during the Nixon presidential crisis, ‘I am in charge here!’) We are not. (Actually, if you have to remind others that you are in charge, then you CERTAINLY are not!)

Joseph told Pharaoh, in effect: “You — the mightiest ruler the world has ever seen — are not in charge here!” He told him politely, but he told him just the same.

God rules in the kingdom(s) of men, says Daniel.

And He rules in our lives.

Take time to notice the real “commander”, and seek his “orders for the day”.

Reading 2 – Isa 10:5-11

“Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath! I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets. But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations. ‘Are not my commanders all kings?’ he says. ‘Has not Calno fared like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad, and Samaria like Damascus? As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols, kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria — shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?’ ” (Isa 10:5-11).

“The remarkable similarity between this passage and 2Ki 19:2-37 [which is parallel to Isa 37] (together with other indications) makes it likely that, through the renegade Rabshakeh, Sennacherib actually knew the tenor of this and other prophecies Isaiah had spoken in Jerusalem. Why else should the Assyrian use the self-confident argument: ‘Am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? The LORD saith to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it’ (Isa 36:10)” (WIsa 174).

Reading 3 – 2Th 1:3-5

“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering” (2Th 1:3-5).

The Christian community should not be a comfortable club for the conserving of the lives of a few believers. It should be a place of striving, of enduring, of overcoming, where real “fruit” is produced to the glory of God. It should be a place where faith and love are refined in the crucible of trials and hardships. If it is not such a place, then why not?

At first sight the apostle’s argument in v 5 is difficult. Surely the presence of sufferings would deny, rather than prove, that God is working to a righteous purpose. The fault is ours if we fail to understand the divine message, if we see instead as the “world” sees. The Bible does not look on sufferings in quite the same way as most modern people do. To us, accustomed as we are to the conveniences of an affluent society, suffering may seem almost an “evil” — something to be avoided at all costs. It is true that one need not be a masochist — seeking pain out of some sense of perverted “pleasure.” Nevertheless the true Bible message is that suffering, in all its varied forms, is often the means of working out God’s eternal purpose. It develops in the sufferer qualities of character. It teaches valuable lessons. In one form or another, it is inevitable; the believer is ordained to it (1Th 3:3).

The faith of a believer is not some fragile thing, to be wrapped in cotton, insulated from all shocks. It is robust, it is alive, it grows and flourishes, and it needs both sunshine and rain. The very troubles that the world heaps upon the believer become, under God’s hand, the means by which he may grow into a fruitful vine, a productive plant. Suffering therefore is no evidence that God has forsaken us; it is evidence that He is with us.

Reading 1 – Jos 7

“Joshua 7 presents to us a drastically different scene from those which have engaged our attention in the previous chapters, yea, so startling is the contrast that we are reminded of that old adage, ‘Truth is stranger than fiction.’ Up to this point everything had gone smoothly and blessedly for Israel, but now their progress is suddenly halted. Hitherto we have witnessed them, under God, going from strength to strength and glory to glory. Strict obedience to the Divine commands had marked their every movement; here, the very reverse obtained. They had duly attended to the essential matter of circumcision and had kept the appointed Passover feast. On His part, the Lord had wrought wondrously for them, bringing them through the Jordan dry-shod and overthrowing the principal fortress of the enemy without a blow having to be struck by Israel. But a startling contrast now confronts us: immediately following the memorable victory at the formidable Jericho, Israel suffer humiliating defeat at the much weaker town of Ai. A member of the tribe of Judah had committed a grievous crime, and the whole nation suffer in consequence. As there was a serpent in Eden and a Judas among the apostles, so there was an Achan in the midst of an obedient Israel” (AW Pink).

Reading 2 – Isa 11:6-9

There is obvious connection among Isa 7:14; Isa 9:6,7; and Isa 11:6-9.

The first two prophecies were, firstly and in a limited sense, about the child Hezekiah. in Isa 7, Isaiah is commanded to bring his message of hope to king Ahaz. The original “virgin” in the context would have been his bride-to-be. Ahaz seems to scoff at Isaiah’s offer of an encouraging message — he wants nothing to do with the God of Israel. But the child which his young wife would bear to him would be Hezekiah; this special child of promise was destined to deliver his people from the Assyrian threat.

Isa 9:6,7 — in the immediate historical context — carries forward the promises of Isaiah. The new child would become king, would be specially strengthened by Yahweh (as his symbolic name implied: “Immanuel” — “God is with us!”), and would be bring peace to a war-torn and broken land!

In these first two passages also, the connections with the coming Messiah are obvious and powerful — so much so that sometimes the original history and Old Testament connections are not given the full weight they deserve. But it is worth recognizing their primary — if only partial — fulfillment in the days of Hezekiah and Sennacherib. And seeing the “big picture” of Isaiah helps in this respect.

This brings us to the third “child” prophecy, in Isa 11. The words of Isaiah describe a scene of complete tranquility, when all the savagery of the beasts of the field has been removed:

“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:6-9).

It is certainly a picture, in broad and general terms, of man’s reclamation of dominion over the earth, and his subjugation of the animal kingdom (Gen 1:28).

But it is more than that; it is a picture, in specific terms, of Christ’s victory over sin and death. (And this is precisely what a failure to link together the Scriptures — and look for the larger context, the “forest” and not just the “trees” — may cause us to miss.) In the final and complete fulfillment, Christ is the son born of the virgin in Isa 7:14; he is also the child born “unto us” in Isa 9:6. Then, considering this context, he is just as surely the “little child” in Isa 11:6, and the “infant” (“sucking child”: AV) and finally the “young child” (“weaned child”: AV) in Isa 11:8. So the beautiful vision of these verses is not impersonal. It is not just about ANY young child in the Kingdom of God — or even ALL young children there; it is about Christ!

Isa 11:6 shows Christ as the “little child” because of his perfect trust in God (cp Mat 19:13,14); he is the “babe” ordained in strength to still the enemy and to have dominion over all creation (Psa 8:2,6-8).

Isa 11:8 shows Christ as the “sucking child” and then the “weaned child” — feeding first on the “milk” and then on the “meat” of the word, growing in spirit and wisdom and grace (Luke 2:40). Both “cobra” and “viper” belong to the “seed of the serpent” (Gen 3:15; Mat 3:7; 23:33). Jesus, under the nurture and admonition of his Heavenly Father, steadily grew in spiritual strength, and steadily faced one by one the trials of the “adversary” in his flesh. He had nothing to fear from the power of the serpent, for he faced it and overcame it with a greater power — faith in God’s word and promises. And, finally, in the kingdom age, the “den” of the serpent will hold no fear whatsoever for Christ, or for those who like him have become “little children” in faith!

*****

Note: Here is another question: is the description of the great predators lying down at peace with their prey, in Isa 11, to be taken literally, or only symbolically? While not ruling out some sort of more literal fulfillment, the context surely points toward a symbolic fulfillment:

(a) If the “little child” in Isa 7 and Isa 9 is, ultimately, Jesus Christ, then what is the real point of HIS proximity to the den of the poisonous serpent, without danger to himself… if it be not Gen 3:15? In other words, Jesus — the child born of the virgin (the “seed of the woman”: Gen 3:15!) — is the one who will bring true peace (Isa 9:6,7) by crushing the head of the “serpent” of sin. And if the “child” and the “serpent” are to be best understood figuratively, then what about the “wolf” and the “leopard” and the “lion” and the “calf” and the “yearling”?

(b) The whole of the immediate context — Isa 7-12 — pictures an imminent threat from the Assyrian invaders, and a people living in fear of their depredations: in effect, a flock of helpless sheep in dread of the wild beasts that will attack and devour them. Against this threat the LORD will raise up a “prince of peace” (Isa 9:6) — through whom these “wild beasts” will be themselves destroyed. Consider how closely these verses mirror the prophecy of Micah (a contemporary of Isaiah):

“But you, Bethlehem… out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times [cp Isa 9:6: ‘everlasting Father’]. Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth [cp Isa 7:14: ‘a virgin shall conceive’; also cp with Mic 4:9,10]… He will stand and shepherd his flock [as a shepherd protects his flock from wild beasts like the wolf or leopard or lion!] in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God… And he will be their peace [cp Isa 9:6: ‘prince of peace’]. When the Assyrian invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. They will rule [or ‘crush’ — like Gen 3:15 again!] the land of Assyria with the sword… He will deliver us from the Assyrian when he invades our land and marches into our borders… The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep [cp the language of Isa 11:6-9], which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue… I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed me” (Mic 5:2-15).

Reading 3 – 2Th 3:6-10

“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat’ ” (2Th 3:6-10).

The saying of Paul emphasizes “will”: He does not suggest that those who CANNOT work should not eat, but only that those who can but WILL not work should not eat. Also, the continuous tense gives the thought of habitual attitude. That man is intended for labor, and that he is intended to find satisfaction in his daily toil, is suggested by God’s words to Adam: “in the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground” (Gen 3:19).

This Bible teaching, true as it is, must be balanced by the teaching on the necessity of giving aid to those who are in need. Since it is unwillingness to work rather than lack of opportunity which is reprimanded, those who are unemployed through no fault of their own should be provided for by those who have the means. The example of the Jerusalem ecclesia at the very beginning (Acts 2:44,45; 4:32; 6:1-6) is one to be emulated (cp 2Co 8:14,15; James 1:5-12; Deu 15:8,10).

Although Paul makes no direct connection between the two themes, it appears that the Thessalonians’ expectation of Christ’s return and the prevailing attitude of laziness and unruliness were in fact related. The unwillingness of some to work — attributable in part to the general Greek ethic of the time — was further encouraged in this unhealthy direction by the belief that the “parousia” (the coming of Christ) was very near. Thus there seemed little or no need to provide for the future. Against this wrong philosophy Paul argued:

that Christ’s return was not necessarily quite so near as they supposed — since certain events must happen first, and that the Christian is required to work if possible, to support himself and not to be a burden upon his brethren.

Reading 1 – Jos 8:29

“He hung the king of Ai on a tree and left him there until evening” (Jos 8:29).

Considering the parallels with Acts 5:30; 10:39… how could the hanging of the king of Ai on a tree typify the Lord Jesus Christ hung on a cross? One was a wicked Gentile; the other was the preeminently righteous Jew. One died eternally; the other lives eternally.

The answer: the death of Jesus was not “merely” the death of a righteous man — he was handed over to death by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23): God’s purpose was that — in the obedient death of His own Son — the “righteousness” of God would be declared as a basis for the forgiveness of sins for all who have faith in him (Rom 3:21-31). How? Because Jesus in his death “condemned sin” (Rom 8:3), putting to death the flesh in which the sin-principle resided (Heb 2:14,15) — this is what made him the perfect sacrifice.

So… Jesus “hanging on a tree” is not just the death of a perfectly righteous man, but also the death of “King Sin” (Rom 6:12-14) and the lifting up of the serpent on the stake (Num 21:8,9; Joh 3:14) and the destruction of the works of the “devil” (1Jo 3:5,8). Given this sense of the matter, the hanging of Ai’s king on a tree — despite being superficially dissimilar — is in fact a wonderful type of the crucifixion of Christ!

Reading 2 – Isa 12:3

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isa 12:3).

“In Hezekiah’s day there was only one ‘well of salvation’ — the Gihon spring which was led underground by Hezekiah’s conduit (2Ch 32:3,4) to Siloam (Isa 8:6) inside the city’s defences. The intensive plural — ‘wells’ — is used here for emphasis. Here is the beginning (it could hardly have been introduced earlier) of the lovely figure of speech, in psalms and prophets, of the Lord as a life-giving spring of water (Jer 2:13; cp Psa 42:1,2). [This verse] suggests that it was in thanksgiving for the Assyrian deliverance that the procedure was instituted at the Feast of Tabernacles [cp also Zec 14:16] of drawing water from Siloam and taking it in solemn processional to the temple, there to be poured out in praise and thanksgiving at the base of the altar. It was, of course, this to which Jesus referred in his great appeal on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:37,38). He appropriated the meaning of the entire procedure to himself, and thus underlined (what needs no underlining) that Isa 12 is about himself and his salvation” (Harry Whittaker, “Isaiah” 192).

Reading 3 – 1Ti 2:9

“In like manner also, (I command) that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with restraint and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array…” (1Ti 2:9).

This word “apparel” includes more than dress. It may be translated “deportment” or “bearing”. Actions are very much a part of this “apparel”! This reminds us of so many Biblical passages showing clothing as a symbol of our life in the Truth (Job 29:14; Psa 132:9; 1Pe 5:5; Isa 11:5; Rev 19:7,8). Paul is looking for modesty that is firmly rooted in the character — not the “modesty” of a showy affectation. “Sobriety” denotes soundness of mind and judgment. It is a habitual, inner self-government, which puts a constant rein upon the natural desires and passions. Sobriety puts into action what the “modesty” recognizes to be proper.

With such qualities of modesty and restraint the sister must adorn herself, so as to be pleasing in God’s sight.

“The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1Sa 16:7).

God sees the thoughts and intents of our hearts (Heb 4:12), and our “adornments” must be those characteristics in which He finds delight. These verses are especially for the women, but the ultimate application is for all: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1Pe 3:3,4).

Paul is commending the virtue of self-restraint: the refusal to conform to the foolish fashions of a vain and changing world. How closely should a brother or sister conform to the fashions of the world, as to dress, makeup, and so forth? Men and women are born, make changes while they live, grow old and die; and others come to take their places. This world’s fashions come and go, and the only sure thing about them is that nothing will remain the same for long. But the Almighty God of heaven never changes. In this is sufficient reason to shun (as much as is practical and reasonable) the passing fancies of a godless world.

By slavishly following the fashions of this world, we are showing our misplaced dependence upon it. We are showing that we regard the favor of the world as of greater value than the favor of God. We think more of the world’s fellowship than we do of God’s fellowship.

Furthermore, stylish dress, elaborate hairstyles and excessive makeup, which imitate the changing fashions of today, give the impression to others of a similarity of thought and behavior. This is not something that a believer in Christ should wish to imply. As much as is practical we must show our separateness from the world. Thus we should be modest, neat, and tasteful — not skimpy on the clothes, not excessive in our spending, not elaborate and time-consuming in our personal grooming. The overall key — and especially is this true for the sisters — is modesty (not seductiveness) in apparel, and in conduct.

Reading 1 – Jos 9

“The other cities of Canaan were not more brave [vv 1,2], they were only more foolish than Gibeon [vv 3-27]. They lacked the imagination of faith which could realise the fate awaiting them. They dreamed of safety without taking measures to secure it. They believed in that ‘chapter of accidents which is the Bible of the fool.’ Like some Oriental governments which we have seen, they stared destruction in the face, and did nothing to ensure success in averting it. Wisdom averts the preventible, but sets itself to work at once to accept the inevitable. And Gibeon deserves credit for its clear perception of its danger, and its sagacity in trying to make the best of what could not be avoided. Perhaps, being more republican than any of the other nationalities, we have here an instance of the superior wisdom of the popular instinct to that of the rulers. Without dwelling, however, on the source of their wisdom, we may with advantage follow its example. One of the chiefest parts of the art of life is frankly, promptly accepting the inevitable. Whatever the pressure that you cannot avoid, proceed at once to make the best of it. If it be poverty, do not with desperate ventures attempt to win back wealth, but with contentment and industry set yourself to make the best of it. If disease affects you from which you cannot free yourself, come to terms with it. Send your ambassadors and make a covenant with it. And accepting the situation in which you find yourself, address yourself to gather the ‘sweet uses of adversity,’ and you will find weakness a great teacher and not without its compensations. If you have done wrong, and to humble yourself is a necessity of honour, do so like Gibeon, at once. If submission to your redeeming God has become a necessity of your case, do not, like the other cities of Israel, dream and defy, and then fall before the destroyer; but with timely overtures seek Him while He is near. Thus in all relations of life accept frankly the inevitable. Agree with thine adversary quickly, and with the force you cannot resist make such terms as will allow you to enjoy a less dignity, but yet some degree of happiness.

“In the action of the Gibeonites there is the good of a rudimentary faith, and there is the evil of deceit. It is to be observed that, while the evil is punished, the good is not ignored. God does not require the retraction of the oath; and when, centuries later, Israel breaks the oath, He shows His disapproval of their course. God sanctions their being spared, and thus approves the good that is mixed with evil. Happily for us, God is still the same. Perfect motive He never finds, and unmixed good He never looks on. But, in His infinite compassion, whatever of good there is in our action receives a rich reward. His love holds as keen a scrutiny as His justice, and wherever in the action of men the slightest good appears, then He rewards it” (PC).

Reading 2 – Isa 13; 14

“It is to be expected that these burdens will have a Last Days reference, in addition to their contemporary relevance. This is the normal characteristic of nearly all Messianic prophecy. In several places (eg, Isa 17:13; 13:5,6; 19:23-25; 22:22) clear links with other Last Days prophecies seem to demand this…

“Who can doubt that the further fulfillment of Isa 13; 14 will produce the very situation which made the reign of Hezekiah one of the most exciting in all history? Once again, as then, there will be wrath on the state of Israel for its godlessness and lack of faith; the Land will be overrun by a confederacy of enemies; vast numbers will be herded away as slave labour in the lands of their conquerors; then, through the repentance of the faithful remnant and the merits of one Man whom God has smitten with undeserved suffering for the sake of His people, there will come sudden incredible divine deliverance, and the City of God will be safe; a gracious year of jubilee will be celebrated, with the joyous return of all the captives; and then will ensue a reign of righteousness and peace and prosperity more adequate to fulfill all the long-cherished dreams of God’s pious and faithful ones. Not all of this picture comes in Isa 13; 14; but much of it is there, and the other details are copiously filled in, in Isaiah’s later prophecies” (Harry Whittaker, “Isaiah” 194, 200).

Reading 3 – 1Ti 4:8

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1Ti 4:8).

“Physical training” is from the Greek “gymnasia”. By this term Paul means more than physical effort. He means the coordination of body and mind, in consistent and tireless training and effort, to master some skill. The pianist or dancer or athlete practices continually, striving always toward perfection, but never quite achieving it. Another type of such bodily “exercise” is the adherence to strict rules of diet, such as fasting (Luke 18:12: “I fast twice in the week”), which Paul mentions in v 3, or the other ascetic tendencies to self-denial which characterized both Jewish and Greek thinkers in that time: going barefoot, wearing sackcloth, abstaining from marriage and meat.

“Physical training is of some value”: “Bodily exercise profiteth little” (KJV) — or “for a few things” — in contrast to the all things for which godliness is profitable. Or, as the KJV mg indicates, “for a little time only”: Physical health lasts only a few years, and a skill lasts hardly longer. They are but man’s feeble efforts and they are bounded by his own inherent limitations — sickness and death. If man does not appeal to one greater than himself, he cannot rise above what he is by nature. If he places confidence in his own strength, to deny himself this or that, he may have removed temptation, but he is no better for it — if he has not replaced these items with positive, godly thoughts and works. He is like water, running down, seeking its own lowest level. He is like the man who has rid his house of one foul occupant only to see seven unclean spirits fill the void. Without God in his life, nothing can profit him very much.

“But godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” What can we add more than this! Godliness in this present life brings to the disciple of Christ a sense of spiritual “peace”; a feeling of oneness, or unity with God; wellbeing and consolation even in the midst of trials. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mat 6:33).

Such a person gains “peace” and contentment now, even as he looks expectantly toward that greater “rest” of the Kingdom.

To have peace with God makes all possible worries harmless and out-of-place. This is godliness with contentment (1Ti 6:6). It can only come with complete, undivided dedication to one goal of life. Peace is not freedom from external strife. It is freedom from internal strife, because our minds are full of love and “Perfect love casteth out fear… he that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1Jo 4:18). Jesus, even in the anguish and anticipation of his terrible sufferings, was still able to say: “Peace I leave with you… In the world ye shall have tribulation; but in me ye shall have peace… Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:27). The godly person, just as Christ, has already “overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Reading 1 – Jos 10:13

“So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day” (Jos 10:13).

The Book of Jashar is, of course, poetry (cp 2Sa 1:18-27), and — like any poetic expression — this need not be taken in a perfectly literal manner. There are plenty of other examples of Bible poetry, not necessarily interpreted literally: Isa 55:12; Psa 98:8; 114:4,6.

So what happened?: Did the time of “daylight” simply appear to be extended, as measured by the work that was accomplished that day under the influence of God’s Spirit?

“The only way in which lengthening of the day could be measured would be by the amount of useful work the men of Israel were able to put into it. Consider Jos 10:9,11,15,17,28, etc. Joshua’s army covered 50 miles in one day, fighting all the way, through mountainous terrain” (Harry Whittaker, “Bible Studies” 72,73).

Reading 2 – Isa 14:9-17

Isa 14:9-17 is a powerful figure of speech — not to be taken as literal truth: the mighty tyrant going down to the abode of the dead, where all the mighty men and monarchs who have preceded this brutal empire-builder into the place of the dead are now portrayed as deeply disturbed at the prospect of having to greet again the haughty dictator who sent them there. Eze 32:21-27 is a similar elaborate figure about dead warriors, buried with all the tokens of their military prowess, greeting Egypt’s Pharaoh when he joins their ranks.

“These verses, which appear to be spoken by other pagan kings to a pagan king (Isa 14:9-11), contain several titles and motifs that resemble those of Canaanite mythology, including references to Helel son of Shachar, the stars of El, the mountain of assembly, the recesses of Zaphon, and the divine title Most High. Apparently these verses allude to a mythological story about a minor god (Helel son of Shachar) who tried to take over Zaphon, the mountain of the gods. His attempted coup failed and he was hurled down to the underworld. The king of Babylon is taunted for having similar unrealized delusions of grandeur” (NET Bible notes).

Reading 3 – 1Ti 6:6

“Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1Ti 6:6).

Worldly riches bring with them no guarantee. The only thing worth having in our brief wanderings, the only real “gain” at present, is peace of mind. We should be content with whatever our present state might be from a material standpoint, knowing that we have a treasure that “neither moth nor rust doth corrupt” (Mat 6:19,20; Luke 12:33). Paul beautifully reveals to the Philippians the secret of his divine peace of mind: “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Phi 4:11,12). And to the Hebrews: “Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb 13:8).

This contentment or peace or sufficiency was a state of mind that had to come by a process of learning. Jesus said, “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Mat 11:29). And of the Son of God himself it is recorded, “He learned obedience by the things he suffered” (Heb 5:8). Chastenings and privations are absolutely necessary for those who seek to be the sons of God.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phi 4:13). This is the glorious secret of God’s plan to which His servants alone have been initiated. Riches and prestige mean nothing. Armaments and political power mean nothing when compared to the power of God, who can in a moment assemble ten legions of angels (Psa 20:7; Mat 26:53). This wonderful access to the infinite power of the Almighty can be ours, regardless of present circumstance. “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2Co 12:9,10). When we most fully realize and are impressed with our utter helplessness and dependence on our Father, then are we most strong through the transforming power of His Son. Then we learn truly to “trust in the living God…” (1Ti 4:10).

How can we consider spending all our precious time in pursuit of the riches that perish? God has guaranteed that if we seek first the kingdom, then everything we need will be given to us (Mat 6:33). Of course, this cannot be used as an excuse for slothfulness — because among the duties we must perform to God’s honor is the providing for ourselves and our dependents (1Ti 5:8). But we cannot let our attentions be always upon attaining a living in this world. And never should our concern be upon bettering our social standing or standard of living. God has promised us a “sufficiency in all things” (2Co 9:8). (The word “sufficiency” is the same Greek word as “contentment” here.)

God has given us all we need of the world’s goods, so that we may devote the greater part of our time and energies working for Him. We need only to appreciate the words of David to know this “godliness with contentment”, the marvelous peace of mind in the midst of a world of trouble and uncertainty: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and He delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand. I have been young and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psa 37:23-25).

Yes indeed, true godliness is a source of great gain, in an assurance that most will never know. Our faith is truly a conviction based upon substance — a trust in the “Rock” of the wilderness, a heavenly hope transcending worldly baubles and frills. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing” (Psa 23:1).

Reading 1 – Jos 11:5,6

“All these kings joined forces and made camp together at the Waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. The LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel, slain’ ” (Jos 11:5,6).

“A day now near at hand will see the revelation of God’s righteous anger, and then the further and final restoration of His house, when the glory will return embodied in the new rulers that God has promised to Israel. The ‘great fury’ of God is a necessity created by man’s sin — his pride, cruelty, and corruption of the earth. The classic illustration of what is coming is to be found in the clearing of the land of Palestine by Joshua and the settlement of a purified remnant of Israel in the place of the Canaanites, whose licentious and debased religions had forfeited their right to live. We know more of what the fury of man can do, in the terrible effects of modern war. We know its futility as we realize that there does not exist the power to bring order and peace when destruction has ceased. Apart from the overruling by which the sword of the wicked is made to do the work of God, it is not in man to dispense terrors according to deserts. The striving of the potsherds lacks the elemental basis of justice and righteousness which will never be absent from the fury of God” (John Carter, “Prophets after the Exile” 86).

Reading 2 – Isa 15:1

The word “oracle” or “burden” (Isa 13:1; 15:1; 17:1; 19:1; 21:1; 22:1; 23:1) is from the Hebrew “to lift up”, in foreboding or expectation; it implies something that God has planned for another. More often than not, it speaks of a coming punishment; but at times it simply means an important event involving a particular people. The distinction must be determined by the context. Often, the “burden” begins with warnings of judgments to come, and then proceeds with prophecies of something beneficial arising out of the dark times. Zec 12 illustrates this: it begins with a “burden… for Israel… in the siege”, but then quickly speaks of a time of blessing succeeding the time of affliction: Jerusalem inhabited again in her own place (Zec 12:6,7). The burdens of Isaiah generally follow this same pattern, with special reference to the Last Days of Gentile times and the establishment of “Israel in their own land” (Isa 14:1) and Christ as the “ruler of the land… upon the mount of the daughter of Zion” (Isa 16:1). Also the roles of various Gentile powers, especially in relation to Israel and God’s plans for the Last Days, are outlined. What might first appear to be a dry and unrewarding study becomes in reality a promise of God’s deliverance for His people (in typical prophecies) and a glorious assurance (in initial fulfillments) that God’s purpose stands firm (Isa 14:26,27).

Reading 3 – 2Ti 1:8

“Join with me in suffering” (2Ti 1:8).

Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play major league baseball in the modern era, in 1947. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced disgusting racial slurs from opposing players, baseballs thrown at his head while he was batting, and baserunners sliding with spiked shoes lifted high, trying to cut or slash him. Also, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. Some in the crowd began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, disconcerted and humiliated, while even his hometown fans continued to ridicule and mock him.

Then shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Robinson, talked quietly to him, and encouraged him, as if the crowd’s cries meant nothing. He was a white Southerner, with his own experiences of racial prejudice, and might have been expected to keep a safe distance from a black man. But it was as if he were saying to everyone: ‘This is my teammate; he’s with me!’ Reese was a star player at this time: popular and successful and well-liked. The fans grew quiet, and the game resumed.

Jackie Robinson later said that that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

A statue will soon be erected and dedicated at the current Brooklyn baseball park, commemorating this simple yet profound act, performed more than 50 years ago now — joining and identifying with another so as to share his suffering.

Reading 1 – Jos 17:16

“The people of Joseph replied, ‘The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel’ ” (Jos 17:16).

In this area lies the 263-foot-high tell of Beth-shean, one of the oldest cities in Bible lands. The remains of 20 layers of settlement have been found going back more than three thousand years BC. The Israelites failed to conquer the city in Joshua’s time (Jos 17:16; Jdg 1:27), and the fortified town was still under Philistine control in the time of Saul, the first king of Israel. When Saul and his sons were slain in battle their bodies were hung on the walls of this city by the victors (1Sa 31:6-13).

Beth-shean is included in the cities of Solomon’s kingdom (1Ki 4:12). When the Greek empire dominated the area the city was known as Scythopolis. Pliny, the Roman author (1st century AD) mentions the city in his writings. It was one of the cities in the Roman province of Decapolis which was visited by Jesus (Mar 7:31). The city was further developed by the Romans and all around the ancient tell the archaeologists are busy uncovering this large city that was devastated by an earthquake.

Reading 2 – Isa 23:15-18

“At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute: ‘Take up a harp, walk through the city, O prostitute forgotten; play the harp well, sing many a song, so that you will be remembered.’ At the end of seventy years, the LORD will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire as a prostitute and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the LORD; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothes” (Isa 23:15-18).

This is a very difficult passage. One possible interpretation: for 70 years, up to Isaiah’s day, Tyre had abandoned her previously close association with Jerusalem. But now, driven by the defeat by Assyria, Tyre seeks once again “fellowship” with Judah (compare Psa 87:4; 45:12; 2Ch 32:23). Thus the “wages of a harlot” (that is, her mercantile profits) are now, in some measure, given to the LORD.

“It is remarkable that whereas certain of the Arab powers seem to be marked out for hard discipline or even utter destruction in the time of the end (as in Isa 34; Obad), there is to be a willingness on the part of others to acknowledge God’s King in Jerusalem. Is it relevant that there are more (nominal) Christians among the Arabs of Lebanon [the modern geographical equivalent to ancient Tyre: GB] than in any other part of the Arab world? Then, although there has been no friendship in Lebanon for the new state of Israel, perhaps this seventy-year estrangement is due to be replaced with a new spirit of amity and service” (Harry Whittaker, “Isaiah” 255).

Reading 3 – Heb 4:11

“Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb 4:11).

“Work, labor, zeal, enthusiasm, effort, striving — we must get the vital urgency of it, for it is the difference between eternal life and eternal death. We are not here to play, or drift, or while away priceless, irretrievable time, or please ourselves, or pursue ambition, or hoard rotting rubbish. We are here simply and solely to serve God, and build up our spiritual understanding, and totally transform our natural, evil, ignorant fleshly character by the light and power of the Divine Word. We do not have a moment to waste. Every wasted moment is a sin to be repented of, and atoned for by frank confession and earnest prayer and sincere effort to overcome — or it is a permanent stain that will sink us at last in eternal death” (GVG).