my daily walk: Week of 2 Advent - Odd - 12/07 - 13/2014 shepherdboy-mydailywalk

Week of 2 Advent - Odd

This Bible Study was originally published at

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based on the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year Daily Lectionary for personal devotions* The daily readings are according to a Calendar based on the Church Year, which begins on the first Sunday of Advent, usually sometime at the end of November in the year preceding the secular calendar year.

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*Lutheran Book of Worship, Daily Lectionary, p. 179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978.

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To get the most from these studies, it is suggested that you first read the scripture texts for the entry, and then the paraphrase and commentary. It is also recommended that you look up the scripture references, unless you recognize and recall them from memory.

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Podcast Download: Week of 2 Advent - Odd
Sunday 2 Advent - Odd
First posted 12/04/04;
Podcast: Sunday 2 Advent - Odd

Isaiah 5:1-7 - The parable of the vineyard;
2 Peter 3:11-18 - The Day of the Lord;
Luke 7:28-35 - Jesus and John the Baptizer;

Isaiah Paraphrase:

The Lord planted a vineyard on very fertile ground. He dug the ground and cleared it of stones. He built a watchtower and a winepress in it and planted it with choice vines, but at the time of harvest it produced only wild grapes. The Lord asks Judah and Jerusalem to judge themselves, because they are the Lord’s vineyard. The Lord had done everything possible to ensure a good harvest; why had the vineyard not produced good fruit?

Therefore the Lord will break down the walls and hedges protecting the vineyard, and it shall be devoured and trampled down. It will become a wasteland, not pruned or hoed. Weeds and thorns will grow in it, and it will receive no rain. The Lord’s vineyard “is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting” (Isaiah 5:7). The Lord looked for justice but found bloodshed; he looked for righteousness, but found an outcry from the oppressed.

1 Thessalonians Paraphrase:

In the Day of the Lord the heavens and the earth and everything on it will be destroyed by fire. So we ought to live accordingly in holiness and godliness, looking forward to the coming day so that we can receive the promise of a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness is established. In this hope we should make every effort to be found blameless and at peace. Realize that the Lord’s forbearance is intended to permit more people to be saved. There are those who twist the scriptures to their own purposes, so believers are warned to be on guard against false teaching, and to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. To him be all glory now and eternally.

Luke Paraphrase:

Jesus said that John the Baptizer was the greatest of men on earth, but (except through Jesus) he would not compare to the least in the kingdom of God. The people and tax collectors who had been baptized by John acknowledged and assented to God’s plan, but the Pharisees and lawyers rejected God’s purpose, not having received John’s baptism.

Jesus compared this generation to children who expect others to do their will and play their games. Worldly people criticized John for fasting and abstaining from alcohol, and they criticized Jesus for not fasting and not abstaining from alcohol. Both conclusions cannot possibly be true.

The Lord had a plan for his vineyard and he did everything possible to assure that it would produce good fruit. The vines were perverse; they didn’t cooperate with God’s plan. Instead of producing the fruit that God desired, they produced what they wanted; they produced the fruit of unrighteousness. The Lord will remove the walls and hedges of his protection from them. The vines will be devoured and trampled down. The Lord won’t provide the care that they need, and he will withhold his rain from them. The Lord’s verdict is that instead of producing justice they had produced bloodshed; instead of producing righteousness they had produced oppression.

Commentary:

Believers are warned that the Day of Judgment is coming. We can rejoice in that hope, because this fallen world will be replaced by a new world in which righteousness will prevail. Since we know that this present world will be destroyed because of sin, we should put away sinful behavior and start learning to live in a righteous world. Judgment is coming; the only reason God hasn’t yet destroyed the wicked is in mercy, to give everyone an opportunity to come to repentance and salvation. There are a lot of false teachers today who twist the scriptures to suit their purposes. Believers need to know the Bible by reading it for themselves, and they need to know the Lord by spending time daily in fellowship with him through his indwelling Holy Spirit.

God has a plan for his creation. The Earth is his vineyard and we are his vines. We are here to learn to produce the fruit of righteousness and justice. John represents the greatest fulfillment of life in the Old Covenant of the law, but yet apart from Jesus Christ he would still fall short of God’s purpose.

John’s commission from God was to call the people to repentance and to point them to Jesus. Those who responded to John’s call for repentance accepted God’s plan and were ready to receive Jesus, but those who did not respond rejected God’s plan. The Pharisees and lawyers were the ones who wanted God to play by their rules. They were the ones who called John crazy for fasting and abstaining from alcohol, and criticized Jesus for not fasting and abstaining from alcohol.

The prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled repeatedly. The Lord did remove his protection from Israel. The Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians and the people were deported and scattered (721 B.C.). Judah (the Southern Kingdom) fell to Nebuchadnezzar and the Judeans were exiled to Babylon for seventy years (587-517 B.C.). The remnant didn’t learn the lessons of their history and were unprepared for the coming of Jesus the Messiah. The Romans captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in 70 A.D. The people were scattered throughout the world and Israel ceased to exist as a nation until it was reestablished following World War II. The Temple has never been rebuilt.

God’s dealings with Israel are meant to be an allegory and a warning to the world, to the Church, and to America; each in a sense is the Lord’s vineyard. Are we cooperating with God’s plan for creation, or do we expect God to do our will and play our games? Are we bearing fruit for the kingdom of God, or bitter fruit for the harvest of destruction?

Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

Monday 2 Advent - Odd
First posted 12/05/04;
Podcast: Monday 2 Advent - Odd

Isaiah 5:8-17 - The Lord’s vineyard;
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 - The coming Day of the Lord;
Luke 21:20-28 - The end of the Age;

Isaiah Paraphrase:

The vineyard represents Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines. The Lord looked for a harvest of justice and righteousness, but they produced bloodshed and oppression instead. The Lord will remove its hedge; he will break down its wall. The vineyard will be trampled and destroyed. It will become a wasteland. The land will not be cultivated, and thorns and briars will take over; there will be no rain upon it (see entry for yesterday, Sunday, 2 Advent, odd year).

Woe to those who covet houses and fields; who buy up large tracts. Larger and larger holdings will yield less and less (because the Lord will not bless and prosper the greedy. Woe to those who pursue their own pleasure and do not regard the Lord or his deeds. Because of their ignorance of God’s will they will go into exile; they will die of hunger and thirst. The kingdom of the dead will have to be enlarged to accommodate the number of those who will be condemned by God’s judgment. The nobility of Jerusalem will join the many who are condemned. The proud will be humbled, but the Lord will be exalted in justice and glorified in righteousness. When the Lord exacts judgment the Lord’s flocks will receive pasture and be fed among the ruins.

1 Thessalonians Paraphrase:

The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Just when people think they have peace and security, sudden destruction will come upon them like birth pangs upon a pregnant woman, and there is no escape. Believers are not living in darkness that we should be taken by surprise as by a thief. Believers are children of light and of the day; not of night and darkness. Let us not sleep, as unbelievers do, but let us stay awake and be sober.

Those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night, but believers belong to the day, so let us stay sober. Let us put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation. God has destined us not for wrath but for salvation through Jesus Christ, who died so that we might live with him, whether we have died physically or are still living when Christ returns. So we ought to build up and encourage one another.

Luke Paraphrase:

Jesus warned that when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies, its desolation is near. Those in the city and those in the surrounding area should flee. The days of vengeance are at hand, and the scriptures will be fulfilled. Alas for those with small children in those days. There will be great distress and wrath upon the people. They will be killed in warfare or captured by the nations. “Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).

There will be disturbances of nature in the heavens and on earth. People will be fainting with fear and foreboding concerning what is about to take place. “They will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). When believers see these things we should be encouraged because our redemption is drawing near.

Commentary:

The history of God’s dealing with Israel is an example of his judgment on unrighteousness and injustice, and an allegory and a warning to the world, the Church, and to America. In a sense each is the Lord’s vineyard, and we are all his vines. Woe to those who pursue material wealth, worldly power and pleasure and disregard God’s command to pursue justice and righteousness.

There is a Day of Judgment coming, and it will come suddenly and without warning, like a thief in the night. There is no reason for believers to be caught by surprise. Believers have the light of scripture and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. We need to be living in that light, not napping; not partying; not living for our own pleasure. It’s God’s desire that we be saved, but we must do our part; we must cooperate with God’s plan by trusting and obeying Jesus and waiting expectantly for his return (see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

Jesus warned of the destruction of Jerusalem. That desolation of Jerusalem occurred in 70 A.D. when Rome attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled. The Lord removed his protection from Judah and Jerusalem and they were trampled and devoured.

God’s Word is eternal. It applied to Judah and Jerusalem in that day, and it applies to the world, the Church, and America today. It is a preview of the Day of Judgment. Jesus promised to return to judge the world (Matthew 25:31-46). Those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus will receive eternal life in the New Jerusalem in the kingdom of God in Heaven. Those who have rejected and refused to obey Jesus will be carried off to eternal captivity and destruction in Hell with all evil.

Are we ready for Jesus’ return? Are we cooperating with God’s plan? Are we living in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Are we seeking to know and do God’s will, or are we pursuing our own interests. Are our Churches making disciples or are we just making bigger and bigger church buildings?

Tuesday 2 Advent - Odd
First posted 12/06/04;
Podcast: Tuesday 2 Advent - Odd

Isaiah 5:18-25 - Woes against the wicked;
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 - Concluding exhortation;
Luke 21:29-38 - The parable of the fig tree;

Isaiah Paraphrase:

Woe to those who practice iniquity and falsehood; who deliberately sin. Woe to those who would test God, telling God to hurry up and show what he is doing, saying “Let the purpose of the Lord be revealed that we may know it” (Isaiah 5:19). Woe to those who regard evil as good and what is good as evil. Woe to those who regard darkness as light and light as darkness. Woe to those who regard what is sweet as bitter, and what is bitter as sweet. Woe to those who think they’re smart and shrewd. Woe to those who boast of their drinking (or carousing). Woe to those “who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of his rights” (Isaiah 5:23). Their root and blossom will be destroyed as by fire because they have rejected God’s law and despised God’s Word. For these things the Lord was angry with his people and punished them; dead bodies filled the streets. These things still make God angry and he will yet punish this sort of behavior.

1 Thessalonians Paraphrase:

Believers should respect those who work in the Church and have been given authority over them in Christ and who admonish them. We should love and esteem them because of their work. We should be peaceable with one another. We should “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak and be patient with them all. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-18).

We should not resist motivation by the Holy Spirit. We should not resist the Spirit’s inspiration to hear and obey God’s Word or to proclaim it to others. We should evaluate everything in the light of the Gospel, and hold onto what is good and reject what is evil. May God complete your purification from sin and may you be whole and blameless at the coming of Jesus. God is faithful and fully able to do this.

Luke Paraphrase:

Jesus had told his followers the signs that would indicate the end of the age (Luke 21:5-28). Then Jesus said that, as the appearance of leaves on a fig tree indicates the approach of summer, those signs would be reliable indicators of the return of Jesus to establish the kingdom of God. Heaven and earth will pass away but Jesus words are eternal and will be fulfilled. We should be careful not to become encumbered with the cares and pleasures of this life, so that the sudden coming of that Day not catch us unprepared, because it will come upon everyone. Be watchful at all times, praying for strength to escape all that is coming, and be blameless in Jesus’ presence.

Jesus continued to teach each day in the temple and all the people came early in the mornings to hear him, but he stayed at night in lodgings on the Mount of Olives (in Bethany, where Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived; Mark 11:1, 11-12; John 11:1).

Commentary:

God’s Word condemns the ways of this world. Those who practice injustice, wickedness, falsehood, and sin (disobedience of God's Word) will be punished. Those who challenge God to prove himself will be condemned. Those who enjoy what is evil and revile righteousness will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment. Those who take pride in worldly wisdom, who exalt in depravity, or who pervert justice will be destroyed. The scriptures declare God’s judgment on such behavior. Those who reject and disobey God’s Word will suffer the consequences. God has revealed his purpose in Jesus Christ.

Believers are called to leave worldly ways and to conform their lives to God’s Word. We are called to be led by the Holy Spirit. We are called to hear and obey God’s Word. If Jesus is truly our Lord we will do what Jesus commands (Matthew 7:21-24). God’s Word is the standard by which everyone will be judged. Jesus is God’s Word in the flesh (John 1:1-5, 14).

The Day of Judgment is at hand. Jesus warns us not to be conformed to the standards of the society around us. Jesus has promised that he will return to judge everyone who has ever lived on earth. Those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus will receive eternal life in Heaven; those who have rejected Jesus and have refused or failed to obey him will receive eternal death and destruction in Hell (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus is God’s only provision for our forgiveness and salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14: 6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home).

Wednesday 2 Advent - Odd
First posted 12/07/04;
Podcast: Wednesday 2 Advent - Odd

Isaiah 6:1-13 - Isaiah’s vision;
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 - The judgment of God;
John 7:53-8:11 - The Adulteress;

Isaiah Paraphrase:

In 742 B.C., the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah had a vision of God on his throne. The glory of the Lord filled the temple. Above the throne were Seraphim (winged heavenly beings), who declared the holiness and glory of the Lord. The foundations of the temple shook at the sound of the Seraphim, and the temple was filled with smoke. Isaiah realized his sinfulness in comparison to the glory and holiness of God and was dismayed. One of the Seraphim took a burning coal from the altar with tongs and flew to Isaiah and touched Isaiah’s lips, and declared that Isaiah’s guilt had been taken away and his sin forgiven.

Then the Lord asked who would be willing to be sent to the people to speak God’s Word, and Isaiah volunteered. The Lord told Isaiah to tell the people that they hear over and over but do not understand, they see over and over but do not perceive. Their hearts grow fat, their ears heavy; they shut their eyes so that they won’t have to see or hear or understand and turn and be healed. Isaiah asked the Lord how long (he should preach the message) and the Lord told him to do so until the cities are deserted and in ruins, the houses empty and the land utterly desolate. The Lord will move the people far away. Although a tenth shall remain it will be burned again. It will be like an oak that has been cut down, just a stump. “The holy seed is its stump” (Isaiah 6:13d).

2 Thessalonians Paraphrase:

Paul gave thanks to God that the Thessalonians’ faith and love were growing and abounding. They are an example to all Christians of steadfastness and faith amid persecution and affliction. Their suffering for the faith is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that through suffering they might be made worthy of the kingdom of God.

On the Day of Judgment Jesus will return with his mighty angels in flaming fire to repay with affliction those who have caused affliction, and to give rest to those who have suffered for the gospel. He will inflict vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Their punishment will be eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord.

In that day the Lord will be glorified in his saints and celebrated by all who have believed. Paul prayed that God would make the Thessalonians worthy of God’s call and that they might fulfill their commitment to the faith, so that the Lord Jesus might be glorified in them and they in him by God’s grace (the riches of his extravagant gift) in Jesus Christ.

John Paraphrase:

Jesus was in Jerusalem teaching in the temple, and some religious leaders brought to him a woman who had been caught in adultery. They were looking for a charge to bring against Jesus, so they told Jesus that she had been caught in adultery. According to the Law of Moses she should be stoned to death, and they asked Jesus what he would say. Jesus bent down and began to write with his finger in the dust on the ground.

The religious leaders repeated the question so Jesus stood up and told them that those who were sinless should cast the first stone. Then Jesus resumed writing on the ground. One by one, the religious leaders left, beginning with the eldest, until only the woman was left standing before Jesus. Jesus asked if any of the religious leaders had condemned her and she replied that they had not. Then Jesus declared that he didn’t condemn her either. He told her she could go, but to sin no more.

Commentary:

Isaiah saw the glory of God on his throne in the temple in Heaven, and he heard the testimony of the Seraphim. He perceived and understood that he was a sinner and that he was unworthy to be in God’s presence. Isaiah confessed his sin (Isaiah 6:5), and he was forgiven and cleansed of his sin. Then he was worthy to proclaim God’s Word, and he was willing to do so.

He was given the commission to warn Israel that their refusal to see and hear God’s Word was costing them the opportunity to repent and be spiritually healed. That rebellion was going to result in disaster. Isaiah was given the task of preaching that warning until the judgment was fulfilled. In the word of judgment God promised that there would be a remnant and that from that remnant would come the holy seed which is the Savior Jesus Christ (compare Isaiah 11:1, 10; Revelation 5:5; 22:16).

Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled once when the Southern Kingdom of Judah was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and the people were deported to Babylon for seventy years from 587 to 517 B.C. It was fulfilled again when the Romans attacked Judah and destroyed the temple in 70 A.D. The people were scattered and the nation of Israel ceased to exist until it was reestablished following World War II.

Judaism effectively ended at the crucifixion of Jesus (Mark 15:38). With the destruction of the temple there was no longer any facility for carrying on the sacrificial rituals on which the Covenant of Law was based. The temple has never been rebuilt. God’s Word is eternal and it still applies today. It is a preview of the Day of Judgment.

Paul warns that those who refuse to see the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and refuse to listen and obey Jesus’ teachings are losing their opportunity to repent and be saved from the Day of Judgment. Those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ and obey his commands will be condemned to eternal destruction and exclusion from God’s presence. Believers must be willing to endure some suffering now for the Gospel but that affliction cannot compare to the condemnation that is coming for those who reject the Gospel, or to the glory of eternity in Heaven with the Lord for those who persevere now in suffering for the Gospel.

We have all sinned and fall short of the righteousness of God (Romans 3:23). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God’s only provision for the forgiveness of our sins and salvation from eternal death and destruction (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home). We are all like that woman caught in the act of adultery and brought before Jesus. If we come to Jesus in trust and obedience he has the power to forgive our sins. The woman was forgiven, provided that she trust and obey Jesus.

If we make the commitment to trust and obey Jesus he is able to make us worthy of God’s call; he is able to help us fulfill our commitment of faith (obedient trust). Jesus is able to empower us, through his indwelling Holy Spirit, to turn from sin, to grow to spiritual maturity, and to glorify the Lord at the Day of Judgment. We won’t be perfect immediately. He will forgive us as many times as necessary, as long as we’re trusting him and trying to follow his teachings. His Holy Spirit cleanses us from sin and enables us to proclaim God’s Word.

Now is the opportunity to see and perceive the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to hear and obey his commands, and open our hearts to receive Jesus. The Day of Judgment is going to come suddenly and without warning, and then it will be too late. On that Day there will be no more forgiveness; only condemnation.

Thursday 2 Advent - Odd
First posted 12/08/04;
Podcast: Thursday 2 Advent - Odd

Isaiah 7:1-9 - Threat to David’s throne;
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 - The Day of the Lord;
Luke 22:1-13 - Jesus’ betrayer;

Isaiah Paraphrase:

When Ahaz was king of Judah (the Southern Kingdom), Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel attacked Jerusalem (734-733 B.C.). The royal succession of the throne of David was threatened. The Lord told Isaiah to go out with his son, who had been named Shear-Jashub (meaning “A remnant shall return”) to meet Ahaz by the upper pool (south of the Pool of Siloam). The Lord told Isaiah to tell Ahaz not to fear Syria and Ephraim (i.e., the Northern Kingdom). The Lord told Isaiah that although Pekah planned to conquer Judah and establish the son of Tabeel as king it would not happen.

The capital of Syria was Damascus and Resin was king of Syria. The Lord declared that within sixty-five years Ephraim would be broken and would cease to exist as a people. Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the king of Israel was Pekah, the son of Ramaliah. The Lord told Isaiah to tell Ahaz to believe what the Lord had said or Ahaz would not prevail.

2 Thessalonians Paraphrase:

Paul told the Thessalonians not to be excited by rumors that the Day of the Lord had come, or to worry about assembling to meet him (see Matthew 24: 23-28). The revealing of the “man of lawlessness” (the Antichrist) must take place first. When the Antichrist is revealed he will establish his throne in the temple of God and declare himself to be God. His influence is already at work in the world, but he is restrained from revealing himself until the appointed time.

When the Antichrist finally reveals himself the Lord Jesus will return and will destroy the Antichrist by his coming. The coming of Antichrist will be with great power and pretended signs and wonders, and with great deception. Those who have refused to love the truth (of the Gospel of Jesus Christ) will be deceived. All who rejected the Gospel and who took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

Luke Paraphrase:

As the time of the Feast of Passover approached, the religious authorities sought for a way to execute Jesus without causing civil disorder. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, yielded to Satan and met with the religious leaders to arrange to betray Jesus into their power, away from the multitudes.

On the Day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover Feast was held, Jesus sent Peter and John to make arrangements. Jesus told them that when they entered Jerusalem they would see a man carrying a water jug. They should follow him and enter his house and ask the householder to show them the guest room where the Teacher was to eat the Passover with his disciples. The householder would show them a large furnished upper room, where they were to prepare for the meal. The disciples did as directed and everything happened exactly as Jesus had said.

Commentary:

“When the house of David (Southern Kingdom of Judah; Ahaz) was told, ‘Syria is in league with Ephraim,’ his heart and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind” (Isaiah 7:2). The Lord sent word through Isaiah to reassure Ahaz. God had promised David that the Messiah, God’s anointed eternal king, would come from David’s unbroken line of succession to the throne (2 Samuel 7:13). All Ahaz had to do was trust in the Lord.

In 721 B.C. Shalameneser invaded the Northern Kingdom and attacked Samaria. The ten northern tribes ceased to exist. Samaria was never again inhabited by the Israelites. (At the time of Jesus, Samaria was a region consisting mainly of the tribal allotments of Ephraim and Manasseh populated by Samaritans, a mixed race with an adulterated religion.) Notice that the prophecy was fulfilled much sooner than the sixty-five years which were allowed. Anyone who thought they had plenty of time until the fulfillment would have been caught by surprise.

The historical account of the Syro-Ephraimite War is also a parable, a metaphor for life in this world. Satan rules the present worldly kingdom, corresponding to Pekah, the king of the worldly Northern Kingdom of Israel. Satan wants to establish his “son of Tabeel,” the Antichrist, as the king of the religious kingdom.

God is not going to allow that to happen. Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah, the eternal heir to the throne of David, who will return to destroy Satan and the Antichrist. If we trust and obey Jesus we will be established eternally with him in his eternal kingdom; otherwise we will perish eternally.

The Lord is in control. Satan and the Antichrist are at work in this world, but Christ has already won the victory with his crucifixion and resurrection. The Antichrist isn’t free to do what he wants; he can’t reveal himself until God allows it.

Everyone will either believe the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and will trust and obey Jesus, or they will be deceived by Satan and the Antichrist. When the Antichrist is revealed Jesus will return and destroy the Antichrist and will condemn all who have not trusted and obeyed Jesus.

All of us will either serve Jesus or we will serve Satan. Judas turned from trusting and obeying Jesus; he was deceived by Satan and he betrayed the Lord. Peter and John trusted and obeyed Jesus, and they found that what Jesus promised took place exactly as Jesus had told them.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). If you do not know Jesus you do not know truth. If you do not trust and obey Jesus you are deceived and are following the liar and father of all lies, Satan (John 8:44). If you do not believe (trust and obey) Jesus you will perish eternally (Isaiah 7:9b).

Friday 2 Advent - Odd
First posted 12/09/04;
Podcast: Friday 2 Advent - Odd

Isaiah 7:10-25 - Sign of Immanuel;
2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 - Thanksgiving;
Luke 22:14-30 - The Lord’s Supper;

Isaiah Paraphrase:

Ahaz, the king of Judah, was facing attack by the Northern Kingdom of Israel in alliance with Syria. God had told him not to fear but to trust in God. God told Ahaz to ask the Lord for a sign to confirm that promise; the Lord told Ahaz (through Isaiah) that nothing he could imagine as a sign would be too difficult for the Lord. But Ahaz declined to put the Lord to the test.

The Lord replied, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. A young woman (“maiden”) shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel (“God is with us”). Immanuel would eat curds and honey (perhaps food for young children) when he knew to choose right and reject evil. Before a child knows right from wrong, the land of the Northern Kingdom would be deserted.

The Lord will bring tribulation upon Judah, comparable to the day Ephraim departed from Judah (comparable to the fall of the Northern Kingdom), through the Assyrians. Egypt and Assyria would conquer Judah (as instruments of the Lord’s judgment). The Lord will allow the land to be “shorn” closely (of her inhabitants); those who remain will eat “curds and honey” (i.e. what they can forage; survival rations). The cultivated land will revert to its natural wild state, overgrown with briars and thorns.

2 Thessalonians Paraphrase:

Paul gives thanks to God for the Thessalonians (and all Christians), who are beloved of God, whom God chose from the beginning to save through sanctification (freeing from sin; setting apart for sacred purpose) by the Spirit and belief in the truth. For that reason God calls us through the gospel, so that we “may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

We are exhorted to hold fast to the doctrinal and ethical teachings from the Scriptures (the Bible). We have eternal comfort and good hope through the free gift of Jesus Christ, so let our hearts be comforted and committed to applying the Gospel in our lives and sharing it with others. Let us pray that the Word of God will spread and bear fruit as it has in us, and that we would be delivered from wicked and evil people, because not all believe. The Lord is faithful and well able to strengthen and guard us from evil. Let us "be doers of the Word and not hearers only" (James 1:22). “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).

Luke Paraphrase:

At the Lord’s last Passover supper, Jesus told his disciples that he was going to suffer and that he would not again share the Passover meal again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Jesus took a cup of wine, gave thanks, and told his disciples to share it, saying that Jesus would not drink wine again until the kingdom of God comes. Jesus took bread and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to his disciples, telling them “This is my body” (Luke 22:19).

Jesus said that his betrayer was with them at the table. Jesus’ destiny was fixed (because Jesus chose to accept it), but woe to the person who chooses to betray him. “The disciples began to question among themselves which of them would do this” (Luke 22:23).

A dispute arose among the disciples over who among them was greatest. Jesus told them that worldly ways of establishing greatness do not apply in the kingdom of God. There, greatness is determined by humility and servanthood. Jesus came into the world exemplifying not the world’s standards of greatness; he came humbly as a servant. Those who continue with Jesus through tribulation, as Jesus himself had tribulation, will share in the kingdom God has appointed for Jesus. We will share in his table in his kingdom and share his authority.

Commentary:

Ahaz and the kingdom of Judah were terrified of the attack which was coming from the Northern Kingdom of Israel in league with Syria. The Lord told Ahaz not to be afraid but to trust the Lord. The Lord offered to let Ahaz choose a sign for the Lord to do to reassure him that the Lord’s promise was true, but Ahaz didn’t want to put the Lord to the test.

Then the Lord gave Ahaz the promise of Immanuel, and he also told Ahaz that the Northern Kingdom, of whom Ahaz was now afraid, would be deserted. The Lord said that Judah would go through a similar tribulation. The Lord had promised, long before, that he would send an eternal king to inherit the throne of David (2 Samuel 7:12-14). The Lord wasn’t going to let the Northern Kingdom hinder that promise by usurping the throne of David and installing the son of Tabeel (see entry for yesterday, Thursday, 2 Advent, odd year).

God keeps his promises. The Northern Kingdom was desolated by the Assyrians. The capital of the Northern Kingdom was captured by Shalmaneser in 721 B.C. The Northern Kingdom's attack on Jerusalem was in 734-733 B.C.; the fall of the Northern Kingdom was about 12 years after the prophecy, within the time indicated by the age of moral discrimination implied by Isaiah 7:16. The ten northern tribes of Israel were scattered throughout the world and ceased to exist. The Southern Kingdom of Judah subsequently was captured by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Judeans were exiled to Babylon for seventy years from 587 to 517 B.C. Jesus is Immanuel (Emmanuel; Matthew 1:21-23).

Jesus is God’s only provision for our salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home). Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise which God has been revealing through the scriptures throughout the history of Israel. Jesus warns his disciples that they will have tribulation in this world as Jesus had tribulation, but as they persevere they will also share in his glory and his kingdom.

Jesus knew that he was going to be crucified. He knew that was his destiny. He chose to fulfill that destiny. We also have a destiny; God chose us to be his children, sanctified by his Holy Spirit and set apart for his service. We can choose to accept that destiny by trusting and obeying Jesus, or we can rebel and reject that destiny. The Northern Kingdom is a picture of those who rebelled and rejected their eternal destiny. Judas Iscariot is another example of one who rejected his eternal destiny and inheritance.

God has had a plan to save us through sanctification by the indwelling Holy Spirit and faith (obedient trust) in Christ from the beginning (2 Thessalonians 2:13; Compare John 1:1-5, 14; Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:9). Like Ahaz, all we have to do is trust and obey Jesus, and we will have eternal comfort and life with the Lord. The Lord is faithful and able to strengthen and guard us. We just need to hold on to God’s Word and apply it.

Saturday 2 Advent - Odd
First posted 12/10/04;
Podcast: Saturday 2 Advent - Odd

Isaiah 8:1-15 - "The spoil speeds, the prey hastens;"
2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 - Exhortation to diligence;
Luke 22:31-38 - Peter’s denial foretold;

Isaiah Paraphrase:

The Lord told Isaiah to inscribe on a wooden tablet, “Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz” (the word means “The spoil speeds, the prey hastens”). Isaiah did as the Lord had commanded, before Uriah (Urijah) the priest, and Zechariah (Ahaz’s father-in-law) as witnesses. Then Isaiah’s wife (a prophetess) conceived and bore a son, and the Lord told Isaiah to name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

The Lord said that before the child was old enough to say his first words, Damascus and Samaria would be plundered by the Assyrians. The Lord declared that, because the Israelites had refused the waters of Shiloah (an aqueduct flowing from the spring, Gihon; principle source of water for Jerusalem), and were frightened by the prospect of attack by Resin, king of Syria, that Assyria would be like a mighty river (Euphrates) in flood, rising above its banks and sweeping on into Judah, flooding the entire land of Immanuel.

People will be dismayed. People will plot, but their plans will not be successful, because the Lord is with his people. The Lord warned Isaiah not to do as the Judeans were doing, fearing conspiracy against them and being in dread of their enemies. Instead Isaiah should fear the Lord and trust in him.

The Lord “will be a sanctuary and a stone of offense, and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble thereon and shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken” (Isaiah 8:14-15).

2 Thessalonians Paraphrase:

Paul warned believers not to suppose that Christ’s imminent return made it unnecessary for them to work. Paul had set the example by earning his living while he ministered to them, rather than expecting them to support him, although he would have had that right. Paul declared that those who were unwilling to work should not eat. Paul said that all should earn their own living, and not be a nuisance to others. We should not tire of helping one another.

Paul instructed believers to shun those who didn’t live according to sound teaching, so that they might be ashamed, but that we should not regard them as enemies, but rather that we should warn them as a brother. Paul prayed that the Lord would be with them and give them his peace, and signed the letter in his own handwriting.

Luke Paraphrase:

Jesus told Simon (Peter) that Satan had demanded to tempt all of the disciples, but Jesus had prayed for Simon in particular, that his faith wouldn’t fail, and that when Simon turned again (from wavering) he should strengthen his brethren (in faith; fellow discipes). Simon replied that he was ready to go to prison and death with his Lord, but Jesus told (Simon) Peter that he would deny knowing Jesus three times that very day, before the cock crowed (before dawn; before the changing of the night watch).

Then Jesus reminded his disciples that previously he had sent them out in ministry with instructions to take no purse or bag or sandals, and they had not lacked anything, but from now on they were to equip themselves to survive in a hostile world. Jesus warned them that scripture foretold that Jesus (and therefore his followers) would be regarded as law-breakers, and that the scripture would be fulfilled. His disciples showed Jesus that they had two swords, and Jesus replied that it was enough.

Commentary:

The Lord indicated to Isaiah that the fall of Samaria, the Capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel would be a matter of only a few years (Samaria fell to Shalmaneser in 721 B.C.; see entry for yesterday, 2 Advent, odd year). Because the Judeans had refused the waters of Shiloah (symbolic of the Lord’s providence) they were swept away by the Euphrates (symbolic of Assyria).

Ahaz made an alliance with Assyria to oppose the attack by the Northern Kingdom in alliance with Syria (2Kings 16:7). As a result, Judah came under the domination of Assyria. Isaiah was warned to trust the Lord alone, and not to do as the Judeans were, letting fear of their enemies drive them to make worldly alliances. The Lord is to be our sanctuary, but the Lord is an obstacle and trap which will destroy those who do not take refuge in him.

Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonians to earn their own livings was directed to a specific situation at that time, but it has relevance to the Church in our time in a different way. In Paul’s day some Christians had quit their jobs to loaf while awaiting what they supposed would be the imminent return of Jesus. They were creating a burden and nuisance to others.

Today this text might be better applied to those in the Church who come to be spiritually fed, but who don’t pull their share of the ministry burden; they consume without producing. [I must comment that I think it would be twisting the scriptures to use this text to blame unemployment on the unemployed, or to suggest that charity is unscriptural in an economy where full employment is not achievable.]

The Church also needs to be careful not to make alliances with worldly institutions and standards. The Church needs to hold on to the scriptures, to sound teaching, rather than conforming to and adopting secular values.

One trend in the Church today is to be “consumer oriented;” to structure their programs to appeal to “spiritual consumers.” The end result is “fair-weather ‘Christians,’” instead of “disciples.”

Another is to accept for membership and even ordination people who are practicing lifestyles which are contrary to scriptural standards. Paul taught that we were not to associate with those who are not living in accordance with scripture, and were to rebuke them and warn them not as our enemies, but as our brothers or sisters, in loving concern for their spiritual wellbeing.

Jesus warned his disciples that they would not be “popular” in the world. He wanted them to be prepared to follow Jesus’ teaching and carry out their ministries in the face of opposition. Peter was full of enthusiasm for Jesus until he was out there in the world on his own and running into some serious opposition. He had confessed Jesus as Christ and then, facing hostility and opposition from the world, he gave in to temptation to conform to the society around him and denied Jesus three times .

When he realized what he had done, Peter wept (Luke 22:54-62) in repentance. Jesus had known it would happen, and he had reassured Peter of his forgiveness beforehand, and after the resurrection Jesus made a special point of reassuring Peter and restoring him to useful ministry (Mark 16:7; John 21:15-17).

Jesus is the rock on which to stand to give us protection and advantage over our enemies, and the solid foundation for our lives. Peter is the name meaning “rock” which Jesus gave him when Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ (Messiah) of God (Matthew 16:16-18), the basic confession ("rock") of faith on which the Church is founded.

Jesus is our sanctuary and refuge for those who believe. Those who deny him and do not repent, who reject Jesus and do not obey him, will stumble and be crushed by him.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Week of 2 Advent - Odd - 12/07 - 13/2014

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