Good afternoon friends, Quite frankly, I wasn't really comfortable with this passage when I started this morning.  As I mentioned last time, Song of Solomon tends to be  either  "proper expression of human sexuality"  or  "allegory to Christ and the Church"  As I worked through this today, I think I am beginning to see it is "both ... and".  God is so gracious to give us examples and illustrations of what His design for life really is.  Removes all excuses for not understanding or misapplying. Blessings, Jeff  One of the things this episode highlights is the reality that husband and wife belong to each other.  Here the bride has gone to bed and is reluctant to respond to her lover.  As a single person, she was generally independent.  And that independent streak does not go away overnight.  She seems to justify her decision because it is inconvenient.  She says she is concerned about her feet getting dirty and the both...

Good afternoon friends, Not everything in Numbers is related to numbers.  Spent some time this afternoon pondering this somewhat obtuse passage.  Not sure I have any great insight, but confident that the practices God appoints in His word are to be respected. Blessings, Jeff These verses give the  process for a man or woman to separate themselves to the Lord for some period of time.  Only Samuel and Samson are specifically identified as being Nazirite but this was initiated by their mothers before they were born.  Both of them have a birth narrative similar to John Baptist and Jesus with angelic appearance and direction.   Since the priests were already consecrated and separated, this process applies to non-Levites who choose to make a similar commitment but for a limited time.   Unlike priesthood, women could take this vow. Calvin believed that God was the initiator of this vow.  People didn't' take it upon themselves, but were called b...

As we start the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs, we see another facet of wisdom literature.  Some want to make it entirely allegorical to the love of Christ for the Church.  As Paul says, marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church.  But you can't read this and have any doubts about "one man, one woman, one flesh for life" as God's plan for marriage. Blessings, Jeff The mystery of Solomon's absolute devotion to the Shulammite ("the perfect" or "the peaceful") in Song and his polygamy with foreign wives.  Intro to Song says "God established marriage, including the physical union of a husband and wife (Gen. 2:18-25), and Israelite wisdom literature treasures this aspect of marriage as the appropriate expression of human sexuality (Prov. 5:15-20)."  How can a polygamous king be held up as the great example of appropriate expression of human sexuality? But of course this is the "warts and all" presentation of the heroes of t...

Good morning fellow pilgrims, This one is rather short, but opens the door to the wonder of the incarnation.  (Originally written around Christmas '20) Blessings, Jeff In this season of gift giving, this passage brings us back to the reality of "such a great salvation".  There is no greater gift than this great salvation.   What is it that makes this salvation so great. Ultimately, the person who gives it.  Chapter 1 is an explanation of why Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God is superior to the prophets and the angels.  "Therefore" points us back to the chapter 1.  Unless we understand the person giving the gift, we cannot truly appreciate the gift.  I recommend listening to Sinclair Ferguson message on "Why the God-man?"   Christology really matters.  Remember Phil 3.  We glory in Christ.  We cannot glory in Him if we don't understand His unique qualifications as our Savior.  As you read through ...

Good morning fellow saints, I am sure I have encouraged the use of a Bible dictionary.  Using an electronic Bible with Strong's numbers make it very easy.  I also have the Complete Word Study Bible dictionary.  I am not a Hebrew scholar, but anybody can use a dictionary to understand the nuances of words. Blessings, Jeff Keep = šāmar: A verb meaning to watch, to keep, to preserve, to be careful, to watch over, to watch carefully over, to be on one’s guard. The verb means to watch, to guard, to care for. Adam and Eve were to watch over and care for the Garden of Eden where the Lord had placed them guard over = mišmereṯ: A feminine noun meaning guard, charge, duty. This word comes from the verb šāmar (H8104), The idea of obedience (i.e., keeping the commandments) is often depicted, which leads to a translation of charge (Gen. 26:5; Deut. 11:1; Zech. 3:7) or duty (Num . 3:7; 9:23; 2 Chr. 8:14). So the Levites are to do (verb) the noun form of the verb.  They are t...

Originally from 12/24/20  Well we are at end of Ecclesiastes already.  End of life issues as we call them now were just as real in Solomon's day if not more so.  In the season of hope and peace, may we all be sober-minded about the future. Blessings, Jeff  The vivid portrayal of the decline of physical ability. Don't know if Solomon is speaking from personal experience or just observations of older people he knows.  He reigned 40 years but was fairly young when he came to the throne.   Seems like his message is that long life is not necessarily a blessing.  Longevity is nice if you are healthy enough to enjoy it.  I can't help but think of "workaholics I have known"  which is a rather modern ailment.  Farmers have never really known what a 40 hour work week is.  And that is the world that Solomon lived in.  "Retiring to Florida" was just not an option. What does Solomon's warning mean to us?  The reality of aging and ...

 Numbers 1:44 - Thoughts on the numbers is Numbers Good afternoon friends, Did you have a happy Twosday? Twelve/twenty two/twenty twenty.  Get it?   Welcome to the 4th book of Moses.  Ready to leave Sinai and head to the Promised Land a little over 2 years after leaving Egypt.  They have the 10 commandments.  God wants them to know what lies ahead, so He directs Moses to count the able body men who are able to go to war. Blessings, Jeff The twelve actual sons of Israel are adjusted when considering those able to go to war..  Joseph is replaced by his two sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) and Levi is omitted as they are the priest and tabernacle guardians.  So there are still 12 tribes able to fight and have specific allotments in the Promised Land. The process of translating numbers seems to be a bit of a mystery to me.  You may not know it, but the use of 0 as a place holder didn't start until around 300 BC, long after Moses.  So we see ...

Hello to all ye Merry Gentlemen (and women) Did I mention that I enjoy classical music?  If you have never listened to Handel's Messiah, you really need to do so.  I was listening to Christmas portion on WMNR earlier today as I was writing the devotion.  I have a CD if you want to borrow it. Blessings, Jeff Many are the afflictions of the righteous BUT the LORD delivers him out of them all.  He is with us in our afflictions. On the other hand, Afflictions will slay the wicked. Afflictions come to the righteous and the wicked.  The difference is in the outcome.  The LORD delivers the righteous.  The wicked who hate the righteous are condemned. Surely David was thinking of himself as the righteous and Saul as the wicked in this passage.  God had delivered David out of many trials and he was confident that ultimately he would replace Saul as king.   Yet the greater Son of David is the one who is truly righteous.  His affliction on the ...

Good evening friends, Some thoughts about the futility of the thoughts of those who try to live without God.  One of the reasons the Law was given was to show us our need for a Savior.  One of the reasons we have the Wisdom literature is to show us what happens when we don't learn what the Law is trying to teach us.  We run into people everyday who have convinced themselves that they are perfectly happy without God.  I would just say "They have never read Ecclesiastes." Blessings, Jeff  Thinking about the scale that led Solomon to this conclusion.  If the scale is physical death, then he is absolutely correct that the same event happens to all.  He doesn't seem to care about the circumstances of death or what comes after death but just the simple fact that all people die and have no more share in all that is done under the sun.  But this implies that having a share in the things done under the sun for the longest time is the most important thing....

Dearest saints, Just some thoughts about the relationship between trust and the Sabbath.   Blessings, Jeff Resting from labor takes trust.  Every 7 days was a day to trust the LORD to provide.  During the journey to promised land, this shouldn't have been too difficult as God was supplying manna on a daily basis with twice as much on the sixth day.  God seems to be asking "Will you trust me for one day a week since I supply your food every day?"  Maybe the goal was to develop the habit and then just carry over into the Promised Land.  But then God adds another trust challenge.  Every 7 years for a whole year.  Interesting that He tells them about this before they leave Sinai. The thread of the fourth command reappears with additional implications.   Spent some time thinking about trust.  Does it build a relationship or is it a result of relationship?  Do I trust someone because they have shown themselves to be trustworthy?...

Good morning fellow pilgrims, Well here it is Sunday evening and I realized that I didn't finish posting this yesterday.  This passage got my interest because of the "overly righteous" and "overly wicked" statements. Hope you are encouraged by the process of working through similar passages. Blessings Jeff This is one of those "what does he mean" passages.  Well it is pretty clear what Solomon is saying, but it does not seem to fit in with other scripture very well.  In the Law, God tells Israel to be holy because He is holy.  Doesn't seem that is possible to be "overly righteous" if the standard is God's righteousness.  Likewise, since Adam was judged after one transgression, what is "overly wicked"?  So we need discernment. One commentator draws a parallel with 1Cor 15:32-33 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do n...

Good afternoon saints Now that we have finished the first time through Proverbs, we will be changing the pattern back to 3 days of Moses or Solomon and 1 day of either Psalms or NT. Today, we have another example of "remember things you should never forget".  Paul is telling Timothy to remember to remind the church about things they should never forget.   Blessings Jeff Who are the 'them" that Timothy is to remind?  Go back to previous verses where the subject is "the elect".  Paul endures everything for the sake of the elect that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. What are "these things" that Timothy is to remind them of?  Again, go back to the previous verses.  The foundational truths of the gospel. How does "quarreling about words" differ from discussing the foundational truths?   logomacheō; from a compound of logos and machomai; middle voice of an apparently primary verb; to war, i.e. (figuratively) to quar...

 Ecclesiastes 5:4 - Did you know the God takes no pleasure in fools? Hello again, Hope everyone was safe in the snowstorm last night.  And in digging out today. Sometimes wisdom literature is a little hard to understand.  Then there are days like today when there is not doubt. As you will see, I found this passage to be very convicting. Blessings, Jeff God has no pleasure in fools.  Let not your mouth lead you into sin.   Two stark warnings.   As a Christian, I know that God is omnipresent and omniscient.  He hears every word I say and in fact before a word is on my tongue he knows it altogether (Ps 139:4) Isn't it interesting that I ask God to "hear my prayer" or "listen to my plea" as if that is the only time he pays attention to what I say.  Would I  ask Him to not listen to what I am about to say against a brother?  It would appear that what I "know about God" does not impact how I live and in particular what I say. How wou...

The offerings were to be without physical blemish.  Therefore, the priest also must be without physical blemish.   Sons of Aaron are supposed to be a perpetual priesthood.   What is behind perpetual physical perfection?  Certainly it is spiritual perfection which is fulfilled in Jesus.  We are familiar with the recorded lineage of both Mary and Joseph from Judah via David.  And the promise of a "king on throne of David" forever.  Yet the perpetual priesthood doesn't get recorded.  As the law was given to show Israel their inability to keep it, the Aaronic priesthood also points to inability. Makes me think of covenant with Adam for perpetual perfect personal obedience as condition for life.  Once he fell, all subsequent covenants remind us that we are unable to comply.  Only through Christ can we not "profane God's sanctuaries".  He alone is perpetual perfect obedience. 

 Leviticus 20:7 - Do I really have to honor my parents? Good afternoon Friends, I may be repeating myself but, have I mentioned that repetition is Jewish technique for emphasis.  Jesus of often said "Truly, truly I say to you..."  Why does the Second Person of the Trinity, God made flesh have to repeat himself?  When He who is the way, the truth and the life says something is true, it really is true.  So the repetition of commandments in various settings tells us they are really really important.  Don't miss this!!! Blessings Jeff Another "thread in tapestry".  The fifth commandment reappears with a penalty rather than a promise.  Surrounded by punishment for child sacrifice, use of mediums, and sexual immorality.  All connected by "be holy, for I am the LORD your God" The promise in Exodus 20 was honoring father and mother would result in prolonging of days in the land that the Lord was giving to Israel.  Here the other side of the coin...

Finally caught up for now. Meditation is the part of Luther's Simple Way to Pray that still challenges me.  Sometimes, like today, asking questions and waiting for the Spirit's response is the result.  I like to have answers, but wisdom literature doesn't always give simple answers.  I hope these short devotions encourage you to wait for the Lord. Blessings, Jeff Questions in wisdom literature can be hard to figure out.  Let's interrogate the text. To whom is David addressing these two questions?  Are they merely rhetorical so that he can provide his answers?  Or is he speaking to God and waiting for His answer? Why is David asking these questions?  Surely he has watched all sorts of people walk up Mt Moriah where the tabernacle was located. So this isn't a physical ability question. And everybody knows that it is just the Levites who can actually enter the tabernacle.  So this isn't a ritual practice question. I think we can conclude that he isn'...

Dear Friends, Some times we forget that Moses wrote Genesis.  Obviously, he did not have first hand knowledge of the events of creation.  But God did and revealed them to Moses.  The "story arc" is clear to Moses despite the millenia of history between Genesis and Leviticus.  The plan for ultimate restoration is hazy, but God is at work repairing some of the damage. Blessings, Jeff What is the prohibition on child sacrifice doing in the list of prohibited sexual relations? Be fruitful and multiply - First commandment in Genesis.  God made the world to be inhabited.   Having children is how this  was to happen.  So child sacrifice was a direct violation of this first command to Adam and Eve. Marriage is one man and one woman is the creation order. Seems simple enough.  I can imagine men thinking, Yeah but God didn't say which woman.  I will do the one woman thing if she is my sister, or aunt or …..  So God gives all these exampl...

 Leviticus 17:5 - How did that goat demon sneak into worship? Good morning fellow soldiers, Still working on catching up.  I hope that the frequent Leviticus passages encourage you to keep going in your reading.  God was teaching Israel how to live as a nation.  The principles show us God's zeal for his own worship. Blessings, Jeff Thoughts about "acceptable sacrifice".  Since the sacrificing to goat demons was a common practice by ancient Israel, God has to put an end to it.  Animal sacrifice was not unique to Judaism.  Some cultures also practice human sacrifice.  What made Israel's sacrifices acceptable to God were that they were done in the God's approved location in God's approved way.   Well that's all very nice, but we don't do animal sacrifice any more.  However, the principle remains valid.  Since God was so particular with his own people, all the pagan worship was beyond the pale.  An Israelite sacrificing to a g...

Dear Friends, What a blessed Sabbath day.  Hearing about the angel's song from Luke in the sermon.  Basking in the light of peace with God, the only peace that really matters.  The only source of peace with fellow creatures (horizontal relationships) is peace with God (the vertical relationship). Blessings, Jeff The top issue that Paul wants Timothy to remember is purity of doctrine.  Paul was aware the "different doctrines" (heterodox) that were being pedaled in the churches.  The key is to know what the "same doctrine" (orthodox) in great detail.  The counterfeit is exposed when compared in every detail to the original.  Timothy is to focus on the original, not all the "different doctrines".  When anything new comes along, just compare it what Paul taught.  If it matches exactly then it is the same.  If it doesn't match, it is a "different doctrine".   Instruction - What God expects of me - Purity of doctrine.  I once he...

 Leviticus 15:31 Do I have to? Good afternoon friends, Still trying to catch up.  This is for the yesterday's reading (12/10). Just a short comment on the "Why" of the ceremonial clean laws. Blessings, Jeff  The details of how various bodily functions make someone unclean are a mystery to me.  But God clearly states the why.  Lest they die by defiling the tabernacle that is in their midst.   God is the author of life.   He is the potter, we are the clay.   Israel didn't get to argue about such things or come up with their own own rules.  Everything God appoints in His Word is to be obeyed.  James makes this argument that failing at one point of the law makes one accountable for the whole law.  As Paul says in Romans 5:20-21 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,  so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to e...

Last catch up for today. The same process for ordaining the high priest is used in the cleansing of a leper.  Applying blood of sacrifice to right ear, thumb and big toe.   In addition, oil was applied at the same places.  The purpose was restoration to the public worship of God. Other types of being unclean were dealt with by washing and were limited duration. However, lepers were excluded from the camp and therefore participation in worship at the tabernacle.  What is difference between moral and ceremonial uncleaness?  The leper was not guilty of a particular sin. The diseases described here are not signs of moral failure or punishment for sin.   Although by New Testament times, the perception that physical disability was a result of sin (the man born blind) seems to have crept in.   When moral failure is involved, sacrifice is applied in a certain way.  When disease or disfigurement is involved sacrifice is applied in a differen...

Another catch up comment.  I think I got this one out of order. You probably won't be surprised to find out that I enjoy classical music.  I often say to Glenda, "They don't right music like that anymore." when I hear a particularly magnificent work. Here are two proverbs that Solomon didn't write.  Or if he did they didn't make it into scripture.  Proper prior planning prevents poor performance. Fail to plan, plan to fail.  Working in the nuclear power industry for 35 years made planning an integral part of life.  Millstone has groups of people who do nothing but plan. (refueling outages and day to day maintenance for example).  But I think there is a difference between good planning and boasting about tomorrow. Blessings, Jeff Listening to Bach harpsicord concerto #1 in D minor on WMNR.  Occasionally I wonder how such things came to be written.  Did Bach wake up one morning and say "I think I'll write a piece of music that people will still...

Good afternoon Friends, Another catch up passage.  This was for 12/7. Want to mention another benefit to electronic study helps.  Did you know John Calvin wrote a 22 volume commentary on the Bible.  Most of us would not really care to have 22 volumes sitting on a bookshelf.  But the Resource Guide function in Olive Tree links the passage I am reading to the section of Calvin's commentary.  So when I really have a hard time with a passage, I can see what Calvin thought.  I have shared some of his thoughts today. Blessings Jeff  Just thinking about the camel as unclean.  The proverbial ship of the desert.  Calvin makes distinction that it is not the animal itself that is to be considered unclean but the uses of it (eating touching dead carcass).  So it seems that using a camel for transportation which would require physical contact is not prohibited.  He makes this point in regard to conflict some propose in the Genesis account where ...

Dear Friends, Well I am back in the catch up mode.  This is for the reading from 12/6.  In the Christmas season, we like to think of hope, peace and joy.  Yet we are always reminded that God is holy in his love for the world. Blessings,] Jeff This has to be one of the saddest events in Israel's history. At the very beginning of tabernacle worship, divine retribution apparently during the week of ordination.  Nadab (generous) and Abihu (he is my father) were not alone when they cooked up this idea of "strange/profane/unauthorized  fire".  They were with their father and brothers.  Aaron and his surviving sons are unable to remove the bodies because of the requirement to stay in the tabernacle.   So their Levite cousins are called upon.  They are forbidden from mourning for Nadab and Abihu.  Every time Aaron and his sons and their descendants go into the tabernacle to offer incense, they will remember what happened.  When I say "...

Good evening fellow sojourners, Hope you had a blessed Sabbath.  I am a day behind on devotional, but I think the Spirit was working on my thoughts for the last day. May God give you his peace in the week ahead. Blessings  Jeff  The concept of justice has been the subject of much debate in the last 6 months since the homicide of George Floyd.  Yesterday at Men's D, we read the following from the McArthur study guide on Proverbs. " Justice is the ability to conform to the will and standard of God - a practical righteousness that matches one's positional righteousness"  I took exception to this statement because it sounded like sinless perfection in this life.  But as a I started thinking about this passage from Psalms, I began to question my questioning. The psalmist is establishing a link between injustice (hotly pursuing the poor, devising schemes, greedy for gain) and atheism (denounces the Lord, does not seek him, says "there is no God").  Since the...

Good morning friends, Just a short reflection on Aaron's ordination.  Moses had been instructed on how to ordain Aaron and his sons into the priesthood back in Exodus.  This passage is the completion of the command.  What got my attention was that little phrase that we often think of in other contexts. Blessings Jeff What was Aaron's response to "so you do no die"?  The man who could not or would not restrain the people while Moses was up on Sinai for the first time and made the golden calf. Now he is told that disobedience in what seems to be a rather minor item (staying in the tent of meeting with his sons for a week) is a capital offense. The position of high priest came with great authority but also great responsibility.   When God called Moses to go back to Egypt, Moses tried to convince God that he was not the man for the job.  Now Aaron and his sons are called to a position where disobedience is lethal.  It would make me suggest that somebo...

Good morning beloved, I know, excuses excuses.  I worked yesterday and before I knew it was time for bed.  Read the passages, but didn't have time to write anything.  So in my "waking hours" in the middle of the night, I caught up. I am constantly at the amount of thought that other people have put into things like study bibles notes and commentaries.  Matthew Henry's Commentary is physically impressive.  About 4 inches thick, large pages, small type and thin paper.  He wrote all of it by hand long before typewriters were thought of.  So I am blessed by having much of these things just "a click away". Blessings Jeff I wondered why Israel was prohibited from eating the fat and the blood of an animal.  Here are some of the ESV Study Bible comments: The procedure of this ritual involving a bull is the same as that of the burnt offering, up until the shedding of blood. Only the fatty parts of the animal, instead of all of it, are to be burned up. The ...

Greetings friends, Just a short reflection about "a servant of Christ"  Hope that it encourages you Jeff What a gem Epaphras must have been!  He learns the gospel message from Paul in Rome.  Goes to Colossae and establishes a church made up of people Paul will never see.  Then he goes back to  Rome is imprisoned with Paul and tells him  about the Colossians prompting him to write this letter.  At the end Paul speaks of Epaphras' prayers on behalf of the Colossians.  What is keeping me from being like Epaphras?  

Good afternoon friends, Hope you enjoyed the sunny afternoon on this Dec 1.  May you be encouraged as much by Leviticus as by Proverbs, Psalms and Colossians.  The value of reading through the Bible is to gain perspective. Just reading bits and pieces that you happen to like leaves out the nuances that show up as you become familiar with the whole. Feel free to leave a comment or question.  It is encouraging to me to know that you are keeping up with the plan. Blessings, Jeff The actions that bring guilt and the offering to make atonement are woven together.  This particular action is a thread of the 9th commandment.  Bearing false witness is prohibited, but here if a person has knowledge of a matter, he is required to give accurate testimony when called on to do so.  In other words, saying nothing is not compliance with the 9th.  Do not give false witness, but must give true witness.   Isn't interesting how God weaves the law through these p...

Good evening brothers and sisters, Want to get this posted just in case we loose power in the wind.   Blessings Jeff Trying to understand the Romans 6:14 not under law but under grace transaction and chapter 7 explanation of being bound to Christ and not the law.  Listening to Martyn Lloyd Jones sermons on Romans on Sunday mornings.  Seems like having a good understanding of what it was like to be under the dominion of the law is necessary to allow me to more fully appreciate the blessings of being under the dominion of grace. Under the law of sin, a) the required animal sacrifice depended on the position of the person, not on the actual unintentional sin.  b) unintentionally doing any one of all the things that shouldn't be done.  The law requires obedience to every part.  Can never escape. c) the sacrifice had no righteousness of its own.  It took guilt in a way but did not bestow righteousness on the sinner. Under grace,  a) the one all su...

Good evening friends, Hope you enjoyed today's live stream service.  Where would we be without the incarnation? Finished the gospels today with the last chapter of John.  So we will start Psalms tomorrow. Blessings Jeff Why does God include Proverbs in general and these 3 verses in particular in scripture?  Let's think about these 3 verses first.   Does it take divine inspiration to assess the link between speech and a persons heart?  Could Solomon just observe someone saying outrageous things and then getting into a fight because of what he said.  Or someone mouthing off to some official (soldier, elder at the gate) and receiving a beating for disrespecting authority.   Just because people are fallen doesn't mean that they can't understand the patterns in life.  The Bible doesn't contain everything there is to know. God wants his children to be wise. Just reminds me of a segment in Pilgrim's Progress when Christian runs into Worldly Wis...

Good morning friends, An unusual Saturday morning without Men's D. Here we are in Leviticus.  It has been a long time since our offering was in the shape of an animal.  So we tend to overlook this book.  But the sacrificial system points to Jesus.  So we really do need to learn from ancient writings. Blessings Jeff Offering - qurbān: A masculine noun meaning an offering, a gift. This is the most general term, used eighty times in the Old Testament, for offerings and gifts of all kinds. Burnt offering -‘ōlâ; feminine active participle of 5927; a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke): — ascent, burnt offering (sacrifice), go up to. In English, we have noun(offering) and adjective (burnt).  But Hebrew has a word for offering and another for burnt offering. A visual term.  An offering that goes up in smoke.   The only permissible place to make this sacrifice is the door of the tent of meeting. ...

Good morning fellow travelers, Congratulations!!! You have reached the end of Exodus.  We have been through ups and downs in a relative short period of time with the children of Israel.  Our brother Moses has been up and down the mountain several times. Want to point out the benefit of electronic versions such as Olive Tree.  A Bible with Strong's numbers allows you to look at the Hebrew or Greek word and definitions.  If you have a Bible with Strong's numbers and Strong's Dictionary, you can do the same thing but it takes a while.  I have inserted some of the definitions of interest in today's passage. Blessings Jeff The Glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  kāḇōḏ: A masculine singular noun meaning honor, glory, majesty, wealth. This term is commonly used of God (Ex. 33:18; Ps. 72:19; Isa. 3:8; Ezek. 1:28); humans (Gen. 45:13; Job 19:9; Ps. 8:5[6]; 21:5[6]); and objects (1 Sam. 2:8; Esth. 1:4; Isa. 10:18), particularly of the ark of the covenant (1...

Dear brothers and sisters, Last one for the day, and back on schedule. I hope you are encouraged by reading these posts.  My goal is to help you see the value of the Word in your life.  Each believer needs to have a vibrant relationship with Jesus.  Listening to a 40 minute sermon once a week is helpful, but daily contact with God in the Word is another way we can highly exalt and honor the Lord of glory. Blessings Jeff Pilate goes out because The Jews refuse to come in.  They won't answer a simple question.  And all first thing in the morning. The person with authority of the great Roman Empire seems to be serving the religious leaders of an often conquered people.  How strange is  this?    Of course, even more strange is God incarnate being accused of doing evil by the physical sons of Abraham.  And all to fulfil the promise of Genesis 3:15.  Instruction - what does God expect from me?  Never judge by appearance.  Walk b...

Friends, Almost there.  Another "why is this here" passage.  From 11.25.20 Blessing Jeff A talent was about 75 pounds.  So 2,175 pounds of gold.  The interior of the tabernacle was very ornate. But only Aaron and his sons ever saw this. Not like the cathedrals of Europe. Just thinking about architecture of churches and how they reflect understanding of worship.  Cathedral was to visually impress.  Resulted in preaching becoming less significant.   The tabernacle was the only structure designed by God. The three versions of the temple in Jerusalem (Solomon, rebuild after exile, Herod) were based on tabernacle.  The grandeur was on the outside of these.  The tabernacle was glorious only on the inside and only seen by Aaronic priests.  The LORD is always interested in the internal reality and not the outward appearance. Do I really understand what the Church is?

Friends, As I write, I am smelling the wonderful smells of Thanksgiving lunch cooking in the oven.  This is from 11.24.20.  Prayer as a fragrant offering. Blessings Jeff Segment of Luke 6:35 was theme for Adoration in PrayerMate app. (See the link on Tools for Growth under Resources tab on church website) God is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.  This being Thanksgiving week and topic of sermon this week, ungrateful was the challenging word. As a secular world tries to give thanks to the inanimate universe, they are really ungrateful. God alone can be recipient of thanks. Yet Jesus tells us that God is kind to the ungrateful.  One of the ways He is kind to ungrateful Israel is the furniture of the tabernacle.  The altar of incense existed for one purpose. Smoke from burning incense could be seen outside the tabernacle. A visual reminder if thanksgiving ascending go the Lord.  A reminder of prayer as a pleasing fragrance to the Lord.  God did not lea...

Friends, The theme of "remember what you should not forget" shows up in New Testament, not just the Old.  I have not been diligent in prayer time recently.  I have all sorts of reminders during the day, but somehow the day ends without prayer.  So I am trying to Adore and Confess (AC of the ACTS model) prior to my quiet time/Bible reading.  So this is the result from 11/23. Blessings Jeff Instructive prayer time after creating note but before writing. Centered around "talking over" in conversation and shutting down communication. I hate it when it happens go me. Then I wondered how God feels when I do if go Him.  When I do all the talking, about what I need, think, want but don't listen to Him.  Ended with "speak lord for I am listening".  Then I read " look carefully then... " If this was what I normally do, You would not have to tell me.  Because You tell me to look carefully at how I walk, You see that I am not always doing this. You are t...

Did you ever get tired of having a parent gently remind you of what you need to do?  When God reminds us, it is because he knows we are prone to forgetting.  And none of us can argue that we are forgetful. From 11.22.20 Blessings  Jeff Repetition of Sabbath rule before construction of tabernacle begins.  What work were they working on in the wilderness? Tending livestock and gathering manna seems be about it. Now they have the tabernacle to build.  When manna was first given, the Sabbath rest is stated prior to the 10 commandments being given in chapter 20. Gathering twice as much in sixth day and preparing it for seventh so that they didn't have to build a fire. Preparing food was work. Intentional preparation was required. The routines of other days were not allowed on the Sabbath.  Martyn Lloyd Jones started on Romans 7.  Chapter 6 was on why justification by faith does not mean lawlessness. Chapter 7 is why sanctification is also by faith. The law ...

 Happy Thanksgiving  Well I have a veritable cornucopia of readings for you.  Plan is to be all caught up by the end of the day. This if from 11.21.20 Blessings Jeff First commandment revisited. The LORD makes a second set of tablets and the covenant is renewed.  Idol worship and intermarriage are prohibited.  Just before heading off to the promised land for the first time. As it turns out, they don't have to worry about intermarriage for another 40 years. And it will be their children.   Breaking the first commandment is the prerequisite for breaking any other commandment.  A high view  of who God is makes keeping the other commandments the only appropriate response. And this is exactly where Solomon and all kings of Israel fall down.  Back to "did God really say..." Repetition as an emphasis. But also shows application. When you go into the land I am giving you, it will not be pure and uninhabited.   No other gods is not just...

 Proverbs 9:10  Fear of the Lord is not just an emotion or words Last catch up for today.  Reading for 11.20.20 Short meditation on fear of the Lord.  Why do I fear the Lord?  Blessings Jeff The same book that tells me the value of the fear of the Lord (beginning of wisdom) and the knowledge of the Holy One (insight) also is the only place to learn how to fear and to know the Lord.  When we pray Hallowed  be Your name, we are saying make me fear, reverence, respect, be awe struck in His presence.  All these require knowledge of the one who calls for this response. It is more than words. I can be respectful in speech but still have a heart that doesn't fear. A traitor wears the uniform and took the oath but works for the enemy.  Hebrew can also mean the object that causes this response.

This is reading for 11.19.20 Just a note on how I am selecting readings.  Since the two New Testament readings and Proverbs will be repeated in the second six months, I am doing 2 from OT history then one of the three, 2 more OT, then another one of the three and so on.   Blessings, Jeff How did Moses think the was going to make atonement for the great sin of the people? The sin was great. Moses was going up to God even though he had not been summoned.  He had already interceded for them before he came down the mountain. Some degree of retribution had been made by the Levites executing 3,000.  His proposal is just asking God to forgive them or let Moses be blotted out.  In a way, he is willing to he their substitute.  God doesn't take him up on the offer because he has another perfect substitute in mind.

 Exodus 31:14 Sabbath part 2 Hello again brothers and sisters, Hope you had a blessed time at worship this morning.  Doing a little more catch up this afternoon. After thinking about Jesus and the Sabbath in the last reading from John, I was a bit surprised to find a repetition of Sabbath in Exodus 31. Reading for 11.18.20 Sabbath part 2. The last instruction from God before Moses goes back down the mountain with the two tablets written by the finger if God.  So I understand why Pharisees were so adamant about keeping the Sabbath. God himself makes it a capital offense to profane the Sabbath.  Putting up all sorts of barriers to prevent people from inadvertently profaning the Sabbath was an act of love.  But the reason to keep Sabbath is that it is holy. It is set apart, just like Israel is set apart. It is possible to not do any work out of fear of the penalty and never understand the set apart holy nature of the day.  It is not rule keeping but relationsh...

Last catch up for today This is reading for 11/17. Recently, I have been memorizing the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) and the Westminster Catechism questions and answer for them.  All a result of Luther's "Simply Way to Pray" where he prays the 10 commandments.  If it was good for Luther, it is probably good for me.    Then I hit this passage about Jesus and the Sabbath.  See what you think. Blessings Jeff Why is Jesus so insistent on doing things to upset the Pharisees on the Sabbath?  Jesus has the correct understanding of the purpose and intent of the Sabbath. He is after all the co-author of the fourth commandment.  Just think about men accusing the second person of the Trinity of violating the Sabbath. It is the height of arrogance, not the deepest devotion. It isn't that Jesus has a higher view of the Sabbath. He has the correct view.  Instruction - what does God expect from me?  My understanding and practice of the Sabbath aligns wi...

Catching up continued This is reading from 11/16/20 Have you ever asked yourself "Why is this passage in the Bible?"  To find answer, we must interrogate the text.  While Bible is not a newspaper or magazine, journalists are taught to answer "Who, What, When, Where, Why and How" in what they write.  God has a purpose for every word of scripture.  Yes every word including ordination of Aaron.  Asking these questions with the help of the Holy Spirit is vital to understanding the Word. So I asked the questions and then let the text and the Spirit answer. I invite you to do the same. Blessings Jeff Why was it necessary for this detail of the ordination of Aaron to be recorded in scripture?  What does this add to the footnote to Genesis 3:15?    If there was never a legitimate priesthood, Jesus would not have not needed to come and fulfill it. The "religious gene" in man causes all  cultures to have an intermediary between god(s) and man. But it i...

Good day friends, Doing a little catching up today.  This is reading from 11/13.   One of the great things about doing quiet time devotions electronically is that I can see the comments that I have made in the past.  When I used a notebook to record my thoughts, they were not easily retrievable.  I still have a box of notebooks in the basement that I never look at.  Using Olive Tree for over 6 years lets me see all the comments and sermon notes in that period of time.. This is an example.  The last time a wrote a note on this was 3/29/14.  What I wrote then was: Do I make the gospel acceptable to man and thus dilute it?  Do I thing I know how to better advance the Kingdom?  Better the the King? Last week I wrote: Much has changed since last time I wrote on this verse. At least in physical life. The physical change include our son deciding to go to Vet school, getting married,  moving to Wisconsin and now having twins.  Deaths o...

 Proverbs 1:11-16 - But I don't know any gang members Good evening friends, This is for the passages read on day 73 of M'Cheyne plan.  Actually on day 76.  Sorry I have fallen behind on the blog, but my intent is to write on the passages I have missed instead of just leaving them out.   We are using McArthur study on Solomon - history and Proverbs and Ecclisiastes.  We have seen how he was on a downward spiral for much of his life.  So hitting Proverbs makes me wonder "How did he come to write this"  Let us meditate together. Blessings  Jeff There are a lot of questions about Solomon and his proverbs. How did Solomon come to know characters like these enticing his son?  Given Rehoboam's subsequent character, did he ever listen to what his father said? Or did Rehoboam see the inconsistency in Solomon's words and deeds?  why do we disregard so much that he says, especially about wisdom in general.  Take these six.  verses. I...

Good morning friends, (Written 11/11/20, but explains why posts were shorter) I will be posting shorter comments until the end of the year as I am going to be working 3 days a week at Millstone.  I have become accustomed to spending an hour or so on the blog each day, but may not be able to keep that up on the days I work. Happy Veteran's Day.  Thank you for your service. Blessings  Jeff The Lord spoke the words of the 10 commandments in chapter 20. Gives the "hand written original" carved in stone sometime later.  This time Joshua goes with Moses,  Made me think of the "Did God really say …" in the temptation of Adam and Eve.  Despite the verbal acceptance of the covenant by the people, since their first parents chose to disobey at the first opportunity, their children were bound to do likewise.  With the letters carved in stone, all of Israel could know that God really said that.  If there was ever any question, just go read the tablets. Fast fo...

 Job 41:1-7  What in the world is a Leviathan?  Good morning saints, Almost to the end of Job.  But not to the end of wisdom or of God.   Blessings Jeff The Lord finishes His questioning with "Leviathan".  Exactly what this creature is is unknown.  Sounds like a cross between an alligator and a hippo to me.  As Jonathan spoke last Sunday about the reality of hell being far worse than the fires that symbolize it, so this may also be symbolic.  The most threatening sea creature you can imagine is nothing compared to the reality of the LORD. This is what makes wisdom literature different from historical narrative.  Take words as far as you can and then realize how poorly they describe what you are thinking of.  In mathematics, the concept of infinity comes close to this.  No matter how big a number you can think of, there is always another number that is one more.  Sand on the seashore is not infinite.  Given enough...

Dear fellow disciples, Enjoying the best day weatherwise until next April or so says the weatherman.  I have now caught up with the reading plan as far as the blog is concerned.  Thanks for hanging in there and persevering in daily readings. Blessings, Jeff Not only was it true when the Word came in the flesh, but it continues.  This morning,  I listened to a review of a short biography of Luther (Heroic Boldness of Luther)  Some thins I either didn't know or didn't remember, but the 95 theses were written before his conversion.  An unconverted man could see the problems with the visible Church.   His students took the theses down and gave them to this guy named Guttenberg. The plague ravaged Germany in the 1520s.  Yet the reformation burned bright. And we worry about Covid-19 Erasmus (a humanist and contemporary of Luther) went back to the Greek instead of relying on Latin.  His Greek New Testament was "the bullet in Luther's gun" ...

Dear Brothers and Sisters The legal profession has come to have a rather unsavory character in our time.  However, when the law is given and interpreted by God, we need to pay attention and understand.  So today is a bit technical, but sorting out rules, statutes, commandments, laws is valuable. Blessings Jeff Reformation Study Bible notes: The Lord sets forth the ordinances of His covenant. Civil and penal laws are presented at 21:1-22:15; laws controlling morality at Ex 22:16-27; Ex 23:1-9; laws of worship at Ex 20:22-26; Ex 22:28-30; Ex 23:10-19. Through 22:17 the statutes are in the form of case law ("If . . . then," with appropriate penalties); afterwards laws of the unconditionally imperative type ("you shall not") predominate. The purpose of these social codes was to regulate Israelite life in the Promised Land. Exodus 21:1  Rules. The Hebrew word here means "precedents," or guiding principles determined by case decisions. These laws apply the found...

 Job 38:19 It's all a matter of perspective  Dear Friends, Seems like I have lost track of my posts.  Made some typos and correcting them put them out of order in the reading plan.  And then didn't get some posted for a day or two late. Blessings Jeff God "finally shows up" and starts asking difficult questions.  Just as Elihu had been a silent observer of debate between Job and his friends, God has been watching Elihu's commentary.  But the difference is that Job and his friends could see Elihu watching and listening.  None of them could see God even though He was present.  God makes His presence manifest or physically observable after his creatures have been unable to resolve Job's trials. Isn't this just like God?  He puts man into the creation (which declares His glory) and essentially challenges man to explain it.

Good morning fellow pilgrims,  I have recently started catechizing myself.  All started as a result of my last sermon.  Part of the answer to the question "What are the duties required in the first commandment?" is worshipping and glorifying the only true God by thinking, meditating and remembering.  So I did a little of that this morning. May you grow in grace as you read the passages and my attempts to encourage you. Blessings, Jeff Having just studied Esther in men's D, thought about the "life or death" for anyone seeking to see the king without being summoned and Moses being called to go up on Mt Sinai.  Esther was not summoned and only hope was the king would extend the golden scepter.  Moses was summoned but to a place that no other human was allowed to even approach.  Esther was going to petition the king on behalf of her people., Moses was going to hear from the Lord on behalf of His people.  Both were preceded by 3 days of consecration by...

This was not in original postings although I had written it back on 11/4/20.  So it is out of sequence on this list.  Sorry. Elihu concludes that Job opens his mouth in empty talk and multiplies his words without knowledge.  While it is true that Job does not know the "have you considered my servant Job" story, Elihu does not know it either.  For one creature to condemn another creature for lack of knowledge does seem to be harsh.  This is an "ad hominem" attack.  Elihu dismisses all Job has to say as "empty talk" because he lacks knowledge.  Does Elihu take time to understand Job's perspective? In the same way, I cannot dismiss all that Elihu says because he is off base at this point.  I must hold fast the trustworthy word as taught, not my opinions based on man centered political or social thought.   Instruction - what does God expect of me?  Discuss issues and ideas, not the person who holds a different position.  For exampl...

Good morning friends, The day got away from me yesterday.  Which just emphasizes the point that Today is the acceptable time.  So double up for today. Blessings Jeff Now is the day of salvation. Spurgeon preached a great sermon on this verse. He is said to have put an unregenerate person in a spiritual vise in order show the absolute need for Christ as savior. One side of the vise was “you must be saved right now”.  The other side was “you can’t save yourself”. You have to but you can’t. But God has sent Jesus to save you. God can rescue you by putting a new heart in you so that you can respond in faith.  In fact, the desire to get out of the vise is a sign that God has already quickened you.  After all, a dead man would not feel the pressure.