Category Archives: Bible

Romans 3-4

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Paul explains the hope we have through Christ. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  Furthermore, “we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”

David refers to this as a blessing, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”  We have been blessed to know God, to have hope of salvation and forgiveness of sins.  Let us also “walk in the footsteps of the faith” of Abraham, that we may be part of the promise made to Abraham, available to those who share his faith.

2 Samuel 12, Jeremiah 16, Matthew 27

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In 2 Sam 12, we gain some insight into the way God forgives sins. David’s actions should have resulted in death under the law, but instead “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless…the child who is born to you shall die.”  The consequences of David’s sins affected him for the rest of his life, just as we have to live with the consequences of our actions. But David was forgiven by God, his sin was “put away”.

We read of this forgiveness on a national level in Jer 16. God says “I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers”.  Even though their fathers had forsaken God, served other gods and not kept God’s law, God kept His promises, didn’t completely destroy them, gave them hope of a time they would return to their land.

In Matt 27 we read of the extent that God went to, in offering up His only beloved son, so that we could be saved. Let’s follow the example of Jesus, dedicating our lives to serving and worshipping our God.

Jeremiah 14

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Jeremiah is told to prophecy to Israel about their coming destruction, to reveal God’s true message for the people in contrast to the lies of the false prophets.  Yet interspersed throughout God’s message of condemnation for the people, is Jeremiah’s prayers for God acknowledging their sins, pleading for forgiveness.  “We have sinned against you…yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us“.  Even though God tells Jeremiah not to pray for the people,  he again seeks forgiveness on behalf of the Israelites, “we acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord… remember and do not break your covenant with us.”

Jeremiah’s persistence in prayer, even for those who had “dealt treacherously” with him, is an inspiration for us all.  Let us, like Jeremiah, set our hope on God, and be persistent in prayer even for those who are our enemies.

Matthew 24,

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In Matthew 24 Jesus gives his disciples information and parables about the end of the age, both AD70 and his return. He emphasises the difficulty of these time periods, the uncertainty and difficult decisions. But he also gives hope. “The one who endures to the end will be saved“.

We don’t know when that end will be, only that it is certain.  There will be a time when “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations“, when people will “see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”  It is up to us to endure, to strengthen and encourage each other, serve our God, looking forward to that future time when we will be saved from sin and death.

Jeremiah 12, Matthew 23

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Jeremiah writes “You, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you”. He realised God’s righteousness, and despite the appearance of the wicked prospering, that God knew what was in people’s hearts and the wicked would ultimately be punished. But God also demonstrated His compassion, by telling Jeremiah that the nations surrounding Israel would be given a chance to “diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name”. If they listened, then they would be integrated with the Israelites, but if not then they would be destroyed.

Jesus talks on a similar theme in Matthew 23. The scribes and pharisees are condemned for being hypocrites, for having an outward appearance of righteousness, but not practising what they preach.  They ignored the “weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness”.

We can learn from the words of Jeremiah and Jesus. Our faith must affect our hearts, be seen in our actions, humbling ourselves to serve each other.

2 Samuel 2, Jeremiah 8, Matthew 19

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In 2 Samuel 2, we read how David continues to rely on God for guidance in his decision making, and also the continued rivalry between the house of Saul and the house of David that resulted in there being two kings in Israel for a number of years.

Jeremiah outlines the treachery of Judah, their rejection of God’s word from the priests to the prophets to the general inhabitants. He grieves for their unfaithfulness, for the way the Israelites provoke God to anger with their idolatry.

Jesus teaches how being preoccupied by what the world has to offer can affect our eternal salvation. The rich man would happily keep the commandments under the law, but failed to understand the principal that God must come first. He relied too much on his own wealth, and was challenged by Jesus’ advice to sell everything and give to the poor. Life in the kingdom is worth any sacrifices we might have to make now. “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.”

2 Samuel 1, Matthew 18

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David’s response to Saul’s death in 2 Samuel 1 highlights the principal of loving his neighbour, even to the extent of mourning and avenging Saul’s death. He recognised that Saul was God’s anointed, even though Saul chose to disobey God.

In Matthew 18 also we find advice about the way we interact with others. Jesus highlights the importance of the meek, teachable spirit of children, the necessity to remove temptation, and to care for that which is lost, whether it is a sheep or our brother.  If we’re aware of someone’s sin, then it is our responsibility to assist them rather than publicly reprimanding them.  Jesus also shows the importance of forgiving one another an unlimited amount, just as God continually forgives us.

 

Jeremiah 6, Matthew 17

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In Jeremiah, God encourages the people to follow the ancient paths, and find rest. But they reject this advice, along with the warning of the watchmen. While we might not overtly reject the advice of God, we can ignore some of the more challenging aspects of choosing God ahead of ourselves.

In Matthew 17, Jesus’ disciples fail to heal an epileptic boy, and are rebuked by Jesus for their lack of faith, exhorted to have faith like a gain of mustard seed. The disciples struggle with the concept of Jesus dying and being raised to life again.  Also, the divine approval of Jesus is reinforced, with a voice from heaven a second time during the transfiguration saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him”.

Let’s follow that advice, listen to the advice of Jesus for developing Godly characteristics, and learn from the repercussions of the faithlessness that Israel displayed in the times of Jeremiah.

 

Jeremiah 5, Matthew 16

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In Jeremiah 5, Israel are condemned for their unfaithfulness. They refused to repent, no-one could be found who “does justice and seeks truth”.  They had been “utterly treacherous” to God, believing that there would be no repercussions. Through Jeremiah, God warns the Israelites that He would bring a nation from afar to destroy them and take them captive.  Yet God still promises “I will not make a full end of you.”  He offers them hope, another chance to repent, a recurring theme throughout Jeremiah.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus berates the Pharisees and Sadducees for being unfaithful, warning his disciples to be wary of their teaching.  By contrast, Jesus’ teaching offered hope and a sure foundation, along with a difficult life, “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me… the son of man… will repay each person according to what he has done.”

1 Samuel 26-27, Matthew 14

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David demonstrates great courage, sneaking into the camp of Saul by night, and taking Saul’s spear and water. Yet he refuses to listen to the advice of Abishai and kill Saul, leaving the judgement of Saul to God.  David shows mercy in letting Saul live, and in trying to help Saul realise the error of his ways, even though he continues to fear for his life.

We also read of Jesus’ compassion, teaching and feeding the multitudes, healing them, before going up a mountain to pray.  Yet even while praying, he doesn’t neglect his disciples, noticing their distress and walking on the water to their boat to help them.  When they reach the shore, Jesus is again presented with numerous sick people to heal. We get the impression that Jesus is constantly kept busy with the needs of others, even at the expense of time alone with his father.

Contrast between  this period in David’s life, when he trusted in his strength for survival, and the time Jesus spends with God to help him through his ministry. Shows the importance of relying on God, of prayer, and of serving the needs of others.