January 17

Genesis 18; Matthew 17

Genesis 18

Ready:
Lord lead me through your story and let me see the beauty of the King as I search and consider what you are revealing here.  Cause me to hunger for your truth and may you revive my soul with it.  I pickup now after Abraham has circumcised his family, including the foreigners who belonged to the house by purchase.  Isaac has now been explicitly promised to Sarah within the year.

Reading thoughts:
I see Abraham meet with three men and one of them seems to be God.  This is likely a pre-incarnate manifestation of Jesus (theophany) since it does not indicate that it was the angel of the Lord.  Abraham extends a welcome of hospitality and he is allowed to prepare a meal and arrangements for the four of them.  This visit seems to be in follow-up to Abraham’s faithful circumcision that creates the distinct people of God and there is a simple reiteration of the promise to bear a son by Sarah and Sarah laughs here at the prospect since she is barren and quite old and no longer has any evidence of being able to conceive.  God does not seem overly bothered by her laughter but he does point it out and correct her by making sure that they know the truth that there is noting that is too hard for him to accomplish.   He next moves on to what must be the second reason for their coming by revealing to Abraham what was to come of Sodom.  A discussion among the three results in God sharing with Abraham his intention to investigate the spiritual state of Sodom with an implied intention to judge them.  No comes the quite infamous conversation where Abraham makes a case for mercy upon a city based upon some righteous remnant remaining there.  He goes back over and again and there is a reduction in the number of righteous needed for God to pass over the city and relent from its destruction.

Key Verses:

“14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”” (Genesis 18:14, ESV)

“19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”” (Genesis 18:19, ESV)

“32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”” (Genesis 18:32, ESV)

I see the theme here as- God dwells with the newly established people of God by eating with Abraham, sharing secrets with him regarding his dealings with mankind and teaching him that he may have a voice before the king because Abraham will be the commander of the people of God for the sake of righteousness and justice.

Rumination thoughts:
    v1-2.  The Lord appears again here to Abraham but this time there are two angels with him (see Gen 19:1).  This is something different than the previous meeting between God and Abraham.
    v3-5.  Here Abraham offers to make arrangements for them to stay and eat and they give him approval to make preparations.  This is very different and it appears that there will be a meal shared with Abraham.  Abraham also appears to wash their feet in preparation for the meal.
    v6-8.  Here we see what is likely Jesus and a couple of angels having a meal with Abraham standing under an Oak tree.  Very interesting that they take a meal together and that it is standing under a tree.  It could be that Abraham served them and did not eat but either way he was excessively hospitable and treated his guests with the honor due to them.  The meal surely indicates a new degree of communion between God and Abraham that I would imagine is directly related to the circumcision.
    v9-15.  Here there is a reiteration of the promise to bear Isaac by Sarah and there is a clarification that Sarah no longer menstruates and the impossibility of the natural occurrence of bearing a child is clear- so clear that Sarah laughs at the prospect.  God points out that Sarah should not be laughing because there is nothing too hard for the Lord.  Abraham also laughed in chapter 17 when Isaac’s birth was promised but it appears Sarah’s laughter may have been a bit more in disbelief than Abraham’s laughter, which was likely in enjoyment of the impossibility of what God was about to do.  Sarah even lies to God in denying her laughter from fear.  Interesting that there is no dealing with her sin here and that it seems to be barely considered.  Zechariah was made mute due to his disbelief when an angel told him that his wife would give birth to John the Baptist, yet Sarah seems to skate with the exception of a stern acknowledgment of her sin.  Perhaps we see in Sarah a common reaction that God tolerates here to give us come comfort in the instances where we too behave like her?
    v16-21.  Now the story turns and there is a new focus.  The three are going to head to Sodom and it appears that God is investigating the state of corruption there to determine how it shall be judged.  This is quite the insider’s view of the inner working of God as he deals with mankind here!  The Lord makes it plain that the reason he is letting Abraham in on this and perhaps the whole purpose of their visit to him was to let him know that in fathering the nation of Israel and in becoming a blessing to the nations of the world (Rom 11:12) he is to command his children and all his household (foreigners who belong to him are included) to “keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice.  It is further stated that doing this is a condition of the covenant!  So Abraham is essentially advised here that he is expected to command that his family keep the way of the Lord if he will receive the blessings promised by God.  Recalling that the covenant will indeed by kept at the cost of God’s harm and recalling that God told him in chapter 17 that it was already a done deal, we know that Abraham will be successful at this endeavor…at least with the elect remnant (which are the true offspring of promise).
    v22-33.  Abraham here is making himself a mediator and intercessor for the people of earth here and his voice is heard by the Lord.  This is a priestly service that Abraham serves here.  We now see in this chapter a revelation that Abraham is carrying the offices of patriarch of the people of God (king) and commanding messenger of God (prophet) and mediator between God and man (priest).  These are three important offices of Christ that are foreshadowed here.  In this account there is no means to take away sins revealed and Abraham can only plead the merits of the very righteousness of the people of Sodom…which doesn’t exist, unfortunately.  Abraham is one of a very few people who bear the only true righteousness of God and this was by faith that God is true and that he is sending a promised offspring.  Abraham quite bodily intercedes and offers to God a request that he defends with the very character of God.  This is striking that Abraham seems to imply that God would be doing wrong to condemn the righteous for the wickedness of others.  This is not contested by God and it seems established that he would not and will not cause condemnation of judgement due to one person to fall on another (Ezekiel 18:20).  Abraham is most likely worried for Lot and he mediates and agreement that God will spare the entire city on behalf of 10 righteous, if they can be found.  Here is a principle also implied that God, while he will not punish the innocent, will indeed spare the wicked for the sake of the innocent…at least on the earth.  This is already a fulfilling of the promise that all families of the earth will be blessed (Gen 12:3) in Abraham and it is a common grace that brings rain upon the wicked as well as the righteous (Matt 5:45).  In Abraham’s negotiating with God he offers no appeasement for the wrath of God but merely looks for mercy, which we learn later is based upon the finished work of Christ (Rom 3:20-26).  

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
    1.  I hear the message that God has a special relationship with his people that is intimate and where he reveals himself to them.  An implication is that even today God desires to be in communication with me and to share with me a view of his dealings with man.  The significance for me is that I should seek to commune with God and to know him and to seek out a right view of the world.
    2.  I hear the message that God allows human mediators to petition him and he gives attention to our pleas.  The implication is that today God will listen to our prayers and he will grant approval based upon the merit of our request and its alignment with his intentions and the upholding of his attributes.  The significance is that I should make intercession for my family and for others and I should keep in mind that he hears and desires to have this relationship where I intercede on the behalf of others with a compassionate heart.
    3.  I hear the message that a human mediator is flawed and does not make perfect intercession and does not know the mind of God.  The implication is that there is a better mediator who does know the mind of God and this is Jesus.  By extension this can also be said to be the Holy Spirit indwelling the believers (Rom 8:34, Heb 9, Rom 8:26-27).  The significance for me is that I do not rely on an earthly priest or intercessor but I rely of Jesus and on the Holy Spirit himself as I come before the Father with my petitions and even when I don't.

Response:
“Private”

Reaction:
“Private”

Matthew 17

Ready:
I left off with Jesus informing his disciples, and me, that it takes death and forfeit of the world to follow Christ.  I can live unto the world and the things I see or I can live unto Christ and hope in the things unseen.  I am called to lose my life that I may save it and so I head into the next chapter.

Reading thoughts:
Jesus continues to reveal his identity as the divine/human Messiah by showing a glimpse of his glorified form to three apostles and by demonstrating power beyond what the disciples bear in dealing with demons and by demonstrating his power of the fish of the sea and the myriad of circumstances that it would take to put a shekel in the mouth of this fish.  Jesus describes his coming death in humble submission despite the fact that he actually has all authority and that all of creation owes him honor and praise.

Key Verses:

“1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.” (Matthew 17:1–3, ESV)

“5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.” (Matthew 17:5–6, ESV)

“20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”” (Matthew 17:20, ESV)

“27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”” (Matthew 17:27, ESV)

I see the theme as- Jesus’ identity and authority is declared by God himself and this supreme power and authority is displayed to contrast with the humility that Jesus puts upon himself for the good of others.

Rumination thoughts:
    v1-8.  Here Jesus selects his three closest disciples and they ascended a mountain together alone.  The nine others were left to themselves and it could be that like Aaron in the wilderness while Moses went up to meet with God that things got a little out of sorts in the absence of the leader.  Back to the description at hand- Matthew (who was down below at this point) tells us that these three saw Jesus “transfigured” before their eyes and it seems that Jesus gave them a glimpse of a glorified form of himself that clearly highlights his divinity nature.  Then Moses and Elijah show up!  What’s up with Moses and Elijah popping in?  Moses died and Elijah was caught up in the sky.  Moses is the primary prophet of God who delivers the law and Elijah was a mighty prophet who was declared to be a forerunner of the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:4-5).  So it appears that there is a display here of the ways in which God used to communicate to his people and the new way God communicates with his people through his incarnate Word, which is Jesus.  A voice that scares the three disciples comes from Heaven and announces as much to them.  I take the message from God to be 1. his declaration of the divine nature of Jesus, 2. his declaration that he is pleased with the perfectly righteous obedience of the human nature of Jesus and 3. he declares that Jesus is to be heeded henceforth as speaking with the authority of God in a more profound way than the law and the prophets (standing there to bear witness) ever could.  Here is the clearest illustration if the transition from the OT to the NT that I have seen in Matthew.  See Hebrews 1:1-2 for a clear statement regarding what is shown here at the transfiguration.  Also remember Jesus’ description in Matthew 11:12-19 about the law and the prophets concluding with John the Baptist.
    v9-13.  Recognizing the significance and wondering about the meaning of the prophesy by Malachi that Elijah must come Jesus explains that John the Baptist was the one Malachi was speaking of and he came fulfilling this prophecy that one would come in the spirit of Elijah.
    v14-21/21.  Here is a rather sad tale of Jesus and the three coming down the mountain to find that the nine left behind are failing at the task of maintaining their faith.  There are people seeking help with a demon possession and Jesus laments that lack of faith on the part of the nine disciples (including the narrator here).  It seems in his reference to the mustard seed that Jesus is telling them that a lack of complete reliance upon God to do a work with their faith as he raises up a strong tree from the simple planting of a seed.  Man is powerless to grow a seed but only God can do it and similarly only God can exorcise a demon but if these nine disciples were beginning to trust in themselves rather than rely solely on God in faith then this could explain their failure. Some suggest that they may have been distraught over being left behind when Jesus chose the three to go up the mountain and this is somewhat validated because soon after this the disciples end up in a discussion on who will be the greatest in the kingdom.
    v22-23.  Jesus here gives a straightforward statement of his coming death and resurrection but it distresses the disciples who do not yet understand that this is necessary.
    v24-27.  Here there is an irony that the creator is being asked to pay a temple tax and Jesus chooses to comply, although it is not required of him, because he does not want the issue to become a source of stumbling for others who question it.  This illustrates what Paul teaches in Romans 14.  However, the way Jesus goes about removing what would be the stumbling block exhibits for the disciples the very reason that he is not required to pay this temple tax.  This is because he is the very Son of God to whom this temple is devoted and it is all of creation that owes him honor and praise and devotion.  He demonstrates his divinity in the way he orchestrates the delivery of his temple tax payment by a fish carrying a coin.

Meaning, Implications, and Significance
No time!

Response:
“Private”

Reaction:
“Private”