April 18

Leviticus 22; Psalm 28-29; Ecclesiastes 5; 2 Timothy 1

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 75: WHAT IS FORBIDDEN IN THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The sixth commandment forbids the taking of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, including whatever acts tend to this loss.
Scripture: Genesis 4:10, 11; 9:6; Matthew 5:21-26.

Leviticus 22

This chapter seems to be a bit of a summary regarding the offering of sacrifices and it has a focus on the cleanliness of the priest and it revisits the theme of the prologue to the law with a new clarification.  Lev 22:32-33 now includes the thought that the LORD if to be sanctified among his people.  I see this not as his people making him more holy that he was a moment ago, but as his people revealing him as holy.  We are to live in a manner that shows the holiness of God to the world!  He is the one who sanctifies us just as he is the one who brought his people out of Egypt.  Our God can do impossible things and the more impossible the better!

Psalm 28-29

David cries out to be heard and to not be left to himself like the wicked are.  He knows that there are things that will limit his prayer and he wants nothing to do with that.  He desires to connect to God and to be heard.  A theological statement is made in Psalm 28:4-5 that correlates with Romans 2:6-11 and Romans 4:4-6.  David asks the LORD to give to the wicked according to the work of their hands…to give them their due reward.  And the reason he gives is key.  He says “because that do not regard the works of the LORD or the work of his hands”!  So David is preaching to us a substitutionary righteousness and a warning that if we will not trust in God’s work then we will suffer the payment for our own work.  God’s work results in gift to us but our work results in due payment by God and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).

Ecclesiastes 5

Here Solomon warns against being flippant or overly comfortable before the LORD.  He tells us that our words should be few and we should mostly listen, not speak.  We are to bring the Lord our worries and our troubles with confidence that he wants to hear from us (Phil 4:6-7) but we need to remember whom it is we are addressing (Matt 6:9).  Perhaps we should see Jesus more as our king and less like our homeboy?  Error can be made either direction here no doubt. 

2 Timothy 1

     v1. Paul now writes knowing that he will be put to death soon.  Paul in this opening verse of the letter to Timothy adds "according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus."  So what kind of life is this and how is it found "in Christ"?  How is the life in him a promise related to me?  The reality of the resurrection makes all his promises supremely valid.  Yes he is alive and indeed he is interceding for me!  One aspect of this life could be his current office.  Another could be the newness of life I walk in when I am in Christ.  This activates and unites me to all promises as I am now a child of Abraham and an heir of God and co-heir with Christ.
     v2. Paul loves Timothy and is very endearing to him.  It seems that he pours himself out for this man and perhaps Lord you would allow me so to pour myself in discipleship into my son and that he would follow me into ministry or at least into a servant's heart and that even in whatever capacity he could be on fire for your cause O Lord.
     v3. Paul says he serves God with a clear conscience here, like his ancestors did.  He must refer to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob I suppose and by clear conscience I wonder what he means.  That he is walking above reproach or that he has been faithful to give Timothy all he needed or that he has given the message he was called to give, he has fulfilled his ministry to his ability and beyond?  Remembering Timothy seems to have something to do with it…
     v4. The sharing of the faith and a joy in the Lord and the struggles of ministry unite these two and there is a kinship that is sweet.  Paul is filled with joy as he thinks on this young man.
     v5. Paul speaks here of a faith that seems to be handed down through generations in their family.  He talks about faith like it is a thing, like it is a spirit that can indwell one and then another.  It is a sincere faith.  Share in the faith of our father…walk in the footsteps of the faith of our father…
     v6. So God put something into Timothy that sits in wait.  It needs fanning…it needs care and grooming and awakening.  He tells Timothy to tend it.
     v7. He tells him not to be afraid to tend to this gift of teaching and leading.  He bolsters him referring to how God has given him a spirit of power and love and self control, not fear.  So this power and love and self-control are key in ministry.  How? Power could be unction and insight and anointing and being a mouthpiece to reach heart.  Love can be that we do not teach information and we do not download truth but we live truth and we love others and we care for them.  We love the Lord and we love others, not just love information or doctrine.  Self control could be in the maintenance of our qualification for ministry and the witness of our life matching up with our message.  Lord let me maintain and build a love and affection for Jesus and a union with him and an abiding in you that would carry me through this life in the flesh such that I would never return to my former vomit and that I would serve you faithfully for the remainder of my existence here on earth and into eternity.
     v8. Here he ties Christ's suffering to ours.  He warns that we not be ashamed of his suffering nor our own.  He wants us to gladly own suffering by the power of God.  I aught to recognize the tie between these sufferings and rejoice in it.  What is it to be ashamed of suffering…of Christ's or Paul's suffering?  Is it to have no answer for why and so avoid it?  Is it to think that it is not needed?  Is it to think that God is not ordaining it?  Is it to think that is has no purpose?  What is it?
     v9. This verse helps answer because he saved us and called us for his purpose and he did this before the ages began. He has a purpose and he needs to suit us to it.  He picked us for this not because of anything in us (Rom 9:11-16).  So my calling to ministry is not because I am all that or because I am super special or because I work hard to study the Word or because I wake up early or because I have impressed God with my power of mental gymnastics…ha!  No, not at all.  For he chose me before the ages and he looked not upon my ability, but his.  His purpose first- the mission.  Then his grace- the calling and enabling and anointing for service.
     v10.  The covenant of redemption where he wrote my name in the book of life (Rev 13:8) was manifested at the coming of Jesus (Gal 4:4; Eph 1:10) to ratify and fulfill the requirements of the Abrahamic covenant in my place (Deut 30:16; Rom 10:5; Rom 8:3-4).  Life, immortality, and light…see Rom 4:17; Rom 8:11; 2 Cor 4:6.
     v11-14.  These verses are about guarding what God has placed in us and about the Holy Spirit being the key to this.  He has entrusted a message to us and the Holy Spirit will see that it is delivered.
     v15-18.  He then speaks of some who did not guard the deposit but turned away.  But there are others who hold fast and serve the Lord.

Soli Deo Gloria!