Exodus 16; Luke 19
Daily Catechism
QUESTION 41: WHAT BENEFITS DO BELIEVERS RECEIVE FROM CHRIST AT DEATH?
Answer: At death the souls of believers are made perfect in holiness, and immediately pass into glory. Their bodies rest in their graves till the resurrection.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:23; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Luke 23:43; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; Isaiah 57:2; Job 19:26.
Exodus 16
Ready:
The previous chapter depicted Israel celebrating the victory of God over Egypt and they worshiped openly with praise of God. Their confidence and praise quickly changed to grumbling due to some hardship and God teaches them to trust him always and to act upon the words he speaks to them with obedience.
Seeing what’s there:
I see Israel grumble again early in this chapter because they seem to not have enough food and they are again on Moses with accusation that it is his fault and they were happier in Egypt with plenty of meat and bread to eat. God decides to give them meat and bread and the bread will continue to come each day (except on one day he refers to as the Sabbath). So again as before God responds to grumbling with a test that is also a provision. He wants to see them follow his instructions for the manna and honoring the Sabbath.
Key Verses:
Exodus 16:2-3, 4-5, 9-10, 12, 13-14, 15, 19-20, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28, 29-30, 35
Theme:
God provides for Israel not by natural means but a supernatural provision that they cannot understand or explain except to rely wholly upon him and to follow his instructions.
Thinking about the message:
v1-3. It sounds like they traveled for about 45 days and the people of Israel grumbled again against Moses wishing their had been left in Egypt where they had plenty of provision. This grumbling, like the last is questioning the provision and goodness of God and his plan to care for this people. This is the pattern that will plague the people for generations to come. I also note that Moses records that it was the whole congregation of the people, not just a vocal minority.
v4-8. Here God speaks to Moses and Aaron and explains what he will do in response to their grumbling and it involves provision but there is also a test. He gave a test with the water being turned sweet as well so there seems to be a pattern developing in God’s dealing with the people in their grumbling. This test is explained to be two-fold: Will they obey by gathering only enough for their need and avoid left-overs and will they refrain from working on the Sabbath (which is only just now something that existed and this is not made perfectly clear until later in this chapter). Until now they have known hard labor no doubt 7 days a week but God here is going to provide miraculous provision and also give them a command to rest from their work one day a week. Moses tells them that this miracle will be like a sign and it will serve to make them know (again) that is is the Lord (Yahweh) who brought them out of Egypt in the keeping of his covenant to bless them and multiply them and to deliver them to a fruitful land.
v9-12. Here there is a great appearance of the glory of God in a cloud before the whole congregation and Moses announces that they will eat meat that night and in the morning there will be a miraculous provision of bread. Here it is quite evident that there is a reliance upon God in this bread and it is not so much something special about the bread as it is special that God will provide it for them. Satan will tempt Jesus in the desert asking him to make bread like was done here, but this bread comes as God’s provision and now a self-made provision as Satan tempted Jesus to feed himself instead on relying upon the Father’s timing and direction.
v13-21. Here it happens just as they were told and they don’t recognize the bread and it is therefore named Manna (what is it?). Unfortunately they did not listen to Moses and they gathered too much and the left-overs rotted and stunk in the morning. The bread that remained in the field after their gathering would melt away each day. So they fail test number 1.
v22-26. Here they fail test number 2 by going out to gather bread on the Sabbath only to find that there is none. Yesterday’s bread does not go bad and God provides for them to remain home and he commands them to remain home and to rest as a holy Sabbath to the Lord. So this resting is something holy and it is “to the Lord”, not just an optional pattern or getting some rest if they need it. There is a tie to God’s holiness and a tie to God’s resting after he created the world and everything in it. There is a tie to our rest in heaven and it has to do with enjoying the bountiful provision of God and celebrating him by simply worshiping and receiving from him. This is for us today as well and ought to be a practice, not by statute perhaps in the NT era but surely by principle in the Bible and by example from the early church recognizing the Lord’s Day as Sunday. In Hebrews 4:1-13, written to Jews, salvation itself is referred to as a Sabbath rest. Col 2:16-17 seems to make evident that Christ is the substance and the Sabbath is lumped in with ceremonial things that he fulfilled so there is a basis for the Sabbath not being applicable as law for the NT believer.
v27-30. Here is a rebuke regarding honoring the Sabbath that they seem to take and them honor, especially since they learn that there is no Manna to gather anyhow. Note that God does not tempt them with Manna at a time when they are told never to gather it anyhow (James 1:13).
v31-36. Israel is told to remember throughout their generations this provision by God and here Moses summarizes that for the next 40 years in the desert they will be sustained by this Manna from Heaven.
Meaning, Implications, and Significance
I take the message here that God provides for his people and he makes it clear to them that it is he who does it and it is another reminder to be passed across generations about what the Lord has done. He also teaches that provision is not to be in excess of need. The implication is that God provides and his provision should be recognized and celebrated. The significance for my life is that I should reflect upon how God provides for me and I should consider if I am honoring him in how I receive it and how I take only what is needed.
Valuing the message:
This message is valuable because a huge part of my life is spent gathering. I go to work and I gather up the resources to take care of my family and this message helps me to recognize that God is the provider and that I have a responsibility to not abuse his provision by gathering more than I need. This is easy to do sometimes and can result in materialism and a worldly focus that does not honor God.
Reflecting on the message:
I should reflect on how much I am gathering and how hard I work simply to add more luxury or flare to our life instead of simply meeting our needs and then pouring myself into my family and the kingdom purposes of God.
Questions to ask:
- Am I gathering more than I need?
- Does my extra income and stuff and things begin to stink of excess and of greed and of gluttony?
- Do I trust that God is really my provider or do I consider that I handle that apart from him?
- How can I better honor God with my gathering and how can I avoid the stink of leftovers?
Responding to God & Reacting to His Lesson:
Tell God about your observations and your thoughts and your struggles with the chapter and determine how it will change or impact your thinking and your decisions. Be sure to react in some way to the truth rather than remain silent.
Proclaiming the Truth to Others:
Decide who you can share what you have learned with and ask for God’s help in reaching out to love others.
Luke 19
Ready:
In the previous chapter I saw that it is the one who recognizes their need and cries out for mercy who receives it and who follows Jesus to the glory of God. This is to say that trying to behave like Jesus is not the answer…falling to my face before him is.
Seeing what’s there:
Luke here documents Jesus’ interactions with Zacchaeus and the telling of the parable of the Minas. He gives the account of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the first couple of days events without much description to mark the days. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem’s rejection of him and he cleanses the temple in the close of Luke’s chapter.
Key Verses:
Luke 19:3-4, 5-6, 9-10, 11, 16-17, 23-24, 26, 37-38, 39-40, 41-42, 45-46, 47
Theme:
The main theme I see is Jesus correcting a misinterpretation of the coming of the kingdom and a lament for the failure of Israel, though this is the means of salvation to the world.
Thinking about the message:
v1-10. Here Jesus calls out Zaccheaus who has worked hard to get a glimpse of Jesus. It appears that this man has already repented and is receiving of the message of the coming kingdom and Jesus tells him that salvation has come to his home referencing his identity as a son of Abraham. Knowing the teaching elsewhere in the NT it is clear that this is no reference to his Judaism but a reference to his faith (Gal 3:26, 29; Rom 9:7-8). It seems that Jesus is counting his faith as righteousness as was Abraham’s (Rom 4:3, 5, 12).
v11-27. There is an element of eschatology (movement toward a future event) in this parable that is called out right at the beginning. Luke tells us that Jesus tells this parable to deal with a misunderstanding of the timing of events to come. He is looking to correct their understanding of the coming kingdom. They have a wrong view of the nature (political and earthly) as well as the timing (immediate). There is an already- not yet reality to the kingdom (Mark 1:15) that can create this misunderstanding if their is not a realization that the kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Here now Jesus makes it clear that he is going off to bring back the consummation of the kingdom when he returns no longer to deal with sin (dying in our place) but to reward those eagerly waiting for him (Heb 9:28) and to judge mankind (Matt 25:31-32; 2 Tim 4:1; 2 Pet 3:8-13). The question is what do we do with the truth and the knowledge of God that he has given us? Do we respond in obedience of faith to the glory of God or do we sit on the revelation of God and do nothing with it? Maybe he speaks of gifting and how I use the gifts I am given but the “wicked servant” comment and the taking away of what he has and the comparison with the similar ending to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 makes me think that this is a salvation issue and would therefore necessarily have to do with what we do with the truth of God’s revelation of himself (Rom 1:18-21; John 3:36).
v28-40. Like the other gospels the triumphal entry marks the last week of Jesus’ ministry on earth (save the 40 days following his resurrection). Jesus refuses to correct those who ascribe deity to him when the Pharisees point this out and he announces that the stones themselves would cry out his praise if the people don’t. This is blasphemous indeed if Jesus were not God in the flesh.
v41-44. Here Luke records Jesus’ weeping over Israel because they do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. I compare with Pharaoh in Exodus because Paul makes clear that God is the one who hardened Israel’s hearts so that they would not see or understand (Rom 11:7-10). But of course this was for the purpose of saving those outside of the family and circling back to save the remaining elect of Israel by this amazing plan of God (Rom 11:11-24, 25-32, 33-36).
v45-48. Here Jesus makes it known that the temple is his Father’s house and he will not allow it to be misused and he will exclude from the kingdom those who are self-seeking and do not seek the glory of God (Rom 2:8).
Meaning, Implications, and Significance
The kingdom of God is not of this world. Right now, the kingdom is among us and it is not primarily about politics and social justice (though we are to walk justly and love mercy). The kingdom of God in this age is primarily about man getting right with God by his mercy through the blood of Jesus. When Jesus returns it will be time for vengeance and justice and order…this time will come. The implication for today is that the primary way the kingdom is advanced is on a spiritual level of surrender to Jesus and of becoming a child of the king. There shall be no taking of hills except for hearts…we are to be fishers of men. The significance for my life is that I should not have such a focus on the seen as I should on the unseen and I should place great emphasis on using my time here to spread the knowledge and fear of the Lord (Minas). I should be listening to what God has said and acting upon it with faith to advance his kingdom up until the day he returns.
Valuing the message:
This message is valuable because there are many “seen” distractions and setting my mind on the judgement to come and the Minas I have been given is a good reminder to check myself on how I am spending my resources of all kinds.
Reflecting on the message:
I need to consider if I am burying Minas in the ground or investing them wisely for kingdom purposes.
Questions to ask:
- Am I spending most of my time and resources for earthly gain?
- Am I looking ahead to the return of the nobleman or living like he abandoned me?
- If I see Jesus coming in the sky today will my reaction be like Zacchaeus who waited eagerly and joyfully received him?
Responding to God & Reacting to His Lesson:
Tell God about your observations and your thoughts and your struggles with the chapter and determine how it will change or impact your thinking and your decisions. Be sure to react in some way to the truth rather than remain silent.
Proclaiming the Truth to Others:
Decide who you can share what you have learned with and ask for God’s help in reaching out to love others.
Soli Deo Gloria!
