DBRP_Sept08_2014 1Chron27-28 Pro22a Mat2

Yesterday we heard of the assignments of Levites as musicians, judges, and temple gate keepers.

 

Today's highlighted proverb:

14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap;

those who make the LORD angry will fall into it.

 

I did not take time in yesterday’s podcast to say that the genealogy in Matthew is that of Mary, rather than Joseph’s genealogy. (Luke prefaces that genealogy with the words “as was supposed.”) One interesting detail is that Luke’s record includes King Joconiah, of whom Jeremiah said in chapter 22, “This is what the Lord days: ‘Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah.’” If this cursed king, Jeconiah, was included in the genealogy of Jesus, then Jesus could not be the Messiah King of Israel. But in Matthew we find the genealogy traced instead through Nathan, and there was no curse on Nathan’s line.

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DBRP_Sept07_2014 1Chron25-26 Pro21b Mat1

There was a rather important shift in Israel’s religious life that happened with David and his plans for temple worship rather than the older pattern of worship at the Tabernacle: It was that the priests and Levites were re-organized into groups appropriate to the new state of affairs, and not based on the original family lines. This reordering was still in effect in the beginning of the New Testament, where we read that Zechariah was a member of the priestly division of Abijah. So we have precedent for not always ‘doing it’ the way it was done in the past.

 

Today's highlighted proverb:

30 No human wisdom or understanding or plan

can stand against the LORD.

 

Matthew’s Gospel was written possibly as early as 50 AD, and some material was based on Mark’s Gospel. Matthew was probably written by Levi Matthew, the tax collector and the disciple of Jesus. He does not identify himself (similarly to John in John’s Gospel), but if he did, he would have started to do so in chapter 9. 

 

It is clear that Matthew was written for the Jewish audience, and indeed, at the time it was written, the Gospel had not yet gone far among the non-Jews. Again and again Matthew points to fulfillments of Scripture. And at times, especially near the end, he does not bother to use the words “This fullfilled …” but just includes a couple of words that would have been obvious allusions to Scripture for his audience.  An odd feature is that sometimes ‘one’ thing or person in other Gospels switches to ‘two’ in Matthew. My own original opinion on that feature is this: Every assertion according to the Law needed to be maintained by at least two witnesses. At the times 1 becomes 2, I think Matthew is specifically telling us that he was an eyewitness. 

 

I purposefully saved the Gospel of Matthew for the last of the Gospels that we would read this year. One little thing I didn’t plan to happen was that there would be a double dose of lists of names at the same time as reading 1 Chronicles 25-26! It seems that Matthew traces the genealogy through Mary. There is really cool stuff to dig in and find there.

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DBRP_Sept06_2014 1Chron23-24 Pro21a Titus3

Yesterday we heard the kind of odd story about how “Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census.” But in 2Samuel 24:1 we read that “Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’” So who was it— Satan or the Lord? And if the problem was caused by someone else, why was David and all Israel punished?!  

  

I think, in a place like this, we have to go back to what we learned in Job. God brought up a topic to Satan, Satan responds predictably, and God gives him permission to tempt and sets the boundaries. In other words, both God and Satan are involved. God does not tempt people to do evil, and God is in ultimate control. Satan is like a dog on a leash. And about that punishment: God arranges events in such a way that man (in this case David) is still in control and responsible for his choices.

 

A favorite proverb for today:

13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor

will be ignored in their own time of need.

 

We continue today with more true teaching for our spiritual health. And a link to today’s reading is found in 2:14:

He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

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DBRP_Sept05_2014 1Chron21-22 Pro20b Titus2

Yesterday we heard the part where the writer of Chronicles skated over the part where David had his affair with Bathsheba. But we hear of the military victories and especially the misunderstanding that became the reason for the war with the Ammonites.

 

A highlighted verse:

24 The LORD directs our steps,

so why try to understand everything along the way?

 

A theme of this book is literally ‘healthy faith’ and ‘healthy teaching.’ These figures boil down to believing in true teachings. 

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DBRP_Sept04_2014 1Chron19-20 Pro20a Titus1

Yesterday we heard about one of David’s greatest hours, and I think David would rank this as better than the killing of Goliath. It was the time when he wanted to build a house for God, and instead God promised to build his house— making for him an everlasting dynasty. Then we heard of more military victories.

 

Today’s highlighted verse:

3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;

only fools insist on quarreling.

 

I read that Titus was written by Paul in about the year 66, and that evidence from chapter 3:12 reveals that Paul may have written this in Nicopolis in Epirus, where he spent the winter. The letter has much  in common with 1 Timothy which was written around the same time. Paul had given Titus a difficult pastoral assignment, and this letter includes advice that has been so helpful to many pastors.  And personally and to my own shame, I always remember this epistle as the location of my worst argument with one of my translation consultants. Recently in Proverbs 18 we read a proverb that applies to that situation, it is this:

19 An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city.

Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.

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DBRP_Sept03_2014 1Chron17-18 Pro19b 1Thes5

Yesterday we heard of the careful moving of the Ark, this time successfully. We heard exactly which men played what instruments.  Then there is a beautiful psalm of praise, taken from Psalms 105 and 96 and some other isolated verses.

 

Today's highlighted proverb:

17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD—

and he will repay you!

 

I introduce today's chapter with verses 13-18 of chapter 4.

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DBRP_Sept02_2014 1Chron15-16 Pro19a 1Thes4

Yesterday we heard about the first attempt to move the Ark, more about David’s family, and his defeat of the Philistines.

 

Our highlighted verse for today:

14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,

but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.

 

Paul and his companions prayed, and God answered. 

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