Scripture Readings:
2 Chronicles 35:1-36:23; 1 Corinthians 1:1-17;
Psalm 27:1-6; Proverbs 20:20-21
2 Chronicles 35:1-36:23
Josiah is not a perfect man. We see that his death occurs because of his stubbornness. He insists on going to battle against King Neco of Egypt. He is mortally wounded and buried in Jerusalem.
There are a series of evil kings after Josiah's death. God's hand of judgment against Israel is near. The clock has been ticking for 490 years of rebellion, for the most part. The inhabitants of Judah are living on borrowed time. The last king of Judah is Zedekiah. Under his reign, the Southern Kingdom is pummelled by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar's army sets fire to God's Temple, breaks down the walls of Jerusalem, burns all of the palaces, and completely destroys everything of value. The people are carried away to Babylon with only the poorest of the poor left to tend the vineyards and fields. God warned the Israelites that if they turned from worshiping Him to following pagan gods, they would be thrown out of the land. Now, God's prophesies are coming to pass.
The Bible gives us another explanation for why the Exile is occurring. In addition to the Israelites ignoring God's prophets and mocking His Word according to chapter 36:2,
This is significant. You may remember that God had regulated in Leviticus 25 that the Israelites were to let the land lie fallow every seventh year. God told them that He would provide enough food in the sixth year to allow the land to rest in the seventh year. The Israelites had been ignoring that commandment for 490 years. While the Israelites are in exile in Babylon and Assyria, the Promised Land finally gets its Sabbath rests. The people are out of the land for seventy years, which accounts for each of the sabbath land rests that the Israelites ignored. When God says something He means it. This picture of rest is an important picture to God. He rested on the seventh day after the Creation. Did He need to rest because He was tired? No. It was a symbolic act. It was a picture of the rest that Jesus would bring to mankind. The land was to rest on the seventh year. We are to rest in Jesus Christ. His completed work on the cross (7 is the number of completion) gives us our rest. Since the Israelites did not obey the picture, God threw them out of the land and gave the land its promised rest."The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate for seventy years, just as the prophet had said."
Notice that the land, as well as the people, has a promise from God. God has decided to tie Himself to the Promised Land. This is important to realize as we study His Story.
The book of 2 Chronicles ends with Cyrus, the king of Persia, deciding to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. That event takes place after the seventy years of exile. God's viewpoint in this book of the Bible is to focus on the land. Once it has had its rest, God moves in the heart of Israel's captor to bring the people back to the Promised Land. We will be reading the book of Ezra, next. In that book, the remnant of Israel goes back to the land.
Are you resting in Christ? Do you realize that God is not finished with the land of Israel? His Story is not complete until all of His promises are fulfilled. Keep reading to find out what happens!
I Corinthians 1:1-17
Today, the Apostle Paul is writing to the believers in Corinth. Corinth was a port city in the Roman Empire. It was wealthy and busy and sinful. We have a saying, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Well, you could have easily said, "What happens in Corinth, stays in Corinth." Corinth was full of wild living and promiscuous religious worship. In the Temple of Aphrodite/Venus, there were a thousand priestesses who were nothing more than prostitutes. Sex was a religion in Corinth. A Corinthian native would have considered themselves well educated and able to philosophize ad naseum. They were evolved, in their own minds.
The church in Corinth was a young church. Because of their culture and immaturity, the church had many conflicts and questions. Paul's letters to Corinth serve to clarify many issues and teach the people the way of Christ Jesus.
In Paul's opening salutation, he emphasizes that he (Paul) was chosen by God to be an apostle. He also points out that each believer in Corinth is called by God to be holy. This group of people would need to learn this truth. They are to be set apart, not only positionally in Christ, but set apart in practice.
Paul acknowledges that they are gifted in eloquence and knowledge. This was part of the culture of Corinth. They sat around debating all manner of topics. Paul reminds them that some of these abilities are spiritual gifts from God. This would have prevented the Corinthians from false pride. It is God who is the giver of gifts. These gifts are designed to be used in partnership with Jesus.
To stop the arguing among these young Christians, Paul appeals for harmony, so that believers will be of one mind, thought, and purpose. Remember in the book of Romans that harmony is a key characteristic of being sanctified in Christ.
People are apparently arguing about which Christian teacher they follow...Paul, Peter, or Apollos. Much of the argument centers around who is the more eloquent teacher. Paul reminds them that he was not crucified and does not baptize believers. His point is that we are all followers of Christ Jesus, not men. Paul mentions that he keeps his talks simple, in order to never lose focus on the cross of Christ. He avoids high sounding ideas and clever speeches, because he only wants to draw people to Jesus, rather than to himself.
Our modern churches would do well to heed Paul's advise. We must be wary of being too "culturally relevant." It can be that our own cleverness clouds the cross of Christ. It can be that we follow men, rather than God.
Is your church marked by harmony? Do you feel that the modern Church in America is busy fussing amongst themselves? It is a sign of immaturity and carnality, if it is.
Psalm 27:1-6
This is a beautiful psalm for anyone who feels surrounded by enemies. Jesus is our Tabernacle and in Him we find protection.
Proverbs 20:20-21
Respecting one's parents is a biblical concept.
What did you notice today? Please share.
Blessings,
Jubilee Gal
Thanks for the insights into Corinth.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure.
ReplyDelete