This week's readings:
Leviticus 1:1-6:7, 8:1-36
Mark 16:1-20
Sunday 30 April 2017
Friday 28 April 2017
Exodus 25:1-40:38 Summary
The Lord commanded Moses to collect offerings from the people to build a Tabernacle for the Lord along with its furnishings. The Lord instructed him to have the people build an ark and to put stone tablets with the terms of the covenant inside. Two molded cherubim were to be placed on either side of the cover, which would be the place of atonement. The Lord would then speak to Moses from above the atonement cover between the cherubim. The Lord then gave specific instructions for a worship table upon which the bread of the presence would remain; an ornate lampstand (25); the Tabernacle itself, which would house the ark in the most holy place, set apart from the rest of the tabernacle by curtains (26); an altar and the necessary instruments for burnt offerings; and a large courtyard area for the Tabernacle. The lampstand would be placed in front of the most holy place and Aaron and his sons would be required to keep the lamps burning for the Lord all night (27). The Lord commanded Moses to call Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar as priests. The Lord gave detailed instructions for special vestments that they were to wear to set them apart from the people, and help them perform their priestly duties (28). The Lord explained a seven-day ordination ceremony, which included washing with water, offerings of bread and wine, animal sacrifice, the sprinkling of blood, and anointing with oil (29). The Lord gave specific instructions for an incense altar upon which incense was to be burned each morning and evening in the Lord’s presence; a head tax to be paid to maintain the Tabernacle; and the creation of holy water, oil, and incense that were to be used only for sacred rituals (30). The Lord appointed Bezalel of Judah and Oholiab of Dan to oversee all this work. The last thing the Lord told Moses before sending him down from Mount Sinai with two stone tablets with the terms of the covenant written on them by the finger of God was that all must observe the Sabbath or face the death penalty (31).
Moses had been away a long time, so the people asked Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship. The Lord was furious, but Moses convinced the Lord not to destroy the people. When Moses made his way down the mountain, he smashed the stone tablets in anger, destroyed the calf, punished the people, and ordered his fellow Levites to kill those who did not stand with him. The Lord sent a plague against the people to show that he was with Moses (32). As Moses prepared to lead the people into the land that God had promised them, he asked the Lord to be with him. The Lord allowed Moses to see his glory to demonstrate his ongoing faithfulness (33). Moses again met with the Lord on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights. He received two more stone tablets with the terms of the covenant written on them. When he returned to the people his face had a radiant glow that had to be hidden from the people (34).
Moses called the people together, reemphasized the importance of the Sabbath, took an offering for the construction of the Tabernacle, and appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to oversee its construction (35). The people gave more than enough for its construction, so Bezalel began his work. Bezalel made the Tabernacle (36), the ark of the covenant, the worship table, the ornate lampstand, the incense altar (37), the altar for burnt offerings and its utensils, and the large courtyard area for the Tabernacle. This was all built from the offerings of the people and the taxes paid by 603,550 men. The total included 2,193 pounds of gold, 7,545 pounds of silver, and 5,310 pounds of bronze (38). Bezalel also made the priestly vestments. When it was all finished, Moses inspected the work and blessed the Israelites for making it according to the Lord’s instructions (39). The Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the new year, and Moses consecrated it. Then he anointed Aaron and his sons as priests. Finally, he placed the stone tablets inside the ark of the covenant in the most holy place of the Tabernacle. When everything was finished, the cloud of God’s presence entered the Tabernacle. Whenever the cloud moved from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel followed (40).
Moses had been away a long time, so the people asked Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship. The Lord was furious, but Moses convinced the Lord not to destroy the people. When Moses made his way down the mountain, he smashed the stone tablets in anger, destroyed the calf, punished the people, and ordered his fellow Levites to kill those who did not stand with him. The Lord sent a plague against the people to show that he was with Moses (32). As Moses prepared to lead the people into the land that God had promised them, he asked the Lord to be with him. The Lord allowed Moses to see his glory to demonstrate his ongoing faithfulness (33). Moses again met with the Lord on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights. He received two more stone tablets with the terms of the covenant written on them. When he returned to the people his face had a radiant glow that had to be hidden from the people (34).
Moses called the people together, reemphasized the importance of the Sabbath, took an offering for the construction of the Tabernacle, and appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to oversee its construction (35). The people gave more than enough for its construction, so Bezalel began his work. Bezalel made the Tabernacle (36), the ark of the covenant, the worship table, the ornate lampstand, the incense altar (37), the altar for burnt offerings and its utensils, and the large courtyard area for the Tabernacle. This was all built from the offerings of the people and the taxes paid by 603,550 men. The total included 2,193 pounds of gold, 7,545 pounds of silver, and 5,310 pounds of bronze (38). Bezalel also made the priestly vestments. When it was all finished, Moses inspected the work and blessed the Israelites for making it according to the Lord’s instructions (39). The Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the new year, and Moses consecrated it. Then he anointed Aaron and his sons as priests. Finally, he placed the stone tablets inside the ark of the covenant in the most holy place of the Tabernacle. When everything was finished, the cloud of God’s presence entered the Tabernacle. Whenever the cloud moved from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel followed (40).
Thursday 27 April 2017
Mark 8:27-15:47 Summary
Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah, but was shocked when Jesus predicted his own crucifixion. Jesus explained that to follow him meant losing one’s life for the sake of the gospel (8). Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain; they saw Jesus transfigured and heard a voice say, “This is my dearly loved son.” Jesus predicted his death and resurrection, and taught his disciples to focus on the kingdom of God (9). As he traveled to Jerusalem for Passover, Jesus denounced divorce, welcomed children, and encouraged divestment. He predicted he would be crucified and raised up, and commanded his disciples to serve others as he had served them. When they met a blind man who identified Jesus as the Son of David, Jesus healed him (10).
Jesus arrived in Jerusalem to shouts of praise from the crowds, but offended the Temple authorities by disrupting the business of the Temple (11). Jesus told parables and answered questions to show that the religious leaders were abusing their power. The only leader Jesus commended summarized the Law with two commands: love of God and love of neighbour. As Jesus left the Temple a poor widow give all she had away and Jesus commended her faith (12). The disciples were in awe of the Temple, but Jesus predicted that it would be destroyed, warned them of the many troubles to come, and predicted the return of the Son of Man (13).
When a woman anointed Jesus with expensive perfume Judas was offended and set out to betray Jesus. During the Passover meal Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, telling them it was his body. Then he took the wine, blessed it, poured it out, and told them it was his blood. As they walked to the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him. After Jesus prayed Judas arrived and betrayed Jesus to the authorities. Jesus was taken to the high priest, while Peter followed at a distance. As Jesus met with the high priest, he accepted the title of Messiah, and was condemned to death. When someone confronted Peter, he denied knowing Jesus, but then felt ashamed (14). The priests brought Jesus to Pilate who agreed to crucify Jesus to mollify the crowds. When Jesus died on the cross the curtain of the Temple was torn in two and a Roman officer exclaimed, “This man really was the Son of God!” Joseph of Arimathea was given permission by Pilate to bury Jesus’ body (15).
Jesus arrived in Jerusalem to shouts of praise from the crowds, but offended the Temple authorities by disrupting the business of the Temple (11). Jesus told parables and answered questions to show that the religious leaders were abusing their power. The only leader Jesus commended summarized the Law with two commands: love of God and love of neighbour. As Jesus left the Temple a poor widow give all she had away and Jesus commended her faith (12). The disciples were in awe of the Temple, but Jesus predicted that it would be destroyed, warned them of the many troubles to come, and predicted the return of the Son of Man (13).
When a woman anointed Jesus with expensive perfume Judas was offended and set out to betray Jesus. During the Passover meal Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, telling them it was his body. Then he took the wine, blessed it, poured it out, and told them it was his blood. As they walked to the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him. After Jesus prayed Judas arrived and betrayed Jesus to the authorities. Jesus was taken to the high priest, while Peter followed at a distance. As Jesus met with the high priest, he accepted the title of Messiah, and was condemned to death. When someone confronted Peter, he denied knowing Jesus, but then felt ashamed (14). The priests brought Jesus to Pilate who agreed to crucify Jesus to mollify the crowds. When Jesus died on the cross the curtain of the Temple was torn in two and a Roman officer exclaimed, “This man really was the Son of God!” Joseph of Arimathea was given permission by Pilate to bury Jesus’ body (15).
Sunday 23 April 2017
Friday 21 April 2017
Exodus 19:1-24:18 Summary
Two months after leaving Egypt the Israelites set up camp at the bottom of Mount Sinai. The Lord told Moses that the Israelites would be his kingdom of priests, his holy people. The Israelites prepared themselves for three days, after which God appeared to them in fire, smoke, lightning and thunder (19). God gave them a series of ten commandments about other gods, idols, the use of the Lord’s name, sabbath observance, respect for parents, murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, and property. The people were very afraid and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen, but don’t let God speak to us directly, or we will die.” So Moses approached the dark cloud of God’s presence. The Lord gave him instructions about using altars for sacrifices (20); slave ownership; dealing with violence in the community (21); rectifying property disputes; religious purity; care for the most vulnerable; honouring God through sacred offerings (22); being committed to honesty; observing sabbath days and years; and celebrating the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering. Then the Lord promised Moses that an angel would be sent ahead of him to protect the Israelites and enable them to utterly destroy the peoples of the land they were about to enter so long as the Israelites worshiped the Lord alone and made no treaties with those peoples (23). Moses relayed all the Lord’s instructions to the people and they agreed to obey them. The covenant between the Israelites and the Lord was confirmed through sacrifices, and Moses splattered the blood from the sacrifices over the people. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders climbed Mount Sinai and ate a covenant meal in the Lord’s presence. Moses then instructed everyone but Joshua to stay put as he climbed higher on the mountain to meet with God, and Moses stayed on top of the mountain for forty days and forty nights (24).
Thursday 20 April 2017
Mark 1:1-8:26 Summary
The prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled when John the Baptist began preaching in the wilderness. When Jesus came to be baptized by John a voice from heaven declared, “You are my dearly loved son.” After John was arrested, Jesus began preaching the good news of God saying, “The kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the good news!” Jesus traveled around Galilee calling disciples, teaching in the synagogues, casting out evil spirits, healing the sick, and spending time alone in prayer (1). The news about Jesus spread quickly, but the Pharisees were skeptical. They criticized Jesus for forgiving sins, eating with tax collectors and sinners, having overindulgent disciples, and employing an overly lenient attitude toward Sabbath observance (2). After Jesus healed a man in a synagogue on the Sabbath, the Pharisees began to plot with Herod’s supporters about how to kill Jesus.
Jesus took his disciples to a mountain and appointed twelve to be apostles. But Jesus’ family was very worried. They tried to bring Jesus home for they thought that he was crazy while the Pharisees accused Jesus of being possessed by Satan. When Jesus’ mother and brothers returned, Jesus refused to see them, declaring that those who did God’s will were his true family (3). Jesus taught the crowds using parables, but only explained their true meaning to his disciples in private. One evening, they were crossing a lake when a great storm arose. The disciples feared for their lives, but Jesus rebuked the storm and the water was suddenly calm; the disciples were terrified (4). When they reached shore, a demon-possessed man approached them. Jesus cast out the evil spirit, but the crowd was terrified and begged Jesus to leave. He obliged and returned to the other side of the lake where he healed two women, one who had been suffering for twelve years and the other a twelve-year-old girl (5). When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, the people dismissed him, so he traveled between villages teaching. He sent the apostles out in pairs to heal the sick, exorcise demons, and proclaim the good news. At this time Herod Antipas had John the Baptist executed. When the disciples returned, Jesus hoped to talk with them in private, but the crowds found them. Taking compassion on the crowds, Jesus taught them. Then he took five loaves of bread and two fish, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. Five thousand families were fed! Jesus then went off to pray while the disciples left in the boat. Later that night, Jesus approached them, walking on the water; the disciples were terrified (6).
One day, the Pharisees criticized the disciples for not following their ancient traditions. Jesus quoted scripture as he criticized the Pharisees for elevating their traditions above the Law. Then a Gentile woman came to Jesus, asking him to heal her daughter. Jesus was reluctant because she was a Gentile, but she used her wits to convince him (7). As Jesus continued his ministry the crowd again became very large, so Jesus took seven loaves of bread, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. Four thousand families were fed! The Pharisees then asked for a sign, but Jesus rebuked them and privately warned his disciples not to listen to them. When they arrived at Bethsaida, Jesus healed a blind man (8).
Jesus took his disciples to a mountain and appointed twelve to be apostles. But Jesus’ family was very worried. They tried to bring Jesus home for they thought that he was crazy while the Pharisees accused Jesus of being possessed by Satan. When Jesus’ mother and brothers returned, Jesus refused to see them, declaring that those who did God’s will were his true family (3). Jesus taught the crowds using parables, but only explained their true meaning to his disciples in private. One evening, they were crossing a lake when a great storm arose. The disciples feared for their lives, but Jesus rebuked the storm and the water was suddenly calm; the disciples were terrified (4). When they reached shore, a demon-possessed man approached them. Jesus cast out the evil spirit, but the crowd was terrified and begged Jesus to leave. He obliged and returned to the other side of the lake where he healed two women, one who had been suffering for twelve years and the other a twelve-year-old girl (5). When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth, the people dismissed him, so he traveled between villages teaching. He sent the apostles out in pairs to heal the sick, exorcise demons, and proclaim the good news. At this time Herod Antipas had John the Baptist executed. When the disciples returned, Jesus hoped to talk with them in private, but the crowds found them. Taking compassion on the crowds, Jesus taught them. Then he took five loaves of bread and two fish, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. Five thousand families were fed! Jesus then went off to pray while the disciples left in the boat. Later that night, Jesus approached them, walking on the water; the disciples were terrified (6).
One day, the Pharisees criticized the disciples for not following their ancient traditions. Jesus quoted scripture as he criticized the Pharisees for elevating their traditions above the Law. Then a Gentile woman came to Jesus, asking him to heal her daughter. Jesus was reluctant because she was a Gentile, but she used her wits to convince him (7). As Jesus continued his ministry the crowd again became very large, so Jesus took seven loaves of bread, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. Four thousand families were fed! The Pharisees then asked for a sign, but Jesus rebuked them and privately warned his disciples not to listen to them. When they arrived at Bethsaida, Jesus healed a blind man (8).
Sunday 16 April 2017
Friday 14 April 2017
Exodus 13:17-18:27 Summary
The Israelites took the bones of Joseph with them from Egypt, and traveled toward the Red Sea. The Lord guided the people with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (13). After the Lord led the people to make camp, he hardened Pharaoh’s heart and Pharaoh decided to chase after the Israelites. When the people heard Pharaoh’s chariots coming, they panicked saying, “Better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!” Moses calmed the people down, and then lifted his staff over the Red Sea. The sea split in two and the Israelites passed through on dry ground. When the Egyptians pursued them, the Lord closed the waters and swept them away (14). Miriam and Moses led the people in celebratory singing. But not long after this, the people complained against Moses at Marah because they were running low on water. The Lord heard their cries and worked a miracle through Moses to provide them with water (15). Next the people complained against Moses and Aaron because they were running low on food. God provided them with quail and a bread called manna, but the Lord only allowed them to collect enough for one day and never allowed them to collect on the Sabbath. Some people tried to save the food, but it would always go rotten. The only exception was a small amount of manna that Aaron collected and put in the ark of the covenant. This was to teach the people to trust in the Lord’s provision (16). When the people moved on to Rephidim, there was again no water for them to drink so they complained against Moses. The Lord commanded Moses to hit a rock with his staff, and when he did, water gushed out, so Moses named the place Meribah. While the people were at Rephidim, some Amalekites attacked them and Moses sent Joshua into battle against them, and the Lord helped Joshua prevail (17). Now Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, back to Jethro, his father-in-law. But when Jethro heard about all that had happened he came to visit Moses. Jethro gave him some wise advice about leadership and then returned home to Midian (18).
Thursday 13 April 2017
Matthew 26:1-28:20 Summary
As the religious leaders plotted to have Jesus killed, a woman publicly anointed Jesus with expensive perfume and Judas decided to betray Jesus. Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples, said his death would fulfill the Scriptures, and instituted a table ritual of bread and wine by which his disciples would remember him. He said they would soon deny him, but Peter was convinced he wouldn’t. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus offered anguished prayers, but the disciples fell asleep. Judas arrived and had Jesus arrested while the disciples fled. Jesus was convicted of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin who planned to have him killed. When Peter was recognized, he denied Jesus three times (26). Judas was filled with remorse and hanged himself. When Jesus was brought to Pilate, the Roman governor capitulated to the crowds and ordered that Jesus be crucified. Jesus was placed on a cross and was ridiculed by many while his female followers watched from a distance. When Jesus died, there was a great earthquake, many dead were raised, and the curtain in the sanctuary was torn in two. A terrified Roman officer exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!” Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus’ body in a tomb as Mary Magdalene and the other Mary watched (27). On Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary visited the tomb and discovered that Jesus had been raised from the dead and would meet the disciples in Galilee. The eleven disciples went to Galilee and met Jesus on a mountain. He told them to go and make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them in the way, and he promised that he would be with them always (28).
Sunday 9 April 2017
Friday 7 April 2017
Exodus 1:1-13:16 Summary
Jacob’s descendants multiplied in the land of Egypt over many generations. One day a new king came to power in Egypt. He knew nothing of Joseph, and was worried about how numerous the Israelites had become. The king enslaved the Israelites and subjected them to forced labour, but the Israelites nevertheless continued to multiply. The king then ordered a group of Egyptian midwives to kill all the male Hebrew infants immediately after they were born. The midwives defied this order and were blessed by God, but the king would not step back from his plan: he ordered all his people to throw any male Hebrew infants into the Nile river (1). It was at this time that a young couple from the tribe of Levi had a son. The boy’s mother hid him for three months before placing him in a basket along the Nile river while her daughter watched over him. Just then, the king’s daughter found the boy! She had compassion on him and adopted him as her own son, and she named the boy Moses.
When Moses grew up he saw that his fellow Hebrews were being abused. He was so angry that he killed one of the Egyptian slave-masters. Once it became clear to Moses that the murder wasn’t a secret, he fled to Midian, evading the king’s attempt to kill him. When Moses arrived in Midian he saved the daughters of Reuel, the priest of Midian, from a group of shepherds. Reuel welcomed Moses and gave him one of his daughters, Zipporah, to be his wife. When Zipporah gave birth to a son, Moses named him Gershom.
Many years passed, the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites continued cry out to God for help. God heard their cries, and remembered the covenant he had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (2). One day Moses was tending the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, and he led them to Mount Sinai. The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed. The Lord told Moses to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites into the land that God had promised. Moses objected and asked that God reveal his name. God said, “I am who I am” and told Moses to tell the people that he was speaking for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (3). The Lord performed several miraculous signs, but still Moses objected. Finally, the Lord made Moses’ brother Aaron his spokesperson and Moses agreed to go. Along the way, the Lord confronted Moses and nearly killed him, but Zipporah circumcised their son Gershom during the confrontation and saved Moses’ life. Moses and Aaron met at Sinai before returning to Egypt and performing miraculous signs for the people so that the Israelites would believe that God had sent them (4).
Moses and Aaron met with Pharaoh and demanded that he let the Israelites go into the wilderness to worship the Lord. Pharaoh responded by making the Israelites’ work even harsher. The Israelites confronted Moses and Aaron, and Moses cried out to the Lord in lament (5). The Lord responded by telling Moses that he would deliver the people out of Egypt and into the land that he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses relayed this message to the people, but they no longer believed him. When the Lord told Moses to go back to Pharaoh a second time, even Moses himself objected (6). Eventually Moses agreed to go back to Pharaoh. He turned his staff into snake and all the water of Egypt into blood, but the Egyptian magicians duplicated these signs, so Pharaoh’s heart remained hard to Moses’ request (7). When God empowered Moses and Aaron to send a plague of frogs the Egyptian magicians again duplicated the sign, but Pharaoh was desperate to be rid of the frogs. He asked Moses and Aaron to pray to their God for relief, but once they did he refused to let the Israelites go! After sending plagues of gnats and flies that the Egyptian magicians couldn’t duplicate, Pharaoh suggested the Israelites worship their God in Egypt, but Moses refused this compromise. Pharaoh finally relented, but after Moses and Aaron prayed for relief, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened yet again (8). The Lord then sent a plague of sickness on livestock, a plague of boils, and a plague of hail, but even when the plagues impacted only the Egyptians and had no impact on the Israelites in the land, Pharaoh still wouldn’t listen (9). When the Lord sent plagues of locusts and darkness even Pharaoh’s officials couldn’t convince him (10).
Finally, Moses went to Pharaoh and told him that the Lord would kill the firstborn child of every family in Egypt that night, and that all of Egypt would come to Moses and beg him to lead the Israelites into the wilderness (11). Moses then gave the Israelites instructions for the celebration of the Passover, a day that they would mark each year forever to remember the time that the Lord struck down the firstborn sons of the families of Egypt but passed over the families of the Israelites. That night, the Lord struck down the firstborn son of every family in Egypt and loud wailing could be heard throughout the land. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and commanded them to take their people and leave. The Egyptians gave the Israelites anything they asked for just to be ride of them. The Lord had thus fulfilled his promise to bring the people out of Egypt (12).
As Moses led the people into the wilderness he gave them instructions for the dedication of every firstborn, human or animal, to the Lord (13).
When Moses grew up he saw that his fellow Hebrews were being abused. He was so angry that he killed one of the Egyptian slave-masters. Once it became clear to Moses that the murder wasn’t a secret, he fled to Midian, evading the king’s attempt to kill him. When Moses arrived in Midian he saved the daughters of Reuel, the priest of Midian, from a group of shepherds. Reuel welcomed Moses and gave him one of his daughters, Zipporah, to be his wife. When Zipporah gave birth to a son, Moses named him Gershom.
Many years passed, the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites continued cry out to God for help. God heard their cries, and remembered the covenant he had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (2). One day Moses was tending the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, and he led them to Mount Sinai. The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed. The Lord told Moses to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites into the land that God had promised. Moses objected and asked that God reveal his name. God said, “I am who I am” and told Moses to tell the people that he was speaking for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (3). The Lord performed several miraculous signs, but still Moses objected. Finally, the Lord made Moses’ brother Aaron his spokesperson and Moses agreed to go. Along the way, the Lord confronted Moses and nearly killed him, but Zipporah circumcised their son Gershom during the confrontation and saved Moses’ life. Moses and Aaron met at Sinai before returning to Egypt and performing miraculous signs for the people so that the Israelites would believe that God had sent them (4).
Moses and Aaron met with Pharaoh and demanded that he let the Israelites go into the wilderness to worship the Lord. Pharaoh responded by making the Israelites’ work even harsher. The Israelites confronted Moses and Aaron, and Moses cried out to the Lord in lament (5). The Lord responded by telling Moses that he would deliver the people out of Egypt and into the land that he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses relayed this message to the people, but they no longer believed him. When the Lord told Moses to go back to Pharaoh a second time, even Moses himself objected (6). Eventually Moses agreed to go back to Pharaoh. He turned his staff into snake and all the water of Egypt into blood, but the Egyptian magicians duplicated these signs, so Pharaoh’s heart remained hard to Moses’ request (7). When God empowered Moses and Aaron to send a plague of frogs the Egyptian magicians again duplicated the sign, but Pharaoh was desperate to be rid of the frogs. He asked Moses and Aaron to pray to their God for relief, but once they did he refused to let the Israelites go! After sending plagues of gnats and flies that the Egyptian magicians couldn’t duplicate, Pharaoh suggested the Israelites worship their God in Egypt, but Moses refused this compromise. Pharaoh finally relented, but after Moses and Aaron prayed for relief, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened yet again (8). The Lord then sent a plague of sickness on livestock, a plague of boils, and a plague of hail, but even when the plagues impacted only the Egyptians and had no impact on the Israelites in the land, Pharaoh still wouldn’t listen (9). When the Lord sent plagues of locusts and darkness even Pharaoh’s officials couldn’t convince him (10).
Finally, Moses went to Pharaoh and told him that the Lord would kill the firstborn child of every family in Egypt that night, and that all of Egypt would come to Moses and beg him to lead the Israelites into the wilderness (11). Moses then gave the Israelites instructions for the celebration of the Passover, a day that they would mark each year forever to remember the time that the Lord struck down the firstborn sons of the families of Egypt but passed over the families of the Israelites. That night, the Lord struck down the firstborn son of every family in Egypt and loud wailing could be heard throughout the land. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and commanded them to take their people and leave. The Egyptians gave the Israelites anything they asked for just to be ride of them. The Lord had thus fulfilled his promise to bring the people out of Egypt (12).
As Moses led the people into the wilderness he gave them instructions for the dedication of every firstborn, human or animal, to the Lord (13).
Thursday 6 April 2017
Matthew 19:1-25:46 Summary
When Jesus arrived in Judea the Pharisees asked him about divorce, which the Law of Moses permitted; Jesus taught from the Scriptures that divorce was not part of God’s plan. Parents brought their children to Jesus, and he welcomed them. When a rich man asked about eternal life Jesus told him to sell his possessions and become a disciple. The man left and the disciples were astounded. Jesus promised that all who sacrifice now will eventually be rewarded (19) using a parable to illustrate that the last will be first and the first last in the age to come. As the group approached Jerusalem, Jesus again predicted his death and resurrection, but the disciples argued about being the greatest. Jesus taught them that being great meant being a servant to all. He then healed two blind men who recognized him as Son of David (20). As Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for Passover the crowds praised him, which fulfilled the Scriptures. Jesus performed signs against the Temple and told parables against the religious leaders who had refused to believe John and now questioned Jesus’ authority (21). As Jesus was teaching, people tested him with questions about taxes, the resurrection of the dead, and the Law of Moses. After answering them, Jesus posed a question about the Messiah that none could answer, so they stopped questioning him (22). Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders promising that they would be punished, for though they were careful to obey the details of the Law, they forgot its larger purpose of justice, mercy, and faith. Jesus then lamented Jerusalem’s sins (23). After leaving the Temple Jesus predicted that it would be destroyed. He foresaw a dystopian future for God’s people that would end with the return of the Son of Man. He warned his disciples to be ready because the Son of Man could return at any time (24). Jesus told them parables about the need to be ready for his return and the faithful use of their gifts. He followed this with a description of the Last Judgment wherein people were judged based on how they’d treated others (25).
Sunday 2 April 2017
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