“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” (Ps 19:7)
I trust that all of you are having a blessed time studying the Scriptures through the Daily Bread Bible reading plan. The Word of God is so powerful. Paul wrote:
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Ro 15:4)
This is what we will need in these dark times, which will only become darker in coming days. Only those who are wise through the instructions from the Scriptures will make it as Paul wrote to Timothy:
“…how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Ti 3:15)
Remember, five of the ten virgins were wise and five were foolish. The five who made it had received wisdom from the Scriptures by obeying them. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” (Ps 111:10)
This morning I will just mention a few points from my reading. The first is Genesis 21:30-32:
“He said, ‘These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.’ Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba.”
When Abraham made this covenant with Abimelech he had already sent away Ishmael, by obeying Sarah’s words: “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.’” (Ge 21:14)
It is interesting that the title deeds both to Beersheba, Hebron, the Temple Mount and Shechem are recorded in the Torah. These are exactly the places where the most intense conflict is taking place right now between the offspring of Ishmael and Abraham through Isaac and Jacob.
Just last week, UNESCO declared that the cave of Machpelah in Hebron is a Muslim holy place. The previous week Muslims torched Joseph’s tomb, which is located in Shechem that Jacob bought. There was also a deadly terror attack in Beersheva. And the center of the present knife intifadah is the Temple Mount that David bought. The enemy is doing everything in his power to come against the covenant God has made with the Jewish people. They will never succeed. But we are obligated to pray for God’s will to be done!
Here is a note from the reading of the Prophets:
“Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God.” (Jos 23:11) Loving God is not a feeling. It is a command because it is a matter of obeying His Word. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15) “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” (1 Jn 5:3) We never love God more than we obey His Word! Love is not a feeling. It is a matter of obedience.
And from the Writings:
“For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” (Ps 22:16-18)
The term “dogs” is in the Scriptures specifically referring to Gentiles that do not know God. Yeshua said:
“See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Mt 20:18-19)
It was actually the Romans, referred to in Psalm 22 as “dogs”, who crucified the Messiah. Even though the Jewish leaders were morally responsible, it was specifically the Gentiles who pierced the Messiah’s hands and feet and divided His garments among them. John wrote: “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts.” (Jn 19:23) The soldiers were Gentiles.
Both Jew and Gentile were involved in the crucifixion and therefore responsible. But let us not forget that it was specifically the Gentiles who performed the actual crucifixion. It is a shame that the Church eventually placed the entire responsibility and blame on the Jewish people. See http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5136.htm
