God or The World? The Two Don't Mix. (Judges 11-12 / Luke 6)

Jephthah makes a rash vow in Judges 11:30-31. Although the Spirit of God came upon him (v. 29), this vow was not from God. I do not believe Jephthah was walking in daily fellowship with God. He seems to have been caught up in the world around him (human sacrifice was acceptable to certain cultures in those days). Are we walking in daily fellowship with God (the purpose of this blog) or do we wait until we hit the end of our rope to make a rash vow such as "God, if you will do ___________, I will ____________."

Jesus was not a man who was stuck in tradition. Rather He was concerned with doing what was right in His Father's eyes (Luke 6:1-11). Are we like Jesus when we have big decisions to make? Do we spend much time in prayer over these decisions (v. 12-16). "The Beatitudes (v. 20-26) demonstrate that the way to heavenly blessedness is opposite the worldly path people normally follow to find happiness" (MacArthur Bible Commentary, p. 1129). Again, we are either walking in the ways of the world or we are walking in daily fellowship with God. Which side of the fence do you fall on?

The Omnipotent and Omniscient One (Judges 9-10 / Luke 5)

Abimilech was a bad dude (Judges 9)! This powerful man's actions were very wicked, however there was One more powerful than him that was working behind the scenes (Judges 9:56-57). God is omnipotent (all-powerful) and often shows up when we least expect Him to. There are many people today who resemble the Israelites found in Judges 10. They cry out for God's help only when they hit rock-bottom (v. 10, 15). God would rather us stay in constant communion with Him (I Thessalonians 5:17).

In Luke 5:27, Jesus calls the unlikeliest of men to be his disciple. A tax collector would not have been a popular choice 2000 years ago. Jesus, however, looks past the position of a person and instead focuses on their heart. He knew Levi (Matthew) had what it takes to be a disciple just like He knew what the Pharisees were thinking in v. 22. This is God's omniscience (all-knowing power) at work.

Revival! (Judges 7-8 / Luke 5)

In Judges 7, God dwindles Gideon's army so that He may receive the glory (v. 5). Many people who read this passage focus on the way God seperated Gideon's army (v. 7). However, the focus should be on God and the fact that this victory could only have come through Him (v. 22). God is also with Gideon in Judges 8 delivering the two Midiantite kings (Zebah and Zalmunna) into his hands. God was with Israel under Gideon's leadership (8:28). Can you identify ways in which God's presence is active in your life?

Simon was what we would call today a professional fisherman (Luke5:5). He knew the fish should not be biting at this time and he may have showed some sarcasm to Jesus in his response ("but because you say so"). Simon knew only God could do this because this was not a natural catch of fish (v. 9). With this glimpse of God, Simon could do nothing but confess his sins, fall down, and worship (v. 8). Have you caught a glimpse of God such as this lately where you are left in a revival like position?

Promises of God (Joshua 22-23 / Luke 3)

Much of the OT contains Israel's blunders in their following of Yahweh (God). However, Joshua 22 carries with it a postive tone as this time Israel is found doing right in the Lord's eyes. In Joshua 23:14-16, we see a righteous man on his deathbed faithfully proclaiming the promises of God. "All of the promises of God find their Yes" in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). This positive tone continues on into Joshua 24 as when given the choice to follow the Lord or not, Israel responds 3x that they will obey their God (v. 18, 21, 24). Unfortunately, just like Peter, we will soon see Israel turn back on their allegiance. It seems that Joshua knew his people better than they knew themselves and in his anticpiation of their backsliding, he gave them a warning (v. 19-20).

Luke is known for including more details in his writing than the other gospel writers. We see this in Luke 3:1-2. This attention to detail only helps to autheticate the validity of the Bible. How does John prepare the way for Jesus? He calls for a baptism or repentance (v. 3), uses past prophecy about Jesus (v. 4-6), gives a warning (v. 7-9), tells the people to do that which is right (v. 10-14), and gives exhortations while preaching the gospel (v. 15-18). Not only did John baptize Jesus, but the Father and the Holy Spirit appear at His baptism to authenticate John's message (v. 22).

A Promise Fulfilled! (Joshua 21 / Luke 2)

We see the crux of the matter delivered to us in Joshua 21:43-45. All of the land that had been allotted to the Israelites were the result of a promise made to Abraham (Genesis 12:7) some 400 years before this fulfillment. Remember in the big picture, this is huge! The Israelites had gone through years of slavery and lost faith in God's promise to give them "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8). It was through the race of the Israelites that Jesus, the Messiah, was still to come. This promise was given even earlier in Genesis 3:15. Jesus is the ultimate reason it was important for God to fulfill His promise to the Israelites in bringing them to the land of Cannan.

Both Simeon and Anna walked with the Lord. They both knew and in a way prophesied about this great King to be (Lk. 2:30-32, 38). These early childhood and teen years were very formative years for Jesus (v. 40, 52). Not even his own parents completely understood what He was all about (v. 50).

Census Time (Joshua 16-18 / Luke 2)

In Joshua 16-18, we read more about the distribution of land to be given to the Israelite tribes as their inheritance. Perhaps we know of some older folks who need to get started in the estate planning process. Helping older adults in these matters, whether they be a relative, friend, or church member is a ministry in itself. Let us look for and become aware of areas of help and assistance where we can plug in and minister to our senior citizens.

Luke 2:1-4 is known for its detail and is used by Bible scholars to verify the authenticity of the Bible. Notice in Lk 2:1-7 that Jesus was born during the time of the census (v. 2). Only one census in all of time included the Son of God in it. Jesus was born at the perfect time in history. A true mother's heart is captured in v. 19 as Mary kept a photo album in her mind of all the happenings around her son's miraculous birth.

The Big Picture (Joshua 13-15 / Luke 1)

Joshua 13-15 does not appear to be the most interesting of readings as it has many references to land allotments and boundaries. So, why is it included in the Bible? What is the bigger picture? This is what biblical theology tries to cipher out. It is important that we remember the nation of Israel in the OT is God's nation and that He is guiding and leading the nation every step of the way (even in the little details such as land allotments). God is in the process of using this great nation to one day bring the Messiah into the world (Matthew 1). Likewise, a lot of the details in our own lives seem rather routine. But in the big picture, God is even using those things to bring about His plan for our lives and for the future that is to come (Revelation 21).

Yesterday, we read Mary's song (the "Magnificat") and stated that Mary's focus was Christocentric (on Christ, the Lord first and foremost!). Today, we read Zechariah's song (v. 68-79). Zechariah's focus is also Christocentric. His ultimate focus is not on his son to be born (John) but on Christ! We are thankful for both of God's servants (Mary and John), but our worship falls alone at the feet of Jesus.