For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Mark 12
Chapter divisions sometimes create disconnects where I’m not so sure they belong. It seems to me that Jesus’ parable of the vineyard tenants at the start of chapter 12 is a continuation of the conversation about His authority at the end of chapter 11. I’ve never really paid attention to that before. So what I see is that Jesus cleared out the temple courts and the religious leaders questioned His authority to do so. Then, though He would not give them a direct answer to their question, He answered it with this parable. Through the parable, Jesus told them that He was the Son of God and that He knew they were going to kill Him. The leaders were sharp enough to pick up on the fact that Jesus was speaking against them. I wonder, though, if they understood what He told them.
Jer. 47-48
What does Jeremiah, a prophet to Israel, have to say to the nations? What does that say about God? God is not just the God of Israel. He is the God of the whole world. Though He uses Israel both to reveal and to bring about His plan for redemption, that redemption is for everybody. Thus, we see God pronouncing judgment not just on Israel, but also on all the other nations.
In the same way, just as God’s ultimate goal for Israel is to restore her to Him, so is His ultimate goal for the nations. We see this truth in the wine analogy in Jeremiah’s prophecy against Moab. In that analogy, God essentially says that as long as Moab remains in her original vessels, she remains unchanged. Thus He will pour her out – send her into exile – and put her in new vessels, destroying the old. “Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as Israel was ashamed when they trusted in Bethel.” (Jer. 48:13).
This is the same thing God does for each one of us who turns to Him. He removes us from ourselves and pours us into Christ. Though this is not a painless, trouble-free process, He does it so that He can be our God and we can be His people. He does it because He loves us and desires that we love Him, too.
Prov. 25
Look at v. 21-22 and compare with Romans 12:17-21. What kindness could you do for an enemy today? Why do you think revenge is forbidden? As believers, we are supposed to be conduits of what God has given to us. He has given us mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love, among other good things. If those things are not flowing through us, then we have not really received them. What God has not given us is His judgment, wrath, and condemnation. Jesus took those things on Himself. Therefore, those things should not flow through us. They belong to God.