Josh. 13-15
How fitting that Jerusalem (God’s chosen city) was in Judah’s territory, as it is Judah through whom God chose to extend His line to Christ. And interesting to me that the people of Judah never drove out Jerusalem’s former inhabitants, the Jebusites.
Luke 10:25-42
Jesus was very intentional in His telling of this Good Samaritan story! The lawyer, being a good religious leader among the Jews, would have despised Samaritans. This is exactly why Jesus made a Samaritan out to be the ‘good guy’ in this story. Not only was a Samaritan the good guy, but the ‘bad guys’ were a Jewish priest and a Levite! So this good, upstanding, Jewish lawyer had to not only admit that the Samaritan – somebody typically viewed by Jews as the enemy – was the one “loving his neighbor”, while the good Jewish leaders were not, but I’m sure Jesus’ arrow of conviction hit its mark in the lawyer’s heart regarding his own lack of love toward Samaritans. Love your enemies! And show mercy to those who need mercy.
One last note for this passage in Luke – I was talking with my Bible Study chicks last night about feeling rather useless these days and they brought up this passage about Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42. They were basically telling me that having the time to spend studying and learning God’s Word is perhaps the better portion. I know God has a purpose for this season in my life, I just have no idea what it is right now!