For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
John 12
Once again Jesus states that He judges no one. Jesus is God’s mercy. Judgment is reserved for God alone. But any who do not receive God’s mercy by believing and keeping Jesus’ words, condemn themselves to God’s judgment. I get the sense that simply believing is not enough. If we truly receive God’s mercy, it changes us. That’s where keeping Jesus’ words comes into play. We do different because we become different.
A great example of this idea is Judas Iscariot. He was constantly with Jesus as one of His twelve closest disciples. Yet he was a thief. He literally stole from God! Surely he believed in Jesus or he would not have left his former life, whatever it was, to be with Him. Yet he remained entrenched in his own fleshly desires. Did Judas receive eternal life? I don’t know. Only God knows where his heart was when he ended his life. What I do know is that though Jesus doesn’t judge us when we get it wrong, He is still God’s road map to eternal life. If we don’t follow that map, we are lost.
1 Chron. 26-27
More organizational charts and lists! In 27:23-24, the chronicler looks back at the census debacle. What had David ignored? I’m still a little confused about the whole census debacle. That is to say, I’m not sure exactly what action it was that got David in trouble. Was because he counted the fighting men at all, or because he attempted to count those twenty and under along with the rest? Ultimately, I guess the specific action doesn’t really matter. It is pretty clear that it was either David’s pride or a lack of trust in God’s promise – or perhaps even both – that incited God’s anger. Perhaps the ambiguity as to the specific action is actually by design. After all, it isn’t our actions that matter so much. It is our attitude toward God.
I also couldn’t help but notice the Chronicler’s comment about Obed-Edom. After listing his eight sons, the Chronicler noted, “For God had blessed Obed-Edom.” (1 Crhon. 27:5b). This was no doubt a reference to the period of time when the Ark of the Covenant remained at Obed-Edom’s house after the death of Uzzah. The placement of the comment was a little curious, though, because eight sons was not that remarkable a number. Meshelemiah had seven. The next paragraph reveals the multiplying effect of God’s blessing, though, when Obed-Edom’s descendants were listed at 62 compared to Meshelemiah’s 18 and Hosah’s 13.
I wonder, though, if the enlarging of Obed-Edom’s house began after the Ark came to reside with him. Maybe he was childless, or at least without sons, up to that point. Curious, but irrelevant, I know. What is relevant, however, is that God notably blesses the faithful, in whatever form, who dwell in His presence.
Ps. 77
I was reading the fourth book of the A.D. Chronicles, by Brock & Bodie Thoene recently. The story pointed out a very interesting little detail in this 77th Psalm that I had never noticed before. Verse 15 says, “With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.” Why Jacob and Joseph? Why not Israel or Judah? The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 lists Jacob as the father of Joseph, Jesus’ earthly, though not biological father. In the book, the Thoenes point out that 77, the number of this Psalm, is the same as the word used to declare an eternal covenant. So this Psalm, like so many others, is a Messianic prophecy! It declares God’s eternal covenant of redemption through His son, Jesus.
The book points out even more details about the prophecy of this Psalm. All very interesting. And further evidence, as if we need it at this point, that the Bible is God’s work; His message to us about His plan to be our God so that we can be His people.