For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
1 Tim. 4
How are you training yourself to be godly? I am interested in the word “command” that Paul kept using for Timothy. We know it doesn’t mean to order around, as we understand with the word “command”. That would be lording it over others, which is contrary to Jesus’ teaching, passed on through the apostles. So what does it mean? The NASB translation changed the word to “prescribe”. The Message says, “get the word out”. There must be more to it than simply teaching, or Paul would not have said “command and teach”.
I see two clues in Paul’s following statement. First, Paul told Timothy not to let anyone look down on him. So I get the sense of being firm and not intimidated. Second, Paul told Timothy to “set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Tim. 4:12b). So practicing what he preached and being a living demonstration of his teaching was important. So for the word “command”, I get the sense that Paul was telling Timothy to draw clearly defined, hard lines of truth and to defend them with steadfast love and sincerity. He was to call out false teachings for what they were and urge all involved toward the truth.
I picture Joshua, standing before the people of Israel saying, “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (from Josh. 24:15). Timothy was to teach people the truth, exposing the lies. He was then to give people a choice – follow the truth or follow the lie. No watering down the faith; no tolerating the lie; no seeking peace with those who are bent on division. He was to be an unwavering road sign, showing everybody the way to salvation, helping those devoted to the truth to stay devoted to it and giving guidance to those who might be lost. That sure sounds like godliness to me.
Job 20-21
How does Zophar describe Job? And what is Job’s response? Did Job’s friends not know him? The more Job asserted his innocence, the worse they made him out to be! Surely, if they knew him at all, they would see the contrast between the man they knew him to be and the man they now accused him of being. But so sure were they in their ‘understanding’ of how God works His justice that they became blind to the truth.
Zophar’s introduction to his response tells the story. “I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, and my understanding inspires me to reply.” (Job 20:3). Why should Zophar be dishonored by Job’s assertion of innocence? He shouldn’t be. As Job said, his complaint was against God, not his friends or anyone else. But Job’s truth challenged what Zophar and the others thought they knew. If what Job said was true, that would mean the friends were wrong. It takes humility to admit when you’ve got it wrong. Even harder to admit after you have caused harm because of your misguided understanding. And so pride interferes more and more.
One other telling thing about Zophar’s statement – he was leaning into his own understanding. Had the friends gone into the situation looking for truth rather than thinking their own understanding was sufficient, the outcome might have been different. They might have walked away with some real understanding. Or they might have at least been something of a comfort to a suffering friend. It seems there’s a reason for the Proverb, “lean not on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5b). Job’s friends reveal it clearly.
Ps. 95
This is a call to sing and worship. What reasons are given to do this? Take a moment now and “sing for joy to the Lord,” and “come before him with thanksgiving.” God is God. We can respond to that truth in one of two ways. We can either believe that truth or doubt it. Choosing to believe it should result in trust, praise, and worship. How could it not? Choosing to doubt this truth, however, is what this Psalm refers to as hardening your heart. Doubt leads to lack of trust, which leads to quarreling, complaint, and disobedience. None of that is good.
This Psalm depicts both options. Our nature leans us strongly toward the second. This Psalm suggests to me, however, that we can reverse engineer the process. When we “sing for joy to the LORD”, “come before Him with thanksgiving”, “extol Him with music and song”, and “bow down in worship” we are far more likely to choose trust.