Isaiah 18 ~ At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty

Ethiopian Processional Cross. Between 12" and 8". Once only carried by clergy, it’s meant to be carried in the hand or pocket and now called a walking cross. Ethiopian Walking Cross.


Isaiah 18

1 Woe to the land of whirring wings [a]
along the rivers of Cush, [b]
2 which sends envoys by sea
in papyrus boats over the water.
Go, swift messengers,
to a people tall and smooth-skinned,
to a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive nation of strange speech,
whose land is divided by rivers.

3 All you people of the world,
you who live on the earth,
when a banner is raised on the mountains,
you will see it,
and when a trumpet sounds,
you will hear it.

4 This is what the LORD says to me:
"I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place,
like shimmering heat in the sunshine,
like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."

5 For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone
and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives,
and cut down and take away the spreading branches.

6 They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey
and to the wild animals;
the birds will feed on them all summer,
the wild animals all winter.

7 At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD Almighty
from a people tall and smooth-skinned,
from a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive nation of strange speech,
whose land is divided by rivers—
the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the LORD Almighty.

Footnotes:
Isaiah 18:1 Or of locusts
Isaiah 18:1 That is, the upper Nile region

In Genesis 2, we are told the Gihon river begins the garden of Eden; it winds through the entire land of Cush. Biblically, Cush was the eldest son of Ham, brother of Canaan and the father of Nimrod, mentioned in the "Table of Nations" in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis 10:6, I Chronicles 1:8).

Cush is considered to be Ethiopia. Ethiopia, archaeologically, is one of the oldest countries humanly populated on earth. Egypt was ruled by Ethiopia at one point and the territory was expanded, at one time, on Israel’s side of the Red Sea. Only oral history tells us that Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia) had a son together. The Scriptures report the Queen of Sheba returned understanding God was greater than Solomon's wisdom. Her gifts, God given, would be for living her life in a renewed knowledge of God as the Almighty. Jesus records saying the Queen of Sheba will rise up in the end days as one walking in His paths, seeking His redemption and His Holiness. Ethiopian history, concurs, shows Semetic language during the bronze age.

Cush is told fighting against Israel - will be the country's destruction by Isaiah, Jeremiah.

Although Zephaniah may speak of the unique Ethiopian Orthodox Church. 3:10
From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings.

Historically, reading between Isaiah chapter 17 -18, Isaiah is telling messengers from Cush, visiting in Judah, their homeland is involved in war since they left Cush.

Josephus, tells us historically, at the time of Jesus, the nation of Cush is considered to be the son of Ham and grandson of Noah: "For of the four sons of Ham, time has not at all hurt the name of Cush; for the Ethiopians, over whom he reigned, are even at this day, both by themselves and by all men in Asia, called Cushites." (Antiquities of the Jews 1.6).

Today, we can look at Isaiah 18 and see a time of trouble. The first verse is locusts to some biblical interpreters, the wings are war to others. This time is known and commented by the whole world. But God assures us, He is involved. He is the brightest light in good circumstance and He is the rest looked for when life is difficult. Even in adverse times, good things and good memories are made. God doesn’t ask us to curl up into a little ball. We are told in Isaiah, God asks us to use our gifts to His glory. Our country learned in the last century: when people give to each other, fear is conquered and hope returns.

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Isaiah 49 ~ know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer

Several people have asked me today about Isabelle. And that is good with me. I’ve learned a lot about stillborn children from different websites on grief recovery, the christian sites are the most interesting to me. They have the answers I need about God, about grief and understanding my life is separated from Isabelle now, but not forever.

The best website I’ve found is by Dr. Elizabeth Best from the University of Florida. Dr. Best has specialized in stillborn baby grief recovery for 30 years and she is a very christian woman.
http://www.forgottengrief.com/index.html

Mothers of stillborn babies take about 2 years to have the grief considerably reduced. Fathers recover more quickly. I am past the intense sorrow, but I really believe what I read about not repressing and I give my tear glands a good use everyday. The rest of my day, I am pretty cheerful. I use the sad moments to picture resting my head on God’s mighty heart. I remember what it says in the Psalms 34:

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

After about 20 minutes, I am comforted. My hope returns.

Psalm 34:19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all.

But when I look in the Scriptures for comfort from missing Isabelle, I am comforted, because the Lord’s promises to my daughter are promised to me as well. Right after Isabelle died, my husband was so sad and asked what such a little baby would do in heaven. I asked him if he thought that his dad, whom he so loved, got really good use out of his brain or his own knees. None of us in heaven use any of the old parts, the only part that is left is the soul. As I said to my oldest son in college today, it makes good sense to feed the part of us that is eternal. A soul is a terrible thing to waste.


Isaiah 49 (Revised Standard Version)

[1] Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.

[2] He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.

[3] And he said to me, "You are my servant,Israel, in whom I will be glorified."

[4] But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God."

[5] And now the LORD says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength –

[6] he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

7] Thus says the LORD,the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful,the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."



[8] Thus says the LORD:"In a time of favor I have answered you, in a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages;

[9] saying to the prisoners, `Come forth,' to those who are in darkness, `Appear.' They shall feed along the ways, on all bare heights shall be their pasture;

[10] they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall smite them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.

[11] And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be raised up.

[12] Lo, these shall come from afar,and lo, these from the north and from the west,and these from the land of Syene."

[13] Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.

[14] But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me."

[15] "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

[16] Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

[17] Your builders outstrip your destroyers, and those who laid you waste go forth from you.

[18] Lift up your eyes round about and see; they all gather, they come to you. As I live, says the LORD,you shall put them all on as an ornament, you shall bind them on as a bride does.

[19] "Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land --surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away.

[20] The children born in the time of your bereavement will yet say in your ears:`The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.'

[21] Then you will say in your heart:`Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away ,but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; whence then have these come?'"

[22] Thus says the Lord GOD:"Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.

[23] Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers.With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame."

[24] Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?

[25] Surely, thus says the LORD:" Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children.

[26] I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the LORD your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

Isaiah 49 is a balm! It strikes me right where I am today. Jesus is the light for the nations. Revelation says nations, not just a big city, but nations will live in His kingdom.

Little Isabelle, not forgotten or pushed aside in the Lord’s huge kingdom. Isabelle called by God the Father, from the womb, from the body of her mother He named our daugher. And now the LORD says, who formed her from the womb to be His servant, honored in the eyes of the LORD, and her God has become her strength –

Who will care for Isabelle in heaven? The Lord says she is saved from a desolate heritage with the covenant given to little Isabelle in Jesus Christ. Her parents, the scriptures says are bereaved, but God says, “I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples.” The Lord promises to save our children. He who has pity on them shall lead them. Isabelle has foster fathers and nursing mothers who hold her closely and carry her on their shoulders. Isabelle lives in the paradise Jesus has told us about. Those who wait on the Lord, are not put to shame.

One fine day, the Lord will gather us to Him and we will rejoice to live in His presence and to know Isabelle again.

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord,who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. [Selah]


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Hebrews 7:25 -8:6 ~ seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven

Hebrews 7:25 - 8:6

[25] Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
[26] For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

[27] He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
[28] Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.


Hebrews 8

[1] Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,

[2] a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord.
[3] For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
[4] Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.
[5] They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary; for when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain."
[6] But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Paraphrasing Matthew Henry & adding commentary myself:

The believer's safety and happiness: our everlasting High Priest is able to save to the uttermost, in all times, in all cases. We should desire a spirituality and holiness beyond those of the Old Testament believers, as our advantages exceed theirs. Jesus Christ is for us!

When Moses acted as intercessor, he knew of the coming of Jesus. Deuteronomy 18:15,16,19 . But Moses was before the new covenant of Jesus and couldn’t rely upon Jesus’ saving grace. Moses was an intercessor for himself and the children of Israel, but he could sin and incur wrath. Moses was a good man, but his time placed him in the old covenant.

7:26-28 Jesus Christ is free from all habits or sin, no sin in his nature. Ghandi said once, “I like your Christ, it is the Christians I do not.” Christians have a sin nature and require a savior. Jesus did no violence, nor had any deceit in his mouth. He is undefiled. It is hard to keep ourselves pure, so as not to partake the guilt of other men's sins. No one is dismayed who come to God in the name of his beloved Son. He will deliver them in the time of trial and suffering, in the time of prosperity, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment.

We approach God in and through Christ, depending upon Jesus’ merits and mediation. We are accepted in the Beloved! In all obedience and worship, we keep close to God's word, which is the only perfect standard.

The children of Israel during the time of Moses, were not as blessed as we are today in Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we have all spiritual blessings, eternal life, promises revealed in the gospel and old testament, and are made sure through Christ. Today, we are part of the new covenant, a blessing of infinitely greater value. Let us bless God that we have a High Priest that suits our helpless human condition!

In 1982 in college, my phone rang and a dear christian, a believer in Jesus Christ - one who studied the word of God - sought the Lord & told me, "he had a word of the Lord for me." In my life, I've had few people tell me they have a word of the Lord for me. He told me the Lord would give me a handicapped child. Believe me, I was angry and upset, my friend and I had words later in person. But he wanted me to know the Lord planned this in my life.

After Isabelle's death, I have thought about this quite a bit. I believe that I am a sinner and Jesus Christ answers for my sins. This life isn't heaven and we have seasons of pain. The Lord decided to bring Isabelle into our lives and have her open her eyes in heaven; I trust Him that this is a good thing. We did not see the miracles I hoped to see in this lifetime for Isabelle, but I trust in Him all His promises are given even to our tiny, beloved baby. Isabelle lives in heaven, in the love of Jesus Christ, and eternity is now. In 2007, I did not have a daughter, but now I do. May Isabelle's life, and mine, bless Him for His goodness.


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Psalm 111 ~ the Lord the beginning of wisdom

Psalm 111


1[a] Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

2 Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.

3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.

4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.

7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.

8 They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.

9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.

Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.


The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When Isaiah encountered the Lord:

Isaiah 6:3-5

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

When Peter had a glimpse of the power of Jesus:

Luke 5:5-8
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

And Moses:

Genesis 3:4-6
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"

And Moses said, "Here I am."

5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

1 John 4:18, 19
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.

As Paul Harvey says, “here is the rest of the story:”

From Psalm 67, the blessing Psalm, verse 7:
May God give us his blessing, and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.

Isaiah 6:5,6

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Luke 5:8-11
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Genesis 3:11,12
But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."

Moses overcame his fear, and then his awe, & became comfortable enough with God to complain in Genesis 4:13-17:

But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it."

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2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 ~ they shall be my people

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 (New Revised Standard Version)


Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

"I will live in them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
Therefore come out from them,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch nothing unclean;
then I will welcome you,
and I will be your father,
and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty."

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.

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Genesis 45 ~ the best will be yours

Today our sermon spoke of the balance between loving God with our whole heart first, loving our neighbor as loving ourself. It's easy for the balance to be misplaced. When Jesus died giving us the opportunity to have His Holy Spirit, we are baptized and believe Jesus died for our sins to forgive us; we believe that Holy Spirit dwells in others around us. Joseph is a God given example of this balance.

Genesis 45 (The Message)

1 -2 Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out—everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace.
3 Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless—they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing.

4 -8 "Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years—neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt.

9 -11 "Hurry back to my father. Tell him, 'Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here. I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. I'll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of, you and everyone connected with you—you won't want for a thing.'

12 -13 "Look at me. You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin can see for himself, that it's me, my own mouth, telling you all this. Tell my father all about the high position I hold in Egypt, tell him everything you've seen here, but don't take all day—hurry up and get my father down here."

14 -15 Then Joseph threw himself on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. He then kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Only then were his brothers able to talk with him.

16 The story was reported in Pharaoh's palace: "Joseph's brothers have come." It was good news to Pharaoh and all who worked with him.

17 -18 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'This is the plan: Load up your pack animals; go to Canaan, get your father and your families and bring them back here. I'll settle you on the best land in Egypt—you'll live off the fat of the land.'

19 -20 "Also tell them this: 'Here's what I want you to do: Take wagons from Egypt to carry your little ones and your wives and load up your father and come back. Don't worry about having to leave things behind; the best in all of Egypt will be yours.'"

21 -23 And they did just that, the sons of Israel. Joseph gave them the wagons that Pharaoh had promised and food for the trip. He outfitted all the brothers in brand-new clothes, but he gave Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and several suits of clothes. He sent his father these gifts: ten donkeys loaded with Egypt's best products and another ten donkeys loaded with grain and bread, provisions for his father's journey back.

24 Then he sent his brothers off. As they left he told them, "Take it easy on the journey; try to get along with each other."

25 -28 They left Egypt and went back to their father Jacob in Canaan. When they told him, "Joseph is still alive—and he's the ruler over the whole land of Egypt!" he went numb; he couldn't believe his ears. But the more they talked, telling him everything that Joseph had told them and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the blood started to flow again—their father Jacob's spirit revived. Israel said, "I've heard enough—my son Joseph is still alive. I've got to go and see him before I die."

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Judges 11 ~ let us pass, please

Shofar - the rams horn is blown to remember Isaac's life was spared when God saved him and sent a substitute ram. Genesis 22. One prolonged blast represents the final straightening out of man's soul - Jesus Christ our Savior.

Judges 11 (The Message)

1-3 Jephthah the Gileadite was one tough warrior. He was the son of a whore, but Gilead was his father. Meanwhile Gilead's legal wife had given him other sons, and when they grew up, his wife's sons threw Jephthah out. They told him: "You're not getting any of our family inheritance—you're the son of another woman." So Jephthah fled from his brothers and went to live in the land of Tob. Some riffraff joined him and went around with him.

4-6 Some time passed. And then the Ammonites started fighting Israel. With the Ammonites at war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. They said to Jephthah: "Come. Be our general and we'll fight the Ammonites."

7 But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead: "But you hate me. You kicked me out of my family home. So why are you coming to me now? Because you are in trouble. Right?"

8 The elders of Gilead replied, "That's it exactly. We've come to you to get you to go with us and fight the Ammonites. You'll be the head of all of us, all the Gileadites."

9 Jephthah addressed the elders of Gilead, "So if you bring me back home to fight the Ammonites and God gives them to me, I'll be your head—is that right?"

10-11 They said, "God is witness between us; whatever you say, we'll do." Jephthah went along with the elders of Gilead. The people made him their top man and general. And Jephthah repeated what he had said before God at Mizpah.

12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites with a message: "What's going on here that you have come into my country picking a fight?"

13 The king of the Ammonites told Jephthah's messengers: "Because Israel took my land when they came up out of Egypt—from the Arnon all the way to the Jabbok and to the Jordan. Give it back peaceably and I'll go."

14-27 Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites with the message: "Jephthah's word: Israel took no Moabite land and no Ammonite land. When they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the desert as far as the Red Sea, arriving at Kadesh. There Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom saying, 'Let us pass through your land, please.' But the king of Edom wouldn't let them. Israel also requested permission from the king of Moab, but he wouldn't let them cross either. They were stopped in their tracks at Kadesh. So they traveled across the desert and circled around the lands of Edom and Moab. They came out east of the land of Moab and set camp on the other side of the Arnon—they didn't set foot in Moabite territory, for Arnon was the Moabite border. Israel then sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites at Heshbon the capital. Israel asked, 'Let us pass, please, through your land on the way to our country.' But Sihon didn't trust Israel to cut across his land; he got his entire army together, set up camp at Jahaz, and fought Israel. But God, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his troops to Israel. Israel defeated them. Israel took all the Amorite land, all Amorite land from Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.

It was God, the God of Israel, who pushed out the Amorites in favor of Israel; so who do you think you are to try to take it over? Why don't you just be satisfied with what your god Chemosh gives you and we'll settle for what God, our God, gives us? Do you think you're going to come off better than Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab? Did he get anywhere in opposing Israel? Did he risk war? All this time—it's been three hundred years now!—that Israel has lived in Heshbon and its villages, in Aroer and its villages, and in all the towns along the Arnon, why didn't you try to snatch them away then? No, I haven't wronged you. But this is an evil thing that you are doing to me by starting a fight. Today God the Judge will decide between the People of Israel and the people of Ammon."

28 But the king of the Ammonites refused to listen to a word that Jephthah had sent him.

29-31 God's Spirit came upon Jephthah. He went across Gilead and Manasseh, went through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there approached the Ammonites. Jephthah made a vow before God: "If you give me a clear victory over the Ammonites, then I'll give to God whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in one piece from among the Ammonites—I'll offer it up in a sacrificial burnt offering."

32-33 Then Jephthah was off to fight the Ammonites. And God gave them to him. He beat them soundly, all the way from Aroer to the area around Minnith as far as Abel Keramim—twenty cities! A massacre! Ammonites brought to their knees by the People of Israel.

34-35 Jephthah came home to Mizpah. His daughter ran from the house to welcome him home—dancing to tambourines! She was his only child. He had no son or daughter except her. When he realized who it was, he ripped his clothes, saying, "Ah, dearest daughter—I'm dirt. I'm despicable. My heart is torn to shreds. I made a vow to God and I can't take it back!"

36 She said, "Dear father, if you made a vow to God, do to me what you vowed; God did his part and saved you from your Ammonite enemies."

37 And then she said to her father, "But let this one thing be done for me. Give me two months to wander through the hills and lament my virginity since I will never marry, I and my dear friends."

38-39 "Oh yes, go," he said. He sent her off for two months. She and her dear girlfriends went among the hills, lamenting that she would never marry. At the end of the two months, she came back to her father. He fulfilled the vow with her that he had made. She had never slept with a man.

39-40 It became a custom in Israel that for four days every year the young women of Israel went out to mourn for the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.


Who would sign up to be God? To deal with people and their good intensions turned evil and unclear direction. Jephthah started out so well, forgive and forget - he’d help Israel out. Jephthah tells the Amorites they are mistaken and seeks a peaceful resolution. When peace failed, the Holy Spirit of God helps Jephthat to victory.

Did God tell Jephthat to sacrifice to Him in a different way than Moses instructed? No. God does not need us to bargain with Him. God wanted Jephthat to believe His promises. God is so vastly different than Baal and the other gods, He never wanted children to be sacrificed for prosperity or peace. God stopped Abraham, but Jephthah acted entirely of his own will. Jephthah’s leadership then faced civil war with the tribe of Ephraim and only continued 6 more years.

Israel suffered, explained in both Judges 17:6 and 21:25 as, "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." The next 5 judges did not benefit Israel in true leadership. Israel did not cry out as a child was sacrificed, but instead commemorated the event. Moses and Joshua would have cried out to God to intervene to prevent child sacrifice.

Numbers 31:1, 2
Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the LORD commands: When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

Deuteronomy 23: 23
Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

God stopped Abraham. Jephthah acted entirely of his own will. With Jephthah at the helm, Israel had civil war with Ephraim. The bible isn’t a Sunday school lesson painted by Norman Rockwell. God deals with us, our human nature, as our pastor says, “in our untidiness”, the chaos humans create.

Psalm 30:5
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

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Psalm 14 ~ shout with joy & rejoice

Psalm 14

1 Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good!
2 The Lord looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God.
3 But no, all have turned away;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
not a single one!

4 Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread
and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.
5 Terror will grip them,
for God is with those who obey him.
6 The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the Lord will protect his people.

7 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?
When the Lord restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.

A friend and I were debating the nature of man. As we discussed, we thought about the statement – ‘I don’t like people, I don’t trust them and I think they’d steal given the opportunity’. And I recalled when a wallet was left in front of Starbucks, next to a busy parking lot - we returned to find it perfectly intact and waiting for us. I remember the same Starbucks, several years later, calling saying a wallet had been left behind and it was intact. A dear one of mine, once spooked a woman making a deposit at the ATM machine. The woman felt afraid and, by accident, didn’t complete the transaction; instead leaving several hundred dollars in the open machine slot. The woman had to be followed to give her cash back! She was extremely happy - she'd heard too many stories about being alone at an ATM with a stranger and, gratefully, had her needed Christmas money for gifts.

All too often rudeness and unkindness is just busyness becoming self-centeredness. And sometimes it is just an ‘I’ve completely had it day’. And then we are victimized, like the commercial on TV, when the car is crashed into and no note is left, the feeling of bewilderment and betrayal. Deliberate cruelty is shocking and amazing.

Recently a young man told me about going to a party, where a young woman grabbed him by the crotch during a dance and yelled, “Right here and right now”. The shock & embarrassment of the man feeling ill, and on the spot, feeling not masculine & horrified. The crowd reacted with him, the front group was too shocked and too intimidated to speak up; someone from the back yelled, “Don’t do it, you’ll get a disease.” Feeling un-shocked enough to shake her off. The young man feeling ashamed, not masculine, months later, but coming to realize the incident was public sexual abuse. The incident generated a lot of compassion in the young man for abuse women face.

The motivation for the people who arranged Jesus' death was: power, fear, convenience, peace in the place of goodness, envy and hypocrisy. Some people in the crowd wanted Jesus to be crucified for entertainment and to test Him.

It's easier to sit and compare good and evil of man, but difficult realizing evil nature and quick silver change is in me. I will always need a compassionate savior. Jesus would agree with us the nature of man includes a large component of just plain corruption. But Jesus, like His Father, is unwilling to give us up to our nature; He was willing then, and today, to give all of us a chance.

Matthew 23:37-39 & Luke 13:34-35
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

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John 1:29-42 ~ Remain

John 1:29-42 ~ (New American Bible)

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."

John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God."

The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

He said to them, "Come, and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter, rock).

Noah 8: 6-12
After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.

Noah’s place in God’s plan was listening and acting upon what he believed, helping God redeem the world from becoming corrupt. In the first part of chapter 8:

Genesis 8:
God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.

God was sending redemption, only a taste of the redemption through Noah. In Noah’s day, the dove didn’t return, but in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit remains even today. Jesus told us how to spread the Holy Spirit and the love of God:

Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Mark 16:15-16
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Luke 24:45-48
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

John 20:21
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

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Romans 4:1-12 ~ believe

Romans 4:1-12

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes [& trusts] in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

God tells us that He is Love. And to please Him we need faith. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. Abraham didn’t pick and choose what was his truth, Abraham believed God to tell him. Abraham didn’t indulge in false guilt and didn’t wallow in self-righteousness. Abraham continued to believe God. Abraham continued to need forgiveness because he was human.

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Mark 1:4-11 ~ You are my beloved Son; with You I am well pleased

Picture used twice, world news indicates a need for courage and faith.

Mark 1:4-11

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

John 1:19

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

When someone is asking you about what you are most passionate in your life, you wouldn’t reply with a everyday, bored reply. This passage from the first chapter of John is one of my most favorite passages. Imagine John in his fuzzy wilderness clothing, standing beside the Jordan River,baptizing the thousands waiting to be baptized. Here come the higher ups from THE TEMPLE. This is John’s chance: “Who are you?” they want to know… Well, John, could have replied, “I am sure you know my father, Zechariah.. Yes, serves in the Temple, wonderful man, raised me to be so godly. Yes, the miracle of the angel Gabriel’s visit, my mother Elizabeth conceiving. What… yes, the miracle announcement concerning my birth. Oh, yes, Dad did regain his speech completely. Yes, my mother, fabulous woman! Such a good mother. Such a kosher woman, always cleaning and using kosher pots, pans and products. Yes, very fortunate my mother got my name right and Dad agreed. Well, now, the people just flock to me… Yes, it is quite remarkable, almost like television evangelists!”

But given the opportunity, John cries from his heart, ““I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord”. John sees that things need to be straightened and is willing to tell the priests and the people.

And Jesus, the Son of God, did not demand and cling to his rights as the Son of God, but went through the baptism of repentance to have the Holy Spirit bless Him. Jesus was baptized in John’s baptism in the work-a-day Jordan River, not in the front of the congregation and a party afterwards. Not ritual, but relationship. Love from the Father, giving these men their meaning in life.

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Psalm 146 ~ Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God

Psalm 146

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
2 I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.

4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.

5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.

6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,

8 the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The LORD reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Matthew 28:20
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

In my life, I have had times of fear. Recently our pastor gave a sermon on seasons based on Ecclesiastes 3 .We will all experience seasons of gratitude and turmoil. And as christians, we remember life is not set to the season of happiness permanently. I remember when my wonderful Daddy gave in to alcoholism and disappeared, suddenly for an entire year, with my mother’s decades long friend. I remember their divorce and losing our prosperous, wonderful family home and plunging into the poverty line. Our safe world was suddenly an abyss of possibilities and dangers.

College was suddenly a luxury. I remember weeping like a torrent several years later, after final exams, because I would have my college degree. The gratitude was so profound, sweeping over me, I remember the moment as if it were yesterday.

Our first child, our son, was born prematurely, we were told he might not live. I remember the joy of Christmas morning, hearing he would live. And the next year, Apnea and Pneumonia would cause alarms to ring and panicked fear of losing our son.

Last year was so hard to lose our daughter to chromosome defects. But we rise up, as my grandmother said, and go on believing Jesus Christ will be with us in all the seasons. We look with confidence to the future. Knowing God has good things in the future in His plan for us.

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John 8:39-59 ~ Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 8:39-59 (Today's New International Version)

39 "Abraham is our father," they answered.

"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would [a] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father."

"We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

48 The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

49 "I am not possessed by a demon," said Jesus, "but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death."

52 At this they exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"

54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."

57 "You are not yet fifty years old," they said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"

58 "Very truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.


{Footnotes: John 8:39 Some early manuscripts "If you are Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then }

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. (Heb. 13:8)

Proverbs 2

1 My child, listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.
9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.


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John 1:19-28 ~ I am

John 1:19-28 Listen

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Isaiah 40:3 A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

“Waiting for God’s Presence”

Vicar McCall

Waiting. I am horrible about waiting. Especially when it comes to presents. I can remember Christmas’ past. We always had to make sure we had enough time to open presents before church. My parents tried to make us wait until after church. Can you imagine my agony. To know everything was sitting there at home under the tree. Waiting. Aware of the presence of my presents and I couldn’t get to them.

The same sort of thing is going on today in our Scripture. Back in Israel’s history. All the waiting for God to bring about salvation. Restore Israel and have His actual physical presence dwell among His people. Because God’s physical presence come to dwell among his people would mean ultimate salvation for them. Hebrews talks about how in the days of old God spoke to those waiting for Him. Assured them of His coming presence. His Savior. He told them about Jesus and His coming through the prophets.

But if I thought what I had to go through on Christmas morning was bad, what about God’s people? Slavery. Destruction. Thousands of years. Waiting for the gift of salvation. Waiting for God’s presence to come and dwell among His people. It was a present they knew they had coming. They can hear about it. They know it’s there. They get hints and clues. Like the great Exodus from Egypt, only greater. Better. Like the restoration of the temple. Only greater. Better. But there was still a lot of waiting for God to rescue His people. Rescue them ultimately. Finally. Once and for all. End all the waiting they had endured for so long.

Can you imagine that first Christmas morning? After all that time, the world’s waiting ended. God came to His people. Our waiting too was over on that first Christmas morning. We received the present of Jesus Christ. God’s presence come to earth. Salvation in the flesh. When God announced this salvation he spoke it through His son, Jesus Christ. He spoke and revealed Jesus, ending the wait for His people. Jesus, the exact imprint of God. His radiance and glory. All the things Hebrew’s tells us. Here He is. Here God is. The Word, made flesh. God’s salvation in the presence of this little bitty baby. God’s presence is our present.

Like the shepherds, you could hear the news from angels. Leave everything and run to Him. See the wonder of God before your very eyes. Just be in His presence. Like the wise men you could see him. Travel to his home and be able to physically worship and adore him. Give him gifts that you had been waiting to present to him for so long. Being able to actually take in and behold the greatest present of all. Salvation is here. God is here. No more waiting.

BUT THERE IS MORE! God’s presence is still with us. But there is still more. We still look forward to being in His actual physical presence once again. Our unchanging God, Jesus Christ. The same Jesus Christ born in a manger will come again for us. He will come and change all things. Make them all new through His unchanging love. Bring us into his presence one last time, once and for all. That final present. His presence, His salvation, dwelling and living in His mercy and glory forever and ever.

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Genesis 14 ~ blessed be God Most High

Photo taken in 1897

Hebron's holy tree is dead, but its successors live. The tree, which died in 1996, was 300 years old. Mamre is half an hour's journey west of Hebron, and is surrounded by a wall over which it projects. Josephus, 2,000 years ago, probably refers to it ("Ant." i. 10, § 4), or a predecessor on the same spot, when he mentions that Abraham dwelt by an "ogygian" (prehistoric) tree. According to tradition, it was opposite this oak that Abraham's tent dwelt during the visit from Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High.

Genesis 14


1 At this time Amraphel king of Shinar, [a] Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim 2 went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea [b] ). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

13 One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother [c] of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.


17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem [d] brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator [e] of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be [f] God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand."
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share."

Footnotes:

Genesis 14:1 That is, Babylonia; also in verse 9
Genesis 14:3 That is, the Dead Sea
Genesis 14:13 Or a relative ; or an ally
Genesis 14:18 That is, Jerusalem
Genesis 14:19 Or Possessor ; also in verse 22
Genesis 14:20 Or And praise be to

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Isaiah 60 ~ you shall be radiant at what you see!

United with the angels, we praise the Holy One... The earth shall send forth light in honor of God's Son.

Isaiah Chapter 60 (New American Bible)

1
1 Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
2
See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; But upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory.
3
Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance.
4
Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: Your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
5
Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, For the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
6
Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
7
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered for you, the rams of Nebaioth shall be your sacrifices; They will be acceptable offerings on my altar, and I will enhance the splendor of my house.
8
2 What are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their cotes?
9
All the vessels of the sea are assembled, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, To bring your children from afar with their silver and gold, In the name of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.
10
Foreigners shall rebuild your walls, and their kings shall be your attendants; Though I struck you in my wrath, yet in my good will I have shown you mercy.
11
Your gates shall stand open constantly; day and night they shall not be closed But shall admit to you the wealth of nations, and their kings, in the vanguard.
12
For the people or kingdom shall perish that does not serve you; those nations shall be utterly destroyed.
13
3 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you: the cypress, the plane and the pine, To bring beauty to my sanctuary, and glory to the place where I set my feet.
14
The children of your oppressors shall come, bowing low before you; All those who despised you shall fall prostrate at your feet. They shall call you "City of the LORD," "Zion of the Holy One of Israel."
15
Once you were forsaken, hated and unvisited, Now I will make you the pride of the ages, a joy to generation after generation.
16
You shall suck the milk of nations, and be nursed at royal breasts; You shall know that I, the LORD, am your savior, your redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17
In place of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron, silver; In place of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron; I will appoint peace your governor, and justice your ruler.
18
No longer shall violence be heard of in your land, or plunder and ruin within your boundaries. You shall call your walls "Salvation" and your gates "Praise."
19
No longer shall the sun be your light by day, Nor the brightness of the moon shine upon you at night; The LORD shall be your light forever, your God shall be your glory.
20
No longer shall your sun go down, or your moon withdraw, For the LORD will be your light forever, and the days of your mourning shall be at an end.
21
Your people shall all be just, they shall always possess the land, They, the bud of my planting, my handiwork to show my glory.
22
The smallest shall become a thousand, the youngest, a mighty nation; I, the LORD, will swiftly accomplish these things when their time comes.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany, the wise men visited Jesus & presented their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. You can read the story in Matthew's Gospel here.

This Isaiah passage relates to the Epiphany because its final verse mentions gold and frankincense. The inclusion of 'myrrh' is a significant addition, and perhaps picks up the image of the 'Suffering Servant' Isaiah writes about most poignantly in chapters 52 and 53.

The word 'epiphany' means a moment of sudden and great revelation. Today's passage is full of contrasts suggesting a dramatic change. Verses 1-3 move between the image of darkness, which covers the whole earth, and a glorious light, which will attract all to it. In verse 4's idea develops into an image of movement: people from far-away lands will gather together and families who have been dispersed will be reunited.

But the focus - the worship of God - is always the same, whether it is through the gifts of gold and frankincense, or the proclamation of "the praise of the Lord".

To Ponder
Some people describe their decision to follow Jesus as a dramatic change, whereas for others it is a gradual growing in commitment. Think about your life story, whatever it may be. What epiphanies or moments of revelation have you had, which meant that life could never be the same again?

How have these moments of revelation changed you?

Isaiah spoke these words to offer hope to the Israelites in dark times. How can your moments of revelation support you, or others, when things become difficult?

Bible notes author: Ken Kingston

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1 John 3:11-21 ~ God is greater

1 John 3:11-21 ~ God is greater

I Believe in Love - BarlowGirl
The chorus of this song was written on the wall of a concentration camp and was found after it was over... to think someone going through so much as the holocaust could have so much faith...
-


1 John 3:11-21 (Today's New International Version)

11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a fellow believer is a murderer, and you know that no murderers have eternal life in them.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 17 If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.

Written by Rev. Ken Kingston, Methodist Church U.K. :

"John has themes that he returns to again and again as he writes. In the first part of the letter he talks about God as being light, without any darkness at all. He then goes on to speak about God as love – "this is the message you have heard from the beginning" – we should love another (verse 11), as Jesus loves us.

In this passage there is a reference back to Jesus' teaching of the 'Sermon on the Mount' in Matthew's Gospel (chapters 5-7). Jesus not only says that those who commit murder will be open to judgement, but anyone who is angry or insults their brother or sister will be similarly liable (Matthew 5:21-22). Not to love then, is to be in God's judgement as sin.

Love, as John rightly suggests, should consume our whole being, and be evident from every pore of our body. What we do, what we say and what we think will reveal us to be people of love and people of God."

~ My additional comment would be, this is the love John saw modeled by Jesus. This would be John's eyewitness account of what drew the disciples of Jesus and the crowds Jesus had such compassion upon. We, of course, pale in comparison.

Come, Lord Jesus, dwell in me.



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John 1 ~ Make straight the way for the Lord

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' ") 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only [Son], who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Messiah."

21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God's Chosen One."

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"

39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter ).

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit."

48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel."

50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "Very truly I tell you, you will see 'heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on' the Son of Man."

Psalm 103 ~ who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases

Psalm 103

1 Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for mortals, their days are like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children—

18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul.

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Psalm 97 ~ Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart

Light shines Through by James Coleman

Psalm 97

1 The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.

7 All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, LORD.

9 For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.

10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.