Daniel 1 ~ knowledge and understanding

Daniel 1

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.

6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.




And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.


Have you noticed something about Daniel? People who teach Sunday School love Daniel. And people who are new Christians worry about Daniel. Yep, the Lions await you. You are going to be sent with lots of approval to Somalia and the pirates are your charge. Tally - ho. Bon voyage!!! Roar of approval - like we all used to do as kids - hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa Wave Now.

Daniel isn't like Joseph. Noooooooo. Daniel is what the indians call a poor hunter - a veg- et-ar-ian. Now, let's be kind. I'm sure God loves Daniel too.

No, I'm kidding, God equips us to do His work. Frankly, Daniel was needed to be a Perfect to get the attention of three Emperors and get the Exiles back to Israel. God put Daniel just were he was needed and caused good things to happen for him. However, this is a most unusual story in Scripture. It's like Hezekiah seeing the sun move backwards. Usually there isn't much acclaim in doing His work. And usually there is a lot of struggle like Joseph. And even when Joseph was chosen - you don't hear of Joseph's perfections - but of his willingness to be humble and forgiving.

Now if you were Pope and you sang that to the tune of "If I were King of the Forest". It's a catchy tune. I bet you did that.

NOW IF YOU WERE POPE FOR THE DAAAAY. What would you do with that? Me - I'd have prime rib.

Actually, I have an agenda. Quelle Surprise. I would say this - we are not in the days were families typically look like this:

and what we are watching on TV does not look like this:

And Pope Francis is saying even atheists have a shot at His Kingdom with good works.

I'd have to say to the new Pope - I drove past the convent in Houston - and I realized - I don't want to live there. But if you gave me the opportunity to live on a farming Monastery with the opportunity to read the Word of God and feed people each day - you betcha. But there is a caveat - we have to agree that Jesus healed a specific person - Peter's Mother-in-Law.

And Jesus didn't look over at Peter and say, "Well, one of your imperfections is that you are married." Jesus was known to be a communicator for - for - for - GOD. Yep. Jesus knows God pretty well.

Pope Francis, sir, Jesus had a team of people go out for HIM to give up lives and hearth for Jesus. They are recorded as Authors of Scripture. Yes, Jesus' brothers. The Scriptures know the word for cousin - that is used for Elizabeth. And Jude, Jesus' brother records that Evangelism is for all people, but we need to stay in His Word to see HIM work well. Jude is bashed, but Jude ends very well with love.

Theologians come and go - but St. Thomas Aquinas had some very Anita Bryant ideas about women. Ever wonder where the idea that blondes are dumb came from... thank you, St. Thomas Aquinas. Seems redheads are harlots and brunettes are greedy. But only if you are sans penis. St. Thomas Aquinas did NOT want to get married. So badly he locked himself away in a tower. Unfortunately for us, he rather stayed in a tower the rest of his life. No huggie, no kissie until you are a Bride of Christ. But if you are a Priest - you sure better not get married.

Well, Daniel needed to be perfect. And God used him to make an amazing miracle. But the Second Temple, without the Ark returning to it, was stuck on perfections and didn't fire up the Essenes except out. This is a Work of God, but most of God's work is Him overcoming Weaknesses and not perfections to be miracles.

Pope Francis, evangelism is good. Or we go far over and fail to feed the ones already in the flock while appealing to atheists and those people who never will care to be part of Church. Not even our Lord could bring in some of the people. 

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15

Who is our Neighbor? The one Jesus said who shows mercy. A parable about who deserves our mercy, giving mercy to people in need. However, some people never did show Jesus mercy. Negative attention getters can't be revered. The sheep of the flock show mercy. Feed the people showing the mercy.  (Pope Francis, the Church has maligned the married - why not use this resource? And if we are going with the idea that God calls the righteous and those forsake marriage - no, Matthew 6:12 says God calls sinners.) 


So let's letter rip - that's a joke. We need all the Word of God the Nicene Council brought us at great peril and risk of life.

Our culture is changing. I bet a lot of us recognize this -

Yes "The 300". King Leonidas and Emperor Xerxes discuss surrender. We are SO Stuck on the subtitles we should be called salmon and not people.

We do this to Scripture too. Immediately after seizing the kingship, Darius I of Persia (son of Hystaspes) married Atossa (daughter of Cyrus the Great). Then Xerxes claimed he was sprung from Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, and that it was Cyrus who had won the Persians their freedom.

Xerxes married a gal named Esther. You could see their tombs in Iran today. And here is the shape of Xerxes tomb, to the left.


Xerxes is monotheistic. And part of your Bible today. This is the king portrayed in modern movies, like "300", and video war games as ruthless and wholly corrupt. The Scriptures show a lot of suggestions are made to the king all the time, but the Book of Esther begins with Xerxes re-thinking his actions. This is a man favored with God's help, a plot against him is averted by his choice of new queen and the queen's family.

We accept willingly this Emperor was corrupt. And fail to see we don't delve into images. We allow the subtitles to dictate to us.

Scripture isn't about Jesus meek and mild. Jesus was born to an unwed mother. God did not have to do that. God did not have to make John the Baptist's father mute. Seems rather impolite. It's the fight and the struggle that God uses to refine us. Fight the Good Fight but don't salmon up.

Jesus was recognized as Joseph's own grown son twice in the Gospels. Look that up. It's important. This is about blending people back into the world to urge the world to look to Him. It's about not looking like the 1950s to the world. It's having a place to go if your child lives with a significant other. Only in Church is this considered to be a bad thing. ME? I'm for Marriage. I'm for doing the hard work. But let's be real. In the world you are supposed to apologize, if you are not for living together.

We are facing this divide. Put on your 'we all get along' with the subtitles and just love one another. And have struggles for who presents themselves in a 'we can use them' fashion. We have to be real where we are to learn to deal with our culture. Not just do like they did in World War II reading the readings and ignoring the bombs. We have to be in the world. We cannot ostrich up in Church and be equipped. 

We need to embrace God using weakness to make the path straight. Not forgetting when up to our rear in alligators the goal was to make the Higher Path Encouraging and Welcoming. Not put on your best and most fake, get the job, appearance. 

Or we can say Daniel is unique, gifted, talented and we won't make fun of him. Employ the Gospel of Love. Even the perfect ones need love too.

Then we are so acclimated to Church that we look rather foreign in the work place. In our neighborhood. The Church as a whole unit needs to be both Daniel and John the Baptist. The Word of God is about blending our Higher Path into a place of Encouragement.

We hold maxims because we remember them. We readily remember 'don't let the sun go down on your anger'. 'Turn the other cheek'. And we hold them to be the immediate Biblical answer. Yet sometimes turning the other cheek is exactly what the evil one would want. Sometimes we have to employ "Rebuke the devil and he will flee from you." Exactly like, if people are not going to reason with you, why provoke another fight but sometimes the fight is what they did in Scripture ... to learn. WE have to apply the right Scripture for the right solution. In Prayer. In checking the true reality of our goals.

What would we do if Jesus could see us thinking... HE is there.

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Luke 2:8-14 ~ Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:8-14

 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the song of the angels is stilled.
When the star in the sky is gone.
When the kinds and princes are home.
When the shepherds are back with their flock.
The work of Christ(mas) begins:

The find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

Alleluia! Unto us a child is born.                                                                   ~Author Unknown

Where were those Angels after Gabriel had said he stands in the Presence of God...

Psalms 103:21
Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.

Nehemiah 9:6
"You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You."

1 Kings 22:19-22
Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left."

Where is Jesus in this?

Hebrews 1:6
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God's angels worship Him.”

So... where were the Angels???

Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name.

He knows all the Host of Heaven by name. Where where the Angels?

2 Kings 6:5-
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

And Jesus Himself tells us where the Angels were for Him.

Matthew 26:53
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

and on earth Peace among those with whom He is pleased!”




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Psalm 5 ~ O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice

Psalm 5

Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.


4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.


7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.


11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.

 What about prayer?

James 4:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person availeth much.

Without the Power in the Name of Jesus, not much is accomplished. Especially when we Know Jesus came to save sinners. However when we ask for HIS will earnestly, explaining to Him from willing hearts, anticipating His goodness in wanting to save the entire world, giving HIM the humility of knowing His will is wonderful, then in the still of a quiet heart - His Word goes forth - on this we can completely trust - lives change and the weary world rejoices.

Hospitals and huge doctors offices give me the shudders. My son was in the Neonatal Ward for Christmas about two decades ago; the feeling is of the world out there in bustling joy while you are in deep sinking fear. Hospitals help so many people, but I'd just rather not see a sign that says nuclear medicine and have life flights coming in. The fear is palatable and I long for my home and velor blanket like Linus.

What can we do when buying the world a Coke isn't really an option -

Philemon

4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ

Which is going to please our Father God more...

A) Thinking, "And that poor soul with that affliction - oh man - I totally forgot to pray. Wow, I'm so wrong. I'm so bad at this prayer thing. I'd hate that to happen to me. Oh...now there's a prayer. Dang. I'm bad at prayer. Okay here goes" - ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Lorddddddddd waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over there. Up there. Um. Heavenly Father (dang I'm bad at this) could you please (man, this never works) and (does He really care...what are the chances...) OH. Um and please move YOURRRR HAND and um Heal. Amen. Oh. In Jesus. um that. (Well, that prayer hit the ceiling onnnnne moooooore time.)

B) Love fills our heart. And worry and selfish concern. A little guilt maybe. Or perhaps a BING on your only eternal part - your soul. Maybe even a sigh. God might chuckle. He can address this in a letter to you. The Holy Spirit helps you, even your weakness. You don't know what to pray, your Father God Himself intercedes for you with groanings you have difficulty bringing forth reasonably. He searches hearts knowing what is on your mind, and of the Spirit, because Jesus intercedes for us according to the will of God. Romans 8:26.

Now flowchart with me - if prayer A shows up... swat it down with prayer B. And repeat. Endlessly!!! God is the Spirit who had His first sign - making wine for His Mom - at a party. Now tell me that He did not consume wine at parties.

Luke 7:34
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her deeds."

Who said "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength"? Jesus.

Who said "the prayer of a righteous person availeth much"? Same Spirit. Those who seek Jesus earnestly - find Him. How do we know? His Word.

Proverbs 8:17 - Bronze Age Solomon
I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

Deuteronomy 4:29 - Moses age Long Ago.
If you will seek the LORD your God, then you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and soul.

Isaiah 55:6-7 - 700 years before Jesus
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

The Dead Sea scrolls remind us the Scriptures  (also draw information from the Septuagint - amazing)  match these Dead Sea scrolls showing these papyrus were so intent to be accurate  - they fit together almost perfectly. Saying God wants to save the entire world.

Continuing to James, the Brother of Jesus - commented upon in a rebuke fashion a few, sibling, times in Scripture for James being "of the world."

James 4:8
Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

God loves you. Mark 6:34
Jesus has compassion on you, because you were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching

There are extensive needs around us all the time - God loves when we give HIM our thoughts that dart in and out and turn that into prayer for those we know of needing prayer. My Church and my neighborhood have seen prayers answered and this only gives HIM more gladness to pour out a blessing. Prayer is effective. We have to believe our conversations to HIM are like the Syrian woman who gave Jesus humility in our earnestness and Love.

 

we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture

Father God, we open our hearts to You. So many extensive needs. So many unspoken needs. We ask You to be earnestly present and bring forth Heaven to earth in Your Will and Your Way, Truth, and Life. In Jesus. Amen!

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1 John 1 ~ our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you

1 John 1

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Thinking on Life Made Manifest - the author, John, writes he saw and heard Jesus to Proclaim this Joy. The Light made manifest is what advent is about - God with us we celebrate. Using Christmas Lights we proclaim the Light of the world.

King David's Palace, not where Jesus was born, was located by an Israeli University Professor reading the Bible. The house we attribute to being the House of the Virgin Mary was located by the visions of thy mystic Anne Catherine Emmerich. You have to admire the Catholic Church for their authenticity concerns. The House of Mary is not disbelieved nor accredited because there is no supporting archaeological evidence. One of Emmerich's descriptions of the house Apostle John built in Ephesus for Mary, the mother of Jesus, where she had lived to the end of her life. Emmerich provided details about location and topography. In 1881, a French priest, the Abbé Julien Gouyet used Emmerich's book and found Mary's house based on the descriptions. He was not taken seriously at first, but sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey persisted until two other priests followed the same path and confirmed the finding. The Bible says have several witnesses.

Anne Catherine Emmerich said Jesus was born in a stable created from a cave. And the photo from a hundred years ago shows us, many stables were caves in Bethlehem.

Her vision says when Jesus was born, the Light filled the stable and went UP Filling the sky with Light. A single star shone brightly...


The Catholic Church would tell you, in their investigations, light and halos have been seen around those who fill themselves with the Holy Spirit. Like the way our Father God spoke to Moses. And the Light of the Holy Spirit recorded in the second chapter of Acts. The Catholic Church beatified Anne Catherine Emmerich, but the beatification was held up because her narrator added so many things they had to take decades to decipher what were her visions. However, Light is proclaimed in John 1.

I know I go on and on about John's first Gospel Chapter, but if you were to condense the story of Jesus... I truly applaud the disciple who chose to follow Jesus into great personal danger. John's wording of the wonders he saw are truly poetic. Majestic. Inspiring. John conveys to eyes, not witnessing Him, in a hidden form using poetry of the wonder John...saw. He is telling the novice of the camel he saw go through a threaded needle and explains All Things are Possible with God. 

Coincidentally enough, The Ryland Papyrus contains two examples of the Gospel of ... John. Dated to the appropriate era - saying the Author lived at the time of Jesus and is credible. Saying that all the Bible is written as the Authors suggest and - the believers are unsurprised. One small step for Faith - one giant leap for papyrus. 

Housed at the John Rylands University Library, Manchester

This is why we have proof today - when Paul wrote of the Temple currently offering sacrifices, we see the 400 years of Roman Empire persecutions give us two lone papyrus surviving to say - YES - this Was Written By these Authors and they DID -

• hear Jesus 
• see with our eyes, and look upon Jesus
• touch Jesus with our hands
• saw miraculous life - describes as the Way, Truth and Life - made manifest
• our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ
• we have Seen it, and Testify to it and Proclaim to you the Eternal Life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us
• This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

John 5:35
John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

"A Man Called Peter: The Story of Peter Marshall" by Catherine Marshall. She wrote of seeing Light surrounding Peter after he died. He was one of the most revered men in America as Chaplain of the United States Senate. He was a very warm, personable man filled with love for God proclaiming love for each other. 

Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1
He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord!’

Proverbs 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Daniel 12:3
And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Luke 2:9
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

Chelsea Banton's Miraculous Healing after an Angel appears

Matthew 13:43
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear!

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Psalm 119:49-56 ~ Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.

Psalm 119:49-56
Zayin

Remember your word to your servant,
in which you have made me hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction,
that your promise gives me life.

The insolent utterly deride me,
but I do not turn away from your law.
When I think of your rules from of old,
I take comfort, O Lord.

Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
who forsake your law.
Your statutes have been my songs
in the house of my sojourning.

I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
and keep your law.

This blessing has fallen to me,
that I have kept your precepts.

If you've seen FB, you probably know by now Psalm 119 is the longest Chapter in the Bible and is considered to be the exact middle. Twenty-two stanzas in the Hebrew alphabet and for Psalm 119. One stanza for each letter. This is elaborate framework for... prayer.

It's said (just Zayin) David used Psalm 119 to teach Solomon the alphabet and to write. Not just the alphabet - the alphabet of the spiritual life.

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.

If only. If only Abram had this Psalm of prayer. And that treasured son, Isaac. Why didn't God say upon Isaac He would be named Israel. Makes sense Abram became Abraham. Isaac to Israel. But no dice. Isaac was a good faithful man. He married the blessing Abraham and Sarah sought - their kin Rebecca. It was a miraculous occurrence. There was a marriage only to one woman. Surely one man could create the nation Yahweh told Abram about. That makes such sense. Isaac wasn't handed servant women. Didn't marry sisters. And Isaac was certainly willing to believe he carried Abraham's great blessing to be given to the next generation.

There was just one small hitch. Isaac adhered to the law. And grew blind. Spiritually blind. He believed only one of his children would be blessed of God. And only for birth order as a tradition in culture. People are funny, what they believe.

I've heard people, entire large, significant congregations bustling with people say - Jesus made rock soup. Surely you've heard the children's book about Rock Soup. A man is hungry and starts with clean stones in vat of water promising soup. One by one people put in leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, etc. And at the end of the book - voila - it takes a village and we have soup. Soup is also a slang term for chemical glop.

Now, if Jesus made rock soup instead of - loaves and fishes feeding the multitudes on several occasions... why did He hide out and say the crowd was only there for the blessing. And if people were contributing their picnic supplies - why do we see only left over loaves and fish. Why not a basket filled with figs, cheese, dates, nuts, pomegranates, herring, cod, olives, and grains? Instead only the food Jesus started with is left over. The people were fed by Jesus. Who is God's incarnate Word. How do we know? Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. Hope - God is who He says He is and His promises are sure. Faith - Those promises are for me. Love - have strength to comprehend the breadth, length, height and depth, the love of Christ surpassing knowledge and filling us with all the fullness of God.

How do we Know? Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. The Work God gives man is to believe. 

Jacob believed something larger was possible in God. Something as vast as the Universe. More like C.S. Lewis. God is not a tame Lion.

Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Jacob was indeed all in. Willing to let the Wind of God push him. To fight God for a blessing until dawn believing even in the fight God would want to bless. Believing mere words were a blessing. Words. Words of God. And at the end of his life, he never was asked by his sons to forgive their deceit, but Jacob, who had become Israel, wanted his sons and Joseph's sons to be included in the Blessings of God.

Jacob was cheated in marriage. Indignation seized Jacob a lot. Actually he was treated badly in his marriages. Treated badly by distant family, his father, his mother, and his brother. Jacob knew the death of the woman he treasured, who brought trouble upon them. His family knew favoritism. Encountered rape. They warred over justice. His son slept with one of his wives. And his own children conspired to say his son was dead. He left the promised land and still believed as he died - God was in Charge. And blessings were to be - bestowed - gifted - given - lovingly adopting Joseph's children. And saying, with belief, amazing things were still to come.

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. Abraham believed and this is credited to him as righteousness. Blessings were increased as Jacob displayed the greatest of these is Love.

Jesus created awe and wonder as He walked along this life. He saw the futility in law bearing above Love. He saw the sadness in easy breezy pleasy and unkindness of lack of law and structure. Speaking His Word:

Luke 18:9-13

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"


Father God, help me to be one of that number. In the name of Jesus. Amen

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