Saturday, September 1, 2012
Matthew 1
1-16. The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
It is interesting to me that Matthew chose to trace the lineage of Jesus Christ through his adopted father. Did Matthew know that Mark, Luke and John were also writing about the life of Jesus? Is Mary's lineage written somewhere?
17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
I wonder what the significance is of the 14 generations mentioned?
18-25. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
It was nice of Joseph to not want to cause embarrassment to Mary, finding herself with child before marriage.
Was it not uncommon to have angels speak to you in a dream? I guess the Lord must make it pretty clear that it's a message from Him.
How aware of the book of Isaiah was Joseph? If Joseph was familiar with Isaiah 7:14 I can see how that might help him believe that Mary was indeed a virgin.
Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel."
It seems to me that Joseph must have been a man of great character and great faith.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Isaiah 58:14
"Then you will take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
To wrap up this chapter it says "For the mouth of the LORD has spoken". The word for mouth is peh, which means the mouth, as the means of blowing.
Let the breath of God seal these ideas to my mind so they will return to me.
Draw near to God by helping those who need help and recognizing the blessings He has given already.
A special blessing for me today was that my 7 year old daughter wanted to help with Bible Study. We had a very good time talking about the Bible and learning a few Hebrew words. It did keep me from writing much down but a wonderful exchange in my opinion.
To wrap up this chapter it says "For the mouth of the LORD has spoken". The word for mouth is peh, which means the mouth, as the means of blowing.
Let the breath of God seal these ideas to my mind so they will return to me.
Draw near to God by helping those who need help and recognizing the blessings He has given already.
A special blessing for me today was that my 7 year old daughter wanted to help with Bible Study. We had a very good time talking about the Bible and learning a few Hebrew words. It did keep me from writing much down but a wonderful exchange in my opinion.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Isaiah 58:13
"If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own
pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of
the LORD honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from
seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word,"
The first time we see the word Sabbath in the Old Testament is Exodus 16:23 when God first began providing bread from heaven to those following Moses.
"then he said to them, "This is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD, bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning."
Although that was the first mention of the word "Sabbath" it was not the first mention of a day set aside for the LORD. That came back in Genesis 2:3.
"Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."
I need to turn my steps away from accomplishing what is pleasing to me because I want to honor the seventh day, which God set apart and sanctified as holy.
The question for me is ... how do I actually accomplish this? My Sunday plan most weeks include the following: church, visiting family , and sports (mainly watching football).
As an aside, I am really easily distracted. The thought of visiting family froze me in the Bible Study as I immediately started planning visits and dinner parties in my head. Now, where was I?
Church, family and sports are my pleasures but I don't know if they are exclusive to honoring God and His holy day. Church, for obvious reasons. Family, I think that gathering with family and honoring those relationships can be a way of honoring God. Perhaps this would be a good thing to keep in mind when I am visiting.
Sports ... hmmmm ... I don't know what to think about that one. Anybody out there have some thoughts?
The first time we see the word Sabbath in the Old Testament is Exodus 16:23 when God first began providing bread from heaven to those following Moses.
"then he said to them, "This is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD, bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning."
Although that was the first mention of the word "Sabbath" it was not the first mention of a day set aside for the LORD. That came back in Genesis 2:3.
"Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."
I need to turn my steps away from accomplishing what is pleasing to me because I want to honor the seventh day, which God set apart and sanctified as holy.
The question for me is ... how do I actually accomplish this? My Sunday plan most weeks include the following: church, visiting family , and sports (mainly watching football).
As an aside, I am really easily distracted. The thought of visiting family froze me in the Bible Study as I immediately started planning visits and dinner parties in my head. Now, where was I?
Church, family and sports are my pleasures but I don't know if they are exclusive to honoring God and His holy day. Church, for obvious reasons. Family, I think that gathering with family and honoring those relationships can be a way of honoring God. Perhaps this would be a good thing to keep in mind when I am visiting.
Sports ... hmmmm ... I don't know what to think about that one. Anybody out there have some thoughts?
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Isaiah 58:13-14
"If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
This is a tough one for me, but it is also inspiring.
The Hebrew word "im" at the beginning of this passage is very important to my understanding of it. A simple word meaning "lo!" and most often translated as "if". If I take delight in the Sabbath as a time to focus on God and how much He loves me and blesses me, then how could I not be even more open to receive even more blessings from Him. Just being open to recognize our blessings is a blessing in itself.
This is a tough one for me, but it is also inspiring.
The Hebrew word "im" at the beginning of this passage is very important to my understanding of it. A simple word meaning "lo!" and most often translated as "if". If I take delight in the Sabbath as a time to focus on God and how much He loves me and blesses me, then how could I not be even more open to receive even more blessings from Him. Just being open to recognize our blessings is a blessing in itself.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Isaiah 58:11-12
11. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
So comforting to thing of God always being with me. Guiding me, caring for me, strengthening me, filling me up so much that what He gives me spills out to others like "a spring whose waters never fail".
Lord, let me not turn off the tap or block the waters. Let me be a source of your living water for others.
12. Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
In a literal translation ancient ruins = the wastes of forever and age-old foundations = the foundation of generation and generation.
A literal translation: "And those who come of you shall build the old ruins; you shall rear the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to live in."
Sounds like the work World Vision does. They go to the wastelands (literal and figurative wastes) to help build up the children for impact on future generations.They fill in the gaps and help make communities more livable.
No, I don't work for World Vision. I simply admire the work they do.
So comforting to thing of God always being with me. Guiding me, caring for me, strengthening me, filling me up so much that what He gives me spills out to others like "a spring whose waters never fail".
Lord, let me not turn off the tap or block the waters. Let me be a source of your living water for others.
12. Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell.
In a literal translation ancient ruins = the wastes of forever and age-old foundations = the foundation of generation and generation.
A literal translation: "And those who come of you shall build the old ruins; you shall rear the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to live in."
Sounds like the work World Vision does. They go to the wastelands (literal and figurative wastes) to help build up the children for impact on future generations.They fill in the gaps and help make communities more livable.
No, I don't work for World Vision. I simply admire the work they do.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Isaiah 58:10
A repeating theme seems to be coming through: Bless other and you will be blessed.
10. And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday.
A few words from the Hebrew:
נֶפֶשׁ
nephesh (neh'·fesh): a breathing creature or vitality
עָנָה
anah (ä·nä): to depress
שָׂבַע
saba (sä·vah): to sate (fill to satisfaction)
זָרַח
zarach (zä·rakh): to irradiate (or shoot forth beams)
אֲפֵלָה
aphelah (af·ā·lä): duskiness; misfortune
צֹהַר
tsohar (tsō'·har): a light (window): dual double light (midday, noon, window)
Feed the hungry with your every breath, fill to satisfaction the depressed. Then light will shoot for4th beams into the darkness, like a window bringing the light of midday in the duskiness of misfortune.
10. And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday.
A few words from the Hebrew:
נֶפֶשׁ
nephesh (neh'·fesh): a breathing creature or vitality
עָנָה
anah (ä·nä): to depress
שָׂבַע
saba (sä·vah): to sate (fill to satisfaction)
זָרַח
zarach (zä·rakh): to irradiate (or shoot forth beams)
אֲפֵלָה
aphelah (af·ā·lä): duskiness; misfortune
צֹהַר
tsohar (tsō'·har): a light (window): dual double light (midday, noon, window)
Feed the hungry with your every breath, fill to satisfaction the depressed. Then light will shoot for4th beams into the darkness, like a window bringing the light of midday in the duskiness of misfortune.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Isaiah 58:9
9. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am'. If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
Don't burden others or speak badly of others. This will help us draw near to God. When we are close to God and call out to Him he will be there ready to answer. Of course, He is always there ready to answer. However, when we are drawing close to Him I think we are more ready to hear His response when we have called out to Him.
I really like to know the root meaning of the words originally written by the people inspired by God to write them.
אָז
az (äz): at that time or place; therefore
קָרָא
qara (kä·rä): to call out to
יְהֹוָה
Yĕhovah (yeh·hō·vä): the self-Existent, Eternal
עָנָה
anah (ä·nä): to eye, to heed; pay attention, respond
שָׁוַע
shava (shä·vah): to be free (from trouble); cry aloud or shout for help
אָמַר
amar (ä·mar): to say; answer, declare, talk
הִנֵּה
hinneh (hin·nā): lo!; behold, see
אִם
im (ēm): if, although
סוּר
cuwr (sür): to turn off; leave undone, remove, turn aside
תָּוֶךְ
tavek (tä'·vek): a bisection, the center; therein, middle, midst, with
מוֹטָה
mowtah (mō·tä): a yoke
שָׁלַח
shalach (shä·lakh): to send away, for or out
אֶצְבַּע
etsba (ets·bah): something to seize with; a finger, a toe
דָּבַר
dabar (dä·var): to arrange (words); to speak
אָוֶן
aven (ä·ven): trouble, vanity, wickedness
My word-for-word translation: At that time - to call out to - Jehovah - respond - shout for help - to say - behold - if - turn aside - amidst - a yoke - send away - finger - speaking - trouble
My conversational translation: Then I will call out to God and He will respond. If I shout for help, He will say, 'Behold', if I turn aside amidst the yoke and send away the finger speaking trouble.
I am making an assumption that if I shout out for help and God responds with, "Behold!" that something follows that will help me. Could be a message I hear or read, something I see or an action that helps me.
This verse makes me think of the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you."
Somehow this verse says to me, "Treat others the way you would like God to treat you."
That's something for me to think about today. How am I treating others? Is it how I want to be treated by them or more importantly by God?
Don't burden others or speak badly of others. This will help us draw near to God. When we are close to God and call out to Him he will be there ready to answer. Of course, He is always there ready to answer. However, when we are drawing close to Him I think we are more ready to hear His response when we have called out to Him.
I really like to know the root meaning of the words originally written by the people inspired by God to write them.
אָז
az (äz): at that time or place; therefore
קָרָא
qara (kä·rä): to call out to
יְהֹוָה
Yĕhovah (yeh·hō·vä): the self-Existent, Eternal
עָנָה
anah (ä·nä): to eye, to heed; pay attention, respond
שָׁוַע
shava (shä·vah): to be free (from trouble); cry aloud or shout for help
אָמַר
amar (ä·mar): to say; answer, declare, talk
הִנֵּה
hinneh (hin·nā): lo!; behold, see
אִם
im (ēm): if, although
סוּר
cuwr (sür): to turn off; leave undone, remove, turn aside
תָּוֶךְ
tavek (tä'·vek): a bisection, the center; therein, middle, midst, with
מוֹטָה
mowtah (mō·tä): a yoke
שָׁלַח
shalach (shä·lakh): to send away, for or out
אֶצְבַּע
etsba (ets·bah): something to seize with; a finger, a toe
דָּבַר
dabar (dä·var): to arrange (words); to speak
אָוֶן
aven (ä·ven): trouble, vanity, wickedness
My word-for-word translation: At that time - to call out to - Jehovah - respond - shout for help - to say - behold - if - turn aside - amidst - a yoke - send away - finger - speaking - trouble
My conversational translation: Then I will call out to God and He will respond. If I shout for help, He will say, 'Behold', if I turn aside amidst the yoke and send away the finger speaking trouble.
I am making an assumption that if I shout out for help and God responds with, "Behold!" that something follows that will help me. Could be a message I hear or read, something I see or an action that helps me.
This verse makes me think of the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you."
Somehow this verse says to me, "Treat others the way you would like God to treat you."
That's something for me to think about today. How am I treating others? Is it how I want to be treated by them or more importantly by God?
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