Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death. Don’t think you can get away with saying, “I didn’t know.” God knows that you know. The plausible deniability defense will not work before His judgment seat.
If a person who exercises government authority uses that power to defend the poor and rescue the children of the needy, their enemies will fall before them. Such a ruler will govern a prosperous land.
Paul calls on us to seek unity with our fellow believers. In addition, he describes how we can have such unity, and the only way we can have such unity. We will not have unity as long as some among us think that they are more important than others, placing more value on their own wants and interests than on the interests of others. If we are guilty of thinking that what we want is more important than what others want, we are the ones causing division in the Church. Until we have the same attitude which Jesus had, we are going to bring division to the Body of Christ.
As I read chapter 60, part of me sees this as a prophecy for the Jewish people, but part of me also sees this as a prophecy which applies to those who follow Christ. I look around at the world and see the darkness of evil covering ever more of the world. However, God promises that the light of His righteousness will shine on those who honor and trust Him. That light will shine out from God’s people into the darkness and people will throng to God’s light.
Then we come to chapter 61, which Jesus declared was fulfilled in Himself. Jesus declared that He had come to proclaim that the captive would be freed and the blind would see. The Spirit of God was upon Him to bring these things about…and Jesus told us that the Spirit of God would be upon us as well to bring these things about. Let us remember as we read such passages that it is God’s intention to work through us to make these things happen.
Like so many of the proverbs, both parts of this proverb are basic common sense. Yet many people come up with excuses as to why they are an exception to one or both of them. While it may work out for them in the short-term, before too long this truth bears out. A group of people may find the thoughts and actions of someone with a warped mind entertaining or beneficial at first, but before very long they start to grate on everyone’s nerves. On the other hand, a group of people may initially find a sensible person boring and “no fun” to be around, but before long they realize that they need people like that to make things happen.
Paul tells us to pray for kings and those in authority. This psalm is a great example of what we should pray when we do so. The first, and most important, part is that we pray that God give His love of justice and righteousness to our government officials. Further, we ask God to help them judge the people under their authority with justice and righteousness. I will ask that God help those government officials to defend the poor and the children of the needy.
The rest of the requests in this psalm follow from these things. If the government authorities judge with righteousness and justice their power will expand. They and the people under their authority will prosper.
The first part of this passage reminds me of something I have commented on a few times so far this year. The fact that John the Baptist and Jesus were perceived by the people of the day as preaching the same message, to the point where many people thought they were the same person.
When Jesus told the crowd that they must take up their cross daily, He was not talking about having to deal with the minor troubles of life such as dealing with difficult people.He was talking about willingly facing a horrible torturous death. The crowd listening to Him would have known exactly to what He was referring. Further, the fact that He was referring to crucifixion is made clear by what He says next. Are we willing to sacrifice our lives in order to serve Jesus? We, here in the United States, have not been asked to make that choice. That may change soon. Probably not our lives, but we may soon struggle to make our livelihoods. Recently, there have been cases where Christians have lost not only their livelihoods but their life savings for standing up for their faith. I believe that this will become more common in the near future. Of course this is minor suffering compared to Christians in some parts of the world. Will we here be as faithful in the face of this minor suffering as others have been in the face of more severe suffering?
A character in a book I like said, “Remember, it does you no good to gain your heart’s desire, if you have to give up your heart to get it.” That is another way of saying what Jesus is saying here. Nothing you can gain is worth giving up your very self. In the same way, no suffering is so bad that it is worth giving yourself up to avoid it. There is so much more I want to write about this, but if you want to understand where I am going read the “Martyrs Mirror: The Story of Seventeen Centuries of Christian Martyrdom From the Time of Christ to A.D. 1660”.
There are several points here which are worth noting. First, the Israelites are told to never put someone to death on the testimony of but one witness. They were to always make sure that there were at least two or three witnesses. This is an important point that applies to many cases. We should never reach a negative conclusion about someone until we have heard from multiple, independent sources. We should recognize that sometimes people misunderstand what is happening around them.
Another point worth noting is the instructions for future kings of Israel. These instructions can easily be extended to others besides kings. Someone who runs a company should not accumulate wealth far beyond what the workers who make the company profitable are able to acquire. It is not my place to tell someone in that situation what that means. I am merely telling someone reading this who is a CEO that they should look at what they make vs what the common worker makes. If, in their judgment, they are making enough to be well above his common workers, he is making too much and/or they too little. I want to repeat, it is not the place of outsiders to tell them how much they can make, or how much their employees should make. It is up to each person to use their judgment, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to determine where that line is.
We cannot stand aside when the innocent are condemned to die by claiming we did not know. God knows the truth of the matter. If we did not know that injustice was being done because we did not want to know, He will hold us accountable. God will repay as our actions deserve.
We are to pray for our rulers. Let us pray this psalm. If a ruler has God’s love of justice and always treats the poor fairly, all of his people will prosper as will the land he rules. If a land’s rulers defend the poor and rescue the children of the needy that land will be blessed in all that happens there. If the people are faithful and pray for their rulers, God will bless the land.
We have no reason to be frightened or intimidated by those who oppose us because of our faith in Christ. We have been given the privilege not only of believing and trusting in Christ, but also to suffer for Him. We should not be afraid of persecution for our faith in Christ, rather we should see it as an honour, as a reward for faithfully serving Him.
Paul challenges us to set aside our selfish goals and desire to advance our own interests. Instead we should value other people more than we value ourselves. Rather than seeking our own desires, let us work at doing that which brings happiness and pleasure to others. Let us seek to imitate Christ, who although He was God chose to walk humbly as a man and suffer a criminal’s death. Let us do every task which God sets before us without grumbling or complaining. This last part is one which is a struggle for me. Sometimes it is so easy to grumble and complain while doing what we know we should do.
Isaiah prophesied that the people of Israel would return to the land God had promised to Abraham’s descendants. God promised that not only would He gather them once more, but they would bring wealth from the ends of the earth. God promised that merchants from all over the earth would do business with the people of Israel. As I read this passage today, I am reminded of the economic position in the world of the state of Israel in my lifetime. Part of me thinks that such passages are prophesies about the modern state of Israel, other parts of my think that they refer to God’s action through Christ. Ultimately, I think it is a little bit of both.
When Jesus returned to Nazareth, He read the beginning of chapter 61 in the Synagogue and told the people that the passage was fulfilled through Him on that day. Whenever I read this passage I am reminded that it was fulfilled through Jesus, but I believe that God intends for it to be fulfilled, to a lesser extent, through all of us who seek to follow Christ. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, just as it is upon all who truly love and serve Christ. When I read this passage, I can feel God’s Spirit filling me up. He intends for me to bring good news to the poor. God wants me (and you) to comfort the broken-hearted.
Let us call for the captives to be released that the prisoners freed. When I read that couplet in the passage, I cannot help but think of William Wilberforce who upon his conversion dedicated his life to ending the slave trade. He died three days after learning that Parliament had abolished slavery throughout the British Empire. Our God loves justice and hates wrongdoing. Let us do likewise.
If you propose sensible ideas you will be admired. As time goes by, people will hold those who always suggest truly warped ideas in contempt. It is better to be someone of no account, yet sufficient beyond your needs to afford hiring a servant than to be thought a person of great account, yet not have enough food to eat.
Paul tells us to pray for our rulers. This psalm gives us a good idea about what we are to pray for them. Let us pray that they have a love of justice and righteousness. Let us pray that our rulers judge fairly for all, both the rich and the poor. Let us pray that they defend the poor and rescue the children of the needy. If our rulers and government officials rescue the poor and help the oppressed the land will flourish. Let us pray that the rulers and government officials which God has given us are such men. Let us live our lives so that we will gain favor with rulers that are like this.
When word reached Herod Antipas about Jesus, Herod was confused because he knew that John the Baptist was dead. We must conclude from this that Jesus’ message was a lot like the one which John had preached, enough like it that people thought they must be the same person, even Herod. Beyond this, Luke tells us that Herod kept trying to find a way to see Jesus. Notice, Jesus actively took His message to the poor, but the rich and powerful sought Him out to hear His message. We should take a similar approach in preaching the Gospel.
Luke tells the story of the feeding of the 5,000. When the disciples asked Jesus to send the crowd away so that its members could go get some food, Jesus told them to feed the crowd. The disciples replied that they only had a small amount of food, not enough for that many people. Jesus had them sit the crowd down and begin to feed them. When they were done, not only was everyone fed, but there was more food left over than what they had started with. The lesson here is that when God sets us a task, we should not worry about whether we have the resources to complete the task. We should take the resources we have and begin the task. God will provide the resources to finish the task.
Today’s passage describes three festivals which the people of Israel were to hold gathered together at the place which God would designate. The Passover celebration reads to me as if it is to be a family celebration, something to be celebrated as a family to bring the family closer to God (although I may be reading into the passage here). However, the other two festivals are community gatherings. They are clearly instructed to include everyone in the festival (sons and daughters, male and female servants, Levites and foreigners, widows and orphans). They are instructed to make sure that everyone has what they need to take part in these two festivals, no matter their background and no matter their resources. There are to be no outsiders, not because outsiders are excluded, but because everyone is to be included. Let us be like that today. Let us hold events that include everyone and make sure that no one feels that they cannot take part because they cannot afford the cost, or because they are not one of us.
I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
The part of this passage which struck me today was chapter 61, verses 1 & 2:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
As I read that my first thought was that I believe that the Spirit of God is upon me, but has He really anointed me for anything? And the answer is, “Yes.” As a follower of Christ, I have been anointed by God’s Spirit to bring good news to the poor. The time of the Lord’s favor has come. I will proclaim that God will release the captives and free the prisoners. I am called by the Lord to serve Him. Where do you want me to go, Lord? Show me the path you wish me to follow and put your words in my mouth.
Paul tells us that no matter what happens around us, we need to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the good news about Christ. There is no reason to let those who oppose us because of our faith frighten us. If we do not allow them to intimidate us it will be a sign to them that God will save us and bring destruction on those who oppose us.
What is conduct worthy of the good news about Christ? Paul gives us a good summary in verses 3 & 4 of chapter 2:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
We are to have the same attitude as Christ had. He did not stand on His rights as the Son of God. Instead, He humbled Himself and became obedient to God. Paul then gets to the part that I have the most trouble with, “Do everything without complaining and arguing.” By looking at multiple translations it becomes clear that Paul linked not complaining or arguing with living clean, innocent lives. In order to shine like bright lights among the people of this world we need to live clean, innocent lives. If we spend our time arguing and complaining, we are not living clean, innocent lives.
50 years of life and the last 13 have been the best
This psalm makes a good model for us to use in praying for political authorities. Let us pray that the authorities judge with righteousness and justice. Pray that they help the poor and crush the oppressors. I will pray that the godly will flourish under those who rule this country and that prosperity will spread to all its citizens.
The proverb writer warns us that God will judge us if we choose not to know the evil being done around us. It says that we are to intervene to save people from unjust execution. However, when I read other translations (such as the NIV) the passage seems to suggest that we are to intervene whenever someone is following a course of action that will lead to their death. Further, the writer tells us that choosing not to know that people are on a path leading to death is not an excuse.
I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.
Moses repeated here the instructions for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest and the Festival of Shelters. He emphasizes that these must be celebrated at the central location that God shall designate in the new land the people of Israel were about to settle. These were designed to be festivals that would bring the people together and remind them that they were one people, worshiping one God.
Moses went on to stress the importance of equal and fair justice for all people in the new land. They were to set up judges throughout the land to judge violations of the land and to hand down sentences for those who did wrong. Those cases that were too difficult for the local judges were to be taken to the central place that God had chosen and be decided by the priests or the judge on duty there whom God had designated. The judges were to never accept bribes or twist their judgement to favor one person over another. No one was to be sentenced to death on the testimony of only one witness. When a decision is reached by the judges at the central location it is to be carried out anyone who rebels against such rulings is to be put to death.
Moses told the Israelites that eventually they would select a king for themselves. He gave them rules that such a king was to follow when that eventuality came to pass. The king was to be a fellow Israelite and not a foreigner. The king was not to build up a large stable of horses for himself, nor to take a large number of wives. nor should he accumulate a large amount of wealth for himself. All of these things were likely to turn the king’s heart away from God. The king was to make a copy of Moses instructions for himself and keep them with him at all times, reading them daily. The king was to keep and follow the instructions of God. If the king follows this instruction to daily read God’s commands, it will keep him from becoming proud and acting as if he was better than his countrymen. It will also act as a preventive to falling away from service to God. ,br>
When Herod heard about Jesus’ teaching, he became somewhat confused because he had beheaded John the Baptist. This suggests that the “buzz” about Jesus was a continuation of the “buzz” regarding John the Baptist. This is actually something of fair significance. We know from historical records that there were many messianic figures which arose around this time. However, these various messianic figures were mostly movements around an individual who rose up and gathered a following. When the individual died or was otherwise removed from leading the movement, the movement just sort of fizzled out. Here (and at several other places) we have something that suggests that John the Baptist was part of a larger movement which culminated in Jesus’ ministry.
About this time, the Twelve returned from the preaching tour that Jesus had sent them on and Jesus attempted to quietly slip away with them in order to “debrief” them. However, the crowds figured out where He was going and followed Him there. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, healing the sick among them. Late in the afternoon, the Twelve came to Jesus and suggested that He send the crowds away to get food and find lodging. Jesus told them to feed the crowd. The Twelve told Him that they had only five loaves of bread and two fish, asking Him if He expected them to go buy food for everybody. Jesus responded by telling them to have the people sit in groups of about fifty each. Once they had done so, Jesus took the bread and the fish, gave thanks over them and broke them into pieces. He gave the pieces to the disciples to distribute to the people. Everyone ate and was satisfied. Afterwards the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of leftovers.
Shortly after this when Jesus had the disciples gathered somewhere in private, He asked them who the people thought that He was. They answered that some thought He was John the Baptist, while others thought He was some prophet of old. Jesus then asked them who they thought He was? Peter replied that He was the Messiah. Jesus instructed the disciples that they were not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah. Jesus went on to explain to the disciples that He would be killed and rise again on the third day. I recently came across a blog post about an archeological artifact called the “Gabriel Tablet”. Some scholars have interpreted the writing on this tablet from approximately 4 B.C. (the year Jesus was probably born) as saying that the messianic individual referred to on the tablet would die and rise again after three days. The blog writer seemed to think the idea that other Jews in the First Century thought the Messiah would die and rise again after three days was revolutionary. It has been a long time since I believed that Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament were revolutionary. Repeatedly the Gospel writers tell us that people were surprised, not by Jesus’ teachings, but by the fact that He did not rely on some other authority to support what He taught. Jesus’ authority was not some other, previous teacher, but the Scripture, His understanding of it and the Holy Spirit.
After telling His disciples that He would die and rise again in three days, Jesus told them that they must be willing to suffer in order to follow Him. We must be willing to suffer the same fate that He did. We must not be ashamed of Jesus and His words, but be willing to proclaim them before all, facing whatever consequences come from doing that. If we are willing to do that, Jesus promises that He will stand by us before the Father.
Today’s psalm is a prayer for those who are given authority over others. Such a person must have God’s love of justice. They need to judge people according to God’s standard and treat the poor fairly. Those with authority must defend the poor and rescue the children of the needy. If those who are given authority over others fear the Lord both by day and by night, God will grant them prosperity and blessings. They in turn must use the authority they have been given to rescue the poor and defend the oppressed. If they do not do these things, God will do so Himself by raising someone up in their place.
Those who keep their thoughts sensible will be admired by others, those whose thoughts are warped and perverse will be despised. It is better to be nobody in particular and have resources to meet all of your needs, than to present oneself as somebody special and spend oneself into poverty.
