OT -- Isaiah 62:6-65:25
Definitely Revelation echoes Isaiah. Look at vs. 65:17
"Behold, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered."
Revelation 21:1
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea."
So, even John, the author of Revelation was an Isaiah scholar. Makes me think we should spend quite a bit more time on Isaiah than we do in the Christian church with our glancing blow about the lion and the lamb, the young woman bearing the child, and the light of the world.
NT -- Philippians 2:19-3:4a
Today, Cole and I gave blood. While we were there, the phlebotomists were busily discussing their Sunday traditions when they were growing up. (This was in response to the vampire movie Van Helsing (more apocalypse????) that was showing.) All of them had been raised by their grandmothers and all the grandmothers were strict church folk. No TV except for BET Gospel channel. Church all day Sunday including dinner and singing time. And almost always, there was the 'sending'. Whenever the choir was traveling for competition (did you know there was such a thing? None of my choirs have ever traveled or competed...), whenever there were missionaries or traveling VBSs or whatever, the church would have a 'sending'. It always involved food - "Lord, yes, such food", and almost always a raising of money 'to speed you on God's path'.
And then, I come home to the Philippians scripture and there is the genesis of that tradition.
The Philippians, worried about Paul and his condition, had outfitted Epaphroditus with love offerings, money for safe transport, and goodies for the journey. Unfortunately, along the way, E had contracted a disease that nearly killed him. But he recovered and Paul was returning E back to the Philippians with this letter, his love offering to them.
What surprises me most about this is how joyful both the Red Cross folks and Paul were about the travelers. Either as the one traveling or the ones 'sending'.
I admit, I am pretty stoic about leaving taking. I don't do much crying and precious little hand wringing even if my stomach is in knots over it. But I also don't get all excited about it either. Seems like I am missing a lot here.
I do want to report that during the children's sermon, there was some arm waving and I participated. Stodgy and staid, I am not.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
September 30
The last day of September. October in Atlanta is the most beautiful month of the year. Well, some would say April but I am a fall girl, through and through. For me this year, entering into October means the final quarter in this Bible study. I am not sure about you, but I have a bad tendency to loaf to the finish line and I really don't want to do that with this study. So I am rededicating myself to this work, to finish as strong as I can. If you have been slacking with the reading, I urge you to jump right back in where you are. We are in a fascinating section of the OT with the prophets, most of whom we read very little of, if ever. And yes, we are trudging through Paul but it is doable. Definitely doable.
So join me. Rededicate yourself to the study and let's jump into the Word.
OT -- Isaiah 60:1-62:5
The opening words of this section "Rise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." made me think of that children's song "Rise, Shine and Give God the Glory." Off to google the song and I realize that song goes with Noah, not Isaiah. But in case you want to have that song in your head all day like me, watch this video.
Click here if your email does not support YouTube.
But the rest of this chapter is pure, unadulterated Jesus talk. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor." There is even parts about camel riders bringing gold, silver and incense. Matthew and Luke clearly knew their Isaiah.
And that led me to ponder why. Why is Isaiah the touchstone in 1st century AD? Part of it had to do with the Roman occupation of Israel. Our history teaches us that the Romans did great things -- built amazing aqueducts and roads, conquered huge swaths of land in Europe, Asia Minor and Africa. But we don't spend a lot of time on the 'conquered' part. As in, the crushing taxation that was required for the emperor to keep up the Praetorian Guard who kept him in power. We gloss over the whole 'one law for the Romans, another for everyone else'. The brutality of the occupying soldiers. And we also have to remember that Israel is not a coveted spot in the empire. It really has nothing to offer. Except rebellion and they are champions of that.
But another part of the obsession with Isaiah has to do with 1st century AD preoccupation with the end times. And Isaiah promises that there will be an end time and The Lord will be in control and in glory. It is almost apocalyptic in that tone and we know how 1st century folks love their apocalypse. Does that make us with our zombie craze in the same situation? Worth pondering. We certainly have our share of doomsayers and prophets of collapse. When you read Isaiah, you hear plenty of that. And the collapse is dreadful.
But the renaissance that occurs when The Lord returns is astounding. There is light, glory, honor and ... a double portion. Of what? All the inheritance. And here, Isaiah is talking about the inheritance of Abraham -- the Holy Land -- and all the riches from the surrounding areas.
NT -- Philippians 1:27-2:18
My commentary on the Philippians says that chapter 2 vs. 6-11 is an ancient hymn or affirmation of faith that the church probably would have known. If Philippians is the first of Paul's epistles that we have as many think, then this is the earliest theology we have of Jesus as the Christ. This is worth taking a very close look at.
'being in the very nature God' -- Jesus is God.
'being made in human likeness' -- Jesus took human form
'became obedient to death' -- Jesus died
'God exalted him' -- God raised him from the dead to the highest point in creation
Paul is totally unconcerned with how you can be God but also human. Apparently, that struggle came later in church, although we see some of it in his letter to the Galatians. At this point, it was enough that Jesus was God, took human form, died, was raised and raised to the top. And maybe, when we are doing all that worrying and struggling that we do -- like the stuff this week with the fragment that may or may not help the Jesus was married brigade -- we should just go back to the recitation of "Jesus is God, Jesus took human form, Jesus died, God raised Jesus from the dead to the highest point in creation" and leave it at that.
So join me. Rededicate yourself to the study and let's jump into the Word.
OT -- Isaiah 60:1-62:5
The opening words of this section "Rise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." made me think of that children's song "Rise, Shine and Give God the Glory." Off to google the song and I realize that song goes with Noah, not Isaiah. But in case you want to have that song in your head all day like me, watch this video.
Click here if your email does not support YouTube.
But the rest of this chapter is pure, unadulterated Jesus talk. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor." There is even parts about camel riders bringing gold, silver and incense. Matthew and Luke clearly knew their Isaiah.
And that led me to ponder why. Why is Isaiah the touchstone in 1st century AD? Part of it had to do with the Roman occupation of Israel. Our history teaches us that the Romans did great things -- built amazing aqueducts and roads, conquered huge swaths of land in Europe, Asia Minor and Africa. But we don't spend a lot of time on the 'conquered' part. As in, the crushing taxation that was required for the emperor to keep up the Praetorian Guard who kept him in power. We gloss over the whole 'one law for the Romans, another for everyone else'. The brutality of the occupying soldiers. And we also have to remember that Israel is not a coveted spot in the empire. It really has nothing to offer. Except rebellion and they are champions of that.
But another part of the obsession with Isaiah has to do with 1st century AD preoccupation with the end times. And Isaiah promises that there will be an end time and The Lord will be in control and in glory. It is almost apocalyptic in that tone and we know how 1st century folks love their apocalypse. Does that make us with our zombie craze in the same situation? Worth pondering. We certainly have our share of doomsayers and prophets of collapse. When you read Isaiah, you hear plenty of that. And the collapse is dreadful.
But the renaissance that occurs when The Lord returns is astounding. There is light, glory, honor and ... a double portion. Of what? All the inheritance. And here, Isaiah is talking about the inheritance of Abraham -- the Holy Land -- and all the riches from the surrounding areas.
NT -- Philippians 1:27-2:18
My commentary on the Philippians says that chapter 2 vs. 6-11 is an ancient hymn or affirmation of faith that the church probably would have known. If Philippians is the first of Paul's epistles that we have as many think, then this is the earliest theology we have of Jesus as the Christ. This is worth taking a very close look at.
'being in the very nature God' -- Jesus is God.
'being made in human likeness' -- Jesus took human form
'became obedient to death' -- Jesus died
'God exalted him' -- God raised him from the dead to the highest point in creation
Paul is totally unconcerned with how you can be God but also human. Apparently, that struggle came later in church, although we see some of it in his letter to the Galatians. At this point, it was enough that Jesus was God, took human form, died, was raised and raised to the top. And maybe, when we are doing all that worrying and struggling that we do -- like the stuff this week with the fragment that may or may not help the Jesus was married brigade -- we should just go back to the recitation of "Jesus is God, Jesus took human form, Jesus died, God raised Jesus from the dead to the highest point in creation" and leave it at that.
Friday, September 28, 2012
September 29
OT -- Isaiah 57:14-59:21
Did you see????
OOOOOh, I knew Paul could not have an original thought in his head.
Check out verse 59:17
"He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance
and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak."
Take that Ephesians. Well, maybe I shouldn't be so hasty. After all, Jesus, when he got up in his home synagogue to teach read the Isaiah scroll. And Jesus' ministry was to "do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourself in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed..." vs 58:9a-10a
This who and what Jesus taught and ministered to. Maybe Paul, after his Damascus road experience, went and reread Isaiah 'with different eyes'.
Just a thought.
NT -- Philippians 1:1-26
One l, two second ps in Philippians.
You have no idea how my Biblical spelling has improved as a result of this blog. Another tic mark in positive space.
Paul is writing to the Philippians from prison, presumably in Rome. He speaks of chains but as a Roman citizen, he probably was not chained, more likely confined to a residence with guards.
This is a very personal letter as Paul was quite attached to the Philippians (he allowed them to personally support him unlike other churches) and he is quite upbeat despite his confinement.
Another confession. I have not read Philippians. I am looking forward to studying it over the next few days.
Peace to each of you.
Did you see????
OOOOOh, I knew Paul could not have an original thought in his head.
Check out verse 59:17
"He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance
and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak."
Take that Ephesians. Well, maybe I shouldn't be so hasty. After all, Jesus, when he got up in his home synagogue to teach read the Isaiah scroll. And Jesus' ministry was to "do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourself in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed..." vs 58:9a-10a
This who and what Jesus taught and ministered to. Maybe Paul, after his Damascus road experience, went and reread Isaiah 'with different eyes'.
Just a thought.
NT -- Philippians 1:1-26
One l, two second ps in Philippians.
You have no idea how my Biblical spelling has improved as a result of this blog. Another tic mark in positive space.
Paul is writing to the Philippians from prison, presumably in Rome. He speaks of chains but as a Roman citizen, he probably was not chained, more likely confined to a residence with guards.
This is a very personal letter as Paul was quite attached to the Philippians (he allowed them to personally support him unlike other churches) and he is quite upbeat despite his confinement.
Another confession. I have not read Philippians. I am looking forward to studying it over the next few days.
Peace to each of you.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
September 28
NT -- Ephesians 6:1-24
Well, my armor of God vision is only slightly marred by the preceding passages about slavery.
But what I think is important to note about the slavery passages is not Paul's casual assumption that there would ever be a world order without slavery (and to this day, there is still slavery in THIS world. Click here if you want more information.) Rather, it is what people have done to USE Paul's casual comment to their benefit.
And maybe that is the point of his 'wives obey your husband' passage as well. That was the order of the day. Women who didn't obey their husbands could and were beaten. Badly. Even as late as the Salem witch trials, a man could order that the constable beat his wife and they would. Without waiting for evidence or discussion.
Makes me glad I live in 2012. I have quite a rebellious streak in me. Not sure I would have made it to 49....
But to my lovely Armor of God. Yes, it is militaristic. But I love the whole picture of using our religion to strengthen us for our daily lives and the battles -- big and little -- that rage around us.
May your life be strengthen by your faith.
Well, my armor of God vision is only slightly marred by the preceding passages about slavery.
But what I think is important to note about the slavery passages is not Paul's casual assumption that there would ever be a world order without slavery (and to this day, there is still slavery in THIS world. Click here if you want more information.) Rather, it is what people have done to USE Paul's casual comment to their benefit.
And maybe that is the point of his 'wives obey your husband' passage as well. That was the order of the day. Women who didn't obey their husbands could and were beaten. Badly. Even as late as the Salem witch trials, a man could order that the constable beat his wife and they would. Without waiting for evidence or discussion.
Makes me glad I live in 2012. I have quite a rebellious streak in me. Not sure I would have made it to 49....
But to my lovely Armor of God. Yes, it is militaristic. But I love the whole picture of using our religion to strengthen us for our daily lives and the battles -- big and little -- that rage around us.
May your life be strengthen by your faith.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
September 27
NT -- Ephesians 5:1-33
I told you there would be washing. But I am not touching this section of scripture with a ten foot pole.
Want to try? Comment, email me, facebook me. And let me know if you want it posted.
Psalm 69
I really love this psalm. I am glad that the editors of Bible in a Year broke it into 2 pieces because I really spent the day wallowing in the psalmist grief and despair. You know it is bad when he says " Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards ... rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters." vs 12..14
The song of drunkards.
Now, that is bad. I spent a little bit of time in my teen years in British pubs. Lots of drunkards and they sing lots of songs. None of them are nice and none of them are ones I want my mama to have heard. I guess the question is (especially after reading Paul's admonition above to avoid wine and debauchery) what was I doing there?
And even though the day was beautiful and I was outside in it for most of the day, I still felt kind of low. Wallowing.
Today's scripture:
"I looked for sympathy but there was none." vs 20
We all feel this way at times. When I was little, I would go crawl up on my parents bed and burrow down into the millions of pillows my mom has up there. And they all smelt of her and I was comforted.
At 49, it is a little hard to explain why you want to jump in the car and wave to the parentals as they watch a ball game as you dash upstairs to mess up their bed.
But that got me thinking -- we need our comforter, our binky, our nice smells that remind us that yes, eventually everything will get better. Maybe not fixed, but better.
The psalmist thinks that it will get better if his enemies are blotted out and their eyes blinded. Sound harsh? Well, when someone is making fun of you or mocking you or worse yet, making your life miserable, YOU want bad things to happen.
The psalmist makes an abrupt turn in vs. 30. It makes me think that there are verses missing because he went straight from pain and distress into praising.
So, what do you do to pull yourself out of the mire?
Blessings to you.
I told you there would be washing. But I am not touching this section of scripture with a ten foot pole.
Want to try? Comment, email me, facebook me. And let me know if you want it posted.
Psalm 69
I really love this psalm. I am glad that the editors of Bible in a Year broke it into 2 pieces because I really spent the day wallowing in the psalmist grief and despair. You know it is bad when he says " Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards ... rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters." vs 12..14
The song of drunkards.
Now, that is bad. I spent a little bit of time in my teen years in British pubs. Lots of drunkards and they sing lots of songs. None of them are nice and none of them are ones I want my mama to have heard. I guess the question is (especially after reading Paul's admonition above to avoid wine and debauchery) what was I doing there?
And even though the day was beautiful and I was outside in it for most of the day, I still felt kind of low. Wallowing.
Today's scripture:
"I looked for sympathy but there was none." vs 20
We all feel this way at times. When I was little, I would go crawl up on my parents bed and burrow down into the millions of pillows my mom has up there. And they all smelt of her and I was comforted.
At 49, it is a little hard to explain why you want to jump in the car and wave to the parentals as they watch a ball game as you dash upstairs to mess up their bed.
But that got me thinking -- we need our comforter, our binky, our nice smells that remind us that yes, eventually everything will get better. Maybe not fixed, but better.
The psalmist thinks that it will get better if his enemies are blotted out and their eyes blinded. Sound harsh? Well, when someone is making fun of you or mocking you or worse yet, making your life miserable, YOU want bad things to happen.
The psalmist makes an abrupt turn in vs. 30. It makes me think that there are verses missing because he went straight from pain and distress into praising.
So, what do you do to pull yourself out of the mire?
Blessings to you.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
September 27
OT -- Isaiah 48:12-50:11
How interesting is this section!
"I will make of you a light to the Gentiles" vs. 6
I had no idea this was in Isaiah. I guess I assumed that Paul devised his mission because the Jews wouldn't have him (I wouldn't either...)But here it is in Isaiah.
Now, I know, Isaiah is trying to reconcile the Jews who are in Babylon to their savior being Cyrus, a Persian. He is also trying to convince them to go back to Israel and many of them do not want to go. And they didn't. This is what is referred to as the First Diaspora. The second is when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD and Jerusalem was leveled. Everyone ran for their lives.
But all the parts in Isaiah that we so frequently read as meaning Jesus really were written to explain Cyrus. A rather new twist for me and one that I need to read up on.
NT -- Ephesians 5:17-32
Do you hear the constant refrain of 'put off'? Clothing imagery pervades Ephesians culminating in the armor of God. But in order to be clothed in 'Godly' clothing, you first have to remove all the impurities -- deceit, stealing, falsehood, sexual immorality. And then you need to wash. That is tomorrow!
How interesting is this section!
"I will make of you a light to the Gentiles" vs. 6
I had no idea this was in Isaiah. I guess I assumed that Paul devised his mission because the Jews wouldn't have him (I wouldn't either...)But here it is in Isaiah.
Now, I know, Isaiah is trying to reconcile the Jews who are in Babylon to their savior being Cyrus, a Persian. He is also trying to convince them to go back to Israel and many of them do not want to go. And they didn't. This is what is referred to as the First Diaspora. The second is when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD and Jerusalem was leveled. Everyone ran for their lives.
But all the parts in Isaiah that we so frequently read as meaning Jesus really were written to explain Cyrus. A rather new twist for me and one that I need to read up on.
NT -- Ephesians 5:17-32
Do you hear the constant refrain of 'put off'? Clothing imagery pervades Ephesians culminating in the armor of God. But in order to be clothed in 'Godly' clothing, you first have to remove all the impurities -- deceit, stealing, falsehood, sexual immorality. And then you need to wash. That is tomorrow!
Monday, September 24, 2012
September 25
Proverbs 24:3-4
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
I live in a 50-60 year old neighborhood. Many of the homes in the neighborhood are that yucky one story brick ranch of 1961. But most sit on lots of 3/4 to 1+ acre with beautiful mature hardwords and loads of loblolly pine trees.
During the early 2000s, many lots were bought, the houses were razed and some big McMansions were built. So now, we have more than our share of vacant lots. Recently, one of the lots that has been vacant for at least 5 years has had the site work done on it and foundation and framing have started.
When Cole got back from taking Howler around the block yesterday, he commented on how fast that house was going up. Yes, framing is fast. But the rest of it, the interior work takes so very, very long. This is because not all subs can work at the same time. Lots of things have to come in a very specific order. We have a house that was built behind us (maybe I should say built 3 times...) during the heyday of the boom that had the interior walls torn out not once but twice because they put the sheetrock up before the plumbing and electrical were installed. Now, that is a crappy builder! That house has changed hands several times and every time, the boys want me to run over to the new owners and tell them all the icky stuff about the construction (the shored up walls, the mudded over sheetrock cracks, the enormous sink hole that has opened twice... But not my business. Plus, I would have to explain why the children and I spent so much time going through that house as it was constructed. In my defense, it was started when Cole was in a stroller and finished long after he and Matthew were visiting the creek and the storm sewers on their own. It took a long, long time for that house to be built and rebuilt.
But even once a house is built, it requires incessant maintenance. There is literally a 2 page list in my binder of stuff that needs doing around here 'when we get a round to it'. And the list never seems to shrink!
So, back to Solomon's building metaphor about wisdom. Yes, it takes time and smarts to build a quality home. And it takes time and experience to accumulate wisdom. And it is the mistakes (tearing out walls twice!!) that teach you the most.
I don't know that I have rare and exquisite treasures but I am hopeful that my home and my store of wisdom is at least comfortable.
And no, I didn't sell my home to the realtor who offered us 450,000 for it. I just added on. No money, only worth half that now, children leaving the nest. Not sure that I built smart....
Let me know how you built smart. Much love to each of you. Stick with me. We are closing in on the final quarter!!
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
I live in a 50-60 year old neighborhood. Many of the homes in the neighborhood are that yucky one story brick ranch of 1961. But most sit on lots of 3/4 to 1+ acre with beautiful mature hardwords and loads of loblolly pine trees.
During the early 2000s, many lots were bought, the houses were razed and some big McMansions were built. So now, we have more than our share of vacant lots. Recently, one of the lots that has been vacant for at least 5 years has had the site work done on it and foundation and framing have started.
When Cole got back from taking Howler around the block yesterday, he commented on how fast that house was going up. Yes, framing is fast. But the rest of it, the interior work takes so very, very long. This is because not all subs can work at the same time. Lots of things have to come in a very specific order. We have a house that was built behind us (maybe I should say built 3 times...) during the heyday of the boom that had the interior walls torn out not once but twice because they put the sheetrock up before the plumbing and electrical were installed. Now, that is a crappy builder! That house has changed hands several times and every time, the boys want me to run over to the new owners and tell them all the icky stuff about the construction (the shored up walls, the mudded over sheetrock cracks, the enormous sink hole that has opened twice... But not my business. Plus, I would have to explain why the children and I spent so much time going through that house as it was constructed. In my defense, it was started when Cole was in a stroller and finished long after he and Matthew were visiting the creek and the storm sewers on their own. It took a long, long time for that house to be built and rebuilt.
But even once a house is built, it requires incessant maintenance. There is literally a 2 page list in my binder of stuff that needs doing around here 'when we get a round to it'. And the list never seems to shrink!
So, back to Solomon's building metaphor about wisdom. Yes, it takes time and smarts to build a quality home. And it takes time and experience to accumulate wisdom. And it is the mistakes (tearing out walls twice!!) that teach you the most.
I don't know that I have rare and exquisite treasures but I am hopeful that my home and my store of wisdom is at least comfortable.
And no, I didn't sell my home to the realtor who offered us 450,000 for it. I just added on. No money, only worth half that now, children leaving the nest. Not sure that I built smart....
Let me know how you built smart. Much love to each of you. Stick with me. We are closing in on the final quarter!!
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