Month: October 2018

Isaiah 12 is a song of praise for the time when the LORD restores His people. It reads as if it were a psalm of praise, and in reality that is what it is.

Isaiah 13 predicts the LORD’s destruction of Babylon. As we read the chapter it seems as if the LORD Himself is going to destroy the people who carried His people off into exile. But we know the LORD used Babylon to carry the people of Judah into exile, because they had turned from the LORD. As we get to the end of Isaiah 13, we see it would not be the LORD who destroyed the Babylonians, but the Medes, which is precisely what happened in history. The LORD often used history itself as His judgment. When we read of how one nation slaughtered another, or displaced another, we can know in the old covenant times, the LORD’s hand was on the process, because He was still shaping the people of Israel. They brought about their destruction and exile, and their numbers were radically reduced, but the LORD always retained a remnant through which the royal line of David would be retained, until Jesus was born.

Isaiah 14:1-22 tells us of the restoration of Judah, and how they would taunt Babylon for what she had done to Judah. As we move to verses 12 and following we find a description that many biblical scholars believe is not merely a description of Babylon’s destruction, but a description of Satan’s destruction. In the remainder of the chapter, Isaiah will pronounce oracles against Assyria and the land of the Philistines. As we will see tomorrow the oracles continue against other lands as well. As we stated above, the LORD used history itself to judge the nations for their sins. While we might have our sensibilities challenged through all this destruction, remember: Jesus came to bring peace on earth, and since His coming the LORD has not used nations to judge other nations in the same way as happened when He was forging and protecting the nation of Israel. While Christians have developed just war theory, and there are times when wars have been fought to protect the weak and imperiled, we cannot justify the atrocities that have been carried out through Christian history on “pagans.” When we mix old covenant thinking with the new covenant we can justify many things, but that does not make them just. Only the LORD has the right to use nations against each other to carry out His will and purpose on the earth.

As we return to Mark 10, Jesus has a brief encounter with the Pharisees. They come to ask Jesus whether it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife? Jesus gave them an opportunity to answer what the Law of Moses said about it. They responded, “Moses permitted it.” Jesus said that was because of human hardness of heart, but it wasn’t that way from the beginning. This is such a vital statement. Jesus wanted the Pharisees to go back before the Law of Moses to get their model for marriage. Jesus went all the way back to the Garden of Eden, before sin entered the world, and reaffirmed God’s model of a man and woman coming together before Him, for life. Jesus made it clear marriage was to be between a man and a woman and was to be for life. Jesus even added, “What God has joined let no one separate.”

The remainder of the chapter has Jesus blessing children, and offering a rich young man a place on His team, which the man rejected because of His wealth. This was followed by Jesus telling the disciples it was hard for the wealthy to enter heaven. This turned the old covenant thinking on its head. The disciples would have found Jesus’ words ridiculous. What did He mean it was hard for the rich to enter heaven? Wealth was a sign of God’s favor. Emphasis on the word “was.” In the new covenant era, the sign of God’s favor was lots of brothers and sisters, and suffering. Jesus offered another announcement of His impending crucifixion, death, and resurrection. This time, James and John saw it as an opportunity to sit as His left and right (think Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense!), when He came into His Kingdom. This time Jesus had to remind the guys that the new covenant model has the greatest serving the most. The chapter ends with Jesus healing a blind man named Bartimaeus. As always, Jesus follows up words with actions!

Isaiah 10 starts with the end of the message of Isaiah 9. (Remember, the chapter and verse notations in our English bibles weren’t there in the original manuscripts, but were added much later to make it easier for us to locate passages. Sometimes they make sense, but at other times as in several places in Isaiah, including here they don’t. As we move to Isaiah 10:5 and following, Isaiah pronounces judgment on Assyria for her arrogance. He describes at length the punishment that is coming on Assyria, because they assume they are more powerful than Israel and Judah, because their gods are more powerful. The LORD tells us they are simply an ax or saw in His hand, and they will be destroyed. In the end a remnant of His people will return, but the Assyrians will be completely destroyed. The LORD often used pagan nations to judge Israel and Judah, but in the end it was the LORD’s purpose to continue to uphold Judah until the “fullness of time,” as the Apostle Paul put it, when Jesus came to establish His new covenant not only with Judah, but with all nations.

Isaiah 11 offers us another image of the time of the coming of the Messiah. Some believe it refers to the second coming of Jesus, because it portrays an idyllic picture of peace throughout the world, and a time when wild animals and cobras do not hurt children. It is possible that such a time is pictured. It is equally as possible that Isaiah was painting the picture of Jesus’ coming. While everything pictured has not yet come, with the coming of Jesus all that is portrayed has been set in motion.

As we return to Mark 9, we see a glimpse of who Jesus is in His fullness as He is transfigured with Moses and Elijah. Only Peter, James, and John got to witness this amazing moment, but it impacted them incredibly as we would imagine. After this literal “mountain top experience,” the four came down to the crowds and found a man had brought his demon-possessed son for the remaining nine disciples to cast out the demon, but they could not. Jesus showed frustration, and then healed the boy. Before the healing, Jesus asked the father how long the boy had been possessed, and at the conclusion of the father’s recounting of the life-long possession of his son, asked Jesus, “If you can do something…” Jesus responded, “If? All things are possible for the one who believes.” The man’s answer was powerful, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Haven’t we all been there? We want to believe, but the pain of life is overwhelming, so our faith falters. We need the LORD to help us believe. He does, and He will. Jesus healed the boy, and then He and the disciples moved on.

Jesus told the disciples again that He was going to be crucified and rise on the third day, but again they didn’t get it. They even got on a tangent, wondering which of them would be the greatest when Jesus returned? Seeing a teachable moment, Jesus brought a child in front of them, and told them unless we turn and become as children we will never enter the Kingdom of God. The chapter closes out with Jesus talking about how important it is for us to put Him and His Kingdom first.

In Isaiah 7, Isaiah is sent to King Ahaz to tell him of a future time when the LORD would send Immanuel. This is the first time we read a promise of the Messiah’s coming. Immanuel means “God with us,” so we can infer or say directly this is a promise of the Messiah. Remember this is a prophet of the old covenant, but he is prophesying the coming of the one who would initiate the new covenant. This was a desperate time for Israel, with more trouble on the horizon. But the distant future would be a time of healing and blessing.

Isaiah 8 promises the Assyrians will come and destroy the northern kingdom of Israel, and will come against the southern kingdom. He calls on the people to trust in the LORD, in Immanuel, and not in their own power or other alliances.

As we turn to Isaiah 9:1-7, we have a powerful and poetic description of the coming of the LORD’s anointed one, or Messiah. His names are multiple and include Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. This future time would be not only for Israel, but for the Gentiles as well. The remainder of the chapter returns to a condemnation of Israel and Jacob for rejecting the LORD in their times of trouble, and a prediction of their desolation comes again.

As we return to Mark 8, we come once again to the pivot point of this book. We are midway through the book, by chapters, but we are also at the point where Jesus sets His face toward Jerusalem, and to His intended crucifixion and resurrection.  The chapter begins with Jesus feeding 4,000 men (along with women and children.) After this the Pharisees demand a sign from Him. That seems absurd, doesn’t it? What is the ability to feed so many people with a small amount of food, if not a sign. Jesus tells them He will give them only the sign of Jonah, which is a reference to His being in the tomb three days. After this, as Jesus and the disciples travel by boat, He warns them to beware of the “leaven” of the Pharisees. The disciples don’t get it (as was often the case), thinking Jesus was referring to their forgetting to bring bread. Jesus reminded them of His ability to provide bread! When they landed, Jesus healed a blind man. What follows is the turning point of the book of Mark, and of Jesus’ ministry: He asked them who the crowds said He was? He didn’t want to know the answer to that question, but it prepared the disciples for His real question: Who do you say I am? (That is always the question. What we do with Jesus determines everything in our lives.) Peter responded with the correct answer: The Christ or Messiah, but then immediately showed he didn’t understand what it meant for Jesus to be the Messiah. When Jesus told them it mean dying and rising again, Peter rebuked Jesus. Peter’s version of the Messiah was a conquering King, not a suffering servant. Jesus then rebuked Peter and let the whole crowd know following Him meant denying ourselves, taking up our crosses and following Him.  Jesus’ new movement that would usher in a new covenant and a new command–to love one another as Jesus first loved us, would transform the world. But when Jesus first rolled it out to the disciples they had no clue what He was saying. Even though we live on the resurrection side of Easter, we can also miss the reality that Jesus did not come to make His followers the movers and shakers of the political and economic world, but rather to shake the world to its core by providing us salvation from sin and death, and empowering us to live transformed lives with Him at the center!

Isaiah 4 begins with the conclusion of chapter 3. It offers a statement that seven women will ask one man to be their husband so their reproach will be taken away. Then the remainder of this brief chapter turns to hopeful expectation of a time when the LORD will again lead the people.

Isaiah 5:1-7 offers an analogy of God’s people as a “vineyard.” The problem is the vineyard produces “wild grapes.” Why? Because they have turned away from the LORD. The result of that turning away was the LORD taking down the walls around the vineyard and letting it be destroyed. As is always the case in the time of the old covenant, disobedience leads to judgment. As the chapter continues the LORD continues to pronounce woes on those who do wicked. While much of the book of Isaiah will offer this back and forth between the hope of a future time when the people are restored, and the judgment of the wicked, we will also see records of historical events as happens as we turn to chapter 6.

In Isaiah 6, we read of Isaiah’s call to serve as a prophet of the LORD. Isaiah describes the vision he saw in the year King Uzziah died. It was a vision of the LORD in His heavenly Temple. Isaiah realized at once he was doomed, because of his sin. But the LORD did not condemn him, He removed Isaiah’s sin, and called him to become His messenger. Isaiah was now eager to be sent by the LORD, but the message he was given, was a message of destruction, exile and desolation. While the chapter is brief, the outcome is clear: the nation will be destroyed for their lack of faithfulness to the LORD.

As we return to Mark 7, we find Jesus and the religious leaders once again embattled. This time the religious leaders ridiculed Jesus’ disciples because they ate with “unwashed” hands. The religious leaders had established elaborate hand washing ceremonies before meals and at other times. Jesus made it clear that this was one of many traditions that didn’t matter. He condemned them for being more concerned what went into a person that what came out of him. Jesus told the crowds that nothing a person eats (or we can infer, nothing in the state of cleanliness of one’s hands) matters. That’s because it’s what comes out of us that defiles us. By what comes out of us, Jesus meant the sinful desires of our lives. Jesus, thus, declared all foods clean. Jesus also went on the offensive with the religious leaders telling them their laws of Corban caused them to give away money that would have been used to support their aging parents, because the Law “required it.” After these encounters, Jesus had to explain to the disciples what He was saying. Then they went away to Syrian Phonecia for a bit of “retreat,” But they couldn’t escape the needs of people. A woman of that country asked for Jesus’ help, but at first He ignored her, because she was a foreigner. Eventually, He healed the woman’s daughter. When the group returned, Jesus healed a man who was deaf and mute. The crowd once again affirmed Jesus saying He did all things well. The battle lines were being drawn between Jesus and the crowds on the one side, and the religious leaders on the other. While the religious leaders would someone convince the crowd to side with them, when it came time to condemn and crucify Jesus, Jesus’ new teachings’ and His amazing healing touch led the crowds to love Him, or at least to love what He could provide them. We do well to remember Jesus came to save us from sin and death, and to create new hearts in us, so we can live more like Him, rather than to serve our every whim. Jesus did come to serve rather than to be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many. He gave His life not for our comfort, though, but for our transformation from self-centeredness, to lives of self-giving love for others that reflected His love for us.

Today, we turn to the Book of Isaiah, who was a prophet from 740 BC to as late as the 680’s BC. The length of time of Isaiah’s work has led some biblical scholars to assume Isaiah is not the writing of one prophet but of two or even three. The challenge before us is not to determine if the writing contains one, two, or three authors, but to consider what Isaiah said, and why? Once we do that, we must see how it applies to our lives today, given we serve the risen Jesus. Isaiah lived under the old covenant, and prophesied the coming of Jesus. He also prophesied about the doom coming to Israel if she didn’t repent and return to God. While calls to repentance can apply in every age, because we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, as we read much of Isaiah, it will be more as historical background than as pertinent to our daily lives. Isaiah’s word to Israel was and is God’s word. It’s application in our lives, though will be more in terms of principles to apply and promises given and already answered than as prophesy of future events.

In Isaiah 1, we read of the kings of Judah (Israel’s southern kingdom) during which Isaiah prophesied. We read from the outset how both Israel and Judah have turned against the LORD and have suffered His judgment. Remember in Isaiah’s time, the people of God were under the Law of Moses, which required obedience for the people to be blessed. The people had not been obedient. They had turned from the LORD and worshiped idols. Therefore, they had suffered God’s judgment. He tells the people He doesn’t want their sacrifices and burnt offerings. He wants obedience. He does promise that though their sins were like “scarlet,” they would be washed as white as snow. (Sin is often called “black,” by people, because they think of it as being darkness. The color God associated with sin was scarlet or red. ) As we read through chapter 1, we see the repetition of the LORD’s condemnation of evil, a call to repentance, and a return to Him. He calls Jerusalem a “whore,” and that image is often used throughout the books of the prophets, because the LORD saw Israel and Judah as His bride. They often indulged themselves in worshiping false gods, particularly Baal. This led to the analogy of God’s people being a whore. This tells us how profoundly personal the LORD considers our relationship with Him. Far from being a distant God who is unconcerned with our daily lives, He loves us and wants us to put our relationship with Him before any other. That is His desire, because He has done that with us!

Isaiah 2 begins with a promise of Jerusalem being the central place, where people will come to worship the LORD and to learn His laws. This is a future promise, because at the time the people of Judah and Jerusalem were engaged in unfaithfulness. The latter portion of the chapter deals with “The day of the LORD.” Nearly all the prophets spoke of the day of the LORD. It was a future time when He would judge all nations. As we read in chapter 2, the judgment on the idol worshipers, which was virtually every nation, was to be severe. This is in keeping with the LORD’s view that His people are precious, and anyone or anything that would turn us away from Him deserve judgment and punishment.

Isaiah 3 is a scathing rebuke on Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah not only rebukes them for what they have been doing, but tells of the LORD’s judgment and punishment to come. While the previous chapter offers a promise to Judah and Jerusalem, chapter 3 makes it clear this is not an unconditional promise. The promises of the old covenant were always conditioned on the people obeying the LORD. The people had rejected that condition, and the consequences would be severe.

As we return to Mark 6, we find Jesus returning to His hometown to teach. While the people were amazed at His teaching, they began to question it, because they knew Him. He had grown up among them, so they were skeptical. Jesus told them a prophet was never honored among his own people. As a result of the people’s lack of faith, Jesus could not do many miracles there. Do you find that interesting? Jesus’ ability to heal had some connection to people’s faith. That statement has been used down through the centuries to tell people they failed to receive healing, because they didn’t have enough faith. While that might be true at times. Jesus’ point was the whole group held no faith in Him, and their collective disbelief was the reason for His failure to heal many. It wasn’t that Jesus couldn’t heal many people. It was that He didn’t, because they failed to believe He could. They saw Him as merely human, and not as God’s Son. When we pray in faith, we don’t always receive what we want, but Jesus always hears us and responds. If we’re part of a group that doesn’t believe He is the Son of God, we ought not be surprised when He doesn’t answer our prayers, (although He might!) but even then He might answer to demonstrate His love for us, and to show us He is real.

As we continue through Mark 6, Jesus continues to perform amazing miracles such as feeding the 5,000, and walking on water, but He also sends out the twelve to do their own mission work. Jesus didn’t come to heal everyone, or to cast out every demon. He came to establish the Kingdom of God, and to bring our salvation. He did that in an extremely unusual way: through training up a small group of people, who would testify to His Lordship, and offer prayers for healing and deliverance to any who desire that. They would also establish communities or fellowships of people in places all over the other, where the “body of Jesus Christ,” would be lived out in such a manner that those on the outside would want to come in!

Chapter 7 begins with the continuation of Solomon’s words of love for his bride, and concludes with her calling him to come to her for their love to be consummated. This chapter can make the prudish a bit concerned. Is this kind of thing supposed to be in the Bible? While there may be few prudes left in the world, the passage makes it clear that God both made and affirms sexual love. In its proper setting: a committed marriage between a man and a woman, who are both committed God. While Solomon’s “beloved” was hardly his only wife, after all he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, the Song of Songs shows us what is appropriate between a husband and wife when it comes to physical expressions of love.

Song of Songs concludes in chapter 8 with an expression of how powerful love can be. We’re told love is as strong as death, and that many waters cannot quench it. The  final words of the book address the bride’s younger sister, and are somewhat anti-climactic given the overall theme of the book.

As we return to Mark 5, we read of three major healings Jesus performs. First, Jesus heals a man who was possessed by as many as 2,000 demons. He called himself, Legion, because he had so many demons. The sad reality in this account is after Jesus healed the man, and the people of the area saw this once  terribly violent and affected man, calm, whole, and in his right mind, they asked Jesus to leave. This was too much for them to accept. The man begged Jesus to let him go with Him, but Jesus told the man to go back and tell everyone in the cities of that area what the Lord had done for him. The man did and we’re told everyone who heard what happened was amazed.

Next, while Jesus was on the way to Jairus’ house to heal his daughter, a woman worked her way through the tremendous crowd that was pressing against Jesus and touched Him. With that touch, the woman was healed of a terrible bleeding disorder. The woman had broken the Law of Moses by coming among the people in the crowd, and by touching Jesus. Her bleeding disorder made her “unclean,” and therefore, she was prohibited from being near other people. Her desperation made her ignore the Law, and her faith made her well. Jesus recognized healing power had gone out from Him and asked His disciples who had touched Him? They thought the question absurd given the density of the crowd, but the woman realized Jesus knew what had happened. She came before Him, bowed down and told the whole story. She had no idea how Jesus would respond. Would He condemn her? The short answer is: No! Jesus said “Daughter, your faith has healed you…” This woman is the only person Jesus ever called daughter. What a tender response. It might be one of the most powerful interactions Jesus ever had with someone He healed.

Finally, while Jesus was delayed with the woman, servants came from Jairus’ house to tell him his daughter had died. Jesus told Jairus the girl had only fallen asleep. They continued to Jairus’ house. When they entered, the scene was that of wailing and mourning. Jesus told everyone the girl was only asleep, but they laughed at Him. When they made their way to the girl’s room, Jesus took her by that hand and told her to get up. She did! As a dad, I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to be Jairus in that moment. I would have followed Jesus anywhere!  As we go about our lives, we must remember how much Jesus loves us, and how powerful He is to impact our lives. Whatever healing we need: spiritual, physical, emotional, He has the ability to touch us. He calls us sons and daughters. He literally died for us, rose for us, reigns in power over us and prays for us. The focus of our faith is Jesus. He changes everything. As we go about this day, our faith in Him makes all the difference.

 

Chapter 4, which also includes the first verse of chapter 5 is Solomon’s description of his bride as she stands before him at their wedding. As we read the poetry one thing is obvious: the images are time bound. He describes her teeth as a “flock of goats,” and her neck as being like “the tower of David.” While the descriptions were undoubtedly well-received in his day, they don’t sound romantic in ours.

As we move to chapter 5, it is somewhat confusing in that at first the bride cannot find her husband. When he knocks on the door of her chamber, she tells us she cannot come, because she hasn’t dressed. Then when she goes to the door to answer, and he is not there, she goes out after him. She tells us she was found by the city watchmen and bruised by them. Then the scene shifts to her offering a description of her beloved, another beautiful, but time-bound bit of poetry.

Chapter 6 offers an interchange between the bride and her beloved, with a few brief comments by the choir or the others who are in the background. The description Solomon offers of his bride is once again poetic, but time bound, something we men wouldn’t want to use to impress our wives.

As we return to Mark 4, we’re reminded of how action-oriented this gospel is, because here we turn to a body of teaching for the first time. Jesus tells several parables telling us what the Kingdom of God is like. We read the familiar (to us) Parable of the Sower (sometimes called the Parable of the Soils). Jesus also talks about the Kingdom of God as being like a mustard seed, and like a growing plant, that grows on its own (a literal translation would be close to “automatically.”) The chapter ends with action, though, as is Mark’s trademark. Jesus and the disciples take the boat out on the sea. Jesus, tired from the day, falls asleep, but a storm comes up threatening to swamp the boat. The disciples, at least a quarter of whom were fishermen familiar with sailing, grow terrified and waken Jesus, asking Him whether He doesn’t care if they drown. Jesus speaks to the wind and waves, and immediately the sea becomes come. The disciples respond in wonder, as any of us would. While the storm Jesus calmed was a literal storm, it reminds us He is able to calm the “storms” of our lives as well.

[Note: as you read this post, if all is well, I am in Israel. Please, pray that the Lord will use me in this native land of Jesus to be light and salt to those I meet, and that opportunities will come for me to share Jesus with people here. (I wrote these posts ahead of time, because I wasn’t certain whether I would be able to write them daily while in Israel.)]

Today, we turn to Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon, as it has been known traditionally. This book of the Bible nearly didn’t make it as a book of the Bible, because there’s not much in it about God. Additionally, the focus is romantic love. Some have seen it as an allegory for our love for God, but it’s clear that the book is written from a man to a woman who are in love. The poetry gets a bit graphic at times, as well as strange to the 21st century reader’s ears.

In chapter 1, we see how the “song” is set forth: the woman speaks, then the man replies. At times a “chorus” adds a descriptive phrase or comment. We’re told the man is King Solomon. It would be a good guess the woman is the pharaoh of Egypt’s daughter, because of some of the references Solomon makes. He describes her as a  “mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.” While poetry is often geared to the era in which is written, the specific reference makes it likely the lover is pharaoh’s daughter. As we read the back and forth between the couple, it is obvious they are young and “in love.” I put “in love” in quotes, because the comments are emotional comments. The in love experience is primarily physical and emotional. It is a good thing designed by God. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be reading about it here, but it is also temporary, put in place so that a couple might be attracted to each other, and develop a relationship where true love, what the New Testament calls “agape” can develop.

In chapter 2, many images from nature are used to describe the love between Solomon and his love. She describes him as a gazelle and stag. One of the comments made that has often been expanded on and allegorized is the “little foxes” that spoil the vineyards. Many a Christian author and preacher have expanded on what those “foxes” are that attempt to come in and ruin the love relationship between a husband and wife. Whether that was Solomon’s intent, the point is well taken: Many challenges face a couple who are committed to living in a committed marriage relationship as husband and wife.

In chapter 3, the bride is waiting for the wedding, and we aren’t certain whether she dreams she went into the city at night or she did, looking for Solomon. She finds him and brings him home. Then the scened changes to Solomon arriving with an impressive entourage for his wedding, so now, we’re more certain the bride was dreaming at the beginning of the chapter.

As we return to Mark 3, we see the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees grow. Jesus healed a man with a withered hand in a synagogue on a Sabbath. Before doing it, Jesus asked the religious leaders whether it was lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath, but they wouldn’t respond. This filled Jesus with anger at their lack of concern for the man. He healed the man and we’re told the Pharisees went out and found the Herodians and conspired to eliminate Jesus. This alliance, the Pharisees and the Herodians, was so unlikely. These two groups hated each other, but because of their common concern that Jesus was dangerous, and would ultimately cause the Romans to attack Israel when the crowds determined to make Him king, they worked together. As we go through the rest of the chapter, Jesus continues to impress the crowds and antagonize the religious leaders. His actions disturb His family to the point that they want to come and take Him home, but that doesn’t happen. The religious leaders accuse Jesus of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. Jesus tells them this is absurd, because a house divided against itself cannot stand. He also tells them any sin committed by humanity will be forgiven, except this sin against the Holy Spirit. While some have stated the sin against the Holy Spirit is committing suicide, the obvious point of Jesus is it is a sin against the Holy Spirit to attribute His work to Satan. Jesus’ power to heal was not demonic, but was the Holy Spirit.

Ecclesiastes 10 reads much as a chapter in Proverbs once again. We’re show the difference between wise and foolish actions, and the one that stands out the most to me is the wisdom of taking time to “sharpen the ax” so it will not take so many blows to fell the tree. Many years ago, Steven Covey focused on this as one of the seven habits of highly effective people. While it might seem best to always just start swinging the ax, taking the time to sharpen it before work begins, whatever it means to “sharpen the ax,” will always yield greater productivity in the end.

Ecclesiastes 11 is a bit more challenging to understand than some of the chapters in the book, but it commends putting our “eggs” in more than one “basket,” as we invest our efforts and our resources. We’re reminded that if a farmer looks at the skies, he will never plant his fields, meaning there is always the possibility of rain, or wind, or of some calamity related to the weather. While we learned in chapter 10 the importance of sharpening the ax before we work, there does come a time when the ax is sharp and we need to start cutting!

Ecclesiastes 12 starts with a strong reminder to live our lives fully when we are young, because as we get older we will find many aspects of our life aren’t what they used to be. At the age of 61, I am finding King Solomon was so right. I am grateful to have invested most of my life in serving Jesus, and calling others to trust Him as Savior and Lord. I don’t have many regrets, but the ones I have focus mainly on taking so long to let the Holy Spirit lead my life in the area of inappropriate anger, and of not investing my time as wisely as I could have. I’m grateful to still be able to many things effectively, but some of the challenges of aging are starting to have their impact. King Solomon closes by reminding us there is no end of writing books and too much study just makes us tired in the end. Therefore, fear God and keep His commandments. That is good advice, as good as it gets. As we fear God and keep His commandments, we demonstrate the kind of wisdom that shows we are abiding in Him.

As we return to Mark 2, we see it is one of the shorter chapters in the book. Jesus heals a paralytic, but not before forgiving the man’s sins, which caused the religious leaders to wonder who Jesus thought He was. Before it was all over he had shown them! Next, Jesus called Levi or Matthew to follow Him. This also upset the religious leaders, because Matthew was a “sinner.” Jesus addressed that matter simply: He had not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repent. (Had the Pharisees not been so self-righteous, they might have seen Jesus was pointing out they were also sinners.) Mark includes the conversation Jesus had with those who questioned why the disciples of John and the Pharisees fasted, but His disciples did not? Jesus’ response is clear: He is the Bridegroom (It wasn’t so clear at the moment that the Church is His bride!), and no one fasts at a wedding reception. Jesus had come to introduce something radically new, and while He was with us introducing it, the party was on. During His absence for a time, we are called to fast. Finally, Mark records Jesus and the disciples going through a grain field, and the disciples plucking and eating grain on the Sabbath–the day of rest. According to the Pharisees this was breaking the Law of Moses. Jesus responded with examples of how King David broke the Law of Moses with impunity, and then pointed out He was the Lord even of the Sabbath. So, we see by the end of chapter 2, Jesus had already set himself up as the Lord of a new movement, which would have a new covenant, and ultimately a new commandment that would supersede all the laws in the old covenant. The new commandment is found in its most complete form in John 15:12:  ¹²“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  John 15:12 (ESV) We are far from the moment Jesus gave that new commandment, but even in Mark 2 we are well on the way to Jesus establishing Himself as someone radically different from the old covenant prophets.

Ecclesiastes 7 reads somewhat like a chapter in Proverbs. It contrasts wisdom with folly, but also adds a fatalistic tone, with the end of something better than the beginning, better to go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting, and so on. We see little hope in the chapter, or in the book, as King Solomon has only a slight focus on the hope we have in such great measure because of Jesus’ presence in our lives.

Ecclesiastes 8 starts with an admonition to obey the king. While it might seem a bit self-serving for a king to command his readers to obey the king, it was, indeed, wise for anyone living in Israel to obey the king, because God had put him in place. As the chapter continues, Solomon reminds us to fear the LORD even though we see the righteous dying early, and the wicked prolonging their days. The reason we must fear the LORD is because we cannot know His ways. The implication is we might think we know better than God, but we don’t.

In Ecclesiastes 9 we are told that the same fate befalls us all: death. Not really a bumper sticker concept! Then King Solomon tells men to be content with their wives, and to enjoy this simple blessing. He closes out by reminding us again that while the same fate befalls us all, it is better to be wise than to choose folly.

Today, we return to Mark’s gospel. This will be our fourth time through this brief gospel. By now its content is becoming familiar to us. We know Mark 1 does not include a birth narrative, that Mark starts with a bit of prophesy from the Old Testament and then moves right to the ministry of John the Baptist. It has been said repetition is the mother of learning. When it comes to  reading the Scriptures that is true, and also repetition makes the accounts our own. While our handheld electronic devices make it easy for us to have Jesus’ words at our finger tips virtually everywhere, sometimes when we are having a conversation with someone it is helpful to be able to consider what Jesus said in particular situations, and to share that with someone. Many times over the years, the Holy Spirit has brought a passage to my memory at just the right time. I did my part by reading the Scriptures over and over, and the Holy Spirit does His part by bringing it to mind at the precise moment it will have the most impact. I’m not saying we ought to quote Jesus’ words to all our unbelieving friends, but a word given at the right time can be used powerfully to comfort the afflicted or afflict the comfortable, as one of my mentors used to tell me.

As you read through Mark 1 again, start to recall the flow from John the Baptist, to Jesus’ baptism and temptation in the wilderness, to His first proclamation of the message to repent because the Kingdom of God is near, to His calling of the first disciples, and so on. Pastor Mark Geppert, the founder of the Southeast Asia Prayer Center often says, “The question isn’t how many times you have been through the Bible, but how many times has the Bible been through you?” As we read Mark again and again, the story becomes clear, then it becomes more real, then in the power of the Holy Spirit we start living it out in our own lives. That process is to be normal for those who follow Jesus, and it does start with what we’re doing right now: reading and reflection on His word!