The Lord Is My Light 1
Reading the Holy Scriptures more often will not help us unless the Holy Spirit shows the truth to our souls. Let us pray, as we begin this year’s Family Reading, that he who commanded the light to shine out of darkness will shine into our hearts and allow us to know the full meaning of his word. We shall begin at the opening page of God’s revelation to us.
Genesis 1:1-5
1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. (We are dark by nature. Therefore, all of our powers are out of balance because of sin. We are nothing but confusion and emptiness.) And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
The Spirit of God is the first person mentioned in the new creation. He visits the dead and dark heart, and begins the work of salvation inside us.
3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Wherever God gives his grace, he looks on it with pleasure) 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. (Grace also separates, “for what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?”2)
5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
It is interesting to notice how the apostle John opens his gospel in the same way that the Old Testament begins, with “In the beginning.” Let us continue our reading with the first fourteen verses of John’s Gospel. Jesus, the Lord our Savior, is called “the Word,” or the spoken mind of God.
John 1:1-14
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. (Jesus already existed when creation began. He was with God before the world was made. Jesus worked together with the Father because he is also truly God.) 3All things were made through him and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (If we live for God, and have any spiritual light, it is because Jesus Christ makes it happen.) 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
No one can get true light from any other source, and all who desire light may have it from him.
10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (The Jews, who were his own kinsmen, rejected him. Sadly, too many children of godly parents also refuse the Savior. May it not be so in this family.) 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (This is the heart of the gospel. Christ is the giver. We are only receivers. Faith agrees to accept Christ, and with him we have the special right to be adopted into his family.) 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
May the Lord allow us to receive his grace and to know his truth. Amen.
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1 Psalm 27:1
2 2 Corinthians 6:14
2 2 Corinthians 6:14
YEAR ONE, JANUARY 2
Genesis 1:6-13
6And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.
The atmosphere separates the clouds above from the waters below. Martin Luther used to be amazed at the sky, because it has no visible support. He saw in it a lesson for his faith, teaching him that the Lord could hold him up by his unseen power. He who creates with a word can hold us up in the same way.
7And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. (In one verse the Lord commanded all land to come into being and for the oceans to separate them. In the next he accomplished it. In the same way one Scripture commands us to believe and another tells us that faith is the work of God.) 8And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so.
Notice how often we see the words, “And it was so.” Learn from this. If God makes a promise, it will happen. If he makes a threat, it will not fail to take place.
10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
God took care in naming “day” and “night,” and “earth,” and “sea.” This should teach us to call things by their right names. Let us never call sin pleasure or the Lord’s service drudgery.
11And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
When God has put light into a soul and separates its sin from its new life, he next looks for fruit, and before long it grows to his glory.
13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. (So far, we have seen the second and third day’s work of creation. This is a good place to remind ourselves that our Lord Jesus was there, and “without him was not any thing made that was made.”2) Let us read about him in:
Proverbs 8:22-36
22 “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32 “And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the LORD,
36 but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.”
Listen to Christ Jesus, “who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,”3 and find life and kindness in him.
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1 Psalm 51:10
2 John 1:3
3I Corinthians 1:30
YEAR ONE, JANUARY 3
Praise the LORD!1
Genesis 1:14-23
14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. (There was light before the appearance of the sun or moon. God created them to proclaim his glory. He could have done without them, but he chose not to. He could enlighten men’s minds without his ministers or his church, but he chooses to use them as light in the world. Let us be thankful for them and pray for them.)
16And God made the two great lights--the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night--and the stars.
A chaos of light was changed to order. Order is a law of God. Families need order for happiness.
17And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
God gave the day as a proper time for work. He gave the night as a suitable time to rest. Both are “good” for us in many ways. We should adore the goodness of God for his wisdom.
19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”
The Lord’s work of creation progressed to higher levels each day. Grace works much the same way. God will continue to give us greater mercies.
21So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. (The incredible numbers of fish and birds in the earth show how powerful this ancient blessing was. Let the Lord bless his church in the same way and her converts shall be “as many as the stars of heaven.”2 Such wonders of creation should not to be mentioned without a song of praise. Therefore let us therefore turn to:
Psalm 148
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!
Let us praise God with our hearts, words, and actions throughout this day; because he has been very kind to us as a family. Bless his name.
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1 Psalm 148:1
2 Hebrews 11:12
YEAR ONE, JANUARY 4
Your Maker Is Your Husband1
Genesis 1:26-27, 29, 31
The Lord first prepared the world for man and then placed him in it. He furnished the home before he made the occupant. This is an example of God’s thoughtful care for mankind.
26Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Notice the words, “Let us make.” The three divine persons of the Godhead held a meeting. Let us learn to adore Father, Son, and Spirit, as the One God. Man was the greatest work of the six days of creation. He was created in a special way and was made to rule over the world. If the animals now rebel against man, it is because man has rebelled against his God.
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
29And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” (Before he sinned man did not kill animals, but lived on fruits. Every meal that includes meat should remind us of our fall.)
31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 2:7-10, 15-18, 21-25
7Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.
There was food and drink in abundance. The variety was delightful and virtually unlimited. The garden was a paradise of comfort. “No herb, no flower, no tree was lacking there that might be for ornament or usefulness; whether for sight, or for scent, or for taste. God’s generosity was far more than necessary. It provided for comfort and recreation.”2
15The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Some kind of work is necessary to be happy. Lazy people would not enjoy even the garden of Eden itself. A perfect man is a working man.)
16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree in the garden, 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
This was an easy restriction. Only one tree out of thousands was denied him as a test of his obedience. The Lord’s commandments are not harsh.
18Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Before Adam knew that he wanted a companion, his tender Creator knew it and had already decided to provide him one. The Lord looks into the future and his grace supplies our needs in advance.
21So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”
We should love our mother, our wife, our sister, and our aunt very much. These dear women add very much to our happiness. Boys and young men should always treat women with tender respect.
24Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
We should never be proud of our clothes, because it is our imperfection that makes us need them. They prove that we are sinful, because we are ashamed to be seen without them on. May Jesus clothe us with his glorious righteousness.
1 Isaiah 54:5
2 We believe this is a quote from Bishop Joseph Hall (1574-1656).
YEAR ONE, JANUARY 5
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YEAR ONE, JANUARY 6
Jesus Christ Is Lord1
Our last reading showed us man fresh from the hand of his Maker. It will be good to pause and consider the Lord’s goodness to the human race. We cannot find a more suitable passage for today’s reading than David’s joyful and classic hymn.
Psalm 8
1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
It is a part of the excellence and glory of God that he glorifies himself by using seemingly unimportant little ones. Though his name is excellent in all the earth, even babies may praise it. Though his glory is above the heavens, infants may declare it. It requires a great speaker to convince people to admire a questionable man; but the Lord is so much more glorious, that even a child’s tongue is enough to confuse his enemies and delight his friends.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
The heavens are so infinite and man is so small. The moon is so bright and man is so dull. The stars are so glorious and man is so insignificant. Lord, how can you stoop from the magnificence of heaven to visit such a nothing as man? The study of astronomy humbles the mind as well as expands it. Examining the heavens should excite adoring gratitude when we see how generous the Lord’s love is to such insignificant creatures as ourselves.
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
Since man is mortal and angels are immortal, man is a little lower than they are right now. But in the future that will change when we are crowned with glory and honor. Then it shall be seen that angels are actually servants to the saints and that all creatures work for their benefit.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens; the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
Mankind either tames these creatures or uses them for food. They all fear humans. Their power over the animal kingdom is less because of the fall, yet we still walk among the inferior animals with something of that awe, which, as a poet said, “doth hedge a king.”2 In Adam’s innocence, his rule of the animal kingdom was no doubt complete and delightful. One imagines him leaning on a lion, while a fawn frisks at the side of Eve. In the Lord Jesus, however, we see humans given the highest place of honor. We know that the situation of our Lord Jesus represents the situation of all his people, because he is the Head and we make up his body. In Jesus we are indeed “crowned with glory and honor.”3 It is both our duty and our privilege to rise above all things of earth. We must be careful to keep the world under our feet and animals in their proper place. Let none of us allow having pets to become a snare to us. We are to reign over them. We must not allow them to reign over us.
9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
“Lord, what is man, or all his race,
Who dwell so far below,
That you should visit him with grace,
And love his nature so?
That your eternal Son should bear
To take a mortal form,
Made lower than his angels are,
To save a dying worm?
Let him be crowned with majesty
Who bowed his head to death;
And be his honors sounded high
By all things that have breath.”4
1 Philippians 2:11
2 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
3 Hebrews 2:7
4 From Dr. Watts Psalms and Hymns. Slight editing.
YEAR ONE, JANUARY 6
Rest in the LORD1
We have grouped together a few of the texts that refer to the Sabbath, so that we may cover the subject in one reading. In the history of the creation, the sacred day of rest is established.
Genesis 2:1-3
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
This ancient tradition was repeated at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Therefore it has the same sacred approval as any of the other Ten Commandments.
Exodus 20:8-11
8“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
We are not, however, to think that this law forbids us from doing works of love, kindness, or necessity. Our Lord Jesus has given us full liberty on these points. He corrected Jewish error and taught us not to make the day of rest a day of slavery.
Mark 2:23-28
23One Sabbath [Jesus] was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25And he said to them, “Have your never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Our Lord performed many of his most impressive cures on the Sabbath, as if to show that the day was especially made to glorify God by helping mankind. If at one time more that another the healing goodness flows freely from our Lord, it is on than one day in seven that is reserved for holy uses. It is called “the Lord’s day.”2 In the passage that we are about to read he shows how right it is for a holy day to be crowned with holy deeds of mercy and love.
Luke 14:1-5
1One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy.3 3And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”
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1 Psalm 37:7 NASB (ESV - “Be Silent Before the LORD”)
2 Revelation 1:10a, “I, John,... was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.”
3 dropsy or edema - a condition characterized by an excess of watery fluid collecting in the cavities or tissues of the body.
YEAR ONE, JANUARY 7
The Wages of Sin Is Death1
Today’s reading of Scripture includes the sad story of the Fall. This is the story of how we all fell through the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve.
Genesis 3:1-19
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (The devil often begins as if he were just curious about something.) 2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” (Eve should have been more precise. God did not say, “lest you die,” but “you shall surely die.” Error begins with little changes in the truth.) 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Satan cruelly lies about God. He hints that God was afraid that man would grow too great.)
6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. (Notice how sin grows. She listened, she saw, she took, she gave to Adam. If Eve had acted wisely, she would have immediately turned and walked away.) 7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
8And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” (He throws the blame on God for giving him a wife. How sad! What miserable ungratefulness.) 13Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Sinners are ready with excuses and yet they never have a good one. Openly confessing our wrong is far better.)
14 The LORD God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
We find a blessed promise here, like a pearl in a shell. The curse on the serpent is a blessing for us, because it includes a prophesy about Jesus our Savior.
16 To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”
17 And to Adam he said,
“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;”
Notice that the curse falls indirectly. God harms the ground rather than man. God’s mercy is indeed wonderful.
18 “thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
Therefore, “sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”2
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1 Romans 6:23
2 James 1:15
Year One, January 8
The LORD Is Our Righteousness1
The New Testament is the key to the Old. We find in it an explanation of the position of Adam in relation to all mankind. He represented all of us and we all share the sad effects of his transgression. He was the door through which both sin and death entered into our world. The apostle Paul teaches us this in:
Romans 5:12-21
12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— (All have sinned in Adam who represented them, and therefore all men die.) 13for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, (It is clear that there was sin in the world before the law was given because people died—that sin came as a result of the fall.) even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, (even infants die through Adam’s sin though without personal guilt.) [Adam] was a type of the one who was to come. (Jesus is the second head of the race, the second representative man. As we fell by our union with Adam, so if we are in Christ we shall rise because of our union with the Lord Jesus. He is, “the one who was to come.” He is the Head and Leader of a believing people. The great question is, are we believers in him?)
15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. (Salvation is not given to us because we deserve it. It is a free gift. God’s grace outruns human sin. The apostle speaks of “much more,” as if he meant, more likely, more easily, more abundantly. It was God’s strange work2 when he condemned the race for Adam’s sin, but it is his delight to accept people for the benefit of his dear Son.)
16And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. (One sin destroyed us, but grace covers over many sins.) 17If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in the life through the one man Jesus Christ. (We were ruined by one man’s sin. We are restored by one man’s righteousness. The victory will be greater than the defeat.)
18Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, [so also through the obedience of the One will the many be made righteous.]3
All fell by Adam. All who are in Christ are restored by Christ.
19For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
This is the basic and core teaching of the gospel. Jesus makes us righteous because he is righteous. God the Father accepts us because his Son is righteous.
20Now the law came in to increase the trespass. (The law of Moses makes us aware of sin. It shows us our evil thoughts and actions. The blessed Holy Spirit uses the law to drive us away from believing that we, by ourselves and by our own strength, can keep the law. He compels us to look to the grace of God in Christ Jesus.) But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, (The floods of grace win out over the mountains of our sins. Almighty love paints a rainbow on the blackest clouds of human sin.) 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Happy are those who have been given grace and have spiritual life growing within them. That same grace will strengthen, increase, and perfect that life until it is glorified in heaven. Are all the members of this family saved in Christ Jesus? Every one of you should think seriously about the answer to that question. Let us all agree about this and follow the Lord together. And, may we all meet in heaven.
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1 Jeremiah 23:6
2 Strange Work. This is a reference to Isaiah 28:21. God’s work of judgment is called strange or alien because it is his nature to extend grace and mercy. However, he “will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus 34:7).
3 William Hendriksen’s translation was used here. ESV reads, “so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” - editor
Year One, January 9
Lord, Save Me1
Our last reading taught us our own connection with Adam’s fall. We will now give careful consideration to a passage of Scripture that shows the depravity2 of human nature flowing throughout all times and all places.
Romans 3:9-26
In this portion Paul quotes the words of several Old Testament authors, puts them all together, and presents them to us as a terrible, but accurate, description of fallen man. The Jews loved to brag about their ancestry. The apostle asks the question,
9What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin. (As an old commentator puts it, “whole evil is in man, and whole man in evil.”3) 10As it is written;
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.”
Paul begins by quoting David in Psalm 14 and applying his words to the whole human race. Whether Jew or Greek, human nature is always the same. There is no hope of finding anyone who is naturally righteousness.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”4
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”5
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”6
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 7
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 8
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 9
Notice that in our character and nature, the disease of sin has affected us. We are sinful in every way; inside and outside, in mouth, feet, heart and eyes. We may not have committed all the evils mentioned here, but they are all in our nature. Our situation and our education may prevent us from being as bad in practice as we are in our heart, but as the poison is in the snake even though it does not bite, so sin is always with us.
What bloodstained sins these are that infect us! How divinely powerful must the medicine be that can cure us from such deadly diseases.
After this charge against human nature, there follows a declaration that no one can be saved by the works of the law, because everyone is already guilty. The evidence of their guilt and damnation is already made clear in the book of the law.
19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (We use the law correctly when it convinces us of sin and forces us to the Savior. However, we completely abuse and distort the law if we hope to be saved by obeying it.)
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction.
There is no difference. All are guilty. It is impossible for anyone to be worthy of salvation. Justification by faith is the only way.
23For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
What a precious gospel verse. May every member of this family understand it and have a part in the substitution of the Lord Jesus. We are all fallen. May every one of us be justified freely by God’s grace through faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus. Let us sincerely pray to be cleansed by the atoning death of Jesus, who suffered the curse of the law for his people.
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1 Matthew 14:30
2 depravity - sinfulness
3 John Trapp (circa 1656)
4 Psalm 14:1-3
5 Psalm 5:9
6 Psalm 140:3
7 Psalm 10:7
8 Proverbs 1:16’ 3:15-17
9 Psalm 36:1
Year One, January 10
Love Is From God1
1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” (She probably hoped that this was the Messiah. Oh, how often parents’ hopes are not realized. It was not a man after the heart of God to whom Eve gave birth, but a man of sin, a child of the wicked one.)
2And again, she bore his brother Abel. (Abel means “Vain” or “Unsatisfactory.” Evidently, Eve did not value him much, but he was precious in the sight of the Lord. What mistakes we make about our children.) Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. (Cain had no faith and no concern for the blood of atonement. Abel had both. These should be the main concerns of our Christian activities.) So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. (Cain was not angry with himself, as he should have been, but with his brother and with God.)
6The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (It is sin that stands in the way of our fellowship with God.)
8Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (We will either be our brother’s keeper or our brother’s murderer. If we do not work to save others, we will be guilty of their blood.) 10And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” (Cain does not confess his sin. He only complains about his punishment. We know many who think the same way. They object to hell and stubbornly continue in sin.) 14“Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.
This ancient story of the first murder is used by the apostle John as a picture of the life of unbelievers in all ages. Love marks the children of God, but hate is the sure sign of those who will inherit the wrath of God. The beloved apostle writes:
1 John 3:10-15
10By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
11For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Oh for grace to remove from our hearts all anger, envy, desire for revenge, and bitterness of every kind. Oh for grace to be like Jesus who is full of love and gentleness.
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1 I John 4:7
Year One, January 11
Abide in Me1
Our reading leads us to think about that famous saint of the church who lived before the Great Flood of Noah’s day. Enoch, the great-great-great-great-grandson of Adam.
Genesis 5:21-24
21When Enoch had lived 65 years he fathered Methuselah. 22Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
It is worth noticing here that the sacred writer says once that Enoch “lived;” but then he changes the word and writes Enoch “walked with God.” This teaches us that fellowship with God was the most important thing in Enoch’s life. Fellowship with God should also be the most important thing in our lives. Enoch was not a mere talker about God, but a walker with God. This holy patriarch2 lived in unbroken fellowship with the Lord for three hundred years; not visiting with God now and then, but constantly walking with him. This is not an easy thing to do. To remain in unbroken fellowship, “this is the work, this is the labor.”3 Yet the Holy Spirit can enable us to accomplish even this. Continued fellowship is what we should aim at. We should not be satisfied with anything short of it.
Some excuse themselves from seeking after unbroken fellowship with God because of their job, or their surroundings, or the many things they think need to be done. Enoch had to care for his family and he was also a public preacher. Yet he kept up his walk with God. No business or household cares should make us forget our God. A close relationship with God keeps the saints safe. It is their comfort and delight. It is their honor and crown. Fellowship with God should be desired more “than gold, even much fine gold.”4 Enoch was happy to enjoy it so sweetly and so continuously. The long relationship of this good man with his God ended in his being taken away from earth without dying, to that place where sight outshines faith. He did not live like others and therefore he did not die like others.
Paul5 tells us a little more concerning this holy man, and we will gather up the pieces of his history that remain in the Bible so that nothing will be lost.
Hebrews 11:5-6
5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Enoch’s fellowship with God came from his faith in God. Works do not make us walk with God, but faith brings us into his presence and keeps us there. It is very likely that Enoch’s holy lifestyle did not please others, but that did not matter much to him because it pleased God.
From Jude we learn that Enoch looked for the coming of Christ. The pure in heart see God. They are the truly enlightened people of their generation and look far into the future. What Enoch saw he proclaimed for the warning of others. It is our duty to do the same, so that sinners may be led to flee from the wrath to come.
Jude 14-15
14It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
We know the doctrine of the coming of the Lord from heaven is important, because one of the holiest prophets declared it so early in the world’s history. The powerful importance of this truth should be crystal clear. The greatest teachers of the Lord’s coming were also among the best known for close fellowship with heaven. Enoch “walked with God,” Daniel was a “man greatly loved,”6 and John was that “disciple whom Jesus loved.”7
Oh Lord, if the excitement of looking for your coming will make us walk with you, then please fill us with that excitement.
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1 John 15:4
2 patriarch - A man regarded as the father or ruler of a family. Bible patriarchs include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob's twelve sons.
3 This quote (translated from Latin) dates to at least the 16th century.
4 Psalm 19:10
5 Although the author of the book of Hebrews is uncertain, many believe it is the apostle Paul.
6 Daniel 10:11
7 John 13:23
Year One, January 12
The End of All Things Is at Hand1
At first people lived for hundreds of years, but a few generations of long-lived people was enough to make the human race very wicked. When the holy descendants of Seth intermarried with the graceless race of Cain, the people of God changed for the worse. The salt lost its taste and the whole earth became corrupt.
Genesis 6:5-22
5The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (What a charge against mankind. It is still true of all of us.)
6And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him to his heart. 7So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (What a blessed “but” that was. In the midst of wrath, the Lord remembered mercy. Even in punishing sin he remembers Christ and all those who are of his family. The distinction was made as a result of grace. It is not said that Noah deserved to be saved, but that Noah found favor, or grace.)
9These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. (In this he was a worthy descendant of Enoch.) 10And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. (Those who are corrupt toward God are sure to be violent toward others.) 12And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
14“Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits (about 450 feet), its breadth 50 cubits (about 75 feet), and its height 30 cubits (about 45 feet). (We must follow God’s directions in everything we do. If our religious practices do not have, “Thus says the Lord,” written over them, they will be worthless.) 16Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. (Noah must make the ark according to God’s plan. Those who expect to be saved must receive salvation in God’s way. God’s word must be our guide, not what we may think is right, or “feels” good.) 17For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.
18“But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and sons’ wives with you. 19And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. (Noah was the saver of lives. So is Jesus. Noah became the new head of the saved race. Our Lord is the Head of his church, who are those he saved out of the world.)
21“Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. (Noah’s faith caused him to obey. If we are to be saved from the destruction that is coming on the world, we must submit ourselves without question to the commands of our Lord Jesus. We will not be saved by keeping the commands of God, but if we have true faith we shall prove it by following the Lord’s directions.)
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1 I Peter 4:7
Year One, January 13
I Give My Sheep Eternal Life1
Genesis 7:1-5
1Now the LORD said to Noah, “[Come]2 into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. (When the Lord said, “Come,” it implied that he was already in the ark and indicated he would be there with his servant. It is also suggestive of the gospel invitation, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’”3)
2“Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. (Christ is the ark of our salvation, the unclean shall be sheltered as well as the clean. Noah had the privilege to bring them in. Likewise, every believer has the privilege to work for the saving of souls.)
4“For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
Genesis 7:11-23
11In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14they and every beast according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. (It was wonderful that all these creatures willingly entered the ark. It is even more wonderful that sinners of all kinds should be led by sovereign grace to find safety in the Lord Jesus. They must come when grace calls.)
15They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the LORD shut him in. (What a blessed thing for Noah. Those whom God brings into Christ, he takes care to shut in so that they shall go out no more. God did not shut Adam in Paradise; Adam threw himself out. And every one of us would leave Christ, if the Lord had not in mercy closed the door.)
17The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits (or over twenty feet) deep.
It was then too late to enter the ark. Dear friends, may we never put off faith in Jesus until it is too late. It will be an awful thing to find ourselves lost in a flood of wrath, with no eye to pity us and no arm to save us. Yet that is what will happen “if we neglect such a great salvation.”4
21And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22Everything on the dry land in whose nostril was the breath of life died. 23He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. (As there was no safety outside of the ark, so there is no salvation outside of Christ. The Lord grant that every member of this family may flee to Jesus at once and be saved by faith in him.)
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1 From John 10:28
2 New King James & King James read, “Come.” ESV reads, “Go”. The Hebrew means “to go in, enter, come, go.” - Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary
3 Revelation 22:17
4 Hebrews 2:3
Year One, January 14
My God, My Rock, in Whom I Take Refuge1
Our last reading showed us Noah saved while the whole world drowned. Let us now think about the special protection the Lord gives to his own people. The psalmist sings about this so sweetly in:
Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
When a soul is brought into sweet fellowship with God, through the blood of Jesus, its real dangers are all over. It is and must be, safe forever. Noah was protected the moment he entered the ark, and we are too, as soon as we are in Christ.
2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
What a picture of tenderness. Like the little birds, we hide underneath the wings of God.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
Some dangers are obvious. Other evils are hidden. God’s people are protected from both. There are some false religions that would, if it were possible, mislead even the very elect. But the elect shall not be fooled, because the Lord keeps them safe.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
Noah saw the ungodly world destroyed. No doubt, this led him to be even more committed to praise God for the grace that had rescued him from the same sin and resulting destruction.
9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge--
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone,
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
Those who want to see us destroyed will be overthrown. Their power and cleverness will not bring about our defeat.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.”
We will experience trouble in this life. There is no getting away from that. But prayer is the answer every time! It will bring the right assistance for every danger. When we conquer the trials we meet, we honor the Lord who helps us through them. There is also honor given to believers who remain faithful during times of trouble.
16 “With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
God’s righteous saints may live many years or few, but how long we live is not what matters. The good we achieve and the fellowship with God we enjoy are what are most important.
As a family, let us thank God for protecting us from serious illness, from sudden death, and from fatal accidents. God has promised to be involved in our lives. The privilege of coming to God in prayer and the promise of being accepted by him when we do are two of the most precious things he has given us. If we are really God’s children, then a guard of angels is hovering over us right now. We may rest assured that whatever dangers are near us, we are kept safe under the wings of God. Therefore, as Christians, we should be very calm in difficult times, and show by our holy courage that we have a definite reason for our confidence.
Parents, keep this psalm in your hearts. Children and young people, treasure it in your memories. It is more precious “than gold, even much fine gold.”2
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I I Samuel 22:3
2 Psalm 19:10
Year One, January 15
Return, O My Soul, to Your Rest1
Genesis 8:1-12, 15-22
1But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. (The Lord did not forget the ones saved in the ark. First, he remembered Noah, and then those who were with him. The Lord remembers his dear Son, and then us because of him.) And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, (How easily are all things arranged by the Lord’s providence.2 Winds and waters move at his command, whether for the deliverance of his people or for the destruction of his foes.) 3and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, 4and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
6At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. (This disgusting bird delighted in the decaying flesh of dead animals it found floating in the water, just as wicked men find delight in sin.) 8Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. 9But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. (The dove is like our worn out souls. After being saved by grace, they find no contentment in polluted things, but return to Jesus, who is their peace. He graciously draws us to himself when we are too weak to come on our own.)
10He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore. (Surrounded by the new and restored world the dove could live at liberty. In much the same way, born again souls flourish when they are surrounded by holy things.)
15Then God said to Noah, 16“Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh--birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth--that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. (He did not come out of the ark until he was instructed to do so by the same voice that called him into it. “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.”3) 19Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.
20Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (Before he built a house he built an altar. God must be worshipped first in all things.) 21And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
Noah’s sacrifice was pleasing to the Lord and the beginning of a new covenant.4 The offering of the Lord Jesus on the cross will always be “a pleasing aroma,” and for his sake the covenant of grace is made with all those who are saved. Are all of us a part of the covenant of grace?
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1 Psalm 116:7
2 Providence - Usually, when used with a capital “P” it refers to God; when used with a lower case “p”, it refers to God’s will, his divine intervention, and his predetermination (predestination).
3 Psalm 37:23
4 covenant - A promise, guarantee, pledge
Year One, January 16
He Remembers His Covenant Forever1
In this passage we have more details about the gracious promise God made to Noah and his descendants.
Genesis 9:8-17
8Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9“Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, 10and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11I establish my covenant with you that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
To those who have been saved in Christ no future destruction is possible. They are forever safe from the floods of wrath.
12And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations. 13I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, (The sign of the promise is seen in cloudy times when faith needs a reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness the most. If there is no cloud, there is no rainbow. It is worth having a cloud to have God paint a rainbow on it.) 15I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it,” (This is better than seeing it ourselves, because God will never see it with forgetful eyes.) “and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
God made the rainbow to be a lovely symbol of his truthfulness. It is a bow unstrung, because war is over. It is a bow without a string, because it will never be used against us. It is a bow turned upward, so that we may direct our thoughts and prayers to heaven. It is a rainbow of bright colors, because joy and peace are revealed by it. Blessed arch of beauty, always be the Lord’s preacher to us.
We will now turn to a passage in the prophets where the promise of God’s grace is linked with this rainbow.
Isaiah 54:4-10
4 “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed,
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the LORD of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the LORD has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the LORD, your Redeemer.
9 “This is like the days of Noah to me;
as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth,
should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
and will not rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
From this time on, let us be ashamed to doubt the Lord. These trustworthy signs should give us an overwhelming confidence in the faithfulness of our unchangeable God. Only let us make sure that we are exercising true faith in HIM.
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1 Psalm 111:5
Year One, January 17
The LORD Reigns1
Genesis 11:1-9
1Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen2 for mortar. 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” (They wanted to establish one huge government and make this tower the center of it. Their intention was that the tower would keep the people from being scattered abroad. They had forgotten the command to, “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”3 Ambition was at the heart of the plan. They hoped to build up an empire by centralizing all mankind that, like their tower, would defy heaven itself.)
5And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.
To God their huge tower was a mere nothing. He is said (to use the language of man) to come down from heaven in order to see such a trifle.
6And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.
How easy it is for to God frustrate our plans and bring about his own purposes, despite any opposition. What happened the moment God “confused their language”? The scene has been very graphically sketched by Bishop Hall.4 “One calls for brick, the other looks him in the face, and wonders what he commands, and how and why he speaks such words as were never before heard. Instead of brick he brings him mortar with a reply to him as little understood. Each scolds the other, expressing his anger in words only he can understand. From argument they fall to quiet requests, but still with the same success. At first every man thinks his fellow mocks him; but now aware of this serious confusion, their only answer was silence, and ceasing. They could not come together, for no man could call them to be understood; and if they had assembled, nothing could be determined, because one could never understand the other’s purpose.”
9Therefore its name was called Babel,5 because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
An appropriate comment on the events at Babel can be found in part of Psalm 33.
Psalm 33:10-22
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
the plans of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
13 The LORD looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
16 The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
Our hope should not be a tower of Babel or in ourselves. Let us depend on the Lord our God who is our tower of protection.
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1 Psalm 99:1
2 A black, sticky tar-like substance.
3 Genesis 1:28
4 Probably Anglican Bishop Joseph Hall (circa 1600).
5 Babel sounds like the Hebrew word for confused.
Year One, January 18
I Am a Sojourner With You1
Genesis 12:1-8
1Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
God elected Abram. Therefore in due time he called him and separated him to himself. All of God’s chosen must also be like their spiritual father Abram and be separated from the world and dedicated to the Lord.2 All of his chosen spiritual descendants must follow in the same path as the father of the faithful.
4So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (The same grace that chose him made him obedient. There was only one way for Abram to inherit this blessing. He followed the divine command and left everything. He turned his back on his past life and cheerfully followed his Lord.) 5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. (It is not enough to begin the journey, we must continue to the end.)
6Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. (The Lord promised to give the land to the patriarch,3 but Abram did not actually own a single foot of it. Unbelief would have thought this inheritance was more shadow than real; but “faith is the assurance of things hoped for,”4 and makes us content to wait. The Canaanite is still in the land, yet we are correct to believe that all things are ours.)
7Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. (Abram was careful to continue the worship of God wherever he might be placed. Go where we may, let us not forget to give devotion and obedience to God.)
Abram acted without delay. His reason is found in:
Hebrews 11:8-10
8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
Abraham had to leave idolatrous Chaldea. We must also separate ourselves from a world that is controlled by the wicked one. He understood he was like an outsider in this temporary life and we must too. This world is not our home where we can relax. Ours is the life of a traveler until we reach “the city that has foundations.”5 Abraham pitched his tent and wandered up and down in the land as a stranger, not as a citizen of Canaan. We do not have a permanent city here, but we look for one in the future. Those who find a place to rest here do not have one in heaven.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Oh, that the Lord would make us, as a family, separated to himself.
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1 Psalm 39:12
2 2 Corinthians 6:16a, 17a, “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. ... ‘Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord.’”
3 patriarch - A man regarded as the father or ruler of a family. Bible patriarchs include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob's twelve sons.
4 Hebrews 11:1
5 Hebrews 11:10
Year One, January 19
Do Not Lie to One Another1
Genesis 12:10-20
10Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” (To say that she was his sister was part of the truth, but the intention was to deceive. Whether what we say is true or not, if our purpose is to mislead others, we are guilty of falsehood. Let us pray for grace to be entirely truthful.)
14When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. (These gifts must have given Abram very little pleasure. He must have felt selfish in spirit and sick at heart.)
17But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her, and go.” (It must have been very humbling to the man of God to be rebuked by a heathen. It is sad indeed when the worldling shames the believer; yet it is too often the case.) 20And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.
From this Scripture we learn that the best of men, even when they are following the Lord’s leading, will still have trials. This is Abram. He is obeying God’s command. Nevertheless, he suffers in the famine that falls on the land in which he is living. Trials show the weak places in good men. Even the holy patriarch2 had his faults. He went into Egypt, into a land where he had no right to be. He was out of the path of duty and therefore out of the place of safety. He stepped into the devil’s land and found the way was slippery. It was difficult to continue to follow the Lord. He changed the truth a little in order to save himself and Sarai. He deceived Pharaoh by telling him only half the truth and he exposed his wife to great danger. All this happened because of the unbelief that crippled even the mighty faith of the father of the faithful. The best of men are but men at best. This is enough to show us that even the chief of the patriarchs was “a man with a nature like ours.”3 Like Abram, we are born with Adam’s nature, but we can be born again with Abram’s faith. The same Holy Spirit that developed Abram’s great faith can do the same in our lives and give us victory over the power of our sinful nature.
Genesis 13:1-4
1So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb. (He did not feel safe until he returned to his life of separation in the promised land. Friendship with the world is not good for the believer’s soul. The closer he is to God and more set apart from sinners, the better.)
2Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Ai, 4to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD. (No doubt he confessed his sinful weakness and renewed the commitment of his faith in God. If we have blundered or backslidden, let us also return to our first love, to the Bethel where we first set up an altar to the Lord.)
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1 Colossians 3:9
2 patriarch - A man regarded as the father or ruler of a family. Bible patriarchs include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob's twelve sons.
3 James 5:17
Year One, January 20
All Things Are Yours1
5And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (Rich men may be godly and godly men may be rich, but riches are certainly a cause of problems. In this case wealth did not bring peace. It brought discontent. Good men can control their own tempers, but not the tempers of those who live with them. When relatives live together, they must be very careful. Disagreements may be caused by others in the household. It is a rare thing for relatives to live in the same house without conflict. Everyone who lives in such a situation must guard against being suspicious, envious or quarrelsome.)
At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. (The presence of such powerful enemies should have made these good men cautious about the way they handled their problems. The eyes of the world are watching us. We must be careful how we act. Do not allow our family disagreements to be a reason for those of the world to make fun of us.)
8Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 9Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” (Abram was the older, the greater, the richer, and the better man, but he gave his nephew the first choice. In all disagreements, it is good for the more powerful person to be the first to give in. Doing so will prove his high character. Abram’s faith had produced a spirit in him that was gentle, generous and willing to bend. All true faith produces this kind of person.)
10And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.
Lot made a serious mistake. He looked only to the richness of the country and not to the character of the people. He walked by sight and not by faith.2 He looked at the material advantage and did not “seek first the kingdom of God.”3 Lot gave up living a life of separation to live in the city. He was influenced by the residents of Sodom and became worldly. He gave up all claim to the inheritance promised to Abram and his descendants and pierced himself through with many sorrows. In the end, the person who wanted everything the world had to offer lost it and the person who was willing to give up anything to honor God found it.
When friends leave us, we may expect the Lord to visit us with comfort and support. After Lot was gone, the Lord appeared again to Abram.
14The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” (Abram was invited to gaze on his possessions; to walk across the land like he was the owner. Our faith should look on the covenant blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus in the same way. Rejoice in them with “joy that is inexpressible.”4) 18So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD.
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1 1 Corinthians 3:21
2 A reference to 2 Corinthians 5:6a-7, “We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
3 Matthew 6:33
4 1 Peter 1:8
Year One, January 21
The LORD…Trains My Hands for War1
Genesis 14:1-3; 10-12; 14-24
1In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).
10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 11So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way. (“All is not gold that glitters.”2 Moving to Sodom turned out to be a poor choice for Lot. Believers who try to follow the ways of the world should not be surprised when they suffer for doing so. Lot went to Sodom in the hope of gaining wealth. Now he loses everything in one blow. If we put too much effort into growing rich, the Lord can take everything away in a moment in time.)
14When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. (If our relatives desert us we must not desert them. Lot left Abram, but Abram did not forget Lot.) 15And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
Faith made Abram a winner in peace and in war. Sadly, poor Lot’s trouble did not cure him from wanting to conform to the world. He went back to Sodom and continued to live there. The sins of Sodom distressed him, but he loved what the city offered him too much to leave it.
17After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) (Melchizedek was a type or picture of Christ. When we are worn out with fighting the Lord’s battles, we may expect that Jesus will refresh us.) 19And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;”
The Lord Jesus never meets his people without blessing them. The words from his lips are like lilies dropping sweet-smelling perfume.
20 and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (And we should cheerfully give our great Melchizedek from what we have received. Melchizedek blessed Abram. It was only right that Abram returned some of those blessings to him.)
21And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” (The king did not care about what Abram and Melchizedek were doing. He interrupted them to discuss his concerns.)
22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.” (The king of Sodom offered Abram what was rightfully his by the laws of war, but he refused to take it. Sometimes the right thing to do is give up what is rightfully ours. Abram believed God could give him all he needed without owing the king of Sodom a debt of gratitude. Faith does not look for man to provide. She will not give the world the opportunity to say, “See we provided for you, not God. You should praise us, not the Lord.” Jehovah is more than enough for believers. We do not need to depend on anyone else.)
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1 Psalm 144:1
2 William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice (1596): “All that glisters is not gold.” Not everything that is shiny is valuable.
Year One, January 22
He Always Lives to Make Intercession for Them1
The story of Melchizedek in the book of Genesis is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is fully explained in today’s reading.
Hebrews 7:1-17; 20-25
1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. (The Scripture includes nothing about the ancestors of Melchizedek. There is no mention of a priest before him or after him. The apostle finds a meaning of why the Bible is silent about these things. Some refuse to learn from what the Bible plainly says. But the apostle could learn even from what it does not say. Melchizedek was both king and priest combined. He did not receive his priesthood by inheriting it. It was by the direct appointment of God. In these things he is an exceptional picture of our Lord Jesus)
4See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
11Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. (Our Lord did not receive the priesthood because he was a descendent of Aaron, but, like Melchizedek, because he was appointed directly by God.)
15This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is witnessed of him,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
This is the inspired testimony of Psalm 110, where David speaks of the Lord Jesus as his Lord and acknowledges him as king and priest.)
20And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever.’”
22This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. (The priesthood of Jesus is about things that are certain; things that cannot pass away or change. God established this position for Christ and he guarantees it)
23The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Jesus resembles Melchizedek because he is both king and priest, because there is no one before him or after him, and because his priesthood is greater than the Levitical Priesthood. He is a priest forever by the oath of God. We who trust in Jesus have this wonderful comfort: We know our Great High Priest lives forever, is always in power, is always accessible, and is always ready to perform his office for our benefit.
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1 Hebrews 7:25
Year One, January 23
I Am Your Shield1
Genesis 15:1-18
1After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (People should be afraid to harm those whom the Lord blesses. And those who trust in the living God have no reason to be alarmed. Five kings or fifty kings may come against them, but while Jehovah defends them they are safe. Perhaps the Lord saw a fear rising up in Abram’s mind and therefore came to him with this word of comfort. God is not willing to have his servants in bondage to fear.)
2But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” (The strongest faith has inner struggles. Abram’s heart was set upon being the direct ancestor of the Messiah and he believed in the promise of God. But it still seemed impossible to him, because he did not have a son and it did not appear likely that he ever would have one. It is always wise to spread our doubts before the Lord, because he can face them for us.)
5And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Abram believed in God. No difficulty or physical impossibility stopped him from believing. Therefore he was accepted by the Lord as being righteous.)
7And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. 11And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. (Abram’s question was answered by a command to offer a sacrifice. Abram accepted that as a sign that God would keep his promise. He proved his faith by preparing the sacrifice. We confirm our faith in Jesus when we respond to his promises by acting on them. True, a few questions will sometimes distract our faith. Those doubts are like these hungry birds that must be chased away by faith.)
As the evening approached and the animals had been killed, the Lord assured Abram in the strongest possible words that the promise was true. The death of Jesus gives us the strongest possible assurance that God’s promise of salvation to all who believe in his Son is true.
12As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 13Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. (This represented the history of God’s people. They must often endure the darkening smoke of the furnace of affliction, but the flaming lamp of God’s salvation is always with them.) 18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.” (And so, Abram’s fear was chased away by the promise. Let our fears also be chased away by God’s promises.)
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1 Genesis 15:1
Year One, January 24
Christ Is All1
Romans 4:1-25
Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to explain to us the importance of what took place in the fifteenth chapter of Genesis that we considered in our last reading. Let us read his explanation.
1What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6just as David also speaks of the blessing to the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
9Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
16That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring--not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Paul’s argument is very clear and convincing. Abraham was justified by faith and therefore by grace. This justification was not given to him as a circumcised man. He was not circumcised until years later. Therefore the covenant2 blessings are not given in connection with the law and its work, but in connection with faith and grace. The covenant promise was made to the spiritual descendants of Abraham. That is, not those born after the flesh, but those born again according to promise. All of the nations of the world have an interest in that promise, because Abraham’s spiritual children come from all of them. The true children of Abraham are recognized by their faith, not by their keeping the law. Jesus is the promised descendant. Those who believe in him are Abraham’s children. Is everyone in this family a believer in Jesus? Is there any among us who is not saved? Let each of us consider these most serious questions.
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1 Colossians 3:11
2 covenant - A contract, promise, guarantee, pledge or agreement between two or more persons.
Year One, January 25
You Are a God Who Sees Me1
Genesis 16:1-15
1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. (Sarai therefore suggested to Abram that Hagar should become his secondary wife. This was a very usual custom in those days, but it was not a praiseworthy one. It was an act of unbelief for Sarai to suggest it. It is not always easy to wait patiently for the Lord’s time. We all tend to be too quick to run to our own methods; as if the Lord needed our help to fulfill his promises.)
2bAnd Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Those we love best may be the means of leading us astray. Adam, the father of mankind, sinned by listening to his wife and now the father of the faithful follows his poor example.) 3So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife.
4bAnd when [Hagar] saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. 5And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!” (It was Sarai who suggested doing this and now she blames her husband for it. It is no use to blame others for our mistakes. If we turn off the road of correctness, we shall certainly and personally feel the pain for it.)
6But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. (First Sarai did not believe God, next she was unkind to her husband, and now she is cruel to her servant. One wrong step leads to others. Unbelief is a sin that causes other sins. Even this holy woman had her weaknesses. “No one is good except God alone.”2)
7The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” (She did not say where she was going, because she did not know. Let each of us ask himself, “Where am I going?”) 9The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” (No one could use such language as this but the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ. By promising to multiply her offspring, he proved the inspired statement, “delighting in the children of man.”3)
11And the angel of the LORD said to her,
“Behold, you are pregnant
and shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
because the LORD has listened to your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man,
his hand against everyone
and everyone’s hand against him,
and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”
13So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” (First, God sees us; and then, by his gracious visits, he leads us to seek him.) 14Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; (the well of the living One who sees me;) it lies between Kadesh and Bered.
15And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. (But Ishmael was not, as he had hoped, the promised heir. On the contrary, he became the cause of many trials to the family. When we look to the world to help grace, or reason to assist faith, we fail to reach our goal. Instead, we guarantee sorrow. This whole scene is a painful one. It should warn us that even in good families sin may cause infighting and bring unhappiness and heartache.)
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1 Genesis 16:13 (alternate reading)
2 Mark 10:18
3 Proverbs 8:31
Year One, January 26
Search Me, O God1
In the desert, Hagar learned that God is omniscient.2 She declared, “You are a God of seeing.”3 Thinking about this truth will do us good. We see this doctrine in great detail in today’s Psalm.
Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
God watches me all the time. Whether I am awake or asleep, his eye is on me!
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
He knows not only the words on my tongue that I have spoken, but those in my tongue which have not yet been voiced. He knows what I intend to say.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you
the night is bright as the day
for darkness is as light with you.
13 For you formed my inward parts;
The Lord sees every part of my anatomy at a glance and understands all of it.
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Our body is like a very skillful piece of embroidery, “intricately woven.” Its nerves, veins, and muscles are formed by the divine Creator. At conception, the wisdom of the Lord was there developing every cell. The master watchmaker understands the complexities of his creation and our Creator knows all the secret workings of our souls.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
The omniscient eye is not that of an enemy, but an eye that watches over us to do us good. The Lord’s heart is never away from his people. He thinks about them to bless them.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
Since the Lord sees and punishes the wicked, we should not be found in their company, to avoid the risk of sharing in their doom.
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain!
Because the Lord is always everywhere, they insult him to his face when they take his name in vain. How can this not anger the Lord God?
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
A faithful servant of God has the same interests, the same friends, and the same enemies as his Master.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
The omniscience of God should fill the sinner with terror. But it is an attribute4 of God that greatly benefits the believer. Since the Lord will pardon all the sins of believers in Jesus, we are glad that he should see all of them, so that he may remove them completely.
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1 Psalm 139:23
2 omniscient (adjective), omniscience (noun) - All knowing or knowing everything; all seeing or seeing everything. The capacity to know everything that there is to know.
3 Genesis 16:13
4 attribute - A quality or characteristic that someone has.
Year One, January 27
Is Anything Too Hard for the LORD?1
Genesis 18:1-15
1And the LORD appeared to [Abraham] by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on--since you have come to your servant.”
Abraham did “not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” and “entertained angels unawares.”2 He ran to meet the strangers, he greeted them respectfully, and he welcomed them warmly. He even told them they would be doing him a favor if they rested near his tent. Ungenerous persons who never entertain either God’s servants or the poor, miss many blessings. May we never be a rude and inconsiderate household.
6And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs (about 27 pounds) of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. (The wealthy old man was glad to serve these strangers. He spoke of a morsel of bread, but he made a feast. He was all kindness, goodness, and humility; a true gentleman and a believer in God. These are the fruits of true holiness. It would bring glory to God if all those who profess Christ displayed these qualities.)
9They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”
She was where she should be. At that moment, she was busy with household duties. She was the ideal wife of her ideal husband and she cheerfully helped him to provide for the guests. When we are on the road of duty, we are on the road to blessings. Abraham must have wondered how the leader of the three strangers knew his wife’s name.
10The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” (What an encouraging question. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Our family’s troubles, cares, and needs are not beyond the power and wisdom of our heavenly Father. Let us not become hopeless, but in faith cast our worries and problems on him.) 15But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
He who knows all hearts cannot be deceived. See how honest Holy Scripture is, it records the faults of even the best of the saints. See also how tender the Spirit of God is, because in the New Testament Sarah’s fault is not mentioned. It had been forgiven and blotted out, but the fact that she called her husband “lord” is recorded to her honor. We serve a gracious God who, when our hearts are right, commends our good fruit, and leaves the unripe figs to drop out of sight.3 Let us be careful not to spoil the joy of his promises and grace by any improper words or actions. It would be a sad thing for us to be surrounded by the memories of divine love and have to admit that we laughed at the promise.
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1 Genesis 18:14
2 Hebrews 13:2
3 A reference to Revelation 6:13.
Year One, January 28
Pray Without Ceasing1
Genesis 18:16-17, 22-33
16Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (One of the three was the Lord himself, who had taken on human form for this meeting.2 Perhaps Jesus, who was one day to be born a man, did this to hint at this future event. Truly, “his goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”3 Is this not amazing? Almighty Jehovah made Abraham his confidential friend! He is willing to do the same with us, for even now “the friendship of the Lord is with them that fear him.”4)
22So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.
Two of the angels went to Sodom, but the third, the Lord of angels, stayed to talk with Abraham, his friend.
23Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (When we are favored with close access to God, we should use it to pray for the benefit of others. Notice the arguments the patriarch used. We should also use our strongest reasons when we plead for others. The Lord is moved with pleas like those of Abraham. Undoubtedly he saves wicked nations for the sake of the saints who live among them. Of course, all the saved are forgiven not for their own sakes, but for Jesus’s sake.) 26And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27And Abraham answered and said, “Behold I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.” (In our boldest pleadings we must not forget what unworthy creatures we are and how wonderful it is on the Lord’s part to let us plead with him.) 28“Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” (The Lord kept pace with his servant, being quite as willing to answer as he was to ask.) 29Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
There is a time to keep silent as well as a time to speak. Abraham had gone as far as the Spirit of the Lord guided him. He did not attempt to go further.
33And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
If there had been only the small number of ten who were righteous, Sodom and Gomorrah would have escaped. This is how precious the saints are to a nation! They may be unknown or despised, but they are the salt that preserves the whole. May our family be a part of that good salt; parents, and children, all being through divine grace counted with the righteous. But we must first have salt in ourselves by possessing a living faith in the Lord Jesus. Otherwise we cannot benefit others, because we are not even saved ourselves.
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1 I Thessalonians 5:17
2 This refers to the visible appearance of Jesus to people in the Old Testament. Often called a “Theophany” or “Christophany”.
3 Micah 5:2 (NASB)
4 Psalm 25:14
Year One, January 29
I Have Prayed for You1
We must not allow the prayers of Abraham to pass away from our thoughts until they have reminded us of the still more powerful prayers of our Blessed Lord Jesus. We see him pictured in one of his own parables. He describes himself as keeping his own sinful lambs safe by pleadings for them to the Father. This passage is a good sequel to yesterday’s reading.
Luke 13:1-9
1There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (See the need of repentance?2 Philip Henry3 once said, “Some people do not like to hear much about repentance; but I think it so necessary that if I were to die in the pulpit, I should desire to die preaching repentance, and if I should die out of the pulpit I hope to die practicing it.”)
4“Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (When we hear or read about terrible judgments on sinners, like the ones spoken of here or those who lived in Sodom of old, we should not congratulate ourselves and think this could not happen to us because we are not as bad as they were. Instead, we should understand that these are warnings to us. If we fall into the same sins as they did, sooner or later a doom just as overwhelming will come on us. If any of us wonder why nothing like this has happened already, let them pay special attention to the parable that follows. There has been an intercessor4 at work. Otherwise, we would have perished long before this.)
6And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. (It was in good soil and under the gardener’s care. Therefore it would produce fruit or prove to be good for nothing.) 7And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’”
Three years was long enough for a test. There might have been two bad seasons to account for the absence of fruit, but when the tree was fruitless a third time the fault must be in the tree itself. God gives us enough time to be tested. God has allowed all of us enough time to prove ourselves. Perhaps this is the moment the Lord is saying, “Cut it down.” Some of us are like this barren fig tree. By itself it is of no use. If fills the place where a good tree could be planted. It draws nutrients from the soil and hurts other trees that are near it. In the same way some men live useless lives, and at the same time they are in positions that others could be in who would bring glory to God.
8“And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. (It is the voice of Jesus the Intercessor. He is not willing to see the axe raised, because he is full of compassion. See how unconverted men owe their lives to Jesus? They are not preserved by their own worth or worthiness. They are alive because God tolerates them and they will die as soon as the voice of Jesus stops pleading for them.) 9Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”
May we who have been without grace until now hear the word of God at this hour and live. This may be our last year of grace. When it is over we may be cast into the fire of hell. Jesus has asked that we may be given one more chance. But there is a limit to his pleadings. Note the two ifs, “Then if,” and “but if not.” Eternity hangs on these two ifs. The Lord grant that none of us may be cut down and cast into the eternal burnings.
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1 Luke 22:32
2 repent, repentance - The act or feeling of remorse, regret, sorrow or shame that results in a change of heart or purpose.
3 Philip Henry 1631-1696. A nonconformist Anglican pastor and father of the well-known commentator Matthew Henry.
4 intercessor - one who intervenes or gets involved for the benefit of others, especially by praying.
Year One, January 30
Remember Lot’s Wife1
Genesis 19:1-3; 15-26
1The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” (Lot’s neighbors were bad, but at least he welcomed the two strangers. Grace does not thrive in bad company, but it still lives.) They said, “No, we will spend the night in the town square.” 3But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Then, when night fell, the angels saw for themselves what a filthy, cruel, mean and despicable place Sodom was. Those holy beings shut the door on the evil Sodomites and waited until the morning to carry out the sentence of God on the city. It was time to sweep away their crimes. Lot had gone to his sons-in-law and urged them to escape with him, but they thought he was crazy and refused.
15As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.”
It is real kindness to warn men of their danger. We cannot be too serious in urging them to escape.
16But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
We must repeat our warnings and use holy force with sinners. At the same time let us beware of remaining in danger ourselves. We are not safe for a single moment until we have fled to Jesus.
17And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” 18And Lot said to them, “Oh, no my lords. 19Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there--is it not a little one?--and my life will be saved!” 21He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar (or, Little).
Lot was not as great a believer as Abraham, but he was a good man and his prayer was heard. At his request a little city was saved. Was this not also an answer to Abraham’s prayer?
23The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. 25And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
Lot’s prayer saved Zoar, but could not save his wife. A pastor may bring thousands to Jesus and yet his own household may perish. The Scripture says, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Remember that she was Lot’s wife and yet she was destroyed. She was out of Sodom and half way to Zoar, but she did not escape. And all because she could not leave sinners. Her heart was still with them. She started to escape, but she turned aside. Oh for grace to keep going the right way.
Remember Lot’s wife. Be afraid of even a desire to return to old sins that might demonstrate we are unworthy of eternal life. This terrible chapter should make us tremble if we have not reached the safety of atoning love. Do not delay, but flee to Jesus now and put your trust in him.
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1 Luke 17:32
Year One, January 31
Your Decrees Are Very Trustworthy1
Genesis 21:1-21
1The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. 2And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. (The Lord’s promises are always kept, right down to the hour.) 3Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. (Or laughter, because both parents had laughed for joy. The best laughing in the world is that which comes from seeing God’s promises fulfilled. Then our mouth is filled with laughter and our tongue with singing.)
4And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. (Abraham’s laughter was not because of worldly merriment. It was a joy that led him to be obedient to the Lord’s will. This is true happiness.) 5Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh [with] me.”2 (When God’s promises are fulfilled for any of us, others should share our joy. Let us tell the saints what the Lord has done for us, so they may rejoice too.) 7And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
8And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. (Children are too likely to do this, but how wrong it is for the older child to tease and hurt the younger. God sees it and is not pleased.) 10So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” 11And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”
It was hard for Abraham to send his son away from his home, but God directed it for the best, even for Ishmael.
14So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. (Had she forgotten the Lord who appeared to her before? So it seems. Our forgetfulness of mercy in the past is at the heart of our present hopelessness.) 17And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.”
God takes pity on boys and girls and hears their little prayers as well as those of their fathers and mothers. Dear children, do you pray?
18“Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. (It was God who arranged for Hagar and her son to be sent away and then he took good care of them in the desert. It is the same God who will watch over us if we commit ourselves to his care.)
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1 Psalm 93:5
2 NASB, “will laugh with me.” ESV, “will laugh over me.”
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