Job 5-6
Eliphaz continues in Job 5 and speaks of the just God. Clearly the issue is not of God's making but God will redeem Job, God will provide, if only Job will repent and move closer to God. If Job repents, he will be blessed again, he will children, he will have possessions, he will prosper.
Job begins his response in Job 6 and he points out that his life which had been blessed under God now is suffering from God's providence. What does Job have to "eat" from God's hand, he has only been served suffering and gall. He is like a wild animal seeking sustenance but he finds none.
To Eliphaz's challenge to wait, Job wonders why? He has no strength to wait but more importantly wait for what? What could the future possibly hold that is worth waiting for.
But Job is also bitter towards his friends, who offer no solace. It is one thing for God to abandon Job, but his own friends? They see Job and instead of helping they offer platitudes. They betray him, and only offer words of reproach.
Luke 15
The parables of Luke 15 have become timeless, in more ways than one, they are some of the most known of the bible and can probably be recited by those who do not frequent church. They are told in response to criticism of the Pharisees that Jesus eats with sinners, the unrighteous, the dirty.
So Jesus tells three stories, all speaking of "treasures" that are lost or misplaced. These parables remind us, that no matter who we are, we are treasures, we are valued by God. They also speak to the longing that God has for any of us to turn back to God. Furthermore, God does not sit around waiting for us to return, God has gone out to seek us.
Wow, no wonder these are powerful parables if that is the message! We are loved, no matter how far we have "fallen." We are loved, no matter how far off the beaten path we are found. We are loved, and God is seeking us, anywhere we might have gone.
Backlogged Posts
2 Kings 23-25
Josiah begins his sweeping reforms in 2 Kings 23. In many ways these reforms also correspond to reforms that will occur after the exile under Nehemiah. Josiah destroys the high places, he removes idols and ends the practices of the corrupt kings. Again his action pre-date Nehemiah for he gathers the nobles and prince of the city and has the Law read and encourages the people to follow. In a sign of this renewal, the people celebrate Passover for the first time in generations, since the period of the Judges if 2 Kings is correct. In other words, the one festival that God explicitly told the people to keep, they have ignored for hundreds of years.
Is it any wonder that God will not turn back from the promised destruction?
During this period in time, the Egyptians and the Assyrians were jockeying for position in the Near East and a power was beginning to emerge in the east, the Babylonians. Josiah, a vassal of Assyria, takes the field against the Egyptians and is killed. His son Jehoahaz becomes king but incites the wrath of the Egyptians and his brother Eliakim is placed on the throne by the pharaoh and renamed Jehoiakim. Judah is now a vassal state of Egypt. The land will not see peace.
Not long after, Egypt is defeated by Babylon and Jehoiakim becomes the vassal to Babylon in 2 Kings 24. At a point in time, Egypt is able to push back against Babylon, Jehoiakim makes nice with the Egyptians but finally, Babylon makes a comeback and crushes Egypt. At some time during this skirmish Jehoiakim dies and Jehoiachin becomes king.
When the Babylonians siege Jerusalem, they capture the city and the leaders and nobles of the city are taken in exile but the rest of Jerusalem remains. This is the first exile, a second one will follow, but Judah remains with a new king, Zedekiah.
Zedekiah reigned for nine years but then attempted to create an alliance with Egypt against Babylon. The Babylonians were not pleased and returned to crush Jerusalem in 2 Kings 25. Zedekiah attempts to escape but is captured and sees his family put to death and then his own eyes are put out. He, and the rest of the city are taken into exile.
The city itself is leveled. The treasures are removed. The City of David has fallen. Yet, perhaps a son of David remains, for Jehoiachin, who had been taken into exile the first time, is released from prison and given a role in the court at Nineveh.
Psalm 66-67
Psalm 66 is a liturgical hymn that opens with a processional in which the awe inspiring acts of God are recounted, where God's majesty are extolled and all the nations are called forth to bear witness to the Almighty God. Israel offers up itself as the prime witness to the glory of God, a God who has raised up Israel to a mighty nation.
Halfway through the Psalm, a leader emerges who offers prayers and supplications that are found acceptable to God. Great is God, for God has not rejected the offering of prayers or the people of God.
Psalm 67 opens with the Aaronic blessing found in Numbers, and then leads a call to praise God. This praise should not be limited to just Israel but to all nations. The reason for praise? For the Lord has provided a bounty, the earth has yielded its increase and all are blessed.
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