Proverbs 25-26
Proverbs 25 begins a section that was supposedly recorded by King Hezekiah and attributed to Solomon. They open with the challenge to the king to seek the will of God in the world. Also, the nobles of the court are challenged to seek their own glory but to do what is right, particularly in dealing with neighbors and friends. Again, appropriate language and words is lifted up as a sign of wisdom.
Proverbs 26 goes into much detail to describe how a fool lives and why their lives are counter-productive.
1 Thessalonians 4
Paul continues to exhort the Thessalonians to live as they have been, but doing it more fervently. It is clear that this community has truly lived out the teachings that Paul has passed along but Paul asks them to strive even further in loving God and one another, to pursue virtuous living and refrain from the temptations of the flesh.
If there was an issue that Paul was writing to address, it might be answered in verse 13. It is possible that many in the community believed that those who have died before the return of Jesus Christ would not be joined in the Resurrection. Paul writes to dispel this notion, that all, living and dead, will be raised with Jesus at his coming.
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Ezra 9-10
It would seem that part of the problem of rebuilding Jerusalem is due to the purity of the people, they are not following the command of God to be a holy people. This charge was given to the people of Israel when they entered into the Promised Land, they were to remain separate from the people of the land for they were unclean. However in Ezra 9, we read that the people of Israel have not remained separate but have married into families of the land. If one could not remain separate in marriage, then what other kinds of behavior were the Israelites following? Ezra upon hearing this word, falls into grief and mourning and prays, confessing the sins of the people and seeking forgiveness from God.
The people gather around Ezra in Ezra 10 and they join in the mourning. They decide to "send away" wives and children of mixed marriages, which means they are divorced, not really sent away. However, how is this accomplished? It is decided a committee (surprise, surprise) should be formed to interview the people and a list of 133 names are brought forward. Does not seem like a lot, so I wonder how big the problem was or were this people just scapegoats?
Luke 5
Having demonstrated his own truth in being, Jesus now turns to teaching the people. Speaking from a boat, he proclaims his new teaching and then encourages the men of the boat to go out and cast for fish. Since it was common to fish in the night, these men have been out all night without much success and now Jesus is telling them to go back out. Reluctantly they agree and find a treasure. When we heed Jesus' word, no matter how difficult we find it, we find truth and abundance.
As Jesus' fame spreads, many come to find him to be healed and many are sinners, who have no where else to turn. Of note, see that in verse 17 Pharisees and teachers are listening to Jesus, it is not always acrimonious. However, Jesus power and his teaching soon get him into trouble as he announces sins are forgiven. As Jesus calls and spends time with more and more sinners, his behavior is too much for the religious elite who believe that there is no way a man of God would associate with the unclean.
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