10 November 2011

Psalm 34; 1 Macc. 1:1-28; Rev. 19:1-10; Matt. 16:1-12

God’s people are not to enter into covenants with other people, they are already in covenant with Yahweh for protection and blessing. Entering into covenants with other people groups and nations communicates that they have lost faith in their protector, they no longer believe He will provide for them as they need Him to provide. This covenant with the nations led to their accepting the gods of those nations as well since they had already rejected Yahweh by entering these covenants. They began to adopt the customs of the Greeks and to become like them in every way when God’s plan was exactly the opposite. Ultimately, Antiochus Epiphanes decided that he wanted to be an even greater king than he was in terms of the spread of his kingdom and when he overtook Egypt so did he overtake the vassal state of Israel. Upon that takeover, he defiled the temple and took everything. What difference did it make, it was now nothing more than a religion not a relationship?

Discernment is key. Jesus commands the disciples to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and yet they have not perceived what they have already seen so how can they be expected to understand now. Just after the feeding everyone proves they have not understood what they have seen. The aforementioned religious people come and ask for a sign. Did they miss the sign given in the feeding of the four thousand? It is incomprehensible that the disciples could have somehow mistaken Jesus’ words concerning leaven to somehow imply that they should have brought bread along with them. We need to ask for the gift of discernment regarding both the times and the Word of God as it applies to the times. We need to be wise but that wisdom comes from the Lord, not from man. Our reliance on Him in all things is complete.

The response in heaven to the destruction of Babylon is rejoicing and praise to God. That reaction can seem a bit over the top to us in our day but what is being praised here. Praise to God is based in the fact that His judgments are true and just, that the city has corrupted the earth and the blood of the saints is avenged. God’s pre-eminence is revealed. We have learned not to judge sin and to lose our sense that God’s holiness is important in all the earth, not just in the church. Our reaction to whatever sense we have about the horror of judgment should be to redouble our efforts to extend the kingdom of God, to evangelize. When the wedding feast of the Lamb is announced John falls in worship to the one who has announced the Good News and is quickly admonished to give no worship to anyone but Jesus. What is our reaction to the Good News, Paul says, blessed are the feet of him who brings Good News. Do we realize how important our proclamation of the Gospel can be to other people or do we fear rejection?