"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." -Psalm 119:105
It is interesting that the Word of God is compared to a lamp. It is quite obvious that even a small flame shines the brightest in the darkest time of the night. It is living and active as well!
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." -Hebrews 4:12
Psalms and Wisdom Literature: Psalm 18
The Lord is My Rock and My Fortress
This is a song of victory made by David when he was rescued from his numerous enemies and from Saul as well. It is interesting that David was so graphic when he described how the Lord showed His might and power. The vivid descriptions of mountains were trembling, great lightning appeared, and hailstorms and fires fell down. After all these, David once again acknowledged that God was the One who saved him, who gave him strength.
Pentateuch and History of Israel: Genesis 18:16–33
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
It is interesting that just a few moments after God promised Abraham that he and Sarah will be having a son a year from that time, God revealed unto Abraham what He was about to do - He will go down unto Sodom and Gomorrah and see if they have done altogether according to the outcry against the gravity and wickedness of their sins. Lot, Abraham's nephew, was living there with his family. The moment Abraham heard this, notice how he intercedes for Sodom for the sake of his nephew, Lot.
"Suppose 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?"From 50, it became 45. From 45, Abraham made his request into 40. Then from 40, he asked if God would still destroy the city if 30 righteous were found there. From 30, he lowered it to 20 righteous people. Lastly, from 20 righteous people, Abraham inquired if he would still annihilate the whole city if 10 righteous people are found there. It is interesting that on all of the requests Abraham made until the last one, God said:
“For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
Chronicles and Prophets: 1 Chronicles 21:1–17
David's Census Brings Pestilence
Here King David made a terrible sin. He ordered Joab and the commanders of his army to number Israel so that he might know it. This might seem to be too trivial to be a reason of the destruction of the whole Israel, but God saw what man could not. At a time when everything seems alright and there seems to be no problems at all, David acquired pride in his heart. As Matthew Henry commented, the census was not needed at all:
"(1.) It was a needless thing. there was not occasion at all for it. God had promised to multiply them, and he needed not question the accomplishment of that promise. They were all his servants, and he needed not doubt of their loyalty and affection to him. Their number was as much his strength as he could desire. (2.) It was a dangerous thing. In doing it he might be a cause of trespass to Israel, and might provoke God against them."
Because of David's sin, a pestilence was sent (that was after David chose it from the 3 options God gave him: 3 years of famine, 3 months of war, or 3 days of pestilence) into Israel that 70,000 men died. Then God saw it and relented from the calamity, and ordered the angel to stop the pestilence. And David realized his grave sin, and cried out:
“Was it not I who gave command to number the people? It is I who have sinned and done great evil. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand, O Lord my God, be against me and against my father's house. But do not let the plague be on your people.”
Gospels and Epistles: Luke 11:37–12:12
Woes to the Pharisees and Lawyers | Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees
Jesus was teaching us not to be like the Pharisees who was so critical with the Law, that they even criticized Jesus for not washing His hands before dinner as the Law says, but full of greed and wickedness in their hearts. It was also with the lawyers who loaded burdens to people with lots of laws but even they, themselves, would not obey those laws. Jesus was teaching not to follow their ways of hypocrisy.
Now, are you a Pharisee?
Have No Fear | Acknowledge Christ Before Men
Here, Jesus was teaching to fear God more than to fear men. He even said:
“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows."
© 2014 Erickson Ibana
Image can be found at http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2013/07/page/3/
