‘Behold, I am coming quickly!’ - Revelation 22:7
School life sees the child accumulating facts and knowledge over some thirteen years or so, at the end of which comes the great test: the A-level exams [UK]. The old patriarch Abraham went to school too; namely the ‘School of God’. He had several failures in this ‘School’ but when he came to his greatest test, he was ready for the exam! What was the ‘greatest test’? – God said to Abraham "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love … and offer him … as a burnt offering.” All of God’s promises to Abraham resided in Isaac, the son of his old age. If Isaac was to die on the altar of sacrifice, what would happen to the promises? Abraham had travelled sufficiently far enough in the ‘School of God’ to know that God cannot lie. Any promise He makes will be kept. The New Testament says of Abraham, ‘By faith [he] … considered that God was able even to raise him [Isaac] from the dead.’ Heb 11:19
‘By faith Abraham …’ - Hebrews 11:17
The Holy Scriptures mention many covenants. Sometimes it’s men making covenants with men, such as the one that Abraham made with Abimelech at the well at Beersheba (Genesis 21:27). Several times God makes covenants with men, such as the one that He made with Abraham (Genesis 15:18). At Mount Sinai He made a covenant with a nation; the nation of Israel (Exodus 19:5). In Genesis ch.9, God makes a covenant with ‘every living creature’. This covenant stipulated that ‘the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.’ However, in the verse above, we find Job making an unusual covenant. It’s between himself and his eyes! He sincerely meant never to lustfully look upon ‘a young woman’. This verse must surely be linked with the words of Jesus, ‘Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’ Matthew 5:28.
‘‘What comes out of the mouth … defiles a man” - Matthew 15:11
The Pharisees were complaining that Jesus’ disciples were not washing their hands
before eating. The Jews had strict dietary laws. Animals were labelled as either
CLEAN or UNCLEAN. They were not allowed to eat the meat of any animal which did not
chew the cud and have cloven hooves. They were not allowed to eat a fish unless it
had scales and fins. Failure to adhere to these regulations would render a person
CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN. However, here in Matthew ch.15, Jesus makes the point that
MORAL uncleanness is worse! It’s not what ENTERS the mouth (i.e. food) that corrupts
a man, but what EXITS the mouth; for what exits the mouth has its origin in the heart
(v.18) - “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed
hands does not defile anyone."
‘And Job rose up … and worshipped’ - Job 1:20
‘all that the LORD commanded him, so did he’ – Exodus 40:16
Any traveller crossing the Sinai wilderness during that period when Israel was busy
on that 40-year journey to the land of Canaan, would have been struck by the unusual
and imposing spectacle of the Tabernacle, the tent erected by Moses. It was God’s
residence – ‘For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire
was over it by night’. The overseers of the Tabernacle construction were Bezaleel
and Aholiab [Exodus 31:1-6], and through the generous contributions of all the willing
Israelites, the materials were gathered, and over the ensuing months all was completed
and ready to be assembled. The items ranged from simple tent pegs to the grand Ark
of the Covenant. However, each item was to be placed precisely as the LORD instructed,
and it should be no surprise to see recorded 8 times in ch.40, ‘all that the LORD
commanded [Moses], so did he.’ Moses followed the pattern!
‘Jesus said … “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”– Matthew 8:22
When the Lord moved from Nazareth to begin His public ministry, He chose as His base,
the town Capernaum, situated on the north-west coast of Lake Galilee. This choice
made Capernaum a highly privileged town, in fact, to use the Lord’s own words, it
had been ‘exalted to heaven,’ – Matt 11:23. Sadly, He would later reproach, in the
strongest of terms, the very same town, for their lack of faith – ‘for if the mighty
works which were done in you [Capernaum] had been done in Sodom, it would have remained
until this day.’ One might be tempted to assume from these words, that faith was
not to be found at all in Capernaum. This assumption would be wrong, for it’s in
Capernaum, that He, in wonderment, praises a certain man for his faith. That man
was Gentile, a centurion from the occupying army! – “I have not found such great
faith, not even in Israel!”
