23:4 - In describing himself as 'a stranger and a sojourner' Abraham demonstrated that he expected the promises to be fulfilled at a later date - by implication when he is raised from the dead.

ch. 22  - We see in the way that God tried Abram that Abram was being tested that he might appreciate the strength of his faith. The trial was not for God’s benefit. He knew what Abram would do. Abram need to learn about himself. The same is true of ourselves. Our trials are for our benefit that we might learn about ourselves.

23:2 In saying that Abram ‘came to mourn for Sarah’ we might conclude that Abraham was not present at the time and place of her death.

The ram was caught by his horns in a thicket. Is this a foretaste of  Christ’s crown of thorns?

Gen 22:2  To the best of my knowledge, no other man has ever been asked of God to offer his son as a sacrifice.

Gen 22:5  Bro. Cliff (above) asks. "How old was Issac" we have heard it suggested that he was 33. (same as Christ) The Hebrew word translated "lad" is NAAR (5288). In Gen 41:12 it is translated a "young man", we see in Gen 41:46 that Joseph was was thirty years old at the time. We do not know Issac's age, but it is possible he was 33.

Gen 22:2,13  Abraham was told to offer Issac as a burnt offering, and the ram that was caught in the thicket was offered as a burnt offering. The sin offering followed the burnt offering. Even though Issac was a type of Christ, he could not have replaced Him.     

some parallels with Christ's sacrifice

22:2 - Moriah is where Solomon's temple was built and we read here of a sacrificial offering. Mention of your only son whom you love. Adam was a son just as Ishmael was a son but Christ and Isaac were manifestations of freedom not slavery. 22:3 - we have mention of a donkey leading the way to the sacrificial journey. Mention of servants with Isaac just as Jesus had others with him. 22:4 - reference to the third day. Jesus' servants abandoned him so at the end he was alone with his father for the final journey. 22:6 - wood placed on Isaac and Christ. 22:8 - the lamb. 22:12 - neither son saw corruption. 22:13 - a ram in a "thicket" Heb. "sebak" (5442) is similar to the  Matt 27:46 "sabachthani" Jesus actually said which means why hast thou "entangled me" as opposed to the passage referring to Christ's crucifixion beginning with the Psa 22:1 quote using the word "forsaken" Heb. "azab" (5800) means "relinquish, permit, commit self, forsake, leave", etc. derived from the Septuagint. Thus Jesus was pointing to the two prophesies at once and was preaching/clarifying till the end. Jesus knew why he was being sacrificed, it wasn't a question for him to ponder. Rather, it was a question raised for others to read scripture and consider the ramifications of.   Gen 23:9 - we find the full price was paid for a burial cave just as Christ (and his Father) paid the full price.

Jephthah’s daughter was a living sacrifice as was Isaac

23:4 Abraham had been promised the land – Gen 17:8 – yet he describes himself as a ‘stranger and sojourner. An indication that he saw the promise of the inheritance of the land as a future thing and this informed the way he viewed present possession. How do we view the things of this life?

Gen 22:6,8 Notice the twofold us of ‘both of them together’ so we are left in no doubt that Isaac was willing. But more than that they were in fellowship – agreement – on this matter. Whilst Isaac did not know what was to happen Abraham did and he associated himself with the offering of Isaac., though one is left wondering how Abraham slept on the three day journey knowing what God had called him to do.

22:16  In saying ‘by myself have I sworn’ God is making the most sure promise. He cannot lie.

The whole theme of the Bible points to Christ's return to earth and establishment of a new world order:

The promises to David - 2Sam 7:10-16; Luke 1:31-33.

The promises to Abraham - Gen 22:16-18 (Abraham because of his faith will be blessed Acts 3:24-25); Gen 17:19-21 (covenant with Isaac); Gen 12:2,3,7 (will make of Abraham a great nation, promised offspring/seed refering to Christ); Gen 13:14-17 (the land is promised); Gen 15:3-5 (an heir is promised); Heb 11:8-13; Acts 7:1-5 (Abraham and other men of faith died not having received the promises); Acts 2:34 (David not in heaven); Gal 3:6-9,16,24-29 (the law leads us to that promised seed, Christ); 2Pet 1:2-4 (promises were given so believers can be partakers of the divine nature); Acts 1:11 (Christ will return to the earth in like manner as he left); Dan 2:44 (an everlasting kingdom established on earth).

Gen 22:8,13 - God provided a ram for the sacrifice, the lamb would be provided later (John 1:29;Acts 8:32;1Pet 1:19).

27:4 David's desire to dwell in the house of the Lord was partially fulfilled when he 2 Samuel 7:18 'sat before the Lord'. David had his heart's desire granted because he was a man after God's own heart.

26:12 So David sees that the ecclesia is the place to be when there are problems
for that is what the ‘congregation’ is.

27:2 David speaks in the past tense of his enemies. They ‘came’ – so David now speaks to his God after his deliverance. How often do we thin to thank and praise God when He had delivered us from a problem we have had?

28 - in this Psalm David highlights his complete dependence upon his God. Whilst he does not want to go the way of sinners bur realises that unless God hears his prayers and responds to them he will fall. How often do we feel that we are in control of our own destiny? If we do think like that we forget our dependence upon our Father.

Psalm 27  A bold statement of David's confidence in God, combined with a humble prayer for strength, when life becomes difficult and threatened.

Psalm 28  This Psalm was probably written when David's life was endangered at the rebellion of Absolom, and when the Kingdom of Israel was under great strain.

Psa 27:5  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:  The word pavilion in Hebrew is succah which means booth.  This passage echoes Succot, the feast of booths (Lev 23:39-43).  This feast was established by the Lord as a remembrance of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt.  In deliverance, the Lord's hid (sheltered) them from harm.

Psa 27:1 gives an almost all-round picture of God filling David's life. God is his light - giving him the ability to see where he is going; God is his salvation - providing his certain hope for the future; and God is his strength, or his fortress - his safety and protection.  We don't need anything else, if we can echo David's words.

26:5   What is our feelings about those who work evil? Do we watch what they do on the Television? Do we associate with them in their activities thinking that we will not be affected by their actions because we are ‘strong’?

27:8 David desired to be in God’s house. He was granted his request – 1Chron 17:16 - it was because he responded to God’s call to him ‘seek ye my face’

26:3   David, recognising God’s ‘loving-kindness’ in his life is moved to walk ‘in thy truth’. How often does our appreciation of what He has done for us cause us to modify our actions?

26:2 In saying ‘Examine ... and prove me’ David is asking for God to chasten him. He is not making some arrogant claim that God will not find any fault in him,

28:5 Today, most people do not recognize Yahweh, nor give credence to His creative wonders.  They are only interested in their worldly activities (28:4).  They have no future.

26:6 In saying that he has washed his hands in innocency David is saying that he is not guilty of the blood of any dead man, appealing to the language of Deut 21:6 where the elders of the city declare their position about a dead body found near to their city.

26:2  reins literally means kidneys.  The word survives in modern english in the word renal - the renal unit is where you would go for treatment to your kidneys.  The ESV translates the second part of the verse as test my heart and mind, conveying the idea of trying the whole being.

26:3 David walked in truth, v12 he stood in an even, (i.e. a safe place - contrast with v1) and he declined to sit with the vain (v4), or the wicked (v5).  Compare with a similar progression found in Psa 1

26:6  I will wash my hands - compare with the actions of Pilate in Matt 27:24 

27:12 is clearly Messianic.  Virtually the same words occur in Mark 14:57

Matt 14:28-31 It is certainly comforting to know that if we cry out to the LORD to be saved as Peter did here, to know that Christ is there with His hands stretched out to catch us as we fall. 

Matt 14:36  This is the second time in the past few days that we have read of the sick reaching out to touch the hem of Christ's garment to be made perfectly whole.( The woman with the issue of blood) Matt 9:20-22

V.6 The name of the Herodias' daughter is not mentioned but Josephus suggests it is Salome.  She and her famous Dance of the Seven Veils have become popularized in the art world.
 
V.36 Touching the hem of Christ's garment was sufficient for healing.  The example of the woman diseased with an issue of blood also comes readily to mind (Matt 9:20-22).  The Greek word translated hem is kraspedon and implies a border or fringe. 

Malachi also makes reference to this when he talks of Christ: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (Mal 4:2).

The word, wings in Hebrew is kanaph which means extremity or edge, particularly of a garment, and thus a hem.  Kraspedon is equivalent to kanaph. 

Israelites had to wear blue on the borders (kanaph) of their garments (Num 15:38).  This color represents heaven, the throne of Yahweh, from whence emanates all commandment and power.  Thus, the heavenly power to heal is embodied in the blue border of the garment.

Matt 14:29 - "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore"

Only Matthew records this incident, and it was a valuable lesson to learn: With the power of Christ, they could do the impossible.

14 There is a powerful contrast between the end of Matthew 13 and the beginning of this chapter. Matthew Matt 13:56-58 shows Jesus’ countrymen in unbelief. So he did not ‘many mighty works’. Here we see, by contrast, Herod the Idumean, looking at the work of Jesus, from a distance, and concluding that something special was happening!

14:1-2 Herod, on hearing about Jesus’ miracles, slips into superstition rather than wishing to enquire more about Jesus’ works.

UNDER RESOURCED

Everyone has needs that have to be met. Sometimes God brings people with needs far greater than anything we could ever imagine being able to deal with. Yet in some way God anticipates us being able to help out with meeting those needs somehow. We are told that "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph 2:10) So when opportunities, problems or people with needs come knocking at our door, they are probably one of the good works God has prepared for us to do.

The disciples of Jesus faced a huge need. It was far greater than they could ever imagine coping with. They were surrounded by perhaps ten or twenty thousand people who were all hungry. The local fast food shop was not prepared for an order that big, and neither did the disciples have the money to pay for it. But Jesus had said, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." (Matt 14:16)

Realising how unprepared they were for the challenge of such huge proportions, they apologetically said to Jesus, "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish." (v.17) This small offering was given to Jesus. With a great miracle their offering was enough to fill the need.

We may not feel we have much to offer either, but whatever we have to offer can be increased immeasureably with the blessing of God in the hands of Jesus. Let us not give up when we are faced with needs seemingly greater than what we can cope with. Instead let us give what we have and let God's blessing do the rest.

There are various similarities between John the Baptist and Samson, not least of which is the way they died. Both of these men died because of scheming women. See in v6-8 how much planning must have gone in to this public show of John's death. In v3 it appears that it was Herodias who asked for John's imprisonment in the first place (Mark 6:19-20 makes this clear).

So Herod appears blameless of John's death. Or was he? His rash oath caused John's death, and his pride didn't allow him to overule this oath "because of those who sat with him" (v9). We should be careful what we say, because we can never take back what proceeds from our mouth (James 3:5-6).

14:14  It is easy to take it for granted that Jesus was ‘moved with compassion’. However this attitude was not common amongst the religious leaders. There were not above using the sick to try to trap Jesus. Jesus’ behaviour manifested the attitude of the true shepherd which contrasted with the false shepherds that the leaders were.