Exo 23:25 If Israel kept God’s law then sickness would be removed from them.  This was the promise if they did not worship other gods. Sadly, we never read of this blessing happening.

The idea of ridding the Land of undesirable residents would take some time.  The practical reason is stated (vs.29,30).

But having these ungodly forces in one's presence for a period of time would demand faith not to be influenced by them.

We are in a similar position, being surrounded by forces which attempt to pull us away from the Truth.  Let us hope that we are more successful that the Israelites in keeping the enemy at bay.

Aramaic version of Exo 23:3 has "Neither shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit."  In other words, just because he is poor, don't favour him over what is right.

V.19 "Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk"  This is a prohibition against imitating the superstitious rites of the idolaters in Egypt, who, at the end of harvest, seethed a kid in its mother's milk and sprinkled the broth as a magical charm on their gardens and fields, to render them more productive the following season. 

23:12   Notice that the Sabbath was for the benefit of the stranger as well as the Jew.

Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk (v.19) was an injunction to the Israelites because it was an unacceptable Egyptian practice.  The Egyptians would take the product and sprinkle it over their gardens and fields.  This was done in the belief that it would increase fertility.  Also, it was a Canaanite practice involving magical spells. This could pose a more immediate, potential influence to the Israelites in the Land.  The practice was borne of magic and idolatry and, therefore, not acceptable to the God of Israel. 

23:1    Here Moses, by the Holy Spirit, is counselling against listening to gossip. ‘raise’ is in the RV ‘take up’ – someone may say something and we are taught that we should ignore false reports. However the flesh likes to hang on every juicy word of such accusations.

Vs.3,6 Justice should be dispensed regardless of a person's personal disposition.  Today, justice is perverted by inappropriate extenuating circumstances.

V32-33 thou shalt make no covenant <01285> with them. They shall not dwell in thy land: lest they make thee sin against me. 

When in the land Joshua and the men of Israel were decived by the Gibeonites to make a league <01285> with them, to let them live. The men asked not at the mouth of the LORD and as a result they dwelt among them Josh 9:14-16. We must be on our guard constantly against the wiles of the devil. We must be wise as serpants Matt 10:16 so we are not beguiled into sin.

23:25 Israel suffered sicknesses throughout their history. In the times of Jesus he performed miracles healing the sick. So the miracles are a fulfilment of this promise because God took away their sicknesses in the days of Jesus. As such that was a foretaste of the kingdom of God.

Note in v25 that God promised to take sickness away from Israel. So when Jesus came to Israel and found multitudes of sick, it's pretty clear this passage is being alluded to.

The last verse, (Psa 77:20 gives a different view on what we have been reading.  One might have thought that the psalmist was in trouble, had turned to God, and was then caused to review the wonderful and strong works of God in the world.  The thunders proclaimed the glory of God.  But the last verse tells us that the Lord led Israel by the hand of Moses and Aaron.  So, are we to assume that David, or whoever it was who wrote this psalm, was thinking of Israel all the time?  The waters (Psa 77:16) then become the Red Sea.  How many other historical references are there?

77:12 The Psalmist teaches us that it is not good enough for us to just think about God. We have to teach others by speaking about Him also.

How to Meditate

Have you ever done your daily readings, closed the bible, and then realized, "I don't remember a thing I've read"?. The problem has more to do with the method we use of engaging God's Word than anything else.

James 1:25 - "But whoso looketh (meditates) into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed"

Reading is the exposure to Scripture, but meditation is the absorption of Scripture. And it's the absorption of Scripture that leads to the transformation of our lives.

If you allocate lets say 40 minutes each day to do the readings with your family, it's far better to read 1 chapter and remember more, than to race through all 3 readings for 40 minutes and remember nothing.

The goal is not just to "get through" a certain amount of pages, but to meet God and hear from him.

77:2-6The Psalmist is in despair because of affliction. However the antidote is to think about what God has done in the past. :6.

77:19 The way is in the ‘sea’ and ‘great waters’ is not simply a statement about God and water. The sea represent mankind. The Psalmist shows that God is concerned with the lives of individuals.

V.2 The KJV has produced a most puzzling translation in my sore ran in the night and ceased not.  The Hebrew clearly reads: my hand was stretched out and ceased not (because the Psalmist was in prayer all night).

Vs.17,18 The mighty cloud leading the Israelites through the Red Sea was capable of generating enormous force.  See my note on Exodus 13, Feb. 6.

V.1 Ron Abel suggests that the kingdom of God come with power refers to the transfiguration and that the some would then refer to Peter, James, and John.

9:1     The transfiguration was a major event in the life of the disciples. It provided them with a vision of the risen Christ in all his glory. It provided them with a contrast to Mark 8:31when Jesus told the 12 that he would die.

v15 Was their great amazement because his face was shining cp Moses?

v:23 Jesus can do anything, he is only limited by the extent of our faith. We do well to remember Eph 3:20 

v 43-49 Jesus quotes from Isa 66:24 after talking about getting rid of those aspects of our lives which cause us to sin. Isaiah is talking about the last judgement, when "those who rebelled against me", are dead bodies, & not part of the kingdom. If we want to be part of the kingdom, we have to take action now, no matter how hard it may be.

9:13    Whist we are well aware that Jesus’ life and work was prophesied in the Old Testament it is good to recognise the way in which the New Testament actually makes this point, almost in passing. The casual way in which it is said is powerful proof of the truth of what we believe about the Old Testament speaking of Jesus.

9:13    Whist we are well aware that Jesus’ life and work was prophesied in the Old Testament it is good to recognise the way in which the New Testament actually makes this point, almost in passing. The casual way in which it is said is powerful proof of the truth of what we believe about the Old Testament speaking of Jesus.

9:6 This is one occasion when the disciples did not know what to say to Jesus in response to a situation. We see another – Mark 14:40 in the garden of Gethsemane.

9:6 This is one occasion when the disciples did not know what to say to Jesus in response to a situation. We see another – Mark 14:40 in the garden of Gethsemane.

V.1 This verse belongs to the end of Ch.8 (see Matt 16:27,28).

V.29 Some manuscripts omit fasting, as do modern versions of the Bible.

Vs.49,50 For a comment on salt see my note for Matt 5 on July 4th.

Jesus' question to the scribes in v16 shows how protective he is of his own followers.

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Jesus appears to be quoting Moses in Deut 32:20 when he says "O faithless generation" (v19). He is possibly thinking of Moses carrying the burden of the people in Num 11:10-14 where he says "I am not able to bear these people alone".

9:10 Peter, James and John had seen an amazing sight. Peter had not known what to say – Mark 9:6– but it is the matter of raising from the dead that occupies their mind, not the details of the vision. Isn’t that interesting?