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September
12
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Reading
1 - 2Kings 18
Click
here to Listen
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v.4
- Nehushtan = 'of copper; a brazen thing'
It was a name of contempt given to the actual serpent Moses had made in
the wilderness Nu
21:8 and which Hezekiah now destroyed because the children of Israel
began to regard it as an idol and "burn incense to it." The lapse of nearly
one thousand years had invested the "brazen serpent" with a mysterious sanctity;
and in order to impress upon the people its worthlessness, Hezekiah called
it, in contempt, "Nehushtan," a brazen thing, a mere piece of brass. There
is a big lesson for us here. As human being we also have this desire to
invest actual objects with sanctity. Would you throw away something as precious
as that in order to stop it from being a temptation to you?I'm sure I would
say 'You can't throw that away, it is part of our heritage ... etc. etc.",
but Hezekiah here was a man of purpose for God.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.21
The concept of Egypt as a bruised or broken reed also occurs in Isa.36:6,
Eze.29:6,7. How, if at all, does this relate to the work of Jesus as
described prophetically in Isa.42:3,
where the same Hebrew words (07533, 07070)
are used?
Peter Cresswell
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v.21
The phrase 'daughter of Jerusalem' (2
Kings 19:21 Isaiah 37:22 Lamentations 2:13,15 Micah 4:8 Zephaniah 3:14
Zechariah 9:9) is a phrase used almost exclusively in the context
of deliverance from the enemy.
Peter
Forbes
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18:14-16
Hezekiah, though he was a 'good' king (18:3)
he buckled temporarily under the threat of the Assyrian. We can take courage
that even Hezekiah faltered in his faith. Nevertheless, as we will learn
in future chapters, he recovered from his lack of faith.
Peter
Forbes |
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:4
Mention of the 'brazen serpent' which Moses had made in the wilderness
(Numbers
21:8) is the only indication in time that Israel had kept the serpent.
But by now it had become an item of adoration - but in reality it was a
relic which should have reminded Israel that their fathers had sinned in
the wilderness and had it not been for God's compassion there would have
been no deliverance. So they ere not remembering the sins nor the God that
had delivered them!
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
2 - Ezekiel 8
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here to Listen
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v.1
- It would seem that (like in ch.20:1),
these elders had come to enquire of the Lord. I must admit to a personal
assumption that the prophets were alone with God when they received their
revelations, but this makes it clear that that was not the case, at least
not always.
Peter Cresswell |
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A
couple of examples where there was a collectivity of prophets spring to
mind. In Samuels day (1
Sam. 10:5,10) and in Elisha's time (1
Kings 6:1-3).
Michael
Parry |
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v.12
- Let us be sure not to fall into this thinking. God sees all that we do.
Peter Cresswell
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This chapter contains part of a vision that Ezekiel received. The vision
runs from 8:1-11:24.
But consider the circumstances. The elders of Israel, who were captive in
Babylon, have to come to see what God has to say to them - but their hearts
are far from God. So Ezekiel is given a powerful condemnation of those in
Jerusalem.
Peter
Forbes |
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8:15
There is a beautiful contrast between 'hast thou seen this' here and the
wonderful vision that Ezekiel was called to see (47:6)
later.
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
3 - Luke 4
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here to Listen
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v.9-10
Obviously these temptations are recorded that we might use them example
of Jesus when answering to our own lusts and desires, as he was tempted
in all points like as we are. Here is by far the most serious type of temptation
- the one where we seem to be scripturally justified in what we do and therefore
go forward with great entusiasm straight into danger, because we have not
first stepped back to consider whether we have discerned scripture aright.
The result, if we listen to the voice of sin, it that in all sincerity,
we believe we are doing right and yet are living contrary to God's will.
We must remove these kind of blinkers, but before we can, we must see them
there in the first place. It is a very hard thing and calls for much prayer.
Jesus overcame. There are many rewards, beyond our wildest thoughts offered
to those who overcome. Let us be among them. Let us pray that God will help
us to see our 'secret faults'.
2Cor.11:14, Psa.19:12
Peter Cresswell |
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4:1
Being 'led by the spirit' is echoed in Romans
8:14 and Galatians 5:18. Jesus was instructed by the Word and so was
able to resist the temptations. In this he is our example. Our walking
in the spirit matches his, or it should. This is how we overcome.
Peter
Forbes
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:9
The temptation to cast himself down, which he resisted, raises it's head
again (4:29)
when the leaders wanted to cast him off the brow of the hill. Jesus could
have allowed this to show his position but did not.
Peter
Forbes |
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After
Jesus spoke "gracious" words unto the people of Nazareth, so that
they marvelled at him, they said "is not this Joseph's son?".
They couldn't have been more wrong. This mistaken identity caused them to
try to kill him. Somehow they didn't recognise him for what he was. Why
was this, when it was so plain to the demons? (v34,
41). Is it possible, that we also do not recognise the "gracious
words" of Jesus, when spoken to us by our brothers and sisters?
Robin
de Jongh |
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