Tag: Old Testament

Digging in Deeper: Romans 9:1-5

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“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises. The ancestors are theirs, and from them, by physical descent,  came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Have you ever known someone who had every opportunity in the world, and yet couldn’t manage to accomplish any of the best things they had the potential to do? That’s an experience that ranges from frustrating to maddening. In some particularly egregious circumstances it can be downright depressing. As we begin our look at Romans 9 today, we find Paul starting a new section. The next three chapters of Paul’s letter answer a question that has been nagging at us over the last few verses. What about Israel? Let’s dive in here and see what Paul has to say about God’s plans for Israel in light of the Gospel.

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Digging in Deeper: Exodus 21:1

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“These are the ordinances that you are to set before them.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Sometimes rules make sense. I think about classroom rules when I was in grade school. Don’t talk without raising your hand. No running with scissors. Keep your hands to yourselves. Sometimes, though, rules need a little more clarification. How about what counts as traveling in basketball or pass interference in football? The Ten Commandments are pretty clear, all things considered. But they don’t cover everything in the kind of detail that would help us avoid lots and lots of questions about exactly what to do and what not to do in order to stay right with God. As a result, this next part of our journey has lots of rules. We’ll unpack them as we go, but let’s start here by looking at the big picture for a few minutes.

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Digging in Deeper: Micah 5:5

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“He will be their peace. When Assyria invades our land, when it marches against our fortresses, we will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.”‬‬ (CSB – Read the chapter)

Did you ever try and look at one of those Magic Eye pictures? I remember having a couple of different books of them when I was growing up. The cool thing about them was that if you just looked at them they were kind of cool-looking designs. But if you looked deeper, an entirely new image appeared and in 3D to boot. My trick was always to cross my eyes and slowly uncross them. The first glance was neat, but bland. It was the second, deeper look where things got interesting. Well, we could call this a Magic Eye verse. Let me tell you why.

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Morning Musing: Joel 2:27

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“You will know that I am present in Israel and that I am the Lord your God, and there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.”‬‬ (CSB – Read the chapter)

My wife and I used to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition every single time it was on. We loved that show. The premise was that in each episode a different family got home makeover that involved completely tearing down their old one and building an entirely new one in its place. It was always such tearjerker of a show too. The producers were generally really good about picking families who were particularly deserving of the gift they received. The homes themselves were always amazing and I rarely finished watching an episode without thinking to myself at least once: Why couldn’t it be me getting that?

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Morning Musing: Jeremiah 29:10-14

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“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Promises like these in the Old Testament are encouraging almost beyond words.  To find ourselves in the midst of a truly difficult season–especially one in which we are reaping the bitter fruits of time spent sowing unrighteousness in our lives and the lives of those around us–and to encounter these kinds of reassurances to a people who were in just that kind of a situation, gives us hope that the mess doesn’t need to be our end either.  But in this hope and encouragement that God is for us, these promises were intended to accomplish something even more important. Read the rest…