bible reading day 13 (monday)

Today's Bible reading: Genesis 14; Matthew 13. [Monday's post]

I'm trying to get a day ahead on these posts, as they go out from the blog at midnight on the day I write them. The reading plan I'm using is found here.  And here's a bit more information about this plan, originally compiled by Robert Murray M'Cheyne. So this post is about tomorrow's (Monday) passages.

The first year you read all of the New Testament, the Psalms, and half of the Old Testament. The second year is the same but with the other half of the Old Testament. It's about two chapters a day. It's very do-able for most schedules. My wife and I each read one passage in the morning, and then we read together the second passage after dinner.

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"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)"  (Gen 14:18)

In Genesis 14 we are introduced to Melchizedek, the King of Salem (what would later become Jerusalem) and also a Priest of God. Abraham shows great deference to the Priest-King. What is unusual is that nothing else is mentioned about him -- his origin, birthplace, lineage, family, or any descendants. We might dismiss him as minor character were it not for King David who later in Psalm 110 says that his son -- the greater Son of David, whom he calls "Lord" -- would be just such a priest-king like Melchizedek. (110:4) He would be a priest not by virtue of descent from Aaron the high priest, but by virtue of his everlasting life. (See Hebrews 7 for full explanation!)

In Matthew 13 we read several of Jesus' parables, mainly about his Kingdom and in what form it comes. Many of his day were expecting the Christ (Messiah) to bring about the Kingdom of God in a sudden, dramatic, and global way. That will happen, of course, at Christ's second coming. But these parables highlight the fact that the Lord Jesus came to inaugurate a hidden, spiritual period of the Kingdom. It will be like a small seed buried in the ground, or leaven hidden in a batch of flour, or a treasure hidden in a field. It will grow like a plant and be harvested like a crop.

My take-aways: God's plan for history can be quite surprising, with characters like Melchizedek and parables about a hidden kingdom. I need to make sure, especially, as I reflect upon the parable of the soils (Matt 13:3-23) that my heart is properly receptive of God's word... that I am hearing it and understanding it, that I'm letting it take root deep in my heart, and that I'm not yielding my attention to worldly cares, riches, and other desires that would choke out the word. I want to bear good fruit for the Lord.

Image above: "The Sower", by Vincent van Gogh (1888). Below: a chart I made for a sermon about the Kingdom.

clement quotes hebrews

Clement of Rome wrote to the church in Corinth around AD 90. This is perhaps the same Clement, companion of Paul, mentioned in Philippians 4:3. Many hold him to be the first bishop / pope in Rome, aka St. Clement I. Clement quotes from the letter to the Hebrews. Origin suggested that Clement was in fact the writer (as transcriber or amanuensis) of Hebrews. Perhaps this letter began as a "word of exhortation" given by Paul at the synagogue (Heb 13:22; cf Acts 13:15) which then became a circular letter for the churches. Other possible authors of Hebrews include Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos. The theology is Pauline, but the transcriber is obviously second-generation (Heb. 2:3-4). At any rate, this early church leader in Rome, is already quoting Hebrews in his letter in AD 90: CHAPTER 36 ALL BLESSINGS ARE GIVEN TO US THROUGH CHRIST This is the way, beloved, in which we find our Savior, even Jesus Christ, the High Prie...

Howard Hendricks on OT books chronology

When I was in seminary, Howard Hendricks (aka "Prof") gave us a little card with the books of the OT chronologically arranged. The scanned copy I have was a bit blurry and I wanted to make something like this available for our church class in OT theology ("Story of Redemption"). A few minor edits and here it is...

bible reading july 5-6

Bible reading for July 5 -- 6 July 5 -- Jeremiah 1 and Matthew 15 July 6 -- Jeremiah 2 and Matthew 16 ================ HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, July 4! Throughout the years I have felt varying degrees of loyalty to this nation. The more I have studied history, however, and have observed God's working in it, the more deeply I have come to appreciate the founding principles of this country. In practice this nation has allowed a greater freedom for the gospel to go forth and for the church to flourish than any other nation. Along with the UK the US has been the sending base for thousands of missionaries around the world. The freedoms we have are not to be treated lightly. "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." ( The Declaration of Independence ) ================ "...my people have committed t...

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