Reading for Today:
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Jeremiah 15:1
Chapter 15 1 Then said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
–16:21
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Psalms 118:21-24
21 I will give thanks unto thee; for thou hast answered me, And art become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner. 23 This is Jehovah's doing; It is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which Jehovah hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
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Proverbs 27:10
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; And go not to thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.
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1 Thessalonians 2:1-20
Chapter 2 1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain: 2 but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict. 3 For our exhortation `is' not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 4 but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts. 5 For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; 6 nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children: 8 even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. 10 Ye are witnesses, and God `also', how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe: 11 as ye know how we `dealt with' each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging `you', and testifying, 12 to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory. 13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, `even the word' of God, ye accepted `it' not `as' the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe. 14 For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews; 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and pleased not God, and are contrary to all men; 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 17 But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face with great desire: 18 because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and our joy.
Notes:
Jeremiah 15:1–9 It was ineffective at this point to intercede for the nation. Even prayers by Moses (Num. 14:11–25) and Samuel (1 Sam. 12:19–25), eminent in intercession, would not defer judgment, where unrepentance persists. Chief among things provoking judgment was the intense sin of King Manasseh. Noted in v. 4, this provocation is recounted in
2 Kings 21:1
Chapter 21 1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hephzibah.
–18,
2 Kings 23:26
26 Notwithstanding, Jehovah turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations wherewith Manasseh had provoked him.
, which says the Lord did not relent from His anger because of this.
Jeremiah 16:2 You shall not take a wife. Since destruction and exile are soon to fall on Judah, the prophet must not have a wife and family. God’s kindness will keep him from anxiety over them in the awful situation of suffering and death (v. 4).
Psalm 118:22 stone…builders rejected…chief cornerstone. Peter identified the chief cornerstone in the New Testament as Christ (
Acts 4:11
11 He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner.
; 1 Pet. 2:7). In the parable of the vineyard (Matt. 21:42;
Mark 12:10
10 Have ye not read even this scripture: The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;
–11;
Luke 20:17
17 But he looked upon them, and said, What then is this that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner?
), the rejected son of the vineyard owner is likened to the rejected stone which became the chief cornerstone. Christ was that rejected stone. Jewish leaders were pictured as builders of the nation. Now, this passage in v. 22 has a historical basis which is paralleled in its major features by analogy with the rejection of Christ who came to deliver/save the nation. Moses’ experience, as a type of Christ, pictured Christ’s rejection. On at least 3 occasions, Moses (stone) was rejected by the Jews (builders) as their God sent the deliverer (chief cornerstone). For examples see
Exodus 2:11
11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
–15; 14:10–14; 16:1–20.
1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8 gentle…as a nursing mother. Paul may have had in mind Moses’ portrayal of himself as a nursing mother to Israel (Num.11:12). He used the same tender picture with the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:14, 15) and the Galatians (Gal. 4:19). Paul’s affection for the Thessalonians was like that felt by a mother willing to sacrifice her life for her child as was Christ who was willing to give up His own life for those who would be born again into the family of God (Matt. 20:28).
DAY 15: What is the effect of the Word of God working in a person’s life?
“We also thank God without ceasing,” Paul said, “because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13). Paul’s message from God is equated with the Old Testament (
Mark 7:13
13 making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.
). It was the message taught by the apostles (
Acts 4:31
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
; 6:2). Peter preached it to the Gentiles (
Acts 11:1
Chapter 11 1 Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
). It was the word Paul preached on his first missionary journey (
Acts 13:5
5 And when they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John as their attendant.
, 7, 44, 48, 49), his second (
Acts 16:32
32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house.
; 17:13; 18:11), and his third (
Acts 19:10
10 And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
).
“Which also effectively works in you who believe.” The work of God’s Word includes:
saving (Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 1:23);teaching and training (2 Tim. 3:16, 17);guiding (Ps. 119:105);counseling (Ps. 119:24);reviving (Ps. 119:154);restoring (Ps. 19:7);warning and rewarding (Ps. 19:11);nourishing (1 Pet. 2:2);judging (Heb. 4:12);sanctifying (
John 17:17
17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.
);freeing (
John 8:31
31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, `then' are ye truly my disciples;
, 32);enriching (Col. 3:16);protecting (Ps. 119:11);strengthening (Ps. 119:28);making wise (Ps. 119:17–100);rejoicing the heart (Ps. 19:8);and prospering (Josh. 1:8, 9).
From The MacArthur Daily Bible Copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Bibles, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc, Nashville, TN 37214, www.thomasnelson.com.
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