​Key Verse
30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.
 
Meditation
The darkest hour is before dawn. The coldest part of the day is immediately before the sun rises. The light of God’s revelation, His word and work, dawn during dark days- The Lord will not be without a witness. 
 
During the long 41-year reign of king Asa in Judah, the Northern kingdom was in chaos as it cycled through kings Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab. Comprehensively, these kings rejected the word of the Lord and darkness spread. The depth of the dark downward spiral is seen when Ahab rejects God’s word through Joshua (Joshua 6:26) by rebuilding Jericho at the expense of his two oldest sons (vv. 33-34). The darkness is detailed in the description of Asa’s rule: “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him…” (30)
 
The darkness in today’s reading sets the stage for Elijah, God’s prophet sent to call the hearts of His people back to Himself (We meet Elijah in the next chapter). The context of corrupt kings and the anticipation of a prophet point beyond Elijah to the greater prophet who is a king. Jesus was the prophet-king who spoke God’s word faithfully, lived God’s word fully, and died as a substitute His people. The dawn of a new day came when king Jesus historically rose from the grave. 
 
Today may seem dark, but the kingdom of Jesus has been inaugurated and will be consummated when Jesus returns! Until that day comes, Christians obey king Jesus by walking in the light of His word. 
 
Today’s Reading
And the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 2 “Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins,3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.”

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 6 And Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried at Tirzah, and Elah his son reigned in his place. 7 Moreover, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it.

Elah Reigns in Israel
8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends. 12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 13 for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Zimri Reigns in Israel
15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died, 19 because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Omri Reigns in Israel
21 Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. 22 But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath. So Tibni died, and Omri became king. 23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents[a] of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.

Ahab Reigns in Israel
29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the darkness in the reigns of Israel’s kings?
 
-When you struggle to hope in dark and discouraging seasons, where do you look for light and hope?
 
-Ahab was evil. God is good. Israel’s kings were unfaithful. God is the true King who is faithful to His promises and His word. How does the finished work of King Jesus compel you to live in the light of His word? Where, specifically, do you need to practice this in your life?
 
Key Verse
30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.

​Key Verses
32 When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. 33 For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. 
 
Meditation
The gospel story redeems villains and restores victims through the victory of Jesus.
 
In today’s psalm of lament, king David petitions God for salvation (1-29) with such certainty that he praises God for deliverance before the first sight of rescue (30-33). Biblical lament is honest with the pain and problems of life while faith in God and His promises transforms pain to praise. 
 
David is hated, reproached, rejected by family, and falsely accused (vv. 4-9). David does not play the victim (5) as he looks to God for vindication. David prays for his enemies to be trapped, blinded, and blotted out (vv. 22-29). David is anchored in God’s steadfast love (13) and mercy (16) as He looks to the Lord for victory.
 
Psalm 69 is the most quoted Psalm in the NT, finding fulfillment in the work of Jesus. Like David, Jesus was hated without cause (John 15:25), His house was desecrated (John 2:17), and He was rejected by His family (Mark 3:21; John 7:5). Dying on the cross, Jesus took the reproach David experienced and his enemies divvied out (Romans 15:3) when the indignation of God against sin was poured upon Him. (25)  Jesus was a victim who died in the place of villains so through His victory over death villains can be redeemed and victims can be vindicated.
 
Enemies of the Lord’s anointed king who do not repent will have desolate houses like Judas Iscariot (25; Acts 1:20). Villains and victims alike will see pain and problems turn to praise when our faith is in Jesus and His victory.
 
 
Today’s Reading
Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. 3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. 4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?

5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. 6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. 7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. 9 For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. 11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. 12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. 13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. 14 Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.

15 Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me. 16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. 17 Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress; make haste to answer me. 18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies! 19 You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you.

20 Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. 21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. 22 Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.

24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them. 25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents. 26 For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded. 27 Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. 29 But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! 
 
30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. 32 When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. 33 For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. 34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
 
35 For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; 36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.
 
Richly Dwelling
- What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially David’s problems in prayer followed by his praise to the Lord?
 
-Do you have pain and problems you are lamenting from being a villain or victim? Where do you need to claim responsibility as you fix your eyes of faith on Jesus and His victory?
 
-Jesus is the climax of God’s redemptive story and through His work Jesus is working everything for His glory. Where, specifically, do you need to trust Jesus and His sovereign work? Be specific.
 
Key Verses
32 When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. 33 For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. 

Key Verse
17 But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.
 
Meditation
Jesus provides the great escape from God’s just judgement. The declaration of God’s salvation is good news for God’s people but a terrifying reality for those who oppose God.
 
In today’s reading the prophet Obadiah’s proclaims the coming “day of the Lord” (8, 11, 13, 13, 14, 15), a time of judgement for Edom and salvation for God’s people. Obadiah explains God’s judgement, (1-9) expounds reasons why God will justly judge them, (10-14) and covers the extent (15-16) and effect (18-21) of God’s just judgement. Embedded in the dark day of the Lord is a bright hope for His people: There is escape before God’s judgement is executed (17-18).
 
Obadiah’s “escape” from judgement is both protection and purification, realities Jesus provides through His redeeming work. Revelation 6:12-17 portrays the day when the “kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and powerful…” all hide from the day of the Lord’s judgement- the powerful of this world will hide from the Lamb! Enemies of God, including Edom, will be toast. But all who belong to the Lamb will be protected and purified. 
 
Jesus is the Lamb of God who was executed for our sin, His blood cleansing believers so we can begin again and God can execute His eternal plan. The dark day of God’s just judgement is a glorious day for God’s people. Enemies of God will be eliminated, evil exterminated, and redemption elevated as God’s elect will escape God’s judgment, elated in worship of the Lamb in full execution of His eternal plan.
 
Today’s Reading
1 The vision of Obadiah.

Edom Will Be Humbled
Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom:
We have heard a report from the Lord,
    and a messenger has been sent among the nations:
“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”
2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
    you shall be utterly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
    you who live in the clefts of the rock,
    in your lofty dwelling,
who say in your heart,
    “Who will bring me down to the ground?”
4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle,
    though your nest is set among the stars,
    from there I will bring you down,
declares the Lord.
 
5 If thieves came to you,
    if plunderers came by night--
    how you have been destroyed!--
    would they not steal only enough for themselves?
If grape gatherers came to you,
    would they not leave gleanings?
6 How Esau has been pillaged,
    his treasures sought out!
7 All your allies have driven you to your border;
    those at peace with you have deceived you;
they have prevailed against you;
    those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you--
    you have no understanding.
8 Will I not on that day, declares the Lord,
    destroy the wise men out of Edom,
    and understanding out of Mount Esau?
9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman,
    so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.

Edom's Violence Against Jacob
10 Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,
    shame shall cover you,
    and you shall be cut off forever.
11 On the day that you stood aloof,
    on the day that strangers carried off his wealth
and foreigners entered his gates
    and cast lots for Jerusalem,
    you were like one of them.
12 But do not gloat over the day of your brother
    in the day of his misfortune;
do not rejoice over the people of Judah
    in the day of their ruin;
do not boast
    in the day of distress.
13 Do not enter the gate of my people
    in the day of their calamity;
do not gloat over his disaster
    in the day of his calamity;
do not loot his wealth
    in the day of his calamity.
14 Do not stand at the crossroads
    to cut off his fugitives;
do not hand over his survivors
    in the day of distress.

The Day of the Lord Is Near
15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations.
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
    your deeds shall return on your own head.
16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,
    so all the nations shall drink continually;
they shall drink and swallow,
    and shall be as though they had never been.
17 But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape,
    and it shall be holy,
and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.
18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
    and the house of Joseph a flame,
    and the house of Esau stubble;
they shall burn them and consume them,
    and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau,
for the Lord has spoken.

The Kingdom of the Lord
19 Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,
    and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines;
they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,
    and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
20 The exiles of this host of the people of Israel
    shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath,
and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
    shall possess the cities of the Negeb.
21 Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion
    to rule Mount Esau,
    and the kingdom shall be the Lord's.
 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, the dark day of God’s just judgement against Edom and the great day of Salvation for His people?
 
-Edom is toast. God’s enemies will be eliminated. Jesus Christ will return in glory! How does this reality strengthen your steps in a world where sin and darkness can weigh heavy?
 
-God rules over history and He wants to rule over you. Where do you need to respond to God’s grace through obeying God’s word, glorifying the Lamb who has saved us through obedience to His rule and reign? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
17 But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions.
​

​*NOTE: On Wednesdays in 2025 we will celebrate “walking in the Word” through applying Biblical doctrine. Rightly understanding Biblical doctrine fuels doxology, delight in Jesus, and gospel centered discipleship. 
 
This is the last of four posts on justification. We have seen 
The Joy of justification (1 of 4);
Peace as fruit of justification (2 of 4); and
The reality of justification. (3 of 4)
This week we celebrate the works of justification (4 of 4)
 
Key Verses: Titus 3:7-8 “… being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.”
 
The doctrine of justification is not a finish line but a starting point. The WCF says, “Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of justification: yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.”(WCF 11.2) In other words, we are justified by faith alone, but justifying faith is never alone. Winsome works of grace accompany justifying faith. Faith without winsome works is dead. 
​
The apostle James helps us understand the relationship between justifying faith that saves and works of faith evidencing a living faith (James 2:12-26). James’ letter is to the Church- Christians who know the goodness of our Heavenly Father, a good Father whose sovereign grace has “brought us forth” (1:16-17) through the person and work of Jesus. The context of James’s teaching is the indicative reality of a believer receiving God's implanted word (1:21) and eternal covenant promises such as giving believers “the crown of life to those who love him.” (1:12) From this covenant context, James uses Rahab and Abraham to help Christians understand the relationship of justification and works.
 
Evidence vs Earning
In James, “justification” is used horizontally, so someone is justified in the sight of humanity and “works” equals evidence of salvation. Rahab believed the Lord would save (saving faith) and the work of rescuing Israel’s spies evidenced her faith (Joshua 2). Abraham believed God’s covenant promises and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4). Abraham’s saving faith was evidenced through the work of offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22). Admittedly, this can be confusing because Paul uses “justification” vertically, so someone is justified in the sight of God and “works” equals earning salvation. Yet both agree- You can tell a tree by its fruit, and faith is the root. A person justified by faith in Jesus will bear good fruit of winsome works.
 
Today’s key verses unlock the unity of James and Paul, emphasizing the reality that winsome works of grace are evidence from people who are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. See also Ephesians 2:5-10; Galatians 2:16, 21.
 
Justification is the once-and-for-all verdict that believers are made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. The doctrine of justification should be a “rich comfort” for Christians (Bavinck) as it cultivates a holy and fruitful life of Christ-like love. Justification means we are secure children of God- “Beloved children” called to imitate God, walking in love as He loved us- giving Himself for us (Ephesians 5:1-2). The righteousness given to us through the work of Jesus should be reflected in a righteous life marked by fruit of the Spirit, winsome works of grace that glorify Jesus.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Justification is not a finish line but a starting point- Where do you need to walk in love as Christ loved you, evidencing justifying faith through winsome works?
 
-How do the paradigms of James and Paul help you understand the need for justification to bear fruit of works in your life?
 
-Who is God calling you to sacrificially love? What work has Jesus prepared in advance for you to do? Be specific and, as a secure child of God, walk forward obediently in holiness and love.
 
Key Verses: Titus 3:7-8 “… being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.”

​Key Verses
23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
 
​Meditation
The Lord longs for His people to personally experience His blessing, especially as we wander in the wilderness of a fallen world. 

The blessing of His sufficiency: God chose a people for Himself, and today’s reading describes how some responded by living sacrificially set apart (1-21). Men and women (2) who voluntarily took a Nazarite vow lived in radical self-denial, “holy to the Lord” (8) throughout “all of the days” of their vow (5, 6, 8). The Nazarite’s sweeping self-discipline demonstrated the sufficiency of the Lord Himself.  
 
The blessing of His name: God desires for all of His people to personally experience His blessing (22-27). The Lord Himself is the headwaters of blessing. The Lord blessed the people He redeemed and led into the wilderness through putting His name on them. The corporate blessing of the Aaronic benediction was intended for each person to experience His blessing individually. The repeated “you” in verses 24-26 are all singular, emphasizing God’s desire for His people to personally know His blessing.
 
The practical nature of His blessing: Lord’s blessing is practical for people wandering in the wilderness:
     As a good Shepherd, God promises to keep His people.
     As a merciful king, God declares forgiveness, promises grace, and offers peace.
     As a loving father, God puts His name on His people.
 
Christians wandering in the wilderness embrace the fullness of God’s heavenly blessings through Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3) Through the person and work of Jesus we know God personally, experience God’s blessing individually, to live sacrificially set apart lives for His glory.
 
Today’s Reading
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, 3 he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. 4 All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.
5 “All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.

6 “All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. 7 Not even for his father or for his mother, for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean, because his separation to God is on his head. 8 All the days of his separation he is holy to the Lord.

9 “And if any man dies very suddenly beside him and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. 10 On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest to the entrance of the tent of meeting, 11 and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day 12 and separate himself to the Lord for the days of his separation and bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering. But the previous period shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

13 “And this is the law for the Nazirite, when the time of his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, 14 and he shall bring his gift to the Lord, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, 15 and a basket of unleavened bread, loaves of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and their grain offering and their drink offerings. 16 And the priest shall bring them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering, 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 And the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. 19 And the priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened loaf out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaved the hair of his consecration, 20 and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. They are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed. And after that the Nazirite may drink wine.
21 “This is the law of the Nazirite. But if he vows an offering to the Lord above his Nazirite vow, as he can afford, in exact accordance with the vow that he takes, then he shall do in addition to the law of the Nazirite.”

Aaron's Blessing
22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the Lord’s blessing from His people in the wilderness??
 
-Why is it significant that God Himself is the source of His blessing? What does this reveal about where our satisfaction should be found?
 
-How can you grow in satisfaction in Christ, declaring He is enough and that His grace is sufficient for your soul? Be specific.
 
Key Verses
23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

​Key Verse
 3 ... For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
 
​Meditation
Jesus did not come to make bad people good but to make dead people alive. 
 
Today’s reading builds on the Biblical theme of God’s sovereign grace transforming the “woe” of judgement into “wow!” of worship (Amos 6) through Jesus’ description the “woe” of judgement before He “welcomes” people to personal relationship through His work.

Jesus used seven woes as warning to self-righteous spiritual leaders. Pride was the root of their hypocrisy, blinding them to the true meaning of the law. The religious folks looked good on the outside but had rotten hearts on the inside, clothed in self-righteousness. Jesus’ woes were a warning of God’s impending judgement on people who use religion for self-promotion, refusing to humble themselves before the true King.
 
Jesus’ intense words were coupled with intimate imagery.  Jesus is a king who weeps over His prideful people, lamenting their lostness and rotten hearts (37-38). The greatest in Jesus’ kingdom are the least, those repenting of self-righteousness and spiritual self-sufficiency to humble themselves and come to Him. (10-12)
 
Jesus transforms “woes” into “welcome” through the “wow!” of His work. Jesus humbled Himself to death on a cross so the spiritually proud and self-righteous can humble ourselves through repentance and receive His righteousness. The grace of Jesus cleans the inside of our cups by transforming our hearts, giving new life from the graves of our spiritually dead souls. The gospel awakens believers to a newness of life, much like the pharisee Nicodemus who came alive through Jesus’ love and moved from self-righteousness to surprising generosity. (John 19)
 
 
Today’s Reading
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.  9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about the woes and welcome of Jesus described in today’s reading?
 
-Where do you identify with the self-righteous, prideful, and blind leaders in Jerusalem? How do the words of welcome, through humbling yourself, move you to return to Jesus who longs to have relationship?
 
- God’s mercy invites God’s children to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Take an inventory of how you respond to the welcome of Jesus, noting where you want to move from self-righteousness to surrender, pride to humility, death to life. Be specific.
 
Key Verse
 3 ... For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.