23 November 2015

Scriptures:

• John 15:1-17
• Isaiah 13-14
• 2 Kings 22
• Psalm 114

Observations:

So, in the John passage, we have a few connected ideas. First, we have the idea that Christ is like a vine and we, the believers, are like branches, which God, as the gardener, trims, pruning the branches bearing fruit and removing those branches failing to do so, the fruit coming necessarily from that connection with Christ, abiding in his love, as is alluded to further on in the passage, keeping the commandments given to us by Christ to love one another as Christ loved us, going so far, as Christ did, to lay down our lives for our brothers, that our joy may be full, for we were chosen by Christ to bear fruit and, in so doing, give glory to God. Second, we have the assurance that we are indeed in the vine, found in verse 3, meaning that we need only to seek after God and follow Christ in his path and instruction to the best of our ability, relying on Christ to carry us beyond where we can in ourselves go.

In Isaiah, we see a very long prophecy against Babylon. In essence, Babylon will not only be destroyed, but laid bare, fallen in disgrace. Whether this is an already-fulfilled prophecy (Which I think is so, because of reference to the Medes) or a prophecy about end times events, I cannot say for certainty. Additionally, We see a small prophecy against the Philistines.

In 2 Kings, we see Josiah commanding repairs of the temple and, in the process, one of his secretaries comes across the book of the law and brings it to Josiah, who, in grief at the sin of Jerusalem and Judah tears his clothes in grief and seeks the Lord in regards to his wrath, the answer from the prophetess being that Judah would indeed face God's wrath, but because of Josiah's contrition, it would not be during his lifetime.

The psalm is praising God for his greatness such that, when Israel was emerging from Egypt into the promised land, the mountains and hills fled in the face of the Lord.

Application:

The John passage is very encouraging to me in this current phase, because, as I first read verse 2, I lump myself in the former category, but in verses 3 and 4, I see that I, as a follower of Christ, am counted in the latter category and am encouraged, instead to abide in Christ, being reminded that this is nothing that I can do of my own power, but, in reliance upon Christ, I am made able to bear fruit.

Today is a good bit of encouragement to continue waging war on my sin, to overcome and work towards reconciliation, honouring both God and my wife.