29 January 2016

Scriptures:

• Psalm 28
• Genesis 26
• 2 Chronicles 2
• Luke 19:28-46

Observations:

The psalm today starts off as may of David's psalms do, in crying out to be seen and heard, asking not to be dragged down into judgment along with all the other nations. What stands out to me is tat, at the end of the psalm, David has an about-face in tone. Where he starts off asking for God's ear, he then exclaims that the Lord is to be blessed because the Lord hears him. David then praises him calling him his strength and shield, whom he trusts, and the shield and refuge for his people.

In Genesis, we see a long exposition about Isaac. First, we see God renewing Abraham's covenant, promising to Isaac the things that were promised to Abraham. Second, we see Isaac's interactions with Abimelech and the Philistines where he was living. Isaac had tried to pass Rebekah off as his sister, thinking he might be killed to get her (like father, like son). Abimelech scolded him for it, but didn't throw him out as pharaoh did to his father. No, the Philistines sent him out because he began to become very wealthy from his harvests and herds. So, he traveled in the area, re-digging his father's wells and coming into minor conflict over some new ones. During that time, God speaks to Isaac, confirming his promise. After all this, Abimelech approaches Isaac as he did Abraham and asks for peace between them because he can see that God is with Isaac.

In 2 Chronicles, Solomon begins work on the temple, calling upon the connections David had set before the end of his reign. We also see Solomon making this statement about the building of a temple: "But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him?" To me, that stands out, because here, Solomon has a great image of God's magnitude. Now, what I find also to be interesting is that Solomon takes a census of the resident aliens in Israel and puts them all to work.

In Luke, we see three connected events. Jesus is entering Jerusalem for the last time and he tells his disciples to go find a specific donkey for him to ride in on. As he rides in, the people gather in praise, exclaiming praises and thanks to God. Jesus also weeps over Jerusalem, prophesying against it about its fall. Last, he heads to the temple and clears it of all the merchants and money-changers.

Application:

I think the biggest thing for me is the confidence in and reverence for God that is evident in all of these passages. That changes us, if we allow it.