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EVERY DAY

February

January

Jan/Feb 2012

Genesis 12—50 Mary Evans

John 12—21 Jeff Lucas

PLUS …

Weekend reflections on the Psalms, and the Big Picture by Philip Greenslade

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Mary Evans Former vice-principal of London School of Theology where she taught for thirty years, Mary took early retirement to spend three years teaching at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology in Addis Ababa and hopes to return there for shorter periods. Mary loves the Old Testament and helping others to explore and enjoy its richness and relevance. She has written several books and commentaries in the attempt to follow that through. She has taught in a visiting lecturer role for a few days, weeks or months, on every continent except Antarctica. She also has wide involvement on the councils of missions and other Christian organisations in the UK and beyond.

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Jeff Lucas International author, speaker and broadcaster, Jeff Lucas holds a pastoral teaching position at Timberline Church in Colorado, a church that has grown to 10,000 in the last 15 years. He is the author of some 13 books and is also broadcast on weekly radio shows throughout Europe on Premier Radio. He is a monthly contributor for Christianity Magazine and writes a daily devotional with CWR entitled Lucas on Life Every Day.

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Philip Greenslade Having originally trained for the Baptist ministry, Philip has over 30 years’ experience in Christian ministry. He has worked with CWR since 1991 in the areas of biblical studies, pastoral care and leadership. With his passion for teaching God’s Word, he offers a refreshing and challenging perspective for all those who attend his courses. Close to Philip’s heart is the long-running Bible Discovery Weekends. He is currently Course Director for CWR’s new postgraduate programme in Pastoral Leadership. Philip is the author of several books.

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Copyright © CWR 2006, 2011 First published 2006 by CWR. This edition published 2011 by CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP England. CWR is a Registered Charity – Number 294387 and a Limited Company registered in England – Registration Number 1990308.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of CWR. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from the Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV), copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.

Concept development, editing, design and production by CWR. Cover image: www.istock/Andrey Prokhorov Printed in England by Linney Print.

CWR apologises for the the wrong crediting of the cover image for the November/December 2011 issue. It should have read NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI).

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January introduction

Genesis 12–50 Mary Evans Genesis 12 to 50 tells a series of stories about three generations of the same family. Exodus describes the true beginning of Israel as a nation, but makes sense only in the context of these earlier stories. These are tales of births, marriages and deaths, of intrigue and murder, of romance and friendship, of enmity and hatred, of loyalty and of betrayal. Indeed, we find all the lovely and unlovely elements of family life. In spite of the way they are sometimes told, these are far from ‘hero’ stories. All the main characters, including those clearly used by God, make both good and very bad decisions.

The culture is different from our own yet the emotions and attitudes are much the same. Though the style varies, the stories are brilliantly told.

There are questions to ask and lessons to be learned from each account. But look out, too, for themes and motifs that recur. You will find a stress on God’s promise and on the responsibilities He gives to those who relate to Him, on God’s presence in good times and bad, on God’s covenant choices, but also His interest and concern for outsiders.

Abraham and Sarah do not receive those names until chapter 17, but for convenience they are used throughout these notes.

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Suggested supplementary reading

J. Baldwin, The Message of Genesis 12–50 (Leicester: IVP, 1986) G.J. Wenham, Genesis 16–50 (Waco: Word Books, 1987)

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Weekend Psalm 57

‘Be exalted, O God …’

O God …’ is the key note struck in this confident psalm (vv.5,11). Part prayer, part statement of faith, the psalmist calls on the Lord to exercise His sovereignty over time and space, nations and events. ‘Be exalted, O Lord,’ says A.W. Tozer, ‘is the language of victorious spiritual experience. It is a title key to unlock the door to great treasures of grace …’

Start here, with this God-centred cry, and we gain confidence to ask for mercy (v.1), since mercy is the only thing we dare ask for. Start here, as did the guilt-ridden monk, Martin Luther, when he asked, ‘Where can I find a gracious God?’ and sparked the Protestant Reformation. Start here to find refuge in the midst of disaster, and to discover God’s purpose in the randomness of living (vv.1–2). ‘Let God be God’, and whether we sing it or pray it, we are fortified by God’s faithful covenant love (v.3) which reassures us that He is sovereign over our oppressors (vv.4–6).

What are we to say to those who hate us and want to destroy us? Faith says

‘Be exalted,

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nothing to its enemies; it speaks over the heads of those bent on violence and cries, ‘Lord, be exalted.’

Faith declares to its foes: get out of line with rebellion and into line with reality, for God alone will be exalted (cf. Isa. 2:10–17). So, Lord, ‘be exalted’ over personal enemies, domestic abusers, oppressive rulers, international terrorists – over all who need Your ‘rebuke’ (v.3).

As we confess God’s exalted Lordship, our fluttering hearts are made firm and our faltering praise flows freely again (vv.7–8). This is our story, this is our song sung on the widest possible stage (v.9), for God’s covenant love and faithfulness are made known on the largest possible scale (v.10). Let’s gladly celebrate His rightful claim to pre-eminence. ‘While we take to ourselves the place that is his, the whole course of our lives is out of joint. Nothing can or will restore order till our hearts make the great decision: God shall be exalted above all’ (A.W. Tozer).

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Genesis 12:1–9 Mon 2 Jan

Calling

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t is tempting to jump straight to the wonderful blessing God gave Abraham (v.2), but although opening verses are often overlooked they are usually significant. This one provides the theological basis to the whole Abraham story. From it we learn that God relates to human beings: He communicates with them, makes demands on them and makes commitments to them. Wow! There is still hope in a fallen world.

Abraham is commanded to make a complete break with his country, with his community and even his family.

The command demands obedience, but also faith: ‘Go to the land I will show you.’ Abraham must commit himself to this new relationship, must trust God from the beginning. The blessing comes within that context.

Abraham will become a great nation and will have a great name. This implies a promise of many descendants. Also, he will become a blessing to all peoples. So far the content of neither the command nor the blessing is terribly clear – the emphasis is on faith and relationship.

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Apparently without further discussion, Abraham left, taking Sarah, Lot and his household with him. The question as to whether Lot was part of Abraham’s household or part of the father’s household, and should therefore have been left behind, remains in the air.

Once he arrived in Canaan Abraham received a further promise (v.7). Just as the promise of descendants comes after we are told of Sarah’s barrenness (11:30), so the promise of land which, interestingly, was given only after Abraham had set out, comes directly after the statement that the land was already occupied. Faith, for Abraham, was obviously not going to be easy!

Abraham begins his new life by travelling through the land, building altars to the Lord. This was another statement of faith, making it clear that in this land the Lord will be worshipped.

In what sense might God be calling us to leave the known behind, to trust Him without knowing the full way ahead, and to ‘build an altar’ to the Lord in an apparently alien land?

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Tues 3 Jan Genesis 12:10–13:4

Facing difficulties

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he next story about courageous, faithful Abraham tells us he left the land and handed Sarah over to Pharaoh’s harem!

Both aspects of the promise are threatened – and by Abraham’s own actions.

The story is straightforward but many questions are left hanging. The writer constantly, and I’m convinced deliberately, challenges us to think through the implications of what we read. Was leaving Canaan sensible given the famine, or a sign of lack of faith? The account simply tells us what happened.

Other questions are raised but not answered. How did Pharaoh relate his illness to Sarah? Was he healed afterwards? These matters don’t affect the point of the story and are therefore not included.

So what is the point of the story?

First, we see the biggest threat to the promise was Abraham himself. The point is not overstressed, but 12:19 shows the writer’s awareness that Abraham was at fault. Second, it shows God’s protection of Sarah. (It is worth looking out for the strong interest in, and involvement of, women in these

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early narratives.) Sarah, as much as Abraham, was chosen as the parent of the race, and God acts to save her.

Third, it shows the power of God, who is able to protect His promise in all places, including Egypt, and in all circumstances, including famine and Abraham’s lack of faith. Overall we learn that God can be trusted.

Abraham’s party is deported (12:20), possibly with a large compensation payment (13:2). There seems a greater emphasis on wealth here than in 12:5, though this may just be the background to the Lot story that follows.

Abraham’s return journey seems odd. He goes right back to Bethel and then journeys down south again. But he went back to ‘where he had first built an altar’ (13:4), back to the place where he knew he had got it right, back in touch with God. Another new start!

Let’s think about times when God has had to rescue us from the results of our own mistakes. Reflect on God’s willingness to do that and the ongoing possibility of new starts.

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Genesis 13–14 Wed 4 Jan

Separation and rescue

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ead these chapters as if for the first time, asking yourself what the writer intends you to gain from the stories.

Chapter 13 demonstrates Abraham’s faith, which contrasts both with the attitude of Lot and the previous section.

When their growing wealth becomes a problem, Abraham takes action. Lot, without hesitation, chooses to settle in the fertile Jordan valley despite the fact that the area’s inhabitants ‘were wicked’ (13:13).

After Lot’s departure, God’s promise is confirmed. The whole land, including Lot’s section, will belong to Abraham’s descendants. The promise is sure, even though as yet Abraham owns no land and has no children. Abraham is told to ‘walk through … the land’ (13:17).

He responds by moving to Hebron and building another altar there. Abraham’s possession of the land is clearly linked with God’s presence.

The account in chapter 14 of the skirmish between rival kings tells us that Abraham is now a fully accepted resident alien with status and a small private army. He intervenes to rescue Lot,

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routing the remains of the marauding armies and benefiting the local rulers.

Two such rulers then visited Abraham to give thanks. Abraham responded positively to Melchizedek of Salem and negatively to the king of Sodom.

‘God Most High’ is the name by which the chief Canaanite god was known, and this is probably what Melchizedek meant. However, Abraham, knowing that the Lord is really God Most High, and that it was the Lord who had saved them, accepted his blessing and gave him a tenth, presumably of the recovered plunder.

The king of Sodom failed to recognise God’s part in the victory so Abraham rejected him. This brief mention of Melchizedek is picked up later in Jewish tradition, and used in Hebrews to distinguish between Christ’s priesthood and that of the Levitical priests.

Abraham’s calling to ‘bless the nations’ is demonstrated here. What do these passages teach about appropriate interaction with those from other religions?

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Thurs 5 Jan Genesis 15; 17

Covenant

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hapters 15 and 17 are full of significant concepts, developing the themes of faith and promise into a more formal covenant.

God again introduces Himself in a relevant way (15:1). He who delivered Abraham’s enemies to him (14:20) will be his deliverer or shield (the words are related). Abraham, who refused Sodom’s reward, will receive reward from God. Abraham’s faith is achieved painfully! Notice how seriously God takes Abraham’s questions, and how much they teach Abraham about God. When Abraham questions what reward could be meaningful without a son, God reaffirms the promise of descendants.

The star illustration proves nothing in itself; it’s God’s Word that counts, and it’s in God’s Word that Abraham trusts.

Abraham’s faith is welcomed, but he still queries the promise of the land. God might have responded with impatience, but what He does is to use a familiar ritual – the equivalent of our signing a contract – to guarantee the promise.

This was an unprecedented idea – God committing Himself to a contractual

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H obligation with human beings.

The dream (15:13–16) explains that the delay in receiving the promise is tied in with judgment on the Canaanites, and their time had not yet come (15:16).

Chapter 17 adds royal (v.6) and eternal (v.7) elements to the promise, and the account now focuses on relationship with God, underlined in later covenants. He will be their God (v.8).

Abraham’s blessing and symbolic name change parallel those given to Sarah. In speaking of Sarah in the middle of the circumcision account the writer stresses that, unlike circumcision, the promise, the blessing and the covenant apply just as fully to female descendants. Abraham would have been happy for Ishmael to inherit the blessing, but it is clear that the chosen son will be descended from both Abraham and Sarah.

Have we missed opportunities to learn more of God by failing to ask our questions?

Meditate on what it means to you to be in relationship with Almighty God.

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Some pages are not included in this preview.

The Big Picture Philip Greenslade gives us a glimpse of how Genesis and the Gospel of John fit together into God’s story.

‘With his promise to Abraham, probably sometime in the eighteenth century BC, God, the Lord of the universe and the ruler of history, has spoken a word into the life of humankind. But this is no idle word. God’s word is an active power.

It is a power which shapes the course of history … which moves history forward and brings about events.’

(Paul and Elizabeth Achtemeier) From the start the word of promise faces obstacles, not least the fact that Abraham and Sarah are past the age of childbearing, while both Rebekah and Rachel are barren.

Fraternal rivalry threatens Jacob (with Esau) and fraternal jealousy imperils Joseph. So the promise-plan of God makes its turbulent way through the long history of Israel until finally it converges on Jesus.

In the promises made to Abraham, God reveals His saving strategy for the

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rest of human history (Gen. 12:1–3).

It involves land, a great nation and a divine blessing which will affect all nations on earth.

Now, it all comes down to this – the most intense week in human history (John 12–21).

In the promises made to Abraham, God reveals His saving strategy for the rest of human history In anticipation of the breakout of blessing to all nations, Greeks clamour to see Jesus (John 12:2–33), only to learn that if they are to see Him in His universal fruitfulness, He must mysteriously drop out of sight – like a seed sown in one dark plot of earth.

Then, lifted up in the strange exaltation of the cross, He will prove the magnetic attraction that draws the world to faith.

This will provoke a crisis for the one great nation descended from Abraham. Genealogy and geography are startlingly relativised; no longer is

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true Israelite identity established by being rooted in land or heredity, but by abiding in the Messiah, the true Vine (John 15).

Instructing the faithful remnant of Israel (His disciples) in a new kind of Deuteronomy (John 14–16), Jesus prays for their mission to the world.

Our divine ‘Jacob’ erects the ladder of His cross which joins heaven and earth and on which the saving traffic flows both ways – bringing God to us and bringing us to God. As for ‘blessing and curse’ …

Abraham and his descendants were enlisted in God’s plan to defeat the evil and sin that has spoiled God’s good creation.

The fivefold blessing spelt out to Abraham (Gen. 12:2–3) is set to annul the fivefold curse on creation (cf. Gen. 3:14,17; 4:11; 5:29; 9:25).

Abraham, like a ‘new Adam’, is sent out from the city man is building to seek the city ‘whose builder and maker is God’ (Gen. 11, cf. Heb. 11:9–10).

But since Abraham and his seed prove to be as much part of the problem as the answer to it, the promise-

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plan of God devolves onto the one true ‘seed’ – Jesus Christ.

His cry from the cross, ‘It is finished’, means more than that His ordeal is over; it signifies that the scriptural story is fulfilled and that the promiseplan of God has finally come home (John 19:28–30).

By His death, the curse is lifted, the evil that has ruined the first creation is routed. His day of resurrection on the first day of the (new) week is the ‘eighth day’ of creation. With His Easter the ‘new creation’ begins, and the Spirit of new life is breathed on the disciples of the Last Adam (John 20:22; cf. Gen. 2:7).

With His Easter the ‘new creation’ begins Our divine ‘Joseph’ has been sent before us to save our lives (cf. Gen. 45:5). He is the true way to life. We are invited to enter the realm of new creation He inhabits and to embrace the powerful word of promise that still moves human history towards God’s future.

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February introduction

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John 12–21 Jeff Lucas The journey we are about to take together begins and ends with resurrection. One might think that the raising of a dead man – and a stinking one at that – would have triggered a comprehensive round of applause from all who witnessed it. But it was not to be. The presence of such pulsating life embarrassed the religious leaders in their wooden deadness, and threatened their sense of control and power. They wrung their hands and rued the day that they had ever set eyes upon Jesus. And so the raising of Lazarus, ironically, sets Jesus on the pathway to His own death. We’ll consider His footsteps during that fateful week. And we’ll celebrate the fact that we know the score at the end of the story – Jesus: one; death, Satan and the powers of darkness: nil.

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John 12:1–11 Wed 1 Feb

Givers and takers

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hat a remarkable dinner party this was, with a glittering guest list.

Featured guests were Jesus – the One who had banished death with a word – and the ex‑corpse Lazarus himself, who surely had quite a story to tell.

One can imagine Lazarus’ sisters stealing frequent glances at their brother as he enjoyed his food; could he really be back among the land of the living?

This was a dinner party of contrasts too. Consider the outrageous generosity of Mary, who pours perfume that was worth a fortune over Jesus’ feet (don’t make the mistake of confusing this event with a similar happening at Simon’s house, recorded in Luke 7:36–50, when a ‘sinful woman’ anointed Jesus). Martha, true to character (Luke 10:40), was busily fussing over the catering details, but Mary was a shining example of a worshipper. True worship is about giving sacrificially, energetically and without begrudging the gift – truly as ‘cheerful givers’ (2 Cor. 9:7). And her offering cost her more than the price of the perfume.

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In ‘letting her hair down’ to dry Jesus’ feet, she threw social propriety to the winds as well. We will never offer much of worth to God if we are forever wondering how we look and sound even as we worship.

But evil was also seated at that table. Judas, unmasked here by John as a thief, began to bleat about Mary’s offering. His remonstrations sounded very pious as he appealed on behalf of the poor, but he had no real concern for the needy whatsoever – he just wanted to line his own pockets. Sometimes we religious people are not only stingy, but we can be quite adept at dressing up our critical, negative hearts with well chosen verbiage. And we’ll go to great lengths to get our own way.

The party drew an inquisitive crowd who came to gawp at Lazarus. The chief priests – another herd of selfserving power brokers – even considered an assassination attempt on Lazarus. The man who had experienced death once was in imminent danger of dying again! Outrageous givers or self-serving takers – which are we?

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Thurs 2 Feb John 12:12–50

Jesus is who Jesus is

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t’s been said that ever since God made man in His own image, humanity has been trying to return the favour. It’s tempting to put together a patchwork God – one who fits what we want, says what we like to hear, a remake of the golden calf (Exod. 32).

As Jesus’ public ministry closes, and we are treated to an extensive explanation of the meaning of His death and resurrection, we see that His actions confused and disappointed many. He was who He was, and refused to submit to their clamouring expectations and demands. The crowd that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem did so with the greeting appropriate for a Messianic figure. The Hallel Psalms (113–118) were sung at Passover time and the pilgrims would rustle sheaves of willow and myrtle tied together with palms. But any would-be revolutionaries (precursors of the Zealots who later worked for the violent overthrow of the hated Romans) would have been disappointed, because Jesus comes riding, not on a horse (the symbol of the conquering warrior; see 1 Kings 4:26; Isa. 31:1–3), but rather on a donkey,

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the symbol of peace.

Jesus’ disciples were confused too (v.16), and would not understand His actions until later. The Pharisees, as usual, were desperately offended by Jesus’ popularity (vv.19,42), and all would have been perplexed at the idea of Jesus being ‘glorified’ through death, especially death on such a despised instrument of destruction as the cross of crucifixion.

But, significantly, there was one other who would be utterly affronted by the actions of Jesus – Satan, the ‘prince of this world’, who would be ‘driven out’ (v.31; cf. Luke 10:18; Rev. 12).

All this was accomplished because Jesus walked only to His Father’s drumbeat. Jesus never made waves, but surfed the waves His Father made and, specifically, said only what the Father told Him to say (v.50). His victory was possible only because of His absolute submission; His walk to the cross was not an idea of His own construction, but submission to the greater plan.

Beware the temptation to make a God of our own imagination, who fits us well. Let’s fit in with Him.

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John 13:1–17 Fri 3 Feb

Final priorities

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was once asked in front of an audience what words I would choose for my tombstone. Enjoying humour as I do, I was tempted to offer the inscription Spike Milligan once suggested: ‘I told you I was ill.’ But the truth is, I still haven’t decided. We might not be able to choose what our final words on this earth will be, but if that privilege was ours, we’d surely want to say something useful and helpful, and leave a legacy of significance.

Knowing that His hour had come, Jesus now takes time for a farewell meal with His friends and disciples.

Jesus sought to leave an indelible mark on their memories, and what He speaks of and emphasises during that time is of the greatest importance.

He shows them the practical nature of love – being willing to do the menial. Washing feet was a chore that no Hebrew slave was required to do, but as Jesus wraps a towel around Him and takes their sweaty, dusty feet in His hands, He acts and dresses as someone less than a slave. This was clearly an example for them to follow, as He later explains (vv.15–17). Living

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as a servant is difficult, and we only find out how servant-like we really are when people treat us like servants – an uncomfortable experience.

As Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, He shows us that the love of God seeks to cleanse us from the grime of our sin. Contrary to the current notion that sin is good for us, we see that liberating love seeks to clean us up, and that the only way we can ‘have a part’ (v.8) with Jesus – a term used by the Jews to describe their inheritance – is to allow Him to cleanse us.

Recently I read about the attempts made by Nazi guards in Auschwitz to strip their Jewish prisoners of every sense of the holy – to kill them even while they were still alive. One strategy was to deny them basic sanitation, and insist that women wear torn-up prayer shawls as underwear, ultimately soiling the sacred. What a contrast to the ennobling kindness of God that cleanses us. But all too often we are like Peter – we fight that love. Let God cleanse you today.

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Weekend Psalm 43

God – light and truth The heart that hungers and thirsts for God is longing for reality.

So here the psalmist continues to express his deep yearning for God which he had begun to articulate in Psalm 42 (to which this psalm appears joined). In the quest for reality he does daily battle with the forces of darkness, duplicity and despair – as believers still do today. The darkness of unbelief is oppressive. Deception makes headlines whether in the form of corrosive heresies within the Church or recycled gnostic nonsense outside it (eg, The Da Vinci Code). Despair beckons.

In such circumstances, the psalmist’s prayer is never more urgent or heartfelt: ‘Send forth your light and your truth …’ (v.3). Such a prayer may have been originally offered in the context of coming home, physically, from exile to a rebuilt Temple and altar (vv.3b–4), or, later, in a more symbolic sense, of returning home to God’s holy presence, guided by the true light of the Torah. With hindsight, we may see that such deep homesickness of soul would eventually be answered

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only by the sending forth of Israel’s Messiah to be the light of the world and the truth of God incarnate.

The disquiet that wracked the psalmist registered on the soul of Jesus as the turmoil of doing God’s saving will. Faced by the final fling of dark, deceitful and malevolent forces, He steadied His soul and fixed His hope on the destiny His Father had appointed for Him (cf. John 12:27; 14:1ff.).

The law court imagery with which the psalm opens –‘plead my cause …’

– signals how much is at stake. The psalmist’s ultimate vindication is Christ’s Easter victory. The light and truth of Jesus is faith’s only justification. He laid himself on God’s cross-shaped altar to bring us into God’s holy presence. Emboldened

by Him, we summon our courage and speak hope and good sense to our own downcast souls (v.5).

So may we ‘talk faith to ourselves’, steady our shaky souls, and not allow our hearts to be ‘troubled’.

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