Feb 15th

Genesis 48     Job 14     Luke 1:39-80     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Remember God’s promise to Jacob in Monday’s reading (Gen. 46:2-4 and the previous promises to Abraham and Isaac)? Jacob remembers that promise here in Gen  48, when he blesses Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh, putting the younger ahead of the elder, just as had happened with him and Esau (Gen. 27), and also in his blessing on Joseph (48:16). In our Luke passage, both Mary and Zechariah praise God for the fulfilment of that promise. Mary:  “He has helped his servant Israel  and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” (Luke 1:54-55, NLT). Zechariah: “He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. (Luke 1:72-73, NLT).  Isn’t it great that despite Zechariah’s lack of faith when he heard God’s message that he’d have a son, the first words that he now speaks after being mute for 9 months, are prophetic about the promised King who has come? He has come, but he is still in Mary’s womb and by God’s grace, Zechariah, who first responded without faith, now prophesies about his coming. Job’s reference to “you will cover over my sin” (Job 14:17) is also prophetic, although it wasn’t clear at the time. His sin also was covered by the Saviour to come thousands of years later.

(church mission partner)