Feb 16th

Genesis 49     Job 15     Luke 2     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Our Bible translation team found Genesis 49 very difficult to translate into Dobel because of all the figurative language. For example, verse 10: “The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” (NIV). We expressed it as something like: “Judah, your descendants will rule many people, until a person who is a very big leader appears. That one, people from the villages of the world will obey him.” (Kings, sceptres, and rulers’ staffs are unknown to the Dobel people!). That King/very big leader is, of course, Jesus. The Kingdom of God, is the kingdom ruled by God’s king, Jesus. In Luke 2 the reference to the “city of David” (2:11) draws attention to the fact that Jesus was born in line of King David. In Luke 2:32 Simeon prophesises about him saying “He is a light to reveal God to the nations” (NLT), this is a fulfilment of “the obedience of the nations is his” (Gen. 49:10). Notice too here Luke’s themes of Good News and Salvation, especially “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (2:10,11 NLT). I’m writing this just before Christmas, what joy to celebrate the good news of the coming of our Saviour-King! (We can of course have that joy all year.)

(church mission partner)

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)

Feb 14th

Genesis 47     Job 13     Luke 1 v1-38     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Today we start Luke’s Gospel, part 1 of his two-part work of the Gospel and Acts. Look out for the key themes of salvation and Good News. Luke was a historian, notice how he often sets his account in the historical context (e.g. 1:5, 2:1-2, 3:1-2). After his introduction (1:1-4), he tells of the foretelling of John the Baptist’s (5-25), and Jesus’ (26-38) births. The angel Gabriel appears first to the experienced priest Zechariah and then to the teenager Mary, but look at the difference in how they respond. Zechariah: “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” (1:18, NLT) and then Mary: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” (1:38, NLT). God has called us to serve him too. May we have a response of faith like Mary’s.

In Genesis 47 there is another contrast. The Egyptians come to Joseph for food, and eventually lose everything and become slaves (47:13-21). But, “Meanwhile, the people of Israel settled in the region of Goshen in Egypt. There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly” (47:27 NLT). God cares for his people – see Luke 12:29-32. In the Dobel language Luke 12:32 says something like: “You, even though you are few, are God’s people, so don’t be afraid, because your Father God is very happy that he has sent his King to come and care for you”.

(church mission partner)

Feb 13th

Genesis 46     Job 12     Romans 16     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

As Jacob leaves the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob himself, God renews his promise to make their descendants into a great nation (Gen. 47:3, also 12:2, 18:18, 22:16-18, 26:2-4, 28:14). This was God’s chosen people into which his promised One would be born in due time, as we’ll read on Thursday “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). Jacob is leaving the land God had promised to his descendants as a refugee in a time of famine but even at this low point God reminds him of his promise. God’s gracious and good plan for the world and for his people cannot be thwarted. A couple of thousand years later, Paul says: “This message about Jesus Christ has revealed [God’s] plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.” (Rom. 16:25-26, NLT). “Gentiles” here is translated “nations” in the NIV – the Greek word “ethnos” refers to all the ethnic groups across the world, and was used by Jews to refer to people of other nations (i.e. Gentiles). So this is what we are here for - to tell to all people everywhere this message of Good News that Jesus has opened the way for us to become part of God’s chosen people.

(church mission partner)

Feb 12th

Genesis 45     Job 11     Romans 15     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Look at Joseph’s words to his brothers  “don’t be angry and upset – God sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives” (Gen. 45:5). He’s been through bad times and his family has suffered famine but he sees it as God’s plan to provide for them and has faith that the suffering is under the sovereignty of God to bring good things to his people. Zophar, on the other hand, sees Job’s suffering simply as deserved punishment for Job’s sin – if he is suffering, he must be a terrible sinner. In Job 11:6b Zophar says “Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.” (NIV), - his intent is rendered a bit more clearly in the NLT: “Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve!” Contrast this with Job’s response to his suffering back in 1:21: “The LORD gave me what I had and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” (NLT). Paul, quoting Psalm 69:9 reminds us of the suffering of the sinless one Jesus Christ (Rom. 15:3) and that God gives us the ability to endure/be patient (15:5). Let’s look at what faces us in this life with the eyes of faith filled “with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”! (Rom 15:13)

(contributions this week have been written by one of our overseas mission partners) 

Feb 11th

Genesis 44     Job 10     Romans 14     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Do I look down on people who have a narrower view of what is right and wrong than mine?   Do I judge any Christians who do things that I don’t think are right for me?   Isn’t it great that God is their master and the Lord is able to ‘make them stand’?   We must be fully convinced in our own mind what God does or doesn’t want us to do.  

It is so much easier to pass judgement than to make up our minds not to be a stumbling-block to others.   Am I ready to give an account of myself to God?   Does that make me feel like Job in chapter 10?  

He tells God of his sense of hopelessness and helplessness when confronted by undeserved problems, critical friends and an apparently unresponsive God.   If you feel like that, cling to the promises we’ve read this week.   Christ died for you and returned to life to be your Lord.   God is able to make you stand.  

Judah’s actions {Gen 44} showed that his heart was changing.  

Paul challenges us to make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual up-building.   Do righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit characterise my service of Christ?

(member of the prayer ministry team)

Feb 10th

Genesis 43     Job 9     Romans 13     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Paul gives us more practical out-workings of worshipping God in our day-to-day living.   Do I show a godly submission to authority for God’s sake, or have I been drawn into the world’s way of thinking that fiddling the income tax or breaking the law in other ways is ‘fair game’?   Do I consider dissension as bad as drunken orgies and sexual debauchery?  

In Genesis 43, Jacob is still feeling the effects of the dissension caused by his favouritism to his youngest sons.   At least Judah [who suggested selling Joseph as a slave in the first place] accepts responsibility for the life of Joseph’s younger brother.   We see Joseph’s youthful dream come true as he tests {& teases?} his brothers and they submit to his authority. 

Today we find Job reflecting on the authority of God and his own insignificance and impotence.   He wishes for an arbitrator between God and man, a wish ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. 

Am I clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ and conscious of His interceding on my behalf?

What do I owe? [see Rom.12 v.7 & esp v.8]    How do I love my fellow men & women?

(member of the prayer ministry team)