Feb 23rd

Exodus 6     Job 23     Luke 9     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage

God reveals Himself

In his suffering Job is desperately searching for God, but he can’t find him. He is terrified, since he realises God’s sovereignty to do whatever he pleases, whereas the counsellors try to make God predictable. Due to his faith and righteousness, however, Job remains confident in God’s ultimate justice and he is not silenced by the darkness.

In response to Moses’ complaint, God reveals his name to him: “I am the Lord, Yahweh”. He repeats his promise to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, to free them from slavery, to redeem them as his people and to bring them to the promised land. The Israelites, however, still don’t believe Moses because of their discouragement and cruel bondage (v9).

In Luke’s Gospel we read Peter’s confession of Christ. When Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do you say I am?” Peter replies: “The Christ of God”. Jesus then warns them not to tell this to anyone. He reveals to them his coming suffering, rejection, death and resurrection, but the people needed to be taught further before Jesus could identify himself explicitly, due their false belief of the Messiah being a conquering king, rather than a suffering servant.

Thank you God, that you reveal yourself to us and that you want us to know you and love you. Help us to fully trust in you and your Word, whatever the circumstances.  Amen.

(homegroup member)

Feb 22nd

Exodus 5     Job 22     Luke 8     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Blame

Moses and Aaron deliver God’s message to Pharaoh, to let his people go. As a result Pharaoh increases the workload of the Israelites, who in return blame Moses and Aaron for this injustice. Moses then complains to God, claiming that instead of rescuing his people, he has brought trouble on them.

In Job 22 Eliphaz continues accusations that Job has committed many sins, without any other evidence than Job’s present suffering. His advice to submit to God may seem sound in itself; however it is based on incorrect assumptions and therefore it is doing Job injustice.

The woman with the haemorrhage in Luke’s Gospel had been ceremonially unclean for twelve years. She must have been physically very weak but it is possible that her ongoing ceremonial uncleanliness was also a real source of grief for her. In Leviticus 15:25-30 we read that anything a woman in her situation lay or sat on would become ceremonially unclean and that anyone who touched these items would become unclean as well requiring ceremonial cleansing. She must have been terrified when Jesus asked who had touched him.

The reason, however, why Jesus calls her is not to blame but instead he wants to give her his blessing.

Thank you Jesus that you bless us and that through you we are free from blame. Help us to be like you, blessing, not blaming.  Amen.

(homegroup member)