Famous Last Words!!
Psalm 72:12-20
New International Version (NIV)
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16 May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Reflections: We hear the phrase “famous last words” often, and we see here King David’s famous last words as he is giving over the throne as the King of Israel to Solomon. These words contain quite a bit of vision relating to the Messiah, the ultimate King of kings. Not only will the nation of Israel be blessed, but all nations would be blessed through him. For a people who were constantly oppressed by the nations and who were about to attack the nations and take the Promised Land, this prophecy must have been very counter cultural for David’s day.
Now that Jesus the Messiah has come and inaugurated God’s kingdom, He has given the Church power and authority to bring about His reign. As we live out the kingdom values by announcing the Good News in word and deed to those who are needy and afflicted, God continues to redeem both the poor in spirit and the poor in the body. As sons and daughters of God we get to be part of God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven, both through our involvement in a local church, our families, and where God has placed us in the world. Take a moment to pray the Lord’s Prayer before you start your day! May His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, Amen.
Numbers 24
24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him 3 and he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5 “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
“Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.
8 “God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
and break their bones in pieces;
with their arrows they pierce them.
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
like a lioness —who dares to rouse them?
“May those who bless you be blessed
and those who curse you be cursed!”
10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.” 12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord —and I must say only what the Lord says’? 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
Reflections: Again today Balaam delivers four more times in accordance with what the Lord tells him to prophesy. As he does this, he begins to feel God’s pleasure and it makes him more and more want to turn away from his old way of divination. As Balaam turned his face toward the wilderness, God’s Spirit continued to guide him to deliver the message as much as Balak abhorred what he was saying. Balak thought he could use his power and authority to steer Balaam to do whatever he wanted, but Balaam was now under different management.
Importantly Balaam declares I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord, and I must only say what the Lord says. This is a great lesson for anyone who would bring the word of the Lord. When God gives us a message we must not go beyond His command. That is why it is so important that any message not go beyond the authority we have been given in the bible. While there may be specific message for specific people for specific times, they must never go beyond the clear commands of the Holy Scriptures.
Mark 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Reflections: This is Mark’s version of the Great Commission (see Matthew 28). As I mentioned yesterday, verses 9-20 are sometimes questioned as to whether they were a part of the original manuscripts of Mark’s gospel, but nonetheless concur with other writings of what happened in the Church after Jesus’ resurrection. Importantly, although the disciples were slow to believe, as has been the case throughout Mark’s gospel, once they started their ministry it was confirmed by their preaching and the signs that accompanied their preaching.
We also have an important theological point where in verse 16 Jesus states, “Whoever is believed and is baptized will be saved.” This is where we get the Reformation term “Word and Sacrament”. We preach the gospel, the “audible Word of God”, and we baptize with water the “visible Word” of God. Baptism becomes another sign and public proclamation of faith in Jesus Christ. The water represents new birth through the Word and through the power of the Holy Spirit, which brings someone to saving faith by God’s grace. Although it is by faith alone through grace alone that we are saved based on the Word alone, Jesus commands us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as a physical tangible sign of that salvation coming in His name!
Prayer: God as we continue to allow You to be the Lord of our lives, we thank you for the precious gift of faith, which you have given us by the power of the Holy Spirit, as we have received your Word and become Your children. Help us to live in that same power and authority as we bring Your kingdom to come on earth as it is in
New International Version (NIV)
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16 May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Reflections: We hear the phrase “famous last words” often, and we see here King David’s famous last words as he is giving over the throne as the King of Israel to Solomon. These words contain quite a bit of vision relating to the Messiah, the ultimate King of kings. Not only will the nation of Israel be blessed, but all nations would be blessed through him. For a people who were constantly oppressed by the nations and who were about to attack the nations and take the Promised Land, this prophecy must have been very counter cultural for David’s day.
Now that Jesus the Messiah has come and inaugurated God’s kingdom, He has given the Church power and authority to bring about His reign. As we live out the kingdom values by announcing the Good News in word and deed to those who are needy and afflicted, God continues to redeem both the poor in spirit and the poor in the body. As sons and daughters of God we get to be part of God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven, both through our involvement in a local church, our families, and where God has placed us in the world. Take a moment to pray the Lord’s Prayer before you start your day! May His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, Amen.
Numbers 24
24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him 3 and he spoke his message:
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5 “How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like valleys they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
“Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.
8 “God brought them out of Egypt;
they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
and break their bones in pieces;
with their arrows they pierce them.
9 Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
like a lioness —who dares to rouse them?
“May those who bless you be blessed
and those who curse you be cursed!”
10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.” 12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord —and I must say only what the Lord says’? 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”
Reflections: Again today Balaam delivers four more times in accordance with what the Lord tells him to prophesy. As he does this, he begins to feel God’s pleasure and it makes him more and more want to turn away from his old way of divination. As Balaam turned his face toward the wilderness, God’s Spirit continued to guide him to deliver the message as much as Balak abhorred what he was saying. Balak thought he could use his power and authority to steer Balaam to do whatever he wanted, but Balaam was now under different management.
Importantly Balaam declares I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord, and I must only say what the Lord says. This is a great lesson for anyone who would bring the word of the Lord. When God gives us a message we must not go beyond His command. That is why it is so important that any message not go beyond the authority we have been given in the bible. While there may be specific message for specific people for specific times, they must never go beyond the clear commands of the Holy Scriptures.
Mark 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Reflections: This is Mark’s version of the Great Commission (see Matthew 28). As I mentioned yesterday, verses 9-20 are sometimes questioned as to whether they were a part of the original manuscripts of Mark’s gospel, but nonetheless concur with other writings of what happened in the Church after Jesus’ resurrection. Importantly, although the disciples were slow to believe, as has been the case throughout Mark’s gospel, once they started their ministry it was confirmed by their preaching and the signs that accompanied their preaching.
We also have an important theological point where in verse 16 Jesus states, “Whoever is believed and is baptized will be saved.” This is where we get the Reformation term “Word and Sacrament”. We preach the gospel, the “audible Word of God”, and we baptize with water the “visible Word” of God. Baptism becomes another sign and public proclamation of faith in Jesus Christ. The water represents new birth through the Word and through the power of the Holy Spirit, which brings someone to saving faith by God’s grace. Although it is by faith alone through grace alone that we are saved based on the Word alone, Jesus commands us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as a physical tangible sign of that salvation coming in His name!
Prayer: God as we continue to allow You to be the Lord of our lives, we thank you for the precious gift of faith, which you have given us by the power of the Holy Spirit, as we have received your Word and become Your children. Help us to live in that same power and authority as we bring Your kingdom to come on earth as it is in
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