More Wine Please Jesus!!
Psalm 108:6-13
6 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
7 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
12 Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
13 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
Reflections: David’s Psalm begins with praise and ends with prayer. This is the rhythm of our conversation with God. We begin by praising God and putting Him in the proper perspective with all of Creation, and then we call on Him to deliver us from our enemies so that we can make known His power and glory. David recognizes that if the army goes out without Him, they have no assurance of victory and will probably fail. David concludes, “human help is worthless”.
As we fight our enemy, we must decide on this same thing: with God’s help we can do anything, and without it our own power is worthless. This humble admission of God’s power and sovereignty, and our need to solely rely on Him is a great place to start each day. Some people go through the alphabet and each day praising God for who He is and how by trusting in Him we find true security. We could begin with the “a’s” and say God is “awesome”, “all powerful”, and “all knowing”. By putting God in the right perspective it gives us the right perspective for everything that will come our way today! The word “worship” comes from the old English word, “Worth-ship”. Give God credit for who He has been, who He is, and who He will always be; by praising His name and basking in His glory before you try to do anything for Him!
1 Samuel 14:1-40
14 1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. 4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 8 Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Israel Routs the Philistines 15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.16 Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17 Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there. 18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.) 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. 21 Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. 23 So on that day the Lord saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.
Jonathan Eats Honey
24 Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food. 25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.[c] 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.” 29 Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?” 31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. 33 Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood in it.” “You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.’” So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this. 36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.” “Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.” 37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day. 38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word. 40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.” “Do what seems best to you,” they replied.
Reflection: Today we meet Jonathan, the son of Saul. We see the great military success solely with his armor bearer. As we read between the lines, we see why Jonathan was successful, as the Lord was with him and threw the Philistines into a panic. This also caused his father’s army to be prosperous as well. First, we see he went with Ahijah the priest, who was wearing an ephod, a symbol of God’s presence and provision. Without him, Jonathan knew he was doomed. Second, he makes it clear to the armor bearer that they needed the Lord’s presence, and the armor bearer gives him his confidence and trust to go with him. As we step out in faith in a bold adventure such as this, it is always good to have one brother or sister that goes with us in full trust relying on the Lord.
Then, we see Jonathan trusting in the Providence of God and says if the Philistines say, “Come up to us” surely we know God has delivered them into our hands. So not only is Jonathan acting in faith and upon the divine impulse within him to go, but He leaves room for God to confirm this action through this sign of confirmation. If the Philistines had said something else, one would be led to believe that Jonathan would have retreated. As it turns out there is great success for Jonathan, while Saul is curiously absent. Saul is then entreated into battle by Jonathan’s bold and daring faith. Meanwhile Saul is being harsh with the men, not allowing them to eat and Jonathan disobeys by eating honey to strengthen him. We will learn more tomorrow about this developing dynamic between Saul and his son.
The question for us is how do we move out, when we feel God prompting us to take back some territory of His kingdom? Who do we trust to go out with, and how do we inquire of the Lord, and then act when we receive confirmation? Jonathan’s active, daring, and bold faith inspires us to listen to God’s voice as we are reasonably assured of confirmation through God, and a few others to step out in faith with us!
John 2:1-11
Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Reflection: One of the unique aspects of John’s gospel is his use of the “signs” to describe how Jesus revealed His glory and that He was part of the “Godhead”. The first sign, which John uses instead of the synoptic use of “miracles”, was Jesus at a wedding in Cana in Galilee. This was a fairly remote part of the country, where Jesus chooses to begin to reveal His being sent from the Father. We also see that besides his mother, who we learn quite a bit about in this story, the first five disciples are there too. Maybe because Jesus, his mom and friends represented seven more guests, the groom had run out of wine and Jesus’ mom lets him know about it. (no mom jokes please!)
Though Jesus gently rebukes his mom, the mom instructs the servants to take water out of the ceremonial jars used for religious cleansing. As the water is filled with wine, Jesus saves the groom from embarrassment, and also metaphorically begins to reveal that He is the true wine from heaven. Through the Sacrament of Communion, which He will later institute, He will show us the true cleansing/washing will come through His blood shed on the cross. As John the Baptist intimated when he saw Jesus, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” We also see that Jesus is well aware of people, including his own mom, who might try and tempt him to use His power before its time. Notice this is the same strategy the tempter used in the desert with the Son of God. Jesus wasn’t biting then, and not now either. We will see many signs that will point to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, but they will be in God’s timing and on God’s terms not human beings.
This illustration also signifies the sacredness with which Jesus views marriage, and later He will liken himself as the bridegroom, and the “Church”, as the bride of Christ. Marriage is sacred not only as literally a man and woman become one in God’s eyes, but we also see the sacred vow between Jesus and the Church, which he loved and gave himself up for. Take a moment today if you are married to reflect on the sacred nature of your spouse, and the words you said to them on the day you become one in God’s eyes!
The Lord is my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. 2 Samuel 22:3
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Ephesians 6:10
Strength and righteousness flow from your throne, O God! Salvation and power abound in your presence. We are weak and frail apart from you. Be ever near us as we travel the perilous road of life. In the knowledge of your saving grace and the stronghold of your steadfast love let us live forever, O Christ. Amen.
6 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
7 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
12 Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
13 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
Reflections: David’s Psalm begins with praise and ends with prayer. This is the rhythm of our conversation with God. We begin by praising God and putting Him in the proper perspective with all of Creation, and then we call on Him to deliver us from our enemies so that we can make known His power and glory. David recognizes that if the army goes out without Him, they have no assurance of victory and will probably fail. David concludes, “human help is worthless”.
As we fight our enemy, we must decide on this same thing: with God’s help we can do anything, and without it our own power is worthless. This humble admission of God’s power and sovereignty, and our need to solely rely on Him is a great place to start each day. Some people go through the alphabet and each day praising God for who He is and how by trusting in Him we find true security. We could begin with the “a’s” and say God is “awesome”, “all powerful”, and “all knowing”. By putting God in the right perspective it gives us the right perspective for everything that will come our way today! The word “worship” comes from the old English word, “Worth-ship”. Give God credit for who He has been, who He is, and who He will always be; by praising His name and basking in His glory before you try to do anything for Him!
1 Samuel 14:1-40
14 1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. 4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 8 Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Israel Routs the Philistines 15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.16 Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17 Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there. 18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.) 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. 21 Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. 23 So on that day the Lord saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.
Jonathan Eats Honey
24 Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food. 25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.[c] 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.” 29 Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?” 31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. 33 Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood in it.” “You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.’” So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this. 36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.” “Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.” 37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day. 38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word. 40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.” “Do what seems best to you,” they replied.
Reflection: Today we meet Jonathan, the son of Saul. We see the great military success solely with his armor bearer. As we read between the lines, we see why Jonathan was successful, as the Lord was with him and threw the Philistines into a panic. This also caused his father’s army to be prosperous as well. First, we see he went with Ahijah the priest, who was wearing an ephod, a symbol of God’s presence and provision. Without him, Jonathan knew he was doomed. Second, he makes it clear to the armor bearer that they needed the Lord’s presence, and the armor bearer gives him his confidence and trust to go with him. As we step out in faith in a bold adventure such as this, it is always good to have one brother or sister that goes with us in full trust relying on the Lord.
Then, we see Jonathan trusting in the Providence of God and says if the Philistines say, “Come up to us” surely we know God has delivered them into our hands. So not only is Jonathan acting in faith and upon the divine impulse within him to go, but He leaves room for God to confirm this action through this sign of confirmation. If the Philistines had said something else, one would be led to believe that Jonathan would have retreated. As it turns out there is great success for Jonathan, while Saul is curiously absent. Saul is then entreated into battle by Jonathan’s bold and daring faith. Meanwhile Saul is being harsh with the men, not allowing them to eat and Jonathan disobeys by eating honey to strengthen him. We will learn more tomorrow about this developing dynamic between Saul and his son.
The question for us is how do we move out, when we feel God prompting us to take back some territory of His kingdom? Who do we trust to go out with, and how do we inquire of the Lord, and then act when we receive confirmation? Jonathan’s active, daring, and bold faith inspires us to listen to God’s voice as we are reasonably assured of confirmation through God, and a few others to step out in faith with us!
John 2:1-11
Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Reflection: One of the unique aspects of John’s gospel is his use of the “signs” to describe how Jesus revealed His glory and that He was part of the “Godhead”. The first sign, which John uses instead of the synoptic use of “miracles”, was Jesus at a wedding in Cana in Galilee. This was a fairly remote part of the country, where Jesus chooses to begin to reveal His being sent from the Father. We also see that besides his mother, who we learn quite a bit about in this story, the first five disciples are there too. Maybe because Jesus, his mom and friends represented seven more guests, the groom had run out of wine and Jesus’ mom lets him know about it. (no mom jokes please!)
Though Jesus gently rebukes his mom, the mom instructs the servants to take water out of the ceremonial jars used for religious cleansing. As the water is filled with wine, Jesus saves the groom from embarrassment, and also metaphorically begins to reveal that He is the true wine from heaven. Through the Sacrament of Communion, which He will later institute, He will show us the true cleansing/washing will come through His blood shed on the cross. As John the Baptist intimated when he saw Jesus, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” We also see that Jesus is well aware of people, including his own mom, who might try and tempt him to use His power before its time. Notice this is the same strategy the tempter used in the desert with the Son of God. Jesus wasn’t biting then, and not now either. We will see many signs that will point to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, but they will be in God’s timing and on God’s terms not human beings.
This illustration also signifies the sacredness with which Jesus views marriage, and later He will liken himself as the bridegroom, and the “Church”, as the bride of Christ. Marriage is sacred not only as literally a man and woman become one in God’s eyes, but we also see the sacred vow between Jesus and the Church, which he loved and gave himself up for. Take a moment today if you are married to reflect on the sacred nature of your spouse, and the words you said to them on the day you become one in God’s eyes!
The Lord is my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. 2 Samuel 22:3
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Ephesians 6:10
Strength and righteousness flow from your throne, O God! Salvation and power abound in your presence. We are weak and frail apart from you. Be ever near us as we travel the perilous road of life. In the knowledge of your saving grace and the stronghold of your steadfast love let us live forever, O Christ. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment