Using Young's Literal Translation Bible Readings 365 for serious Bible students
Temporada 1
por Sally Ann Jackson
How terrible that there will be a time when "brother will deliver up brother to death and father child and children shall rise up against parents and shall put them to death". When I think of my family and their love for one another, I cannot imagine such a change of heart to hatred and cruelty which might come in the place of love. Jesus says, the one who endures to the end shall be saved and not to be afraid of those who can kill the body but not the soul, but rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in gehenna. We are saved from judgement leading to death of the soul, the first death, by our putting our faith in Jesus but there is also a judgement which is made according to how we have lived our lives. For followers of Christ, it is a judgement for rewards according to what we have said and done: rewards which are given for the time when Jesus returns to the earth and gathers his own to him that they might rule and reign with him for a thousand years in the restoration that will bring the world and all that is in it into the order God established in the beginning, when he looked on all that he had made and it was very good. Over these the second death has no power. To the one who was given ten talents and makes ten more, Jesus says, that one will rule over 10 cities. What we do with our lives matters. By our obedience to do as Jesus commands and by holding fast to Jesus, we will be judged. "Every one therefore who shall confess in me before men, I also will confess in him before my father who is in the heavens, and whoever shall deny me before men, I also will deny him before my Father who is in the heavens." Why are we so resistant to the knowledge that we will be rewarded? 'I didn't live and work to the praise of God in order to earn a reward from Him' we say. We think that this is work for a payment not for love. But God rewards because it is right to do so and he punishes because it is right to do so. This is the way of love that we should know that there is a choice, free choice, which we call free will, to walk in the way that God says or to wander to the right and the left of that path.
Did Jacob need to deceive Isaac in order to receive the blessing of his father before he died? When Rebekah said to Isaac that she was disgusted with the daughters of Heth whom Esau had married and that if Jacob did likewise, "what good will my life be to me", Isaac calls Jacob and blessed him and sent him to Padan-Aram to take a wife there from the daughters of Laban, his mother's brother. The blessing he gives him then is a great blessing, greater than the one he gave when deceived. Surely we do not have to scheme and lie and steal in order to receive the blessing that God will give to the righteous. David says God will establish the just, "My shield [is] on God, Saviour of the upright in heart." We are to walk in the way of righteousness and be a blessing to all people. Jacob makes a vow, asking that if God will be with him and provide bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my Lord. How little are our needs in this life! Food and clothing and to be at peace with others. Surely we should simplify our lives to want less!
I have a question about today's reading from Genesis: why did Abraham take another wife after Sarah died? Particularly as one of the sons was Midian whose offspring, the Midianites, later in the history of the Israelites was an enemy to Israel? There is no word from God to tell him to take another wife. This is a decision made 'in the flesh' without asking God. The sons of Isaac and Rebekah are named after characteristics at their birth - Esau is called 'Red' because he 'cometh out all red like a hairy coat' and Jacob 'grabber' because 'his hand is taking hold on Esau's heel.' Life after the death of Sarah appears to have become more worldly. And conflicts arise: between Jacob and Esau, and also a separation between the favour felt by Isaac and Rebekah towards their two sons - 'Isaac loveth Esau for his hunting [is] in his mouth and Rebekah is loving Jacob'. No reason is given for Rebekah's love for Jacob. Isaac and Esau both have such a liking for food that it impacts their emotions and decisions. Isaac loves Esau because of the food he brings from his hunting. In Esau's case, hunger controls his decision to trade his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup. He misjudges weariness for starvation (the Bible says he is 'weary' not even that he is 'hungry'), a colossal failure of knowledge and judgement, and he makes a terrible judgement and decision as a result: 'Lo, I am going to die and what is this to me - birthright?' Beware what controls our decisions! Notice though that Rebekah is different: she knows God and is in relationship with Him, knowing she can ask him to explain what is happening to her: why is there was such a struggle in her womb? God is known to her. In life for Christians there is always God who is willing to help us, to teach us, to show us the right way to go, the right decision to make. I am moved by Isaac being a man of peace. See how Isaac dealt with the conflict over the wells which his servants opened and which the shepherds of Gerar strived over 'The water is ours'. He doesn't fight back or resist but moves on and finally when they dig a well, it isn't fought over. The world he lives in is changing from the time of Abraham. There is now envy and fear of threat felt by the ruler, Abimelech, and his servants, the Philistines, an envy and fear which we see repeated with the children of Israel in Egypt under the new Pharoah who had not known Joseph. After the death of Abraham, the Philistines had filled the wells that he had dug with 'dust'. Abimelech commanded Isaac to 'Go from us, for thou has become much mightier than we'. Isaac's response is to go as commanded, not to seek to argue or reason or negotiate, just to go. God's people are to be a people of peace and a source of blessing to others. God appears to Isaac and tells him not to be afraid for He is with him, "and have blessed thee and have multiplied thy seed, because of Abraham my servant" This appearance is timely for Abimelech comes to see him. Abimelech's later response to the blessing he could see was upon Isaac, was to seek a treaty with him, an oath between them that Isaac would not harm Abimelech or his people. Thus in time, God brings about a peace between them.
It struck me how the truth of the narration given by the servant of Abraham is evident in the repetition which does not vary in its telling each time. I am reminded of the end of the book of Revelation: Chapter 22 verses 18 and 19 where we are warned neither to add to nor to take away from from the words of the book of this prophesy. We can note that Eve adds to the command which God had given not to eat of the tree in the midst of the garden: she adds the words 'nor touch it' before continuing correctly with "lest you die." And in disobeying, she disobeys both commands as she spoke them to be. "She taketh of the fruit and did eat and gave to her husband also with her and he did eat." Satan firstly subtly changes the word of God, thus Satan takes from it: "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of EVERY tree in the garden?", then, following Eve's reply, Satan contradicts the word of God - You shall not surely die - and then adds 'for God knows that in the day you eat thereof then your eyes will be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil". Eve is beguiled by the addition, the interpretation, the explanation for God's command which Satan gives her and so also rejects that God was right in what he said. We not need to a rationale for a command where we have rightful authority to make that command. God gives a consequence if we disobey and we also should do that when we give a command. How important it is that we do what is right with handling the word of God! Teachers will be held to greater account. When we comment on the words of Scripture, we do well to keep to the text and not to add to it what is not there nor to take away what is there. Many translations both take away and add to the words in the original languages without pointing out where this is happening. This is why I choose to read a literal translation even though I must work harder to understand it. No words are left out nor are any added that are not clearly indicated as added - in my edition by brackets - and these are only added where they are needed in English to make grammatical sense.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 Many times I hear a thought, a prompting in my head to do something and almost immediately I find myself giving myself a good reason why that is not necessary, only to find out later why it was necessary. I am learning to obey the prompting and to do so promptly so that it doesn't get lost in the busy-ness of everyday life.
Jesus says of the Centurion, a Roman commander, "Not even in Israel so great faith have I found". The Centurion has an understanding of Jesus's authority which is, as his own is, both being under authority and having authority of his own given to him by that higher authority: so that when Jesus speaks the word, it must be obeyed. "But only say the word and my servant shall be healed" Jesus responds: " Go, and as thou didst believe, let it be to thee". The leper knows that if Jesus is willing to, he is able to cleanse him. Jesus is always willing. He says, "I will". meaning, I choose to do this good thing, this healing. Thus he heals the man of this terrible illness and the rejection of society because of it. Jesus having come into the house of Peter, sees Peter's mother-in-law in bed with fever, and he touches her and and the fever left her. "She arose and was ministering to them". There is a restoration of order, of each healed person being able to continue in the place where they will once more be included and able to work and serve. Ask and you shall receive. Zechariah prophesies: "Behold, your King comes to you! He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, on the colt, the foal of a donkey." [Zechariah 9-9]
God appears to Abraham in person, three persons appear before him and he greets them with such honour, gracious hospitality and humility. Do we honour our God in such a way? His negotiation with God as an advocate for the people of Sodom is likewise an example to us. Is our heart to pray for them, to plead for them, even when their wickedness is so great? That they may be saved from the judgement that the Lord of all the earth will carry out: for it is given for all human beings to live once and then to face judgement.
I am pleased that Young's Literal Translation translates the word usually translated as "angel", with the word "messenger", because so much art and therefore people's understanding is that an angel is a being looking human but having wings. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that an angel has wings. The cherubim have wings which cover the ark of God in the tabernacle, and Isaiah sees in a vision seraphims above the throne of God who have six wings, but the angels sent by God to bring a message from God to a particular individual human being may have extraordinary brightness or beauty but they do not have wings. Hagar replies to the angel messenger as one would speak to another human being. She is not overcome by fear or awe or guilt in the messenger's presence. She listens and obeys. The conversation between God and Abram is also marvellously natural and straightforward. Abram asks God as one would another person but one with power and authority, how he can be blessed when his heir will be a servant in his household, Demmesek Eliezer. God replies that this servant will not be his heir but one from his own body and takes him outside the tent where he must have been in the vision to count the stars and says "Thus is your seed." "Abram believeth in Jehovah and He reckoneth it to him - righteousness." The possibility of having one child would have been hard enough to believe, but Abram believes the even greater wonder, that his seed will be as numerous as the stars, too many to count! Believing that what God says is true is the meaning of the word "faith" and without it, it is impossible to please God, because we have to believe that he is in order to come to him. This is true and worthy to be received by us as true. When we believe God, we have turned to him and a relationship is born.
Note the way in which Abram deals with the warring which has broken out between the keepers of his cattle and those of Lot because there is not enough land for both these herds which are very large! He graciously pleads not to war with Lot because they are men - brethren. He courteously offers Lot the choice of the land before them, even though Abram is the elder and would therefore have the right to choose first. He asks with a manner of peace, desiring peace, "Is not all the land before thee? Be parted, I pray thee, from me". Both parties have to desire peace to make peace. Here Abram desires to have peace and puts forth a proposal which will make for peace with Lot because the offer is generous and open. What we might learn in areas of conflict to find a resolution that would meet the needs or wants of both parties! There is also conflict in Chapter 14. Lot is taken prisoner and Abram is told. He gathers his trained servants and pursues the conquering army and attacks at night, rescuing Lot and all the substance which had been taken with him from the city of Sodom where he had been living. The evidence of Abram's desire for peace with Lot is his continuing commitment to him and his wellbeing. When peace is made between peoples and nations it is usual that the enmity continues. But if we had an attitude of following through the peace with helping the ones who have been at enmity with us, the peace might be true and lasting. Jesus says, when you are struck on the left cheek, turn the right cheek also. Meaning that resisting or fighting back causes an escalation of violence - our attitude must be peace at all costs to ourselves that the blessings of peace should continue. How important it is also, that having had success in restoring rightful order, and peace, we should not be proud and triumphalist. Melchizedek, the King of Salem [peace], comes before the King of Sodom, to meet Abram and reminds him that God is his help in times of trouble. Thus Abram is prepared by this intervention to meet the King of Sodom and not to receive anything from his hand that might suggest that it was man and not God who is the source of blessing.
Jehovah speaks to Abram to leave the land, Charan, and his kindred and the house of his father and to go where Jehovah shows him and Abram obeys. When Abram passes over the land and comes to Shechem, to the oak of Mamre and the Canaanite is then in the land, Jehovah appears to him. This is the first instance of God appearing to a person on the earth since he walked in the garden of Eden with the one 'of the earth'. This I see as a relationship of increasing closeness. But Abram does not trust Jehovah to keep him safe in Egypt. Fear is the maker of division between us and our God. Perfect love casts out all fear so we have to learn to love God, to know God, more and more so that there is no place for fear in our lives and we will not make wrong decisions because of fear. Instead we will ask God and listen to God for what we should do. I had a conversation with God once about insuring a large building that I had taken on at his instruction. I asked God if I should insure the building. He asked me what I wanted to do. I replied, "To trust you, Lord" and God said, "I want that too." Then I panicked a little and started to envisage all the problems which could come against this building, "But Lord, what of all the things that could happen?" and I heard God say, "What is that to you. You are to trust me." I recently worried on a long journey about snow preventing me from getting back to my home and God had prompted me to stop at a place to stay but I decided to press on to get home in case I got held up in that place by further snow. I missed an opportunity to visit people in that place who God put in my heart to visit and the next day there was no further snow, despite the weather warnings the night before. In fact the temperature rose considerably that day. My journey the night before, after I made my decision, was very slow and difficult with driving snow and very poor visibility and the lines on the motorway hidden by snow so what I experienced was a worrying, slow and tiring end to my journey. I also was pained by a great regret that I had not made the visit that God wanted me to make and I also wanted, especially for reasons of reconciliation, to make.