How God rolls

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Devotions: Ps 94, 97, 99; 1 Sam 6:1-16; Acts 5:27-42; Lk 21:37-22:13

YHWH, God of vengeance, shine forth! Render just consequences to the proud. Put an end to the predations of the arrogant, who slander You, saying ‘YHWH can’t see; Israel’s God cannot perceive.’ They are fools: surely the One Who created eyes and ears can see and hear! God is the Judge of all nations, and the Teacher of any who will learn. Blessed are they whom God chastens. YHWH does not forsake His people. When I have thought I was slipping, God’s steadfast love has sustained me; when I’m burdened with care, God has consoled me. YHWH is my Rock, my Strong Refuge! And He will wipe out my wicked enemies. How awesome and holy is my God! All the creation proclaims His righteousness; all peoples acknowledge His glory. The Lord loves those who hate evil; let us rejoice in His light and thank His holy name! Holy is the Might One, Judge of all creation. Moses and Aaron were His priests, as was Samuel. Let us extol YHWH our God, for He Is holy.

YHWH’s ark remained in Philistine hands for seven months, but the people who held it were sorely afflicted. They called for priests and diviners and asked, 'What shall we do with the ark of YHWH? How can we send it away?’ The priests and diviners advised: ‘Send with it a guilt offering; then you will have both healing and clarity about why you are now being afflicted.’ The seers advised sending golden replicas—five gold mice and five gold tumors: five for the five Philistine lords, and tumors and mice to acknowledge the plagues YHWH sent upon them while they held His ark. They further suggested: prepare a new cart and two dairy cows never yoked. Yoke the cows to the cart and take away their calves. Put YHWH’s ark in the cart, next to a box containing the five gold mice and five gold tumors and send the cart on its way. If the cart goes back where it came from, to Beth Shemesh, it is truly He Who has afflicted us. If not, we’ll know all this is the product of chance, not a curse from the Israelite God. So the men did as their seers advised, and the cows headed straight for Beth Shemesh, lowing all the way. The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping wheat when the ark appeared. They received it with rejoicing. They split up the wooden cart, and offered the cattle as a burnt offering to YHWH. The Levites took charge of the ark of God and the box of golden figures, and the Philistines returned to Ekron.

The Jewish authorities had Christ’s apostles brought before them again, and the high priest questioned them: ‘We strictly charged you not to teach in this name; yet here you are, filling Jerusalem with your teaching; and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us!’ Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus from death, Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. God has exalted Jesus to His right hand as Leader and Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses to these things, as is the Holy Spirit Whom God has given to those who obey Him.’ This enraged the council, and they wanted to kill the apostles; but one of their wisest legal teachers, Gamaliel, stood up and had the Christians removed from the council. Then he said to the Jewish leaders, ‘Men of Israel, take care! In earlier times, Theudas arose, claiming godly status; about four hundred initially followed him; but when he was slain, his followers dispersed, and it all came to nothing. Then Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census—again, he drew followers, but when he fell, they dispersed. So in this present case, I tell you: keep away from these men and leave them alone. If this plan is human, it will fail and come to nothing. But if it is of God, you will not overthrow them—you might even end up on the wrong side, opposing God!’ The council took Gamaliel’s advice; they had the apostles flogged, again ordered them not to speak in Jesus’ name, and let them go. The apostles left the council rejoicing that they were found worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name. And they continued daily in the temple and in their homes, teaching and preaching Jesus as the Messiah.

Each day, Jesus would teach in the temple, then go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives; and at dawn, the people would gather again to hear Him teach at the temple. As the feast of Unleavened Bread approached, the Jewish leaders were plotting how to put Jesus to death, though they feared the people. Satan entered into Judas Iscariot; he sneaked away and conspired with the chief priests and temple officers about how Judas might betray Jesus to them away from the crowds. The Jewish leaders were pleased, and gave Judas money for his part. When Pesach arrived, and it was time for the lamb to be sacrificed, Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the meal. He described how they would meet a man carrying a jar of water as they entered the city; they were to follow this man to a house, then to tell the householder, ‘The Teacher says: where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples.’ The man would then show them a large upper room furnished for the seder; they would prepare the meal there. Peter and John did as Jesus instructed, and prepared the meal.