Thoughts on the readings for May 13th (Deuteronomy 30, Isaiah 2, Acts 28)

Deuteronomy 30 verses 1-10 deal with repentance and forgiveness and turn to their Father in covenant love. Moses calls on the nation to focus on the blessings and cursings of chapters 27 and 28. Israel were to be thankful when they experienced the graciousness of their Sovereign as verse 9 speaks. Naturally they would reflect when they felt the judgements occasioned by their failure to faithfully respond to their God's commands. But even when the nation found themselves in exile their compassionate Father would forgive His erring, but repentant, children. The righteous are reassured in verse 10 that Yahweh will delight in those who turn to Him and His covenant love. Verses 11-20 describe the need for the Israelites to choose life and not death. God's Word is of vital importance to us. If we choose to faithfully follow our Sovereign then the certainty of our future will be to live eternally in the kingdom of the Son of God. Failure to follow in the ways of God will ensure our doom and make certain that we don't have a future. In verses 13-15 they are reprimanded for thinking that it was a laborious matter that the LORD asks of His people. What He asks of us is to accept the salvation that He has brought through His Son. It is our responsibility to believe and trust in our Omnipotent Creator. Ponder the words of Romans 10 verses 1-17. We cannot save ourselves. Nor can humanity produce a saviour for themselves. God has done what was humanly impossible and He lovingly asks us to humbly accept His gracious offer and belong to Him. This is outlined in Ephesians 1 verses 18 and 2verse 10. Slowly read aloud Deuteronomy 30 verses 19-20 and reflect upon the meaning for you. Isaiah 2 deals with the great earthquake that will usher in Christ's kingdom. Zechariah 14 describes in detail the events that will see the King brought to his throne and the thousand years of peace and worship that this age brings. Verses 1-5 are almost identical to those found in Micah 4 verses 1-5. People ask which of the prophets is quoting from the other. Because of what Jeremiah declares in chapter 16:18 where Micah 3 verse 12 is cited, which suggests that Isaiah may well be quoting from Micah. These words also tell us that Isaiah chapter 2 has been placed at the beginning of the book because of its glorious vision even though it belongs chronologically to the days of king Hezekiah and is therefore belonging to the final days of the prophetic book. The prophecy starting chapter 2 belongs to the age that is soon to come - the last days. Yahweh's house, His Temple will be built in Jerusalem and will be the worldwide centre of worship to which all nations will go. The metaphor is of a river flowing unnaturally uphill as the laws that will proceed from that city will be divine and not as now exists. Jeremiah speaks of this time in chapter 3:16-17. Peace will be the way of the LORD, not the perpetual warfare which characterises today's world. The words of verse 4 are on a monument outside of the UN building and ironically that sculpture depicting this scene was donated to the UN by the Russians, who today wage constant war against Ukraine. Thankfully in the near future our Lord Jesus Christ will bring the sorrow and suffering of the present to an end. Verse 5 contrasts the aimless worship of this age with that soon to come. Verses 6-9 describe the idolatry of the nation of Judah for which the promised judgment was to come. Verses 10-21 describe that judgment termed "the day of the LORD" - a following this theme throughout the Bible will prove very instructive. It will be a day in which every self centred pursuit will be seen as futile and destructive as they truly are. It will be a time of humbling of all the proud. That day will establish that the only worthwhile pursuits in life find their focus in our Sovereign. Yahweh's omnipotence will be seen and acknowledged. One of the ways that this will be accomplished will be through the mighty earthquake that the entire world will feel and tremble before. The final words of advice for each of us is told in the last two verses. It says to forget feeble man, whose life can be extinguished by stopping his final breath. Rather let us turn to our Creator who put that breath into us when He created us - Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 3 verses 19-20 - and Verse 22 is an authoritative command from our Maker, our Almighty Sovereign. He can end our life at any time He chooses. He also can cause that life to thrive in us eternally. Acts 28 tells of the entire company of the ship arriving safely on Malta at a place today known as St Paul's Bay. Here the ship's company will remain over winter until Paul journeys to Rome. The night of their arrival is cold and wet. A fire is kindled to dry them and to provide warmth. As Paul assists with the gathering of wood for the fire a venomous viper comes out from the fire and sinks its fangs into Paul's hand. The superstitious locals think Paul must have been a murderer who having escaped the vengeance of the sea is now being punished by God. Paul shakes the snake into the fire. The locals watch Paul waiting for him to convulse, swell up and die an agonising death - none of these things happen. So they change their minds into thinking that he must be a god. Paul now is lodged for three days with the chief man of the island named Publius. Publius' father is sick with dysentery; but is miraculously healed by the Apostle. After leaving Malta three months later Paul takes a ship to the mainland where the journey to Rome continues. Along the journey Paul is given the privileges not normally given to a prisoner. The Apostle stops and meets several groups of believers on his journey to Rome. In Rome he calls together the local Jewish leaders and explains why he is in Rome. These Jewish leaders had received no information from any other Jews concerning Paul. After discussing his case it is thought that he might be set at liberty. The Apostle says that he was left with no alternative than to put his case before Caesar when the Judean Jews objected to his being released. The Roman Jews reveal that they have heard that the Christian sect is everywhere spoken against. A large gathering of Jews comes to Paul's place of residence at an appointed time. The aged Apostle tells them from morning to evening the message of the prophets. Paul concludes his address with the words of Isaiah 6 in chapter 6 which prophesied Jewish opposition to the Gospel message. The great Apostle claims that the Gentiles will favourably respond to the teaching of Christ. The book of Acts commenced in chapter 1:8 with the need for the gospel to be taken "to the uttermost parts of the earth" and concluded with that task being completed: see Jesus great commission to the Apostles in Mark 16:15-16. And also after Paul's miraculous preservation after having been bitten by a venomous viper recorded in Acts 28 verses3:5 compare with Mark 16:17-18. Two years expire and as no case is brought against Paul he is released to continue his preaching. All of these things occur before the fire in Rome and the intense persecution which came upon believers by the Emperor Nero from that time onwards. The 31st verses of Acts 28 is an epitome of the entire book: "Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." Penned by Warwick Rosser and his team, produced by Christadelphianvideo.org See more Thoughts from the Christadelphian Dialy Bible Reading Planner (By R.Roberts) here... https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-readings-for-may-13th-deuteronomy-30-isaiah-2-acts-28/?feed_id=91814&_unique_id=6821a0cb895d8