Psalm: 39 Meditation Luke: John the Baptist was a Levite, Jesus of the tribe of Judah. Isaiah in chapter 40 prophesies John’s coming. By the time John arrives on the scene, there had been no prophet in the land – numerous false messiahs but, alas, no prophets. John had received the gift of the Holy …
Tag: Prophet
Tuesday, July 6
Psalms: 82, 84 Meditation Numbers: We are now introduced to a new face – Balaam, apparently a “world famous” prophet. Balak, king of Moab, sought out Balaam to curse Israel for a hefty price. Balak and the Moabites were terrified of Israel. The Moabites were distant relatives of the Hebrews through Abraham’s nephew Lot. Balaam …
Monday, February 8
Monday, February 8 Psalm 80 Meditation: John – Why can a prophet not come from Galilee? The Pharisees say that it is impossible out of a need to dismiss Jesus, but also as evidence to Nicodemus. Galilee was a mixed-race region of Israel, and the people were not very anxious to follow the letter of …
Tuesday, January 12
Psalm 6 Meditation: John – In this passage, John the Baptist tells the priests and Levites that he is not the Messiah but the one preparing the way for him. They even ask if John is Elijah or a Prophet. John had his own position. He is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. John recognizes his …
Sunday, December 6
Psalm: 113, 115 Meditation Luke: John (the Baptist) was born to a Levitical family – his father Zechariah was among those serving in the Temple. Zechariah would closely adhere to the Law thus when John was 8 days old, he was thus circumcised. That was the day the child would be named. John’s name was …
Sunday, October 18
Psalm: 114 Meditation Jeremiah: Jeremiah is commissioned to tell the exiles just what they don’t want to hear. These people were carried away against their will and now Jeremiah is telling hem to settle in and raise new families, build homes and support the enemy king. The LORD tells them: “I know the plans I …
Thursday, October 15
Psalm: 18 Meditation Jeremiah: I don’t know what “prophet of the LORD” meant to the people of Jeremiah’s day – probably no more than we do of a favorite or not-so-favorite preacher. The thing is Jeremiah was much more than ordinary. He, for his day, was a mouthpiece for God yet they threw him into …
Wednesday, September 16
Psalms: 72 Meditation 1 Kings: The thing to remember is that at that time the “prophet” may or may not have been appointed by God but rather by the king as in this case. The irony is that prophesies are so unspecific as to be reinterpreted more favorably when the event is past. “Go… for …
Friday, September 11
Psalms: 54 Meditation Matthew: John the Baptist made no attempt at popularity. Like any prophet worth his salt, John was no fashion-plate either, proclaiming “Repent” – the only thing missing from this caricature was the sandwich board reading: “The end is near.” He was fearless confronting king, Pharisee and priest alike warning even them that …
Thursday, September 10
Psalm: 93 Meditation 1 Kings: Obadiah, chamberlain to King Ahab, was as is name suggests (a devout believer in the LORD) commissioned by Ahab to search high and low throughout the land for Elijah. Elijah, apparently, had developed a knack of disappearing (or of being snatched away at will) when he was most wanted. Obadiah …
