God’s Mercy
Daily Scripture readings for January, set #7:
- Ezra 9
- Proverbs 7
- Luke 15:1-10
- 1 Timothy 5:1-16
The context of Ezra 9 is clearly the specific sin of the returning exiles intermarrying with their pagan neighbors. However, it is striking how Ezra’s language in this chapter reflects the gospel in general. I’m thinking of verse 9: “For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love.” And again in verse 15: “Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.”
Again in Proverbs 7 we are warned with strong words and great detail to avoid the forbidden woman. Verses 21-27 make me shudder! “With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life. And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.”
I often hear about salvation as a “corporate” thing for Israel, and theologians of the liberal persuasion will sometimes apply this corporate motif to the new covenant in an attempt to argue for some kind of universalism. Luke 15:10 would seem to refute that notion: “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
21st Century America would view much of what Paul says in the first half of 1 Timothy 5 as quite controversial. For example, verse 14: “So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.” I’m curious if there are any younger women that read these blog posts. If so, how do these verses strike you?
Daily Scripture readings for January, set #8:
- Ezra 10
- Proverbs 8
- Luke 15:11-32
- 1 Timothy 5:17-25
“We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this” (Ez 10:2). This is the God of Jacob, the God of the universe, with an attribute unique to Him: mercy. If you break a commandment of the sovereign of the universe that doesn’t spell the end for you. Rejoice!
“For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her” (Prov 8:11). Think of something that you desire. Having wisdom is better than having that.
Spring-boarding from the comment I made about God’s mercy demonstrated in Ezra 10, I see another demonstration of this mercy in Luke 15. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (vs 20). I’ve never thought about this before, but perhaps the compassion of the father in this parable is the point of the whole story, especially as contrasted with the lack of compassion from the older son. God is in no way obligated to feel compassion toward us. He does this only because compassion is a good thing, and all good things find their route in Him.
I notice tonight that in Paul’s 1 Timothy 5 description of elders who deserve double honor he specifies this in verse 17: “Let the elders WHO RULE WELL be considered worthy.” Eldership itself is not worthy of the honor, but rather the right handling of the office.
(Set #7) Verse 14 says “younger widows”. So that means that they are women, who were married, but then widowed at a younger age, right? Verse 11 says “But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry…” The church would take care of the widowed, correct? So, maybe there was just a growing problem that Paul was noticing with the younger widows being taken care of by the church. Possibly giving the church a bad reputation…I don’t know.
Colleges and universities want students to be successful and to bring a high standing reputation to the face of the school, right? That is why prospective students must enroll/apply to attend the school; the school doesn’t just let anyone in. Maybe Paul want’s Timothy to do the same thing with the widows being taken care of by the church. To have the older widowed woman there to be a godly influence because the younger widows didn’t have the same godly influence/wisdom/devotion; the church would give them aid but they would squander it selfishly…. “refuse to enroll younger widows…”
—-Paul’s Application for being a Widow in the Church—-
Are you at least 60 years of age? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Have you only been married to one man? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Do you demonstrate proper hospitality in bringing up children? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Have you washed the feet of the saints and cared for the afflicted? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Do you devote yourself to every good work? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Do you desire to ever marry again? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Are you a busybody? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Do you often say things you shouldn’t? yes [ ] or no [ ]
Do you have other family members who can properly care for you? yes [ ] or no [ ]
I guess ultimately, these verses don’t strike up any angst in me because he is talking about 60A.D.(?) widows. I’m not a widow nor is it that era when the main purpose for girls was to get married and have kids… though sometimes it seems like the Christian church still sees it that way and looks down on those women who are still single in their 20′s-30′s. There is a lot of pressure out there to get married and have babies especially if you are a “nice Christian girl”- like there’s something wrong with you if you’re in your 20′s or 30′s and still single! Our worth is in Christ, not babies and boys. I literally had one woman ask me if I was still single. I said yes and then she “sympathetically” touched my shoulder and said “don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find someone someday”. Yikes.
The big picture I think Paul is trying to land on in verses 1-16 is that we are called to take care of each other, especially our family and for those who do not have family to do so, the church will help provide. (v.1-2) “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” (v.8) “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (v.16) “If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.”
I am a young woman, I read these blog posts and that’s how the verses strike me. Thanks.
Right on, Kate. Great input. Your last paragraph made me chuckle. But not lol. Just chuckle.