Through the Bible in one year - Day 32

•           Psalms 31:24

Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the Lord!

•           Genesis 28:10-22

Here we have a turning point in Jacob’s life. Up until this point I would say he has been doing the things his parents said and even scheming a bit on his own against his brother, but now we see him recognizing the Lord in his presence and vows to go with God – if God goes with him. He makes a rather long vow here with a lot of qualifiers if we are honest, but still I see this as a change in his behavior.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you." (Verses 20-22)

•           2 Chronicles 5

Now, if you have been reading along in 2 Chronicles, you will have noticed that Solomon has been building the temple and fitting it out with all the necessary accoutrements and now today we come to the point at which the Ark is brought to the temple. I am sure it is not lost on you that in this case when the Ark is moved it is done with the proper decorum and given the reverence it deserves – and by the Levites. No clumsy dropping and knocking it about this time!

And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to their divisions, and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,

"For he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever,"

the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. (Verses 11-14)

 

•           Luke 22:1-46

Just yesterday Jesus was talking about the destruction of this very temple...and the rebuilding of it, or so the listeners thought, and here today we have Jesus is betrayed by Judas even while he prays on the Mount of Olives. This Gospel has been building up to this and no wonder our Psalmist today says to be strong and take heart.

 

Today’s readings: Psalm 31, Genesis 28:10-22, 2 Chronicles 5, Luke 22:1-46