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June 16



Luke 1

We are in the Christ Stream today starting the book of Luke the physician and historian. We are reading from the New American Standard Bible this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Thank you Lord for preparing the way for the Savior.  Thank you for preparing a Savior for us. Thank you for preparing us to be saved. Your ways are perfect.  Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Amen.

 
Luke 1 – Luke’s opener tells of his motivation for writing Luke.  [He later wrote Acts.] Luke is a paragon historian that ranks with the best the world has ever seen.  He researched Jesus and got straight stories from those who were there.  Whereas John says in places, “I saw this….I witnessed this…” we do not see this wording in Luke.  There is no record that Luke ever met our Savior.  My husband, who has three degrees in Bible says he has encountered some n’ere-do-wells who falsely comfort themselves saying,”I only want to read about Jesus; the eyewitness accounts of those who were there.”  Thus they won’t read the Old Testament/Psalms/Prophets. And they won’t even read Paul’s letters.  Well, friends. Moses, Joshua, Paul met with God/The ‘yet-to-be-named’ Jesus personally (Paul met Him on the road to Damascus), whereas Luke never met Jesus —> it isn’t recorded anywhere in literature.  Pardon the side note here. One other reminder: Matthew wrote his account to Jews in Israel – the first copy was in Aramaic. Mark wrote to Jews who were throughout the world -the original was in Hebrew. John wrote to The World (for God so loved the…what did he so love?…The World.)  And Luke wrote to the Greeks; including the Romans in the Greek world who spoke Greek -and therefore it was written in Greek.  Luke was a doctor. So we find him noticeable mentioning Jesus’ body; His hands, His mouth where the other gospels don’t. Luke also talks of the power involved in Jesus’ ministry. The power of the spirit, the power of God, the “power that was present for Him to heal.” The Greeks were very impressed with the concept of power, so Luke presents it clearly.  Though we are spending the next 16 weeks in Luke, perhaps that is enough introductory notes – – –
 

-The chapter today is the preparation for the arrival of the Savior that happens in ch. 2.

Much goes into the drama of John the Baptist arrival and his family.  Father Zechariah/mother Elizabeth were righteous souls who had no child. It’s a very interesting biblical motif that the birth of several vital characters occurs via a barren woman. This is seen in Genesis with the Patriarchs’ wives;. [An amazing ethical theme in action, btw.], Samuel’s mother Hannah also walks out the same story.  Here an angel visits and announces about John the Baptist in a powerful monologue. Zechariah questions the angel and is therefore struck mute during the pregnancy. God isn’t being mean here – He doesn’t appreciate being doubted while making such an historical announcement.  All the same, Elizabeth then becomes pregnant and it is such a blessing for this godly household.
Six months later Thee Angel Gabriel [!!] visits Mary, a virgin teen girl, who is chosen to deliver the Savior. It too is overwhelming. Mary’s question of “how will this be” gets a blessed response. She was just confirming because she’d never been with a man, wasn’t with a man, wasn’t engaged and, uh, how, uh…???”  It’s a valid question that warranted a clear answer. Whereas Zechariah’s question revealed that he was having trouble even believing the angel – and there was punishment for unbelief.  Please make special note of Lu. 1:37; “For nothing is impossible with God.”  Make a poster (or 10) of this verse and put them around your house.  Much of our faith pivots on whether we believe this verse or not!
Mary then goes to Elizabeth and here they are, two mothers pregnant: one with the Savior and the other with the one who will announce the Savior – the joy and faith displayed is marvelous. Mary’s song of worship is what has been labeled “The Magnificat” by ancient Believers. She is truly blessed for being chosen to deliver the Savior.  And this isn’t some “way out there” assignment given to Mary.  We are called to deliver the Savior too. And there is eternal blessing for us who fulfill this assignment with reverence, obedience, resolve, and faithful focus; just like Mary.
Shortly following, John [the Baptist] is born and named, and the countryside was talking –  especially after Zechariah resumed talking!  They all sensed God was up to something.  Zechariah then sings and prophesies and worships thankfully.  Over the next 30 years John would grow; strong in spirit and remain in the desert until his call to preach commenced.  Does anyone wonder what is coming next? It couldn’t be more exciting.
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June 15



Joel 3

We are in the Exile Stream reading from the New American Standard Bible this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord you are coming in clouds of glory. We have read about clouds of locusts and judgment. But we know your real love is us and restoration and being together again as blessings flow like streams down mountainsides just as blessings flow from your house. Lord we are with you and await this day.

Joel’s finale~ –   Two swarmings and followed by calls to repentance have led us to a Pentecost foretelling and then comes chapter 3.  As this phase of history reaches its culmination, God will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel.  The theme being “The Day of the LORD”.  The nations will be gathered in the Valley of Jehoshaphat / later called the Valley of Decision.  You remember the battle being recalled here from II Chronicles 20 when a huge multitude gathered against Jerusalem and commenced to march upon them when they turned on each other – until all were dead.  Judah’s army simply walked through thousands upon thousands of dead enemy soldiers and gathered valuables for three days.  Well, the multitudes are going to gather for judgment on the Day of the Lord as told in Joel 3.  Vast wealth will be returned to Jerusalem and Judah. Slaves will be returned.  It will be a great time of arighting things that have been wrong for a long time.  There is Apocalyptic overtones to Joel 3 that speak of signs that will symbolize End Times, the Lord’s Return, the day of reckoning …
The blessing and bounty and peace on the land of Israel is impressive as described here: wine and milk and fresh water flow in abundance.  The enemies of God’s land and people are laid waste – never to rise against Israel again for the LORD dwells in Zion; the high point of Jerusalem city.  Glorious things are coming for God’s people.
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June 14



Jeremiah 22-24

We are in the Prophetic Stream reading with the New American Standard Bible this week.

 

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord, the cost of disobedience is so grave.  Give us hearts of obedience. We offer up to you, as the song says, “here’s my heart, o’ take and seal it, seal it for thy courts of above. Amen.

22 – This chapter is a warning to King Jehoiakim.  He reigned until 598 B.C. when the Babylonians were “at the door” and the first (not the final) captivity began for Judeans.  The final caravan of captives occurred 12 years later in 586 B.C. when Zedekiah was king.  Speaking of Zedekiah, all inference points to him being the one spoken to in Jer. 22:2; “hear the word of the Lord, O King…”  Zedekiah ended up witnessing the finale~ in time, but the literature of this chapter takes us back through a listing of the final five kings that covered the last 50+ years of the Kingdom during its demise. Josiah gave goodness a fair effort, but the other four were wretched, demented, and duplicitous to the core. they were unjust, oppressive, robbers, violent, cruel to orphans and widows, and treacherous to the innocent. God gives a last offer to change their ways before ruining the place.  God had offered always to preserve them but the snubbing of God’s reminders and The Covenant was too incessant. The invaders will reverence nothing. They will be like vandals with clubs storming through a jewelry store made of glass shelves [to use some modern picture].  The violence, the death/killing, the fires … there won’t even be any time for mourning or funerals. And no allies will come to help.  The chapter ends railing upon Jehoiachin; the 4th of the last 5 kings. His uncle Zedekiah actually followed him and none of Jehoiachin’s children ever ended up being king.

 
23 – As Hitler was ransacking Europe and looking to go in all directions with his plan to conquer and absorb. There were two opinions: Churchill in England was telling people to prepare for war or be conquered, and there was Chamberlain in England who was telling them to relax, rest, and be well for “there is peace in our time.”  The prophets that Jeremiah is scolding were oblivious as Chamberlain and they were dark as darkness in their hearts, their words, and their plans. They cared nothing for God’s people. The people would be scattered from following these false prophets.  Later, God would gather them again and one day reign. This “Righteous Branch of David” is One who will reign in a Messianic era.  That was coming.  For now, there are lying prophets to shush.  They are using Baal, bringing on disaster, doing deals with evil, wretched as Gomorrah.  These prophets spread evil across the land, they do NOT speak for God, yet claim that they do while touting about peace as they work their evil.  Because of them, all will be cast out.  God wants a memorandum to go national: The prophets claim they have the Word of the Lord – but it didn’t come from me-says the Lord!
 
24 – The people God would preserve [1] and the people God would allow to be decimated [2] are illustrated as two baskets of figs.  One was like first fruits, ripe and sweet and desirable. These were akin to the initial captives taken to Babylon in 597 B.C.  Jehoiachin was on this trek of those hauled away as slaves to Babylon, as were Ezekiel and Daniel. [Remember we read Daniel last winter.] He was a young teen of about 13 walking to Babylon. He started out a slave and became virtual regent of the country!  Strangely enough, God carried these ones away to preserve them; they were the “good basket of figs.”  The second basket were the ones who thought they would stay in Judah and call up help from Egypt to resist the Babylonians who were on their final push to take all of Judah.  Those who stay back, like rotten figs, will be only fit for discarding. Their future is bleak, they will be cursed, and ridiculed and devastated.  Rotten figs get thrown out and buried in a compost heap. The people who remain to fight Babylon have a similar fate.