TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Leviticus 19:10, 33-35; 26:27-45
Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt. - Exodus 23:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Anyone who has ever traveled knows how vulnerable the experience of being an “alien,” or foreigner, can be. This is particularly true if you don't speak the native language. It's easy to feel misunderstood, or even wonder if you're being taken advantage of somehow. For most of us, such experiences are temporary. There were, however, a number of alien residents within Israel, and we see the Lord's concern for these foreigners throughout the Mosaic Law.

Leviticus 19 is sometimes called the Community Code, because of its focus on farming and commercial practices, but it's also part of a larger section called the Holiness Code (Lev. 17-26). The placement of Leviticus 19 within the Holi-ness Code shows that every part of life in Israel somehow concerned holiness, even treatment of foreigners.

In Leviticus 19:10, we find instructions to leave some grapes for the poor and the alien, revealing God's heart for those most vulnerable to deprivation and exploitation. It was often difficult for foreigners to make a living, because they didn't have inheritance rights or access to land. We will see a similar provision for foreigners in the story of Ruth (see Dec. 12; see also Deut. 24:19-22). The basis for Israel's treatment of foreigners was the remembrance of what it was like to be a foreigner in Egypt (vv. 33-34).

The passage from Levi-ticus 26 outlines the disaster that would befall the nation if it failed to keep God's ordinances. First, notice the horror of exile; instead of blessing the nations, Israel would be scattered among them to die (vv. 33, 38). This was the complete reversal of the covenant blessings and the consequence of failing to be the kind of witness the nation was intended to be.

Second, notice the link between Israel's actions and God's reputation among the nations. We have already seen how the nations “watched” as God delivered Israel from Egypt. In a similar way, God's faithfulness to His covenant promises could be observed by all the nations. Thus even when Israel sinned, God would remember His covenant “in the sight of the nations” (v. 45).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's surprising how much of the Pentateuch addresses the concerns of foreigners. Using a concordance, look up “alien,” “foreigner,” and “stranger.” What are some of the specific concerns that are addressed? Ask yourself who the foreigners are in your midst. At one level, this could include anyone outside the body of Christ, but it could also include those from another country. Perhaps there are international students at a nearby college that you could befriend. Or maybe your church could help foreigners learn English.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 32:1-14; Deuteronomy 9:1-7
Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. - Deuteronomy 4:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
In our limited thinking, we may wonder why God would choose one nation, Israel, to specifically reveal Himself. What about all the other nations that weren't chosen? How can that be fair? Maybe we think about times when we weren't chosen for something and conclude that choosing one and not others is inherently unfair. But this is to focus on only half the process. Yes, it's true that Israel was chosen from all the nations, but (and this is key!) Israel was chosen to be a blessing to all the nations.

In Exodus 19:5-6, God said to Israel, “You will be my treasured possession . . . you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” From the beginning, God intended the nation to minister to the surrounding nations (a kingdom of priests) and to demonstrate the ways of God to them (a holy nation).

Deuteronomy 9 makes it clear that Israel wasn't chosen because of its own righteousness, but rather because of the wickedness of the surrounding nations. Here then are two reasons for the Conquest: first, God's promise to Abraham; and second, the wickedness of the nations (v. 5). Because Israel was to be a witness, it had to be holy. But the sad truth is that the Israelites had been stubborn and sinful from the time they left Egypt (v. 7). The rest of this passage refers to the incident involving the golden calf, which is also recorded in Exodus 32.

While Moses was still on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments, the waiting Israelites began to worship a pagan idol that they themselves had made (Ex. 32:4). After all the Lord had done for them, no wonder His anger burned against them (v. 9).

Notice carefully the reasons that Moses gives as he intercedes for God to spare the people. First, the Lord's reputation will be damaged among the Egyptians (v. 12), who will ascribe evil motives to the holy God. Second, God made a promise to Abraham and his descendents. Moses knew that God could never go back on His word, so this appeal is really an affirmation of the Lord's faithfulness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Just as Israel was called from the nations to minister to the nations, so too we as Christians are called from the people around us to minister to these very people. We must remember that it wasn't because we were so good or so talented that God saved us, but because of His great love and His glorious redemptive purposes.

This should motivate us to share our faith with others. If God has placed someone in your life who needs Christ, pray that you will have an opportunity to minister to that one today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ruth 2:1-13; 4:1-21
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. - Isaiah 60:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Mark and Jan adopted two-year-old Kwan, they celebrated with a special dedication service at their church. As Mark said during the service, they felt a renewed understanding of God's love for us as His children after going through the experience of adopting Kwan into their family. Adoption is a remarkable picture of God's redemptive love. In fact, the New Testament teaches us that as believers we have been adopted as God's children (Eph. 1:5).

In many ways, the story of Ruth is like an adoption, because we see a foreign woman becoming part of the people of God. In fact, the Old Testament has many similar examples, such as the Egyptians who left during the Exodus (see Dec. 7), Jethro (see Dec. , and Rahab (see Dec. 9).

Recall that Ruth married into a Jewish family who had moved to Moab during a famine. Eventually Ruth returned to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. As it turned out, this Moabitess demonstrated more clearly than some Israelites what it meant to love God with all one's heart and to love one's neighbor as oneself (Deut. 6:5).

In Ruth 2, we find Ruth gleaning in the fields according to the laws that we read about earlier (see Dec. 10). More important, Ruth is in a field that belongs to Boaz, who is Naomi's relative. Boaz's godly character is evident from the way he greets his workers (2:4), and is further revealed in his kindness toward Ruth. Recog-nizing the vulnerability of a foreign woman, Boaz gives Ruth both protection and provision. Behind Boaz's actions, we clearly see the hand of God.

As we jump forward in the story, we find out that Ruth was essential to God's plans. The son born to Ruth and Boaz would become the grandfather of David. So without Ruth, there would not have been David. And God promised to David an everlasting family, which eventually led to Jesus Christ (see Matt. 1:5-6). So in the story of God's care for one foreign woman, Ruth, we see His providential care for the nation Israel, and eventually, all the nations of the earth.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Israel was called to be holy rather than to go forth, and in the Old Testament we find numerous examples of individuals, such as Ruth, coming to Israel and believing in Israel's God.

After Christ's atoning sacrifice and the coming of the Holy Spirit the church is commanded to go forth. But we are still called to live holy lives as well. Can others see Christ in your life?”ˆOur holy lives of obedience should be radiant examples that attract others to the faith we profess in Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Samuel 21:1-14
How shall I make amends so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance? - 2 Samuel 21:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
In many court cases, restitution is quite important. It's not uncommon for a criminal sentence to include prison time and compensation for the victim, which tries to make up for losses in property, time, or physical well-being. In the Old Testament, this is sometimes called lex talionis, or more commonly, “an eye for an eye.” This principle lies behind the incident that we read about in 2 Samuel 21.

After a three-year famine, David prays to the Lord and finds out that this calamity is the result of Saul's betrayal of the Gibeonites. We have to look back to Joshua 9:3-27 to learn that the Gibeonites tricked Joshua into a peace treaty so that they might be spared. Years later, Saul violated that treaty when he killed the Gibeonites (v. 2).

Clearly God takes oaths and promises seriously, so there were consequences to Saul's actions. David's compliance with the Gibeonite request for seven of Saul's descendents might shock us, but keep in mind that his action was consistent with “an eye for an eye” concept of justice. We also see how seriously David took his own oaths. Before Jonathan died, David had promised to protect Mephibo-sheth (see 1 Sam 20; 2 Sam 9), which is indeed what he did.

The end of David's life was filled with a series of heart-wrenching events, including the rebellion and death of his beloved son, Absalom. But the last four chapters of 2 Samuel are most likely intended to give us a final portrait of David as Israel's ideal king. In these chapters we find events that show how David acted righteously, including the incident we find in today's passage. Here we see that Saul's failure impacted the next generation, but that David's willingness to repent and to do justice led to the reversal of the famine.

David represents further fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. Israel at this time was a great nation, and they enjoyed a great reputation. Today's passage shows us that David's concern for justice blessed the nations—in this case, the Gibeonites.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God takes justice very seriously and is concerned about violations of pro-mises and the oppression of others. Have you ever excused an unjust action toward someone by thinking that that individual probably would have done the same thing? Or perhaps you deceived someone, thinking that he or she wouldn't know the difference anyway?

As we see from this account, we can never anticipate the full consequences of unjust actions. When we live honorably, we bring glory to God and blessing to others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalms 67; 72
God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. - Psalm 47:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
History is filled with numerous individuals who declared their own glory and splendor. For example, Caesar Augustus issued decrees to proclaim himself the savior of the world. But the Bible shows that only the Lord God Almighty is to be worshiped, and His name alone is to be proclaimed throughout the world.

Consider, for example, Psalm 67. This psalm seems to have clear links to the promise made to Abraham that he would both be blessed and be a blessing to all the peoples. As you read this psalm, you may have also been reminded of the blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26. But whereas that blessing was given by Aaron the high priest to the nation Israel, here it's applied to all the nations of the world.

Notice also that the purpose of the blessing is so that God's ways and salvation may be known through out the world (v. 2). This is the same idea behind the promise to Abraham: that the blessing given to him would be a blessing for all the people of the earth. This point is made clear in verse 6, where the psalmist asks for God's blessing on his own people (“us”) so that all peoples might fear and praise the Lord.

In Psalm 72, we find a psalm written by Solomon that celebrates the enthronement of the king. But as we read this psalm, it's clearly talking about a king who is much greater than Solomon. Not surprisingly, this psalm is considered to be messianic, which means that it describes the perfect reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice the emphasis on justice (v. 4, 12-14) and the extent of the king's rule through the whole world (v. . In fact, all kings and nations will serve Him (v. 11). And notice the clear link to the promise given to Abraham that is found in verse 17. Unlike the decree to worship a human ruler who will pass away, the call here is to praise the Lord God whose glory fills the whole earth!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In his book, A Biblical Theology of Missions, George Peters wrote, “The Psalter is one of the greatest missionary books in the world.”

You might be surprised by this declaration, but you can investigate it for yourself by reading through Psalms 2, 33, 66, 96, 98, 100, 117, and 145.

Keeping in mind the promise given to Abraham, make a list of the ways that the nations would be blessed through the nation Israel. Look also for the theme of the nations fearing (respecting) and praising the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 8:41-42; 10:1-9
The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. - 1 Kings 10:24
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the middle of the seventeenth century, King Louis XIV of France began constructing a palace that would display his power and glory. Its vast rooms were filled with precious art pieces and gilded gold ceilings. Nobility throughout France and from all over Europe sought an audience with the king at Versailles. Its glorious splendors only confirmed Louis XIV's epithet, the “Sun King.”

The glory of Versailles is undeniable, but 1 Kings tells us that kings from all over the world eagerly sought the splendor of Solomon's wisdom, his palace, and the temple. With Solomon we see even further fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham. By this time, Israel was a great nation with vast borders and wealth. Jerusalem had become a world center that attracted many visitors.

Perhaps the most famous of these visitors was the Queen of Sheba, an important South Arabian trade center. Her visit indicates the importance of Israel among the nations. But the Queen of Sheba didn't visit Solomon simply because of his wealth and fame. The account in 1 Kings 10 is quite clear that she was drawn to Solomon because of his relationship with the Lord (v. 1). When she saw all the glory of Solomon and the temple, she praised the Lord and “his eternal love for Israel” (v. 9).

As we have seen before, God's favor toward Israel was intended to be a blessing to all the nations. The Queen blessed Solomon and was in turn blessed by him. Her visit anticipates later prophecies concerning the time when the nations will stream in to Zion (Isa. 2:2-4; 60-66) and to the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:24).

The rest of Solomon's story isn't so happy. After spending seven years building the temple (1 Kings 6:38), Solomon spent thirteen years building his own palace (1 Kings 7:1).

Then in 1 Kings 11 we read about Solomon's love for foreign women. Toward the end of his life, he witnessed the rebellion of one of his officials, Jeroboam, who would eventually bring about the division of the kingdom.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Universalism is the belief that all people, regardless of whether they confess Jesus Christ, will be saved. Some parts of the Old Testa-ment, including the passage from 1 Kings 8, might seem like they teach universalism. But 1 Kings 8:42-43 records Solomon's prayer that all may know the Lord and fear Him, the same desire we find in 2 Peter 3:9. Scripture is clear that the way to know and fear the Lord is only by calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Only those who trust Christ to forgive their sins will be saved.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 17:7-24; Luke 4:13-28
He has filled the hungry with good things. - Luke 1:53
TODAY IN THE WORD
All morning long Tommy's mom talked with him about the importance of sharing his toys. Each time she asked if Tommy understood, he nodded his head and agreed to share his things when the other three-year-olds showed up for a play date. But when one of the kids picked up one of his toy trucks, Tommy ran over and grabbed the truck. Baffled, his mother came over and asked Tommy if he remembered their earlier discussion about sharing. Tommy nodded yes. Slowly it began to dawn on her that Tommy hadn't grasped that sharing meant actually letting others play with his toys!

Sadly, many Jews living in Jesus' day seemed to have a similar problem. For them, the issue concerned the intended recipients of the Messiah. Knowing that the gospel would eventually extend beyond Palestine, Jesus appealed to the account of Elijah and the widow in Zarephath to show that the blessings of God were also intended for the Gentiles. But the people listening to Jesus didn't want to be reminded of that (Luke 4:28-29).

It's somewhat remarkable that Elijah ministered to the widow of Zarephath considering the horrible state of Israel at that time. Ahab, a very evil king, together with his wife, Jezebel, a native of Sidon, introduced perverse Baal worship to Israel. Much of Elijah's ministry cen- tered on exposing the falseness of Baalism and calling the people back to the Lord God.

When Elijah first encounters this poor widow, it's not clear how his request for food and water could be a blessing to her. Under normal circumstances, widows were among the poorest of the poor, but during a famine their situation could be life-threatening (v. 12). But her willingness to help Elijah opens the way for a miraculous provision for her (vv. 15-16).

Next the woman is faced with yet another challenge, the illness of her son. The harshness of her circumstances may explain why she initially blames the illness on Elijah. The loving Lord used Elijah to restore her son and to reveal Himself to this needy woman.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The story of the widow of Zarephath reminds us that there is no limit to the depth of God's love. Just as the oil kept refilling itself in her jar, so too God's ability to provide never runs dry. This is a good reminder, because sometimes we can be envious of God's blessing to others, especially nonbelievers, thinking that somehow we deserve that blessing instead. It is possible that God is blessing others so that they too will come to know the Lord as this widow did.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 49:1-23
You have prepared . . . a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. - Luke 2:32
TODAY IN THE WORD
Researchers have noted that rates of depression and anxiety are higher during the winter and in areas of the country that receive less sunlight, but they didn't know whether this was a correlation or if the lack of sunlight was the cause. Even if there was a connection, there didn't seem to be much remedy other than moving to a sunnier location. Now Seasonal Affective Disorder, the depression some people experience from a lack of light, has been recognized, and sufferers are able to get special light machines that imitate sunlight and reduce their symptoms.

Just as sunlight is necessary for our physical and emotional health, the Bible uses light as a metaphor for salvation, indicating that God's light is essential for spiritual life.

As we've seen in our study, God's intention for choosing Israel was that it might be a blessing to other nations. Yesterday we saw that God was faithful to meet the needs of Gentiles even when the nation was in great crisis and rebellion. We also know that eventually this sin would lead to the nation's exile. Elijah was one of the early prophets whom God raised up to warn the people to repent and to display the power of the living God when the people were worshiping lifeless idols. But God also used the prophets to articulate His promises of restoration and future hope. In Isaiah 40-66, we find a series of powerful prophecies, sometimes called the Servant Songs, that refer to the Servant of the Lord.

In Isaiah 49, we learn that this Servant will restore Israel to the Lord. For a nation facing exile, this was certainly comforting to hear. God's plans for the Servant extended to the ends of the earth: “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (v. 6). Indeed, the work of this Servant will be so great that kings will bow before Him.

Although there are obvious messianic hopes in today's passage, it's also true that the nation itself had been called to be a light to the Gentiles. Part of Isaiah's message included a reminder to the nation of God's intended purposes for them.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The theme of “a light to the Gentiles” extends well into the New Testament. We first see it in Simeon's praise in Luke 2:29-32. Simeon well understood that Jesus was the promised Servant of Isaiah.

Interestingly, the term is appropriated by Paul in Acts 13:47 concerning his own call to the Gentiles. When his Gentile listeners heard about God's plan for them, they rejoiced! These links between the Old and New Testaments help us to see that missions is no afterthought in the plan of God!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 6:16-20; 33:1-11
If you will return, O Israel, return to me . . . then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory. - Jeremiah 4:1–2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Cindy Howard was raised in a Christian home and made a personal commitment to Christ in high school. But when she went away to college, she quickly got caught up in the campus party lifestyle. She always intended to find a good church and a Bible study, but somehow it never happened. By the end of her freshman year, Cindy had the reputation of a party girl who could drink a lot of alcohol. By the time she graduated from college, few, if any, of her college friends even knew that she was a Christian.

Sadly, Cindy Howard's example isn't an isolated one. As believers in Jesus Christ, our lives will bear a witness—but our witness can be either positive or negative.

Jeremiah ministered just prior to the Babylonian exile (627-580 B.C.). Like many other prophets, he urged the people to return to God's ways (Jer. 6:16). But they refused to do so! Even though God had sent previous prophets (the “watchmen” in v. 17), the people persisted in their sin. Rather than destroy all false idols, the Israelites had adopted many perverse pagan practices. Rather than trust the Lord to protect them, the Israelites had entered into dangerous foreign alliances.

The consequences of their sin were far-reaching. Instead of being a witness to the nations, we find that the nations were called upon to testify against Israel in the courtroom of God's justice and to hear His sentence against his people (v. 18). This is indeed a sad point in the nation's history.

Fortunately, Jeremiah prophesied of God's wonderful restoration. Jeremiah 33 contains some of the most glorious promises of restoration, although the gruesome horrors of the destruction of Jerusalem and exile are not excluded (vv. 4-5, 10). Yet after the Exile, God promised to reunite Judah and Israel and to rebuild Jeru-salem in such a way as to display His glory to the surrounding nations (v. 9). The very nations that had been called upon to testify against Israel would at some point rejoice because of what God has done in and for Israel.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It can be easy to think of witnessing for Christ in terms of what we say to other people, but it is often what we actually do that has the greatest impact.

To be sure, we are called to witness in both word and deed. Still, it's always a good idea to take some time to ask if our behavior lines up with our words. In other words, do we walk the talk? We read in 1 Peter 3:13-16 that even our accusers should give glory to God because of our good deeds.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Daniel 4:1-37
Now I . . . praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right. - Daniel 4:37
TODAY IN THE WORD
Several decades before Christopher Columbus came to America, a remarkable event happened in the South American Incan Empire. King Pachacuti began to question his people's worship of the sun when he observed that the sun did the same thing over and over, acting more like a laborer than a god. There was a legend of an omnipotent creator God, named Viracocha, and Pacha-cuti decided that this must be the true God who alone must be worshiped.

Equally remarkable is the account of the conversion of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, which the king himself narrates. Before his dream, he had a fairly high opinion of himself, which is understandable considering that this king's rule spread from Egypt to modern Iran. If we were to walk beside the king as he surveyed the city of Babylon (vv. 29-30), we would see one of the greatest cities of antiquity, boasting two of the seven wonders of the world: the hanging gardens of Babylon and the great city wall. But human pride is a dangerous thing, and Nebuchadnezzar's pride had to be broken if he was ever going to come to know the Most High God.

Daniel had already demonstrated his God-given ability to interpret the king's dreams (see Dan. 2). The tree of this dream symbolized the prosperity and growth of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom. Although this cosmic tree extended over a very large region, it was cut down, with only a stump remaining. Such a dream would have been disturbing to most people, but when Daniel understood that it applied to Nebuchadnezzar, we can understand why he was hesitant to explain it to the powerful king (v. 19).

Despite the unusual way in which Nebuchadnezzar was humbled, God was merciful to protect him and to lead him to a correct understanding of himself and of God. After his ordeal, the great king understood that the Most High ruled over the eternal kingdom—even Babylon the great couldn't compare to that. Moreover, he wanted all peoples to know about the Most High God (v. 1), not the great king Nebuchadnezzar.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
No matter how powerful, no one is beyond God's reach. Like the Incan king Pachacuti, Nebuchadnezzar realized that only one God alone must be worshiped.

If you would like to read other accounts like Pachacuti's, we recommend, Eternity in Their Hearts, by missionary Don Richardson, available at most Christian bookstores. This book further illustrates what we see in Daniel 4: God is sovereign over even the most powerful human rulers, and He desires to reveal Himself to the peoples of the world.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jonah 3:1-4:11
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? . . . Am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? - Ezekiel 18:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
At the height of the Soviet Union's power, it controlled territory from the Baltics to the Balkans, and controlled a circle of Central Asian republics. Soviet troops often used brutal tactics to suppress challenges to Soviet domination. For residents who lived in Soviet satellite countries, the Soviets were feared and hated. Yet believers from countries such as Romania and Poland risked their lives to bring the gospel into the heart of the Soviet Union.

Although most people only think about Jonah and his encounters with a big fish, this book is a compelling example of God's love for even the most hated of nations. Assyria at that time was known for its gruesome cruelty. Assyrians were so proud of their ability to terrorize that they left numerous monuments boasting of their sadistic practices. To the average Israelite, the most logical object of God's wrath would be Nineveh. It's no wonder, then, that Jonah felt that he had to run from God's call. If he went to Nineveh, he was sure to be killed; and even if he were successful in his mission, no one would rejoice at home that anything good had happened to these hated people.

After much resistance, Jonah went to Nineveh, and the results of his preaching were nothing short of miraculous (Jonah 3:5, 10). The Lord's concern for Nineveh shows that His love was not confined to a particular nation or place. This is the most likely reason why Jonah tried to run away. It was unthinkable to him that God could love even the Assyrians. In Jonah's mind, these people deserved God's wrath because of all they had done. But, apart from God's intervention, all people are deserving of His wrath. God's heart is that all people might repent and turn toward Him.

Jonah was a very human prophet. God's ways were difficult for him to understand—and he was not afraid to let God know that. But God's response to Jonah cut to the core: Jonah cared more about his comfort than the fate of a 120,000 people.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The book of Jonah forces us to ask some hard questions. Are we like Jonah and become angry if God extends mercy to those who we feel deserve judgment? Perhaps this is how we feel about outreach to hardened criminals or prayer for terrorists. Or are we going to takes God's perspective, which asks, “Should I not be concerned about that great city?” Jonah pushes us to see how great God's love is for all nations and peoples, even those whom we consider enemies deserving His wrath.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 12:38-45
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures . . . he was buried . . . he was raised on the third day. - 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Most people know about Jonah and the “whale,” even if they don't know that this story is in the Bible. It certainly is a memorable event—even making its way into Walt Disney's Pinocchio! Yet as we saw yesterday, Scripture records this event because of something beyond the fact that Jonah spent some time in the belly of a big fish.

Jesus' own reference to Jonah forces us to consider the significance of this event. Jonah's “fish tale” showed him God's deliverance and forgiveness for his rebellious attempt to flee. The sign of Jonah was that God providentially rescued His prophet so that His intended mission might be carried out. Moreover, Jonah's presence in Nineveh was a sign of God's judgment. Similarly, Jesus was a sign to those rejecting Him that God's judgment was also upon them. The Ninevites further illustrated what true repentance looked like.

The context of Matthew 12 is important. The Pharisees had just questioned Jesus about the source of His miracles (Matt 12:22-37). Then they demanded to see a sign. Keep in mind that they had already seen many signs of Jesus' deity, so they were really trying to trap Him. By pointing to Jonah, Jesus drew a parallel between Jonah's time in the fish's belly and His own upcoming time “in the heart of the earth.” Just as Jonah was rescued from the fish, so too, God would deliver His Son from death on the third day.

Jesus then went on to make two more points. The Ninevites would condemn the generation that Jesus addressed because they had repented with only Jonah's one-sentence prophecy (Jonah 3:4). But those listening to Jesus had heard someone greater than any prophet, and still they refused to believe. The same is true with the Queen of the South, the Queen of Sheba. She heard Solomon's wisdom and believed in the Lord (1 Kings 10; see Dec. 15). But now one greater than Solomon was present, and this generation still refused to believe. It was shocking to see two examples of Gentiles who believed, whereas the Jews in Jesus' day would not.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It may seem curious that teaching about evil spirits follows Jesus' discussion of the sign of Jonah. But Jesus was showing the Pharisees that they were in danger of great evil by rejecting Him. When they ascribed His power to Satan, they opened themselves up to a terrible fate.

That's a sobering thought. When people hear about Jesus and deliberately reject the truth, they turn themselves over to the Evil One. This shows us once again that rejection of Jesus is never neutral; it has horrific, eternal consequences.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Mark 7:24-30
The gospel . . . is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. - Romans 1:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1655, Morgan Godwyn left Oxford University to minister in Virginia and Barbados. As he tried to evangelize slaves, however, slave owners opposed Godwyn, balking at the idea that slaves could become Christians. Some were afraid that if slaves converted, they would end up with the same status as their owners.

As we read today's account, at first we might think that Jesus was exhibiting some sort of racial prejudice. But was Jesus really calling Gentiles “dogs”? We need to understand exactly what Jesus meant in His encounter with this woman.

First, note that this happened near Tyre. We know from the Old Testament that Tyre was especially hated by Israel (see, for example, Ezek. 26-28). So Jesus' encounter with this woman was designed to instruct both her and Jesus' disciples, who must have wondered how He would respond to a woman from Tyre.

Jesus' initial response probably encouraged the disciples, apparently confirming the idea that Gentiles had no part in God's plans. But the key to Jesus' response is the word first. He didn't say that she would leave empty-handed, but rather that the children, meaning the Jews, must eat first. Here Jesus confirmed that His primary mission was to Israel. It would only be after His death and resurrection that the gospel would fully go out to the Gentiles. This was later affirmed by Paul (Rom. 1:16).

This woman immediately understood what Jesus meant. Notice that she only asked for some of the crumbs that fell to the ground. She grasped the secondary place of the Gentiles in God's plan, but she also recognized that second place was better than nothing. And, she refused to take no for an answer! She was desperate to save her daughter.

The woman got more than a crumb; her daughter was fully delivered. The beginning of Mark 7 records Jesus' discussion of clean and unclean. By placing this discussion before the account of this Greek woman, Jesus showed that even Gentiles were not unclean and that no one was beyond God's salvation.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jesus' primary call was to the Jews, a sign of God's faithfulness to His people. But they rejected Him (and their call to bear witness to the nations). Thus, in today's passage Jesus also made it clear that eventually God's good news would cross the boundary between Jew and Gentile.

The gospel continues to cross boundaries. When we are tempted to think that our group is better than another, we need to remember Jesus' example of extending grace, mercy, healing, forgiveness, and love to rich and poor, Jew and Gentile.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 4:1-42
This man really is the Savior of the world. - John 4:42
TODAY IN THE WORD
Bible commentator G. Campbell Morgan once speculated what would happen if the disciples set up a commission to investigate starting a mission in Samaria. The commission's findings would be as follows: “Samaria undoubtedly needs our Master's message, but it is not ready for it. There must be first ploughing, then sowing, and then waiting. It is needy, but it is not ready.”

Quite the opposite of this “commission's” conclusion, we see that Jesus was more than willing to take a significant risk when he reached out to a Samari-tan woman, and it resulted in the conversion of an entire village.

The decision to go through Samaria was deliberate, and may have been due to the Pharisee's opposition (vv. 1-3). Most Jews went to great trouble to avoid this region, even though Samaria was the most direct route between Judea and Galilee. Not only did Jesus take a risk in going through Samaria, but He also broke many cultural and religious barriers by even acknowledging a woman, and a Samaritan woman at that. It was simply unheard of that a rabbi, especially one who was unmarried, would even speak to a woman, let along ask something of her. This explains why the disciples were so baffled by Jesus' actions (v. 27).

In addition to being a Samaritan and a woman, this woman's lifestyle was highly questionable, which explained why she was drawing water in the middle of the day (v. 6). Jesus knew that this woman was very isolated—both from her community, and more important, from the source of Living Water. As their conversation unfolded, Jesus helped her see that her theological concerns were really a cover for her deeper need of salvation. He moved beyond her earthly focus to show her that He was the source of abundant, Spirit-filled life that satisfied more than even the best well water.

The woman's willingness to share what had happened with the village demonstrates her tremendous excitement. They also responded in faith. Her tainted background no doubt piqued their curiosity and enabled them to see the power of God in her life more clearly.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The villagers' response is another example of Jesus crossing cultural and geographic barriers in His earthly mission. Although His primary focus was the Jews, all four Gospels record significant ways in which Jesus ministered to Gentiles.

Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman challenges us to think about how we might take risks to cross similar barriers for the gospel. Will we see the great need of individuals and be willing to reach out to them? Or will we conclude that “they are needy, but not yet ready?”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 24:36-53; Matthew 28:16-20
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. - Daniel 7:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
“ 'Twas the night before Christmas when all thru the house / Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse”—so begins one of the most-loved Christmas stories. No doubt you heard this story as a child, and may plan to read it again today. On the night before Christmas, there's much talk of Saint Nicholas, or as he's commonly called, Santa Claus.

Christmas traditions are fun, but it's important to keep our focus on the real reason for our celebration, which is Jesus' birth. Perhaps even more important, Christmas also celebrates His resurrection, because if He hadn't been raised from the dead, there would be no remembrance of His birth.

As we've seen, God often uses one to reach many. What was true with Abraham and Israel is even more true of Jesus, who fulfills the promise to Abraham—that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. God's promise of redemption, begun in Genesis 3:15, is now revealed. Because of His death and resurrection, the forgiveness of sins is possible (Luke 24:47).

Jesus' final words to His disciples end His earthly ministry. The Great Commission, recorded in today's passages, is rightly understood to be the basis for Christian missions. But as we have seen, God's heart has been for the nations all along. What is different at this stage in redemptive history is the command to go to all the world.

In both commissioning accounts, we notice that the first response to Jesus' resurrection is worship. Next, the disciples were encouraged that they would receive power from on high (Luke 24:49), which is the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus would be with them forever (Matt. 28:20). The expression “all the nations” is important, because some suggest that the Jews have been somehow now excluded from God's plan. Yet the clause “beginning at Jerusalem” in Luke's account refutes this. Jesus commissioned His disciples to go from Jerusalem into all the world, making disciples of all peoples, whether Jew or Gentile, young or old, rich or poor.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We can consider the Great Commission as the “eve” of a whole new phase of God's redemptive plan. Just as we feel excitement and anticipation on Christmas Eve, so too we can sense the excitement that the disciples must have felt hearing Jesus' final words. Two thousand years after these words, we have even more reason for excitement. Although there are believers worldwide, we are eager to see the gospel continue to reach the nations. In our prayers and actions, let's make this our focus for this upcoming year.