TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Exodus 34:1-35:9
Matthew 27:15-31
Psalm 33:12-22
Proverbs 9:1-6
Exodus 34:1 and 27 — After Aaron’s sin in Exodus 32:2, we see the 8th and 9th time the phrase “And the LORD” followed by “said” or “spoke”. We saw yesterday that the LORD used Aaron’s name 40 times before he sinned, but the LORD has yet to mention Aaron’s name since, and He will not do so until the 10th time. Sin breaks fellowship with God.
Exodus 34:7 — The LORD God will punish the great-grandchildren of sinners for the sins of their parents. Sin has consequences that can last for generations. Fetal alcohol syndrome describes consequences for someone other than the drinker. The LORD is repeating a warning He made earlier in Exodus 20:5, but lest we think the Old Testament deity is merely vengeful, both times He contrasts 3-4 generations of judgment with (Exodus 20:6, Exodus 34:7) thousands of generations of “hesed” for His people. Hesed (חֶ֖סֶד), shows up in the KJV as kindness (Genesis 24:12), mercy (Exodus 20:6), goodness (Exodus 34:6), and lovingkindness (Psalm 103:4).
Exodus 34:12 and 15 — Remember these verses when we get to Joshua 9:15.
Matthew 27:1 — This “morning trial” was the third Jewish trial of Jesus, done to give a semblance of compliance to the requirement that judgment in a capital trial cannot occur the same day as the trial.
Matthew 27:16 — The Unusual Films production Wine of Morning (1955) is based on what the life of Barabbas could have been.
Psalm 33:12 — Lloyd Larson based his choral work “Blessed Is the Nation” on this verse.
Psalm 9:4 — Let us turn into the house of wisdom and feast on the provisions set before us!
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