Matthew, second chapter

Some things pop out of one's reading in chapter two of Matthew's gospel.

1. How is the intention of the magi, to worship the newborn king (verses 2, 11), different from Herod's similarly stated intention?
2. Herod and the entire city were troubled. What kind of trouble was it?
3. How many dreams from God are there in chapters 1 and 2?
4. What is the significance for us in the worship offered by the magi?
5. What relationship exists between the good magi and Father Abraham?
6. In v. 13, Herod sets out a plan to destroy the innocent children near Bethlehem, but re-read Rev. 9:1-11, where another king has the name of Destroyer. How did people suffer when that destroyer in Revelation went to work? Was its intention similar to Herod's?

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, when teaching about Matthew 2, the birth of the Messiah is described in this way: Mary is the burning bush of the definitive revelation of God. So I guess one could say that we have a lot to talk about tomorrow morning. Be ready, and expect the unexpected.

Questions to make a beginning.

There are a zillion questions we could ask of this first chapter in Matthew's gospel, but here are a few that will suffice for now:

1. Was Mary a virgin at the time of conception?


2. Why were Abraham and David specially mentioned in the genealogy?


3. What does Matthew mention the exile to Babylon but not the slavery in Egypt?


4. In the birth of the Messiah,
   
   • the Infinite is in a womb,
     
   • He that contains all things is carried, as unborn, by a woman;
     
   • the Virgin bears, and continues a virgin.
   How did the Spirit frame that Temple?


5. Did Joseph exhibit out of control behaviors in this time period, which many suppose to be a grievous predicament for an unmarried man?


6. Why didn't the angel appear to Joseph in a dream earlier, just as Gabriel had come to Mary before conception?


7. Where in the New Testament is Mary again commended into a new home, as the angel does in v. 20?

Let's begin here on Thursday morning.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.

This Thursday we begin the gospel of Matthew, starting with chapter 1, which "is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about."

It is the longest gospel account, and the leadoff hitter in the New Testament. Lots of intense action. Be ready. Be alert. No napping.

Study questions will be ready on Wednesday evening.

Lessons from Nahum, Amos and Obadiah

For the past few months we have been reading and seeking the Lord's message in the prophetic messages of His great prophets Nahum, Amos and Obadiah. These three prophets seems to hold together as a subgroup. Here are some of the conclusions and findings in the matter:

1. From Amos, we see the word "breaches" in a wall. What would be breaches in the Church?
   1. Bob: like protestant denominations;
   2. Joe: pride;
   3. Bob: sins, disobedience, bitterness, hatred;
   4. Len: it reminds me of the prophecy that Jesus would rebuild the temple in three days.

2. How is the prophecy of Amos applicable to our present situation?
   1. Len: We are still obligated to spread the Word.
3. Can you think of a modern day example of violence, one nation to another, similar to the violence that Red Edom did to Israel?
   1. Len: In the decapitation of European Jews by Nazis, the neighboring countries were like Edom, e.g., the Vichy government in France.
   2. Ken: Herod mocking Jesus. In fact, Herod actually was an Edomite!
   3. Bob: taunting someone, which we did as kids but we grew out of it.
   4. Scott: For instance, when you take the side of the "cool" kid at school who bullies the uncool kid.
   5. Ken: the Edom betrayal in the day of Israel's calamity is a good comparison to the beatitudes, especially the first and the last, which show how we should behave instead of doing like Edom did.
4. Why does Obadiah's prophetic message affect our mission as doers of the Word?
   1. TO BE ANSWERED FORTHWITH

Image: UPI/Kevin Dietsch. A Haitian who was badly burned when a gas station exploded following recent earthquake is treated onboard the USS Bataan, off the coast of Haiti, January 23, 2010.

Obadiah, where do we begin?

To begin and end in the same day, we will use the following questions for the study of the prophecy of Obadiah.

1. Where is Edom, in relation to Jerusalem?
2. Who was Esau?
3. According to Amos, what was the violence that Edom did to Israel?
4. Can you think of a modern day example of similar violence, one nation to another?
5. Esau is likened to stubble in v. 18. How and when is stubble made?
6. Why does this prophetic message affect our mission as doers of the Word?

With a cup of coffee and some mental elbow grease, we will tackle this message and develop our muscles to follow the perfect Torah of freedom.
Image: a threshing sledge from Cyprus.

They have threshed Gilead.

We finish Amos, and I think back now to the beginning of his message:

They have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges made of iron.

It is somber.

And Amos' message concludes with another vision from the threshing floor, this time with some consolation:

For lo, I am commanding, and I have shaken among all the nations the house of Israel, as one doth shake with a sieve, and there falleth not a grain to the earth.

Come soon, Lord Jesus.

We conclude Amos.

In Amos' 9th chapter, we still have a few questions to settle, viz.

1. From last time: Which is the greater trouble, earthquake or famine of God's word?
2. The LORD denied the promised land an entire generation of Israelites after they exited Egypt. How does Israel's murmuring in Amos 9:10 compare to their attitude in Exodus?
3. In v. 11, we see the word "breaches" in a wall. What would be the breaches in the Church?
4. Is the nation of Israel doomed?
5. How is the prophecy of Amos applicable to our present situation?

Let's sort these out and dive into the perfect Law of freedom this morning.

Amos 8 requires some questions.

When you read the 8th chapter of Amos, you will be faced with some interesting questions:

1. Does the fruit mentioned here stand for the northern kingdom of Israel?
2. Compare the nature of songs mentioned in Amos with Psalm 119:54. How would you describe the difference?
3. In present day Israel, where is Dan in relation to Beer-Sheba?
4. After reading v. 7, one has to ask, does God ever forget our sins? Is this good or bad?
5. Which is the greater trouble, earthquake or famine of God's word?

Amos proclaims a message concerning Israel's fidelity to the perfect law of freedom. It is a deep river and wide, but these questions get us at least to dip our toes into the stream.

Earthquake, forest fire, volcano, trouble.

Which is the greater trouble?

1. Earthquake, fire, volcano in Amos 8:8-9, or
2. famine of God's word, v. 11?

One question

This chapter has a slough of familiar things: locusts, bargaining, fire. We can all think back into the Old Testament and forward into the New Testament to recall famous instances of locusts, bargaining with God and fire.

But there is one study question that is all we need to think about, because it is God's question to Amos.

1. "What do you see, Amos?" And we can ask ourselves the same thing, what is the plumb line that God is setting up in the midst of His people?

That should occupy us for at least an hour on Thursday morning!