Monday, April 26

Hey friends. Rainy day today, no? Pretty good all around though...

Reading for April 26
Judges 6:1-40
So again the people of Israel turn away from God and begin worshiping Baal. I need to do some research into a little more about who Baal was and what was so attractive about worshiping him. So because the Israelites turned away from him, God actually gives favor to none other than the Midianites. That's right - the very nation his people slaughtered so mericilessly has found favor in the lord. Perhaps its just favor by default because of the Israelites screw up, but its still favor nonetheless.

The Lord sends Gideon this time to remind the Israelites of where they came from and what they were doing. He tears down the altar to Baal and the people freak out and try to kill him. Josash, Gideon's father says this:

"Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar."

Pretty cool.

Luke 22:54-23:12
There's some interesting little details in this telling of the gospel. After Jesus is arrested he is brought before Pilate and the Pharisees accuse him of quite a few things - all of which are false. Pilate says "I don't see what he's guilty of." So then Jesus is brought to King Herod as Herod was the ruling king of the nation at that time. Herod was excited to see Jesus and was expecting to see a miracle or two. Herod kept asking Jesus questions but Jesus didn't say a word. Eventually he started mocking him along with the rest of the soldiers and sent Jesus back to Pilate.

It's funny that Herod was expecting a miracle, but thinking he didn't see one. If he only knew what would happen a couple days later...

Psalm 95:1-96:13
Dig it:

 ¹² let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.
       Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;


I've always liked the idea of nature singing praise to God. It's like when Jesus said the rocks would cry out praise for him if his people could not.

Proverbs 14:5-6
 ⁵ A truthful witness does not deceive,
       but a false witness pours out lies.
 ⁶ The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
       but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

Alright, goodnight yo.