Reading from Wednesday, July 21

Hey.

Reading for July 21
2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11
This basically retells the information around the actual construction of the Temple. The materials used, the measurements taken, the amount of time put into it, etc. Again, this is something that was lifted right out of Kings and repeated here - obviously, this information holds a great deal of significance, and yet it's really, really boring.

I have talked about this before, but I think this idea of a Temple, a place where God would symbolically "live" amongst his people was incredibly important to the readers of this original text. It's also interesting to think about how there was such meticulousness around the details of the Temple and making it look beautiful and powerful and rich and magnificent - and Jesus, who also referred to himself as a Temple, was so humble and carried only the basic things. I think that stark dichotomy between the two Temples is not only intentional, but remarkably beautiful.

Can these things be used to show the difference between Jesus and God? Or is this more of a difference of how the people perceived God?

Romans 7:1-13

Oh boy, I'm gettin sleepy. This is good stuff though - I may need to come back and revisit this tomorrow.

First off, Paul is talking about how in the same way a woman is free to remarry after her husband dies, so too are we free to take on a new master after sin dies to us through Jesus. He also talks about the way that the law actually enticed sin to grow within us:

For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."^{[b] 8}But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire.

It's a strange paradox here, but I think Paul is really hitting on something important. So the law essentially formalizes sin. God lays out a specific set of do's an don'ts and if you break any of those laws, that will be deemed as "sin". But now the existence of the law is, in fact, making people want to break it. It's like telling a kid not to touch the shiny red button, or, I don't know, don't eat from a specific tree. It's a characteristic of humanity that we also want to do what we are forbidden to do. It's also great to read that Paul is subject to the very same difficulty that I am.

Psalm 17:1-15
This is nice

¹⁴ O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
       from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
       You still the hunger of those you cherish;
       their sons have plenty,
       and they store up wealth for their children.

Proverbs 19:22-23
²² What a man desires is unfailing love ^[a] ;
       better to be poor than a liar.
 ²³ The fear of the LORD leads to life:
       Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

And I'm sleeping.