Friday, June 11

Yes. just got back from a wedding. Pretty good times for only knowing a few people there. I ate another inhuman amount of pasta and thoroughly shamed myself and the Murray name on the dance floor.

Reading for June 11
1 Kings 8:1-66
So now that the Temple was done and Solomon's palace was done, the next step was to bring the ark of the covenant to the Temple. So I'm just starting to understand the importance of the ark, its not so much a physical representation of God so much as it is a physical representation of God's promises to Israel. Promises which have all come to pass. And contained within the ark are the two stone tablets on which the ten commandments were written. That's kinda cool to think about because it has always been said that God's promises would be upheld if the Israelites followed his decrees. So this box that symbolizes these promises has his commands within it - pretty poetic way to encapsulate the entire thing.

As they bring the ark into the temple, all of Israel turns out - apparently this is a huge deal. Solomon then offers up a very long prayer that essentially just asks God for mercy on his people. He states that all people are susceptible to sin and will sin in their lifetime - that may be the first time that is admitted in the Bible. Up until now, its been silently expected that all men should be perfect.

My favorite part of his prayer, however is this:

²⁷ "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!

Speaking to the futility of building a temple for a God that cannot even be contained by the highest heaven. Pretty cool. 

Acts 7:51-8:13
Stephen's speech concludes.


So at the end of this speech that is packed to the brim with a sparkling knowledge of Jewish history,  Stephen's tone becomes accusatory. Here's what he says:

 ⁵¹"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵²Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— ⁵³you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."

This is basically the same thing Peter said to the crowds at the beginning of Acts, admittedly Stephen is saying it in a much more unpleasant way. Nonetheless, this obviously ticks off the Sanhedrin and they throw him out into the square to stone him. Stephen's death is freaking epic.

 ⁵⁹While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." ⁶⁰Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. 

The same way Jesus asked God to forgive his mockers at the cross, Stephen asks God to forgive the one's who are killing him. One more point - right before he is killed he looks up and claims to see God and Jesus at his right hand. To this the Sanhedrin cover their ears and yell. Is there something in your life that you're trying to ignore even though all the evidence is there?

Psalm 129:1-8
Nothing stands out here.

Proverbs 17:1
 ¹ Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
       than a house full of feasting, ^[a] with strife.

Running out of battery. Good night.