So God set another time – TODAY!
Judges 9 / Proverbs 22 / Hebrews 4-6
How to get the most out of Hungry Bible
OT
Judges 9:7-15 When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted, “Listen to me, people of Shechem! Listen to me if you want God to listen to you! Once upon a time the trees decided to elect a king. First they said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’ But it refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the olive oil that blesses both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ Then they said to the fig tree, ‘You be our king!’ But the fig tree also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ Then they said to the grapevine, ‘You be our king!’ But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said, ‘Come, you be our king!’ And the thornbush replied, ‘If you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade. If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'”
Proverbs 22:24 Keep away from angry, short-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
NT
Hebrews 4:7 So God set another time for entering his place of rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David a long time later in the words already quoted: ‘Today you must listen to his voice. Don’t harden your hearts against him.’
:12-16 For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done. That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.
OT Flash Points
We mindlessly tend to make hot-headed nobodies our kings.
Proverbs: Then we become just like them
NT Flash Points
God’s family can be sure that His promise (verbal righteousness) is never going to change because of His oath – placing all He has on the line
Perspective
Nothing disappears – only changes form
Absorb the evil and let the Intents (Spirit) of God in you change it
Either repel or redeem
If Jesus is your advocate – you needn’t defend yourself