Year 2 Day 211


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 9v18-10v32


Message - Scott Woodburn
The Lord had promised never to send a flood upon the earth again but even in the face of the grace of God humanity remained sinful. Noah had planted a vineyard and had become drunk on his homemade wine (v21). He was in such a state that he lay naked in his tent (v21). The sin of Noah was met by the sin of his son Ham. Ham saw his father’s naked disgrace and did nothing about it.


In response to hearing about their dad, Shem and Japheth walked backwards into the tent and covered their dad’s nakedness with a garment (v23). When Noah sobered up and heard what had taken place, he cursed the descendants of his son Ham saying “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” (v25). Additionally Noah pronounced a blessing upon his other sons saying “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.” (v26-27)


This seems like a strange incident…what’s going on? Noah has acted foolishly and collapsed drunk naked in his tent. On discovering his father, Ham looked upon his father’s nakedness. This was a shameful thing in the ancient world. Ham takes no steps to honour his father and instead goes and tells his brothers. Some have argued that Ham perhaps abused his father in his drunken state but this cannot be supported by the text. Instead Ham displays sinful arrogance and by going to tell his brothers, it seems that he wants his brothers to share in the disgrace of his dad. John Calvin suggests that Ham laughs at his dad and seeks his further humiliation.


The reaction of Shem and Japheth couldn’t be more different. They seek to honour their father by walking backwards into his tent. Noah has been a fool but he still receives the honour due to him from his other two sons. They refuse to look upon Noah’s shameful state and cover their father’s body.


The result was a curse pronounced upon Ham’s descendants. Ham’s youngest son was called Canaan and the Canaanite people would time and again show that they had inherited Ham’s arrogance and depravity. Ham’s sin would be copied and repeated and magnified by the future generations.


The descendants of Shem and Japheth however would know the blessing of God. From them would come both Jew and Gentile and they would ultimately find unity through the finished work of Christ. Chapter 10 outlines the development of the nations of the world with them all finding their origins in the sons of Noah. Yet the tenth chapter is about the sovereignty of God. He extends His hand of common grace to all the people’s of the world but from the world He gathers a people for His own possession.


Luke tells us that Shem is a direct descendant of Christ (Luke 3v36) and so once more we see the seed of the woman against the seed of the enemy. The Lord is faithful to all that He has promised and those who continue to reject Him remain under the curse of God while those who have received Christ know the blessing of God. Biblical history records this very truth. Ham is the son who dishonoured his father. Jesus is the son who did all that His Father commanded. Ham’s actions resulted in a curse. Christ at the cross became a curse for us. The difference is clear and so let me ask…which side are you on? 


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Q90 How is the Word to be read and heard, that it may become effectual to salvation? That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer; receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.

Year 2 Day 210


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 4:1-3a


Message - Alan Burke 


Last week there was a news headline “Climate change: 'Adapt or die' warning from Environment Agency”. The article paints a pretty bleak picture of what lies ahead in this world unless we take significant steps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. As I read it I did so with a biblical lens and I was comforted in the knowledge that our God by his providence is at work. It’s something that we have thought about before, providence. Providence may or may not be a word that is familiar to you but it is a biblical teaching that in what we face with a changing climate, in what we face in difficult circumstances in life, actually in all things that God is governing all his creatures and their actions by his providence from beginning to end. As we look to the book of 1 Samuel once more we are reminded of that truth.  


So far everything had been focused on what God was doing in redemptive history, in how he was bringing forth a godly man to lead his people in Samuel, but then all of a sudden the focus changes and we are told of how the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines (4:1). We’re not told who was the aggressor, in fact it doesn’t matter. What we do know is that there had been issues between the Philistines and the people of God for a long time, their hostilities dominated Israel’s history. 


The Philistines (2) deploy their forces leaving four thousand Israelite soldiers dead on the battlefield, there is no mention of the wounded or the scale of the fighting force. What we are given here is like the live news report from an emerging situation, one in which there has been no time to take stock of anything other than the casualties and the Israelites are left reeling at it all. The hope that was there in chapter three and the opening of chapter four in how we are told of Samuel’s word coming to all Israel (3:19-4:1) is now but a distant memory. 


As the soldiers return to camp, the elders of the people ask the question “why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today?” (3a). It is a striking questions, for in the midst of their loss, they understood something that often we easily miss, even though they as a people did what was right in their own eyes, they still had an understanding and a belief in the sovereignty of God that in all things God is in control by his providence. Yes the battle was lost but they knew that it wasn’t the Philistines who had brought this defeat on them but the Lord, ‘why did the Lord bring defeat upon us’ they asked knowing that he was ultimately in control. 


The Scriptures make clear that the Lord by his providence is at work, he is governing all his creatures and their actions. In a most complete and sovereign way, he ordains everything from the beginning to the end, and he brings them to pass. This includes not only the good and pleasant things, but also things that are not. In a mysterious, and in a holy, wise, and powerful way, God does this, he is sovereignly over all, (see Gen 45:5, Acts 1:16). 


He had shown that in his using of Hannah, who had suffered bitterly, who had longed for a son, God used her suffering according to his purposes, and likewise here God was using the events here that unfolded for his purposes. The four thousand dead on the battlefield were according to his eternal plan, according to the council of his will and the elders as they exclaimed why did the Lord bring defeat upon us knew that. We may stand back and wonder what is going on but sovereignly behind it all God is at work, at work here now in the midst of it all by his providence (Dan 2:20-21, Amos 3:6, Eph 1:11). God leaves nothing to chances. His purpose will not be thwarted. Instead, in a most complete and sovereign way, he ordains everything from the beginning to the end, and he brings them to pass.


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Q89 How is the Word made effectual to salvation?The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation. (Neh. 8:8, 1 Cor. 14:24–25, Acts 26:18, Ps. 19:8, Acts 20:32, Rom. 15:4, 2 Tim. 3:15–17, Rom. 10:13–17, Rom. 1:16)

Year 2 Day 208


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 9v1-17


Message - Scott Woodburn
As the earth dried out the Lord was clear what he expected from Noah and his family. They were to multiply and the fill the earth (v1), they were to have dominion over the earth and its creatures (v2-4) and they were to take life seriously (v5-7). God had made man in His own image and so Noah and his descendants had no right to shed the blood of a fellow human. In today’s world life is cheap and under the banner of progress blood is easily shed - we would do well to remember the Lord’s word to Noah.


In Genesis we have already been introduced to the concept of covenant. The Lord God is not like us, we are not His equal and yet He willingly lowers Himself and enters into a covenant relationship with His creatures. The Lord entered into a covenant of works with Adam whereby Adam and his descendants would enjoy everlasting life on condition of Adam’s perfect obedience. As the covenant of works lay in tatters, God willingly entered into the covenant of grace whereby the seed of the woman was promised as the One who would crush the serpent’s head.


Noah understood the covenant of grace. It was by the covenant of grace that he and his family would be saved by entering the ark (Genesis 6v18). Jesus is the ark for God’s people, He is the seed of the woman and all who cling to Him will not be overcome by the flood of judgement to come.


In this chapter another covenant is introduced. This covenant made with Noah doesn’t speak about salvation like the covenant of grace. However it brings much encouragement to all the creatures of the earth. It is a universal covenant whereby God promises Noah “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” (v11)


In these days of climate uncertainty God’s Word is of more value than the testimony of a Swedish teenager. He is clear in His promise to Noah that the world will never again be destroyed by a flood and to make His word visible the Lord places the rainbow in the sky (v13) as a sure sign that He will keep His promise (v17). This isn’t to say that we can treat the world as we so please. The world and everything in it belongs to the Lord and so we should exercise dominion carefully and wisely. Nevertheless, God has promised that we will never see a day when the land is swallowed up by the sea.


But if God’s rainbow in the clouds reminds us that He will never again flood the earth the Apostles saw something even greater in the sky. At the start of the book of Acts the disciples stood watching Jesus ascend into the clouds and soon an angel would assure them that Jesus would return in the very same manner. While the earth will never again be destroyed by a flood, Jesus is coming back and He is coming in judgement.


As children we believed that if somehow we could reach the end of the rainbow there we would find a pot of gold. I never managed such a feat and I suspect you didn’t either but a greater rainbow is here. Christ’s resurrection is a sure sign of the day of judgement (Acts 17v31) and a sure sign that those who have trusted Him will stand on the final day (1 Corinthians 15v23). Dear Christian, Jesus has never promised us silver or gold but when we reach the end of the rainbow we will discover something better by far.


“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3v20-21)


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Q88 What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption? The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the Word, Sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

Year 2 Day 207


Pray (ACts)


Read - Deuteronomy 26:5-11


Message - Alan Burke


Ever since the mechanisation of farming, of trade agreements between nations, and as we a people have moved further and further away from livelihoods that are reliant on the land, as our children are just as likely to think milk comes from Tesco than a cow, we can be tempted to think that we are self sufficient. We rely on ourselves, on what we have done, we look to technology and science for all the answers. There is though a lesson for us here in Deuteronomy, for the people here were reminded of who God is and what he had done for them. They were to rejoiced in all the good things that the LORD their God had given to them and their household (11).


For he was and is the creator and sustainer of the entire universe, who holds it all together by the power of his word (Hebrews 1:3) we are reliant on His providential care just as Israel were, in all of life, in every aspect of it, for he is the one who supports and sustains it all. We are dependant on him to bring forth each new day, for the rain the sun shine, for each and every breath, and in the knowledge of that should lead us to rejoice, rejoice in the harvest in the LORD of the harvest. 


The offering of first fruits here in this passage does not apply directly to us, but for us the standard of what we are to give to God is much greater for we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. When we know who God is and what he has done, we should give according to our means (1 Cor 8:11) using all that we have, our entire lives in his service. Yet look at us, we have bought into the lie that has been sold by our consumeristic society, instead of being willing to give it all to God we are more preoccupied by what we have and what we get out of ‘religion’, instead we should be willing to give our all to the Lord who has give us his grace, not reluctantly, not under compulsion but as a response to Him. 


We should desire to use what God has given us for his work and for those in need. Remember Jesus words, it is more blessed to receive than to give, no, thats what our society thinks, no rather Jesus words were of course, “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. As Jesus said, earthly treasure rusts, it is eat by moths and sometimes stolen by thieves (Matt 6:19-21) we need to acknowledge that all that we have, the harvest our wealth, our time, our abilities, everything we have comes from God. 


In Romans 12, after Paul has just explained the redemptive acts of the Lord God, he reminded us how we have been saved, and then he outlines who we are to live living in the mercies of God, living in a way acceptable to him that is our reasonable service that is in response to the grace that we have been shown.


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Q87 What is repentance unto life?
Repentance unto life is a saving grace, (Acts 11:18) whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, (Acts 2:37–38) and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, (Joel 2:12, Jer. 3:22) doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, (Jer. 31:18–19, Ezek. 36:31) with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience. (2 Cor. 7:11, Isa. 1:16–17)

Year 2 Day 206


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 8


Message - Scott Woodburn
As chapter eight begins we are told that God remembered Noah (v1a). This isn’t to say that the Lord had somehow forgotten Noah but instead when we read about God’s “remembering” it means that he acts on behalf of the one he remembers and is faithful to all that He has promised. I remember happy moments in the past and do nothing. God remembered Noah and moved on his behalf, and caused the flood waters to subside (v1b). This language is anthropomorphic - it describes God using the language of man and it helps us to understand who He is. At the same time we remember that the Lord is Spirit. He doesn’t actually have body parts nor does He need to remember like us nor does He need to repent.


Eventually the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (v4) and Noah sent out a raven to survey the land. The raven went back and forward but didn’t provide Noah with the good news he was waiting for. Later Noah sent out a dove but she wasn’t able to find any place to set her foot. The dove was sent again one week later and this time she returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf. Finally the waters were lowering! One more week passed before Noah sent out the dove once more and this time she didn’t return (v12). Soon Noah saw with his own eyes the ground was dry (v14) with the Lord telling him that it was time to leave the ark.


Scripture indicates that Noah had been on board the ark for 371 days. Can you imagine? We struggle during long car journeys and all of us complain about international flights. Noah puts us all to shame with over a year spent floating upon the flooded earth. As he leaves the ark he doesn’t look for a hot towel to wipe away the grime of travel, instead Noah’s response to God’s grace was worship.


Noah built the first altar in the Bible and offered burnt offerings to the Lord, the pleasing aroma of which delighted the Lord (v21). God then declared that He would never again flood the earth and that as long as the earth remained then so too would seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night (v22). Here we see a wonderful picture of God’s grace. Genesis quickly shows us that Noah wasn’t a perfect man yet still the Lord would not revoke His promise. The Lord will not destroy the earth again with water.


Noah left the ark and put the worship of the Lord first. Today we would do well to heed his example. We have much that Noah didn’t have. Today we require no altar for instead we look to Jesus. He is the ark for God’s people. He is the truly righteous man. He is the great high priest. His altar was the cross and He Himself was the sacrifice. Today what Christ has done is like a sweet aroma to Almighty God (Ephesians 5v2) and for as long as the earth remains, Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for His own. Worship Him!


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Q86 What is faith in Jesus Christ? Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.
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Year 2 Day 205


Pray (ACts)


Read - Deuteronomy 26:5-11


Message - Alan Burke 


Here in Deuteronomy the people were to come and acknowledge God’s gracious activity on their behalf, remembering what the Lord had done for them. This wasn’t about paying off God, some kind of barter system that the people had arranged, that they were paying of the mortgage that they had taken out with God in exchange for the land, or some kind of works based system where they were trying to earn God’s favour by bringing Him their tithe. No it was about acknowledging what God had indeed done for them. 


As they did so they were to declare (5-11) the truth of what God had done, and the truth of grace that he had shown them in their salvation. For these verses acted as a reminder of God’s activity in it all, how he was faithful to his promises, how he had redeemed them from Egypt bringing salvation to them and it was only by his grace they were to come into the land.


Of course there would have been some who simply went through the motions, for whom the thought of giving their first fruits away to God no matter what he had done would have vexed them no end, what they would have seen is the value of the offering, the effort there was in producing it. But for the righteous among them, this giving of the first-fruits would have been a time of rejoicing, hearts throbbing, as they joined with the people of God delighting in the reality of what He had done on their behalf. And communally it would have acted as a collective remembrance, serving to reinforce the identity of individual, that they were God’s people, in God’s place under his rule and blessing.


Three words summaries it all, ’Slavery’, ‘Grace’, ‘Response’. For they were slaves in Egypt, God showed his grace and this is how they were to respond. Those three concepts are a repeated pattered throughout scripture, time and time again, of slavery, grace, response. It is the same pattern for us. Slavery, grace response, for we were slaves to sin, that was followed the grace the kindness and the mercy of God in what he has done through Jesus Christ and that has been displayed with such reality to us, and as the recipients of this grace and mercy, well we should live in response to what the Lord has done (Rom 6:20). 


The Israelites did not overthrow their bondage nor have have we, for just like they could not save themselves from their slavery neither can we, yet the Lord God Almighty has redeemed us in his grace and because of that amazing truth we should respond to him rightly, responding with all that we have, our entire being that should ultimately lead us to worship him. For that is our primary purpose our goal, our chief end, that is why we were made, to glorify God, our entire lives are about giving him the glory, revealing who his is by our actions by our praise and worship. 


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Q85 What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us for sin?
To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, (Acts 20:21) with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. (Prov. 2:1–5, Prov. 8:33–36, Isa. 55:3)
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Year 2 Day 204


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 7


Message - Scott Woodburn
I served as an assistant minister in the harbour port of Larne. Larne is a wonderful place with much beauty and many lovely people. I remember my days there fondly as I had lunch in Drains Bay or walked beside Chaine Memorial or as I looked out over the town from one of the old tower blocks. I also remember more sombre moments from my time in Larne, not least when the congregation would sing “Eternal Father, Stong to Save” on the Sunday closest to 31st January each year.


The song was significant because it spoke of “those in peril on the sea”. The date was significant because on that day in 1953 the MV Princess Victoria sank on its way back to Larne from Scotland. 135 people were lost and so to this day Larne people remember the peril and power of the sea.


I tell you this story as a reminder that creation often humbles us as people. We think we have mastered this world and everything in it until our lives come crashing down like a wave on a beach. The oceans make us feel small and their fury reminds us of our humanity. Only God is King and only He commands the sea.


As Noah and his family took their place on the ark the flood waters began to rise. God sent rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights (v12) and as it rained the flood waters increased.  This was no localised flood that impacted just a wee part of the world. This flood was so fierce that even the mountains of the world were covered (v19). It’s hard to imagine such a catastrophic judgement. In those days if we viewed our planet from space all we would have seen was water. Nowhere to make a home. Nowhere to plant our feet. All life under the judgement of God and everything dead (v21).


Larne people knew not to mess with the ocean and many of them knew not to mess with Almighty God. I think we have lost sight of that truth. Sometimes we consider God to be a better version of ourselves. Sometimes we reckon that He is a genie who grants us wishes. Sometimes we imagine Him as a white bearded forgetful figure who treats us like his precious grandchildren.


Yet as we look at Genesis 7 we see Him in His holiness and righteous judgement as He commands the waters and destroys the earth. Please don’t respond to this by saying “that’s Old Testament…Jesus isn’t like that.” This is an ancient error called Marcionism. Remember that Christ is the eternal Son of God and that when the flood waters swept over the earth - Jesus was there and Jesus was God. Instead of falling into this error may the Spirit lead us into truth and the fear of the Lord.


Who is like the Lord? No one. Who commands the oceans aside from Him? No one. Who is as holy as the Lord? No one. Who is like the Lord? Who? No one. He is good. He is mighty. He is holy. He is the Lord.


Child of God draw near to the Lord today and be humble before Him. May you come to a deeper realisation of His holiness and might. May you remember that creation leaps at the word of the Creator. Almighty God is not a better version of you but in Christ He is for you. In Christ your feet have found solid ground for our God remains the eternal Father, strong to save.   


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Q. 84. What doth every sin deserve?
A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.
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Year 2 Day 203


Pray (ACts)


Read - Deuteronomy 26:1-4


Message - Alan Burke 


Today less and less people are dependant on the land for their livelihoods, for most of us though if we go back one of two generations we find that things were very different for our families. Many of our forefathers were totally reliant on the land, their lives were linked indelibly to it. At the same time we know others to a greater or lesser degree are dependant on the land and you may be one of them as you read this. This coming Lord’s day as every Lord’s day give thanks in Lissara to God for all that he has done, but as we do, we remember his provision to us in providing a harvest. So we take a break from 1 Samuel this week and look to the book of Deuteronomy. 


At this stage the people of God were not an agricultural people, they had been enslaved in Egypt and when Moses spoke these words to them they were living a nomadic life in the wilderness. They did not need to work the ground, harvesting the crops for the Lord provided for their daily needs and many of them wouldn’t have known anything but manna and quail (Ex 16:2-26). They were a people who had lost any real concept of the harvest.


The section that we look at today forms only part of the teaching of how God’s people were to live. It began at the beginning of chapter twelve but in all of it, the Lord through Moses was teaching his people who they were and how to live in response to what he the LORD had done for them. In this passage, Deuteronomy 26, it deals with the first harvest after they had settling in the land and made it their home, when they had got to grips with the plow, stickle and the pitchfork.


First the LORD though Moses reminds them as they look expectantly to that future hope of entering the promised land, that all of it was in God’s gracious purposes. It wasn’t their military prowess, their skill with the sword that would bring this about, No it was God. This  is the truth that should be the foundation of their lives as they live as His people in the promised land that He was giving them, living under His rule and blessing. This truth above all else should be the foundation for how they were to live and their motivation underpinning how they were to live. Indeed their lives were to be lived as response for what God had done for it was by grace alone they were there (2-4). 


After settling in the land, after making it their home, when they had got to grips farming they were to bring the first-fruits of the ground, the wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates to the LORD. Because it was the Lord who had provided all they had according to his grace, it was the Lord who did provide, it was the Lord who brought forth each new day, who gave them the sun and the rain who made their crops grow and this bringing of the first fruits was an acknowledgement of the graciousness of God. For it was the LORD God in his grace that they would inherit this land and they were given the harvest and the knowledge of his grace and his provision should lead them to respond with the first fruits giving them to God. 


I know we are more use to getting milk from a carton than a cow, we have lost any concept of what seasonal fruit and vegetables are, after all we live in a global village. But we still should thank God every day for his provision to us, for giving us our daily bread but most of all for his provision of a saviour, Jesus Christ. 


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Q83 Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. (Ezek. 8:6,13,15, 1 John 5:16, Ps. 78:17,32,56)
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Year 2 Day 201


Pray (ACts)


Read - Genesis 6


Message - Scott Woodburn
Genesis 6 has long been a favourite chapter of many because it seems to be full of ancient historical mystery. Some argue that it tells the tale of fallen angels who possess sinful humans and produce as their offspring great and mighty giants. Perhaps you’ve heard these stories? I’m sorry to disappoint you by saying that this chapter isn’t as mysterious as you’ve heard.


As the chapter begins we hear that humanity is growing in number across the earth (v1) and soon the “sons of God” see that the “daughters of man” are attractive and claim them as wives (v2). Its here that some build a case for angels taking women as wives. While it is true to say that in the Old Testament “sons of God” usually means angels - it doesn’t in this particular case. Why not? Firstly, we haven’t yet heard anything about the angels and it would seem a bit of a jump to suggest that Moses is here introducing God’s heavenly host. Secondly, nowhere in the Scriptures do we see angels engaging in sexual intercourse or marriage (Matthew 22v30). Thirdly and most importantly, to claim that “sons of God” in Genesis 6 means “angels” is to rip this passage out of its setting.


What is that setting? We’ve already heard about the seed of the woman and the seed of the devil. We have witnessed Cain’s sin as he killed his brother Abel and we’ve also seen the birth of Seth continuing the promise of God. So these verses aren’t about sinful angels but rather sinful humanity and the ancient story of the City of God against the City of Man. The “sons of God” refers to the descendants of Seth who sinfully take wives from the “daughters of man”. To use Paul’s language - this is an unequal yoke (2 Corinthians 6v14). A Christian should seek to marry only another Christian.


The descendants of Seth were throwing off the shackles due to the beauty of the daughters of the children of men. If the women were beautiful then the men were mighty. Moses tells us that in those ancient days the “nephilim” were on the earth. These were not some angel-human hybrid but instead men of giant stature and men who did impressive things (v4).


The picture looks positive…beautiful couples, beautiful children, mighty and giant men…what’s the problem? The Lord looked and He didn’t see that everything was well. He judged the earth and found only wickedness. Mankind thought and acted wickedly continually. The Lord’s response was to bring His judgement to bear and to destroy the world with a global flood (v17).


Thankfully even in a sea of wickedness there was one righteous man. His name was Noah and he was to build an ark which would save his family and the animals of the earth.


There’s a saying ”all that glitters isn’t gold” and I think it is appropriate for the world we live in. Humanity has never seen such technology and advancement and yet humanity remains desperately wicked. We’ll see in a later chapter that we need not fear another flood, yet we know that God’s judgement remains. A day is coming that our wicked generation will join every other wicked generation standing before Christ. On that great and terrible day only those who have received Jesus by faith will stand. Christ is the true giant upon the earth. Christ’s deeds make those of humanity look like nonsense. Christ would take for His bride the redeemed peoples of earth and it is Christ who is the only righteous man and the ark for God’s people.


A flood of wrath is coming. Climb upon Christ’s shoulders and be saved.


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Q. 82. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
A. No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

Year 2 Day 200


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 3:2-20


Message - Alan Burke 


As the Lord here calls Samuel, Eli were told was not an old man, his eyes were weak, he couldn’t see, but he was also vastly overweight (4:18). What now takes place is sometime before dawn for the priests were to light a lamp from evening until morning (Ex 27:21). So sometime in the early hours of the morning the Lord speaks, Samuel is woken by the audible voice of the LORD. 


What we have here, in Samuel’s repeated going to Eli the picture of now a young man who was ready to serve. Initially it was unknown to both of them that this was the call of God and both are slow to grasp what is happening. We are also told Samuel did not yet know the LORD, the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him (7). Again the call comes, he goes to Eli and perceives it was the LORD and told what to do, then as the LORD calls for the fourth time, we are told the LORD came and stood there (10). This is what is called a theophany, the visible manifestation of God to man, God was there with Samuel, present with him, this wasn’t a dream and Samuel responds as Eli had told him. 


There the LORD reveals to him that he was about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle (11), the LORD was brining his judgement. He was making it clear to Samuel that he would indeed to what he had promised against the house of Eli. This judgement was coming because of his failure to do anything about the worship of Him in how Eli allowed his sons to treat worship with contempt. For Eli’s house there was no possibility of atonement for their sin, the reason why is that they had shown contempt for the provision God had made for their sins. They had treated his offerings with scorn, how could these offerings offer any means of forgiveness for them. Do we see the horror of what God pronounces in these words? God had provided a means for the forgiveness of sins and they had rejected it and because of it there was no hope for them. 


In the New Testament the same reality is told to us, if we treat what God has done with scone then there is no hope of forgiveness. Hebrews reminds us… how much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by those who trample underfoot the Son of God (Heb 10:29). If we have heard of the offer of forgiveness in Jesus Christ and we reject what he has done, if we fail to repent of our sins and respond to the call of God then as Hebrews continues… we profane the blood of the covenant by which Christ was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:30-31).


Today if you have not repented of your sins hear this warning if you have ears to hear, repent or else there will be no sacrifice left to atone for your sins for you have trampled underfoot the Son of God. This is what all those who do not trust the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. This message of judgement Samuel gave to Eli (17-20). We are reminded that the word of the Lord is not always easy, the word of the Lord does not stroke our egos, it doesn’t tell us we are good people, it reveals our sin and our need for a saviour, the need to repent and believe (Mk 1:15).

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Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q81 What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, (1 Kings 21:4, Esther 5:13, 1 Cor. 10:10) envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, (Gal. 5:26, James 3:14,16) and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his. (Rom. 7:7–8, Rom. 13:9, Deut. 5:21)
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