The Daily Lectionary with Commentary
Monday, November 13, 2023
Legacy of Faithfulness: God's Deeds
Monday, November 13, 2023
Legacy of Faithfulness: God's Deeds
and Our Commitment
Psalm 78; Joshua 24:25-33; 1 Corinthians 14:20-25
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)
Introduction
Psalm 78; Joshua 24:25-33; 1 Corinthians 14:20-25
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)
Introduction
The sacred tapestry woven through the texts of Psalm 78, Joshua 24:25-33, and 1 Corinthians 14:20-25 highlights the rich history of God's faithfulness to His people, and in turn, the importance of our steadfast commitment and understanding to Him. In Psalm 78, the psalmist recounts the wondrous deeds and occasional chastisements of God, reminding the current generation of the lessons from their ancestors and the imperative of passing them on. Joshua 24 sees the culmination of Israel's journey into the Promised Land, where Joshua leads the people in renewing their covenant with God, setting a stone as a witness to their commitment. Meanwhile, in 1 Corinthians, Paul urges the church in Corinth to mature in understanding, emphasizing the value of clear and comprehensible worship so that all might be edified and outsiders might believe. Together, these passages beckon us to remember God's faithfulness, to commit wholly to Him, and to ensure our worship is rooted in understanding and clarity.
A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 78
God settled the tribes of Israel
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 78
God settled the tribes of Israel
Psalm 78, a Maskil of Asaph, is one of the lengthiest psalms in the Book of Psalms. This psalm serves as a reminder of God's continual faithfulness to Israel throughout their history, even in the face of their repeated unfaithfulness to Him. As a didactic poem, it underlines the importance of passing down the knowledge of God's deeds from one generation to the next. Through a recounting of the wonders, miracles, and judgments that the Lord performed for Israel, this psalm emphasizes the necessity of trust and obedience in our relationship with God. Let it be a call for us, as readers, to not only remember the past but to also be vigilant in teaching future generations about God's steadfast love and righteousness.1 My people, hear my teaching; *
listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable; *
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 Things we have heard and known, *
things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation *
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel, *
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6 So the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born, *
and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds *
but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
a stubborn and rebellious generation, *
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.
9 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, *
turned back on the day of battle;
10 They did not keep God’s covenant *
and refused to live by his law.
11 They forgot what he had done, *
the wonders he had shown them.
12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors *
in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and led them through; *
he made the water stand up like a wall.
14 He guided them with the cloud by day *
and with light from the fire all night.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness *
and gave them water as abundant as the seas;
16 He brought streams out of a rocky crag *
and made water flow down like rivers.
17 But they continued to sin against him, *
rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High.
18 They willfully put God to the test *
by demanding the food they craved.
19 They spoke against God; *
they said, “Can God really
spread a table in the wilderness?
20 True, he struck the rock,
and water gushed out,
streams flowed abundantly, *
but can he also give us bread?
Can he supply meat for his people?”
21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious; *
his fire broke out against Jacob,
and his wrath rose against Israel,
22 For they did not believe in God *
or trust in his deliverance.
23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above *
and opened the doors of the heavens;
24 He rained down manna for the people to eat, *
he gave them the grain of heaven.
25 Human beings ate the bread of angels; *
he sent them all the food they could eat.
26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens *
and by his power made the south wind blow.
27 He rained meat down on them like dust, *
birds like sand on the seashore.
28 He made them come down inside their camp, *
all around their tents.
29 They ate till they were gorged— *
he had given them what they craved.
30 But before they turned from what they craved, *
even while the food was still in their mouths,
31 God’s anger rose against them; *
he put to death the sturdiest among them,
cutting down the young men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; *
in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.
33 So he ended their days in futility *
and their years in terror.
34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; *
they eagerly turned to him again.
35 They remembered that God was their Rock, *
that God Most High was their Redeemer.
36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths, *
lying to him with their tongues;
37 Their hearts were not loyal to him, *
they were not faithful to his covenant.
38 Yet he was merciful; *
he forgave their iniquities
and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger *
and did not stir up his full wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, *
a passing breeze that does not return.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness *
and grieved him in the wasteland!
41 Again and again they put God to the test; *
they vexed the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember his power— *
the day he redeemed them from the oppressor,
43 The day he displayed his signs in Egypt, *
his wonders in the region of Zoan.
44 He turned their river into blood; *
they could not drink from their streams.
45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, *
and frogs that devastated them.
46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, *
their produce to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail *
and their sycamore-figs with sleet.
48 He gave over their cattle to the hail, *
their livestock to bolts of lightning.
49 He unleashed against them his hot anger, *
his wrath, indignation and hostility—
a band of destroying angels.
50 He prepared a path for his anger; *
he did not spare them from death
but gave them over to the plague.
51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, *
the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.
52 But he brought his people out like a flock; *
he led them like sheep through the wilderness.
53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; *
but the sea engulfed their enemies.
54 And so he brought them to the border of his holy land, *
to the hill country his right hand had taken.
55 He drove out nations before them
and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; *
he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.
56 But they put God to the test
and rebelled against the Most High; *
they did not keep his statutes.
57 Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless, *
as unreliable as a faulty bow.
58 They angered him with their high places; *
they aroused his jealousy with their idols.
59 When God heard them, he was furious; *
he rejected Israel completely.
60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, *
the tent he had set up among humans.
61 He sent the ark of his might into captivity, *
his splendor into the hands of the enemy.
62 He gave his people over to the sword; *
he was furious with his inheritance.
63 Fire consumed their young men, *
and their young women had no wedding songs;
64 Their priests were put to the sword, *
and their widows could not weep.
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, *
as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine.
66 He beat back his enemies; *
he put them to everlasting shame.
67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, *
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;
68 But he chose the tribe of Judah, *
Mount Zion, which he loved.
69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, *
like the earth that he established forever.
70 He chose David his servant *
and took him from the sheep pens;
71 From tending the sheep he brought him
to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, *
of Israel his inheritance.
72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; *
with skillful hands he led them.
Gracious Heavenly Father, as we delve into the depths of Psalm 78, we are reminded of Your unwavering love and faithfulness to Your people, even when they turned away from You. Lord, let this psalm stir our hearts to remember the wonders You've done in our lives and the lessons we've learned from our forefathers. Let us not be a people who forget but rather a people who remember, cherish, and pass on the testimonies of Your goodness.
Father, help us to be faithful stewards of the stories of Your mighty works, so that future generations might know, trust, and worship You wholeheartedly. Keep our hearts attuned to Your guidance, that we might not stray from Your path, but remain steadfast in our trust and obedience to Your Word.
As the Israelites were reminded of their history, let us too be reminded of our journey with You. Let this psalm serve as a beacon, guiding us towards deeper reflection and gratitude. May we always keep Your deeds at the forefront of our minds and proclaim them to those who come after us.
Be with us today and every day in Jesus Christ, Who taught us to pray:
“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
The book of Joshua is a foundational text within the Hebrew Bible that chronicles the Israelites' conquest of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua, the successor to Moses. As the book comes to a close in chapter 24, the narrative captures a significant moment in Israel's history—their reaffirmation of the covenant with God at Shechem. This solemn agreement reaffirms their commitment to the God of their ancestors and sets the stage for their life in the Promised Land. In verses 25-33, the narrative brings not only the chapter but also the book to a poignant close, highlighting the key events and legacies of some major biblical figures.24 25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. 26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.
27 “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”
28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.
29 After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 30 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
31 Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.
32 And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.
33 And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.
Commentary
1. Verses 25-27: The reaffirmation of the covenant. Joshua takes proactive steps to ensure that the covenant made that day would remain central to the Israelites' memory and practice. The large stone set up under the oak served as both a tangible witness to their commitment and a lasting monument to remind future generations of their agreement with the Lord. The stone's symbolic function—hearing the words of the Lord and bearing witness—was an ancient Near Eastern way of solidifying treaties and covenants.
2. Verse 28: This verse marks a conclusion to the official business of reaffirming the covenant. Having done what he intended, Joshua sends the tribes of Israel to their respective territories.
3. Verses 29-31: The Legacy of Joshua. The text recognizes Joshua's death and subsequent burial, marking the end of an era. The phrase servant of the LORD echoes the title frequently given to Moses, emphasizing Joshua's faithfulness and dedication. The commitment of the Israelites to serve the Lord throughout Joshua's life and beyond speaks to the impact of his leadership.
4. Verse 32: This verse links back to Genesis and the promises made to the patriarchs. Joseph's burial in Shechem is a fulfillment of a long-standing promise. The mention of Jacob's purchase of the land from the sons of Hamor solidifies the Israelites' claim to the territory.
5. Verse 33: The record of Eleazar's death and burial connects the closing of the book with the legacy of the priestly line, beginning with Aaron and continuing through his descendants. The mention of Phinehas, known for his zeal for the Lord, signifies the continuation of dedicated leadership even after the deaths of Joshua and Eleazar.
In conclusion, Joshua 24:25-33 serves as a climactic end to the book, weaving together themes of covenant, legacy, and the faithfulness of God's people. As the Israelites enter a new phase in their journey, these verses ensure that the foundational commitments and stories of their ancestors are not forgotten.
1 Corinthians 14:20-25 falls within the larger context of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthians in which he provides instructions concerning the use of spiritual gifts, especially tongues and prophecy, in the church assembly. As the Corinthian church was dealing with divisions and misunderstandings about the nature and use of spiritual gifts, Paul's overarching message in this chapter is to promote order and edification in worship. The passage in question, verses 20-25, emphasizes the importance of understanding and clarity when the church gathers, as opposed to mere emotional or unintelligible displays.14 20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written:
“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
Commentary
Verse 20: Paul starts by challenging the Corinthians to mature in their thinking. The metaphor of being children and adults contrasts naivety and wisdom. The believers are urged to remain innocent in regard to evil but to grow in discernment and understanding concerning spiritual matters.
Verse 21: Paul references the Old Testament (Isaiah 28:11-12) to illustrate that even though God used foreign tongues to communicate with His people, Israel, they still did not listen. This historical allusion serves as a warning against overemphasizing the value of speaking in tongues.
Verse 22: Paul clarifies the purposes of tongues and prophecy within the context of the church. Tongues serve as a sign for unbelievers, while prophecy edifies believers. This distinction underscores the importance of using spiritual gifts to build up the church and reach the lost.
Verse 23: He warns that if unbelievers or those uninformed about Christian practices were to enter a gathering where everyone was speaking in tongues, they might conclude that the congregation is irrational or even insane. This lack of clarity could hinder their path to understanding the gospel.
Verses 24-25: In contrast, if unbelievers enter a gathering where prophecy (which is clear and understandable) is taking place, they may be convicted by the truths being shared, recognizing their sins and the reality of God's presence. This demonstrates that clear communication of God's truths can lead to genuine worship and transformation.
In essence, Paul is advocating for orderly worship that edifies the church and presents a clear and understandable witness to those who are seeking. The ultimate goal of any spiritual gift is to build up the body of Christ and draw people closer to Him.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Commentaries are by Kenny Sallee, ThM.
The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary with Commentary for Monday, November 13, 2023
Legacy of Faithfulness: God's Deeds and Our Commitment
Psalm 78; Joshua 24:25-33; 1 Corinthians 14:20-25
The sacred tapestry woven through the texts of Psalm 78, Joshua 24:25-33, and 1 Corinthians 14:20-25 highlights the rich history of God's faithfulness to His people, and in turn, the importance of our steadfast commitment and understanding to Him. In Psalm 78, the psalmist recounts the wondrous deeds and occasional chastisements of God, reminding the current generation of the lessons from their ancestors and the imperative of passing them on. Joshua 24 sees the culmination of Israel's journey into the Promised Land, where Joshua leads the people in renewing their covenant with God, setting a stone as a witness to their commitment. Meanwhile, in 1 Corinthians, Paul urges the church in Corinth to mature in understanding, emphasizing the value of clear and comprehensible worship so that all might be edified and outsiders might believe. Together, these passages beckon us to remember God's faithfulness, to commit wholly to Him, and to ensure our worship is rooted in understanding and clarity.
