The Daily Lectionary with Commentary for Saturday, July 13, 2024

 

The Daily Lectionary
With Expository Commentary by Kenny Sallee, ThM
Saturday, July 13, 2024

Divine Call to Repentance and Redemption

Psalm 85:8-13; Amos 4:6-13; Luke 1:57-80
(Revised Common Lectionary Year B)
(Complementary Reading Plan)
(Ordinary 15)

Introduction

The selected passages from Psalm 85, Amos 4, and Luke 1 weave together a profound narrative of divine intervention, calling for repentance, and the promise of redemption. In Psalm 85:8-13, we hear a plea for God's mercy and a vision of His steadfast love and faithfulness. Amos 4:6-13 presents a stark reminder of God's disciplinary actions intended to lead His people back to Him. Finally, in Luke 1:57-80, the birth of John the Baptist heralds the coming of salvation and the fulfillment of God's promises. Together, these scriptures underscore the urgent need for repentance and the assured hope of divine redemption.

Psalm 85:8-13
Listen to What God is Saying

Psalm 85:8-13 is a passage rich in hope and divine assurance, reflecting the psalmist's trust in God's promise of peace and salvation for His people. In these verses, the psalmist listens for the voice of the Lord, who speaks of peace to His faithful, and envisions a future where steadfast love and faithfulness meet, and righteousness and peace kiss each other. The imagery beautifully portrays a harmonious world where truth springs up from the ground and righteousness looks down from the sky, symbolizing the fullness of God's blessing and the flourishing of His creation. This section of Psalm 85 invites believers to anticipate and participate in the realization of God's righteous kingdom on earth.

8    Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
        for he will speak peace to his people,
        to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9    Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
        that his glory may dwell in our land.

10  Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
        righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11  Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
        and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12  The LORD will give what is good,
        and our land will yield its increase.
13  Righteousness will go before him,
        and will make a path for his steps.

Expository Commentary

Verse 8: In this verse, the psalmist positions himself as a listener, eager to hear God's voice. The emphasis is on God speaking peace, which implies a message of comfort and reconciliation to His people, the faithful who genuinely seek Him. The act of turning to God in their hearts suggests repentance and a sincere desire to align with God's will.

Verse 9: Here, the psalmist assures that God's salvation is imminent for those who revere Him. The term "fear" denotes deep respect and awe, rather than mere fright. The promise of salvation is tied to the manifestation of God's glory in the land, indicating a tangible presence and divine favor among the people.

Verse 10: This verse uses vivid imagery to depict the harmonious relationship between key divine attributes. "Steadfast love" (hesed) and "faithfulness" (emet) are fundamental aspects of God's character, often intertwined in biblical texts. Their meeting suggests an ideal state of mutual reinforcement. Similarly, the kiss between "righteousness" (tsedeq) and "peace" (shalom) symbolizes the perfect union of justice and harmony, implying that true peace cannot exist without righteousness.

Verse 11: The imagery here conveys a vision of creation itself participating in divine virtues. Faithfulness, emerging from the earth, signifies human response and moral integrity, while righteousness, descending from the heavens, represents divine justice. This suggests a reciprocal relationship where God's righteousness inspires human faithfulness, creating a flourishing, righteous environment.

Verse 12: The psalmist expresses confidence in God's provision. The "good" given by the LORD encompasses both spiritual and material blessings. The land yielding its increase signifies agricultural prosperity, reflecting God's favor and the resulting abundance that comes from living in accordance with His will.

Verse 13: In this concluding verse, righteousness is personified as a herald or forerunner for God, preparing the way for His coming. This implies that God's actions are always preceded by and rooted in righteousness. The imagery of making a path suggests preparation and the establishment of order, paving the way for God's presence and actions among His people.

Overall, Psalm 85:8-13 presents a hopeful vision of divine favor, characterized by peace, salvation, and the harmonious interplay of God's steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace. It encourages believers to live faithfully, with the assurance that God's righteousness will ultimately lead to a blessed and prosperous existence.

Amos 4:6-13
Prepare to Meet Your God

Amos 4:6-13 is a passage in which the prophet Amos delivers a powerful message of warning and judgment to the people of Israel. In these verses, God recounts a series of calamities—famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and warfare—that He has brought upon the nation as a means of calling them to repentance. Despite these harsh measures, the people have not returned to Him. Through Amos, God reminds Israel of His sovereignty and the dire consequences of their continued disobedience, urging them to recognize His power and return to a faithful relationship with Him before it's too late.

4 6 I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
        and lack of bread in all your places,
    yet you did not return to me,
    says the LORD.

7    And I also withheld the rain from you
        when there were still three months to the harvest;
    I would send rain on one city,
        and send no rain on another city;
    one field would be rained upon,
        and the field on which it did not rain withered;
8    so two or three towns wandered to one town
        to drink water, and were not satisfied;
    yet you did not return to me,
    says the LORD.

9    I struck you with blight and mildew;
        I laid waste your gardens and your vineyards;
        the locust devoured your fig trees and your olive trees;
    yet you did not return to me,
    says the LORD.

10  I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt;
        I killed your young men with the sword;
    I carried away your horses;
        and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils;
    yet you did not return to me,
    says the LORD.

11  I overthrew some of you,
        as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
        and you were like a brand snatched from the fire;
    yet you did not return to me,
    says the LORD.

12  Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
        because I will do this to you,
        prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

13  For lo, the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind,
        reveals his thoughts to mortals,
    makes the morning darkness,
        and treads on the heights of the earth—
        the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name!

Expository Commentary

Verse 6: Here, "cleanness of teeth" is a metaphor for famine—since there is no food, teeth remain clean. God declares that He has withheld food from the Israelites, causing widespread hunger as a means of prompting their repentance. Despite this severe trial, the people did not turn back to God.

Verse 7: God describes how He controlled the rain to create drought conditions selectively, affecting agriculture critically close to harvest time. This targeted drought was meant to show His power and prompt the people to realize their dependence on Him. Despite this, they did not return to Him.

Verse 8: The drought led to such severe water shortages that people from multiple towns had to travel to find water, only to remain unsatisfied. This highlights the desperation and hardship intended to drive the people to seek God. However, they still failed to repent.

Verse 9: God recounts sending agricultural diseases (blight and mildew) and locusts to destroy their crops, further compounding their distress. These afflictions were additional signs meant to turn the people's hearts back to God. Still, they did not repent.

Verse 10: The reference to a pestilence "after the manner of Egypt" evokes the plagues that afflicted Egypt before the Exodus, emphasizing the severity of God's judgments. Additionally, war brought death and destruction, and the stench of decay filled their camps, yet these extreme measures did not lead the people to repentance.

Verse 11: God compares His judgments on Israel to the utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, emphasizing the intensity and righteousness of His actions. Despite experiencing such near-total destruction, like a brand snatched from the fire, the people still did not turn back to God.

Verse 12: Given their repeated failure to repent despite numerous warnings and judgments, God declares that Israel must now prepare to face Him directly. This is a sobering call to accountability, indicating that further, more severe judgment is imminent.

Verse 13: The passage concludes with a powerful declaration of God's sovereignty and might. God is the Creator of all things, from the mountains to the wind, and has the power to reveal His will to humanity and control the natural world. This underscores the seriousness of His warning and the need for Israel to recognize His authority and return to Him.

In summary, Amos 4:6-13 is a vivid recounting of the various divine judgments that God has brought upon Israel to urge repentance. Despite these escalating calamities, the people persist in their disobedience, leading to an impending and ultimate confrontation with their Creator.

Luke 1:57-80
The Birth of John the Baptist

In Luke 1:57-80, the narrative centers on the birth and naming of John the Baptist, the miraculous child of Elizabeth and Zechariah. This passage highlights the fulfillment of God's promise, with Elizabeth giving birth to a son despite her advanced age. The community rejoices, and Zechariah, who had been rendered mute for his disbelief, regains his speech after naming the child John. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah prophesies about John's future role in preparing the way for the Lord, emphasizing God's mercy, salvation, and the dawn of a new era of peace and guidance. This section underscores themes of divine intervention, prophetic fulfillment, and the advent of redemption.

1 57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:

68    “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
        for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69    He has raised up a mighty savior for us
        in the house of his servant David,
70    as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71        that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of

         all who hate us.
72    Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
        and has remembered his holy covenant,
73    the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
        to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of

        our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and                   righteousness before him all our days.
76    And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
        for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77    to give knowledge of salvation to his people
        by the forgiveness of their sins.
78    By the tender mercy of our God,
        the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79    to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow

        of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

Expository Commentary

Verses 57-58 — The Birth of John the Baptist: The passage begins with the fulfillment of God's promise to Elizabeth and Zechariah: the birth of their son, John. Elizabeth, previously barren and advanced in age, gives birth, demonstrating God's power and faithfulness. The community shares in their joy, recognizing the Lord's great mercy.

Verses 59-63 — The Naming of John: On the eighth day, according to Jewish custom, the child is circumcised and named. The relatives and neighbors expect him to be named after his father, Zechariah. However, Elizabeth insists on the name John, a decision that is confirmed by Zechariah through writing. This name, meaning "God is gracious," signifies the divine purpose and grace bestowed upon the child.

Verses 64-66 — Zechariah's Speech Restored: Upon confirming the name John, Zechariah's speech is miraculously restored, fulfilling the angel Gabriel's prophecy (Luke 1:20). Zechariah's first act is to praise God, leading to awe and wonder among the people. The community ponders these events, sensing that God's hand is upon the child.

Verses 67-75 — Zechariah's Prophecy: Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah delivers a prophetic song, often called the Benedictus. He praises God for the coming salvation and the fulfillment of the promises made to the ancestors. He highlights God's covenant with Abraham and the deliverance from enemies, portraying a vision of a redeemed Israel where God's people can serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness.

Verses 76-77 — John's Future Role: Zechariah then addresses his newborn son, John, prophesying his role as a prophet of the Most High. John will prepare the way for the Lord by giving people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. This sets the stage for John's future ministry, where he will call for repentance and herald the coming Messiah.

Verses 78-79 — The Dawn from on High: Zechariah speaks of the tender mercy of God, describing the coming of Jesus as the dawn breaking upon those in darkness and the shadow of death. This imagery signifies hope, light, and guidance for those lost, promising peace and direction in a troubled world.

Verse 80 — John's Growth and Preparation: The passage concludes with a brief summary of John's early life. He grows and becomes strong in spirit, living in the wilderness until his public appearance to Israel. This period of preparation emphasizes his future mission's significance and the divine guidance that shapes his path.

In this passage, Luke intricately weaves themes of divine promise, fulfillment, and prophetic revelation. The birth and naming of John the Baptist are pivotal events that set the stage for the coming of Jesus, highlighting the continuity of God's salvific plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

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 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Commentaries are by Kenny Sallee, ThM, aided by ChatGPT. The biblical commentaries provided here are intended for educational and spiritual enrichment purposes only. The interpretations and insights offered are based on the authors' understanding and perspective of the Bible, which may be influenced by their theological training, denominational background, and personal beliefs.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year B. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2024, we will be in Year C. The year which ended at Advent 2023 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