Tuesday September 24 Pentecost 18
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Psalm 78 Part 2
When they were in the desert escaping from Egypt, the people ignored God in spite of God’s immense commitment to them in utterly defeating the Egyptians with plagues. When they finally arrived in the land God had promised, they did the same thing, ignoring God again. That’s why God allowed the foreigners to capture the ark which contained the original stone ten commandments and to kill the priests. But in spite of that, like a warrior waking up refreshed, God routed their enemies and established a temple in Jerusalem and gathered the people together like a skillful shepherd under the leadership of King David.
The poet expresses his interpretation that behind the chaos of history in victories and defeats lies God whose commitment to the people is permanent despite their lack of commitment to God. Nor does the overwhelming military power of their enemies count for anything. This is a good challenge to us as we wonder about the chaos of our time and in what way God is being faithful to humanity now.
Esther 5.1-14 What’s Esther about?
At great personal risk, Esther approaches the king and is accepted. The king promises half his empire and she invites him and Haman to a banquet. Haman goes home and complains to his wife that Mordecai still will not bow to him. His wife proposes that he construct a gallows and on the morning of the banquet tell the king to hang Mordecai for refusing to bow to him.
Luke 3.15-22 What’s Luke about?
Luke looks ahead briefly to tell the story of John’s execution. John was executed because he had been leading people to symbolically cross the Jordan river to claim the land for God. This was subsequently interpreted as ‘baptism’, but was originally an enactment of Moses’ and Joshua’s claiming the land for God. Encouraging revolt was was a threat to the Roman empire and so John is executed. Luke describes John’s cousin (Jesus) also crossing the Jordan as a symbol of commitment to God’s empire and that action being affirmed by God. This act by Jesus, following John’s leadership, associates him with the same opposition to Rome as his cousin, and puts Jesus in the same danger.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have created the heavens and the earth,
and ourselves in your image.
Teach us to discern your hand in all your works
and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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