Verse for the Day, 28 February 2014.

Genesis 11:1-4  Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.  (2)  And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.  (3)  And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.  (4)  Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."

 

Genesis 11 is a chapter that we are quite familiar with. The tower of Babel sticks in our minds as being yet another attempt by man to make a name for himself, to establish his greatness and to prove his strength. The question is who is it that man is seeking to prove himself to? Who is it that man would take note of how great, powerful and significant man is? In the case of the tower of Babel, they wish to prove themselves, they wish to make a name for themselves with God. It is an attempt to show God that they are people to be reckoned with, for they have in their own might built a great tower as a demonstration of just how mighty they are. We know what becomes those who seek to exalt themselves in God’s presence, to those who believe they can prove themselves to God, God humbles them and lays them low. If we were to continue reading this chapter we would see how God does exactly that.

 

These verses challenge us to think accurately about both God and ourselves, realising that only God is great, powerful and to be exalted. We were not created to make a name for ourselves, but rather to make God’s name great. We are not to glory in man, and man’s accomplishments, but to glory in God and in God’s works. This requires us to constantly re-orientate our lives and our thinking, for we are so often focused on man, or ourselves, rather than God. By God’s grace we have been filled with His Spirit, who helps us and leads us on a daily basis to focus on God and make much of God. We need to take hold of this help and seek to glory in God, making little of self and much of Him.

 

Great and Glorious God, how we plead with You for forgiveness, for there have been so many times when we have made much of ourselves, thought highly of ourselves and made little of You. Give us a deeper and greater understanding of who You truly are, Your splendour, majesty, holiness and power, so that we might realise the foolishness of self-exaltation. Enable us through Your Spirit to make much of You today and very little of ourselves. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 27 February 2014.

Genesis 10:32  These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.

 

In Genesis 9:7, the command first issued to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28 is restated, “...be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.” In Genesis 10 we read of how Noah and his sons obeyed this command, we also see how God blessed and prospered them. Although the earth had been devastated in the flood, God began a restoring working and soon the earth was teeming with life again, both human and animal. As Christians we look forward to the restoring work that God will do in the new heavens and the new earth. Sin will be dealt with once and for all on that final judgement day, when this earth will pass away. God will then establish a new heavens and a new earth, one which is sinless, in a state of absolute perfection and we shall have the joy of dwelling there with God. What a great and wonderful day that shall be, what glorious eternity we have awaiting us. Who else has such a hope?

 

Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, the One who is most holy and just, the One who holds time and all things in His hand, we bow before Your throne in humble adoration. We rejoice that You have counted us worthy in Christ to be spared from Your wrath and have made us new creations. How we long and look forward to that day when that new creation shall come to its full and final completion, to that time when we shall dwell with You in sinless perfection. May we be faithful to You until that day comes to pass. Amen

Verse for the Day, 26 February 2014

Genesis 9:8-17  Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,  (9)  "Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,  (10)  and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.  (11)  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."  (12)  And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:  (13)  I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.  (14)  When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,  (15)  I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.  (16)  When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."  (17)  God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

 

This passage is closely linked to what we spoke of on Monday, the fact that God is a promise keeping God. Here we are further reminded of this as God establishes a covenant with Noah, His sons and even with us, as we are Noah’s offspring. God establishes His covenant with Noah that He will never again flood the entire earth, furthermore God institutes a sign, something which reminds us of the covenant, shows that we are under this covenant, that God’s favour is upon us and points us to God. Every covenant is accompanied by a sign, the covenant with Abraham was accompanied by the sign of circumcision, and the new covenant is accompanied by the sign of the Holy Spirit. All these serve to show us that God is a covenant keeping, faithful and merciful God. Each and every day the entire world is reminded of this fact as countless rainbows appear in the sky, pointing over and over again to God, reminding them that God is patiently and graciously restraining His hand of judgement, and has worked through Christ so as to save them from that judgement. As Christians we have cause to be filled with thanks on a daily basis, for we do not need an outward sign to remind us of God’s favour, grace and salvation, as we are filled with God’s Holy Spirit, the sign that shows we truly belong to God. We have further cause to rejoice because just as the rainbow still appears in the sky thousands of years later reminding us that God still keeps His promises, so we too have the assurance that God’s salvation of us will remain, for He will not remove His Spirit from within us until we see Him face to face in heaven.

 

Heavenly Father, we give thanks to You today for giving to us Your Holy Spirit, the deposit guaranteeing our salvation. Thank You that we are filled with Your Spirit all day, every day and shall remain filled with Your Spirit until You draw us home. Thank You that You have set Your love, grace and mercy upon us in this unique manner. Our hearts are filled with gratitude when we also think of the fact that Your Holy Spirit is more than just a sign, but is also our Comforter, Guide, Teacher and Interceder, may You enable us to listen to the voice of Your Spirit and follow it faithfully. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 24 February 2014.

Genesis 8:20-22  Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  (21)  And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.  (22)  While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."

 

We see God’s grace, mercy and patience being demonstrated in this passage. Although God’s actions in sending down the flood were entirely just, we see further demonstration of God’s desire to see man live, to see man come to salvation, rather than for man to perish in his sinful condition. We are no better than the people who lived prior to the flood and received God’s judgement against their sin, the only difference between them and us, is that God has decreed to stay his hand of wrath and judgement until an appointed time. Not only has God stayed His hand of final judgement until an appointed time, He has also provided another ark, a source of rescue and salvation from this judgement, the Lord Jesus Christ. We should be filled with thankfulness on a daily basis that God is as patient as He is with us, even when we sin repeatedly, furthermore we should be thankful that He has drawn us into salvation, into Christ, who is and shall be our Saviour and refuge from the coming wrath of God.

 

Patient and Longsuffering Father, how we thank You that You endure with us each and every day, especially in the times when we sin against You. In the words of the Psalmist we thank You, that You do not treat us as our sin deserve. We thank You that You not only spare us in this life time, but have worked in grace and mercy to save us from Your final, full and eternal judgement against our sin. Thank You for the Lord Jesus Christ who rescues us from our sin and the coming flood of Your judgement. Amen 

Verse for the Day, 14 February 2014.

Genesis 7:5-12  And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.  (6)  Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth.  (7)  And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.  (8)  Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground,  (9)  two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah.  (10)  And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.  (11)  In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened.  (12)  And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

 

God’s judgement comes against the wickedness and sinfulness of mankind, but God’s salvation comes to those whom He has made righteous. How grateful we should be as believers in Jesus Christ that God rescues us from the flood of His judgement against our sin. How we should rejoice in the hope that we have of knowing that we shall not endure the terrors of God’s wrath, but will know the riches and blessings of God’s love. How this should encourage us to persevere particularly in times of hardship and opposition, for God rewards those who remain faithful unto the end. Noah faithfully did all that which God commanded him to do, even in the midst of many discouragements and opposition, yet his faithfulness and perseverance is rewarded by God. Furthermore this passage should encourage and motivate us to evangelism for another flood of God’s judgement is coming, no one will be spared, it will be a final and eternal judgement, and one from which there is no escape. While we are safe in the hands of God, saved by the Lord Jesus Christ, we should not take our ease and merely sit back while others perish, rather we should call out to them, like Noah, be heralds of righteousness, in other words preachers of the Gospel, so that yet more may enter into God’s salvation. Rejoice in your salvation, be faithful in your walk with Christ and reach out to those who perish with the Gospel of salvation.

 

Merciful Father, we are filled with joy today as we are reminded of the wonderful salvation that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, how we have been spared Your wrath and brought into Your eternal blessings. Thank You that we have such a hope in the midst of a perishing and condemned world. Help us to be faithful to You, faithful to the end, even in the face of opposition, and give us the desire to hold out the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to those who are perishing so that they might turn from death to life. Amen

Verse for the Day, 13 February 2014.

Genesis 6:12-22  And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.  (13)  And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.  (14)  Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch.  (15)  This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits.  (16)  Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.  (17)  For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.  (18)  But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.  (19)  And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.  (20)  Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive.  (21)  Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them."  (22)  Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

 

We see in this text God’s just judgement and condemnation of sin. The first phrase of verse 12 harks back to Genesis 1, where God looks on the earth, on what He has created and sees that it is good. Now just five chapters later God looks upon the earth that He created, upon mankind, and sees that it have become altogether corrupt, it is tragic to say the least! God responds as God must, in just judgement and condemnation. He sends a flood upon the earth. Yet in the midst this judgement, God is merciful and gracious, He saves Noah and his family. As we noted yesterday, God is not obliged to save anyone, yet in His sovereign goodness, He chooses to save Noah and his family. When God saves Noah, the response of faith from Noah is remarkable. God gives Noah a startling command, build an ark 135 metres long, 22.5 metres wide and 13.5 metres high! Noah is told to build this ark and to take into the ark animals of every kind, every sort of food and his family, and they will be saved from the flood. How would you react if you were given such a command? How did Noah respond? Verse 22 tells us, “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” How this challenges us, how it makes our faith, trust and obedience look so weak, even when we have cause to have a faith stronger that Noah’s by virtue of all that which we have been given from God. Pray today that God might give you faith, trust and obedience like that of Noah’s.

 

Faithful Father, Your love, grace, mercy and goodness towards us has been unfailing, You have been faithful to us since before we were born. We thank You that in Your faithfulness You saved us through the Lord Jesus Christ, planting faith in us and calling us to live in obedience to You. Father this morning the faith of Noah rebukes our poor faith, it exposes how little we trust and obey You, please in Your grace and by Your Spirit, strengthen our faith, trust and obedience today. Amen

Verse for the Day

12 February 2014.

Genesis 6:5-9  The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  (6)  And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.  (7)  So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them."  (8)  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.  (9)  These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

This is both a sobering and remarkable passage in Scripture. Sobering because it reveals to us the exceeding sinfulness of mankind, to the point that man has become utterly evil, and has fallen so far from his created state. This causes God great grief, for God knows how He created us, what purpose He created us for and now what our eternal end will be because of our sinfulness. The Apostle Peter tells us later that God desires for none to perish but for all to come to salvation. God takes no delight in sending sinful men and women to eternal punishment in hell. God is greatly grieved by our sin; this fact alone should be a source of motivation to keep us from sinning.

This passage is also remarkable because we read of God’s sovereign saving grace. In the midst of these wicked men, God sets His favour upon one man, one man whom He will save in His sovereign grace and power. It is important for us to note that Noah was not saved because he was a righteous man, rather as the text so clearly shows us, Noah is saved by God first and then he is declared to be righteous, made blameless by God and enabled by God to walk in obedience.

In this passage we are reminded that we are sinful; utterly sin, to the point that we are rightly and justly condemned to eternal suffering. But God is gracious and just, and thus He has provided a salvation for us, one we could not earn or merit, but one that He chooses to give to those upon whom His favour rests. God is not obliged to save anyone, thus we should greatly rejoice that He has chosen to act both in justice and grace, by saving many through His sovereign grace.

Sovereign Father, we confess that we are sinful, sinful to our very core; so much of our time, thinking, feeling and acting is given over to sin. How we thank You that You have acted in Your sovereign grace and extended Your undeserved favour towards us through the Lord Jesus Christ. May the knowledge that our sin grieves You, and that You have filled us with Your Spirit causes us to resist sin and temptation and walk in holiness today. Amen