Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book of Jude, one of the shortest books in the Bible, written by a Christian called Jude to Jewish Christians probably between 67 AD and 80 AD. 

Today’s passage is Jude 1:1-7.  Let’s go!

Jude 1:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: 
2  Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

On verses 1-2:  Who is Jude?  The fact that Jude calls himself “a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James” (v1) suggests to scholars that Jude had a very unique background: Jude was Jesus’ half-brother.  In other words, after the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, Mary and her husband Joseph had natural children of their own, including Jude and James.  Imagine growing up with Jesus as your older brother!  Although Jude grew up with Jesus, Jude and his siblings at first did not believe that their brother was actually the Son of God (John 7:4-5). 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Micah 7:14-20.  Let’s go!

Micah 7:14-20 (NIV) 
14  Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.

On verse 14:  Previously Micah focused on the rod of God’s discipline (Micah 6:9), but now Micah ends his book by talking about the staff of God’s tender leadership.  Here Micah prays and invites God to shepherd His people.  He describes God’s people as a flock living “by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands”, meaning that God has assigned a special and exclusive place for His people filled with blessings.  The glory that His sheep will enjoy will be like in Israel’s most glorious days of old.

What can we learn from this?  God is a shepherd who disciplines with His rod and who tenderly leads with His staff.  When we follow our Shepherd, He leads us to an ancient place of blessing that we could never get to ourselves.  You’re always best off following your Shepherd.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Micah 7:1-13.  Let’s go!

Micah 7:1-7 (NIV) 
1  What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave.
2  The godly have been swept from the land; not one upright man remains. All men lie in wait to shed blood; each hunts his brother with a net.
3  Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire– they all conspire together……..

On verses 1 to 7: Here Micah laments how he longs to find even one upright, trustworthy, God-honouring man or woman in Israel, but he cannot find any. Instead of placing his hope in people, Micah puts his hope in the Lord, for He alone is fully trustworthy and dependable. As Micah says in verse 7, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.”

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Micah 6:1-16.  Let’s go!

Micah 6:1-5 (NIV) 
1  Listen to what the LORD says: “Stand up, plead your case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. 
2  Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel. 
3  “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. 
4  I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 
5  My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember [your journey] from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

On verses 1-5:  Micah sees a vision of the Lord.  In this vision, like an attorney in a courtroom speaking to a jury, the Lord speaks to the mountains about his case against Israel (v1-2).  The Lord then addresses Israel directly, asking what it is that God has done to burden them (v3) and recalling His goodness to them:

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Micah 5:1-15.  Let’s go!

Micah 5:1-5 (NIV) 
1  Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod.
2  “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
3  Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.
4  He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.
5  And he will be their peace…

On verses 1-5a:  Here Micah sees a dichotomous, two part vision: on one hand he sees Israel being besieged and struck by its enemies (v1).  On the other hand, Micah also sees that out of Bethlehem is coming a very special ruler for Israel, one “whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (v2).  Micah is talking about the Messiah (Saviour King) that he sees coming.  “Until the time when she who is in labor gives birth” (v3), meaning until this Messiah is born, Israel will be abandoned and without a shepherd.