Bible Study THIS Wednesday, 8/30. 6:30-8:00 PM. Asbury Sanctuary. All ages. Livestream: asburytulsa.org. Dinner beforehand—18 and under eat free! I’m only doing this 4 times this fall. Don’t miss this first one. —AF

MATTHEW 2:1-6

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

We were told that Jesus was the son of Abraham, that is that Jesus
is the descendant that will bring God’s blessings to the nations (see Genesis 12:1-3). Here at Jesus’s birth we have the first representatives of the gentile nations coming to worship Jesus—and they are pagan astrologers from Babylon!

Remember that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament story. This passage in Isaiah foretold the nations coming to worship:

60 Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
3 And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
5 Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult,
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord. [Isaiah 60:1-6]

THOUGHT FOR DAY

Isaiah foretold what would happen! I just can’t get over this passage— foreigners who come bringing gold and frankincense. That’s exactly what happened!

Tell someone about this cool connection today.

(Why didn’t Isaiah mention myrhh? This is because God is always adding something new and unexpected, like a jazz artist riffing on a familiar theme, but also creating something new. When myrhh was given by the Magi to the Holy Family, it signified the death that Jesus was to die.)

NOTE: We have been reading through Psalms, and until we get to Psalm 150, I’m going to keep posting at the bottom of each Matthew post daily commentary on that day’s psalm.  (On the weekends, it will just be that day’s psalm by itself.)  If you’ve read this far, you are an over-achiever.  —AF

Psalm 141

A Psalm of David.

1 O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me!
    Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
    keep watch over the door of my lips!
4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!
5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
    in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

“The singer of Psalm 141 recognizes how seductive wrong paths in life can be.  So while in Psalm 140 the psalmist asks for deliverance from the lips and wicked ways of malicious people and persons of violent ways, in Psalm 141 the psalmist asks for deliverance from the psalmist’s own lips and own learning toward malicious speech and deeds of wickedness.  The words of Psalm 141 are timely for twenty-first-century Christians.  We are surrounded by seductive temptations to follow others in pursuits and lifestyles that are self-centered and harmful to or neglectful of others.  May our prayers for deliverance from such temptations be an ever-present part of our coming before God.”--Nancy deClaisse-Walford