I started this blog when I was following the Life Journal Bible reading plan on YouVersion. (I've since completed that plan.) At that time, YouVersion didn't provide any way for people to respond to my notes, other than to "like" them. So this blog is here to remedy that problem. You may comment on my notes here in the comment section.
I also have a general blog.
Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.
If you love me, keep my commandments.
I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me.
Because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
O: We live in this “land of many tears” but Jesus is here for us. The Holy Spirit counsels us.
A: We can rest in his peace even as we love him and obey his commandments.
P: Father, thank you for your your love for us. Thank you for your assurance. Help us to not be anxious as we abide in you.
O: Jesus is the way to God. If we love, him, we should follow what he says. God will empower us via the Holy Spirit. We can rejoice in him.
A: Keep Jesus' commandments.
P: Let me heed the Holy Spirit and keep your commandments. In Jesus' name, amen.
God sent his son, they called him Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow, Because he lives, all fear is gone, Because I know he holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because he lives!
O: Jesus demonstrated servant leadership. Knowing Judas would soon betray him, he took the part of a slave and washed the disciples’ feet. Verse 10 makes it clear, this included Judas’ feet!
Based on what Jesus said in verses 14-15, some churches made this a regular practice — in fact, the Pope does this every year. Simon Peter, whose bravado would be shown false soon, himself learned this servant leadership.
Servant leadership goes against our natural human nature when we come into positions of leadership. That's why there have been so many leaders who have violated this. Yet, this is what Jesus calls us to.
A: We need to stay humble when we’re put in positions of leadership.
P: Lord, make me like you, please make me like you. You are a servant; make me one, too. O Lord, I am willing, do what you must do To make me like you, Lord, please make me like you.
O: “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
“Lazarus, come out!”
“Free him, and let him go.”
Yet the chief priests and Pharisees failed to see the miracle but instead sought to kill Jesus!
A: Jesus brings us to life! And calls us to come out! Will we heed his call or will we reject it?
We are faced with many challenges and sometimes we don't understand the reasons. Just like Martha said, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” It didn’t make sense to her that Jesus would wait till after it was “too late” to show up. Yet, God had a good reason: “I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe.”
So let us believe, and rise up!
P: Father, I believe. Help me in my unbelief. May I never be like the religious leaders who miss the whole thing and tried to kill Jesus instead. In Jesus’ name, amen.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. 10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them. 13 The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn’t care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; 15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”
O: Jesus knows our troubles and he cares. He is our good shepherd. He lays his life down for us.
A: As we go through the difficulties in life, we can trust God cares for us.
P: Father, as we go through these difficulties, though we are tempted to feel there’s no solution, there’s no way out, we know you always keep your promises. You know our struggles and you care. And you were wililng to lay down your life for us. O Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Dia Mengerti, Dia Peduli (He knows, He cares)
English translation of the song:
Verse 1 Sometimes we feel There is no open way No more time It’s too late
Verse 2 God never lies He always keeps His promises For those who believe Miracles are real
Chorus 1 He understands, He cares About the problems that are happening He understands, He cares About the problems we are facing
Chorus 2 But one thing He asks Is that we believe Until the miracle becomes real
The blind man’s parents were scared of the Pharisees’ decree and said, “He is of age. Ask him.”
The blind man was convinced Jesus was of God because of the miracle, but the Pharisees had already declared him a sinner because of their prejudice against his not fitting their preconceived notions.
A: I have to be careful when things don’t fit my theology. Don’t put God in a box.
P: Father, give me the wisdom to change my mind when it’s correct to do so, but not be blown by every wind of doctrine. In Jesus’ name, amen.
As the blind man was sitting there by the way, He cried to Jesus for mercy that day. Jesus commanded and gave him his sight. As he followed Jesus, I'm sure he cried,
"Jesus passed by my way, And He made me whole that day! Just a sinner was I, but then Jesus passed by, And, Oh! What a change in my life Since Jesus passed by!"
And just like that blind man, I wondered along In the darkness of sin I was always alone. But one day I met Him, and He made things right! And, Oh! What a difference when Jesus passed by!
John 8:1-11 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle, they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act. Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?” They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”
John 8:54-59 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God. You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”
The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”
Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.
O:
The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying when he said, “I AM.” They knew from Exodus 3:14 who the I AM was - YHWH, God. In the context of that culture then, it was a clear claim.
Jesus is God. He claimed it and he proved it by His miracles.
A:
Jesus is our example — loving the sinner while not condoning sin. God does not desire the death of sinners, but their repentance. Once we have come to Him, we need to live as children of God and follow Him. So we have to go and sin no more.
P:
Father, thank you for sending your son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I want to stay away from sin and obey you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
S: John 7:40-44 Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee? Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So a division arose in the multitude because of him.
O: We know the solution to this prophecy problem because we have the Gospels according to Matthew and Luke. Matthew 2:1-6 tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, while Luke 2:1-7 explains why these Galileans were there in Bethlehem in the first place.
But it’s interesting that John doesn’t tell us this part of the story. If we didn't have Matthew and Luke, we would have been left with a mystery or contradiction. It makes me wonder, how many of our mysteries and contradictions in scripture are because of such lack of information? Perhaps all of them.
A: Given the overwhelming evidence that Jesus is trustworthy, in those cases where we have such mysteries and contradictions, we will have to exercise faith that we can trust Him that there’s an explanation, even if we don’t know what it is yet. It’s OK to say, “I don’t know yet.”
P:
When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You
Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings There’s not a day ahead You have not seen So, in all things be my life and breath I want what You want, Lord, and nothing less
You are my strength and comfort You are my steady hand You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand Your ways are always higher Your plans are always good There’s not a place where I’ll go, You’ve not already stood
When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You
[8] Oh give thanks to Yahweh. Call on his name. Make what he has done known among the peoples. [9] Sing to him. Sing praises to him. Tell of all his marvelous works. [10] Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice. [11] Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more. [12] Remember his marvelous works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth, [13] you offspring of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones. [14] He is Yahweh our God. His judgments are in all the earth. [15] Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, [16] the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac. [17] He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, [18] saying, “I will give you the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance,” [19] when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it. [20] They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people. [21] He allowed no man to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes, [22] “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”
[23] Sing to Yahweh, all the earth! Display his salvation from day to day. [24] Declare his glory among the nations, and his marvelous works among all the peoples. [25] For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods. [26] For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens. [27] Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and gladness are in his place.
[28] Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of the peoples, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength! [29] Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come before him. Worship Yahweh in holy array. [30] Tremble before him, all the earth. The world also is established that it can’t be moved.
[31] Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!” [32] Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it! [33] Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth.
[34] Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. [35] Say, “Save us, God of our salvation! Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise.”
[36] Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh.
I was at the MenAlive Time Out 2024 Faith Ablaze and they recommended we use the SOAR method for these devotions.
Share a quick take: Which one or two points really grabs your attention?
vv 25-26 For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised. He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens.
Observe: What does God seem to be saying and revealing to you?
Yahweh is the creator. I need not fear idols, spirits, etc. but I need to fear Him. Awe of Him should overwhelm me.
In light of the above, fear of Yahweh should keep me from sin. It’s like what Jimmy Swaggart confessed after he fell: “The problem was not that I didn’t love God. I loved Him. But I didn’t fear Him.”
I have a similar danger. I need to fear Yahweh. I love Him, but the fact that I still give in to sin shows that I don’t fear Him enough. He is holy. He does not tolerate sin. I must not allow my trust in His grace and forgiveness to stop me from fearing Him. The consequences of sin are terrible, as we saw in David’s life.
Action: Share what specific action steps that you will now take in light of what God has spoken to you.
When the temptation comes to linger my eyes on those sexy advertisements that pop up online, on those girls in midriff-baring outfits I must bounce my eyes. Remember to fear Yahweh! Remember the wrath of God and the consequences.
Similarly, when I go to sleep, I need to guard my mind. Prepare myself with good thoughts.
Then I can praise and rejoice in God in purity and without hypocrisy. Then I can rejoice together with the heavens and the earth and be glad. I then can join them and say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!” Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and all that is in it! Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth.
Request for prayer: What is your specific prayer request for yourself in light of this?
Father, You know how hard it is for me to do the above. I want to be intimate with You. I want to honour You and my wife. I want to fear You with great reverent awe and stay far away from sin. I want to celebrate with creation and praise You in purity and holiness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
O: Jesus fed 5000 families with 5 loves and 2 fish, then sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee where they encountered a storm.
I remember Pastor Daniel Ho's joke from maybe 20 years ago: When Jesus came walking on the water to them in the middle of that storm, they cried, "Hantu!" But Jesus replied, "Bukan, Tuhan." 🤣 Indeed, that's pretty much what it says - makes a great pun, if you know Malay. (Hantu = ghost, Tuhan is how "The Lord" is usually translated in Malay Bibles.) That detail is left out in John's account, but is in Matthew and Mark's accounts.
Then, the next day, when the crowd found him again in Capernaum, they revealed that they were more interested in the physical food of Jesus' feeding miracle than the spiritual food of Jesus' teaching, and he related the manna of the Exodus with himself being the Bread of Life. This is of course before the Last Supper and his sacrifice on the cross, and many left him because he said that their ancestors ate the manna bread and yet died, but if they eat his flesh bread and drink his blood, they would have eternal life and be raised up on the last day.
John tells us that many disciples outside the 12 left him at that point. It just blew their minds when he said we must eat his flesh and drink his blood. How would I have taken it at that point, not knowing about Holy Communion?
A: Jesus may call me to do something difficult and mind-blowing. I must know him well enough and be committed enough to him that I don't run away when that happens. So in the meantime, I need to grow closer and closer to him, to grow in intimacy with him.
P: Father, when the test comes, let me stick with Jesus and what he calls me to do. In Jesus' name, amen.
The paralysed man expected God to work in a certain way if he was going to be healed - that he would need to be the first to get into the pool of Bethesda when the water was troubled. But then he encountered Jesus and had his mind changed.
The religious leaders expected the Messiah to follow their interpretation of the Law of Moses, so when Jesus healed the paralysed man on the Sabbath, they were so hung up on that, that they ignored the miracle that happened and persecuted Jesus instead.
A:
I need to beware that I'm not so set in my interpretation of scripture that I'm not willing to consider when perhaps my interpretation is wrong. This needs to be balanced with not being blown by every wind of doctrine.
P:
Father, lead me and guide me by the Holy Spirit so that I will have the wisdom to consider if the doctrine I'm holding on to is correct or not. In Jesus' name, amen.
O: This passage recounts how, when Jesus and His disciples set out from Judea to Galilee, He deliberately chose to travel through Samaria. This was unusual because of the deep-rooted enmity between Jews and Samaritans, which had existed since the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, about five centuries earlier. Due to these longstanding hostilities, Jews typically avoided Samaria when traveling between Judea and Galilee. They would often cross the Jordan River, bypassing Samaria by traveling along the eastern side, and then cross back over the Jordan to enter Galilee, avoiding any contact with Samaritans.
Given this historical prejudice, it’s likely that the disciples were surprised by Jesus’ decision to take this route. But, as the story unfolds, we see that Jesus had a very specific purpose in mind.
First, He encountered a Samaritan woman at the well, a woman with a morally questionable past, and changed her life. When she attempted to shift the conversation to theological disputes between Jews and Samaritans—specifically about whether the proper place of worship was Mount Gerizim (the Samaritan holy site) or Mount Zion in Jerusalem—Jesus didn’t allow the conversation to be derailed. Instead, He transcended the debate by saying, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming—and has now come—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
When His disciples returned, they were shocked to find Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman, breaking both cultural taboos: Jewish-Samaritan enmity and gender biases. Yet, Jesus had a higher purpose. After the woman ran off to tell the people in her village about Him, Jesus used the moment to teach His disciples. He urged them to “open their eyes”, pointing out that the fields were ripe for harvest—meaning the Samaritans were ready to receive the Messiah. And indeed, many of them did. Through this encounter, a significant number of Samaritans came to believe in Him, demonstrating that God’s plan extended beyond the boundaries of Jewish prejudice and cultural barriers.
A: Like the Samaritan woman, we too must receive Jesus’ love and salvation, no matter how broken or imperfect our lives may be. Though she initially tried to shift the conversation from her personal sin to theological debates, Jesus gently refocused her attention on the heart of true worship: worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth.
Similarly, we, like the disciples, can often be blinded by our own prejudices. The very people groups we harbor biases against are also the ones Jesus loves and died for. Unfortunately, many Christians today display an unloving attitude of xenophobia, fueling prejudices against other ethnic groups or "illegal immigrants." But this is far from the calling of Jesus. Every foreign worker, every refugee, and every person—regardless of status or background—is made in the image of God and is deeply loved by Him.
P: Father,thank You for the lessons You teach us through the story of the Samaritan woman. Like her, I am often broken, sinful, and lost. Yet, Your love meets me right where I am, offering living water—salvation, healing, and transformation. Help us, Lord, to be open to Your love and grace, no matter how far I wander.
So often, we, like the disciples, are blinded by prejudice. Open our eyes to see people the way You see them—not as outsiders, strangers, or those to be avoided, but as precious souls created in Your image and deeply loved by You. Tear down any prejudice in our hearts.
Lord, I lift up the marginalised, the foreign workers, the refugees, and all those who are often seen as “other” in our society. Remind us that You died for them just as You died for us. Give us the courage to extend love, kindness, and compassion to everyone, regardless of race, nationality, or background.
Teach us to worship You in Spirit and in Truth, setting aside distractions, divisions, and arguments that pull us away from the essence of true worship. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we might reflect Your heart of love, unity, and grace to the world around us.
Help us live out the lessons from this passage, that we might be instruments of Your peace and reconciliation in a divided world. Thank You for loving us without conditions, and help us to extend that same love to others.
In Jesus’ name, we pray,
Amen.
Incidentally, I just read this article when I was reading the news earlier today:
Statistics and studies show rhetoric about immigrants and crime is often exaggerated or false. Let’s do our part to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
This article is specifically debunking some of the falsehoods being said about “illegal immigrants” in USA, but the general idea also applies to us here in Malaysia where people often scapegoat “illegal immigrants” as well as legal “foreign workers.” These people are also made in the image of God.
After this, Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was plentiful there, and people were coming to him and being baptized. (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
Now a dispute came about between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing. So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified—see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!”
John replied, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. He must become more important while I become less important.”
The one who comes from above is superior to all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to all. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him.
O: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” is how the NLT put what John the Baptist said. This is the guy that Jesus called “the greatest” of all human beings! (Matthew 11:11 & Luke 7:28). Such a great man, the greatest man, a man Jesus holds up as an example as exemplary, yet, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
And “God gives the Spirit without limit,” and “anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life.”
A: If the guy Jesus called “the greatest” had to become less and less and let Jesus become greater and greater, how much more me?
I need to be more like Jesus. I need to be more intimate with God, so that I will flow more in His ways.
Nicodemus, unlike the Pharisees that opposed Jesus, came to see Jesus as he was convinced that Jesus was a teacher sent from God because of his miracles. This prompted Jesus famous saying “You must be born again/from above!” (John 3:7.)
Another gem: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 13:14-15)
Which then leads right into that most famous of verses:
For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
- John 3:16,17
Indeed, God loved us so much that He sacrificed His only begotten Son for us! That's the inspiration for thesong “Favourite song of all”.
Favorite Song Of All by Dan Dean (of Phillips, Craig and Dean.)
He loves to hear the wind sing As it whistles through the pines on mountain peaks And He loves to hear the raindrops As they splash to the ground in a magic melody He smiles in sweet approval As the waves crash through the rocks in harmony Creation joins in unity To sing to Him majestic symphonies
But His favorite song of all Is the song of the redeemed When lost sinners now made clean Lift their voices loud and strong When those purchased by His blood Lift to Him a song of love There's nothing more He'd rather hear Nor so pleasing to His ear As His favorite song of all
And He loves to hear the angels As they sing, "Holy, holy is the Lamb" (Holy, holy, holy is the Lamb) Heaven's choirs in harmony Lift up praises to the great I Am (Hallelujah, hallelujah) But He lifts His hands for silence When the weakest saved by grace begins to sing And a million angels listen As a newborn soul sings, "I've been redeemed!"
'Cause His favorite song of all Is the song of the redeemed When lost sinners now made clean Lift their voices loud and strong When those purchased by His blood Lift to Him a song of love There's nothing more He'd rather hear Nor so pleasing to His ear As His favorite song of all
It's not just melodies and harmonies That catches His attention It's not just clever lines and phrases That causes Him to stop and listen But when any heart set free Washed and bought by Calvary Begins to sing
That's His favorite song of all It's the song of the redeemed When lost sinners now made clean Lift their voices loud and strong When those purchased by His blood Lift to Him a song of love There's nothing more He'd rather hear Nor so pleasing to His ear As His favorite song of all
Now, I don't know if God really does shush all the other sounds of heaven when a newly saved person sings praise to Him, but I do know the Bible tells us “there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents” so even if the words of this song isn’t exactly correct, the sentiment is.
Born again or born from above? The NET footnote explains:
The Greek word ἄνωθεν (anōthen) can mean both “again” and
“from above,” giving rise to Nicodemus’ misunderstanding about a second
physical birth (v. 4).
tn The word ἄνωθεν (anōthen) has a double meaning, either “again” (in
which case it is synonymous with παλίν [palin]) or “from above” (BDAG 92
s.v. ἄνωθεν). This is a favorite technique of the author of the Fourth
Gospel, and it is lost in almost all translations at this point. John
uses the word 5 times, in 3:3, 7; 3:31; 19:11 and 23. In the latter 3
cases the context makes clear that it means “from above.” Here (3:3, 7)
it could mean either, but the primary meaning intended by Jesus is “from
above.” Nicodemus apparently understood it the other way, which
explains his reply, “How can a man be born when he is old? He can’t
enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” The author
uses the technique of the “misunderstood question” often to bring out a
particularly important point: Jesus says something which is
misunderstood by the disciples or (as here) someone else, which then
gives Jesus the opportunity to explain more fully and in more detail
what he really meant.
Only begotten son or one and only son? The NET footnote explains:
Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12; 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clement 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant. 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God (τέκνα θεοῦ, tekna theou), Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 18; 3:16, 18).
Given the NET's note about ἄνωθεν meaning both “again” and
“from above”, I wondered, “Wait, Nico and Jesus would probably have been speaking in Aramaic and not Greek.” Not knowing Aramaic, I asked Venice AI, which replied:
However, it's worth considering that Jesus and Nicodemus would have been speaking in Aramaic, not Greek. The Gospel of John was originally written in Greek, but it's likely that the original sayings of Jesus were spoken in Aramaic. If we consider the Aramaic translation of the word, it's "min 'elyana" (מִן עַלְיָא). The word "alya" (עַלְיָא) can mean both "again" and "from above," so the ambiguity is present in both the original Aramaic and the Greek translation.
Therefore, it's plausible that Jesus' statement was misunderstood by Nicodemus due to the double meaning of the Aramaic word, not just because of the ambiguity in the Greek translation. The author of John likely used this "misunderstood question" technique to explore Jesus' deeper teachings on spiritual rebirth and the connection between heaven and earth.
John 2 is very interesting - it has what appears to be Jesus' first miracle, instigated by Mary - turning the water to wine at the wedding in Cana, followed by overturning the tables of the merchants in the temple.
The synoptic Gospels also tell of the cleansing of the temple, but put this incident near the end, not long before the crucifixion - while John puts it very early. The synoptic Gospels don't mention the water into wine miracle.
It's interesting that Jesus had thought his time was not yet, but he gave in to Mary. What do we make of this? Did Mary see that it was time, when Jesus hadn't yet realised it was time? Luke 2:52 points out that Jesus grew in wisdom - he wasn't born with the full-fledged wisdom of God even though he was God in the flesh.
And the cleansing of the temple? It's true that the people of the time didn't expect narratives to have a strict temporal sequencing, so it could be that this was the same cleansing of the temple from near the end of Jesus' ministry that John is relating here to set the tone for Jesus' ministry in opposition to the status quo. Or it could be a separate incident, though the similarity of the incident with the one near the end in the synoptic Gospels suggest otherwise.
At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. One will be called the City of the Sun. At that time there will be an altar for the Lord in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar dedicated to the Lord at its border. It will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. When they cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender who will rescue them. The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the Lord’s authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them. The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.
At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!”
At the time of writing of this passage, Egypt and Assyria were terrible enemies of the people of Yahweh. So this prophecy would have seemed incredible.
Similar to the moral of the Jonah story, this points out that nobody is a hopeless case. Today, the Egyptian Coptic Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Chaldean Catholic Church are considered ancient established churches, having been established early in the history of Christianity. These churches are at least partial fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
Saul of Tarsus was a terrible persecutor of the faith. Yet he became one of the greatest apostles of Jesus. There are so many other examples of people who were enemies of Yahweh who then became His disciples.
“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire and are burned up. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples.
“Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. This I command you—to love one another.
Isaiah 13 & 14 talks about how God will judge Babylon and the Philistines after their oppression of God's people.
God had allowed them to oppress His people earlier because of their disobedience. But in the end, God still loves His people and will redeem them.
This reminds me of the song "Still".
Hide me now under Your wings
Cover me within Your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father, You are King over the flood
I will be still, know You are God
Find rest, my soul in Christ alone
Know His power in quietness and trust
Though God is angry with our sin, yet He is our deliverer. As Romans 5:8 points out, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, demonstrating God's love for us.
That's why we can trust Him and not fear - He gives us strength and protects us. Hallelujah!
“Praise the Lord!
Ask him for help!
Publicise his mighty acts among the nations.
Make it known that he is unique.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things;
let this be known throughout the earth.”
Verses 1-5 at first seem to tell of a just and godly human king, but then verses 6-9 is either hyperbole or it's pointing to something out of this world.
Verses 10-13 talk about the reunification of Israel & Judah and the return of the exiles, Then verse 14 talks about how this reunified Israel will take over Philistia Edom, Moab, and Ammon. And that YHWH will dry up the Red Sea and the Euphrates River so that they will no longer be a barrier and people to walk across, symbolic of the return of the exiles.
Some of these things seem be fulfilled by the Maccabees, for they did conquer Philistia and Edom, but Moab and Ammon had disappeared as a separate people by then and been absorbed into the Nabataean kingdom. Furthermore, the Maccabees were Levites, not descended from Jesse.
So, it makes more sense to interpret this as fulfilled in the Kingdom of God of Jesus, which wasn't a political conquest, but rather, a spiritual conquest.
Therefore, when we study yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecy, we should also be careful not to impose our too-often literal interpretations on them.
Beware, those who enact unjust policies;
those who are always instituting unfair regulations,
to keep the poor from getting fair treatment,
and to deprive the oppressed among my people of justice,
so they can steal what widows own,
and loot what belongs to orphans.
What will you do on judgment day,
when destruction arrives from a distant place?
To whom will you run for help?
Where will you leave your wealth?
Isaiah 10:1-3
This seems so relevant in Malaysia today, as we see foreign workers and the poor being abused and exploited.
Not all stealing is done by “thieves”. Some do their stealing by such corrupt means.
We must fight for social justice as well. In this way, Marxists like Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, Arutchelvan, A Sivarajan, and Bawani KS of the Parti Socialis Malaysia are doing the work of God, whether they know Jesus personally or not. So while I do not agree with Marxist atheism, I respect their track record on social justice.
The humiliation of the north, including "Galilee of the nations" in the Assyrian conquest, though dark, will be overcome by the coming of the Messiah, the bright light shining in the darkness:
Now he brings honor
to the way of the sea,
the region beyond the Jordan,
and Galilee of the nations.
The people walking in darkness
see a bright light;
light shines
on those who live in a land of deep darkness.
You have enlarged the nation;
you give them great joy.
and then:
For a child has been born to us,
a son has been given to us.
He shoulders responsibility
and is called
Wonderful Adviser,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
His dominion will be vast,
and he will bring immeasurable prosperity.
He will rule on David’s throne
and over David’s kingdom,
establishing it and strengthening it
by promoting justice and fairness,
from this time forward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.
Today, we recognise this as the prophecy of Jesus the Messiah, but I wonder how the people of Isaiah's time would have seen this?
It's not surprising that the Jews of Jesus' time thought the Messiah would throw out the Romans and re-establish an independent Jewish kingdom.
Then Isaiah goes on to point out that God was the one who allowed other nations to conquer Israel, because they did not repent when He judged them.
The people did not return to the one who struck them,
they did not seek reconciliation with the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
The Messiah has provided salvation. Our part is to repent and turn to Him and receive that salvation.
Poor kid, being named “Quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil” just because your dad’s a prophet and God wanted to make a point to the Israelites 😅. But it may be that Maher Shalal Hash Baz is the same baby boy as Immanuel, as the NET footnote says:
The appearance of the nameImmanuel(“God is with us”) is ironic at this point, for God is present with his people in judgment. Immanuel is addressed here as if he has already been born and will see the judgment occur. This makes excellent sense if his birth has just been recorded. There are several reasons for considering Immanuel and Maher Shalal Hash Baz one and the same.8:3is a birth account which could easily be understood as recording the fulfillment of the birth prophecy of7:14. The presence of a formal record/witnesses (8:1-2) suggests a sign function for the child (cf.7:14). As in7:14-16, the removal of Judah’s enemies would take place before the child reached a specified age (cf.8:4). Both7:17-25and8:7-8speak of an Assyrian invasion of Judah which would follow the defeat of Israel/Syria. The major objection to this view is the fact that different names appear, but such a phenomenon is not without parallel in the OT (cf.Gen 35:18). The name Immanuel may emphasize the basic fact of God’s presence, while the name Maher focuses on the specific nature of God’s involvement. In7:14the mother is viewed as naming the child, while in8:3Isaiah is instructed to give the child’s name, but one might again point toGen 35:18for a precedent. The sign of the child’s age appears to be different in8:4than in7:15-16, but7:15-16pertains to the judgment on Judah, as well as the defeat of Israel/Syria (cf.vv. 17-25), while8:4deals only with the downfall of Israel/Syria. Some argue that the suffixed form “your land” in8:8points to a royal referent (a child of Ahaz or the Messiah), but usage elsewhere shows that the phrase does not need to be so restricted. While the suffix can refer to the king of a land (cf.Num 20:17;21:22;Deut 2:27;Judg 11:17,19;2 Sam 24:13;1 Kgs 11:22;Isa 14:20), it can also refer to one who is a native of a particular land (cf.Gen 12:1;32:9;Jonah 1:8). (See also the use of “his land” inIsa 13:14[where the suffix refers to a native of a land] and37:7[where it refers to a king].)
But interestingly enough, then the prophecy of judgment ends with:
Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted. Issue your orders, but they will not be executed! For God is with us!
That last bit “God is with us” being Immanuel.
So in the face of a bad time, Isaiah is still urging people to trust God.
You must recognize the authority of theLordof Heaven’s Armies. He is the one you must respect; he is the one you must fear.
So yes, it’s turbulent times. But instead of panicking, we rest in the assurance God is still in control, and we should trust Him. Quick the the plunder, swift to the spoil, but yet, God is with us.
