Bible Read Through Thoughts — 03

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Some of us from the Lindisfarne Community have decided to follow a reading plan that allows one to read through the entire Bible in a year (it’s been several years since I’ve done that). I’ll be posting my thoughts here in a series the label #BibleReadThroughThoughts. I hope you will join us! The link for the plan we’re using is here. It defaults to the New Revised Standard Version but you can change the translation by clicking the wee down arrow to the right of the Bible translation.


For my readings, I’ve chosen the Septuagint (LXX) 2012 version for the Old Testament readings and the Common English Bible for the New Testament.



                                   



07 January 2022 — 


Old Testament


Genesis 18.10 (LXX2012):[1] And he said, I will return and come to you according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha your wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him.


I’ve used this passage to help explain that the coming of God doesn’t necessarily mean an “end of the world” type of thing. We see here that God said God would “return and come to you” when Sarah (Sarrha) has her baby (see also verse 14). The reason I bring this up is to show that the coming of God is not a world ending event. God “returned” to Sarah at the birth of Isaac (see Genesis 21.1-3).


Genesis 19.4-8 (LXX2012): But before they went to sleep, the men of the city, the Sodomites, compassed the house, both young and old, all the people together. 5And they called out Lot, and said to him, Where are the men that went in to you this night? bring them out to us that we may be with them. 6And Lot went out to them to the porch, and he shut the door after him, 7and said to them, By no means, brethren, do not act villanously. 8But I have two daughters, who have not known a man. I will bring them out to you, and do you° use them as it may please you, only do not injury to these men, to avoid which they came under the shelter of my roof.


The only reason I bring this out is because a lot of people will point to this as “proof” that God destroyed Sodom because the men wanted to “be with” the angels that came to Lot, i.e., they wanted to have “homosexual sex” with them. But that’s not the reason. Ezekiel tells us the reason:


Ezekiel 16.49-50 (LXX2012): Moreover this was the sin of your sister Sodom, pride: she and her daughters lived in pleasure, in fullness of bread and in abundance: this belonged to her and her daughters, and they helped not the hand of the poor and needy. 50And they boasted, and wrought iniquities before me: so I cut them off as I saw fit.


New Testament


Matthew 6.14-15 (CEB):[2] If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you don’t forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your sins.


This is just such a hard verse. It’s clear and concise. God won’t forgive us if we don’t forgive others. it’s just that simple — and so bloody hard to do!




~~~


In the Love of the Three in One,


Br. Jack+, LC


_________


[1] Scripture quotations marked (LXX2012) are taken from the Septuagint in American English 2012. The Septuagint in American English 2012 is in the public domain and may be freely copied, published, etc.


[2] Scripture quotations marked (CEB) are taken from The Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible. Used by permission.

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