January 5 - Morning
"But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded." - Genesis 8:1
God "Remembers" Noah
In the phrase "But God remembered" the word zakar is used and translated "remembered." Zakar is not a Hebrew word that means "recalling to mind" as if God put Noah on hold and after so many weeks recalled he needed to do something with the floating, smelly ark. Instead, zakar is covenant language and God is fulfilling his promise he made to Noah in Genesis 6:17-18. Throughout the Old Testament zakar is used during times of deliverance when God shows up to deliver his people. The proper response of Noah and all people when the Lord "remembers" (zakar) them is to respond likewise and to "remember" the Lord with and appropriate response and covenant allegiance.
With this zakar the reversal of history begins. Total destruction and chaos begins to reorganize and function in a way that will bring about the deliverance God had promised. God "sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded."
Nabi (Hb) - Prophet (Eng) - nabi is the Hebrew word for prophet and it is always translated "prophet." Nabi means "one who is called" and "one who calls." This refers to men who were called by God to speak the words he gave them. There were false nabi who claimed to have God's word, but did not. Two Hebrew words with similar meanings are ro'eh translated "seer" meaning "one who sees."
Also, chozeh which literally means "one who sees" and "has a vision."
The site recognized as the tomb of the prophet Samuel on the High Place of Gibeah is today called Nabi Samwil, which means "The Prophet Samuel" (photo)
Do I "remember" the Lord in my life?
Do I realize that the Lord has "remembered" me and will continue to "remember" me?
I will respond to God's goodness to me with an appropriate response of goodness to others and obedience to him.
Do I realize that the Lord has "remembered" me and will continue to "remember" me?
I will respond to God's goodness to me with an appropriate response of goodness to others and obedience to him.
Bible Reading Descriptions Here
Personal
Physical strength
Church
The private prayer time and study habits of members
Nation
Political parties
World
Development of technology
Someone to Quote
"It is this lack of love among Christians which today makes the church an insipid, lukewarm institution. People come to find affection and are turned off by our tepidity." - Phillip Keller
Something to Ponder
Wiliam Tyndale finished making the first English tranlsation of the New Testament directly from the Greek in 1525. But, since it was illegal to have an English Bible King Henry VIII has Tyndale strangled and burned in 1536. Tyndale died praying, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes."
Amazingly, with in the year King Henry VIII ordered to use royal funds to print Tyndale's Bible in 1537 that included both the OT translated from Hebrew and NT from Greek that was completed by Miles Coverdale after Tyndale's death.
Amazingly, with in the year King Henry VIII ordered to use royal funds to print Tyndale's Bible in 1537 that included both the OT translated from Hebrew and NT from Greek that was completed by Miles Coverdale after Tyndale's death.
Here’s a Fact
In 1968 Benjamin Mazar began excavations on the south side of the Temple Mount's retaining wall in the area known as the Ophel. Here he found the monumental steps that led up to the Double Gate and the Triple Gates that would have been used by Jewish worshippers between 19 BC-70 AD, which includes Jesus, his disciples, his brothers James and Jude, the Apostle Paul and many others. These steps can be seen and walked on today. (Photos here and here.)
Proverb
"My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge." - Proverbs 5:1-2
Coach’s Corner
Help people smile, do good and speak words filled with hope.
Genesis 6:16-21
New International Version (NIV)
16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”
New International Version (NIV)
16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”
Genesis 6
New International Version (NIV)
Wickedness in the World
6 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah and the Flood
9 This is the account of Noah and his family.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”
22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
New International Version (NIV)
Wickedness in the World
6 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah and the Flood
9 This is the account of Noah and his family.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”
22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
Genesis 9
New International Version (NIV)
God’s Covenant With Noah
9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
6
“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
The Sons of Noah
18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth.
20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”
26 He also said,
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
27
May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.
New International Version (NIV)
God’s Covenant With Noah
9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
6
“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
The Sons of Noah
18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth.
20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”
26 He also said,
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
27
May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.
Job 6-7
New International Version (NIV)
Job
6 Then Job replied:
2
“If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales!
3
It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas— no wonder my words have been impetuous.
4
The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
5
Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass, or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
6
Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow?
7
I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill.
8
“Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for,
9
that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
10
Then I would still have this consolation— my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.
11
“What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?
12
Do I have the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze?
13
Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me?
14
“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15
But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow
16
when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow,
17
but that stop flowing in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels.
18
Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19
The caravans of Tema look for water, the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.
20
They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed.
21
Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see something dreadful and are afraid.
22
Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf, pay a ransom for me from your wealth,
23
deliver me from the hand of the enemy, rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?
24
“Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong.
25
How painful are honest words! But what do your arguments prove?
26
Do you mean to correct what I say, and treat my desperate words as wind?
27
You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend.
28
“But now be so kind as to look at me. Would I lie to your face?
29
Relent, do not be unjust; reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.
30
Is there any wickedness on my lips? Can my mouth not discern malice?
7
“Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers?
2
Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,
3
so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me.
4
When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5
My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering.
6
“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.
7
Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again.
8
The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more.
9
As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return.
10
He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.
11
“Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12
Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that you put me under guard?
13
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
14
even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15
so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine.
16
I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning.
17
“What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention,
18
that you examine them every morning and test them every moment?
19
Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant?
20
If I have sinned, what have I done to you, you who see everything we do? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you?
21
Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more.”
New International Version (NIV)
Job
6 Then Job replied:
2
“If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales!
3
It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas— no wonder my words have been impetuous.
4
The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
5
Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass, or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
6
Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow?
7
I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill.
8
“Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for,
9
that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
10
Then I would still have this consolation— my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.
11
“What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?
12
Do I have the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze?
13
Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me?
14
“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15
But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow
16
when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow,
17
but that stop flowing in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels.
18
Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19
The caravans of Tema look for water, the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.
20
They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed.
21
Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see something dreadful and are afraid.
22
Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf, pay a ransom for me from your wealth,
23
deliver me from the hand of the enemy, rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?
24
“Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong.
25
How painful are honest words! But what do your arguments prove?
26
Do you mean to correct what I say, and treat my desperate words as wind?
27
You would even cast lots for the fatherless and barter away your friend.
28
“But now be so kind as to look at me. Would I lie to your face?
29
Relent, do not be unjust; reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.
30
Is there any wickedness on my lips? Can my mouth not discern malice?
7
“Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers?
2
Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,
3
so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me.
4
When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5
My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering.
6
“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.
7
Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again.
8
The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more.
9
As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return.
10
He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.
11
“Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12
Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that you put me under guard?
13
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
14
even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15
so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine.
16
I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning.
17
“What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention,
18
that you examine them every morning and test them every moment?
19
Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant?
20
If I have sinned, what have I done to you, you who see everything we do? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you?
21
Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more.”
