Today´s reading:
OT: Genesis 5-7
NT: Matthew 3:7-17, Matthew 4:1-11
Ps: Psalm 3
Pr: Proverbs 1:10-19
Gospel Thread - OT:
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Genesis 5:21-24 (NIV)
Enoch and Noah foreshadow John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Enoch is a type of herald, and Noah is a type of Messiah. Green Baggins explains the connection:
So how do we see Christ portrayed in these obscure verses from the Old Testament? Well, first of all we have to see that Enoch was just like Elijah, who was just like John the Baptist. Elijah was the second person that God took away without seeing death. Death has been cheated twice; once for Enoch, and once for Elijah. Enoch is another kind of John the Baptist. He precedes Noah, who is the type of Jesus Christ. The word “type” here means a person or a thing or an idea that is a shadow of the reality. A “type” points to something to come later on. A “type” corresponds in at least one recognizable way with that reality. Enoch corresponds to John the Baptist, because Enoch is a herald of Noah. He is the one who comes before. This means that Noah is the “type” of Jesus Christ. Just as all the world would be descended from Noah, so also all Christians would be descended from Christ. There would be one world family in Noah, and so there will be one world of Christians in Jesus Christ. Noah underwent a baptism in the ark, and Jesus underwent the baptism of his death and resurrection. The only way anyone could be saved in Noah’s day was by being inside the ark. The only way anyone can be saved now (normally) is by belonging to Christ’s body, the church. There is no ordinary possibility of salvation outside the true church of Jesus Christ. We will explore those connections in the weeks to come as we look at Noah.
I would also like to point out something interesting put together by Chuck Missler, from the names of the line of descent from Adam to Noah: Adam (Man), Seth (Appointed), Enosh (Mortal), Kenan (Sorrow), Mahalalel (The Blessed), Jared (Shall Come Down), Enoch (Teaching), Methuselah (His Death Shall Bring), Lamech (The Despairing), Noah (Rest or Comfort) - which he combines to construct:
Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.
Read the article for the explanation of the root names. Perhaps it is contrived, or coincidence, but at the very least, it's interesting to consider.
Gospel Thread - NT:
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Matthew 4:1-2 (NIV)
I note the similarity between the 40 day/40 night flood endured by Noah the type of Christ, and the 40 day/40 night fast endured by Christ himself (as well as other instances of 40 day/40 night or 40 day references in the Bible - such as Moses' 40 days/40 nights on Mt. Sinai). However, I need to do further study to know whether this period of time has spiritual symbolism/significance or it simply a practical (and highly accurate) means of time-keeping among the ancients.
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
Matthew 4:5-7 (NIV)
This exchange is the second of Satan's three temptations of Christ. I point it out here to highlight not how Jesus responded, but how he didn't respond. Satan is taunting Jesus here - goading Him with a Messianic psalm. Jesus does not refute or deny that the psalm refers to Him, but rather counters that to attempt to invoke the words of the psalm would be a violation of the command not to test God. Thus, Jesus is implicitly confirming his identity as the Messiah.
Gospel Thread - Psalms/Proverbs:
From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Selah
Psalm 3:8 (NIV)
Both the deliverance and blessing from the Lord come through Jesus Christ.
OYB Photo of the Day:
The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.