QT: 02/01/2024 Tuesday Matthew 2
QT: Tuesday 02/01/2023 READ Matthew 2
http://www.esvbible.org/matt2
Matt 1 points to Jesus Christ! Jesus is the fulfilment of the promises made to Abraham and David. Chapter 2 continues to point the Jews to Jesus:
(1) The heavenly bodies - the stars mentioned in Matt 2:2,10 POINTED TO Jesus. Even the physical universe (a star) was aligned to direct people to Jesus. Shouldn't you too function likewise?
(2) The Prophets POINTED TO Jesus (a) Matt 1:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 (b) Matt 2:6 quotes Micah 5:2 (c) Matt 2:15 quotes Hosea 11:1 (d) Matt 2:18 quotes Jeremiah 31:15 & (e) Matt 2:23 "Nazarene" sound similar to Isaiah 11:1's "branch" (Nezer)? Jesus is the Branch (Nezer) of David.
REFLECTION (1): If Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, Jeremiah all pointed to Jesus Christ, who are you relying on for the restoration of your soul?
(3) The gifts brought by the Magi (wisemen) in Matt 2:11 also POINTED TO Jesus: (a) "gold" was suitable for Jesus the king, the one worthy of approaching the "Most Holy Place"/"Holy Place" where the items therein were made of gold or gold covered (b) "incense", used in the Temple rituals by priests, hinting to Jesus' priesthood (c) "myrrh", an ingredient for embalming the dead, hinted to us His impending death on the cross.
REFLECTION (2): How can the Gentile Magi from the east (possibly former enemies/captors of the Jews) understand so much about the status, function and destiny of Jesus Christ and rejoices but the people of God, UNDERSTOOD SO LITTLE? Jerusalem rejoiced little over His coming!
How can the PAGAN Magi without the New Testament, PUT ASIDE their daily routines, MAKE THE LONG JOURNEY (most probably > 1,000 km over DESERT), SELECT SUCH SUITABLE gifts, BOW DOWN before a CHILD (Matt 2:11) and WORSHIP Jesus? Yet, we struggle to come to church weekly?
Why do pagans rejoice over Jesus' birth (Matt 2:10) while God's people ("all Jerusalem", Matt 2:3) becomes "disturbed" when the "king of the JEWS" is born (Matt 2:2)? Why can the Magi obey God but we fall short many times?
APPLICATION: Adjust your lives for Jesus. Worship and serve him now! Align your life's goals with Jesus' goals, align your all towards Jesus, just as the stars, the Prophets and the Pagan gifts point Matthew's first readers to Jesus.
星期二 2024年1月2日 今日读经：马太福音2章
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Mat/2/
马太1章指向耶稣基督！耶稣就是亚伯拉罕和大卫应许的实现。第2章继续把犹太人指向耶稣：
(1) 天体---在太2:2,10提到的星星是指向耶稣的。即使是外在的宇宙(一颗星)都对着方向指引人们来到耶稣那里。你不也应该那样吗？
(2) 先知们指向耶稣(a)太1:23引述了以赛亚书7:14 (b)太2:6引述了弥迦书5:2 (c)太2:15引述何西阿书11:1 (d)太2:18引述耶利米书31:15和(e)太2:23“拿撒勒”与以赛亚11:1的“树干”(耶西)听起来似乎很相似？耶稣就是那来自大卫的树干(耶西)。
反思(1):如果以赛亚、弥迦、何西阿、耶利米都指向耶稣基督，你还倚靠谁来复兴你的灵？
(3)那出现在太2:11带着礼物的占星家(智者)也指向耶稣 (a)“黄金”最适合耶稣王的身份，因祂是那最配得进入以黄金打造或用黄金覆盖物品的“至圣所”/“圣所”的那位。(b)“乳香”，用于殿内的仪式，由祭司所用，这也意味着耶稣是祭司 (c)“没药”，一种用来防腐死人的成分，这也意味着祂即将死在十架上。
反思(2):那来自东方的外邦人占星家(或许是之前的仇敌/掳获犹太人的敌人)如何对耶稣基督的身份、意向和命运欢呼和理解那么多，而神的子民却理解得那么少？耶路撒冷对于祂的来临并不很欢喜！
那异教徒的占星家如何在没有新约的情况下，放下他们日常的生活，长途跋涉(可能相当于多过1000公里的沙漠之路)，挑选这么适宜的礼物，在一个婴孩的面前俯伏(太2:11)和敬拜耶稣？而我们却为着每周来教会而挣扎？
为什么异教徒为耶稣的诞生而欢喜(太2:10)而神的子民(“全耶路撒冷”，太2:3)却因“犹太人的王”的出生而“不安”(太2:2)？为什么占星家可以顺服神而我们却不可以？
应用：为耶稣调整你的生活。现在就敬拜祂、事奉祂！调整你的人生目标以配合耶稣的目标，把你所有的一切都做调整来配合耶稣，就如星星，那先知和那异教徒的礼物都把马太最先的读者指向耶稣。
