I'm fighting off a headache after one of my most productive days studying (yeah!) but I really wanted to share with you about the joy of diving head first into the world of first Peter. But before I do that I thought I should let you know about how I will be designating my different posts. I will label life in Sydney related things "slice of life", ministry related things "ministry" (couldn't think up an exciting title), there will be a few random titles. But anything to do with what I'm learning at College I will label "Holy ground".
The reason for this is not because Moore itself is a holy place (its not- its just a building, and an ugly one at that!). But if you look at the bottom of my blog you will see one of my motos for study by Warfield. It talks about the honor of looking at God's word and warns students to take their shoes off on this holy ground (in reference to Moses taking his shoes off at the burning bush). And as a way of reminding myself (and whoever reads this) that the Bible is holy ground- I will be titling God's word related posts and such.
Its funny what bits of writing an essay I enjoy. I love the priliminary reading of the Bible in preparation, hate reading the other sources (boring!) and love the actually writing down of what I've found. I've looked at 1 Peter many times before- but I don't think I've ever gotten into it to the same extent as in the last month. My question topic is "Discuss the contribution of the Old Testament to the message of One Peter". Which might sound a bit dry- but oh it was wonderful.
1 Peter is a very pastoral book- in the sense that there is so much advice on how to live- and particularly how to cope with suffering and trials. But for every command their is a theological reason behind it- often coming directly from the Old Testament. For example- we are to act humbly towards each other because (quoting from Proverbs 3:34) "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble"
But the piece of one Peter that brings me to tears is that beautiful summary in 1 Peter 2:9-10 of our new position in God
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God (sounds alot like Israels position as God's "treasured posessions"), that you may decleare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are a people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy"
This in and of itself is balm to our souls- to have this amazing role from the creator of the Universe. Particularly the change that we have from not being a people to being a people of God, and to now receiving mercy. But when you think about the Old Testament context it is even greater. You see the book of Hosea talks of Israels role as a wife to God- and their blatent rejection of his to go after worthless ideals- like a wife prostituting herself to someone- despite her husbands goodness. And God gets Hosea to name his children lovely names like "Not my people", and "unloved"- because this is the punishment of Israel- that it looses its great position as God's special people. How just and how devistating! But Hosea offers hope through God's amazing love:
"How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
How can I make you like Zeboiim?
My heart is changed within me;
all my compassion is aroused.
I will not carry out my fierce anger,
nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim.
For I am God, and not man—
the Holy One among you.
I will not come in wrath. Hosea 11:8-9
God choses to show mercy, and "In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people', they will be called 'sons of the living God'" (Hosea 1:10).
And if that was God's grace to his people- how much more amazing is it- that we, who are not Israelites- actually get to be his people! It is an incredible position! And doesn't that help you when you think of the trials you are facing.
God is good, and its great to do an essay that impacts my Christian life as well as my head and my final marks ;)
God bless,
B
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