Jul 15, 2022
2KINGS 19-20:
The writer of 1 & 2 Kings was very brief about
the sins of the people of Israel (in both kingdoms) until what we
heard yesterday. He seems to have saved the moral of the story
until chapter 17. And then we have the wonderful contrast with
Hezekiah in chapter 18. Then the Asyrian king mocked the God of
Israel at the end of chapter 18. We hear God's answer
today.
PSALM 132:
It would appear that Solomon wrote this Psalm
of Ascent, as part of it was quoted by him at the dedication of the
temple.
JOHN 15:
Yesterday we heard Jesus promise that He would
send our Advocate/Comforter/Helper, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is
the one who literally ‘comes along beside’ and will lead us into
all truth and be with us forever. And I think it is really due to
Him that we can have “a peace that the world cannot give or
understand.”
NLT translation notes:
Ps
132:2 He made a solemn promise to [You/the]
LORD.
He vowed to [You,] the Mighty One of
Israel,
====
John
15:4 Remain [joined to//in] me, and I will remain [joined to//in]
you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the
vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain [joined to//in]
me. (Similarly in 5-7.)
[When talking of the organic unity of a branch
and a vine, we don’t say a branch ‘in’ a vine, do we?! Greek says
it that way. But it is much more natural it English to say a branch
is ‘joined’ or is ‘connected’, and various other words. Because of
this, we also tend to miss out on the meaning of ‘in Him/Christ’
that comes up so often in the New Testament. The meaning is NOT
that we are ‘inside’ Him, but that we are joined as
one with him.]
16
You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and
produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever
you ask for, [for my name’s sake/for the sake of my glory//using my
name].
[This
promise is NOT about ‘dropping’ or ‘using’ Jesus’ name! Ending a
selfish prayer with, “in Jesus’ name” does not transform it into a
good prayer. We don’t simply ‘use’ Jesus’ name and cash in on this
promise! God can tell the difference when people unselfishly pray
for things in the cause of bringing glory to
Christ.
This
must be one of the worst mistakes in the NLT! This translation
shows that the translator has been affected by modern Christian
culture and did not consider what this really means. But then, I
must admit, every translator, including me, falls in this regard
from time to time, and that is why it is said in the NIV
introduction, “No translation is perfect.”]
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.