A Lamp for Today

We consider the importance of history and human chronicles to our faith, beginning our exploration of 1 Maccabees, with its first chapter. In this we note its embeddedness in the flow of history, its connections with Daniel, Hebrews, and 1 Corinthians, and its challenges to us today.

The Epistle of Jeremiah (found sometimes as Baruch 6) is illumined by reference to Matthew 6:21, Numbers 21:4-9, 4 Kingdoms/2 Kings 18:4, Jeremiah 2:13, 1 Corinthians 8 and 10, Philippians 3:18-19, and Colossians 3:5. We apply the prophet’s words regarding idolatry of man-made things to present day idolatries of various sorts, and also consider how icons are meant to point us to the living God, not to distract us from the One who alone is good.

In this episode we read the concluding consolation of Baruch 4:9-5:9, understanding it in the light of Isaiah 60:14, Isaiah 61:1-4, 9-10, 2 Tim 4:8, and Rev 21:1-4, 22-26. Here the prophet turns from confession to joy, anticipating the glory which God will bestow upon His people, seen in part now, but fully in the age to come.

We read the central portion of Baruch (3:9-4:8), understanding its mysterious words about Wisdom in light of Deuteronomy 3:11-14, Romans 10:5-13, 1 Cor 1:30-31. The prophet saw Wisdom in the Law, but also glimpsed the time when Wisdom would visit us as a human being, the LORD Jesus Himself.

Baruch 2-3, the honest confession of the exiled people before God, is a very helpful reading for our time of Lenten repentance, and is clarified by reference to Dan 9:7-19, Deuteronomy 28:15-69, Deuteronomy 30, Jeremiah 24:1-10 and 2 Chronicles 6:12-42.

Why should we pray for secular leaders? Hear about this and also about the importance corporate confession from Baruch 1, with light from Romans 13, Daniel 9, and 1 Timothy 2.

This week we read the lengthy commemorative poem of “the fathers” in Sirach 44-50, comparing it with Wisdom of Solomon 10 and Hebrews 11, and understanding it by reference to other books in both the OT and the NT. Here we discover both the respect and realism of Sirach, as he remembers the great figures of the past, and see how the LORD used these for the benefit of all His people, until He came to be with us in the God-Man, and imparted His glory to all who believe, through the Holy Spirit.

In this episode we concentrate upon Sirach’s treatment of Lady Wisdom in chapters 24 and 51, noticing significant links with the Psalms and prophets, with Jesus’ own invitation to learn from Him, with Paul, and with the book of Revelation. The free offering of Wisdom and the mystery associated with it are both fulfilled in Christ.

In this episode, we consider the overall richness of the Wisdom of Sirach, and then zero in on the Prologue, with chapters 1-2, seeing their major themes of wisdom and fear of the LORD, and helped in this by considering Job 38-40, Proverbs 9, James 1-3, and Ephesians 1-4.

We read the third and final section of Wisdom of Solomon (chapters 10-19), in which we hear of Wisdom’s journeys with the Hebrew people, the power of the Word of God who joins earth and heaven, and the ever-present strength of the Holy Spirit to guide us on our journey. The section is clarified by reference especially to Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 15.