The Problem of Education?

Thought provoking video that is appearing on blogs and Facebook news-feeds. I thought I'd join the viral merry-go-round! :-)

Notes on Acts 2: The Festival of Pentecost and the Giving of the Spirit

Was asked to speak at the RUCU meeting recently on Acts 2. Here are my notes. See if you can decipher them... (I figure the fact that they are the academic hope of the nation, they should be able to cope on something a little more meaty.)


Context
1. The OT Festival of Pentecost/Weeks (Lev 23:15-22)

• The Israelites were commanded (Deut 16:16) to be in Jerusalem for this festival (2nd of 3 obligatory appearances each year). They would participate in a prophetic rehearsal for ≈1500yrs until the Spirit was finally given in Acts 2, so that, in theory, when he came they would be ready.
• The first Pentecost, 50 days after the first Passover, was at Mt Sinai – Law was given and 3000 people die (Ex 32).
• They would offer two leavened loaves – symbolic of the fact that through Christ, God would one day welcome both Jew and Gentile and give them the Spirit. (Eph 2:11-22).
• Due to their rejection of Christ and their hardness of heart, the Jews had lost the significance of this festival, (2 Cor 4:14-16).

Saved by the Grace of the Faithful God

Genesis 50 The brothers think that now Jacob is out of the way, Joseph will start dishing out revenge-flavoured gazpacho on them. But Joseph has seen too much of the hand of God on his life and on the world to even entertain any notion of revenge, let alone follow through on it.

So the book finishes with a partial fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham:

Fascinating 20min Video on the Rise of China

A Time to Sow and a Time to Reap

Genesis 49 Jacob "blesses" his sons, although, if I were Dan, I'm not sure I would call what he gave me a blessing! But that's probably because I have a very self-centered view of what blessing is. These words are at one and the same time judgemental (in the sense of summing up) and prophetic in nature.

Expect the Unexpected

Genesis 48 Whilst Jacob has also gone blind like his father, he does not appear to have lost godly discernment along the way like Isaac did.  Jacob adopts Joseph's sons as his own a symbol of Joseph's preeminence in the family and testimony that he would (through his sons' names), inherit a double portion in the promised land when they returned.

Dividing Grace

Genesis 46-47 Whilst 70 are numbered as settling in Egypt from Jacob's house, he would nevertheless have had a massive extended household. Conservative estimates put it at 500 servant-warriors, not to mention their families, and 20000 head of livestock. No wonder Pharaoh gave them the land of Goshen to settle in, a valley would no way have been big enough.

I can only think that in saying that shepherds were detestable to the Egyptians, they were referring to some religious / ritual uncleanness, rather than some absolute prejudice. No doubt they loved meat, (note that Pharoah has his own crew of shepherds) so perhaps they saw shepherding as a necessary evil, like washing up. I don't know. Do share in comments if you have any wisdom.