Passage, Paragraph, and Prayer

In Psalm 119:169, the psalmist describes the believer’s loud cry to the Lord, begging for understanding. It is the type of cry that cannot be faked. Do we desire understanding and instruction that much?

Moses tells us that Haran, the son of Terah and brother of Abram, was known as “the father of Milcah and the father of Yiscah,” as if this were something commonly said about him as a sort of claim to fame. Milcah would eventually become the grandmother-in-law of Isaac, Abram’s son. But who was Yiscah?

All your ways are known to God. Does that comfort you, or terrify you? The answer to that question depends on whether you know and treasure God’s precepts and testimonies.

Moses calls his sixth account “the account of Terah.” Yet Terah will only be mentioned four times in the fourteen chapters that make up this account, not to mention that the main human character of this account is clearly Abram or Abraham. So why is it the account of Terah?

The psalmist says his soul treasures God’s testimonies. What does that mean? This devotion is basically brought to you by the late fourth century preacher, John Chrysostom.

Just as we noted the abnormally long lifespans back in Genesis 5, before the Flood, so we can’t help but note the shrinking lifespans after the Flood here in Genesis 11.

In this devotion we break down the beautiful description of the Christian life the psalmist gives in Psalm 119:166.

Back in Genesis 5, we noted that the meanings of the names of the men in the line of the Messiah from Adam to Noah seemed either to lament mankind’s fallen condition, or to anticipate the Seed of the woman who would undo the damage of sin. By comparison, the meanings of the names from Shem to Abram seem to be secular in nature.

What are the benefits of loving and cherishing God’s word?

In this episode, Pastor Biebert talks about the somewhat difficult subject of variant readings in the Scriptures.

The psalmist says he praises God seven times a day for the decrees of his righteousness. Is he referring to a specific prayer schedule we ought to set up? Or is he wanting to teach us something much more valuable and important?

Genesis 11:10 begins the fifth of the ten “accounts” that make up the book of Genesis. In this account Moses takes us from Shem, the son of Noah, to Abram, the great father of faith with whom the Lord would take his gospel revelation to a new level.

In Psalm 119:163, the psalmist urges us to ask: Do I love truth and hate falsehood and want my life and beliefs to conform more and more with the truth? Or do I have some presuppositions and views that are simply non-negotiable?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

This episode is not meant to make any definitive statement about the location of the Tower of Babel. It is merely meant to help listeners to think critically about common assumptions made about its location. It also gives us an opportunity to pray for those who are considered experts in the field of Scripture studies.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Can you imagine stumbling upon great spoils or treasure of some kind, so that you were suddenly, instantly rich? How much joy would that give you? Do you realize that you already have an even greater treasure the provides a source of even greater joy?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

What did the Lord’s confusion of human language accomplish, apart from the physical result of scattering humanity over the face of the whole earth? What good came out of it?Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

We’ve made it to the twenty-first stanza of Psalm 119. The psalmist begins this stanza by confronting us with the question: Whom do you fear more—mortal earthly rulers or the eternal God of the universe?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

God did not just confuse everyone’s language randomly and form the people into new groups arbitrarily. He still let the people taste of his mercy.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

The psalmist concludes the twentieth stanza of Psalm 119 by stating, literally, that “the head of [God’s] word is truth.” What does he mean by that?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

To put a stop to humanity’s rebellion against him, the Lord came down and confused their language. Can you imagine the creative potential for a director if this were adapted for the big screen? What did this confusion look like?Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In Psalm 119:159, the psalmist contrasts what he sees in others, which he mentioned in vs. 158, with what he is confident God will see in him. Yet that is not the basis on which he wants God to deal with him.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

When God saw what was happening in Shinar, his response almost makes it sound like he is worried that humans might pose a threat to his authority. But God is concerned about humans, not himself. That’s why he imposed limitations on their project and abilities.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Why is double-crossing and deceitfulness so disgusting to God? Why should it be disgusting to us?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Moses tells us in Genesis 11:5 that “the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men had built.” How are we supposed to understand expressions like this?Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In this devotion, we reflect on the “even though” verses of Psalm 119, where the psalmist states some hardship or difficulty he must endure in the first half of the verse, but affirms his dedication to God and his word in the second half of the verse.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

The building of the enormous tower in the Shinar settlement was also symptomatic of humanity’s disobedience toward God. But this tower also betrays the root cause of all their disobedient symptoms.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

How are you saved? What are the works that are pleasing to God? Just as important, do your answers to those questions originate with you or some other human, or with God?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

God had told Noah and his sons and their wives to “throng in the earth and multiply in it” (Gen. 9:7). But we don’t get the impression that humanity wanted to do that, even a century after the Flood. (In the bonus content, we consider possible dates for the settlement in Shinar.)Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

It seems pretty bold to ask the holy and almighty God to take up your case, as if he were some nonprofit legal organization seeking justice for the innocent. But in Psalm 119:154, the psalmist encourages us to do so. In this devotion we consider how we can.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Even when we speak the same language as someone else today, we can’t always understand them. But from the beginning of the world up to about a century after the Flood, humans all spoke the same way and shared the same vocabulary.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

The psalmist begins the twentieth stanza of Psalm 119 asking God to see his affliction. We have a good basis on which to ask the Lord of the universe to pay attention to us.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

This devotion could also be called “The Descendants of Shem, Part 3.” Our last Genesis devotion was about Eber and Peleg. In this devotion we look at the descendants of Eber’s other son, Joktan, one of whom became renowned for gold.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

From where do the Scriptures get their authority? How do we defend them, or become more convinced of their eternal and reliable character?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

After tracing the sons of Japheth and Ham, Moses now pursues the line of the Messiah, which will continue to be his focus in the rest of Genesis. In this devotion, we consider how Eber and Peleg received their names, and how their lives coincided with the events of the Tower of Babel.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Those who pursue evil plans are constantly drawing near to Christians. But there is Someone else who is always near, who is infinitely more powerful than all of them combined and whose word and promises never fail.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Moses is going to focus on Arphaxad and his sons, including Eber, because they will be in the lineage of the Messiah. But first he briefly covers the other sons of Shem, giving a little extra attention to Aram, due to the Aramaic influence on God’s people.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

This side of heaven, Christians are not immune from evil things or evil people and evil spirits. Those who pursue evil plans are constantly drawing near. What does this mean for us?Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

The Canaanites were descended from Noah’s son Ham, and inhabited the Promised Land before the Israelites. Where did they settle, and what were they like?Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

The trial the psalmist introduced at the beginning of this stanza is continuing and is sapping his strength. But his devotional regimen provides him with bold and confident petitions to set before God.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

On the surface, the descendants of Mizraim just look like a lot of unpronounceable names. But these peoples would noticeably factor into the history of God’s people, for good and (more often) for ill.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In Psalm 119:148, the psalmist leads us to think about why evening is a good time for devotion and prayer.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Moses continues telling us about the Israelites’ very distant relatives. But he is also showing us how it didn’t take long for people after the Flood to become like people before the Flood—Nimrod the hunter being a prime example.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In Psalm 119:147, the psalmist leads us to think about why morning is a good time for devotion and prayer.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Ham and his sons are identified primarily with Arabian and African territory. In this devotion, we attempt to locate more precisely where Ham’s sons and grandsons settled. We also consider how much we have in common with them, in spite of our cultural differences.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In verse 145, the psalmist lamented his failure in the Christian struggle. In verse 146, the psalmist tells us what kept him from despairing and gave him the strength to keep fighting the good fight.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Japheth and his sons are identified primarily with European territory. In this devotion, we attempt to locate more precisely where Japheth’s sons and grandsons settled.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Do you ever feel like you’re living a lie or a contradiction as a Christian? You’re not alone.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Moses begins the fourth account of Genesis with an overview of Noah’s three sons and their descendants. He starts with Japheth and his descendants, who are likely the ancestors of majority of those listening to this podcast.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Righteousness has been a major theme of the eighteenth stanza of Psalm 119. To close this stanza, the psalmist explicitly spells out the means of our righteousness, and concludes with a fitting prayer.Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

Hearing about the sons of Noah fathering children after the Flood gives us an opportunity to reflect on how their parental attitude might have changed in their new circumstances, and to reflect on our own parenting.Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).