AS TIME WOULD HAVE IT

Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, “The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said:

“I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt.

into...a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Exodus 3.16-17

There are vast periods of time that are passed over in Scripture—400 years in Egypt, 400 more between Malachi and Matthew, the many years of Jesus that are unaccounted for.

There is the selectivity of those reports that are reported on that seem minor points—all the chronologies, the many repetitious directions on how to prepare offerings, lists of materials and offerings.

Things that most of us would like to know are passed.

Things that most of us don't see any point to are drawn out like useless details.

My thoughts:

1. This much is settled: this Book in every detail was directed by the Holy Spirit for our edification (Ro. 15:4).

2. The Book is to develop faith, love, joy, peace, holiness and righteousness, grace and truth and much, much more. I must learn in little bits at a time. The Book is designed to make my present need, my area of development under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, known and embraced.

3. The gaps in the record come about because what is given is chosen for me to see truth of and from God in ways that are beyond my present understanding. The discipline of meditation on these parts will make other parts more important to me. With the progressive growth of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, I will understand more and more of what I pass in many years of readings. He uses all of the Book for His purposes and methods in develoing our souls into a refelction of His Glory. Over a lifetime, we see more and more of what once seemed senseless to us.

4. That which is passed over is not because God is indifferent to the people and what is happening to us. God has selected Scripture that meets our needs in whatever is happening to us every day and any day, as long as we live.