August 23, 2018

Rev 11:17-12:12 God and His People Victorious and The Song of Simeon - A Light to the Gentiles

Our first session tonight briefly introduced the Book of Revelation and explored a hymn of praise used in the Week I Thursday Evening Office created from Rev 11:17-18 and Rev 12:10-12.  We highlighted the conflict with the power of the State and Gnosticism, discuss the return of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead, the reward or the Saints, and asked if we love God with parts of our lives like these martyrs loved God with all of their lives.

Our second session explored the Nunc Dimittis or the Song of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32.  We presented the background and the "Consolation of Israel" Simeon was awaiting, the dramatic change in scope from the previous canticles in Luke to include salvation for all people, and the need for us to present the same light to the nations.

After that, we turned off the cameras and prayed the Week I Thursday Evening Office together.

August 30, 2018

Psalm 16: The Path of Life

Psalm 16 points to Jesus' death and resurrection.  It also points us to Him as the path of life, our inheritance, our everything.  We examine the difference between the Israelite and Christian perspectives on this psalm as well as some of its cultural and linguistic nuances.  We then stopped recording and prayed the Thursday Night Office for which this is the psalm.