Jan 17: Gen 30 | Psa 34 | Matt 19

Reading 1 - Gen 30:29,30

"Jacob said to him [Laban]... 'The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I have been' " (Gen 30:29,30).

Quite often in Scripture God blesses one person or group because of their attachment to the initial righteous person. God had been prepared to spare Sodom for the sake of ten righteous men; He blessed Potiphar and then the whole land of Egypt for Joseph's sake; the widow for Elijah; the shipload of men for Paul.

And -- wonder of wonders! -- for the sake of one man Jesus, God has gladly forgiven the sins of multitudes who have joined themselves to him.

Reading 2 - Psa 34:7

"The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them" (Psa 34:7).

This is parallel to Exo 12:23: the angel of Yahweh hovering over or encamping around those who fear him is Passover language. What God did for His people -- in delivering them out of Egypt -- was to be remembered, throughout all their generations, by all their descendants -- natural and spiritual! This was so they might never forget that what He had done once He could do again!

The phrase "angel of Yahweh" is used only twice in the Psalms. The other reference is Psa 35:5, an example of judgment to contrast with the mercy shown here. Compare Act 12, where an angel of Yahweh appears twice: once in mercy (vv 7-11: delivering Peter out of prison) and once in judgment (v 23: smiting the vile Herod). Angelic agency is often unseen, yet it is recognized by the eye of faith!