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FEBRUARY 3
dressers saw the son, they said among them-
selves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him
and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him
39
and cast him out of the vineyard and killed 21:42 The stone…rejected. This refers to His
him. crucifixion; and the restoration of “the chief
“Therefore, when the owner of the vine-
40 cornerstone” anticipates His resurrection. the
yard comes, what will he do to those vine- chief cornerstone. To the superficial eye, this
dressers?” quotation from Psalm 118:22,23 is irrelevant
They said to Him, “He will destroy those
41 to the parable that precedes it. But it is taken
wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard from a messianic psalm. Jesus cited it to sug-
to other vinedressers who will render to him gest that the Son who was killed and thrown
out of the vineyard was also “the chief corner-
the fruits in their seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read
42 stone”in God’s redemptive plan.
in the Scriptures:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone. falls on this stone will be broken; but on
This was the LORD’s doing, whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
heard His parables, they perceived that He
“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of was speaking of them. But when they sought
43 46
God will be taken from you and given to a to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes,
nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever because they took Him for a prophet.
44
DAY 2: How are we to think about the astonishing miracles reported in Exodus?
The scientific materialism of many twenty-first-century people makes it difficult for them to
consider any so-called miracles.If the laws of nature are considered supreme,the existence of a per-
sonal Supreme Being above the laws of nature and able to override them becomes inconceivable.
Examples of miracles do little to convince someone who is already convinced that miracles are
impossible.
Miracles can demonstrate God’s existence;they don’t prove it.Human beings display an amaz-
ing ability to come up with alternative explanations for God’s activity in history.The situation is not
that twenty-first-century people can’t believe in miracles; rather, it is that twenty-first-century peo-
ple often won’t believe in miracles.
For Christians, the matter is settled by faith. In becoming Christians, we had to believe in the
central miracle:God came in the flesh,Jesus Christ,who lived,died,and rose from the dead to reign
eternally as Lord and Savior. In the light of that miracle, the miracles of Exodus become less a mat-
ter for speculation and more a matter of wonder and worship.They are examples of the lengths to
which God went to communicate to people.Even twenty-first-century Christians are humbled and
awestruck by God’s amazing power!

February 3 the people complained against Moses, and

said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of
Egypt, to kill us and our children and our live-
Exodus 17:1–18:27
stock with thirst?”
Then all the congregation of the children 4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying,
17 of Israel set out on their journey from the “What shall I do with this people? They are
Wilderness of Sin, according to the command- almost ready to stone me!”
ment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; 5 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before
but there was no water for the people to drink. the people, and take with you some of the eld-
2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, ers of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod
and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” with which you struck the river, and go. Be-
6
So Moses said to them, “Why do you con- hold, I will stand before you there on the rock in
tend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?” Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water
3 And the people thirsted there for water, and will come out of it, that the people may drink.”

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