Fear of Isaac

Genesis 30
First time i had ever noticed Jacob calling God the "Fear of Isaac"... looked up and this was what Jacob called God. Also translated in Hebrew the "kinsman of Isaac" or the "refuge of Isaac". Really until Moses encountered God these early patriarchs referred to God by many names.

Really the story is about Laban losing his children and grandchildren, because he has treated his son-in-law so bad. He continued to cheat and mislead and change his wage over 20 years, and finally God released Jacob from serving under Laban. I think that we sometimes look at our situations and feel like we are being oppressed, or that we cannot be of much use in the situation we are in, but God has plans....and we should look at each season as God's provision and timing for us. Sometimes its difficult to see from inside...... but remove yourself and give it some time, and you can often see God's leading and direction....and no doubt, God never left Jacob. Jacob even said..... "God has seen the toil of my hands...and has rebuked you."

Matt 22 Parable of the Wedding Banquet
My understanding of this parable is that Jesus is still talking in context to the Pharisees..... he has scorched these guys for a whole chapter, and he is just continuing here.....Jesus first told his disciples to take the Gospel to the Jew first then the Gentile. Pharisees were Jews...and they had the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel/ go to the wedding banquet first....but they were too busy or didnt want to come. So God invited everyone else (the Gentiles)...and they came in....and the one that was tossed out (not in the right clothes) wasnt clothed in Christ's righteousness (wedding clothes).

The Pharisees were called.....first....but few were chosen. Nicodemus was one widely believed to have been one of the few "chosen". I think this is more an indictment on this group of Pharisees, than a wide Calvinistic view of "chosen/elect".

Matt 22: 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

I love Brandons analogy about the Laws of the Prophets HANGING on these two commandments. Everything is dependent on that "hinge". When we hang pictures....like we have been doing in our house...we use these small almost frail looking hooks....they are about an inch to an inch and a half long, one nail goes through it...and because of its design and the balance of that hanger/hook....we can hang pictures many times it weight and size. That is the picture that I think about when we talk about ALL THE LAWS HANG ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS. Love God...and Love others....even the least of these others.