Gleanealogy: Gleanings (2)

Pray Psalm 96.1-4.
Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.
For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.

Sing exuberantly Psalm 96.1-4.
(Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above)
Sing to the Lord! O, bless His Name! All nations tell His glory!
Salvation’s tidings loud proclaim; let earth rehearse His story!
For God is greatly to be praised; His throne above all gods is raised –
fear Him, and sing His glory!

Read Isaiah 54.1-8.

Prepare.
1. What does “enlarge the place of your tent” mean for you and your Personal Mission Field?

2. How does God show “everlasting kindness” to His people?

Meditate.
From the beginning of our study of genealogies, we observed that two “family lines” were traced out – that which belonged to the people of promise, and that which outlined the nations beyond Israel and God’s covenant. God’s project is to fill the earth with His glory, saving by name a people who will enlarge the place of their tents to bring in more people to the household of God. Those new members of the divine household can only come from among the lost people of this world. The genealogies of Scripture keep us ever mindful that God is not done with the unbelieving nations of the world (Rev. 7.4-10). He sends us, whom He has called by name, as He sent His own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to embody and proclaim the Kingdom of God to the lost people of our world.

One of the goals we emphasize in working our Personal Mission Field is that we should always seek to expand or enlarge our mission field, looking for ways to include new people into the sphere of Jesus’ love. Isaiah foresaw the day of this happening, and the genealogies of Scripture remind us that we who know the Lord must not be content merely to bask in the Good News. We are sent to proclaim Him and His Kingdom to the lost people of our world, beginning in our Personal Mission Field (Jn. 20.21).

You may not feel as though you’re strong enough in the faith to talk about Jesus. You may even think that God has hidden His face from you, or even from this entire generation of Christians. But if we look to Him in faith, calling on Him for boldness and readiness, He will empower us to tell the Good News of Jesus as often as opportunities arise throughout the day.

As we read the genealogies of Scripture, let’s remember to thank God that He has called us by name, and we are His. Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. But so are the names of many people who do not yet know our Lord Jesus. Let the genealogies lead you to pray for the lost people of the world, especially for those in your own Personal Mission Field, and to seek the power of Christ and the Spirit to enlarge the space of your tent and reach out to your lost neighbors with the Gospel.

Reflect.
1. Have you mapped out your Personal Mission Field? Are you working it daily? Watch this brief video (click here) then download the worksheet and begin the glorious work of enlarging the place of your tent.

2. Do you pray for the lost people in your Personal Mission Field? For the lost people of the world? Following Isaiah 54.1-7, what should you pray when you pray for them?

3. How would you summarize the Good News that you have been sent to the world to proclaim?

After the birth of the Savior and the sequence of life and miracles, the passion of the cross and the glory of resurrection, when laying down his life he saw his progeny lengthened and as righteous he justified many by his knowledge and divided the spoils of the strong and prayed for transgressors, giving a place for penance; the text then switches to the calling of the nations and describes in plain words those who would believe in him. Jerome (347-420), Commentary on Isaiah 15.2

O Lord, make me a faithful witness! Help me to enlarge the place of my tent today as I…

Pray Psalm 96.8-13.
Will you glorify God by declaring His Good News today? Whom can you tell about Jesus, and the promised blessings of revival and renewal He brings to the world? Pray that God will give you joy in your salvation, and a ready tongue to proclaim His salvation.

Sing Psalm 96.8-13.
Psalm 96.8-13 (Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above)
Bring off’rings sweet to Him, our Lord, in holy garments praise Him!
Tremble before Him, all the earth; among the nations raise Him!
The earth is fixed, it will not move; the peoples will His justice prove –
Exalt the Lord and praise Him.

Let heaven sing with lusty voice; let earth and sea sing sweetly!
Let fields and trees in Him rejoice, for He is coming swiftly
to judge the world in righteousness, the peoples in His faithfulness –
He comes; exalt Him greatly!

T. M. Moore

The genealogies of Scripture reveal the heart of God in His covenant relationship with His people. To learn more about God’s covenant, order our book, I Will Be Your God, by clicking here. You can learn to sing all the psalms to familiar hymn tunes by ordering a copy of The Ailbe Psalter (click here).

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).