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That Merciful Samaritan

The priests and Levites were spiritual leaders. They did not always lead God's people in the right spiritual direction. But the work they performed was to lead men in their spiritual lives. There were also, in the Old Testament dispensation, Samaritans, people who did not have Abraham as their fleshly father. Some of them did learn the truth from the Israelites and did confess Jehovah to be their God. But as a rule the Israelites despised them, for by blood ties they were not one with them.

Jesus, in Luke 10:30-37 , spoke a parable wherein a man was severely injured by thieves and needed much help. A priest avoided giving any help. A Levite also looked at this injured man, but gave him no help. And then came a Samaritan "where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him ... bound up his wounds ... and brought him to an inn" (  Luke 10:33-35 ). He was merciful to this stranger of a different race. Jesus asked His disciples which one of these three men acted as a neighbor. And He told the disciples to do what the Samaritan did.

This parable is given for our instruction. Our religion requires of us mercy and compassion on all those we find suffering and in need. We must keep the second table of the Law, or we are not keeping the first table. Break the second table, have no love for the neighbor, and we say by our actions that we do not need to do what God presented in the first table of the law.

Our calling is to be merciful Samaritans. Never mind to what race or nation the one belongs who needs our help. The question is, what comes from God? He said we must love our neighbor as ourselves.

Our calling is to reveal ourselves as Christians. For what mercy it was that Christ manifested in His work upon us!

Read: Luke 10:30-37 .

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:

Song of Solomon 5 ; Song of Solomon 6 ; Song of Solomon 7 ; Song of Solomon 8:1-14 
2 Corinthians 9:1-15 
Psalm 51:1-19 
Proverbs 22:24-25 
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Quote for Reflection:
 

   … We do not want to throw the lambs to the wolves. In the Christian school, we are preparing them for the inevitable conflict that is coming. There is a war going on. It is not a carnal war, not a war "after the flesh," as the apostle writes in II Corinthians 10: 3ff., but a war that is spiritual, a war that has to do with "imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God." It is a war of ideas; of thoughts: of doctrines; of teachings. These are the great issues and battlefronts: the sovereignty of man versus the sovereignty of God; the reign of Antichrist versus the reign of Jesus the Christ; the authority of man's word versus the authority of God's Word, Holy Scripture; a life of pleasure-madness versus a life of holiness; despair versus hope; the worship of the totalitarian State versus the worship of God, the Father of Jesus Christ.     - David Engelsma