4 49s (and why they are awesome)

Did you know that there are only 4 books in the bible that have 49 or more chapter in them? They are Psalms (150), Isaiah (66), Jeremiah (52), and Genesis (50). And poor Ezekiel has 48, leaving out of the wonderful lists because of one chapter. I don't know why I chose 49, but I did.

No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough--that he should live on forever and not see decay. For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah. Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed--and men praise you when you prosper-- he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light [of life]. A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49:7-20

Man cannot endure. We must be given a new body by Christ to live on forever and not decay. This is why salvation is not unimportant because “the ransom for a life is too costly, no payments is ever enough that he should live on forever and not see decay.”

Who is the chosen one I [God] will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me? And what shepherd can stand against me?

Jeremiah 49:19b

“Simeon and Levi are Brothers-their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel!

Genesis 49:5-7a

In all this chapter, Simeon and Levi get the worst of their father's blessing, though for them...it's more of a curse. It just goes to show you that anger (when it gets out of hand) can be a curse to your parents. Jacob even said that he tried to avoid them (let me not join their assembly).

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

Isaiah 49:16

The word engrave means to cut or trace and the palm is a tender place since it the innermost part of the hand. The picture actually is holding something so tightly in your hand that it finally makes its mark there. And that is how much God cares about us.

Photo credit:
http://dougrobinson.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/isaiah-4916/

Sources
http://dougrobinson.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/isaiah-4916/
http://www.devotional-reflections-from-the-bible.com/Psalm49.html