Skip to main content

bible reading may 19


Numbers 28.

REVIEW. It has been forty years since leaving Egypt, and Moses is nearing his death. In this chapter and the next Moses summarizes for the people the calendar of regular public sacrifices.  These daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly offerings needed to continue when they entered the land. 

================  

Psalm 72.

"May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!" (Psalm 72:17) 

LEADERSHIP. We may not always know what good leadership looks like, but we usually recognize bad leadership when we see it. From the despotic kings of the ancient near east, to all the dictators down through history, and even to the elected officials of the western world today, nations suffer when there is not integrity, consistency, justice, and compassion in their rulers.  It has been the story of humanity that so many peoples have labored under rulers who are corrupt, self-serving, and capricious, or who are indecisive, passive, and uncaring. Rulers often neglect to uphold law and order, provide for public safety, exercise impartiality, and care for their most poor and vulnerable citizens.     

THY KINGDOM COME. Yesterday, we read of David's heart for the next generation and of the legacy he wanted to leave behind. This psalm -- concluding the second collection of psalms -- is his prayer for his son Solomon, who will accede to the throne after David. On one level this is a father's prayer for the success of his son in the next reign over Israel -- that there would be justice, prosperity, and peace in the land. But on a deeper level it reflects a yearning for the Promised One to come and reign over us (See Ps 2 and Ps 110).  Whenever we pray, "Your Kingdom come..." in the Lord's prayer we are echoing the same petition. Our Lord Jesus is the one who will finally usher in a glorious, eternal kingdom of righteousness.    

COME AND REIGN OVER US. Read Psalm 72 again and ask: what are David's main concerns for his son Solomon's reign?  In what ways will these be fulfilled only (and ultimately) when our Lord Jesus returns?  

"Come, Thou Almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing,
  Help us to praise.
Father, all glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come, and reign over us,
  Ancient of Days."
(Charles Wesley, 1757)

Image credit: Photo by Pro Church Media on Unsplash.
We are following the Robert Murray M'Cheyne (RMM) two-year reading schedule, as arranged by D. A. Carson. 
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The NET Bible is a free, online resource, and a ministry of bible.org.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

clement quotes hebrews

Clement of Rome wrote to the church in Corinth around AD 90.  This is perhaps the same Clement, companion of Paul, mentioned in Philippians 4:3.  Many hold him to be the first bishop / pope in Rome, aka St. Clement I.   Clement quotes from the letter to the Hebrews.  Origin suggested that Clement was in fact the writer (as transcriber or amanuensis) of Hebrews.  Perhaps this letter began as a "word of exhortation" given by Paul at the synagogue (Heb 13:22; cf Acts 13:15) which then became a circular letter for the churches.  Other possible authors of Hebrews include Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos.  The theology is Pauline, but the transcriber is obviously second-generation (Heb. 2:3-4). At any rate, this early church leader in Rome, is already quoting Hebrews in his letter in AD 90:    CHAPTER 36  ALL BLESSINGS ARE GIVEN TO US THROUGH CHRIST This is the way, beloved, in which we find our Savior, even Jesus Christ,  the High Prie...

Howard Hendricks on OT books chronology

When I was in seminary, Howard Hendricks (aka "Prof") gave us a little card with the books of the OT chronologically arranged. The scanned copy I have was a bit blurry and I wanted to make something like this available for our church class in OT theology ("Story of Redemption"). A few minor edits and here it is...

bible reading july 5-6

Bible reading for July 5 -- 6 July 5 -- Jeremiah 1 and Matthew 15 July 6 -- Jeremiah 2 and Matthew 16 ================    HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, July 4! Throughout the years I have felt varying degrees of loyalty to this nation. The more I have studied history, however, and have observed God's working in it, the more deeply I have come to appreciate the founding principles of this country. In practice this nation has allowed a greater freedom for the gospel to go forth and for the church to flourish than any other nation. Along with the UK the US has been the sending base for thousands of missionaries around the world. The freedoms we have are not to be treated lightly. "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." ( The Declaration of Independence ) ================    "...my people have committed t...