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"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us..." (Acts 17:26-27 ESV) Why were we created? What is our ultimate purpose? Why are we so restless?  Here's Dutch theologian  Herman Bavinck on "Man's Highest Good"… “The conclusion, therefore, is that of Augustine, who said that the heart of man was created for God and that it cannot find rest unless it rests in its Father’s heart. Hence, all men are really seeking after God, as Augustine also declared, but they do not all seek Him in the right way nor at the right place. They seek Him down below, and He is above, they seek Him on the earth, and He is in Heaven.  They seek Him afar, and He is nearby. They seek Him in money, in property, in fame, in power,...

  Bible reading for September 6 -- 7 Sep 6 -- Ezekiel 9 and Psalm 48 Sep 7 -- Ezekiel 10 and Psalm 49 ================   "Then the glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim." (Ezekiel 10:18) MARKED OUT (ch 9) . In a vision Ezekiel sees Jerusalem's upcoming destruction from a heavenly point of view. Executioners (lit., officers, guards) approach the city along with an angelic scribe. The individuals to be spared are marked with a tav , last letter of Hebrew alphabet, which at that time looked like an x or + (v 4). Compare this with Revelation 7:3, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." Besides idolatry the people were punished for their violence and injustice (v 9). For an excellent pictorial overview of the book of Ezekiel I recommend this Bible Project video . THE GLORY DEPARTING (ch 10). In the vision Ezekiel is seeing the appearance of God...

Bible reading for July 14 -- 15 July 14 -- Jeremiah 10 and Matthew 24 July 15 -- Jeremiah 11 and Matthew 25 ================    "But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation." (Jeremiah 10:10) THE TRUE GOD VS DUMB IDOLS (ch 10). This is a good chapter in which to practice your observation skills... 1) How are the idols (false gods) characterized (vv 1-5, 8-9, 11, 14-15)? 2) How is the true God described (vv 6-7, 10, 12-13, 16)? 3) Why is it "stupid" to worship false gods? (vv 8, 14, 21)? 4) How does Jeremiah respond to the wickedness around him (vv 19-25)? 5) What application do you make for believers today? THE BROKEN COVENANT (ch 11). We cannot properly understand the Bible without reference to the historical covenants. God's dealings with Israel take place within the framework of the Mosaic Covenant (Ex 19; Deut 5), and blessings and judgments would ...

Bible reading for June 14 -- 15 Jun 14 -- Isaiah 46 and Revelation 16 Jun 15 -- Isaiah 47 and Revelation 17 ================    "...remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'"... (Isaiah 46:9-10) GOD'S PURPOSE (ch 46). Idols are useless. Bel and Nebo, Babylonian gods, are themselves only heavy idols carried off into captivity. Idols are burdens which must be picked up and carried about, but it is God who carries Israel (vv 3-4). Only God can save. Only God can bring his righteousness to us. It is only God who speaks eternal truth and unfailingly brings his plans to pass. "I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it" (v 11). The Scriptures reveal to us again and again that history unfolds "according t...

  Bible reading for weekend June 11-- 13 Jun 11 -- Isaiah 43 and Revelation 13 Jun 12 -- Isaiah 44 and Revelation 14 Jun 13 -- Isaiah 45 and Revelation 15 ================    "...that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other." (Isaiah 45:6) MAGNIFICENT MONOTHEISM (ch 43). These chapters in Isaiah are breath-taking. He is the only God (cf Deut 6:4). "I am he" (vv 10, 13, 25) reflects the divine name, "I am who I am" (Exod 3:14). "There is none besides me" (45:6, 21). There is no other god. Therefore, those who trust and obey him need fear no thing, nothing (vv 1, 5; 44:2). God's people are created for his glory (vv 7, 21). Israel shall return from exile, and here specifically, the return from Babylonian captivity is in view (v 14). Because he is the only God he also is the only one who can deal with our sins and forgive us (v 25; cf 44:22). WHO IS LIKE G...

Bible reading for weekend June 4 -- 6 Jun 4 -- Isaiah 36 and Revelation 6 Jun 5 -- Isaiah 37 and Revelation 7 Jun 6 -- Isaiah 38 and Revelation 8 ================    "So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD." (Isaiah 37:20) HISTORICAL INTERLUDE (ch 36). Chapters 36 and 37 demonstrate that what Isaiah prophesied actually came to pass. The pre-siege negotiations begin. The Rabshakeh, referring to the chief representative of the Assyrian army, dissuades the people of Jerusalem from trusting in Egypt for deliverance (good advice), and also not to trust the Lord, the God of Israel, to rescue them (bad advice). The Assyrians are mocking the God of Israel as just another regional god who would fall at the hands of their mighty men. "Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?" (v 20). Hezekiah's trus...

  Bible reading for June 2 -- 3 Jun 2 -- Isaiah 34 and Rev 4 Jun 3 -- Isaiah 35 and Rev 5 ================    "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isaiah 35:10) RECAP. We are coming to the end of what some call the first "book" of Isaiah, which focuses primarily on God's judgment upon Israel and Judah in the late eighth century BC. There will be an historical interlude in chapters 36 to 39, recording how the Lord delivered Jerusalem (under King Hezekiah) from the Assyrian siege in 701 BC. In chapter 40 we will begin what is called the "book of comfort". More on that later. These last two chapters (34 and 35) poetically describe the judgment upon the nations and the restoration of Israel. In both of these chapters we are viewing the "mountain peaks" of prophecy, where the near events (As...

Bible reading for March 10 -- 11 Mar 10 -- Job 39 and 2 Corinthians 9 Mar 11 -- Job 40 and 2 Corinthians 10 "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it." (Job 40:2) MORE LESSONS FROM NATURE (ch 39-40). God speaks of the mountain goat, the wild donkey, the ostrich, the horse, and the hawk, in order to demonstrate the limitation of human knowledge and power. Each of these creatures -- a creature like Job -- has greater strength, skill, and speed than Job. We are not as wise and capable as we often think.  ON BEHEMOTH AND LEVIATHAN (ch 41-42). There are many opinions about whether these are real creatures to be found in nature, being described with hyperbole, or if these are references to mythological creatures symbolizing death and Satan. Some have suggested these are remnants of dinosaur species. See Constable's comments on the various interpretations . And here's Christopher Ash's interpretation . The over-riding poi...

Bible reading for October 20.  2 Kings 1. "Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, "O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight." (2 Kings 1:13)  THE KINGS, VOLUME 2. The succession of the kings of Judah and Israel continues, opening here around 850 BC. Elijah will soon complete his service, and his successor Elisha will continue the prophetic ministry to Israel. In chapter one we see that Ahaziah, Ahab's son, follows in the ways of his fathers and seeks guidance from false gods. We also learn from these events how not to approach God's prophets, and so the third captain comes humbly. But Elijah must still pronounce judgment, and King Ahaziah dies after a very brief reign.  REFLECT. Where do I seek guidance on how to live? Do I go to the world and its pundits? Do I consult m...

Bible reading for weekend May 24.  Memorial Day weekend -- I will be taking off a couple of days from posting on the Bible reading plan, and hope to resume writing next Tuesday. The OT passage this weekend will go up through Numbers 34, and the NT/Psalms passage will go through Psalm 78.   Numbers 32.    "We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east." (Numbers 32:18-19) FIRST SETTLEMENT. The theme of inheritance is prominent throughout Scripture .  For the Israelites it was the Lord himself and the land he chose for them. For us, as followers of the Messiah, it is also the Lord himself and the land he chooses for us (2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21). Two and a half tribes of Israel request the land on the east side of the Jordan (where Og, Sihon, and the ...

Bible reading for May 3.  Numbers 10. "And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, 'Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.'" (Numbers 10:35)  SILVER TRUMPETS. Two silver trumpets were made for calling the Israelites (or, sometimes just the leaders) together for worship, or to prepare to break camp and move, or to sound an alarm (a call to arms).  This speaks of the unity of God's people , gathered before the Lord and under his protection (1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16; Rev 8:2). As well, faithful preaching and teaching is like a clarion call to the church and world (1 Cor 14:8). Biblical truth is distinctive, and should be sounded clearly, leading to worship, spiritual change, and confrontation with falsehood. Gresham Machen warned against losing clarity: "A deadly vagueness gradually affects the church's witness."   ARISE, O LORD!  We serve a God who acts.  Our God is not merely an unm...

Bible reading for April 18-19.  "And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD." (Leviticus 22:32-33) Leviticus 22. It may seem like the Bible has an obsession for cleanliness, but this is not because of pettiness on the part of God.  Rather, it is because of his revelation (and our realization) that he is infinitely transcendent and holy (22:2).  He is high and lifted up above all creation (Isa 6:1-7).  We are not to treat lightly, misuse, or profane the holy things of God (Ex 20:7). In fact we pray that the Father's name and reputation be honored by all (Matt 6:9). In the early church God chastised the people who profaned the Lord's supper with their sinful divisions (1 Cor 11:17-32). Although we don't follow the regulations of the Aaronic priesthood any longer, the principle remains: we must ever liv...

Bible reading for March 19: Exodus 30; John 9.  "And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations." (Exodus 30:7-8) The altar of incense (Ex 30:1-10) .  Exodus 30 continues the Mosaic teaching on the ministry of the OT priests. As we saw earlier, Jesus prayed as our High Priest in John 17, and continues to intercede for us always (Heb 7:25). We as followers of Christ also pray and intercede for others.  The incense itself (30:34-38) becomes a symbol for prayer that pleases God (Ps 141:2; Rev 5:8; 8:3-4).  For us, "authorized" incense (cf 30:9) is prayer and worship offered in the way God directs.  We pray "in Jesus' name", meaning, we approach God based upon Christ's atoning work and for the sake of his kingdom. We pray in faith (in Christ, not ourselv...