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Bible reading for December 1 -- 2  Dec 1 -- Micah 6 and Luke 15 Dec 2 -- Micah 7 and Luke 16 ================ "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)  IT'S REALLY QUITE SIMPLE (ch 6). Don't you find it helpful when the Lord himself summarizes things for us? For example, Jesus summed up the law of God with, "love God with all your heart..." and "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:36-40). Here we have, "Do justice... love kindness... walk humbly with God" (v 8). How straightforward! This chapter begins with the Lord asking "what have I done to you"? That is, what fault have you found in me, what grievance do you have against me? (Cf Jer 2:5; Isa 43:22; Mal 1:13) Though Christians rarely vocalize their disappointment with God, it often becomes the reason for their backsliding. ( I find that it is best...

  Bible reading for Nov 15 -- 16 Nov 15 -- Amos 4 and Psalms 148-150 Nov 16 -- Amos 5 and Luke 1:1-38 ================ "Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (Amos 5:23-24)   PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD (ch 4).  Amos calls out the women for self-indulgence and all the people for their idolatry (vv 1-5). The Lord brought various judgments upon the nation in the forms of drought, famine, blight, mildew, and pestilence. "Yet you did not return to me," says the Lord repeatedly. "Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" (v 12) LET JUSTICE ROLL DOWN (ch 5). Amos calls the people to do a 180: "Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph." The people ...

Bible reading for weekend April 2 -- 4 Apr 2 -- Proverbs 20 and Colossians 3 Apr 3 -- Proverbs 21 and Colossians 4 Apr 4 -- Proverbs 22 and 1 Thessalonians 1 "A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes." (Proverbs 20:8) AUTHORITY AND JUSTICE. As you read the next several chapters in Proverbs keep your eyes peeled for proverbs relating to rulers, kings, and responding to authority. Most of us, at one time or another, have had difficulty submitting to authority. And most of us don't know how to use authority without harming others. Solomon is speaking directly to his sons, and their descendants, who will rule in Israel. They are to forsake drunkenness, quarrelling, rash decisions, deception, and indolence, among other vices. And they are to be men of understanding, faithful to the Lord, speaking truth, caring for the poor, seeking good counsel, and walking with integrity and justice. The only perfect Ruler is our Lord Jesus (Isa 9:6-7), who em...

Bible reading for weekend January 29--31 Jan 29 -- Esther 6 and Romans 1 Jan 30 -- Esther 7 and Romans 2 Jan 31 -- Esther 8 and Romans 3 Here is the PDF copy of our reading schedule .  THE PRIDE OF MAN . I'm not sure if this is the earliest version of, "Give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself," but the image fits. The gallows that Haman built were certainly big enough! The Bible teaches that evil plans and conspiracies will ultimately rebound against those who make them: "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling" (Prov 26:27). At the root of this is pride: "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom" (Prov 11:2). Some years before this event, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar was humbled before God, and he confessed, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in ...

Bible reading for January 6-7  Jan 6 -- Ezra 6 and Acts 6 Jan 7 -- Ezra 7 and Acts 7 ================    "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel." (Ezra 7:10)  EZRA. The Persian emperor Darius decrees and supports the work of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem (chapter 6). The prophets Haggai and Zechariah (we'll read their words when we get to the Minor Prophets) encourage God's people during this time. Chapters one to six are related to the first return under the leadership of Zerubbabel in 536 BC. Ezra, priest and scribe, arrives in the second wave of returning exiles in 458 BC (chapter 7). Nehemiah will be in the third group in 445 BC.  See my chart above.  THE LORD IS ACTIVE in the rebuilding of the nation. Note how he "stirs up the spirit" or "turns the heart" of people. And three times we are told that the "hand of the Lord" was upon Ezra (7:6, 9, 28). C...

Bible reading for Dec 17.  2 Chronicles 19-20. "Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the LORD. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the LORD our God, or partiality or taking bribes." (19:6-7) THE MATTER OF JUSTICE (ch 19).   Chronicles gives us a nuanced view of the strengths and weaknesses of the kings of Judah. Jehoshaphat did well in certain areas and not well in others. (Much like many of the Lord's people today!) He had a compromising friendship with Ahab, which tacitly gave approval to attitudes and actions the Lord hated. For this he is reproved. Jehoshaphat did well, however, in having a heart for justice being exercised in the land. Biblical justice, as opposed to some notions of social justice today, generally did not involve actions for or against categories of people. It had to do with a fair application of the law of God. Specifically, indiv...

Bible reading for September 25.  2 Samuel 21. "Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, 'There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.'" (2 Samuel 21:1) WHO'S RESPONSIBLE? Here we read about judgment upon the house of Saul for breaking covenant with the Gibeonites. God is concerned for the just treatment of all people. The Bible teaches that there is both an individual human responsibility (Deut 24:16; Jer 31:29-30; Ezek 18:4, 20; Rev 20:15) and a corporate human responsibility (Ex 34:7; Josh 7:24; Rom 5:12-21). For example, we are sinners by our own choices and actions, but we also have sinned "in Adam" and thus are born sinners (Rom 5:12). The flip side of this corporate connection is that when we are "in Christ" his righteousness and life becomes ours. There are times in Scripture where family, or people con...

Bible reading for Aug 13.  I Samuel 3. "And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD." (1 Samuel 3:19-20)  JUDGE AND PROPHET. Samuel is called by the Lord from an early age. He hears God speak audibly to him, and is recognized as a prophet. He is also considered an OT judge because of his leadership and judicial rulings in the nation (1 Sam 7:15-17). He had a priestly role, too, in offering sacrifices (1 Sam 7:9-10; Ps 99:6). He was a unique individual who played an important role at a critical time.  REFLECT. Peace and stability come to communities when people have a true knowledge of God. The role of a prophet was to communicate the words of God. The role of a judge (and later, the king) was to ensure righteousness was practiced in the community. The role of a priest was, by sacrifice and offering, to bring people into ...

Bible reading for June 20 weekend.  Deuteronomy 25-26. "And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you."  (Deuteronomy 26:11)  JUSTICE, continued. Chapters 25 and 26 give more instructions before Israel enters the land. Levirate marriage (25:5-10) may seem odd to us, since we live in a culture where marriage (or cohabitation) is considered only in terms of romance or personal fulfillment. In the ancient world marriage and children made the difference between survival or not, and perpetuating a family name or not. God's plan for marriage includes love and tenderness, to be sure, but also family security and nurture for future generations. Then also, a fair and consistent measure of exchange (25:13-16) is foundational for a just society. Any intent to deceive, even by an ounce or two, is considered an abomination.  REMEMBRANCE AND JOY. After settling ...

Bible reading for June 19.  Deuteronomy 24. "...but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this."  (Deuteronomy 24:18)  JUSTICE. The laws in this section pertain to the protection of weaker and more vulnerable people. Jesus clarified that this teaching on divorce (vv 1-4) was a concession and not a commandment (Matt 19:3-10). God's will from the beginning has been that "...a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Gen 2:24) . This chapter also addresses taking pledges (collateral) on loans, but making sure to protect the life and dignity of the borrower.  The poor were to be allowed to glean in the fields during harvest. Israel's own history of slavery was to be remembered so that they would be kind to the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the resident alien.  Question for thought : what are some of ...

Bible reading for weekend June 13-14.  Deuteronomy 18-19. "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him." (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)   A PROPHET LIKE MOSES (18). Moses reiterates the support needed for the Levites (vv 1-8), which in the NT is applied to those who, like the apostles, proclaim the gospel (1 Cor 9:13-14). Occult practices are treated in the same way as idolatry (vv 9-14), which likewise are condemned in the New Testament (Acts 13:6-8; 19:19; Gal 5:20; Rev 9:21). Rather than through occult methods  God's people are informed of truth via God's revelation through his prophets (vv 15-22). This is the beginning of the OT office of prophet, but the singular "a prophet" (v 15) points ahead to the ultimate Prophet, the Lord Jesus ...

Bible reading for May 28.  Deuteronomy 1.  "'The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.' Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God..." (Deuteronomy 1:30-32) RECAP. This book is the second (" deutero -") giving of the law ("- nomos "). Moses will explain the Law again to the people, being a new generation (1:1-5). What could have been a two-week trip has taken forty years (v 2). God provided for them leaders (vv 9-15) and judges (vv 16-17). The judges especially were charged to be righteous, impartial, thorough, and careful: "for the judgment is God's" (see post on Psalm 82 below). Moses gives a recap of Israel's travels, with specific commendations to Caleb and Joshua....

Bible reading for May 11.  Numbers 20. DISQUALIFIED.  Moses' sister Miriam dies and is buried (v 1). And then the people quarrel again with Moses about water shortage (vv 2-13). Sometimes we have legitimate needs but approach them in the wrong way, as they did with quarreling and strife (James 4:1-2). Previously, Moses had struck the rock and God made the water come forth (Ex 17:5-6). But this time he was to speak to the rock .  Moses either was not listening to what God said, or he desired to make things more dramatic, but anyway, he struck the rock with the words, "Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" (v 10). It was a public grandstanding as well as robbing God of the glory due him alone. He did not treat the Lord as holy . And in this incident he forfeited his right to lead the people into the land. God's appointed leaders are not above accountability, and their authority is never absolute.     CHRIST THE ROCK. There was important...