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Bible reading for December 6 -- 7  Dec 6 -- Habakkuk 1 and Luke 20 Dec 7 -- Habakkuk 2 and Luke 21 ================   "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith." (Habakkuk 2:4)  THE COMPLAINT (ch 1). The prophet Habakkuk wrote late in the 7th century BC, during same time as Jeremiah's ministry in Jerusalem. The first Babylonian subjugation of Israel would come in 605 BC. The prophet complains of the widespread immorality and injustice of the Jews, and why doesn't God do something about it? God answers by saying he will in fact deal with it by raising up the Chaldeans (another name for the Babylonians) to invade the land. This shocks Habakkuk. How could the Lord deliver over his people to an empire even more evil than themselves? How could God seemingly approve, and even promote, such a wicked and pagan nation? The answer is that God is so sovereign he can use evil for a good purpose, namely, for humbling h...

  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 Aug 9 -- 10 Aug 9 -- Jeremiah 37 and Psalm 10 Aug 10 -- Jeremiah 38 and Psalms 11-12 ================    "But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD that he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet." (Jeremiah 37:2) THE PROPHET TREATED BADLY (ch 37-38). In these two chapters we see Jeremiah suffering at the hands of his fellow Jews. Most of the people did not believe his words. He's beaten and thrown into in the dungeon at the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary (ch 37). He's then confined in the court of the guard, later thrown into a cistern, and finally, returned to the court of the guard (ch 38). Centuries later, Stephen would make his defense before the Jewish council (Acts 7) and say, "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute?" (Acts 7:51-52) The auth...

Bible reading for weekend Aug 6 -- 8 Aug 6 -- Jeremiah 34 and Psalms 5-6 Aug 7 -- Jeremiah 35 and Psalms 7-8 Aug 8 -- Jeremiah 36 and Psalm 9 ================    "And Baruch the son of Neriah did all that Jeremiah the prophet ordered him about reading from the scroll the words of the LORD in the LORD's house." (Jeremiah 36:8) FREEING THE SLAVES (ch 34). In keeping with the theme of covenant (ch 31-33) we learn here that the Jews in Jerusalem (in the time of the last king, Zedekiah) have not fulfilled their covenant vows to release their slaves (vv 8-9). The mention of the "parts of the calf" (vv 18-19) is a reference to the sacrificial animal divided in the covenant ceremony (see Gen 15, for example). The Jews' unwillingness to release their slaves was contrary to what the Law taught, and contrary to what Messiah would be like: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bin...

  Bible reading for July 12 -- 13 July 12 -- Jeremiah 8 and Matthew 22 July 13 -- Jeremiah 9 and Matthew 23 ================    "...let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:24) A BAND-AID ON CANCER (ch 8). The Babylonian invasion would be terrifying -- many would die, families would be divided, people carried off into captivity, and even ancestral tombs would be ransacked and exposed. The Babylonians would seek to eradicate Jewish history and culture. It was a severe judgment. One of the things that the people were saying was, "We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us" (v 8). But they did not really love God nor practice his commandments . They lived in "perpetual backsliding" (v 5) and treated sin lightly. The prophets and priests were putting band-aids on their society...

Bible reading for weekend April 9 -- 11 Apr 9 -- Proverbs 27 and 2 Thessalonians 1 Apr 10 -- Proverbs 28 and 2 Thessalonians 2 Apr 11 -- Proverbs 29 and 2 Thessalonians 3 "Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away." (Proverbs 27:10)  FRIENDSHIP (ch 27) . Our families have an important role in God's plan, but so do our friends and neighbors (vv 9-10; see vv 6, 14, 17). Cultivation of good relationships will bear fruit now and in the future. The application of the extended proverb, "know well the condition of your flocks" (vv 23-27), applies not only to farming, but also to public service, to the ministry, and to friendships generally. By our care for others we cultivate righteousness and invest in our own future. Good friendships are a big part of the good life (Mark 10:29-30). As you read ask yourself, what does it...

Bible reading for March 24 -- 25 Mar 24 -- Proverbs 11 and Ephesians 4 Mar 25 -- Proverbs 12 and Ephesians 5 "A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight." (Proverbs 11:1) WEIGHTY MATTERS (ch 11).   We've heard it. We've said it. "It's only a little lie." "They'll never miss it." "No one will ever know if we cut a few corners." But Jesus said, "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much" (Luke 16:10).  The first proverb in this chapter contrasts a false balance with a just weight. Many merchants in that day would have a second set of weights, shaved or cored to remove perhaps only few grams worth of weight. But the intent to cheat, even only by a little bit, was present. God's attitude toward that minor slight is expressed in the strongest of terms in both parts of the proverb -- abomination on ...

  Bible reading for January 20--21 Jan 20 -- Nehemiah 10 and Acts 20 Jan 21 -- Nehemiah 11 and Acts 21 "Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests."  (Nehemiah 9:38) THE BEAUTY OF COVENANT (ch 10). We had a very interesting discussion in our young adult Bible study recently about why most couples today prefer to live together rather than get married, and how do we make a case for God's design in marriage. We spoke of the security, stability, sacrificial love, intimacy, maturity, and faithfulness which are possible through covenant marriage. Covenant is one of the most beautiful words in the Bible ! A covenant is a solemn mutual agreement between people or between God and people. It was to be permanent, and was considered more serious than a contract or temporary commitment. When in relation to the Lord the human role had more to do with submission to God, and a pledge of faithf...

Bible reading for Dec 4.  2 Chronicles 3-4. "He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the south, the other on the north; that on the south he called Jachin, and that on the north Boaz." (3:17)  BUILDING THE TEMPLE . These two chapters describe the structure and furnishings of the temple Solomon builds. It's the same basic plan as the Tabernacle that Moses constructed. Notice the imagery in the temple which recalls both the early chapters of Genesis (e.g., cherubim, fruit trees, etc.) and the later chapters of Revelation (e.g., gold, precious materials, the cubical layout of the most holy place, etc.). All of these images reveal the unity of Scripture and tie together the story of redemption. Christ himself is the sacrifice, the sea of cleansing, the light and bread of life, our priest, and the one who brings us into the presence of God. He restores the garden we lost and constructs a city of eternal glory.    REFLECT. I find it interesting that the two b...

Bible reading for September 16.  2 Samuel 12. "Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate." (2 Samuel 12:20)  DISCIPLINING THE KING. After David's grievous sin, the Lord brings judgment, but does not forsake David (2 Sam 7:12-16). David's confession is shown in more detail in Psalm 51. After the child dies, David goes first to the house of the Lord to worship God. Later in the chapter we see him return to his proper place in defending Israel. The consequences of his sin will reverberate throughout the rest of his years. In reading this story we cannot help but feel badly for Bathsheba, who lost both a husband and a child because of David's sin. His selfishness and violence forever changed her life. Comfort will come to her later as her next child, Jedidiah ("loved by the Lor...

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 Aug 11.  I Samuel 1. "And she vowed a vow and said, 'O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.'" (1 Samuel 1:11) FROM JUDGES TO KINGS. The first book of Samuel will cover the transition from the period of the judges to Israel's first king and his tragic end. There are three main characters: Samuel (the last judge), Saul (the first king), and David (who will succeed Saul). The period covered is about 1075 to 1010 BC. In chapter one we are introduced to Hannah, Samuel's mother, and her desire for a child. Barrenness was viewed as a very sad condition, perhaps even indicating a curse from God, since he was the One who opened and closed the womb. In answer to her fervent prayer, God grants Hannah a son, whom she dedicates as a Naza...