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  Bible reading for weekend September 10 -- 12 Sep 10 -- Ezekiel 13 and Psalms 52-54 Sep 11 -- Ezekiel 14 and Psalm 55 Sep 12 -- Ezekiel 15 and Psalms 56-57 ================   "Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life, therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the LORD." (Ezekiel 13:22-23) POPULAR RELIGION CONDEMNED (ch 13-14). Three groups are called out for condemnation: false prophets, and prophetesses, and some key leaders. They were all saying what the people wanted to hear -- things will be all right, peace and security is near, and your best life is arriving soon (cf Jer 6:14; Mic 3:5). It was a popular religion of the day (cf 1 Thess 5:3). All this originated in their own minds and imaginations, which they mistook for the Lord spe...

  Bible reading for June 23-- 24 Jun 23 -- Isaiah 55 and Matthew 3 Jun 22 -- Isaiah 56 and Matthew 4 ================    "...so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) HIS WORD GOES FORTH (ch 55). This is one of my favorite chapters in the OT. I know, I say that about a lot of chapters. But it's all here, the follow-up from the atonement accomplished by the suffering Servant (ch 53), which results in the covenant promises, "...my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed..." (ch 54). And now the invitation, "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (55:1). Doesn't this remind you of Jesus' words, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me an...

Bible reading for June 9 -- 10 Jun 9 -- Isaiah 41 and Revelation 11 Jun 10 -- Isaiah 42 and Revelation 12 ================    "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations."  (Isaiah 42:1) "DO NOT FEAR" (ch 41). A recurring theme is that there is no other God, and he is sovereign over history. He is the one who determines the future, "calling the generations from the beginning" (v 4). He is the First and Last (Rev 1:17; 22:13). Idols, and other gods, are no gods at all. They cannot tell the future nor determine the future. Idolatry is any wrong concept of God, or anything we deem of ultimate value which takes the place of God as the center of our lives. Usually, it is something we can see (or manufacture) that becomes our main security and source of pleasure -- it may be actual idols, or it may be false hopes of deliverance, whether in money or possessions (...

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 February 3 -- 4 Feb 3 -- Job 2 and Romans 6 Feb 4 -- Job 3 and Romans 7 "After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth." (Job 3:1)  WISDOM IN SUFFERING. Though we don't know many of the details about where and when Job lived, we know that he was a real person in history (Ezek 14:14, 20; James 5:11). The book of Job may be the oldest of the books in Scripture, and is first in the lineup of the wisdom books. Wisdom literature is written, usually in poetic form, to address the big mysteries of life, as well as those practical matters in life that require discernment. Job deals with pain and suffering, specifically, the suffering of the righteous. The Song of Solomon deals with pleasure, specifically, the pleasures of courtship, sex, and marriage. In between, Proverbs gives wisdom for successfully navigating the problems of life, and Ecclesiastes teaches the limitations both of our lives and of what we can know. One thing we learn up front...

Bible reading for Dec 22.  2 Chronicles 26. "He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper." (26:5)  UZZIAH THE LEPER.   This is the same king that is named Azariah in 2 Kings 15. Uzziah is a variant spelling, perhaps to distinguish him from the high priest with the same name (vv 17, 20).  As you read Israel's history you will run into a number of names held in common by more than one individual. Already we have encountered three separate men named Joash. Also, two named Zechariah. Uzziah's mother was a Jerusalem native, and presumably an observant Jew. Uzziah has a very long reign of 52 years, and he ruled well, as long as he kept seeking the Lord (v 5). We also learn from the Chronicles' account that Uzziah was a farmer at heart: "he loved the soil" (v 10), and that he introduced catapults to Jerusalem's defense (v 15). The ministry of Isaiah the p...

Bible reading for October 22.  2 Kings 3. "This is a light thing in the sight of the LORD. He will also give the Moabites into your hand..." (2 Kings 3:18)  SOMETIMES THERE ARE NO WINNERS. As a pastor I would often be called upon to help others resolve conflicts, whether in their marriages, families, businesses, or church relationships. Sometimes I found situations where nobody was in the right. Each party might feel justified in their position and want to win their case. But at times, well, you just wanted to throw all the bums out. (So to speak!) Israel's war against Moab is perhaps a case in point. The Moabites were an idolatrous people who often harassed their neighbors. Their chief god was Chemosh, but they also worshiped Molech and Baal, among others. As seen in this chapter Moabites could resort to human sacrifice. It was God's will that they be subjugated and the land be rendered infertile. (Moab's wealth and power came from their sheep industry.) The Moa...

Bible reading for September 22.  2 Samuel 18. "And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, 'O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!'" (2 Samuel 18:33) ABSALOM DIES. The conspiracy fails, Absalom's army falls to David's, and Absalom is caught by his head (or long hair) in a tree: "...suspended between heaven and earth..." (v 9). It was a humiliating death as he hung there and was speared multiple times. There is much tension in this story between the gentleness David desires for his son and the judgment Joab inflicts. The characters in this story vacillate between the bad news of the loss of David's son and the good news that the insurrection was over. It was the most emotionally wrenching time of David's life.  REFLECT. I cannot say with certainty that this event is a "type", that is, a divinely-intended prop...

Bible reading for Aug 26.  I Samuel 18. "And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him." (1 Sam 18:14)  DAVID'S SUCCESSES. Here we read of Saul's growing jealousy and fear of David. Saul's son Jonathan befriends David. Saul attempts to kill David by betrothing one of his daughters to David, hoping that the bloody bride-price would pit David against the Philistines and he would be killed in battle. All of this backfires. The Lord is blessing David and has departed from Saul. And Saul is in a downward spiral of envy and hatred. It's interesting to note that this is what Pilate saw when the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to trial before him: "For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up" (Matt 27:18).  REFLECT. Envy is a vice which is self-consuming. At its core is ingratitude toward, and rebellion against, God's wise providence. That is, we do not like God's dealings which give a gift...

Bible reading for weekend May 16.  Numbers 25-26. "These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods." (Numbers 25:2)  CHANGE OF STRATEGY. Since the Moabites cannot face Israel in battle they resort to seduction. Satan has two main strategies in defeating God's people: a) outright hostility, accusation, or persecution (which engenders fear); or b) subtle deception, temptation, and enticement (which appeals to lust). In the ancient near east, the polytheistic religions were entwined with the rhythms of nature. To remind the deities to produce rain, crops, and fruitful reproduction, worshipers were allowed to celebrate with promiscuous sex. First, there would be offerings, then eating, drinking, and partying, and then pairing up with one another or with cult prostitutes. This may not be obvious in the text, but this is the reason one spear killed two people, being caught in the act (Num 25:8). As you can ima...

Detail, Perelandra, painting by Jeremiah Briggs In Perelandra , the second book in C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy, the protagonist, Ransom, seeks to protect the innocent woman (the Eve of Venus) from the temptations of the Unman, who would bring about the fall of the planet.  The dialogue, like that of The Screwtape Letters,  illuminates the nature of the conflict between good and evil -- and the resolution takes a surprising turn.   But at one point the battle of wits between Ransom and the Unman takes this direction, beginning with the Unman's words...  "Ransom... Ransom..."   "What is it?"  "Nothing." “Ransom,” it said again.  “What is it?” said Ransom sharply.  “Nothing,” it answered.  Again there was silence; and again, about a minute later, the horrible mouth said: “Ransom!”  This time he made no reply.  Another minute and it uttered his name again; and then, like a minute gun, “Ransom . . . Ra...

"I will put enmity between you and the woman,  and between your offspring and her offspring;  he shall bruise your head,  and you shall bruise his heel."   (Genesis 3:15 ESV) This passage is often called the Proto-evangelium , or the first proclamation of the Gospel.  Here the story-line of the Bible becomes clear... creation, fall, redemption, and final restoration -- the new creation.  Or, as it is put by the Welsh preacher and hymn-writer, William Williams... In Eden -- sad indeed that day -- My countless blessings fled away, My crown fell in disgrace. But on victorious Calvary That crown was won again for me -- My life shall all be praise. Faith, see the place, and see the tree Where heaven’s Prince, instead of me, Was nailed to bear my shame. Bruised was the dragon by the Son, Though two had wounds, there conquered One -- And Jesus was His name. ~ William Williams, aka Pantycelyn   (1717-91)