Monthly Archives: May 2023

Daily Bible Study

June 1, 2023 Bible Study — If Society Has Become Depraved, It Is Because We Have Sinned

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 9-10.

When Ezra learned that the returned exiles were sinning by making alliances with and marrying idolaters, he did not just ignore it, or throw up his hands and say, “Well, that’s too bad, I hope they repent,” or even preach a sermon about their sin.  No, he publicly abased himself before God and prayed.  Others joined Ezra in his prayer and abasement and prayer about the sin.  And their prayer was not about other people’s sin, they prayed, “We have sinned…”  Then they decided to enter into a covenant with God and each other to change their behavior, to stop sinning and make good for their past sins.  If you, like me, see God’s judgement coming upon our society because of our sins, let us acknowledge our part in that sin and pray to God to transform our hearts, and the hearts of those around us, so that we change our ways and live the life He desires us to live.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 31, 2023 Bible Study — Fasting And Praying For God’s Protection

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 6-8.

I do not normally write about this because it crosses over passages I read on separate days, but I decided to write about it anyway today.  Toward the end of yesterday’s passage, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah inspired the Jews to resume work on rebuilding the temple.  The political leaders of the people around them attempted to intimidate them into stopping, when that failed those leaders sent a letter to the King of Persia to request that he order them to stop.  However, instead of ordering the Jews to stop work on rebuilding the temple, Darius, King of Persia, ordered the people who had sent him the letter to cover the costs of rebuilding and provide animals for the Jews to sacrifice on its altar in order to pray for the king and his sons.  This gives us a great example of how God moves to aid those who faithfully serve Him, even in the face of opposition.

Some time later, Artaxerxes sent Ezra the priest to Jerusalem with wealth in order to make sacrifices there on behalf of Artaxerxes and his sons (Side note: I believe that the “his sons” referred to here and in the letter from Darius is meant to refer to those who took the throne after those kings).  In response to this commission from Artaxerxes, Ezra gathered leaders from among the Israelites in exile to return to Jerusalem with him.  When those who would accompany Ezra gathered, Ezra realized just how much wealth they would be traveling with and was concerned that they might become a target for bandits.  However, he was embarrassed to request armed guards from the king, since he had been bragging to the king about God’s great power.  So, Ezra called on those who would be traveling with him to fast and pray for God’s protection.  Ezra and those who traveled with him put their trust in God for their protection.  Let us follow their example…and perhaps, considering the state of our world today, we should remember to include more fasting with our prayers.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 30, 2023 Bible Study — Enthusiastically Worshiping God, But Avoid Opening The Door To Those Who Wish To Lead Us Astray

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 3-5.

The first thing which struck me about this passage was the enthusiasm of the returned exiles for serving the Lord.  As soon as they had gotten settled into their new homes they gathered in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God and celebrate the Feasts He had mandated for the Israelites.  In fact the way I read the passage, they built a makeshift altar, or perhaps I should say they built an altar that was intended to be temporary, in order to begin making those sacrifices as soon as possible.  The other part of this which strikes me is that they did this “Despite their fear of the people around them,…”  We should share both their enthusiasm for worshiping God and their willingness to defy their fear of those around them in an open and explicit manner.

Later, the passage recounts something about which I am somewhat ambivalent.  When the people who had been living in the land before the exiles returned learned that they were rebuilding the temple, those people asked to be allowed to help them do so.  The returned exiles refused to allow these people to help them.  Which caused those whose assistance was rejected to slander the returned exiles to the King of Persia, who ordered a halt to the rebuilding.  On the one hand, I wonder if things might have gone better if the returned exiles had allowed the surrounding peoples to join in rebuilding the temple.  Perhaps if they had invited the surrounding peoples to join them, and not just in rebuilding the temple, but in full worship of God, Israel would have risen as a power dedicated to God.  On the other hand, perhaps the returned exiles were correct in rejecting this offer of assistance.  Perhaps, if they had accepted the assistance the surrounding peoples would have demanded that they include some of the pagan practices which they had adopted into their worship of God.

Both of these possible interpretations of this passage have lessons for us.  First, we should always welcome the help of those who will faithfully join us in worshiping God.  We should strive to avoid alienating those who genuinely seek to faithfully serve and worship God.  Second, we should be wary of those who offer to aid us in serving God so that they can lead us into accepting practices which God condemns.  We must be cautious of those who refuse to abandon practices which God has clearly spelled out as evil.  Much of the Church today fails to heed the second lesson.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 29, 2023 Bible Study — There Is No Arc Of History

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 1-2.

Some years ago I heard a theory that when we look at history, every major world power, every empire which dominated the world provided more freedom for the peoples it ruled over than the one which preceded it.  My initial thought when I heard the theory was that it might be correct.  However, soon after that I was reading this very passage and I looked up some information about Cyrus (and then about the Persian Empire).  What I learned from that research was that the Persian Empire gave more freedom of religion and political autonomy to its subject peoples than any other world empire in history.  I learned that Cyrus, and the kings of Persia who followed him, encouraged the different peoples who were subordinate to him to build and maintain temples to their gods in order for them to pray for his success and health.  Further investigation reveals that Cyrus was apparently convinced that there was a god, or, perhaps many gods, but that he had no conviction as to who that god, or gods, was.  Finally, at least on this, copies of edicts by Cyrus similar to the one recounted here, but about the gods of other peoples, have been found.  Which means that the edict recounted here is likely a paraphrase of the actual edict issued by Cyrus encouraging the Israelites to return to Jerusalem to build the temple and worship God.

All of the above leads to the conclusion that there is no “arc of history” whereby people are becoming better and treating each other better, or whereby each generation experiences greater freedom than the one which came before.  No, as I have written in previous entries, each generation has to decide for themselves if they will serve and worship God.  The Israelites had repeatedly turned from God, so He sent them into exile.  During their exile, they cried out to Him and studied His Law.  God raised up Cyrus and brought the Israelites back to Jerusalem.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 28, 2023 Bible Study — Perhaps If We Serve God With All That Is Within Us He Will Delay The Judgement Which Is Coming

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 34-36.

Josiah took the throne at eight years of age.  At sixteen he began to seek God.  As I read that, he didn’t really know what he should do, but he sought to understand what God wanted him to do, and did it.  At twenty he began to destroy the places of worship for idols in Judah.  At twenty-six he began to have the temple cleaned, repaired, and purified.  While the priests and Levites were cleaning the temple they found a copy of the book of the Law, which was then read to Josiah.  In a way, we see Josiah gaining a progressively better understanding of what it meant to serve God, until, finally, God revealed Himself to him.

But what I want to really focus on is that when the book of the Law was read to Josiah, he realized just how badly the people of Israel had angered God, and the terrible judgement which they were due.  In response to that understanding Josiah tore his clothes and mourned.  Then he sent messengers to inquire of God of what they should do.  The prophetess told Josiah’s messengers that he was correct that it was too late to avoid God’s judgement upon the people of Judah, but that because Josiah had humbled himself and wept before God, he, Josiah, would not see God’s judgement fall.  Josiah sought with all that was within him to serve God, and led the people to do likewise.  As a result, God chose to delay the judgement which their sin had brought upon them.  This should serve as a message of hope for those of us who serve God today.  Let us serve God with all that is in us and perhaps God will likewise delay the judgement which the sins of humanity are bringing upon the Earth.  Let us strive, as Josiah did, to serve God to the best of our understanding, and seek to improve that understanding.  Hopefully by doing so we will lead others to serve God.  Perhaps if we do so with all that we have, God will delay His judgement until we have gone.  And, here is my true hope, perhaps if we serve God with all that we have, we will inspire the next generation to do likewise, and God will decide to delay His judgement until they have gone from this Earth, and then perhaps the generation after that will follow their example.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 27, 2023 Bible Study — It Is Not Too Late To Turn To God

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 31-33.

Today’s passage starts with follow up on the people’s response to King Hezekiah’s restoration of temple worship of God.  The people were so moved by their experience of worshiping God at the temple in Jerusalem that they went through the land destroying the idols, altars, and places of worship for other gods.  It goes on to talk about Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah and how that turned out, which is something we can learn a lot from.  However, today I want to focus on Hezekiah’s on, Manasseh.  Manasseh took the throne as a boy of 12 and did evil in the sight of the Lord.  As I read the passage, Manasseh was as evil as any king of Judah either before or after him, and the people joined him in his evil.  God sent prophets to bring Manasseh and the people back to Him, but they did not respond.  So, God brought Assyrian invaders who took Manasseh into torturous captivity.  In captivity, Manasseh finally turned to God and sought His deliverance.  God answered Manasseh’s prayer and delivered him.  In response to God’s deliverance, Manasseh sought to undo all of the evil he had done in his younger years.  Over the last week or so, I have discussed kings who started out enthusiastically serving God only to turn from Him as they got older.  In Manasseh we have an example that it can work the other way as well.    Those other kings serve as a warning to us who chose to serve God at a young age.  Manasseh serves as a message of hope for those who turned their backs on Him.  If we turn to God and cry out to Him, He will listen and deliver us, no matter what evil we have previously done.  As long as this life lasts, it is never too late to turn to God and start serving Him.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 26, 2023 Bible Study — The “Clergy” Are Not Always Enthusiastic About Revival

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 29-30.

Today’s passage reminds me of why we spend so much time focusing on Hezekiah as one of the good kings of Judah and less time on some of the other good kings, such as Asa.  Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, had been a truly evil king.  Essentially the first thing Hezekiah did upon taking the throne was to begin reversing his father’s evil policies.  Hezekiah immediately initiated a process of purifying the temple, and as soon as the temple was purified he called the people to assemble to worship the Lord.  As I recount this, I struggle with communicating the infectious, joyous enthusiasm for worshiping the Lord which Hezekiah and the people shared as recounted in this passage.  In fact, the people were so enthusiastic in their return to public worship of the Lord that not enough priests had been consecrated in time for this celebration.  Reading the passage suggests that the “common” Levites and the ordinary people were more enthusiastic about this spiritual revival than the priests, who should have been leading the way.  That particular fact should be a lesson to us today.  The “clergy” are often less enthusiastic about the restoration of worshiping God, about spiritual revival, than ordinary people.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 25, 2023 Bible Study — Each Generation Chooses For Themselves Whether To Follow God

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 26-28.

In yesterday’s passage we saw Joash and Amaziah, who faithfully served the Lord for most of their lives, but turned from him late in life and were assassinated.  Today we first look at Uzziah, who sought the Lord until he became powerful, at which point he became prideful and began acting as if he would never be held accountable.  As a result, he contracted leprosy and lived out the final years of his life in relative isolation.  His son Jotham also served the Lord and did what was right.  As a result, Jotham became powerful.  Unfortunately, he failed to turn the people from idolatry and his son chose to act wickedly.  Rather than follow the example of his father (and grandfather, great grandfather, and even great great grandfather), Ahaz chose to chase after idols which promised him pleasure.  Ahaz’s actions resulted in Judah becoming weak and being overrun by invaders.  Even then Ahaz did not turn to the Lord, instead choosing to chase after even more idols.  Fortunately for the kingdom of Judah, Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah did learn from his father’s mistakes, and, as we shall see in tomorrow’s passage, sought the Lord.   Today’s three kings give us two lessons.  First, no matter how faithful to God our parents were, we need to choose for ourselves to serve Him.  Second, no matter how faithful we are to God in our youth when we are struggling to get established, we need to remember Him later in life, or we will pay a price we would rather not.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 24, 2023 Bible Study — The Importance Of Training The Next Generation To Take On Their Responsibilities

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 23-25.

Today’s passage begins when the high priest puts the seven year old Joash on the throne of Judah by staging a coup against his grandmother, who had herself staged a coup to take the throne upon the death of her son.  This passage and others which reference King Joash tell us that he enthusiastically worshiped the Lord while Jehoiada, his foster father and the high priest who put him on the throne, lived, but that he turned to worshiping Asherah poles and other idols once Jehoiada died.  I have always struggled to understand how and why Jehoiada had gone wrong in raising Joash.  Today, some understanding came to me.  Usually when we read the account of Joash restoring the temple we focus on what it says about his desire to worship and serve God.  However, today it struck me that it also tells us a bit about what Jehoiada got wrong.  Initially Joash delegated restoring the temple to the priests and Levites, who answered to the high priest, Jehoiada.  Unfortunately, the priests and Levites did not act on the king’s command.  We do not know why Jehoiada failed to oversee the restoration of the temple.  A likely explanation is that he was too busy administering the government of Judah to take on that responsibility.  So, instead of having trained Joash to rule Judah, and then gradually turned responsibility for doing so over to him, Jehoiada continued to administer everything, distracting Joash with overseeing the restoration of the temple.  It seems likely that for as long as he lived Jehoiada discouraged Joash from taking on his responsibilities as king.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

May 23, 2023 Bible Study — Do Not Be Afraid, Do Not Be Discouraged

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Chronicles 19-22.

Whenever I read a passage like today’s about Jehoshaphat I am torn between writing about how we should be inspired to imitate his faithfulness to God and about how he fell short and brought disaster upon his sons and grandsons by allying with idol worshipers.  Today’s passage begins with the seer Jehu calling out Jehoshaphat for his alliance with Ahab and his family.  Then later in the passage, Eliezer prophesied against Jehoshaphat for allying with Ahab’s son Ahaziah to build a trade fleet.  In particular, Ahaziah prophesied that Jehoshaphat’s trade fleet would be destroyed because of that alliance.  To follow up on this, Jehoshaphat’s eldest son, Jehoram, who had married a member of Ahab’s family, killed the rest of Jehoshaphat’s son, his brothers, when he succeeded his father.

In between the two prophets I mentioned in the previous paragraph Jehoshaphat does things which should inspire us to emulate his love for God.  First, he appoints judges over the land whom he instructs to give their judgements, not for mortals, but for God.  Further, in every case they were to warn the people not to sin against the Lord.  Later, when an enemy army marched against Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat called the people to an assembly to call on God for deliverance.  In response God sent a prophet who told them, “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.”  Further, the prophet told them to go out to face the enemy because God would be with them.  Jehoshaphat ordered the people, an order which they gladly followed, to march out singing praises to God.  Let us follow their example and go out to face our enemies singing praise to God because of our confidence that He will deliver us.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.