Monthly Archives: September 2024

Daily Bible Study

October 1, 2024 Bible Study — A Confusing Passage

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Zechariah 11-14.

Zechariah prophesies a day of destruction when God will refine His people.  On that day, all the nations of the world will attack God’s people and suffering will abound, but it will result in living water pouring out from God to all those who call Him Lord.  On that day God will call everyone who calls Him Lord His people.  I will be perfectly honest, reading today’s passage both fills me with fear and with hope.  The fear comes because it seems to suggest great suffering to come for God’s people.  The hope comes because it says that God will accept as His people, and will shield them.  The thing about this passage is that I am sure that it prophesies the hope portion.  And while I am sure it prophesies the fear portion, it seems to me that when it does it talks about a time which has already come to pass.  I am not fully convinced of this, but I am inclined to think that the time of great suffering for God’s people which Zechariah prophesies here occurred around the time of Jesus.  I am hesitant to interpret a passage in that manner, but today I do not fully understand what Zechariah is writing and the portion I do understand refers to Jesus’ life on this earth.

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

Daily Bible Study

September 30, 2024 Bible Study — Therefore Love Truth and Peace

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Zechariah 7-10.

In the past I have seen chapters seven and eight as having different themes.  Chapter seven stands as a bit of condemnation for us when we worship God and perform the rituals He has commanded for our own sake, rather than for God and for others.  Chapter eight focuses on God’s promise to restore the people of Israel, and by extension to build the Church.  I want to interject that I do not believe that the Church has inherited all of the Old Testament prophecies concerning Israel.  In this particular case, I believe the prophecy concerns both the people of Israel and the Church, in slightly different ways.  Having said all of that, today I realized that there is a theme running through both chapter seven and chapter eight.  In chapter seven God tells those who consulted Zechariah the following: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.  Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.”  Then in chapter eight God says this to His people: “Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. ”  This is the same message.  And it is a message which God sent through His prophets again and again.  God keeps trying to tell us that His commands are designed to either empower us to do those things, or to show us how to do them.  When we start to think we can follow His commands by going through the steps without caring about people, we miss the point.  When we start understanding that following God’s commands are not about what’s in it for us, but rather about helping others, then we are starting to truly do as God desires.  And when we do that we will see what God prophesied through Zechariah here.  Ten people will latch on to one of God’s people because they see that God is with them.

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

Daily Bible Study

September 29, 2024 Bible Study — God Has Taken Our Sin and Clothed Us in His Righteousness

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Zechariah 1-6.

There is a line early in this passage that I think is worth thinking about.  God says the following, “I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.” The context suggests that God sent nations to punish Israel and Judah. but that those nations went above and beyond in bringing suffering upon those people.  Zechariah’s vision goes on to show him craftsmen coming from God to throw down and terrify the four nations which scattered the people of Israel and Judah.  Which is interesting because I am not sure to what four nations the prophecy is referring.  I would think that two of them would be Assyria and Babylon, perhaps Egypt would be a third, but I have no ideas for a fourth.  I did come across someone who suggested that it was four nations against whom Ezekiel prophesied who were destroyed by the Persians.  Those four would be: Ammon (Ezekiel 25:1-7), Moab (Ezekiel 25:8-11), Edom (Ezekiel 25:12-14), and Philistia (Ezekiel 25:15-17).  I find this suggestion fascinating, but I am not sure about it.

However, I want to combine Zechariah’s visions about the high priest Joshua and the governor Zerubbabel to look at the message I see in them today.  The vision concerning Joshua begins with the Accuser, Satan, accusing him before God, but God rebukes the Accuser.  God takes away Joshua’s sin and dresses him in righteousness.  God does the same for us before all who will accuse us, the most important of those accusers being ourselves.  God rebukes those who accuse us of sin, not because we do not sin, but because He has taken that sin from us.  All He asks of us is that we walk in obedience to Him going forward.  Which brings me to the vision concerning Zerubbabel.  In that vision, God tells Zerubbabel that it is not by might or power that Zerubbabel will do God’s will, but by God’s Spirit.  In the same way, we will not do God’s will by might or power, but by God’s Spirit.  So, God has taken our sins from us and dressed us in His righteousness, let us not start relying on might and power to overcome sin.  Instead, let us rely on God’s Spirit.

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

Daily Bible Study

September 28, 2024 Bible Study — Seek the Lord with Humility

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Zephaniah and Haggai.

Zephaniah speaks out against those who serve gods other than God.  Especially, he warns that God will come in judgement against those who pay homage to Him while also worshiping and giving honor to other gods.  He condemns those who speak on behalf of God while following and promoting the rituals and practices of worship to other gods and various idols.  God will punish those who practice such things, and those who think that God will do nothing.  Zephaniah calls us to seek God, to seek righteousness, and to seek humility.  If we do those things God may shelter us when He shows His anger on the earth.  Haggai then speaks to those of us who wait until we get our stuff together before we do as we know the Lord desires.  Let us seek to do God’s will now, let us seek righteousness and humility.  We should not wait until we think we have gotten our lives together, but act now.

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

Daily Bible Study

September 27, 2024 Bible Study — God Has Sent His Messenger to Bring Good News

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nahum and Habakkuk.

As I read through the Old Testament prophets I see many prophecies of God’s judgement upon His people for their sins.  I see many prophecies which might lead one to despair concerning the future when we look around at the sins of our society.  Today, Nahum prophesies that the enemies of God’s people will be brought down.  Nahum tells us that despite the seeming dominance of those who oppress God’s people, He will bring them down and bring peace for those who serve Him.  We look around and see the wicked gaining ever more power, the merchants who serve them, and are protected by them, are getting ever richer, but Nahum promises that they will all be brought to dust and that those who serve Him will once more live peaceful, prosperous lives.  As bad as the future looks today, God will send His messenger to bring good news.  In fact, He has already sent His messenger.  When I read Nahum, I decided to write the above before reading Habakkuk, thinking that I would write a completely separate paragraph on Habakkuk.  However, Habakkuk has a very similar theme to Nahum.  It also speaks of how the wicked will be overthrown to the benefit of the righteous.  Habakkuk talks about raising up the Babylonians in a way that no one would believe, which suggests that he is also talking, in part, about the downfall of Assyria.  And Habakkuk has an important message for us about preparing ourselves for this coming overthrow of the wicked.  He tells us that the enemy is puffed up and arrogant, ensnaring many in his net, but that the righteous will live by faith.  So, when we see the wickedness, and the suffering it brings with it, around us, let us keep our faith and know that God has redeemed us.

 

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

Daily Bible Study

September 26, 2024 Bible Study — Those Who Are Truly Humble Love Mercy and Act Justly

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Micah 3-7.

Usually when I read the prophets of the Old Testament condemning false prophets I think of people who use religion for their own benefit, but don’t actually believe in God.  I think that at the beginning of today’s passage Micah is referring to people who think they are preaching God’s message but have allowed their self-interest to distort what, and to whom, they preach.  Micah warns them that if they do not stop telling people what they reward them for saying rather than God’s message, God will stop speaking to them.  That would not be a punishment for those who do not believe in God.  Which causes me to think differently about a quote from an Old Testament prophet which I really love:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.
All too often, those to whom God has given a message, or who think that God has given them a message, fail on that last line.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, those who seek to serve God all too often fail on the entire requirement, but it seems to me that it starts with a failure to walk humbly with God.  When we lose our humility it is not long until we stop loving mercy and acting justly.

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

Daily Bible Study

September 25, 2024 Bible Study — Bad Things Will Happen to Us if We Refuse to Speak the Message God Gives Us to Speak

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jonah 1-4 and Micah 1-2.

Reading Jonah’s story today reminds me of a video I watched a few weeks ago where Jordan Peterson talked with Bill Maher about the story of Jonah.  What Jordan Peterson said gave me new insight into the message of Jonah.  He said that the first part of the Book of Jonah tells us what happens to us if we see others doing things which will lead to their suffering and we refuse to speak to them about it.  Jonah didn’t want to tell the people of Nineveh that their actions would lead to bad consequences.  He recognized that if he stayed where he was, someone might hear him speaking God’s message about Nineveh and take it to them, even though he himself did not go there.  So, he got on a ship and tried to go as far from Nineveh as he could imagine being.  Jordan Peterson points out that by trying to avoid letting God’s message getting to Nineveh, Jonah put not just himself in danger, but everyone around him in danger.  At that point, Jonah had a choice, he could allow everyone around him to suffer along with himself, or he could sacrifice himself for them.  Jonah chose to sacrifice himself, and ended up in the worst place he could imagine, a place that was far from God, and from all human interaction.  Only when Jonah surrendered to God and resolved in his mind to do as God had instructed him,  had decided that he would take God’s message to Nineveh, did Jonah come back from that place of torment.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to write anything about Micah, but after I read these first two chapters I felt like I should add a comment on them.  First, Micah tells the people of Israel and Judah the Lord is coming to judge them for their rebelliousness.  He writes that sorrow awaits those who think that because they have the power to do something they have the right to do so.  Then he writes about those who tell him not to make such prophecies.  In Jonah we learned that if we do not speak the message God gives us, we will suffer, as will all of those around us.  In Jonah, the people of Nineveh were receptive to God’s message.  Here, the people do not want to hear it.  Nevertheless, Micah spoke God’s message, and despite most of his audience not wanting to hear the message a few listened.  Micah assured those who listened that God would redeem them in His time.

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

Daily Bible Study

September 24, 2024 Bible Study — Maximizing Profits at the Exclusion of All Else Will Come back to Bite Us

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Amos 6-9 and Obadiah.

Last year I wrote separate, unrelated, entries on this final part of Amos and on Obadiah.  This year I think I see a common thread, we will see if that comes together.  Amos prophesied against the people living in Israel, the Northern Kingdom, who saw the struggles others were having and complacently thought it would not effect themselves because of their wealth and power.  Those who have turned justice into a tool for their own power rather than seeking it in truth.  Amos accuses them of bragging about accomplishments which amount to nothing.  When I read the following I think of how many businesses operate today.:
When will the New Moon be over
    that we may sell grain,
and the Sabbath be ended
    that we may market wheat?”—
skimping on the measure,
    boosting the price
    and cheating with dishonest scales,
 buying the poor with silver
    and the needy for a pair of sandals,
    selling even the sweepings with the wheat.
The practices are not quite the same, but I think about how the idea of businesses being closed on Sunday is a thing of the past, and now businesses open late in the day on Thanksgiving in order to get a jump on Black Friday sales.  Businesses which choose to not to build quality products so that people have to buy replacements that much sooner.  People who give no consideration to the needs of others so long as they get what gives them pleasure.  And then in Obadiah, we have warnings against taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.  All of these behaviors come back against us, but at the end Amos tells us that God will call some of us to Him.  Those who turn to God, and care for their fellow man, will experience God’s blessing.

 

 

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

Daily Bible Study

September 23, 2024 Bible Study — Delay the Coming of God’s Day of Judgement by Calling People to Serve God

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  Amos 1-5.

But first, I want to wish happy anniversary to the love of my life, my beautiful wife.

Amos begins his prophecy by declaring God’s judgement on the nations surrounding Israel and Judah, before he gets to his prophecy against God’s people.  Most of those nations are condemned for selling people into slavery.  I get the impression that Amos is talking about more than just literal slavery, although that is part of it.  I think he refers to lands and peoples who profit from the sufferings of others.  Then as Amos gets into his prophecies against the peoples of Israel and Judah, his prophecies concerning God’s people, he tells us that God always reveals His plans through His prophets before He acts.  And just as in the time of Amos, God is speaking His word to us once more.  He calls us to seek Him and live.  He calls us to warn those who turn aside justice and who detest truth tellers.  God tells us to seek good and hate evil.  We may look at the evil around us and long for the day of the Lord, but Amos tells us that we should instead long for people to turn to the Lord.  The day shall come when God will judge the nations, but that will be a dark day, a day of suffering.  Instead of longing for that day, we should seek to delay its coming by calling people to serve God.

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

Daily Bible Study

September 22, 2024 Bible Study — Everyone Who Calls Upon the Name of the Lord Will Be Saved

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Joel 1-3.

Joel writes about a time when disaster overtook the land of Israel.  Locusts swept over the land, destroying all of the crops.  People who had been prospering were now suffering privation.  As I read it today, it reminded me of the economic situation we are experiencing now.  Which brings me to the message which God gave Joel for the people of Israel:
“Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
 Rend your heart
    and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,…
God does not ask us to pick the right politician, or to change our nations laws.  He asks us to return to Him, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.  Joel goes on from there and tells us to gather, to fast and mourn with our fellows.  Then, perhaps, God may be merciful and restore our fortunes, the fortunes of our land.  Further, God makes a promise that if we do return to Him, He will pour out His Spirit upon us, and everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

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