Tag Archives: Daily Bible Study

Daily Bible Study

September 27, 2019 Bible Study — Those Who Dismiss God and Goodness As Irrelevant Will Face Destruction

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nahum and Habakkuk

Assyria was a powerful nation with powerful allies.  The people of Assyria had come to believe that the wealth and power they had acquired was forever theirs and that no one could stand against them.  We know from records elsewhere, and from what Nahum writes here, that they held God in contempt.  Nahum’s prophecy reminds us that despite the apparent power of those standing against God’s people they will fall quickly when God chooses to act.  Remain faithful to God in the face of a world hostile to His will because He will protect those who love Him.

In some ways the Book of Habakkuk is a logical partner to the Book of Nahum.  Nahum speaks of the fall of Assyria, and Habakkuk writes of the rise of Babylon.  Since the latter brought about the fall of Assyria the two prophets fit together well.  However, I want to look at the lessons we can learn from this passage.  And once again I find myself trying to figure out how to summarize what this passage says to me in a post which is shorter than the passage itself.  Habakkuk tells us to be patient when evil seems to be overwhelming what is good and right.  God will bring judgement upon those who do evil and overthrow the oppressor.  Do not be fooled by the appearances of the world.  Just as God raised up Babylon to overthrow Assyria and punish the people of Judah for their sinfulness.  From Jerusalem, Assyria seemed unassailable until the moment they fell to Babylon.  Yet God’s prophets foretold the fall of Assyria.  Once Babylon became powerful, they seemed, at best, no better than Assyria.  They considered themselves to be the measure of what was right, or wrong.  Even there, God told His people to wait patiently.  He would bring about the fall of Babylon as well.  The wicked and arrogant will come to destruction while God will protect and raise up those who are righteous and humble.

 

Daily Bible Study

September 26, 2019 Bible Study — Do What Is Right, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly With Your God

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

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

Micah condemns government officials who make their decisions based on what is in it for them, and religious leaders who only preach God’s word to those who pay them.  Further, he writes that the latter alter what God’s word according to what those who pay them want to hear.  Despite the fact that they base their lives and wealth on lies and corruption, they believe that God will protect them and their patrons.  Micah warns us that such a society cannot stand.  Those who rely on fraud and deception to steal wealth from those who produce it will find that all of the wealth is gone and destruction is upon them.  The warning Micah issues here applies today, when so many leaders seek leadership positions in order to build power and wealth for themselves rather than in order to serve those whom they lead.

Micah writes that despite the destruction which will come, God will rebuild Jerusalem.  God’s teaching will go out from that rebuilt Jerusalem and draw people from all nations to Him.  Those drawn to God will learn from Him to walk in His ways and follow His paths.  They will learn to live in peace with each other, with each person thriving from the work of their own hands.  Micah tells us what encompasses walking in God’s way: 

to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Let each of us strive to walk humbly with our God.

Daily Bible Study

September 25, 2019 Bible Study — God Does Not Wish For the Wicked to Suffer, He Wishes For Them To Stop Doing Evil

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

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

The Book of Jonah tells the story of a man who worships God, but who struggles to accept God’s will for the world.  When God called Jonah to prophecy to Nineveh, he went the other way because he feared that the people of Nineveh would repent of their sin and be spared.  Jonah desired that the wicked people of Nineveh be punished to the point that he did not want them to cease their wickedness.  Let us learn that God does not desire anyone to suffer punishment.  Rather He desires that they turn from their sin, their self-destructive behavior, and be saved.  We should desire the same.  We often desire to see the wicked suffer for the suffering they have caused others, but we should prefer that they start doing good and stop causing others to suffer.

Now I will make a few comments on Micah 1-2.   Micah condemns those who live in luxury obtained at the expense of others’ suffering.  He condemns those who cheat, defraud, and use government power to take what they want from others.   Rather than listen to the prophets who warn them to change their ways, they try to silence them.   They are only willing to listen to those who tell them that they should do what pleases them and enjoy themselves.  

Daily Bible Study

September 24, 2019 Bible Study — Having Been a Victim Does Not Give Me the Right to Oppress Others, Not Even Those Who Had Oppressed Me

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

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

Amos warns those who lounge in luxury and sing trivial songs that they imagine make them great musicians similar to King David.  This tells me that Amos’ warnings were not, and are not, directed at those who proclaim themselves pagans.  No, Amos’ warnings are directed at those who imagine themselves to be worshiping but who also worship idols.  Amos goes on to remind the people of Israel, and us today, that all people are important to God.  The Israelites were not, are not more important to God, than other peoples.  God had brought the Israelites out of Egypt, but He had brought other peoples out of other lands.  The people of the United States are not more important to God than the people of other lands.  Those who have accepted Christ as their Savior are not more important to God than other people.  If we begin to believe that because we are Americans, or Canadians, or any other nationality, or because we are Christians that we are special to God over others, we will suffer for our arrogance.

I wrote above on the end of the Book of Amos, now a few comments on the Book of Obadiah.  The people of Edom took advantage of the suffering of the people of Israel and therefore they were subject to God’s judgement.  Fur much of the history of Israel and Judah, Edom had been under control from Jerusalem.  This led them to resent the people of Israel, and Judah.  This resentment led the people of Edom to feel entitled to take advantage of the misfortune of those who were almost their countrymen.  Let us be warned not to seek profit by increasing the suffering of those already experiencing misfortune.  The people of Edom imagined that the people of Israel deserved to suffer and that they deserved to profit from that suffering, even if that meant increasing the suffering.  Obadiah tells us that we never deserve to profit from causing others to suffer.

Daily Bible Study

September 23, 2019 Bible Study — The People Have Sinned Again and Again. We Have Sinned Again and Again.

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

Happy Anniversary to my lovely wife

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

Amos starts out by giving his credentials.  He is a shepherd who had a vision.  He notes that he had this vision two years before a significant earthquake.  The beginning of his message is that the people have sinned again and again and God will not let them go unpunished.   While Amos goes on to address more specific prophesies against Israel, the Northern Kingdom, I take his long list of nations whose people have sinned to indicate that his warning applies to all people every where.  In particular Amos’ warning is directed at those who claim to worship God.

So, what is Amos’ warning?  He warns those of us who live lives of leisure on the backs of the poor and needy.  Through Amos God tells His people that they have forgotten how to do right.  They live with wealth that was taken by theft and violence.  They oppress the poor and crush the needy.  All the while bragging about the sacrifices and offerings they make.  They despise people who tell the truth and they twist justice to serve their own ends.  Anyone who attempts to stand up for what is right and just becomes a target, so people remain silent.  Except Amos tells us that it is not enough to not do evil.  We must do what is right and good.  We must stand let ourselves become a target.  

I know there is a fine line to be walked here.  I have friends who call all that I believe hateful and evil.  Friends who are doing terrible things to themselves and others because society has told them there is no harm in it and that those who say otherwise are hateful.  Yet those same friends tell me that they want the peace and love they see in my life.  I strive to find the way to show them God’s love while warning them of the danger they flirt with.  I know that I do not do a good enough job of preaching the Gospel to them, but I also know that it would be so easy to lose the opportunity to preach it to them at all.  I seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance to do a better job without closing the door completely.

Daily Bible Study

September 22, 2019 Bible Study — Come Together In Prayer and Fasting

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

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

I have said this before, the Book of Joel is unique.  It is the only one of the prophets who does not prophesy about a foreign nation invading Israel (or Judah).  Instead the inspiration for Joel’s prophecy was a locust swarm which overwhelmed the nation.  Or perhaps, the locust swarm was similar to the insect invasions we sometimes see today where an invasive species appears in one location and spreads out from there.  I am not sure, but perhaps the locusts had swarmed over one portion the land and the people had reason to believe that they would spread from there to completely wipe out the crops throughout the land.  In any case, whether the locusts had devastated the whole land or just a portion, Joel uses this as an opportunity to call the people to repentance, prayer, and fasting.  Christians in the United States do not gather for times of prayer and fasting nearly enough.  I know that I do not do either nearly as much as I should.  

From time to time, I wonder why we do not see God’s miracles more today.  I think the Book of Joel provides an answer to that question.  We will see God’s miracles when He pours out His Spirit on us.  God will pour out His Spirit upon us when we pray and fast in mourning for the sins we have committed and that we see around us.  Let us come to the Lord in prayer and fasting in order to prepare our hearts for His Spirit.

Daily Bible Study

September 21, 2019 Bible Study — Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Hosea 8-14.

Hosea writes here about those who reject God and that which is good, then cry out to God for help.  He tells us that those who plant the wind will reap the whirlwind.  I find that an interesting metaphor because almost everyone can understand it even though it does not reference something which is physically possible.  For any of my readers who do not know what it means, it references when people encourage rules or laws to be ignored when those rules or laws interfere with their goals.  When you do that rules and laws will not be able to protect your interests later.  If you encourage chaos and confusion to further your own ends at the expense of others (and ultimately, that is the only reason to do so), do not be surprised when everything becomes confused and chaotic.

 

Later Hosea writes that God calls for us to plant the good seeds of righteousness.  Initially I viewed that as a separate message from his reference to sewing the wind and reaping the whirlwind, but as I started to compose my thoughts on this part I realized they are closely connected.  In fact, Hosea holds planting the seeds of righteousness in direct contrast to cultivating wickedness and sewing the wind.  Now is the time to plow up the hard ground of our hearts and seek the Lord.  If we plant the seeds of righteousness we will harvest a crop of love.  Using lies and power to get your way will not generate anything good.  Let us do what is right so that we can spread God’s love to all and sundry.

Daily Bible Study

September 20, 2019 Bible Study — Don’t Point The Finger At Someone Else

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Hosea 1-7.

There are two ways to read the account of Hosea marrying a prostitute.  One way is to believe that God told Hosea to find a prostitute who would marry him.  The other is to believe that Hosea sought God’s guidance in choosing a wife and the woman he thus chose became a prostitute (or, maybe was a prostitute but Hosea was unaware of it when he married her).  The second makes more sense to me, and fits with the way I have seen God communicate his message to people.  Hosea’s experience in his marriage thus influenced his ministry.  Hosea separated from his wife because of her infidelity.  Then at some time later, he bought her back and made her his wife once more.  But he did not just buy her back, he won her back, just as God wishes to do with us. This suggests that she had fallen on hard times and been sold into slavery.  I believe that Hosea truly loved his wife and God used the pain he felt over her unfaithfulness to show people how God felt about their unfaithfulness.

 

The whole of today’s passage is a condemnation of society.  Hosea condemns a society where people break their vows, kill, steal, and commit adultery.  Instead of leading the people to do what is right and good, the leaders, both religious and secular, encourage them to be selfish and do wrong because they, the leaders, profit from the wrongdoing of the people.  This reminds me of today where most, if not all, of our political and religious leaders encourage people to focus their attention on their own desires rather than on the good of all, dividing people rather than uniting.  However, the most important part of Hosea’s lesson in today’s passage is in chapter four, verse four: 

Don’t point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame!

All too many of us try to blame what we see as wrong with society as someone else’s fault.  Don’t blame someone else for what is wrong in your life, not your parents, not your pastor, not the governor, not the president, nor anyone else.  Recognize that what is wrong in your life is a result of your sins and turn to God for forgiveness and change.

Daily Bible Study

September 19, 2019 Bible Study

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Daniel 11-12.

The account which the messenger from yesterday’s passage gave Daniel matches up loosely to the interactions between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires.  I have read accounts which state that there are significant discrepancies between the historical record and what is recorded here.  However, every time I have tried to compare this with what happened as historians know it, I get lost in the weeds.  As part of my preparations for writing this I read a blog which compares the passage to history.  It does a good job of showing how this passage matches up with actual history.  I tend to believe that the linked blog reflects the conclusion I would reach from a closer examination because the things I have read which claim this account cannot be reconciled with history also hold that it was written after the events it purports to prophecy.  My personal belief is that there are probably discrepancies between this passage and the historical record which a historian would consider major, but which from the perspective of those living through it would be of no significance.  In fact, that those living through it would consider the historical record to miss the point of what was going on while this passage hit the mark.  

The most important part of this passage comes at the end.  The messenger tells Daniel that those whose names are written in the book will be rescued.  The wise will shine brightly and those who lead others to righteousness will shine like stars.  In troubled times let us seek to be wise and to lead others to righteousness.

Daily Bible Study

September 18, 2019 Bible Study — Praying For God’s Mercy

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

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

When Daniel read that Jeremiah had prophesied that Jerusalem would lie in ruins for seventy years and that those seventy years were almost up, he began to fast and  pray for Jerusalem’s restoration.  In his prayer, Daniel focused on the sins of his people, on their failure to obey God’s commands.  However, he did not list specific sins of which they were guilty.  Instead, he prayed for God’s mercy despite their sins.  His prayer was an acknowledgement that Jerusalem’s restoration would not occur because the Jewish people deserved it, but rather would be because God was merciful.  God does not bless us because we deserve it.  He blesses us in order to bring honor to His name.  If we live our lives in order to bring glory to God, He will bless us.  That last statement is an absolute truth.  However, those blessings may not be the type which those who preach “prosperity gospel” would recognize.  As an example, Jim Elliot was blessed by God (if you do not know who Jim Elliot was, look him up).

When I read the portion of today’s passage about Daniel’s vision of the messenger I read the translation notes.  It strikes me that the attempt by the translators to make the passage make sense leads us to fail to realize just how confusing the entire vision really was.  In particular chapter 10 verse 13, which reads in the New Living Translation as:

But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.

This is an example of where the King James Version actually contains a much better translation:

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Notice how in the KJV it refers to the one who blocked the messenger merely as “the prince” of the kingdom of Persia, not the “spirit prince”.  It refers to Michael a “one of the chief princes”.  And finally, even after Michael arrived the messenger remained with the “kings of Persia”.  If the messenger remained with the kings of Persia, how did he come to speak with Daniel?  More importantly, the KJV translation allows us to see that Michael is a superior version of the same sort of being who initially blocked the messenger from coming to speak with Daniel.  There is another important fact we learn from the end of Chapter 10.  Michael, one of the chief princes, is prince of Israel in much the same way that there is a prince of Persian and prince of Greece.  All of this takes us into interpretations and ideas which go way beyond the scope of this daily Bible study.