Tag Archives: Daily Bible Study

Daily Bible Study

September 17, 2019 Bible Study — Daniel’s Visions

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 7-8.

I have from time to time tried to interpret what today’s passage means about the times which were the future for Daniel.  All but the end of the second vision is pretty clear because Gabriel’s explanation fits well into history as we know it.  The Persian Empire dominated that part of the world until the rise of Alexander the Great.  Alexander the Great replaced them and exerted even greater dominance.  Upon his sudden death, his empire was split into four parts.  Many of those who have read this vision have believed that the “small horn whose paoer grew very great” was Antiochus Epiphanes.  However, the record of his reign is not entirely consistent with the way I read the description given in this vision of that king.  And I have not heard any explanation which, in my mind, matches up the “2,300 evenings and mornings” described at the end of the vision.

I have even less understanding about how the first vision fits into history, but I do believe it represents events which happened between Daniel’s time and our own (although I would not be shocked to discover that I was mistaken).  Even the explanation of the vision which Daniel is given fails to add much clarity.  The four beasts represent four kingdoms, the last to arise being the most powerful.  Part of what makes it difficult for me to fit into history is that the first three kingdoms have their authority taken away, but remain alive after that for some amount of time.  The only part of the visions whose meaning is clear to me is that the “son of man” will be given authority over all of the nations of the world.

Daily Bible Study

September 16, 2019 Bible Study — It Doesn’t Matter If You Can Read The Writing On The Wall, By The Time It Appears It Is Too Late

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 5-6.

As I get older I see more and more things to be learned from the story about the writing on the wall.  We get from this story the expression, “I can read the writing on the wall.”   In many ways that expression misses the point of this story that by the time the writing appears on the wall it is too late to avoid the coming disaster.  There is, in my opinion, an important codicil to that; if the men in the room had been able to read the writing that appeared on the wall, they would not have done the things which led to the disaster the writing foretold.

Now let us look a little closer at what the story tells us.  King Belshazzar calling for the cups taken from the Temple in Jerusalem to be used at his feast represents a clear belittling of the God to whom they were dedicated.  This was not just an act of careless disregard for the holiness of these items.  No, it was a deliberate act of contempt towards the God to whom they were dedicated.  When Daniel interpreted the writing for Belshazzar he told him the story of how Nebuchadnezzar came to humble himself before God.  A story with which Daniel states that Belshazzar would have been familiar.  This story negatively contrasts Belshazzar’s attitude towards God with that of Nebuchadnezzar before him and Darius after him.  Both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius worshiped other gods, but both came to give respect and honor to God.  Belshazzar, on the other hand, held God in contempt and felt that he could belittle those who worshiped Him for the amusement of his friends.  Generally, I expect political leaders to worship something other than God (even most of those who claim to be Christian).  However, when they begin to hold God in contempt and believe that they can belittle those who genuinely do worship God the nation will soon see disaster strike.  Similar things hold true at all levels of society.

Daily Bible Study

September 15, 2019 Bible Study — Sometimes We Must Decide If We Will Stand Up For Our Faith

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 3-4.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace is another one of my favorites.  One of the things I have wondered about this story for years; where was Daniel when this happened?  I do not have an answer to that question and it does not really matter to the story.  More interesting to me is the picture I always had of this, which I realized today does not actually reflect what is described.  I have always pictured this as a great plaza with the statue in the middle with a great crowd gathered around.  The musical instruments sound and everybody in the crowd bows down, except for three men who can be seen standing amongst all of the bowing people.  Except that is not what is described.  When I read it today, I realized that Daniel’s three friends probably avoided the gathering altogether.  They likely thought, “Who’s going to notice that we stayed away?”  So, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego may well have tried to be low key and not make a scene about their unwillingness to worship anyone but God, in fact I think it likely that they did.  But when they were called out on it, they stood up for their beliefs.  There is a time and a place to quietly keep your beliefs to yourself and there is a time and a place to clearly state them.

I really like the way in which these three men answered when threatened.  They clearly and unequivocally stated their belief that God could and would save them from the danger they faced.  But they went further than that, they stated that their faithfulness to God did not rest upon their confidence that He would save them.  They stated that even if they knew that God would allow them to suffer and die, they would not worship false gods.  Let us strive to have a similar attitude; bring your struggles and difficulties to God with the knowledge that He can resolve them, but determined to remain faithful to Him even if He chooses to allow our suffering to continue.

Daily Bible Study

September 14, 2019 Bible Study — Being Willing to Stand Out From the Crowd

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 1-2.

I have always liked the story of the four friends described here.  I am sure that part of that comes from the fact that I was taught this story from a young age and that these four young men were held up as examples for me to emulate.  And they are indeed people whom young people should be taught to emulate.   We have here four young men who were yanked out of their comfortable lives as the future leaders of their nation and taken to live out their lives in a foreign land.  In this foreign land, they were set up, along with many of their peers who were brought from their homeland with them, in a life of luxury, but with high expectations upon them.  They could have joined with their fellow ex-patriots and enjoyed the luxurious food and drink offered to them.  After all, there is safety in numbers.  Instead these four chose to be faithful to God and stand out from the rest.  We should do likewise.

In the second chapter, King Nebuchadnezzar believed that his advisers, who claimed extraordinary powers, were scamming him.  So, he required them to not only interpret his dream, but to tell him what it was.  They told him, accurately, that only the divine could answer his request.  For whatever reason, Daniel and his friends were not part of those to whom Nebuchadnezzar made his request, but were part of the group who Nebuchadnezzar planned to execute for their failure.   There is much to be learned from Daniel’s interpretation of the king’s dreams, but I want to focus on the way in which Daniel handled this circumstance.  Daniel asked his friends to ask God to tell them the answer to Nebuchadnezzar’s demand. Then, when God had given him the answer, he praised God.  Daniel gave all of the credit to God as the repository of all wisdom and all knowledge.  Daniel made clear to Nebuchadnezzar that his ability to tell Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was and to interpret it was not because he, Daniel, was somehow better than others.  Our willingness to trust God’s grace does not make us superior to others, just more blessed, a state which others can have by accepting the gift of God’s grace.

Daily Bible Study

September 13, 2019 Bible Study — The River of God’s Love

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 46-48.

As I read the rules Ezekiel gave concerning the gateways to the Temple they came across as very meaningful, but I do not understand the meaning.  On certain days the prince will enter the east gateway, worship God from the entry room, then leave the way he came in.  However, the common people will enter through either the north or south gateway and leave through the gateway opposite the one they entered.  All of that reads as spiritually very significant to me, but I do not understand the significance.

However, I think that I do understand part of the significance of the River of Life which Ezekiel describes as flowing out from God’s presence in the Temple.  Ezekiel describes the river as getting progressively deeper as it flows away from the Temple, but without any other sources.  I suspect there is a meaning here besides what I see, but to me Ezekiel is describing God’s love and how He expects us to respond to it.  There is a story I heard many years ago which sums this up.  I do not know if the story was true and I no longer accurately remember the details, but I am going to tell it as I remember it because it sums up the river which Ezekiel describes.  There was a woman in a small town who never married, but who taught Sunday School her whole life.  She touched the lives of perhaps a few hundred people, but one of those people grew up to be an evangelist.  That evangelist brought tens of thousands of people to the Lord.  One of those who came to serve God through that evangelist was Billy Graham, who went on to bring tens of millions of people to know and serve God.  Whether or not that story is true, it reflects the message of the River of Life which Ezekiel describes.  Each of us is God’s Temple and His love flows out from us.  Perhaps we have little direct impact on the world, but if we show God’s love to the people around us, God will change their lives.  Some of them will show God’s love to many more people and the river which is God’s love will get deeper, bringing life to all who encounter it.

Daily Bible Study

September 12, 2019 Bible Study — Do Not Abuse a Position of Trust

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 44-45.

As has been the case for most of Ezekiel’s description of the rebuilt Temple and now of the worship practices of restored Israel, I struggle with what to make of today’s passage.  I was however struck by the instructions regarding the priests.  They were to be supported by the offerings of the people, but they were not to have any property or land.  I think That this fits in well with what Paul writes regarding the support of those who manage and oversee the Church.  Those whom God has called to care for the spiritual well-being of His people should not profit from that calling, but should nevertheless be well-cared for by God’s people.

In a similar fashion, Ezekiel had strong words for the secular leaders of God’s people.  While those leaders were entitled to collect taxes from the people for their own well-being, they were not to abuse their position to take advantage of people.  They were to obtain wealth honestly, not by using their position to dispossess people and not by cheating in their dealings.  We see the sort of thing Ezekiel was crying out against in the fact that many government officials today become extremely wealthy while only earning a modest income.  Some of those government officials may have gained their wealth honestly, but the fact that practically all of them become wealthy suggests that many of them are abusing their position of trust.

Daily Bible Study

September 11, 2019 Bible Study — God’s Glory Will Return To His Temple

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 41-43.

Every year now for awhile I have read Ezekiel’s detailed description of the Temple in his vision.  After all of that time I still fail to find a message in the passage for us today.  That is not quite true.  When Ezekiel describes to return of God’s glory to the Temple, in a way it mirrors his vision of God’s glory leaving the Temple.  Under the new covenant which God entered into us through Jesus, our bodies are now His Temple.  If we partake in idolatry, in worshiping anything other than God, His presence will depart from us.  However, this passage reminds us that if we clean out our hearts of all things which compete with God for our love, He will return to us and fill us with His love and grace.

Daily Bible Study

September 10, 2019 Bible Study — Do Not Fear Overwhelming Odds When You Are Doing God’s Will

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 39-40.

Yesterday, I wrote about Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning Gog’s invasion of Israel.  In today’s passage Ezekiel discusses the outcome of that invasion.  The outcome will be that not only will the force invading Israel be destroyed, but fire will rain down on the nations which launched that attack so that they will know the God is the Lord of all.  There are several aspects of Ezekiel’s description of the outcome for which I can think of explanations, but which do not fit modern warfare.  He writes of the people of Israel using the abandoned weapons of the invaders as fuel for seven years and of teams of men being assigned to hunt for dead bodies seven months after the battle.  I am not going to go into possible explanations of these two predictions from Ezekiel.  Instead, I will point to the reason he talked about these things.  The invading force which Ezekiel prophesies will be so large and overwhelming that Israel could only survive with Divine intervention.  When the people of Israel faithfully worship and serve the Lord, He will care for them, no matter what the odds against them are. 

Daily Bible Study

September 9, 2019 Bible Study — The Valley of Dry Bones

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezekiel 37-38.

Ezekiel describes his vision of the Valley of Dry Bones.  In my opinion, we should pay a lot of attention to this passage.  There are two closely related messages here.  No matter how dead and dysfunctional a group or organization may seem, if and when God chooses to bring them back to life they will become an army to serve His purposes.  Further, when God calls you to speak His word to a group or organization trust that it will be effective, even if no one seems to be paying attention.  Actually that lesson goes beyond that: when God calls you to a mission, that mission will accomplish God’s purpose, even if it seems a failure.  Do that to which God has called you, no matter how pointless it may seem. 

I go back and forth between thinking that Ezekiel’s message to God represents a specific future event (future to Ezekiel, but not necessarily to us) and that it is a figurative prophecy.  If it represents a specific event, the lands mentioned (Magog, Meschech, and Tubal) would today be parts of Turkey, Georgia (the nation, not the U.S. state), and southern Russia.  The current leader of Turkey has shown that he has the ambition to be able to do what is described here and has said things which suggest he even has the ambition to launch the invasion described.  The passage even contains a suggestion that the ruler who launches the invasion believes that he is called by God to do so.  The current ruler of Turkey would make such a claim if he launched an attack.  Such an alliance would be diplomatically opposed by Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish.    Sheba and Dedan were located on the Arabian peninsula and the countries located there today would be among those whose aid Turkey would seek should it choose to attack Israel.  Many of those countries, especially Saudi Arabia, would currently question the wisdom of attacking Israel and oppose doing so.  In any case, such an attack will result in utter defeat for the attackers so as to bring glory to God’s name.  Their destruction will come about as the attacking allies turn on each other.

Daily Bible Study

September 8, 2019 Bible Study — The Failure of Leadership

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

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

Today’s passage begins with a condemnation of the shepherds of God’s people.  I believe it was intended for both the secular and religious leaders of Israel, but I think it applies very well to the religious leaders of today (there are exceptions, just as there were probably exceptions in Ezekiel’s day).   Ezekiel describes leaders who are perfectly happy to profit off of their position as leaders, but unwilling to do anything to help those whom they lead.   Ezekiel addresses the failure of leadership to care for the weak, tend the sick, and bind up the injured.  Perhaps his greatest condemnation is that they have failed to go looking for those who have wandered away and become lost.  All too many of those whom God has called to be leaders of His people put more emphasis on taking care of themselves rather than on taking care of the people who have been placed in their care.  When this happens God takes away His people away from these leaders and provides for them Himself.  We can see this happen again and again throughout history.  The failure of the leadership of the Catholic Church to care more about their own comfort than about caring for the common people led to the Reformation.  We see it today in the decline of many denominations in the United States where the leadership is more concerned with their political agenda than with the needs of the common person.  You also see it today in the rise of psuedo-religions which prey on those whom Church leaders have failed to reach out to and guide back to God’s love.