Monthly Archives: September 2020

Daily Bible Study

October 1, 2020 Bible Study What Value Do We Put On Others?

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

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

I am really struggling with today’s passage, nothing in it seems to fit into anything meaningful for me today.  So, I will spend a little time looking at Zechariah’s reference to receiving a wage of 30 pieces of silver.  In the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew connects this passage to the price paid Judas to betray Jesus.  The significance in today’s passage (and to some degree in Matthew) of the 30 pieces of silver is that in Exodus 21:32 that is the price that someone must pay if their animal kills someone else’s slave.  So, Zechariah says that he was worth no more than a slave to the people to whom he was sent to prophecy.  By extension, Matthew said that Jesus was valued at no more than a slave by those who paid Judas to betray Him.  By valuing Zechariah (and Jesus) at no more than a slave, those who did so said that he was disposable.  Do we value the people around us?  Or are they merely disposable?

Daily Bible Study

September 30, 2020 Bible Study Use Our Scarce Resources To Serve The Lord

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

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

I am going to start with paraphrasing the first part of this passage: When we celebrate Christmas and Easter, when we give things up for Lent, are we really doing it for God?  If we are honest with ourselves we will realize that, for the most part, these celebrations and fasts are for ourselves, not out of obedience to God.  God’s message to us is, instead of those celebrations of our own wants and desires, let us show kindness to one another.  Instead of buying things made by what amounts to slave labor to give to each other, let us feed the poor (and I don’t mean ask our government to feed the poor).  Let us stop scheming against each other, seeking how we can trick people into giving us more power.  If we do not listen to God when He tells us these things, He will not listen to us when we call out to Him in desperation.

That first part is scary, but Zechariah goes on to give a message of hope.  He tells the people that when they started work on the Temple their resources were slim, but they listened to the prophets God sent them and started the work anyway.  Now God promises that He will reward them by bringing them plenty.  The same is true today.  We should do God’s work, even when it seems like  doing so will take resources we need to survive.  God does not call us to serve Him out of our spare time and spare resources.  He calls us to serve Him with time and resources we think we need for other things.  If we do this, He will be faithful and provide us with what we need in abundance so that we can serve Him more.

Daily Bible Study

September 29, 2020 Bible Study Not By Might, Nor By Power

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

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

Zechariah tells us that God is going to come to live among us.  On that day, people of many nations will choose to join themselves to the Lord and God will add them to His people.  Further Zechariah tells us that God’s Kingdom will not be brought about by force, nor by strength.  God’s Kingdom will be brought into existence by God’s Spirit.  We see what God meant by that in Jesus’ birth.  When God came to live among us, He did not arrive as a powerful king, or mighty warrior.  He arrived as a baby, in a manger.  He was here among us, taught us His will, and achieved His great triumph.  But once again, His triumph was not one of a mighty general, a great Emperor, or even a wealthy business magnate.  His triumph came by dying on the cross.  The world is not transformed for the better by “punching a Nazi”.  The world is transformed when we channel God’s Spirit and love a “Nazi”, whatever other name you have for the ultimate evil in mankind.  Put your faith in God and love those whom you believe to be evil, knowing in your heart that God’s Spirit is able to transform them into good.

Daily Bible Study

September 28, 2020 Bible Study Gather Together With Those Who Humbly Seek The Lord

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

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

Zephaniah prophesies against Jerusalem and Judah.  He condemns the religious leaders who claim to follow the Lord, but worship other gods as well.  He references Molech in particular.  Molech worship was known for its child sacrifices.  We have in our society today religious leaders who proclaim themselves Christians who support, some who even promote, the practice of abortion.  But Zephaniah mentions that their were those who claimed to follow god who worshiped other idolatrous gods besides Molech, and today we have leaders who claim to be Christians, do not support abortion but do encourage people to partake in other idolatrous practices.

However, central to Zephaniah’s prophecy is his call for people to gather together and repent of their sins.  We should seek the Lord and humbly follow His commands, gathering together with those who do likewise to pray.  God’s judgement is coming, but if we gather together with those who humbly do God’s will and repent of our sins, God will protect us.

Haggai gives a message about taking the next step.  We have a tendency to look at the things we know God wants us to do and think that we need to wait until we get our lives in order to do them.  Perhaps we think we need to wait to do God’s will until we have established ourselves economically.  “I can’t tithe until I get the rest of my budget in order.”  Haggai tells us that if we wait until our bills are in order to give resources to God’s projects, our finances will never be in order.  Indeed he tells us that the best way to get our finances in order is to start spending some of our money to do God’s will.

 

Daily Bible Study

September 27, 2020 Bible Study God Is Coming To Rescue Those Who Put Their Faith In Him. Will We Be Those He Rescues, Or Those From Whom They Are Rescued?

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.

Nahum wrote a prophecy similar to the one which the Book of Jonah suggests that Jonah preached in Nineveh.  Except that this time the people of Nineveh did not repent of their sins.  The rulers of Assyria thought they could do as they pleased and no one could hold them to account.  They were mistaken, when God decided to bring His judgement against them, Nineveh fell.  We see people who believe as the rulers of Assyria did, that they can do as they please and suffer no consequences.  Those who do not repent of their sins and turn to God will face God’s judgement.

Habakkuk has a similar theme to Nahum, except his prophecies are aimed first at the elites of Judah and then against the Babylonians.  God tells Habakkuk that He will bring down those who put their trust in wealth or power, those who use violence and deceit to gain.  The righteous will live and thrive by being faithful to God, by trusting in His love for them.  Nothing but sorrow awaits those who put their trust elsewhere.  The wicked may create many barriers between themselves and justice, but God will brush those barriers aside as He comes to redeem those who call on His name.  Terrible times are coming, but if you put your trust in God and do His will, He will come to your aid with overwhelming might.

Daily Bible Study

September 26, 2020 Bible Study

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

So, leading up to our anniversary, I wished my wife happy anniversary for 20 days culminating on our anniversary yesterday.  I was tempted to continue for 20 more days, but decided not to do so.  However, since I am writing these a few days in advance, I am going to thank my wife on here every day until I am writing on the day after our anniversary

Thank you for marrying me. Darling!

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

Micah continues his prophecy against those who have positions of leadership, religious and secular and those who have become wealthy through dishonesty, violence, and extortion.  He condemns the government officials whose rules and regulations serve only those who bribe them, the preachers and teachers who only provide their services to those who pay them, and then tell them what they want to hear rather than teach God’s word.  I read Micah’s condemnation of these people and see it happening again today.  God will bring His judgement down on those who twist justice and hate what is good.  Yet, for all of the fact that humans keep doing these same things, Micah prophesies that the day will come when God will call all nations to Him.  In that day, God will mediate between nations and peoples.  He will bring peace to the earth so that no one will train for war anymore.  For all the terribleness we see in the world around us, God promises that one day He will bring about peace, prosperity, and justice.  We need not fear the terrible times which come first if we put our faith in God.

Daily Bible Study

September 25, 2020 Bible Study Desire That Sinners Repent, Not That They Be Punished

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

So, leading up to our anniversary, I wished my wife happy anniversary for 20 days culminating on our anniversary yesterday.  I was tempted to continue for 20 more days, but decided not to do so.  However, since I am writing these a few days in advance, I am going to thank my wife on here every day until I am writing on the day after our anniversary

Thank you for marrying me. Darling!

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

First Jonah 1-4

Often times when I read the story of Jonah I want to break it down into parts.  In fact, many times when I have heard sermons based on Jonah they are only on one part.  There is nothing wrong with that, but the Book of Jonah is short and we should, from time to time, look at it as a whole .  When God gave Jonah a message for Nineveh Jonah did not want to deliver it because he did not want the people of Nineveh to repent and be saved from God’s judgement.  Later he felt more grief over the death of a plant which had provided him shade than he felt over the possible suffering and death of the people of Nineveh.  The message of the Book of Jonah is that we should desire that sinful people turn from their sins and be saved, even if they have caused us, or others we care about, to suffer.  We should not desire that those who sin suffer for their sins.  We should desire that they cease to sin, and thus avoid that suffering.  As followers of Christ, we gain more when sinners repent than when they are punished.

Then Micah 1-2

I take Micah’s prophecy as being directed at those whose livelihood is dependent on the government.  Reading Micah’s condemnation of Samaria and Jerusalem I am reminded that the five richest counties in the United States are those surrounding Washington, DC.  I do not think this means that this passage is only of relevance to those who live in those counties.  Rather, it is a warning to those who make their living from managing the levers of power.  Micah’s message is not that it is wrong to make one’s living from managing the levers of power, after all, someone must do so.  No, Micah is condemning those who use their access to the levers of power to defraud and oppress others.

Daily Bible Study

September 24, 2020 Bible Study Relaxing At Ease While Ignoring What Is Truly Going Wrong

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

So, leading up to our anniversary, I wished my wife happy anniversary for 20 days culminating on our anniversary yesterday.  I was tempted to continue for 20 more days, but decided not to do so.  However, since I am writing these a few days in advance, I am going to thank my wife on here every day until I am writing on the day after our anniversary

Thank you for marrying me. Darling!

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

The primary target of Amos’ prophecies was Israel, the Northern Kingdom, but today’s passage includes warnings to the elite of both Jerusalem and Samaria.  He warns that they were more concerned with enjoying their luxuries than with the threats to their nation, threats which their actions exacerbated. I see too many people today who are more concerned with their comfort and ease than with doing the right thing.

I was originally planned to do a completely separate section on Obadiah, but as I read it I saw that it really continued the theme.  Obadiah prophesied that the people of Edom thought themselves safe because they lived among the cliffs in a place which was difficult for an enemy to gain access.  They thought that from such a fortress they could safely do harm to others.  Amos spoke of those who put their trust in wealth and Obadiah of those who put their trust in fortifications.  In both cases, they thought these things would protect them from the consequences of their sin.  The same is true today.  There are people who think their wealth will keep them safe from the trouble they stir up, and others who think they are protected from the same trouble by their physical location.  Instead of putting our trust in things of this world we need to put our trust in God.

 

Daily Bible Study

September 23, 2020 Bible Study Do Not Wish For the Day of Judgement to Arrive

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

Twenty years ago today, my wife gave me the best birthday present I ever wish for; she said “I do.”  We have now been married for 20 wonderful years.

  Happy Anniversary Darling!

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

When Amos began to prophesy, he started with condemnations and warnings against the nations surrounding Israel and Judah.  He warned them that they would pay a price for the sins they had committed, that God would judge them for the crimes they had committed against God’s people.  Part of me thinks that Amos first spoke out against these other nations because he was angered by the things they had done to his people and foresaw that they would pay for their sins.  Another part of me thinks that perhaps he started with them to make sure that the people of Israel knew that God’s judgement was not just on them for their sins.  In either case, Amos’ prophecies against the neighboring nations, and his prophecy against Judah, were sincere, but relatively perfunctory.  His prophecies against Israel (the Northern Kingdom) were much more detailed.

Amos reports that God had called some of the people of Israel to be prophets and others to dedicate their lives to serving Him, but the people of Israel had told the prophets to shut up and forced those dedicated to God to break their vows.  They trampled on the poor and bullied the oppressed.  God sent warnings, droughts, plagues, etc., but they did not listen.  They hated honest judges and despised those who told the truth.  People keep their mouth shut because to speak against evil is to invite attack.  All of this sounds familiar to me.  And Amos’ warning does as well: hate evil and do what is good, turn to God and seek justice.  And perhaps the most important part of his warning: do not wish for the day of judgement to arrive.  This reminds me of those who are today calling for a violent revolution, but it also applies to those who seek a strong crackdown, wishing violence against those we perceive to be the enemy may come back to bite us.

Daily Bible Study

September 22, 2020 Bible Study Let Us Turn To God with Prayer, Fasting, and Mourning

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

In the year 2000, on the 23rd day of this month, my wife married me.  So here we are on day 19 of the 20 days that I am going to wish her Happy Anniversary for 20 years of marriage.  Happy Anniversary Darling!

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

Joel is the only Old Testament prophet whose sole focus is on a natural disaster.  His description suggests that there were four waves of locusts which completely devastated the food supply of Israel.  The prophet called for the people of Israel to turn to God and dedicate their hearts to Him in the face of a natural disaster.  A call which we should echo and heed when we see similar disasters. Right now, the people of the western United States, where they are experiencing devastating forest fires, should turn to God with fasting, weeping, and mourning.  The rest of the world which is facing the devastation caused in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic should do likewise.  This is not a time for ritualistic mourning, but rather for deep soul searching.  Let us repent of our sins and beg God to pour out His Spirit upon us in the manner which Joel describes.  A dark time is coming, but those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.