Daily Bible Study

October 27, 2015 Bible Study — Live Wisely and Teach the Truth

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:17

    Expressing an opinion about an argument other people are having is likely to cause both of them to turn on you. Even if that does not happen, you are unlikely to have understood what the argument is about and may end up supporting the person who was in the wrong.

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Psalm 99

    The Lord is king and I will bow before His throne. Mighty men (and women) of faith have called on Him in their time of need and He answered them. He will answer us today, if we turn to Him.

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Titus 2

    Paul instructs us to teach everyone to live wisely, not getting drunk and being filled with love and patience. We, ourselves, should be examples to those around us, living lives of integrity and teaching the truth. If we stick to God’s truth those who oppose us will have nothing bad to say about us.

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Jeremiah 51:1-53

    Jeremiah continues his prophesies about how the mightiest nation on earth will fall. He warns the people of God to be prepared to separate themselves from those who revel in that nation’s sins. However, he also warns them not to panic, just leave as the opportunity presents itself. Do not stand and watch the coming fall.

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October 26, 2015 Bible Study — Everything Is Pure to Those Whose Hearts Are Pure

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:13-16

    The lazy person sees danger around every corner. They are convinced that the dangers involved in getting any work done outweigh any benefit from the work.

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Psalm 97-98

    These are two psalms of praise which make good meditation for the day. The first reminds us of God’s power and judgment against those who oppose Him. God is supreme over all the earth. He is exalted above all gods. The second reminds us of the joy which comes from singing praises to God. When we worship God and truly praise Him, our hearts will be filled with joy. God judges with justice and fairness.

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Titus 1

    Once again Paul lays out the qualifications to be an elder in the Church. These read much the same as what he wrote in 1 Timothy. An elder must be the husband of one wife. His children must be believers and not have a reputation for rebelliousness or wild living (which suggests that someone is not qualified for the role until their children are grown). As I said, these are essentially the same qualifications as laid out in 1 Timothy, which to me suggests that those who try to interpret them to allow for other qualifications are wrong. I do believe that Paul’s exposition on the qualifications to be an elder here adds some useful understanding. In this passage, he puts greater emphasis on hospitality, spiritual discipline, and standing up for the truth.
    Paul makes an interesting comment in this passage, which I am going to apply in a way that is slightly out of context. Paul writes, ” Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted.” This is a true observation about people. Those whose hearts are pure do not see double entendres, let alone make them (except, perhaps, in the eyes of others). They give others the benefit of the doubt when their actions are questionable. We are warned from time to time in the Bible to be cautious about naivete which results from having a pure heart. On the other hand, those whose hearts are corrupt see the worst in others. They see dishonesty and betrayal when others do not act as they wish they would, sometimes even when they do. By examining how we interpret others’ behavior we can judge whether or not our own hearts are pure. I would rather be naive than judge that others’ actions are always from base motives.

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Jeremiah 49:23-50:46

    Jeremiah continues his prophesies concerning what will happen to the rest of the world (as known to him) after the fall of Jerusalem. However, he also warns those who think that they can rely on Babylon to bring stability. The Babylonians, in their arrogance, will continue to bring disruption and pain until God brings judgment against them as well. God will bring deliverance to those who choose to trust in Him.

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October 25, 2015 Bible Study — If Only You Would Listen To His Voice Today!

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:9-12

    The writer tells us that hiring a fool is like shooting into a crowd at random and that fools will eagerly repeat their foolish actions. Yet, he tells us that there is more hope for a fool than for someone who thinks they are wise.

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Psalm 95-96

    This psalm contains a line which makes my heart cry out for my friends, and others, who do not know the Lord. I meet and know so many people who are dealing with problems and difficulties in this life that would be solved if only they would listen to God’s voice today. They insist that there is nothing there for them, yet I look at the problems they are experiencing and see that they are the result of not listening to God and trusting in His love.
    Let us sing to the Lord and praise His name. God made the heavens and the earth. All other gods are mere idols. Each day I will proclaim the news that God saves all who turn to Him. If only those I referred to in the previous paragraph would accept this truth.

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2 Timothy 4

    Paul instructs us to be prepared to preach the word of God, whether we think the time is right or not. The time is coming, I believe that it has come, when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead of listening to the truth, they seek out teachers who tell them what they want to hear. In this setting we should be willing to suffer, if need be, to remain faithful and carry out the ministry which God has given us. Let us continue to “fight the good fight”, to fight to serve God, until the last of our life has been poured out as an offering to God. I will work at acting and speaking so as to give others the opportunity to listen to God’s voice.

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Jeremiah 48:1-49:22

    Judgment had fallen on Israel and Judah for their idolatry and sins. Now Jeremiah prophesies against the nations which surrounded them. Nations which had made idolatry and sin their national religion. This is a reminder that when the God’s judgment comes against those nations which He had formerly favored, the entire world will be thrown into turmoil. I look at the world today and I see judgment coming against the U.S. (I think there is still time for people to turn to God, but it is running short). I, also, see the people of other nations rejoicing to see that judgment coming. Those people fail to see the turmoil that will engulf the earth when God finally brings judgment against the U.S. for the sins of its people.

Daily Bible Study

October 24, 2015 Bible Study

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:6-8

    Asking a fool to deliver your message is likely to do more harm than good. No matter how important it was to get the message through, you would probably have been better off if you had not sent a message at all. People and groups give out honors in order to encourage behaviors which they value and would like to see performed more often. However, if you honor a fool, they are likely to be encouraged to do something other than what you intended.

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Psalm 94

    In Deuteronomy we are told that God will extract vengeance. God has promised to pay back the wicked what they deserve. This psalm repeats that promise. The wicked and proud will face God’s judgment. They may think He is not paying attention and/or does not care, but they are mistaken. The God who made our eyes can surely see and He who made our ears can surely hear. On the other hand, those who accept God’s discipline and turn from their sins will experience joy.

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2 Timothy 2:22-3:17

    In today’s passage Paul addresses the paradox of yesterday’s proverbs. He tells us not to get involved in silly, stupid arguments. Instead, we should gently make our points and move on. It is not our job to convince people, merely to offer them the truth. We can leave it up to God to convict them so that they turn to Him in repentance. It is only by the action of the Holy Spirit that they will come to know and understand the truth.
    Paul goes on to describe what people will be like in the last days. It sounds like a description of what we see in so many people today. From the NIV:

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.

That really does not need much commentary, but I want to highlight the last phrase. There are those who speak about the need to love everyone without recognizing the power of God’s love to transform people.

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Jeremiah 44:24-47:7

    We now see why the remnant from Judea refused to accept the word of God given them through Jeremiah. They refused to accept it because they were worshiping other gods as well. When they were told they had to choose either God, or the “Queen of Heaven”, they chose the “Queen of Heaven”. They wanted God’s blessings, but they refused to follow His instructions. We, too, must choose: worship God, or the things those around us worship.

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October 23, 2015 Bible Study — Avoid Godless Chatter

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:3-5

    We are reminded that we must use caution when arguing with fools. On the one hand, if one argues with a fool it is easy to get sucked into their foolishness. On the other hand, if you do not counter their foolishness, they, and others, may think that their arguments are actually wise.

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Psalm 92-93

    It is good to give thanks to God and to praise Him. The psalm goes on from there and expounds on this point, but more does not really need to be said. It is indeed a good thing to give thanks to God.

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2 Timothy 2:1-21

    Paul tells Timothy to avoid meaningless conversation because it leads one to become more and more ungodly. Comparing how the NLT translates(“worthless, foolish talk”) that to how the NIV translates(“godless chatter”) it gives us a good idea what Paul means when he writes this. This comes as part of his command that we avoid arguing over words, which is a command I struggle with understanding how it applies. I understand that it is important to not get caught up in arguing over the specific words used when those we are talking with agree about the basic teaching. On the other hand, I have seen false teaching disseminated by gradually changing the words used from ones that mean one thing to words which mean something similar but not quite the same. It is important that we choose our words with care, so that they express the meaning we intend, but we should avoid arguing with those who, unintentionally, use the wrong word to express the correct idea.
    The example which comes to mind was a Sunday School lesson a few years ago where the material contained a sentence which said something along the lines of, “We need to recognize that we continuously sin.” Many in the class with me accepted that sentence because they interpreted it as meaning, “We need to recognize that we continually sin.” It was clear to me from the rest of the lesson and from other things the author had written that they meant what they had written, but had written it that way for people to accept it the way the others in the class read it. The strategy being used was to get people to accept the idea that they were always sinning (as in, they were sinning every moment of every day) so that they could then be told, “Since you are always sinning, you are a hypocrite to point out that certain behaviors are sinful.” And yet, in that class I accomplished nothing by attempting to explain to the others there that “continuously” and “continually” had different meanings.

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Jeremiah 42:1-44:23

    One of the leaders remaining in Judea after the fall of Jerusalem assassinated the governor appointed by the Babylonians (if you have been reading along you know this). The remaining people were afraid of how the Babylonians would react. They went to Jeremiah and asked him to pray to God to find out what they should do. They swore that they would do whatever Jeremiah told them that God said they should do, even if they did not like the answer. However, when Jeremiah gave them God’s answer, they claimed that Jeremiah was lying because he wanted to bring harm to them. When we ask for God’s guidance it is important that we follow it. I was going to say “even if it is not what we want to hear,” but the fact is it is important that we follow that guidance especially when it is not what we wanted to hear.

Daily Bible Study

October 22, 2015 Bible Study — Do Not Be Ashamed To Tell Others About Jesus

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:1-2

    The godly need not fear the “evil eye” because an undeserved curse will not cause any harm. If you do right by everyone you meet than you need not fear any attempts to send negative “karma” your way.

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Psalm 90-91

    I will not fear plague nor death because I trust in God. God provides us with a place of safety where no harm may come to us. If we do God’s will our reward will be greater than any danger we may face.

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2 Timothy 1

    We should never be ashamed to tell others about Jesus and our faith. Not only should we not be ashamed to speak of our faith, we should not be ashamed of those who suffer for having that same faith. Rather than be ashamed of the gospel message we should be willing, even eager, to suffer for speaking that message. In the face of persecution let us cling to the confidence Paul expresses here. Paul knew in whom he believed and was confident that He was able to guard his faith until the day of Christ’s return.
    There is a great song based on this passage which reminds us that in the face of challenges there may be many things we do not know, but there is one thing which we can know. That one thing is who we have believed in.


Verse 1
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

Refrain
But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

Verse 2
I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

Refrain

Verse 3
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

Refrain

Verse 4
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

Refrain

Verse 5
I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

Refrain


This song reminds us that, no matter what doubts we may have, we do not need to doubt God’s power or His faithfulness. I may not know the answers to your questions, but I know whom I have believed.

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Jeremiah 39-41

    In this passage, Zedekiah receives the reward for his timidity, for his refusal to stand up for what he knew was right. On the other hand, Ebed-melech, the man who had saved Jeremiah from the cistern, was rewarded for the risks he had taken in serving God.

Daily Bible Study

October 21, 2015 Bible Study — Greed Leads To Other Sins

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 25:28

    A person without self-control is vulnerable to their enemies. They will be unable to defend themselves against attack, whether that attack is physical, emotional, or spiritual. The first step to defending oneself against assault is to develop self-control.

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Psalm 89:38-52

    No matter how wealthy and powerful you may be, if God no longer favors you, you will not stand. It is only through God’s grace that we may live lives of comfort and ease.

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1 Timothy 6

    Paul warns against those who believe and teach that godliness is a path to wealth. Those who follow such teaching put on a show of godliness but do not exhibit the real thing. Those who are truly godly are content with what God has given them. We will leave our material wealth behind when we leave this world. Therefore, if we have what we need to survive, we should be content. Here Paul writes something outright which he has alluded to in many of his other letters. Greed (the love of money) is the root of most other sins. Those who seek after material wealth all too easily fall into the trap of justifying their sins in the pursuit of wealth. I want to point out that Paul makes it clear that it is not a sin to be wealthy. Some people do acquire great wealth while living godly lives. However, those who gain material riches must be careful not to put their faith in their wealth. They must be generous and use their material wealth to do good works. Most important, they must remember, and so must the rest of us, that their wealth does not make them better than others.

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Jeremiah 37-38

    We see here that Zedekiah was a weak king. When some of his officials came to him demanding that he condemn Jeremiah, he told them to do as they liked because he could not stop them. Later, when another of his officials came to him and told him that what was being done to Jeremiah was wrong, he lent that official some of his guards to rescue Jeremiah. He consulted with Jeremiah, but was afraid to follow Jeremiah’s advice. It is clear to me from this passage that Zedekiah knew what was right, but was afraid to take a stand. He ultimately paid a price for that timidity.

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October 20, 2015 Bible Study

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 25:25-27

    Seeking honors for yourself is like eating too many sweets. You may enjoy it as you do it, but the after effects will be unpleasant…and last much longer than the pleasure.

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Psalm 89:14-37

    The NLT translates the first part of verse 15 as “Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,…” I think it would be better translated as “Happy are those who listen to the joyful call to worship,…” because it is not enough to hear the call to worship God to experience the joy. We need to also follow the call and worship Him. I will worship God because it is from Him that my protection comes.

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1 Timothy 5

    Paul gives advice on caring for widows, although I believe what he says can be applied to all of the elderly. First, he tells us that we should provide for our parents to the best of our ability. The Church should care for those who have no children to take care of them. However, those who are still able to provide for themselves should do so. So, to reiterate, we should care for our parents and grandparents to the best of our ability and we should work to meet our own needs for as long as we are able. The Church should care for those who are unable to care for themselves. Paul’s gave these instructions concerning widows who are believers, but I believe there is room to interpret them as applying to anyone who is unable to care for themselves.

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Jeremiah 35-36

    In this passage, Jeremiah had the words God had given him recorded on a scroll which was then read to the people. When the king heard of this, he had the scroll read to him, but as the scroll was read, the king destroyed it. However, when Jeremiah heard what the king had done, he had the scroll rewritten. The message here is that no matter what those in power do, God’s word will not be silenced.

Daily Bible Study

October 19, 2015 Bible Study — Train Yourself Physically and Spiritually

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I was away over the weekend, Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I prepared today’s study before I departed, but published it at my normal time. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem.

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Proverbs 25:23-24

    This should not need stating, but unfortunately it does. If you spread gossip about someone, you will anger them as surely as a hurricane brings rain.

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Psalm 89:1-13

    I chose the King James Version for this psalm because the first verse from the KJV is a great song.

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Yes, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. And with my mouth, my hands, my writing I will make known His faithfulness to all generations.

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1 Timothy 4

    Paul warns against false teachers, some of whom teach that it is wrong to get married and wrong to eat certain foods. The key to recognizing false teachers is to look at their lives because they are hypocrites and liars. They teach one thing and do another, then either deny that they are doing it, or claim that when they do it it is not wrong. Elsewhere, Paul talks about marriage and makes it clear that many are called to do get married. Here, he repeats his stance that all food is blessed by God.
    We should not argue over secular ideas, about how secular society should be organized. This hits home to me. Instead, we should focus on training ourselves to be godly. This hits home to me because I find myself debating points which I do not believe we, as Christians, should be actively involved in on either side of the issue. In discussing this, Paul makes an aside which I think is often overlooked. He tells us that physical training is good. We should make an effort to train our bodies so that we are in good physical shape. However, we should make an even greater effort to train our minds and spirits so that we are in good spiritual shape.

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Jeremiah 33-34

    Jeremiah prophesied that even though God was about to bring disaster on Jerusalem, the day would come when all of Israel prospered once more. God will do so in a manner which will cause people of every nation to both fear and praise Him.
    Then Jeremiah condemned the leading citizens of Jerusalem for being hypocrites. They freed their slaves of Jewish descent in a very public manner. Then, as soon as no one was paying attention, they enslaved them once more. We see this very often with political leaders. They do something (such as passing a law) which does away with some abuse that angers people in a very public way, making sure that everyone knows that they did it. Then, a short time later, when everyone’s attention has moved on to something else, they quietly reinstate the abusive practice. The general populace may not notice, but God will and He will hold them accountable.

Daily Bible Study

October 18, 2017 Bible Study — God Promises a New Covenant

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I am away this weekend Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I prepared my studies for the weekend in advance. I published both Saturday’s and Sunday’s studies Friday evening before I departed. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem.

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Proverbs 25:20-22

    Rather than seek revenge, do good for those who have done you wrong. It serves three purposes. First, if they have a decent bone in their body, they will be shamed by your actions. Second, they will spend their time worrying, waiting for you to stop “acting” and exact your revenge. Third, God will reward you for your good behavior. Of those, hopefully only the first and last will truly motivate you. The last because we know that the rewards God gives us are worth any amount of suffering. The first because perhaps their shame will cause them to repent of their sins and turn to God.

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Psalm 88

    I have never been as depressed as expressed in this psalm. That being said, when I have felt overwhelmed by what was going on in my life I cried out to God continually and He brought me relief. He will do the same for you. It may take time, but be persistent and He will answer. (Just don’t forget to listen)

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1 Timothy 3

    This passage describes the characteristics a person must have for two leadership positions in the Church. The first position is one of authority, translated here as elder, the KJV translated the word as bishop. Paul tells us that it is an honorable position to which it is good to aspire (although in no way does he say that everyone should do so). It is then that he tells us what characteristics we should look for in considering a person for the position. I think there are three key elements to these characteristics. A candidate for elder must be the husband of one wife (not single, not divorced and remarried, not having affairs). They must have well-behaved children. They must not be a new convert. They must have a good reputation with non-believers.
    Paul then describes the characteristics for the second position, that of deacon. Those being considered for the position of deacon must be well-respected and have integrity. Reading what Paul writes about the requirements leads me to believe that a deacon is someone who handles money for the Church (otherwise, why does Paul make such an emphasis on them being responsible and honest in handling money?). Which leads to the main requirement, that they be someone who has been shown to act without any impropriety, or even the appearance of impropriety.

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Jeremiah 31:27-32:44

    God told the people of Israel, through Jeremiah, that He would give them a new covenant. This new covenant would not be written on stone tablets. Instead it would be written on the hearts of God’s people. That new covenant was delivered through Jesus Christ. We no longer need to refer to a document to know what God desires of us. He has put His instructions deep within those who strive to serve Him. If we seek God, He will reveal Himself to us.