Song of Songs 1-2

The Song of Songs is in my opinion one of the most underrated books of the Bible. It doesn't provide any deep historical insight or apocalyptic visions; it doesn't record moving sermons or incisive moral teaching. But what the Song does do--and does better than perhaps any other book--is capture the relational essence of Christianity.

"My beloved is mine and I am his" (Song 2:16). Of the many passionate and loving verses in the first two chapters, this may best exemplify the exclusivity and possessiveness with which the lovers view their relationship. And while possessiveness is often given a negative connotation in modern times, consider that God describes Himself thus, "I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:5). 

Be it earthly romance or the heavenly marriage of Christ and the church, would you prefer it any other way?

Psalm 140-142

David's lament in Psalm 142 is heart-rending. It requires little imagination to picture the depths of despair in which he finds himself taking up his pen, beleaguered on all sides as he is and at present seeking refuge in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1).

David's faith in the Lord's future deliverance is commendable and to be emulated. Also of note are the circumstances under which he turns desperately to God. David did not initially try to bolster himself on his own might and then petition God when that plan fell apart; no, he went before God from the first. David knows that only God is mighty enough to save.

That we might be so wise in the midst of our own struggles!

Nehemiah 5-9

There is something moving about the image of Ezra reading the Law before the assembled men and women on the Feast of Trumpets (Nehemiah 8). For starters, it was unusual for women to be present for assemblies such as these, although on especially significant occasions they were included.

Second, the picture of having everyone gathered together "As one man" (Nehemiah 8:1), hungry for God's word, is inspiring. History tells us that this fervor did not last long, but is it not true that we all seem to need to be refreshed in our zeal for God from time to time? 

Society looks a lot different today than it did in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, but our need for God is unchanged. We should consider ourselves fortunate that we have access to God's word--and indeed, God Himself--whenever we choose to avail ourselves of it!

Deuteronomy 23-25

Detractors of Christianity often point to the rules given to the Israelites in the Old Testament as evidence of backwards and outdated thinking. While indeed some of these rules can seem convoluted or just plain bizarre (see Deut 25: 5-10), there is a grand design at work that you decontextualize at your own risk.

One of the most important keys to unlocking the Mosaic law is to understand the way it relates to Jesus' life and ministry. That is, in a post-resurrection world, we are to interpret the Law in light of Jesus instead of in isolation from him. Thus we can read Matthew 5:17 or Matthew 22: 36-40 and see that Jesus simultaneously embodies the predictions of the Old Testament while revealing the Pharisees' hypocritical perversion thereof.

So how do we respond to seemingly contradictory passages like Deuteronomy 25: 1-3 and 1 Corinthians 6: 1-8 (which are not as incompatible as they look)? My advice would be to read them not as isolated instructions separated by time and culture, but instead to see points on a continuum that ultimately points to the revealed and risen Lord.  

1 John 4-5

Christianity is much more than a set of treatises playing out in the pages of a book; it has profound spiritual and emotional components as well. But each of us knows that emotions are notoriously difficult to keep in proper perspective. How do we know when we are getting carried away?

In 1 John 4, the apostle John offers a simple vetting process for any notion, be it intellectual, emotional, or spiritual: Anything that is from God will acknowledge Jesus. More broadly, that which is from God will square with biblical precepts. Anything that is not from God will not. Testing the spirits is easier said than done, perhaps, but it will be time well spent!

Acts 19-20

This is a powerful and moving passage of Scripture, containing as it does extraordinary examples of God's power (Acts 19:11), a heartbreaking farewell (Acts 20:18-38), and yet another instance of Paul's inspiring faith (Acts 20: 22-24). In many ways these two chapters are a microcosm of much of the entire book of Acts.

Those aren't the only noteworthy features of this passage, however. Acts 20:35 is, to my knowledge, the only place in the entire Bible where we find an agrapha, a quotation from Jesus' earthly ministry that does not also appear in the canonical Gospels (indeed, this phrase is next quoted in the First Epistle of Clement, which was written a couple decades after Luke completed Acts). Not only is this a literary curiosity but it also speaks to the importance of oral history in the growth and expansion of the early church. The sayings and teachings of Jesus were carefully preserved--without the benefit of a "paper trail--"so effectively as to be instantly recognizable when those teachings were finally written down.

As we head into the holiday season and its clamoring tornado of messages, let us hold fast to "The words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'" (Acts 20:35).

Malachi

Malachi is widely recognized as the final Old Testament prophet (though Joel has a handful of adherents too). With the intertestamental period looming, what closing admonition and encouragement does God have for His people?

The message of Malachi is, unsurprisingly, not dissimilar from the message of the rest of the Bible: The King is coming and he will bring judgment and redemption. There will be no escape for the wicked, nor will the faithful be forsaken. "'Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire ... but for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings'" (Malachi 4:1-2). 

This has both eternal and short-term applications (for more on the connection between Malachi 4:2 and Matthew 9:20-22, see my post from April 15 here), but Israel can be hold onto these assurances in the coming centuries: The Lord is both a wrathful and a merciful God, and perhaps above all, He is a faithful God.

Ezra 6-10

God doing the impossible or God just being God?

The account in Ezra is another one of the great stories of God doing what man sees as impossible. When the investigations into the historical records were done, not only did Darius issue a decree to let the people of God continue building the temple, but that the means (materials, resources) to do so should come from the state!  That is how much our God can do for those who have faith in Him!  Help had come from Darius, a non-worshiper of God.  God is not limited in the means He can use to bring about His will!

 By faith, God’s Temple was completed (verse 15) and God’s people celebrated what God had done. With the Temple completed, they were able to start sacrificing the offerings to God such as sin offerings and those required for the Passover. 

And if that wasn’t enough evidence of God working, Darius makes this decree.

“May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.”  Ezra 6:12

Ecclesiastes 3, 4 Man & Animal

In times past I have had a hard time with 3:19:

For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same, as one dies so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts for all is vanity. 

So is man's fate really the same as the animals? And does that mesh with the rest of the Bible?

As always we must go to the context for a proper understanding. In this immediate context the "preacher" is making the point that "God will judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time and matter for every work." The main point seems to be that you don't worry about the future, but that man should rejoice in his work now. Enjoy life, because just like the animals, you aren't going to live forever.

As far as what the rest of the Bible says on this matter. From this book alone we see in this book alone (12:7, 3:21) that mankind has an immortal soul while animals do not. No where are we told that with animals to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8). Likewise, no where does the Bible speak of the resurrection of animals as it does for human beings (John 5, Rev. 20). So yes, while not in the physical realm, there is obviously a huge distinction between the death of man and animal in the spiritual realm.

Let's go back again to the main point, don't let this sidetrack you from the message of the text. You will one day return to dust, don't stress about a legacy or the future or be apprehensive about the next year, take joy and satisfaction in the good gifts God gave you today. 

Psalm 125-127

Unless the Lord builds the house those who built it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city the watchman stays awake in vain. 

This Psalm is attributed to Solomon, and the theme of this basic wisdom Psalm is fairly obvious: Without the Lords blessing all human toil is worthless. You can try as hard as you want, but without God's blessing nothing is going to happen. I have to ask myself how does that apply to my job? How does it apply to my personal goals? How does it apply to "fill in the blank" going on in your life right now. Having this understand brings two things to the forefront for me. Number one, I need to be more thankful. I don't always give credit to where credit is due. And Secondly, I need to pray more. How we pray reveals how we really feel about this.

II Chronicles 29-32: Hezekiah Humbled

One of the most practical take-aways from this passage is found in the life of Hezekiah. He was an amazing king who had accomplished so much. He set the precedent on giving generously of the first fruits and tithe to the priests and Levites. He built Jerusalem. The list goes on and on. But he lost sight of the fact that it was all because of God's grace, and at the end of his life his heart became proud.

Huge warning to all of us, even if we haven't accomplished much yet, we still have this nasty natural tendency to look at ourselves too highly. God intervened in this particular case in an unspecified, but noticeable way. And I love what I read next:

"But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride in his heart..."

Praise God, even when we mess up, He will give us a second chance. By God's grace, Hezekiah humbled himself before it destroyed him any further. That is a testament to God's power, and a great example to us. No one is good enough, only Christ. Let's not forget that.

Deuternomy 7-9: Hallelujah

Sin can get ugly. In this passage we have the tragic exchange of both God and Moses disowning Israel with their language. (9:12, 9:15) In theme with yesterdays passage we again see God's wrath against sin. It's important to remember that this is not just the Old Testament God. This is the same God who saved us. His tolerance for sin has not changed, and He is not like us. At the very end of this passage I see two huge truths about God in Moses' petition that should make us thankful he is not like us.

First, God keeps his promise with Abraham.

Secondly, God's reputation as a provider/ savior and his reputation as one who loves rather than hates perseveres.

God once again hates the sin and loves the sinner. He shows grace, unmerited favor, to those who desperately need him. What an awesome God we serve!

James 4-5: Run to Christ

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

"Cleanse your hearts"

"Purify your hearts"

 "Be wretched and mourn and weep"

"Humble yourself before the Lord and He will exalt you."

I am convicted in this passage because it confronts me with the seriousness of sin. The presence of laughter shows how casually James readers were viewing their sin. Do you ever make light of your sin? It's a question I haven't asked myself in a while, but this passage forces me to ask it. 

James is his usual "on fire" self in this passage. He's sarcastic, and he's serious. His warning against friendship with the world makes you personally put your desires and decisions into perspective.

"But he gives more grace."

"God opposes the proud , but give grace to the humble."

Compare yourself to Christ. That's all you need to do to humble yourself. Drawing near to God isn't some secret formula locked away like the KFC recipe. It's simply meditation on what God our Savior accomplished on the cross. It's making his resurrection impact your thought life. That will humble you, make you thankful, and make you love Him more.

"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." 

Thank you!

Acts 7, 8 The Transition

So much going on here! Acts is one of my favorite books because it is jam packed full of history. Unlike any other book, it ties together the explosion of church that "turned the world upside down."

So at this stage things are still pretty fresh. Paul is still Saul. He is persecuting the church, and Christ's message is being taken down to Samaria by Philip! A couple confusing things are also mentioned here in ch. 8: Was this sorcerer named Simon actually converted to Christianity?  And why did the Samaritans not receive the Holy Spirit the moment they believed (Eph. 1:13, Gal. 3:2)? 

First, it's not perfectly clear in Simon's case whether he was a true believer or not. I have personally heard it taught that he was a Christian who backslid to his old passion of power. However, I personally take the opposite view. Taking the entirety of the context into account. I see his "belief" as being motivated by selfish reasons. Peter's extremely strong language is also telling. "Neither part nor lot" is Old Testament language for having no share in something. (Deut. 12:12) Peter also tells him that he in still in the "bond of iniquity" which doesn't seem like an accurate modifier for an heir of Christ's righteousness. Furthermore, and perhaps the most telling, there is no indication of repentance in the account. I might add that early church tradition includes Simon along with Nicholas  (Rev. 2:16, Acts 6:5) as two of the first "heretics" in the New Testament. It is important to note however, that I am simply stating church tradition on that last point. Early church tradition is fallible, and clearly not on the same playing field as the preserved Word.

Secondly, verses 16 and 17 do not support the false notion that Christians somehow receive the Holy Spirit subsequent to salvation. This unique situation (Similar to Acts 10 when Gentiles were added to the church) is part of the transitional period of the church. This is the first case where Christianity is moving beyond the Jewish level and into another people group, and apparently God sovereignly waited to give the manifestation of his Holy Spirit until some of his Apostles were present. The presence of Peter and John's apostolic authority confirmed that this was fully legitimate. The Gospel is advancing (Acts 1:8) and now no one can make the mistake of saying that the Samaritan believers are different than the rest of the church.  

Ecclesiastes 1-2:

Have you ever wondered if Solomon knew what he was doing with all his indulgences? I find it interesting that he mentions his wisdom remained with him. In the midst of all his ridiculous self indulgence he still had his wisdom, which to me doesn't mean he blindly expected all this to fulfill him. If anyone could have it all, it was Solomon.  And he certainly tested pleasure out. Gave it a serious run. We are talking about a man who not only threw great parties, but a guy who who bought the band. However, he gives us the final grade when he says it is all vanity. He has it all, but it left him empty and in the end it was meaningless. This book is perhaps the most vivid example in the Bible that we are not solely material beings. We are also spiritual. There is a God created vacuum in human souls that needs our creator, and with out him all the pleasures in the world are worthless.

Psalm 122-124

Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
                                                                                            Psalm 124:8

From where is your help? It's from the Lord. Now what I am about to say is basic and fundamental. You have heard it before, but it bares repeating. It always bears repeating. My help is not from a stronger checking account. It's not from a great body. It's not from a nicer job. Not from a new house. Not from from a better family.  Your help, which is what you really need to solve all of your trials and struggles and pains and heartaches. It comes from the Lord.

And just for the icing on the cake let's just remember this isn't the "lord of the manner." This isn't any old Regent or King or President. This is the almighty Jehovah who created heaven and earth by opening his mouth. We are in good hands, very good hands. 

II Chronicles 25-28: Uzziah Doesn't Cut It Either

Sometimes Old Testament stories are terse, sometimes they are hard to relate to, and sometimes they perplex us as to their relevance. I'm not saying that is all good, that's just the way it is. But when we come across the life of Uzziah none of those factors come into play. This king's incredible reign (II Chr. 26:1-15) starts on par with David and Solomon. Just think about how powerful, skillful, and intelligent this man was. God's hand of blessing was clearly on his life, (v.5)  and the Bible goes into great length to detail his accomplishments. In the big picture we must realize that we study the nation of Israel because God chose to deal with them. They were the people that He decided to work through and reveal his character through. On top of revealing man's failure with the law and desperate need of a perfect Savior, I Corinthians 10 affirms that Israel's actions serve as examples to us. So as we zoom back in to this story we must take to heart the fact that this shows us all men fail (26:16-23). No matter how much of a man amongst boys one may be, they will never come close to being what we need. What we need as mortal men is our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Deuteronomy 4-6: Consuming Passion

Hear of Israel the Lord our God , the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

I read this and I think about how mom and dad need to be passionate about loving and living for God. I evaluate how much I talk about my Savior in my daily conversation. What am I doing to share this love of God? The law consumed the lives of the Israelites, and in the same fashion the Gospel of grace needs to consume us.

Two Memory Verses: James 1-3

If you ever want to start memorizing practical Bible verses that you will need to recall on a weekly, if not daily basis, James 1:2-4 and James 3:8-10 are two of the best places to start. I am just so challenged by these verses. The only way we can be thankful for trials is by being consumed with the big picture. If we want Christ likeness, we know that more often than not it is shaped and built through adversity.  As C.S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

Then if that's not enough, whenever you have pain it usually comes from sinners. People hurt us, and it's so easy to react. However, James reminds us that people are made in the image of God. And that alone means we should have respect for them. Think about people the way God thinks about them. Lord, help me to do that today!

What kind of Christian T-Shirt do you wear? - Nahum

How many of you wear Christian T-shirts? It may be your thing, or it may not be your thing. As long as it's not one of those shirts that rips a logo from something like a breakfast cereal and in uncreative form adjusts the logo while adding a little Christian tag line I'm ok with them. I think they can be great conversation starters when you are out and about.  But how many of you have ever seen a Christian T-shirt with Nahum 1:2-3 plastered right on it?

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God, the Lord is avenging and wrathful, the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will be no means clear the guilty.

I'm probably safe in saying that it doesn't happen. Well I'm not here to say I have a shirt like that, and I don't really know if I would wear one myself. But why does that seem so far fetched? It sounds crazy right.

All I want to say today is that to fully understand God you have to know this side of God. And in our Christian culture most of us are either scarred to talk about this or we don't understand it and try to ignore it best we can. I asked my teens this T-shirt question recently and some of them gave the answer that the broader Christian culture would say. "It will give people the wrong view of God."

The truth is that if this is all you preach about God, then yes absolutely that's a horrible depiction of our God and Savior. But along the same line, if all you ever say is that Jesus loves you and that he will accept you and show you grace no matter what, while leaving out this other half of God, then you are just as wrong.

People have to understand that God takes sin seriously. Your sin and my sin is not a light manner. It's rebellion against our creator. Jesus Christ had to die on a cross for it!

Let's not lose sight of this. It will enhance our appreciation for God's forgiveness and redemption!

Are we entertaining angels? - Hebrews 11-13

 

God’s desire that we show others hospitality is a common theme in scripture; in the Old Testament showing hospitality was a cultural norm, much as it is today in shame and honor cultures. The New Testament frequently expresses its central importance as well. However, what does it actually mean to show hospitality? This is where things really get interesting: in English, we typically understand hospitality as a willingness to host, feed, and entertain a guest … something we all do and especially with our personal friends. However, what if the biblical term has a much deeper (and more difficult) meaning?

This is the problem we run into when we read the Bible in English and assume we understand what it’s saying … often, we don’t — or at least we don’t understand it fully. Trying to translate between languages is tricky like that, and the concept of “hospitality” is a prime example of what is missed between one language and another.

Based on our English definition, most everyone would consider themselves hospitable. But are we really?

The Greek term that is often translated into the English term “hospitality” is the word φιλόξενος. The word is a combination of two concepts, that break down as follows:

 

φιλό (pronounced Philao) is one of several words for “love” in Greek. Being a more precise language than English, classical Greek has a few different ways to express the word “love.” In this case, the word that is used means “brotherly love” or “to love like a brother,” and is how we get the name Philadelphia — the City of Brotherly Love.

 

The word ξενος (Xenos) which makes up the second half of the word we render “hospitality” actually means “stranger” or “immigrant,” and is where we get the word xenophobia which is the fear of strangers/immigrants.

 

In light of these two words being combined, hospitality as commonly understood, isn’t exactly the best way to express this biblical truth. Instead of simply “entertaining guests” the word becomes “one who loves strangers/immigrants like you would your own brother.” That’s a big difference, and completely changes the way we see this term used in scripture. For example:

 

In Romans 13 we are told to “practice hospitality.” Whereas a simple reading with a prima facie understanding of the English term would lead us to think we should practice hosting our friends for dinner, we instead see that we are to practice (go out of your way to do it) loving strangers and immigrants as if they were our siblings.

 

In 1 Timothy 5, we see that widows who received financial support from the early church, needed to have a reputation of loving strangers and immigrants like they were her own siblings.

In both Titus and 1 Timothy, we are told that elders (church leaders) must be people who are known to love strangers and immigrants as if they are their own siblings.

 

The word appears over and over again throughout the New Testament, which insists that one of the hallmarks of a Jesus follower is a radical love for immigrants — the same way we would love our own brothers or sisters. This would mean that we don’t withhold from immigrants (legal or undocumented), that we don’t allow them to go homeless, hungry, that we refuse to call them names, and that we actually practice going out of our way to take care of them.  It means that when we pass a stranger on the street, we smile and say “hello” instead of nonchalantly looking at our iPhone and pretending we didn’t actually see them.  It means when we’re at the cash register and have our order messed up by the nameless employee, we show patience and kindness instead of impatience and harsh words.  It means when that guy in the car in front of us cuts us off, we pray a prayer of blessing for that person instead of giving them a dirty look.

 

These are the things the Bible is talking about when we are told over, and over, and over again, to show hospitality — brotherly love for strangers and immigrants.

Are we actually doing these things, or are we simply having friends over for dinner and calling ourselves good?

 

Within the semantic range and historical uses of ξενος, we find that it didn’t simply mean stranger or immigrant. Historically, this word has a dual usage that includes “enemy” since some cultures used the same word to refer to both groups. In addition, “strangers” were often seen or assumed to be enemies, giving the word strong connotations of stranger, immigrant and enemy.

So then, in this case the word “hospitality” becomes “one who loves their enemies in the same way they love their brother“… ouch!

 

Grasping the depths of the flavor of ξενος, we see the New Testament epistles re-affirming the teachings of Jesus in regard to loving our enemies, especially in refraining from violence toward our enemies.

 

Which one of us would let our brother go hungry? Which one of us would let our brother go homeless? Which one of us would be willing to kill our brother for any reason?

Probably not many, I hope. Both Jesus and Paul say that this is the same way we are to love our enemies: in the same exact way that we would love our own brother or sister.

 

Hard truth. Inconvenient truth. Truth that’s difficult to follow, even for me.  However, it’s like finding a couple of dollars in your pocket that you didn’t know you had … because Christlike, biblical hospitality is far more beautiful and radical than I had ever imagined.

 

Blessing instead of cursing.

 

Love instead of hate.

 

It’s beautiful. Radical.

 

This is hospitality.

 

I hope that you’ll consider the ways in which you do, or perhaps don’t show brotherly love to immigrants, strangers, and enemies. We must remember, whether it is an immigrant, a stranger on the sidewalk, or an enemy who wants to destroy us — these are human beings with unsurpassed worth, so valuable that Jesus gave his life for them. Our job is simply to affirm their worth, and love them like family.

Full of the Sprit

How attractive is the father or mother of a newborn, glowing with joy over God's good gift. Just as attractive is Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit. We are drawn to him. What does a person "full of the Spirit" look like? By God's grace, can I be such a person?Effective Witness in Deed and in Word (6:8-10) Stephen engages in an effective witness by deed and word, not unlike the apostles (5:12, 42). The Spirit-fullness he knows includes grace and power, so that he is able to do great wonders and miraculous signs. Grace further defined by power is not simply a miracle-working ability (compare 3:12). It is a more comprehensive "gracing" that includes effective preaching (6:9-10; compare 14:26; 15:40; 20:32). As part of a larger "apostolic" circle that included Philip and Barnabas, Stephen does miracles as a token of salvation's advance first to Hellenistic Jews and then to other peoples (8:6; 14:3; 15:12).Should we expect more "Stephens" today? Though normally signs and wonders are the work of apostles and prophets at particular junctures of God's salvation history, Stephen's activity is witness to the fact that even "this restriction is not absolute" (Stott 1990:126). Let us pray to be full of the Spirit and let God's "gracing" do what it will.Stephen's witness in the Hellenistic Jewish synagogues draws opposition. In theological debate, however, Stephen bests all comers; no one has an answer for him (compare Lk 12:12; 21:15; Jn 16:8-11). Stephen has conquered their minds. But God has not chosen through this witness to also conquer his opponents' wills and lead them to repentance and conversion.Plot and Trial (6:11-14) Stephen's opponents resort to subterfuge. In private they prompt some to make the claim that they have heard Stephen speaking blasphemous things against Moses and God (also see vv. 13-14). In New Testament times blasphemy encompassed more than simply uttering the divine name (as in m. Sanhedrin 7:5); it was any slanderous or scurrilous word spoken against humankind or God or anything associated with his majesty and power (Lk 22:65; 23:39; compare 5:21; Num 15:30). The Hellenistic Jewish instigators and their agents arouse the elders and the teachers of the law and, for the first time, the people against the Christian witness (contrast Acts 2:47; 4:21; 5:13, 26). The opposition gathers such momentum that all rush on Stephen in a violent arrest (4:1; 19:29; compare Lk 8:29; Acts 27:15). - notes courtesy of Bible Gateway

God has showed you O man, what is good

Micah, meaning "who is like the LORD",  was a prophet who prophesied from approximately 737–696 BC in Judah and is the author of the Book of Micah. He was a contemporary of the prophets Isaiah, Amos and Hosea and is considered one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. Micah was from Moresheth-Gath, in southwest Judah. He prophesied during the reigns of kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah.

Micah's messages were directed mainly towards Jerusalem, and were a mixture of denunciations and prophecies. In his early prophecies, he predicted the destruction of both Samaria and Jerusalem for their respective sins. The people of Samaria were rebuked for worshipping idols which were bought with the income earned by prostitutes. Micah was the first prophet to predict the downfall of Jerusalem. According to him, the city was doomed because its beautification was financed by dishonest business practices, which impoverished the city’s citizens. He also called to account the prophets of his day, whom he accused of accepting money for their oracles.

Micah anticipated the destruction of the Judean state and promised its restoration more glorious than before. He prophesied an era of universal peace over which the Governor will rule from Jerusalem.   Micah also declared that when the glory of Zion and Jacob is restored that the LORD will force the Gentiles to abandon idolatry.

Micah rebuked Israel because of dishonesty in the marketplace and corruption in government. He threatened them on behalf of God with destruction. He told them what the LORD requires of them:

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”— Micah 6:8

Israel’s response to Micah’s charges and threats consisted of three parts: an admission of guilt, a warning of adversaries that Israel will rely on the LORD for deliverance and forgiveness, and a prayer for forgiveness and deliverance.

Another prophecy given by Micah details the future destruction of Jerusalem and the plowing of Zion (a part of Jerusalem). This passage (Micah 3:11-12), is stated again in Jeremiah 26:18, Micah’s only prophecy repeated in the Old Testament. Since then Jerusalem has been destroyed three times, the first one being the fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, about 150 years after Micah gave this prophecy.

Micah is described and his prophecies fulfilled in several places in the Bible. In Micah 5:2, there is a prophecy that reveals that Bethlehem, a small village just south of Jerusalem, would be the birthplace of the Messiah.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”— Micah 5:2

The righteous sing and rejoice

Upon first read of Proverbs 29, you might say "well, that is all kind of common sense stuff."

 Proverbs 29:2 "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." 

 or 

 Proverbs 29:12 "If a ruler hearken to lies, All his servants are wicked."

But what about:

Proverbs 29:9 "If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, Whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest."  You can't resolve anything with a fool, the fool just can not understand or reason. It is just a waste of time to even try to talk with fool. Remember the fool is one with no common sense and can't be reasoned with so don't waste your time.   

Proverbs 29:5 "A man that flattereth his neighbour Spreadeth a net for his feet."

Flatter recognizes something that is nice, and in turn uses it to bring on pride. Then when the pride comes, so does the fall. If you flatter someone don't over do it.

The book of Proverbs is often called a book of wisdom.  There are truths for everyone in this chapter alone.  It begins with an explanation of what happens when a man despises reproof- he hardens his neck; and concludes that a man who loves righteousness is an abomination to the wicked.  

Proverbs 29:6 "In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: But the righteous doth sing and rejoice."

Oh how I love Thy law!

Psalm 119 is a LONG chapter.  In the New International Version (NIV) it is 2,337 words long. It takes almost thirty minutes to read aloud. At 176 verses, it is the longest chapter in the Bible.  Why is this Psalm so long? Why does the psalmist seem to say the same thing over and over? And what is this Aleph, Beth, Gimmel stuff that some Bibles put between sections of the song?

The 119th Psalm is intriguing in many ways. Some of it has to do with the nature of Hebrew poetry. Some of it has to do with the nature of God. And some of it has to do with human nature.  All the verses of Psalm 119 relate to one central theme. Almost every one contains one or more of nine different, but related, words. Those are, in English and Hebrew:

Law (Torah)	26 times
Commandments (Mitzvah)	24 times
Word (Dabur)	24 times
Judgements (Mishpat)	23 times
Precepts (Pikkud)	21 times
Statutes (Chok)	21 times
Testimonies (Edah)	14 times
Way(s) (Derech)	14 times
Truth/faithfulness (Emunah)	6 times

Part of what intrigues us about the book, and maybe drives some of the facts above, is the nature of Hebrew poetry. The Psalms, and especially number 119, are not like English poetry.  In English poetry, and some in other Western languages as well, rhyme is king. There are some types of poetry in which rhyme is minor or non-existent. The greatest of all English poets, William Shakespere, only used rhyme in the closing couplets of each scene, in his plays. But when we think of poetry in English we most often think of rhyming poems, like those of Robert Frost or Edgar Alan Poe, of Tennyson or Cooleridge. Hebrew poetry does not emphasize rhyme.

Psalm 119 is a prime example of two aspects of Hebrew poetry. Those aspects color both its structure and its message.  One of those aspects is repetition, and boy does Psalm 119 use this. A quick reading of the Psalms and the Proverbs will make even the most casual observer note that the author frequently repeats a thought in slightly different words. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Ps 119:105)

Sometimes this method is used merely to show two ways of looking at something. Sometimes it is used for emphasis. Sometimes it serves as clarification. If you read something in the Hebrew idiom, especially in the poetic books, and have trouble understanding exactly what is meant, check within a few verses forward or backwards. Sometimes you will find a parallel sentence that will clarify the thought. This is true not only in the poetics; it may hold true in the Law as well.  The 119th Psalm is, essentially, one massive repetition, in which there might be other parallelisms. Every verse repeats, modifies, or explains every other verse of the psalm.

The second aspect of Hebrew poetry most evident in this psalm is the use of an acrostic. It normally does not come across clearly in translation, but some translators have made it more obvious in this one psalm. In an acrostic, the first letter of each line or group of lines either spells out a word or phrase, or consists of consecutive letters of the alphabet.

Let me tell you
Of my feelings;
Very much,
Emotions flow.

This is a very crude acrostic in which the first letters of each line spell out the emotion that the poet wants to express. Of course, this would not translate well because the English word “love” might translate as “amor” or “lyublyu.” That would destroy the effect. Most of the acrostic psalms, however, are alphabetic rather than linguistic. Some are twenty-two lines long, with each line beginning with successive letters. Psalm 119 consists of twenty-two groupings of eight lines, each grouping beginning with the same letter. That is why some translators put the appropriate Hebrew letter at the beginning of each section. The poet could even have made each alphabetic section contain a separate thought, had he so chosen. Thus the structure of the poem dictates its length, as well as constraining its language.

The interesting facts and the structure of the psalm are very good, but they don’t primarily impact the message of the poem. That message is the nature of God and his relationship to those of his creation who follow him. Look again at the list of key words in the psalm. They all relate to God’s message to man. Some may refer to things he tells his people without explaining the reason why (chok). Some relate to commands that demand our active attention (mitzvot). Still others relate to his characteristics that man should emulate (mishpat and emunah). All generally fall under the descriptions law, words, and way. God, in accordance with his nature, has communicated his will to man. He is not a creator who has put his toy on the shelf to let it run down and gather dust, as many of America’s founding fathers believed. He did not make man in his own image and then leave him to blindly grope about, nor did he make robots that must blindly follow him. He gave us his word, and the option to follow it.

And that leads to the second part of the message. God’s communication to man shows in almost every verse of the psalm. So does a reason for man’s acceptance of, and obedience to, that communication. The psalmist shows the benefit of listening to God. Sometimes God’s word helps us to praise him. “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.” (Ps 119:7) God’s word helps us answer those who oppose us. “So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.” (Ps 119:42) It teaches us how to avoid sin. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Ps 119:11) It gives us wisdom.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. (vv. 97-104)

It gives us hope. “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.” (v. 114). Mostly, it helps us to stand as righteous in God’s presence. By following the communications that God has given us, we have the right to commune with him. Just the fact that the psalmist takes 176 verses to say this shows how important communion with God was to him, and should be to us. - Tim O'Hearn, Minutes with Messiah

The battle is not yours, but God's - 2 Chronicles 16-20

2 Chronicles 20:6 – “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.  In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.”

“The brief account of Ahab's last battle that we read about [in Chapter 18] leaves us with a few questions about the involvement and survival of King Jehoshaphat. 
[Chapter 20] makes no further mention of the ill-fated battle. It notes only some of the positive accomplishments of Jehoshaphat's reign. [As we read in previous chapters] this man was one of the good kings of Judah, and these verses confirm that. Jehoshaphat enjoyed God's favor for the steps he took to rid Judah of perversion and idolatry.

But the questions linger. If Ahab was wrong in defying the prophet Micaiah's warning from God and going into battle, wasn't Jehoshaphat guilty of disobeying God too? And what was this good king doing linking up with Ahab in the first place? 

We find some answers in 2 Chronicles, where more details of Jehoshaphat's reign are recorded. He had allied himself with Ahab through marriage (2 Chron.18:1)-a very common diplomatic tactic in that day. So the occasion at which Ahab persuaded Jehoshaphat to help him take back Ramoth was a visit to the ""in-laws"" (18:2). 

But God was not pleased with this alliance, and Jehoshaphat was rebuked by a prophet when he returned to Jerusalem after barely escaping from the battle with his life (2 Chron. 19:1-3). 

But aside from this piece of bad judgment, Jehoshaphat was a religious reformer and a king who wanted his people to know and obey the Scriptures. He sent teachers with God's Law in their hands to the various towns of Judah (2 Chron. 17:7-9), and God honored the king for his devotion. 

And much like Joshua before him, Jehoshaphat once won a great battle without ever firing an arrow (2 Chron. 20:1-30). An invasion by the Moabites and Ammonites, two traditional enemies of God's people, may have been part of the discipline God brought on Jehoshaphat for his alliance with Ahab.

But the king and people of Judah humbly sought the Lord. God promised that the battle would be His, and the people were told to take their positions and watch what God would do. As they sang and praised, God Himself wiped out their enemies. Jehoshaphat's reign was largely a time of revival and peace (2 Chron. 20:30).

What a great word God gave Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah as the battle loomed: ""The battle is not yours, but God's"" (2 Chron. 20:15).  Is that a word you need to hear today? If you are facing something that seems overwhelming right now, give it to the Lord. Praise Him for His care, and watch Him work. If you know someone else who is going through a hard time, take time to share this encouraging verse with that person.”

- FB Meyer “Our Daily Homily”

Numbers 33-36

The children of Israel had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.  Their time there was not random, but rather planned out by God- a result of their lack of faith in God's provision.  Now it is time for them to possess the land that God promised them.  Before He gives them their instruction and direction for the land, He takes time to remind them of where they have been.  Chapter 33 details their journey.  Not just their geographical journey, but also their journey of grace and mercy through God's provision and guidance.

They will receive the promised land.  Just like the 40 years of wandering were not random, this entrance is well planned out by God.  He gives them the road map to the boundaries; the cities of the Levites, the priestly line; and how they should deal with those who currently possess the land.

Has God placed you in a place where you feel like you are wandering?  Does it feel as though you have been forgotten, or are wandering aimlessly with out a plan or a hope for a future?  If you are a child of God, He has His eye on your wandering and knows exactly where you are, and where you are going.  Trust Him and His plan.  He will provide during the time of wandering, and will provide you with the guidance you need to move into the land He has for you and your future.

The Crippled Man walks

Acts 3-4

“The apostles and the first believers attended the temple worship at the hours of prayer. Peter and John seem to have been led by a Divine direction, to work a miracle on a man above forty years old, who had been a cripple from his birth. Peter, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, bade him rise up and walk. Thus, if we would attempt to good purpose the healing of men's souls, we must go forth in the name and power of Jesus Christ, calling on helpless sinners to arise and walk in the way of holiness, by faith in Him. How sweet the thought to our souls, that in respect to all the crippled faculties of our fallen nature, the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth can make us whole! With what holy joy and rapture shall we tread the holy courts, when God the Spirit causes us to enter therein by his strength!”

- Taken from Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary