March 31, 2015. Daily Reading: I Samuel 11-15. Background: I Samuel 7-10. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 11 Becoming a king: Though Saul was chosen to be king in chapter 9 and anointed/presented as king in chapter 10, it isn’t until this chapter that he practically assumes his position. It seems as though Saul needs to prove…
Month: March 2015
Genesis 48-50: Blessings.
March 30, 2015. Daily Reading: Genesis 48-50. Background: Genesis 44-47. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 48 The blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh: As Jacob nears the end of his life and becomes ill, Joseph takes his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to his father so that he can bless his grandsons. Typically, the greater blessing would be…
I Corinthians 12-13: A better way.
March 29, 2015. Daily Reading: I Corinthians 12-13. Background: I Corinthians 11. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 12 1. Spiritual gifts: The Corinthian church was a church that was literally full of the Holy Spirit. Many of the members in Corinth had been given the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and were workers of supernatural miracles such…
Mark 3-4: The social Christ.
March 28, 2015. Daily Reading: Mark 3-4. Background: Mark 1-2. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 3 1. Antagonists to Christ: We see a couple of different antagonists to Christ in this chapter, one that is expected and another that might not be as obvious. The first is the opposition of the Pharisees, who were just waiting for…
Isaiah 62-66: A strong conclusion.
March 27, 2014. Daily Reading: Isaiah 62-66. Background: Isaiah 56-61. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 62 Coming salvation: At this time, Israel was in captivity and had been in this situation for some time. Now, the oracle turns to the thoughts of God, and His arousal to take vengeance for Israel, laying His mighty hand against this…
Job 23-24: Where is God?
March 26, 2015. Daily Reading: Job 23-24. Background: Job 22. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 23 Where is God? It seems as time progresses, Job is growing bolder in his questioning and more and more frustrated at the vain talk of his friends, who have proven to be ‘miserable comforters’ (see Job 16:2). Now he turns his…
Psalm 33-35: Shout to the Lord.
March 25, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 33-35. Background: Psalm 30-32. Chapter 33 Shout to the Lord: Psalm 33 is a wonderful psalm of praise that recaps the steadfast love and works that the Lord has done in all the earth. The praise of the Lord begins of the skill of the player praising the righteousness of…
I Samuel 7-10: Israel demands a king.
March 24, 2015. Daily Reading: I Samuel 7-10. Background: I Samuel 1-6. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 7 Fear and obedience: In the previous chapter, the ark of the covenant was returned to Israel from the Philistines due to the hand of the Lord being heavy on the Philistine cities that kept the ark. Though there was…
Genesis 44-47: Reunited.
March 23, 2015. Daily Reading: Genesis 44-47. Background: Genesis 40-43. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 44 Joseph tests his brothers: Just as in chapter 42, it is hard to speculate why Joseph chose to not tell his brothers who he was right away, but rather set up a trap for them as they went home so that…
I Corinthians 11: Special instructions.
March 22, 2015. Daily Reading: I Corinthians 11. Background: I Corinthians 9-10. Concepts and Connections: Chapter 11 1. Head coverings: The opening of this chapter has been in many rings of debate and discussion over the years as to the meaning and context, and what the church should do with this passage. To begin, we should…
Isaiah 56-61: Rebuke and glory.
March 21, 2015. Daily Reading: Isaiah 56-61. Background: Isaiah 51-55. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 56 The gathering of foreigners: The opening of this chapter is very interesting, especially for those who are not of a Jewish lineage. Often we think of Old Testament ideology as being completely against any other peoples who were not of the…
Mark 1-2: The early ministry of Jesus.
March 20, 2015. Just as a heads up, I have switched the order of reading for today and tomorrow. Today we will look at Mark 1-2, and tomorrow we will look at Isaiah 56-61. _________________________________________________________ Daily Reading: Mark 1-2. Background: Mark is the beginning of the testament of Christ, a recording of His ministry. Many…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 