May 21, 2015. Daily Reading: Proverbs 1. Background: The book of Proverbs is a “collection of collections” harboring the wisdom attributed to King Solomon, whose wisdom came directly from God (see I Kings 3). A consistent theme throughout the book is “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom,” as it takes this…
Author: Walt, Ph.D.
Psalm 57-59: Praising on the run.
May 20, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 57-59. Background: Psalm 54-56. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 57 Exaltation in the time of trouble: This psalm was written by David when he was fleeing from King Saul and hiding in a cave at Adullam (see I Samuel 22, 24). As we have seen in previous psalms, when David…
II Samuel 14-19: Absalom’s rise and fall.
May 19, 2015. Daily Reading: II Samuel 14-19. Background: II Samuel 10-13. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 14 Absalom’s return to Jerusalem: At the end of the last chapter, we find that Absalom fled to Geshur after he had killed Amnon his brother on account of his sister who was raped by Amnon. At first, David…
Exodus 25-28: Design for elements of tabernacle worship.
May 18, 2015. Daily Reading: Exodus 25-28. Background: Exodus 21-24. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 25 1. The contribution for the sanctuary: After giving practical laws in the previous chapter, the Lord commissions Moses to take up a freewill contribution (different from tithing) of the people to fill the sanctuary, which would be made according to…
Galatians 1-3: Rebuking the other gospel.
May 17, 2015. Daily Reading: Galatians 1-3. Background: This letter was written by Paul to the churches in Galatia with the apparent purpose of dealing with the differences between Jews and Gentiles in matters of fellowship and teachings, confronting the disputes that the Christians in Galatia were having over matters of the Mosaic Law and Gentile…
Luke 1-2: The birth of John the Baptizer and Jesus.
May 16, 2015. Daily Reading: Luke 1-2. Background: Luke is the third gospel in the cannon and is written by a disciple of Christ who sets out to tell the story of Jesus in a ordered, historical fashion. Luke is known as a physician (see Colossians 4:14) and is the author of two books of…
Jeremiah 32-36: Problems in Judah.
May 15, 2015. Daily Reading: Jeremiah 32-36. Background: Jeremiah 27-31. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 32 Jeremiah buys a field: As we begin this chapter, we find Jeremiah imprisoned by the court guard because of the negative prophecies he has made against Judah and King Zedekiah. Though the word was from the Lord, the king and the…
Job 40-42: Conclusions.
May 14, 2015. Daily Reading: Job 40-42. Background: Job 38-39. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 40 Seeing the glory of God through Behemoth: The Lord again addresses Job in a rhetorical way to emphasize the immense difference between man and God, and Job promises silence out of his shame for contending with the Almighty. This chapter…
Psalm 54-56: Trusting in the Lord in desperate situations.
May 13, 2014. Daily Reading: Psalm 54-56. Background: Psalm 51-53. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 54 Praying for deliverance: This psalm was written by David when he was fleeing from King Saul, who was trying to kill him out of jealousy. It specifically comes at a time when the Ziphites, in whose land David was dwelling to…
II Samuel 10-13: Problems in the house of David.
May 12, 2015. Daily Reading: II Samuel 10-13. Background: II Samuel 5-9. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 10 Think twice before you shame someone: In this chapter, we read about an interesting story in which an act of kindness spirals into all out war. The king of the Ammonites has died and David sent messengers to…
Exodus 21-24: Practical laws of the covenant.
May 11, 2015. Daily Reading: Exodus 21-24. Background: Exodus 17-20. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 21 Practical laws: After giving the ten commandments that are well known, the Lord continues His law, giving the children of Israel a basis for rule and government as they now would become their own people without the oversight of another nation….
II Corinthians 11-13: Paul’s concern and warnings.
May 10, 2015. Daily Reading: II Corinthians 11-13. Background: II Corinthians 10. Chapter 11 Apostles, true and false: Here, Paul has to once again defend himself to the Corinthians as an apostle and a minister of the gospel, as there were some in their number who did not like what Paul had to say and wanted…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 