December 17, 2015. Daily Reading: Song of Songs 4-6. Background: Song of Songs 1-3. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 4 The consummation of marriage: The majority of this chapter is dedicated to Solomon’s admiration of his bride’s beauty. He describes her form in such detail that we still blush in parts of the poetry today. There…
Psalm 135-138: The steadfast love of the Lord.
December 16, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 135-138. Background: Psalm 132-134. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 135 Praising the Lord: This is a psalm about praising the Lord, calling all His servants into His praise. The psalmist calls for praise to the Lord because He is good and His name is pleasant. The Lord had chosen the…
Ezra 5-10: Finishing the temple and seeking the Lord.
December 15, 2015. Daily Reading: Ezra 5-10. Background: Ezra 1-4. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 5 The rebuilding begins again: After a long period of cessation due to persecution, Haggai and Zechariah, prophets of the Lord, stirred up the Jews who had returned to Judah and Jerusalem to begin again rebuilding the temple. The two strong leaders,…
Deuteronomy 16-19: Statues.
December 14, 2015. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 16-19. Background: Deuteronomy 13-15. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 16 The Passover, Feast of Weeks and Feast of Booths: The main body of this passage deals with three feasts that the children of Israel were to hold each year as memorials and religious ceremonies to the Lord God. The first…
II John: Truth and love.
December 13, 2o15. Daily Reading: II John. Background: This is John’s second epistle written to those that he loved in truth, likely disciples of whom the aged apostle had some role of oversight (see background to I John). The elder expresses his love for them and his joy in finding some of them walking in…
Acts 15-18: The second missionary journey.
December 12, 2015. Daily reading: Acts 15-18. Background: Acts 13-14. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 15 1. The Jerusalem counsel: As Paul and Barnabas return from their first missionary journey and proceeded to tell the Jewish believers in Antioch all that God had done for the Gentiles through them, there were some men who were of…
Song of Songs 1-3: The courtship.
December 10, 2015. Daily Reading: Song of Songs 1-3. Background: Traditionally attributed to Solomon, the Song of Songs is very unique amongst the Hebrew scriptures as it is, in its base form, a celebration of romantic love between a husband and wife as we travel through their courtship and subsequent marriage. The courtship is described in…
Psalm 132-134: The last of the songs of ascents.
December 9, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 132-134. Background: Psalm 129-131. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 132 The Lord’s choice through David: Another psalm in the series of the songs of ascents (see psalm 120), this psalm speaks of the house of the Lord that David sought to build (see II Samuel 7 and I Chronicles 22, 28)…
Ezra 1-4: The beginning of rebuilding the temple.
December 8, 2015. Daily Reading: Ezra 1-4. Background: The book of Ezra was originally combined with the book of Nehemiah until it was divided into two books by Christians around the third century. The story records the story of the exile’s return from Babylonian captivity to rebuild the temple, as per Cyrus’ decree that is…
Deuteronomy 13-15: Laws for the people of God.
December 7, 2015. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 13-15. Background: Deuteronomy 10-12. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 13 Serving the Lord only: As part of the core of the Deuteromic core, the main teaching of this chapter is never to listen to anyone who suggests to go and serve other gods. This has a close connection to the…
I John 1-5: Walking in the Light.
December 6, 2015. Daily Reading: I John 1-5. Background: The first of three letters that have been persevered, I John is attributed to the Apostle John, author of the gospel that bears his name. The letter is written to what would seem to be believers that the aged apostle held in his care, who he…
Acts 13-14: The first missionary journey.
December 5, 2015. Daily reading: Acts 13-14. Background: Acts 10-12. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 13 The first missionary Journey, Paul and Barnabas: As Paul and Barnabas were staying in Antioch doing much teaching, the Holy Spirit called them out specifically to a work that He had appointed them to do. Notice that even after they were…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 