October 30, 2015. Daily Reading: Jonah 1-4. Background: The book of Jonah is the fifth of the minor prophets and tells quite a story of a prophet who tried to run from his call from God. This story is a favorite children’s story, though the version that is told to children is often very different…
Tag: daily devotion
Ecclesiastes 1-2: All is vanity.
October 29, 2015. Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 1-2. Background: The book of Ecclesiastes is one of the most interesting and different books found in scripture. The words of the preacher, or teacher (or even gatherer- Hebrew “Qoheleth”) are traditionally ascribed to Solomon, though modern scholarship doesn’t take too well to this idea. The author never names…
Psalm 116-118: The love of the Lord endures forever.
October 28, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 116-118. Background: Psalm 114-115. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 116 The Lord delivers: This is a psalm of thanks to the Lord, acknowledging the Lord’s hearing and answering the prayers of the psalmist, delivering him from the snares of death and Sheol. The psalmist proclaims his love for the Lord…
II Chronicles 11-15: Rehoboam, Abijah and Asa.
October 27, 2015. Daily Reading: II Chronicles 11-15. Background: II Chronicles 6-10. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 11 Rehoboam: As the kingdom was divided in the previous chapter because of Rehoboam’s folly, we find him at the beginning of the chapter mounting an army to take back the tribes of Israel who were in rebellion against…
Numbers 29-32: Offerings, avenging and inheritance.
October 26, 2015. Daily Reading: Numbers 29-31. Background: Numbers 25-28. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 29 Offerings in the seventh month: The seventh month was a busy month for the Israelites, as they had several memorials and feasts set aside to worship the Lord. Here, Moses is given instructions about the offerings that were to be…
Hebrews 11-13: The outcome of faith.
October 25, 2015. Daily Reading: Hebrews 11-13. Background: Hebrews 9-10. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 11 The hall of faith: After demonstrating Christ as the bringer of a new and better covenant, showing Him though the Hebrew scriptures, the Hebrew writer goes onto here what is often referred to as the hall of faith. Defining faith…
Obadiah: The oracle against Edom.
October 23, 2015. Daily Reading: Obadiah. Background: Few clues are given in the text of this prophet to estimate the date and time periods that Obadiah prophesied. Different dates have been discussed based on contextual clues (such as Edom’s future raiding when Jerusalem is attacked), the two main suggestions being c. 850 BC, which would make…
Proverbs 30-31: Appendixes.
October 22, 2014. Daily Reading: Proverbs 30-31. Background: Proverbs 28-29. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 30 The words of Agur: As we approach the final two chapters of the book of proverbs, it is interesting to note that these are not proverbs of Solomon, but attributed to other people (though some would say that these people…
Psalm 114-115: The Lord.
October 21, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 114-115. Background: Psalm 111-113. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 114 Tremble at the presence of the Lord: Though this psalm is few in words, it is mighty in meaning, as it tells of the awesome presence of the Lord. In the beginning of the psalm, the people of God are…
II Chronicles 6-10: The end of Solomon and beginning of Rehoboam.
October 20, 2015. Daily Reading: II Chronicles 6-10. Background: II Chronicles 1-5. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 6 Solomon’s blessing and prayer: The majority of this text can be found in I Kings 8:12-15, see this section for notes. In short, Solomon blesses the people and prays a prayer of dedication after the completion of the…
Numbers 25-28: Before entering into the promised land.
October 19, 2015. Daily Reading: Numbers 25-28. Background: Numbers 21-24. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 25 Baal worship at Peor: After Balaam blesses Israel in the previous chapters, here we see that they once again have taken a turn for the worse as they lived in the land of Shiitic, where the Moabites were. It seems…
Hebrews 9-10: Christ’s sacrifice, once for all.
October 18, 2014. Daily Reading: Hebrews 9-10. Background: Hebrews 1-8. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 9 Old Covenant worship and Jesus Christ: The Hebrew writer showed us in the previous chapter that through Jesus, a better ministry was brought forth. Here, he seeks to examine the sanctuary and temple worship to show us how the ministry that…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 