Month: November 2024

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 9:1-11:1
  1 John 2:18-3:6
  Psalm 121:1-8
  Proverbs 28:27-28

Daniel 9:2 — Prophecy is easier to understand at the time when it is being fulfilled as opposed to when it is given. Notice the interconnection of Scripture; Peter wrote about Paul’s writings (2 Peter 3:15-16), now Daniel writes about Jeremiah’s writings.

Daniel 9:5 — Compare this verse to Nehemiah’s repentance on behalf of his nation (Nehemiah 1:7).

Daniel 9:11 — Daniel recognizes that Moses’ prophecy is being fulfilled (Deuteronomy 27).

Daniel 9:17-19 — Daniel begs God four times to listen in these three verses, not because the Israelites deserve it but because of “thy great mercies” (Daniel 9:18).

Daniel 9:24 — What are the Seventy Weeks and how are they counted? From BobShelton.org:

Daniel 10:13 — Spiritual warfare is real. We read about it in Jude 1:9, Zechariah 3:2, and Revelation 12:7.

Daniel 10:15 — Daniel spoke much before the vision, but after God revealed His truth to Daniel, Daniel went silent. Job had much to say to God, but when God spoke, Job replied, “I uttered that I understood not” (Job 42:3).

Sadly many people deny that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). Doctrine matters, for if you do not follow the Son, you cannot claim the Father.

Some think that all religions worship the same God, but someone shared this answer to the claim. If you were to ask me if I know John Smith, and I say, “Yes, and I know his wife, Julie, and his son, Bob.” Then, if you say, “John’s never been married,” we’re probably not talking about the same John Smith. Likewise, if your Jesus is not Christ, the living God, then it’s probably another Jesus.

1 John 3:1 — Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us!

1 John 3:2 — Wow! We shall be like Him? God is good to us!

Psalm 121:4 — Isn’t it great to know that God does not sleep nor does He slumber!

Proverbs 28:27 — Doesn’t that seem contradictory? Givers won’t lack, but hoarders will suffer? Jesus followed up on that in Matthew 20:16.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 8:1-27
  1 John 2:1-17
  Psalm 120:1-7
  Proverbs 28:25-26

Welcome to December! You are in the final month of the year, and it’s been an incredible time of digging into God’s Word!

Daniel 8:1 — From John Walvoord:

Two important factors mark Daniel 8 as the beginning of a new section. First, beginning with this chapter, the language returns to Hebrew instead of the Aramaic used by Daniel from 2:4 through 7:28. Second, the change of language is in keeping with the change in thought introduced by this chapter. From here to the end of Daniel, the prophecy, even though it concerns the Gentiles, is occupied with human history as it relates to Israel.

https://walvoord.com/article/249

Daniel 8:11-14 — What is this 2,300 days about? The Millerites thought it meant the return of Jesus by October 22, 1844, but the teaching instead brought about the “Great Disappointment.”

Most scholars believe this refers to Antiochus Epiphanes, the leader of the Syrian kingdom that emerged from Alexander the Great’s empire. The Book of 1 Maccabees tells about Antiochus during the intertestamental period. Walvoord discusses the 2,300 days:

The terminus ad quem of the twenty-three hundred days is taken by most expositors as 164 B.C. when Antiochus Epiphanes died during a military campaign in Media. This permitted the purging of the sanctuary and the return to Jewish worship. Figuring from this date backward twenty-three hundred days would fix the beginning time at 171 BC. In that year, Onias III, the legitimate high priest, was murdered and a pseudo line of priests assumed power. This would give adequate fulfillment in time for the twenty-three hundred days to elapse at the time of the death of Antiochus.

https://walvoord.com/article/249

Daniel 8:16 — I’m glad he asked Gabriel to make Daniel understand. Daniel, one of the wisest men ever, “was astonished” and “was sick certain days” as a result (Daniel 8:27)!

1 John 2:1 — What does it mean that Jesus is our advocate? My grandfather used to host a television program, Advocates in Adversity, featuring attorneys and judges to talk about legal issues. If you’ve dealt with the legal system, attorneys are expensive. Jesus Christ is my attorney, and though I can’t afford Him, He’s representing me pro bono!

1 John 2:2 — Not just my attorney, but my propitiation as well! There’s a big debate in theological circles between the words propitiation (satisfying the wrath of God) and expiation (removing the guilt). If we believe God is angry at sin, then His wrath needs to be placated. From R.C. Sproul:

Therefore, Christ’s supreme achievement on the cross is that He placated the wrath of God, which would burn against us were we not covered by the sacrifice of Christ. So if somebody argues against placation or the idea of Christ satisfying the wrath of God, be alert, because the gospel is at stake. This is about the essence of salvation—that as people who are covered by the atonement, we are redeemed from the supreme danger to which any person is exposed. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of a holy God Who’s wrathful. But there is no wrath for those whose sins have been paid. That is what salvation is all about.

https://www.ligonier.org/blog/two-important-words-good-friday-expiation-and-propitiation/

1 John 2:3 — John goes back to the words of Jesus that he recorded in John 14:15. To love Jesus is to obey Him. If we obey Him, then we know Him.

Another sign of the fake Christian:

• Does not keep His commandments (1 John 2:4)
• Hates his brother (1 John 2:9)
• Loves the world (1 John 2:15)

Many Christians don’t realize we are in a war. There are only two sides. Either you are on the world’s side or on Jesus’ side. Before you make your choice as to which side you’re on, remember “the world passeth away … but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever (1 John 2:17).”

Psalm 120:2 — Notice the psalmist’s cry for deliverance from those with lying lips and a deceitful tongue. We read in 1 John 2:4 about the liars, i.e. those who claim to know God but don’t keep His commandments. The psalmist is vexed not just by people who are straightforward about their animosity toward God, but also by those who claim to be followers of the LORD but backstab other followers.

Proverbs 28:24-25 — Contrast the trust in the LORD with the trust in your own heart. Disney tells you to “follow your heart,” but God says not to trust your heart (Jeremiah 17:9).

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 7:1-28
  1 John 1:1-10
  Psalm 119:153-176
  Proverbs 28:23-24

Daniel 7:1 — Nebuchadnezzar had dreams, and now Daniel has his own dream. Notice that this chapter is not in chronological order. According to Jimmy DeYoung:

The way to read through Daniel, chapter by chapter, is in the following order: 1-2-3-4-7-8-5-6-9-10-11-12. This is the chronological order for the book of Daniel.

Daniel 7:4-8 — From Jimmy DeYoung:

The “lion with eagles wings” is the Babylonian Empire, verse 4. The “bear with three ribs in its mouth,” verse 5, is the Medo-Persian Empire. In verse 6, the “leopard with four wings and four heads” is the Grecian Empire.

The “dreadful beast” in verse 7 is the “Roman Empire” (see my audio series, “The Daniel Papers”). Notice the “ten horns” of the “dreadful beast” in verse 7 and in verse 8, the “little horn” that comes out of the “ten horns”. The “ten horns” represent the “Revived Roman Empire” and the “little horn” is one of twenty-seven names for the “Antichrist”.

http://devotional.prophecytoday.com/2018/01/daniel-714.html

Daniel 7:13-14 — Notice the “Son of Man” and the “Ancient of Days.” John MacArthur states that Daniel 7:14 is when the Son “receives the kingdom.” MacArthur lists five features of the Kingdom: authority, honor, monarchy, universal, eternal. Jesus identified himself as the Son of Man (Matthew 25:31-32), but in doing so identified Himself as the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 34:17).

Notice the themes throughout Scripture. Compare Daniel 7:14 (“dominion, glory, kingdom”) to 1 Peter 5:11 (“glory and dominion”) and Jude 1:25 (“glory and majesty, dominion and power”) to Revelation 1:6 (“glory and dominion”).

Daniel 7:24-25 — Meet the Antichrist:

• rebuking the Most High
• repressing the saints
• redefining the times and laws

Daniel 7:28 — Scared by the Antichrist? So was Daniel!

1 John 1:1 — Notice the testimony of John: I heard it with my ears, saw it with my eyes, handled it with my hands, and I’m showing it to you so that your joy may be full (1 John 1:4).

1 John 1:5 — Follow John’s logical argument (a modus tollens, to be technical).

• If God, then no darkness (1 John 1:5)
• If darkness, no God (1 John 1:6)
• God and “no God” = law of non-contradiction = lie

1 John 1:9 — The greatest promise of the Epistles: forgiveness of sins if we confess!

Psalm 119:160 — Notice the similarity between 1 John 1:1 (“from the beginning”) and Genesis 1:1 (“in the beginning”).

Psalm 119:165 — Rest in this verse today!

Proverbs 28:23 — Just another way of sharing Proverbs 27:6.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 6:1-28
  2 Peter 3:1-18
  Psalm 119:129-152
  Proverbs 28:21-22

Daniel 6:2 — When the president of a new political party takes over in Washington, he usually replaces all of the previous president’s cabinet appointees. Daniel survived not just a new party but a new empire as well!

Daniel 6:3 — Pray for the “Daniels” in office today!

Daniel 6:11 — If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Daniel 6:21 — Even having been thrown into the lions’ den, Daniel was still respectful to the king.

2 Peter 3:2 — Peter is again emphasizing the importance of Scripture, the Old Testament prophets, and the New Testament apostles. In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter affirms that Paul’s writings are not just inspired Scriptures, but they also contain “some things hard to be understood.”

2 Peter 3:4 — From Dr. Henry Morris at the Institute for Creation Research (ICR):

Uniformitarianism is the modern name for the doctrine, prophesied long ago by Peter for those living in the last days, that “the present is the key to the past.” That is, the study of present-day natural processes (biological recombination, geological sedimentation, etc.) operating in the past as they do at present, are sufficient to determine the origin and development of all things. To them, no supernatural cause (such as God!) is needed. Even “creation” is still going on by these natural processes, since “all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

Peter, however, not only predicts this philosophy but also condemns it! “For this they willingly are ignorant of!” (v. 5). That is, people who believe in the unbroken continuity of all things are willful in their refusal to consider the overwhelming evidences of dis-continuity, particularly at the times of the special creation of all things in the beginning and the cataclysmic destruction of all things at the great flood, when “the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” (v. 6).

https://www.icr.org/article/uniformitarianism/

2 Peter 3:9 — God is not willing that any should perish!

2 Peter 3:11-12 — If this world is going to burn, where should you lay up your treasure? In the New Heavens and the New Earth! We read about it in Ezekiel and will read about it again in Revelation!

2 Peter 3:18 — From Earl Martin:

Psalm 119:136 — Let’s pray that God would give us a heart like this!

Proverbs 28:22 — Again the danger of hastening to be rich. Desires often lead to the opposite.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 5:1-31
  2 Peter 2:1-22
  Psalm 119:113-128
  Proverbs 28:19-20

Daniel 5:7 — Until 1854, historians denied the reign of Belshazzar.

All other known historical records once disagreed. Ancient historians like Herodotus, Megasthenes, Berossus, and Alexander Polyhistor, not to mention a vast number of cuneiform documents, were united in claiming that the last king of the Neo-Babylonian empire was Nabonidus. Belshazzar was not even mentioned anywhere except in the book of Daniel and literature derived from it.

https://creation.com/archaeology-belshazzar

So why did Belshazzar offer only the third ruler in the Kingdom? Because his dad, King Nabonidus, was still alive!

As for me, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, save me from sinning against your great godhead and grant me as a present a life long of days, and as for Belshazzar, the eldest son -my offspring- instill reverence for your great godhead in his heart and may he not commit any cultic mistake, may he be sated with a life of plenitude.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinders_of_Nabonidus

The Nabonidus Chronicle reveals that “The king spent ten years in Arabia and left Babylonia administered by his son, Bel-shar-usur (Belshazzar of the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament).” (Wikipedia)

Daniel 5:21 — Yesterday we looked at the evidence for the seemingly incredible account of Nebuchadnezzar’s madness. Today we see Daniel is doubling down on his story.

Daniel 5:30 — A very abrupt transition between Daniel 5:29 and Daniel 5:31. Who is Darius the Mede and why doesn’t history have a record of him? From DefendingInerrancy.com:

Some modern scholars claim that the author of Daniel mistakenly thought that the Medes conquered Babylon instead of the Persians. They claim that this author then confused Darius I, king of Persia (521–486 b.c.) with the conqueror of Babylon and identified this figure as Darius the Mede. However, there is no reason to assume that the Book of Daniel is in error. Darius the Mede is a different person from Darius I of Persia. Darius the Mede was a subordinate to Cyrus the Great. Cuneiform texts refer to Darius the Mede as Gubaru who was appointed by Cyrus to be governor over all of Babylonia. The tendency to deny the historical accuracy of Daniel simply because there is currently no corroborating historical information stems from the antisupernatural bias of modern scholarship. Daniel’s historical record has proven to be a reliable source of information.

http://defendinginerrancy.com/bible-solutions/Daniel_5.31.php

2 Peter 2:1 — Peter is warning about false prophets in the church! There are 8 warnings about false prophets in the gospels and epistles. Notice that we’re not even done with the first century and Peter is warning about people “even denying the Lord that bought them.” Sadly, as we look through church history, we see many false doctrines that were spread throughout Christendom. From Randy Alcorn’s Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM):

More theological battles have been lost to enemies inside the church than to those outside. The evil one has targeted us for deception. Nothing less than the welfare of God’s people is at stake.

https://www.epm.org/blog/2017/May/29/church-history-false-teachers

2 Peter 2:7 — Peter just solved a mystery. Notice how Peter describes Lot – “just Lot,” “righteous man” (2 Peter 2:8), and “the godly” (2 Peter 2:9). Up until now, we weren’t quite sure if Lot was a follower of God or not. Because he was living in Sodom and he committed incest with his daughters (Genesis 19:33-36), we weren’t quite sure what his spiritual condition was.

2 Peter 2:10 — After warning about the “lust of uncleanness,” we see this warning about “despis[ing] government.” Why the concern about maintaining authority? Rebels “are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.” Go back a few verses to 2 Peter 2:4 – angels in heaven had rebelled against God, and they were cast into chains of darkness in hell. God takes rebellion as seriously as witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23).

2 Peter 2:22 — This is a vivid and viscerally repulsive portrayal of the danger of false teachers. How can we avoid false teachers? By seeking sound doctrine!

Psalm 119:120 — Do you have a healthy respect for God?

Psalm 119:126 — Reminds me of Psalm 127:1.

Proverbs 28:19-20 — Notice the tension here – work is good, work will bring riches, but seeking riches is not good. May we seek to be faithful and not “hasten to be rich.” Speaking of get-rich-quick schemes, 95% of people in multi-level-marketing (MLM) drop out within ten years, and 99.71% of participants lose money. The average American spends $223.04 per year on the lottery.

The average Massachusetts resident spends $767 per year on the lottery trying to get rich quick. But if he invested the same $767 every year at 8% interest, by the time he retired, he would have $1,846,607.48! You CAN be rich slowly!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 4:1-37
  2 Peter 1:1-21
  Psalm 119:97-112
  Proverbs 28:17-18

Daniel 4:1 — John Walvoord makes an interesting observation:

In the background of this account is the obvious concern of Daniel the prophet for the man whom he had served for so many years. Daniel, a man of prayer, undoubtedly prayed for Nebuchadnezzar and eagerly sought some evidence of God’s working in his heart. While the experience of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 4 was not what Daniel had anticipated, the outcome must have approximated Daniel’s fondest hope.

https://walvoord.com/article/245

Daniel 4:30 — At the Oriental Institute in Chicago, they have a brick from Babylon with the name of Nebuchadnezzar carved into it.

Daniel 4:32 — John Walvoord states that this has been diagnosed as boanthropy:

[Dr. Raymond Harrison] actually observed a clinical case of boanthropy in a British mental institution in 1946. The patient was in his early 20’s, who reportedly had been hospitalized for about five years. His symptoms were well-developed on admission, and diagnosis was immediate and conclusive. He was of average height and weight with good physique, and was in excellent bodily health. His mental symptoms included pronounced anti-social tendencies, and because of this he spent the entire day from dawn to dusk outdoors, in the grounds of the institution … His daily routine consisted of wandering around the magnificent lawns with which the otherwise dingy hospital situation was graced, and it was his custom to pluck up and eat handfuls of the grass as he went along. On observation he was seen to discriminate carefully between grass and weeds, and on inquiry from the attendant the writer was told the diet of this patient consisted exclusively of grass from hospital lawns. He never ate institutional food with the other inmates, and his only drink was water… The writer was able to examine him cursorily, and the only physical abnormality noted consisted of a lengthening of the hair and a coarse, thickened condition of the finger-nails. Without institutional care, the patient would have manifested precisely the same physical conditions as those mentioned in Daniel 4:33 … From the foregoing it seems evident that the author of the fourth chapter of Daniel was describing accurately an attestable, if rather rare, mental affliction.

https://walvoord.com/article/245

Daniel 4:33 — Could this really have happened? AgainstDoubt.com goes into detail, as does EnduringWord.com:

Some dismiss this account of Nebuchadnezzar’s madness as unhistorical, but there is no historical record of his governmental activity between 582 B.C. and 575 B.C. This silence is deafening, especially when we keep in mind how Near Eastern leaders liked to egotistically trumpet their achievements – and hide their embarrassments.

https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-4/

Daniel 4:34 — Nebuchadnezzar realized man is nothing (Daniel 4:35), but God is everything!

2 Peter 1:3 — We have “all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” We have no excuse!

2 Peter 1:21 — Peter lays out the case for the inspiration of Scripture. Daniel 4 isn’t a collection of fables as Wikipedia tells us is the scholarly consensus. Scripture came as the Holy Ghost moved in holy men of God.

Psalm 119:97 — What is our response to the inspired Word of Scripture? Love it!

Psalm 119:105 — From Earl Martin:

Proverbs 28:18 — Solomon is picking up on his father’s theme in Psalm 2.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 2:24-3:30
  1 Peter 4:7-5:14
  Psalm 119:81-96
  Proverbs 28:15-16

Daniel 2:24 — Daniel has the answer and intercedes to protect the pagan astrologers (Daniel 2:27).

Daniel 2:30 — Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the magicians didn’t have the answer (Daniel 2:27), that he didn’t have the answer (Daniel 2:30), but that God had all the answers (Daniel 2:28).

Daniel 2:44 — What message did Jesus preach? In Matthew 4:17 we read “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Pilate didn’t know about Daniel’s prophecy that the Kingdom of Jesus would destroy all other kingdoms (Daniel 2:34), or he would have been more concerned.

Daniel 3:1 — Wonder where Nebuchadnezzar got the idea from?

Daniel 3:2 — Notice the comprehensiveness in this chapter: every officer (Daniel 3:2-3), every group (Daniel 3:4), every instrument (Daniel 3:5, Daniel 3:7, Daniel 3:10, Daniel 3:15), and every garment (Daniel 3:21). Speaking of everyone, where was Daniel? Was he on an official errand or did he call in sick that day?

Daniel 3:18 — Notice that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (their Jewish names) did not know that God would save them from the fire, only that He could (Daniel 3:17).

Daniel 3:24 — They wouldn’t bend, they wouldn’t bow, and they wouldn’t burn!

Daniel 3:25 — Yes, walking through the flames was the Son of God!

1 Peter 4:7 — Closing comments from Peter:

• Pray (1 Peter 4:7)
• Love (1 Peter 4:8)
• Hospitality (1 Peter 4:9)
• Minister (1 Peter 4:10)
• Glorify God (1 Peter 4:11)
• Rejoice (1 Peter 4:13)
• Behave (1 Peter 4:15)

1 Peter 5:2 — Notice the tension in the responsibility of oversight (1 Peter 5:2). The elder was to lead, but he was also to refrain from lordship (1 Peter 5:3). Peter is calling for servant leadership.

1 Peter 5:7 — We want the peace of God, knowing He can solve our problems. But what is antecedent? Humility (1 Peter 5:6) and submission to others (1 Peter 5:5). If you do so, He will give you grace (1 Peter 5:5), exaltation (1 Peter 5:6), and care (1 Peter 5:7).

1 Peter 5:8 — From Earl Martin:

1 Peter 5:13 — Many think that this is John Mark, the one that caused strife between Paul and Barnabas. They also believe that Mark’s gospel came from Peter’s accounts as told to John Mark.

Psalm 119:81 — Need hope? Go to the Word! We saw the flagship verse for removing stress (1 Peter 5:7), and can replace worry with hope in the Word (Psalm 119:81). We see in this section the Word is a comfort (Psalm 119:82), faithful (Psalm 119:86), a help (Psalm 119:86), and a delight (Psalm 119:92).

Proverbs 28:15 — The wicked ruler is compared to a roaring lion – who did we just read about that is also a roaring lion? 1 Peter 5:8 – the devil!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Daniel 1:1-2:23
  1 Peter 3:8-4:6
  Psalm 119:65-80
  Proverbs 28:14

Daniel 1:6 — Welcome to Daniel! Daniel and his three friends – not Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (those were the Babylonian names focused on the Babylonian deities), but Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (the Hebrew names, each extolling an attribute of the LORD God of Israel)!

Imagine Jerusalem falling and being taken prisoner to the other end of the known world. If you’ve been on one of our trips to Chicago, you can see parts of the Ishtar gate of Babylon – a beautifully constructed 46 foot high wall of glazed brick. Separated from home, awed by the beauty of Babylon, and given new names (Daniel 1:7) to strip them of their identity, will Daniel and his three wise friends (Daniel 1:4) maintain their faithfulness to the God of (conquered) Israel or will they be assimilated into the melting pot of Mesopotamia?

Daniel 1:21 — Daniel was diligent in his work (Proverbs 22:29), and now he stood before Nebuchadnezzar, Belteshazzar, Darius, and even Cyrus!

Daniel 2:4 — The phrase “in Syriack” indicates that from here to the end of chapter 7 the text is no longer in Hebrew but in Aramaic, the language of the Syrians.

Daniel 2:8 — Nebuchadnezzar has had enough of the palace retinue and official courtiers. In Daniel 2:12, we see that Nebuchadnezzar was finally willing to “drain the swamp.”

Daniel 2:16 — Notice that Daniel had the credibility to go to the king. While he wasn’t part of the “good old boys” club of favorites, Daniel’s words were esteemed.

Daniel 2:18 — Daniel and his friends prayed for mercy and thanked God for the answer (Daniel 2:20).

1 Peter 3:10 — Both Peter and James (James 1:26) had to deal with problems with the tongue. Good thing gossip isn’t a modern problem!

1 Peter 3:15 — Can you share the reason for the hope in you? There are great tools like Evangelism Explosion and Way of the Master that can teach you how to witness to others!

1 Peter 3:19 — Who were the spirits in prison? They were not men, but rather Genesis 6 angels, described in Jude 1:6. They were spirit beings that heard the declaration that Jesus was victorious! From GotQuestions.org:

First, let’s look at the word spirits. It is a translation of the Greek word pneumasin, a form of the word pneuma, which means “air, breath, wind.” It is used in the New Testament to refer to angels (Hebrews 1:14), demons (Mark 1:23), the spirit of Jesus (Matthew 27:50), the Holy Spirit (John 14:17), and the spiritual part of man (1 Corinthians 2:11). While the Bible makes it clear that human beings possess spirits (Hebrews 4:12), the Bible never refers to human beings as simply “spirits.” In contrast, God the Holy Spirit, angels, and demons are never said to possess spirits; they are spirits. So the standard meaning of the word spirits in the phrase spirits in prison argues for the spirits’ being something other than human beings.

https://www.gotquestions.org/spirits-in-prison.html

1 Peter 3:21 — Many people point to this verse as proof of baptismal regeneration, but the parenthetical comment seems to disclaim any idea of water-based baptism. This is a baptism of the Spirit.

1 Peter 4:1 — Christ’s sufferings paid the price to free us from the power of sin!

Psalm 119:65 — Notice the quality of the Psalmist’s interaction with the Word: “thou hast dealt well,” “good judgment” (Psalm 119:66), “Thou art good and doest good” (Psalm 119:68), “It is good for me” (Psalm 119:71), and “thy judgments are right” (Psalm 119:75). There is an objective positive quality to the Word of God!

Proverbs 28:14 — The word “fear” is “me-pa-hed,” giving the idea of “to dread, be in dread, or in awe.” The hard-hearted man thinks there is nothing greater than him. The follower of God’s fear leads to humility.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 47:1-48:35
  1 Peter 2:11-3:7
  Psalm 119:49-64
  Proverbs 28:12-13

Ezekiel 47:1 — Jimmy DeYoung notes the similarities between this and “when water flows from the throne of God” in Revelation 22:1. Right now, the east side of the Temple Mount is fairly dry. Here’s some photo’s I took when I was in Israel: As you can see, it’s not quite “a river that could not be passed over” (Ezekiel 47:5). Nor has the Dead Sea been healed yet (Ezekiel 47:8). There’s no fishers at En Gedi yet (Ezekiel 47:10), but the LORD God is saying that it will happen!

Ezekiel 47:16 — Hamath is 240 kilometers north of the current northern Israelite border in Mount Hermon. This prophecy is still yet to be fulfilled.

Ezekiel 47:23 — The LORD God is allowing for immigration into the land of Israel, but this is not just immigration – He’s calling for adoption. The stranger will have an inheritance of the tribes of Israel? That’s what Paul talked about in Romans 9:4; adoption of non-Jews into the Israelites.

We read earlier about God’s Old Testament immigration policy in Ezekiel 44:9 – they must be circumcised in heart and flesh. But as Paul declared, we are circumcised by Jesus Christ in the flesh when He took away our sinful flesh (Colossians 2:11) and circumcised our heart (Romans 2:29). We are risen with Him (Colossians 2:12).

Ezekiel 48 — Here’s a map from 1729 depicting what they thought it would look like:

Ezekiel 48:35 — Ezekiel’s vision closes out similar to Revelation 21:2-3, noting that the LORD God is there. We have a different arrangement of the twelve tribes from Numbers 2, though. Also notice that the twelve gates match up to the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:12.

When we get to Revelation, we’ll read about the New Jerusalem. Both the New Jerusalem and Ezekiel’s city are perfect squares. Some compare the “camp of the saints and the beloved city” in Revelation 20:9 to the City of Ezekiel, but the New Jerusalem, measured like Ezekiel’s city was, is 1,000 times bigger, with walls 1,380 miles high (or almost 6x the height of the International Space Station). God is preparing a place for us (John 14:3)!

I Peter 2:13-14 — Peter echoes Paul’s message in Romans 13 – submission to human government. God ordained human government back in Genesis 9:6, authorizing mankind for the first time to execute capital punishment.

1 Peter 2:18 — Why does the Bible justify slavery? The Roman “servants” were not there of their own freewill. In spite of this, though, Peter tells the servants to submit to their masters, even the froward ones (those difficult to deal with) who may even punish those who are doing well (1 Peter 2:20). He calls for wives to submit to their husbands (1 Peter 3:1). Why?

Jesus had more rights than anyone. He had less sin than anyone. To be accurate, He had no sin (1 Peter 2:22). Yet He suffered (1 Peter 2:21), submitted himself to unjust human government, to cruel Roman masters, to Jewish taunts without retort (1 Peter 2:22), in order to bring us life through His death.

1 Peter 2:24 — Peter declares the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:5 – “… with his stripes we are healed!”

1 Peter 3:7 — Husbands, want God to listen to your prayers? Dwell with your wife according to knowledge! Honor her!

Psalm 119:49 — Are you discouraged? Hope in God’s Word! Need comfort in affliction? Go to the Word (Psalm 119:50). Need a song? Go to the statutes (Psalm 119:54). Can’t sleep in the night? Remember the LORD (Psalm 119:55). Be not discouraged!

Proverbs 28:13 — God already knows what sins you’ve committed. Just admit to Him what He already knows!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 45:13-46:24
  1 Peter 1:13-2:10
  Psalm 119:33-48
  Proverbs 28:11

Ezekiel 45:18 — Instead of putting the blood on the walls of the peoples’ houses (Exodus 12:7), the blood is put on the walls of the Temple. From Adam Clarke:

 There is nothing of this in the Mosaic law; it seems to have been a new ceremony. An annual purification of the sanctuary may be intended.

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/ezekiel/45.htm

Ezekiel 46:1 — Nehemiah 13:19 records how Nehemiah shut the gate for the Sabbath, but this gate is open only on the Sabbath. Interestingly, the Prince (Ezekiel 46:2) is not able to prepare his own offering; we still see a distinction between the political and the priestly roles. We’ll see this gate open again in Ezekiel 46:12, interestingly, to connect the Temple with the Mount of Olives.

Ezekiel 46:16 — Another clue as to the identity of the Prince. Is it a resurrected David? Possibly. Is it Jesus? Unlikely because the Prince offers a sin offering for himself and for the people. Was it Zerubbabel? Unlikely because Zerubbabel did not have a mile wide temple in a city almost as wide as modern Israel. Whoever it is would be of the Davidic line however.

1 Peter 1:13 — Get ready! Jesus is coming! What is the point of prophecy? So we can pass a test and recite the identities of the ten toes? No!

1. Clean up our minds – don’t let the loins drag in the dirt. We don’t have time to be stuck in the muck of the world. The Art of Manliness has an illustrated guide of how you can gird up your loins.
2. Concentrate on the task – don’t be distracted with the lusts of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life.
3. Confidence in the end – hope, a sure foundation that trusts in the grace of Jesus’ return.

1 Peter 1:15 — Peter returns to the theme of Leviticus. He echoes Leviticus 11:44-45 and transitions to a new model of comparison – the LORD Jesus! No, we can’t say we’re better than the Joneses; we have to see how we line up compared to the God of eternity!

1 Peter 1:19 — Martha Garvin shares with us how we’ve been Redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb!

1 Peter 1:25 — The only two things that will last forever are God’s Word and the souls of people.

1 Peter 2:9 — From Earl Martin:

1 Peter 2:9 — This is the fourth time in the Bible that God uses the phrase “peculiar people.” Notice also the phrase “royal priesthood.” We are both royalty (as adopted children of the King) and priests – able to access God’s throne at any time.

Psalm 119:33 — Again we see the submissive obedience to the Word of God. Teach me, and I shall keep it. Give me understanding, and I shall observe it (Psalm 119:34). Make me to go, and I will delight in it (Psalm 119:35). We need God’s help to learn, understand, and go in His ways!

Psalm 119:48 — Scripture reading isn’t just a morning activity. Meditate on it throughout the day!

Proverbs 28:11 — Riches pale in comparison to wisdom and understanding. Don’t make the foolish choice!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.