TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Ezekiel 29:1-30:26
Hebrews 11:32-12:13
Psalm 112:1-10
Proverbs 27:17
Ezekiel 29:1 — Did you notice the precision of Ezekiel’s dates? Continual references to the “Xth” year, in the “Yth” month, in the “Zth” day of the month. This is a formal dating system used at least 15 times in the Bible; twelve of those times are found in Ezekiel and none in Isaiah. This may be rooted in Ezekiel’s priestly heritage as opposed to Isaiah’s non-priestly heritage. Was the priest in exile careful to follow the details and dates of the Mosaic feasts?
Ezekiel 29:6 — Speaking of common phrases in Ezekiel, 51 of the 57 times that the phrase “shall know that I am the LORD” occurs in the Old Testament, it occurs in Ezekiel. We’ll see it 19 more times in this book. Compare this to the priestly declarations in Leviticus – 45 times we find the phrase “I am the LORD” as a justification (the reason why) for the laws that He created. Now 850 years later, God is using this as a justification for His judgment. The priests (representing God to man) had taught the Law as a way to know the LORD; now, 850 years later, they are teaching the judgments because people did not know the LORD.
Ezekiel 29:12 — Ellicott contends that Nebuchadnezzar sent the Egyptians captive to Babylon.
Ezekiel 30:15 — Sin in this verse is a geographical location (Sinai Peninsula) as opposed to a theological declaration.
Sin (“bush”). [1] A city on the eastern side of the Nile (Ezek. 30:15, 16). It is possibly Pelusium; but is also identified with Syene, which is present-day Aswan at the first cataract of the Nile. [2] A wilderness area located between the Gulf of Suez and Sinai (Ex. 16:1; Num. 33:11, 12).
William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), lxvii.
Hebrews 11:32 — Jephthah and Samson were some of the less thrilling biblical judges, yet they were used by God in the same way as Gideon and David were!
Samson Killing the Lion by Peter Paul Rubens
Hebrews 11:33 — We have a godly legacy of heroes who wrought great exploits and suffered great losses (Hebrews 11:36-37). They lived by faith, and we can be glad for the Faith of our Fathers.
Hebrews 12:1-2 — How do we respond after we’ve walked through the Hall of Faith? Follow their example, run our race, look to Jesus, and ask God to make us a faithful man as well. This song is from our friend, Patch the Pirate, who named the tune after a pastor from Wisconsin that he respected for his faithful stand for the Bible.
Hebrews 12:8 — This is some of the harshest language in the Bible, yet it conveys a scary truth. If you are sinning on your race and God does not chastise you, you are an illegitimate son. John Bunyan paints a harsh scene of whipping in Pilgrim’s Progress for Christian when he was deceived off the path.
Psalm 112:1 — What does a modern day faithful man of Hebrews 12:1-2 look like? One that fears the LORD and delights in His commandments. Read through this Psalm and see the blessings that come to the faithful man.
Proverbs 27:17 — How does a faithful man stay sharp? With faithful friends! From Earl Martin:
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.
_____
Image Credit: Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
