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2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 306

Nov2

     Day 306—We are in the ELEVENTH month of Bible reading and studying the New Testament Gospels.

Day 306 – Luke 19 (Zacchaeus, ten minas, [Jerusalem])

Luke 19 backs up a little on the timeline and tells about another happening in Jericho besides the healing of blind Bartimaeus. (From a poor blind beggar to a hated, wealthy tax collector.)

Zacchaeus was not a regular tax collector but the chief tax collector in Jericho. He had cheated and stolen so much that Luke says he was RICH. He heard about Jesus coming to town (maybe news about Bartimaeus reached him), and he was curious to see this healer.  BUT this hated. Roman-collaborator was a shortie.  He couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd surrounding Him. So Z climbed a nearby sycamore tree to get a better look. But the one who sought to see was seen instead. 

Jesus came to the place, looked up, and said his name. “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”  Wow, and Whoa!

Z hurried down from the tree and received Jesus joyfully into his home. (The crowd grumbled about Jesus dining in the house of a sinner!)

Jesus’ visit (and no doubt conversation) changed the heart of this diminutive Publican. He repented of his cheating and scheming, greediness and pride.  “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”  Willingly, Z gave to the poor far beyond what was required in the law for charitable giving.  Only one-fifth of restitution (20%) was required by law to pay back someone defrauded.  Z pledged more, saying he was no better than a common robber.

Unlike the “rich, young ruler” whose money meant more to him than eternal life, Z showed he had found incalculable spiritual riches in knowing Jesus, the Messiah.  “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus said, “since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  (How this must have cheered Jesus as his death drew closer.)

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Amazed by what happened in Zacchaeus’ house, Jesus’ disciples and the crowd needed some clarification. (Wicked sinners coming to salvation, while self-righteous Jews being turned away.) 

So, Jesus told the parable of the Ten Minas (Greek form of money, about a 60th of a talent). It symbolized the work that He would entrust to His servants while He went away and the hatred of the citizens who told Him they did NOT want Him to reign over them.

A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then to return. (This pictures Jesus going to Heaven to receive His Kingdom and then returning.) The nobleman left his servants in charge of his business. He gave them each one mina to manage for their master (equal gifts). When the nobleman returned, he rewarded each servant for what they had gained. The one who did nothing with what his master gave him was rewarded nothing. Indeed, the one mina was taken from him. 

And for those citizens who did NOT want the nobleman to reign over them…they were all slaughtered.  This was directed towards the Jews who actively opposed Jesus, and it “could” depict the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD…or the final wrath of God in the end times.

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Then Jesus arrives at Jerusalem, rides into the city on a donkey, weeps for it, and cleanses the Temple. We’ll look at that more tomorrow. 

 

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 303

Oct30

 Day 303—We are in the TENTH month of Bible reading and studying the New Testament Gospels.

    Day 303 – Luke 18  (Parables, children, eternal life, His coming death, healings)

Jesus encourages His disciples not to lose heart in their praying by telling them the parable of the Persistent Widow. She had a desperate need that she brought before a judge, but he refused to see her.  She kept coming and coming until finally he listened to her and granted her petition, saying: “…so she will not beat me down by her continual coming.”

Of course, God is not an unrighteous judge but a loving heavenly Father. Jesus said, “Will not God give justice to His elect who cry to him day and night?  Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily.”

Next, Jesus tells them the very familiar parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Tax Collector). The (self) righteous Pharisee stood tall and proclaimed how righteous he was (unlike all other law-breakers) because he fasted twice a week (not required by the Law – Leviticus 16:29-31) and gave tithes of all he got.  Meanwhile, the Publican, bowed low with his eyes to the ground, simply cried to God for mercy to the sinner he knew he was. 

“THIS man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Carrying on the same theme of humility, Jesus encouraged infants to be brought to him for blessing, telling His men, “…for such belongs the kingdom of God.”

Next, a rich, young ruler comes to Jesus. (NOTE: He possessed the three things that “wow” people today: wealth, youth, and power. And yet, he sensed something missing.)  “Good teacher, what must I DO to inherit eternal life.”

“You know the commandments,” Jesus said, naming the last FIVE of Moses’ ten commandments, which deal with our relationship with others.  “All these I have kept from my youth,” the man vowed. 

Great! “You still lack one thing. Go sell all you have and give the money to the poor. Then, come, follow me.”  But the man could not, for he was extremely rich (and loved his wealth more).  Seeing him go, Jesus was sad. “It’s difficult for wealthy people to enter the kingdom of God.” (But not impossible – consider Joseph of Arimathea.)

WHO THEN CAN CAN BE SAVED?? His disciples asked. Jesus answered, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” 

Then – for the third time and in more detail – Jesus foretells His coming death. “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” 

1. “He will be delivered over to the Gentiles.

2. He will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.

3. After flogging Him, they will kill him.

4. On the third day, He will rise.”

But the disciples did not understand any of these things.

Still pressing toward Jerusalem, Jesus encounters a blind man (Bartimaeus) who cries out, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Jesus heals the man, and he glorifies God and follows Jesus.  All who saw the miracle praise God. 

 

 

 

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 258

Sep14

    Day 258—We are in the NINETH month of Bible reading, with more of Israel’s history and future visions in DANIEL’S prophecy.

    Day 258 – Daniel 7 – 9 (Beginning of Daniel’s visions)

Daniel 7. Daniel has interpreted dreams for the kings of Babylon. Now, God sends him dreams of his own, which he finds much harder to interpret (as do we). In these dreams, animals usually represent kingdoms, and the animal’s horns represent leaders in those kingdoms.

Daniel talks about two dreams/visions he had in the first three years of Belshazzar’s 20-year reign. First, he saw the great sea (usually representing Gentile nations) being stirred by the four winds. Out of that swirling mass came four fantastic beasts (like those represented in Nebuchadnezzar’s statue dream.

They were a lion with eagle’s wings that became like a man (Babylon), a bear with three ribs in its mouth (Medo-Persia), a leopard with four wings and four heads (Greece), and finally, the fourth beast (Roman Empire), which was more terrifying than all three with huge lion’s teeth and ten “horns.” Three horns were prominent, but one small horn was the most powerful. It had eyes and a mouth like a man and spoke blasphemous words (against God & His dwelling place – Rev. 13:5-6) (the antichrist).

Then Daniel saw a vision of the Ancient of Days (God) with myriads of angels serving Him.  He sat in judgment, and the books were opened. The beasts were seen, destroyed, and burned with fire.  Then another appeared like the Son of Man (Christ). He was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom in which all the peoples, nations, and languages would serve him forever. 

Daniel was so overwhelmed and confused that he asked one of the beings standing there for an interpretation. The being explained the beasts and, particularly, the fourth one, and his defeat by the Ancient of Days. Daniel heard details but he mostly didn’t understand…. except that God and His people “win” in the end.

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Daniel 8.  Two years later, Daniel is given another vision. (Belshazzar is still the Babylonian king.)  He saw himself in the Medio-Persian capital of Susa, about 250 miles from Babylon.  He saw there a ram with two horns (the second one, the more powerful. (Medes & Persians). It charged (conquered) west, north, and south.

As Daniel watched, a male goat with a conspicuous horn (Alexander the Great of Greece) came from the west, struck, killed, and trampled the ram.  The goat became exceedingly “great,” but at the peak of his power, his horn was broken, and four horns (his four generals) replaced him.

Of the four, a little one became great and moved toward “the glorious land” (Israel). This little but massively powerful one (Antiochus Epiphanes, and later the Antichrist, as in chapter 11) took over the sanctuary and made burnt offerings, including one that defiled it. His “reign of terror” is 2,300 days, or 6 1/3  years – the rule of Antiochus until he dies. (After this, Judas Maccabeus led the people to clean the temple. Hanukkah.)

Again, Daniel asks for the interpretation, and another being – Gabriel, this time – explains. “The vision is for the time of the end.” He explains the Medes & Persians, Greece and Alexander, his four generals, and the great one “of boldface who understands riddles.”  (??)  In the dual understanding, Antiochus and Antichrist are combined, the latter even rising against the saints and the Prince of princes.  And he will be killed – but not by human hands. 

Then Gabriel tells Daniel that the number of days is true, but he is to “seal up the vision” because it takes place “many days from now” (still future to us). This all was so awful that Daniel was sick in bed for “some days” (he is an old man by now). Then he got up and did his job, but the vision “appalled him.”

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Daniel 9.  After the Medes take the kingdom of Babylon from King Belshazzar, Daniel realizes (from reading Jeremiah) that the end of Israel’s 70 years of “captivity” is near.  This inspired Daniel to pray. (And it is a great model of prayer for anyone.)  

He worships God first. “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keep covenant (promises) and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.”

He confesses their sin (himself included). “We have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To YOU, O, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open shame….because of the treachery they have committed against you. To us, O, LORD, belongs open shame: to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 

We have rebelled…. not obeyed the voice of the LORD…. transgressed Your law, refusing to obey… we have sinned against him…. bringing upon us a great calamity.  Yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. We have sinned; we have done wickedly.”

(When is the last time I confessed my sin before the Lord like that?)

Then, Daniel requests three things from the LORD.  “Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for YOUR OWN SAKE, O Lord, make your face to shine upon (1) Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 

O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and (2) the city that is called by your name.  For we do not present our pleas before you because of OUR righteousness, but because of YOUR great mercy.

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and (3) your people are called by your name.

And while he was praying…Gabriel came to him in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice (3:00 p.m.). Gabriel tells him that God heard him “at the beginning of his pleas for mercy,” and God wanted Daniel to know “You are greatly loved.” WOW!

Then Gabriel gives Daniel some very specific times and periods of time “….to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity.

“”Seventy weeks (of years)….. From the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem (very soon) to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks (of years)… then 62 weeks when the anointed One will be cut off…. Then the city and sanctuary will be destroyed again….. Then, the desolation…. One week, divided into two parts…..

Scholars have figured this all out: the rebuilding of the temple, the long time before the Messiah comes and is “cut off,” an extended period (the times of the Gentiles, as Jesus said in Luke 21:24?), then 7 years of tribulation, and the final end and triumph of the Prince.

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(Whew!) More of Daniel’s prophesies tomorrow!

Mark 4:14-20 – The Meaning of the First Parable

Sep8

After explaining WHY He is now speaking to the people ONLY in parables*, Jesus explains the meaning of the Parable of the Sower (actually the Soils).  It is important that Jesus tells them because by understanding this first parable, the disciples will be able to understand ALL the parables. (Mark 4:13)

The SOWER is Jesus here, but also the Old Testament prophets, the disciples, the apostles, preachers, teachers, and all true believers.

The SEED is “the Word” (the Word of God, the truth of God, the Gospel of salvation, the Grace of God in truth, the Word of Christ, the Truth, the Good News, the imperishable Seed, the living and abiding Word of God, Truthful speech, and the “washing” detergent which the Holy Spirit uses when He regenerates believers.**) that the sowers scatter into the world (as per the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20, and Mark 16:15-16).

The SOILS are the hearts of the hearers of the Word.  All of them listen, but their responses differ.  Only a few will truly HEAR the message, receive it, accept it, believe it, obey it…. and ultimately become fruitful.

#1 Soil = No interest.

#2 Soil = Superficial commitment.

#3 Soil = Love of the world is too strong.

#4 Soil = Understanding, believing, are regenerated, and bear fruit.

Long afterwards, Jesus’ brother James, one of those true believers, writes a warning and a call to commitment for us in his book, “Be DOERS of the Word, and not HEARERS ONLY, deceiving yourselves.” James 1;22

 

* Jesus gave the crowds ample opportunity to hear his direct teaching (see the previous post), and believe in Him. For those who did, He gives further understanding, to those who rejected Him, he now speaks in mysteries and secrets.  Those who are willing to HEAR, receive more. Those who REFUSE, lose what bit of understanding they had.

** See Romans 10:17, Ephesians 1:13, Colossians 1:5, I Thessalonians 2:13, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 1:22-25, 

Mark 4, Matthew 12 – The Disciples ask “Why?”

Sep7

READ Mark 4:10-12 (with Matthew 12:10-17)

Yesterday was a look at the first parable of Jesus about the soils (the sower). I imagined how those listeners would have responded to this as they walked home. (See yesterday’s “long” post.)

When the crowd had gone, the disciples came to Him with a question. Mark 4:10.

By looking at Matthew’s fuller account of the disciples coming to Jesus afterwards, we see what they asked Him.

“Why do you speak in parables?” Good Question.

Jesus’s answer, “To YOU has been given the secret of the Kingdom of God, but for THOSE OUTSIDE…everything is in parables.”

Huh? Doesn’t Jesus want everybody to know about the Kingdom of God, and how to get into it????

(Your assignment: Check out the following passages in Matthew and I’ll answer that question – if you still need it – afterwards.

1. Matthew 4:23 – What does this say about what Jesus was doing after He chose his disciples?

2. Matthew 5:1 – 7:29 – (with particular attention to 5:2 and 7:28/29) Okay, What do all these verses show in detail that Jesus was DOING all this time?

3. In the next chapters of Matthew, we see Jesus continuing to heal the sick and deliver the demon possessed (such compassion!) and to teach His OWN DISCIPLES some strong things about persecution and the end times, etc. WHY is He now mostly just teaching THEM??

The end of Matthew 11 shows the Jewish officials accusing him of having an unclean spirit, and his family wanting Him to come away and get some food and rest. (Wednesday’s post)

And THEN…………… he gets into a boat and teaches the crowd on the shore….. in a PARABLE. (Yesterday’s post)

Do you see why?

The crowds have been divided into 1) those who believe and follow Jesus, and 2) those only seeking healing or to hassle Him.

Jesus answers their WHY question here,

“To the one who HAS (belief in Him and understanding of who He is) more will be given and he will have an abundance. BUT from the one who HAS NOT (those who reject Him and his teaching), even what they have (clear teaching to this point) will be taken away.”

“THIS is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do NOT see (me as Savior) and hearing, they do NOT hear (my teaching) nor do they understand.”

Got it?

Then Jesus give a blessing to those who DO believe and follow Him,

“Blessed are your eyes, for they see and your ears for they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it.

Then (Mark 4:14-20) Jesus goes on to tell them the meaning of the Parable of the (Sower and the) Soils, which – if they understand – will help to understand the rest of Jesus’ “kingdom” parables.