Tag Archive | faith

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 329

Nov25

Day 329 – Reading – Galatians 4 – 6

Read and believe in Jesus!

Galatians 4.

Paul continues his letter, urging the new believers in those four churches in Galatia to hold fast to their faith. He first scolds them, calling them foolish,  and then pleads with them not to go back into the “slavery” of justification by good works.

  • “STAND FAST in the liberty in which Christ has set you free. BE NOT ENTANGLED with the yoke of bondage.  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for ANYTHING.”  Only FAITH in Christ’s atoning work on the Cross.”

Paul gives an example from the Old Testament of believing in God totally VS depending on our own strength for righteousness.”  Abraham’s son, Ishmael, was conceived by Hagar from Abraham (and Sarah’s) own self-will.  But Isaac was the son whom God planned and promised. He was conceived and born way after the time Sarah could naturally become pregnant.  Hagar represents receiving the promises of God by the “flesh” (Paul says, Mount Sinai and the Law), while Sarah represents “faith” and the Heavenly Jerusalem.

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Galatians 5

Don’t go back to a system that put a heavy yoke on you, and it didn’t work to make you righteous! 

  • Walk by the Spirit of God. 
  • If you are led by the Spirit, you are NOT under the law. 
  • The WORKS of the flesh are impure, sinful, evil, mean, argumentative, divisive, and selfish. If you do those things, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 
  • Live by the Spirit. 
  • The Spirit’s fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and against all of these there is no law.
  • Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 
  • If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  

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Galatians 6.

Paul writes further, illustrating how a person lives by the Spirit in all goodness.

Restore a brother who is caught in a transgression … in a spirit of gentleness. 

Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the “law” of Christ (which is love).

Do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

  • “Be not deceived.  God is not mocked.  Whatever you sow, that is what you will reap. The one who sows to his own flesh, will from the flesh reap corruption.  But the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

And remember, those who want YOU to be circumcised want it so THEY can boast in you.  THEY don’t keep the law; they just want YOU to so they can boast. 

As for me, I “boast” only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.   Circumcision doesn’t matter!! Only being a new creation in Christ matters. 

And to all of you who think this way, “Peace and Mercy” be upon you, and upon the Israel of God. 

The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. 

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Days 327 & 328

Nov24

SUNDAY and MONDAY studies are posted together on Mondays

Day 327 – Reading – Acts 15 – 16.

Day 328 – Reading – Galatians 1 – 3

Read and believe in Jesus!

SUNDAY – Day 327 – Acts 15 – 16.

The trouble begins. Some Pharisee-believers were appalled that “Gentiles” were believing in the Jewish Messiah and were welcomed into the synagogue services.  They still looked “unclean” to these ultra strict believers.  Shouldn’t they have to “become Jews” before being accepted?  Be circumcised?  Eat kosher? Keep the Levitical laws?

A group of these men traveled to the source of the problem – Antioch, where these Messiah-believers were called “Christians” (Christ ones).  These men began teaching the laws of Moses that they were so familiar with.  Circumcision equaled Salvation. 

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Paul and Barnabas disputed hotly.  “Salvation is by faith, not keeping the Jewish laws. WE couldn’t keep them, why put them on the Gentile believers?”

And so Paul and Barnabas, along with these men, were sent to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders to “settle” the question.  A huge debate ensued.

Peter stood up and repeated his experience with the family of the Roman Centurion, how, when they believed in the redemptive work of Jesus, the Messiah, they were given the gift of the Holy Spirit (just as the apostles were) and spoke in other tongues.  The only other requirement from Jesus was baptism, and these Gentile believers had been baptized. 

Paul and Barnabas also joined in with the many Gentiles in their ministry in Galatia, who had believed and received the Holy Spirit. Their hearts, too, had been cleansed by their faith.  How could this Council put  God to the test by adding Jewish rites to their faith?

When they finished speaking, James briefly reviewed the testimonies of Peter, Paul, and Barnabas, then he quoted God in Amos 9:11, 12, “”I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles, who are called by My Name…”

James:  “Therefore, my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should WRITE TO THEM to 1.) abstain from the things polluted by idols, and 2.) from sexual immorality, and 3.) from meat that has been strangled, and blood.”   

(These requirements were not to assure salvation, but to make worship between Jews and Gentiles more compatible, since they were mainly meeting in synagogues.)

This seemed good to the apostles, elders, and the whole church.  They appointed two men to take the letter to Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, with Paul and Barnabas.  The sent Silas, and Judas Barsabbas (one of the two qualified, but not chosen, disciples considered to replace Judas Iscariot in the twelve. See Acts 1:23)

At Antioch, they gathered the congregation together and read the letter.  Everyone rejoiced because of its encouragement.  Judas and Silas, also prophets, stayed and encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.  

Judas returned to Jerusalem, but it seemed good to Silas to remain there.

After a while, Paul decided that he and Barnabas should “visit the brothers in the cities where they proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they were doing.”

Barnabas was cool with that and sent for his cousin John Mark, meaning to take him along again.  However, Paul strongly disagreed, fearing that Barnabas’s young cousin would disrupt the team again and fly off home at the first struggle.

Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement, and they even separated.  But God used it for good.  Paul asked Silas to accompany him, while Barnabas took the young John Mark.  Now, two teams were going out with the Good News! 

Barnabas headed again to his homeland, Cyprus, to strengthen the new believers, and even the Roman Proconsul.   

Paul took Silas and headed back to the cities of Galatia, going overland this time through Syria and Cilicia, instead of sailing to Perga. They met and strengthened the believers in the cities of Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia.

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Acts 16.

When Paul and Silas came to Derbe, they met a young believer named Timothy. His mother was Jewish, but his father was Greek. (This meant he was NOT circumcised.)  He had a godly mom and grandma who taught him well in the Scriptures, and was well spoken of by the believers there and in Lystra and Iconium.

Paul wanted Timothy to join the team on this second missionary journey.  Because Paul’s practice was to go FIRST to the Jews, he didn’t want Timothy to be a hindrance.  So he circumcised the young man.  NOT to make sure he was saved, but so there would be less hassle among the Jews.  Paul’s outlook was to be all things to all people, so he could win some.

As Paul and Silas, and now Timothy went through the cities, they shared the letter from the Council, stating  the three things of agreement, that would help Jews and Gentile believers to worship together in love.

Paul’s aim was to head north-west into Asia, but the Holy Spirit hindered him. Paul then headed for Bithynia and south to Mysia, but got the same caution word from Jesus.  No, not here, now.  So he led the team to Troas, a coastal city on the Aegean Sea. Where was God leading them?  Were they to hop a boat and return home?  Were they to go to Greece?

That night, Paul had a vision of a desperate man in Macedonia, standing there, urging Paul to “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  So, in the morning, the team caught a boat and sailed across the Aegean to Macedonia to preach the Good News to them.

In Troas, Paul also picked up Dr. Luke, who joined his mission team. (We don’t know when Luke was saved, perhaps in Troas when Paul was waiting for direction, or maybe from on of the other cities in Galatia.

The newly expanded team sailed to Samothrace, then Neapolis, and finally to Philippi, the leading city in the district and a Roman colony. 

After a few days, on the Sabbath, they went outside the city to the seaside, where they “supposed” there was a place of prayer (???).  There, they spoke to some godly women who had come together. One was a wealthy woman named Lydia.  She was a “seller” of rare purple cloth and a worshipper of God.

As Paul preached about Jesus, she listened carefully. The Lord opened her heart, and she believed.  After she and “her house” were baptized, she invited Paul and company to stay in her house.  So they made their headquarters there.

One day, when they were going back to that place of prayer to preach, they came upon a slave girl who had a spirit of divination.  She brought her owners much income through fortune-telling.  She followed Paul and the group crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation. 

While this was absolutely true, she followed them for days, hindering Paul’s ministry.  Finally, he turned to her and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” It did, and she was free.

But her owners were furious.  There went their means of income. They seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the magistrates. 

The rulers stripped Paul and Silas, gave orders to beat them with many rods, and put them into prison, their feet fastened in stocks.

Wow.  

Did the missionaries pout and moan about their wounds and predicament?  Nope. They sang songs of praise to God and prayed.  And all their “captive” audience listened.  

Suddenly, there was an earthquake.  What next???  The foundations of the prison shook, and all the cell doors were opened.  All chains fell off, and their stocks broke open.  Whoa, a “good” earthquake. Everyone sat perfectly still. None tried to escape.

The jailor rushed into the jailhouse, carrying his dagger, ready to kill himself, for if any prisoner escaped, that would be his punishment..

“WAIT!!” cried Paul.  “We are all here!”

The jailor got torches and looked around. Sure enough, while the cell doors were open, all inmates were still inside.  With fear and trembling, the jailor came to Paul, and fell to his knees.

“Sir, what must tI do to be saved?”

“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”  And Paul preached the Gospel to him and to all the prisoners.

The believing jailor took Paul and Silas into his own house, bathed their wounds, and fed them.  And he rejoiced with his household.   And somewhere inside, these new believers were baptized.

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The next day, the magistrates thought the men had learned their lesson and sent the police to let them go.  But Paul and Silas refused!!

 Yes, refused to go.  Paul said, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned men, who are ROMAN CITIZENS, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly?  NO! Let them come themselves and take us out.

When the police reported these words to the magistrates, that they were Roman Citizens, the magistrates came quickly and apologized to them.  They they escorted them out, and asked them (politely) to leave the city,

So they visited Lydia one last time, and encouraged them.  Then they departed for…. 

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MONDAY – Day 328 – Galatians

Galatians was written by Paul to the four churches he established in Southern Galatia during his and Barnabas’ first missionary journey: Antioch (Pisidian), Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.

After returning from that trip, some Judaizers (ultra orthodox believing Pharisees) came to the home church and began teaching that the “Christians” there had to become Jews before they were saved. (Circumcision. Kosher laws, etc.)  Paul was furious, saying that Faith in Jesus alone for salvation is all that is needed. Doing “works of the law” did not save a person. 

On Paul’s second missionary trip with Silas, he shared the official letter written by James at the Jerusalem Council, stating only 3 things that the Gentile believers were to do, and these could not save them but were asked so both peoples could worship together without offense.

But the unbelieving Jews in these towns, as well as the Judaizers from Jerusalem, put strong pressure on these new Gentile Christians to “conform” to the Jewish image.  Some were caving in.  We see that even Peter (!!!) did when he visited there, and Paul had to publicly reprimand him.

It’s believed that this book was written by Paul from Ephesus. 

Galatians 1,

After introducing himself and giving a quickie Gospel portion, Paul tells the reason for the letter in “heated” words.

  • “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel (not that there is one), but there are some there who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”
  • “If we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached, LET HIM BE ACCURSED!”  (Then Paul repeats that statement for emphasis.)

Then Paul gives some of his credentials, elevating his authority OVER the believing Pharisees.  HE received the Gospel, not from men, but by revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul admits that he “advanced in Judaism beyond any his age, so extremely zealous for the traditions of his fathers, that he murdered any who opposed them.”

 

But God, who called Paul by His grace and revealed His Son to him so he could preach to the Gentiles. For three years in the Arabian desert, Jesus was revealed to him from the Scriptures.  Then he briefly saw Peter and James in Jerusalem, before going back home to Cilicia to “practice” preaching what he know. 

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Galatians 2.

Three years later (14 in all) he went to Jerusalem again and was taken into full apostleship, to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. A Greek “brother”, Titus, was with him, and they did not require him to be circumcised. 

The Jerusalem Church Council okayed Paul to go to the Gentiles with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the same as Peter was entrusted with the Gospel to the Jews. James, John, and Peter gave Paul the “right hand of fellowship.”  

Paul then mentions a time when Peter came to the original Antioch.  He was gladly fellowshipping and eating with Gentiles.  But when some Judaizers came, Peter excused himself and went to eat only with the Jewish believers.  Even Barnabas, did the same, copying Peter’s example. Paul had to call them out. 

  • “If YOU, Peter, though a jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew…. how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews.”
  • Then Paul again states the Gospel message of Faith Alone.  “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but though faith in Jesus Christ, so… we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, AND NOT BY WORKS OF THE LAW, because by works of the law NO ONE WILL BE JUSTIFIED!”
  • And his personal testimony.  “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

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Galatians 3.

You can hear Paul’s frustrations with the Galatians leaning toward works for salvation.

  • “O foolish Galatians!  WHO has bewitched you?  Let me ask you this question. ‘Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law… or the hearing of faith?’  FOOLISH GALATIANS!  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh (works)?  Does He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, do so by works of the law… or by hearing with faith?”
  • “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us… so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
  • “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith,  For as many as you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  You are all ONE in Christ Jesus.”

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You can hear that Paul is just getting wound up.  In the next chapters he will go into even more of the difference between their position in Christ by faith, and  works.  He will plead with them.  They are FREE. don’t go back into the “yoke of slavery.”   Walk by the Spirit, Be filled with the Sprit’s fruit, and live by the Spirit.  (TOMRROW)

 

 

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Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 282

Oct9

THE NEW TESTAMENT!

Day 282 – Reading – Matthew 12, Mark 3, and Luke 6

Read and believe in Jesus!

Matthew 12, Mark 3, Luke 6

SABBATH ARGUMENTS AND TRICKS

As in John 5 (yesterday’s study), the Sabbath Laws and healing on the Sabbath are addressed again in these chapters. Jesus never broke the commands God gave Israel about the Sabbath.  He did, however, seem to flaunt disobedience to the “traditions of man,” those extra laws that the Pharisees added to “protect” God’s Word. (As if He needed help!)

Jesus’ disciples were caught eating grain from a field they were passing.

(Did the Religious Leaders follow them everywhere??  Were they always looking for opportunities to “catch” Jesus in some “sin?”  Yes, they were!) 

But, this practice of picking a few heads of grain, rolling it in your hands to remove the husks, then crunching on the grain inside, WAS LEGAL.  In fact, it was a law that helped provide for the poor. Farmers were instructed not to harvest the edges and corners of their fields, leaving those for the needy to glean. 

THAT wasn’t the problem. The day of the week was.  Sabbath. The simple act of plucking and eating a few kernels was considered WORK.  Say what?  Well, plucking was “harvesting.”  Rolling the grain in your hands and blowing the chaff away was “winnowing.”

“YOU ARE WORKING ON THE SABBATH!” They accused.

Jesus, who knew the Scriptures FAR BETTER than the teachers of the Law, reminded them of a time when David and a few of his men were desperately hungry. They asked the priest to give them the previous day’s bread that had been in the Tabernacle on the Table of Showbread.  The priest gave it to them as an act of mercy and kindness. (This bread was usually eaten by the priests.)

Then Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 for them. “If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.” Then Jesus added, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” HE had the right to rule over, not only THEIR rules, but also the Sabbath itself, for it was designed to worship God.  (This was another claim to deity by Jesus.)

Right after that, Jesus went to the nearby synagogue.  OF COURSE, there was a man who desperately needed healing.  (Did those rulers put the man there on purpose???)

Jesus immediately SAW the man and KNEW what they were thinking. They asked Him, “the” question, “Is it lawful TO HEAL on the Sabbath?”  They needed something to accuse him.

And again Jesus speaks of MERCY above sacrifice.  “Would you save one of your sheep who’d fallen into a pit on the Sabbath? (yes, of course)  How much more valuable is a man than a sheep?”

Then Jesus re-asks their question, slightly different, “Is it lawful to DO GOOD on the Sabbath?”

And just like that, Jesus healed the man.

And the Pharisees fumed. They went outside and conspired on how to DESTROY Jesus.

And Jesus, aware of this, went out from them. Many followed, and HE HEALED THEM ALL!”  Ha!

  • (Matthew then quotes from Isaiah about Jesus. “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not quench…”  Mercy, kindness, and justice for the needy, Jesus was an example to all.)

 

.THE TWELVE APPOINTED

Jesus slipped away for some quiet time with his followers.  He called twelve of them to be His appointed apostles (messengers). He would later send them out to preach on their own (as practice for later).

He called Simon Peter; James, and John (the sons of Zebedee, which Jesus named “Sons of Thunder”);  He called Peter’s brother, Andrew; and Philip; Bartholomew (Nathaniel); and Matthew (Levi); and Thomas (the melancholy one; another James who was the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus (another Judas, the son of James); Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

A motley crew, indeed. I wonder how the Zealot and the ex-tax collector got along. How did Judas “Iscariot” (meaning “a man of the city”) get along with all those fishermen? Was his “city” background why they appointed him group treasurer?  Jesus knew all their hearts and their potential.

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DEMONS AND DEVILS VS THE HOLY SPIRIT

Some in the crowds of people Jesus healed were filled with unclean spirits (demons).  When Jesus forced them out by His command, those devils often cried out, “You are the Son of God!”  Jesus silenced them. He did NOT want the testimony of the agents of Satan.

But some of the people who saw and heard picked up on this and asked, “CAN this be the Son of David (Messiah)?

When the Scribes and Pharisees heard what they were saying, they rushed to refute it. 

“It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this Man casts out demons.” 

(Gasp!  Clutch your heart!!)

Jesus responded. “Now that is downright foolish.  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against HIMSELF. How will his kingdom stand?  But I cast out demons by THE SPIRIT OF GOD, so the Kingdom of God has come upon you. WHOEVER is not with Me and does not gather with Me… scatters. 

And then Jesus defends the precious Spirit of God, the third person of the Holy Trinity.

  • “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but not the blasphemy against the Spirit. Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will NOT be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

“Either make the tree good so the fruit is good, or make the tree bad, so it produces bad fruit. THE TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT.   You brood of vipers!  How can you speak good, when you are evil???

And then the portion that we often recite.

  • Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
  • The good person, out of his good treasure, brings forth good.
  • The evil person, out of his evil treasure, speaks forth evil.
  • On Judgment Day, people will give account for EVERY CARELESS WORD they speak.
  • By your WORDS you will be justified, and by your WORDS you will be condemned.

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A SIGN FROM JONAH

Not afraid of Jesus’ fiery answer, the Scribes and Pharisees come back at Jesus, asking Him to do some “wondrous” sign.”  They want to see a sign, a miracle, a wonder.

“No sign will be given to YOU, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

  • Three days and nights Jonah was in the belly of the great fish.
  • So the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

“Those men of Nineveh (who repented at Jonah’s words) will rise up on Judgment Day and CONDEMN this generation ….. for someone greater than Jonah is here.”

“The queen of Sheba will ALSO rise up in judgment with this generation and CONDEMN it.  She came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon ….. and something greater than Solomon is here.”

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A MOM IS WORRIED

When Jesus’ family saw and heard Jesus speaking, and saw the crowds pressing in on Him, and watched the angry religious leaders threatening Him, they tried to rescue Jesus.  They may have tried to excuse His exuberance by saying, “He’s out of his mind.”

The crowds around Him noticed the distraught mom with her other sons, and, while He was still speaking, said to Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside seeking You.”

Looking around Him at the crowd who was sitting around him, Jesus said with outspread arms, “HERE are my mother and my brothers! For whosoever does the will of God, he is my brother, sister, and mother.”

Jesus was not “dissing” his earthly family. He was emphasizing the importance of SPIRITUAL relationships.  After all, his own family needed Him as Savior. (See John 7:5)  And besides that, even in His intense physical pain on the cross a few years later, Jesus carefully put His mother into the hands of His beloved disciple, John. (See John 19:26-27)

 

 

 

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 280

Oct7

THE NEW TESTAMENT!

Day 280 – Reading – Matthew 8 and Mark 2

Read and believe in Jesus!

Matthew and Mark

In these two chapters, we see a flurry of miracles by Jesus – healings and deliverances – and some thorny questions answered. 

Matthew 8.

Again, Jesus meets a leper, a man filled with faith. He responds by touching and healing him. Our sinless Savior does NOT become unclean, but instead extends His own “cleanness” to the man. He then tells him to go to the Priest, as the law requires, to prove healing.

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Before it was a city official, but now it is a Roman Centurion who comes to Jesus asking for healing for someone at home.  He tells Jesus that there is no need for Jesus to come in person, because he, a centurion, is a man of command. He recognizes that Jesus is, too.  “Say the word and my servant will be healed.”

Jesus is amazed at this Gentile’s faith, and says, “Go, let it be done for you according to your faith.”

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Crowds begin to press against Jesus and his disciples, so He calls for a boat to go to the other side of Galilee. Before it’s ready, a scribe comes up to Him and vows, “I will follow you wherever you go!” (Did he mean to the other side of the lake??)

Another man tells Jesus he will follow Him anywhere, but first let him go bury his father. (This doesn’t mean his father is dead!  He simply wanted to remain at home and collect his inheritance before following Jesus.)

Jesus answered them curiously. “Foxes have holes and birds have nests. I have nowhere (permanently) to lay my head.” And, “Follow me and let the dead bury their dead.”

What in the world did Jesus mean?  He was saying to count the cost.  They must be willing to leave EVERYTHING to follow Him.

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The boat comes and they climb aboard.  The disciples (at least the fishermen) begin rowing towards the other side.  Jesus goes to the bench at the back of the boat – and without a pillow – lies down and immediately falls asleep.

A great storm arises.

The boat is flooding.

The disciples panic.

“Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”  (Whoa, how appropriate! For in reality, this is what Jesus came to the world to do. But alas, they meant from the storm.)

Jesus speaks and there is now a great calm. They whisper and ask each other, “What sort of man is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

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On the east side of the lake, a demoniac or two greet them with wild screams and threats. THE DEMONS inside him recognized Jesus, even if the crowds did not.  “What have You to do with us, O Son of God?  Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Jesus sends the devilish horde into the nearby herd of swine, which promptly runs to a cliff, and like lemmings, leap off to their death.  The man was FREE!  But the city wasn’t grateful.  “Please go away,” they tell Jesus.

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Mark 2.

In this story, Jesus has returned to Capernaum.  He was in the home where he stayed and hordes of people now pressed against him inside and out.  A paralytic is carried to the edge of the crowd, but there is NO WAY that stretcher will go through the crowd.  The friends look up and get an idea.  Around back they carry the man up to the roof and begin dismantling the roof.  Everyone inside watched (and ducked the dust) as the sick man is lowered down by Jesus.

He is pleased with their ingenuity and faith.  “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

“What???” think some scribes who were inside checking up on Jesus. “He is blaspheming! No man can forgive sins. Only God.“

(Well, duh!)

Jesus then asks a curious question. Think about it before answering. “Which is easier to SAY to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk?'”

Actually, it’s easier to SAY ‘your sins are forgiven,’ because you don’t have to prove it outwardly.  It’s much harder to SAY ‘get up and walk’ because either the man can or cannot do it.

Either way, Jesus tells the man to get up, take his stretcher-bed, and walk. (He’s already forgiven his sins.}  Jesus, our all-powerful God in the flesh, can and does both forgive and heal.  PRAISE HIM!

The crowds were amazed and glorified God.  The scribes were silent.

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Next, the people ask a question. “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but YOUR disciples don’t?

Simple.  Can you fast while the Bridegroom is here?  No. It’s time to rejoice.  When He is taken away, then there will be fasting.  Huh? Not sure if the people understood that. Or the disciples.  Jesus further causes their brains to work. “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Or the patch tears away in the first wash. No one puts NEW WINE into old wineskins. Or the expanding, fermenting wine will split the old stiff wineskin.” 

 What in the world is Jesus saying? He is telling them that a NEW DAY has come. The Messiah is here. Rejoice for His coming and accept the prophesied Good News!

Not sure they totally understood.  But the disciples will.  Later.

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 274

Oct1

A NEW MONTH – THE NEW TESTAMENT!

Day 274 – Reading – Luke 1 and John 1

Read and believe in Jesus!

LUKE

This “orderly account” of Jesus, and the continuing story in Acts of the early church, was written by Dr. Luke, who was a believing Gentile, to an educated Greek colleague, Theophilus.

Luke carefully interviewed many “eye-witnesses and ministers of the word” before writing his account of Jesus.  He seems to follow Mark’s order of events, who, in turn, gathered events and stories from the disciple Peter while they served together.  And of course, this Gospel is “inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.”

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Luke 1

Dr Luke begins where Malachi left off, announcing the one who would “prepare the way” for the coming Messiah.  That promise of God continues here – 400 years later – with a righteous old priest named Zechariah and his equally aged and godly wife, Elizabeth, who were about to be fantastically surprised.

As the annual priestly order came around, Zechariah got his turn to serve at the Temple. Then, by lot, he was chosen to actually enter the Holy Place to light new incense at the Altar of Incense, which stood just before the veil separating him from the Most Holy Place and the Ark of the Covenant.

Was he nervous about this once-in-a-lifetime privilege?  You can be sure!  So when the archangel, Gabriel, appeared, he probably nearly had a heart attack.

“Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayers have been heard. You and Elizabeth will have a son, and you will call him John.  You’ll have a lot of joy at his birth, for he will be great before the LORD.”  Then Gabriel went on to basically quote Malachi’s prophecy.

Did Zechariah fall to his knees and praise God?  Nope.  A bit of unbelief oozed out. 

“How will this happen? I’m old and so is my wife.”  (In his mind, he was saying, ‘It ain’t gonna happen, angel.’)

Gabriel straightens himself to great angel height and proclaims to the doubting priest, “I AM GABRIEL. I STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD!  (Whoa!)  I was sent to you with this good news.”

And as a reprimand for his unbelief, Gabriel tells Zechariah he will be mute until the day John is born.

Meanwhile, outside, the people are wondering about the priest.  It shouldn’t take THAT long to change the incense.  Then. when Zechariah comes out, they realize he has seen a vision. (A vision from God!! Could it really be happening after so long???)  But, well darn, the priest can’t say a word about his experience!

Somehow, he informs his wife, and she soon conceives.  She keeps silent about it (like Zechariah) for five entire months (and then she is definitely “showing.”)

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Flash to Nazareth.

Gabriel is once again sent to earth by God with good news.  This time, he does not appear in the Holy Place of the Temple in Jerusalem, but to a young woman in a small town with a bad reputation. To Mary, the girl God has chosen to bear His Son, to bring the second member of the Holy Trinity into the world as a human.  Wow!  What a privilege!  What a responsibility!

“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” said Gabriel to Mary. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name, Jesus.”  

Gabriel tells her how Jesus will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. How He will receive the throne of David and reign forever over Israel.  And how His kingdom will last forever.

Did Mary know all the scriptures he quoted?  Did she even know she was in the royal line of King David?  The young girl had seen and did know how lambs and goats were conceived, so she asked  “How will this happen, since I am a virgin?”

Then that mind-blowing news!  “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy. He will be the SON OF GOD.

And as Mary was trying to comprehend this in her young mind, Gabriel gave her news that she COULD understand.  Her cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy with a son. 

Wow, Mary thought. Elizabeth is as old as my grandmother. If God can make THAT happen to her, then He can make THIS happen to me.  

 Gabriel smiled at her and agreed. “Nothing is impossible with God.”

“Okay, I’m in!” said Mary.  (Actually…”Behold, I’m the servant of the Lord. Let it be as you said.”)

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Flash to another hillside town in Judah near Jerusalem.

(Mary had travelled miles south to spend the first three months of her own pregnancy with her aged cousin.  Both could support the other in this very new and extraordinary happening.)

“Greetings, Elizabeth!” Mary called as she entered the old priest’s home.  

“Oh!” Elizabeth said as she felt baby John leap for joy in her womb. 

“Oh, Mary!  Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Blessed am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me!”  Then, the two women – young and old – embraced each other.

And Mary burst out in a song of praise to the Lord. She praised His might, holiness, strength, and mercy.

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Mary remained with Elizabeth until it was time for her cousin to give birth. Then she returned to Nazareth, now that her tiny infant “Son of God” was firmly nestled in her womb.  (She would make that long trip again in a mere six months, heavily pregnant, to another hillside town, Bethlehem.)

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JOHN IS BORN!! Hallelujah! Praise God!

“You’ll call him Zechariah, right?” they asked Elizabeth.

“No, he shall be called John.”

Turning to Zechariah, they poo-pooed his wife’s announcement, “The baby is Zechariah Junior, right?”

The old and very proud priest called for a writing tablet and wrote (in huge Hebrew), His name is JOHN.” 

And immediately his voice returned, and he raised his praises to God in a magnificent prophecy about his son, about the Messiah, salvation, mercy, forgiveness of sin, and a Light to all who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

And John grew and became strong in spirit.  He lived in the wilderness until the day of his public announcement to Israel.  (No, John did not become a priest, as he could have, but a Herald of Israel’s Messiah King!)

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JOHN

This last Gospel is written by the disciple John (“whom Jesus loved”).  He wrote his Gospel in his old age, while he was serving in Ephesus (and after the destruction of Jerusalem).

He was aware of the other three Gospels and wanted his to be more about the “spiritual” and “theological” aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry. He presents Jesus as the Son of God and proves that claim with eight “signs” or proofs.  His very purpose in writing his Gospel is so we would BELIEVE in Him as the Son of God and have ETERNAL LIFE 

John was inspired by the Holy Spirit as he gave his unique eyewitness accounts.

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John 1.

John begins his story of Jesus in chapter one, WAY before the announcement of His coming birth to Mary and then the Shepherds, even before Genesis 3:15, which was the first announcement of a coming Savior after Adam and Eve’s fall. 

John begins in “Eternity Past” and reveals Jesus as God, the creator of everything that exists. “He was WITH God and He WAS God.”

He also mentions John’s appearance as a witness to Jesus’ earthly human ministry. 

(BY THE WAY, every time John is mentioned in this Gospel, it is speaking of John the Baptist.)

John further calls Jesus “The Light,” as opposed to the Darkness of Satan, sin, and death.

Jesus came to his own – the Jewish nation – but they did NOT receive him. (Jews always first, even in Paul’s ministry.)  But after that, to ALL WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, He gave the right (even Gentiles) to be His own “Children of God” who were born of the Spirit.

Then another mention of John the Baptist, who said of Jesus, “He who comes after me ranks before me because He WAS before me.”

Then he gives John’s testimony. Men sent from the elders of Jerusalem asked him who he was, Christ? Elijah? the Prophet? No, no, and no, answered the Baptist. He was just the one sent, “crying in the wilderness.”  He was making the path straight for the Lord.

They asked the Baptist why he was baptizing. John said he was preparing hearts to meet the Messiah, washing with water.  But when HE, the “worthy One,” came, He would baptize with fire.  And then John saw him and proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

Then he told how God told him he would KNOW the Anointed One. John would see the Spirit descend from heaven on Him.  And he saw that with Jesus.  “I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John even started directing his own disciples to follow Jesus, the Lamb of God.  One of those was Andrew.  After meeting Jesus, he went and told his brother Peter about him, and Peter came to see him too.

The next day Philip followed Him. Philip then found Nathaniel and told him they’d found the Messiah.  Soon, Nathaniel followed Jesus wholeheartedly as well.  “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!

 

 

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 267

Sep24

Day 267 – Reading – Esther 6 – 10

Yesterday, we began the story of Queen Esther. 

A lot of intrigue and emotions have happened. (Read it HERE if you haven’t already.)  We left off after Esther invited the King and Haman to a second banquet.  Haman felt on top of the world UNTIL he passed by Mordecai sitting at the gate. The old Jew did not acknowledge the Prime Minister in any way, and that really infuriated Haman.  At home, he told his friends about the second invite and about Mordecai.  They suggested he get rid of Mordecai so he could enjoy the Queen’s party.  The master villain quickly built a 75-foot-tall gallows.

The next day, Haman would get the King to okay THE JEW’S HANGING!  Then he could go to the Queen’s party as a happy man. Haman went to bed and slept soundly.

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Esther 6.

But … that night, the king could not sleep.  He ordered some chronicles of the kingdom to be read and put him to sleep. The servant brought him the records from many months earlier. A passage recounted the incident where Mordecai had saved the King’s life by exposing an assassination plot.

“Was this man ever rewarded for saving my life?” the king wanted to know.

“No, my lord.“

At that moment, the king heard the determined footfalls of a man approaching across the marble tiles. “Who is in the court?” he asked.

When the King heard it was his Prime Minister, he called him to approach.  “Haman, what should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?”

Thinking the king was speaking about honoring HIM, Haman gazed into the distance and said, “Let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set. And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials.  Let them dress the man and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.” 

(Me thinks Haman had visions of becoming king himself!)

While Haman was in that dreamland, the king said, “Hurry, take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.”

MORDECAI???  (Gag, choke)

Haman obeyed the king’s orders, cringing and fuming all the way.  Afterward, he hurried home with his head covered and told what had happened. This time, his friends shook their heads at the “karma” and said, “If this Mordecai – before whom you have begun to fall – is a Jew, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.”

At that moment, the king’s coach came for Haman to take him to Esther’s banquet. 

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Esther 7.

Maybe by the third round of wine, Haman began to forget the humiliation of the day.  The food was great, and the Queen was beautiful. Perhaps it would work out… 

While they were sitting around, the King again asked Esther, “What is your wish? What is your request?  It shall be granted to you. Even to half my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”

“If I have found favor in your sight, O king,” began Queen Esther, “and if it please the king, (a strengthening breath), let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. For we have been SOLD, I and my people, “to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated.”  (the very words of the decree)

WHAT!!  “Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?  roared the king. 

The Queen turns to Haman.  “A foe and enemy!” she says, and points. “This wicked Haman!”

The Agagite is horror-stricken and speechless!

The enraged and half-drunk king charges out into the palace garden for air.

Haman stays to beg for his life, trips and falls onto Queen Esther on the couch.

The king returns and sees Haman on top of his wife and roars, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house??”

The attending eunuchs step forward and cover Haman’s face.  Before leading him away, the eunuch named Harbona says, “Moreover, the gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai — whose word saved the king — is standing at Haman’s house.”

“HANG HIM ON THAT,” decreed the king.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.  And on that day, King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. 

 

King Saul, a Benjamite, failed to annihilate the Amalekites, and their King Agag and his family, as God commanded. 

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

Centuries later, a descendant of that evil king, Haman, the Agagite, coerced a Persian King into signing a decree to kill, destroy, and annihilate all the Jews.

Queen Esther, a woman also from the line of Benjamin, succeeded in obeying God’s command. 

Who knows if the beautiful Hadassah had not been placed into the kingdom, for just that purpose?

 

King Ahasuerus also made Mordecai his new Prime Minister and gave him the royal signet ring.  He had work to do.  Something had to be done to save all the Jews!

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Esther 8.

Again, Queen Esther braved the King’s courtroom and received the raised golden scepter.   “If it please the king and I have found favor in his sight… and if the thing seems right before the king… and I am pleasing to  his eyes… let an order be written to revoke the letters sent to destroy the Jews in all the provinces!”

The King answered her (and Mordecai too). “It can’t be done. A king’s decree in Persia cannot be revoked.  BUT…. you may write anything you wish – in my name using my seal – to the provinces about the Jews.”

So Mordecai wrote an edict (translated into Persian by the king’s scribes) to the 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia, and sent it by swift, mounted couriers in the king’s service.

It said that the king allowed the Jews to gather and defend their lives… and to kill, destroy, and annihilate any armed force of any people that might attack them … and to plunder THEIR goods. This could happen on ONE day (which Haman had chosen for the attack by using lots (Purim). 

Mordecai went out – in fine royal robes and a crown – to announce it to the Jews in Susa.  And the city rejoiced. The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor, a feast and a holiday.

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Esther 9.

The day came, and the Jews defended their lives, families, and homes.  A strange fear of them came upon all the people who would have been killing and plundering them.  

“The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them.  In Susa alone, they killed 500 men, plus the ten sons of Haman, the enemy of the Jews.  But they did NOT plunder them.

Mordecai recorded these things and ordered that the month and days be kept as a holiday, a day of feasting and gladness and sending gifts of food to one another and to the poor.  And they called these days Purim, after the casting of Pur (cast lots).  And Queen Esther confirmed the practices of Purim. 

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Esther 10.

Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers… for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.

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NOTE: Purim became one of the two festivals given “outside the Mosaic law”  to be celebrated in Israel. (Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is the other. see John 10:22) 

 

(****LORD, thank You, for Your sovereignty and providence in the lives of Your people. We KNOW you are at work in all things, for our good, and for Your glory. We honor and praise You!)

 

 

 

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 266

Sep23

Day 266 – Reading – Esther 1 – 5

Have you ever read the book of Esther straight through?

Jews read it (and sometimes play-act it) every spring on the holiday of Purim.  There are costumes, cheering and “booing,” ironic twists, and high drama. And special yummy foods to munch while you listen or watch.  Read it, and you will see why it’s a fun, but important, celebration.  And notice… the mention of God is no where seen in the pages. Hmmm.

Esther 1.

This Book takes place in Susa, the winter capital of Persia, sometime after Cyrus said the Jews could return to Israel to rebuild their Temple.  Thousands returned, but many did not. They continued to live in the 127 provinces.

This story takes place during the time of King Ahasuerus (or Xerxes in Greek) who followed King Cyrus.

The first section tells about his great party – 180 days long!!! (That’s six months!)  He showed off all his riches, royal glory, splendor, and pomp of his greatness. 

Take a look at the furnishings of the palace: white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of purple to silver rods. There were marble pillars, couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels of many kinds, although no one was required to drink. (Huh!) 

One thing remained for the king to show off – his uber beautiful Queen Vashti in her royal crown (and nothing else?).  She was giving a party for the women, and for probably many reasons she did not want to visit the king’s celebration.  She said, “no.”

WHAT!!  No one said “no” to the king of Persia.  After talking to the men (who now feared all their wives would begin to say “no” to them), it was decided that Vashti would be “fired” as Queen.  That would teach her, right?

But now, King Ahasuerus…. missed her.

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Esther 2.

So… he held a beauty contest. He gathered all the beautiful young virgins to his harem in Susa.  He had them prepared with treatments (diets?), and beauty agents FOR A YEAR!  Then he would “try them out” to see which one pleased him most.  That one would become the next Queen.

Now in Susa, there was a Benjamite Jew named Mordecai, who had been carried away captive from Jerusalem in the second deportation (same as Ezekiel) and he had an orphan niece he was caring for.  Her name was Hadassah, and she was beautiful.  She was taken in the king’s “cattle call” for lovely young virgins. Mordecai told his niece to “keep secret” the fact that she was Jewish.  No use having one strike against her.

The man in charge of the women took a liking to Esther (her Persian name) and gave her special treatments and instructions.  And so, when it was time for her to “see the king,” Ahasuerus was “wowed” by her and took her as his next Queen.

He gave another great feast, and even gave a remission of taxes, so all the people would be sure to rejoice with him over his new queen. (He did not make a mistake of inviting Esther to make an appearance in only her crown!) 

Oh, and as an aside, there was a small incident where two of the king’s eunuchs became angry with the king (wanted more pay or recognition??), and attempted to assassinate him. Mordecai heard of it, and warned the king.  The two were caught and hung.  The incident was recorded in “the book of the chronicles of Persia”  in the presence of the king. And then forgotten.

(Put a pin in that incident.)

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Esther 3.

Things settle down, and Esther gets used to living in the harem and only occasionally seeing the king. Meanwhile, we meet a man in the court that the king liked. He promoted him to second highest in the kingdom. (Think of Joseph with Pharaoh, or even Daniel with Nebuchadnezzar.)  He was a pompous, egotistical man.  His name was Haman (Boo-o-o-o!).  He was an Agagite.  (So what? you say, but oh, there is a reason his heritage is mentioned.)

You see, way back in the history of Israel when Saul was king, God gave him the task of KILLING ALL the Amalekites. (The reason why, is told way back when the Israelites were still in the wilderness. Check it out in Deuteronomy 25:17-19).  Saul’s army killed most of them, but he “kept” King Agag”(and probably some of the royal family) as a “prize for the LORD.” 

The prophet Samuel was furious with him, and ended up hacking King Agag to pieces himself. And the kingdom was torn from Saul’s lineage.  HAMAN (Boo-o-o) was a descendant of that Agag. So, the serious problem the Jews were going to have now in Persia – a chance to be wiped out – was because of Saul’s disobedience.

ANYWAY, when Haman (Boo-o-o) walked or rode through the streets of Susa, old Mordecai, who sat by the gate, in case any news came from Esther, sat on his bottom as he passed.  Mordecai (a Benjamite like King Saul) refused to acknowledge the Agagite.  This made Haman FURIOUS. He decided to kill NOT ONLY Mordecai, but ALL his people – the Jews – as well.  

Haman (Boo-o-o) drew lots to determine the day it would happen (“pur” means one lot, “purim” means lots).  Then he went to the king and set it all up, even offering to put 10,000 talents of his own silver in the King’s coffer to pay for the “destroying, killing and annihilating” of all Jews, young and old, women and children …. and plundering of all their goods.

Wow. This sounds like those plans to kill Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego, as well as Daniel by decree because jealous provincial governors hated them.

WELL, as you might expect, the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.  The king and Haman? Well, they sat back with a drink and waited.  

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Esther 4.

Mordecai, with his ear always to the news of Susa, heard the king’s decree.  He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes (a sign of great distress and mourning).  He joined all the Jews in every province with loud and bitter cries.

Deep in the palace, Esther’s young servants and the eunuchs told her about Mordecai.  She sent clothes for him so he could take off the sackcloth and ashes.  He would not. Then she sent one of the eunuchs to go to Mordecai and find out why he was doing this.

Mordecai told the eunuch what had happened and the exact amount of money that Haman (Boo-o-o) had promised the king for the destruction of the Jews.  Mordecai also gave the eunuch a copy of the decree to take back to Esther.  And he commanded Esther to go to the king and beg his favor on behalf of the Jews.

The eunuch reported what Mordecai said and showed her the edict.

“Oh!” she cried and sent back this message.  “All the king’s servants and people in the provinces KNOW that no one goes before the king without being called, except the one to whom the king holds out his golden scepter.  Or else… that person will DIE.   And as for me… he has not called me to come in the last 30 days!”

Mordecai sternly told Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.  For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.  And who knows WHETHER YOU HAVE NOT COME TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.”

Esther sent back a message for Mordecai to gather all the Jews in Susa. “Hold a fast on my behalf for three days (I and my servants will too). Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” 

Mordecai did all she asked.

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Esther 5.

After three days, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while he was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance. 

She stood silent.  The king raised his eyes. And …. he smiled. He raised the scepter that was in his hand.  Esther went close and touched the tip of the scepter.

“What is it, Queen Esther?  What is your request? It shall be given to you, even to half my kingdom.”

“It it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.”

“Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.”

Wow.

So, the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared.  As they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”

Esther answered, “My wish and my request is…. if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king, let the King and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king said. (reveal her wish).”

So it was arranged.

And Haman (Boo-o-o) went out “joyful and glad of heart.” 

BUT… when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, neither rising nor trembling before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.   But… he restrained himself, thinking of the Queen’s private party that night, and another the next night.  At home, he bragged about it to all his friends. 

But his friends saw the bitter cloud over him. “Grrr, yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

Then his wife and friends suggested he play “hangman.” 

“Build a gallows 50 cubits high (75 feet), and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then you can go to the Queen’s feast without a worry.”

Haman (Boo-o-o) had the gallows made.

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TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.  Can you wait?

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 263

Sep20

Day 263 – Reading – Zechariah 1 – 4.

Read the Scriptures first. Do you like reading prophetic visions?  

Today begins three days in the book of Zechariah.  Remember in Ezra 5:1-2, God sent two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to get the Jews off their recliners and back to work to finish rebuilding the Temple. He was in a priestly line, born in Babylon and raised by his priest-grandfather, Iddo. He’s described as a “young man” in Zechariah 2:4, so he was probably younger than Haggai and hadn’t begun his priestly duties (age 30).  According to Matthew 23:35, he was murdered between the temple and the altar!

Not only did Zechariah challenge the Jews to complete the Temple rebuild, but he went on to encourage them concerning their Messiah and His glorious kingdom and new Temple in the future. 

In each of his three main prophesies, Zechariah begins with the present situation in Judah and goes forward to the exaltation of the Messiah’s reign.  It is sometimes called “the apocalypse of the Old Testament.”

God used Zechariah to bring an outburst of promise for the future to sustain the faithful remnant through the coming 400 “silent years” when no word from God was heard until John the Baptist’s words announcing “the Lamb of God.”

(I think it’s cool that Israel was in Egypt for 400 years, until they killed the Passover Lamb.  And soon there would be another 400 dark years until they heard the announcement of (and killed) Jesus, “the Lamb of God.”  See Mark 1:1-11)

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Zechariah 1.

“‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD.” were Zechariah’s first words. And the people repented. Then Zechariah gave these two visions for the comfort of the exiles.

  • 1.)  In the night, Zechariah “saw” a Man/angel among the myrtle trees, and 3 other riders of colored horses.  These men on horses patrolled the earth, and discovered all the nations (Gentiles) were at ease/rest, while Jerusalem & Zion lay in disaster.
  • The Man/angel then told Zechariah and the Jews these gracious and comforting words from the LORD.
  • “I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem (the walls were finished 75 years later).  My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again “choose Jerusalem.” (during the Millennial Kingdom.)

 

  • 2.) Next, Zechariah “saw” four horns! He asked what they represented. 
  • The angel said they were “the horns (or powers) that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” (Maybe the four who attacked Israel: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and Persia, but most likely the four world empires of Daniel 2:7: Babylon, Persia, Greece & Rome.)
  • Then Zechariah “saw” four craftsmen (“hammers”), and asked the angel/man what these were coming to do.
  • The angel said, “These have come to terrify the “horns” that scattered Judah. The craftsmen will terrify them and cast them down.“

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Zechariah 2.

  • 3.)  Next, the prophet “sees” a man with a measuring line, and he asks the man where he’s going and what he’s planning to do.
  • “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and length.”  The angel/man then sends a runner after the measuring man to tell him that the future Jerusalem will have NO WALL. The LORD will be a “wall of fire” all around the city, AND He will also be the Glory in her midst.

Then Zechariah comes back to the present with a message to the Jews still remaining in Babylon.  “Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD.  Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon, who plundered you.  For he who touches you touches the apple of His (God’s) eye. I will shake my hand over them, and they (captors) shall become the plunder for those who served them.”

  • Then Zechariah again resorts to the distant future when the LORD will dwell in Zion, and many nations shall join themselves to the LORD and also be His people.  He will dwell in their midst, in “the holy land.”  He will again “choose Jerusalem.”  So, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion!”

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Zechariah 3.

This next vision reveals the need for Israel’s cleansing and restoration as a priestly nation.

  • 4.)  The LORD showed Zechariah the High Priest Jeshua, standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand (God’s or Jeshua’s?) to ACCUSE HIM.  This is symbolic. Jeshua stands in for Israel as a whole. Will he be rejected or accepted? 
  • The LORD rebukes Satan for his accusation. He tells the enemy that He has snatched him (Jeshua/Israel) out of the fire of destruction/exile, like a stick about to burn. 
  • Satan fires back, pointing out Jeshua’s filthy garments (Israel’s sin). 
  • The LORD commands that the filthy garments be removed from Jeshua. Then He says to the priest representing all of Israel, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

(This is righteousness imputed, as God does to those who believe in Jesus, the Christ.  Nothing that they/we do can make us clean. God changes our filthiness to purity and glory, and the ability now to serve Him.)

  • Then, Zechariah joins the scene and reminds them to put a clean turban on Jeshua’s head.  The priestly turban, inscribed “Holy to the LORD,” is placed on Jeshua’s head.
  • The LORD of Hosts then charges Jeshua, “If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access with those who stand here.” (Access to God’s throne room through offerings and prayer.)  “And behold, I will bring my servant, “the Branch.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)  I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. “

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Zechariah 4.

  • 5.) The angel/man came again to Zechariah and showed him a lampstand, all of gold. It had a bowl on top and seven lamps.  There were two olive trees by it, on the right and left, which supplied a continual flow of oil to burn.
  • Then the angel/man gave a message from the LORD to Zerubbabel. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” He was speaking of the task of finishing the rebuilding of the Temple. 
  • “Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain.  And he shall bring forward the “top stone” (finishing stone of the temple) amid shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall complete it!”

(And it WAS completed 6 years later.)

  • Zechariah asked about the two olive trees on either side of the lampstand with pipes to pour in the oil.
  • “Do you know what these represent?” asked the angel/man.
  • “No, my lord,” said Zechariah.
  • “These are the “anointed ones” who stand by the LORD of the whole earth.” 

Who were anointed to serve in Israel?  The king and the priest.  Representing these two offices (for the returned exiles) through which the blessing of God would flow were Zerubbabel, descended from the royal line, and Jeshua, from the priestly line.  Both together foreshadowed the Messiah, as priest and king.

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****LORD, thank you for all the imagery in this section, especially the courtroom scene where Jeshua stood before You, clothed in filthy garments.  This is like all the people of the world, sinners in need of cleansing.  Then YOU took off the dirty clothes and put on clean ones. YOU, not Jeshua. And you gave him access to YOU! 

 This is such a beautiful picture of what Jesus did for all who believe in Him.  Just like 2 Corinthians 5:21 says. “For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God.”  Thank you, oh, thank you!

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 261

Sep18

Day 260 – Reading – Ezra 4 – 6,  Psalm 137.

Read the Scriptures first. 

Again, a little background reading would be helpful.  Who are the people living in the land of Israel who were adversaries of the newly returned Jews?  Read 2 Kings 17:24-41 for background. 

When the Assyrians deported the people of the northern kingdom, whose capital was Samaria, they brought back people from all their other conquered nations to mix and marry with the remaining “low” Jews who were left and keep the land. These people brought their own worship of pagan gods, and God sent lions among them. Then the Assyrian king sent a Jewish priest back to teach (also) the ways of the LORD.  And so the people who settled there had a religion made up of worship of the LORD plus all the other despicable pagan gods. They became known as the Samaritans, whom, still in Jesus’ time, the Jews hated.

Now these “Samaritans” were objecting to the influx of thousands of pure Jews who were settling in the land and rebuilding the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem.

Ezra 4

These Samaritans approached the heads of the Jews and offered to “help” them rebuild the Temple, since they’d been worshiping this God too, since King Esarhaddon (Assyria) brought them there. 

Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the high priest, said, “No way!  We alone are building a house for OUR God, as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.” (They could throw around a royal name, too!)

So the Samaritans resorted to discouraging and threatening the Jews, and bribing the contractors to slow the work.  They did this for SIXTEEN YEARS, through three Persian kings, until the time of King Darius! 

Whoa! 

During the reign of King Ahasuerus (after Cyrus), these Samaritans wrote an accusation against the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. (No response, maybe because the king was busy with his new Queen Esther, Mordecai, and his wicked prime minister, Haman.)

Then, during the reign of King Artaxerxes, they wrote another letter against Jerusalem. The exact letter is shown in Ezra 4:11-16. It ends with a threat, “…if the city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have NO possession in the province beyond the river!”  The Samaritans asked him to search the records and see if this city is not as rebellious and seditious as they claim!

This king listened to the Samaritans this time and sent a decree that all the work in Jerusalem was to “cease and desist.”   And so “the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem STOPPED and it CEASED until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.”

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Ezra 5.

After the prophets of God, Haggai and Zechariah, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the LORD, Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the high priest, were encouraged and arose to begin rebuilding the Temple of the Lord. 

Once again, the opposition arose. The governor of the province and his associates came to them, demanding to see any new decree that allowed them to start building again.  They also demanded the names of all the workers.  (Sounds like Communism!)  The Jews ignored them… until a report could be sent to King Darius, and an answer returned.

Again, a copy of the letter the Governor sent to King Darius is included in Ezra 5:5b-17.  This letter is humorous to read because the Samaritans quote Zerubbabel, who explained how they were obeying the God of heaven and earth. They also quote him saying that King Cyrus had commanded them to rebuild it and had sent much money to make sure it was done.  

The Samaritans again ask the Persian king to “search the royal archives of Babylon” to see if such a decree WAS issued by Cyrus.   

(They had requested this of Artaxerxes, but he’d just given the decree WITHOUT searching the records!  But this king was actually going to do it.)

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Ezra 6.

King Darius DID make a search of the archives, and a scroll was found on which was written a decree by Cyrus, the king.  “Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height and breadth shall be 60 cubits each, with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. LET THE COST BE PAID FROM THE ROYAL TREASURY. And let the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar took be brought back to the temple of God.”

Ha!  Well, that serves those Samaritans right.  But wait!  King Darius continues,

  • “Now, therefore, let the Governor and his associates keep away and let the work on the house of God alone.  Let the Jews rebuild the house of God on its site. 
  • MOREOVER … I make a decree that the cost of rebuilding the house of the God of the Jews IS TO BE PAID IN FULL AND WITHOUT DELAY from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province (Samaritans).
  • AND, whatever is needed — bulls, rams, sheep for the burn offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, or oil as the priests at Jerusalem require — let that be given to them day by day WITHOUT FAIL, that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven (and pray for the life of the king and his sons.)
  • ALSO, I decree that anyone who alters this edict, that a beam shall be pulled out of his house and he be impaled on it, and the house be made a dunghill.  WHOA!!
  • May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem.
  • I, Darius, make a decree; let it be done with all diligence!  (And I imagine a swirling signature… or maybe the imprint of the royal ring in the clay.)

And according to the word sent by Darius, the Governor and his associates did with all diligence what the king ordered.  The Jews finished their building by decree  of the God of Israel, and by decree of Cyrus and Darius of Persia.  It had been 20 years since the foundation was laid.

The priests, Levites, and the returned exiles celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.  And they set up everything as it was written in the Book of Moses.

Then the returned exiles kept the Passover.  And the kept the feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days, with joy for the LORD had made them joyful.  

And so ended the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

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(Praise God!  He always keeps his promises.  He supplies, encourages, protects and helps those who obey Him.  Thank You, LORD, for doing those things for us today as well.  YOU are the God we serve, and love, and obey. You gave us salvation through Jesus… an even greater gift than the rebuilt temple. Thank You!)

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Days 222 & 223

Aug11

NOTE: Sunday and Monday studies are posted on Mondays.

Day 222 – Reading Jeremiah 10 – 13

Day 223 – Reading – Jeremiah 14 – 17

Read today’s Scriptures … ANYWHERE you find yourself this summer. Stay in the WORD!

DAY 222 – Jeremiah 10 – 13.

In this book, Jeremiah prophesies God’s coming judgment on Judah for their unrepentant sin, often in horrifying detail.  He also foretells their return to the land and the final millennial restoration under the rule of the Messiah-King.  Jeremiah and/or the people pray for mercy, but God’s answer is mostly “Do not pray for them.” (In other words, God’s mind was made up. They had gone too long without remorse. Judgment WILL come.

Also, in Jeremiah, there are sections where God speaks directly to Jeremiah, telling him to do something, which is often a “picture” of what will happen to Judah.  Some instructions are difficult, as when the LORD told Jeremiah he was NOT to take a wife or have children.  Farther along in the book, Jeremiah will endure much suffering for the Word of the LORD’s sake.

Jeremiah 10.

The prophet compares the ultimate LORD God with the idols of the nations.

IDOLS:  “A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe BY THE HANDS OF A CRAFTSMAN. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it cannot move. Their idols are like SCARECROWS IN A CUCUMBER FIELD!  They cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk!  DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM!  They cannot do evil… OR good!

THE LORD;  “There is none like you, O LORD: You are great, and your name is great in might.  Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms, THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU!”

IDOLS:  “They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but WOOD!  Beaten silver… and gold…  They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their “clothing” is violet and purple; they are ALL THE WORK OF SKILLED MEN!”

THE LORD:  “BUT THE LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.  At HIS wrath the earth shakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.”

Jeremiah then shifts into the words the Israelites will speak when the invaders attack – their despair over their homes destroyed and their children killed.

In ending the chapter, Jeremiah pleads that God’s terrible fury would be poured out on the attackers. He understood Judah must be punished, but prayed for mercy and moderation for them.  

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Jeremiah 11.

God tells Jeremiah to remind the people of the “Covenant” He made with them when he brought them out of the “iron furnace of Egypt;” the blessings and curses He would bring depending on how they obeyed His law.   They had confirmed that, but had quickly strayed from their promise.  “Everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart.”  Hence, the coming disaster that they cannot escape.

“Let them go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings.”

And to Jeremiah, “Do NOT pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble!”  WOW!

Jeremiah continued to tell the people of God’s fierce judgment.  Some men from the Levite town of Anathoth devised schemes to kill him for his prophesy. Jeremiah went to the LORD.   God assured Jeremiah that they would  “get theirs” when when the time came. “Behold I will punish them. I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth.” 

(Also re-read God’s strong promise to Jeremiah in chapter 1:8, 17-18)

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Jeremiah 12.

In this chapter, Jeremiah complains about the wicked and treacherous prospering. (Maybe about those who had threaten him.)

God answers Jeremiah by listing all the ways that Judah has failed HIM, forsaken and hated HIM, destroyed HIS vineyard and pleasant land…  

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Jeremiah 13.

In this chapter, God gives Jeremiah a weird task to do, one that, if taken literally, involves a LONG TRIP.  Jeremiah is to buy a linen loincloth (equivalent of a pair of underwear) and put it on, but not to take it off to wash it. 

Jeremiah obeyed.

Then God told him to go to the Euphrates River (500 miles away!!), dig a hole and hide it there between some rocks. 

Jeremiah obeyed.

After many days, the LORD told him to go back to the Euphrates and dig up the loincloth.

Jeremiah obeyed, and reported that the loincloth was “spoiled” and “good for nothing.” 

WEIRD set of instructions, right?  But God said it illustrated how close Israel had been to Him, that they were His people and He, their God.  But they would not remain there, but stubbornly followed after other gods to worship them.  And so…. the prophesied long stay, “buried” so to speak in Babylon, was to spoil their pride.

Next, Jeremiah is to tell ALL the people, from the king who sits on the throne (Jehoiachin), the priests, and prophets, to the common inhabitants of Jerusalem, that they will be like “full wine jars” which will be dashed against each other and destroyed … when the invasion comes. 

When they all ask, “Why is this coming upon us?” tell them that it is “for the greatness of your iniquity” and “you have forgotten God and trusted in lies.”

Then God asks a question that goes back to the Illustration of the loincloth. “WOE to you, O Jerusalem! How long will it be before you are made clean?”

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DAY 223 – Jeremiah 14 – 17.

Jeremiah 14.

In a time of drought in Judah, Jeremiah pleads for mercy.  After stating how horrible it’s getting without water, he prays to God.

“O You, Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of trouble….”  Don’t be a stranger in a time of trouble.  “You, O LORD, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name;  Do not leave us.”

But the LORD answered Jeremiah like this,

“Do not pray for the welfare of this people! Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them.  But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.” 

WHOA!  How does it feel for God to say NOT to pray for someone?

Jeremiah pleads for the people, because false prophets have deceived them.  But God says HE did not send those prophets, and they will be punished too.  But so will the people.  They would have known that the prophets were false if they’d stayed close to Him.

Still, Jeremiah pleads to God for the people.

“We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against You. Do not spurn us, for Your name’s sake; do not dishonor Your glorious throne; remember and do not break Your covenant with us.  Are there any among the false gods of the nations THAT CAN BRING RAIN?  Or can the heavens GIVE SHOWERS?  Are You not He, O LORD our God?  We set our hope on You, for You do all these things.”

Wow, what powerful, persevering prayer!!

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Jeremiah 15.

God’s answer to Jeremiah’s intercession,

“Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go!

WOW. Double WOW.

God will not relent of the 1) pestilence, 2) sword, 3) famine, and 4) captivity “because of what Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem. (2 Kings 21:1-18, 23:26, and 24:3-4)  “I AM weary of relenting.”

Jeremiah goes through a time of self-pity and protests about staying clear of those wicked men and remaining faithful to God. (He truly loved God’s word, a joy and delight to him.) But why wouldn’t God answer his prayers? 

And God reprimanded him.  “If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you will be as My mouth. I will make you, to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but you shall prevail, for I am with you to save you and deliver you.”

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Jeremiah 16.

When God commands Jeremiah NOT to take a wife or have children, it was a mercy. God reminds His prophet that the wives, sons, and daughters who are there will die of disease but not be buried, they will perish by the sword and famine, and beast will eat their bodies.  God has taken away PEACE from the land. He will silence the voice of mirth and gladness.

When the people ask WHY?, Jeremiah is to tell them, “Because your fathers have forsaken Me and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them and have forsaken Me and have not kept my law.  AND YOU HAVE DONE WORSE THAN YOUR FATHERS.  And so…… I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known.  And there … you shall serve other gods day and night, for I will show you NO FAVOR.

“I will bring them back … But first, I will doubly repay their iniquity and sin … for their detestable idols and for filling my land with their abominations. 

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Jeremiah 17.

God continues listing the reasons for such drastic judgment on Judah.

CURSED is the man who trusts in man … he’s like a shrub in the parched desert.

BLESSED is the man who trusts in the LORD … he’s like a man planted by the water, green and fruitful.

“I the LORD search the heart and the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.

Then the LORD sends Jeremiah to the kings of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem to tell them to KEEP THE SABBATH HOLY. This had been a major sin for Israel, for all the 490 years from the first king until their captivity.  Not only had they neglected and desecrated the Sabbath Day, they had ignored the Sabbath Year.  Their 70 years of captivity would give the land rest for all those Sabbath Years they had missed.  (When they did return from captivity, special emphasis was put on observing Sabbath.)

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(We saw Jeremiah as a “human” today as well as a faithful prophet.  He balked at a few of God’s judgments and prayed to change them, but in the end, he relented.  He obey strange and dangerous instructions and got harassed and persecuted for them.  But God promised He would always be with Jeremiah.  Jeremiah was faithful to give out God’s message.  HOW faithful am I?)