Week 1: Pure Offerings and a Closed Temple

This week, 2012 will draw to a close. If you've diligently stuck with the reading plan: Congratulations on finishing the Bible in One Year! We hope you enjoyed the weekly blog posts as well as enjoy the satisfaction that comes from reading through the entire Bible. Not many people have done that, and you are blessed you have had the opportunity and willpower to do it. If you've got side-tracked and didn't finish the Bible in one year... No worries! You can finish where you left off last year, or take a fresh start this week.

In 2013 we will continue the reading plan we did last year, with one section from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament, one Psalm, and one section from Proverbs. This provides a nice balance of different scripture readings each day.

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows (2 more days to close out this year):

• Sunday: Malachi 1:1-2:17, Revelation 21:1-27, Psalm 149:1-9, Proverbs 31:10-24
• Monday: Malachi 3:1-4:6, Revelation 22:1-21, Psalm 150:1-6, Proverbs 31:25-31
• Tuesday: Genesis 1:1-2:25, Matthew 1:1-2:12, Psalm 1:1-6, Proverbs 1:1-6
• Wednesday: Genesis 3:1-4:26, Matthew 2:13-3:6, Psalm 2:1-12, Proverbs 1:7-9
• Thursday: Genesis 5:1-7:24, Matthew 3:7-4:11, Psalm 3:1-8, Proverbs 1:10-1
• Friday: Genesis 8:1-10:32, Matthew 4:12-25, Psalm 4:1-8, Proverbs 1:20-23
• Saturday: Genesis 11:1-13:4, Matthew 5:1-26, Psalm 5:1-12, Proverbs 1:24-28

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from a passage from Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, as well as from Revelation, the last book in the New Testament:

Scripture:
Malachi 1:

10 "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.

Revelation 21:

22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

Observation:
In the opening chapter of Malachi, the LORD is very upset with his children, the people of Israel. They call him 'father' and 'master', but they don't honor him like a son would honor his father, or a servant would honor his master (verse 6). The priests offer mediocre sacrifices (v. 7 & 8), but they pretend to do the right thing. That is what makes God really upset, and why he shows his righteous anger in verse 10. He tells his children that it is better to shut the temple doors (like closing the church), than to pretend everything is going well.

Then, in the next verse, God is looking into the future, beyond the current situation. He sees a multitude of nations honoring his name, and bringing pure offerings in every place. In a sense, he's looking to the time after Jesus came to earth, and the good news of Jesus Christ was broadcast all over the earth, bringing multitudes of people into fellowship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It's a time of reconciliation between God and his people. This includes the time we live in as well.

Application:
Even though God's name is honored all over the earth in our times, and Jesus showed us the way of reconciliation, when I take an honest look at my life and the life of the church, there is a lot that God could be upset about as well. And perhaps he is at times. I'm upset with myself at times, when I know I'm not honoring my Heavenly Father and bring him mediocre sacrifices. There's a lot that can be improved, and that's why there's also the book of Revelation. In Revelation 21, we see the final final picture of reconciliation.

In these verses, we see that the temple is closed for good. Actually... there no longer is any temple, because God himself and the Lamb (=Jesus) are its temple! There is no need for sunlight or moonlight, as the glory of the Father and the Son provide the light. But just like Malachi 1:11, we do see the nations bringing their splendor and pure offerings to the LORD. Worship will continue, but no longer in an imperfect way. All our worship will be pure and holy, and honoring of the One who is worthy of all glory, honor, and power.

As we embark on a new year, more than ever, I do want to make an effort to bring pure worship to Him who saved my life from eternal death and who gave me life everlasting.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we worship and adore you. Thank you for another year that you have given us. A year full of blessings, but also full of pain and struggles. You hold it all in your hand, and we look toward you to guide us in the new year. We look forward to your second coming, Lord Jesus, when all things will be made new, and even our worship will take on a new purity. Help us and guide us we pray. In your name. Amen.

I hope you will continue to read the Bible on a daily basis. There is no better thing than to daily sit at the feet of our Lord and let Him teach us.

Have a blessed week and a blessed New Year.

Dick

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. [Jude 24,25]

Week 52: "By My Spirit"

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 30:21-23
• Monday: Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Revelation 15:1-8; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 30:24-28
• Tuesday: Zechariah 8:1-23; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 30:29-31
• Wednesday: Zechariah 9:1-17; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 30:32
• Thursday: Zechariah 10:1-11:17; Revelation 18:1-24; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 30:33
• Friday: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 31:1-7
• Saturday: Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Zechariah: 

Scripture: Zechariah 4:6
"Then he said to me, 'This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.'"

Observation:
In the context of this passage, the Lord is assuring Zechariah that he will fulfill his promise to rebuild the Temple. But this was not to be accomplished by human ingenuity or effort; it would be accomplished by God's Spirit.

This is one of the most oft-quoted Old Testament verses because of the underlying principle: namely, the principle that God accomplishes everything he promises through his Spirit; not by human wit or strength. This universal truth brings a lot of comfort! It relieves us of the burden of fulfilling God's will in our lives and in the world by means of our own strength or will power.

God uses us to be sure, but he accomplishes his purposes with us, not because of us. In other words, to the extent that we are willing and able, God lets us participate with him in the realization of his divine purposes in the world. He uses us to the fullest extent possible, but his ultimate will is not thwarted if and when we fail. In fact, God sometimes uses our failures to accomplish his will!

Application:
The practical implications of this passage are profound. When we internalize the truth of this passage, we can, with the Psalmist, be still and know (experientially) that God is God (see Psalm 46:10).

I came across a sermon recently whose title captures perfectly the point I'm trying to make: "The Gospel Depends on a God Who does not Depend on You."

Some preach a very toxic gospel, which says, in essence, that God's purposes in the world, including the salvation of people's souls, depend on us...and that when we drop the ball or miss the mark, God's will goes unrealized. But God's word strikes a very careful balance between the existence of human "free will" and God's "sovereign will." In God's economy, both types of "will" fully exist without impinging on each other. How precisely this is the case is a matter of a much longer theological discussion.

For now, suffice it to say that the Christmas story is nothing less than the Gospel – the "Good News" of fulfilled promise in which God accomplishes for us what we could not accomplish for ourselves so that from here on out we would depend not on our own effort or ability but on the finished work of Christ. Because of him, and in light of our imperfect-yet-willing selves, we are the glad and happy recipients of the greatest gift known to humankind: the gift of everlasting life!

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
"How unsearchable his judgments,
"and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33)

Prayer:
O Lord, thank you for accomplishing for us what we could never have accomplished for ourselves. Amid all the glitter and clutter of this "holiday," which for many is anything but the "Holy Day" it deserves to be, please awaken us by your Spirit and enable us to feast on the truth of your Incarnation: "God is born; God is born indeed!" Amen.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Faithfully,
Chuck

Week 51: Bethlehem's Hope

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows: 

• Sunday: Micah 5:1-7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 30:5-6
• Monday: Nahum 1:1-3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 30:7-9
• Tuesday: Habakkuk 1:1-3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 30:10
• Wednesday: Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14
• Thursday: Haggai 1:1-2:23; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 30:15-16
• Friday: Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation 12:1-17; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 30:17
• Saturday: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 13:1-18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Micah:

Scripture: Micah 5:2-5
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you,
one whose origins are from the distant past.
The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord's strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
And he will be the source of peace.

Observation:
People today equate the word "prophecy" with "prediction." So they are surprised to learn that only about 2 percent of all biblical prophecy is predictive. Most prophecy is proclamatory, which means that it is the proclamation of God's timely message to a situation that is happening at the time. God called prophets mainly to preach to the people in their own day. In fact, that's what Micah was doing. Most of the time in his book, when Micah talked about future events, he was speaking about the judgment that would befall Israel if the people did not repent. His message was about turning to God in repentance right away.

What we see in Micah 5:2-5 is a rare phenomenon in biblical prophecy. This passage is an instance of pure prediction. Verse 2 calls to mind the old Christmas hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem.

Bethlehem was God's chosen place for the Savior's birth.

In Hebrew the word Bethlehem means literally "house of bread." It was a small city and one of the oldest in Israel. It is first mentioned in Genesis 48:7 as the place where Rachel died. Ruth lived there. It was also King David's home at one point...and Joseph was a descendant of David, which is why he had to go there to register for the census that Augustus Caesar decreed.

But why did God choose Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah? Why not Jerusalem, the most famous city in Israel? We can't say for sure. What we can know, however, is that more than 800 years before Jesus' birth, God predicted through the prophet Micah that the Savior of the world would be born there.

Application:
When one thinks of the circumstances that led to Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, and that his specific birthplace was predicted so long before it happened, one cannot help but be blown away.

It makes us realize that God is in charge of this world in ways that go far beyond our powers of perception. It makes us realize that if God can take the self-serving impulses of a power-hungry Roman emperor and use them for (or at least incorporate them into) his divine plan to bring the King of kings and Lord of lords into the world in a certain place, he can also lead us through the dark and uncertain days brought on by the senseless acts of violence in Clackamas, Oregon, and Newtown, Connecticut.

What Micah's predictive prophecy about Jesus' birth proves, among other things, is that God is in control, even when we are caught off guard by the unthinkable things human beings sometimes do.

The senseless and brutal murders of these people were not part of some "bigger plan" for God to be glorified through incomprehensible suffering. If the story of Jesus' standing at the graveside of his dear friend, Lazarus, proves anything at all about God's feeling towards death, it is that he comes to us in our grief and joins us in our mourning, even though in the end he will vanquish death and wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 7:17).

The prediction of Jesus' coming into the world proves that God is not caught off guard by human caprice and malice. And the fact of Jesus’ coming proves that there is life after death and therefore joy and consolation after such incalculable loss. But in the present, there is God with us, Immanuel, sharing in this journey of pain and entering fully into our grief.

Prayer:
O Lord, the One who Is and Was and Is to Come, the Great I Am, we lean into your embrace in this strange and paradoxical period of loss and unrealized hope, knowing that because of your Incarnation Love, we are not alone with our pain. Please be our ever-present Strength in this season of anguish and grief. Tarry with us now in this pain and lead us in the Way Everlasting. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

May this last week of Advent bring you hope and peace.

Faithfully, Chuck

Week 50: God's Word: Feast or Famine?

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Joel 1:1-3:21, Revelation 1:1-20, Psalm 128:1-6, Proverbs 29:18
• Monday: Amos 1:1-3:15, Revelation 2:1-17, Psalm 129:1-8, Proverbs 29:19-20
• Tuesday: Amos 4:1-6:14, Revelation 2:18-3:6, Psalm 130:1-8, Proverbs 29:21-22
• Wednesday: Amos 7:1-9:15, Revelation 3:7-22, Psalm 131:1-3, Proverbs 29:23
• Thursday: Obadiah 1:1-21, Revelation 4:1-11, Psalm 132:1-18, Proverbs 29:24-25
• Friday: Jonah 1:1-4-11, Revelation 5:1-14, Psalm 133:1-3, Proverbs 29:26-27
• Saturday: Micah 1:1-4:13, Revelation 6:1-17, Psalm 134:1-3, Proverbs 30:1-4

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Amos:

 

Scripture: Amos 8:11

    "The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine on the land -- not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD.

Observation:
Through the prophet Amos, the God was warning the people of Israel that there would come a time when the 'words of the LORD' would be scarce. This will be a time when it will be difficult to find a place where you can hear God's word.

Application:
We are fortunate that we can still here the words of the LORD on a weekly basis in church, and on a daily basis by reading the Bible. Even today there are places where Christians are persecuted and/or have to read God's word in secret. There may come a day where the hearing of God's word will be difficult for Christ-followers as well. The book of Revelation that you will start reading this week, talks about that. Let's take advantage of the bounty of God's word we have today!

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your word, and the bounty of it we have today. Help us to read it regularly, understand it, and apply it to our lives. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week feasting on God's word!

In Christ,

Dick

Week 49: Love over Sacrifice

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

• Sunday: Daniel 9:1-11:1, 1 John 2:18-3:6, Psalm 121:1-8, Proverbs 28:27-28
• Monday: Daniel 11:2-35, 1 John 3:7-24, Psalm 122:1-9, Proverbs 29:1
• Tuesday: Daniel 11:36-12:13, 1 John 4:1-21, Psalm 123:1-4, Proverbs 29:2-4
• Wednesday: Hosea 1:1-3:5, 1 John 5:1-21, Psalm 124:1-8, Proverbs 29:5-8
• Thursday: Hosea 4:1-5:15, 2 John 1:1-13, Psalm 125:1-5, Proverbs 29:9-11
• Friday: Hosea 6:1-9:17, 3 John 1:1-14, Psalm 126:1-6, Proverbs 29:12-14
• Saturday: Hosea 10:1-14:9, Jude 1:1-25, Psalm 127:1-5, Proverbs 29:15-17

Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Hosea:

Scripture: Hosea 6:6

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Observation:
Hosea is the first book of a series of 12 books that we call the minor prophets. These prophets are called 'minor prophets', only because the length of these books is rather small compared to the books of the 'major' prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. I think the verse above (verse 6 of chapter 6) was one of Jesus' favorite Bible verses, as he quoted it on several occasions, see for example Matthew 9:13, or Matthew 12:7. Jesus uses this verse in the context of saving sinners, people who have been written off by the so-called religious leaders. He tells these leaders (and us!) that God is more interested in us being merciful, rather than us being religious by bringing our 'sacrifices'.

Application:
The Hebrew word for mercy (Checed), can also be translated as 'lovingkindness', in other words... 'showing love'. Acknowledgment of God, means 'to know God'. So what Hosea is saying is this: to really know God, means to be merciful, or to show love to those who do not deserve it. There have been enough times in my life when I had a really difficult time with that. Times when I felt all 'self righteous' in condemning others. Rather than being merciful, I was only interested in 'being right' and not showing love where I needed to. This verse is a great reminder that God is only interested in my love for others, not my sacrifices. Our Lord Jesus was an example to us, who showed the real meaning of love. Hebrews 10 verse 5 to 7 (which is a quotation of Psalm 40:6-8) says:

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, my God.' "

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you stir my heart and help me to develop an attitude the same that Christ Jesus had. Help me to be more concerned with my love for others, than to be concerned with my 'righteous sacrifices'. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Have a great week. Enjoy the Bible reading. Stick to your plan!

In Christ,

Dick