Week 20: Esther 3 - Job 10

Reading schedule for this week:

• Weekend: Esther 3 - 4
• Monday: Esther 5 - 7
• Tuesday: Esther 8 - 10
• Wednesday: Job 1- 3
• Thursday: Job 4- 7
• Friday: Job 8 - 10

We're about 1/3 of the way through the reading calendar and we hope you are still energized and making time to read on a daily basis.  Even if you may be behind, no worries- please stick with the daily reading the best that you can and sneak in some extra reading time during lunches or breaks if you can to get a little caught up.  And as always, please take the time to post on here any questions or comments you may have regarding the reading- your thoughts are very important and we do listen!

This week we complete the book of Esther and begin the book of Job.  Both are stories of courage- the courage to stand up against a foreign regent when a massive injustice is to take place as we read in Esther, and the courage to remain faithful to God even when it appears God has turned His back on you.

Before there was Hitler, before there was Nero, there was Haman.  Haman was so insulted by one Jew refusing to honor him that he set out to destroy the entire captive Jewish population.  It was a planned extermination, to be carried out on a single day.  As the story unfolds, it comes down to one woman, Esther, to save the Jewish people...

"Why does God allow people to suffer?"  This is one of the toughest questions that people ask and in times of crisis it can be even tougher to understand the answer.  The book of Job is a story that revolves around this theme.  The main character, Job, is made to suffer unimaginable loss and personal tragedy- all tests of his character and integrity and his faith in the goodness of God.  Job's wife and buddies seek to comfort him, but also harbor doubt and anger and uncertainty about why such disasters should come upon such a noble and faithful man of God.  When pressed by such pressure, Job summons the courage to remain faithful to God, even if he does not understand whay God would allow such things to happen.

The answer to the tough question:  "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"  (Ch.2 v.10)

God bless you this week in your reading!

-Mike

Week 19: Nehemiah - Esther 2

Reading schedule for this week:

• Weekend: Nehemiah 1 - 2
• Monday: Nehemiah 3 - 4
• Tuesday: Nehemiah 5 - 7
• Wednesday: Nehemiah 8 - 10
• Thursday: Nehemiah 11 - 13
• Friday: Esther 1 - 2

This week the reading continues with the book of Nehemiah. The books of Ezrah and Nehemiah really are 1 book - split in two - that deals with the return of the remnant of Israel to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. The book of Nehemiah consists of 3 parts. Chapters 1-7 covers Nehemiah's activities as governor. He gets approval from the Persian king Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it. Despite opposition, he is able to rebuild Jerusalem's city walls in a stunning 52 days! Nehemiah also implements rules against social injustice (Chapter 5). What I love about the book of Nehemiah is that he wrote down his inner thoughts, which gives us a great picture of how he interacted with God, see for example the little prayers in 2:4 and 4:4.

Chapters 8-10 focuses on the renewing of the remnants spiritual/church life. The priest Ezra reads from the law of Moses, and the people understand and respond. Note the parallel between Nehemiah 8:12 and the book Acts 2:43-45. When a church understands the true meaning of God's word, beautiful things happen in the way the church body interacts with each other.

The last part 11-13 consists of lists of people who return, as well as a description of the consecration of the temple and some reform measures.

Finally, we'll make a start with the book of Esther this week, which is written in between Ezrah and Nehemiah, and tells the story of the exiled Jewish girl who became Queen to the King of Persia. More on that next week.

We're hoping you're still enjoying reading through the Bible. It isn't always easy to make time, but it certainly is rewarding to continue. An pdf file of the complete reading schedule is now available. It is a one page that you can keep in your Bible with a summary that allows you to mark off each day when you finish it. Make sure you get one at the church or send an e-mail to wccbible@gmail.com. Keep up the hard work!

Dick

Week 18: 2 Chronicles 29 to Ezra 10

This week's reading schedule is:

• Weekend:   2 Chronicles 29 - 32
• Monday:    2 Chronicles 33 - 36
• Tuesday:   Ezra 1 - 3
• Wednesday: Ezra 4 - 6
• Thursday:  Ezra 7 - 8
• Friday:    Ezra 9 - 10

We'll finish the 2nd book of Chronicles with the kings Hezekiah (good), Manasseh (bad), Amon (bad), Josiah (good), and then in rapid succession until the Babylonian siege: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachinand Zedekiah, under whom Jerusalem falls and the people of Judah taken captive. 2 Chronicles 36:21 always intrigues me: "The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah." The writer of Chronicles, whose vantage point was after the exile, was able to look back to the exile not only as judgment (different from the writer of Samuel and Kings), but also as containing hope for the future. For him the purified remnant had returned to a purified land (verse 22 & 23), and a new age was beginning. The exile was not judgment alone, but also a blessing, for it allowed the land to catch up on its sabbath rests (Lev. 26:40-45, 1 year for every 7 years, so a total of 490 years of not observing the sabbath rests). But God had remembered his covenant (Lev. 26:45) and restored his people to the land.

It is a reminder that God is in control of the big picture of world history, and the small details of our lives as well. The book of Ezra is all about this new hope and restoration, and the challenges that it brings. The beginning of Ezra is identical to the end of 2 Chronicles, showing the continuity of Israel's history. Both Ezra and Nehemiah are great examples of church leadership, and the challenges of building up and maintaining a healthy church, God's people.

Dick

Week 17: 2 Chronicles 6 - 28

Reading material for this week:

• Weekend:   2 Chronicles 6 - 8
• Monday:    2 Chronicles 9 - 12
• Tuesday:   2 Chronicles 13 - 16
• Wednesday: 2 Chronicles 17 - 20
• Thursday:  2 Chronicles 21 - 25
• Friday:    2 Chronicles 26 - 28

This week’s reading encompasses sixty-four percent of 2 Chronicles (23 of 36 chapters).  You will see King Solomon at the zenith of his reign, consecrating Israel's new temple with a prayer of dedication that culminated in one of the most dramatic displays of God’s glory recorded in Scripture.  Solomon was “greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (9:22).  He “made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills” (9:28).

In the readings later this week, however, you will encounter a series of kingly successors that illustrate the importance of finishing well.  Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, abandoned the wise counsel of his father’s advisors, which led to Israel’s fracture.  From that point on, Israel was a divided kingdom.  Kings that consistently rebelled against the Lord governed Israel’s ten tribes to the north, and David’s successors – some good, some not so good, and others wholeheartedly wicked – governed the two tribes to the south, Judah and Benjamin.  Scripture refers to the northern territory as Israel and to the southern territory as Judah.

Throughout this week’s reading and beyond, you will encounter a number of chronological notes that the writer of Chronicles inserts into the narrative, which are not included in 1 or 2 Kings.  Here’s a list for your convenience: 11:17; 15:10, 19; 16:1, 12-13; 17;7; 21:20; 24:15, 17, 23; 26:16; 27:5, 8; 29:3; 34:3; 36:21. 

The writer uses these chronological references to introduce cycles of obedience and blessing and disobedience and punishment. 

As you read this week, prayerfully consider the importance of maintaining an intimate relationship with God throughout your entire life.  Several of these kings started well, but turned their backs on God as their lives drew to a close.  Let’s remember that God’s desire for us is to finish the good work he began in our lives (see Philippians 1:3-6).

Have a great week!
Chuck

Week 16: 1 Chron. 1 - 2 Chron. 5

Reading material for this week:

• Weekend:   1 Chronicles 1 - 7
• Monday:    1 Chronicles 8 - 12
• Tuesday:   1 Chronicles 13 - 18
• Wednesday: 1 Chronicles 19 - 25
• Thursday:  1 Chronicles 26 - 29
• Friday:    2 Chronicles 1 - 5

The material for this week serves a great purpose.  As much as we find where we are going to be of great importance, it also helps to take a look at the rearview mirror.  The Israelites lost their way under the direction of some poor leadership and were removed from the Promised Land accordingly.  Time spent in captivity also diluted their sense of who they were as a people.  The Chronicles were written by the prophet Ezra to recap the history of the Israelite people as they began the process of returning to their land. 

Outside of the geneologies listed, the focus of the reading this week is on the reign of King David, filling in some more of his story that we did not get in the books of Samuel.  We wrap up the week with the beginning of Solomon's reign and the constuction of the temple- a very significant event in the history of the Jewish people that we will unpack more when we read the stories of Ezra and Nehemiah.

We look forward to your comments and hope you are still enjoying the reading!

-Mike

Week 15: 2 Kings 1 - 25

The reading plan for this week is:

• Weekend:   2 Kings 1 - 3
• Monday:    2 Kings 4 - 8
• Tuesday:   2 Kings 9 - 12
• Wednesday: 2 Kings 13 - 17
• Thursday:  2 Kings 18 - 21
• Friday:    2 Kings 22 - 25

This week we'll finish the 2nd book of Kings. The 2nd book of Kings is a continuation of the 1st book of Kings, and describes the history of the kingdoms of Israel and the kingdom of Juda after their division. In the first 8 chapters, the prophetic ministries of Elijah and then Elisha are prominent. Second Kings also gives the account of the Assyrian invasion and subsequent captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel. After the Assyrian captivity all that remains is Judah. Would the people of Judah learn from the mistakes of their 'brothers' in the North and survive the Babylonian sieges? Find out as we enjoy another week of great scripture.

Dick

Week 14: 1 Kings 1 - 22

The reading plan for this week is:

• Weekend:   1 Kings 1 - 4
• Monday:    1 Kings 5 - 8
• Tuesday:   1 Kings 9 - 11
• Wednesday: 1 Kings 12 - 16
• Thursday:  1 Kings 17 - 19
• Friday:    1 Kings 20 - 22

The book of 1 Kings continues where 2 Samuel left off: the end of king David's reign, and the beginning of Solomon's. David has subdued all his enemies and has brought an era of peace for the nation of Israel. He leaves this kingdom to Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba. Under Solomon's reign the nation of Israel reaches its pinnacle in fame and wealth. 1 Kings 10 describes all Solomon's splendor - "Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon's days". Can you imagine...

Solomon's wisdom is what made him so famous. In the beginning of his reign, he did the right thing by asking God for wisdom instead of wealth. But as God granted his wish and was pleased with him, later on in his life, the fame and wisdom led to narcissistic and sinful behavior. Everyone wanted to see and listen to Solomon, and everyone brought gifts... and women, I suppose. The poor man ends up with 700 wives and 300 concubines!! Can you imagine that! Despite God's warning that women from foreign religions would lead his people astray, the Bible tells us: "Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love". And as Solomon grew old, these women lead him astray with their idols, and his heart was not fully devoted to God anymore.

As ridiculous as that story may sound, and as stupid as we may think Solomon is by doing this, this story might be closer to home than you think. How many of us take our wealth for granted, and how many times has it led you astray from God? I cannot count my own mistakes on two hands any longer...

Solomon's sin ultimately leads to the division of the nation of Israel into two parts, the tribe of Judah for Solomon's descendents, and one tribe for Jeroboam and his descendents, one of Solomon's adversaries. We read about all the kings that reign either part, both good kings and bad kings. One bad king in particular, Ahab and his interactions with the prophet Elijah are described in detail.

Enjoy the reading, as we celebrate the Lord's death and resurrection this weekend as well. Because of  Him, we have found grace and mercy in God's eyes, and even our worst mistakes are washed clean by His blood. What an amazing God and Lord and Savior we have!

Dick