Day 271 Neh 11-13; Ps 126

I most definitely had a momentary lapse of reason this morning.  I am reading along with the dedication of the Temple and the Praise and Worship like the time of David is occurring.  Did I really think Yeah!! They are back? (Like God does to us when we make a commitment) But have I not learned anything from the past 271 days….our humanity is so sinful. 

I found it interesting that as we read the last days of the Old Testament reminders are given to us that go all the way back to Genesis.  Lot’s drunken incestuous relationship bringing forth the Moabites and the Ammonites are now in the Temple. (Balaam…wow, remember the talking DOnkey!), working on the Sabbath, and whenever the spiritual leader left the people backslided. (is that a word)

When Nehemiah left the Jews in Babylon, they slid back and when He left the ones in Jerusalem they did the same.  Ugggg is it so obvious we need a Savior to save us…we clearly can’t do it on our own.

Don’t forget Psalm 126.

2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalm 46, 80, 135

Note the time frames.  The first chapter we read is sort of a flash back, then we are 10 years later, the 14th year of Hezekiah’s reign, placing us about 701 B.C.  Sennacherib, king of Assyria, is the son of the king that deported Israel’s people (Northern Territory).  To keep them from attacking the southern territory, Judah, they paid them an annual tribute.  But when Sennacherib took his fathers reign, Hezekiah stopped paying, thinking Assyria was just forgot to ignore them (fat chance).  Sennacherib attacked so Hezekiah quickly paid him all he had, but it didn’t matter Sennacherib attacked anyway.

(By the way you are not going crazy, yes you read all this last week in Isaiah)  This is good for you to reread. If God had a message for you, maybe you ignored it the first time.

I have not read the Psalms yet, but I will….in my quiet time. <><

Isaiah 37-39, Psalm 76

Sometimes when we read the Bible it is normal to have moments where it is so good and then times when we feel dry.  Don’t get discouraged by the roller coater emotions of being in the Word.  If the reading is not “grabbing you”,  clear your head and be still.  Then read. Don’t always get stressed about who these Kings are, what is going on exactly, where were we again.  Just understand that on every page God has a plan for Jesus to come into our lives to give us the Holy Spirit to discern and guide us through this world.  Clearly we can see that without it, we are hopeless.

Today’s reading could mean something different to everyone.  That’s the best part about it.  God is personal.  One on One.  For me the read today God wanted me to know that PRAYER matters!  Prayer is a gift that has been given to us that most people never take out of the box.

Remember the overview in Isaiah (I barely do) but I remember the part about this book being mini format of the bible.  Well what we are finishing today is the Old Testament part.  The first 40 chapters were Words of Judgement (OT) the  next 26 Chapters will be Words of Comfort (NT).  SO this is it.  The pivot.

Chapter37 was beautiful to read.  Hezekiah did what Isaiah has been preaching for 36 Chapters.  Turn to the Lord.  And He does.  In verse 4 he prays for a remnant to survive out of Judah.  (we already know where this is going, JESUS!) Anyway, Hezekiah prays and acknowledges that He ALONE is God.  (Key word there, they never denied there was a God, just that they had adopted all the pagan Gods too) and Hezekiah asks for victory….why?? Verse 20, did you catch the SO THAT.  So That all the kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, Oh Lord, are God. Not for personal gain or any other reason.

I could not pass up this cut and paste

Once more a remnant of the house of Judah
       will take root below and bear fruit above.

 For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,
       and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.
       The zeal of the LORD Almighty
       will accomplish this.

Chapter 38.  The death of Sennacherib was prophesied in 4 prior chapters in Isaiah and is recorded in 2 Kings 19 which we will read about on Tuesday. The Hezekiah’s illness occurs.  The difference today is that Jesus made us aware that He has prepared a place in Heaven for us.  Hezekiah, didn’t know that would be where he was going so the thought of death ha a real sting.

39.  I had to look up the word Envoy, just in case it was something more than it was.  The definition is A representative of a government who is sent on a special diplomatic mission.  Merodach-Baladan was a Babylonian Prince.  He was planning a revolt against Assyria and was forming his alliance.  He probably hoped to  convince Hezekiah to join his side (wouldn’t you want the Lord’s power on your team??)  Hezekiah feeling honored  and maybe his head was help a bit too high showed the envoys his treasures, But Isaiah had warned the king not to trust Babylon because some day they would turn on Judah and steal all that wealth!  Hezekiah may have been just showing them all that God could bring to someone but still, this gesture has a huge consequence that we will read about in Daniel and 2 Kings 25

2King 18:1-8; 2Chron 29-31; Ps 48

AS we read in Isaiah there would be a remnant of people that would be left behind during the exile.  Hezekiah is the King in Judah.  His father was Ahaz, the awful King that locked up the temple doors.  Hezekiah begins with breaking down pagan started idols but also has enough wisdom to break down His own peoples started idols. 

DO you remember the Bronze Snake that was created back in Numbers 21?  Great Story to reread!  God had told Moses to make a Bronze Snake and raise it up, and all who believed would be healed.  The snake was just a piece of metal, it was their Faith in God that healed them (also a HUGE foreshadows of the Messiah, for those who believe…) anyway, the Hebrews had even made an idol out of that snake.  Modern day application would be anything religiously superstitions, like a cross or a rosary or a picture of Jesus that we feel might “protect us” of “bring us luck” just because it looks religious doesn’t excuse it from being an idol.  We must really keep checking our self on this.

2 Chronicles.  Hezekiah.  I know we have read many Kings names that they all get swooshed together but we need to let this one stand out right now.  Think of how hard it is to talk to friends or family in the worst time of their life about “how Great God is”, “How God loves us and our purposes is to Worship Him”.  These people have not celebrated the Lord in over 200 years, and Hezekiah brings back the original law that God had commanded after they were freed from slavery. 

“People of Israel RETURN to the Lord”.  The word RETURN always stands out to me.  I am always thinking it should be “come” to the Lord but we forget that He created us and that we were His from the beginning.

I wish I could talk about this topic but this blog is long enough, Chapter 30 verse 9 says paraphrased that that messengers were “scorned and ridiculed”.  Listen, God always knew that talking about Him or encouraging people to Worship the ONE true God would be an unwelcoming conversations but look what happened even though they did it…

Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.  2 Chron 30:18-20

Isn’t that awesome!  SO as we watch the news at night and think “Good Golly what is the world coming to” we can know that the only way to have a perfect world is His way.

Obadiah; Psalm 82-83

We know nothing of Obadiah.  Just him name. (so cool).  This short book has 2 sections to it.

• The Destruction of Edom
• The Restoration of Israel

This book was probably written around 587 B.C. Israel will fall to the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar and Edom will not only look on but take part of the plunder of spoils.   This prophecy does come  true and Edom is no longer considered a nation around 150 B.C.  Lingering survivors appear throughout time, one of them  being Herod the Great, the ruler of the Jews during Jesus time but in 70 A.D. the Edomites entirely disappear.

The second part of this prophecy is the confirmation of covenant.  Israel will rise from her fall, she will not only possess her original land but also that of  Philistia and Edom (today this is Jordan).  This prophecy speaks of the coming Messiah.  “The house of Jacob will possess its inheritance”.

By the way if you feel like reading a little more today read Jeremiah 49 staritn in Verse 7.  Jeremiah was a prophet also that echoed the same message of Obadiah in that chapter.

Psalm 82-83  Smile.  If you had read these Psalms 6 months ago you may not have understood them like you do today.

Day 166 Ps 134/146-150

Today’s readings are very special.  Do you remember a long time when we started some of the Psalms I mentioned the “songs of the ascent”.  During the pilgrimages to theTemple, the worshipers would sing these psalms or they were sung up the 15 steps of the temple.  Well, psalm 134 is the last of the ascent psalms.  We are ready to go into the temple to worship the Lord.

How lucky are we that when Jesus died on the cross we became living temples for the Lord to live in and we can commune and worship the Lord daily now.

Psalm 146-150.  Wow, what a milestone.  These are our last 5 psalms.  Each one begins and ends with a Praise the Lord.   So as we are ending the Psalms let us remember our purpose.  Our Purpose on this planet is to serve and worship the Lord.  Everything else is just given to us from the Lord.  So I want to read these last 5 praise poems directly to the Lord.  I pray that one of the 5 speaks directly to your heart.

Day 165 2Chron 6-7; Ps 136

Hi friends! I am on a road trip.  We have covered about 700 miles so far.  We have not always had Internet connection and we are having a wonderful trip.  I read part of today’s reading and will finish before bed tonight.   This week the blogs may not be there.  With that said since I won’t have time to research the readings I would love to hear of any insight you all have.  I do miss my routine and my quiet time, but God has blessed me with some great time with my kids this week.  Keep me posted on you!

Day 152 Ps 119:89-176

Wisdom. Discernment. Obedience.  Those were the three words I kept hearing in my head as I read the second half of this Psalm. Wisdom and Discernment are from God. Obedience….well…do we? See all 3 are rightly related.  I find it interesting that we are reading this today and by Wednesday we will be on Proverbs.  If you have read this Psalm before…try changing the version, it might help it to fall fresh.

1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chron 1, Psalm 72

1 Kings3 and 4.  The moment I read who Solomon marries I was like “are you kidding me!” We have heard it time and time again…you have got to go to Church to find a good woman!  Not a strip club!  Well, let the fun begin I guess.

• By the way the point of the telling you where people were sacrificing was to show you that they were not following the law.  They were only supposed to make sacrifices at appointed places by the Lord and supervised by the priests. Gibeon is where they should have been all going to; that is where the tabernacle was with the Bronze alter and the Tent of Meeting.  The Ark however was in Jerusalem.

A Discerning Heart: Is that what you would have asked for? If you could ask God for one thing what would it be? But imagine being Wise.  A wisdom that came only from the Lord.  Knowing WHAT to do in difficult times. What decisions to make.   Knowing what to say.  Should I do this or this?  Wisdom is knowing what to do with our knowledge.  God will give us wisdom if first, we ask for it and second we TRULY believe that he will give it to us.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:5-7)

Love the prostitute baby story!

Psalm 72.  Yes this Psalm is a prayer for Solomon but it is a prayer for the real King of Kings.  Verse 17, which is quoted in Genesis and in Luke is a prophecy of the King that will reign over ALL nations forever.

Day 150 Psalm 119 1-88

Two days ago we read the shortest chapter in the Bible, Today we will read half of the longest Chapter in the Bible.  Psalm 119 is a Psalm focused on the truly happy life we have when deep rooted in reverence for God.

There are 176 verses, and every verse (except 4) mentions God under one or 10 different names.  He is called: law, statutes, decrees, commands, precepts, word, ways (paths),  decrees, promised and judgements.

This poem is an Acrostic, or an Alphabetic Psalm.  It has 22 Stanza’s and each begins with a letter in the Hebrew alphabet, in sequence.  Each stanza has 8 lines. And Each stanza begins with the alphabetic letter.  If your not sure what I mean, look at the Psalm.  See the words Aleph, Beth, Gimel…Those are the Hebrew alphabet letters,  Each one has a meaning and when the Bible was originally written in Hebrew the first word in each stanza was that letter.

The author of this Psalm is suggested to be Ezra, abd written  after the temple was rebuilt.

So I wrote all that above and then went a read the Psalm and I truly don’t even know what to write about. We read 11 Stanzas and each was amazing.  If you have time today I encourage you to take 1 of the Stanza’a and reread it and look up each cross reference.  I actually did it with Aleph.  Here is what I did with it

• Verse 2…the word AND really popped out at me.  It didn’t say Or, it said And.
• Verse 3.  They do nothing wrong?  Look up 1John 3:9.  When we have Christ in us He does stop our habits of sinning.  There is evidence in the way we live that we have a relationship with Christ.
• Verse 7. As I learn your ways.  The x-ref was Dt 4:8.  Remember those Chapters about Obedience vs Disobedience.  Obedience is learning His ways.

Which Alphebet letter did you disect.  Please share.