BR-28 Chronological Bible Read (July 9-15)

Hey, Chronos, feel that wind in your face?
It’s all downhill from here! 😇

The elephant in the room:
Psalm 119.
It's the longest psalm & maybe the most challenging. Thank goodness it has its own day. Grab your favorite beverage and settle in for a good, deep scripture soak.

Since musical praise is an ongoing theme in this week's readings, I include this song by Amy Grant: it perfectly sums up Psalm 119 (and it keys off of verse 105).
CLICK HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6LC8cu03Ig

Blessings,
Steve
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We are reading The One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation - Tyndale). The best way is with your own copy of this Bible translation. Or, copy and paste this link to the daily reading schedule:
http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearchronologicalbiblereadingplan.pdf

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Key verse - "So He gave them what they asked for, but He sent a plague along with it." Psalm 106:15 (July 9th)

This week's highlights:
Most repeated phrase in this week's reading: "Praise the Lord!"

Jesus references abound this week:
Psalm 116:6
Psalm 118:22
Psalm 118:2
Psalm 132:17
Psalm 146:7-10


July 9th - the reference to Phinehas in Psalm 106:30-31 ties to Numbers 25

July 10th - LOVE this idea: "What a blessing was that stillness[!]" Psalm 107:30.

July 11th - Psalm 115:11 says, "All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord." I added the emphasis, but that is the meaning: if you fear Him, ALSO trust Him.

July 12th - Psalm 119, the longest, is all on July 12th and each section begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

July 13th - basis for hymn: "Bringing in the Sheaves." Psalm 126:5-6

July 13th & 14th - The psalms of ascension are found here; these were sung as the pilgrims claimed up toward the Temple in Jerusalem. Each verse is for a step on the stairway. As you read these psalms, picture them stepping up as they sang each verse.


Next week:
• Back to the prophecies of Isaiah; especially interesting in that so many are not for Israel, but for/about other countries.
• We also get most of Micah's prophecies. Look for the Jesus prophecy, here, as well as the end of war.
• Near the end of the week, some history is interleaved with the Isaiah prophecies; note what happens to King Hezekiah.

BR-27 Chronological Bible Read (July 2-8)

We just passed half way, Chronos!
How does that feel?

The short version:
Over and over and over, again, the Old Testament pops up in the New Testament. That's no accident. How interesting that we get to read these as they first appear in scriptures! When they heard Jesus repeat them, New Testament followers recognized and responded to these OT scriptures differently than we might think. Knowing that changes how we think about them.

Also, NOTE, it is believed that everything we are reading this week, both proverbs and psalms (many of which have no known author), were collected by King Hezekiah (who we just read about!) as part of his religious reformation. This is why they appear separately from other proverbs and psalms.

Blessings,
Steve
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We are reading The One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation - Tyndale). The best way is with your own copy of this Bible translation. Or, copy and paste this link to the daily reading schedule:
http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearchronologicalbiblereadingplan.pdf

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This Week’s Key verse:
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17. We followers of Jesus are called to do this, repeatedly, in the New Testament. One example (of many): "Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24ff

>This week's highlights:
July 2nd - Prov 25:6-7 sounds a lot like the advice Jesus gave about not trying to sit at the head pf the table (Luke 14)
... maybe He read Proverbs, too??

July 2nd - Prov 25:21-22 is exactly what Paul is quoting in Romans 12:17-21.

July 3rd - The Worthy Woman Prov 31 - The phrase "worthy woman" is better translated as "woman of valor." (try reading it like it describes a worthy person ... enlightening). Almost anyone would be happy to have such things said of them, regardless of their gender.

July 4th - A portion of the song "As the deer panteth for the water" comes from Psalms 42 & 43

July 4th - Psalm 46: You may have heard this expressed as "a very present help in times of trouble."

July 6th - Psalm 91:11-12 was referenced by Satan when tempting Jesus in the wilderness (Sssso ... I guess that means our enemy has read the Old Testament, too).

July 8th - INTERESTING TO KNOW: the author for the famous Psalm 100 is unknown.

July 8th - I really like this from Psalm 104:24 “O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all.


Next Week:
1. Psalm 119, the longest, is all on July 12th and each section begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

2. The psalms of ascension are found here; these were sung as the pilgrims climbed up toward the Temple in Jerusalem. Each verse is for a step on the stairway.

BR-26 Chronological Bible Read (June 25 - July 1)

The short version of this week's readings: Come back to God!

People often regard the Old Testament as more of a rulebook. In the book of Hosea, the prophet puts the lie to that. Throughout, we find phrases like "I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” Again, "...no one cries to me for help." And, "...yet they don't return to the Lord their God or even try to find Him."

God always loves us, always wants us to show love, always wants us to seek Him, and always wants us to come back ... and always has!

Blessings, Steve

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We are reading The One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation - Tyndale). The best way is with your own copy of this Bible translation. Or, copy and paste this link to the daily reading schedule:
http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearchronologicalbiblereadingplan.pdf

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The Almost-Missed-It Department: June 24th - we read one of the famous prophecies of Christ. ISAIAH 9:1-7. Right after prophesying the coming Assyrian invasion, God says, "Nevertheless ..."

This week’s Key Verse:
After saying He will "win her back" (meaning Israel), God says He will "transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope." (HOSEA 2:15) Remember this whenever you’re in your own, personal “Valley of Trouble.”

This week’s highlights:

1. June 25th, 2KINGS 18 - Hezekiah destroyed the bronze serpent God had instructed Moses to make during the wilderness years. [The same one Jesus referenced when He said He would be lifted up like the serpent that healed the Israelites who looked upon it.] You would think that destroying it would anger God ... but no. In this instance, God allows Hezekiah to destroy it because the people had started worshipping IT! There's a powerful lesson here, and it's worth our time to think on it a bit.

2. June 26th & 27th - Hosea the Prophet - a lot here on God's desire for us to return to Him. Also, the famously used phrase "reap the whirlwind" is found at HOSEA 8:7.

3. June 28th, 2KINGS 17:24 - A conquerer settles foreigners in Israel. In this period, Isaiah tells people how to get right with God: "Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." (ISAIAH 1:17) This is followed by a scripture you may recognize ... (ISAIAH 1:18).

4. June 30th, ISAIAH 14:12-17 - To quote the Saturday Night Live “Church Lady”: “Could it be ... SATAN?!“ Many consider these verses a description of the Satan's fall from Heaven.

5. (All of July 1st) Hezekiah reopens the Temple - they used the Psalms "written by David and by Asaph the seer" to praise the Lord. And, after many years, Passover was once again celebrated!

5a. 2Chronicles 29:31 - Note “all who were willing....”

5b. A key verse from King Hezakiah’s Passover invitation: “For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to Him, he will not continue to turn His face from you.” (2CHRONICLES 30:9)

Next week:
More Proverbs!!
More Psalms!!

BR-25 Chronological Bible Read (June 18-24)

Are you getting the picture, Chronos? The nation of Israel is slowly destroying itself. That's the summary. (Last week’s notes have a link to a good reference for tackling the two-kingdom problem.)

Here are two Key Verses:

"At about that time the Lord began to cut down the size of Israel's territory." 2nd Kings 10:32 (June 18)

"Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot ...." Isaiah 11:1-16
—Jesus!! ... and, sort of, the Branch Davidians (June 24th)

Blessings,
Steve
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We are reading The One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation - Tyndale). The best way is with your own copy of this Bible translation. Or, copy and paste this link to the daily reading schedule:
http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearchronologicalbiblereadingplan.pdf

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This week’s highlights:
1. Contrast what Zechariah asks of God just before he is stoned to death (June 18 —> 2Chronicles 24:22) with what Jesus requests of God at His death (Luke 23:34).

2. We wrap up the story of the Prophet Elisha (successor to Elijah) and his last prophecy on June 19 —> 2nd Kings 13:14. People often find King Jehoash’s cry confusing: “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” It is similar to what Elisha cried out when Elijah was taken away in the fiery chariot. It means: “When I look at you, I see the strength of Israel. Without you, we are weak.” But on a more personal level, the king is saying: “You are my father. How will I continue without you?”

2a. Elisha’s last miracle, though, doesn’t come until after his death! Did you find it in the reading?

3. We are introduced to Uzziah who was made king at 16 years of age. He ruled Judah for 52 years! ... sort of ...
(June 20 —> 2nd Kings 14:21 through 2Chronicles 26:21)

4. Jonah! — June 20th: Northern Kingdom prophet swallowed by ... what? (HINT: not a whale). Jonah’s sin? He didn’t want the people to be forgiven by God. He wanted them punished for their sins. So, he disobeyed God’s command to warn them that they would be destroyed if they didn’t repent. Jonah is an example of righteous anger untempered by grace or mercy.
NOTE: there is every likelihood the fabled “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” didn’t exist (there’s no contemporaneous historical record of them); rather, they were likely the well-documented “Hanging Gardens of Nineveh.”

5. Amos! June 21 & 22 —> Prophet to both kingdoms (during reigns of King Uzziah and Jeroboam II) Key concept: fair treatment in the marketplace, especially of the less fortunate. Amos 5:23-24 is a shocker! Key phrase located at Amos 8:11-13 "a famine in the land" refers to his prophecy that their sins would lead to a famine of a God’s word; that God’s people would no longer hear from God if they did not repent. It’s the ultimate punishment: cut off from God. This prophecy eventually came true: when Jesus is born, God had been silent for many, many years. This may explain the continued astonishment at his teachings and their belief he was the prophet, the one who would, finally, speak the words of God after such a long silence.

6. Isaiah sees the Lord "high and lifted up" in the temple ... a powerful vision! (June 22nd: Note what, exactly, fills the Temple!). This is Isaiah’s official call to serve as God’s prophet.

7. Micah prophesies: June 23rd

8. June 24 Isaiah 11:1-16 —> The prophecy that led to the group called “Branch Davidians,” then to the splinter group led by David Koresh, and to the events just outside Waco all those years ago.


Next week:
1. The prophet Hosea (& the Hooker!)
2. Conquerer settles foreigners in Israel
3. Hezekiah reopens the Temple.

BR-24 Chronological Bible Read (June 11-17)

It feels like a game of hopscotch, Chronos!

That's the thought that crossed my mind as I jumped back and forth between the stories of the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom in this week's reading. While it can be a bit confusing, the story really does move right along.

NOTE: in my experience, it helps to list the main points under the each kingdom. Here is a website that offers several helps with keeping the two kingdoms straight ... including side-by-side timelines: https://www.historyinthebible.com/supplementary_pages/two-kingdoms.html

Happy reading!
Steve

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We are reading The One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation - Tyndale). The best way is with your own copy of this Bible translation. Or, copy and paste this link to the daily reading schedule:
http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearchronologicalbiblereadingplan.pdf

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James says, "Elijah was a person, just like us." That makes studying his story especially important, both his ups and his downs. So here's a short list of his highlights.

1. First resurrection in the Bible: 1st Kings 17:8-24
2. Elijah "drops his basket" (becomes so depressed he asks God to take his life away): 1st Kings 19:1-9
3. God presents Himself as the "still small voice" and re-directs Elijah's mission: 1st Kings 19:9-18
4. Death of Jezebel: 2nd Kings 9:30-37

If interested, there are two reflections on my blog that center on Elijah. See “1Spiritual Reflection - Vivi Dropped Her Basket” and “1Spiritual Reflection-Catch God on the Whisper.” Search the list of spiritual reflections on the right hand side of the screen at:
https://steveorr.blogspot.com/?m=0

Another key story: the healing of Naaman's leprosy (2nd King's 5).

Next week:
1. We wrap up Elisha's story.

2. We are introduced to Uzziah, the person who rules Judah for 52 years!
... sort of ...

3. Jonah! (Northern Kingdom prophet swallowed by ... what?)

4. Amos! (Prophet to both kingdoms ... key phrase: "a famine in the land" ... key concept: fair treatment in the marketplace, especially of the less fortunate).

5. Isaiah sees the Lord "high and lifted up" in the temple ... a powerful vision! (Note what, exactly, fills the Temple!)

BR-23 Chronological Bible Read (June 4-10)

Love is in the air, Chronos!

This week, we go all the way from "Song of Solomon" to "Ecclesiastes" and on through to "1st Kings 17:7" (the beginning of the story of Elijah). What that means is that we finish up Solomon's rule and enter the period where Israel became a divided nation: two kingdoms, two kings, two capitol cities, multiple places to worship.

This is important. That split echoes throughout the rest of the Biblical story, all the way into the time of Jesus. We see it reflected in Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well and in such things as the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Happy reading!
Steve

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We are reading The One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation - Tyndale). The best way is with your own copy of this Bible translation. Or, copy and paste this link to the daily reading schedule:
CLICK HERE http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan/oneyearchronologicalbiblereadingplan.pdf

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This week:
Many consider the Song of Solomon one of the most romantic pieces of writing, anywhere. Do you agree? Why or why not?

My fave verse: "Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it" (SOS 8:7, June 4th). In the scriptures, phrases like "many waters," "mighty waters," "overwhelming flood," etc., always indicate the greatest disaster, the unrecoverable situation, events so bad only God could rescue a person from them. Solomon goes "on record" that love will transcend these matters, every time.

If interested, here is a blog piece I wrote about “mighty waters”:
CLICK HERE http://steveorr.blogspot.com/2015/05/thank-you-todd-rundgren-lectionary.html?m=1.

June 5-8 puts us into Ecclesiastes. There are a lot of famous quotes taken from this book. A well known song (“Turn Turn Turn” by The Byrds) comes almost verbatim from the first eight verses of Chapter 3. What do you think of this book? What do you think was Solomon’s purpose in writing it?

A lot of history in Chapters 8-10

Next week:
Keep your finger on the last reading of June 10th. This starts the conflict between Elijah and Jezebel, arguably the most famous evil woman in history. Many oft-told and well-known tales are crammed into just a few chapters in 1st Kings. Hang on!

A couple of challenges from last week:

1. One reader challenged me on my rejection of Proverbs 14:10 ("Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy"). I thought that seemed off. Surely, I reasoned, we can let others in to help ameliorate our bitterness and to share in our joy. The push-back I received went like this: No matter how much we would wish it, there always remains a portion of ourselves that only we and God can access. We can try to share ourselves —and should with the right person— but we lack the ability to open up completely. Also, there may be parts of each of us that we, ourselves, do not actually perceive. Thus, we may not be able to share with others since we don't know those parts are there to share.

Deep stuff, but it won me over. I now agree with the Proverbs ... on this 😇

2. I challenged myself on this next one (18:23 - "The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults."), saying it left the impression that to be wealthy automatically means someone is a bad person. Upon reflection, I agree that there are plenty of instances where people with means (i.e., the rich or well-off) are skeptical of the expressed needs of the those with limited means (the poor). What I took issue with was the universal nature of the statement. Not every rich person disrespects the expressed needs of the poor. Some people do exactly what God has commanded concerning the poor ... help the poor. Consider what Zacchaeus tells Jesus about his relationship with the poor (If you’re interested in exploring this further, here’s an interesting blog piece I found about Zacchaeus and the poor:
CLICK HERE http://hackingchristianity.net/2010/10/was-zacchaeus-really-that-bad.html).