Day 264, September 21: Bible reading & prayer
Zechariah 1-7 (chronological); Song of Songs 1-3, 2 Corinthians 12 (OT/NT)
This is late today because real and busy life happens! I pray to the Lord who is in control of my time to enable me for what He calls me to and to help me dispense with what is distraction.
Time for some big picture as we careen quickly toward the end of the Old Testament in our chronological reading plan by the end of this month. We spent almost three months reading about the era of the kings of Judah and the kings of Israel which resulted in the exile of the people of God to Babylon, and the events and prophecies of the era of exile (Ezekiel, Daniel). The LORD spoke through His prophets, including Isaiah and Jeremiah, that He would return His people from exile to the land of Israel. We began to read about the fulfillment of that prophecy in the book of Ezra just three days ago. The people returned to the land as prophesied under decree by Cyrus King of Persia. They re-established sacrifice and laid the foundation of the temple, before they were stopped by force of arms by their enemies in the land. It was the words of both Haggai, which we read yesterday, and Zechariah, which we read today and tomorrow, that inspired them to continue rebuilding the temple, starting again in three short weeks after Haggai spoke. That is conviction! Before we finish Ezra, we’ll also read Esther, a story that occurs in the land of exile during this time frame. Then we’ll read Nehemiah, about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Then we’ll end the Old Testament with Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, just nine days from now. We will cover a lot in a very short period of time.
I was just sharing with a friend that I love that the Lord GOD is willing to explain Himself in His word. The short book of Haggai provides an example. The end of Ezekiel is confusing to me because the LORD gave Ezekiel visions of the rebuilding of the temple and allocation of the city of Jerusalem and the land of Israel that we have not seen completely fulfilled. If Jesus’ death abolished the need for sacrifice, why would the LORD have Ezekiel prophesy about how to handle sacrifice in a rebuilt temple? I wonder if some of this vision were directions to His people that they did not completely fulfill when they returned to the land? These are just my own thoughts and musings on the visions of Ezekiel. God’s people were definitely reprimanded by the LORD in Haggai. The LORD fulfilled His word by inspiring Cyrus King of Persia to issue a decree that the LORD’s people could return to Israel in order to rebuild the temple. After they resumed sacrifice and laid the foundation of the temple, they stopped rebuilding because of the threats of the people in the land and by the decree of King Artaxerxes under force of arms. In our human understanding, we might be sympathetic to their ceasing building, but God was not. Read all of chapter 1 of Haggai (Day 263) for the LORD’s full reprimand, but He basically accuses them of taking care of themselves and their own houses while they neglected His house. And He acknowledges that He has caused them distress: “‘You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.’” The people are so convicted by the word of the LORD through Haggai that they start rebuilding within three weeks, while there is still a governmental decree against them doing just that.
One month after the people start rebuilding the temple, the LORD encourages them through Haggai: “‘take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’” Two months after that, He acknowledges again the distress He brought on them for their disobedience, but then promises to bless them for their obedience: “‘I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the LORD….Yet from this day on I will bless you.”’
The LORD also revealed His plans for the future in both these messages through Haggai after the people started rebuilding the temple: “‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts….‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD of hosts.”
The LORD’s plans for Zerubbabel underscore the importance of what I have been repeating about the family line of the kings of Judah, descendants of David, being preserved in exile to Babylon and then in the return to Jerusalem, all the way through to the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 1:11-12). King Jehoiakim ruled in Jerusalem for 3 months before he was taken, with ten thousand other captives, by King Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. He was later released from prison by King Evil-merodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s son and successor (2 Kings 25:27, Jeremiah 52:31). Jehoiakim was the father of Shealtiel and grandfather of Zerubbabel.
An overview of our yearly Bible reading plan, with all summaries so far, can be found here. My appeal for the resolution to read your Bibles is here.
September 21 chronological reading: Zechariah 1-7
Zechariah 1
v1-6 “In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo saying, ‘The LORD was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Return to Me,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘that I may return to you,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’” But they did not listen or give heed to Me,’ declares the LORD. ‘Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, “As the LORD of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.”’”’
v7-11 “On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, as follows: I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel and white horses behind him. Then I said, ‘My lord, what are these?’ And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, ‘I will show you what these are.’ And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are those whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.’ So they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is peaceful and quiet.’
v12-17 “Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?’ The LORD answered the angel who was speaking with me with gracious words, comforting words. So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, ‘Proclaim, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.’ Therefore thus says the LORD, ‘I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.’” Again, proclaim, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”’
v18-21 “Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns. So I said to the angel who was speaking with me, ‘What are these?’ And he answered me, ‘These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.’ Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. I said, ‘What are these coming to do?’ And he said, ‘These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.’”
Zechariah 2
v1-5 “Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, ‘Where are you going?’ And he said to me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.’ And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him, and said to him, ‘Run, speak to that young man, saying, “Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. For I,” declares the LORD, “will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.”
v6-12 ‘Ho there! Flee from the land of the north,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens,’ declares the LORD. ‘Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.’ For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me. Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,’ declares the LORD. ‘Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. The LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
v13 ‘Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.’”
Zechariah 3
v1-5 “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, ‘The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, ‘Remove the filthy garments from him.’ Again he said to him, ‘See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.’ Then I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by.
v6-7 “And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here.
v8-10 “Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you—indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.”’”
Zechariah 4
v1-7 “Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep. He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.’ Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, ‘What are these, my lord?’ So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my lord.’ Then he said to me, ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts. “What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”’
v8-10 “Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.’
v11-14 “Then I said to him, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?’ And I answered the second time and said to him, ‘What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?’ So he answered me, saying, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my lord.’ Then he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.’”
Zechariah 5
v1-4 “Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll. And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I answered, ‘I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.’ Then he said to me, ‘This is the curse that is going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other side. I will make it go forth,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.’
v5-11 “Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.’ I said, ‘What is it?’ And he said, ‘This is the ephah going forth.’ Again he said, ‘This is their appearance in all the land (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.’ Then he said, ‘This is Wickedness!’ And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening. Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. I said to the angel who was speaking with me, ‘Where are they taking the ephah?’ Then he said to me, ‘To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.’”
Zechariah 6
v1-8 “Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong dappled horses. Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel replied to me, ‘These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country. When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth.’ And He said, ‘Go, patrol the earth.’ So they patrolled the earth. Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, ‘See, those who are going to the land of the north have appeased My wrath in the land of the north.’
v9-10 “The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, ‘Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.
v11-15 ‘Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Then say to him, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD. Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.’” Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the LORD to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen the son of Zephaniah. Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the LORD.’ Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely obey the LORD your God.”
Zechariah 7
v1-7 “In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD, speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, ‘Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?’ Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, ‘Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted? When you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves? Are not these the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’’
v8-14 “Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying, ‘Thus has the LORD of hosts said, “Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.” But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,’ says the LORD of hosts; ‘but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate.’”
September 21 OT/NT readings: Song of Songs 1-3, 2 Corinthians 12
We finished Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament reading plan yesterday. Today we start Song of Songs, which we read in its entirety on Day 153 of the chronological reading plan.
We are reading the apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians in the New Testament reading plan. Paul went to Corinth during his second missionary journey (see timeline of the book of Acts). It was the first place he remained for any length of time (18 months) until a disturbance was formed against him and he moved on. He had met Romans Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth, and he took them with him to Ephesus and left them there while he returned to Antioch. He returned to Ephesus at the beginning of his third missionary journey, staying over 2 years. He wrote what we know as the first letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus. 1 Corinthians 5:9 refers to a previous letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians and 1 Corinthians 7:1 refers to their writing a letter in return, containing questions he addresses in this letter.
During his time in Ephesus, when he wrote what we know as his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul resolved to travel through Macedonia and Greece to take a contribution to the saints in Jerusalem. He spoke about this collection in the last chapter of 1 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians was written during these travels at the end of his third missionary journey. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:1, “This is the third time I am coming to you,” so there was another visit by Paul to Corinth about which we don’t have details.
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians reprimanding them for divisions in the church, immorality, and incorrect handling of communion. He knows the reprimand of his letter caused sorrow. As I mentioned above, we get clues from his letter that he visited Corinth after he wrote it, with more reprimand causing further sorrow. He refers to the persecution he and those with him in Asia (Ephesus) endured, such that they despaired “even of life” (2 Corinthians 1:18), sealing his plan to leave Ephesus to travel through Macedonia and Greece. He had planned to go to Corinth (Greece) first, but decided not to return again and cause the Corinthians further sorrow. He is able to see a purpose in both his sorrow and theirs, declaring that the comfort we receive from God in our afflictions helps us comfort others in their afflictions. He explains the Corinthians should forgive the now repentant person who inspired his rebuke. He testifies of victory even in trying circumstances during his travels, making sure credit does not go to himself, but to the triune God. He explains that the ministry of the New Covenant, enabled by the Holy Spirit, is more glorious than the Old, and gives hope and boldness. He reminds that we can have confidence in a clear explanation of the gospel and should not veil it in any way. Those who do not understand it have had their minds blinded by the god of this world. He reminds that any power and effectiveness in ministry is due the work of the triune God in us. He reminds us to focus not on temporal affliction but eternal glory. We know by faith and not by sight, with God giving us His Spirit as a pledge, that once we are absent from the body, we will be home with the Lord, clothed in immortality. We aspire to be pleasing to Him, knowing we will all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that we can be recompensed for our deeds, whether good or bad. We know the fear of the Lord and we are controlled by the love of Christ, so we no longer live for ourselves but for Christ, who has committed to us the word of reconciliation. As his ambassadors, we appeal to others to be reconciled to God. Paul addresses those who, “take pride in appearance and not in heart.” Following Christ is not easy. May we not receive the grace of God in vain. May we not be bound with unbelievers. May we “cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Titus has visited the church in Corinth and brought a good report to Paul regarding their repentance and love for him. Paul gives them an update on the generous contribution to the saints in Jerusalem that he is receiving from the churches in Macedonia and encourages them to fulfill their commitment to this contribution. He is writing them, and sending Titus and another brother, ahead of his visit to help them prepare their contribution so that no one will be embarrassed when he arrives, especially if he has Macedonians with him to whom he has boasted about the Corinthians.
Paul then addresses the criticisms and boasting he’s obviously heard about from those outsiders who are affecting the Corinthian church and his relationship with them. Paul feels forced to compare himself to these boastful outsiders. He is concerned they are preaching another Jesus, spirit, and gospel.
At the end of chapter 11 yesterday, Paul spoke sarcastically about the fact that he came to the Corinthians humbly, but they “tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face. To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison….Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so.” He then tells of all the ways he has been persecuted and suffered as a servant of Christ. “Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.”
2 Corinthians 12
v1-6 “Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
v7-10 “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
v11-13 “I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
v14-18 “Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself; nevertheless, crafty fellow that I am, I took you in by deceit. Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I? I urged Titus to go, and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take any advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit and walk in the same steps?
v19-21 “All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Actually, it is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ; and all for your upbuilding, beloved. For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.”
Dear Lord,
“it will take place if you completely obey the LORD your God.”
Help us to understand our responsibility and Yours. You promise, but You expect us to obey.
I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls.
Oh, may we have this heart for others.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
"Help us to understand our responsibility and Yours. You promise, but You expect us to obey." & "Oh, may we have this heart for others." Amen. Thank you Dr. Milhoan. Peace.