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Job 1 - Song of Songs 8: The Eleventh Unit of the Bible

5/27/2012

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         If you have read the Bible along with the calendar on BibleCalendar.org, congratulations for having read the Pentateuch and the rest of the historical books of the Old Testament!  You have finished reading all of the books from Genesis to Esther (that narrate the Biblical history of Israel twice), and you’ve also read 75 psalms (exactly half of the book of Psalms) and eight sections of Psalm 119.  I hope you also have progressed significantly in your knowledge of the righteousness, just dominion, holiness and mercy of Yahweh and the testimony of His love through His covenant with His chosen people.
         Now we enter a new unit, the reading of the books of wisdom.  We will cover
this unit in a little less than four weeks, this year in the readings from May 27 through June 22.  Notice that we pass over the book of Psalms in this section to continue reading it little by little with the rest of the Bible and to come back later and read all of the psalms consecutively at the end of the year.  As we read the wisdom books from Job to the Song of Songs, keep in mind the following
observations:
         1)  The main events of the unit: The wise instruct the people of Israel.
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes that stand out: The fear He inspires, which is the beginning of wisdom
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: Teaching His people to fear Him and living daily life in accordance with the principles of the Law
         4)  The main participants: Job, Solomon and others who are instructing the people of Israel
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin
has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another (Job 19:25-27).
         Key observations: For some of us, the change from reading historical narratives to reading the general principles and poetry of the wisdom books is rather difficult.  It can help us if we remember:
         1)  The wisdom books are not divorced from the rest of the Bible. 
They teach how to apply the principles of the Law to daily life.  Since they emphasize daily life, they teach with few references to the temple and its rituals, the covenant, the kings and the prophets.  That does not mean these people and things have lost their importance, only that the wisdom books try to teach everyone, even those who aren’t Levites, who live outside Jerusalem and who don’t have regular contact with the royal house and prophets.  If we remember their relationship with the Law, we can read the wisdom books in the context of the rest of the Bible.
         It helps to see the structure of each book.  The book of Job has little narrative; basically it is a conversation among three people followed by the discourse of a young man and of another by Yahweh.  Proverbs has a structure at the level of individual verses and also across chapters.  Ecclesiastes makes sense if we keep in mind the book as a whole.  The Song of Songs is a love song between a husband and wife supported by a chorus.  We won’t get lost in the details if we keep our bearings with the structure of each book as a whole.
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Ezra 1 - Esther 10: The tenth unit of the Bible

5/15/2012

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         Now that Yahweh has punished His people through Jerusalem’s destruction and the exile in 586 BC, will He ever have mercy on them again?  The tenth unit of
the Bible – the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther – affirm that He will.
         These books narrate the history of the first generations of Yahweh’s people after the exile.  In the book of Esther, we will read about their redemption even though they are in a foreign land.  In Ezra and Nehemiah, we will see their reestablishment in the Promised Land.  We will cover this unit in about a week and a half, between May 15th and 26th this year.  As you read, keep in mind the following observations:
         1)  The main events of the unit: The redemption and protection of Yahweh’s threatened people on foreign soil (Esther) and their reestablishment in the Promised Land through many trials and tribulations (Ezra and Nehemiah).
         2)  Yahweh’s outstanding attributes: His faithfulness, His mercy in forgiveness, His sovereignty
         3) Yahweh’s main work: Preserving, redeeming, blessing and reestablishing His chosen remnant
         4)  The main participants: Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Mordecai and others from the generations of Yahweh’s people after the exile
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst” (Nehemiah 9:15; see also John 6:31-35 y 1 Corinthians 10:1-4).
         Key observations: In one verse, the chronicler summarizes several decades of history and prepares us for the Bible unit that we are going to read today: “He
took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword [in the year 586
BC], and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of
the king of Persia [in the year 539 BC]” (2 Chronicles 36:20).  This last event refers to the victory of the Medes and Persians led by Cyrus over the Babylonians.  With
this victory, authority over the exiled Jews passed from the Babylonians to the
Persians.
         The Persians had a very different policy toward conquered minorities than the Assyrians and Babylonians had.  Instead of keeping them in exile, the Persians promoted the reestablishment of their cities of origin and the reconstruction of their
temples.  This new policy benefitted Yahweh’s people: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the
earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.  Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him.  Let him go up”’” (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; see also Ezra 1:1-4).
         Just as the deportation to Babylon occurred in three stages (in the years 605, 597 and 586 BC), the return from exile and the reestablishment of Jerusalem occurs in three stages, too.  The first group returns shortly after Cyrus’s decree in 539 BC.  Led by the governor Zerubbabel, they concentrate on the rebuilding of the temple which finally is finished in 516 BC.  We read their story in Ezra 1 – 6 and in the books of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
         The second group returns over 50 years later, in 458 BC.  Led by Ezra, they
concentrate on the reestablishment of the people in the Mosaic Law.  We read their story in Ezra 7 – 10.
         The third group returns shortly thereafter, in 444 BC.  Led by Nehemiah, they
concentrate on rebuilding the walls around the city.  We find their story in the book of Nehemiah, part of which overlaps with Ezra.
         Therefore, when you read Ezra and Nehemiah, remember that you are reading a historical narrative that covers over 100 years.  Don’t be frustrated if the
main characters and events in Ezra 1 – 6 do not reappear in Ezra 7 – Nehemiah 13.
         In the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we will see that Yahweh blesses the remnant of His people who return and rebuild Jerusalem.  But what happens to His
chosen people who don’t return from the exile?  Will Yahweh abandon them?  The book of Esther tells us no; instead, Yahweh will continue to protect and redeem His people living on foreign soil.
         Although we read the book of Esther after Ezra and Nehemiah, historically it takes place during the reign of Xerxes (Ahasuerus; between 486 – 465 BC), that is, during the half-century of silence between Ezra 6 and 7. Therefore, if we want to follow the chronological thread, we see roughly:
         1.  Ezra 1 – 6, Haggai and Zechariah (539 – 516 BC)
         2.  Esther (probably between 480 – 475 BC)
         3.  Ezra 7 – 10 (458 –approximately 433 BC)
         4.  Nehemiah (444 –approximately 430 BC)
And in all that historical and geographic movement, Yahweh is the One who remains faithful and secure.  Praise Him for his sovereignty and faithfulness despite the barriers of distance and time as you read the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.
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1 Chronicles 1 - 2 Chronicles 36: The ninth unit of the Bible

4/25/2012

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         We’ve just read a lot about the history of Israel.  Why must we go back and
read the same information again in the ninth unit of the Bible, the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles?
         Probably for the same reason that God gave us four gospels about the life of Jesus: each narrative describes the same life, but each organizes and describes that life from a unique perspective, and together they give us a fuller picture of our Lord.  Just as in the four gospels of the New Testament, we will read through the history of Israel four times in the Old Testament: the first time in all of our reading through 2 Kings (what we have just finished), the second time in 1 and 2 Chronicles, the third time in the books of the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel) and the fourth time in the minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi).  From these four readings through Israel’s history, when we finish the Old Testament on September 9th, we should have a well-rounded knowledge of Yahweh’s grace manifested to His people.
         We will cover this new unit in approximately two and a half weeks, in the readings from April 26th through May 14th this year.  As you read, keep in mind the following observations:
         1)  The main events of the unit: Israel’s history from the perspective of the Levites.
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes that stand out: His glory and His eternal dominion
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: He blesses His people when they respond to His
glory.
         4)  The main participants: The kings of the united kingdom (David and Solomon) and of the divided kingdom
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, and I will establish his kingdom…  I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. 
I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever” (1 Chronicles 17:11, 13-14; see also Hebrews 1:5).
         6)  Key observations: First and Second Kings is the history of Israel from the viewpoint of the prophets; 1 and 2 Chronicles covers the same time but from the perspective of the Levites.  The importance of the prophets in these books is greatly reduced.  For example, Elijah the prophet so important to 1 and 2 Kings, receives only one mention, and only through a letter (2 Chronicles 21:12-15).  The name of Elisha doesn’t even appear.  On the other hand, there will be an abundance of references to the devotion of the kings and the temple services.
         In these readings we’ll notice a preference for the kings of Judah; some of the kings of Israel receive no mention.  This is to highlight the importance of the Davidic line and Yahweh’s covenant with David in Israel’s past and future.
         The emphasis on David’s royal lineage, on the Levites and on the temple reflect one of the goals of the narrator of 1 and 2 Chronicles: directing the resettlement of Jerusalem and Judah by the descendants of the exiles, specifically in their continued submission to David’s royal line and in organized temple worship (Richard Pratt,
1 and 2 Chronicles: A Mentor Commentary, 2006, Christian Focus Publications, pgs. 14-15, 25-26).  Like Moses in Deuteronomy, the narrator of 1 and 2 Chronicles wants to portray Israel’s past so that his readers have a vision for Yahweh’s future blessings, all to solidify their commitment to obey Yahweh in the present.
         Our guide to the kings will be useful once again when we get to 2 Chronicles.  Meanwhile, enjoy this review of Israelite history, this time through 1 and 2 Chronicles.
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1 Kings 11 - 2 Kings 25: The eighth unit of the Bible

4/14/2012

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         The first ten chapters of 1 Kings describe the summit of the monarchy in Israel.  But it also includes an urgent warning: “And as for you [Solomon], if you
will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and
uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my
statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples” (1
Kings 9:4-7).
         This warning will govern the events of the next unit of the Bible, the eighth, which extends from 1 Kings 11 through 2 Kings 25, from the end of Solomon’s reign to the tragic events of 586 BC.  We cover this unit in the readings from April 15 through 25 this year.  As you read, keep in mind the following observations:
         1)  The main events of the unit: The division of the kingdom in two: Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  Both are seduced by the surrounding nations.  Israel is defeated and exiled by the Assyrians in 722 BC and Judah by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
         2)  Yahweh’s outstanding attributes: His justice, His severity, His longsuffering and His faithfulness
         3)    Yahweh’s main work: He reproves His adulterous people.
         4)    The main participants: The prophets Elijah and Elisha and many kings, among whom are Rehoboam and Jeroboam, Ahab, Jehu, Hezekiah, Manasseh and
Josiah
         5)    The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah.  And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.  And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother.  And Elijah said, ‘See, your son lives.’  And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth’” (1 Kings 17:22-24).
         6)    Key observations: As we will see, the kingdom that was united under David and Solomon will be divided in two: Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  Up to this point we could refer to all of the people of God as “Israelites” and all their land as “Israel”.  Now we cannot.  From now on, the word “Israel” only refers to the northern kingdom; the word “Israelites” refers only to the inhabitants there.  “People of Judah” refers to those who live in the southern kingdom.
         It is very difficult to follow all the names of the kings.  I recommend that you
find or make a list of all the kings of the two kingdoms and write some outstanding details about each one.  I hope to upload my own list to the blog within the next few days.  It helps not only in identifying the kings but also in holding a complete view of all the readings in this unit and the next.
         With this in mind, let’s continue our reading of 1 Kings.
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Ruth 1 - 1 Kings 10: The seventh unit of the Bible

3/23/2012

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         The sixth unit of the Bible, the book of Judges, ended with the declaration, “In those days there was no king in Israel.  Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).  But Yahweh has not abandoned His people.  With the next book, the tiny book of Ruth, one of the most glorious sections of the entire history of Israel begins: the preparation, establishment and glory of the royal house of David.  It covers Ruth chapter 1 and runs through 1 Kings chapter 10, from March 23 until April 14 in the 2012 calendar. Our reading should take just over three weeks.
         These observations should help us understand the whole unit:
         1)  The main events of the unit: The establishment of the monarchy in Israel, the rise of David to be king over all Israel, Yahweh’s covenant with David, the construction of the temple by his son, Solomon
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes that stand out: Yahweh’s zeal for His anointed one; His mercy
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: Yahweh establishes His anointed one on His holy mount, in Jerusalem
         4)  The main participants: The prophet Samuel and kings Saul, David and
Solomon
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever”(2 Samuel 7:13).
         6)  Key observations: Notice that the kings are anointed to show that, just like the objects in the tabernacle, they are set apart to be instruments exclusively for Yahweh.  The word for “anointed” in Hebrew is “messiah” and in Greek, “Christ”. The anointed king David will be an ancestor and forerunner of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
          The narratives of this unit are impressive, and sometimes one reads them and forgets the most important Person in the story is Yahweh.  If we remember that He always is the center of Biblical narrative, it will help us evaluate some readings in which it is difficult to find a modern application or determine if someone acted properly.
         With this in mind, we begin today by reading the book of Ruth.
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Judges 1 - 21: The sixth unit of the Bible

3/16/2012

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         The Israelites have entered and subjugated a large part of the Promised Land.  They have reconfirmed their covenant with Yahweh.  But will the next generations be faithful to heed the warnings of Moses and Joshua?
         With this question we enter the sixth section of the Bible, the book of Judges, which we will read from March 16 to 22.  Here are some observations that will
help us understand it better:
         1)  The main events of the unit: The declining spiral of sin in Yahweh’s
people
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes which stand out: His patience and mercy
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: The discipline and salvation of His disobedient people
         4)  The main participants: The judges of Israel
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: And the angel of the LORD said to him, ‘Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?’ (Judges 13:18).
         6)  Key observations: You will see a cycle formed through six stages: 1) Israel’s disobedience, 2) punishment sent by Yahweh in the form of foreign oppression, 3) Israel’s crying out to Yahweh for relief from their oppressors, 4) the arrival of a judge chosen by Yahweh, 5) salvation from the foreign oppressors and 6) reestablished peace… until the cycle starts again with new disobedience by Israel.
         When you see this cycle in the readings, notice that it is not a complete circle but a spiral in decline.  Israel’s spiritual condition is degenerating over time.  Some of the judges themselves will show less integrity and holiness with each generation.  The nation of Israel is sinking in a more profound spiritual crisis with each turn of the spiral.
         Therefore you will read some variation of the following verse several times: “In those days there was no king in Israel.  Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Joshua 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).  It expresses the longing for a Savior, a Redeemer who can rescue the people out of the swamp of their sin and establish and exercise Yahweh’s dominion over the entire nation.  This desire will be fulfilled partially with the arrival of each judge, but it will not be fulfilled completely until we enter the seventh unit of the Bible.
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Numbers 11 - Joshua 24: The fifth unit of the Bible

2/14/2012

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         Now that we have finished all of the preparation through the “algebra” of the Mosaic Law given at Mount Sinai, we are ready to join the Israelites in their march to the Promised Land through the fifth section of the Bible which stretches from Numbers 11 to Joshua 24.  According to the 2012 calendar of readings, this section runs from February 15 through March 15, exactly one month.  In Bible chronology it will cover several decades, enough to cover two generations.
         Now a few observations to prepare us for the trip:
         1)  The main events of the unit: The approach, entrance and conquest of the Promised Land
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes which stand out: His holiness, His righteousness, His jealousy and power, His faithfulness
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: The sanctification of a people to prepare them to receive His promises
         4)  The main participants: The generation of Moses and Aaron who experienced redemption in Egypt will be replaced by a generation led by Joshua who will enter the Promised Land
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).
         6)  Key observation: Notice the movement from an ungrateful generation to a generation of faith.
         Above all, we will see Yahweh’s glory in His faithfulness to a people who does not deserve it, and finally, the response of faith in those who love Him.
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Exodus 19 - Numbers 10 [the fourth unit of the Bible]

1/22/2012

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         Several days ago we read, “Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’  He said, ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain’” (Exodus 3:11-12).  And today we read, “Moses went up to God.  The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself’” (Exodus 19:3-4).  His word is fulfilled!
         And that completes the third unit of the Bible – the redemption of Israel – and begins the fourth, on the Mosaic Law.  This unit extends from Exodus 19 to Numbers 10, approximately three weeks according to the calendar of Bible readings, from January 23 to February 14.
         This section is very different from what we’ve read in the Bible to this point.  There is much less narrative and many descriptions of laws, construction and detailed sacrifices.  This change makes the readings difficult at first.  But with good guidance, I find this unit to be fascinating.  I also find that it is absolutely necessary in order to understand the rest of the Bible.
         Two observations can help you understand this part of the Bible.  First, think of it like mathematics, especially the study of a discipline like algebra.  Everything you learn in an algebra class depends on what you learned the day before.  Each lesson is built on the foundation of the previous lesson.  If you get to the point where you say, “I don’t understand this lesson and, you know what?  It’s probably not that important, anyways.  I’ll just skip it and move on”… you’ve not only hurt your chances of understanding that lesson, you’ve probably hurt your chances of understanding any of the coming ones.  Reading about the Mosaic Law is the same way.  Every part depends on what you read before.  If you get frustrated because you don’t understand one part and decide to skip it, you will grow more confused in the following days, because they all depend on your knowledge of the previous readings.  So keep reading, be persistent and ask questions until you understand, and you will be very blessed at the end.
         Second, if you are reading and start to feel like you are lost in a maze, return to this summary of the main parts of Exodus 19 through Numbers 10:
         - Exodus 19 and 20 tell about the preparation for the Mosaic covenant and its ten most basic commandments.
         - Exodus 21 – 23 explains the most basic laws about the Israelites’ relationship with Yahweh and with one another.
         - In Exodus 24 Yahweh and the Israelites seal the Mosaic covenant.
         - Exodus 25 – 40 explains the construction of the tabernacle, the sacred space where Yahweh will dwell with the Israelites and where they will put the commands of the Mosaic covenant into practice.
         - Leviticus 1 – 7 describes the main sacrifices that they will perform in the tabernacle.
         - Leviticus 8 – 10 puts all the previous readings into motion as it describes the consecration of the priests.
         - Leviticus 11 – 27 presents the holiness laws that the Israelites will keep toward the temple services and in their relationships one to another.
         - Numbers 1 – 10 organizes the Israelites for their participation in the tabernacle rites and for their departure from Mount Sinai.
         Now, a few more observations about this unit:
         1)  The main events of the unit: The presentation of the Mosaic covenant
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes that stand out: His holiness, His mercy
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: The organization of a holy nation
         4)  The main participants: Moses, Aaron and their generation
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: The main sacrifice of the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16.  In the New Testament, Hebrews 9 and 10 make many comparisons between this sacrifice and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.  Also notice that the apostle Paul in the New Testament tells us that the purpose of all the Mosaic Law is to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24).
         6)  Key observation: Remember the process of learning algebra!  And keep reading with joy.
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Exodus 1 - 18 (the third unit of the Bible)

1/17/2012

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         Congratulations on finishing the second of 20 units to read the whole Bible!  I hope your reading of Genesis 12 – 50 has been a great blessing.  Remember some of the main themes that are going to be important in all the rest of your Bible reading:
         1.  Yahweh’s covenant with Abraham
         2.  Yahweh’s grace
         3.  His provision of a substitutionary sacrifice
         4.  By grace Yahweh disciplines and transforms His chosen ones
         5.  By grace He examines and tests their hearts
         6.  By grace He gives them prophecy to build up, exhort, console, teach and guide His people to repentance so that they can enjoy the future fulfillment of His promises.
         When we consider all of this along with what we learned in the first 11 chapters, who would have thought that God had so much to teach us in just one book of the Bible?
         Now we go on to the third unit of the Bible: Exodus 1 – 18, a unit of only 6 readings according to the calendar, from January 17th through the 22nd.  While you read it, notice the following observations:
         1)  The main events of the unit: Yahweh redeems Israel from slavery in Egypt.
         2)  Yahweh’s attributes that stand out: His power to judge, His faithfulness
         3)  Yahweh’s main work: The redemption of His chosen people and judgment of Pharaoh
         4)  The main participants: Moses, Aaron and their generation
         5)  The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: The Passover sacrifice.  In the New Testament the apostle Paul will tell us, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
         6)  Key observation: If the Hebrew slaves had taken up arms and risen up in rebellion against the Egyptians, how many from the chosen nation would have died?  Would they have won, or would their slavery have just gotten worse?  Would they have been wiped out?  If they had gained their liberty by their own strength, who would have led them, and where?  When we see the impressive power of Yahweh’s plagues and the miracles, we should be equally impressed with His careful preservation and mercy toward His chosen people.  When the Lord fights Israel’s battles, they are protected and have nothing to fear.
         May God bless your reading of this new section!
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Genesis 12 - 50

1/6/2012

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         Congratulations on finishing the first of 20 units of the Bible!  We’ve come a long way in only 5 days.  Let’s pause for a moment to review what we’ve seen.  In Genesis 1 – 11 we saw that:
         1)      Yahweh is eternal, powerful, righteous, good and merciful, and He manifests His attributes through creation.
         2)     He formed mankind to govern the earth in agreement with His own just government.
         3)     Adam and Eve decided to rebel against Yahweh’s just government by trusting in their own ability to equal or surpass it, and they (and we) suffer grave consequences for their disobedience.
         4)     In the midst of His just judgment, Yahweh also demonstrated His mercy to Adam and Eve.  He promised them a descendant who would defeat the serpent and accepted the death of a substitute in the place of their immediate deaths.
         5)     As sin grows, Yahweh has to respond in just and decisive judgment as He did in the flood.  But in the midst of His judgment, He saves a small remnant by grace.
         6)     Although the nations continue in rebellion by trying to unify according to technological advancements, economic achievement and a religion of their own making, Yahweh will judge them and also will unite them in submission, peace and worship under the righteousness of the promised descendant of Eve, Jesus Christ.
         7)     All of these themes are developed in much greater detail in all the rest of the Bible.
         Wow!  It’s been only 5 days of reading, but we already have a good, solid foundation for the rest of our Bible reading this year.
         So let’s go on and look over the next unit, Genesis 12 – 50.  According to the calendar, we’ll cover these readings from January 6th through the 16th, the next 11 days.  As you read them, notice the following:
         1)      The main events of this unit: Yahweh enters into a covenant with Abraham and keeps it with his descendants Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s sons.
         2)     Yahweh’s attributes that stand out: Loving-kindness, faithfulness
         3)     Yahweh’s main work: The formation of a Chosen People who will be a blessing to all the other nations of the earth
         4)     The main participants: The patriarchs of Israel
         5)     The main reference to Jesus Christ and the gospel: “In your offspring [seed] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:18).  In the New Testament, the apostle Paul cites this verse and identifies the “offspring” or “seed”: “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring [seed].  It does not say, ‘And to his offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).
         6)     Key observation: After seeing so much emphasis on Yahweh’s righteousness and just judgment in Genesis 1 – 11, we expect to see that the main, God-fearing men in Genesis 12 – 50 will be righteous, just, exemplary men of integrity.  But as we read, we’ll find out that they are not always like that.  They lie, manipulate, act in violence, commit adultery and are traitors to their own family.  There is a discord between God’s righteousness and the ugly sins of His chosen ones to a degree that can confuse and even greatly disappoint the reader of the book of Genesis.  But the biblical narrator is presenting this discord on purpose: he wants us to see that the righteousness of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his sons is based on something far more secure, solid and permanent than their own actions.  Their righteousness is based on Yahweh Himself, on the God who is faithful to His covenant, the God in whom they trust regardless of their circumstances or sufferings.
         Ready for the next section?  Let’s keep reading!
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    Ken Kytle serves as pastor of Iglesia bautista La fe en Cristo near Atlanta, Georgia.

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