January 31st One Year Bible Readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Exodus 12:14-13:16 ~ Matthew 20:29-21:22
Psalm 25:16-22 ~ Proverbs 6:12-15

Month One - Today we wrap up Month One of our One Year Bible readings in 2008! Congratulations! Your marathon pace is looking great. The wonderful habit of reading from God's Word every day is starting to settle into place in your life. Keep your eyes forward on the path before you this year and your eye on the prize! As Paul tells us in Philippians 3:14 – "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Let us each press on toward the goal!

Old Testament - This is a big day in our readings today - The Israelites officially begin their exodus from Egypt!  Today in Exodus chapter 12 we read about God instituting the Festival of Unleavened Bread along with Passover.  These both are still observed today by practicing Jews.  Verse 14 states the importance of these festivals to the Israelites:  "You must remember this day forever. Each year you will celebrate it as a special festival to the LORD."

Chapter 12 verses 29 & 30 tell us: "And that night at midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn son of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died."  Below is Dutch painter Laurens Alma Tadema's "Death of the Pharaoh's Firstborn Son" from the year 1872:

Verses 37 & 38 are amazing: "That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. And they were all traveling on foot. Many people who were not Israelites went with them, along with the many flocks and herds."  600,000 men equals probably at least 1.2 million people all together - and probably close to 2 million.  This is a massive Exodus!  Verse 38 is very interesting in that some Egyptians were joining the Israelites in this Exodus!  Think these Egyptians believed in God?

In Exodus chapter 13 we read about God's instructions for the dedication of the firstborn.  Note that based on this law that Jesus, the firstborn of Mary & Joseph, was dedicated to God in the Temple in Jerusalem as we read in Luke chapter 2 verses 21 through 24: "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”"  I think it's also interesting to note that Mary & Joseph did not present a lamb, but a pair of doves or two young pigeons.  This portion of the law came from Leviticus chapter 12 verse 8: "If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering.""  Below is an image of Jesus being dedicated in the temple:

Bible.org's commentary on "The Passover and the Plague of the Firstborn" is at this link.

New Testament - Today in Matthew chapter 21 verse 22 we read these words from Jesus: "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.""  This is a powerful verse if you really stop and think about it...  Do you believe Jesus' teaching here?  Do you believe that if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer?  I do believe this... but then there is always in the back of my mind - "but what about so-and-so who was ill and was praying in belief that they would be healed.  But then they weren't..."   I don't have any easy answer on this one.  I have to believe there are probably some good resources out there for this tough question?  If you know of any resources / books on this subject of prayer - or, more specifically, unanswered prayers - please post up in the Comments section below?  Thanks.

Whoo-hoo!  Today is Palm Sunday in our Gospel reading today!  :)  Hosanna in the Highest!  Hosanna means "Save Now" - Amen!

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Matthew chapter 21 titled "The Triumphal Entry" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 25 verse 22 really stood out to me today: "O God, ransom Israel from all its troubles."  As I read this, the Christmas carol, "O Come O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel" comes to my mind.  Indeed, God would answer this prayer of King David's and send his Son to ransom Israel!

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 6 verse 14 today tells us: "Their perverted hearts plot evil. They stir up trouble constantly." This is a powerful reminder of the utmost importance for us to guard the condition of our hearts continually!

Worship God:  I realize we're 1 month past Christmas, but hey, it's never too early for Christmas 2008 carols is it??  :)  Based on my Psalm 25 reflection above, here is a wonderful video produced by ChristianityToday.com of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" with some incredible artwork:

Do you know Emmanuel?  Click here and be ransomed!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15 NIV

Comments from You and Questions of the Day:  It's interesting to me how fast January 2008 seems to have flown by. February 2008 is now before us. I don't know about you, but I set some big goals and resolutions for 2008 and somehow I'm suddenly a month behind on progress on those goals. However, even though I am feeling behind on some goals for 2008, I know that ultimately my life is in a very good place because I am moving forward with my relationship with God. Reading and studying God's Word every day is a higher priority than any of my other goals and resolutions. Those other goals and resolutions can wait. My relationship with God cannot wait. As long as I am in a growing and loving relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, nothing else really matters. How about you? Are there some goals and resolutions for 2008 that you feel like you might be behind on? Do you agree that reading from God's Word each day and growing in your love relationship with God is more important than those goals and resolutions?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[John]

Psalm 25:16-22

In previous verses the themes were trust, submission, humility, and reverence/awe of God. After David is in the proper place with God due to observing the above having asked for forgiveness- now David asks for Deliverance.

David admits he is alone and afflicted. His sins are between David and God. David asks God to be gracious - because David can do nothing to earn forgiveness.

Deleiver me God and take away all my sins. David asks for protection from his Physical enemies, but the protection can also be applied to our spiritual enemies. When we have the heart for God we can be sure we can be delievered from Spiritual enemies when we take refuge in God.

Psalm 25:21-22 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.

Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!

It is not David's integrity and uprightness that protects him; David has already admitted He did not possess those qualities. It is God's integrity and righteousness based on God's word, and Davids hope (with certainty) in the Lord that will deliver David.

Conclusion is David includes Israel in this plea for forgiveness and deliverance making some think this will be a psalm for the remnant in the Day of the Lord.

[John]

Proverbs 6:12-15

There are sinners and there are sinners. There are those seduced by the world, reject God, yet still do good things in the eyes of mankind.

Than there are those that embrace the darkness. Those that love the lifestyle. Those that wallow in their rationalizations on just doing whatever it takes to get over on another human being. As long as their pockets are lined, or their thrill seeking is satisfied, or their addiction is sated for a time - they could care less about mankind. These to me are scoundrels and villains who plots evil with deceit in their heart.

Proverbs 6:15 "Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy."

Certainly the newspaper and television are full of stories of villains who come to a quick end. But what about the ones who live long lives? Where is God's judgment on those villains.

If we live to be a 100, that is nothing compared to eternity. When a wicked person dies, the disaster and judicial decision of God is instantaneous and it will be a disaster for the bad guy. the penalty for rejecting God and Jesus Christ is spiritual death.

Going to hades, and then ultimately being judged at the white thrown and thrown into the lake of fire (hell) is being destroyed, and there is no remedy.

There is no second chance. There is no saying - I did not know. There is no saying - if you only had given me a sign.

There is no purgatory where anybody can suffer enough to earn their way to heaven, for if we could it would take away from God's Glory, and God shares His glory with no one (Isaiah). Salvation is God's work and God's alone. You do not accept God's plan for salvation, and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then the disaster and destruction will overtake the wicked in an instant (at death) - and there is no Remedy once one has died.

[Tom]

Hello Mike,

That is a great goal you've got and it looks like there is some great thoughts here. I just wanted to share a resource that I thought might be of some use along the way: http://www.dailyreader.net We don't have the entire bible in yet, but we have the New Testament. The way dailyreader works is that you decide on how long you want to read and what days you want to read on, and then it will send out automated installments to your email with your daily readings (http://www.dailyreader.net/content/book/The-Bible-(KJV):-Matthew )

Thanks and God Bless,
Tom

[Greg]

Hi Mike,

This is a great resource. God bless you for putting Him where so many can find Him.

I've read a couple of books lately that might be good regarding prayer and illness.

One is "Where is God When It Hurts" by Philip Yancy.

The other is "Too Busy NOT To Pray" by Bill Hybels.

Both are great resources that help with "unanswered" prayer or dealing with the questions that come up about illness and prayer.

God Bless,
Greg

[Fresh Read]

Psalm 25 is an Acrostic - each verse in Hebrew begins with the successive letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. This literary device is used throughout the book of Lamentations, in Psalm 119 and some other locations. It provides a structure for reflection, and for memory.

Psalm 25 is personal psalm of trust from a person in some distress - see verses 16-20 where troubles, enemies, affliction and distress are mentioned.

Then we have verse 22 - this last verse does two things. It breaks the acrostic structure. So it would appear that verse 1-21 is a complete thought. Then it applies what has been said to the nation - “redeem Israel from all their troubles…”

This is an interesting link of the individual to the group. While we are part of a family or a church, a culture and a nation which form us, we are also individuals. Faith then is individually held but also held together.

Derek Kidner writes, “Right outside of the alphabetic scheme, the final verse claims for Israel what David had petitioned for himself, so making of a personal plea a hymn for the whole congregation.” (Psalm 1-72, Tyndale O.T. Commentaries, p. 115)

[Nancy Lane]

Thanks Mike for this wonderful Bible Reading. I love your comments and the pictures just open everything up for me. They say one picture is worth a thousand words.

On prayer, we must always pray in God's Will and sometimes it isn't God's Will for someone to be healed. Also, death is healing. We must also remember that sometimes God says "NO." It is all about love and faith.

Thank you again for your dedicated to the Lord and your faithfulness. May the Lord Bless You.

[Susan]

I just finished: The Great House of God by Max Lucado. It focuses on the Lord's Prayer and parallels the phrases to visiting God's house.

Watching the video today makes me want to build my relationship further with the Lord this year. My time home with my children is a time of growing closer to God and changing for me. God and I wrestle about my pride more than I like to admit. I am pretty goal-orienated and achievement-minded, and a Stay-at-home mom is not always honored publicly for her work; I mean is there an award for the Mom-of-the-Year (does she get to visit the White House and shake the president's hand? ). God is showing me that the seeds I allow Him to use me to sow in formative years of my children will far out last any honor I may recieve for public service. This is definately the hardest work I have done. There are days I don't know if I am going to make it. Then, I recount that it is God's strength and not my own.

OK, I don't know if that answered the question at all.

[Celeste]

Hello all,
First, Mike you have inspired me to read the bible more than anyone. Thank you for the encouraging words in your weekly mailout to those of us who get behind in our bible reading to not play catch up but to start again reading with everyone that day. That really got me back on board again without feeling guilty.
Tom, your website on reading books is great... Thanks for letting us know about it. I was looking to see if you had the book on Saving Sarah Cain. It is a new book so I'll just be looking for it latter.
Susan, your statement about Stay-at-home moms where God is showing you the seeds that your sowing into your children is more important than anything else is beautiful! Keep up the wonderful work!!
God Bless you all.
Celeste

[John]

Exodus 13

Celebrating by living sacrificially (13:1-2, 11-16)

"The first-born males of Israel, both children and animals, were to be devoted to the Lord. The animals, so long as they were clean, would be sacrificed to the Lord. A donkey is an example of an unclean animal that was not to be sacrificed.

Humans, of course, were not to be sacrificed. They were to be "redeemed," meaning a price was to be paid in recognition of their not being sacrificed (5 shekels, or about 2 and 1/2 ounces of silver, according to Numbers 18:16).

What's the reason for the devotion of the first-born to the Lord and the redemption of the first-born males? In the 10th plague, the Lord killed the first-born of Egypt. In now sacrificing first-born animals, all Israelites recognize that they, just like the Egyptians, deserve to die because of their sin. But they, like their first-born males, have been redeemed. The scheme of the devotion of the first-born serves as a vivid reminder to the people of what they deserve on the one hand but how the Lord has redeemed them from what they deserve on the other. On the basis of the truth that this ceremony reminds them of, what should they do? As those who have been redeemed by the Lord, they should live for him." - Scott Grant

Scott Grant says it better and more succintly than I ever could. Link to full sermon here:
http://www.pbc.org/files/messages/10423/exo012.html

[John]

Parallels between Passover/Exodus and New Testament: Exodus 11:1-13:16

11.5 death of first-born John 3:16, Col 1:15
12:2 new beginning 2 Cor 5:17
12:3 lamb John 1:29, 1 Cor 5:7
12:5 without blemish 1 Pet 1:19
12:6 all responsible Ro 3:23
12:13 freedom from death Ro 8:2
12:7 blood applied Ro 5:9; Eph 1:7, 2:8
12:6 vicarious sacrifice Matt 26:28, Heb 9:28
12:9-10 body of sacrifice Heb 10:4-10
12:11 readiness Mark 1:2-4
12:12 gods judged John 16:11, Col 2:15
12:14 celebration of feast Lu 22:15-20; 1 Cor 5:8, 11:23-35
12:14 permanent ordinance 1 Cor 11:6
12:14-20 no leaven 1 Cor 5:6-8
12:21 one way John 14:6, Acts 4:12
12:22 hyssop John 19:29
12:22 death can't enter Ro 8:2
12:27, 42-51 who may celebrate 1 Cor 5, 11:23-35
12:35 gifts after victory Eph 4:8-11
12:37 warriors Eph 6:12, 1 Ti 6:12
12:39 flee without provisions 1 Cor 6:18
12:46 no bone broken John 19:33, 36
13:1-2, 11-16 devotion to God Ro 12:1
12:3 power to save 2 Pet 1:3, Eph 1:19-24
13:14 freedom from slavery Ro 6:6, 8:2

[Skip]

There is nothing more important than establishing a loving relationship with God. If this is the only resolution we ever keep, I believe we've made the wises choice we can ever make.

Yours in Christ
Skip