June 26, 2023 Monday
2 Kings 24 and Deuteronomy 34 plus Ezra 10
In both these chapters there is the transition of leadership. In 2 Kings 24 there is the transition of leadership into judgment because of rebellion and sin against the LORD and in Deuteronomy 24 there is the passing of leadership from Moses to Joshua. It could also be that this is about to happen in the USA at this time and in key leadership positions in churches across the world. In Ezra 10 the people repented with removing their heathen idolatrous wives. The LORD is saying what kind of transition will your nation experience. A transition to tyranny and apostasy or a transition unto far greater righteousness and inheritance with great blessings.
Ezra 10:1-8 (KJV)
1Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.2And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.3Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.4Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.5Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.6Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.7And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;8And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
June 27, 2023 Tuesday
Psalms 120 and Haggai 1 plus Leviticus 16
The theme in all of these chapters is related to the dwelling place of God in His temple among His people. Basically the emphasis is on the requirement of holiness to bring forth the temple of the Lord and also the requirement of sacrifice. The fact that we are more focused with our energy and time in our lives on our own dwelling places and pleasures is reproved and it is pointed out that it is not to be rationalized away by saying we will do this at a later time.
In Psalms 120 King David laments dwelling among the tents of Kedar which are the tents of darkness. He sees and cries for the need of his soul to be delivered from defilement by the deception of his tongue to lie. He mentions that he dwells in Mesech which means a purchase with mechanical advantage. It is therefore speaks of us seeking our own advantages to prosper over seeking 1st the kingdom of God in order to establish God’s temple of holiness.
In Leviticus 16 the 2 sons of Aaron offered strange fire to God because they did not know the ways of God which are the ways of holiness out of the genuine fear of God. God does not want us to throng His presence with our own hyping things up or strivings. When we are in the genuine fear of God there is a heart that brings us to stillness to know that he is God. This is represented in the fact that after the 2 sons of Aaron was smitten dead by God for irreverence and that they then were to approach God only with garments of silk representing none of the sweat of our own strivings thronging in the holy presence of God.
Lev 16:1-4 (KJV)
1And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;2And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.3Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.4He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
Hag 1:1-5 (KJV)
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,2Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’S house should be built.3Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,4Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?5Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Hag 1:7-9 (KJV)
7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.8Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.9Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
Ps 120:1-7 (KJV)
1A Song of degrees. In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.2Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.3What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?4Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.5Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!6My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.7I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
June 28, 2023 Wednesday
1 Peter 2 and Colossians 1
1Pet 2:4-8 (KJV)
4To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.6Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.7Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1Pet 2:9-12 (KJV)
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Col 1:17-24 (KJV)
17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;24Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
June 29, 2023 Thursday
2 Chronicles 33 and John 15 plus Proverbs 13
2Chr 33:12-13 (KJV)
12And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,13And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
John 15:21 (KJV)
21But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
John 15:15-17 (KJV)
15Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.17These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Prov 13:1 (KJV)
1A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
Prov 13:10 (KJV)
10Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
Prov 13:18 (KJV)
18Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
Prov 13:24 (KJV)
24He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
June 30, 2023 Friday
Genesis 16 and Amos 5
When we do not see the promises of God fulfilled and that seem to have not been fulfilled we can be tempted to seek an alternative to fulfill them through our own efforts that can lead to idolatry as it did at Mount Sinai and with Ishmael being brought forth which led to idolatry. In Amos this was the case with Israel. God gives the answer and it is keep silent and to seek God and hate evil and love the good.
Gen 16:15-16 (KJV)
15And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.16And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Gen 17:10-13 (KJV)
10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.12And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.13He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Gen 17:24-27 (KJV)
24And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.25And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.26In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.27And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.
Amos 5:13-15 (KJV)
13Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.14Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.15Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
Amos 5:4-10 (KJV)
4For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:5But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.6Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.7Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,8Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:9That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.10They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
Amos 5:11-13 (KJV)
11Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.12For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.13Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.
July 1, 2023 Saturday
Exodus 29 and Zechariah 2
When the church delivers itself out of the world system by choosing not to condone it and by choosing to live a holy life then glory of God will dwell in their midst and judge the world system.
Exod 29:41-46 (KJV)
41And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.42This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.43And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.44And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.45And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.46And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.
Zech 2:5-13 (KJV)
5For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.6Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.7Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.8For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.9For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.10Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.11And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.12And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.13Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.