Archive for December 2020
Encouragement for Pastors
Today’s article is a guest post from Dr. Ray Van Neste, Dean and Professor of Biblical Studies, School of Theology and Missions at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Pastors, I know the last several months have been challenging. As I heard someone recently say, “If this ain’t difficult times, they’ll do until difficult times come!”[1] Some of you…
Read MoreDecember 26-31, 2020
In keeping with the Bible reading plan we are using, the last days of each month are designated as “free days.” December 26-31 then are intended to allow you to catch up on reading you may have missed or to study passages more in depth that intrigued you during the first 25 days of the month.…
Read MoreMalachi 1-4: The Sun of Righteousness
Malachi 1-4, Job 42, John 21:15-25, Revelation 22 Malachi 1-4: The new temple had been completed, through the ministry of Haggai and Zechariah, but the great promised messianic age had not yet dawned. Why not? Malachi prophesies to explain the sins that God’s people were committing, and continues to look forward to the dawning new day…
Read MoreZechariah 10-14: Hopes and Fears
Zechariah 10-14, Job 41:12-34, John 21:1-14, Revelation 21 Zechariah 10-14: I wade into these chapters with trepidation, for they are on the one hand filled with New Testament promises, resonant in our ears—“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered (13:7)”; “thirty pieces of silver (11:12-13)”; and echoes of other words, truth such as…
Read MoreZechariah 6-9: Seasons of Joy
Zechariah 6-9, Job 41:1-11, John 20:24-31, Revelation 20 Zechariah 6-9: Chapter 6 begins with yet another vision—Zechariah is packed with such visions. This one is particularly hard to interpret. As one commentator said, we are very much in the dark as to its meaning in any particularities, though opinions multiply. In general, it is a vision…
Read MoreZechariah 1-5: Not by Might
Zechariah 1-5; Job 40; John 20:19-23; Revelation 19 Zechariah 1-5: Zechariah prophesied, like Haggai, to the exiles who had come back to Jerusalem, now urging them to repent, and giving them assurances and hope of God’s future blessing. He reminds them in chapter 1 of what their forefathers had done, and why they had gone into…
Read MoreHaggai 1-2: A Time to Invest
Haggai 1-2, Job 39, John 20:10-18, Revelation 18 Haggai 1-2: When God’s people returned from exile, they began to rebuild the temple, but after a little while they lost impetus and direction and gave up and stopped the rebuilding. Haggai, under God’s direction and by God’s inspiration, now comes and preaches to God’s people to…
Read MoreZephaniah 3: Promises
Zephaniah 3, Job 38:22-41, John 20:1-9, Revelation 17 Zephaniah 3: Chapter 3 continues Zephaniah’s denouncement of God’s people, and God’s judgment upon sin and wickedness. In particular, the leaders of God’s people have let her down: Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy;they do violence to the law (3:4) But God, nonetheless, has a…
Read MoreZephaniah 1-2: Hide Yourself in Him
Zephaniah 1-2, Job 38:22-41, John 19:38-42, Revelation 16 Zephaniah 1-2: Zephaniah is prophesying during the days of good King Josiah’s reforms. In his prophecy, he speaks of the “day of the LORD,” a fearsome day of judgment, and then also speaks of the blessing and bounty that will come to those who seek the Lord (more on…
Read MoreHabakkuk 1-3: Tread on High Places
Habakkuk 1-3, Job 37, John 19:28-37, Revelation 15 Habakkuk 1-3: Though Habakkuk is a brief book, it is filled with important truth and is profound in its own way. Covering all the ground of these three chapters in short expanse is therefore a challenge—and probably not really possible. Basically, Habakkuk is asking and receiving answers regarding God’s use of…
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