If you don't
have a One Year Bible or prefer something online, this link will take you to
the day's reading, http://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/. This
site allows you to select from several languages and several English
translations.
JUNE 11
1 Kings 8
This is one of the great prayers in the Bible. It has faith, emotion
and truth and even the idea that for a time, Solomon grasped some aspects of
the redemptive purpose of God.
This prayer and the dedication of the temple highlight a point in
Israel's history that had never been reached before, and hasn't happened since.
They were at peace. You can see Solomon's reign as a partial fulfillment of the
promise to Abraham.
Look for all sorts of recurring words and themes. There is a very clear
structure in Solomon's prayer that is given from the Spirit of God. Take time
to observe the progression. The progression of this prayer will be true of
Israel's history. As you read these progressions or situations, think of what
you know of Israel's history where something like this happened. God was
preparing the nation. On the positive side of things, look for words like hear, forgive, pray, plea, turn,
acknowledge. Look for references to the nations. On the cautionary side of
things, notice Solomon's use of I.
Vs. 1-11 The older southern side of Jerusalem was called the city of David. The ark and the
tabernacle had been located there, but everything was moved to the north side
of the city where the temple was.
There is a map in the Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT on p. 506
that might help here. If you can find it online, it is called “Jerusalem in the Time of the Kings.”
It is interesting that immediately after the ark was placed and the
priests left, the glory of the Lord
filled the house of the Lord. This is exactly where Isaiah will see the
glory of the Lord in those famous verses of Isaiah 6.
Vs. 12-26 The desire David had, years ago, which led to the covenant
with David, was now fulfilled probably more than 30 years later. As we'll see
in Chronicles, the temple was David's passion, and it had become Solomon's passion.
Solomon asked for God's blessing by recounting both the promise to David and
the promises to the fathers. I notice the use of "I" by Solomon. I
might be reading something into that, because I know what is coming in
Solomon's history.
Vs. 27-30 This sort of reminds me of Moses pleading with God to allow
His presence to dwell in the midst of His people. What is interesting is that
God was willing to bless and heed this request. Even when the temple was
destroyed (ironically, something Solomon helped initiate) God blessed the
prayers of men like Daniel who obeyed God and prayed toward the temple ruins.
The great significance of what Solomon accomplished in building the temple and
in this prayer was that God chose Zion as His city and His resting place. God’s
acceptance of this worship and the promise He makes to this city and this mount
will resonate throughout all time. When the new heavens and the new earth are
established after the Millennium, we don’t know if there will be a new
Milwaukee, but we know there will be an eternal new Jerusalem.
Vs. 31-53 This is the catalog of events that Solomon prayed God would
forgive when the people prayed toward the temple. This is a good exercise for
you, and the paragraph breaks will help you see the different situations and
themes. One thing to see here is that there is a definite prophetic element.
Solomon is predicting the Babylonian exile and the restoration of the people to
the land and to Jerusalem.
Vs. 54-61 Verses 56-58 are like the program of God for Israel that will
unfold over thousands of years and be completed in the Millennium. The
Millennial Kingdom of Christ is where Israel will find its rest, where God will
prove that He did not leave or forsake them and where the inclination of their
hearts will be to worship the Messiah.
V. 60 This seems to give the idea that Solomon did have a sense for
God's purpose in Israel. It is interesting to me, that in all of what he says,
Solomon speaks of the promises to Moses as having been fulfilled in David and
in himself. He never mentions Abraham. If history has depth, Solomon doesn't go
deep enough to really understand, that what is happening is really a partial
fulfillment of God's plan of redemption as spoken to Abraham. God revealed His
truth progressively, a little at a time, and Solomon might have been one of
those kings who desired to look deeper and see the truths that you and I know
and often take for granted.
V. 61 At this time Solomon and all the people were as wholly devoted to
the Lord as they would ever be.
Vs. 62-66 With these large numbers of sacrifices you wonder about the
timeframe. Just think logistically, how long it would have taken to march these
animals in, kill, prepare and burn them. Most likely this happened over two
weeks as the Septuagint reading (note at the bottom of the page) suggests.
Also, if only the priests and Levites could eat of the sacrificial
offerings, and all of Israel was at this 1-2 week feast, there were probably
animals being prepared for meals all over the place, and the entire area must
have been packed with people. Interestingly enough, this would have taken place
around the Day of Atonement and the Feast of the Tabernacles. We are told in
Nehemiah that they didn't celebrate the Feast of the Tabernacles, but the Day
of Atonement was the key national event.
My only comment here for us is that each of us has experienced a day or
an emotional high like this. They're nice, but they don't last. All of that
emotion and devotion is real on that day, but our race lasts a lifetime, or as
long as God gives us to follow Christ in the harvest on earth. Worshipping God
in Spirit means that daily worship is spirit on spirit, not based on the flesh
or what the flesh needs, craves or recognizes as worship. Each day as we follow
Christ in the harvest we are to worship in spirit and in truth. That makes for
a very stable and unswerving walk.
Acts 7:51-8:13
Vs. 51-53 You know, when you preach, as your mouth speaks, you notice
sometimes that your brain can be thinking completely different thoughts. It's
almost like thinking ahead of your mouth and weighing or deciding how to
formulate something or even anticipating the result. I wonder if, as Stephen
was saying v. 51, he was thinking, "Spirit, you know, if I say that,
they'll probably kill me." I wonder if he heard the Spirit say back to him,
"Yeah, I'm cool with that. How about you?"
We are about to head into some examples of Christians whose lives were
used as martyrs to make a statement. What would we think if God's purpose for
our lives was to show that someone was willing to die for Him? Again, it all
comes back to our spiritual understanding of God, life and the world. A
disciple lives for Christ in the harvest to bring glory to God. If death is how
we glorify Him, great. We know that we end up in heaven, getting R&R,
sitting on a lounge chair with something cool to drink, looking at the ….(fill
in the blank), enjoying the presence and glory of God. Now, God uses the lives
of His martyrs for many, many purposes, but they don't see that. They only know
that hot, pulsing moment when they bear witness for Christ.
Vs. 54-60 You'd want to attribute this rabid reaction to Stephen to the
work of Satan, but since Satan isn't mentioned, it must be that we humans can
do this all by ourselves.
It is interesting that Stephen saw Jesus standing, as if to welcome
him, and he kept on speaking.
Now, Saul is mentioned here. It is thought that Saul was a very young
member of the Sanhedrin and was also a member of the synagogue where Stephen
had been a member. They probably knew each other. Whatever the reason was for
Saul's anger (8:3), he was about to go postal. The fact that they laid their
garments at Saul's feet probably means that he took some organizational
responsibility for what was happening. If in fact, he was a member of the
Sanhedrin, then giving his approval meant he was representing the religious
leadership of Israel.
Acts 8:1-13
Vs. 1-3 Saul (Paul) will mention this again, particularly that he took
the women too. That he took women also, making families parentless, seems to
show the violence and intensity of his hatred for Christians.
Vs. 4-8 I've heard some preachers say that this persecution was because
the Christians didn't obey Acts 1:8 and were becoming cemented into Jerusalem.
I can't see that. There was nothing negative. God brought the church to a full
and complete "ripeness," and then sent them out. It doesn't mention
that they went crying. Actually they went with joy, preaching.
V. 5 All directions from Jerusalem were "down." Actually
Philip went north. Now, Philip was a Hellenistic Jewish Christian. A Hebraic
Jewish Christian would never have preached to the Samaritans. Philip was
another one of the seven and now he was being put into action by the Spirit.
Vs. 9-13 Simon recognized that the power Philip had was legitimate and
from God the Spirit. Simon had performed acts using assistance from demons.
What we are seeing in Simon is the beginning of seeking power in Christianity,
without seeking the Lord of Christianity. We saw the seeking of position in the
church with Ananias and Sapphira. This is another kind of sickness that has
crept in. Satan is no fool. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
Now you won't hear this until tomorrow because this reading for today
ends here, so I'll tell you now that this situation is not normal. Not normal
how? The people had believed in Jesus and been baptized, but they had not
received the Spirit. That is not normal. Today, the instant a person confesses
Christ as Savior they are baptized, sealed and indwelt with the Spirit. In this
situation in Acts, it would not be until Hebraic Jewish Christians came to see
what had happened, so the Spirit could use their testimony to defuse their
Jewish sense of nationalism and hate for the Samaritans, that the Spirit would
be given. This "giving of the Holy Spirit" is not "normal"
for today. What is being underscored is that many of the events in Acts were
for the time of the beginning of the church.
Psalm 129
This song of pilgrims approaching Jerusalem for worship was probably
written after the exile. Zion is the city that had been destroyed by the
nations, and though they and their fathers had been swept into other lands, God
had shown His faithfulness by bringing them back to Zion.
Vs. 1-4 Israel was a target from its inception. Satan sought to ruin it
using the nations to corrupt the witness of God among the nations. They became
the "everyman" for humanity to show how each of us would act in the
presence of God. We would rebel and seek to kill God, just like they did to
Jesus.
Vs. 5-8 Yet Zion stands as the place where Jesus will reign. God has
set a place and a city. All who rail against Zion rail against God, and the day
will come when God will bless Zion and He will stand in that city. Then those
who refuse to bless Zion and its King will fail to bless the only God. And they'll
be in trouble.
Proverbs 17:1
Amen. The mind that is set on the Spirit is life and peace. As Jesus
said in John 4, the will of the Father becomes our food and our delight.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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