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.
SEPTEMBER 17
This is a good day to be reading your one-year Bible. There are a lot
of great individual verses, and it is great to read them in the settings in
which the Spirit set them. Also, there are some major high points of history,
doctrine and theology in what we'll walk through. Grab a cuppa (however you
interpret that) and enjoy.
Isaiah 25-28:13
There are a million things to observe and note today, so enjoy the
stroll through these verses, knowing that next year and the year after, you'll
see more and more. Basically, today Isaiah 25-27 is talking about the future
blessings to Israel. Chapter 28 begins chapters full of woes, but even there
we'll find a verse that will launch us right back into 1 Corinthians 14.
There are two things to keep your eye on in Isaiah. First, God is
focused on Jerusalem. Since His promise to David and Solomon to dwell in Zion
in the temple, He has set the city apart for Himself. Even though He has
destroyed the city because of the faithlessness of the people, God shows over
and over again, that He will restore. Second, in Isaiah we see how God uses the
near events to talk about the final events. The near judgment of the nations
reflects the future judgment of nations. The near deliverance of Israel and
Zion will reflect the future deliverance when the Messiah comes. Humanly
speaking, it is no wonder the people were confused in Jesus' time, thinking the
Messiah would stay. But woven into Isaiah is also the sin of man and the
suffering of the Christ.
Isaiah 25
Vs. 1-5 This is Isaiah's praise to God as he sees the arrival of the
millennial blessing. One purpose of prophecy is to give hope in hard times. In
essence, Isaiah sees how the plans made from the time of the fall and in the
promise to Abraham (v. 1) bring to an end the kingdoms of man (v. 2), and lead
all men to worship God (v. 3), which fulfills the promise to Abraham.
Vs. 4-5 Even in the oppression of the Tribulation, God will extend
grace and shade to those who follow
Him.
Vs. 6-9 Verse 6 sounds like the beginning of the Millennium and the
blessing all nations will find under the rule of Christ. Verses 7-8 could
signify the beginning of the Millennium and also the ending when everything is
made new. If you look in Revelation you'll notice that verse 8 is quoted twice,
once near the beginning of the Millennium (Rev. 7:17) and once at the end (Rev.
21:4). Look at Revelation 7:17 and you'll see some similar imagery,
particularly having to do with heat.
Vs. 10-12 The pride of Moab is used here as an example of how God will
bring down the proud who oppose the Lord, Israel and Jerusalem.
Isaiah 26
Vs. 1-6 This is a song of praise to God in the future Millennium and
beyond.
Vs. 1-2 This is the praise of Zion.
Vs. 3-4 Verse 3 is a famous verse and I've heard it quoted often, but I
could never have told you this verse was in Isaiah, much less here in Isaiah. This is the testimony of
trusting in the Lord. This would be important in the days when the Assyrians
tried to take Jerusalem, and it will be important during the years of the
Tribulation.
Vs. 5-6 Apparently the Lord will bring humility and use the feet of the poor and needy to trample pride under foot.
Vs. 7-10 It is God's judgment that will level everything, showing His righteousness
in this judgment. This sounds like John the Baptist, the forerunner of the
Lord, making the high low, the crooked straight and the rough ways smooth.
Vs. 11-19 Notice the repetition of O
Lord. The salvation of Israel will come from the Lord.
V. 15 sounds like the prayer of Jabez.
Vs. 17-18 Although Israel was ready for deliverance, by their own
efforts they only birthed air.
V. 19 sounds like the resurrection.
Vs. 20-21 God
tells the people to find shelter in the Tribulation as He punishes the earth.
One of the things mentioned in Revelation is that the nations will put to death
those who follow Christ. God will use the blood of His people to prove the
guilt and sin of the world, and the righteousness of His judgment of the people
on earth. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you
have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve (Rev. 16:6)!
Isaiah 27
Notice the marker, in that day.
V. 1 Some say this is God's judgment on a mythical creature
representing all that was chaotic and against God. Others say it looks like
that old serpent, the devil. I think it's Satan. This dragon is in Revelation
too.
Vs. 2-5 This is the Lord making an invitation to come into His
vineyard.
Vs. 6-11 This seems to be God cleansing His people through hardships
and exile.
Vs. 12-13 Now He is calling them out of exile to Jerusalem. This
gathering of Israel to Zion will be true after the Babylonian exile and at the
end of the Tribulation.
Isaiah 28
Vs. 1-8 The word the ESV says is Ah
is actually, "Woe." In Hebrew it is "OY!" Isaiah is
beginning here with the northern kingdom, represented by Ephraim. The northern
kingdom had experienced prosperity; but as a result of that prosperity, they
didn't come to the Lord. They are called drunkards
identifying their excess, but they were also drunk with idolatry. We have seen
all of this during the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, grace upon grace,
miracle upon miracle, and still they wouldn't follow God.
Vs. 9-13 After Isaiah pronounced judgment on the northern kingdom,
apparently the leaders of the northern kingdom got wind of his prophecy against
them. Verses 9-10 were their words back to Isaiah. Basically they are making
fun of Isaiah for treating them like children. The words of v. 10 are actually
mocking to Isaiah, because in the Hebrew it is the equivalent of sounds like,
"blah, blah, blah, whatever, whatever, whatever, yakity, yakity,
yak."
Vs. 11 Paul quotes
this in 1 Corinthians 14:21. God is saying that since the people would not
listen to Him and His prophets, He would speak to them through the babbling
mouths of Gentiles to get His point across. In Isaiah's day, it would be the
Assyrians leading the people into captivity. In Paul's day, the strange tongues
were telling the Jews that the word and ministry of redemption was going beyond
them to the Gentiles. It is interesting that Paul, via the Spirit, saw this
verse as showing the meaning of the gift of tongues. Jesus said this to the
Pharisees in Matthew 21:43, Therefore
I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a
people producing its fruits. According to Romans 11:30, this people is
currently the church; and according to Romans 11:31, it will change back to the
Jews. The gift of tongues was to show the Jews that the gospel was being given
to the Gentiles.
V. 12 God offered them rest and they would not hear it.
V. 13 So now, because they hardened their hearts, the Word of God (and
the gospel of Christ in the future) will sound to them like "blah, blah,
blah, whatever, whatever, whatever, yakity, yakity, yak." And in their
pride they will not accept it until the arrival of that future generation of
Jews that enters the Tribulation. Then Romans 11:31 will kick in.
Galatians 3:10-22
Vs. 10-14 Did you get that? Good! Notice that Paul mentions the Holy
Spirit here. Following Christ in this body is extremely difficult as it is, but
without the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us, it would be pretty ugly.
What a wonderful gift from God.
Vs. 15-18 Did you get that? Good! God is saying that the promise to
Abraham pointed to one individual, to Jesus. Even in the Davidic covenant, it
pointed to one son, the Son of David - Jesus. Since Jesus was the fulfillment
of all of these things, faith had to be the only stipulation.
Vs. 19-20 The reasons for the law were several. Here Paul gives the
obvious reason: because of the sin of man. The law was like the markings on a
highway to steer us in the right direction, waiting until Christ came, when we
could understand God and follow Christ by the Spirit as new creations.
V. 20 This is a contrast between the law through Moses and the promise
to Abraham. Apparently, Moses received the law from God but also through
angels. This meant more than one intermediary. Abraham received the promise
directly from God. The law was a covenant, based on the agreement of both
parties, God and Israel. If you look at the promise to Abraham, although the
covenant ceremony was set up with pieces of animals on both sides with a path
through the middle, God was the only one who walked that path, making God
solely responsible for keeping this covenant. Abraham's only
"responsibility" was to believe. The Mosaic covenant required two
parties to make the agreement. The Abrahamic covenant is really a promise made
by grace to Abraham, and so only one person is required. And, God is one. And
like Abraham's righteousness, the fulfillment of this greater promise would
only require faith.
Vs. 21-22 The law isn't contrary to the promise, anymore than a
temporary splint put in place until you get to a doctor is contrary to being
healed by a doctor. It was necessary for a time, but only for a specific
purpose. It couldn't fix the problem.
This is coming close to what Paul says in Romans 5:20, Now the law
came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace
abounded all the more. In Romans 11:32 he says, For God has consigned all to disobedience,
that he may have mercy on all.
I know this is all pretty tight theology, but remember the
issue Paul was dealing with in the harvest. What must a person do to be saved
and become a follower of Christ? The cry of the reformers was "only faith
in Jesus." A person is saved and sustained in their walk with Christ by
grace through faith. Grace and faith are both things we grow in our
understanding of, as we follow Christ in the harvest reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples.
Psalm 61
The more I experience living in uncertainty, the more I appreciate how
the Lord drove David to his knees to burn these words on his heart. All I can
say is “amen.”
Vs. 1-3 We have seen David crying out so many times, but this is
classic. He asks God to lead him to the rock that is only able to be reached by
God Himself placing him there. God was all those things to David that we have
heard of, a refuge and a strong tower.
Vs. 4-7 David's
only wish was to dwell with the Lord. I was reading today where Jesus promised
His disciples in John 14:23, Jesus
answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will
keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our
home with him.” Dwelling with Christ is still an offer that is extended to
those who will strive for it.
V. 6 David had
been anointed when he was 12 or 13; and since then, although David had been
persecuted and pursued, David was still surviving because of God's promise.
That is why David could say this.
V. 8 This is
typical David, promising to praise the Lord to all of mankind. Oddly enough,
this is immortalized in Scripture and is exactly that, praise to God from David
that is meant to inspire our faith.
Proverbs 23:17-18
Boy, do I need to hear this every day. Between this and the psalm, I
guess the Lord is telling us to keep holding on.
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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