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.
OCTOBER 2
This is the final day in Isaiah. If you've been keeping up, you really,
really owe yourself a treat. I'd recommend a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino at
Starbucks©. Or, just find a quiet place and page through Isaiah in a normal
Bible and see what you remember. Without a doubt, you have been blessed in
reading this in ways you might not even know.
Isaiah 66
Vs. 1-2 Read this and think about it. Do you get the point of what God
is saying?
Jesus quotes a part of v. 1 in the Sermon on the Mount when He tells
His disciples not to make vows to God.
If you understand what God and Isaiah are saying here, this is the same
thought Paul expresses in the last two verses of Romans 11 and the first two
verses of Romans 12. I'm willing to bet these two verses of Isaiah were in
Paul's mind when he was writing those verses in Romans. I'll ask him when I get
to see him.
Vs. 3-4 If our hearts are not obedient to His Word, this is what God
thinks of our worship and religious routine, even as believers.
When I spoke they did not
listen, reminds me of Jesus
saying, “Why do you call
me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
V. 5 Notice that this is addressed to those who truly are the Lord's,
that is, those who tremble at His Word.
Notice too, the trembling in v. 2. How is your "trembling?"
The words of the brothers here must be either insincere or meant as
mockery.
Vs. 6-9 God uses the illustration of labor to say to Israel, "I
haven't brought you through all of this not to complete my purpose for
you."
Vs. 10-14 So Jerusalem gives birth and all will find consolation and
comfort and will nurse there. Interesting. According to Ezekiel and Revelation,
there will be a river running out of the temple. On each side of it there will
be trees that bear fruit monthly, and there will be healing in the leaves (Rev.
22:2). The people of the world will come to Jerusalem for healing, and after
the Tribulation, they're going to need it. God is going to offer blessing for
all who come to His city. And of course the best thing about Jerusalem will be
the guy sitting on the throne in the temple.
It will still apparently be a matter of the will for people to come to
Jerusalem. Even during the Millennial Kingdom and at the end of it, not
everyone will like Jesus. Sin's dominance doesn't need Satan's deception. We
can be rebellious all by ourselves if we don't recognize what sin truly is (an
incurable spiritual disease) and our need of a Savior.
Vs. 15-17 This judgment seems to be the Messiah judging the nations in
opposition to Israel at the end of the Tribulation. Or, it could be a warning for
those who rebel against the Messiah and His servant Israel at the end of the
thousand years, when Satan is released and finds those ready to wage war
against Israel.
Vs. 18-21 This seems to say that Israel will be a servant to all the
nations, declaring God's glory to all who don't have an opportunity to come to
Jerusalem.
Vs. 22-24 This is after the thousand-year reign of Jesus on earth.
There will be a new heaven and a new earth, and there will be a final judgment
(Rev. 21:1-2).
I can't wait. I was reading this morning, For I consider that the sufferings of
this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed
to us. Now, we have the Lord and the Spirit burning in us as we work in the
harvest on this dying planet. But the Day is coming.
Philippians 3:4-21
Vs. 4-6 This isn't Paul bragging, but he is really trying to
make the Philippians see that they shouldn't be impressed by
"credentials." Paul had been the real thing and threw it all away for
Jesus.
Vs. 7-11 Notice that the focus of all of this is knowing
Jesus. In the past, Paul discovered that salvation by grace through faith meant
knowing Christ. Now, even 30 years down the road Paul is still striving to know
Christ more. That, I think, is the mark of a disciple who never tires in the
harvest and doesn't get older, just wiser and stronger. Knowing our Lord isn't
academic or knowledge-oriented; it is a daily ongoing walk. We follow Him in
the harvest and He reveals Himself more and more in ways we could never guess.
That is why it is by faith (John 14:21-23).
V. 12 And here is Paul's motivation.
So many believers seem to have the mindset that they got
saved, and now they're going to heaven; so the goal is to go to church, enjoy
life and stay out of trouble. Knowing Christ is our personal goal, the goal of
every disciple. Read that prayer again at the end of Ephesians 3. It all has to
do with knowing Jesus and His love.
But Paul's goal here is knowing Christ in such a way that, if
possible, he could live on earth as if he were perfectly following Christ. The
goal was being so fully focused on Jesus and the blessings and grace available
in Him, that Paul would honor God as if he had been resurrected. I'm sure Paul
knew this was impossible in this body of death; but if you aim at nothing, you
hit it every time. Paul aimed high out of love for Jesus. But that was only for
Paul, right?
Vs. 13-14 Paul had a lot to forget from the past. He looked at
the future (that's why God has also given us all that stuff in Isaiah) and
strained forward in the present. And again, this is only recommended for
disciples on steroids, like Paul. Right?
Vs. 15-16 Wrong. It is meant to be the norm for every one of
us. It is what makers of disciples are to model so as to make disciples who
model the same. A disciple is not above his teacher; but every disciple, when
he is fully trained, will be like his teacher.
Vs. 17-21 The important thing to see in these verses is that
Paul was not crying over lost humanity; he was crying over fallen followers,
disciples who defected.
Notice where the focus is, on Jesus and the coming
transformation of this body of death. That is our personal hope in the
resurrection. You see this expressed in Romans 8 when Paul talks about how the
creation is waiting for our redemption.
In the opening verses of Isaiah 66, we had God looking for
those who trembled, who were awed by and honored His Word in their hearts and
actions. What Paul is saying here is the same thing, just in a different way.
The natural response to Christ giving His life for us is to give Him our hearts
and do what He says. This involves following Him in the harvest and being
treated as He was treated, but also bearing fruit as He bore fruit and
glorified the Father. It is simple discipleship.
Psalm 74
Isn't it interesting to read this psalm, having read Isaiah?
Notice that the appeal for help focuses more on God defending His name, than
defending His people.
Vs. 1-2 The plea to remember the people, His heritage and
Zion.
Vs. 3-8 When the Babylonians burned the temple, the gold on
the paneling melted and went into crevices between the foundation stones of the
temple. They removed these stones to get at the gold. When they were done, the
temple was completely ruined.
Vs. 9-11 These are the age old questions. However, Isaiah's
ministry revealed the people's hearts. When they had the Word they should have
responded. Hearing the Word and ignoring it makes a people dull and ungrateful.
When the Word comes to Israel again, it will be like living water. Knowing the
love of Christ, the Word and the plan of God is enough to get us through all
the rough spots. It is something that God continually teaches us in His
"silence."
Vs. 12-17 But, as in Job and in Isaiah, what is known about
God, His wisdom in creation and His love, are the things we cling to when He is
"silent."
Vs. 18-23 God should see the actions of the nations as an
attack on Him and do something about it. He does and He will.
Proverbs
24:15-16
Amen.
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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