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 26
Jeremiah 49:23-50:46
Jeremiah
49:23-39
Vs.
23-27 This is God's judgment on Syria, represented by Damascus. Syria had
plagued Israel and had played a role in Israel's demise.
Vs.
28-33 This is a judgment against the nomadic tribes descended from Ishmael. You
often hear people say that the enemies of the Jews came from Ishmael, and they
say that Israel's enemies came as the result of Abraham's relationship with
Hagar. It is obvious that what Abe and Sarah decided with Hagar was a poor
decision, but Israel had plenty of enemies without these guys. The people who
became the Babylonians (Iraq) and the Persians (Iran) were there long before.
The enmity is really a spiritual thing and goes back to the garden and God's
working with Abraham, a man who came from what today would be Iraq.
Vs.
34-39 Elam is what was to become the Persian Empire. Today it is Iran.
It
is hard to say when this happened, or whether it has happened yet. It certainly
didn't happen with Babylon rising in power. Nebuchadnezzar married a Persian
princess and made the hanging gardens of Babylon for her. There were good
relations between Babylon and Persia. Read Daniel. When Persia took over
Babylon it was basically bloodless and Darius the Mede ruled in the city of
Babylon as the co-ruler of the Persian Empire. Persia certainly hasn't been an
empire since Alexander defeated them, but Alexander didn't destroy much either.
Note that God will set up His throne there. That would mean judgment. Also, in
the latter days, God will restore them. That is restoration during the
Millennial Kingdom. This has led people to believe that this destruction will
take place during the Tribulation.
Jeremiah
50
Vs.
1-3 Generally speaking, this long declaration of judgment on Babylon hasn't
been fulfilled yet, in the terms described here. This has also led people to
believe that the total fulfillment of this will not happen until the
Tribulation and the Millennial Kingdom. There is a lot written about Babylon in
Revelation that sounds similar to some of what is said here.
Vs.
4-5 Notice that this is definitely talking about the Millennial Kingdom.
Vs.
6-7 God's judgment is on the nations for not showing compassion to Israel, even
though they knew Israel belonged to Him and were being punished by Him.
Actually Egypt, Babylon, and Persia hosted Israel and will receive some
blessing for that in the Millennial Kingdom.
Vs.
8-10 This is the declaration of punishment against Babylon.
Vs.
11-16 Verse 13 hasn't fully happened yet, so many people think this is pointing
to the time of the Tribulation and that the Babylon mentioned in the book of
Revelation might be the real city of Babylon.
Vs.
19-20 Again, this is millennial blessing. Because of the punishment mentioned
just before this promise of blessing, that punishment would just precede the
fulfilling of the promise.
Vs.
21-46 This description is much larger than what took place when Persia defeated
Babylon. That was almost a friendly takeover. What is said in these verses is
still looking for a future fulfillment.
A
couple of thoughts:
Although
God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, the kings after him did not respect God. Chapter 5
of Daniel shows a lot of disregard for God and what He had done. When Persia
took over, it was through the events of Daniel 6 that Cyrus sent the Jews back
to Jerusalem. God created a new respect for His name and a sense of fear
regarding forcing the Jews to worship anyone but Yahweh.
It
could be that in the time of the Tribulation, both Iran and Iraq play a larger
role in world affairs and as a result are put down by the antichrist. In order
for the antichrist to make a world-recognized peace treaty with Israel, certain
hostile nations, especially Islamic and anti-Semitic nations, will either
change their attitude or be put down. With Iran tinkering around with making a
nuclear weapon, you wonder how all of that history will play out.
In the meantime, we
need to keep focused on the harvest before us. Our task is following our Savior
into the harvest He died to redeem, making disciples, who make disciples. We
don't need to be consumed with the events that are slowly coming to the
horizon. As to what is going to happen and when it's going to happen, remember
what Jesus said to the disciples in Acts 1:7-8, He
said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own
authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the end of the earth."
Titus 1
Vs.
1-3 To my knowledge, this is the longest introduction of any of Paul's letters.
Notice how much "gospel" Paul puts in here. It sets the tone of the
letter and shows Titus what kind of foundation needs to be laid in this church.
V.
4 Apparently, Paul led Titus to Christ.
Vs.
5-9 Paul and Titus had traveled together and Paul left Titus in Crete. This is
all after the events recorded in Acts. Notice that Paul gave Titus apostolic
authority. Titus was to appoint elders. There was no congregational voting
here.
V.
9 Notice that the elders had the authority to protect the teaching of the
church.
Vs.
10-16 Once again, there was pressure for the Gentile Christians to adopt
customs and teaching from the Jewish law. This new church in Crete needed to
have these false teachers strongly rebuked, and Titus was the man. In contrast,
Paul never told Timothy to rebuke anyone in Ephesus, probably because they had
a better core of leaders with whom Timothy could work.
In
order for this church to reach its harvest, it had to be unified around Jesus
and His mission, and therefore the need for order and correct teaching. That's
the same with us. If the church is not bearing fruit for the Lord in the
harvest, making disciples, who make disciples, we are doing something wrong and
are focused on the wrong stuff. Sometimes before we become fruitful, there
needs to be correction, in our hearts and in the group.
Psalms 97-98
I
appreciate more and more that there is a "price" to pay to be able to
sing these songs from the heart. In Psalm 98 it mentions a new song. From Psalm 40 you see that it is the Lord who puts that
new song in our hearts. Only He can do it, and I think it gets there by Him
proving us in the harvest, following Christ.
Psalm 97
Vs.
1-5 The Lord reigns and even the creation obeys and bows before Him. What
chance does puny man have before Him?
Vs.
6-7 This is just like Romans 1:18-22. How can we disregard the Creator and
worship images and creatures and stuff?
Vs. 8-9 Zion rejoices
because Israel's only hope is the Creator, and He will take His seat in Zion
and rule the earth. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He. All things were made through him, and
without him was not any thing made that was made (John
1:3).
Vs.
10-12 Love, not slavish obedience, has always been the key to knowing God and
knowing His joy and blessing.
Psalm
98
Vs.
1-3 That new song begins with
salvation, and we learn new verses of that song as we follow Christ in the
harvest, experiencing grace after grace, deliverance after deliverance, seeing new
spiritual life come into existence, learning how deep and wonderful God is.
But, we can never forget our salvation. Notice that v. 3 is in the past tense.
That hasn't happened yet, but it will.
Vs.
4-6 The celebration of the saved should be with all their heart and passion and
skill.
Vs.
7-9 The celebration of the creation will join in to the song as the King
approaches.
Proverbs 26:13-16
We have either met this guy, or we've been this guy in some area of our
lives. God is certainly for rest, but He is not for this kind of behavior.
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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