November 26 - Acts 17-18:18: The Jews Stalk Paul; Paul Reaches the Athenians where They Are

Today’s Reading: Acts 17-18:18

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The Jews are following Paul and Silas as they go from city to city.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Paul and Silas customarily taught Jews first. In Thessalonica, some believed. Others tried stopping Paul.
Next, they taught in Berea. Gentiles and Jews believed.
Thessalonian Jews followed Paul. He escaped to Athens.
Paul grew angry at Athen's sea of idols. Paul spoke at the Areopagus against idols and about God wanting everyone to set things right because of the eventual Resurrection. Some mocked and some believed.
Aquila and Priscilla were expelled from Rome alongside the Jews.
The Corinthian Jews would not listen. So Paul taught the Gentiles.
God strengthened Paul's resolve.
He was arrested but the charges were dismissed.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Paul first went to the Jews.

God opened His Chosen People for the world to join. However, God made a covenant with Abraham, too. Therefore, when Paul and Silas went from town to town they first stopped in to help God's Original Chosen People understand why Jesus had to die. God will never give up on His Chosen People.

The Jews cared more for their way of life than God.

Notice how their charges against Paul and Silas are not about them being wrong about God but instead go against their culture. God may still want His Chosen People to change, but they were still too headstrong to change. God cannot set things right when His Chosen People want to keep their lifestyles instead of setting things right.

Paul's lesson in Athens was different than Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost and in the Temple.

Paul could go into the Old Testament and show them that Jesus must be crucified as he did with the Jews. He could tell them that their sins put Jesus on the cross, as Peter did. He doesn't do either of those. Instead, he points out that they have idols to a god they don't know and he wants to introduce them to Him. The irony for them is that God doesn't want their carved images because He created the world. Paul begins there because that is their mindset and what is in front of him. God begins where we are to help us connect to His Message. Don't teach the same message to everyone. Not everyone has the same mindset. Start with where they are and they will want to set things right.

The Jews were kicked out of Rome.

This will be important next week when we start Romans.

God would protect Paul.

God protects His Chosen Messengers. God always has and always will.

Do you care to keep your religious way of life or do you want to set things right?

September 26 - Nehemiah 1-5: Nehemiah Leads God's Chosen People to Rebuild Jerusalem's Walls

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 1-5

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Nehemiah also guards his people's spirits along with their bodies.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Nehemiah prayed for God's intercession on Jerusalem's crumbled walls. Artaxerxes granted Nehemiah's request to rebuild them. Sanballat and Tobiah scoffed.
Nehemiah rallied support. Sanballat and Tobiah mocked.
The wall was rebuilt by many families. Sanballat and Tobiah insulted.
Sanballat and Tobiah led a cabal to attack. The workers learned of the plan and carried weapons. Nehemiah strengthened their resolve.
Some of the Jews complained about high interest. Nehemiah confronted to the nobles and they agreed to return the mortgaged land and interest.
As governor, none of Nehemiah's underlings fed off the people. Instead, he fed people from his own stock.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Nehemiah asks God to set things right through him (Nehemiah).

Nehemiah has a cushy job in the palace. He had no obligation to leave Susa and return to Jerusalem; however, when he learned of the city's plight, he knew he needed to take action. He wanted to gain permission from Artaxerxes to repair the wall. He asked God to bless him along with the others who want to honor God. When God's Chosen People pray to set things right, God sets things right through them.

The ones who built the wall endured insults and discouragement throughout the entire construction process.

Similar to the reconstruction of the Temple, the families that rebuilt the wall had to endure harassment from their neighbors. With Nehemiah's help, they endured. God's Chosen People will always have discouragement from those who do not want things set right. God may not remove the discouragement. He may ask that we endure to the end.

Nehemiah shows a great example of leading in discouraging times.

Unlike Zerubbabel and Jeshua, Nehemiah did not stop reconstruction because of the harassment of others. He encouraged Israel to keep working, to keep building. He stationed guards to protect the workers and eventually gave weapons to the workers when threats materialized. All the while he kept the same tone, "The God-of-Heaven will make sure we succeed. We’re his servants and we’re going to work, rebuilding" (2:20, The Message). By leading with conviction and courage, Nehemiah provided the right attitude for the workers and people in Jerusalem to mimic. Leaders set the tone for everyone's trust in God setting things right.

Loaning at crippling interest is no different than slavery.

In the Law, twice, God explicitly prohibited loaning with interest. The reason is that it prevents people from getting ahead of their debts. Because they cannot get ahead, they must sell their children into slavery to pay for their living expenses. Nehemiah points out the irony that he and others went to such trouble to free Israel from their exiled slavery while these nobles are selling them into slavery again. God's Chosen People do not loan to their brothers and sisters at interest.

Nehemiah's government workers never lived off their constituents.

The governors before Nehemiah lived off a portion of what the people paid in taxes to Artaxerxes. God blessed Nehemiah enough that he did not live off the people. He lived off God's blessings. I wish our government could do the same.

Are you an example of steady faith in the face of ridicule?

September 24 - Esther 6-10: Esther and Mordecai Set Things Right for Exiled Israel

Today’s Reading: Esther 6-10

The Message

English Standard Version

Esther brings us to 35 books! Only 4 left.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

It's not often one gets to read a story where a man's evil scheme blow up in his face like Haman's. Enjoy.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

King Xerxes wanted to honor a great man. Thinking he was the one being honored, Haman gave grand suggestions. "Go and do it for Mordecai," the king ordered.
At the banquet, Esther asked Xerxes to protect her people from Haman's genocide. Enraged, the king hung Haman from the gallows Haman built for Mordecai.
King Xerxes authorized the Jews to attack their enemies, who were quickly defeated. Israel did not seize their possession, though.
This began the yearly feast of Purim where the Jews would eat and give gifts to each other and the poor.
Mordecai was given Haman's governmental position.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Mordecai was eventually rewarded for his good deed.

Mordecai foiled a plot to assassinate the king but was never rewarded for it until the right time—when Haman was about to ask for his execution. It may take a long time, but good deeds will eventually be rewarded. The question is, can you hold out until it happens?

Haman was hung by his own gallows.

In an example of David's psalms, Haman is hung by his own noose. Later, his supporters were killed on the day they were going to commit genocide. Evil people will fall by their own plans.

Things were set right in the end.

Whether you agree with how these events transpired or not, what the text makes clear is that God's Chosen People were protected from their enemies and many people respected them. When God's Chosen People are honest and set things right with others, they are protected. In this we see God's Plan at work, even though we do not see God by name taking part in the action.

How have you seen evil people thwarted by their own schemes?

September 22 - Zechariah 8-14: God Gives Strength to His Reunited Chosen People

Today’s Reading: Zechariah 8-14

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have made it through 34 books. Only 5 left! You also have read 265 days. That means you only have 100 days to go!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Judah's strength would come from God.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

"I once punished My Chosen People. Now I will bless you. In return, set things right. The world will associate Jerusalem with peace and prosperity. Your king will ride a humble donkey. I will initiate a grand homecoming. I'll make you strong and you will live My Way."
"No more guidance for sheep who beg for slaughter."
Zechariah asked the people for his worth—only 30 silver coins. Insulted, he put them in the offering plate.
"Judah can only survive through My Strength. Then all foreign gods and their priests will vanish."
Soon God will rule over the entire world.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God asks for us to set things right in return for His Protection and Blessings.

God would return Judah from their exile and give them protection from the people who lived in the area and wanted to hurt them. They would also have bountiful harvests. What did God want in return?

Tell the truth, the whole truth, when you speak. Do the right thing by one another, both personally and in your courts. Don’t cook up plans to take unfair advantage of others. Don’t do or say what isn’t so. I hate all that stuff. Keep your lives simple and honest. (8:16-17, The Message)

God protects His Chosen People so they can set things right.

Foreigners would recognize Israel as representatives of the god who blesses.

In a great shift, Jerusalem would change from a place people wanted to overthrow to a place people would want to visit looking for a blessing. Judeans would be a popular group because God would bless them. The world would want part of God's Blessings. This is God's ultimate plan in the first place—people from all nations worshiping Him. When God's Chosen People set things right, the world wants to pray to our god.

God prepares His Chosen People for their Messiah.

As first seen yesterday, Zechariah uses many images which would be taken up later in the New Testament: a humble king riding on a donkey, the Good Shepherd, and thirty silver coins. These were meant to give Israel mental clues to look for when God sent the Messiah and used by John in the Revelation to pass on information that outsiders would not understand.

Judah could only survive if God was their strength.

God wanted to bring Jerusalem back to power, but this time with the right power—His Power. They would be famous because of their god: The Mighty Uniting God who brought His Chosen People back from their exile. What Judah needed to remember was their strength did not come from within but from God. Our strength comes from the Creator who gives the only strength built to last.

God would punish nations that did not observe the festivals.

This is an interesting passage, especially after yesterday's notion that God was not interested in religion but people. Why would God tell a group they were observing festivals only for themselves and then punish nations for not observing festivals? I believe the reason is that God wants festivals and religious observances which bring us closer to Him. Mourning the loss of a city that disobeyed God does not bring you closer to God. Observe religious times that help get us closer to God, not makes us feel more "religious".

Do you get your strength from God?

September 21 - Zechariah 1-7: God's Message Stays the Same: Obedience, not Religion

Today’s Reading: Zechariah 1-7

The Message

English Standard Version

Remember these images. They will come up again later when we get to the New Testament, especially Revelation.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God defends His Chosen People from all opponents, physical and spiritual.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's Message through Zechariah:
"Generations have passed but My Message remains the same."
Zechariah had several visions:
The first two showed that God would bless Jerusalem and punish the godless nations.
In the third God moved back to Jerusalem.
In the fourth God purified Joshua in preparation to lead and judge Israel.
The fifth encouraged Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple.
In the sixth God prepared punishment for liars and thieves.
In the seventh God took the world's sins away.
The eighth soothed Israel's anxiety of being attacked.
Joshua would become priest and king.
"I am interested in people, not religion."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God's Message stays the same.

One of the chief reasons I wanted to do this project is because I have read and heard several people discuss how the Old Testament is either antiquated or unnecessary for us today. Some even questioned my plan to preach exclusively from the Old Testament while doing the project. I wanted to help myself and others realize what God told Zechariah—God's Message never changes. God wants to set all things right in the world and chose Abraham's descendents to be His Ambassadors and Lighthouses to the world. They become lighthouses by setting things right in their areas of influence through promoting rivers of mercy and oceans of justice. Israel and Judah ignored God's Chosen Prophets when they came to deliver His Message. Hopefully, we will not.

God would defend Israel from outside forces.

Three of the visions were about Israel's outside enemies. God wanted Zechariah to encourage His Chosen People to know they would not be harmed from nations stronger than they as long as they set things right within their borders. God would return to Jerusalem with mercy, forgiving them of their past. Jerusalem and Judah would be blessed again because God loves His Chosen People. God forgives and defends His Chosen People, especially when they obey Him.

God prepared Joshua and Zerubbabel for their leadership positions.

Zerubbabel needed encouragement and surety of protection. So God through Zechariah gave Zerubbabel the encouragement he needed.
Joshua would play a much larger role in the new nation. For the first time, God would merge priest and king. Israel would no longer have competing heads of their religion and state. Church and state would live in harmony because they would be lead by the same person—God's Anointed Leader. Joshua needed help to become worthy of both offices; therefore, God cleansed his body and his soul. When God calls leaders, He prepares them for their service.

God prepares His Chosen People for their Messiah.

Zechariah uses many images which would be taken up later in the New Testament: four riders on four types of horses, a lampstand with lamps, and a man named Branch who would build the Temple and reign as both priest and king. These were meant to give Israel mental clues to look for when God sent the Messiah and used by John in the Revelation to pass on information that outsiders would not understand.

God is interested in people, not in religions.

God does want His Chosen People to worship Him in His Temple (as we read yesterday). He wants religious people setting all things right, but God wants religious people, not religious people. Whether a person observes the festivals, offers sacrifices, or tithes is secondary to whether they treated their neighbor justly; loved their neighbors; had compassion with their neighbors; treated widows, orphans, visitors, and the poor justly; and did not plot and scheme against their neighbors. When the people in Bethel added to the festivals a day of mourning for Jerusalem, it was not because God wanted them to. They did it because they wanted more religion. God only accepts religion when it comes from people who set things right. To focus on religious rites without justice misses God's Message.
What does this mean for Christians today? Almost everything we discuss has to do with "religion". We wonder whether we are worshiping God correctly, whether other people worship God correctly, whether we should add to our religious observance, or if we should modernize our worship gatherings. Few times do we speak of God's Chosen People setting things right in our spheres of influence. If we wish to understand God's Message, we must stop spending time retooling our religion and re-teach how to set things right in our spheres of influence.

Have you missed God's Message?

September 15 - Daniel 4-6: Daniel's Steady Trust in God Inspires His Kings to Trust God

Today’s Reading: Daniel 4-6

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

While the kings of Babylon were taken out of power because of disobedience, Daniel continued steady, non-compromising faith.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Nebuchadnezzar praised God:
"I had another troubling dream. Daniel said God would remove me from power because of my ego. Soon enough, I believed I created Babylon and lived among animals for seven years. God returned me and I praise Him!"
Nebuchadnezzar's son Belshazzar, who inherited Babylon, outdid his father's arrogance. God presented a public vision against Belshazzar. That night he was killed and Darius took over.
Darius made Daniel a high leader. Daniel's enemies conspired to execute him. Darius was forced to throw Daniel in a lion's den. God protected him. Darius then decreed that God would be worshiped.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

All three kings (Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius) were caught by their egos.

All three believed they were gods. Two needed to be disciplined by God. The third would learn from his mistake because of its consequences. Beware of power—it can make you think more highly of yourself than you should.

Daniel's power came by giving glory to God for his great works.

Nebuchadnezzar knew Daniel was not the source of his power. He knew Daniel's power came from Daniel's God. Since Daniel did not claim God's Work as his own, God was praised. God greatly blessed Daniel and Babylon in return. When we give glory to God for our good work, others will understand God's Goodness and God will bless us all.

Daniel never tells the kings to stop worshiping their gods.

Nebuchadnezzar gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar after his god. Nebuchadnezzar was not fully dedicated to worshiping God; however, Nebuchadnezzar was not a Chosen Person. Daniel never told Nebuchadnezzar to become a Jew or offer sacrifices to God. He told the king to set things right in the kingdom and God would keep him in power. Why did Daniel tell the king to set things right instead of being circumcised? God wants to set all things right, not create religious people. Don't get me wrong—religious people setting all things right is God's ultimate goal. But he prefers people to set things right instead of being religious.

The kings praised God because they saw His Work through Daniel.

We saw part of this yesterday. Nebuchadnezzar tells a story praising what God did for him—including his punishment. Darius, after decreeing no one could pray to any god except him, told the kingdom to worship Daniel's god. Belshazzar made Daniel the third-highest leader in Babylon, although only for a few hours. When non-Chosen People see God's Chosen People giving credit to God, they praise Him, too.

Daniel's problems came because he was loyal to God.

Considering all of the problems Israel and Judah had with loyalty, Daniel serves as the complete opposite of his people. Daniel's loyalty gets him into hot water with the other governors. The entire plan was to kill Daniel. Notice that because of Daniel, Darius trusted in God to save Daniel from the lions, "Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of this" (6:16, The Message). Loyalty to God does not ensure a quiet life. Loyalty to God ensures a life others cannot speak against.

Do non-Chosen People praise God because of His works through you?

September 14 - Daniel 1-3: God Sets Things Right for Those who Trust Him

Today’s Reading: Daniel 1-3

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah trusted in God even after seeing God's great punishment.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

King Nebuchadnezzar assembled exiled Judah's brightest for training. Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego), proposed a developmental competition: their vegetable-and-water diet against the king's menu. The four became exceedingly-more helpful than their peers.
Nebuchadnezzar's dream deeply disturbed him. Daniel asked God for its interpretation. God told Daniel it forecasted Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom. Daniel and his three friends were highly promoted.
Nebuchadnezzar ordered his kingdom's leaders to worship his statue. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused. Nebuchadnezzar threatened them. They again refused. Nebuchadnezzar threw them in a furnace. They were unaffected—and joined by a god-like figure. Nebuchadnezzar blessed God.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God more than they feared their captors.

Before we look at this story we need to understand that Daniel and the three men with him have seen terrible atrocities in Jerusalem. They (presumably) had to watch their family and neighbors die horrible, agonizing deaths. Questioning, doubting, or rejecting God would be a reasonable response. Full faith in God even when given the opportunity to live a long, luxurious life in the king's palace would be unfathomable. This setting is what makes their test of a diet full of vegetables and water vs. the king's food and wine a test of faith, not a proof of the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Although they were improved by not drinking the king's wine and eating all of his food, their test proved it was better to trust God than abandon Him—even in their exiled land. Trust God in everything and God will set things right in your life. You may not be rewarded as Daniel and his friends, but you will excel.

Daniel's trust in God soothed Nebuchadnezzar's nerves.

The king wanted the young men to learn magic and fortune-telling—two things specifically prohibited in God's Law. When his dream disturbed him, he called the ones who learned magic and fortunetelling to figure out and interpret the dream (and exposed fortunetelling as a fake practice of reading a person and telling them what they want to hear). Daniel and the three prayed to God to give them the interpretation. God gave Daniel both the dream's contents and its interpretation. Daniel blessed God. When Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar the dream's interpretation he gave God the credit. Nebuchadnezzar blessed God. When God's Chosen People trust Him, God can set things right for non-Chosen People.

God protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego because of their trust that He would set all things right.

The great lesson from the three being thrown in the furnace is two-fold: 1. God will protect His Chosen People to uphold His Name; and 2. When non-Chosen People see God's Protection, they, too, will give praise to God. The three were unwilling to compromise their trust in God even in the face of death. Nebuchadnezzar saw God protect them and praised God for doing so. What an awesome God!

Are you willing to trust God to set all things right?

September 1 - Ezekiel 18-19: God Does Not Enjoy Punishing Evil

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 18-19

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God would not punish children for their parents' sin or parents for their children's sin.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message:
"Every person will be punished for their mistakes. A person who sets things right will live. A person who makes mistakes will die. Parents and children are neither punished nor rewarded for the other's actions. Guilt will not transfer from generation to generation.
"I don't take pleasure in the death of wicked people! I do not keep a list of good or bad acts. It depends on life now. So stop rebelling against Me!"
Sing Israel's blues: Two prized cubs from a great lioness were drug away by angry villagers. A vine grew great branches that all dried.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Parents do not pass on their sin; children's mistakes are not the responsibility of the parent.

Israel felt God punished them and took them into exile because of their ancestors' sins. They did not want to admit they were the cause of their exile. So God needed to set them straight—sin is not inheritable and guilt does not travel up generations. Each tub must sit on its own bottom, to use my grandmother's old saying.
Although the teaching came much later than Ezekiel, he rather convincingly refutes the idea of original sin, one of the central tenets of Calvinism (some of John Calvin's teachings came from Augustine but bear Calvin's name because he brought them all together). I bring this up—it is only the second time I have brought up a contemporary doctrine (at least I think)—because it is so pervasive in Christianity today. It informs many churches, many mission trips, and much of our evangelism. Once we understand we are not condemned from birth we begin to see our mission differently. Once we see babies born outside the influence of Christianity are not automatically condemned we change our evangelism. It also takes away one of the major issues people have with the teachings of evangelicalism (although I do not call myself "Evangelical", I do have much in common with them). Sin is not inherited from your parents.

God does not delight in punishing anyone.

In what may seem strange coming from the god who has made His Chosen People go into exile and would punish many nations to come, God does not want to kill anyone. He wants to set everyone's relationship right! It may sound strange to us to hear, but to a group of people who feel they have been abandoned by God while watching hundreds of their neighbors die of disease, famine, wild animals, and war it would sound wonderful—maybe even too wonderful. God does not want to kill or punish you. He wants to set your relationship right!
To continue my discussion from the last point, understanding that God does not take pleasure in punishing anyone—even wicked people—takes aim at another tenant of Calvinism: predestination or unconditional election. Many defenders would claim that God does not choose for people to be punished but instead knows they will be punished. That seems like a poor alternative; in fact, I would hazard to say it is a distinction without a difference. Why would God create people who were destined for punishment?

God does not keep a ledger of our good deeds and our bad deeds.

Israel wanted to play "balance the good and bad" because they thought God kept a list of good and bad things. If your bad deeds exceeded your good deeds you were punished. If they didn't, you were blessed. That misses the point of holiness! God does not want us flirting with wrong. God does not want us balancing right and wrong. God wants us to be wholly His and to set all things right.
On the flip side, though, God would not keep a list of our wrongs. If a person changed their life and set things right, God would bless the person—no strings attached. God can forgive anyone that changes their life. There is no amount of sin that would prevent God from forgiving and blessing a person who changed their life. This is why God's message to Israel is,

So turn around! Turn your backs on your rebellious living so that sin won’t drag you down. Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! (18:30-31, The Message)

How awesome is God's fairness!

August 29 - Ezekiel 9-12: God Separates the Good from the Wicked in Jerusalem

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 9-12

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God distinguishes between those wholly for Him and those not.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

During my vision, God had His followers marked. Then executioners killed many unmarked people without compassion, beginning in the Temple.
Next God charged me to challenge the ringleaders of Jerusalem. "These murders will be thrown out! I will return My Chosen People to the land with a new heart where they will obey Me alone, not some other god."
God told me to act like as though I were going off into exile. "Zedekiah will try to escape but will be caught and blinded. A few soldiers will survive to confess their wrongs."
Judah missed the point of my show.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God protects those who are ashamed at Jerusalem's deeds.

God brings executioners to Jerusalem and kills many who do not obey Him. He also protects those who cannot stand what goes on in the city. Notice, though, the stipulation was not those who did not take part in the evil, murderous plots. It was limited to those who were "in anguish over the outrageous obscenities being done in the city" (9:4, The Message). God's Chosen People cannot stand idly by while injustice goes on, blithely going about our business. We should challenge injustice where we see it—not outsource it to some other group, i.e. a governing body far away. God's Followers should feel pain when injustice is done.

God allows executions in the Temple.

God's Temple is not a place for peace at any cost. God's Temple is a place where things are set right—forgiveness for the repentant, justice for the innocent, and punishment for the guilty. We cannot think of God as a fluffy, friendly god who wants everything good no matter what happens. God will punish those who do not obey Him, especially those who want to be His Chosen People in name and blessings only.

Do you feel anguish when you see injustice?

August 24 - Jeremiah 51-52: Hurricane Persia Exacts Revenge for God's Chosen People

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 51-52

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have reached the end of Jeremiah—book 28. The final chapter in Jeremiah repeats the story of Judah going into exile, told twice already; therefore, the summary and comments will only be about chapter 51.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Israel has not been left in the dark forever. God would return them to their homeland.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message against Babylon continues:
"Hurricane Persia will wipe Babylon out. Nothing will be spared.
"God is committed to His Chosen People though they sin. Get out of Babylon while you can!"
Israel and Judah praise God, "God has set everything right! Let's go home and tell everyone what happened!"
Our God is the creator. Stick-gods are nothing but foolishness.
"Nebuchadnezzar brutalized Judah. Now I will get Judah's revenge—Babylon's finished. Israel, remember God and Jerusalem in your exile."
Jeremiah had Seraiah read the letter in public and sink the manuscript into the river as a sign of Babylon's downfall.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Judah and Israel were not abandoned.

God punished the godless nations to show them how useless their gods were. Their gods could not protect them. They would be destroyed completely along with their gods—nothing would remain. Israel and Judah, however, were not abandoned by their god. He would seek them out and return them to their home. God will never abandon His chosen People.

God provides Israel's revenge.

Nebuchadnezzar's army committed terrible atrocities. Israel and Judah wanted revenge and God would provide it. God will bring revenge for His Chosen People in a just way.

Israel and Judah should tell the nations what God accomplished for them.

Most likely this was written before the events occurred; therefore, the section of Israel and Judah praising God and telling the nations is what God wanted them to do upon reentering their land. God wanted them to be lighthouses to the nations and this is how God wanted them to complete the task. When we praise God and tell of what He has done for us, we become God's lighthouses for the nations.

Are you God's lighthouse to the nations?

August 15 - Jeremiah 30-31: God Will Set Israel's Relationship Right

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 30-31

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Someday God would take away Israel's yoke and they could be free.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

"My Chosen People will return to their land to serve an Israelite king. You will be My Chosen People and I will be your god.
"You are being punished for past mistakes. It is deserved, but temporary.
"My People will find a god looking for them. I will pay for their release. We will start over. They will weep for joy.
"I have heard your cries. Change your hearts!
"I make a new covenant with you. My Word will be written on your hearts. Everyone will know Me.
"Only if the world ends would Israel stop being My Chosen People."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God is not giving up on Judah.

If there ever was a time for this type of reading, today is it! God tells Judah exactly why they have lost their land and what He will do to set things right. God's encouragement is to have hope because He will give them their land back. Those who committed atrocities against Judah would be punished. God and Judah will be like nothing had ever separated them. They would be God's Chosen People and God would be their god. God wants to have a good relationship with us and will never give up on us.

Judah must go through its punishment to show their only friend is God.

God's punishment of Judah is tough love so Judah can know their new friends and their new gods care little for them and leave when the fun ends. Only God is there when the dust settles and Judah is in a foreign land. God's punishment may seem harsh but its end is love.

God would save Israel and Judah from captivity so they would become what they never were before: lighthouses for Him.

God wanted Judah and Israel to have a renewed sense of who He was and what He would do for them. He would pay a high price to return His Chosen People and the nations would see just how much God loves the world. Maybe they would throw away their gods and follow God as well. God saves so His People will go out and tell everyone how great their god is.

God's new covenant would be different.

God's new covenant with Israel and Judah would not require years of study. This covenant would be written on their hearts. It would not be a long list of commands. It would be one—follow what God has already given you! God's new covenant would be on our hearts.

God would never turn His Back against Israel.

We have seen how God would open the doors of the Temple to invite in the world. He would accept authentic worship from anyone. With that said, He would never turn His Back against Israel. They would always be His Chosen People, His Lighthouses to the world. God never turns His Back against His Chosen People.
What does this mean for us today? It means God will never turn His Back against the church. If we are God's Chosen People, it doesn't matter how corrupt we become; God will punish us, get rid of the bad influences, then return our relationship as though we never left. How awesome is our god!

"Expect love, love, and more love!" (31:3, The Message)

August 14 - Jeremiah 26-29: God Weans His Lighthouses from Their Temple

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 26-29

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God gives Judah one more chance to repent.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God, through Jeremiah: "If you change your heart I will remove your punishment. If not, the Temple will be destroyed."
Judah's answer: "God won't destroy the Temple!"
Jeremiah was placed on trial. Ahikam assuaged the crowd.
"Nebuchadnezzar will be your ruler. Accept no alternatives. Go peacefully. The Temple will be rebuilt when it is time."
Hananiah challenged Jeremiah's authority. He died within a year.
Jeremiah encouraged the exiles to make themselves at home in Babylon and to pray for peace. Judah would return in 70 years and not a day less.
Shemaiah challenged Jeremiah's authority. His entire family was punished.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God does not want to punish Judah.

God gives Judah another chance to change their hearts. He is willing to remove their punishment if they would only change their ways. God's punishment is never set. He will remove it if His People will only change their hearts and ways back to His Way.

Judah cares more for the Temple than the Truth.

The trial against Jeremiah would shadow what would come in the future. We have seen how Judah cared more for being God's Chosen People than being lighthouses to the nations. Now when Jeremiah predicts God tearing down the Temple, as He warned Solomon on its dedication, the people freak out and want to kill Jeremiah. They want to protect the Temple—that building for that god they somewhat remember from their distant past and still give lip service to every now and then between sex offerings to the other gods who are more fun. But the Temple was their symbol of having God in their midst. They did not want to serve Him but they wanted Him around. Israel just doesn't get it.
To be honest, the comparisons to today's Christianity, especially in the USA, are equally disturbing. How often do we want to make sure we are worshiping correctly in the right place at the right time instead of encouraging, in Amos' words, rivers and oceans of setting things right. It may be too painful to discuss. Sometimes, we just don't get it, either.

Ahikam shows that not everyone in power misses God's Way.

I like Ahikam. He stands up for Jeremiah at the moment Jeremiah needs him the most. Ahikam gets it. He understands their hearts are the problem, not Jeremiah's denunciations. He stood in front of a crowd ready to kill and calmed them down enough to let Jeremiah go free. I hope we can have more and more like him in our leadership.

Jeremiah's enemies were punished.

Not many of Jeremiah's enemies were willing to stand before him and call him out. Sadly for them, neither fare well. They found themselves on the wrong side of God's Way. Wonderful for Jeremiah, God's promise was truthful—God saved Jeremiah from his enemies. God will punish anyone who stands in the way of Him setting all things right.

God's message to exiled Judah was to be lighthouses for Him in Babylon.

Judah was shocked and offended at Jeremiah's counsel to make themselves at home and work for Babylon's welfare. They wanted to pray for deliverance not peace. They wanted their vineyards in Canaan, not new gardens in Babylon. If they had understood God's purpose for His Chosen People all along they would have understood why God would want them to be His Lighthouses in Babylon. They were to be God's Ambassadors of His Goodness and Love. If they took His words to heart, maybe they could stop Babylon's punishment before it began. No matter where God's Chosen People may be they are to be God's lighthouses to the nations.

Are you trying to be a lighthouse for God even as an exile or are you trying to fight to hold on to a temple you care little for?

August 10 - Jeremiah 10-13: God Reminds Israel of the Terms of Their Covenant

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 10-13

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God reminds Judah of the terms of their agreement made centuries ago.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God continues, "You envy nations that worship pieces of wood."
Why are we here? Because our leaders are too stupid to ask God for help! God, correct us who messed everything up.
"Remember from the Covenant that obedience leads to blessing and disobedience to curses. Nothing has changed. Watch out! Doom comes soon. You can't get out of this through more religion. The god of your religion sends the punishment!
"Jeremiah, don't get caught up in petty comparisons. You will be protected from Israel's judgment."
Israel would be rendered useless. Enemies prepared to attack. "They attack because you worship Baal."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Israel wants to be like nations that worship blocks of wood.

To be honest, God does have a point. These pieces of wood do nothing bad. The problem is they do nothing at all! The wooden gods have to be carried around. Yet Israel likes the foreign nations' worship and worships these gods when they have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. How does this make sense to anyone?

Israel's punishment is part of the Covenant.

We often overlook books like Jeremiah because they show the violent side of God's wrath. It makes God seem angry and trigger-happy. How could a God of love do such terrible things to His Chosen People? The answer is that He told them this would happen at the beginning and they accepted it. We cannot accept the blessings of being God's Chosen People without the responsibility to be wholly God's. If we shirk our responsibility God will punish us. It is as simple as that. The God who is Love must do this to uphold justice—even when it pains Him to do so.

God reminds Jeremiah not to get caught up on who wins and loses on earth.

Jeremiah asks the question we all ask from time to time,

Why do bad people have it so good?
   Why do con artists make it big?
…
How long do we have to put up with this—
   the country depressed, the farms in ruin—
And all because of wickedness, these wicked lives? (12:1, 4, The Message)

God's answer is interesting if not unsettling, "So, Jeremiah, if you’re worn out in this footrace with men, / what makes you think you can race against horses?" (12:5). Jeremiah had forgotten that God ultimately wins in the end. The wicked may seem to have easy lives, but in the end they will not enjoy it. That does not mean we should sit back and wait for them to fall; but we should also not envy those who prosper from not setting things right. God will set things right in the end, no matter what happens in the interim. We are not to base our happiness on our physical blessings anyway. We are to understand that God's Way is higher than our way. Therefore, physical blessings are like icing on a cake. We love it, but the cake's the main part.

Do you want both the responsibility and the blessings of the Covenant?

August 7 - Jeremiah 1-3: A Young Jeremiah Trusts God's Protection

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 1-3

The Message

English Standard Version

Jeremiah may be difficult to read through because it is not organized chronologically. We will read accounts of Judah going into exile three times. Remember, Hebrew history was written thematically instead of by date. With that in mind, you will make it through the book.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God will make sure Jeremiah has what he needs to represent God.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message through Jeremiah during Josiah's, Jehoiakim's, and Zedekiah's reigns:
Jeremiah protested his calling. God responded, "I'll guide you; no one will touch you."
God called to Judah, "Traded in your real god for fake ones? How absurd! You were once a Chosen Nation. Now you feel remorse only when caught. You deny you've committed adultery while shacking up with any god who happens to walk your way."
God spoke to Jeremiah, "Judah is worse than Israel. But a time will come when I will be with you and Israel as one. I have practiced my opening lines."
Judah repents.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God gave Jeremiah his words and protected Him.

Jeremiah is self-conscious because of his age. God reassures him he would not suffer harm because of God's message. God would give him the words to say and the protection for him to say it. All Jeremiah needed to do was trust that God could do what He said He would do. This scene reminds me of Moses' calling. In both cases God's answer is the same: trust Me, I'll protect you. When God calls us to do something, He gives us what we need to do it and protects us from those who want to stop us. To the youth (and stutterers alike) – trust in God!

Judah has now outpaced Israel in going to other gods.

"Look closely. Has this ever happened before, / That a nation has traded in its gods / for gods that aren’t even close to gods?" (2:10, The Message). Isaiah spoke about the irony of making an idol out of wood and then acting as though it made them. Now God tells Judah that their punishment is coming and mocks them by suggesting they should run and beg their blocks of wood and stone for protection. If we wish to serve other things, God will allow it. He will also allow them to help us when we need our lives set right.

God will set all things right in the end.

God would bring Israel and Judah back together and would live among them instead of providing a symbol of His Reign. Although God's Law through Moses forbade remarrying a woman after she married another, God would remarry unified Israel, who spent generations worshiping other gods. God planned ahead to what He would say. There is no bitterness in His remarks. There is only love, compassion, and mercy. God wants to set things right between His Chosen People. We should listen and let Him unite us in obedience.

Do you struggle with feeling worthy of God's calling in your life because of something you lack?

August 6 - Zephaniah: God's Awesome Judgment Sets Things Right

Today’s Reading: Zephaniah

The Message

English Standard Version

With Zephaniah we have read 24 books. Only 15 left in the Old Testament!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God would purge His Land of all competitors and anyone who followed them.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message through Zephaniah:
"A full housecleaning for Earth—shrines, idols, and people.
"You may think I am not paying attention. Judgment day is when I repay good and evil."
Get yourself together, Judah! Seek God and live.
"I know what you've said about Me, Moab. Nineveh, no city will be safe."
Doom to the rebellious. They would not trust God.
"My punishment only delayed their evil schemes.
"In the end I will return My Chosen People and forget their past."
Celebrate God's judgment, it removes bad influences!
"I promise to set the sick, homeless, and maimed right. You'll see."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God will remove all other gods, their idols, and punish the people who worship them.

Zephaniah's message sounds intimidating—now we may know why Josiah took God's message serious and removed all of the shrines, idols, and killed the idols' priests. God will not have rivals—He will reign unchallenged.

God's Judgment Day will be awesome for everyone.

God's judgment of every person will be a day of mourning for those not willing to set things right and a day of great praise for people fully devoted to God setting all things right on the earth. Even when it seems God's Judgment will never come—the guilty go free while pinning the blame on the innocent—do not lose hope. God's Judgment Day is coming. Everyone will be in awe—some in praise and others in shame.

God will set all things right in the end.

It seems odd that at the end of a book dedicated to telling people who are guilty that they will be greatly punished God would speak of restoration. But, in essence, the two are inseparable. God's Judgment is meant to help His Chosen People clear the air of pollutants and rejoin Him in setting things right. We cannot see one without the other. The two are essential to setting things right.

Are you struggling to see how God will set your situation right?

August 4 - Nahum: No One Gets Past God's Judgment

Today’s Reading: Nahum

The Message

English Standard Version

Nahum brings us to 23 books read.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God doesn't mess around with Nineveh. They will listen or be destroyed.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message to Nineveh through Nahum:
God is serious—don't mess with Him. His enemies will not get away with their mistakes. Don't try to get past Him, it won't work.
Nineveh, you den of lies, you may be riding high but soon your enemies will dance on your grave.
Get ready—Israel's back! No one can overcome them. Israel will pull the plug on Nineveh.
"I am your Enemy," God bellows. "The whole world will see just how filthy you really are."
Remember how the great powers of the past were destroyed? Your punishment will be just like that.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God must return to Nineveh with a message of doom.

You may remember the first time God sent a messenger to Nineveh. That time they repented quickly and were saved. This time, however, we do not know what happened. Let's hope it was the same result.

Sooner or later, everyone pays for what they do.

Unfortunately for Nineveh, God does not allow nations to get by with lying and worshiping other gods forever. They must change or be destroyed. Now it is Nineveh's turn to feel God's wrath. God's punishment may seem slow, but it will eventually come to anyone who does not set things right. Don't even try to slip one mistake past Him.

There is only rest in God.

God's message through Nahum is clear—there may be tropical paradises but there is only rest through Him. What a rest we have in Him, though. He will not leave anyone behind, out, or forget to bless them. Seek God, He will give you rest.

Are you trying to get away with your mistakes? Go to God! He will give you rest.

August 1 - Isaiah 64-66: God Accepts Authentic Worship from the World

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 64-66

The Message

English Standard Version

We made it! We're finished with Isaiah and have read 22 books overall. Keep going!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

When Israel calls for God to save them God calls them to change.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God responds, "You want me only on your terms. You want your idols and your sins. Your punishment for your sin is on its way.
"Those who set things right are willing to have me on My Terms. They will inhabit newly-blessed Jerusalem. Peace will rule this land.
"I want worship from a dedicated heart not from memory.
"Rejoice, Jerusalem! Nations will see My Glory. I'll send My Chosen People to the world to spread the Good News of My Reign. Then, the assembly of God's Chosen People from all over the world will see the carcasses of the rebellious."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God will accept us only on His terms.

Chapter 64 begins with Israel begging God for His return. Instead, they get God's charges against them. They want God only if they can keep their idols and their way of life. God does not work that way. God will accept you only if you dedicate yourself exclusively to Him.

God wants worship from a dedicated heart, not worship coming from the recital of memorized passages.

Don't get me wrong, memorization is not the problem in Israel. The problem is that the acts of worship have become cultural identity festivals instead of spiritual acts. They lived in an Age of Memorization where the words of Torah were worth more than the meaning of Torah. Israel's focus on getting the acts right instead of changing their hearts left God with no choice but reject their worship. God would even accept their worship even if they were not the super-star lighthouses to the nation. All he wanted was for them to worship and feel something. He wanted an Age of Authentic Worship of God.
I cannot read this section without thinking of the countless devotionals, worship services, etc. I attended where I felt nothing. There was no connection with God. There was no connection with others. I was there to punch my attendance card, collect my social points, and continue with my life. Some may suggest I am the one to blame and they are partially true. However, we should honestly ask do our congregations encourage worship from the heart, emotions and logic interwoven into a patchwork of "spirit and truth", or want to make sure we do everything the "right" way? If our numbers are indicative of the answer, we need large changes—and not musical instruments, praise bands/teams, modern songs, trendy ministers, or even meeting in non-traditional spaces. Rachel Held Evans wrote an excellent article recently expressing both why many young people leave churches and why older church leaders don't get it. I would add to her thoughts God's message through Isaiah, "Your offerings for worship / no different … from honoring a no-god idol" (66:3, The Message). If we heed Isaiah's message, we, too, can "bring [the exiled Chosen People] back and offer them in living worship to God" (66:20).

God will return Israel, but only those who set things right and were willing to become the feet who delivered good news to the world.

Not all of Israel would be destroyed. That would be out of God's mind completely. God is capable of punishing a neighborhood with only two bad apples and leaving the rest undisturbed. He would restore Jerusalem higher than it had ever been. They would become the bearers of good news who would be called beautiful. Members of families all over the world would assemble in Jerusalem because of God's Glory.
What does this mean for us today? If you have followed through our readings of Isaiah, God has a lot to say about us if we let Him. Today's reading is no different. If we are willing to make hard decisions which may alienate some of the older members stuck in the Age of Memorization we may begin to reach people longing for the Age of Authentic Worship of God. I truly believe the only regrets we will have is waiting so long to change.

Is your church in the Age of Memorization or the Age of Authentic Worship of God?

July 31 - Isaiah 59-63: Israel's Mistakes Prevents Communication with God

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 59-63

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have finished reading through seven months! Only five to go!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God wants to reach Israel. What prevents Him is their inability to see His Way.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Israel's mistakes keep them apart from God. No peace is on this road. God will bring justice on Israel—no escape.
Isaiah's exclaims, "Jerusalem, wake up. God brings light through a Son. Things will become what they should be in God's Land."
Isaiah's mission is to speak God's Good News that He is setting all things right. God will put righteousness and praise on display for everyone to see. No one will scoff at her, the Bride of God.
God continued to bless Israel long after Abraham died. But now, in the midst of punishment, it seems God forgot them.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Our sin and mistakes prevent God from hearing us and helping us.

Isaiah's message here is troubling. When we feel God never listens to us or never helps us we want to immediately question His Love for us and His Ability to help us. Surely a god like God could never be limited. However, the problem is not in God but in us. God can always hear, but when we take over for God we barely talk to Him. God can always help, but when we take over for God we barely ask for or receive His Help. God is not too limited to hear or help. He is limited because He respects our boundaries, especially when we decide not to ask Him to help.

Isaiah's message is good news.

Isaiah's entire message does not sound like good news. Yet all of it is meant to be good news. The good news is not God will overlook our mistakes so we can continue not setting things right. Good news is we messed things up but God will set it all right again, if we allow Him to do it.

God is famous for His Mercy and Compassion.

Israel cannot feel God's love and compassion because they have forsaken God. When they call out to God they ask for His world-famous love and mercy. They do not recognize the god who punishes. They know the god who brings His Chosen People into a land flowing with milk and honey. God's fame is not punishment. God's fame is mercy, compassion, and salvation.

Are you limiting God's ability to hear and help you?

July 29 - Isaiah 49-53: God's Reconciling Servant

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 49-53

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God woos Isaiah by sending a Servant to take their punishment.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Listen, God called Israel to globalize salvation.
God comforts His exiles, "You are my children and I will never abandon you. Did I divorce you? No way!"
"You who want to set things right, consider Abraham, your ancestor. My Promises never fail."
God, save us!
"Why are you afraid of mortals?"
Wake up from your hangover, Jerusalem!
"I will restore My Chosen People to restore My Reputation."
How beautiful are those who bring good news!
Look at God's Servant. He isn't much to look at, but He carries our punishment in silence. He will be the final sacrifice for sin.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God will return Israel when the time is right.

God has not "divorced" or "sold" Israel. They were taken away into captivity because they would not be God's lighthouses. Therefore, God would bring them back with hopes that they would return to their stated purpose and make God's salvation global. God will not punish His Chosen People forever. Why would they be returned? Because of the Promise.
What does this mean for Christians today? No matter how bad it may seem, we will be returned if we repent and set things right with God. We may not be the center of the culture or returned in the exact way we were before, but God will bring us back when we are ready to make God's salvation global.

We should not fear mere mortals.

What can mortals do to God? Absolutely nothing! So why fear them? The only thing fear can do is separate us from God. Do not fear people. Respect God and He will set things right.

Israel would be restored to defend God's Reputation.

God's reasoning for restoring Israel was not because they had earned His love and respect again. It wasn't because they repented and turned back to Him. The reason God brought Israel back into Canaan is because the nations began questioning His Power. God's Reputation is not punishment. God's Reputation is Salvation. This reasoning is similar to Moses during one of Israel's many rebellions against the God who took them out of Egypt. Do not think our salvation comes because of our righteousness. It comes because of God's.

God would bring Salvation through the least-likeliest person—a servant who did not command attention.

Who would believe such a far-fetched idea of a servant coming and bearing the sins of His People? You would expect a god to come down in great fanfare, create a large feast where he or she pronounced all sin removed. Not our god. He was considered disfigured, undesirable, and mocked. But God took that scourge and made Him the most important person to setting things right. His Reward came because He had complete faith in God and died on behalf of those who did not like Him. Jesus came to take away our punishment and guilt!

Are your feet beautiful?

July 28 - 2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalms 46, 80, and 135: Hide in God

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalms 46, 80, 135

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading in 2 Kings repeats the stories of Israel going into exile, Judah under attack by the Assyrians, and God's punishment of Sennachreib. Since it virtually repeats the readings from 2 Chronicles and Isaiah, I will skip the summary and discussion of that text and point you to the other posts.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God's Chosen People call out to the one they know will save them and He does!

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 46

The god who wrestled Jacob is a safe place to hide because God protects and fights for His Chosen People. War cannot touch them.

Psalm 80

Asaph calls on the tribes related to Joseph to wake up, God is on His way! They call out to God, "How long before you save us? Remember when life was good? We will never turn our backs to you again. Just your smile will be enough!"

Psalm 135

Hallelujah! Praise God, everyone, because God chose Jacob! Look how great God is! He punished Egypt and slew the Canaanite kings. His name is eternal, more than any no-god who is served in the marketplace by buying and selling trinkets. Bless God, the Protector of Jerusalem! Hallelujah!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God is a safe place to hide.

God provides refuge for those who need help. When an entire city obeys God they live safe lives. Everyone sets things right. Then God fights for us and not against us.

God will protect us when we repent because of our common history.

Asaph reminds God of the good-ole days when God brought Israel out of Egypt. By that point (if this is a correct placement in the timetable) both Israel and God needed to remember these days because Israel and Judah were punished for serving other gods. However, if they remembered the time when God protected Israel maybe they would repent and return to God. Then God would spare their nation.

Family of God, bless Him! Hallelujah!