Continuing steadfastly in prayer

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Sunday 31Jul2022
Joshua 13:1 - 18:31 Noah Webster Bible (140 verses)
Acts 1:1 - 3:26 American Standard Version (99 verses)

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Today I continued readng chapters 13 to 18 of the book of Joshua in the Old Testament, along with the first three chapters of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament.

Passage of the day

After witnessing the Ascension of our Lord Iesus at Mount Olivet, the disciples returned to Jerusalem, a Sabbath Day's journey away, where they continued steadfastly in prayer "with one accord" together with the women, with Mary the mother of Iesus, and with His brothers.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey off.
13 And when they were come in, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding; both Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas [the son] of James.
14 These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 1:12 - 14  American Standard Version

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us continue steadfastly in prayer together.

The Final Commandment

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Saturday 30Jul2022
Joshua 8:1 - 12:24 New International Version (152 verses)
John 13:1 - 21:25 King James Version (293 verses)

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Shabbat Shalom.

Today is the Seventh Day of the Biblical Week. Let us rest from all our work and keep the Fourth Commandment.

In my New Testament reading this afternoon, I finished the last nine chapters of the Gospel of John. Tomorrow I will begin reading the Acts of the Apostles.

Passage of the day

The new commandment given by the Lord Iesus in John 13:34, 35 was the Lord's final commandment to the disciples.

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34 - 35  King James Version

This commandment was given after Judas Iscariot had left the supper, when Satan had entered him, upon being told by the Lord Iesus, "That thou doest, do quickly".

26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
John 13:26 - 27  King James Version

The new commandment was given after the Lord had told His disciples that the time had come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
John 13:31  King James Version

Our Lord knew that his hour had come, that Judas would betray him into the hands of his enemies. The Lord gave His new commandment to the disciples immediately after telling them that he would be with them only a little while more, that where he was going they couldn't go.

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
John 13:33  King James Version

Finally, this commandment was given before the Lord delivered his long and final discourse to His disciples, recorded in John chapters 14 to 16, culminating in His High Priestly Intercessory Prayer in John chapter 17 and His arrest in John chapter 18.

At the end of His final discourse, the Lord told His disciples, "Behold, the hour cometh . . . "

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
John 16:32  King James Version

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us keep the new commandment, to love one another as the Lord has loved us. It was His final commandment before He left.

The day after the first Passover in Gilgal

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Friday 29Jul2022
Joshua 1:1 - 7:26 New International Version (151 verses)
John 11:1 - 12:50 J N Darby's Translation (107 verses)

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After yesterday's very long readings, today I settle down to my normal portions of about 128 OT verses and 88 NT verses.

Passage of the day

When did Israel celebrate the Feast of First Fruits (commanded in Leviticus 23:9 - 14)?

Today, in my reading of Joshua chapter 5, I found an indication of the day when the people of Israel ate the "first-fruits" of the land at Gilgal, after 40 years of eating manna, just after they crossed the River Jordan into the Promised Land. That was the day after the Passover, the 15th day of the First Month, the first day of Unleavened Bread. On that day, the supply of manna ceased.

11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.
Joshua 5:11 - 12  New International Version

I made a similar observation about one and a half years ago, in my devotional blog post:

• The First Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Feb2021)

The longest readings of the year

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Thursday 28Jul2022
Deuteronomy 5:1 - 34:12 WEB (798 verses)
John 7:1 - 10:42 BBE (195 verses)

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I missed some Bible readings over the past four days, so I decided to spend most of today on a long reading of both the Old and the New Testaments.

After several sessions in the morning, in the afternoon and late into the night, I finished reading 30 chapters of Deuteronomy, bringing me to the end of the book, along with another 4 chapters of the Gospel of John. Altogether, I read about 800 verses of the Old Testament and 200 verses of the New Testament.

It is the longest reading of the year so far.

Passage of the day

In my readings from Deuteronomy today, I came across passages where Moses reminded the children of Israel about the places where they rebelled against God in their forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

(1) At Horeb:

Also in Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was angry with you to destroy you.
Deuteronomy 9:8  World English Bible

At Horeb (Mount Sinai), while Moses was up on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from the LORD, the people of Israel told Aaron to make them a golden calf for them to worship. The people celebrated a feast to the calf. They sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play. In fact, they were stark naked (Exodus 32:25, Noah Webster Bible)!

Moses was so angry when he saw them that he threw the two tablets of Commandments on the ground and broke them. He destroyed the golden calf, and ordered the Levites who stood by him to kill three thousand rebellious Israelite men. See the detailed account in Exodus 32:1 - 35.

(2) At Taberah, Massah, Kibroth Hattaavah, and at Kadesh Barnea:

22 At Taberah, at Massah, and at Kibroth Hattaavah you provoked the LORD to wrath. 23 When the LORD sent you from Kadesh Barnea, saying, “Go up and possess the land which I have given you,” you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and you didn’t believe him or listen to his voice.
Deuteronomy 9:22 - 23  World English Bible

At Taberah, the LORD was angry when the children of Israel complained about their sojourn in the wilderness. The LORD sent fire to destroy some of the Israelites in the outskirts of their camp. A detailed account is found in Numbers 11:1 - 3

At Massah (Testing), also called Meribah (Strife), the Israelites quarrelled with Moses when they were thirsty and didn't have enough water. See detailed account in Exodus 17:1 - 17

At Kibroth Haattavah (Graves of Greed), the children of Israelite were not content with eating manna and demanded meat from Moses. The LORD sent a wind to bring in quails from the sea. While the meat was "yet between their teeth", the LORD struck the Israelites with a great plague. Read detailed account in Numbers 11:10 - 35.

At Kadesh Barnea, ten of the twelve spies who were sent into the land of Canaan came back with a fearsome report of the power of the Canaanites, causing the children of Israel to rebel against the LORD's command for them to occupy the Promised Land. Only two spies, Caleb ben Jephunneh and Joshua ben Nun, had faith in the promise of the LORD.

It was a great and "final" rebellion, and the LORD told Moses that the rebellious Israelites would have to wander in the wilderness for forty years, corresponding to the forty days the 12 spies spent spying out the land of Canaan. During those forty years, all Israelites who were twenty years and above would perish in the wilderness. Only their children would get to enter the Promised Land. See the account written in Numbers 10:11 - 14:45

(3) Dathan and Abiram rebelled against the LORD:

and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben—how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the middle of all Israel;
Deuteronomy 11:6  World English Bible

The location of rebellion by Dathan and Abiram (together with Korah and 250 men) is not mentioned in the Old Testament. A detailed account of this rebellion is found in Numbers 6:1 - 50

Long readings on Sabbath Day

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Saturday 23Jul2022
Numbers 25:1 - 36:13 WEB (420 verses)
John 1:1 - 6:71 NKJV (284 verses)

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Shabbat Shalom. Today is the Seventh Day of the Biblical Week. It is a day of Sabbath rest. Let us rest from all our work and keep the Fourth Commandment by honouring the Sabbath Day.

Today I read long portions of the Bible, finishing the last twelve chapters of the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament and the first six chapters of the Gospel of John in the New Testament.

Passage of the day

Today, I observe from chapters 5 and 6 of the Gospel of John, accounts of our Lord Iesus telling the people around him that he has come to obey and carry out the will of His Father in Heaven.

As the Father has been working:

“My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
John 5:17  New King James Version

Whatever the Father does:

Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:19  New King James Version

As the Father raises the dead:

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
John 5:21 - 23  New King James Version

As the Father has life in Himself:

26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
John 5:26 - 29  New King James Version

As the Anointed One hears the Father:

I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me
John 5:30  New King James Version

As the Father gives to the Anointed One:

37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
John 6:37 - 38  New King James Version

As the Father has sent the Anointed One:

57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
John 6:57 - 58  New King James Version

As the Father draws a person near the Anointed One:

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44  New King James Version

Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father
John 6:65  New King James Version

The above descriptions of the ministry of Iesus the Anointed One can be summarised in one verse, as follows:

I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
John 5:30  New King James Version

Returning from ten days of travelling

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Wednesday 13Jul2022
Leviticus 24:1 - 27:34 WEB (158 verses)
Luke 10:1 - 11:54 BBE (96 verses)

Friday 15Jul2022
Numbers 1:1 - 3:51 WEB (139 verses)

Saturday 16Jul2022
Luke 12:1 - 13:35 KJV (94 verses)

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Monday 18Jul2022
Numbers 4:1 - 9:23 WEB (245 verses)
Luke 14:1 - 35 NWB (35 verses)

Thursday 21Jul2022
Numbers 10:1 - 15:41 WEB (206 verses)
Luke 15:1 - 20:47 WNT (239 verses)

Friday 22Jul2022
Numbers 16:1 - 24:25 WEB (277 verses)
Luke 21:1 - 24:33 WNT (188 verses)

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Passage of the day

How can the High Priests and the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem arrest Iesus without causing an uproar among the masses of people who have witnessed the miracles and healings that Iesus has performed, and who believe that He comes from God?

Luke chapter 22 tells us that the answer came from one of Iesus' disciples: Iudas Iscariot.

The only way to capture Iesus and hand him over to the Roman Governor is to find him when he is privately meeting his disciples, "when the people were not there" (verse 6). That's the very thing Iudas Iscariot proposed to do in his discussion with the High Priests and Commanders (verse 4).

4 He went and conferred with the High Priests and Leaders as to how he should deliver Him up to them.
5 This gave them great pleasure, and they agreed to pay him.
6 He accepted their offer, and then looked out for an opportunity to betray Him when the people were not there.
Luke 22:4 - 6  Weymouth New Testament

In the end, Iesus was captured because his disciple Iudas led a crowd comprising the High Priests, the Temple Leaders, and Elders, armed with swords and clubs, to the garden of Gethsemane at the foothill of the Mount of Olives, where Iesus was praying in private with His disciples, to arrest him (verse 52).

Iudas betrayed Iesus the Anointed One "when the people were not there".

With him were the twelve, and certain women

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Tuesday 12Jul2022
Leviticus 19:1 - 23:44 JND (165 verses)
Luke 8:1 - 9:62 BBE (118 verses)

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I did not read the Bible yesterday, and today I resumed by reading Leviticus chapters 19 to 23, together with the Gospel of Luke chapters 8 and 9.

Passage of the day

Much is written and talked about the twelve disciples who followed Iesus the Anointed One. We seldom read nor hear of the women who accompanied the Lord together with the disciples. Some of these women were set free from demon possession. Others gave their money for the needs of the Lord. And there were also others who took care of the Lord when he was in Galilee.

All these are written in the New Testament but little emphasis is given to it, neither in sermons nor in literature.

In my reading of Luke chapter 8, I read of certain women who went with the Lord Iesus and the twelve disciples throughout town and country preaching the good news of the kingdom of God:

1 And it came about, after a short time, that he went through town and country giving the good news of the kingdom of God, and with him were the twelve,
2 And certain women who had been made free from evil spirits and diseases, Mary named Magdalene, from whom seven evil spirits had gone out,
3 And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's chief house-servant, and Susanna and a number of others, who gave him of their wealth for his needs.
Luke 8:1 - 3  Bible in Basic English

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John, accounts are written about Women who did not abandon the Lord Iesus after he was arrested, but went with him to Golgotha and stay on until the end, witnessing his death on the cross:

40 And there were women watching from a distance: among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome,
41 Who went with him when he was in Galilee and took care of him; and a number of other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
Mark 15:40 - 41  Bible in Basic English

55 And a number of women were there, watching from a distance, who had come with Jesus from Galilee, waiting on his needs.
56 Among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Matthew 27:55 - 56  Bible in Basic English

25 Now by the side of the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.
John 19:25  Bible in Basic English

I am Jehovah your God

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Sunday 10Jul2022
Leviticus 15:1 - 18:30 NKJV (113 verses)
Luke 7:1 - 7:50 WNT (50 verses)

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On this first day of the Biblical Week, I read short portions from both the Old and New Testaments, covering only 113 verses from the book of Leviticus and another 50 verses from the Gospel of Luke.

Passage of the day

The first five verses of Leviticus chapter 18 tells us that God commanded Moses to warn the children of Israel not to practise any of the doings of the Land of Egypt nor any of the doings of the Land of Canaan.

In giving this warning, Moses was commanded by the LORD to say to the children of Israel,

I am the LORD your God.

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the LORD your God.
3 According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.
4 You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the LORD your God.
5 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 18:1 – 5  New King James Version 

Some older versions of the English Bible renders the Tetragrammaton YHWH as "Jehovah" instead of translating it as "the LORD". Two of the versions are the American Standard Version and Young's Literal Translation, as shown below, where the words, "I am Jehovah your God" is mentioned three times, in verse 2, verses 4, and verse 5:

1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am Jehovah your God.
3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their statutes.
4 Mine ordinances shall ye do, and my statutes shall ye keep, to walk therein: I am Jehovah your God.
5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am Jehovah.
Leviticus 18:1 – 5  American Standard Version 

1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
2 "Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, I [am] Jehovah your God;
3 according to the work of the land of Egypt in which ye have dwelt ye do not, and according to the work of the land of Canaan whither I am bringing you in, ye do not, and in their statutes ye walk not.
4 'My judgments ye do, and My statutes ye keep, to walk in them; I [am] Jehovah your God;
5 and ye have kept My statutes and My judgments which man doth and liveth in them; I [am] Jehovah.
Leviticus 18:1 – 5  Young's Literal Translation 

In verse 3, Moses was commanded to tell the children of Israel, "According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do". The following is a list of some of the gods worshipped by the ancient Egyptians:

• Anubis
• Bast
• Geb
• Hathor
• Isis
• Maat
• Osiris
• Ra

Likewise in the second half of verse 3, "according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances". The following is a list of Caananite gods and their references in the Bible:

• Adramelech 2 Kings 17:31
• Asherah 1 Kings 18:19, 2 Kings 23:4 - 7
• Ashtoreth 1 Samuel 12:10
• Baal 1 Kings 18:28, 2 Kings 10:18 - 28, Jeremiah 19:5
• Chemosh 1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 3:27
• Dagon 1 Samuel chapter 5
• Marduk Jeremiah 50:2
• Molech Leviticus 18:21; 20:2 - 5
• Nisroch 2 Kings 19:36 - 37
• Tammuz Ezekiel 8:14 - 15

When we look at the lists of Egyptian and Caananite gods shown above, we realise they all have one thing in common: every of those pagan gods have a name.

This shows us how significant it was in those ancient days that the LORD commanded Moses to declare to the children of Israel His own NAME, the name of their one and only true God: the name Jehovah (pronounced Yehovah in Hebrew). This was done three times in this short passage of Leviticus 18:1 - 5 alone.

Among the numerous gods of the Egyptians and of the Caananites, there is no god called Jehovah.

Jehovah alone is the God of Israel.

And the children of Israel shall not call upon the name of any of the Egyptian or Caananite gods. They shall call only upon the Name Jehovah. And they shall keep His ordinances, statutes, and judgments, to walk in them and to do them, and to live by them.

I am Jehovah your God

Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Saturday 09Jul2022
Leviticus 8:1 - 14:57 ASV (251 verses)
Luke 2:1 - 6:49 NWB (212 verses)

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Shabbat Shalom.

Today is the Seventh Day of the Biblical Week. It is Sabbath Day. Let us rest from all our work and keep the Fourth Commandment.

Passage of the day

In Luke chapter 3, we read an account of John the Baptist telling those who came to him for baptism to repent from their sins.

"Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance," he told them.

8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
9 And now also the ax is laid to the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11 He answereth and saith to them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath provisions, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said to him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said to them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise asked him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.
Luke 3:8 – 14  Noah Webster Bible 

What must one do to bear fruits worthy of repentance? What fruits are these?

Verse 12 tells us that the publicans (tax-collectors) asked John,

"Master, what shall we do?"

Similarly, in verse 13, the soldiers who came to be baptised asked him,

"And what shall we do?"

It seems that many of them did not know how to go about bearing fruits that are worthy of repentance.

We can see from the passage above that John the Baptist did not leave them groping in the dark. He told the tax-collectors that they must no longer demand more money than that which has been officially stated in their appointment. And to the soldiers, John told them to stop doing violence to people, nor to accuse anyone falsely, but instead to be contented with their wages.

There is one group of people, however, who were not sinners. They were not among those who were notorious for unjust or corrupt practices. They were neither tax-collectors nor soldiers.

They were ordinary people, like you and me. People who lived ordinary lives, who worked everyday to earn an ordinary living. People who were not hated by others, neither treated with disdain like the tax-collectors, nor viewed with fear like the soldiers.

These people asked John the Baptist in verse 10, "What shall we do then?"

How do ordinary people like you and me repent? What sins do we repent from? How do we "bring forth fruits worthy of repentance?"

The answer from John the Baptist is found in verse 11,

He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath provisions, let him do likewise.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us learn to give to those in need. Let us give to the poor: our spare coat, our extra pair of shoes, some of our provisions, and some of our reserves of money.

Let us learn to bear fruits that are worthy of repentance.

In the spirit and power of Elijah

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Thursday 07Jul2022
Leviticus 3:1 - 7:38 YLT (139 verses)
Mark 15:1 - 16:20 KJV (67 verses)
Luke 1:1 - 1:80 KJV(80 verses)

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On this Fifth Day of the Biblical Week, I reached the end of the Gospel of Mark and went on to read the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

In the Old Testament, I continued reading another five chapters from the Book of Leviticus.

Passage of the day

Luke chapter 1 gives an account of the Angel Gabriel appearing to the priest Zechariah at the altar of incense in the Holy Place in the Temple. The Angel announced to Zechariah that his wife Elisabeth would bear him a son, and that he was to name his son John (Yochanan).

A noteworthy statement in Angel Gabriel's announcement is that this son John will minister in the spirit and power of Elijah. (verse 17).

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. . . .
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Luke 1:13, 17  King James Version 

In making that unprecedented announcement,the Angel Gabriel quoted a prophecy from Malachi 4:5, 6 (recorded under Malachi 3:22, 23 in the Septuagint), both versions shown below:

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Malachi 4:5, 6 King James Version

22 And, behold, I will send to you Elias the Thesbite, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes;
23 who shall turn again the heart of the father to the son, and the heart of a man to his neighbour, lest I come and smite the earth grievously.
Malachi 3:22, 23 Septuagint Brenton

Earlier this year, I made a similar observation about John the Baptist being a "return" of the prophet Elijah, link below:

• Garment of hair, Belt of leather (Feb2022)

Put salt on all your offerings

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Wednesday 06Jul2022
Exodus 38:1 - 40:38 Good News Bible (112 verses)
Leviticus 1:1 - 2:16 Good News Bible (33 verses)
Mark 13:1 - 14:72 J.N.Darby (109 verses)

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I reached the end of the book of Exodus today and went on to read the first two chapters of Leviticus.

In the New Testament, I continued reading chapters 13 and 14 of the Gospel according to Mark.

Passage of the day

A verse in Leviticus chapter 2 is particularly noteworthy in today's OT reading.

In verse 13, it is recorded that the LORD commanded Moses to ensure that salt is put on all offerings, including grain offerings, because "salt represents the covenant between you and God".

Put salt on every grain offering, because salt represents the covenant between you and God. (You must put salt on all your offerings.)
Leviticus 2:13  Good News Bible 

This requirement of putting salt on all offerings to God is mentioned by the Lord Iesus in Mark chapter 9 where it is applied to his teaching that we should "have salt" (i.e. faithfulness to the covenant of God) in ourselves.

Salt is faithful. It never loses its flavour. If salt loses its flavour, it becomes useless. Likewise our Lord taught his disciples to have the faithfulness of salt in themselves.

. . . every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavour, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.
Mark 9:49 - 50  New King James Version 

Thirteen years ago, I wrote briefly on the meaning of salt in the context of faithfulness to God:

• Salt: flavour or fidelity? (09Apr2009)

Brothers and Sisters in Iesus the Anointed One. Let us have the unchanging faithfulness of salt in ourselves. Let us never lose our flavour.

Filled with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and workmanship

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Tuesday 05Jul2022
Exodus 34:1 - 37:29 World English Bible (137 verses)
Mark 10:1 - 12:44 World English Bible (129 verses)

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In my New Testament reading today, I reached chapter 12 of the Gospel of Mark, while in the Old Testament, I am approaching the end of the book of Exodus, finishing chapter 37.

Passage of the day

Chapter 35 of Exodus tells us of two men chosen by the LORD to be his craftsmen in building the Tabernacle and its coverings and furnishings, and the priestly vestments.

They are Bezalel ben Uri ben Hur of tribe Judah, assisted by Oboliab ben Ahisamach of tribe Dan.

Verse 31 tells us that the LORD has called Bezalel and has filled him "filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship".

Similarly, verse 35 tells us that God has filled both Bezalel and Oholiab "with wisdom of heart to work all kinds of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skilful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver,".

30 Moses said to the children of Israel, “Behold, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
31 He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship;
32 and to make skilful works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze,
33 in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of skilful workmanship.
34 He has put in his heart that he may teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
35 He has filled them with wisdom of heart to work all kinds of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skilful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do any workmanship, and of those who make skilful works.
Exodus 35:30 - 35  World English Bible 

A similar description of the calling of Bezalel ben Uri ben Hur and Oboliab ben Ahisamach is given earlier in Exodus chapter 31, as shown below:

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship,
4 to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in bronze,
5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of workmanship.
6 Behold, I myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
7 the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,
8 the table and its vessels, the pure lamp stand with all its vessels, the altar of incense,
9 the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, the basin and its base,
10 the finely worked garments—the holy garments for Aaron the priest, the garments of his sons to minister in the priest’s office— 11 the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”
Exodus 31:1 - 10  World English Bible 

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus Anointed, let us seek to be filled with the Spirit of God, that, like Bezalel and Oholiab, we may have wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, to be skilfull workers in the Kingdom of God.

Except by prayer and fasting

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Monday 04Jul2022
Exodus 29:1 - 33:23 World English Bible (160 verses)
Mark 7:1 - 9:50 World English Bible (125 verses)

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This afternoon, I read through chapters 29 to 33 of the book of Exodus, along with chapters 7 to 9 of the gospel of Mark.

Passage of the day

Coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration with the disciples Peter, James, and John, our Lord Iesus saw a crowd gathered around the other disciples and questioning them.

Our Lord asked the scribes who were among them,

"What are you asking them?" (Mark 9:16)

One of the people in the crowd answered the Lord,

"Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down, and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and wastes away. I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they weren't able.' (Mark 9:17 – 18)

The big question in today's passage is, "Why weren't the disciples able to cast out the spirit from the boy?"

The answer is given by our Lord in verse 29, " . . . except by prayer and fasting".

25 When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, 'You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and enter no more into him!'
26 Having cried out, and convulsed him greatly, it came out. The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, 'He is dead.'
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose.
28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, 'Why couldn't we cast it out?'
29 He said to them, 'This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.'
Mark 9:25 – 29  World English Bible 

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, there are times in our life when nothing seems to work. Those are the times we need to turn to God in prayer and fasting. Without much prayer and devoted fasting, "this kind" cannot come out.

Go to your house, to your friends

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Sunday 03Jul2022
Exodus 24:1 - 28:43 ASV (159 verses)
Mark 4:1 - 6:56 BBE (140 verses)

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Today, I start the first day of a new biblical week by reading five chapters from the book of Exodus along with another three chapters from the gospel of Mark.

Passage of the day

In the account of the demoniac in the country of the Gerasenes, from whom our Lord Iesus cast out a legion of demons, the Lord did not allow the healed man to follow him, but instead told to return to his household and to his friends, to tell them of the great things that God had done for him.

Mark 5:18 – 20  BBE  Bible in Basic English

18 And when he was getting into the boat, the man in whom had been the evil spirits had a great desire to come with him.

19 And he would not let him, but said to him, Go to your house, to your friends, and give them news of the great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.

20 And he went on his way, and made public in the country of Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him: and all men were full of wonder.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, as many as desire to follow our Lord Iesus, let us also go and tell our family and friends of great things that God has done for us.

You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Saturday 02Jul2022
Exodus 18:1 - 23:33 WEB (178 verses)
Mark 1:1 - 3:35 WEB (108 verses)

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Shabbat Shalom.

Today is the Seventh Day of the Biblical Week. Let us rest from all our work and keep the Fourth Commandment.

Passage of the day

In today's reading of the Old Testament, I came across a passage in Exodus chapter 22 reminding us not to oppress foreigners who live among us. The LORD will hear their cries if we mistreat them.

Exodus 22:21 - 23  WEB  World English Bible

21 You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

22 "You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child.

23 If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry;

Watch and pray

OT  4th Cycle.    NT  7th Cycle.

Monday 27Jun2022
Exodus 1:1 - 6:30 WEB (153 verses)
Matthew 21:1 - 23:39 WEB (131 verses)

Tuesday 28Jun2022
Exodus 7:1 - 12:51 WEB (182 verses)
Matthew 24:1 - 25:46 RSV (97 verses)

Friday 01Jul2022
Exodus 13:1 - 17:16 NASB (132 verses)
Matthew 26:1 - 28:20 ESV (161 verses)

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After three days of travelling, I returned home last night and today is already the Sixth Day of the Biblical Week.

It is preparation day.

Let us finish all our tasks for the week, tie up all loose ends and prepared to enter into the Seventh Day Sabbath Rest at sunset this evening.

Over the past four days, I have read through the first seventeen chapters of Exodus along with the final eight chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. Tomorrow I will begin reading the Gospel of Mark.

Passage of the day

Matthew 26:38 - 41  ESV  English Standard Version

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us always watch and pray to avoid falling into temptation because our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak.