June 11th One Year Bible Readings
Mike - OYB
1 Kings 8:1-66 + Acts 7:51-8:13 + Psalm 129:1-8 + Proverbs 17:1
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today's Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~
Old Testament - Today we read about the Ark of the Covenant being brought into the Temple!
In verses 10 & 11 we read: "As the priests came out of the inner sanctuary, a cloud filled the Temple of the LORD. The priests could not continue their work because the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple." It is thought that the cloud of the presence of God here in the Temple was the same cloud of the presence of God that guided the Israelites by day through the desert as they left Egypt for the Promised Land, as you'll recall from this image below:
Solomon's prayer in today's readings is awesome! Verses 12 & 13 at the start of the prayer are interesting to contrast with a later verse: "Then Solomon prayed, "O LORD, you have said that you would live in thick darkness. But I have built a glorious Temple for you, where you can live forever!" These verses seem quite bold and confident... and maybe even seem to our modern ears that Solomon is trying to put God "in a box." But, then I was very pleased to read Solomon say this in verse 27 - "But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!" Clearly, Solomon gets it that God is bigger than the Temple and that God does not "need" the Temple for a home. But, as we read about the cloud of God's presence coming into the Temple, it is apparent that God is certainly pleased with the Temple. I think God was pleased that the Israelites were building a Temple to honor God and his name & fame. It was a Temple for God. And though God did not "need" it, I think he appreciated it. I think God appreciated "King" Solomon and the Israelites praying to and honoring God as the true King of Israel. Below is an image of Solomon's prayer and the dedication of the Temple:
New Testament - Today is a sad day of readings as we read about the stoning of Stephen - the first Christian martyr. Verses 59 & 60 are incredible and reminiscent of Jesus on the cross: "And as they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died." Below is Rembrandt's "The Stoning of Stephen" from the year 1625:
In verse 58 we are ominously introduced to who we now know as Paul, the author of many of the epistles in the Bible: "The official witnesses took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul." This laying of coats at Saul's feet may be signifying that Saul was the highest official at the stoning of Stephen and may be signifying that Saul gave permission for this stoning of Stephen to occur. Saul is Paul's Hebrew name. Paul is his Greek name. (which is a significant distinction, as Paul's ministry reaches out to the Gentiles, including the Greeks - hence going from the Hebrew name Saul to the Greek name Paul is significant) In a few chapters ahead we will learn about Saul's encounter with Jesus and how his persecution of Christians will soon take a dramatic U-turn... Take a look at the cloaked figure in the image below to the left - this looks to me to be Saul watching over the stoning of Stephen with coats laid at his feet. (and I think Saul is in Rembrant's painting above to the left on the horse) God has an amazing conversion for Saul coming up...
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Acts titled "The Stoning of Stephen" is at this link.
Psalms - Psalm 129 is a prayer for the continuing withering of Israel's enemies and verse 4 likely represents a celebration from Babylonian captivity - "But the LORD is good; he has cut the cords used by the ungodly to bind me." How about in our lives today? Has Jesus cut any cords used by the ungodly to bind you? Are there still some cords being used by the ungodly to bind you? Will you let Jesus cut those cords? Will you let Jesus free you from that captivity? Do you believe that Jesus is good and that he wants to cut the cords that bind you? Do you believe that Jesus cares for you?
Proverbs - Proverbs 17 verse 1 is so very wise... "A dry crust eaten in peace is better than a great feast with strife." I don't know about you, but this Proverb hits home. I have eaten very simple meals in peace that have been so beautiful. And I have also eaten at great feasts filled with drama and angst and strife. The world may preach to us that the latter is better - the feast with all it's drama. But, I think the still small quiet voice of God through the Bible indicates the former is better. Which do you think is better? The peaceful crust or the strifeful feast?
Below is an image of a "strifeful feast" to say the least from the artist Rembrandt again. This is from Daniel chapter 5 verses 1 through 6 - "King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way." (As Paul Harvey would say, check out the rest of this story in Daniel chapter 5 at this link and learn what the writing on the wall means! Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin!)
Worship Video: Today's readings in First Kings about the Ark of the Covenant being brought to the Temple reminds me of the Build 429 song "Where I Belong:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVeXOMHNgLQ
Do you know were you belong? Click here to find out where you belong!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife." Proverbs 17:1 (NIV)
Prayer Point: Pray for peace in your home. Pray for a quiet spirit of love in your home. Pray against any signs of strife in your home.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless,
Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our One Year Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 - Download a schedule of our One Year Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 - I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this One Year Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Posted at 08:42 PM | Permalink
I Kings 8:1-66
Going through the part of this book (Solomon) at this time has me sad and I am not sure why. The splendor of Solomon’s temple, the First Temple, I can see in my mind’s eye. I can imagine the power and majesty of the prayer Solomon prayed and I can see the throngs of people gathered in Jerusalem both for the dedication of the Temple and the Festival of Succoth, yet I am sad.
Maybe because I know how this will all end and Israel will enter into a civil war and divide into two. I know that both Kingdoms will be captured and taken into exile, yet restoration will come, at least for the Southern Kingdom. I know that full restoration will come at the end of the age, Jesus’ Second Advent. So why do I fell like this?
I think I am sad because I know that I am as part of “Spiritual Israel” setting myself up to repeat the “sins” of the past despite having a written example of what not to do in these daily readings. It is only the mercy of God, the grace of God that keeps me, us, an unfaithful people, in the arms of God.
We can build the most beautiful churches, we can dress up in our Sunday best Go-to-Meeting clothes; yet, it is our hearts that God wants,
Proverbs
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
Acts 7:51-8:13
Interesting, ain’t it, how the New Testament Readings seem to always juxtapose against the Old as if they were one thought. The first line in todays reading is Stephen speaking,
7: 51"You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you!
Holy Father, prompt me, speak to me, warn me when I stray from your truth. No matter how many sacrifices I offer, if my heart is not set on you I’m just having a barbeque. Help me to keep my eyes on you and you alone. May my heart and ears always have eyes to see and ears to hear your Truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Psalm 129: 1-8
I love the imagery of a plow going over someone’s back representing
persecution, yet not mortally wounding them. All of us proclaiming Jesus
as our Lord and Savior have deep furrows on our backs from the plowman
trying to plow us under. O, but for God, our deliverer our redeemer, he
not only keeps us alive but also brings us to a place of victory so we
can celebrate.
We are blessed by the Lord and to all those experiencing persecution because you call on the name of the Lord, remember a Diamond is brilliant because of tons of unending pressure squeezing radiance into an imperfect and corruptible body in the dark places of the earth. Shine forth folks!
Proverbs 17:1
1 A dry crust eaten in peace is better than a great feast with strife.
I went on vacation for a week with someone who had beautiful, spacious accommodations. Although I was taken aback that they would allow me to accompany them, I accepted because, “I won’t have to spend money on a hotel room.” Boy was that a bad move. I thought about this Proverb a lot while I stayed in luxurious accommodations. The price (free) was not worth the cost.
Grace and peace,
Ramona