Two year Bible reading program.

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world. Wisdom to chew on The wife of nobel character... Proverbs 31:16 Understanding to grow in It is comforting to know that in the end all wrongs will be righted, the humble exalted and the exalted humbled. Zechariah ends with a picture of the nations attacking Jerusalem again, just as Babylon had leading to the exile. But this time, God destroys the attackers. In that context we are told his people will then look on the Lord who they will have pierced, and by God's Spirit mourn over that with supplication. This was in some way fulfilled at Pentecost as Jews were "cut to the heart" to realise they had crucified their Messiah. But Revelation 1v7 sees further fulfilment when Christ returns in judgment and the whole w...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world. Wisdom to chew on The wife of nobel character... Proverbs 31:15 Understanding to grow in The LORD is the only God. That's the point that begins chapter 10. So prophets speaking for other gods must by lying. Because of this God’s anger burns against their leaders who should be their shepherds. Yet he promises to care for his flock (Judah) himself, making them strong and dignified, and restoring them with Joseph and the Ephraimites (those from the northern kingdom who were exiled), and bringing Egypt and Assyria down. This was partially fulfilled in the following years, but will be fully only in the new creation where in Christ all faithful Israelites will be raised from death and united in these sort of numbers, with the...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world. Wisdom to chew on The wife of nobel character... Proverbs 31:14 Understanding to grow in It's a glorious picture of restoration: Jerusalem now faithful, in a flourishing land, where children and the elderly dwell in peace and security. And it is given as a promise to motivate the rebuilding of the temple, and an encouragement to live the godly life. Likewise, grace motivates us. What God has promised to give, moves us to honour him in thankfulness and a sense of priveledge being included in his purposes. The great goal in Zechariah 8, however, is Israel finally fulfilling their calling of being a light to the Gentiles, as ten from the nations ask one Jew out of a desire to know the LORD they know. One cannot but think o...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world. Wisdom to chew on The wife of nobel character... Proverbs 31:13 Understanding to grow in The first vision probably portrays Zerubbabel and Joshua as the two olive trees, providing oil for the lampstand in the sense that their work in leading the rebuilding of the temple will lead to the presence of God again being with his people and shining as a light in the darkness of the world. This is followed by two visions stressing the sin of the people, likening them to the Babylonians, and then one of four chariots signifiying God's Spirit at work throughout the world because of God's universal sovereignty. The Spirit at "rest" in the north implies he is with the exiles still in Babylon. The next vision sees Josh...

BEGIN WITH PRAYER "Lord open my eyes and my heart." Read slowly so that you take in. And as you do, turn your heart to God, thanking him for the good you discover and praying his will home for you, your family, your church and the world. Wisdom to chew on The wife of nobel character... Proverbs 31:12 Understanding to grow in It's a principle that remains: If we return to the Lord when we sin, he will return to us. And the Jews who heard Zechariah did - unlike their ancestors. What follows are visions declaring God's sovereignty over all nations and the judgments he will therefore bring on them for how they treated his people. There is also a promise of Jerusalem rebuilt and God dwelling there, ensuring its safety - and so the lack of need for walls. The surprise is that we are told those from the nations will there join the Jews as the people of God - as is the case when Jew and Gentile come to faith in Christ. What follows explains how this is poss...