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NL-Day177 1 Kings 4-5; Psalm 119:65-80; John 5:24-47

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

Release Date: 06/22/2025

NL-Day194 2 Kings 15-16; Psalm 130; John 14:1-21 show art NL-Day194 2 Kings 15-16; Psalm 130; John 14:1-21

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 15-16:Readers and listeners are frequently confused by the names of the kings in yesterday’s reading in 2nd Kings.  Judah’ king, Joash, died at the end of chapter 12. Then on the Israel (10 tribes) side, we heard of Jehoahaz's reign, and then the reign of his son, Johoash. He was helped by Elisha’s final prophecy. Also in yesterday’s reading we heard about of the reign of  Joash’s son, Amaziah, in Judah. Amaziah was very unwise to insist on war with Israel’s king Jehoash. PSALM 130:This Psalm of Ascent is one of the most beautiful of all the psalms, and an...

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NL-Day192 2 Kings 11-12; Psalm 128; John 13:1-17 show art NL-Day192 2 Kings 11-12; Psalm 128; John 13:1-17

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 11-12:Yesterday's story was of Jehu, anointed on Elisha's orders, and who executed the Lord's vengeance on Ahab and his whole family, and even his friends and the worshipers of Baal. However, after that, he still didn't follow the Lord, but continued the idolatry of Israel. PSALM 128:Today’s Song of Ascent has a similar theme about the Lord’s blessings for families as yesterday’s psalm. Unlike what I said about translating the Hebrew word ‘sons’ in Psalm 127, the context of today’s psalm seems more inclusive, so we can easily agree with the  NET and other versions in...

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NL-Day191 2 Kings 9-10; Psalm 127; John 12:20-50 show art NL-Day191 2 Kings 9-10; Psalm 127; John 12:20-50

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 9-10:Yesterday we heard one of my favorite Old Testament stories: The one about the three lepers and the famine in Samaria. Elisha's prophecy was so dramatically fulfilled, and the scoffing officer could be a parable for modern times. Then we heard how the woman from Shunem returned and was blessed a second time. The narrative switched briefly to the kingdom of Judah and Ahaziah's reign. PSALM 127:About ‘children/sons’ in v. 3, NET’s note says this: Some prefer to translate this word with the gender neutral “children,” but “sons” are plainly in view here, as the following...

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NL-Day190 2 Kings 7-8; Psalm 126; John 12:1-26 show art NL-Day190 2 Kings 7-8; Psalm 126; John 12:1-26

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 7-8:Yesterday we heard two more chapters containing fascinating miracles performed by Elisha. The story about Gahazi getting the gifts from Naaman, and the vision about the chariots of fire both have interesting spiritual significance to ponder. We come back to the story from chapter 7 where the Aramean army is surrounding Samaria. The famine is severe. The king has sent an executioner to kill Elisha. And then: 2Kings 6:32 NLT Elisha was sitting in his house with the elders of Israel when the king sent a messenger to summon him. But before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the...

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NL-Day189 2 Kings 5-6; Psalm 125; John 11:21-57 show art NL-Day189 2 Kings 5-6; Psalm 125; John 11:21-57

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 5-6:Yesterday we heard of the many miracles done by Elisha, supplying water for three armies on their way to Moab for war, helping the widow of a prophet, blessing the woman from Shunem, purifying Jericho's water, and miraculously transforming food. PSALM 125:The first verse of this psalm is one that our family has sung for years. Gale and I learned this song from a cassette tape that came from a Canadian church called St. Margaret’s, a place we have never been to. At that time (around 1977) we were teachers in Papua New Guinea and our David was two. Those who trust in the Lord are...

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NL-Day187 2 Kings 1-2; Psalm 123; John 10:11-42 show art NL-Day187 2 Kings 1-2; Psalm 123; John 10:11-42

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 1-2:Yesterday we heard stories which show that King Ahab indeed “sold himself to evil,” including the story of Naboth's vineyard. And also we heard of Ahab's friendship with King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Finally we heard how the prophecies against Ahab were fulfilled. PSALM 123:This psalm has an important similarity with Ps. 121 which said, Ps. 121:1 NLT I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there?2 My help comes from the LORD,who made heaven and earth! Today’s psalm tells us how to ‘look’. JOHN 10b:In John 9, with the formerly blind man standing there, Jesus said,...

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NL-Day186 1 Kings 21-22; Psalm 122; John 10:1-21 show art NL-Day186 1 Kings 21-22; Psalm 122; John 10:1-21

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 21-22:What a cruel surprise it must have been for Elijah to bring about such an irrefutable display of God's power before the people, but then to have to flee for his life because of Queen Jezebel! Note that God deigned to speak twice to King Ahab. And the reason was: God wanted it known to Ahab and to us that He is not a territorial God. God also gave amazing, symbolic revelations of Himself in the story of His appearing to Elijah at Mount Sinai. Finally, in yesterday’s reading, Elijah's successor, Elisha, was introduced. PSALM 122:Consider how exciting it would have been to make a...

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NL-Day185 1 Kings 19-20; Psalm 121; John 9 show art NL-Day185 1 Kings 19-20; Psalm 121; John 9

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 19-20:The story we read yesterday in this book is one of the most dramatic in all of Scripture: The time the prophet Elijah confronted King Ahab. Remember that in the New Testament James used this story to encourage us that we are no different than Elijah and that we should pray fervently like him. PSALM 121:This is another psalm that is frequently sung, even today. Often this whole psalm is set to music. As Olsen says, this psalm lifts the fog from our eyes. Re-reading JOHN 9:Remember that in John 8 there was a tense standoff between Jesus and the religious leaders. The people took up...

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NL-Day184 1 Kings 17-18; Psalm 120; John 9 show art NL-Day184 1 Kings 17-18; Psalm 120; John 9

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 17-18:We've arrived at the narrative of the different kings of Judah (which now includes the smaller tribe of Benjamin) and the kings of Israel (consisting of the 10 other tribes, sometimes called the Northern Kingdom). The kings on Israel’s side changed more rapidly and were 100% bad, while there was a mixed record among the kings of Judah. It will help your understanding to observe the section headings (which I normally do not read), and to try to remember which kingdom is being talked about. Note in yesterday's reading how prophecy was fulfilled again and again. And although Baasha...

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NL-Day183 1 Kings 15-16; Psalm 119:161-176; John 8:28-59 show art NL-Day183 1 Kings 15-16; Psalm 119:161-176; John 8:28-59

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 15-16:I think yesterday's story of the ‘man of God from Judah’ and the ‘old prophet from Bethel’ to be one of the most fascinating in the Bible. Prophets who lie will certainly be judged harshly by God! And we will see in 2nd Kings that the prophecy of the unnamed man of God from Judah was completely fulfilled. Also in yesterday’s reading, we heard Ahijah's prophecy against Jeroboam. We also heard of the end of the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon's son. And do you think that Shishak took the ark of the covenant to Egypt? PSALM 119:161-176:This our last reading in this Psalm. I...

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More Episodes

1KINGS 4-5:
Yesterday we heard David's final instructions to Solomon. They contained a few messy details, and Solomon managed to finish all of those issues. David noted Solomon's wisdom as he gave him those instructions, and later Solomon (at his finest hour) asked God for wisdom to rule the nation of Israel well, and God gave it to him.

PSALM 119:65-80:
God is telling us how important His Word is! I highlight this verse (62) from yesterday’s portion, “In the middle of the night I wake up to praise you for your righteous judgments.”

JOHN 5b:
Yesterday we heard of Jesus healing a man who had been sick for 38 years. Persecution ramped up because this healing was done on the Sabbath. Jesus replied to his critics, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

NLT Translation notes:
1Kings 4:9 Ben-deker, in Makaz, [including] Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-bethhanan.
12 Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, [including] all of Beth-shan near Zarethan below Jezreel, and all the territory from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and over to Jokmeam.
====
John 5:19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, [I, as the Son//the Son] can do nothing by [myself//himself]. [I only do what I see//He does only what he sees] the Father doing. Whatever [my//the] Father does, [I also do//the Son also does].
[It is very unnatural in almost every language to have someone talking about himself using ‘he/him’ instead of ‘I/me/my’. In some languages this is flat out ungrammatical. This is why a Bible translator is justified in changing the pronouns and footnoting the fact that he has made these changes. We should observe that there were special reasons why Jesus was both concealing and revealing his identity when talking of himself as the Son of Man. It is, however, impossible to duplicate this in the minds of the modern translation’s readers. ]
20 For [my//the] Father loves [Me//the Son] and shows [Me//him] everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will [involve Me in doing//show him how to do] even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.
21 For just as [my//the] Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so [I, his Son give//the Son gives] life to anyone [I want//he wants].
22 In addition, [my//the] Father judges no one. Instead, he has given [Me//the Son] absolute authority to judge,
23 so that everyone will honor [Me as his//the] Son, just as they honor [my/the] Father. Anyone who does not honor [Me as his//the] Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent [Me/him].
25 “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.
26 The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to [Me,] his Son.
27 And he has given [Me/him] authority to judge everyone because [I am//he is] the Son of Man.
28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear [my voice,] the voice of God’s Son,
29 and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.
30 I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.