NL-Day308 Ezekiel 41; Isaiah 17; Hebrews 11:17-40
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Release Date: 11/04/2022
NL-Day132 Judges 16-17; Psalm 86; 1 Timothy 2
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 16-17:Yesterday we heard of Samson's disastrous marriage, and his first major victory over the Philistines. Ways in which Samson disobeyed God's Laws are that he touched and even ate from a carcass, he murdered people when not at war, and he associated with pagans and even married one of them. In spite of this, God used him as a tool. PSALM 86:In this psalm David models effective prayer. Let’s follow his example! 1TIMOTHY 2:Yesterday we started Paul’s first letter to Timothy. As I said yesterday, this is a personal letter to Timothy, and it is one of the group of letters called the...
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NL-Day131 Judges 14-15; Psalm 85; 1 Timothy 1
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 14-15:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Jephthah's six years as a judge of Israel. Then we heard briefly of three more judges, and then about the miracles preceding the birth of Samson. PSALM 85:This psalm is one appropriate at any time and to anyone. There are hidden nuggets of spiritual gold here— deep truths that are worth digging for. 1TIMOTHY 1:Yesterday in the final chapter of Galatians, Paul continued what he was saying (from chapter 5) about the contrast between being led by God's Spirit versus allowing our sinful natures to lead us. And Paul returned to something he said...
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NL-Day130 Judges 12-13; Psalm 84; Galatians 5:22-6:18
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 12-13:Yesterday, after hearing of three minor judges, we heard of Jephthah. Jephthah was a man of very poor credentials, but he turned out to be a surprisingly good leader. His story shows clearly why it is better not to make rash vows to the Lord. Indeed, the New Testament tells us to not make vows at all. PSALM 84:This favorite psalm has inspired many worship songs. Note the theme of joy! GALATIANS 5:22-6:Building on the concept of freedom from requirements of the Law in chapter 4, Paul continued on that theme in chapter 5. (Of course there were no chapter boundaries when he wrote his...
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NL-Day129 Judges 10-11; Psalm 83; Galatians 5
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 10-11:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of the story of Gideon. It is a pity that Gideon was so successful, but that a half-son and unfaithful people ruined his legacy. I am always very disappointed that Gideon so quickly turns to idolatry after God has worked so fantastically through him. The whole story, including the part about Abimelech, supports the verse which says, “Whatever you sow, that is also what you will reap.” PSALM 83:This is a psalm asking God to stop being silent when Israel was praying for relief from their enemies. And we now have the background to understand the...
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127: Reader Take Note: Buckling the belt of truth, Day 2
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Review: This podcast is Day number 2 in my series about Buckling the belt of truth. In the first day in this series (which can be found by searching for 195 or the word ‘buckling’, I explained what I consider to be the first step in putting on the belt of truth. The belt of truth is one of seven parts to the Christian’s armor found in Ephesians 6. But I suggest that we make this clarification: Buckle the belt of truth by believing what God says about you in the Bible. The belt of truth is put on by believing what God says. (Remember: Believing = faith.) The belt of truth...
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NL-Day128 Judges 8-9; Psalm 82; Galatians 4
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 8-9:Yesterday we heard of Gideon who led Israel in a miraculous victory over the hoards of Midian using only three hundred men. Gideon struggled with believing that God would actually use him, and God was amazingly patient with Gideon— giving him sign after sign. Because of this, Gideon really is not the best example for us to follow of how to trust God and live a life of faith. PSALM 82:Do you ever get upset about injustice on earth? Here is a psalm for you. GALATIANS 4:The Jews called non-Jews ‘sinners’ because they did not follow the Law of Moses. But the Jewish Christians...
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NL-Day127 Judges 6-7; Psalm 81; Galatians 2:17–3:29
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 6-7:Yesterday we heard the story of Deborah and Barak. (Say, that name sounds familiar!) Barak doesn't get the glory for his notable defeat of Israel's enemy, Sisera. Instead the crowning glory goes to a woman named Jael, who happened to see a new use for a tent peg. The poem in chapter 5 includes taunts to Israel's tribes who ‘sat on their hands’ and didn't get involved in the war. PSALM 81:This poem has a mysterious part in verse 5, where an unknown voice (or perhaps ‘language’) speaks to us. But immediately afterward the unknown voice clearly belongs God, who speaks in the...
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NL-Day126 Judges 4-5; Psalm 80; Galatians 2
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 4-5:We heard yesterday that around the time of Joshua's death, an angel appeared to the people of Israel and rebuked them for disobedience. In chapter 2, the author of Judges summarized the fickleness of the people. And in chapter 3 we quickly heard about Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar— the first three judges. PSALM 80:In this poem, Asaph pictures the Lord as a shepherd and Israel like a vine. It is no accident that both of these are also pictures of Jesus in the New Testament. This psalm is marked by the repetition of these words, “Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s...
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NL-Day125 Judges 2-3; Psalm 79; Galatians 1
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 2-3:Yesterday we heard how the tribe of Judah was more successful in driving out the Canaanites than the other tribes. Several of the tribes just moved in with their enemies. PSALM 79:This lament by Asaph is like Ps 74, talking about Jerusalem and the Temple conquered by enemies. There is a strong comparison with what we see starting to happen in Judges. GALATIANS 1:We heard the controversy over circumcision in Acts 15. This letter to the Galatian believers is on a similar theme, and it shows how Paul would have argued with the Jews of the circumcision party. Paul stays very much on...
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NL-Day124 Judges 1; Psalm 78:32-72; Acts 28
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
JUDGES 1:It happens that Psalm 78 is a perfect introduction to the book of Judges! This book covers the dark ages for the nation of Israel, from the time following Joshua’s death to the birth of the last judge, Samuel. HC Mears gives a good easy-to-remember summary: Seven apostasies (times of turning away from God), seven servitudes to seven idolatrous and cruel nations, and seven deliverances. The last verse is the author’s own summary, which is often repeated near the end of the book: “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”...
info_outlineEZEKIEL 41:
Yesterday we started Ezekiel’s account of his long vision about the future and ideal temple of God, and this is another vision that is referred to in the book of Revelation. The reason for this vision is given in chapter 43:
Ez. 43:10 NLT “Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan,
11 and they will be ashamed of what they have done.
ISAIAH 17:
Yesterday we finished the two chapter oracle concerning Moab. It was really not so much a prophecy of condemnation, but a lament for the people.
HEBREWS 11b:
The Faith Chapter of Hebrews is an exposition of the verse quoted from Habbakuk 2:
Heb. 10:38 NLT And my righteous ones will live by [fully believing in Me//faith].
But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
It is unfortunate that the King James Version of the first verse of Hebrews 11 doesn’t make good sense but is still so often quoted as the definition of faith. The KJV says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for …” But how can I use that idea of ‘substance’? This became the definition that is quoted, but no one can figure out what to do with it after quoting it. No one can— so to speak— put their finger on that ‘substance’. The Greek word translated as ‘substance’ can also be translated ‘confidence’. And using that word, our definition makes sense.
NLT Translation notes:
Heb. 11:32 How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of [how these people fully believed://the faith of] Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.
33 By [fully believing//faith] these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.
35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.
39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their [fully believing//faith], yet none of them received all that God had promised.
40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
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.