NL-Day312 Ezekiel 48; Isaiah 21; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Release Date: 11/08/2022
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 32:Yesterday we heard of the conquest of the Midianite people. That story is an example of how hard it is for us humans to follow God's instructions. PSALM 45:This psalm may have originally been intended as a wedding song for King Solomon, but from our vantage point we can see that it is really a song of praise to our King, the Messiah, and we— the people of God, are the bride. ACTS 5a:Yesterday we heard of the fearless praying of the believers after being commanded to no longer teach about Jesus. And we heard of the wonderful unity of spirit among them. Unless otherwise...
info_outline NL-Day087 Numbers 31; Psalm 44; Acts 4:19-37Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 31:Yesterday the listing of sacrifices continued with those for the Festival of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the 8 day Festival of Shelters. Then in Numbers 30 we heard laws concerning the annulment of rash vows. These laws show how seriously God takes any vows made to Him! PSALM 44:This is a psalm with extreme contrast between part one and part two. Part one has a tone of praise— reciting the wonderful way God helped Israel. But part two accuses God of abandoning Israel. This psalm can be a pattern for us in how to plead with God to fulfill his promises or to again act as He...
info_outline NL-Day086 Numbers 29-30; Psalm 43; Acts 4:1-22Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 29-30:Yesterday we heard about the request of the daughters of Zelophehad, and the Lord told Moses that it was time for him to die. Joshua was appointed to lead in Moses' place. And we were given the list of sacrificial offerings to be given every day in the morning and evening, those given each Sabbath, and those offered on the first day of the month, at the festival of unleavened bread, and the harvest festival. More of the same starts our reading today. PSALM 43:This psalm is a companion to Psalm 42, containing the same refrain at the end. Both Psalms seem to be the prayers of...
info_outline NL-Day085 Numbers 27-28; Psalm 42; Acts 3Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 27-28:Yesterday we heard of the second registration of Israel's troops. PSALM 42:This Psalm contains words we often sing. It is a song about renewing hope in the Lord after discouragement. ACTS 3:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Peter's first sermon. 3,000 believed in Christ that day and were baptized. And the believers devoted themselves totally to the apostles' teaching. NLT/GNT Translation notes:Num. 27:1 Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were the daughters of Zelophehad[. Zelophehad traced his genealogy as the] son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of...
info_outline NL-Day084 Numbers 26; Psalm 41; Acts 2:16-47Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 26:Yesterday we heard Balaam's final prophecies. Even though he was a shaman and a charlatan, God chose to speak through him on that occasion, giving a small glimpse of God's redemptive plan. PSALM 41:God hears us when we are down and cry out for his help. ACTS 2b:Yesterday we heard how the Holy Spirit came with tongues of fire and a loud noise, and the beginning part of Peter's first famous sermon. 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...
info_outline 083: Reader, take NOTE! Pointers for understanding parablesDaily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Today I would like to give pointers for understanding Jesus’ parables. I consider the parable to be one of the greatest of all teaching devices, and a legacy of the Greatest Teacher. I will end this episode by sharing a non-Biblical parable. One little detail to understand is that the word ‘parable’ (Greek paraboles) had a wider meaning than we normally think of in English, and you may see this sometimes in the New Testament. In English, we normally think of a parable as a story that points to some deeper meaning. However, as an example, the word ‘parable’ is used for a one-sentence...
info_outline NL-Day083 Numbers 24-25; Psalm 40; Acts 2:1-24Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 24-25:Yesterday we heard how Balak sent for the shaman Balaam to curse Israel, and we heard that God instead moved him to bless Israel two times. And a third sacrifice of 7 bulls and 7 rams was made. PSALM 40:This is a psalm that is quoted in the New Testament. It is a great psalm of praise which conveys many New Testament concepts. (Some of you will perceive some differences in the NT quote. This is because the NT quote was taken from the Septuagint— the ancient translation of the OT into Greek.) ACTS 2a:Yesterday we heard about Jesus' followers who were waiting in Jerusalem for the...
info_outline NL-Day082 Numbers 22-23; Psalm 39; Acts 1Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 22-23:In Numbers 21, the Lord gave victory to the Israelites over the Amorites, and then over King Sihon. And because of Israel’s grumbling, the Lord sent poisonous snakes among them. When the people cried out to Moses, the Lord told him to make a snake and set it up on a pole. This is an unannounced picture of Christ. PSALM 39:This is a prayer for relief by David when he felt he was under the discipline of the Lord. ACTS 1:We follow up Luke's first report to Theophilus with his second to the same man. (Or perhaps Luke meant this account to be for any 'lover of God'.) The book covers...
info_outline NL-Day081 Numbers 21; Psalm 38; Luke 24:30-53Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 21:Yesterday we heard about the water of purification, which involved the burnt offering of a red heifer and following very exacting requirements. Then we heard the story of Moses and Aaron's failure to display God's holiness in the issue of speaking to— rather than striking the rock. It is no wonder Moses was exasperated by the people. And following that incident, not being able to pass through the land of Edom, they turned back to Mount Hor, where Aaron died. PSALM 38:This is a beautiful song of repentance and a cry for deliverance from enemies. LUKE 24b:Yesterday we heard the...
info_outline NL-Day080 Numbers 19-20; Psalm 37:20-40; Luke 24:1-34Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 19-20:In yesterday's portions we heard how God proved again His choice of Aaron and the Levites by causing Aaron's staff to bud and even produce almonds. And God explained to the Levites and priests that their portion was not land— as for the other Israelites, but God himself and all the gifts given to God. PSALM 37b:Today we return to the acrostic poem, Psalm 37. Look for how this poem shows us God’s perspective about this world. LUKE 24a:At the end of chapter 23, we heard of the events of the crucifixion, including the miracle of the torn curtain in the temple. Jesus was laid in...
info_outlineEZEKIEL 48:
In the chapters from Ezekiel yesterday, we heard more rules for the prince’s worship and about temple kitchens and a beginning part about the division of the land. Very fascinating in that is the part about the river that comes out from the east side of the temple, including trees that are for healing, bearing fruit every month. We will soon hear about this river and the trees of life in Revelation.
ISAIAH 21:
Yesterday’s chapter in Isaiah was only six verses long. It always seems very unfair to me that Isaiah had to go about naked as a sign about two countries that were not even his own. Surely it was a sign for the people of Israel’s benefit as well. I wonder if Isaiah’s being ‘naked’ was really what we call stark naked. In some cultures, if a man is wearing a loin cloth, he is still called naked. Just as the description states, a person in a loin cloth will have their buttocks exposed.
2CORINTHIANS 1:23—2:
At the beginning of chapter 2, Paul is still telling about his change of plans and showing why he doesn’t want to be misunderstood in his motives concerning that. I will read 23 in the NLT and 24 in the PET:
23 (NLT) Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke.
24 (PET, Phil’s Plain English Translation) My purpose and that of the other apostles of Christ isn’t to command how each of you in the Corinthian church live out your beliefs. We are certain that each of you will keep standing firm in your belief. We just want to work with you so that your joy keeps on increasing because of living according to your beliefs.
NLT Translation Notes:
2Cor. 2:13 But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report [about/from] you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him.
14 But thank God! [God/He] has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
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.