NL-Day179 1 Kings 8; Psalm 119:97-112; John 6:25-71
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Release Date: 06/22/2025
NL-Day039 Exodus 17-18; Job 39; 2 Peter 3
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 17-18:Yesterday we heard the wonderful victory song of Moses. Then we heard how the people of Israel grumbled against Moses, Aaron, and most importantly, the Lord. Even about something as simple as gathering manna, the people of Israel disobey repeatedly. They are not called stubborn for nothing.JOB 39:God continues for a second chapter in challenging Job. 2PETER 3:Yesterday it struck me that even in Peter's day, there were greedy false teachers. Peter's descriptions of the false teachers are some of the most colorful in the Bible. NLT Translation notes:Job 39:17 For [I/God] haves...
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NL-Day038 Exodus 15-16; Job 38; 2 Peter 1:19-2:22
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 15-16:Yesterday we heard that because of the Passover plague which killed Egypt's firstborn, God claims the firstborn of Israel for all time to come. Then we heard of Pharaoh's final hardening of his heart, and the parting of the red sea. JOB 38:In the 6 chapters before this, Elihu has said that God uses multiple means of communication with humans. He maintained that God is just, and said that Job— in his despair, had gone too far in saying it doesn't make any difference if one tries to serve God. He said that God is amazing in His power, and God does notice and punish the wicked....
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NL-Day037 Exodus 13-14; Job 37; 2 Peter 1
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 13-14:Yesterday we heard of the final plague— including the death of the firstborn and the first Passover. And we heard the rules for the Passover celebrations. Note how Christ is foreshadowed in the Passover lamb, including the detail that not a bone was to be broken. JOB 37:This is the conclusion of Elihu's speech. 2nd PETER 1:Yesterday in James 5, James railed against the rich to encourage the poor. He also told us how to be patient in our suffering. The last section teaches about prayer for the sick and finally about repentance. I add a little footnote here. So often I hear the...
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NL-Day036 Exodus 11-12; Job 36; James 5
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 11-12:Yesterday we heard of the plague against the livestock, the plague of boils, and the plague of hail. We are not told how much time there was in between each plague. It seems there was enough time for many Egyptians to buy more livestock before they were again decimated by the hail. Then we heard about the plague of locusts followed by the plague of darkness. I hope you noticed Who is doing the hardening of hearts and causing the stubbornness. Paul talks about that in Romans 9. JOB 36:This is Elihu's 5th chapter. JAMES 5:In chapter 4, James preached against the way the world had...
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NL-Day035 Exodus 9-10; Job 35; James 4
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 9-10:The two chapters we read yesterday included the story of Aaron's staff becoming a serpent, and the plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, and flies. Note verse that in our reading today: 9:19 Now give orders for your livestock and everything else you have in the open to be put under shelter. Hail will fall on the people and animals left outside unprotected, and they will all die.’ ” Evidently enough time had passed between the plague against the livestock so that the Egyptians were able to buy livestock, and I am sure the people of Israel profited in that! JOB 35:This is Elihu's 4th...
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NL-Day034 Exodus 7-8; Job 34; James 3
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 7-8:Yesterday we heard of Moses and Aaron's first disastrous meeting with Pharaoh, and Pharaoh's retaliation against the Israelite people. God spoke with Moses again reaffirming his promises and his covenant with the people of Israel. JOB 34:This is the third chapter of Elihu's six-chapter monologue. JAMES 3:Yesterday James warned that showing favoritism breaks the Law of Love that our King Jesus taught. And he talked about dead religion, which consists of easy believism with no acting out of what we believe. Here is a famous statement that sums up Biblical teaching nicely on this...
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NL-Day033 Exodus 5-6; Job 33; James 2
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 5-6:Moses has responded to God's call, returned to Egypt with Aaron, and has had a successful meeting with the leaders of the Israelite people. JOB 33:This is Elihu's second chapter of six in his speech. JAMES 2:Yesterday James told us to consider it a great joy when troubles come our way. Don't miss James’ reasoning for this seeming contradiction. Then he spoke very strongly about not just being people who merely listen to God's Word. We must do it. NLT Translation notes:Jam. 2:1 My dear brothers and sisters, a how can you claim to [fully believe//have faith] in our glorious...
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NL-Day032 Exodus 3-4; Job 32; James 1
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 3-4:In yesterday's beginning to Exodus, we heard of Moses' birth and his young adulthood in Egypt. He murdered a man and had to flee for his life, going to Midian. We also read of his helping the seven daughters of Reuel, a scene that I can't read without thinking of the Cecil B. DeMill movie. JOB 32:Job having finished his defense, Elihu takes the stage. HC Mears says, Eliphaz basically said, “God never makes a mistake. What have you done to bring this on yourself?” Bildad essentially said, “God is just. Confess your sin.” Zophar suggested, “God is all-wise. He knows...
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NL-Day031 Exodus 1-2; Job 31; 1 Peter 5
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EXODUS 1:Yesterday we wrapped up Genesis with Jacob's very prophetic blessings for each of his sons. Then we heard of the conclusion after Jacob was buried and finally Joseph died. Exodus is clearly a continuation of the story of Genesis, since the first word in the Hebrew text is ‘And’. Tradition holds that Moses is the author. The name Exodus derives from the name that was given by the Septuagint translators— which is the translation of the OT into classical Greek made three hundred years before Christ. Here are two perceptive summary statements about Exodus— quotes by Durham (from...
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NL-Day030 Genesis 49-50; Job 30; 1 Peter 3:17-4:19
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
GENESIS 49-50: In yesterday's reading, Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Joseph lead powerfully during the worst of the famine, and Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh— putting the younger Ephraim above his older brother. (And if you remember Jacob's story, you'll know where he got that idea.) JOB 30: In the GNT, this is the 2nd of Job’s three chapters stating his complaints. In the NLT, this is the 5th chapter of his monologue. Yesterday Job spoke of his previous blessed life and high position. In this chapter he tells of his anguish. 1PETER 4: Yesterday in chapter 3 he gave instructions to wives,...
info_outline1KINGS 8:
Yesterday we heard lots and lots of details about the building of the temple. A man from Tyre, Huram, must have been an efficient and artistic technician in working with bronze casting. He corresponds to the two craftsmen who designed and constructed the first tabernacle.
PSALM 119:97-112:
Again we are focussing on what God’s Word means to us. A favorite verse from yesterday’s portion is verse 89:
Ps. 119:89 “Your word, O Lord, will last forever; it is eternal in heaven.”
JOHN 6b:
There is an important play on words between Jesus and the crowd in Capernaum which does not come out clearly in either the NLT or the GNT. It involves the word ‘work’. Observe verses 27-29:
John 6:27 NLT [Don’t//But don’t] be so concerned about perishable things like food. [Work instead to gain//Spend your energy seeking] the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
John 6:27 GNT Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him.”
28So they asked him, “What [work] can we do in order to do [the work//what] God wants us to do?”
29 Jesus answered, “[The work//What] God wants you to do is to believe in [me,] the one [whom] he sent.”
The irony captured in this play on words is that normally the act of believing is not considered a ‘work’. In fact, in later NT writings there is a strong contrast between working for salvation vs. believing for salvation. (As we have said before, this is not really a contradiction.) I bring this up to remind us that ‘believing’ is an act of the will. It is something one can choose to do, and therefore it can be called a ‘work’.
NLT Translation notes:
John 6:27 [Don’t//But don’t] be so concerned about perishable things like food. [Work instead to gain//Spend your energy seeking] the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
53 So Jesus said again, “I [, the Son of Man,] tell you the truth, unless you eat [my flesh//the flesh of the Son of Man] and drink [My/his] blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.
56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains [joined to//in] me, and I [remain joined to//in] him.
62 Then what will you think if you see [Me, the Son of Man, ascending//the Son of Man ascend] to heaven again?
68 Simon [who is also called] Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.
71 He was speaking of Judas, son of [the] Simon [that was from the village of Cariot//Iscariot], one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
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.