NL-Day333 Esther 3-4; Isaiah 41:1-20; 2 Thessalonians 1
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Release Date: 11/29/2024
NL-Day074 Numbers 10-11; Psalm 32; Luke 21:1-19
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 10-11:Yesterday we heard about the position of the lamps on the lampstand in the Holy Place, and the Levites were dedicated for service. The second Passover was celebrated. The Israelites received their marching orders based on when the cloud moved from over the sacred tent. PSALM 32:Psalm 32 gives essential spiritual principles conveyed in David's testimony. I encourage every listener to camp out a while in this psalm. LUKE 21:In the last confrontation in Luke 20, Jesus soundly refuted the Sadducees. After this, his teaching further embarrassed and offended the religious teachers. NLT...
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NL-Day075 Numbers 12-13; Psalm 33; Luke 21:17-38
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 12-13:In Numbers 10 we heard about the signals given to the people using two silver trumpets, and about the first journey leaving Mount Sinai. Then we heard of the start of the grumbling against Moses and God. Moses appointed 70 leaders, and God sent quail in response to the people's complaints. Even Moses said some things that sound like complaining to me. But remember the name Kibroth Hattaavah. We have strong evidence that God doesn’t like complainers. PSALM 33:This psalm is full of important wisdom for us! This is the 4th Psalm without a title given by the rabbis. LUKE...
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NL-Day073 Numbers 8-9; Psalm 31; Luke 20:20-47
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 8-9:In Numbers 7, we heard about the gifts given by the leaders of Israel following the dedication of the sacred tent. Translation note: How the ‘waving’ of the ‘wave offering’ was done is variously interpreted in 8:13. And it could be taken simply as a presentation, because it would be rather hard to ‘wave’ some objects. NLT: Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and raise your hands and present them as a special offering to the LORD. HCSB: … and you are to present them before the Lord as a presentation offering. CEV: They...
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NL-Day071 Numbers 5-6; Psalm 29; Luke 19:20-48
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 5-6:Yesterday we heard the assignments for the Kohathite, Gershonite, and Merarite clans in regard to the care and moving of the sacred tent, all under the direction of Aaron's sons. PSALM 29:This is one of my personal favorite psalms because of the response of the people in the temple to God's glorious revelations of himself in nature. LUKE 19b:In yesterday's reading, Zacchaeus— a notorious sinner, dramatically came to Jesus. Then Jesus told a very thought-provoking parable. He is the King who will return and He will ask for an accounting from each of us— his servants. NLT...
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NL-Day072 Numbers 7; Psalm 30; Luke 20:1-26
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 7:Yesterday we heard how people had to follow through with God’s commands, and those with defiling diseases were expelled from their camp until such time as they could be declared ritually clean again. And we heard about cleansing for issues involving the conscience, and what a man might do if he suspected his wife of unfaithfulness. (A man would have to be a terrible jerk to do this to his wife if he didn't have good reasons for his suspicions!) The 6th chapter dealt with the Nazarite vow, and the ended with the famous Aaronic blessing. In today’s chapter 7 of Numbers, the GNT has...
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NL-Day070 Numbers 4; Psalm 28; Luke 19:1-27
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 4:Yesterday we learned that the Levite clans were given separate tasks in the care of the sacred tent. The 22,000 Levites became substitutes for Israel's 22,273 first-born sons. PSALM 28:David cries out to the Lord with all his heart. I love the imagery of the Lord as David’s ‘rock’, ‘shield’, and ‘shepherd’. (v1, 7, 9) Bible translators who translate into ethnic languages often need to make the difficult choice of whether to retain a figure of speech more literally, or just to give its meaning. For instance, at the first of v1 and 7, the GNT chose to give the meaning...
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NL-Day069 Numbers 3; Psalm 27; Luke 18:18-43
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 3:Yesterday we heard about the organization of Israel's camp, having three tribes on each of the four sides of the tabernacle. This also determined their marching position when the whole group moved. PSALM 27:This is a beautiful song, expressing David's confidence in the Lord’s protection, and he asks the Lord to vindicate him. The Hebrew of this psalm can be interpreted as a personal prayer addressed to the Lord all the way through. I have reworded the NLT to be more like the CEV in this regard. LUKE 18b:Yesterday in the first half of the chapter, Jesus told the parable of the...
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NL-Day068 Numbers 2; Psalm 26; Luke 18:1-30
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 2:Yesterday in chapter 1, God ordered a census of the men capable as soldiers in war. And we heard the list of the clan leaders of the 12 listed tribes— excluding Levi. (The number of tribes remains at 12 because the tribe of Joseph is split in two.) PSALM 26:This poem is a personal lament. It is similar to Psalm 25, but does not contain confession. David asks for God’s vindication because of his personal integrity, and shows his love for God by his devotion to God’s sanctuary. LUKE 18a:Yesterday we heard about the suddenness of the coming of Jesus as the Son of Man, and...
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NL-Day067 Numbers 1; Psalm 25; Luke 17:20-37
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 1:Numbers is the 4th of Moses' 5 books. And this is the one that I have looked forward to as the hardest book of all to read in the podcast! In this book we will see that unbelief hinders God's blessings for Israel. HC Mears says, “Numbers might be called the Wilderness Wanderings,” because it chronicles the journey. And “Numbers might be called the book of the March and the Roll Call. ... It might, too, be called the Book of Murmurings, because from beginning to end it is filled with the spirit of rebellion against God.” “Leviticus dealt with the believers' worship—...
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NL-Day066 Leviticus 26-27; Psalm 24; Luke 17:1-21
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
LEVITICUS 26-27:Yesterday we heard about the Sabbath year and the year of Restoration/Jubilee. Before the Year of Restoration, property could be bought back//redeemed. In the Restoration year property was returned to the original owners and poor people who had become enslaved were set free. I suspect these laws were never done in all of Israel's history. If they were, perhaps only once— fifty years after Israel entered the land of Canaan. PSALM 24:This Psalm is one of the most majestic psalms! This ends with the song for welcoming the triumphant Messiah into Jerusalem. LUKE 17a:Yesterday in...
info_outlineESTHER 3-4:
Yesterday we heard how Esther became the queen, and how she continued to keep her Jewish background a secret. We also heard how Mordecai, her uncle, was promoted to a palace official after uncovering a plot to assassinate king Xerxes.
Today we are introduced to the villain of the story— Haman. The Jews always read the book of Esther in the celebration of Purim. Whenever Haman’s name is read they boo and shake rattles or noisemakers to drown out his name.
ISAIAH 41a:
The shift to such beautiful poetry that occurs in chapter 40 of Isaiah is one of the things that has made people think the last part of this book was authored by someone else. But that is the silly. As I have pointed out as we have gone along, Isaiah has written beautiful and memorize-able verses from the beginning of this book. And Isaiah’s amazing predictions about the Messiah are not just found in chapter 53, as we heard again yesterday.
2 THESSALONIANS 1:
Did you notice yesterday that the little book of Philemon is a picture of the Gospel? Philemon is in the place of God. Paul is an advocate like Jesus. Picture yourself in the position of a runaway slave. I give a hint here for digging deeper in Philemon: There is a wonderful play of words that happens twice based on the name Onesimus.
I hope that you recall that we read 1st Thessalonians several months ago. 2nd Thessalonians seems to have been written soon after the first letter, around 51 AD. Paul was evidently still at Corinth. And the letter seems to have been written to clarify a very important point about Christ’s second coming. This letter contains some of the clearest teaching about the antichrist— although Paul does not use that term.
Constable’s notes say, “Paul wrote to encourage the Thessalonian believers to continue to persevere in the face of continuing persecution (1:3-10). He also wanted to clarify events preceding the day of the Lord to dispel false teaching (2:1-12). Finally, he instructed the church how to deal with lazy Christians in their midst (3:6-15).” Constable’s notes can be found at Lumina.bible.org.
NLT Translation notes:
2Thes. 1:3 Dear brothers and sisters,c we can’t help but thank God for you, because [you so fully believe in Christ//your faith is flourishing] and your love for one another is growing.
11 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your [full belief in Christ//faith] prompts you to do.
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.