NL-Day314 Daniel 2; Isaiah 23; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:18
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
DANIEL 2:In the first chapter of Daniel, we heard how Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were faithful to God in not wanting to be defiled by the king’s food, and later they were found better than their companions and chosen for service to King Nebuchadnezzar. ISAIAH 23:Yesterday we heard two dramatic messages. One was about the failure of Jerusalem to appropriately respond to God’s impending judgment (which was remarkably like Nero fiddling while Rome burned). Then there was the message to Shebna, the palace administrator. Eliakim would take his place and be like a nail firmly driven...
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NL-Day313 Daniel 1; Isaiah 22; 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:18
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
DANIEL 1:Yesterday in Ezekiel, the land was divided in horizontal bands across the entire width of Israel. We will see the 12 gates of the New Jerusalem again in Revelation. We start the little but immensely important book of Daniel today. Daniel wrote this sometime between 540 and 530 BC. As Daniel will relate, he was an exile to Babylon starting from 605 BC. For comparison, Ezekiel tells us that he was deported to Babylonia in 597 (and his location beside the Chebar river might have been 75 miles southeast of Babylon). So Daniel would have come to Babylon only 8 years earlier. Daniel is a...
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NL-Day312 Ezekiel 48; Isaiah 21; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 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...
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NL-Day311 Ezekiel 46-47; Isaiah 20; 2 Corinthians 1
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 46-47:Yesterday we heard regulations for the priests and Levites, about foreigners, and about the prince of Israel. Also there was the fascinating detail about the eastern gate, which must remain shut. ISAIAH 20:Yesterday we heard the prophecy against Egypt, but again it ends with a note of hope for Egypt. 2 CORINTHIANS 1:Yesterday we finished the book of Hebrews. I would encourage anyone to camp out for a longer time in the 12th and 13th chapters. There is deep insight hidden there. Here at the end of the year, we will be touring through some of the deepest writing of the New...
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NL-Day310 Ezekiel 44-45; Isaiah 19; Hebrews 13
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 44-45:In the vision of the ideal temple yesterday, we heard of the buildings of rooms for the priests and offerings, the altar, the glory of God coming to this temple, and the reason for this vision. ISAIAH 19:Yesterday in Isaiah we heard the prophecy about the defeat of the Ethiopians, and at the end of that message, there was a note of hope for that nation. HEBREWS 13:Yesterday (and even the day before) we returned to the place of rest which was the theme of chapters 3-4. Did you notice?! Compare the last verse of chapter 4 with the place where we ‘have come’ to in 12:22-24. NLT...
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NL-Day309 Ezekiel 42-43; Isaiah 18; Hebrews 12
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 42-43:In yesterday’s tour of the ideal temple we viewed the sanctuary and Most Holy Place. ISAIAH 18:Yesterday we heard of Damascus and Syria and Israel. HEBREWS 12:After recounting the more victorious heroes of faithful believing, the author spoke about all those unnamed people who victoriously suffered because of fully believing. The Faith Chapter ends with this: Heb. 11:39 NLT 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...
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NL-Day308 Ezekiel 41; Isaiah 17; Hebrews 11:17-40
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 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...
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NL-Day307 Ezekiel 40; Isaiah 16; Hebrews 10:35-11:23
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 40:In chapter 38-39 we heard of the kingdoms of Gog and Magog, which point to future kingdoms in the north. Like Ezekiel’s prophecies against the kings of Tyre and Babylon, Gog and Magog also refer to spiritual entities beyond this world, and we will hear of them again in Revelation chapter 20. And today we begin hearing of something else that appears in Revelation. ISAIAH 16:Today’s chapter is the continuation of the prophecy against Moab. HEBREWS 10:35—11a:As I have told you again and again this year, because of a quirk in English, the tight connection between the noun...
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NL-Day306 Ezekiel 38-39; Isaiah 15; Hebrews 10:12-39
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 38-39:Yesterday we heard the famous ‘dry bones’ chapter of Ezekiel. Again the prophecy is that David will rule over the nation of Israel, which is like a nation of bones brought back to life. The references to David of course point to his heir, Christ. Starting in this chapter we hear of the kingdoms of Gog and Magog. These names point to future kingdoms in the north (in Turkey or farther north). Like Ezekiel’s prophecies against the kings of Tyre and Babylon, Gog and Magog point to spiritual entities beyond this world, and we will hear those names coming up again in Revelation....
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NL-Day305 Ezekiel 36-37; Isaiah 14; Hebrews 10:1-22
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
EZEKIEL 36-37:In chapter 34, we heard the passage that many Jews would have thought of when they heard Jesus say, “I am the good shepherd. I give my life for the sheep.” In Ezekiel 34, God promised to take away corrupt shepherds, saying that He would replace them with only one shepherd— namely David's descendant who will shepherd of the flock of God forever. ISAIAH 14:Like we heard in Ezekiel and in Isaiah, and will hear in Revelation, Babylon will be judged. That kingdom was God’s tool to execute judgment, but they themselves will feel God’s judgment. HEBREWS 10a:In chapter 9 of...
info_outlineGENESIS 47-48:
In yesterday's reading, Jacob arrived in Egypt with his family. Excluding more extended family, the whole group numbered 70 people at that time.
JOB 29:
Yesterday we heard the chapter in praise of God’s wisdom, which GNT attributes to Zophar. Today Job speaks of his former blessings, in the first of three chapters which are the final statement of his case.
1PETER 3:
Peter packed each sentence with meaning. I encourage you to take time to read the first two chapters slowly and think about Peter’s descriptive words. Yesterday, for instance, we read the wonderful “Living Stones” passage— which pictures deep meaning about our spiritual identity because of our being built upon (or, joined as one with) Christ, the Cornerstone.
At the end of chapter 2, Peter taught about submitting to governmental leaders, and slaves submitting to their masters.
NLT Translation notes:
Job 29:12 For I assisted the poor in their need
and the orphans who [needed/required] help.
18 “I thought, ‘Surely [my death will come after a good, long life//I will die surrounded by my family
after a long, good life] and I will be surrounded by my family.
24 When they were discouraged, I [had only to smile//smiled] at them.
My look of approval was precious to them.
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1Ptr. 3:15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about [where you have placed your hope//your Christian hope], always be ready to explain [about Christ/it].
1Ptr. 3:20 those who disobeyed [God] long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
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.