Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

Join us in reading through the whole NLT Bible in 365 20-minute-long podcasts! This podcast was previously named Daily Bible Reading.

NL-Day298 Ezekiel 23; Isaiah 7; Hebrews 3 10/18/2026

NL-Day297 Ezekiel 22; Isaiah 6; Hebrews 3 10/18/2026

NL-Day296 Ezekiel 21; Isaiah 5; Hebrews 2 10/18/2026

NL-Day296 Ezekiel 21; Isaiah 5; Hebrews 2 EZEKIEL 21:Yesterday we saw that the Lord was quite offended when unrighteous leaders of Israel came to ask for a message from the Lord! And Ezekiel begged to not have to give a highly figurative message because the people complained that he was always speaking in riddles. ISAIAH 5:Yesterday there was a temporary break in the clouds in Isaiah, and we heard the first hint about the Righteous Branch who was to come. HEBREWS 2:Yesterday we heard the amazing prologue in the first chapter of Hebrews. Angels are nowhere approaching the majesty of Jesus. And Jesus was given many glorious promises. GNT/NLT Translation notes:[Heb. 2:5 is one of the most frequently misunderstood verses in this book! (To show the misunderstanding, I quote the NLT below. The GNT fixes the problem for both readers and listeners.) People are so used to understanding the title ‘the Son of Man’ as referring to Jesus, that they they don’t realize that that is NOT the meaning here! I believe that this is the only place in the New Testament where the main Hebrew meaning of ‘son of man’ is used— which simply means ‘an ordinary human’ (or ‘mortal man’ as God calls Ezekiel in the GNT). In this chapter, the author was highlighting the difference between us and angelic beings.]5 NLT And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about. 6 For in one place the Scriptures say,“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,or a son of man [— an ordinary human,] that you should care for him?[Note that NLT has ‘son of man’ without capitals. But only one actually viewing the text can see the capitals. Listeners can’t see them.]7 GNT Yet you made them [— humans,] only a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.8 You gave them authority over all things…”Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under [the authority of mankind//their authority]. 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5582731

NL-Day295 Ezekiel 20; Isaiah 3:24--4:6; Hebrews 1 10/18/2026

NL-Day295 Ezekiel 20; Isaiah 3:24--4:6; Hebrews 1 EZEKIEL 20:In yesterday’s reading in Ezekiel, the Lord refuted the saying that the Israelite’s were using, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.” And then Ezekiel conveyed two poems about the kings of Judah, spoken of symbolically as two lion cubs and like a vine. ISAIAH 3:24—4:Isaiah, like Ezekiel, also spoke of Israel like a vine, and in yesterday’s reading the Lord and Isaiah characterized Israel as a pampered, vain, and spoiled woman. HEBREWS 1:In heaven, I hope to find out who it was who wrote the book of Hebrews. The book doesn’t show signs of Pauline authorship. Important in this, there is no salutation like in all of Paul’s letters. Also, the writer does not claim to have been an eyewitness of Christ (2:3), as Paul claimed. The letter was probably written somewhat before AD 70, because even though the author talks much of the temple, he never mentions its destruction. Mears points out that the word ‘better’ occurs 10 times, signalling a theme that Christians have been given a better way. In the first chapter the theme is that Christ is supreme and far superior to angels. For many years I wondered why the writer did not return to his theme of our ‘place of rest’, which he gives in chapters 3-4. Now I think that he does in fact return to that theme! See if you can find it as we read through! And here’s a hint: Note that Israel’s ancestors failed to enter the place of rest because of their refusal to believe God. Hebrews 11 (which is called the Faith Chapter) shows that we enter that place of rest through fully believing God. (That is what faith is!) NLT Translation note:Heb. 1:2And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God [has] promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5582588

NL-Day294 Ezekiel 18-19; Isaiah 3; Jude 1 10/18/2026

NL-Day294 Ezekiel 18-19; Isaiah 3; Jude 1 EZEKIEL 18-19:Yesterday in Ezekiel we read the riddle of the two eagles, portraying Israel’s king breaking his sworn covenant with Babylon. There is a lesson here for us. Normally Babylon would be considered the enemy, and getting free from the enemy would be considered a good thing. But NOT SO if the country has made a promise of loyalty sealed by a vow taken in God’s name! Faithfulness to oaths and promises in God’s name take precedence over ‘business as usual’. ISAIAH 3:These famous words from yesterday’s chapter in Isaiah bear repeating today: Isaiah 2:2-4 NLT 2 In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. 3 People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. JUDE:We come today to the little epistle from Jude, the brother of Jesus. But, significantly, he doesn’t call himself Jesus’ half-brother. He calls himself the Slave of Christ Jesus. Jude wrote his letter around the same time as 2 Peter, sometime around AD 60-80. I think that Peter borrowed material from Jude, rather than the other way around. One thing that makes me think this is that Jude uses more material from extra-biblical sources than Peter does in 2 Peter 2. Jude and Peter were writing in a very difficult time for Christians, and Jude calls us to contend for the ‘faith’— the teachings that God has given to us to fully believe. NLT Translation notes:Jud. 1This letter is from Jude, a slave of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] and a brother of James.I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,[Footnote: Faith = belief. Holy beliefs can be summarized as the content of the Gospel and all of God’s Word. These are the ‘healthy teachings’ that Paul spoke about in Titus and his other books.] 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5582173

NL-Day293 Ezekiel 17; Isaiah 2; Matthew 28 10/18/2026

293: Buckling the Belt Lesson 6: Know who you are. 10/18/2026

293: Buckling the Belt Lesson 6: Know who you are. Lesson 6 THEME: Buckle up the belt of truth by believing you are ACCEPTED, SECURE, AND SIGNIFICANT. According to Dr. Neil T. Anderson, nearly all Christians struggle to overcome Satan’s lies in at least one of these three areas: 1) I’m not accepted. No one wants me. God certainly couldn’t want someone like me. Even though I confess sins, I never feel that I am fully forgiven. 2) I’m not secure. I am weak. The evil one is stronger than I am. I'm gonna fall into the trap of sin and never get out. 3) I’m not significant. I never live up to anyone’s expectations, even my own. I am worthless and stupid. If you are a believer in Christ and believe in what God’s Word says, these are lies. I hope that the outcome of this lesson is that you know which of the three lies is the one you struggle with the most. Then, when you figure out which is your weakness, Anderson’s Freedom In Christ Ministries gives you verses you can memorize to combat the problem. Buckle the belt of truth in your area of weakness. Of course, it seems obvious that the three areas I listed will likely be related to each person’s personal history. Some children are permanently scarred by parents who cannot be pleased, no matter how hard one tries. Parents, after all, come with hang-ups that they have inherited from their parents. Other children suffer long periods wondering if they will have a mother or father tomorrow. In my case, I think my weakness relates to not learning to read in my first three grades of school. I think that harassing evil spirits possess keen observational powers by which they discover our weaknesses. I think they can tell when their whispered temptations work. So beware! Evil spirits often introduce thoughts into our minds which they pass off as our own thoughts. In other words, they don’t tell you, “You’re worthless.” Instead they pass off the suggestion as if it came from your own mind, by whispering, “I’m worthless.” If you experience insistent negative thoughts about yourself, I urge you to ask God to reveal the source of them. In my introduction above, I have stated the three weaknesses negatively. When stated positively, as I will start to do now, these three inner-messages are the foundation of your spiritual identity. Let’s go through them one by one in the order given by Anderson. =====Say to yourself: I am ACCEPTED by Christ===== If you believe in Jesus and simply come to him, the Bible tells you, “You are accepted by him.” John 1:12 is the first verse Anderson gives as an antidote to this problem: But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. For many verses given as antidotes to this problem, I find myself arguing if I can fulfill the conditions. The verse just quoted has easy conditions. Do I believe in Jesus? Yes. Have I asked Him to come into my life? Yes. I have accepted Him, and that means He accepts me! The verse says, “to all” who do those two things, “he gave the right …” So I’m not left out! He gives to all who believe and accept Him “the right to become children of God.” The next verse goes on to say that those same people become reborn. I will depart from Anderson’s list to give some of my favorites: Mat. 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” If you fit the description, notice the word ‘all’. I find many such verses in John’s writings. In Rev. 21:6 Jesus—from his position sitting on the throne with God — says, “To all who are thirsty, I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.” Then in chapter 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride (that is the whole assembly of redeemed people) say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” Similarly, in John 7:38, Jesus promises, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” For your convenience, in the episode notes, I list the verses that Anderson gives that help you to claim that YOU are ACCEPTED by God: I am accepted… I am God’s child. As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ. I have been justified. I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit. I have been bought with a price and I belong to God. I am a member of Christ’s body. I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. I am complete in Christ. I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ. =====Say to yourself: I am SECURE===== I love how Romans 8 gives us a wonderful logical progression to tell us that we are secure. We are one with Christ, or as the NLT translates it, we belong to Christ. This means no one can condemn us. Those in that position will find the life-giving Spirit working in them. Other than transforming our lives, the Spirit is a guarantee that we are God's sons. Again God's Word uses the word ‘all’: Romans 8:14 NLT For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Even though, to be gender sensitive, some translations use ‘children’ here, I think it is good for women to also consider that they become— spiritually speaking— ‘sons’. (Men have a similar difficulty in accepting that they are part of the ‘bride of Christ’.) The precious thing here is that these verses say that we ALL are given the legal status of ‘sonship’, which according to Roman law, could not be changed. (Rom. 8:15) Having this legal position of sonship means that no one and no spiritual power can separate us from the love of God and of Christ. Romans 8 is the most emphatic statement about our security that you will find in Scripture! Once again, in the episode notes I give the nine verses Anderson lists: I am secure! I am free from condemnation. I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances. I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God. I have been established, anointed and sealed by God. I am hidden with Christ in God. I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me. I am a citizen of heaven. I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me. =====Say to yourself: I am SIGNIFICANT===== It is actually a short logical step from our believing that we are Accepted and Secure to believing that we are SIGNIFICANT in God’s eyes. For instance, if you are one with Christ, it is like you are part of his body. Let's say a little toe. Well just think: No one wants to lose a toe! Every little part of our body is significant to us, especially if it becomes hurt. I suspect that Satan's lackies whisper to people that believing yourself to be significant to God is prideful. But it is not being prideful to tell the truth about yourself. Base your significance on the amazing things God's Word says about you, then your significance will not be prideful. It can be helpful to notice the times when the Holy Spirit gives you a nudge. Do you feel it natural to call God your Father (Abba) when you pray?— as Romans 8 talks about. Have you ever felt the nudge to pray for someone? Has a verse of Scripture ever sort of ‘jumped off the page’? Did that ever cause you to repent or take some action? In a conversation, have you ever suddenly felt that you should say something to help someone. Has anything ever happened to you that might be leading you to exercise a spiritual gift? (Gifts like teaching, counseling, encouraging, being generous, etc.) These things can be reassuring, we must not totally rely on such experiences, to encourage us about our significance. Please also realize that having a packed schedule of all kinds of church volunteering will never bring a true assurance of your significance. Consider these eye-opening verses assembled by Dr. Neil Anderson: I am significant… I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life. I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit. I am God’s temple. I am a minister of reconciliation for God. I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm. I am God’s workmanship. I may approach God with freedom and confidence. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. This is the link to the display of “Who I am in Christ” at the Freedomn In Christ Ministries website: So, the identity we possess in Christ means that we are ACCEPTED, SECURE, AND SIGNIFICANT. And I think it is revealing how this relates to our spiritual armor, as found in Ephesians 6. The seven items of our armor are seven facets of every believer's identity. There is a PDF file attached to this episode that documents what the figures of speech mean for each item of our spiritual armor: Armor Handout: Understanding how to wear our spiritual armor 14a belt of truth — significant 14b breastplate of righteousness — accepted 15 shoes — accepted, secure, and significant 16 shield of faith — secure 17a helmet of salvation — accepted 17b sword of the spirit — secure 18 cell phone of prayer — accepted and significant [Improved from lesson 4:] How to pray to make sure you are wearing your spiritual armor: Lord God, give me strength to stand firm. Help me to wear— and be aware— of all the spiritual armor You have given to me, so that I can stand against Satan and his forces: Please remind me that I am already wearing the breastplate of righteousness, because Jesus died and was raised to life, and He has given me right standing in your sight. Help me to keep on the boots of the Gospel of peace, not only being ready to share the good news about Christ, but also anchoring my life in the truth of the Gospel. May I always wear the belt of truth, believing in everything you say about me in the Bible, and therefore never letting go of my shield, which is fully believing that you will shield me when I experience Satan's temptations and be with me in all my trials. May I always have the helmet of salvation, because I know You have saved me. Help me to study the Word of God, so that it is a ready resource that the Holy Spirit will use (like a scalpel) to operate on me, as well as prompting me to lovingly share Your truth with others. And help me to never forget that the Holy Spirit gives me an instant connection to You in prayer. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/34072196

NL-Day292 Ezekiel 16; Isaiah 1; Matthew 27:35-66 10/18/2026

NL-Day292 Ezekiel 16; Isaiah 1; Matthew 27:35-66 EZEKIEL 16:This book should make modern day ‘prophets’ reconsider what they do in the Lord’s name. In this book we have heard again and again that the Lord will punish those who prophesy falsely. And in the part about the wood of a vine being useless in yesterday’s reading, there is only one useful thing a grape vine does, and this is bear grapes. And God was saying that since Israel did not bear the proper fruit, He would judge them, and do this without delay. The complaints become even more graphic in today’s reading. ISAIAH 1:For a number of years now, Isaiah has marked the end of my year. We will be reading Isaiah in our poetry portions until day number three hundred and 65. Since I start my readings anew every January 1st, I always enjoy the preparation Isaiah gives for Christmas, and also the correspondences with Revelation in the New Testament, which we also will read at the end of our reading calendar. Isaiah was written between 739 and 681 BC. I am of the opinion that the break in material at chapter 40 does not signal a different author. Isaiah simply was older and the Lord gave him different messages at the end of his life. Isaiah was a man of royal blood and of high standing. In the New Testament, Isaiah is the most frequently quoted OT book. Isaiah has 66 chapters and the Bible has 66 books. Further, Isaiah dIvides just where the testaments break, with 40 corresponding to Matthew in the NT. The first part of Isaiah deals with God’s judgment on Judah and on other nations. The senselessness of idolatry is preached against all the way through Isaiah. In Isaiah we can also see two comings for Christ, with Isaiah giving the wonderful 53rd chapter about the suffering Servant (Christ), and his coming in power is spoken about in chapter 34. MATTHEW 27b:Today we hear the second half of the crucifixion events. NLT Translation note:Mat. 27:56 Among them were Mary [from the village of Magdala//Magdalene], Mary (the mother of James and Joseph ([who were Jesus’ half-brothers//0]), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5581852

NL-Day291 Ezekiel 14-15; Song of Solomon 8; Matthew 27:1-44 10/11/2026

NL-Day290 Ezekiel 12-13; Song of Solomon 7; Matthew 26:31-75 10/11/2026

NL-Day289 Ezekiel 10-11; Song of Solomon 6; Matthew 26:1-35 10/11/2026

NL-Day288 Ezekiel 8-9; Song of Solomon 5; Matthew 25:14-46 10/11/2026

NL-Day287 Ezekiel 6-7; Song of Solomon 4; Matthew 25:1-30 10/11/2026

NL-Day287 Ezekiel 6-7; Song of Solomon 4; Matthew 25:1-30 EZEKIEL 6-7: In yesterday’s reading Ezekiel portrayed the punishment of Israel and the siege on Jerusalem for a total of 430 days. Then he took a razor and cut his hair and divided it into three parts with a little left over. This was used as a demonstration that a third of the people would die in the city from disease and famine. The distress will be so severe that parents will eat their children. A third will be killed by the enemy outside the city, and the last third will be scattered by the sword. A small remnant will be saved. SONG OF SOLOMON 4:Yesterday the woman had an extended speech. Today it is the man’s turn. MATTHEW 25a:Yesterday was Jesus’ extended teaching about the end times and His own return, and the parables about our Being READY to receive our Master. And at the beginning of this chapter, we have one of my favorite parables. NLT Translation notes:Mat. 25:14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted [them to do business with//0] his money [0//to them] while he was gone. 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. [Come! Celebrate together with me!//Let’s celebrate together!]’23 ending same as at the end of 2125 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it [a hole in the ground//in the earth]. Look, here is your money back.’40 “And [I, as the King,//the King] will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,f you were doing it to me!’41 “Then [I, as the King,//the King] will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.45 “And [I/he] will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5580421

NL-Day286 Ezekiel 4-5; Song of Solomon 3; Matthew 24:23-51 10/11/2026

NL-Day286 Ezekiel 4-5; Song of Solomon 3; Matthew 24:23-51 EZEKIEL 4-5:In Ezekiel 2-3 God commissioned Ezekiel to speak for God to the rebellious people of Israel. God fed Ezekiel a scroll. This tasted sweet, but afterwards I think he would tell us that it produced “bitterness”— as we will see with John who eats a similar scroll in Revelation. God gave these important words to Ezekiel in yesterday’s reading: Ez. 3:10 NLT …“Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. SONG OF SOLOMON 3:As we have seen, this Song of Songs is high poetry. The woman’s stories— such as what we hear today, are better taken as poetic expressions of her deep love than as true narratives. MATTHEW 24b:Jesus said, “Immediately after those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will give no light.” Here is a story from 20 14, the first year I was recording these podcasts. I wrote: Just three days ago, in the evening, I was with the Orya people at an open-air youth retreat. The pastor pointed out that the Bible says the moon will turn into blood (or be the color of blood). He had come from town and is not an Orya speaker. He told the people that he had seen that morning on the Internet that on that very night there would be a “blood moon”— or a lunar eclipse where the moon would turn red like blood. And while he was speaking about that and other end-times signs, sure enough, it happened! Nothing like God managing a visual presentation for you! I have never seen a more moving sight. NLT Translation notes:Mat. 24:15 “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” ([May the one who reads out loud note this and explain it to those who listen!//Reader, pay attention!])39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when [I, the Son of Man come.//the Son of Man comes].44 You also must be ready all the time, for [I,] the Son of Man[,] will come when least expected. 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5580223

NL-Day285 Ezekiel 2-3; Song of Solomon 2; Matthew 24:1-31 10/11/2026

NL-Day285 Ezekiel 2-3; Song of Solomon 2; Matthew 24:1-31 EZEKIEL 2-3:Yesterday Ezekiel described his vision of the four cherubim, and the chapter ended just as Ezekiel started hearing a Voice. The last verse ends of chapter 1 says: Ezk. 1:28 NLT All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me. SONG OF SOLOMON 2:Song of Solomon has many speaking parts for the woman, the man, and the chorus parts for people of Jerusalem or the other young women. MATTHEW 24a:After a full chapter (chapter 23) of Jesus’ stern and harsh criticism and warning to his enemies (the Pharisees and teachers of religious law), Jesus teaches his disciples about what will happen in the future. Some of these warnings are about what will happen to Jerusalem 40 years after Jesus was crucified. But will those prophecies be the kind that will be re-fulfilled at the end times? NLT Translation notes:Mat. 24:15 “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” ([May the one who reads out loud note this and explain it to those who listen!//Reader, pay attention!])36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or [Me,] the Son himself. Only the Father knows.37 “When [I, the Son of Man return// the Son of Man returns], it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when [I, the Son of Man come.//the Son of Man comes].44 You also must be ready all the time, for [I,] the Son of Man[,] will come when least expected. 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5580203

284: Reader Take Note: How to understand prophetic books 10/05/2026

284: Reader Take Note: How to understand prophetic books This seems to me to be a good time to talk with you about how to understand the prophetic books of the Bible, as we now are starting to read the Babylonian exile prophet Ezekiel. And starting in a week and extending to the end of the year, our poetry readings will be from the prophet Isaiah, who lived 200 years before Ezekiel. Near the end of the year we’ll read the minor prophets in quick succession. All the books in the prophetic genre are hands-down the most difficult books to understand in the Bible. So I hope I can give basic pointers in this episode that will be helpful to you from now on to the end of the year. I will start with quoting a paragraph from How to Read the Bible for all it’s worth (by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart) that gives one reason people have difficulty with the 16 prophetic books of the OT: We come to these books with false expectations. Speaking about the word ‘prophecy’ they state: For most people this word means what appears as the first definition in most dictionaries: “foretelling or prediction of what is to come.” It often happens, therefore, that many Christians refer to the prophetic books only for predictions about the coming of Jesus and/or certain features of the new-covenant age—as though prediction of events far distant from their own day was the main concern of the prophets. In fact, using the prophets in this way is highly selective. Consider in this connection the following statistics: Less than 2 percent of Old Testament prophecy is messianic. Less than 5 percent specifically describes the new-covenant age [we are currently living in]. Less than 1 percent concerns events yet to come in our time. (p. 166) The prophets did indeed announce the future. But it was usually the immediate future of Israel, Judah, and other nations surrounding them that they announced rather than our future. Rather than thinking of prophets as prediction makers, Fee and Stuart give this very accurate job description of them: The prophets were covenant enforcement mediators. This definition explains a lot! There were hundreds of prophets in the Old Testament, starting with Moses. Many were unnamed. Only 16 were selected to write books for us. Several named prophets wrote historical books that we wish we had. In all cases, the prophets were speaking to the people of their age. So understanding what was happening at the time of the writer is key to understanding the prophetic books. You won’t understand the historical setting without help. This is why I will make several book recommendations at the end of this episode. I was in a village in Papua adjacent to the Orya area and where many Orya people come to shop for things they need. This was at the very beginning of the Covid Pandemic. I stayed overnight with a hospitable pastor there who said, “I’ve heard that this epidemic has something to do with bats. I found this verse. Is God saying this to us? Isaiah 2:20 (NET) At that time men will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made for themselves to worship, into the caves where rodents and bats live, I replied, “Probably that isn’t for us. We should first figure out what was happening in Isaiah’s time, and then see if that message is appropriate for our time also.” The pastor kind of rolled his eyes and held up the palms of his hands, as if to say, “How in the world can I do that?!” I must admit, he would have few resources to call on to find answers. But you have many ways to gain the needed background information: His translation doesn’t have good section headings. Yours probably does. Good section headings really help the reader, and the listeners. That’s why I read the section headings in prophetic books in my podcasts. He wasn’t using a meaning-based translation for reading the prophets. I hope you will! The GNT and NLT convey the meaning as we would say it in normal modern language. Trying to force English to say things like the Hebrew does results in verses that leave the readers scratching their heads. Use some of the extra resources I will recommend at the end to help you to understand the historical context. This will help the prophetic books to come alive for you. I was rather surprised when one of the elders in our church here in Arkansas complained bitterly about the major prophetic books. He said something like, “I’ve been working to penetrate Jeremiah the last couple of months. I hate reading these chapters that say, ‘Woe to you, king of somewhere…’ What am I supposed to find in these books?” I was shocked that an elder— who is an intelligent and well-educated professional— would speak so negatively about any part of God’s Word. I was unprepared to answer him. Let me tell you what I wish I had said to him: First, he was doing none of the three things I just mentioned. He was clearly not coming with the right expectations for what God has for us in the prophetic books. “The prophets were covenant enforcement mediators.” (Fee and Stuart) This means that they often rebuke God’s people for breaking the covenant, or call Israel to come back to obeying the covenant. We can summarize the covenant as being embodied in the Ten Commandments. This is why the prophets continually come back to the same points: Don’t worship idols; don’t commit adultery; don’t lie, cheat, or steal, etc. Therefore, from now on in the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan, please be on the lookout for places where the different prophets say the same thing. After all, the ultimate Author is the same, as Peter says, 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NET) Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. Consider this oracle of woe to the king of Egypt from Ezekiel 32:1-2 (NLT): On March 3, during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, mourn for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and give him this message: “You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations, but you are really just a sea monster, heaving around in your own rivers, stirring up mud with your feet. First, I think it highly unlikely that Ezekiel would be able to give Pharaoh this message! Ezekiel was a refugee living in Babylon. Rather, I think that the message is actually to encourage the exiles living with Ezekiel, and he may have sent this message to his people still living in Jerusalem. So this can be understood as the figure of speech called ‘apostrophe’, which is basically lambasting an enemy who is not in your audience to encourage your actual readers. Second, be aware that the kings of Egypt, Tyre, or Babylon may actually symbolize Satan, who is the ruler behind the evil world system that opposes God. My favorite places in prophecy are those times when God so wonderfully repeats promises to his people which we count as fulfilled in this age. An example will come soon in day 305, where Ezekiel says, Ezekiel 36:25‭-‬28 GNT I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean from all your idols and everything else that has defiled you. I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart. I will put my spirit in you and will see to it that you follow my laws and keep all the commands I have given you. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God. That is strikingly similar to the favorite verses found in Jeremiah 31 which are quoted in Hebrews 8, especially verse 10: Hebrews 8:10 GNT Now, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel in the days to come, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Again in Hebrews 10, some of that same Jeremiah 31 passage is referred to, and the writer goes on to explain: Hebrews 10:21-22 (NET) since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Wait a minute. That’s what we just read in Ezekiel! This gives me goosebumps. These wonderful spiritual realities are true of us today, for all of us who are understanding our unity with Christ, our great high priest. We can appreciate how people in Jeremiah and Ezekiel’s day would have longed for the things that now have been given to us. Beginning with the writings of the prophet Moses, God keeps repeating, “You will be my people, and I will be your God.” I just love it when so many correspondences line up. To me this proves that God has so wonderfully constructed his Word, and He will keep on fulfilling his plans and promises. It’s worth it to read God’s prophets in order to more fully appreciate the treasures we have been given. I am not able to include a discussion of Revelation in this discussion of prophecy. In the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan, we start that book on December 8. Revelation is in a different genre than most OT prophetic books, called the apocalyptic genre. Zechariah, and parts of Ezekiel and Daniel are early examples of apocalyptic writings. Such writings include symbolic numbers, surreal and highly symbolic visions, and cyclical organization. This is NOT what we expect: chronological organization. High examples of the apocalyptic genre are found in Jewish literature. 10. non-canonical (taken from D. S. Russell, The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic, pp. 37-38) (Taken from Utley a. I Enoch, II Enoch (the Secrets of Enoch) b. The Book of Jubilees c. The Sibylline Oracles III, IV, V d. The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs e. The Psalms of Solomon f. The Assumption of Moses g. The Martyrdom of Isaiah h. The Apocalypse of Moses (Life of Adam and Eve) i. The Apocalypse of Abraham j. The Testament of Abraham k. II Esdras (IV Esdras) l. II & III Baruch But the book of Revelation surpasses such books, because it truly is inspired. An Indonesian Bible reader asked me about Revelation 6:5-6: Revelation 6:5-6 (NET) Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So I looked, and here came a black horse! The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand. Then I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat will cost a day’s pay and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine!” He asked something like, “Has this horse and rider appeared yet, and what effect has it had on our economy?” No book of the Bible has spawned more wrong interpretations than Revelation. Don’t try to look for highly specific interpretations like my Indonesian friend. Try to understand the major symbolic elements. The two main points of the book are very easy to grasp: In the end, in spite of how things will appear in the world, Jesus will triumph. Your perseverance in suffering and persecution will be rewarded. So I hope one major take-away point from what I have shared is That I urge you to supplement your Bible reading of all the prophetic books of the Bible with other books. Here are a few recommendations. Recommended resources: How to Read the Bible for all it’s worth, Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart How to Read the Bible Book by Book, Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart What the Bible is All About, Dr. Henrietta C. Mears (Get the revised NIV edition.) , Dr. Bob Utley Any study Bible will have helpful notes about how the prophetic writers fit into Israel’s history. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/28098755

NL-Day284 Ezekiel 1; Song of Solomon 1; Matthew 23:13-39 10/04/2026

NL-Day284 Ezekiel 1; Song of Solomon 1; Matthew 23:13-39 EZEKIEL 1:Yesterday in the last chapter of 2nd Chronicles, we heard of the quick succession of the kings of Judah at the very end before the exile to Babylon: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. And after the fall of Jerusalem, chapter 36 also told of the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy about Cyrus, who gave the decree to rebuild the Temple of God. While Jeremiah prophesied about the fall of Babylon and specified the 70 year duration of the exile, it was Isaiah who mentioned King Cyrus by name— one of the most stunning of all prophecies. Ezekiel was not only a prophet, but also a priest. When he was 25 years old, he was carried into exile in Babylon along with the upper class of people in 597 BC. Ezekiel was no doubt a pupil of Jeremiah before Ezekiel was taken into exile. The 48 chapters of this book are divided right in the middle. *1-24 Pre-siege, prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem. *The second half can also be divided into two parts: Chapters 25-32 talk about after the fall of Jerusalem, prophecies dealing with the punishment of Judah’s enemies. *33-48 Prophecies about the restoration of Judah. Ezekiel is a book that is highly important for understanding the book of Revelation in the New Testament, because things that Ezekiel saw, John also saw. SONG OF SOLOMON 1:In this book Solomon extols how wonderful love is. This may be a series of wedding songs. (And Solomon needed such songs frequently!) The main question is: Is this book merely a series of songs calling for sexual faithfulness to one’s spouse? The well-known allegorical interpretation goes back at least to the Puritan period, but probably much farther to the church fathers. However, it seems to me that making this about Christ and the church is a bit forced. Certainly Solomon would not have written this with Christ and the church in mind. However it is possible that the Holy Spirit inspired Solomon to write things with allegorical meanings beyond his own understanding. MATTHEW 23b:Yesterday we heard the first part of Jesus’ invective against the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. Jesus told the truth. In a way, it was a loving act— to warn them. He already knew that these were the very men who would crucify 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5580182

NL-Day283 2 Chronicles 36; Ecclesiastes 12; Matthew 23:1-28 10/04/2026

NL-Day283 2 Chronicles 36; Ecclesiastes 12; Matthew 23:1-28 2CHRONICLES 36:Josiah’s Passover celebration showed wonderful ability to get everyone to work together and great organizational talent. It is the capstone of the revival that he led. Unfortunately, he was stubborn about going to war with Pharaoh Neco, which cost him both his own life and his son’s life. ECCLESIASTES 12:Yesterday’s short chapter recorded proverbial advice to young and old, and that theme continues in today’s reading. MATTHEW 23a:In yesterday’s reading Jesus roundly defeated the Sadducees, telling them that they did not know the Scriptures or the power of God. He answered the question about the most important Law, and he asked the question no one could answer. NLT Translation notes:[For Ecc. 12:1-6, I prefer the 1996 first edition NLT. That version drops the obscure figures of speech and zeros right in on the meaning. Keeping obscure figures of speech and adding the meaning, in this case, adds an element of strangeness and lessens the impact. HOWEVER, beginning with the 2022 podcast, I read the newest edition of the NLT, making some slight changes to help listeners understand where the next now uses m-dashes. The newer edition is more conservative in retaining the figures of speech in the Hebrew.]1 NLT96 Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and no longer enjoy living.2 It will be too late then to remember him, when the light of the sun and moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among the clouds.3 Your limbs will tremble with age, and your strong legs will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to do their work, and you will be blind, too.4 And when your teeth are gone, keep your lips tightly closed when you eat! Even the chirping of birds will wake you up. But you yourself will be deaf and tuneless, with a quavering voice.5 You will be afraid of heights and of falling, white-haired and withered, dragging along without any sexual desire. You will be standing at death's door. And as you near your everlasting home, the mourners will walk along the streets.6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.Ecc. 12:7 For then the dust [of your body] will return to the earth, and [your//the] spirit will return to God who gave it.====Mat. 23:15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you [are yourselves//yourselves are]! 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5575740

NL-Day282 2 Chronicles 35; Ecclesiastes 11; Matthew 22:23-46 10/04/2026

NL-Day281 2 Chronicles 34; Ecclesiastes 10; Matthew 22:1-22 10/04/2026

NL-Day280 2 Chronicles 33; Ecclesiastes 9; Matthew 21:23-46d 10/04/2026

NL-Day280 2 Chronicles 33; Ecclesiastes 9; Matthew 21:23-46d 2CHRONICLES 33:The account in 2 Chronicles of Hezekiah’s victory through prayer over the vast Assyrian army is summarized. It is much more dramatically related in 2nd Kings. Hezekiah’s experience with the envoys from Babylon can also be used as a spiritual parable for us. We need to be careful what we just accept as fate, without asking God for something better. ECCLESIASTES 9:A nugget of exceptional wisdom from Solomon was in yesterday’s reading, and it brings with it a problem in translation. I like how GNT made the overall pessimistic meaning clear by including quote marks in 12-13. NLT does not interpret that part as an argumentative quote and casts the meaning in an optimistic light. Ecc. 8:11 GNT Why do people commit crimes so readily? Because crime is not punished quickly enough.12 A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and still live. Oh yes, I know what they say: “If you obey God, everything will be all right, 13 but it will not go well for the wicked. Their life is like a shadow and they will die young, because they do not obey God.”14 But this is nonsense. Look at what happens in the world: sometimes the righteous get the punishment of the wicked, and the wicked get the reward of the righteous. I say it is useless. MATTHEW 21b:In yesterday’s reading in chapter 21, we heard of the triumphant entry, Jesus cleansing the Temple and cursing the fig tree, and the question about what right he had to do such a thing like cleansing the Temple. NLT/GNT Translation note:Mat. 21:32 [NLT For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw [that miraculous thing//this] happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.//GNT For John the Baptist came to you showing you the right [way to live//path to take], and you would not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. Even when you saw [that miraculous thing//this], you [refused to believe him and repent did not later change your minds and believe 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5572177

NL-Day279 2 Chronicles 32; Ecclesiastes 8; Matthew 21:1-27 10/04/2026

NL-Day278 2 Chronicles 31; Ecclesiastes 7; Matthew 20 10/04/2026

NL-Day278 2 Chronicles 31; Ecclesiastes 7; Matthew 20 2CHRONICLES 31:A sign of how far Judah and Israel had wandered from the Lord was that even the Passover was not celebrated. When Hezekiah reinstituted the Passover celebration, it was the start of a real revival. ECCLESIASTES 7:I find it interesting that Solomon would say that everything has been decided beforehand. GNT certainly implied Who it was who decided beforehand, but NLT makes that explicit: Ecc. 6:10 NLT Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny. Not about the issue of destiny, but about another key point presented in chapter 6, I think that Solomon would have taken back some of his words if he could have listened to what Jesus taught in yesterday’s reading in Matthew. MATTHEW 20:In yesterday’s reading, Jesus taught how evil divorce is, He blessed children (because they are so close to the kingdom of God), and He taught about the difficulty for rich people in this world to enter the Kingdom of God. And at the end of chapter 19, he gave that promise that all missionaries love, the one about the eternal rewards that will be given to those who leave their families and possessions for the Kingdom of God. NLT Translation notes:Mat. 20:16“[Even so, at the end,//So] those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where [I,] the Son of Man[,] will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence [me/him] to die. 19Then they will hand [me/him] over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day [I/he] will be raised from the dead.”28 For even [I,] the Son of Man came not to be served[,] but to serve others and to give [my/his] life as a ransom for many.”32When Jesus heard them, he stopped and [said/called], “What do you want me to do for you?” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5570998

NL-Day277 2 Chronicles 30; Ecclesiastes 6; Matthew 19 09/27/2026

NL-Day276 2 Chronicles 29; Ecclesiastes 5; Matthew 18:15-35 09/27/2026

NL-Day275 2 Chronicles 28; Ecclesiastes 4; Matthew 18:1-20 09/27/2026

NL-Day274 2 Chronicles 26-27; Ecclesiastes 3; Matthew 16:24-17:27 09/27/2026

NL-Day274 2 Chronicles 26-27; Ecclesiastes 3; Matthew 16:24-17:27 2CHRONICLES 26-27:King Joash didn’t end so well, did he?! He ordered the murder of Jehoiadah’s son Zechariah. Time and time again Judah’s kings needed to learn not to be proud, and that certainly happened to Joash’s son Amaziah, who was assassinated like his father. Jesus mentioned a Zechariah in Matthew 23 who was “murdered between the temple and the altar.” I previously was mistaken in saying in the intro to 2Chronicles 26 that Joash murdered the son of Jehoida. The Zechariah that Joash murdered was the son of Jehoida, but the one Jesus mentioned is Zechariah “the son of Berekiah, the grandson of Iddo,” who was the prophet who wrote the book of Zechariah. (Zech. 1:1) So evidently two men named Zechariah were killed in the temple about 300 years apart. Incidentally, the name Zechariah means ‘Yahweh has remembered’. ECCLESIASTES 3:Chapter 2 ended with a significant conclusion or two: Ecc. 2:24 NLT So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. MATTHEW 16:24—17:Yesterday we heard the words that remind me of Jim Elliot’s words. He was one of five martyrs who was killed when they were trying to make initial contact with the Waodani tribe. Jim Elliot wrote in one of his notebooks, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” We’ll start by re-reading those words of Jesus at the end of chapter 16, so that we get a good transition to chapter 17. NLT Translation notes:16:27 NLT For [I,] the Son of Man will come with [my//his] angels in the glory of [my//his] Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.//GNT For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his deeds.] 28 I assure you that there are some here who will not die until they have seen [me, the victorious Son of Man, coming to rule as king.//the Son of Man come as King.]” Mat. 17:20 “[You don’t believe fully in me.//You don’t have enough faith,]” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had [belief/faith] even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” 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. /episode/index/show/dailybiblereading/id/5570695

NL-Day273 2 Chronicles 24-25; Ecclesiastes 2:12-26; Matthew 16 09/27/2026

NL-Day272 2 Chronicles 22-23; Ecclesiastes 2:1-17; Matthew 15:21-39 09/27/2026

NL-Day271 2 Chronicles 20-21; Ecclesiastes 1; Matthew 15:1-20 09/27/2026

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