January 3 / Psalm 3

Psalm 3

In Psalm 3 David has an enemy – his son, Absalom. As he writes this Psalm he is fleeing Jerusalem away from Absalom who has attempted to usurp David’s throne (vv. 1-2). In the rest of the Psalm David expresses his confidence in God to be his protector, to save him from Absalom.

For the past many months our Men’s Group has been looking at Holy Spirit references in the Gospels and the Epistles. As we read and discussed these many verses I’ve seen that the Holy Spirit was alive and active in my life, and I’ve encouraged others in the group to look back themselves and see His work in their lives. So part of what I’m doing in the Psalms is seeing God at work in my life as I read words written by others many, many centuries ago.

My first thought on this Psalm was that I don’t see myself as having any enemies – other than Satan and his demons (and my own self!). And even when I look back I see people who have done me wrong, but I didn’t actively see them as enemies. At Texas A&M University and the University of Delaware there were people who had power over me and used it against me, but I never had any indication from them that I was going to be terminated or not offered a job. It was more a “knife in the back” outcome – I never saw it coming. At my most recent position (Eastern Kentucky University) I had active enemies and I knew it – they did what they could to undermine me. In one sense their actions against me succeeded, but in another sense I was able to rise above these difficulties and have a good career at EKU. My most prominent enemy back then has now become a very good friend.

I wish that I had been more in tune with the Psalms back then. As we read through the Psalms we’ll see a number of “enemies” Psalms, mostly from King David, and we’ll constantly see him expressing his confidence in the Lord’s protection and seeking His deliverance. Today we see that confidence in verses 5 and 6: I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Most interesting to me is that David slept comfortably, even though he knew he was under attack. We also need to stay at rest when difficulties arise. There will be negative outcomes, but if we look back we’ll see God’s hand in all those outcomes. We can learn well from Joseph when his brothers did him wrong: But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear … you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good… (Genesis 50:19-20a).

January 2 / Psalm 2

Psalm 2

At St. Andrew’s the Bible translation that we mostly use is the English Standard Version (ESV). For me, however, my favorite Bible translation is the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Naturally others may favor the old English language in the King James Version (KJV) or a more academic Revised Standard Version (RSV) or an easier-to-read New International Version (NIV). Finally, there are a couple of other “translations” that are not nearly exact translations as they are “interpretations”, like “The Message” (MSG) or the New Living Translation (NLT). Occasionally I will go to one of these when I am having a really difficult time understanding what the writer is saying. But I go there with caution, in that those “translations” have the author(s)’ interpretations that may not be true to the original text.

Whatever version you read, your prayer on the front end of your reading can help you with your understanding and bless you with the content of what you will read. My encouragement to you is that you read at least two versions of our assigned reading every day. You’ll see differences in words and phrases – and often reading that second translation can help you understand the first better.

One big difference between St. Andrew’s ESV and my favored NASB is deific capitalization of pronouns. A case in point comes up right away today in verses 7b and 12a: The LORD said to me, You are my Son; today I have begotten you… and Kiss the Son, lest he be angry… (ESV translations) In these verses the pronouns “me”, “my”, “you” and “he” are not capitalized in the ESV, but are capitalized in the NASB and other translations. That capitalization clearly suggests a Messianic interpretation to this Psalm. Very possibly (very likely?) this Psalm in its original context referred to David being anointed as king of Israel. But early Christian writers saw this Psalm as looking forward to Jesus. See Peter and John speaking in Acts 4:25-28 and the author of Hebrews in Heb. 1:5 and Heb. 5:5. Capitalizing those pronouns leads the reader’s interpretation that this Psalm does, in fact, look forward to Jesus. Not being a Biblical scholar, I am happy to be led in that way.

Surprisingly the word “Son” in these two verses is capitalized in the ESV (and in the NASB), again a clear indication that the Psalm looks forward to Jesus. Now why would the ESV capitalize “Son” and not those related pronouns? Intriguing…!

January 1 / Psalm 1

Psalm 1

Happy New Year to this RTB 2022 Psalms/Wisdom searchers! What a year this is going to be. It’s a whole new direction for me. I recall Ben preaching a few weeks back, talking about Jesus’ forthcoming birth and acknowledging that he was out of his element talking about pregnancy. I feel the same way in writing to you about the Psalms. I daresay my knowledge of the Prophets is weaker still, but the Psalms are right there in my inadequacy to discuss these writings. Maybe some of you feel the same way… Whatever! We’re all in this together.

My plan for this year is to read and reflect a bit on each day’s reading, then to get a note out to you all reasonably quickly (it seems some of you wait for my note to begin your own reading), then to go back and reflect and pray some more. So a couple of musings about today’s Psalm 1. Right off we see the “law of the Lord” in verse 2. Very quickly we go back to Exodus and the Ten Commandments or to Moses’ many instructions in Deuteronomy. Other than what I’ve read when I’ve read through the Old Testament, I don’t know much about “the Law”. I certainly have very little knowledge as to what the scribes and teachers in Jesus’ time had to say about the Law and the many instructions they offered as to what the Israelites should do or not do. But what I can do is go to Jesus’ teaching on this topic: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17) So when I see “the Law” in our readings, my first thought is to translate forward to Jesus’ commandment to love one another and Paul’s instruction to Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) I’ll leave the “jots and tittles” for another time.

My second thought from today’s reading had to do with the “assembly (congregation) of the righteous” in verse 5. I could imagine people centuries ago gathering in the Temple or in synagogues and presuming (reasonably correctly) to be part of the “assembly of the righteous”. But I also go back to our own time, to our Sunday and midweek gatherings and see us as that assembly. And if we are to be among the “righteous”, there are surely some expectations that we need to meet. My Study Bible helped me with this thought concerning “the righteous”: “One of several terms in the OT for God’s people, it presents them as those who honor God and order their lives in all things according to His will. In every human relationship they faithfully fulfill the obligations that the relationship entails, remembering that power and authority (of whatever sort: domestic, social, political, economic, religious, intellectual) are to be used to bless, not to exploit.” Let’s ourselves in RTB be among those in the “assembly of the righteous”, with a responsibility in all things to bless one another!

Looking forward to hearing your own reflections on these readings…

A blessed 2022 to you all!

January 2022 Readings

DateReading(s)Verses
01-JanPsalm 16
02-JanPsalm 212
03-JanPsalm 38
04-JanPsalm 48
05-JanPsalm 512
06-JanPsalm 610
07-JanPsalm 717
08-JanPsalm 89
09-JanPsalm 9:1-1010
10-JanPsalm 9:11-2010
11-JanPsalm 1018
12-JanPsalm 117
13-JanPsalm 128
14-JanPsalm 136
15-JanPsalm 147
16-JanPsalm 155
17-JanPsalm 1611
18-JanPsalm 1715
19-JanPsalm 18:1-1515
20-JanPsalm 18:16-249
21-JanPsalm 18:25-3612
22-JanPsalm 18:37-459
23-JanPsalm 18:46-505
24-JanPsalm 19:1-66
25-JanPsalm 19:7-148
26-JanPsalm 209
27-JanPsalm 21:1-77
28-JanPsalm 21:8-136
29-JanPsalm 22:1-1010
30-JanPsalm 22:11-2111
31-JanPsalm 22:22-3110

December 31 / Revelation 22:1-21

Revelation 22:1-21

Today we end Revelation. And with ending Revelation, we have ended the entire New Testament. If this is your first trip through the complete New Testament, congratulations! That’s an excellent accomplishment. The next step is the Old Testament, maybe in one year, then the entire Bible, beginning to end! That might be a 2023 plan for RTB.

Today, Revelation 22. In the past we have often gathered together on December 31 to celebrate our year of having read completely through the Bible. Part of our gathering – the beginning, actually – was reading through Revelation 22. I’m sorry that we haven’t done that the past few years. As I note above, maybe 2023.

One item from today’s reading: And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. (v. 7) and Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. (v. 14) This verse is the seventh blessing given in the book of Revelation. Here are the other five:

  • Rev. 1:3, Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
  • Rev. 14:13, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!
  • Rev. 16:15, Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!
  • Rev. 19:9, Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
  • Rev. 20:6, Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection!

I truly hope and pray that each of you feels blessed.

December 30 / Revelation 21:1-27

Revelation 21:1-27

Today and tomorrow, it’s all GLORY, folks!!

I’ve always heard or read that the church is the bride of Christ: For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. (II Corinthians 11:2) See also Ephesians 5:22-24, ff. Today we see the New Jerusalem as His bride: And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (v. 2) and …one of the seven angels … spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God… (vv. 9-10). So is the Church (all believers) to be resident in the New Jerusalem and therein to be His bride?

This New Jerusalem has no temple: And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. (v. 22) The “Holy of Holies” in the Temple and in the Tabernacle of old was God’s dwelling place on Earth. With God, Himself, resident in the New Jerusalem there is no need for a temple. Interesting!

In this New Jerusalem, twelve gates, twelve tribes; twelve foundation stones, twelve apostles. A blending of the Old and the New… Yes, folks, it’s all GLORY!!

December 29 / Revelation 20:1-15

Revelation 20:1-15

My ignorance of end-times theologies is huge! Both of my Study Bibles have long notes talking about the millennium, Jesus’ 1000-year reign that we read about today. They discuss three theories – amillennialism, premillennialism, and postmillennialism. And even as I read each of these explanations in both Study Bibles I find that I don’t know which of those three theories I am more prone to believe. A friend from many years back had his own theory, panmillennialism. He maintained that Jesus fulfilled all prophesy during His time on Earth, but that none of the scholars of His time had it correct as to what type of Messiah He would be. Likewise, when it comes to the end times all prophesy will be fulfilled, but no one will get it right – it will all “pan” out in the end! That’s where I tend to be – blessed ignorance!

But I am intrigued by Satan being imprisoned for those 1000 years. It’s like he will serve a jail sentence for crimes that he committed. But then when he is released we see that he will not have reformed at all, but that in fact he will be more venomous than ever! Surely he knows of his certain defeat! Why does he persist?

What I do know is Jesus’ certain return, that He is coming again. We saw in Paul’s writings that many people in Paul’s time were expecting Jesus’ soon return. And that perspective has held over the centuries, that many people then and now expect Jesus’ return very soon. But we do not know when. Period. Maybe today…?

December 28 / Revelation 19:1-21

Revelation 19:1-21

Another late-in-the-day post – the holidays are killers for keeping on a timetable!

My Study Bible noted that the word “Hallelujah” occurred four times in today’s first six verses – and not at all in the rest of the New Testament! I was surprised that Paul and other writers had never used that “Praise the Lord” phrase.

If you’ve already read today, great! If you have, go back, and if you haven’t go…to verses 1 to 10 and read/reread those verses, putting yourself in that setting as part of the multitude, because you are, in fact, invited: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (v. 9b) Embrace that as your thought for the day.

December 27 / Revelation 18:1-24

Revelation 18:1-24

Babylon. A great many Biblical scholars agree that Babylon in John’s time was Rome, a city of wealth and power that ruled the entire Mediterranean world and was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Christians. So I wonder about Babylon in today’s world. That is, if Babylon is a city and not just a concept for evil, what city in today’s world is Babylon? The first city that comes to mind for me is LA/Hollywood. I believe that much of what is wrong in the world today is the result of Hollywood’s influence, especially the sex and violence that sells movies, evils that build the next generation. Other cities on my list include Washington, New York, and Moscow. But I’m certain that’s just my ethnocentric thinking.

One hour. For in a single hour your judgment has come. (v. 10b) For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste. (v. 17a) For in a single hour she has been laid waste. (v. 19b) I had to look back two chapters to see how this great destruction happened in one hour. Here’s the text from the angel pouring out the seventh bowl: The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumbling peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. (Rev. 16:17-21) That would be a terrifying one hour.

December 26 / Revelation 17:1-18

Revelation 17:1-18

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. (v. 8) This triad, …was, and is not, andis about to rise…, didn’t make much sense to me until my Study Bible suggested evil that was, but is not now apparent, but will become so in the future. An interesting point about this triad is how it compared to Jesus, “who was, who is, and who is to come”. The beast triad is repeated at the end of verse 8.

A bit of today’s reading is the most confusing of anything yet that we’ve read in Revelation: And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire… (v. 16) This prostitute/harlot is evil herself, having been described as …holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality… (v. 4b), with a label on her forehead, “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” (v.5b), and described further as …drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. (v. 6b) Yet she is made desolate and naked, eaten and burned by others seemingly as evil as herself. Evil battling evil…?? Stalin/Russia doing battle with Hitler in WWII? There is no “winner” in a battle of this sort – Earth is the loser!