August 26 / Job 1-2

Job 1-2

As we begin our reading of Job, I would highly recommend that you take a look at this Teaching on Job by a certain young man I know, and then have a look at what we talked about last year.

See:

For a much deeper dive, you might try listening to 60 hours of audio teaching on Job presented at St. Andrew’s some years ago. (I know, 60 hours is a lot, but I bet you can at least listen to the first hour.)

August 25 / Proverbs 30-31

Proverbs 30-31

I again encourage you to split these readings up over the course of the day…

See:

So how about Proverbs? Are we allowing ourselves to let these ancient words challenge our “modern sensibilities” or the direction of our not-so-wise society? Are we seeking Wisdom? Or are we just nodding our heads, saying, “That’s nice,” and going about our day as usual?

August 24 / II Chronicles 36:22-23; Proverbs 22:17-24:34

II Chronicles 36:22-23; Proverbs 22:17-24:34

Today we see the (beginning of the) fulfillment of what God promised through His prophets. Jeremiah had declared that the Babylonian exile would come to an end and that God’s people would return to the Promised Land. Further, as we read the other day, Isaiah had declared (much earlier) that a man named Cyrus would be the LORD’s chosen instrument for bringing about their release from captivity. Sure enough, Cyrus the Great, comes to power, conquers Babylon, and proclaims release to the captives.

That brings us to the end of II Chronicles, and The Chronological Study Bible takes the opportunity to return us to the Book of Proverbs for “words of the wise” that are not pegged to any more specific time frame. Unfortunately, that means we must gobble down material that is better digested more slowly…

For those who may have joined us more recently here at RTB, you should know that last year we focused on the Psalms and the Old Testament “Wisdom Literature” (i.e., Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs), which allowed us to read those books at a slower pace than we can this year in our “Bible-in-a-year” tour. As you can see below, we took seven days to cover what we’re reading today. I suggest that for Proverbs, rather than trying to read all of today’s content in one sitting, split it up over the course of the day. You might also want to take a look at last year’s Introduction to Proverbs.

See:

August 23 / Isaiah 52-55

Isaiah 52-55

Today we get the last of Isaiah’s four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah 52:13-53:12. In case one look at the Cross is not enough to convince us that Jesus is the fulfillment of this “Song”, the New Testament writers practically spell it out for us. Here are several obvious direct references to this “Song”:

  • Isaiah 52:15 — Romans 15:21
  • Isaiah 53:1 — John 12:37-38; Romans 10:16
  • Isaiah 53:4 — Matthew 8:17
  • Isaiah 53:5 — I Peter 2:24
  • Isaiah 53:6 — I Peter 2:25
  • Isaiah 53:7 — Acts 8:32
  • Isaiah 53:9 — I Peter 2:22

And there are plenty more New Testament passages that reflect the idea that the Christ must suffer and that His suffering atones for our sins and iniquities, just as this “Song” says.

So take some time today and meditate on this Suffering Servant. Ponder Who He is, His characteristics, His actions on our behalf, His undeserved suffering, His affliction. Consider that it is our sorrows and griefs with which He is acquainted. Recognize that it is for our iniquities that He is scourged, it is our sin He bears on His Cross, and it is in that awful Reality that we find peace and healing.

He was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with His wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

August 22 / Isaiah 49-51

Isaiah 49-51

Today we get two more of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs” in Isaiah 49:1-13 and Isaiah 50:4-9. As I mentioned before, the ESV avoids capitalizing “servant” or personal pronouns, and I suggest that it is useful to read these texts this way (uncapitalized) to avoid a biased interpretation. The NASB, on the other hand, capitalizes “Servant” and personal pronouns throughout Isaiah 49:1-13. The NKJV likewise provides such capitalization, but — interestingly — does not do so in Isaiah 49:3-4. (What, pray tell, makes the “Me” in verse 1 any different from the “me” in verse 3?)

[The LORD] says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be My servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:6

In speaking to the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia, Saint Paul quotes the end of this verse as justification for taking the Gospel to the Gentiles (i.e., the nations). (See Acts 13:13-52, specifically Acts 13:47.) And so here we are today, mostly Gentiles according to our DNA, receiving this message of the LORD’s salvation. Indeed, may His salvation reach to the end of the earth!

August 21 / Isaiah 46-48

Isaiah 46-48

“I am, and there is no one besides me.” That sounds like it must be God speaking, right? But it isn’t. That’s the voice of Babylon in her arrogant self-confidence. Here it is (twice!) with a bit more context:

Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,
who sit securely,
who say in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow
or know the loss of children”:
These two things shall come to you
in a moment, in one day;
…
You felt secure in your wickedness;
you said, “No one sees me”;
your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray,
and you said in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me.”
But evil shall come upon you,
…

Isaiah 48:8-11

Clearly, this prideful attitude on Babylon’s part does not serve her well, and the LORD declares His judgment against her. One might hope that we would learn from Babylon’s demise, but I look around, particularly at our own dear U.S.A., and I wonder…