Daily Bible Reading Podcast

JEREMIAH 50:Finally after hearing messages prophesying against so many nations, always telling or implying that the Babylonians would be God's instrument to punish them, now this long chapter tells how Babylon will finally be judged as well, and God will return to take pity on Israel.

PROVERBS 10b:Here is an example of Hebrew parallelism from today's 2nd half of Proverbs 10:

Pro. 10:23 NLT Doing wrong is fun for a fool,but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.

'Fool' and 'the sensible' oppose each other. "Doing wrong is fun for a fool," and it seems like 'fun' would only be temporary. Whereas the sensible who live wisely receive 'pleasure', which is much longer lasting than the 'fun' the fools get.

1JOHN 3:19—4:Chapter 3 of 1John circles around the theme of being children of God. There are important verses at the end of chapter 3 which can provide assurance and power when we pray. If our consciences do not condemn us— which is strongly related to living the way John has urged us in this chapter, then we can boldly come to God in prayer and have courage to ask for 'whatever'. I have met people with overactive consciences. If you are the kind of person who always feels guilty even though you have just finished asking God for forgiveness, this passage helps you too! Verse 20 says "God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything." He knows if you are having trouble believing that Jesus would forgive you, or if evil spirits are whispering false guilt messages to you. Read the chapter again and see how you are doing in the areas John mentions. Pray asking the Holy Spirit to remove false guilt, or to reveal any reason you keep feeling guilty. Here is just one of many: If there are people you have harmed, make restitution. THEN, when you have done this homework, pray with boldness, because you have done everything needed to have a clear conscience.

NLT Translation notes:1Jn. 4:13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live [joined together with//in] him and he [joined together with//in] us. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live [joined together with//in] God.16 We [have come to] know how much God loves us, and we have [believed fully//put our trust] in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

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.

JEREMIAH 49:Having heard bad news about Egypt, Philistia, and Moab, we now hear the bad news for the nations of Ammon and Edom, the city of Damascus, and the nations of Kedar, Hazor, and Elam.

PROVERBS 10a:From here on in Proverbs we'll go a bit slower, by half chapters, because each verse is a separate gem of wisdom. Almost all of these verses are examples of Hebrew parallelism. This means that the two lines of a couplet mutually comment on each other. Let's take verse 2 as an example:

Pro. 10:2 NLT Tainted wealth has no lasting value,but right living can save your life.

'Tainted wealth' in the first line is a contrast with 'right living' in the second. Solomon shows by this that doing things to obtain wealth dishonestly must not be considered 'right living'. 'No lasting value' and 'can save your life' also comment on each other in an opposing way. Not only will tainted wealth quickly disappear, but it is dangerous for your life. You could get killed trying to get tainted wealth. And matching the lines in the opposite direction, if you want to gain lasting profit and prosperity, the way is by 'right living'.

1JOHN 3:At the close of chapter 2, John was speaking to us about living like God's children. We'll begin by reviewing the last two verses of chapter 2.

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.

JEREMIAH 48:In yesterday's reading, the Lord began giving oracles about different nations, with one chapter concerning Egypt and the next one about Philistia. Today we'll hear about Moab.

PROVERBS 9:Today's chapter is the last of the thematic chapters at the beginning of this book. Lady Wisdom speaks, and we find that she is opposed by Lady [Folly/Stupidity].

1JOHN 2:John continues to address us as his dear children, and tells us things that we must know in order to be on guard and remain in fellowship with the Father and the Son.

NLT Translation notes:Pro. 9:7 Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.[I think we might as well let Lady Wisdom speak all the way through here.]11 [I,] Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life.12 If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.If you scorn [me,] wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.====1Jn. 2:6 Those who say they live in [unity, joined with] God should live their lives as Jesus did.9 If anyone claims, "I am living in the light," but hates [his/a] Christian brother or sister,a that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves [his/another] brother[s and/or] sister[s] is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.11 But anyone who hates [his/another] brother[s and/or] sister[s] is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.12 I am writing to you who are [my dear//God's] childrenbecause your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.14I have written to you who are [my/God's] childrenbecause you know the Father.I have written to you who are mature in the faithbecause you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.I have written to you who are young in the faithbecause you are strong.God's word lives in your hearts,and you have won your battle with the evil one.20 But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit,and [that is why] all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don't know the truth but because you [already] know the difference between truth and lies. 22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is [a follower of the/an] antichrist.

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.

JEREMIAH 46-47:After finally being able to give a comforting message ("Stay here in Judah and don't go to Egypt. The Lord will take care of you"), the people not only ran off to Egypt but took Jeremiah with them. (Or did he go along willingly?) Perhaps he thought that in Egypt the Lord's message to stop worshiping idols would have some traction. But again, alas... No. Then yesterday we heard the short special message to the official Baruch, Jeremiah's faithful secretary. In today's reading, the Lord begins giving oracles about different nations.

PROVERBS 8b:Lady Wisdom continues to speak.

1JOHN 1:It is believed that John wrote this letter later in his life, somewhere between AD 85 and 95, and perhaps from Ephesus. He addresses everyone as his 'children'. Like the emphasis of John's gospel, this little book focuses on the word 'believe'. And the word 'know' is used over 30 times in this short book. And it is because of that very word that this letter is famous for giving assurance— especially to any who have trouble accepting that God would choose or love them.

NLT Translation note:1Jn. 1:3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our [inclusive] fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

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.

JEREMIAH 44-45:After all Jeremiah's messages of doom, he was able to give a comforting message to the Judeans who had been through so much. He might have thought, "At last I get to preach good news." The Lord said through him, "I feel sorry for all you have had to suffer. Stay here. I will make the king of Babylon take pity on you. Don't fear the Babylonians." That's the very thing the people had longed to hear for years. But even at this point, they break their promise and don't listen to Jeremiah! After that, when he had been forcibly taken off to Egypt with the others, Jeremiah predicted that Nebuchadnezzar would come and defeat Egypt also.PROVERBS 8a:For the last two days we heard the wisdom of a father to his sons. Today Lady Wisdom speaks.1CORINTHIANS 16:Yesterday we finished the Resurrection Chapter, and today we see glimpses of the life of the early church through Paul's final words.

NLT Translation note:1Cor. 16:10 When Timothy comes, [please] don't intimidate him. He is doing the Lord's work, just as I am.

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.

JEREMIAH 42-43:I have always found it fascinating what Jeremiah experienced in the aftermath of the fall of Judah's kingdom to the king of Babylon. It is interesting to me that he was led away in chains along with everyone else captured. But the king of Babylon had heard of him and left instructions about him. And it is a shame what happened to Gedaliah. Evidently Jeremiah was not around at that point to warn him.

PROVERBS 7:The father instructing his son continues from yesterday's reading. This is one of the most colorful chapters in God's Word. If you haven't read this before, prepare yourself to be shocked!

1CORINTHIANS 15b:Yesterday we read the first part of this famous Resurrection Chapter. The first part displays Paul's rigorous logic about the fact of Christ's resurrection. The second part deals with the kind of body we will have after the Resurrection. All of this chapter holds wonderful promises for us.

Let's consider a few verses we will reread today dealing with being baptized for deceased people: We do not find evidence that the practice was widespread or that it continued. Constable's Notes for this section (lumina.bible.org) cites information that there was a pre-Christian mystery religion in the area of Corinth that practiced proxy baptism on behalf of dead relatives. Some early Corinthian Christians may have carried this practice over into their new faith, or Paul may simply have been using this local pagan religious practice as an example in order to say, "What is the point of doing that if the dead will not be raised to life?" Paul does not mention this practice in order to encourage it, but to strengthen his point: The resurrection of all believers is a promise that follows logically from Christ's resurrection.

NLT Translation notes:1Cor. 15:2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you[. Otherwise, it was useless that you became believers in the first place! //—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.///unless you never believed it in the first place.][This is a difficult place to interpret what Paul meant, and I think at least 3 possibilities deserve consideration, and all seem to me to be equally possible.]29 If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why [have some people done that//do it] unless the dead will someday rise again?

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.

JEREMIAH 40-41:Yesterday we heard of Jeremiah being put in a dry but muddy well, and being rescued by the faithful official, Ebed-melech. And we heard the terrible and painful result of Zedekiah's cowardly failure to do as repeatedly instructed by the Lord.

Ezekiel— who was about 20 years younger than Jeremiah, prophesied about Zedekiah:

Ezek 12:12 NLT "Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.13 Then I will throw my net over him and capture him in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Babylonians, though he will never see it, and he will die there.

PROVERBS 6:In yesterday's chapter we heard a clear theme:

Prov. 5:15 NLT Drink water from your own well—share your love only with your wife.

The teaching in today's passage is insistent:

Prov. 6:20 NLT My son, obey your father's commands,and don't neglect your mother's instruction.

1CORINTHIANS 15a:In yesterday's reading of chapter 14 Paul wrapped up the theme about spiritual gifts that he started in chapter 12. Note that at the end he became vehement and insistent, signalling that he knew there would be people who would argue with him. I want to underline: Paul was the apostle of the Lord who wrote 13 books of our New Testament. Every church and Christian fellowship should take these instructions seriously. If we don't, we fall into the trap of thinking we are wiser than Paul (and we can even say, the Holy Spirit). However, those who seek spiritual gifts in a way that is not self-glorifying will find that the Spirit of the Lord still gives authentic gifts.

NLT Translation notes:1Cor. 15:2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you[. Otherwise, it was useless that you became believers in the first place! //—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.///unless you never believed it in the first place.][This is a difficult place to interpret what Paul meant, and I think at least 3 possibilities deserve consideration, and all seem to me to be equally possible.]29 If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptized for those who are dead? Why [have some people done that//do it] unless the dead will someday rise again?

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.

JEREMIAH 38-39:Yesterday we heard of persecution against Jeremiah, his being imprisoned so that he had his secretary, Baruch convey his messages, and then his being imprisoned in the dungeon at Jonathan's house. And today he is put in a muddy cistern.

PROVERBS 5:Today's chapter of Proverbs has a clear theme. Here is a verse from the middle that typifies that theme:

Prov. 5:15 NLT Drink water from your own well—share your love only with your wife.

1CORINTHIANS 14:This chapter gives Paul's conclusions about spiritual gifts— the theme he started in chapter 12.

NLT Translation note:1Cor. 14:38 But if you do not recognize this, you yourself [are not/should not/will not] be recognized.

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.

JEREMIAH 36-37:In yesterday's reading in Jeremiah, he gave more specific warnings to King Zedekiah. And then we heard of the inspiring example of the Recabites.

PROVERBS 4b:Yesterday in the first half of chapter 4, we heard again about Lady Wisdom. I highlight these important words:

Prov. 4:7 GNT Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight.10 Listen to me, my child. Take seriously what I am telling you, and you will live a long life. 11 I have taught you wisdom and the right way to live. 12 Nothing will stand in your way if you walk wisely, and you will not stumble when you run.

Solomon introduces some of these words saying that he was taught them by his father, which would be, of course, King David. It is interesting to consider that we could be hearing some of David's wisdom in those verses.

1CORINTHIANS 13:Spiritual gifts are important! They are sovereignly given by the Holy Spirit. We will be happiest and the most productive in our ministries when we function in accordance with our gifting from God. Every believer is given a gift, and chapter 12 portrays with clear analogies how the gifts are to used in the context of the body. So don't assume that you can go off anywhere outside your local body and use your gift. My experience is that gifting can change a bit based on what local body you are participating in. The Holy Spirit can loan a gift to you at any time. The gifts are to help us function as a unified body, NOT to divide us— as so sadly has happened again and again. Selfishness is diametrically opposed to spiritual gifts. So, as important as spiritual gifts are, there is something more important, as we will hear today.

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.

JEREMIAH 34-35:In yesterday's reading, Jeremiah bought a field according to the Lord's instructions. Under the circumstances, that seemed a futile thing to do. He prayed, and the Lord used the situation as a backdrop for wonderful promises to the nation of Israel.

In chapter 33:3 we heard a frequently quoted verse which says,

Jer. 33:3 NLT Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

Please do NOT rip a verse like this out of context and then boast that you have become a prophet like Jeremiah. There are some wonderful verses in God's Word that we should be very careful about 'claiming' as applying to us. See what the 'remarkable secrets' 'about things to come' are by re-reading that chapter!

I highlighted a verse earlier in Jeremiah where the coming Righteous King was named, 'The Lord Our Salvation.' In yesterday's reading it was the city of Jerusalem that is so named.

Jer. 33:16 NLT In that day Judah will be savedand Jerusalem will live in safety.And this will be [Jerusalem's/its] name:'The LORD is Our Righteousness.'

There is no conflict in this. The Lord is emphasizing something! Keep it in mind.

PROVERBS 4a:Proverbs 3 extolled the virtues of Lady Wisdom and ended with various nuggets of wisdom. Here are verses that stood out to me from that chapter:

NLT Prov. 3:21 My child, don't lose sight of common sense and discernment.Hang on to them,…24 You can go to bed without fear;you will lie down and sleep soundly.25 You need not be afraid of sudden disasteror the destruction that comes upon the wicked,26 for the LORD is your security. …

1CORINTHIANS 12:Yesterday's chapter has two clear parts.

NLT has given this helpful section heading for the first section of chapter 11, verses 2-16: Instructions for Public Worship. The section includes Paul's instruction about head coverings for women in worship services.

I think it behooves us to pay attention any time an apostle becomes emphatic or vehement in his language. Verse 16 is a case in point:

1Cor. 11:16 NLT But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God's other churches.

I therefore feel that we cannot just write off what Paul was saying as no longer relevant because it seems not to fit in our culture. Yes, this section certainly is discordant with our modern culture. But I maintain that this should make us pay closer attention to it. God's Word consistently shows that our Creator wants men and women to have different roles, not just in worship services, but in marriage and in life itself. Beside the God-designed role-differences between men and women, note that Paul gives another reason for his instructions: Angels are present and watching our public services. What angels think about the roles of men and women has probably not shifted to fit our modern culture.

For anyone who thinks that verse 15 means that long hair can substitute for the 'covering' Paul intends in the previous verses, please see the footnote found for that verse in the NET.

The second section is the often-quoted teaching about the Lord's supper. My opinion is that 'honoring/discerning the body of Christ' in 11:29 is about recognizing the symbolism of the Lord's body in the communion elements, not about the united and universal church as the 'body of Christ'.

The Lord's Supper should never be allowed to become a routine event. I have visited a church where communion was taken without explanation, like serving oneself coffee and doughnuts at a buffet while everyone else is singing. Instead, the Lord's supper should be a solemn, dignified, and thought-provoking time. Beware that failure to give proper respect to the Lord's body and blood can cause the church to come under the Lord's discipline, which according to verse 30 can result in physical weakness, sickness, and even death.

NLT Translation note:1Cor. 12:29 Are we all apostles? [No.] Are we all prophets? [No.] Are we all teachers? [No.] Do we all have the power to do miracles? [No.]

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.