Today's Reading - July 28, 2010

2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21
Romans 11:13-36
Psalm 22:1-18
Proverbs 20:7

Question of the day: Why were some of the branches of Abraham's tree broken off?

The "branches of Abraham's tree" refers to the Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Their being broken off refers to their separation from God because they have refused to follow the instructions that he laid out. They will not follow Jesus. The Gentiles who have accepted Jesus, however, are being grafted into the tree, as they are now a part of God's family.

Today's Reading - July 26, 2010

2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34
Romans 9:25-10:13
Psalm 20:1-9
Proverbs 20:2-3

Question of the day: Why did the 400 prophets tell Ahab that he would have victory when it was not true?

Ahab had surrounded himself with yes men who relied upon Ahab for their food and shelter. They were afraid to tell him the truth.

Today's Reading - July 15, 2010

1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30
Romans 2:25-3:8
Psalm 11:1-7
Proverbs 19:10-12

Other than the obvious embarrassment of it, is there some special significance to the ambassadors' robes being cut off at the buttocks?

Exodus 28:42 tells the priests to "make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs". The inference is that the exposed upper leg is offensive to God, and having it exposed was a source of shame to the Israelite.

Today's Reading - July 14, 2010

1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17
Romans 2:1-24
Psalm 10:16-18
Proverbs 19:8-9

Question of the day: Why would not allow David to build the temple?

In 1 Kings 5:^3-5, Solomon tells us that "because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, 'Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.'

Today's Reading - July 13, 2010

1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36
Romans 1:18-32
Psalm 10:1-15
Proverbs 19:6-7

Question of the day: Why does Romans 1:28 say that God "abandoned" them? Did that mean that he turned his back on them?

The apostle Paul here is writing about the fact that when we fail to acknowledge God, or when we turn our backs on him, he gives us the free will to make our own choices. He gives us the latitude we need to make our mistakes, accept the consequences, but with his hope we will learn from our mistakes and return to him.

Today's Reading - July 12, 2010

1 Chronicles 12:19-14:17
Romans 1:1-17
Psalm 9:13-20
Proverbs 19:4-5

Question of the day: If Uzzah was killed for touching the Ark, how did they properly handle it?

The priests were the only people who could touch the Ark. Uzzah was a servant of David's.

Today's Reading - July 11, 2010

1 Chronicles 11:1-12:18
Acts 28:1-31
Psalm 9:1-12
Proverbs 19:1-3

Question of the day: Why was Paul allowed to live on his own when he arrived in Rome under guard?

The Roman authorities at the time didn't see Christianity as a threat, so they didn't consider the charges against Paul as serious.

Today's Reading - July 9, 2010

1 Chronicles 7:1-8:40
Acts 27:1-20
Psalm 7:1-17
Proverbs 18:22

Question of the day: Why is Paul sailing for Rome?

Paul was arrested and charged by the Jewish High Priests of trying to cause defile the temple. Paul, as a Roman citizen, had the right to appeal to Caesar the charges brought against him. He was being transported to Rome to appeal his case.

Today's Reading - July 10, 2010

1 Chronicles 9:1-10:14
Acts 27:21-44
Psalm 8:1-9
Proverbs 18:23-24

Question of the day: Why is Chronicles 9 seemingly out of chronological order with Chronicles 10?

Chronicles 9 finished out the genealogy, setting the stage for the rest of the 1 Chronicles and for 2 Chronicles, which would finish up where the genealogy did.

Today's Reading - July 8, 2010

1 Chronicles 5:18-6:81
Acts 26:1-32
Psalm 6:1-10
Proverbs 18:20-21

Question of the day: Why did Paul think that King Agrippa could be swayed by his arguments?

King Agrippa was also a Jew, so he knew the Jewish history and the prophecies concerning the Messiah. His religion, however, was secondary to his politics, so Paul's words had no effect on him.

Today's Reading - July 7, 2010

1 Chronicles 4:5-5:17
Acts 25:1-27
Psalm 5:1-12
Proverbs 18:19

Question of the day: Why would the Simeonites feel so free to kill the descendants of Ham, who were descended from Noah, as were the Simeonites?

Ham was a son of Noah, who had two other sons, Shem and Japheth. The tribes of Israel (including the tribe of Simeon) were descended from Shem. The animosity goes back to the events relayed in Genesis 9:20-25, where Noah was angry with Ham, and cursed his descendants.

Today's Reading - July 6, 2010

1 Chronicles 2:18-4:4
Acts 24:1-27
Psalm 4:1-8
Proverbs 18:16-18

Question of the day: Why was Felix frightened when he heard the Gospel from Paul?

Felix already had substantial knowledge of Judaism and Christianity, and his fear may have been exacerbated by the growing feeling that what Paul might have been saying was the truth, and that even if it were, he would not become a Christian, because of his position.

Today's Reading - July 5, 2010

1 Chronicles 1:1-2:17
Acts 23:11-35
Psalm 3:1-8
Proverbs 18:14-15

Question of the day: Why does Chronicles start with a genealogy going back to Adam?

Chronicles was intended to a history of Israel, from the first man until the (them) present day. It is a supplement to the books of Samuel and Kings, but concentrating after the split of the kingdoms on the events in the kingdom of Judah.

Today's Reading - July 4, 2010

2 Kings 23:31-25:30
Acts 22:17-23:10
Psalm 2:1-12
Proverbs 18:13

Question of the day: Why would God allow the Babylonians to destroy his temple?

Manasseh's sin was so great in the Lord's sight that he turned his back on the Israelites and no longer needed to have a sacred place for them to worship him. When the people turned back to him, he allowed the temple to be rebuilt in 515 B.C.

Today's Reading - July 1, 2010

2 Kings 18:13-19:37
Acts 21:1-17
Psalm 149:1-9
Proverbs 18:8

Question of the day: Why was the Lord willing to allow the Assyrians to conquer Israel, but not Judah, when both kingdoms had turned their back on him?

God did finally punish Judah as well by allowing Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Jerusalem, taking the Jews to Babylon. The reason for this plan may have been because a remnant was allowed to return from captivity, keeping the Jewish heritage alive

Today's Reading - June 30, 2010

2 Kings 17:1-18:12
Acts 20:1-38
Psalm 148:1-14
Proverbs 18:6-7

Question of the day: What does it mean in 2 Kings 17:9 when it say that "The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the Lord their God"?

It refers to the fact that the sin in Israel was so embedded that not only did the King lead the people into sin but the people themselves built altars and idols on their own.

Today's Reading - June 29, 2010

2 Kings 15:1-16:20
Acts 19:13-41
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 18:4-5

Question of the day: Why was Paul so eager to get into a civic fight with the people of Ephesus?

Paul was at heart an evangelist, and not doubt saw this as an opportunity to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. He was an effective communicator to people who were not Jews, and welcomed the chance to preach.

Today's Reading - June 28, 2010

2 Kings 13:1-14:29
Acts 18:23-19:12
Psalm 146:1-10
Proverbs 18:2-3

Question of the day: What does it mean in Acts when Paul talks about John's baptism?

John the Baptist ministered to people before Jesus began his ministry. The Old Testament laws were in force that people had to obey, and were judged on how well they obeyed them. John's message was to be baptized as a symbol of your repentence, and then to obey the laws to earn your salvation. Thus, when Paul was talking about John's baptism, he wasn't referring to the physical act being different. It was the mental act of repenting from your life and where you placed your trust. John's baptism placed trust in obeying the law. Jesus' baptism placed trust in Jesus, who died for our sins and was raised on the third day.

Today's Reading - June 27, 2010

2 Kings 10:32-12:21
Acts 18:1-22
Psalm 145:1-21
Proverbs 18:1

Question of the day: This passage mentions this for the first and only time in the history of Israel. What is it?

The passage mentions that Judah was ruled by a queen. Queen Athaliah was the only woman ruler either Israel or Judah ever had. The only other time Israel was led by a woman was when Deborah judged Israel before there were kings.

Today's Reading - June 26, 2010

2 Kings 9:14-10:31
Acts 17:1-34
Psalm 144:1-15
Proverbs 17:27-28

Question of the day: What were Epicurean philosophers?

Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus, founded around 307 BC. Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. His materialism led him to a general attack on superstition and divine intervention. Thus his followers would have been fundamentally opposed to Paul's teachings about God.

Today's Reading - June 25, 2010

2 Kings 8:1-9:13
Acts 16:16-40
Psalm 143:1-12
Proverbs 17:26

Question of the day: Why did the prophet have to run after delivering the news to Jehu?

The prophet for all practical purposes was advocating treason in an assembly of Army officers. He did not know how they would react.

Today's Reading - June 24, 2010

2 Kings 6:1-7:20
Acts 15:36-16:15
Psalm 142:1-7
Proverbs 17:24-25

Question of the day: Who was John Mark?

John Mark was the writer of the gospel of Mark, and was a cousin of Barnabas, who defended him to Paul, leading to their disagreement. John Mark's mother was a prominent citizen of Jerusalem and the Apostles and early disciples of Jesus could often be found there.

Today's Reading - June 23, 2010

2 Kings 4:18-5:27
Acts 15:1-35
Psalm 141:1-10
Proverbs 17:23

Question of the day: Wasn't Gehazi's punishment too severe for his sin?

Gehazi had been serving Elisha, but his faith did not live up to his experience. He was greedy, he lied to Elisha, but most of all, he imperiled Elisha's mission by going around Elisha's wishes. So Gehazi was punished. It may have taught him well, as later on we see him testifying before the king. Also, his punishment may not have been as bad as we think it is, as the term leprosy was used for a variety of skin diseases.

Today's Reading - June 22, 2010

2 Kings 3:1-4:17
Acts 14:8-28
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 17:22

Question of the day: Why were the people of Lystra so easily swayed, thinking Paul and Barnabas were gods one moment, and stoning them the next?

The citizens of Lystra were happy to believe that Paul was Hermes and Barbabas was Zeus, as that would have fit in well with their worship of the Greek gods. They were not so easily convinced by their teaching that there was only one God, as that would go against everything that they believed, so when false charges were brought against Paul and Barnabas, they had no reason to protect them.

Today's Reading - June 20, 2010

1 Kings 22:1-53
Acts 13:16-41
Psalm 138:1-8
Proverbs 17:17-18

Question of the day: Why was King Ahab killed and had his blood licked up by dogs when God had in the previous chapter rescinded his punishment and passed it on to his son?

God had rescinded his punishment because Ahab had humbled himself before the Lord after the prophets of Baal were destroyed. Here, Ahab had ignored the word of the Lord given to him by the prophet Micaiah, and brought the punishment on himself.

Today's Reading - June 21, 2010

2 Kings 1:1-2:25
Acts 13:42-14:7
Psalm 139:1-24
Proverbs 17:19-21

Question of the day: Why was Elijah continually trying to get Elisha to stay in a place while Elijah moved on?

Elijah was testing Elisha's loyalty and adherence to his initial vow not to leave Elijah while he was alive.

Today's Reading - June 19, 2010

1 Kings 20:1-21:29
Acts 12:24-13:15
Psalm 137:1-9
Proverbs 17:16

Question of the day: Why does Saul's name change to Paul midway through Acts 13?

Saul believed he was appointed by God to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, so he possibly changed it at this time to the Greek equivalent to make himself more acceptable to the Gentiles.

Today's Reading - June 18, 2010

1 Kings 19:1-21
Acts 12:1-23
Psalm 136:1-26
Proverbs 17:14-15

Question of the day: Why was Herod Agrippa, a ruler installed by the Roman Empire, eager to curry the favor of the Jews?

Agrippa was himself a Jew, and it was not inconsistent for the Jewish leadership to work with the Romans rulers to maximize their power. When Jesus was held for trial, he was sent to Agrippa, who wanted Jesus to perform some miracles upon demand, which Jesus refused to do. Thus, Agrippa would have had no use for Christians, and would have used their persecution as a way to increase his popularity.

Today's Reading - June 17, 2010

1 Kings 18:1-46
Acts 11:1-30
Psalm 135:1-21
Proverbs 17:12-13

Question of the day: Where else do we know Obadiah from?

Obadiah was also a prophet of the Lord and the author of the Old Testament book that prophesied against Edom. Obadiah himself was an Edomite and a convert to Judaism.

Today's Reading - June 16, 2010

1 Kings 15:25-17:24
Acts 10:24-48
Psalm 134:1-3
Proverbs 17:9-11

Question of the day: In 1 Kings, we are reading about kings of two different kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Why did they split up after King Solomon?

Solomon built Israel (including Judah) into a great and wealthy kingdom, but at the expense of giving away land and putting his own people into slavery to the king of Tyre. Solomon built up Jerusalem, which was located in Judah. When Solomon's son, Jeroboam, took over the kingdom, the tribes in the north refused to follow him and appointed their own king. Thus they created a separate kingdom called Israel. The tribe of Judah, which had always been somewhat separatist, was happy to go it's own way without the others. Only the tribe of Benjamin, located south of Judah, stayed associated with Judah.

Today's Reading - June 15, 2010

1 Kings 14:1-15:24
Acts 10:1-23
Psalm 133:1-3
Proverbs 17:7-8

Question of the day: What did Peter's vision have to do with his encounter with Cornelius?

The vision was God's way of saying, what you formerly thought was off limits for you as a Jew, was now not off limits. This applies to Cornelius because as a Gentile, contact with him by Peter would have been considered wrong.

Today's Reading - June 14, 2010

1 Kings 12:20-13:34
Acts 9:26-43
Psalm 132:1-18
Proverbs 17:6

Question of the day: Why would the author of Acts make a note in chapter 9 verse 36 about how Tabitha's name in Greek was Dorcas?

Luke wrote Acts in Greek, but Tabitha was a Jew, so he wrote about her using her Hebrew name, but translated it for his readers.

Today's Reading - June 13, 2010

1 Kings 11:1-12:19
Acts 9:1-25
Psalm 131:1-3
Proverbs 17:4-5

Question of the day: If Solomon was so wise, why did he marry so many foreign women that he had specifically been warned not to do?

While Solomon was aware of what God had prohibited, he perhaps felt that he could handle these challenges and be an even greater king because of his great wisdom and spirituality. He married these women for political gain and the expansion of his empire, not for romance.

While his marriages did increase his empire, even he could not resist the pull of his wives' beliefs and religious practices. As the saying goes, he flew too close to the Sun and got burned.

Today's Reading - June 12, 2010

1 Kings 9:1-10:29
Acts 8:14-40
Psalm 130:1-8
Proverbs 17:2-3

Question of the day: What was wrong with the cities that King Solomon gave to King Hiram?

The cities were nothing more than a muddy plain that smelled of decaying plants. They were possibly given because of their proximity to Tyre.

Today's Reading - June 11, 2010

1 Kings 8:1-66
Acts 7:51-8:13
Psalm 129:1-8
Proverbs 17:1

Question of the day: Who is the Saul that is mentioned in Acts 8?

Saul is a Pharisee who will turn from persecuting the Christians to spreading the Gospel to Gentiles after an encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus.

Today's Reading - June 10, 2010

1 Kings 7:1-51
Acts 7:30-50
Psalm 128:1-6
Proverbs 16:31-33

Question of the day: What was Stephen talking about when he mentioned the Tabernacle?

The Israelites were commanded by God to build a Tabernacle, which was a temporary structure that would be the dwelling place of the Lord. The Tabernacle was carried by the Israelites as they wandered the desert prior to entering the Promised Land. It was used until King Solomon built the temple referred to in 1 Kings 7.

Today's Reading - June 9, 2010

1 Kings 5:1-6:38
Acts 7:1-29
Psalm 127:1-5
Proverbs 16:28-30

Question of the day: In Acts 7, Stephen is asked a question, but tells a story without answering the question. Why?

Stephen was relating to his accusers their common history, and beginning the outline of the story that will answer their question. Check back tomorrow for more!

Today's Reading - June 8, 2010

1 Kings 3:3-4:34
Acts 6:1-15
Psalm 126:1-6
Proverbs 16:26-27

Question of the day: Who was Ethan the Ezrahite

He was best known for writing the 89th Psalm, from which the gospel song, "I Will Sing Of the Mercies of the Lord" was based.

Today's Reading - June 7, 2010

1 Kings 2:1-3:2
Acts 5:1-42
Psalm 125:1-5
Proverbs 16:25

Question of the day: Did God strike down Ananias and Sapphira?

God did not strike down people for their sin under the New Convenant. While the Bible doesn't give us a specific reason for their death, it's not unreasonable to believe that they died from shame at being found out.

The important part of this account is that we see the contrast between someone who fully believed and obeyed (the account of Joseph, the Levite for Cyprus, who gave it all), and Ananias and Sapphira, who lied about the price the had received for the land. They were wrong, not for keeping a portion back, but for trying to deceive God.

Today's Reading - June 6, 2010

1 Kings 1:1-53
Acts 4:1-37
Psalm 124:1-8
Proverbs 16:24

Question of the day: Why did David's advisors feel that Solomon should be king rather than Adonijah?

They saw in Adonijah the same rebellious spirit that was evidenced in his brother Absalom, who was killed in battle when he tried to take the throne away from King David. Also in 1 Chronicles 22:9, David reveals that God had told David that his son Solomon would reign over Israel and would build a permanent temple for the Lord.

Today's Reading - June 5, 2010

2 Samuel 23:24-24:25
Acts 3:1-26
Psalm 123:1-4
Proverbs 16:21-23

Question of the day: Peter said, "Jesus Christ of Nazarene", was Christ Jesus' last name?

Christ is the English translation of the Greek word Khristos, which translated from the Hebrew word for Messiah. So Christ is used as a title here, Jesus the Messiah.

Today's Reading - June 4, 2010

2 Samuel 22:1-23:23
Acts 2:1-47
Psalm 122:1-9
Proverbs 16:19-20

Question of the day: How soon after Jesus' death did the Holy Spirit come?

The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, which was 50 days after Jesus was crucified. The Holy Spirit was sent to comfort and guide the followers of Christ. Not coincidentally, the day of Pentecost commemorated the day the Israelites received the Ten Commandments, which guided them under the law.

Today's Reading - June 3, 2010

2 Samuel 20:14-21:22
Acts 1:1-26
Psalm 121:1-8
Proverbs 16:18

Question of the day: 2 Samuel 21:19 says that the brother of Goliath had a spear which had a handle that was as thick as a weaver’s beam How thick is a weaver's beam?

A weaver's beam was a part of a loom used to make cloth. It would have been 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter, which would be about the thickness of the barrel end of a baseball bat. In other words, this giant was huge!

Today's Reading - June 2, 2010

2 Samuel 19:11-20:13
John 21:1-25
Psalm 120:1-7
Proverbs 16:16-17

Question of the day: What did Jesus mean when he told Peter, "But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go”?

According to ancient historians Tertullian and Origen, Peter was crucified upside down, and this was Jesus foretelling Peter's death as a martyr.

Today's Reading - June 1, 2010

2 Samuel 18:1-19:10
John 20:1-31
Psalm 119:153-176
Proverbs 16:14-15

Question of the day: Why did Ahimaaz want to run to tell David the news but then lie about what he knew of the death of Absalom?

Ahimaaz could have wanted to curry David's favor by bringing him good news, and was unwilling or unable to give David any bad news either out of consideration for David's feelings. Often the messenger was killed when bad news was received, as evidenced by the old saying, "Don't shoot the messenger."

Today's Reading - May 28, 2010

2 Samuel 13:1-39
John 17:1-26
Psalm 119:81-96
Proverbs 16:6-7

Question of the day: In John 17:12, who was Jesus referring to as "the one headed for destruction?"

Jesus was talking about Judas Iscariot, who would soon betray Jesus to the authorities. Judas took thirty pieces of silver as payment for selling Jesus out to the Jewish high council.

Today's Reading - May 27, 2010

2 Samuel 12:1-31
John 16:1-33
Psalm 119:65-80
Proverbs 16:4-5

Question of the day: Why would God kill a child for David's sin?

It seems wrong to us that God would punish the innocent for something they did not do, but it's not the first time that children were killed for the sin of their fathers. In Exodus, God allowed the first born of the Egyptians to die to prove his superiority to Pharaoh. In the Old Testament, under the old covenant, God took sin personally and answered evil with action. In both these cases, God punished the fathers by taking from them something valuable. In David's situation, the child represented the sin that David had committed, and God took matters to rectify the situation.

This also foreshadows the ultimate incident of the innocent dying for the guilty, when Christ died on the cross for us. Under the new covenant, God permits the consequences of the sin to play out. He doesn’t actively punish one person’s sin by taking the life of another. Jesus took the sin of the world on his sinless person when he died. But that was God himself taking the punishment, not his punishing someone else.

Today's Reading - May 26, 2010

2 Samuel 9:1-11:27
John 15:1-27
Psalm 119:49-64
Proverbs 16:1-3

Question of the day: In the space of three chapters of Samuel, we see David going to great lengths to show kindness to Mephibosheth, whom he did not know, and subsequently causing the execution of a man who showed him great loyalty, Uriah the Hittite. How could David fall so far, so fast?

David had been successful, and "the Lord was with him" (such as in 2 Samuel 7:3). This passage shows that Satan never ceases to pursue those who are close to God, and that our faith does not make us immune to temptation. It also shows us that whenever we try to cover up sin, it leads to more sin.

Today's Reading - May 25, 2010

2 Samuel 7:1-8:18
John 14:15-31
Psalm 119:33-48
Proverbs 15:33

Question of the day: In 2 Samuel 8:13, the Bible refers to the Valley of Salt. Where is the Valley of Salt?

The Valley of Salt is in the Arabah, which is located in the Great Rift Valley between the Dead Sea in the north and the Gulf of Aqaba in the south. It is a very dry, sparsely populated area.

Today's Reading - May 24, 2010

2 Samuel 4:1-6:23
John 13:31-14:14
Psalm 119:17-32
Proverbs 15:31-32

Question of the day: Why did the Jebusites think that they were safe, as it says in 2 Samuel 5:6?

Jerusalem was a heavily fortified city with many towers. Many armies had attempted to take it over, with no success. Therefore they had no fear that the Israelites would be able to overtake it. And in fact, militarily, David's strategy was a surprise attack through the city's water tunnel, since they could not breach the walls.

Today's Reading - May 23, 2010

2 Samuel 1:1-2:11
John 12:20-50
Psalm 118:19-29
Proverbs 15:27-28

Question of the day: Why did Judah appoint it's own king, and the rest of Israel appoint a different one?

In that day, it was customary for the kingdom to be handed down from father to son, so when King Saul died, it was natural that his son would take over the kingdom of Israel. Judah, however, had a different idea. David was from Judah, and the men there made David their king, after he was sent there by God. He ruled Judah for seven years, until King Ishbosheth was assassinated. Then the elders of Israel asked David to be their king as well.

Today's Reading - May 22, 2010

2 Samuel 1:1-2:11
John 12:20-50
Psalm 118:19-29
Proverbs 15:27-28

Question of the day:  Why would Jesus not directly answer the crowd in John 12:34-35?

Jesus answered the question in Matthew 13:11-15, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: 

   "Though seeing, they do not see; 
      though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 
   " 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; 
      you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 
 For this people's heart has become calloused; 
      they hardly hear with their ears, 
      and they have closed their eyes. 
   Otherwise they might see with their eyes, 
      hear with their ears, 
      understand with their hearts 
   and turn, and I would heal them.' "

Today's Reading - May 21. 2010

1 Samuel 29:1-31:13
John 11:55-12:19
Psalm 118:1-18
Proverbs 15:24-26

Question of the day: Why would David be willing to fight with the Philistines, who were enemies of the Israelites?

David was hiding from King Saul, and he thought that hiding among the enemies would be a place where Saul would not look. Saul did learn that David was hiding among them, but because of the military might of the Philistines, Saul chose not to pursue David.

Today's Reading - May 20, 2010

1 Samuel 26:1-28:25
John 11:1-54
Psalm 117:1-2
Proverbs 15:22-23

Question of the day: Why was Jesus "still angry" in verse 38?

Jesus had been subjected to questions and comments of people wondering why he didn't come sooner, as if he could heal someone thereby stopping death, yet not believing that he could reverse death. He had people saying, if he could heal a blind man, why couldn't he raise Lazarus? He was experiencing a lack of faith all around him, which no doubt upset him. Yet he could also have been angry at the consequences of sin, and the fact that death has too happen at all.

Today's Reading - May 19, 2010

1 Samuel 24:1-25:44
John 10:22-42
Psalm 116:1-19
Proverbs 15:20-21

Question of the day: Were Abigail's actions commendable, even though they went against the wishes of her husband? Doesn't the Bible tells us that he has authority over her as her husband?

God has made it clear that when a husband is in opposition to God, he has given up authority over his wife. Abigail did what she knew to be right, and God blessed David through her actions.

Today's Reading - May 18, 2010

1 Samuel 22:1-23:29
John 10:1-21
Psalm 115:1-18
Proverbs 15:18-19

Question of the day: What are the strongholds of En Gedi?

The city of En Gedi was located on the western shore of the Dead Sea and later became famous for it's palm trees and balsam. It was destroyed by the Roman Empire after the battle of Masada in A.D. 68

Today's Reading - May 17, 2010

1 Samuel 20:1-21:15
John 9:1-41
Psalm 113:1-114:8
Proverbs 15:15-17

Question of the day: Why did Jesus tell the Pharisees: “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see"?

Jesus was always harder on people who claimed to be followers of God than those who made no such claim. The Pharisees were notorious for publicly proclaiming their adherence to the law but privately breaking it.

Today's Reading - May 16, 2010

1 Samuel 18:5-19:24
John 8:31-59
Psalm 112:1-10
Proverbs 15:12-14

Question of the day: Why would the people call Jesus a "Samaritan devil?"

Samaritans were considered by the Jews to be second class citizens. Samaria was a country between Judea and Galiliee that formerly belonged to the kingdom of Israel. It had been conquered by the Assyrians some 700 years earlier and led to the intermarriage of Jews and invading Assyrians, in addition to other local non-Jews, such as Philistines, Edomites and Moabites.

This mixture caused those of "pure" Jewish extraction to look down upon the Samaritans as less than themselves. So by calling Jesus a Samaritan devil, they attempted to insult him as being second class.

Today's Reading - May 15, 2010

1 Samuel 17:1-18:4
John 8:21-30
Psalm 111:1-10
Proverbs 15:11

Question of the day: Why was Goliath so tall?

Goliath was a descendant of Anak, who had descended from the Nephilim. The Nephilim were described as large men. Genesis 6:4 tells us that the Nephilim were "the heroes of old, men of renown." Numbers 13:33 tells us that after seeeing them, the Israelites said, "We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

Today's Reading - May 14, 2010

1 Samuel 15:1-16:23
John 8:1-20
Psalm 110:1-7
Proverbs 15:8-10

Question of the day: Who was Samuel talking about in 1Samuel 15:29 when he referred to the "Glory of Israel?"

Samuel was simply referring to God, whose mind was made up about taking the kingdom away from Saul.

Today's Reading - May 13, 2010

1 Samuel 14:1-52
John 7:31-53
Psalm 109:1-31
Proverbs 15:5-7

Question of the day: In reference to John 7:39, when was the Spirit given?

According to Acts 2:1-4, "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" This occurred after Jesus had died, rose from the dead, and had ascended to Heaven.

Today's Reading - May 12, 2010

1 Samuel 12:1-13:23
John 7:1-30
Psalm 108:1-13
Proverbs 15:4

Question of the day: In John 7:8, why would Jesus say that he was not going, and then go anyway. Wasn't that a lie?

If you go back to the original Greek in which John wrote, the timing of the writing was not as sequential as the English translation makes it sound. Jesus was not trying to deceive his brothers, only to let them know that he was not yet going to go to the feast.

For more on this passage, check out this blog post by Carl Gobelman. The post is not necessarily endorsed by CCCEV, but is offered as a source of additional information.

Today's Reading - May 11, 2010

1 Samuel 10:1-11:15
John 6:43-71
Psalm 107:1-43
Proverbs 15:1-3

Question of the day: Why did Saul hide in the baggage if God had given him a new heart?

Saul's fear illustrates to us that even though we are all given a new heart when we turn our lives over to the Lord, we will still struggle to trust in Him and follow Him completely. Despite his reluctance, Saul was still used of God to accomplish great things.

Today's Reading - May 10, 2010

1 Samuel 8:1-9:27
John 6:22-42
Psalm 106:32-48
Proverbs 14:34-35

Question of the day: Why was God so against Israel having a king, but yet choosing someone as promising as Saul to lead them?

God chose the first three kings of Israel: Saul, David, and Solomon. He gave Israel every advantage for having a king to be a good thing, but he knew that eventually Israel would again turn it back on the Lord and follow evil kings.

Today's Reading - May 9, 2010

1 Samuel 5:1-7:17
John 6:1-21
Psalm 106:13-31
Proverbs 14:32-33

Question of the day: We are reading the fourth book of the gospels. Why would God want the story of Jesus' life told four times?

The Gospels are told from four different perspectives: Matthew, the tax collector who wrote for the better educated Jews; Mark, who wrote down what he heard from other apostles and whose audience was common Gentiles; Luke, an historian who talked to eyewitnesses and wrote the more educated Gentiles; and John, an apostle and eyewitness who would have experience things with Jesus that other wouldn't have.

Today's Reading - May 8, 2010

1 Samuel 2:22-4:22 John 5:24-47 Psalm 106:1-12 Proverbs 14:30-31 Question of the day: Why would God allow the Philistines to capture the Ark? God allowed the Ark of be captured to show them the power and might of the Lord and to illustrate to the Israelites the tragedy of not guarding it closely.

Today's Reading - May 7, 2010

1 Samuel 1:1-2:21
John 5:1-23
Psalm 105:37-45
Proverbs 14:28-29

Question of the day: What is significant about Samuel's place in Jewish history?

Samuel was the last of the Judges of Israel and the first of the major prophets. He appointed the first two kings of Israel.

Today's Reading - May 6, 2010

Ruth 2:1-4:22
John 4:43-54
Psalm 105:16-36
Proverbs 14:26-27

Question of the day: What did "uncovered his feet" mean in Ruth 3:7?

Hebrew translation reveals that the phrase is a euphemism for uncovering his genitals. Ruth meant to ensnare Boaz after his night of drinking. Boaz, to his credit, or his incapacity, did not have relations with Ruth, but made arrangements to marry her the next day.

Today's Reading - May 5, 2010

Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22
John 4:4-42
Psalm 105:1-15
Proverbs 14:25

Question of the day: In John 4:22, Jesus said "You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship." Why did the Samaritans know so little?

The Samaritans were descended from the Israelite people who had not been deported when the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom (722/21 BC) and imported other peoples into the region (2 Kings 17:22-41). They continued to worship Yahweh, but also allowed the worship of other gods from the resettled peoples’ homelands.

Alexander the Great allowed the Samaritans to build or renovate a Samaritan temple on Mt. Gerizim. This became a point of contention to the Jews who had returned and rebuilt Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. Tensions continued to degrade until the temple on Mt. Gerizim was destroyed by the Jews in 128 B.C. (The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 726-7). Both groups believed that they were worshiping Yahweh, and both believed that they had the right place to worship Yahweh. The woman had met a prophet–someone who knew what had happened in her life, and one she was sure could answer the most pressing theological question of her heart and of the time.

For more information, visit http://www.crivoice.org/WT-samaritan.html.

Today's Reading - May 4, 2010

Judges 19:1-20:48
John 3:22-4:3
Psalm 104:24-35
Proverbs 14:22-24

Question of the day: Why is there a recurring statement that "Now in those days Israel had no king."

While it is true that Israel did not have a human king, the Lord had wanted Israel to look to Him as their king and serve Him only.

Today's Reading - May 3, 2010

Judges 17:1-18:31
John 3:1-21
Psalm 104:1-23
Proverbs 14:20-21

Question of the day: Why had the tribe of Israel not settled into the land that the Lord had allotted them?

The Tribe of Dan, while being the second largest of all the tribes, was unable to defeat the Philistines, to gain control of the land. Militarily, they were a very poor tribe, able to defeat only the weak and defenseless.

Today's Reading - May 2, 2010

Judges 15:1-16:31
John 2:1-25
Psalm 103:1-22
Proverbs 14:17-19

Question of the day: Why did God give Samson his amazing strength?

God foresaw that Samson would be a mighty warrior for Israel, and it was common for God to intervene for the Israelites, as we just saw with Gideon (Judges 8). God chose to endow Samson with great strength because of his love for Israel.

Judges 13:1-14:20
John 1:29-51
Psalm 102:1-28
Proverbs 14:15-16

Question of the day? Why would Nathanael say, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

Nazareth was an insignificant agricultural village that was home to 200 to 500 people in Jesus' day. It was unremarkable in every way, so it would not be uncommon for someone to be surprised at the news that someone as important as the Messiah would come from there.

Today's Reading - April 30, 2010

Judges 11:1-12:15
John 1:1-28
Psalm 101:1-8
Proverbs 14:13-14

Question of the day: Did the Lord find the sacrifice of Jephthah daughter pleasing?

We have two opposing events in this passage: Jephthah making a vow to the Lord, and a human being sacrificed, with was strictly against God's law. The Bible makes no mention that God approved of this sacrifice, and in the passage after, we see that Jephthah proceeded to kill 42,000 fellow Israelites because they looked down on him. Even though Jephthah became a judge over Israel, it does not mean that he was not capable of doing evil.

Today's Reading - April 29, 2010

Judges 9:22-10:18
Luke 24:13-53
Psalm 100:1-5
Proverbs 14:11-12

Question of the day: What does the Bible mean when it says in Numbers 9:23, "God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble..."

God routinely was and is actively involved in the lives of His people. In the Old Testament, sometimes he took direct action against sin, such as in Numbers 21 when God sent poisonous snakes among the people to punish their sins. In the case of Abimelech, he fanned the flames of the evil that was already brewing to bring about his punishment.

Today's Reading - April 28, 2010

Judges 8:18-9:21
Luke 23:44-24:12
Psalm 99:1-9
Proverbs 14:9-10

Question of the day: Hadn't the Israelites already defeated the Midianites?

Yes, in Numbers 31 the Bible tells us that Moses sent the Israelites army against the Midianites and that they "killed every man" (vs. 7). Among the women and children who were captured, the boys were killed as were each woman "who has slept with a man" (vs. 17). The Midianites nation was destroyed.

The problem was that the Midianites were a nomadic people who normally traveled in small bands with their livestock in the dry season and then gathered into large bands during the lambing or wet season. Either way, there were likely Midianites who were elsewhere with their people at the time of this battle. After the Israelites moved on, these wayward nomadic bands recreated and repopulated the Midian nation

Today's Reading - April 27, 2010

Judges 7:1-8:17
Luke 23:13-43
Psalm 97:1-98:9
Proverbs 14:7-8

Question of the day: Why did God use the "water test" to separate Gideon's men?

God was determined to show Gideon that it was not the size of his army that mattered, but whether the Lord was behind him. It is symbolic that this method was used, as dogs were considered at that time to be unclean animals of very low status. So this army is small and not considered worth much at all.

Today's Reading - April 26, 2010

Judges 6:1-40
Luke 22:54-23:12
Psalm 95:1-96:13
Proverbs 14:5-6

Question of the day: Why was God content to be tested by Gideon?

Gideon approached God not with a spirit of rebellion but with a spirit of fear and timidity. God was asking him to do something which needed courage, which Gideon lacked. God was content to encourage Gideon, so that he might know that what was being asked of him was of the Lord, and not out of his own plans.

Today's Reading - April 25, 2010

Judges 4:1-5:31
Luke 22:35-53
Psalm 94:1-23
Proverbs 14:3-4

Question of the day: Wasn't it unusual for a woman (Deborah) to lead God's people?

Deborah was a judge who used the gifts that God gave her to provide Israel with wisdom. A judge was not someone who was appointed, but rather someone who rose to importance because of their love of and gifting from God. Deborah ruled with her husband Barak, who led the army of Israel.

Today's Reading - April 24, 2010

Judges 2:10-3:31
Luke 22:14-34
Psalm 92:1-93:5
Proverbs 14:1-2

Question of the day: Why was Ehud described as "Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin?"

It was customary to expect a weapon on the left side of a man, as most were right handed. Ehud, being left handed, was able to smuggle a weapon in and kill the king.

Today's Reading - April 23, 2010

Judges 1:1-2:9
Luke 21:29-22:13
Psalm 90:1-91:16
Proverbs 13:24-25

Question of the day: Why were the Israelites unable to drive out the people with the iron chariots, after God had promised he would be with them?

We have to remember that when Joshua relayed that message from God, it was only if they would follow God faithfully and live according to his promises. The answer can be found in Judges Chapter 2:1-3:

"The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, 'I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.' ”

Today's Reading - April 22, 2010

Joshua 24:1-33
Luke 21:1-28
Psalm 89:38-52
Proverbs 13:20-23

Question of the day: What is the significance of Joseph's bones being carried from Egypt and buried in Shechem?

In Genesis 50:24-25, the Bible tells us, "Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' ²⁵ And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, 'God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.' "

Today's Reading - April 21, 2010

Joshua 22:21-23:16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 13:17-19

Question of the day: What did Jesus ask in verse 44, "Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

Jesus was reminding them that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David, and show them more evidence of his fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah.

Today's Reading - April 20, 2010

Joshua 21:1-22:20
Luke 20:1-26
Psalm 89:1-13
Proverbs 13:15-16

Question of the day: What does Jesus mean when he says, “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone?’

The prophecy found in Psalm 118:22 foretells that Jesus would be rejected by people who would not recognize him as being the Messiah. After his resurrection, he would become the center of faith in Christianity.

Today's Reading - April 19, 2010

Joshua 19:1-20:9
Luke 19:28-48
Psalm 88:1-18
Proverbs 13:12-14

Question of the day: Why did the slayer have to stay in the city until the high priest was dead?

The death of the high priest was a time of great mourning in the land of Israel. People's hearts would be more gracious at this time, and the loved ones of the person who was killed would be less likely to seek revenge against the person who committed the manslaughter.

Today's Reading - April 18, 2010

Joshua 16:1-18:28
Luke 19:1-27
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 13:11

Question of the day: Why did Jesus tell the rich young ruler he had to sell everything he had in order to have eternal life, yet praises Zaccheus for giving away a smaller percentage?

In Jesus' teaching, it was never the dollar amount that he was concerned about, it was the attitude of the person's heart. Jesus knew that the rich young ruler held things too tightly.

Today's Reading - April 17, 2010

JOSHUA 15:1-63
LUKE 18:18-43
PSALM 86:1-17
PROVERBS 13:9-10

Question of the day: Why were the Israelites unable to conquer Jerusalem?

The inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Jebusites, had a distinguished history with the Israelites, going back to the time of Abraham. Some Jewish scholars believe that the Jebusites made an agreement with Abraham that his descendants would not take control of Jerusalem against the will of the Jebusites, and then the Jebusites engraved the covenant into bronze. The existence of this agreement prevented the Israelites from dislodging the Jebusites.

Today's Reading - April 16, 2010

JOSHUA 13:1-14:15
LUKE 18:1-17
PSALM 85:1-13
PROVERBS 13:7-8

Question of the day: Was Caleb able to drive out the people of Hebron?

Yes, Joshua 15:14 tells us that Caleb and the Israelites did drive out the three Anakites, and their people.

Today's Reading - April 15, 2010

Joshua 11:1-12:24
Luke 17:11-37
Psalm 84:1-12
Proverbs 13:5-6

Question of the day: Jesus said, "On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack." What should they do instead?

Jesus is saying that at that point it will be too late to do anything. You must be ready now for Jesus to return.

Today's Reading - April 14, 2010

Joshua 9:3-10:43
Luke 16:19-17:10
Psalm 83:1-18
Proverbs 13:4

If God is love, how could he order Israel to kill all the people in the cities they came to?

First we must see why the Bible called the Canaanites evil. Among other things, Canaanite religion involved child sacrifice. It was a practice that increased the more their cities expanded. Unlike other ancient civilizations where such practices died out, the Canaanites perpetuated it.

Second, a study of the verses reveals a very different story. God did not issue a command for genocide, and Israel did not slay all the Canaanites. God issued two specific commands concerning the Canaanites east of the Jordan River (Deuteronomy 2:26-36, 3:1-11) and six commands concerning Canaanites in general (Exodus 23:31-33, 34:11-16, Numbers 33:50-56, Deuteronomy 7:1-5, 12:2-3, 20:10-18). The two specific commands were for the conquest of the kingdoms east of the Jordan. Of the six general commands, only Deuteronomy 7:1-5 demands the total destruction of the Canaanites. Deuteronomy 20:10-18 qualifies this by specifically mentioning the destruction of Canaanite cities. The other four concern driving them out, destroying their idols and not making any treaties with them.

For more on this subject, check out this blog post.

Today's Reading - April 13, 2010

Joshua 7:16-9:2
Luke 16:1-18
Psalm 82:1-8
Proverbs 13:2-3

Question of the day: What exactly is the Book of Instruction?

The Book of Instruction is a not a single book, but rather the collection of laws given to Moses while the Israelites were in the wilderness.

Today's Reading - April 12, 2010

Joshua 5:1-7:15
Luke 15:1-32
Psalm 81:1-16
Proverbs 13:1

Question of the day: Why weren't the Israelites boys circumcised while the Nation of Israel was wandering in the wilderness?

Number 8:18 may give us a clue: "But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel." God adopted the Levites as his chosen people during the wandering, but after the Israelites entered the Promised Land, he "re-adopted" the sons of Israel and had them circumcised.

Today's Reading - April 11, 2010

Joshua 3:1-4:24
Luke 14:7-35
Psalm 80:1-19
Proverbs 12:27-28

Question of the day: Why did Jesus say that you must hate your family to be his disciple?

Jesus was using a word that more often than not established priority, rather than signify an emotional response. He was also referring to the Jewish belief that the time when the messiah came would be one of disharmony in the family and society. He was announcing that the time of the messiah had come.

Today's Reading - April 9, 2010

Deuteronomy 33:1-29
Luke 13:1-21
Psalm 78:65-72
Proverbs 12:25

Question of the day: What is the meaning of the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree?

It is likely that Jesus intended this parable to admonish the Jews, whose mercies had been so numerous but whose day of privilege would soon end. But the subject is equally applicable to any who are favored with religious knowledge, yet who do little or nothing with it.

Today's Reading - April 10, 2010

Deuteronomy 34:1-Joshua 2:24
Luke 13:22-14:6
Psalm 79:1-13
Proverbs 12:26

Question of the day: What is remarkable about the story of Rahab?

The story of Rahab shows that even someone looked down upon in society could later be the grandmother of King David, and be in the lineage of Jesus!

Today's Reading - April 8, 2010

Deuteronomy 32:28-52
Luke 12:35-59
Psalm 78:56-64
Proverbs 12:24

Question of the day: Did Moses' sin justify the Lord not allowing him to go into the Promised Land?

God's punishment of Moses for his sin is a reminder that no matter what good we do with our lives, our sin has consequences. Even though God's grace can cover our sin, it will not protect us from the earthly consequences of sin.

Today's Reading - April 7, 2010

Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27
Luke 12:8-34
Psalm 78:32-55
Proverbs 12:21-23

 
Question of the day: Does the Parable of the Rich Fool tell us not to save for the future?


No it does not.  In Proverbs, we are told to "Go to the ant, you
sluggard;  consider its ways and be wise!"because "Ants are creatures
of little strength,  yet they store up their food in the summer;". 
Jesus was establishing that all the wealth in the world won't help you,
if you haven't taken the time to cultivate a
relationship with Him. 

Today's Reading - April 5, 2010

Deuteronomy 28:1-68
Luke 11:14-36
Psalm 77:1-20
Proverbs 12:18

Question of the day: Does the Lord still punish those who "refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees?"

While it is true that those who "refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees" will face God's punishment, God's grace is freely given to anyone who will accept it through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament passage, however, makes it clear that God actively punished sin as it happened with the Israelites. When they worshipped other gods, the Lord turned his back on them, and when they followed him, he blessed them and protected them from their enemies.

Today's Reading - April 4, 2010

Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26
Luke 10:38-11:13
Psalm 76:1-12
Proverbs 12:15-17

Question of the day: Why was the altar to be built of uncut stones?

So that man could not boast and brag about the great altar they had built, drawing attention to them instead of God.

Happy Easter! Jesus is alive!

Today's Reading - April 3, 2010

Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
Luke 10:13-37
Psalm 75:1-10
Proverbs 12:12-14

Question of the day: Why was Jesus condemning the cities mentioned in Luke 13?

These cities all committed the same sin: the sin of indifference. They didn't accept Jesus and recognize him as the Messiah. While he wasn't condemning the people of the cities who lived there as a whole, he was using them to illustrate that ignoring Jesus was just as serious as turning your back on him.

Today's Reading - April 2, 2010

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
Luke 9:51-10:12
Psalm 74:1-23
Proverbs 12:11

Question of the day: Why would God allow an Israelite to let his captive wife go if she didn't please him? Doesn't this fly in the face of God's vision of marriage?

God often made rules that spoke to the worst of the societal practices of the day. In this case, God was preserving the dignity of an individual who customarily would have been treated inhumanely. God's vision of marriage began as one man and one woman in Genesis, and ended with Paul exhorting the church to choose as their leaders those who were the husband of one wife.

Today's Reading - April 1, 2010

Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20
Luke 9:28-50
Psalm 73:1-28
Proverbs 12:10

Question of the day: In Psalm 73:7, was the Psalmist speaking of Congress or bankers?

It could have been either! April Fools!

Today's Reading - March 31, 2010

Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20
Luke 9:7-27
Psalm 72:1-20
Proverbs 12:8-9

Question of the day: In reference to Luke 9:9, did Herod Antipas ever see Jesus?

Yes, Luke 23:8-11 tells us that after Jesus was arrested, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas when he heard that Jesus was from Galilee. Herod wanted Jesus to do some miracles for him, and asked him many questions, but Jesus would say nothing. Herod could have freed Jesus, but instead sent him back to Pilate, who ended up crucifying him.

Herod Antipas ruled Galilee for 42 years, and after running afoul of the Roman Emporer Caligula, was sent off to exile in France.

Today's Reading - March 30, 2010

Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23
Luke 8:40-9:6
Psalm 71:1-24
Proverbs 12:5-7

Question of the day: Deuteronomy 15:9 says, "Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the Lord, you will be considered guilty of sin." What does this mean?

Moses here was teaching about the law that every seven year, all debts were to be cancelled. The Lord foresaw that there would be those who would refuse to lend knowing that they would not be repaid. God went on to say that it was a spirit of generosity that he desired from his people. If you saw someone in need, you were to reach out to him.

Today's Reading - March 29, 2010

Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32
Luke 8:22-39
Psalm 70:1-5
Proverbs 12:4

Question of the day: Why did God make the Israelites sacrifice their offerings in only places that God designated?

The Lord knew that the Israelites would take the easy way out if offered, and would degrade the sacrificial commands if stringent instructions were not given

Today's Reading - March 28, 2010

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22
Luke 8:4-21
Psalm 69:19-36
Proverbs 12:2-3

Question of the day: Why did Jesus teach in parables?

The first instance of this is in His telling the parable of the seed and the soils. Before He interpreted this parable, He drew His disciples away from the crowd. They said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Matthew 13:10-17).

From this point on in Jesus’ ministry, when He spoke in parables, He explained them only to His disciples. But those who had continually rejected His message were left in their spiritual blindness to wonder as to His meaning.