May 9
May 9
One Year Bible Readings:
1 Samuel 5:1-7:17
John 6:1-21
Psalm 106:13-31
Proverbs 14:32-33
Supplemental Reading for The One Year Bible.
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog.
1 Samuel:
Interesting chapters in First Samuel today! The idol Dagon was no match for the Ark of the Covenant! You'll notice in verse 4 that Dagon ends up in a worship position before the Ark: "And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD." Dagon was the "god" of the Philistines, and was thought to have been some sort of man / fish combo. It's fascinating to see the Philistine's send back to Israel a "guilt offering" of golden tumors and rats with the Ark. Not quite what was prescribed for guilt offerings in Leviticus... but, I guess you can give them an E for effort. :) Then we arrive at the people of Beth-shemesh who look in the ark and perish - and then the ark is sent off again to another town. We then arrive at some wonderful words from Samuel in chapter 7 verses 3 & 4: "Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, "If you are really serious about wanting to return to the LORD, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the LORD; then he will rescue you from the Philistines." So the Israelites destroyed their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the LORD." And later in verse 10 we read - "Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived for battle. But the LORD spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them."
Q: What was your reaction to reading about the Ark of the Covenant in Philistine territory and its return to the Israelites? Has their ever been a time in your life when you worshiped an “idol” of sorts, like the Israelites worshipped foreign gods, and that you realized you must give up the idol and return to the Lord? What are some idols in our modern world that we might not realize are idols?
John:
It is very interesting to note that Jesus' miracle of feeding the 5,000 is the only miracle, along with the resurrection, that is described in all 4 gospels! In John chapter 6 verse 14 we read - "When the people saw this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!"" The Prophet the crowds are referring to comes from Deuteronomy chapter 18 verses 15 & 18 - "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.... I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him."
Q: What do you think the significance is of the miracle of feeding the 5,000? Do you think Jesus is concerned for our physical needs? What is a time in your life Jesus took care of your physical needs?
Psalm:
Today in Psalm 106:19-21 we read: “At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt.” This of course sounds very familiar to Romans chapter 1 verses 22 and 23: "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."
Q: Was this wise that the Israelites exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull? Why did they do this? What should have been their Glory? What is your Glory today? Do you, at times, exchange your true Glory for something else? Is this wise? Are you forgetting the God who saved you? The God who has done great things for you?
Verse 13 in this Psalm also stands out: "Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel!"
Q: Is this true of us? Do we forget or take for granted all of the blessings God has poured out into our lives? In doing so, do we decide to take matters into our own hands - not waiting on God's counsel for our direction? Will we remember? Will we wait? Patiently...?
Proverbs:
I really like Proverbs 14 verse 33 today - "Wisdom is enshrined in an understanding heart." I pray we all develop understanding hearts that are full of godly wisdom!
Q: What do you think this Proverb means when it says "understanding heart"? What is an "understanding heart"? How is it different from other hearts? Maybe hardened hearts or foolish hearts? Have you ever prayed to God for an understanding heart? Would this be a good prayer?
Copyright © 2004-2012 One Year Bible Blog
One Year Bible Readings:
1 Samuel 5:1-7:17
John 6:1-21
Psalm 106:13-31
Proverbs 14:32-33
Supplemental Reading for The One Year Bible.
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog.
1 Samuel:
Interesting chapters in First Samuel today! The idol Dagon was no match for the Ark of the Covenant! You'll notice in verse 4 that Dagon ends up in a worship position before the Ark: "And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD." Dagon was the "god" of the Philistines, and was thought to have been some sort of man / fish combo. It's fascinating to see the Philistine's send back to Israel a "guilt offering" of golden tumors and rats with the Ark. Not quite what was prescribed for guilt offerings in Leviticus... but, I guess you can give them an E for effort. :) Then we arrive at the people of Beth-shemesh who look in the ark and perish - and then the ark is sent off again to another town. We then arrive at some wonderful words from Samuel in chapter 7 verses 3 & 4: "Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, "If you are really serious about wanting to return to the LORD, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the LORD; then he will rescue you from the Philistines." So the Israelites destroyed their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the LORD." And later in verse 10 we read - "Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived for battle. But the LORD spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them."
Q: What was your reaction to reading about the Ark of the Covenant in Philistine territory and its return to the Israelites? Has their ever been a time in your life when you worshiped an “idol” of sorts, like the Israelites worshipped foreign gods, and that you realized you must give up the idol and return to the Lord? What are some idols in our modern world that we might not realize are idols?
John:
It is very interesting to note that Jesus' miracle of feeding the 5,000 is the only miracle, along with the resurrection, that is described in all 4 gospels! In John chapter 6 verse 14 we read - "When the people saw this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!"" The Prophet the crowds are referring to comes from Deuteronomy chapter 18 verses 15 & 18 - "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.... I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him."
Q: What do you think the significance is of the miracle of feeding the 5,000? Do you think Jesus is concerned for our physical needs? What is a time in your life Jesus took care of your physical needs?
Psalm:
Today in Psalm 106:19-21 we read: “At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt.” This of course sounds very familiar to Romans chapter 1 verses 22 and 23: "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."
Q: Was this wise that the Israelites exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull? Why did they do this? What should have been their Glory? What is your Glory today? Do you, at times, exchange your true Glory for something else? Is this wise? Are you forgetting the God who saved you? The God who has done great things for you?
Verse 13 in this Psalm also stands out: "Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel!"
Q: Is this true of us? Do we forget or take for granted all of the blessings God has poured out into our lives? In doing so, do we decide to take matters into our own hands - not waiting on God's counsel for our direction? Will we remember? Will we wait? Patiently...?
Proverbs:
I really like Proverbs 14 verse 33 today - "Wisdom is enshrined in an understanding heart." I pray we all develop understanding hearts that are full of godly wisdom!
Q: What do you think this Proverb means when it says "understanding heart"? What is an "understanding heart"? How is it different from other hearts? Maybe hardened hearts or foolish hearts? Have you ever prayed to God for an understanding heart? Would this be a good prayer?
Copyright © 2004-2012 One Year Bible Blog
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