December 9th One Year Bible Readings

Joel 1:1-3:21 ~ Revelation 1:1-20 ~ Psalm 128:1-6 ~ Proverbs 29:18
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on One Year Bible Online Audio,ESVBible.org: OT, NT, Psalms, Proverbs or DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) ~

Old Testament - Today we start and finish the book of Joel!  The book is basically about locusts.  :)  Well, okay, more than that.  This book was written by pretty much an unknown author.  There are 12 other Joel's mentioned in the Old Testament, and none are thought to be this book's author.  Joel's name means "The Lord is God" or "Yahweh is God."  Not a bad name eh!  This name is actually the reverse of Elijah - "God is Lord/Yahweh".   Different commentators estimate that this book was probably written between the 8th and 5th centuries B.C.  And, yes, since you know I like images on this blog, will you please indulge me in one locust swarm picture? :)

~ Joel ~
Author: Joel
Date: Ninth century B.C.
Content: This beautifully written book uses a plague of locusts to describe symbolically God’s coming judgment on Jerusalem. Just as locusts devour the land, so will the enemy armies devour Jerusalem unless the nation repents of its sins. If the people do respond, there will be a time of prosperity and a return of God’s favor. God’s favor is seen as going beyond the immediate future to a time when God would pour out his Holy Spirit upon all flesh. The New Testament sees this as being fulfilled at Pentecost.
Theme: Joel’s message is one of coming judgment if Jerusalem does not repent. Just as surely as the locusts strip the trees bar, so will God strip bare the land. Joel also speaks of coming prosperity, and final blessing, if the people respond in faith. (Above commentary is from “The One Year Bible Companion” pp. 15-16)  A wonderful commentary on the book of Joel by Hampton Keathley IV is at this link.  Below is an image of Joel prophesying when Israel had just been struck by two plagues - locusts and drought - from a 14th century illuminated Bible:

Joel chapter 2 verse 13 stood out to me in today's readings: "Don't tear your clothing in your grief; instead, tear your hearts. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful. He is not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you." I like that - tear your hearts.  One of my favorite musicians, David Wilcox, often talks and sings about hearts not working right - until they are broken.  I think he's actually preaching the Gospel message with this thinking.   When we finally get to the point of surrendering our lives to Jesus, we come with broken-open hearts.  Hearts that have been torn.  We've given up our pride.  We're reading for God to fill our hearts instead.  And as this verse tells us - God is gracious and merciful.  Has your heart been torn for God?

Joel chapter 2 verses 28-32 are amazing!  ""Then after I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike. I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth--blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives. And anyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. There will be people on Mount Zion in Jerusalem who escape, just as the LORD has said. These will be among the survivors whom the LORD has called."  I didn't realize until recently that these verses were quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost - seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection - in the book of Acts.  Check out the similarities at this link, Acts Chapter 2 verses 16-21.  Back to Joel chapter 2 verse 29: "In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike."  We are in those days...  Has God's Spirit been poured out upon you?  Into your heart?

New Testament - Today we start the book of Revelation!  I have to confess that I have been a bit nervous about blogging through the book of Revelation.  But here goes nothing!  :)   Revelation has been called "The Revelation of John", but really this book is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ".   It is believed that the apostle John wrote this book.  He also wrote the Gospel of John and the letters of First, Second, and Third John.  There was some dispute about the apostle John writing this book in the third century by a bishop named Dionysius - as he thought the writing style of this book was so different from the Gospel of John & his letters.   But most do believe that the apostle John did indeed write the book of Revelation on the Island of Patmos, off the coast of Ephesus, or modern-day Turkey.  It is said that one of the major purposes of this book, written in circa 95 A.D., was to encourage Christians to resist the Roman empire's demands of emperor worship. The other important thing to note is the Revelation is apocalyptic literature, which means that its writing is highly symbolic.  Below is artwork of John on Patmos writing the book of Revelation:

There are basically 4 lines of thinking on how to interpret the book of Revelation, which I think are helpful to consider before diving into this book.  I am editing these comments below from bible.org at this link: Please check out this link for more details on these 4 points below and the book of Revelation overall - these comments were edited on bible.org from M. C. Tenney, Interpreting Revelation.

"(1) The preterist approach believes that “Revelation is simply a sketch of the conditions of the empire in the first century.”

(2) The historicist view (or continuous-historicist view) “contends that Revelation is a symbolic presentation of the entire course of the history of the church from the close of the first century to the end of time.”

(3) The futurist approach usually argues that “all of the visions from Revelation 4:1 to the end of the book are yet to be fulfilled in the period immediately preceding and following the second advent of Christ.”

(4) In the idealist approach, “the Revelation represents the eternal conflict of good and evil which persists in every age, although here it may have particular application to the period of the church.”"

Into the readings today... Chapter 1 verse 8 certainly stands out in today's readings, as we hear from Jesus himself: ""I am the Alpha and the Omega--the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One."  I like that - the Alpha & Omega.  The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.  Jesus is the beginning and end of all things.  Jesus is God.

 

In verses 17 & 18 today we hear this similar theme from Jesus again to John: "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave."  It is awesome that Jesus uses the term Living One here.  This is very similar to Old Testament verses we hear about God being a Living God.  Jesus is also truly Living today in our lives.  Do you believe Jesus is the Alpha & Omega?  The Living One?

 

Psalms - Psalm 128 verse 1 stands out today: "How happy are those who fear the LORD-- all who follow his ways!" Do you think it is possible to be happy and to fear God at the same time?  Do you believe a healthy fear of God is, well, healthy?  Why would we fear God - God who loves us immensely?  What is this Psalmist saying to us today in our lives?

Proverbs - It is very interesting that Proverbs 29 verse 18 may help answer these questions immediately above: "When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is happy."  Do you see parallels to this Proverb and the Psalm verse above?  Are you accepting divine guidance in your life?  Are you happy?

Worship God: Revelation chapter 1 verse 8 in today's readings reminds me of the fantastic song by Mark Harris called "One True God:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xuTmGRYFqM

Do you know the One true God?  Click here and meet the One!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.'" Revelation 1:8 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you know that Jesus is your Alpha and Omega. Pray today and every day, Come Lord Jesus, Come!

Comments from you:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our One Year Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our One Year Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this One Year Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

Comments

[Ramona]

Joel 1:1-3:21 & Proverbs 29:18

As I read the Old Testament reading today I don’t know why but I began thinking of these two verses out of Isaiah,

WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing]. [Rev. 21:6, 7; 22:17.] Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy]. [Jer. 31:12-14.]
(Isaiah 55:1-2 AMP)

And as I read through till Proverbs, I thought “Hmmm! There is similarity between the verse in Proverb and this passage. Locust strip the vegetation, the food, from the ground and famine of provisions results. Symbolically and or allegorically locust and famine can represent things that take away our sustenance, be it food, vision, hope or the things that make life, well, life. Today’s Proverb states,

Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he. [I Sam. 3:1; Amos 8:11, 12.] (Proverbs 29:18 AMP).

A famine of food will destroy our bodies, or at lest make us weak and possibly bring illness, but a famine of the Word of God makes us the walking dead.

8Weep with sorrow, as a virgin weeps when her fiance has died. 9There is no grain or wine to offer at the Temple of the LORD. The priests are mourning because there are no offerings. Listen to the weeping of these ministers of the LORD! 10The fields are ruined and empty of crops. The grain, the wine, and the olive oil are gone. (Joel 1:8)

Grain, wine and olive oil have been symbolically represented in scriptures, both in the Old and New Testament. Grain is what is used to make bread, we worship the Bread of Life. Wine, New Wine, is what Jesus said is hard for those who are filled up on the Old Wine to taste (Luke 5:39). The olive oil was used, and is still used today to make the special oil used to anoint the priests. This is was oil that was used to anoint Aaron into the priesthood, the oil that was poured upon his head and that flowed down to the hem of his priestly garment. (Exodus 29:21; Lev. 8:12) And looking at today’s New Testament reading, Jesus is the one standing in the middle of the seven lamp stands that use olive oil as fuel.

There was a four-hundred year silence of the Word of God between the last prophet in Israel and the Word given to Elizabeth, the cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus representing a famine of all three, bread, oil and wine. I could be off in left field but today, at lest to me, there is a strong connection between all of today’s readings.

No Word of God, no restrants; no Word of God, no spiritual food; no Word of God, no anointing to minister, and no spiritual Wine to make a glad and merry heart. (Ephesians 5:18)
Wine is made from Fruit and my mind is exploding with images of wine made from the Fruit of the Spirit. Remember the robe of the High Priest had sown on the bottom, a bell, and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, etc. I’m not sure but I think the bell represented the gifts of the spirit and the pomegranates represented the fruit of the spirit. (Ever open up a pomegranate? It is loaded with lots of little fleshy, juicy red fruit with a seed in the middle.)

Now I’ve got the “Mike” disease, known as the Tangent. I’m not sure how all this fits in, and it may not even fit it, but while I ride into work, I will read and reread today’s text and study and pray that all of this “Stuff” becomes clearer.

“I’m so excited, just so excited—I’m about to lose my mind and I think I like it” a line from the Pointer Sisters song.

Grace and peace,
Ramona