September 1st Bible in a Year Readings

Job 40:1-42:17 + 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 + Psalm 45:1-17 + Proverbs 22:14
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Old Testament - We finish up the book of Job today!  King Solomon's book of Ecclesiastes begins tomorrow!  In our Job readings today, one very interesting thing that I really want to now study further is what exactly was the "behemoth” in Job Chapter 40 and what was the "leviathan” in Job Chapter 41? Were these dinosaurs?? :) Currently my thinking is lined up with the New Living Translation saying that the behemoth is a hippopotamus and that the leviathan is a crocodile – and obviously you can view my blog entry below to see I have images up of a hippo and croc.  A few website links about the question of dinosaurs being mentioned in the Bible are at this link, this link, and this link. Below is artwork titled "Behemoth and Leviathan" by William Blake from the year 1825:

In our Job readings today, God talks all about Intelligent Design.  :)  Seriously, when I read today's chapters in Job 40 about the hippopotamus and 41 about the crocodile, I could not help but praise God for indeed being the Almighty Intelligent Designer!   Great stuff.  You cannot argue with Job chapter 40 verses 15 through 18 where God says to Job - ""Take a look at the mighty hippopotamus. I made it, just as I made you. It eats grass like an ox. See its powerful loins and the muscles of its belly. Its tail is as straight as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are tightly knit together. Its bones are tubes of bronze. Its limbs are bars of iron. It is a prime example of God's amazing handiwork."  Amen.  Thank you hippopotamus for reminding us today that God intelligently designed you too!

And we can't forget about your intelligent and powerful design either Mr. Crocodile!  :)  God's words about you in Job 41 verses 31 through 34 - ""The crocodile makes the water boil with its commotion. It churns the depths. The water glistens in its wake. One would think the sea had turned white. There is nothing else so fearless anywhere on earth. Of all the creatures, it is the proudest. It is the king of beasts."  I thought the mighty Lion was the king of the beasts??  I guess not.  The title goes to you Mr. and Mrs. Crocodiles!

Today in Job chapter 42 verse 1 we read – “Then Job replied to the Lord: ‘I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.’” This verse comes just after God speaks his mind to Job for the preceding 4 chapters. Job replies quite humbly and wisely in this verse above. This week as you read through God’s words to Job in chapters 38 through 41, please some time to meditate upon who God is and how great God is. Ask yourself, do you truly know that God can do all things? Do you know that no plan of God’s can be thwarted? In light of this knowledge, how then should you live your life? Will you align your entire life with God’s plans and purposes? Will you consciously choose each and every day to live your life in accordance with God’s will? Will you live in accordance with the will of the Creator of the universe and the very Creator of you? Or will you rebel against your Creator in some areas of your life? Will you dare to hold something back from God? Why? Why not let the rebellion toward God depart from your life? Why would you not live a fully holy and pleasing life for God?

New Testament - Today in Second Corinthians chapter 5 verses 17 and 18 we read – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” How do these 2 verses speak to you? I have a hunch that you have probably heard the first of these 2 verses before? (Michael W. Smith has a child reciting this verse at the beginning of one of his Worship albums.) I find it interesting to consider the first verse – being a new creation – along with the second verse – because God reconciled us through Jesus. I absolutely love the first verse. If we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we are indeed a new creation. Our old self has gone and the new self has come. And why do we receive this amazing gift? Because the Creator of All has reconciled his Creation (us) to himself through Jesus and the ministry of reconciliation. We have been reconciled to God! This is a powerful thought to consider. It is a joyful thought! It is also a thought that should make us realize that there was a time in our life when we were not reconciled with God. And it should make us realize that there are people in this world right now whom we know who are hurting and are not reconciled with God. Are you reconciled with God through Jesus? Do you rejoice frequently in the Spirit and in prayers of thanksgiving that you are a new creation? Are you working and praying for reconciliation for your family and friends and others God has brought into your life? Do you believe that they want to leave their old self behind and become a new creation?

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Second Corinthians titled "Out With the Old, In With the New" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 45 is very likely a song of praise to King David on his wedding day.  Interestingly, after the Babylonian exile, this Psalm was applied to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the promised Son of David.  I can see how some verses in this Psalm could apply to both the current king of the day and the true king yet to come.  Verse 7 is a good example: "You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else."  Below is Mary's (Martha's sister) anointing of Jesus from the Gospel of John chapter 12 verses 1-8.   

Proverbs - Proverbs 22 verse 14 teaches us today: "The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; those living under the LORD's displeasure will fall into it." Let us all watch our mouths - though really it is our hearts we must guard, for what comes out of our mouths starts in our hearts.  And let us not fall into the trap of listening to anyone's immoral talk.  Immoral talk is indeed a deep pit!  (or for you old-school Atari fans out there, perhaps a Pitfall?... :)

Worship Video: Today's readings in Second Corinthians reminded me of Casting Crown's song "Until the Whole World Hears:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7qi2KlUffs

Are you singing about Jesus until the whole world hears? Click here to Sing!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you are completely "in Christ" through a saving faith and relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Pray with rejoicing that you are a new creation! Pray that the old is truly gone from your life and your new life with Jesus has 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 Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 - Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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Comments

[Ramona]

Job 40-42:17

After the Lord had spoken the previous words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job has. … And the Lord turned the captivity of Job and restored his fortunes, when he prayed for his friends; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. [Deut. 30:1-3; Ps. 126:1, 2.] (Job 42:7,10) AMP)

Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies, but here God rebukes Job’s friends, tells them to go to Job and offer a burnt offering and to humble themselves so Job could pray for them. They were forced to seek the prayers of a man they thought was sinful. God has this way of reversing man’s standards. It is the greater that always blesses the lesser. They thought they were above Job but God said, “Not So!”

In my times of reading through this book, I’ve always thought that young Elihu most have had more wisdom than the other three because nowhere in this text is there recorded a rebuke by God of Elihu’s speech. I think I have changed my mind and am considering another perspective, Elihu may have just been a fool/mocker/scoffer, as defined by the book of Proverbs, not worthy of being given a response or answer.

So don't waste your time on a scoffer; all you'll get for your pains is abuse. But if you correct those who care about life, that's different--they'll love you for it! (Proverbs 9:8 MSG)

Don't bother talking sense to fools; they'll only poke fun at your words. (Proverbs 23:9 MSG)

II Corinthians 5:11-21
I needed to be reminded of verse 15 and I love the way it has been translated in the NLT, 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them.

For all those “who receive” I believe is the key here to this verse catching my attention. Jesus’ work on the Cross-was a gift. It wasn’t a bribe or exhortation or enticement it was a gift. A gift by its very name means that there is “No Strings Attached,” no payment of an in-kind gift required. A gift is something given to someone, just because … On the other end there is the art of receiving a gift. A gift given does not mean the person who has received the gift will use it. They may even say thank you but then put the gift in the closet.

There are many reasons why people don’t use or value a gift given. They may not know the value, they may despise it, they may recognize the value but that knowledge causes them to lock it up and never take it out due to fear.

The gift that Jesus has given us can never be stolen and was given to us to be used. Is your salvation hiding out in a closet somewhere?

For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Mark 4:25 NET.)

How can you take from someone who doesn’t have? Either they don’t know they have it or they don’t know it’s value and allow someone to take it away.

There is a Praise Chorus that has this line,

This Joy I have the World Didn’t Give it and the World Can’t take it Away, but if we don’t know its value we can give it away.

Psalm 45:1-17
The forth verse reminds me of two repeating refrains in the 24th Psalm,

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalms 24:8-10 KJVR)

Proverbs 22:14

Mike, this verse churns up another perspective for me. Yes, we need to watch our hearts for what ever is in our hearts will flow out of our mouths. However, the last half states another deep principle, our hearts, thus our mouths are controlled by our relationship with God. Those who are not walking in the Fear of the Lord, this verse states, will fall into the deep pit. It doesn’t say they might, it says they WILL.

But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
(Psalms 81:11-14 KJVR)

Grace and peace and know that God is still on the Throne no matter what it “appears” to look like.

Ramona

[Deedee]

So good to make it through Job..God showed up amd showed out. But I will say..God bragged some on his boy Job after he repented in comparison to his friends and he forgave Jobs friends after Job prayed for them.

2nd Cor: the prayers of the righteous availeth much. Amen!

Psalm..made to David on his wedding day possibly..your tongue is like a ready writer..that is one of my fave verses..however we hace to be careful what we say in front of others.

Proverbs..be careful of wrong influences and ungodly women. Amen

[Nancy]

I shared 2 Corinthians 5.17 with a new believer. I explained that her past was in the the past. That she didn't need to share it with anyone unless her former life could help someone. Sadly people can be judgemental & critical. She will be joining my small group in a few weeks. Want to help her get well grounded in the Lord.

I know Calvinist thinking is different than what I believe. John 3.16 says whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life. It is a choice to be made. Even tho God knows who will come it is still a choice for everyone. Otherwise it isn't free will. Not trying to argue. I believe we can not understand God's thinking. Isaiah 55.9 says: As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. We will discover the answers to it all when we go to be with Jesus. The main point is the basics of salvation are what is important. Other issues are man's thoughts in the matter. We were once one group in the beginning but sadly splintered off over other ideas.