Yesterday we read of how King Darius completely sided with the Israelites seeking to reestablish the temple worship. Note that the letter to Darius from the government officials was rather complementary and not threatening loss to the king’s interests as the letter from the earlier officials. Remember also that this King Darius is the one who was duped into putting Daniel into the lions’ den, and who then issued a decree that everyone must respect Daniel’s God.
https://www.bible.com/bible/116/ezr.7.nlt
Isaiah’s prophecy in yesterday’s reading certainly came true!
8“The Assyrians will be destroyed,
but not by the swords of men.
The sword of God will strike them,
and they will panic and flee.
That happened on the night recorded in 2Kings 19 where the Lord put to death 185,000 men. Quote,
“When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere.”
https://www.bible.com/bible/116/isa.32
Paul continues to speak about what he hopes NOT to find when he comes this time to visit. Continuing from yesterday’s last paragraph,
Paul was saying:
19Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you. 20For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior. 21Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.
This chapter 13 is another good place to tout the virtues of the New Living Translation. Paul uses the word ‘test’ in three different senses in this chapter. This makes several verses hard to understand in a literal translation. The NLT has done a good job helping the reader understand the different senses in which Paul used that word.
Translation notes:
5Examine yourselves to see if [you really fully believe//your faith is genuine]. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among youb; if not, you have failed the test of [fully believing in Christ//genuine faith].
https://www.bible.com/bible/116/2co.13
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