DBRP_Nov08_2014 Eze48 Is21 2Cor2

In the chapters from Ezekiel yesterday, we heard more rules for the prince’s worship and about temple kitchens and a beginning part about the division of the land. Very fascinating in that is the part about the river that comes out from the east side of the temple, including trees that are for healing, bearing fruit every month. We will soon hear about this river and the trees of life in Revelation.

 

Yesterday’s chapter in Isaiah was only six verses long. It always seems very unfair to me that Isaiah had to go about naked as a sign about two countries that were not even his own. I suspect it had to have been a sign to the people of Israel as well.

 

This is another chapter where it is best to start before the chapter break. 

23 Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke. 24 But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your [beliefs//faith] into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own [fully believing//faith] that you stand firm.

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DBRP_Nov07_2014 Eze46-47 Is20 2Cor1

Yesterday we heard regulations for the priests and Levites, about foreigners, and about the prince of Israel. Also there was the fascinating detail about the eastern gate, which must remain shut.

 

Yesterday we heard the prophecy against Egypt, but again it ends with a note of hope for Egypt.

 

Yesterday we finished the book of Hebews. I would encourage anyone to camp out a bit longer in the 12th and 13th chapters. There is deep insight hidden there.

 

Here at the end of the year, we will be touring through some of the deepest writing of the New Testament, like what we experienced in Hebrews. 2nd Corinthians is such a letter. It is actually called “Paul’s hard letter.” And from a Bible translator’s experience, it is the hardest book in the New Testament to translate. This is because Paul shares his feelings deeply and in doing so he often draws fine distinctions— not wanting to be misunderstood. It is those fine shades of feelings that are so hard to translate. 

 

2nd Corinthians is a book where Paul shares in an intensely personal way. First he shares about ministry set-backs and discouragement. In sharing these things, Paul also gives us golden keys to unlock comfort and encouragement in our lives. Then Paul shares several personal stories because he feels forced to. That is, because of comparisons drawn between him and false teachers, the Corinthian church needs to know information about Paul’s apostleship and relationship with Christ that Paul would prefer not to boast about. 

 

Paul also urges the Corinthian church to complete their desire to minister financially to the needy fellow believers in Jerusalem. In teaching about ministering with Christian kindness, Paul gives valuable examples to us about the proper motivation for Christian charitable work and appropriate fund raising.

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DBRP_Nov06_2014 Eze44-45 Is19 Heb13

In the vision of the ideal temple yesterday, we heard of the buildings of rooms for the priests and offerings, the altar, the glory of God coming to this temple, and the reason for this vision.

 

Yesterday in Isaiah we heard the prophecy about the defeat of the Ethiopians, and at the end of that message, there was a note of hope for that nation.

 

Did you catch it?! Yesterday we actually returned to 'the place of rest' which was the theme of Hebrews 3-4. Compare the last verse of chapter 4 with the place where we ‘have come’ to in 10:22-24.

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DBRP_Nov05_2014 Eze42-43 Is18 Heb12

In yesterday’s tour of the ideal temple we viewed the sanctuary and Most Holy Place.

 

Yesterday we heard of Damascus and Syria and Israel.

 

After recounting the more victorious heroes of faithful believing, the author spoke about all those unnamed people who victoriously suffered because of fully believing. The Faith Chapter ends with this:

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their [fully believing//faith], yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

 

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DBRP_Nov04_2014 Eze41 Is17 Heb11b

Yesterday we started Ezekiel’s account of his long vision about the future and ideal temple of God, and this is another vision that is referred to in the book of Revelation. The reason for this vision is given in chapter 43:

10 “Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, 11and they will be ashameda of what they have done.

 

Yesterday we finished the two chapter oracle concerning Moab. It was not so much a prophecy of condemnation, but a lament for the people.

 

The Faith Chapter of Hebrews is an exposition of the verse from Habbakuk 2:

38And my righteous ones will live by [fully believing in Me//faith].

But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

 

It is unfortunate that the King James Version of the first verse of Hebrews 11 doesn’t make good sense but is still so often quoted as the definition of faith. The KJV says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for …” But how can I use that idea of ‘substance’? This became the definition that is quoted, but no one can figure out what to do with it after quoting it. No one can, so to speak, put their finger on that ‘substance’. The Greek word translated as ‘substance’ can also be translated ‘confidence’. And using that word, our definition makes sense.

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DBRP_Nov03_2014 Eze40 Is16 Heb11a

In chapter 38-39 we heard of the kingdoms of Gog and Magog. These names point to future kingdoms in the north (in Turkey or farther north). Like Ezekiel’s prophecies against the kings of Tyre and Babylon, Gog and Magog point to spiritual entities beyond this world as well as perhaps having a specific earthly reference at some time. Like several of Ezekiel’s prophecies, Gog and Magog appear in Revelation (chapter 20).

 

Today’s chapter is the continuation of the prophecy against Moab.

 

Because of a quirk in English, the tight connection between the noun ‘faith’ and the verb ‘believe’ has been broken. These two words have the same root in Greek. It would have been better had English preserved the connection such as between ‘confidence’ and ‘confident’. In our reading, I am therefore changing NLT’s ‘faith’ to ‘fully believe/believe’. Note also that this famous ‘faith chapter’ of Hebrews is actually expounding on a quote from the end of chapter 10. 

36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

37 “For in just a little while,

the Coming One will come and not delay.

38 And my righteous ones will live by [fully believing in Me//faith].k

But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”l

 

39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the [fully believing//faithful] ones, whose souls will be saved.

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DBRP_Nov02_2014 Eze38-39 Is15 Heb10b

Yesterday we heard the famous ‘dry bones’ chapter of Ezekiel. Again the prophecy is that David will rule over the nation of Israel, which is like a nation of bones brought back to life. The references to David of course point to his heir, Christ.

 

Starting in this chapter we hear of the kingdoms of Gog and Magog. These names point to future kingdoms in the north (in Turkey or farther north). Like Ezekiel’s prophecies against the kings of Tyre and Babylon, Gog and Magog point to spiritual entities beyond this world as well as perhaps having a specific earthly reference at some time.

 

Yesterday’s reading in Isaiah started out like Ezekiel, talking of Israel’s return from exile and slavery. Then we heard another portion where the king of Babylon is clearly portraying Satan. That section starts with these words:

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,

O shining star, son of the morning!

You have been thrown down to the earth,

you who destroyed the nations of the world.

13 For you said to yourself,

‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. …

 

In the first part of chapter 10, the writer is still speaking of the advantages and greater glory of the new covenant, proving this with a reference to Psalm 40 and returning to the extended quote from Jeremiah 31.

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