NL-DBRP_216 JER.28 JER.29 PRO.2 1CO.9

JEREMIAH 28-29:
In yesterday's reading we moved from more poetic content to the story of Jeremiah being opposed by priests, other prophets, and royal officials. Remember that God has promised that he will protect Jeremiah in the face of opposition, and this certainly was put to the test. At the end of yesterday's reading, we heard how Jeremiah prophesied that more valuable articles would be taken away from the Temple, and that they would be brought back eventually. When we read the book of Ezra, we will hear that this prophecy was fulfilled.

PROVERBS 2:
Yesterday's reading in Proverbs contained the first speech of Lady Wisdom, the personification of God's wisdom. Just as an incidental point and because we have 1-2 Indonesian listeners, I would like to explain: Because personification is shown by ‘she’ and ‘her’ in English, these portions come out poorly when translated literally into Indonesian, which doesn't keep track of masculine/feminine gender. An added problem is that the Indonesian language seems to never use personification. But even in English, it does seem weird when the abstract noun Wisdom builds a house, calls out to people who pass by, and does other human actions.

1CORINTHIANS 9:
In 1 Corinthians 8 Paul began his explanation about whether Christians can eat food left over from sacrifices to idols. To me it is another sign of inspiration and God-given wisdom that Paul did not just give a rule to answer this question.

GNT Translation notes:
Jer. 28:15 [After telling Hananiah that, I added,//Then I told Hananiah this, and added,] “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you, and you are making these people believe a lie.
====
1Cor. 9:22 Among the weak [0?//in faith] I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.
[Greek lacks the words ‘in faith’ here. The meaning seems to be weak in regard to believing the full implications of how Christ fulfilled the Jewish law for those who are joined as one with him.]

NLT Translation note:
1Cor. 9:10 Wasn’t he actually speaking [about/to] us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.

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DayStarters_003

Re-release of NT reading from GN-DBRP_170: John 2.

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GN-DBRP_215 JER.26 JER.27 PRO.1 1CO.8

JEREMIAH 26-27:
In yesterday’s reading, some important points were revealed: The people the Lord was about to send into exile to the North would return to Him wholeheartedly and God would bring them back to their land. God would put it into their hearts to return to him! Those remaining in the land at the point of exile and their king would be scattered, cursed, and vanish. The exiles would come back after 70 years, and afterward Babylon would have its turn to be punished and would remain a ruin forever— as in fact it is! That 70 year time was important to the prophet Daniel when he discovered it when reading this book!

PROVERBS 1:
In  our poetry readings this year, we started with Job, then Psalms, and now we enter the wisdom literature with Proverbs. Solomon wrote and compiled these proverbs around the year 950 BC, in the height of Israel’s golden age. We will hear the theme statement of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes today in verse 7 (NLT), “Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge.” There is a clear division in the organization of this book. The first 9 chapters are highly thematic and are especially directed to giving wisdom to Solomon’s sons. Then there are proverbs giving every-day advice to everyone, followed by advice to rulers. The very last chapter is the one that extols the blessedness of having a wise wife.

1CORINTHIANS 8:
Summarizing important points about our position that we have heard in 1 Corinthians 6-7: Remember that we are joined as one with Christ— as in the vine and branch metaphors. We are ‘of one spirit with the Lord’. (6:17) We each have become the ‘temple of God's Spirit’. (6:19) We are in the humble yet honored position of being ‘slaves’ of the Lord, the King of Kings. (7:22) We are not our own. We have been bought with a high price. (6:20 and 7:23)

GNT Translation notes:
Jer. 27:16 Then I told the priests and the people [what//that] the Lord had said: “Do not listen to the prophets who say that the Temple treasures will soon be brought back from Babylonia. They are lying to you.
19 King Hezekiah and the people of Judah did not put Micah to death. Instead, Hezekiah honored the Lord and tried to win his favor. And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he said he would bring on them. Now [if we do what you say, we’ll//we are about to] bring a terrible disaster on ourselves.”
====
Prov. 1:28 Then you will call for [me,] wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me.
====
ICor. 8:9 Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in [their belief in Christ//the faith] fall into sin.
13 So then, if food makes a believer sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make a [fellow] believer fall into sin.

NLT Translation note:
1Cor.8:13 So if what I eat [would cause/causes] another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

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NL-DBRP_215 JER.26 JER.27 PRO.1 1CO.8

JEREMIAH 26-27:
In yesterday’s reading, some important points were revealed: The people the Lord was about to send into exile to the North would return to Him wholeheartedly and God would bring them back to their land. God would put it into their hearts to return to him! Those remaining in the land at the point of exile and their king would be scattered, cursed, and vanish. The exiles would come back after 70 years, and afterward Babylon would have its turn to be punished and would remain a ruin forever— as in fact it is! That 70 year time was important to the prophet Daniel when he discovered it when reading this book!

PROVERBS 1:
In  our poetry readings this year, we started with Job, then Psalms, and now we enter the wisdom literature with Proverbs. Solomon wrote and compiled these proverbs around the year 950 BC, in the height of Israel’s golden age. We will hear the theme statement of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes today in verse 7 (NLT), “Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge.” There is a clear division in the organization of this book. The first 9 chapters are highly thematic and are especially directed to giving wisdom to Solomon’s sons. Then there are proverbs giving every-day advice to everyone, followed by advice to rulers. The very last chapter is the one that extols the blessedness of having a wise wife.

1CORINTHIANS 8:
Summarizing important points about our position that we have heard in 1 Corinthians 6-7: Remember that we are joined as one with Christ— as in the vine and branch metaphors. We are ‘of one spirit with the Lord’. (6:17) We each have become the ‘temple of God's Spirit’. (6:19) We are in the humble yet honored position of being ‘slaves’ of the Lord, the King of Kings. (7:22) We are not our own. We have been bought with a high price. (6:20 and 7:23)

GNT Translation notes:
Jer. 27:16 Then I told the priests and the people [what//that] the Lord had said: “Do not listen to the prophets who say that the Temple treasures will soon be brought back from Babylonia. They are lying to you.
19 King Hezekiah and the people of Judah did not put Micah to death. Instead, Hezekiah honored the Lord and tried to win his favor. And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he said he would bring on them. Now [if we do what you say, we’ll//we are about to] bring a terrible disaster on ourselves.”
====
Prov. 1:28 Then you will call for [me,] wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me.
====
ICor. 8:9 Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in [their belief in Christ//the faith] fall into sin.
13 So then, if food makes a believer sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make a [fellow] believer fall into sin.

NLT Translation note:
1Cor.8:13 So if what I eat [would cause/causes] another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

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DayStarters_002

The New Testament reading from GN-DBRP_169: John 1b.

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GN-DBRP_214 JER.24 JER.25 PSA.150 1CO.6:17-20 1CO.7

JEREMIAH 24-25:
A stunning prophecy was given in yesterday's reading:

Jer. 23:5 The Lord says, “The time is coming when I will choose as king a righteous descendant of David. That king will rule wisely and do what is right and just throughout the land.
6 When he is king, the people of Judah will be safe, and the people of Israel will live in peace. He will be called ‘The Lord Our [GNT Salvation/NLT Righteousness].’

How amazing it is that this identity of ‘The Lord Our Salvation/Righteousness’ is specifically linked with the Righteous Descendant— whom we now know is Jesus! Yesterday's reading also contained the interesting command about not calling the Lord's message a ‘burden’.

Some Christian leaders today would do well to note God’s angry statements about the prophets who pan off prophecies that just come from their own imaginations as coming from the Lord. I would not like to be in their shoes at the judgment day!

PSALM 150:
The exuberant finale to the psalms!

1CORINTHIANS 6:17—7:
Yesterday's reading in 1 Corinthians started out with Paul rebuking the Corinthian Christians for taking their fellow believers to court before secular judges. Paul returned briefly the theme of sexual sin. Then, in supporting his points, Paul gave some of the most amazing verses in all Scripture about our position in unity with Christ. Let’s review the last four verses of chapter 6 to make the connection with chapter 7.

GNT Translation notes:
1Cor. 7:1 Now, to deal with the matters you wrote about. [Like someone there has said, “] A man does well not to marry. [”]
5 Do not deny yourselves to each other, unless you first agree to do so for a while in order to spend your time in prayer; but then resume normal marital relations. In this way you will be kept from giving in to Satan's temptation[s] because of your lack of self-control.
16 How can you be sure, Christian wife, that you will not save your husband[ if you remain living together]? Or how can you be sure, Christian husband, that you will not save your wife[ if you continue to live together]?
35 I am [saying these thing//giving this advice//saying this] because I want to help you. I am not trying to put restrictions on you. Instead, I want you to do what is right and proper, and to give yourselves completely to the Lord's service without any reservation.

NLT Translation notes:
1Cor. 7:1 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain [totally] from sexual relations.
22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in [because you are joined with] the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

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NL-DBRP_214 JER.24 JER.25 PSA.150 1CO.6:17-20 1CO.7

JEREMIAH 24-25:
A stunning prophecy was given in yesterday's reading:

Jer. 23:5 The Lord says, “The time is coming when I will choose as king a righteous descendant of David. That king will rule wisely and do what is right and just throughout the land.
6 When he is king, the people of Judah will be safe, and the people of Israel will live in peace. He will be called ‘The Lord Our [GNT Salvation/NLT Righteousness].’

How amazing it is that this identity of ‘The Lord Our Salvation/Righteousness’ is specifically linked with the Righteous Descendant— whom we now know is Jesus! Yesterday's reading also contained the interesting command about not calling the Lord's message a ‘burden’.

Some Christian leaders today would do well to note God’s angry statements about the prophets who pan off prophecies that just come from their own imaginations as coming from the Lord. I would not like to be in their shoes at the judgment day!

PSALM 150:
The exuberant finale to the psalms!

1CORINTHIANS 6:17—7:
Yesterday's reading in 1 Corinthians started out with Paul rebuking the Corinthian Christians for taking their fellow believers to court before secular judges. Paul returned briefly the theme of sexual sin. Then, in supporting his points, Paul gave some of the most amazing verses in all Scripture about our position in unity with Christ. Let’s review the last four verses of chapter 6 to make the connection with chapter 7.

GNT Translation notes:
1Cor. 7:1 Now, to deal with the matters you wrote about. [Like someone there has said, “] A man does well not to marry. [”]
5 Do not deny yourselves to each other, unless you first agree to do so for a while in order to spend your time in prayer; but then resume normal marital relations. In this way you will be kept from giving in to Satan's temptation[s] because of your lack of self-control.
16 How can you be sure, Christian wife, that you will not save your husband[ if you remain living together]? Or how can you be sure, Christian husband, that you will not save your wife[ if you continue to live together]?
35 I am [saying these thing//giving this advice//saying this] because I want to help you. I am not trying to put restrictions on you. Instead, I want you to do what is right and proper, and to give yourselves completely to the Lord's service without any reservation.

NLT Translation notes:
1Cor. 7:1 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain [totally] from sexual relations.
22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in [because you are joined with] the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

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