Read To Me Daily Semester 4Sample

EZEKIEL 16:
The book of Ezekiel should make modern day ‘prophets’ reconsider what they do in the Lord’s name. In this book we have heard again and again that the Lord will punish those who prophesy falsely. And concerning yesterday’s reading and the part about the wood of a vine being useless, there is only one useful thing a grape vine does, and this is bear grapes. And God was saying that since Israel did not bear the proper fruit, He would judge them, and do this without delay. The complaints become even more graphic in today’s reading.

ISAIAH 1:
For a number of years now, Isaiah has marked the end of my Bible-reading year. We will be reading Isaiah in our poetry portions until day number 365. Since I start my readings anew every January 1st, I always enjoy the preparation Isaiah gives for Christmas, and also the correspondences with Revelation in the New Testament, which we also will read at the end of our reading calendar.

Isaiah was written between 739 and 681 BC. Isaiah was a man of royal blood and of high standing. I am of the opinion that the break in material at chapter 40 does not signal a different author. Isaiah simply was older and the Lord gave him different messages at the end of his life. 

In the New Testament, Isaiah is the most frequently quoted OT book. Isaiah has 66 chapters and the Bible has 66 books. Further, Isaiah divides just where the testaments break, with chapter 40 corresponding to Matthew in the NT. The first part of Isaiah deals with God’s judgment on Judah and on other nations. The senselessness of idolatry is preached against all the way through Isaiah. In Isaiah we can also see two comings for Christ, with Isaiah giving the wonderful 53rd chapter about the suffering Servant (Christ), and Christ’s coming in power is spoken about in chapter 34. 

MATTHEW 27b:
In today’s reading in Matthew, we hear the second half of the crucifixion events.

Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, it breaks our hearts when we hear of all that happened to you. We want to cry out: “Oh, if we had lived back then, we would have acted differently!” But wait a minute! That’s just what the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees said about the prophets! So Lord, we have this day to live in right now. May we not be like Judas— who repented, but too late. May we live for your sake today. May we live in such a way that when we look back, we have no regrets. May we speak out to tell the truth that we are your followers. Let us keep our eyes facing front and focused on You, forgetting what lies behind. May we lengthen our stride and run straight toward You. Let us meet you at the finish line. Let all the glory from anything that we do be given to You, who purchased us with your precious blood.