Read To Me Daily Semester 4Sample

EZEKIEL 20:
In yesterday’s reading in Ezekiel, the Lord refuted the saying that the Israelite’s were using, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.” The meaning of this symbolic language is that the children would receive punishment because of the sins of the parents. But the Lord disagreed with that. And then Ezekiel conveyed two poems about the kings of Judah, spoken of symbolically as two lion cubs and like a vine.

ISAIAH 3:24—4:
Isaiah, like Ezekiel, also spoke of Israel like a vine, and in yesterday’s reading the Lord and Isaiah characterized Israel as a pampered, vain, and spoiled woman.

HEBREWS 1:
In heaven, I hope to find out who it was who wrote the book of Hebrews. The book doesn’t show important signs of Pauline authorship. There is no salutation like in all of Paul’s letters. Also, the writer does not claim to have been an eyewitness of Christ (2:3), as Paul claimed. The letter was probably written somewhat before AD 70, because even though the author talks much of the temple, he never mentions its destruction. 

Mears points out that the word ‘better’ occurs 10 times in Hebrews, signalling a theme that Christians have been given a better way. In the first chapter the theme is that Christ is supreme and far superior to angels.

For many years I wondered why the writer did not return to his theme of our ‘place of rest’, which he so prominently talks about in chapters 3-4. Now I think that he does in fact return to that theme! See if you can find it as we read through. And here’s a hint: Note that Israel’s ancestors failed to enter the place of rest because of their refusal to believe God. Hebrews 11 (which is called the Faith Chapter) is all about fully believing God. That is what faith is!

Let’s pray.
Dear heavenly Father, and our Lord Christ Jesus, please help us to understand your grace. Thank You for your gracious generosity that has given us forgiveness and right standing in your sight. But your gracious generosity does not mean that sin doesn’t matter anymore. Let us never make the all too common mistake of saying, “I’ll do this sin and ask for forgiveness later.” To say that is to distort the true teaching about your grace and turn it into an excuse for immoral living. Lord Jesus, not even your half brother, Jude, would presume to say or do such a thing, counting on his relationship in your family. Instead, as Titus 2:11 teaches us, grace is supposed to work in our hearts. It gives us gratitude and awe before You. So from properly understanding grace, we learn “to give up ungodly living and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world” as we wait for you to return, Lord Jesus. Because— echoing another point Jude hammered home: Your judgment of sin is no idle threat.