Read To Me Daily Semester 2Sample

JUDGES 1:
It happens that Psalm 78 is a perfect introduction to the book of Judges! This book covers the dark ages for the nation of Israel, from the time following Joshua’s death to the birth of the last judge, Samuel. HC Mears gives a good easy-to-remember summary: Seven apostasies (times of turning away from God), seven servitudes to seven idolatrous and cruel nations, and seven deliverances. The last verse is the author’s own summary, which is often repeated near the end of the book: “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”

PSALM 78b:
Today in the second half of Psalm 78, Asaph continues his poetic reminder to the people of Israel. In yesterday’s reading, I hope you wondered, “When did the tribe of Ephraim run from battle?” I encourage you to ask questions like that and do a little online research. Because this comes up several times in the OT, I want to tell you this: The Ephraimites were the largest of the northern tribes, and their name came to stand for all of the northern tribes in the time when people distinguished between the kingdom of Judah (in the south)and the kingdom of Israel (in the north). It is likely that there was no specific battle in Asaph’s mind, but that he was using the northern tribes as examples of what happens when the people are unfaithful to God. They refused to be numbered with God’s people in time of national wars. 

ACTS 28:
As Paul prophesied, all 276 people on board arrived safely on land, but the ship was lost.

Let’s pray together.
Our heavenly Father, as we listen to what the people of Israel did, how you faithfully led them and repeatedly helped them, and how they still continued to fall away, we are tempted to knowingly shake our heads and say, “I would never do that.” How naive we are! Oh Lord, we are in the midst of spiritual war taking place all around us. Help us to take on all the armor you give us, so that we will not be like the Ephraimites who ran away on the day of battle. Help us to fully believe your Word, and so to have the belt of truth fastened firmly. Help us appreciate the righteousness we have in union with Christ, and so to be wearing the breastplate of righteousness. Help us to stand firmly on the truth of the Gospel, as if wearing war boots. May our belief in You our Father and in our Lord Christ shield us against Satan’s arrows. Help us to trust that You have saved us in Christ, and let that realization be like a helmet to protect our minds. Help us to know your Word, so that we can use it like a sword. And help us that we will pray about everything and at every opportunity and challenge, as if we had a cell phone connection direct to your throne.