Read To Me Daily Semester 3Намуна

2SAMUEL 23:
In yesterday’s reading in 2nd Samuel, we read David’s long poem of praise to God for giving him victory and deliverance from his enemies.

PSALM 119a:
Today we begin Psalm 119, which is famous for being the longest chapter in the Bible. It also is an elaborate acrostic psalm with a difference. In this psalm, instead of every line starting with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, every line of each stanza starts with the same letter of the alphabet. The psalm has 22 stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. And this psalm has a clear theme: God’s Word— or a synonym for it, is mentioned in almost every verse.

Re-reading JOHN 3:
One of the features of John's Gospel is that he breaks in with commentary without warning. But because of the lack of quote marks in ancient Greek, there are no overt signs marking the end of Jesus' speech and John's comment, or at the end of this chapter, John the Baptist's speech and John's comment. I personally don't think that John 3:16 is Jesus' words about himself, but is the start of John's explanation of Jesus' enigmatic words: “as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so [I,] the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in [Me/him] will have eternal life.” We have read that story in Numbers 21. Imagine that all one had to do to be healed of a snake bite was to look at the bronze snake which Moses had put up on a pole. Do you think any of the people who were bitten refused to look up at that bronze snake? Don’t miss that the shape of the shake on a pole, or the shadow that this cast, could have been very much like the shape of a cross.

Let’s pray.

Our Lord, Christ Jesus, You are our victorious King. When David prayed about living ‘forever’, it was You he was talking about. We thank you that you are the prophesied Son of David. And You are the Son of Man whom Daniel saw in heaven receiving such great praise. You are the One who has come down from heaven, and so You are the One qualified to tell us of heavenly matters. If my listener who is still waiting to make the choice of believing in You, I ask that You will today help him or her to increasingly desire a closer and more personal relationship with You. Draw him or her by revealing your glory and allowing them to grasp spiritual truths. May your Spirit give new birth. And if my listener is my sister or brother, we bow before You today in humble gratitude and praise. Please be with us today!