Habakkuk, Day 4

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Habakkuk you might have missed.
 Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Habakkuk on Sunday at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Habakkuk, Day 3 Readings

Prayer for God to Act  

Today's reading is the closing prayer of Habakkuk, asking that God act decisively to protect the chosen people.  There is praise for the glory of God and praise for God's actions to free the people from slavery in Egypt and give them the Promised Land.  (This required God to subdue the Egyptians and defeat the people who lived in the Promised Land.)  As Judah is threatened by the Babylonian army, Habakkuk prays that God come to their defense with overwhelming power.  (As we read elsewhere, God's purposes were otherwise and God allowed the Babylonians to defeat Judah.)

Read Habakkuk 3:1-19  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Habakkuk 3 today.

Habakkuk, Day 2 Readings

The Dangers of Conquest  

Today's reading is a rebuke from God to the actions of the Babylonians.  The list of sins is straightforward -- their wealth comes from the spoils of war; they are arrogant about their military might; they use force (or the threat of force) to gain power over other people; and they believe they owe their victories to their "gods."  God warns them to change their ways and then promises that they will get their just desserts.  Eventually the oppressed people will rise up -- with the blessings and help of God -- and overwhelm the Babylonians.

Read Habakkuk 2:1-20  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Habakkuk 2 today.

Habakkuk, Day 1 Readings

What Does God Think About Babylon?  

Today's reading is the beginning of Habakkuk, a search for God's attitude toward the militaristic culture of the Babylonian empire.  It begins with an indirect prayer, asking for God's attitude toward the unstoppable military advance of the Chaldeans (a tribal name for the Babylonians).  Then it becomes a clear prayer, asking for God's protection and hoping that God will hold the Babylonians to account for their violence.  In fact, they are such a militaristic culture that the Babylonians seem to worship the means of their military power.  (This will lead into tomorrow's reading, where God will promise punishment for idolatry.)

Read Habakkuk 1:1-17  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Habakkuk 1 today.

Habakkuk, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 35 - Habakkuk 

Habakkuk, another of the "minor prophets," prophesied as the Babylonian army approached Jerusalem, threatening to defeat the Jewish people.  The Babylonians are referred to by a tribal name -- the Chaldeans -- in the opening chapter (which can be confusing if you are not an expert on ancient near-East politics and history).

While the Babylonians did not completely decimate those they conquered (unlike the Assyrians who defeated the northern kingdom of Israel), they were still a powerful military empire who used the threat of overwhelming violence to gain easier victories.

Against this threat, Habakkuk offers two straightforward teachings.  First, the Babylonians will eventually reap what they sow -- the culture of violence and overwhelming pride in their military power will eventually unravel (and be defeated by others).  Second, God is a stronger source of protection and strength than the Babylonian army can imagine.

Nahum, Day 4

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Nahum you might have missed.
 Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Nahum on Sunday at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Nahum, Day 3 Readings

Just Desserts for Assyria  

Today's reading promises that Assyria will receive the same treatment from God that it has given to the nations it has conquered.  While some empires moderated treatment of the nations they defeated, the Assyrians were particularly brutal (which is part of the reason why the book of Jonah is likely meant to be a commentary on the chosen people's myopia, rather than Assyria's unexpected reformation).  So no one outside of Assyria will be sad to see them utterly defeated -- which implies that God is fighting not only for Judah, but all of humanity in dealing with Assyria in this harsh manner.

Read Nahum 3:1-19  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Nahum 3 today.

Nahum, Day 2 Readings

A Great Battle  

Today's reading describes the great battle between the armies of Assyria and God.  There will be chaos as soldiers rush around trying to mount a defense against an enemy they do not understand -- in fact, there are questions as to whether they will be able to see their enemy.  During the uncertainty, all of the riches will be stolen as spoils of war, everything will be destroyed, the men will be killed and the women enslaved and taken into exile.  For the honor of Judah and Israel, God will act with complete vengeance.

Read Nahum 2:1-13  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Nahum 2 today.

Nahum, Day 1 Readings

God Punishes Enemies and Protects the Faithful  

Today's reading is the beginning of Nahum, a prophecy against the Assyrian empire, which captured the northern kingdom of Israel and threatened to capture Judah.  The prophecy is specifically against the capital city of Assyria, Ninevah.

In response to the almost complete destruction of Israel and all of its inhabitants, Assyria will be punished by God -- in fact, God's anger will not be stopped and the empire will be completely destroyed.  At the same time, God will protect Judah, in the face of overwhelming odds, from the much larger Assyrian army.

Read Nahum 1:1-15  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Nahum 1 today.

Nahum, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 34 - Nahum 

Nahum, like Micah, was a prophet in the southern kingdom of Judah.  He prophesied in the years after the Assyrian empire defeated the northern kingdom of Israel.  And his entire prophecy was directed at the Assyrian empire for their brutal treatment of all the nations they defeated, including Israel.

It seems that the Assyrian empire, whose capital was Ninevah, practiced an early form of "total warfare."  They completely decimated the nations they attacked, destroying cities, and leaving very few survivors.  (This is why the tribes that were part of the northern kingdom of Israel are now known as the "lost tribes of Israel."  Whoever survived the ordeal likely could never openly claim their ancestry again (nor pass it along to their children).

In response to this treatment, including the destruction of Israel, God promises vengeance and punishment against Assyria.  In fact, the prophecy of Nahum promises that the Assyrians will be treated just as they have treated others -- they will be completely destroyed and the riches that they have ransacked from other nations will be taken as spoils of war.

Bonus Reading, Psalms

A Joyful Song   

Today's reading is a beautiful song of thanksgiving and praise to God.  It encourages everyone to raise their voices in song to God, praising God the creator.  "For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."

Read Psalm 100  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Bonus Reading, Psalms

Prayer of Penitence   

Today's reading is a beautiful prayer that recognizes the sins that people make, which God may punish.  However, it asks that God teach people to treasure the days of their fleeting lives, trusting in God's protection and seeking God's wisdom.  And it asks for God's indulgence, offering as many days of joy as of judgment.

Read Psalm 90  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Bonus Reading, Psalms

Prayer for Forgiveness and Restoration    

Today's reading is a straightforward prayer that asks God to restore favor to the chosen people.  It displays a faith that God has shown forgiveness to the wayward people (who have come to see exile as a means of salvation because God could have utterly destroyed them).

Boldly, it asks that God expand such forgiveness and salvation to those who have kept the faith.  In time, it imagines lots of good things -- faith will lead to peace and prosperity.

Read Psalm 85  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Psalms

A Prayer from Exile   

Today's reading is an emotional plea from the people exiled in Babylon.  The chosen people ask if God will ever remember the covenant with them -- especially watching the actions of the foreign invaders who desecrated the Temple and taunted the name of God.

The Babylonians believe that they are more powerful than any God of the defeated Jews.  The Jews in exile, however, remember the power of God, who created the universe.  They hope for a day when God will demonstrate this power against the Babylonians on behalf of the Jews.

Read Psalm 74  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Ezekiel

Justice for Faithful and Unfaithful Priests   

Today's reading is part of the extended vision at the end of Ezekiel which foretells the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.  It is a specific prophecy for the descendants of the priestly families.

During the period of decline in Jerusalem, sometimes the priests -- who should have known better -- failed to uphold the teachings of Torah.  Instead, many priests also accommodated the foreign traditions (and sometimes foreign gods) of others.  These priests -- and their descendants -- will not be allowed in the rebuilt Temple.  However, member of the one family who refused to do such things (the house of Zadok), will be the ones who will serve as priests in the reestablished kingdom.  These people -- who had kept the faith -- will be the ones responsible to teach "the difference between the holy and the common."

Read Ezekiel 44:1-31  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Ezekiel

The Punishment of Egypt   

Today's reading is a reminder that while most of the important prophecies were for God's chosen people (and these are the ones focused upon in Godsway 66), not all of God's prophecies were only directed at the Israelites.  Several of Israel and Judah's neighbors received prophecies, usually based on how they treated God's chosen people.

One of the most interesting prophecies is against Egypt.  Most people would think that this country would be unpopular because of Hebrew slavery.  However, this prophecy refers to the failures of the military alliance formed by Judah and Egypt when Judah was threatened by Assyria (which did capture the northern kingdom of Israel).  Eventually, both Judah and Egypt were defeated by Babylon (though Egypt was not completely destroyed).

Read Ezekiel 29:1-21  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Ezekiel

As a Cheating Wife   

Today's reading from Ezekiel offers another version of the central metaphor in the prophet Hosea -- Israel's treatment of God is like that of a woman who cheats on a faithful husband.  Here, God is the doting suitor who gives lavish gifts to the beautiful woman whom he loves.  However, the woman has a wandering eye, and keeps looking to other gods for even better things.  In this, they are like some of the neighboring countries who have treated God in the same way (and will receive the same punishment).

Read Ezekiel 16:1-63  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Ezekiel

False Prophets with Wrong Messages   

Today's reading offers a rejection of the false prophets.  While Ezekiel (and others) shared God's warnings of punishment before restoration, more popular would-be prophets suggest that everything will turn out okay.  They suggest that there will be peace, instead of suffering.  Worse, instead of condemning sinful behavior, they accept it.  God accuses them of simply "whitewashing" the deep problems -- and when the building is destroyed, the new coat of paint will be destroyed too.  In order to ultimately save the chosen people, God must first save them from the false prophets -- so that they can learn that they are doing wrong, and they can learn (eventually) to do right.

Read Ezekiel 13:1-23  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Ezekiel

Idolatry in the Temple   

Today's reading offers a stark condemnation of the behavior of religious leaders in the Temple.  Ezekiel is given a vision of their behavior behind closed doors.  The prophet sees inside the Temple, where there are statues and paintings of false gods.  Before these idols, there were 70 religious elders offering prayers to the false gods.  In another part of the Temple grounds, 25 people were praying to the sun.  This vision is a complete denunciation of two things -- the idolatry of the people as a whole and the faithlessness of the leaders.

Read Ezekiel 8:1-18  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Ezekiel

Punishment for Jerusalem's Rejection of God's Ways   

Today's reading is a devastating warning that God will punish those who have rejected God's laws.  It begins with a stark example: God instructs Ezekiel to shave his head and divide the shaved hair three ways: 1/3 burned, 1/3/ struck with a sword, and 1/3 scattered in the wind.  Because God's chosen people have rejected God's teaching -- in fact, they have often done the opposite of God's teaching -- all of the people of Jerusalem will face God's anger.  And 1/3 of the people will die of disease and famine after battle; 1/3 will die in battle; and 1/3 will be scattered and flee for their lives.

God's vengeance will be complete -- this demonstrates again that holds the chosen people of Israel to a higher standard because they directly received God's laws and teaching.  Unfortunately, the rejected those laws.  (Happily, the story doesn't end here, but it does explain the suffering the people faced at the hands of Babylon.)

Read Ezekiel 5:1-17  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

A Rest Stop

We have reached another of the summer rest stops along Godsway 66.  Hopefully, these breaks allow time to enjoy vacations and other wonderful summer activities without falling behind in this trip through the entire Bible.  The overview for the next book, Nahum, will be posted on July 20.

In the meantime, enjoy some bonus readings from previous books.  This week, there are extra readings from the prophet Ezekiel.  While Ezekiel's most important themes are about the restoration of God's people, he also offers explanations for God's punishment of the Jews (and others).  This week, some of these passages are highlighted, including images of false worship and false prophets, and Israel as a faithless bride.

Micah, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Micah you might have missed.
 Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
Friday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Micah tomorrow at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Micah, Day 5 Readings

Punishment, Confession, and a Glimmer of Consolation  

Today's reading provides the conclusion to Micah.  It begins with a vision of the total corruption of the people, where all of the behavior is contrary to God's teaching.  In the face of this, those who would take a step towards faith must confess how awful the situation is -- in fact, they must admit that they deserve the punishment that is coming (through the capture and defeat of Jerusalem).  Only then can the promise of God's compassion and faithfulness toward the Jewish people be understood and hoped for.

Read Micah 7:1-20  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Micah 7 today.

Micah, Day 4 Readings

God Wants Justice, Not Appeasement  

Today's reading provides God's response to the people's attempts to placate God.  As the foreign threats to the kingdoms increased, people wondered what they could to make God happy (and cause God to protect them).  Some of them suggested that they simply needed to sacrifice more in the Temple and keep the holy festivals.

God responds to such thinking bluntly.  God is not unhappy about sacrifices, but about how the people are treating each other -- they cheat each other, they lie to each other, they use force and intimidation to get their way.  For this way of life -- in addition to their idolatry -- God will punish them.

Read Micah 6:1-16  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Micah 6 today.

Micah, Day 3 Readings

God's Roadmap for Peace  

Today's first reading offers a vision of restoration in Jerusalem.  Justice will be restored because God will remove the corrupt leaders and will teach the people how to live better with each other.  When this happens, there will be peace and restoration -- those who were scattered (here, specifically the refugees who fled when the northern kingdom of Israel was captured, but later also applied to the exiles in Babylon) will gather again in Jerusalem.

Read Micah 4:1-13  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading suggest how that peace will happen.  A leader, with the heritage of King David (and perhaps the faith of Abraham), will arise to lead the people in God's ways -- born in Bethlehem.  When this leader emerges, all of God's people will gather, and together they will have enough military strength to withstand all threatening armies.  In fact, the ungodly foreign countries who threaten God's people will be punished for their idolatry.

Read Micah 5:1-15  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Micah 4-5 today.