Tag: Devotions

Posted December 16, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 23
NT: Hebrews 10:18-39
Ps: Psalm 109
Pr: Proverbs 27:13

Today´s notable verses:

The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 23:4 (NIV)

A brief explanation, based on even more brief research, of the prophecy of the adulterous sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, in Ezekiel chapter 23: Oholah is a proper feminine Hebrew name that means “her own tent”; Oholibah is a proper feminine Hebrew name that means “woman of the tent” or “the tent is in her”. At this point in the history of Israel, the nation is divided between the southern kingdom of Judea and the northern kingdom of Israel. Jerusalem, the original capital of the nation of Israel, is within the southern kingdom. The city of Samaria is established as the capital of the northern kingdom. I believe the root, tent, refers to the place or object of worship: tent – tabernacle – temple. God’s chosen place of worship for His people – the Temple – was in Jerusalem; thus both the rightful place and object (since God inhabited the Temple) of worship were found within Jerusalem. The Israelites of the northern kingdom were God’s people, thus they were people of the “tent” – that is, people of the Temple, or people who worshiped the God who inhabited the Temple in Jerusalem. Thus, the allegorical prostitution of both Oholah and Oholibah refers to the worship of other gods by the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel, as explained in the subsequent verses. For further research, see the Jewish Encyclopedia.

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵ Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

It is important to remember that, while our faith and our relationship with God are intimate and very personal, the Christian life and Christian walk were never intended to be solitary. God created us in His image; part of that likeness includes our relational and communal character. God intended humanity to be in relationship with Him and with each other.

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 21-22
NT: Hebrews 10:1-17
Ps: Psalm 108
Pr: Proverbs 27:12

Today´s notable verse:

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

Proverbs 27:12 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 20
NT: Hebrews 9:11-28
Ps: Psalm 107
Pr: Proverbs 27:11

Today´s notable verse:

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.

Psalm 107:43 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 18-19
NT: Hebrews 9:1-10
Ps: Psalm 106:32-48
Pr: Proverbs 27:10

Today´s notable verse:

Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD.

Psalm 106:48 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 16:42-63, Ezekiel 17
NT: Hebrews 8
Ps: Psalm 106:13-31
Pr: Proverbs 27:7-9

Today´s notable verse:

He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

Proverbs 27:7 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 14:12-23, Ezekiel 15, Ezekiel 16:1-41
NT: Hebrews 7:18-28
Ps: Psalm 106:1-12
Pr: Proverbs 27:4-6

Today´s notable verse:

²⁶ Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Heb 7:26-28 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 12-13, Ezekiel 14:1-11
NT: Hebrews 7:1-17
Ps: Psalm 105:37-45
Pr: Proverbs 27:3

Today´s notable verse:

¹⁵ And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

Heb 7:15-16 (NIV)

“The power of an indestructible life” – what a great description of our Lord! And it is upon this power – through which Jesus overcame the power and temptation of sin and annulled its right over humanity – that our Lord has become our High Priest, and we His royal priesthood. I can think of none other I could ever want to serve.

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 10-11
NT: Hebrews 6
Ps: Psalm 105:16-36
Pr: Proverbs 27:1-2

Today´s notable verse:

¹⁹ I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. ²⁰ Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 (NIV)

Indeed, God has done for us exactly as He promised through Ezekiel! He has put His own Spirit within us, and has circumcised our hearts, replacing hard, unyielding stone with flesh that yields to His will. We are His people, and He is our God – may He be praised!

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 7-9
NT: Hebrews 5
Ps: Psalm 105:1-15
Pr: Proverbs 26:28

Today´s notable verse:

⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered ⁹ and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

Heb 5:8-9 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today, which include:

Melchizedek was clearly important, as Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And Christ is a “High Priest in the line of Melchizedek.” The thing to keep in mind is that Melchizedek is not Christ. So, for us today, it’s fine history to know. But, Christ is our High Priest, as this chapter of Hebrews makes clear.

It is true, that Melchizedek is not Christ; however, the significance of Christ being “in the order of Melchizedek” is two-fold. One, in recorded history, Melchizedek is without beginning and without end – we do not know his ancestors nor his descendants, his birth nor his death; likewise, Christ is without beginning and without end – he is eternal: the first and the last. Two, the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek is mutually exclusive of the priesthood of the order of Aaron – and the priesthood of which Christ is High Priest is likewise mutually exclusive of the priesthood of the order of Aaron. The Aaronic priesthood, being human, was intrinsically flawed and ultimately failed. The priesthood of Christ is both pure and perfect.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 3:16-, Ezekiel 4-6
NT: Hebrews 4
Ps: Psalm 104:24-35
Pr: Proverbs 26:27

Today´s notable verse:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Heb 4:12 (NIV)

May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works

Psalm 104:31 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.