The Bible Project @ Kelsey

DAY 170 DAILY READINGS Jeremiah 7-9 & Psalm 15 DAILY NOTES Jeremiah 7 Notice the emphasis of God's house having God's name.  It belongs to God, but the people, through their unrighteous actions, have made it theirs.  God's house has been turned into a "den of robbers" (vs. 11).  Remember when Jesus said that (Matthew 21:13)? According to Jesus, what was the Temple supposed to be called? Remember when the people tried to use the ark of the covenant as a weapon against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4)?  That was at Shiloh.  Jeremiah brings that event to our minds again as a sign (vs. 14).  God says that human sacrifice was not his command, nor did it come to his mind.  You'll have to do some wrestling with the story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac (Genesis 22). Jeremiah 8 Jeremiah (God) says to unearth the kings' bones and lay them before the sun and moon and all the other gods they served and worshiped.  Ouch. Even animals ...

DAY 169 DAILY READINGS Jeremiah 4-6 & Psalm 14 DAILY NOTES Jeremiah 4 Perhaps the people swore "As the Lord lives," but they did not do so in truth, justice or uprightness.  That's a sobering reminder that our words about God must match the way we live. Jeremiah (God) wants the people to move from an empty adherence to a covenant behavior (circumcision) to an attitude of praise before God.  In other words, empty religion is not appealing to God. God will ask the people to "wash" their heart "clean of wickedness" (Verse 14). Jeremiah feels as if God has deceived the people (Verse 10).  Maybe God didn't predict the peace Jeremiah was thinking of.  False prophets? Jeremiah 5 The same theme.  There were people who said, "As the Lord lives," because that was the religious thing to say.  But God says there is not one person who acts justly or seeks truth.  The people used the right words, but lived the wrong way.  #Pr...

DAY 139 Have you ever felt the church needed a renewal?  Then you're thinking like a prophet!  Watch today's Bible Project video about the prophet Zephaniah to see what his book is all about. DAILY READINGS Zephaniah 1-3 & Psalm 134 DAILY NOTES Zephaniah 1 God is ready to "sweep away everything from the face of the earth."  Words like "wicked" "idolatrous" depict why God is angry with the people of God. Notice the references to the "great day of the Lord." Zephaniah 2 God promises to judge foreign nations, too. Maybe if you turn right now you can avoid judgement (vs. 3). Verse 7 is a subtle indication that the people of God will be restored one day.  The seacoast will "become the possession of the house of Judah." Zephaniah 3 The prophet returns to the judgement of Jerusalem.  Corruption and injustice abounds throughout the city.   Punishment is unavoidable, but there is also a sense that Go...

DAY 137 Jonah wasn't the only one who didn't like Nineveh.  Check out The Bible Project's video about the prophet's book.  DAILY READINGS Nahum 1-3 & Psalm 132 DAILY NOTES Nahum 1 Notice the characteristics of God that Nahum highlights.   Nahum 2 Nahum speaks against Nineveh and the king of Assyria. Nineveh is a "city of bloodshed" (3:1).  The prophet's words assure Judah that the Assyrian empire will no longer be such a force they must endure. God will ensure that Assyria will not be able to "prey" upon other nations (vs. 13). Nahum 3 Shame will come upon Nineveh.   Nahum depicts Nineveh as locusts and grasshoppers.   The book ends with the destruction of Nineveh. Psalm 132 A psalm that rejoices that God has chosen David and Zion. OTHER OBSERVATIONS It's easy to see why some people don't like the book of Nahum.  Where's the hope?  Where's the reminder of justice?  It seems like Nahum is...

DAY 136 Another book is in the books today.   DAILY READINGS Micah 5-7 & Psalm 131 DAILY NOTES Micah 5 This chapter has some Christmas story (the Gospel, not the movie) elements.  Do you recall which part? The ruler from Bethlehem will "be the one of peace." Do you have an understanding of the Bible's idea of remnant?  It reoccurs often. Micah 6 Divine Law & Order.  God has a case to make against the people.  Although it's a legal term (case), it reads like a final plea.  God asks, "What have I done to you?" And there was no reason for the people to turn against God.  They knew what he required (6:8). Many people see Micah 6:8 as the heart of the entire book. Micah 7 According to Micah, no one is left who is righteous.  Consequently, not even close relationships can be trusted because the people are so corrupt.  Micah affirms that he "will look to the Lord."   The chapter ends with a remi...

DAY 132 We're finishing the book of Amos today.  Great job! DAILY READINGS Amos 6-9 & Psalm 127 DAILY NOTES Amos 6 God has something to say to those that live in comfort and indulgence and have no concern for the problems of others. Read Verse 12 to get a feeling of how God thinks of what their lifestyle has done. Amos 7 Amos prays to God and the Lord relents.  The image of the plumb line is probably what most people remember Amos for. Amos' prophecies are considered to be an attempt to overturn the kingdom.  He is told to go prophesy somewhere else. Amos responds that he is not a prophet.  He is just doing what God told him to do, where God told him to do it (Verse 14-15). Amos 8 Notice the kind of business dealings that God has issue with. There is a famine coming "not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the worlds of the Lord."   The people will eventually realize they need to hear from God, but ...

DAY 131 We can't call him Famous Amos because we don't know that much about him.  But his book offers a look at the social injustice and religious arrogance of the people.  Check out today's Bible Project video about Amos. DAILY READINGS Amos 1-5 & Psalm 126 DAILY NOTES Amos 1 All we know about Amos is taken from the first verse of this chapter.  He is not mentioned anywhere else. You'll notice that Amos' roaring message is, first, against other nations.  They have done things worthy of God's judgement.  In the next chapter, God's judgement turns toward Israel and Judah. Amos 2 For 3 transgressions and for four....That is a pattern repeated to illustrate the people's continuing sin. Even in the face of God's provision and selection, the people turned away from God. Amos 3 Everything that God has planned to do against the people is not without cause.   Amos 4 A judgement against the women of Samaria.  They ar...

DAY 130 Today, we're starting and finishing the book of Joel.  Don't let the day pass without watching The Bible Project video about Joel .   DAILY READINGS Joel 1-3 & Psalm 125 DAILY NOTES Joel 1 Verse 4 gives an indication of Joel's situation.  Locusts! Wake up and weep The last half of the chapter calls for signs of repentance.   Joel 2 There's an army coming.  An army of locusts?   A jealous God?  Replace the "j" with a "z" and you have a better understanding of what that means. God promises that the destruction the people have faced (from the swarming locust) will be reversed. Joel 3 But it isn't just about locusts.  God will repay those nations that stood against Israel.  He will "enter into judgement with them."   Psalm 125 Mount Zion is the great picture of strength and power for the people of God.  Those who trust in God stand like that great mountain. OTHER...

DAY 129 DAILY READINGS Hosea 11-14 & Psalm 124 DAILY NOTES Hosea 11 It's been 500+ years since the Exodus. For Verse 2, some texts replace "I" with "they."  So, they, the Baals, called out to the people of God. The people of God are illustrated as the children of God. God has taught them how to walk, holding their arms as they learned.  God has carries them and feeds them.   Verse 8 demonstrates that God's compassion is greater than God's anger.  Amen. Hosea 12 Herding the wind refers to idolatry, and, perhaps, the foreign alliances the people made.   Remember Jacob wrestling with the angel?  Did you know he wept while he wrestled?  How much does that demonstrate his need for God?  Hosea is making that connection so that the people would understand their need for God, too. Hosea 13 Keep on sinning. Keep on sinning. Keep on sii-iii--iinning.  What do we do? We sin. We sin.  (I typed that in my best D...