| Monday Dec 26 |
Tuesday Dec 27 |
Wednesday Dec 28 |
Thursday Dec 29 |
Friday Dec 30 |
Saturday Dec 31 |
Sunday Jan 1 |
| Zech. 7, 8 |
Zech. 9, 10 |
Zech. 11, 12 |
Zech. 13, 14 |
Mal. 1, 2 |
Mal. 3, 4 |
|
| Rev. 19 |
Psalms 148 |
Rev. 20 |
Rev. 21 |
Psalms 149, 150 |
Rev. 22 |
Southminster Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, PA invites you to join us as we celebrate 2011 as The Year of the Bible. Weekly posts will provide the readings and we invite you to comment with your questions and/or thoughts!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Week 53: December 26 - December 31
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Week 52: December 19 - December 25
| Monday Dec 19 |
Tuesday Dec 20 |
Wednesday Dec 21 |
Thursday Dec 22 |
Friday Dec 23 |
Saturday Dec 24 |
Sunday Dec 25 |
| Nah. 1, 2, 3 |
Hab. 1, 2, 3 |
Zeph. 1, 2, 3 |
Hag. 1, 2 |
Zech. 1, 2 |
Zech. 3, 4 |
Zech. 5, 6 |
| Rev. 14 |
Psalms 145 |
Rev. 15 |
Rev. 16 |
Psalms 146, 147 |
Rev. 17 |
Rev. 18 |
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Week 51: December 12 - December 18
| Monday Dec 12 |
Tuesday Dec 13 |
Wednesday Dec 14 |
Thursday Dec 15 |
Friday Dec 16 |
Saturday Dec 17 |
Sunday Dec 18 |
| Amos 9 |
Obad. 1 |
Jonah 1, 2 |
Jonah 3, 4 |
Micah 1, 2, 3 |
Micah 4, 5 |
Micah 6, 7 |
| Rev. 9 |
Psalms 142, 143 |
Rev. 10 |
Rev. 11 |
Psalms 144 |
Rev. 12 |
Rev. 13 |
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Week 50: December 5 - December 11
Thursday, December 1, 2011
December
Here we are! The last month's readings in The Year of the Bible. Let's hope that we are still on target, or at least positioned to make a run for the goal in December. In this last month, we will be reading the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament and one very curious book in the New Testament, the book of Revelation.
As you may know, the primary reason that the last twelve books of the Old Testament are called the "Minor Prophets" is that they are generally quite brief - certainly in comparison to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. They were written at different times and places. Some of the books tell us where and when they were written, but others do not. Unless you have extra time to spare, it is not wise to try to puzzle out the historical background. You will be better off simply reading through the books looking for main themes and for familiar passages.
The basic themes of the Minor Prophets are similar to those in the other books of the prophets: God's judgment on sin and disobedience; the call to repentance and righteous living; the assurance of continuing mercy and forgiveness after judgment; and the promise of a Last Day that will bring final judgment and a blessed new world of peace and love. You will not find these themes neatly organized in the books, nor will you find all of the themes in all of the books. If you keep these themes in mind, however, you will have a better idea of the overall picture in God's message through these prophets.
Here are some brief comments about a few of the Minor Prophets. Hosea demonstrates the continuing mercy and faithfulness of God through his own steadfast commitment to a faithless wife, Gomer. If you have ever thought of God as cold and distant, look at the warmth and compassion that are evident here in God's longing for this errant people. Amos reminds Israel of something that Samuel had told Saul many years earlier: Religious practices (worship, offerings, and the like) do not please God unless they are coupled with an upright, good life (5:21-24; see 1 Sam. 15:22).
Micah makes this same point, using words that may sound familiar, when he says that what the Lord requires of us is "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God" (6:8). There is another familiar verse in Micah that you have probably heard many times. You will undoubtedly hear it quoted again this month. Look at 5:2 to see what it is.
Habakkuk almost loses his faith because of the evil and unrighteousness that he experiences, but at the end of the book he concludes with a ringing affirmation of faith and trust in the Lord - even if he should lose everything (3:17-18). Remember this passage during those times when you encounter grief and loss in your own life.
Our readings in the New Testament this month will be in the book of Revelation. Revelation has caused more confusion and consternation than any other book in the Bible. Seemingly, there are as many interpretations as there are students of the book. Many people believe that, if we read Revelation carefully enough, we can determine the time of the end of the world. Or, even if we cannot arrive at the precise time of the end, we can at least pin down the generation that will see the end come. However, this is not a very profitable way to approach Revelation. Many people through the centuries have tried to predict the time of the end - and failed!
It is more profitable to look at the many symbols in Revelation in terms of how they give us a glimpse of the glory of God and Christ. Notice the awe-inspiring vision of Jesus Christ right at the beginning of the book (1:12-20). The wealth of images and allusions here shows us just how powerful symbolic, poetic language can be. It portrays in an especially compelling manner the authority, majesty, and might of the risen and exalted Christ.
Poetic portraits like this, not only of Christ but also of God, are scattered throughout the book. Another example is the vision in chapter 4, where John sees heaven opened and God (who is not described) seated on a throne. The various elements of this royal court serve to show us how great and magnificent the Lord of heaven and earth really is: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power" (4:11).
One more major thing to look for in Revelation: how the book brings home to us the final victory of God over the forces of evil in the universe. That is really what all those fantastic descriptions of cataclysmic events contained in the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls mean to tell us. It does not matter how frightening the beasts, the dragons, the armies of Satan, or even Satan himself, seem to be. God is in control, and world history will unfold according to a firm divine plan. In God's own time and way, the Lord will wreak havoc on all of the forces of sin, evil, and unrighteousness.
The final two chapters of Revelation, with their vision of a new heaven and a new earth, conclude our our readings in The Year of the Bible. Read these chapters slowly; meditate on them. They picture our ultimate hope of a new age in which God will dwell with us in a renewed world where sin and sorrow, pain and death, are no more, and where life is full and good and blessed. John finds this vision so tantalizing that he exclaims at the end, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (v. 20). May this vision also tantalize us and sustain us as we live in this world and seek to serve our Lord. Oh, yes, one more thing. Don't stop reading your Bible just because The Year of the Bible has come to an end!
From The Year of the Bible by James E. Davison
As you may know, the primary reason that the last twelve books of the Old Testament are called the "Minor Prophets" is that they are generally quite brief - certainly in comparison to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. They were written at different times and places. Some of the books tell us where and when they were written, but others do not. Unless you have extra time to spare, it is not wise to try to puzzle out the historical background. You will be better off simply reading through the books looking for main themes and for familiar passages.
The basic themes of the Minor Prophets are similar to those in the other books of the prophets: God's judgment on sin and disobedience; the call to repentance and righteous living; the assurance of continuing mercy and forgiveness after judgment; and the promise of a Last Day that will bring final judgment and a blessed new world of peace and love. You will not find these themes neatly organized in the books, nor will you find all of the themes in all of the books. If you keep these themes in mind, however, you will have a better idea of the overall picture in God's message through these prophets.
Here are some brief comments about a few of the Minor Prophets. Hosea demonstrates the continuing mercy and faithfulness of God through his own steadfast commitment to a faithless wife, Gomer. If you have ever thought of God as cold and distant, look at the warmth and compassion that are evident here in God's longing for this errant people. Amos reminds Israel of something that Samuel had told Saul many years earlier: Religious practices (worship, offerings, and the like) do not please God unless they are coupled with an upright, good life (5:21-24; see 1 Sam. 15:22).
Micah makes this same point, using words that may sound familiar, when he says that what the Lord requires of us is "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God" (6:8). There is another familiar verse in Micah that you have probably heard many times. You will undoubtedly hear it quoted again this month. Look at 5:2 to see what it is.
Habakkuk almost loses his faith because of the evil and unrighteousness that he experiences, but at the end of the book he concludes with a ringing affirmation of faith and trust in the Lord - even if he should lose everything (3:17-18). Remember this passage during those times when you encounter grief and loss in your own life.
Our readings in the New Testament this month will be in the book of Revelation. Revelation has caused more confusion and consternation than any other book in the Bible. Seemingly, there are as many interpretations as there are students of the book. Many people believe that, if we read Revelation carefully enough, we can determine the time of the end of the world. Or, even if we cannot arrive at the precise time of the end, we can at least pin down the generation that will see the end come. However, this is not a very profitable way to approach Revelation. Many people through the centuries have tried to predict the time of the end - and failed!
It is more profitable to look at the many symbols in Revelation in terms of how they give us a glimpse of the glory of God and Christ. Notice the awe-inspiring vision of Jesus Christ right at the beginning of the book (1:12-20). The wealth of images and allusions here shows us just how powerful symbolic, poetic language can be. It portrays in an especially compelling manner the authority, majesty, and might of the risen and exalted Christ.
Poetic portraits like this, not only of Christ but also of God, are scattered throughout the book. Another example is the vision in chapter 4, where John sees heaven opened and God (who is not described) seated on a throne. The various elements of this royal court serve to show us how great and magnificent the Lord of heaven and earth really is: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power" (4:11).
One more major thing to look for in Revelation: how the book brings home to us the final victory of God over the forces of evil in the universe. That is really what all those fantastic descriptions of cataclysmic events contained in the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls mean to tell us. It does not matter how frightening the beasts, the dragons, the armies of Satan, or even Satan himself, seem to be. God is in control, and world history will unfold according to a firm divine plan. In God's own time and way, the Lord will wreak havoc on all of the forces of sin, evil, and unrighteousness.
The final two chapters of Revelation, with their vision of a new heaven and a new earth, conclude our our readings in The Year of the Bible. Read these chapters slowly; meditate on them. They picture our ultimate hope of a new age in which God will dwell with us in a renewed world where sin and sorrow, pain and death, are no more, and where life is full and good and blessed. John finds this vision so tantalizing that he exclaims at the end, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (v. 20). May this vision also tantalize us and sustain us as we live in this world and seek to serve our Lord. Oh, yes, one more thing. Don't stop reading your Bible just because The Year of the Bible has come to an end!
From The Year of the Bible by James E. Davison
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Week 49: November 28 - December 4
| Monday Nov 28 |
Tuesday Nov 29 |
Wednesday Nov 30 |
Thursday Dec 1 |
Friday Dec 2 |
Saturday Dec 3 |
Sunday Dec 4 |
| Dan. 8, 9 |
Dan. 10, 11, 12 |
Hos. 1, 2 |
Hos. 3, 4, 5, 6 |
Hos. 7, 8 |
Hos. 9, 10 |
Hos. 11, 12 |
| 3 John 1 |
Psalms 135, 136 |
Jude 1 |
Rev. 1 |
Psalms 137, 138 |
Rev. 2 |
Rev. 3 |
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Week 48: November 21 - November 27
| Monday Nov 21 |
Tuesday Nov 22 |
Wednesday Nov 23 |
Thursday Nov 24 |
Friday Nov 25 |
Saturday Nov 26 |
Sunday Nov 27 |
| Ezek. 42, 43 |
Ezek. 44, 45 |
Ezek. 46, 47 |
Ezek. 48 |
Dan. 1, 2, 3 |
Dan. 4, 5 |
Dan. 6, 7 |
| 1 John 2 |
Psalms 129, 130, 131 |
1 John 3 |
1 John 4 |
Psalms 132, 133, 134 |
1 John 5 |
2 John 1 |
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