Category: Matthew

February 8, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented.

Matthew 4:12-25. After Jesus was baptized and was led into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights he began his ministry and called his first disciples.

Exodus 30 describes the  altar of incense, mentions rules for the poll tax and the basin for washing, anointing oil and rules for sacred incense.

Exodus 31 is short; it tells of two named craftsmen to be leaders of performing the artistic aspect of all the work to build the tabernacle. Then there are rules of how to observe the Sabbath, and with that, God finished His message to Moses by giving him the two tablets of stone containing the ten commandments written by the finger of God.

In Exodus 32 Moses went down from the mountain and what did he find? He found the Golden Calf and the people singing and dancing in orgies. Moses became so angry that he threw down the two tablets with God’s commandments, and they broke in pieces. Then he pleaded with God not to destroy His people.

Jesus began his ministry giving the same message as John the Baptist: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” When a believer from Ukraine or Russia speaks of their conversion experience they do not use the word salvation, they speak of when they repented.

February 6, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented.

In Matthew 3:11-17 Jesus came to be baptized by John the Baptist. Afterwards the holy Spirit descended like a dove on Jesus and a voice from heaven said: “This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased”.

Exodus 23 continues with the writing down laws about justice and mercy, how you are to help even someone who hates you. God instituted the Sabbath laws; in six years you may harvest your fields, but the seventh year you will let it go fallow. (In my childhood Sweden this seven year planting cycle was still practiced by many farmers.) The seventh day rest was to be practiced by all and applied to work animals as well. Moses also defined the three annual feasts, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of harvest and the feast of in-gathering. Finally God warned of worshiping other Gods.

In Exodus 24 God confirmed His covenant with the people, and Moses went up to Mount Sinai and stayed there 40 days and 40 nights, a long time for the people to be without a leader.

In Exodus 25 Moses told the people make an offering, and out of this offering was made three furnishings for the tabernacle, the ark, the table and the lampstand.

Exodus 26. God described to Moses how the tabernacle was to be built.

God told Moses to have the tabernacle built to be the dwelling place of God on earth. Solomon was allowed to replace the tabernacle with the temple, and God filled the temple. Later the Glory of God left the temple. When Jesus was baptized, symbolically a dove descended on Jesus, signifying the Holy Spirit descended into Jesus, and he begun his ministry. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit entered the believers, and from that time on our bodies are the tabernacle of God, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.

February 5, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented.

Matthew 3:1-12 presents John the Baptist preaching repentance. He came to prepare the way of the Lord. John the Baptist baptized in water for repentance. He prophesied that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire. John the Baptist is still under the law but prepares the way for Jesus.

In stark contrast to the New Testament gospel Exodus 21 and Exodus 22 contain regulations on servanthood and slavery, penalties for manslaughter and personal injuries, all Mosaic law.

John the Baptist was a transition figure. He still preached repentance to return to full obedience of the Mosaic law. Bot he also prepared the way of the Lord. He proclaimed that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire, giving new life, as Jesus would later explain. For now, Jesus also preached repentance and promised the Kingdom of heaven was near.

I for one is thankful we are no longer under Mosaic law, but under God’s perfect law; Follow the Lord Jesus Christ, love one another, pray continually, rejoice always, in everything give thanks etc.

February 4, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented.

Matthew 2:13-23. After the wise men had visited Jesus they returned back East via another way. Meanwhile Joseph was told to get out of Bethlehem and flee to Egypt. Herod was furious that he had been had and murdered all male children under the age of 2 in and around Bethlehem. Herod died soon after, and the little family went back to Nazareth. (As a side note, in the Middle East Christians are nowadays called Nazarenes.)

In Exodus 19, time had come to visit Mount Sinai. God declared that the Israelites would be a Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation. The chapter deals with the three-day consecration that was to occur before Moses went up to meet with God.

Exodus 20. Moses went up Mount Sinai, and there God gave him the ten commandments.

Matthew describes the early life of Jesus in detail; born in Bethlehem fled to Egypt and then raised in Nazareth. His emphasis is to portray Jesus as legitimate King through the prophecies. Mark gives no genealogy, he portrays Jesus a servant. Luke portrays Jesus as the man and finally John declares Jesus is God.

February 2, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented.

Matthew 1 tells of the spiritual genealogy of Jesus, starting with Abraham. Joseph was of the kingly line of David and he; not being the physical father, adopted Jesus after having a dream that it was okay to take Mary as his wife. It then tells of the birth of Jesus. It also tells of Mary remaining a virgin until after Jesus’ birth.

Exodus 14 describes the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea and how the pursuing Egyptian army drowned.

Exodus 15 contains the songs of Moses and Miriam as God delivered them from the Egyptians. As the wandering began they arrived at the bitter waters of Marah and the sweet waters of Elim.

The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew is from the kingly line of David, starting with Abraham. However, God declared the kingly line cut off and there will never be another king from David’s line. This is why it is so important that Jesus was adopted by Josef. Joseph was in line for the kingdom, but ineligible. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, which made him eligible to be both King and God. The genealogy according to Luke is the genealogy of Mary, also of the line of David, but not the kingly line. It starts with Adam, establishing Jesus as man.

April 12, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

In Mark 10:1-16 Jesus explained the Christian concept of Marriage: One man, one woman, one lifetime,“6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Then  Jesus blessed the little children and said: “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”

Judges 16 contains the vivid story of Samson and Delilah and how he finally was captured. In his death Samson slew many more than when he lived.

Judges 17 is short, contains only the telling of Micah’s Idolatry.

Judges 18, as the Danites had failed to take their allotted land from the Philistines they wandered around and finally settled in Laish and changed the name of the city to Dan, and there they continued to practice idolatry.

March 25, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Matthew 28 begins with Jesus being in the grave for the two adjoining sabbaths, the first day of unleavened bread followed by the normal sabbath. There was an earthquake and the stone was rolled away. Jesus was no longer in the grave. The guards were bribed to tell the story that the disciples took the body, but two  women, the two Marys met the resurrected Jesus. He told them to tell the remaining disciples that he was risen from the dead. The Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus giving us the great commission: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Deuteronomy 32 gives us the Song of Moses. At the end of the chapter the LORD told Moses he would only see the promised land from a distance and die on Mount Nebo.

March 24, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Matthew 27:32-66,  After Jesus was flogged he was too weak to carry his own cross, so the Roman soldiers forced Simon from Cyrene to carry Jesus cross all the way to the place of the skull, and there Jesus was crucified together  with two criminals. To identify Jesus they put an  inscription on the top of the cross: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” A number of prophecies were fulfilled during the crucifixion, and Jesus died on the cross. At that very moment the Temple veil was torn in two, from top to bottom and for the first time the holy of holiest was revealed. Jesus, now being dead was taken down from the cross and put in a tomb, a stone was rolled in front of the entrance and the tomb was sealed, and – this is important, they put up a guard to secure the tomb. Why did they do that? Think about that.

Deuteronomy 30, The Blessings of turning to God is pro-life, but if not, God is pro-choice with all its consequences.  See v 15:   “I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil“. (KJV)

Deuteronomy 31 Moses declared Joshua to be the new leader of Israel, “Be strong and of good courage”. The Law was to be read every seven years, Israel’s rebellion was predicted and, as a reminder Moses recorded his song, which is recited in the next chapter.

March 23, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Matthew 27:1-31 depicts the first half of the longest day, beginning with Jesus being handed over to Pilate, the Roman governor; since the Jews did not have right to execute capital punishment. Judas hanged himself and the thirty pieces of silver given him in exchange for the betrayal of Jesus was used to buy the Potter’s field. Pilate tried to wiggle out of his role as judge; his wife had warned him, so he used his privilege to release one prisoner at Passover which was the custom at that time. Pilate chose Jesus or Barabbas to be released and of the two the people chose Barabbas; a known insurrectionist to be released and Jesus to be crucified. Pilate acquiesced to the mob and so Jesus was flogged by the soldiers for a public spectacle and then he was led away to be crucified.

Deuteronomy 29. In preparation of the tribes entering the promised land God renews the Mosaic Covenant in Moab.

March 22, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

In Matthew 26:31-75 Jesus predicted Peter’s denial. After finishing the Last Supper they all moved on to the Mount of Olives, and there lies the garden of Gethsemane. In the garden Jesus prayed “Not my will, but yours be done.”  Jesus prayed this prayer three times, and every time the disciples fell asleep. After that is recorded the betrayal and arrest of Jesus as he was taken to the Sanhedrin to be interrogated. The chapter ends with Peter’s denial.

Deuteronomy 28. The LORD through Moses specified many blessings for obedience and even more curses for disobedience.