In between the letter of Jude and Revelation we read one chapter of Proverbs and the book of Jonah.
December 7: Proverbs 29, Jonah (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Proverbs 29, more proverbs of Solomon; and yes, they still deal with the superiority of wisdom and righteousness over folly and wickedness.
Jonah. The short but great story of Jonah, the famous solar eclipse of 763 B.C. the great solar eclipse of 2017, the coming eclipse of 2024 and the tearing down of statues.
Today we read the letter of Jude and the prophecy of Obadiah.
December 6: Jude, Obadiah (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Jude. Greetings from the half-brother of Jesus Christ to the called ones. Jude told the followers to contend for the faith for there had crept in apostates in the church,and since they live in the last days he urged them to maintain their life with God and give all glory to God.
Obadiah is a prophecy on the coming judgment on Edom, the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. Edom mistreated his brother and this will lead to Israel’s final triumph.
In between the third letter of the Apostle John and the letter of Jude we read one chapter in Proverbs and three last chapters of the prophet Amos.
December 5: Proverbs 28, Amos 7, Amos 8, Amos 9 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Proverbs 28, more proverbs of Solomon. Wisdom is important, so here are many more proverbs about wisdom and righteousness, and the consequences of the lack thereof.
Amos 7. The prophet had a vision of the Locusts, a vision of fire and a vision of the plumb Line. Amaziah told Amos not to prophesy bad things, but that is why Amos, a poor shepherd, was called.
Amos 8. The prophet had a vision of the summer fruit. That seemed good at first, but it signaled the beginning of the destruction of Israel.
Amos 9. The final chapter of Amos is depicting the destruction of Israel and the promise that Israel will be restored.
Today we read the third letter of the Apostle John and three chapters of Amos.
December 4: 3 John, Amos 4, Amos 5, Amos 6 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
3 John. The Apostle sent a greeting to Gaius, who was commended for his love and generosity, and urged to follow good people like Demetrius, but to avoid bad people like Diotrephes. The letter ends with a farewell greeting. That’s it.
Amos 4. God proclaimed punishment of Israel’s sins, and yet Israel refused to take correction.
Amos 5. The prophet gave a lament for Israel and issued another call to repentance, but in vain. The Day of the LORD would still come.
Amos 6. The prophet issued woe to Zion and woe to Samaria. God abhorred the pride of Jacob.
In between the second and third letter of the Apostle John we read one chapter of Proverbs and three chapters of Amos.
December 3: Proverbs 27, Amos 1, Amos 2, Amos 3 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Proverbs 27, More Proverbs of Solomon. This chapter deals with the future, and what to do about it today. One notable quote: “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
Amos 1. The prophet proclaimed judgment on Tyre and Sidon.
Amos 2. The prophet proclaimed judgment on Moab, Judah and Israel.
Amos 3. The Prophet declared why the inescapable logic of God’s judgement on Israel is inevitable.
Today we read two Psalms, the second letter of the Apostle John and the last chapter of Joel.
December 2: Psalm 147, Psalm 148, 2 John, Joel 3 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 147 is a great Psalm of praising God for His protection and creation, for His care and power, for His provisions, wisdom and His word. It ends with praise to the LORD for His special attention to Israel.
Psalm 148: Let all creation praise the LORD!
2 John is a very short letter, greeting the elect lady with joy that she and some of her children walk in Christ’s commandments, but also warning her to beware of Antichrist deceivers.
Joel 3. In this final chapter God judges the nations, bringing war to the valley of Jehoshaphat: “Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” And afterwards God will bless His people.
In between the first and the second letter of the Apostle John, we read one chapter of Proverbs and the second chapter of Joel.
December 1: Proverbs 26, Joel 2 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Proverbs 26 contains more Proverbs of Solomon where he laid out the nature of the fool and the sluggard, and the result of their attitudes and actions.
Joel 2 tells of the Day of the Lord. God gave a stern call to repentance. After that warning God gave this promise: “28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.“
Today we read the final chapter of the first letter of the Apostle John, the two last chapters of Hosea, and the first chapter of Joel.
November 30: 1 John 5, Hosea 13, Hosea 14, Joel 1 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
John 5. Being born of God and believing in the son of God means exercising obedience by Faith. The certainty of God’s witness is : “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” There is confidence and compassion in prayer, We must follow the true one and reject the false. And so the letter ends: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
Hosea 13. The LORD shoed His anger and there was to be be judgment on Israel.
Hosea 14. God promised that when Israel repented it would be restored.
Joel 1. The Word of the LORD told Joel of the great locust attack, the drought and the land laid waste. Lament for the land, for the day of the LORD is near.
Today we read the fourth chapter of the first letter of the Apostle John and four chapters of Hosea.
November 29: 1 John 4, Hosea 9, Hosea 10, Hosea 11, Hosea 12 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
1 John 4. Test the spirits. There is the spirit of God, and then there are many spirits of the Antichrist. Remember: “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” We know God through love and we see God through love, “We love him, because he first loved us.”
Hosea 9. The prophesy said Israel will be judged because of its sin.
Hosea 10. And because of Israel’s sin it will be taken into captivity.
Hosea 11. Yet, God will show His love for Israel.
Hosea 12. God gave His charge against Ephraim.
Today we read the third chapter of the first letter of the Apostle John and three chapters of Hosea.
November 28: 1 John 3, Hosea 6, Hosea 7, Hosea 8 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
1 John 3. We are children of God, or as the King James bible calls it “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:” As children of God we do not sin,but it is important we love and show the outworking of love, for in it is the spirit of truth.
Hosea 6. God called Ephraim and Judah to repentance, for He required mercy; not sacrifice.
Hosea 7. God continues to bemoan the iniquity of Ephraim and Judah.
Hosea 8. Because of Israel’s apostasy this prophesy was fulfilled: “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind:“
Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. 