Christianity – Page 264 – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment.

July 22, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the first chapter of Galatians and three chapters of Job.

July 22: Galatians 1, Job 20, Job 21, Job 22 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Galatians 1. Paul starts out with a greeting and blessing. Then he tears into the Galatians: There is only one gospel, Paul gives his defense for it, and explains his call to apostleship.

Job 20. Then Zophar gave a sermon on the wicked man.

Job 21. In reply Job gave a discourse on the wicked.

Job 22. Eliphaz the Temanite accused Job of wickedness.

July 21, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Second Corinthians and Galatians we read two Psalms and three chapters of Job.

July 21: Psalm 60, Psalm 61, Job 17, Job 18, Job 19 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 60, of David, for Teaching. Even though they were defeated, David gives God the glory for future victories and deliverance.

Psalm 61, of David. As so often happened, David was in trouble and cried out to God, proclaiming his trust in God, singing praises.

Job 17. Job continued praying for relief.

Job 18. Bildad pours it on; the wicked are punished.

Job 19. “I know that my redeemer liveth“.

July 20, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Second Corinthians and Galatians we read two Psalms and two chapters of Job.

July 20: Psalm 58, Psalm 59, Job 15, Job 16 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 58, of David. A short, but intense prayer that God would punish the wicked and judge righteously.

Psalm 59, of David. A prayer for deliverance from Saul and his men seeking to Kill David. It ends up with David singing God’s praises.

Job 15. Eliphaz gets back at Job, accusing him of folly.

Job 16. Job replies: You pitiless comforters, you call yourself friends.

July 19, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Second Corinthians and Galatians we read 0ne chapter of Proverbs and three chapters of Job.

July 19: Proverbs 9, Job 12, Job 13, Job 14 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Proverbs 9, contrasts the way of wisdom with the way of folly.

Job 12. Job has heard enough and answers his critics.

Job 13. Job continues answering his three friends, and adds a despondent prayer that contains this gem: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.”

Job 14 contains the rest of Job’s prayer.

July 18, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Second Corinthians and Galatians we read two Psalms and three chapters of Job.

July 18: Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Job 9, Job 10, Job 11 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 56, of David. The Psalm is from the time when the Philistines captured him in Gath It deals with the period between the visit to the tabernacle at Nob and David’s arrival at Adullam. David was alone, desperate, afraid – and had no one left to to trust but the LORD.

Psalm 57, of David. Charles Spurgeon noted, “There are four of these ‘Destroy not’ psalms, namely, the 57th, 58th, 59th, and 75th. In all of them there is a distinct declaration of the destruction of the wicked and the preservation of the righteous.” It ends with “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.“

Job 9, Job: There is no mediator, no one is righteous before God, even though I am righteous.

Job 10, Job: I would Plead with God.

Job 11. It was time for Zophar the Naamathite to speak. He urges urges Job to repent.

July 16, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the last chapter of second Corinthians and two chapters of Job.

July 16: 2 Corinthians 13, Job 4, Job 5 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

2 Corinthians 13. Paul said it was his third coming coming to the Corinthians, and he was coming with authority for building them up, not for tearing them down. Finally, the final greetings and the benediction.

Job 4. Eliphaz was first to speak: Job has sinned –

Job 5, and for that Job is chastened by God.

July 15, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read one chapter of second Corinthians and the first three chapters of Job.

July 15: 2 Corinthians 12, Job 1, Job 2, Job 3 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

2 Corinthians 12, Paul describes his vision of paradise and his thorn in the flesh (“for when I am weak, then I am strong”.) The marks of an Apostle are signs, wonders and miracles, and Paul displays his love for the Church.

Job 1. This is the oldest book in the Bible and predates even the Pentateuch. It is written in old Aramaic. Job and his Family lived in in Uz, righteous before God. Satan attacked Job’s Character and as a result Job lost his property and his children.

Job 2. Satan Attacked Job’s Health, and then was visited by three friends, keeping him company for a week without saying a word.

Job 3. Job deplores his birth before his three friends, and they still keep quiet.

July 14, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read one chapter of second Corinthians and the last three chapters of Esther.

July 14: 2 Corinthians 11, Esther 8, Esther9, Esther 10 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

2 Corinthians 11. Paul showed concern for the Corinthians faithfulness, warned them against false Apostles, “for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” Paul put forward a reluctant boasting about his sufferings for Christ.

Esther 8. With Haman out of the way, the Jews were still in peril, since the edict of the king could not be changed, so Esther pleaded again to the king and a new edict was proclaimed, the the Jews had every right to defend themselves and strike back, and so Esther saved the Jews.

Esther 9. The Jews triumphed, and the first Purim was celebrated.

Esther 10, epilogue about the greatness of Mordecai.

God’s rainbow, the promise. Man’s rainbow, the curse. A Limerick.

The rainbow we see in the sky:

A promise, and God tells us why.

Seven colors displayed.

Man’s has six, it’s man made.

With indigo missing, all die.

The hint may be subtle, but is nevertheless important:

Red is the color of love and passion – but also danger. It is the color of blood, wherein is life.

Orange is the color of creativity, joy, vibrancy, happiness, playfulness and youth, but at the same time it is the color of fall.

Yellow is the color of the life-sustaining sun. It is also a sign of hope, as in the song “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round The Old Oak Tree”

Green is the color of money and the color of chlorophyll, the substance without which life would cease to exist. Like nature, these are all good things, but it is also the color of envy.

Blue is the color of the daytime sky, the oceans and the heavens. (If God was not a Penn State fan, why is the sky blue and white?)

Indigo is the color of the nighttime clear sky and reflects great devotion, wisdom and justice along with fairness and impartiality. It also symbolizes the rule of law, but at the same time it is the favorite color of the New Age and its mysticism.

Violet is the color of royalty, but at the same time it indicates delicacy and fragility, as in violets and other violet colored flowers.

Now, if you take out the color indigo and what it stands for, the whole world descends into anarchy. Maybe that was their intent in the first place?

July 13, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read one chapter of second Corinthians and four chapters of Esther.

July 13: 2 Corinthians 10, Esther 4, Esther5, Esther 6, Esther7 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

2 Corinthians 10. This is a spiritual war “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” Paul defines his authority and the limits of his authority, it is all in Christ “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

Esther 4, Mordecai persuaded Esther to risk her life to save the Jews, and Esther’s response was “If I perish, I perish”

Esther 5, Esther prepared for a banquet with only her, the King and Haman in attendance. Meanwhile Haman’s rage against Mordecai was so great that he had built a seventy-five feet high gallows, on which to hang Mordecai.

Esther 6. As it so happened, the king had a case of insomnia. To become drowsy he had the annals read to him, which told that Mordecai had averted a coup. During the banquet the king wanted to honor somebody, so rather than Haman, Mordecai was honored.

Esther 7. And so it was, Haman was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai.