Bible Reading Plan

Author: Scott Walter

  • Micah 4

    Micah 4

    Read Micah 4

    The Mountain of the Lord

    4 In the last days

    the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
        as the highest of the mountains;
    it will be exalted above the hills,
        and peoples will stream to it.

    2 Many nations will come and say,

    “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
        to the temple of the God of Jacob.
    He will teach us his ways,
        so that we may walk in his paths.”
    The law will go out from Zion,
        the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
    3 He will judge between many peoples
        and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
    They will beat their swords into plowshares
        and their spears into pruning hooks.
    Nation will not take up sword against nation,
        nor will they train for war anymore.
    4 Everyone will sit under their own vine
        and under their own fig tree,
    and no one will make them afraid,
        for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
    5 All the nations may walk
        in the name of their gods,
    but we will walk in the name of the Lord
        our God for ever and ever.

    The Lord’s Plan

    6 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

    “I will gather the lame;
        I will assemble the exiles
        and those I have brought to grief.
    7 I will make the lame my remnant,
        those driven away a strong nation.
    The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion
        from that day and forever.
    8 As for you, watchtower of the flock,
        stronghold of Daughter Zion,
    the former dominion will be restored to you;
        kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”

    9 Why do you now cry aloud—
        have you no king?
    Has your ruler perished,
        that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?
    10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
        like a woman in labor,
    for now you must leave the city
        to camp in the open field.
    You will go to Babylon;
        there you will be rescued.
    There the Lord will redeem you
        out of the hand of your enemies.

    11 But now many nations
        are gathered against you.
    They say, “Let her be defiled,
        let our eyes gloat over Zion!”
    12 But they do not know
        the thoughts of the Lord;
    they do not understand his plan,
        that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
    13 “Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
        for I will give you horns of iron;
    I will give you hooves of bronze,
        and you will break to pieces many nations.”
    You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,
        their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

    Go Deeper

    Like the previous chapters of Micah, this chapter shares prophecy and requires us to consider the full context of Scripture. In this book, we have seen God’s judgment on Israel, accusations against leaders and prophets, and the injustices committed openly called out. Now, we see glimpses of hope and the promise of restoration for the people of God.

     

    The opening verses of chapter four describe the Mountain of the Lord and speak of restoration for Jerusalem. This is to happen during the latter days, known as the Millennial Kingdom, when Jesus reigns for a thousand years on the earth, and we will see the fulfillment of covenants made throughout scripture. During this time, the temple will be established, and Jerusalem will be a meeting place of heaven and earth for all the nations. It will be a time when the people will turn their weapons into garden tools and sit under the shade of a fig tree–a symbol of peace and prosperity. Even still, not everyone will choose to pursue the way of the Lord. The latter verses speak of the Assyrian attack and Babylonian exile, but also of restoration and promise of a Shepherd-King. Once again, He will gather the flock and bring them back to their land. True to his nature, the Lord will redeem his people from their enemies and his sovereignty will be fully on display.

     

    God demonstrates his covenant faithfulness to his people throughout these events. After a period of judgment and exile, there is a time of restoration. This reflects the work of salvation. Without Christ, we are like exiles and subject to judgment. Because of Christ and the power of the gospel, we have the promise of redemption. It is by the Holy Spirit drawing us that that gospel is revealed, and we can be saved. As people who follow Christ, faithfulness to Him should mark our days. When God is our King, our lives should reflect his heart. We are a people who have been redeemed from sin and can go to the mountain of God. As we draw near to him, “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths” (verse 2). This is what we are called to now while we await the greater restoration of the things to come.

    Questions

    1. Are you in spiritual exile, or have you trusted in the work of Christ to redeem you?
    2. If you are someone who claims God as your King, does faithfulness mark your days? If not, what needs to change?
    3. Thinking forward about the things to come, what excites you? What things are unclear?

    By the Way

    Micah 4:1-5 reflects Isaiah 2:1-5. These prophets prophesied at a similar time and were unified in the message they received from God and conveyed to the people.

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Micah 3

    Micah 3

    Read micah 3

    Leaders and Prophets Rebuked

    3 Then I said,

    “Listen, you leaders of Jacob,
        you rulers of Israel.
    Should you not embrace justice,
    2     you who hate good and love evil;
    who tear the skin from my people
        and the flesh from their bones;
    3 who eat my people’s flesh,
        strip off their skin
        and break their bones in pieces;
    who chop them up like meat for the pan,
        like flesh for the pot?”

    4 Then they will cry out to the Lord,
        but he will not answer them.
    At that time he will hide his face from them
        because of the evil they have done.

    5 This is what the Lord says:

    “As for the prophets
        who lead my people astray,
    they proclaim ‘peace’
        if they have something to eat,
    but prepare to wage war against anyone
        who refuses to feed them.
    6 Therefore night will come over you, without visions,
        and darkness, without divination.
    The sun will set for the prophets,
        and the day will go dark for them.
    7 The seers will be ashamed
        and the diviners disgraced.
    They will all cover their faces
        because there is no answer from God.”
    8 But as for me, I am filled with power,
        with the Spirit of the Lord,
        and with justice and might,
    to declare to Jacob his transgression,
        to Israel his sin.

    9 Hear this, you leaders of Jacob,
        you rulers of Israel,
    who despise justice
        and distort all that is right;
    10 who build Zion with bloodshed,
        and Jerusalem with wickedness.
    11 Her leaders judge for a bribe,
        her priests teach for a price,
        and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
    Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say,
        “Is not the Lord among us?
        No disaster will come upon us.”
    12 Therefore because of you,
        Zion will be plowed like a field,
    Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,
        the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

    Go Deeper

    In previous chapters, Micah had been speaking to all oppressors and wrongdoers in the general public of God’s people. Micah is now speaking directly to the rulers and leaders. This is because leaders have a special responsibility to be a godly steward of those that they lead and serve. There are multiple verses in Scripture that show the seriousness with which God will hold leaders accountable like Matthew 18:6, Acts 20:28, and Proverbs 16:12.

    Sometimes it may seem like we are not stewards of much, but God clearly calls us to be faithful stewards of whatever leadership and resources we have been given. This calling is not optional. God takes our stewardship very seriously. Micah goes on to explain in verse 4 that God will hide His face from them due to their evil, poor stewardship as leaders and rulers. In Numbers 6:25 it is stated that God will shine His face on His people. However, when His people cause others to be led astray, His face will turn from them.

    Micah 3 also calls out the individuals who show faith and false praise when all is well in their lives but speak against God as soon as hardships and obstacles are presented. Due to poor leadership, subpar stewardship, and false prophets and teachers, confusion and darkness will come to their land and all of the people there. God is a God of light, peace, and hope. However, when we follow false teaching, lead poorly, abandon faith during hardships, or practice poor stewardship, we are thrown into dark confusion and ultimately, death (Romans 6:23).

    Hope is seen in verse 8. Micah is a faithful follower of God and reveals that he is “filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might.” When we truly follow the Word of God through good times and bad, we may face earthly hardships, but we will also receive the Holy Spirit and eternal rewards greater than anything we could imagine here on earth. Due to this power from the Spirit of the Lord, Micah had the strength to call out the leaders and thus face persecution or death. However, unlike other prophets, Micah’s audience actually heeded the words spoken to them by Micah, turned from their wicked ways, and a revival followed. In the book of Jeremiah, we see that Micah’s words are still being used over 100 years later!

    Micah 3 gives a strong warning to all leaders, and every single person is a leader of someone. You might be a leader of a company, a life group, a family, your children, a social club, a team, or someone else. You are called to lead those people closer to Jesus, not for your own earthly rewards, but for the eternal rewards that we will experience in heaven with Jesus. This leadership may seem lonely or unfruitful now, but the eternal benefit of your faithfulness will produce dividends that cannot be measured by mere human calculations.

    Remain faithful to the calling Christ has put on your life like Micah and let God do the rest.

    Questions

     

    1. Who have you been called to lead? Are you stewarding this leadership in a way that is pleasing to the Lord?
    2. What is an example you have seen of faithful leadership and stewardship that produced eternal dividends that were not immediate?
    3. How can you lean on the Lord today to give you the strength to be a faithful leader and steward? 

    By the Way

    Micah’s words in verse 12 were so important and profound that the prophet Jeremiah quoted him a century later to warn Israel yet again in Jeremiah 26:18:

    “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:

    “‘Zion will be plowed like a field,
    Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,
    the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.’

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Micah 2

    Micah 2

    Read Micah 2

    Human Plans and God’s Plans

    2 Woe to those who plan iniquity,
        to those who plot evil on their beds!
    At morning’s light they carry it out
        because it is in their power to do it.
    2 They covet fields and seize them,
        and houses, and take them.
    They defraud people of their homes,
        they rob them of their inheritance.

    3 Therefore, the Lord says:

    “I am planning disaster against this people,
        from which you cannot save yourselves.
    You will no longer walk proudly,
        for it will be a time of calamity.
    4 In that day people will ridicule you;
        they will taunt you with this mournful song:
    ‘We are utterly ruined;
        my people’s possession is divided up.
    He takes it from me!
        He assigns our fields to traitors.’”

    5 Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord
        to divide the land by lot.

    False Prophets

    6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.
        “Do not prophesy about these things;
        disgrace will not overtake us.”
    7 You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
        “Does the Lord become impatient?
        Does he do such things?”

    “Do not my words do good
        to the one whose ways are upright?
    8 Lately my people have risen up
        like an enemy.
    You strip off the rich robe
        from those who pass by without a care,
        like men returning from battle.
    9 You drive the women of my people
        from their pleasant homes.
    You take away my blessing
        from their children forever.
    10 Get up, go away!
        For this is not your resting place,
    because it is defiled,
        it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
    11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says,
        ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’
        that would be just the prophet for this people!

    Deliverance Promised

    12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
        I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
    I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
        like a flock in its pasture;
        the place will throng with people.
    13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
        they will break through the gate and go out.
    Their King will pass through before them,
        the Lord at their head.”

    Go Deeper

    Take a minute to re-read through Micah 2 and this time, jot down your observations about the specific sins of the Israelites and what the LORD says in response (1-11), and then finally what He promises (12-13). We see the plotting of evil, misusing power, coveting, taking, and pride in addition to the idolatry described in Micah 1 (v. 7). The LORD’s response is a humbling judgment for sin–a time of calamity where the Israelites will lose their land to others (the Assyrians). 

    Instead of repenting, the Israelites try to silence this uncomfortable message of coming disaster for sin. “Do not prophesy” their false prophets say (v. 6). They would rather hear a prophet say that plenty of wine and beer is on the way (v. 11). The Israelites simply are not listening. They do not want to hear a negative message. They are not owning their sin or taking responsibility for its consequences and ultimately, they will reap what they sow, losing their land and facing disaster after plotting the same against others.   Assyria is not to blame. The prophets with a negative message are not the ones to blame. Their own sin is to blame. The LORD reminds them in verse 7, “Do not my words do good to the one whose ways are upright?” The way to blessing is to walk uprightly, not to silence or ignore the uncomfortable truth. 

    How different the Lord’s leadership is from that of the Israelite leaders! In the midst of this darkness, we see God’s faithfulness to gather a remnant of Israel like sheep in a pen (v. 12). The “One who breaks open the way will go up before them” (v. 13). Their King will lead them (v.13). God is faithful to make a way for His people, always, and we can remember His commitment to us in the darkest of times. Instead of using His power to take, our God used his power to give His life so that we could have life. As we go about our day today, reflect on the overwhelming love of God from the words in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

     

    Questions

    1. Are we dealing with our sins seriously or softly? Consider your own life. What sin do you tolerate confessing over and over rather than going to war to extinguish it from your life? 
    2. Are there any sins that we are failing to personally own right now? Or is there any sin that others have brought to our attention, but we don’t really listen and fail to take full responsibility for it? 
    3. Are you using your positions of leadership, financial advantage, or other power in relationships to benefit ourselves at the expense of others, walking “proudly” like the Israelites?

    Pray This

    Use the words of Titus 2:11-14 to pray as you commit yourself to walking uprightly in light of his grace to you:

    11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Jonah 4

    Jonah 4

    Read Jonah 4

    Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

    4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

    4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

    5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

    9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

    “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

    10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

    Go Deeper

    What a frustrating and confusing ending to the book of Jonah! From chapter one, we understand that Jonah’s indignation is due to God not exacting justice on the Ninevites. He flees from God by boat, he flees from God by sleep, and finally he tries to flee from God by death (not knowing God would send a fish to swallow him up). He repents, but now Jonah has accomplished God’s mission and he’s livid about it. Now Jonah is so angry that he would rather die than see them worship Yahweh. And we finally can connect the dots on why he fled—he knew his God. He knew the Lord would be slow to anger and quick to forgive. Where was the justice in that?

    God asks him the question, “Is it right for you to be angry?,” not because He doesn’t know the answer, but because He wants to reveal Jonah’s heart. Jonah, however, was still not ready to accept God’s decision, so in his bitterness and petulance, he sits in a shelter to the east of the city. Traditionally, judgment comes from the east, so whether literally or symbolically, we can assume Jonah is expectantly waiting (and perhaps even hoping) that God will send down His wrath and deal with these Ninevites at last. Instead, God is preparing a lesson for Jonah.

    God sends a plant and this is the only time we see Jonah happy in this entire book. He isn’t pleased when the sailors repent, nor when Nineveh repents, but only when God gives him underserved grace by way of shade. How backwards for a prophet to be so disturbed by God’s mercy for pagans, that he would prefer death over life!  So, why did God reward Jonah? He already had a shelter. He wasn’t in need of the plant, and yet he is utterly thrilled when it grows overnight. While Jonah doesn’t deserve for the plant to exist, it still does. The plant exists because God, in His compassion to Jonah, gave it life, but justice comes in the form of a worm. As quickly as it rose, it withers and dies, and again we find Jonah asking for death himself. Now the question becomes, does Jonah want the Lord’s justice or compassion? Or is he wanting both, but only when it meets his needs?

    So, what is the takeaway and how do we apply this to our lives? God is consistent in His compassion even when his people aren’t! He is loving and faithful, and he wants the whole earth to know Him. His message has been the same from Genesis to Jonah to the cross. God is full of mercy to everyone–especially the undeserving. Let’s be a people who can thank God for His underserved grace in our own lives, for His mighty plan to rescue all people, and for the cross. Let’s live in a way that conveys our gratitude towards Him and allows us to share compassion and love for others the way God does. 

    Questions

    1. Take a moment to reflect on God’s unrelenting, steadfast love in your life. When was the last time you thanked Him for His faithfulness to you?
    2. Can you remember a time when you wanted mercy from God but not for someone else? Have you repented for that? 
    3. What is one change you can implement today that will enable you to act graciously next time you perceive an injustice?

    Did You Know?

    The author of Jonah uses a chiastic structure, not only in Jonah 4, but also in each previous chapter! It is truly a work of art that has been preserved by the Holy Spirit. You can learn more about the chiasms in Jonah here:

    What is a Chiastic Structure? || GotQuestions.org

    Literary Analysis of Jonah || InTheBeginning.org

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Reflect on This

    As we read through this stretch of minor prophets, what themes are you noticing? Think about that as you answer the following questions:

    1. What surprised you about the scripture you read this week?

    2. What have you learned about the nature of God through the scripture you read this week?

    3. What have you learned about the nature of man through the scripture you read this week?

    4. What are the Gospel implications for us because of the scripture you read this week?

    Worship with Us

    Join us at 9a, 11a, or 7p in person or online at harriscreek.org/live. We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

    Leave a Comment Below
    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.
  • Jonah 3

    Jonah 3

    Read Jonah 3

    Jonah Goes to Nineveh

    3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

    3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

    6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:

    “By the decree of the king and his nobles:

    Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

    10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

    Go Deeper

    What an incredible turn of events today! We see God’s sovereignty and mercy on display here in Jonah 3. What stands out in this short chapter are verses 9 and 10: “‘Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.’ When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.”

    The primary observation here is that God relents when we repent. Psalm 51:17 prays that “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” We must first recognize our sin in light of a Holy God and turn from our sinful ways. The word repent, in Hebrew, means to rue or express sorrow over one’s sin. There is also an action element implied, where we turn from our sin. We recognize our need to repent and turn from sin. That recognition leads us to brokenness over our own sin––a broken and contrite heart, as the psalmist says. We can look over our time in the Bible this year and see how God has been faithful to relent on impending judgment when those who would receive the judgment are repentant. 

    The word that is translated as “God” in our English translation is actually the Hebrew word “Elohim” here in chapter 3. This word is different than what was used in chapters 1 and 2, “Yahweh.” The reason for that? Jonah appeals to the Ninevites in a way that will make sense to them, as they were a pagan nation that worshiped many different gods. By using the name of “Elohim,” Jonah was able to effectively communicate to his audience the supreme might and power of his God. Jonah experienced this power first-hand, as he was swallowed by the great fish that God sent. Nothing will prevent God from carrying out his intended plan and purpose. His ways are higher than our ways (Is. 55:8). 

    Repentance is a heart posture and not a formula to follow for pursuing the heart of God. Again, it is a broken and contrite heart that God honors. The Ninevites demonstrated this for us by putting on sackcloth and ashes and mourning their sin. 

    Questions

    1. What stands out to you about God’s mercy in this passage?

    2. How has your life been marked by repentance? How have you seen God work through your own repentant heart? 

    3. What does it mean to truly mourn over your sin? What’s the balance between grieving our sin and knowing that God gives us grace time and time again?

    A Quote

    “It is amazing that God brought the whole city to faith (in what Jonah said) and repentance through the preaching of a man who did not love the people to whom he preached. Ultimately salvation is of the LORD (2:9). It is not dependent on the attitudes and actions of His servants, though our attitudes and actions affect our condition as we carry out the will of God.”–Dr. Thomas Constable

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Jonah 2

    Jonah 2

    Read Jonah 2

    2 1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:

    “In my distress I called to the Lord,
        and he answered me.
    From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
        and you listened to my cry.
    3 You hurled me into the depths,
        into the very heart of the seas,
        and the currents swirled about me;
    all your waves and breakers
        swept over me.
    4 I said, ‘I have been banished
        from your sight;
    yet I will look again
        toward your holy temple.’
    5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
        the deep surrounded me;
        seaweed was wrapped around my head.
    6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
        the earth beneath barred me in forever.
    But you, Lord my God,
        brought my life up from the pit.

    7 “When my life was ebbing away,
        I remembered you, Lord,
    and my prayer rose to you,
        to your holy temple.

    8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
        turn away from God’s love for them.
    9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
        will sacrifice to you.
    What I have vowed I will make good.
        I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

    10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

    Go Deeper

    In this passage, Jonah vividly describes his feelings of hopelessness as he is sinking into the sea and swallowed by a fish. What Jonah experienced is the stuff of nightmares as seen in Jonah 2:3-6 “…the flood surrounded me… water closed in over me, the deep surrounded me…weeds wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the pit whose bars closed upon me forever.” Jonah is figuratively in a spiritual/emotional valley as his circumstances fight to overwhelm him with hopelessness. By paying close attention to Jonah’s description, we find that Jonah is also literally in a valley as well since he is surrounded by “mountains.” 

    The fact that Jonah is literally and figuratively in a valley is likely no mere coincidence and should make us recall the literal and figurative valley depicted in Psalm 23 where David describes our Shepherd (God) leading the sheep (us) through the “valley of the shadow of death.” In both of these passages, we find David and Jonah recognizing God’s presence in the midst of their difficult times. In psalm 23:4 David writes that in the valley “I will fear no evil, for you are with me”. Likewise, in Jonah 2:2, Jonah speaks of how God “answered me” and “heard my voice” while in the belly of the fish. With this realization of God’s presence, Jonah and David were able to be comforted despite their terrible circumstances, and what a comfort that should be for us during our challenges.

    The correlations between these passages continue! In Psalm 23, David discusses how the shepherd’s rod and staff “comfort me”. These were tools used to protect and guide the sheep. As described in A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, a shepherd’s staff were used by the shepherd to “guide his sheep gently onto a new path” or “reach out and catch individual sheep … and draw them close to himself for intimate examination.” The correlation between Jonah’s whale and the Shepherd’s staff is undeniable as we see how God uses the whale to redirect Jonah’s path as well as catch Jonah and bring him close to Himself. It is encouraging to see God’s kindness and provision repeatedly displayed in these passages and stirs me to ensure that I’m part of His flock.

    Questions

    1. What are your tendencies when you face challenges in life? How has God been a part of those moments?
    2. How can you ensure that you are reminded of God’s presence when difficult times ensue?
    3. What part of God’s character stirs your affection for Him?

    Watch This

    Watch the sermon “A Shepherd Comforts and Protects”. This sermon discusses part of the Psalm 23 passage that was listed above. This sermon series is based on the book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller.

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Amos 9

    Amos 9

    Read Amos 9

    Israel to Be Destroyed

    9 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said:

    “Strike the tops of the pillars
        so that the thresholds shake.
    Bring them down on the heads of all the people;
        those who are left I will kill with the sword.
    Not one will get away,
        none will escape.
    2 Though they dig down to the depths below,
        from there my hand will take them.
    Though they climb up to the heavens above,
        from there I will bring them down.
    3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
        there I will hunt them down and seize them.
    Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea,
        there I will command the serpent to bite them.
    4 Though they are driven into exile by their enemies,
        there I will command the sword to slay them.

    “I will keep my eye on them
        for harm and not for good.”

    5 The Lord, the Lord Almighty—
    he touches the earth and it melts,
        and all who live in it mourn;
    the whole land rises like the Nile,
        then sinks like the river of Egypt;
    6 he builds his lofty palace in the heavens
        and sets its foundation on the earth;
    he calls for the waters of the sea
        and pours them out over the face of the land—
        the Lord is his name.

    7 “Are not you Israelites
        the same to me as the Cushites?”
    declares the Lord.
    “Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt,
        the Philistines from Caphtor
        and the Arameans from Kir?

    8 “Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord
        are on the sinful kingdom.
    I will destroy it
        from the face of the earth.
    Yet I will not totally destroy
        the descendants of Jacob,”
    declares the Lord.
    9 “For I will give the command,
        and I will shake the people of Israel
        among all the nations
    as grain is shaken in a sieve,
        and not a pebble will reach the ground.
    10 All the sinners among my people
        will die by the sword,
    all those who say,
        ‘Disaster will not overtake or meet us.’

    Israel’s Restoration

    11 “In that day

    “I will restore David’s fallen shelter—
        I will repair its broken walls
        and restore its ruins—
        and will rebuild it as it used to be,
    12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom
        and all the nations that bear my name,”
    declares the Lord, who will do these things.

    13 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

    “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
        and the planter by the one treading grapes.
    New wine will drip from the mountains
        and flow from all the hills,
    14     and I will bring my people Israel back from exile.

    “They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.
        They will plant vineyards and drink their wine;
        they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
    15 I will plant Israel in their own land,
        never again to be uprooted
        from the land I have given them,”

    says the Lord your God.

    Go Deeper

    In 2014, Fixer Upper launched its first season on HGTV. The premise of the show was to take “the worst house in the best neighborhood” and turn it into a family’s dream home through construction and design. One of the constant pieces of the show was “Demo Day”, when sledgehammers and crowbars broke apart cabinets, pulled away floors, and tore down walls. The old parts that no longer worked had to be removed to make space for the planned design.

    Amos 9 is the vision of God’s “Demo Day” for Israel. Israel had been delivered and called to a higher purpose as God’s chosen people. God had provided land, victory in battle, laws for guidance, and detailed designs for maintaining their relationship with Him. Yet, they had squandered the land, claimed their own success, and ignored the laws. God tried over and over and over to redirect and revive Israel to no avail. 

    Pride grew like mold throughout the people of Israel, the holes in their faith made the structure of their sacred society unstable, and the infestation of other cultures and beliefs devastated the foundation of their relationship with God. A time was coming when God would break apart, pull away, and tear down all the things Israel claimed for themselves. Sometimes, we need God to lead a “Demo Day” in our own lives. We need our sinful strongholds to be broken apart, our pride to be pulled away, and our reliance on worldly things to be torn down.

    However, demolition is not the end of the story in Amos. Rather, God’s work makes way for His beautiful planned design. Amos describes the hope of this new design in verses 11-15: it will “restore David’s fallen shelter,” which references the royal line of King David, and it will be given not just to Israel, but to “all the nations that bear my name.” The planned design is bigger than the nation of Israel and will be better than they could have imagined because the planned design is Jesus. Jesus rebuilds the ruins of humanity and delivers the Holy Spirit so that all the people of all the nations can enjoy a relationship with God. The same is true for each of us. “Demo Day” is never the end of the story with God; it is the beginning of the better story to come.

    Questions

    1. What sinful strongholds, pride, or reliance on worldly things need to be demolished in your life?
    2. Do you have faith that God’s design leads to a better story to come?
    3. What steps can you take today to begin allowing God to have his own “Demo Day” in your life to make way for His design for you?

    By the Way

    In Acts 15:12-19, the Council of Jerusalem references Amos 9. The Council gathered to discuss the requirements of Gentile believers, citing Amos 9 as proof that God’s plan had always been to save all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. 

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Amos 8

    Amos 8

    Read Amos 8

    A Basket of Ripe Fruit

    8 This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. 2 “What do you see, Amos?” he asked.

    “A basket of ripe fruit,” I answered.

    Then the Lord said to me, “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

    3 “In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “the songs in the temple will turn to wailing. Many, many bodies—flung everywhere! Silence!”

    4 Hear this, you who trample the needy
        and do away with the poor of the land,

    5 saying,

    “When will the New Moon be over
        that we may sell grain,
    and the Sabbath be ended
        that we may market wheat?”—
    skimping on the measure,
        boosting the price
        and cheating with dishonest scales,
    6 buying the poor with silver
        and the needy for a pair of sandals,
        selling even the sweepings with the wheat.

    7 The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget anything they have done.

    8 “Will not the land tremble for this,
        and all who live in it mourn?
    The whole land will rise like the Nile;
        it will be stirred up and then sink
        like the river of Egypt.

    9 “In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord,

    “I will make the sun go down at noon
        and darken the earth in broad daylight.
    10 I will turn your religious festivals into mourning
        and all your singing into weeping.
    I will make all of you wear sackcloth
        and shave your heads.
    I will make that time like mourning for an only son
        and the end of it like a bitter day.

    11 “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord,
        “when I will send a famine through the land—
    not a famine of food or a thirst for water,
        but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
    12 People will stagger from sea to sea
        and wander from north to east,
    searching for the word of the Lord,
        but they will not find it.

    13 “In that day

    “the lovely young women and strong young men
        will faint because of thirst.
    14 Those who swear by the sin of Samaria—
        who say, ‘As surely as your god lives, Dan,’
        or, ‘As surely as the god of Beersheba lives’—
        they will fall, never to rise again.”

    Go Deeper

    God continues to reveal to Amos His judgment of the Northern kingdom, Israel. This vision pictures ripe fruit which represents the end of Israel’s time as a flourishing kingdom. Amos reminds Israel of their prideful injustice and flagrant oppression of the poor. The end to rotten Israel is near. Amos describes God’s judgment with vivid descriptions that reveal the depth of wickedness permeating Israel and the intensity of God’s judgment on His people who have rejected Him by oppressing the vulnerable and cheating the poor.

    In reading Amos’ prophetic words, one might respond with fear, dread, conviction, or relief that this is not for our day. Amos underscores that the judgment of our Sovereign Lord is certain. There will be an end to the evil perpetrated by those who reject God. In Amos’ description, he points to a day when the land will tremble and God will make the sun go down at noon, darkening the earth in broad daylight. God will make it like mourning for an only son. These days of judgment will bring silence from God who has repeatedly spoken to Israel through His prophets and His word. This famine of deadly significance will be an inability to hear God. 

    As sobering as these words are, there is hope revealed in the next chapter. There also is hope in Amos’ description of the dark day when mourning for an only son occurs. Jesus’ day on the cross was that day. As His death on the cross brought the earth to tremble, the day to darken, people to mourn, and shaken followers to fear, God’s judgment on evil and injustice was born by our Lord Jesus. He paid the penalty for our sin and wickedness with His life. As Romans 8:1 reminds us, “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.”  Jesus paid it all!

    Questions

    1. What is your reaction to the judgment prophesied for Israel? (fear, conviction, relief?)
    2. How have you heard from God as you read His word throughout the book of Amos?  
    3.  How does your understanding of God’s response to evil and His provision in Jesus spur you to gratitude and hope?

    Listen Here

    Listen to the modern hymn “In Christ Alone” and be reminded of the hope we have in Christ. Reflect on this line: “Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied. For every sin on Him was laid, here in the death of Christ I live.”

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Amos 7

    Amos 7

    Read Amos 7

    Locusts, Fire and a Plumb Line

    7 This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the late crops were coming up. 2 When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”

    3 So the Lord relented.

    “This will not happen,” the Lord said.

    4 This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: The Sovereign Lord was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. 5 Then I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”

    6 So the Lord relented.

    “This will not happen either,” the Sovereign Lord said.

    7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?”

    “A plumb line,” I replied.

    Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

    9 “The high places of Isaac will be destroyed
        and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined;
        with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.”

    Amos and Amaziah

    10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying:

    “‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
        and Israel will surely go into exile,
        away from their native land.’”

    12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

    14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now then, hear the word of the Lord. You say,

    “‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
        and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’

    17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says:

    “‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city,
        and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
    Your land will be measured and divided up,
        and you yourself will die in a pagan country.
    And Israel will surely go into exile,
        away from their native land.’”

    Go Deeper

    This chapter is clear: God doesn’t wink at sin. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were God’s chosen people. They had a covenant, an agreement or promise made between two parties; there were blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. In Exodus 19:5, God states, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.” But during Amos’s time, these chosen people of God were stuck in sin. The poor were cheated and idolatry was rampant, so God appointed His prophet, Amos, to chastise Israel for these sins.

    In Amos 7, three prophetic visions of judgment are described: locusts, fire, and a plumb line. A plumb line is a weight suspended on a string hung from the top of a wall and is used to test a wall’s vertical trueness. Amos’s vision helps us understand that God had measured the people and found them failing to live up to their privileged status as His people. Rather than walking truly and upright, they walked crookedly. Israel (“Jacob”) was called to be holy (Ex 19:6) but gave only lip service to the covenant. The people winked at sin, and God’s wrath was brewing. Judgment and punishment were imminent. This theme of punishment for wickedness continues in the New Testament, where Paul writes, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Gal 6:7).

    To be clear, Christians are not saved by doing good deeds. Rather, we are saved by grace (Eph 2:8), and although God’s grace is free, it’s not cheap because it cost Jesus His life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor during World War II, wrote about this “cheap grace” and explains that discipleship costs us our lives. As saved people, God calls us to conduct ourselves in a manner “worthy of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). That is to say, we are to be people of good moral character, as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16).  Fortunately, if we stumble, Scripture tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

    Throughout the Old Testament, we find God longing for His chosen people to be in a right relationship with Him. When they inevitably fell astray, His judgment would capture their attention again, and the resulting repentance pleased Him. Today, God longs to be in a right relationship with all people, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus is the new covenant between God and all humanity. God promises that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9)!

    Questions

    1. What sins are you currently “winking” at? Are you buying into “cheap grace”?
    2. Are you being authentic and transparent with others about the struggles in your life?
    3. In your life, how has God used a past mess to communicate a message of grace and hope?

    Keep Digging

    Interested in learning more about the idea of “cheap grace”? Check out this article from CrossWalk.

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].