Job 4: Just a little note to start off this reading: I learned after my last post that I was actually wrong to write “Satan” down as the person who challenged God. I should’ve written “the satan” or even “the adversary.” Here’s a nice little tidbit from James L. Kugel’s book, How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now: “This is not yet the devil, the Satan of later Judaism and Christianity who is God’s opponent and the embodiment of evil, but merely one of the heavenly attendants, the ‘sons of God.’ The Hebrew satan means ‘accuser’ or ‘adversary’” (p. 638). Nice little tidbit for me to know.
1/25 Reading (Job 1-3; 1 Timothy 4)
Job 1: I’ve never read Job. In fact, whenever I hear anyone say Job I think of the movie Mission: Impossible with Tom Cruise. Job 3:14 played a big role in that film. I know, a silly story, but that’s what happens.
1/25 Reading (Intro to Poetical books-Intro to Job)
Introduction to the Poetical and Wisdom Books: The NRSV has a full introduction to the 5 books classified in the Poetical and Wisdom Books. There’s a lot in there, especially about Biblical poetry. I just want to put this quote here and move on to Job:
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1/24 Reading (Esther 9-10; 1 Timothy 3)
Esther 9: The first half of this chapter tells of the Jews retaliating against those who tried to kill them. They killed tens of thousands of people. We also see that Esther still has a considerable amount of power over the King. He offers to do whatever she wants. She tells him what she wants and he makes it happen. This all happens on the 14th and 15th days of Adar (the 12th month of the year).
1/13 Reading (Ezra 10; Psalms 75-77)
Ezra 10: Ezra summons all the people to Jerusalem. There he tells them that everyone who married a foreign woman must send away their wives and children. They all agree as a community. That pretty much sucks!
12/8 Reading (2 Chronicles 26-28; Ephesians 1)
2 Chronicles 26: Amaziah’s son, Uzziah, takes over as king. As with the two kings before him, his reign started well in that he followed God and did what he was supposed to do. Eventually, he failed to do this just like his two predecessors. His sin was that he went into God’s sanctuary and burned incense. Only priests who were descended from Aaron were allowed to do this. God inflicted him with a skin disease and he lived alone until he died.
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12/5 Reading (2 Chronicles 16-19; Colossians 2)
2 Chronicles 16: Now we get to the end of Asa. This happens because instead of following the advice given to him earlier (trust in God), he makes a pact with another King when he is attacked by Israel. A seer, Hanani, told him this was a mistake to not rely on God and he will suffer for this. Asa gets angry and throws Hanani into jail. Asa is then afflicted by a disease in his feet and dies. There’s an interesting verse here: “But even in his illness he [Asa] refused to seek the Lord and consulted doctors instead” (2 Chron. 16.12). No wonder some refuse to seek medical attention when they are ill. Verses like this just strengthens the resolve of those who choose to solely rely on the power of prayer when they or a loved one are afflicted with something. Not good!
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11/24 Reading (1 Chronicles 19-21; Romans 11)
1 Chronicles 19: David’s conquests over the Arameans and the Ammonites. They fall easily.
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11/22 Reading (1 Chronicles 13-15; Romans 9)
1 Chronicles 13: This chapter is about the first time that David tried to move the Ark. I find it interesting that the version told here doesn’t exactly match the first time we learn about David’s attempt to move the Ark in 2 Samuel 6. I thought the Chronicler had access to the original sources.
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11/21 Reading (1 Chronicles 10-12; Romans 8)
1 Chronicles 10: Entire chapter is about the death of Saul. The story pretty much matches what we read in earlier text (1 Samuel).
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