Amen 
reading completed 
October 13, 2024 Sunday
1 Chronicles 17:1-5, 11-12, 23-27 (KJV)
Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.
Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.
For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.
And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.
A humble servant of the Lord, no matter the task
David Jacobs
When I was in high school, I tried out for a school play. It was the first play I had ever tried out for or been in, so I was quite nervous. The play was “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Naturally, I wanted to be Joseph, but I didn’t end up getting the part. Other students had more experience and were flat out better than I was. I was given another part (narrator) but was immature and refused to take part at all. I attended a performance of the play with my family, and to this day I can remember how great it was. It was a shame that I could not see the bigger picture and be a part of the show.
King David was a loyal servant of God for his entire life. No character more adamantly sings the praises of God than his obedient servant, David, so it is a surprise here in 1 Chronicles to see the Lord choose another king of Israel to build the temple for Him. God tells David via the prophet Nathan that David’s son is the one that God has chosen. Although David was prepared to build the temple, Solomon ended up building it as we still know today.
How did David react? The same way he does in nearly every instance that the Lord speaks to him: he praises God, obediently going along with God’s plan. If only I had learned my lesson from these verses! Life doesn’t always give you exactly what you want, but to be part of something incredible and view being chosen to be a part of something special is a gift in and of itself. David realized this; I did not. Remember these verses the next time you are in a similar situation: we are God’s servants and it is a blessing to be one at all.
Have you had a similar experience as mine, when you were not selected for something that you wanted? How did you react? How can you be better and more like David the next time?
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Reading completed. 13th Oct.
October 14, 2024 Monday
1 Chronicles 28:2-10, 20 (KJV)
Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.
Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.
Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
Passing the torch
David Jacobs
Older generations tend to view younger generations as spoiled. So much has changed in modern times from generation to generation that it is quite hard to accurately compare them. So much responsibility and sometimes so much burden is placed on each new generation that it can seem daunting for the younger people in the world. How can they live up to the expectations of previous generations? The older generation may also think that they have failed their children, because the world may be “worse” than it was when they lived. All we can do is try to teach one another, and learn what we can from past experiences.
In these verses, King David is handing the throne and much of its responsibilities to his son, Solomon. Solomon has been chosen by God to construct a temple in Jerusalem. You can imagine the pressure that the not-yet-appointed King Solomon would be feeling; first, he must follow in the footsteps of his father, one of the most-beloved kings in history, and second, his first order of business is to construct a temple in God’s honor. It could make any person of any generation crumble.
Luckily, David gives Solomon his blessing and constructive advice on how to rule. The most important tenet of the advice: serve God with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Now imagine modern society doing the same: what a perfect world we would live in!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray to you today asking to help me create your temple on earth. Let your heavenly kingdom be the focus of all humanity, now and forever. Lord God, give me the wisdom like Solomon, the goodliness of Saul, and the obedience of David, so that I may serve you with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Amen.
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Amen reading completed
October 15, 2024 Tuesday
2 Chronicles 36:14-23 (KJV)
Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.
And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.
And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:
To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.
The Bible’s history lessons
David Jacobs
In what year was 2 Chronicles written? Who wrote it? Was it all recorded at the same time? There are so many questions that Biblical scholars have asked trying to understand perhaps better the most important book in history. Many Christians, myself included, often fail to ask some of these critical questions. The verses above may seem unimportant, but there is a lot to learn in these verses that are rarely considered by readers.
The Bible up to this point has been a celebration of the kingdom of Israel. This is not to say that there have not been dark times, but the Babylonian empire is about to conquer Israel, looting, pillaging, and destroying everything on the way. The Babylonian captivity lasts for around 70 years, with the Jewish people being exiled from their homeland. Finally, Cyrus, the great takes power and allows the Jews to return to their home. The final verse of 2 Chronicles is a proclamation of Cyrus, although its’ authenticity is questioned, commanding the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem.
The Bible is so much more than just a religious text: it is a living part of history that has altered the world and continued to change the way people think, believe, and act. Passages like this may seem insignificant, but there is much to be learned if you dig deeper. Read the Bible carefully and ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more answers you will receive.
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Reading completed 15th Oct 2024.
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October 16, 2024 Wednesday
Ezra 1:1-8 (KJV)
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.
Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;
Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
There’s no place like home
David Jacobs
Have you seen the movie The Wizard of Oz? In it, a young girl named Dorothy is whisked away by a tornado, transported to the land of Oz. She goes on a journey, meeting friends and foes along the way. Eventually, she utters the famous phrase, “There’s no place like home,” and she is suddenly back at home, in her bed, apparently having dreamt the entire story.
Sadly for the kingdom of Israel, the Babylonian captivity was not just a bad dream. The Jews were persecuted and exiled from their homeland, scattered around without any central area to settle. Their luck changes when the Persian king, Cyrus the Great, conquers the land of Israel and invites the people of Israel back to their homeland. As we all know, this area of the globe has been disputed and fought over to this day, but everyone with a connection to it will not give up their homeland. Like Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home.” God gives the Jews another chance in the place they call home. When it seems as if we will never have good fortune, the Lord will give us what we need. Do not despair, God will provide.
Prayer
Thank you my God, for giving me the chance to live on the earth that you created. It is my home and I will do what I can to honor your work by taking care of it. Let all people feel comforted wherever they are; all people feel that they are welcome in any place; all people know that we all must share God’s home. Amen.
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Amen reading completed
October 17, 2024 Thursday
Ezra 10:6-12 (KJV)
Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;
And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
Protecting the culture
David Jacobs
I am Caucasian. My wife is Asian. Nobody in my entire family has ever married a non-Caucasian person, so when I brought my girlfriend home to meet my family, I was met with some scrutiny. “Why can’t you marry a white person?” I remember my family asking. My family is very tolerant and open compared to most, and I can assure you my wife’s family had more suspicion towards me than my family did. Both families feared that part of their culture and heritage would be lost.
The people of Israel were exiled from their homeland for generations. In the book of Ezra, they were allowed by Cyrus the Great to return. In these verses, Ezra makes a decree: the men that have taken “strange wives” have badly transgressed against Israel and against God. They must repent and get rid of these non-Jewish wives in order to satisfy their Lord. Not too different from what my and my wife’s families said!
Ezra and the leaders of Israel feared to lose their culture and their identity. If they mixed their bloodlines with people of other nations, they would be unable to preserve the culture that they were proud of. More importantly, they were worried that they would lose their people to other gods.
I am sensitive towards these verses because of my situation. While I can understand the position of Ezra and the leaders of Israel at the time, the notion that God will abandon the people of Israel because some people have married wives during the period of exile seems wrong. Nowadays, basically everyone has taken “strange” husbands or wives. What do you think: has God abandoned us for this? I know my answer. What is yours?
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He have not abandoned us. Reading completed
October 18, 2024 Friday
Nehemiah 2:1-8 (KJV)
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.
And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
What’s wrong Nehemiah? Why do you look sad?
David Jacobs
If you have read the Old Testament closely, something may jump out at you when you read this passage. Do you notice something different? Notice the first sentence of the book: it is written from the first-person perspective. Parts of the book of Ezra are also written from the first-person perspective (Ezra 7:1-11). If you are anything like me, you are excited by this and also wondering why these books are written in a similar style.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah were originally written as one book. Ezra is believed to be the author of these books as he was a noted scribe (Ezra 7:6-10) and it would explain why parts of the book of Ezra were written from the first-person perspective.
Now let’s look at the verses I selected. Nehemiah is a Jewish servant working for King Artaxerxes. The king notices Nehemiah looking sad and inquires as to why. Nehemiah wonders inwardly whether he should say his true feelings, prays to God, and tells the king why: he is unhappy because Israel has been destroyed, the people exiled, and he is doing nothing about it. He asks the king to let him go and, perhaps to his surprise, the king grants his wish. “Ask and ye shall receive” (Matthew 7:7).
There is so much beauty to be unlocked in the Bible. Reading these verses for the first time and
noticing the perspective change encourage me to learn more. The verses themselves are inspiring and touching, with Nehemiah mustering the courage to ask a benevolent king to let him go on a mission to rebuild his homeland. Get excited about the Bible! It makes reading it so much more meaningful.
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Reading completed 18th Oct.
October 19, 2024 Saturday
Nehemiah 5:1-12 (KJV)
And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
The poor work so the rich may live
David Jacobs
The income gap is a problem that has not gone away. It has existed as long as modern civilization. Today, the 8 richest people in the world have the same amount of wealth as the poorest’s 50 percent. Read that again! There is a growing and dangerous concentration of wealth in the modern world. If a small number of people control so much wealth and power, what does that mean for the rest of us?
As I previously stated, this problem has existed as long as civilization. In these verses, the people of Judah are rising up against those in power. They go to Nehemiah, demanding that something should be done. The wealthy have taxed the people so heavily that some of the working class must sell their children to slavery! The people of Israel have escaped slavery from other nations several times already in the Old Testament, but now they must deal with it from their own people!
Nehemiah goes to the nobles and rulers and demands that things change. It seems that the Babylonian exile may have changed the way the rulers thought about their own brethren and more importantly, it seems that they have stopped fearing the Lord their God. The strong words of Nehemiah change that, and the working people no longer suffer as before.
Imagine if the wealthiest on earth could listen to the similar logic: Oh! How the world would change for better! We must remain steadfast and focus not on the wealth of this world, but on the bounty of riches that await us, devotees of Christ, if we follow the path of Christ. Unlike the
wealthiest in Nehemiah’s time and now, the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Thanks be to God!
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Reading completed 19th Oct.
October 20, 2024 Sunday
Nehemiah 8:10-12, 18 (KJV)
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
Do as the Lord commands: feast!
David Jacobs
Everyone likes to celebrate from time to time: birthdays, vacations, holidays. We all need a chance to relax and enjoy God’s gifts. Consider this, however: when was the last time you truly celebrated God? It happens too few and far between. “Twice a year Christians” celebrate on Christmas and Easter, forgetting the 363 other days of the year. Although some of the Old Testament may seem prohibitive and gloomy, these verses in Nehemiah are a stark contrast.
Nehemiah makes a proclamation that all people would love to hear: “Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared” (Nehemiah 8:10). Eat, drink, and be merry! Last but not least, give to those that do not have the means to celebrate. There are certainly many people that give back on the biggest Christian holidays in modern times, but our consumer culture has changed the meaning of Christmas. If the Jews living in the time of Nehemiah can learn to celebrate their love of God and share with the less fortunate during a turbulent and difficult time, certainly can we!
When have you recently given back to society? It may sound like a Christmas cliché, but it truly is “better to give than to receive.”
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Reading completed 20th Oct.
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Reading completed
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October 21, 2024 Monday
Esther 3:1-12 (KJV)
After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?
Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
Haman, the evil antagonist of Esther
David Jacobs
You might think that anti-Semitism is a modern development. “Perhaps it came about right before World War 2. Perhaps it came about as a result of Christ’s crucifixion.” While these thoughts are logical, the Jews have attracted enemies that wished to destroy them since their existence.
The primary antagonist of Esther is named Haman. Haman is appointed by the king to a position above all the other princes (Esther 3:1). As the king’s “right-hand man,” all the servants should show their respect and bow to Haman when he approached. One man named Mordecai, refused to bow. Haman discovered that Mordecai was a Jew, and began plotting a way “to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus” (Esther 3:6). Scholars debate the reason why Mordecai did not bow to Haman, which was certainly a risky maneuver, but let us not ignore what happens next: Haman approached the king with a plan for genocide. A plan to eliminate all Jews, because they did not keep the same laws as the king. Haman offered to pay the king ten thousand talents of silver, to which the king replies to Haman to keep his money and do with the Jews as he pleases. It is truly terrifying.
There are certainly differences between people: different sizes, religions, cultures, language, and laws.
Are we not all equals in the sight of God? Are we not to be judged the same way by the one true Lord? Whether a person be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, Hindu, or Jewish, as Christians we have been given a new commandment by Christ himself: love each other as he has loved us. Go from this place to serve the Lord, the people, to love the Lord, and love the people. Leave the rest of it to God.
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Reading completed 21th
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