Journal Through the Bible: Week 48 Tuesday

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A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 

Song of Solomon 4:12

Song of Solomon 3:6-5:16

Does God issue any commands?

• God does not speak.

Does God make any promises?

• God does not speak.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Using the imagery of Solomon's assessment of his beloved bride, the New Testament states in Ephesians 5 that Jesus loves the church as husbands ought to love their wives. Jesus gave himself for it that he might present it to himself without spot, or wrinkle, or blemish. The difference between Solomon's approval over his bride's beauty and Jesus' declaration of love for the people who make up His churches is that Solomon merely could admire his beloved's beauty but could not physically make her beautiful whereas Jesus makes His people beautiful by removing all of their spots, wrinkles, and blemishes that come as a result of their sin.
• Just as the bride knows that her beloved bridegroom is different from everyone else and is her one and only love, so do those who love Jesus know that He and He alone is their one true love, their hope of eternal happiness.
• The bride describes her husband as her beloved and as her friend. That is exactly what Jesus is to every Christian. He is my beloved and he is my friend.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• There is a time of longing described in this passage as well as a time of persecution (the bride describes being wounded by the watchmen). The bride grows fearful and weary while waiting for their reunion. Believers wait now for their faith to become sight but one day they will see their Beloved and never be separated from Him again. They will forever be with Emmanuel, God with us!

Journal Through the Bible: Week 48 Monday

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Song of Solomon 1:1-3:5

Does God issue any commands in this passage?

• God does not speak.

Does God make any promises?

• God does not speak.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Throughout the New Testament Jesus is compared to a bridegroom. We are told of His love for the institution of the church, Jerusalem, and each individual believer. As such, this whole book about marital love is about Jesus, the One who draws us so that we will run after Him. After all, we are called His followers!
• Solomon names himself as the Rose of Sharon and lily of the valleys, fragrant flowers. Jesus was the offering of a sweet-smelling savor as represented by the sacrificial offerings and incense.
• Solomon used the fig tree as a sign that new life was coming to the earth in the springtime. Jesus used the fig tree as an example of watching for the sign of His coming.
• The bride waited for her beloved and watched for him to appear. Jesus told His followers to watch  and wait for Him in the same manner as a wife would wait expectantly for her husband to arrive.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• In 1:11 the bridegroom describes some of the riches that he will lavish upon his beloved by decorating her wardrobe with riches of gold and silver. Scriptures tell of some of the riches that will be shared by God with those that He loves.
• 2:4 tells of the banquet table that Solomon prepared for his beloved. Revelation chapter 19 tells of the celebratory marriage supper of the Lamb.
• The wife hears her husband calling her to come away with him after enduring winter weather (2:10-11). Christians await the time when Jesus will call them away after their time of enduring this life.

TAKE TIME: Dec 30, 2013 - Jan. 4, 2014 Reading Schedule

Introduction: Solomon was a prolific writer (I Kings 4:32, 33). Not only did he author most of the wisdom literature found in the book of Proverbs but he also wrote the books we will be reading this week. The Song of Solomon is a love story between a bride and bridegroom. By the time of the writing the bridegroom, Solomon, already had 60 queens and 80 concubines but these arranged marriages could not compare with his marriage undertaken purely out of love for the lovely Shulamite. Some speculate that she was the virgin Shunammite, Abishag, that ministered to David in his old age. In comparison, Ecclesiastes was written when Solomon was older, more mature, and somewhat disenchanted with life. Wisdom had taught him that many of things of this world are vanity. But even within this volume one can find a love story! The mature man knows that a relationship with the Lord provides all of the heart's desires. As such, Solomon identified himself as The Preacher in that volume.

 Assignment:

• Monday - Song of Solomon 1:1-3:5
• Tuesday - Song of Solomon 3:6-5:16
• Wednesday - Song of Solomon 6:1-8:14
• Thursday - Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:26
• Friday - Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:16
• Saturday - Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12

Memory Verse

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. Song of Solomon 8:7


Prayer Journal (ACTS)

• Adoration - Praise God for loving you before you ever knew about Him! Many waters cannot quench love because nothing can separate you from the love of God!
• Confession - Ask God to reveal hidden sin in your life and then confess it.
• Thanksgiving - Thank God for any answers to your prayers.
• Supplication - What are your prayer requests this week? List them for future reference so that you can see how God answers.

Search the Scriptures

Look for references for each of the following:

• Promises that God made and to whom He made them. Do they apply to you?
• References that either refer to or infer something about future events.
• What does this passage teach about Jesus?
• Commandments that God made and to whom He made them. Do they apply to you?

Putting the Word into Action

King Solomon wrote a song assuring his beloved bride of his undying love. He later wrote Ecclesiastes detailing God's undying love for him in spite of his sinful nature. Write out your testimony telling of God's pursuit of you and share it with another.

* It was 40 years ago this weekend that I submitted to the love of God and accepted His beloved Son, Jesus, as my savior.

Journal Through the Bible: Week 47 Saturday

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I Kings chapter 11

We have read of Solomon's greatest triumphs. Now we will read of his greatest tragedy.


Does God issue any commands?

• God made it clear that Solomon did not keep the commands that were previously given.
• God make it clear that Jeroboam was to keep God's commands as he reigned over the 10 tribes that were to be given to him.

Does God make any promises?

• God had appeared twice to Solomon in the past and had abundantly blessed him. But because Solomon did not remain faithful to God but had allowed his many foreign wives to turn his heart toward false gods God promised a curse upon Solomon. The kingdom would be torn in two in the days of Solomon's son's reign.
• God promised not to remove the whole kingdom from the dynasty of David. He would allow Solomon's son to reign over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin for the sake of David and for the sake of Jerusalem.
• God made Jeroboam the same promise that He had made to Saul, David, and Solomon. If Jeroboam would serve God and follow His commandments Jeroboam's dynasty would be established in Israel although not forever. 
• God promised that David's lineage would be punished for a season but not forever. David's dynasty would be restored.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• When Adam and Eve plunged the whole world into sin and set everyone on the course toward hell God reserved a remnant that the Seed of David would govern.
• Jesus is the fulfillment of the restoration of David's eternal dynasty.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• God reserved two of the tribes for the sake of David's dynasty and because of His love for Jerusalem. One day David's dynasty will be restored to the throne and He will reign in the Jerusalem which God has reserved for Himself. The New Jerusalem will descend from Heaven and be placed upon the earth.

Read Through the Bible in 2013 and 2014: December 30, 2013 - January 4, 2014 Schedule

We're finishing up 2013 and are heading into 2014! Make reading your Bible each day a top priority! The complete schedule for 2014 can now be found at the tab at the top.

(A pdf or Microsoft Word file suitable for printing on an 8.5 x 14 inch sheet of paper will be sent upon request.) 

12/30/2013	Nehemiah 9, 10	Proverbs 30
12/31/2013	Nehemiah 11-13	Proverbs 31
1/1/2014	Genesis 1, 2	John 1, 2
1/2/2014	Genesis 3-5	John 3
1/3/2014	Genesis 6,7	John 4, 5
1/4/2014	Genesis 8-11:9	John 6

Read Through the Bible in 2013: December 23-28 Schedule

Again, my apologies for the delay!

12/23/2013	Ezra 9, 10	Proverbs 24
12/24/2013	Malachi 1, 2	Proverbs 25
12/25/2013	Malachi 3, 4	Proverbs 26
12/26/2013	Nehemiah 1-3	Proverbs 27
12/27/2013	Nehemiah 4-6	Proverbs 28
12/28/2013	Nehemiah 7, 8	Proverbs 29

For more information concerning the books found at the end of the Old Testament era timeline, in this case Malachi and Nehemiah, click this link.

Read Through the Bible in 2013: December 16-21

My apologies for the delay!

12/16/2013	Ezra 5, 6	Proverbs 18
12/17/2013	Esther 1, 2	Proverbs 19
12/18/2013	Esther 3-5	Proverbs 20
12/19/2013	Esther 6-8	Proverbs 21
12/20/2013	Esther 9, 10	Proverbs 22
12/21/2013	Ezra 7, 8	Proverbs 23

For more information concerning the Old Testament book of Esther click this link. *Please note that the article has been edited in recent days. 

Journal Through the Bible: Week 47 Friday

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I Kings chapter 10

Does God issue any commands in this chapter?

• God does not speak in this chapter.

Does God make any promises?

• The Queen of Sheba marveled at the promises of God to Israel being fulfilled through Solomon.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Solomon is the picture of Christ in this passage. In Matthew 12:42 Jesus used this passage to condemn the generation that saw Him do miracles but refused to believe by saying that the queen of the south would rise up in judgment because they refused to hear the wisdom of the God-man who was greater than Solomon.
• The Queen of Sheba saw the works of Solomon and glorified God. Men are to see the works of Jesus in us and glorify our Father in Heaven.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• The Queen of Sheba's astonishment when she viewed the glory and riches of King Solomon will be nothing as compared to our astonishment when we view the glory and riches of King Jesus. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." I Corinthians 2:9

Journal Through the Bible: Week 47 Thursday

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I Kings 8:62-9:28

Does God issue any commands?

• God commanded Solomon and the people to be faithful to Him.

Does God  make any promises?

• God appeared unto Solomon the second time. This time He promised that His name would forever be put onto the site that Solomon dedicated. (We know the building was destroyed long ago, but God has reserved that hallowed ground for Himself. One day we will see Him claim it again.)
• God promised Solomon that if he would follow God's commands and remain faithful to Him God would fulfill His promise to David of an everlasting kingdom through the line of Solomon.
• God promised a curse upon the people and the hallowed house if the people would not obey Him. Then they would be scattered and become a byword to all people.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Solomon dedicated the Temple with many offerings. These offerings are pictures of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins. Solomon offered so many because he was representing the people of Israel who needed to have their sins covered under the blood. Hebrews tells us that the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins but were a picture of the perfect Lamb of God. Here the sacrifices filled the house. In Isaiah and in Revelation we are told that the glory of the Lamb of God fills the House!

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• The grand celebration and feast that Solomon and his people enjoyed at the culmination of the building of God's House is a reminder of what is coming when all God's people are together for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb which celebrates the culmination of the building of God's House, all those who are His representative "temples" finally together!
• One day God will take possession of His inheritance, the ground that Solomon dedicated to Him as the Temple Mount.

Read Through the Bible in 2013: December 9-14

12/9/2013	Haggai	Proverbs 12
12/10/2013	Zechariah 1-3	Proverbs 13
12/11/2013	Zechariah 4-6	Proverbs 14
12/12/2013	Zechariah 7-9	Proverbs 15
12/13/2013	Zechariah 10, 11	Proverbs 16
12/14/2013	Zechariah 12-14	Proverbs 17

Updated information concerning the Old  Testament book of Haggai and Zechariah is found here.

Journal Through the Bible: Week 47 Wednesday

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I Kings 8:22-61  (Read November 27th)

God always intended that His chosen people, Israel, be a missionary to all nations of the world. Solomon made it clear in verses 60 and 61 that he understood this mission.

Does God issue any commands?

• God did not speak in this passage, but it is clear that He had given Israel the command of evangelizing the world through their testimony of holy living and attitudes of praise toward their God, the true and living.

Does God make any promises?

• Within his prayer Solomon recites the promises of God to David and then tells how the LORD kept His covenant with David and with the people.
• (verse 56) - Solomon said that not one promise had failed which God promised by Moses.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• Jesus is the fulfillment of the eternal dynasty of David.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• As Solomon mentioned in his prayer God would not fail to have a son of David on the throne before His sight. We will one day see how this has been accomplished when Jesus establishes His kingdom.
• Solomon also questioned if God would indeed dwell on the earth. Indeed, He did and He will!
• In his prayer Solomon asked that people of every nation be allowed to call upon the name of the LORD at the Temple. Revelation tells of all nations doing just that. Someday all of God's redeemed will come with singing unto Zion.

TAKE TIME: Off!

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Do NOT take time off from reading your Bible! As a matter of fact, today would be a good day to begin reading a chapter a day from the book of Proverbs: 31 chapters, 31 days.

But the TAKE TIME schedule is taking some time off.

This is a very busy time of the year. And if you are anything like me you get behind sometimes.

I'm behind. (You've probably noticed that.)

The schedule will resume on December 30 with the book of Song of Solomon.
 (Check the yearly chronological schedule above to see what follows I Kings 11. It will also show that we covered in 47 weeks the equivalent of what Take Ten readers read through June 15th of their Old Testament assignment.)

Remember that the point of reading the Bible is not to be able to check off a task accomplished each day. It is to learn more about Jesus.  Instead of doing a poor job in haste it is my desire to take the time to do a proper job of updating the journal without digging the hole further. After all, this is God's Word and I want to handle it respectfully and with proper meditation.

So there will still be frequent journal updates. And I'll probably show-and-tell more about our recent Peru trip, too.  ;)

Read Through the Bible in 2013: December 2-7 Schedule

12/2/2013	II Chronicles 29, 30	Proverbs 6
12/3/2013	II Chronicles 31, 32	Proverbs 7
12/4/2013	II Chronicles 33, 34	Proverbs 8
12/5/2013	II Chronicles 35, 36	Proverbs 9
12/6/2013	Ezra 1, 2	Proverbs 10
12/7/2013	Ezra 3, 4	Proverbs 11

For more information concerning the Old Testament book of Ezra click this link.

*Note that the post dealing with Ezra was edited and updated today 12/1/13.