February 18 Bible Reading

Today’s Hebrew Testament chronological reading is in Exodus 5 and 6.

The Psalms/ Proverbs reading is in Psalm 49.

The Greek Testament reading is in Romans 6.

Essential Studies.

Exodus 6, Untangling the chronology knot
Additional studies: Exodus Index

Now why would the genealogy of Moses appear in the middle of the chapter 6 narrative? God is quietly answering a 400-year-old promise! (Gen 15:13-16). If we were to put it the way it would be expressed in English without that complex Hebraic prophetic poetry structure: “Your descendants will be strangers in a land not theirs (sojourners, like you) for their first 400 years. Eventually they will be enslaved and afflicted, but in the fourth generation they shall return to Canaan.” When the numbers add up this exactly, with every minute mention accounted for, it shouts: God keeps every single detail of His promise! No contradictions, no myths—just airtight truth from Genesis to Revelation.

Psalm 49, True esteem
Additional studies: Psalms Book Two (42-72) Index

The man whom the world esteems is someone who appears honorable or of high degree—perhaps wealthy, influential, or famous—but because they trust in their wealth or status to secure them, they lack true stability. They will go to the grave, and their exalted status cannot prevent that. Their great wealth or glory is not enough to ransom their soul with God. Lacking this basic wisdom shows up the folly of whomever the world esteems. Their esteem is hollow, and they are like the dumb beasts that perish. But the upright, though not esteemed by the world, will have dominion over them. God redeems the upright from the power of the grave. They are not like dumb beasts that perish.

Romans 6, Under Law and under Grace
Additional studies: Romans Index

To be under Law in Paul’s shorthand is to be under sin (Rom 5:21, 6:12, 6:14) and death (Rom 5:14, 5:17, 6:9), because they are under the indictment of the Law due to their sin, which mandates the death penalty. In contrast, to be under Grace is that Messiah’s resurrection life now reigns in us through God’s free gift (Rom 5:17-18, 5:21), as He has defeated both sin and death.