Today’s Hebrew Testament chronological reading is in Judges 13 and 14.
The Psalms/ Proverbs reading is in Psalm 131.
The Greek Testament reading is in Galatians 3.
ESSENTIAL STUDIES.
Judges 13 and 14, Samson, a Messiah type
Additional studies: Judges Index
According to Ussher, 1137 BC is the year of Samson’s dispute over his Philistine bride. According to the encyclopedia, 438 BC is the earliest production of Euripides’ plays, the Greek writer who provides us with the first written record of the legends of Hercules. I submit to you that Samson is the original hero and deliverer, whose strength was so great, that he passed into legend. The Greeks heard of a great hero with supernatural strength, who had slain a lion with his bare hands, and they borrowed this bit of biblical history (as they did in so many other instances) and made him a Greek hero instead. When the modern critics try to tell you that the history of Samson is a late Hebrew copy of a Greek myth, you can tell them that they have it exactly backwards, for the Greeks copied all their mythology from other sources, as Herodotus is not shy to point out.
Psalm 130:1-131:3, Chiastic Structure
Additional studies: Psalms Book Five (107-150) Index
But the psalmist calms and quiets his soul as a child is quieted with his mother. The psalmist does not expect God to twang him with His fairy godmother wand, for calm and peace to descend on his soul. No, he calms and quiets his own soul, by 1) realizing he is not alone (just a child with his mother), 2) his Parent is here who will take care of things (just as a child with his mother), and 3) he can wait for Him to do just that, hoping in Him and His word. God’s timing isn’t always our timing, but His timing is perfect. When people assert that God hasn’t done this or that, or kept His promise or prophecy, what they really mean is that God didn’t do as they expected within the time frame they gave Him to accomplish it. He has His own perfect time frame, and part of quieting our soul is waiting on His perfect timing. Trust is the key to peace! ♥
Galatians 3, Justification by faith
Additional studies: Galatians Index
Paul strongly corrected this false teaching. From the Scriptures and from the Law itself, he explained why salvation does not come by obedience. He reminded the Galatians what it is that saves a man. You see, we have been into the courtroom of the Heavenly Judge, and the blood of the Lamb was found brushed over our guilty verdict. Jesus has redeemed us from the indictment—the “curse”—of the Law which required death as the penalty for sin. We have been justified, not by obedience to the Law, but by the free gift of God, received simply by faith in Christ Jesus. This is called justification by faith. We are made right with God not because we have obeyed the Law perfectly, but because we trust in what Jesus has already done for us. Obedience to the Law has not passed away–it is just not the instrument of salvation. The Law, Paul says, is not against the promises of God!
THREE-YEAR BIBLE.
The three-year plan is here.
Today’s reading is in Revelation 2.
Suggested study: Revelation 2, Bible for Beginners.
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