Today’s Hebrew Testament chronological reading is in 1 Samuel 1and 2.
The Psalms/ Proverbs reading is in Psalm 137.
The Greek Testament reading is in the Book of Galatians Chiastic Structure.
ESSENTIAL STUDIES.
1 Samuel 1, Chiastic structure
Additional studies: 1 and 2 Samuel Index
Hannah underwent a transformation in this chapter. She began in bitterness of soul, but ended as a joyful mother of children, and the structure shows us that her turning point was her prayer to YHVH. In Hebrew, ‘bitterness’ shares the same root as the serpent’s venom, because bitterness poisons the soul as venom poisons the body. Struggling with bitterness is not uncommon; its foundational lie is ‘God rejects me;’ we can repent of believing a lie, build a stronghold of the truth of ‘God accepts me’ in our hearts, and be free from the poison of bitterness.
Psalm 137, Chiastic Structure
Additional studies: Psalms Book Five (107-150) Index
The B pair and the central axis is a plea in captivity, not to forget who they are or where they are from, to not assimilate into Babylonianism but to remain the distinct people that they are. The reference to the right hand forgetting its skill and the tongue cleaving to the roof may refer back to the demand for songs: let me forget how to play the harp and sing the songs before I forget you, O Jerusalem!
Book of Galatians Chiastic structure
Additional studies: Galatians Index
The structure highlights the theme of the book, which is that God has not merely saved us from our sins through Messiah Yeshua, but that God sent His Son to redeem us and adopt us as sons. He did not just want saved persons, He wanted family.
Reading through Galatians piecemeal also gives a false impression that the Law and the Spirit are at odds with each other. Seeing the whole book big picture, however, reveals that the real dichotomy is between the flesh and the Spirit, not the Law and the Spirit. The Law is merely the instrument that restrains the damage the flesh can do.
THREE-YEAR BIBLE.
The three-year plan is here.
Today’s reading is in Revelation 8.
Suggested study: Revelation 8, Bible for Beginners.
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