| Date | Version | Reading Plan |
|---|---|---|
| @June 7, 2024 | ESV (2016) | M’Cheyne Plan 2024 |
Deut. 11
Deuteronomy 11:10–12 (ESV) 10 For the land that you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it, like a garden of vegetables. 11 But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven, 12 a land that the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
The LORD through Moses makes a distinction between the land the people had in Egypt and the land He had promised them to possess. The Egyptian land was dry and required irrigation but the promised land enjoyed the favor of God with abundant, season-long rain which would yield plentiful harvests. The promised land is one that “God cares for” and His eyes are upon it all year. In many ways, the description of the land reflects God’s care for His people, attentively providing sustenance for fruitful outcomes, that it would all be a testimony to His goodness. How bountiful is our portion in Christ, never lacking but generous to give of Himself to supply our every need.
Psalms 95-96
Psalm 95:1–3 (ESV) 95 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
The psalmist presents an imperative to sing and make a joyful noise to the LORD. The qualifier of “joyful” along with the object of our singing are both key. We have been given the ability to sing and make noise, but this is to be done with delight and directed at the One who gives us joy. Our participation in such vocal proclamation now is a foretaste of the kind of devotional singing we will have in the new heavens and earth while in the direct presence of our Lord. The call is to therefore begin now what will carry on through this life and into everlasting blessedness with Him.
Isaiah 39
Isaiah 39:1–2 (ESV) 39 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
After Hezekiah was healed by the LORD, he welcomed the delegation sent by the king of Babylon and showed them all that was in his treasure house. As one commentary makes note, Hezekiah probably hoped that the Babylonians would help Judah against the threat of the Assyrians. However, it would end up being a terrible mistake since Judah would later be taken into captivity by the Babylonians. By showing off his possessions, Hezekiah enticed the return of the Babylonians to take them as plunder. In this, we see the result of Hezekiah’s shift away from Godward humility to the perilous boasting and flaunting earthly treasure.
Revelation 9
Revelation 9:20–21 (ESV) 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
John describes three plagues that swept through and killed a third of mankind. Scores of troops rode horses that had heads like lions and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. These all died and yet the rest of mankind who were spared did not repent of the works of the hands, continuing to worship false idols. One would think that bearing witness to the death of so many would elicit a profound level of guilt and change of behavior, but it did not. What we glean from this is the kind of foothold that sin has in our hearts. Only by a work of the Spirit can our eyes be properly opened to the corruption within ourselves and in this fallen world. Praise be to God that He has chosen to do so, sending His Son to be our sacrifice and His Spirit to convict us of our sin and great need for Him.