| Date | Version | Reading Plan |
|---|---|---|
| September 12, 2024 | ESV (2016) | M’Cheyne Plan 2024 |
2 Samuel 7
Now in a time of rest from their enemies, David goes to Nathan that he was dwelling in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwelled in a tent. Nathan responded to David that he should go and do what is in his heart regarding building a temple for God. However, the LORD came to Nathan the same night and told him to speak to David about the temple and that He would make David a great name (2 Sam. 7:9). God through Nathan told David that when he lied down with his fathers, the LORD would raise up David’s offspring, shall build the LORD a house and David’s throne shall be established forever (2 Sam. 7:17).
David responded to Nathan with a prayer of thanksgiving, expressing humility and unworthiness of such a blessing. David proclaimed the LORD’s greatness, recalling the great and awesome things He had done for His people Israel. David found courage to pray this prayer and asked that it would please the LORD to bless the house of His servant (2 Sam. 7:29). David affirms that the LORD had spoken and it would be with his blessing that the house of His servant would be blessed forever (2 Sam. 7:29).
2 Corinthians 1
Paul opens the letter with a greeting to the church in Corinth along with all the saints in the whole of Achaia (2 Cor. 1:1) and speaks God’s grace to the people (2 Cor. 1:2). Paul praises God as the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3). God is the One who comforts those in affliction and, as we share in the afflictions of Christ, His people will also share in comfort (2 Cor. 2:5). Whether Paul was afflicted or comforted, it would be for their comfort. Paul and his companions experienced affliction but were delivered from this deadly peril and trusted that this deliverance would continue for the sake of those who needed to hear the gospel message.
Paul says that their boasting and testimony of conscience was that they behaved with simplicity and godly sincerity and not of earthly wisdom (2 Cor. 1:12). Paul assured his readers that he was not writing to them anything contrary to what they read and understood, giving the Corinthians no excuse for disobedience and misunderstanding.
Paul wanted to visit the Corinthians on his way to Macedonia and again on the way south from Macedonia, but instead “made a brief, painful visit from Ephesus to Corinth, and then returned to Ephesus. Some believers in Corinth accused him of being unreliable and purely human. The charge of saying Yes, yes one minute and No, no the next stung him into reacting defensively.” (CSB Notes). Paul addresses their perception of his being fickle and “argues that his actions were not untrustworthy because the Savior he preached was the divine, unchangeable One in whom there was no vacillation or changeableness.” (BBC). God was the One who had put His seal on them and given them His Spirit as a guarantee (2 Cor. 7:22). Paul called God to witness against him that his refrain from coming to Corinth was to spare them and that his work was for their joy and that they would stand firm in their faith (2 Cor. 1:24)
Ezekiel 15
The LORD came to Ezekiel with an illustration of wood from a vine, asking if it surpasses any wood of the trees of the forest. The wood is given to the fire and it becomes useful for nothing. This relates to the people who, “Failing to bear fruit for God, they were charred by the fire of the Babylonian invasion.” (BBC) Just as the vine among the trees of the forest were given for fire, God had given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. God would set His face against them and make the land desolate because they acted faithlessly (Ezek. 15:7).
As followers of Christ, we have been privileged with salvation by His blood but with this comes the responsibility of producing fruit for God’s glory. Our lives are to bear faithful witness to the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, seeking to glorify Him in all that we say and do.
Psalm 56
David asks God to be gracious to him because man was trampling him (Ps. 56:1). When he is afraid, David puts his trust in God whose word he praises (Ps. 56:4) . David’s enemies injure his cause and he asks whether they will escape from their crime (Ps. 56:7). David acknowledges that God had kept count of his tossings, put his tears on a bottle and that his enemies would turn back in the day when he calls. David shows the confidence we are to share with him that God “will turn back our enemies in answer to our prayers. We know this because God is for us. And if God is for us, who can successfully be against us (Rom. 8:31)?” (BBC). David declares that he must perform his vows to God and render thank offerings to Him because He had delivered his soul from death and feet from falling that he may walk before the God in the light of life (Ps. 56:17)
Psalms 57
David asks for God to be merciful to him and that his soul takes refuge in God (Ps. 57:1). David cries out to God Most High who fulfills his purpose for him (Ps. 57:2). David is assured that God will put to shame those who trample on him and that God will send His steadfast love and faithfulness (Ps. 57:4). David laments that his soul is in the midst of lions and with the children of man whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords (Ps. 57:4). David sharply pivots focus to the LORD, to the God above the heavens and that His glory would be over all the earth (Ps. 57:5). David’s enemies set a trap for him but have fallen into it themselves (Ps. 57:6). David declares that his heart is steadfast and will sing and make melody, giving thanks to the Lord among the peoples and that he will sing praises the the Lord among the nations. David proclaims the LORD’s steadfast love that is great to the heavens and His faithfulness to the clouds (Ps. 57:10). David closes the psalm in exultation to the LORD, that His glory would be over all the earth (Ps. 57:11)