Daily Bible reading and prayer, Thursday, November 30, 2023
1 Corinthians 5-8 (chronological); Ezekiel 43-44, 2 Peter 2 (OT/NT)
A overview of our yearly Bible reading plan, with all edited summaries so far, can be found here.
Yesterday, we started 1 Corinthians for the second time this year. It was written during Paul’s third missionary journey, during Paul’s extended time in Ephesus, addressing sin he is aware of in the Corinthian church.
I have recently updated the summary of the book of Acts, which is relevant for context for all of these readings.
Thursday, November 30, 2023 chronological reading: 1 Corinthians 5-8
Thursday, November 30, 2023 OT/NT readings: Ezekiel 43-44, 2 Peter 2
We’re reading Ezekiel for the second time this year. I didn’t get it outlined the first time around. I have aspirations to do that this second time. I didn’t get it done while I was traveling internationally for a mission trip, so those aspirations did not meet with reality.
We’re reading 2 Peter, written after the letter to the Hebrews (author unknown) and after the apostle Paul’s final letter, which he wrote to Timothy. It is also a letter of goodbye, written to “those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
CHAPTER THEME:
Chapter 1: Peter establishes his authority as an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry and God the Father’s declaration from heaven about Him. He establishes the authority of Scripture and prophecy. He reminds us to be diligent to be certain about His calling and choosing us, reminding us of the practices (diligence, faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love) which will keep us from stumbling and make us useful and fruitful. Jesus has given us everything for life and godliness, by knowledge of Him and His promises.
CHAPTER SUMMARY:
Chapter 1: “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” By “these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” If “these qualities are yours and are increasing,” you will not be “useless or unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He “who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgoteen his purification from his former sins.” Be “all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choose you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.” Jesus has made clear to Peter that his departure from eath is imminent, but he desires to be diligent to teach these things, so that they can be recalled even after his departure. He reminds regarding his authority as an eyewitness: “we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty,” having heard on the holy mountain God the Father, the Majestic Glory, utter from heaven, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.” “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” No “prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was every made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
2 Peter 2
v1-10a “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.
v10b-16 “Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.
v17-22 “These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,’ and, ‘A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.’”
Dear Lord,
But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside,God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.
We are so confused about judgment. But You want us to take care with those who claim Your name, protecting others from their sin, deception, and false teaching.
there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned
speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption
Thank You for the line in the sand established by Peter. We believe Scripture, and remain on guard against those who teach contrary to Scripture. Help us to not be misled.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.