The word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
This will be an amazing week of transitions: Paul closing his public ministry, leading to his arrest. Peter, John, and Jude are giving eternal truths in our walk with Christ. We will witness David in compromise with His calling and Saul in desperation seeking Samuel from the dead. David recovers all, and Saul is killed in battle. David then moves to Hebron. He is anointed king of Judah and reigns there for seven years.
We finish Psalms and move into Proverbs, the book of wisdom, as we continue in Hosea and the many promises given to Israel to return to the Lord.
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ACTS
Acts 19 – 25
Paul is at Ephesus, and we see the word of the Lord grow mightily and prevail. From there, Paul’s desire to go to Rome grows into God’s promise to stand before Ceasar. From a desire to a promise to a point of deliverance (Acts 19:21; 23:11; 27:24). Paul returns to Jerusalem and is warned of what awaits him on his journey to Jerusalem. He is then arrested after a mob seeks to kill him. Paul shares his testimony, stands before the Sanhedrin, and is then escorted by soldiers to Caesarea because of a plot to kill him. There he meets his accusers and is left in chains for two years until another governor arrives, and is forced to appeal to Ceasar because the plan to kill him is still active.
EPISTLES
2 Peter 3
Peter closes his last epistle by addressing that God is not slack concerning His promises but longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Longsuffering is salvation, Jesus will come, the earth will melt in fervent heat, and we are to beware lest we fall from our own steadfastness and are led away with the error of the wicked. A powerful word for today.
1 John 1 – 5
The Love Epistle of John is filled with calls to walk in the light, life, and love. Fellowship is the theme in Chapter 1 and sin is addressed as what breaks fellowship. In Chapter 2, we are called to love our brothers and walk in the light. John speaks to little children, fathers, and young men, and then addresses the love of the world and the anointing which we have all received. Chapter 3 begins with the promise of transformation as we behold Christ as He is revealed and then moves into our call to love. Chapter 4 is love, love, love. Chapter 5 is about our call to be overcomers, the witness of God, confidence in prayer, and the asking of life for a brother that we see sinning not leading to death.
2 John, 3 John
Two short letters of John, emphasizing the importance of walking in “the truth” and delineating those who are and are not. Repeated nine times.
Jude
Jude is the brother of James and Jesus. This epistle is a call to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (verse 3b). It is a very strong letter of exhortation finishing with great promises of faith, hope, and love.
HISTORY
I Samuel 27 – 31
David has run from Saul for many years and is exhausted. He decides what is best for him is to defect over to the Philistines and have Saul cease to seek him out to kill him. It does work but brings (as all compromise does) a lot of headaches. David is given the city of Ziklag. He begins a life of deception that almost lands him fighting against Israel, but for God’s intervention. He returns home to find Ziklag has been burned with fire and families taken hostage. In this moment David sees his life in jeopardy from his own men and returns to the Lord in prayer.
“Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)
All are recovered for David and his men, but Saul and his son are killed in the battle against the Philistines.
2 Samuel 1 – 3
Upon receiving the news of the death of Saul and Jonathan (Saul’s son) David mourns and writes the “Song of the Bow.” In Chapter 2 David is anointed king of Judah where he reigns for the next seven years. Abner, Saul’s commander of the army, takes Saul’s other son, Ishbosheth, and makes him king of Judah. Chapter 3 begins with these words: “Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker” (2 Samuel 3:1).
POETRY
Psalms 149 – 150
The last two Psalms rock! Our victory through praise binds kings with fetters of iron. They end in a climatic call for everything that has breath to praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Proverbs 1 – 4
Wisdom calls aloud. Read the chapters slowly, pondering on what is being said. The first four chapters set up the importance of wisdom in keeping us from folly. Proverbs are written “to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:2 – 4).
PROPHETS
Hosea 9 – 13
Hosea continues calling Israel to return to God. Judgment is coming. God continues to call Israel to repentance: “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till He comes and rains righteousness on you” (Hosea 10:12). God loves Israel and is committed to recovering them after they have been dispersed: “But I am the Lord, your God, ever since the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast” (Hosea 12:9).
