Read Your Bible Through in a Year with Aphrodite

[Ivy]

Moved about 20 posts to a new thread on the topic of faith healing vs. modern medicine. Feel free to continue the discussion there.

http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...ng-vs-modern-medicine-moved-bible-thread.html

 

[Beorn]

I'm back here with you, AGA.

Now that I can see the whole plan in the pic I can tell that the plan is very similar to mine where you go through two books at a time. It's just that we're not starting at the beginning of the plan since we're doing it by date.

That's fine by me.

Btw, I like starting in December instead of January because it will be cool to finish right at the start Advent.

Here's some resources folks might be interested in that I posted in my thread.

I would recommend the freeware esword for reading, studying, and taking notes. It has a few free commentaries as well as a king james version with greek and hebrew original text and dictionary directly tied to each english word (KJV+ which is preinstalled). You may want to add the ESV version which is my preferred version or you can pick from a host of other versions to download for free or purchase if it has a copyright in effect. I also would recommend downloading the commentaries from Gill, Keil and Delitschz, and Geneva study notes.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Okay, Yeehaw!! This calls for a celebration.

 

[Beorn]

Okay, Yeehaw!! This calls for a celebration.

 

[Ivy]

Moved the other thread out of public view to reduce confusion.

 

[Beorn]

Moved the other thread out of public view to reduce confusion.

Thank you.

 

[PeaceBaby]

*This is a reply I've composed from the other thread but it's a point I would like to make.

Maybe you could try a more charitable reading of my posts instead of reading things into them I didn't intend.

Yet this is my whole point. What I'm seeing is a person who did not check in with their values internally or externally to see if there was a better approach more consistent with the kinds of values espoused in the Bible and a whole bunch of things you didn't intend to communicate or happen are now happening. That's what I am saying.

I'm not trying to roast you here. Yet if we are going to talk about the Bible, by extension we are talking about values / living by values, so it is an especial kind of hypocrisy to not see that demonstrated irl. Sure, I'm taking what you likely feel is an innocent example and minor miscommunication and blowing it up to hold it to a certain standard and scrutiny. Why? Because it is in these tiny every day things rather than big life issues that inconsistency is rife. And yes, this is all human and forgivable, so I'm not standing in judgement, simply pointing out the lack of values-based coherence.

The inconsistency is one reason why people don't go to church anymore. Any why people will eye-roll these threads.

 

[Coriolis]

Yet this is my whole point. What I'm seeing is a person who did not check in with their values internally or externally to see if there was a better approach more consistent with the kinds of values espoused in the Bible and a whole bunch of things you didn't intend to communicate or happen are now happening. That's what I am saying.

It would be interesting to be with you in a study group focused on Machiavelli's The Prince.

 

[Riva]

I've read the old and the new testament (except for the revelations) and has read a little bit of the quran. They freak me out. It's all about guilt tripping.

'I love you but you are going to hell if you dont love me back.'

^ christianity and islam in one simple line.

Judaism makes a bit more sense though.

Y U NO love for the Quran?

Lolz.

Yes, if there are knowledgable people who are willing to make similar threads on other religious texts, I'd be interested in following them also.

He was joking/trolling for sure.

 

[PeaceBaby]

It would be interesting to be with you in a study group focused on Machiavelli's The Prince.

Indeed.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

First Day: Dec 1

2 Peter 3 has a lot of familiar terrain covered, because Peter quotes from numerous parts of the Tanakh (OT) and NT (Revelation, etc). I decided to do a study on Peter himself in this book I have called The Twelve Apostles by Ronald Brownrigg from 1974. I will post a little essay on Peter when I am done reading the section on him.

What I want to pull out of today's lesson, apparently originally from Peter himself is:

“Beloved, scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'” ~2 Peter 3:1,3

Sometimes I think about this when people I know in my real life scoff at me, especially if they are also lustful.

Peter is reminding us that people have always distrusted and doubted God about His return. It is the same mentality as when people say God has forsaken them or forgotten about them in their time of need. If our faith is shallow it is likely because we have not fully committed to Jesus. Because Jesus bolsters us in every way, because where we are weak, He is strong. Once our faith is strong, we know that God will always take care of us, and never forsake us.

Ezekiel 40 and 41 were a difficult read for me. Whenever I read the OT, I dig for hidden symbolism and meaning. In this selection, there are so many details and pictorial descriptions, I really could not fathom it. I could draw a picture myself, and that is really what I would need to do to get inside it and know it. But after spending about 45 mins or more just on these 2 chapters, I decided that was enough time. I like the book of Ezekiel, but I found myself trying to skim over these two chapters.

However, I was able to see the repetition of numerological themes which are repeated throughout the OT. 22/7/3 and 12. And 8, interestingly. The 12 is very profound in this section because it represents the 12 tribes of Israel being reunited in the New City and New Temple in Ezekiel's vision from God. I read in wiki that some factions had been focused on just the tribe of Judah in a separated Israel. But Ezekiel brought the 12 tribes together with this vision from God.

I'd put a picture of Ezekiel's Temple vision but I can't do pics very well on here. It looks similar to Solomon's Temple to me.

~~~

Tomorrow's study is:

1 John 1
Ezekiel 42-44

~Shalom y

Vaya con Dios!

 

[C.J.Woolf]

It would be interesting to be with you in a study group focused on Machiavelli's The Prince.

I'd be in for that.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Dec 2 Bible Reading

1 John 1:

This is a short chapter. I am highlighting this verse:

1 John 1:7New King James Version (NKJV)

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."​

I like that. Who doesn't need more fellowship with like-minded people?

 

[Beorn]

Change of plans for me. Stuff came up in life and I need to take a break for a month or so at least.

Have fun everyone.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Day 3: 1 John 2 and Ezekiel 45-46

Shalom~


So many good quotes come from 1 John 2. Here are some of my favs:

The Test of Knowing Him

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." ​

~1 John 2:3-6

Do Not Love the World​

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world." ​

~1 John 2:15-16

~~~

I do the Ezekiel readings at night. Last night we read about the priestly quarters of the temple (chapter 42), and Ezekiel's awesome vision of God (chapter 43):

Ezekiel 43:2-12New King James Version (NKJV)

"And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3 It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I[a] came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

6 Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. 7 And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. 8 When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. 9 Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.

10 “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. 12 This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple."​

The temple of the Lord is being shown to Ezekiel before it is shut to men. But the prince will sit and eat bread and go in and out of the vestibule into the sanctuary. If we are allowed in, we will become a temple unto God ourselves. But we can only be allowed in by going through Christ (see the following). And it is also commanded that only the holiest sons of the priestly clan (the Levites) can go into the sanctuary and minister to God, because their fathers, who were also priests, defiled God's sanctuary. Therefore they lost the privilege of serving the Lord in His temple.


Then the Lord shut the sanctuary of Ezekiel's Vision Temple to all men (chapter 44), but will allow his 'prince' to sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. This is undoubtedly an allusion to Christ, who is the 'bread of life.' No one can get into the innermost sanctuary of God without going through Christ, God's Prince. And the best of everything shall come first to the sons of Zadok (righteous), the new priests.

~selah

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Day 4: 1 John 3 and Ezekiel 47-48 and Healing

1 John 3:

Sin and the Child of God

"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him."​

~1 John 3:4-6

And it goes on to say:

"Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." ​

~1 John 3:9

I am floored by this! Does not sin? Cannot sin? I thought we were all sinners.

Abide means accept or act in accordance with (a rule, decision, or recommendation). Synonyms are to comply with, obey, observe, follow, keep to, hold to, conform to, adhere to, stick to, stand by, act in accordance with, uphold, heed, accept, go along with, acknowledge, respect, and defer to.

Christians like to focus on the fallibility of man, especially ourselves as Christians. Instead we should be focusing on how righteous we become in Christ! What a wonderful feeling!

That means that if we have Christ in us, we are perfectly capable of following the law perfectly. And IF we abide in Him daily, we will not sin; and furthermore, we cannot sin.

The only way this could manifest in imperfect and sinful human beings is that we truly do become a new creation in Christ. God changes our very DNA when we give our life and our body to Him. All the good parts of us remain, but the bad is washed away. We are cleansed.

Praise God and His Son~



~~~

Ezekiel Readings:

My favorite part:

"Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.” ~Ezekiel 47:12​

We are told in this chapter of Ezekiel that living water flows out from the sanctuary, goes down into the valley, and finally into the sea, where its waters are healed. It become deeper along the way to the sea. The areas far from the river, like the marshes and swamps will not be healed, but will be given over to salt. But in the river there will be a great multitude of fish, and every living thing that moves will live where the rivers go. Trees for food and for healing (another translation for 'medicine' in my NKJV Bible) will grow alongside the river.

God commands us to eat all the plants He has provided for us on the face of the earth. He gives us trees bearing fruit with seed in their fruit and herbs bearing seeds of its kind. If we did what God commands we would likely not know the illnesses we suffer from. It clearly says here that the leaves will be for medicine. Dried leaves are herbs which can be used as teas and tinctures. And the oil of the living plant is called 'essential oil' and is very powerful against death and agents that want to destroy and take over life.

God has provided everything we need for not only staying healthy and happy, but to become healed as well.

~Amen

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Dec 5: 1 John 4 and Daniel 1-2

Another great Bible reading today. Is anyone reading along?

Love this:

"By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already." ~1 John 4:2-3​

This has been true for me, personally. When I first came to my religion in God, I came from being an atheist. So there was no way I could bite off and believe in Jesus being God's Son until I could believe in God Himself, the Entity that is God. Even after I came to believe in God, and He called me closer and closer to Him, it still took me a couple of years before He revealed the Truth of Jesus to me. But now I believe Jesus is the Begotten Son of God. And it is a belief not founded in science or rationality, per se, but it is founded in faith. It is supernatural.

So when adults are struggling with knowing God and when they reject the Jesus part of God, I understand. And I try to meet them where they are in their belief because I was there not very long ago myself. Kids inherently know there is God, so they can believe in Jesus as He calls them to, and it is easier for them. Once adults have hardened their hearts and minds against God, it usually takes them having to come to the knowledge of God in general, and then God leads them to Jesus, and Jesus leads them back to God. And round and round.


~~~

Daniel 1 and 2~

A couple great things appeal to me about this scripture. The first is that God really does talk to us and tell us things that we otherwise would have know way of knowing in the world. I call this Divine Insight. There were no wise men in all of Babylon who could tell King Nebuchadnezzar his dream, or what it meant. When Daniel heard that wise men throughout the kingdom were being killed by the king's guard because of this, 'with counsel and wisdom' Daniel went forth to the king and asked for more time to reflect, and that he might be able to tell the king his dream. Then he went home, let his fellow Hebrew companions know, 'that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.
“I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”'​

Therefore Daniel went forth and told the king is dream, and the king fell on his face before Daniel and offered incense to him. Daniel became great in Babylon after this just as Joseph had become great in Egypt by telling Pharaoh his dream! The real King is God! What a wonderful opening to this story.

The end of the dream was this:

"And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” ~Daniel 2:44-45​

This goes along with Ezekiel's Temple Vision. This is reference to God's kingdom to come, which will stand like a mountain with no end.


~selah

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Dec 6: 1 John 5 and Daniel 3-4

Every day I am blown away by how much I enjoy what I am reading. When you do not read the Bible, it is easy to think it is dry and boring, but it is really rich and wonderful.

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" ~1 John 5:3-5

"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." ~1 John 5:12​

~~~

Declare Your Loyalty to God and He Will Not Forsake You

Daniel 3:16-18New King James Version (NKJV)

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Daniel 3:24-25New King James Version (NKJV)

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”

They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

~Jesus in our midst, in our greatest fiery trials~
​

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

"Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” ~Daniel 3:28-29​

And Again:

"And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down." ~Daniel 4:34-37



God makes great kings bow to Him. Praise His Holy Name.

~s

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Dec 7: 2 John and Daniel 5-7

2 John 6 New King James Version (NKJV)

"This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it."

~~~

"But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.

“And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN." ~Daniel 5:22-25

~~~

Pray 3 Times per Day~

"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days." ~Daniel 6:10

~~~

The King Laments and Fasts All Night for Daniel

Daniel 6:16-23 King James Version (KJV)

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

~~~

Vision of the Ancient of Days

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." ~Daniel 7:9-10

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

Dec 8: 3 John and Daniel 8-10

I am a couple hours behind schedule. It has been a glorious few days for me. And my mind wants to drift upward into other thoughts...

"Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God." ~3 John 11​

Daniel knew from studying that Jeremiah the Prophet had foretold that there would be 70 years of desolation in Jerusalem. But Daniel decided he would pray to God to ask God to relent so this would not be their reality:

"Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes." ~Daniel 9:3

"Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering." ~Daniel 9:20-21

"At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:

“Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
“Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street shall be built again, and the wall,[d]
Even in troublesome times.
“And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.” ~Daniel 9:23-27

The Lord's Strength~

"Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.

“Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.” ~Daniel 10:18-19​