TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Isaiah 22:1-24:23
Galatians 2:17-3:9
Psalm 60:1-12
Proverbs 23:15-16
Isaiah 22:11 — You stockpiled water, but you haven’t looked to the Maker of the water!
Isaiah 22:16 — Shebna, the treasurer, was chided by the LORD for making a fancy tomb for himself. We may have found his tomb marker!
In Isaiah 22 the prophet rails in God’s name against the excesses of the officials in King Hezekiah’s palace. In 1870 the famous French diplomat, scholar and archaeologist Charles Clermont-Ganneau excavated a partially destroyed tomb high up on the cliff overlooking the Kidron Valley and the City of David in Jerusalem. Over the entrance to the rock-cut burial chamber was an inscription that, unfortunately, he was unable to decipher. Was this the tomb of Shebna the high court official mentioned in Isaiah who is, literally, “over the house” or in charge of the palace (often identified as the treasurer) and who was castigated by the prophet for building himself such an elaborate tomb on the cliff?
They’ve even found a seal impression of a document Shebna wrote:
Isaiah 22:20 — We’ve met Eliakim before in 2 Kings 18:26 when Rabshekah threatened Hezekiah’s people in Hebrew.
Isaiah 23:15 — Matthew Henry notes the interesting fact that both Jerusalem and Tyre were in captivity for 70 years.
Isaiah 24:23 — This verse is key to understanding the passage. When will the moon be confounded and the sun ashamed? When the events of Revelation 6:12 occur.
Galatians 2:20 — Phil Johnson of “Grace to You” preached on this verse, declaring it “The Key to Everything in a Single Verse.” Johnson notes that we share in and benefit from all of Christ’s virtues. Faith brings us into vital union with Christ, i.e. we participate in His death and resurrection.
Galatians 3:1 — Paul is concerned about his beloved Galatians. Yesterday we read his pronouncement of “anathema” upon those who teach another Gospel. Today, he calls the believers of another Gospel “foolish” and their teachers “witches.” Paul is greatly concerned about the purity of the Gospel.
Galatians 3:6 — This is one of the most quoted texts in the Bible. Genesis 15:6 tells us how Abram believed God, and his faith was logged into God’s accounting book as righteousness. James quotes this verse (James 3:23); Paul writes extensively to the Romans about justification in Romans 4.
Psalm 60:1 — The Psalmist acknowledges his condition, accepts His anger, and asks for His arrival.
Psalm 60:12 — “Valiant” is a beautiful word that is falling out of favor in the English language. Google will now tell us how often a word is used over time, and its usage has dropped significantly over the last two centuries. But let’s take a look at Pilgrim’s Progress and meet a character by the name of Valiant:
Then they went on; and just at the place where Little-faith formerly was robbed, there stood a man with his Sword drawn, and his Face all bloody. Then said Mr Great-heart, “What art thou?” The man made answer, saying, “I am one whose name is Valiant-for-truth. I am a Pilgrim, and am going to the Celestial City. Now as I was in my way, there were three men did beset me….”
Great-heart. But here was great odds, three against one.
Valiant. ‘Tis true, but little or more are nothing to him that has the Truth on his side. Tho’ an Host encamp against me, said one, my heart shall not fear; tho’ War should rise against me, in this will I be confident, &c. Besides, saith he, I have read in some Records, that one man has fought an Army; and how many did Samson slay with the Jaw-bone of an Ass?
Proverbs 23:15 — What does a godly dad want for his son? That he would win at Fortnite? Rather, that he would be wise!
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