Daily NLT Bible Reading Podcast

As I finish this podcast series, I am really thankful for this year-long experience. If you are one of the faithful ones who have listened through a …

MALACHI 3:
In chapters 1-2 yesterday, we heard how skeptical and sassy the Israelites had become. This came out in the way Malachi has the people of Israel talk back to God. The first is like this:

Mal. 1:2 NLT “I have …

MALACHI 1-2:
We heard a very difficult conclusion to Zechariah yesterday. Chapter 14 started out with horrendous news for Jerusalem. But the Lord …

ZECHARIAH 14:
Unfortunately, we have not yet seen the fulfillment of this prophecy from the end of Zechariah 12:

Zec. 12:10 NLT “Then I will pour out …

ZECHARIAH 12-13:
Several times I have noted Zechariah and other prophets who use the figure of shepherding a flock— picturing God’s people. In chapter 11, there were puzzling verses where Zechariah evidently performed an …

ZECHARIAH 10-11:
As we have seen before, the Lord loves names and delights to give new names. In Zec. 8 He said,

Zec. 8:3 NLT Then Jerusalem will be …

ZECHARIAH 8-9:
I hope that you have noticed [Joshua//Jeshua] the high priest. He was the one that Satan was not allowed to accuse. He was given clean clothes. He is a priest and was given a clean priestly turban. And the …

ZECHARIAH 6-7:
There were so many correspondences to Revelation in the three chapters we read yesterday in Zechariah that I cannot even take time to list them. I single out this one from chapter 3 as especially …

ZECHARIAH 3-5:
In Zechariah 1-2 we heard how Zechariah’s dreams often included angels talking with him. There were horses and riders, horns and blacksmiths, and the measuring Jerusalem. Jerusalem will not be nearly big …

ZECHARIAH 1-2:
Yesterday we read both chapters of the little book of Haggai, and heard how Haggai motivated his discouraged audience to return to the task of rebuilding the temple. Haggai certainly must have known and …

HAGGAI 1-2:
I hope you saw correlations to Revelation in the 3rd chapter of Zephaniah yesterday— in what God plans for the nations and for those who come to the new Jerusalem. And these verses are interesting because of …

ZEPHANIAH 3:
Today we read the last chapter of Zephaniah. In chapter 2, we heard words that were much like what we heard recently in Isaiah 49 and 55:

Zep. 2:2 NLT Gather [together] before judgment begins,
before your …

ZEPHANIAH 1-2:
The concluding words of Habakkuk are the most often quoted and memorized, because they are so encouraging. That quote begins like this:

Hab. 3:17 NLT Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there …

HABAKKUK 3:
Yesterday in this book we heard Habakkuk bring his complaints to God about God’s justice, and God answered, in effect, that after he uses the Babylonians, their time of judgment will come. In chapter 2 verse …

HABAKKUK 1-2:
The book of Nahum ended with these words about Nineveh:

Nam. 3:19 NLT There is no healing for your wound;
your injury is fatal.
All who hear of your destruction
will clap their hands for joy.
Where can …

NAHUM 3:
Yesterday we heard just how Nineveh’s defenses would be breached. The description was detailed and vivid, including the scarlet color of the …

NAHUM 1-2:
Micah certainly poured out his heart in chapter 7. Micah 7:7-9 matches the verse I highlighted in Isaiah 50:10. Those are verses that give comfort to people dealing with long-term suffering.

Now turning to …

MICAH 7:
The complete quote about the Messiah’s birthplace (Micah 5:2-5) quoted to Herod in Matthew 2:6 mentions Bethlehem, a woman in labor giving birth, and the Lord is pictured as our shepherd who will be ‘highly …

MICAH 5-6:
Remember that Isaiah and Micah were contemporaries. Yesterday we read very familiar sounding verses at the beginning of Micah 4 which start like this:

Mic. 4:1 NLT In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s …

MICAH 3-4:
In Micah 1 yesterday we heard one of the sections of Hebrew poetry which is virtually impossible to translate and capture the same impact as the original. Micah— expressing his deep sorrow at God’s coming …

MICAH 1-2:
The name “Micah” is a shortened form of “Micaiah,” which means, “Who is like Yahweh?” A different Micaiah, the son of Imlah, served as a prophet in the Northern Kingdom during the reign of King Ahab of Israel …

OBADIAH:
At the end of Amos, the clouds of judgment broke and there were wonderful promises about the restoration of Israel. God would shake the …

AMOS 9:
In Amos 7 we heard of how the priest of Israel’s pagan shrine, Amaziah, told Amos to go away, and Amaziah even tried to get king Jeroboam the …

AMOS 7-8:

Our reading in chapter 5 of Amos included these words quoted in Stephen’s speech in Acts 7:42-43 in the New Testament:

Amos 5:25 NLT “Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during the forty …

AMOS 5-6:
One device that Amos used in yesterday’s reading was rhetorical questions. He asked a whole series of them like this one:

3:4 GNT Does a …

AMOS 3-4:
As I said about Amos yesterday, he was wise in his methods. He condemned Syria, the Philistines, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab before coming around to Judah and finally the northern kingdom, Israel. We also …

AMOS 1-2:
If you are new to reading the Bible, I hope that you will remember the events and expressions that Joel used. One or two ideas were repeated by Jesus in the Gospels, and we will soon see how important Joel’s …

JOEL 2:28-3:
An attack by an army of locusts must be so frightening! What descriptions! And even worse when God is bringing the attack as an act of judgement. Yet Joel offers hope. He encourages the people to come back …

JOEL 1:
I feel the need to comment about chapter 9 of Esther and how the Jews “got rid” of their enemies. Remember that those Jews were not Christians. (I know how silly that sounds, but it is actually a common …

ESTHER 9-10:
We have heard how Esther’s request was granted, the king and Haman came to the second banquet, where Esther revealed her identity. The eunuch Harbona just happened to have pertinent information about Haman’s …

ESTHER 7-8:
In Esther 5 Haman planned to impale Mordecai on a pole in the NLT, or just hanged in the GNT. (Given the period of time, I think that the …

ESTHER 5-6:
In Esther 3-4 Haman cast lots (purim) to find out that March 7 was the lucky date to exterminate the Jews. Mordecai requested that Esther intercede directly to the king. And since she hadn’t been called for, …

ESTHER 3-4:
Yesterday we heard how Esther became the queen, and how she continued to keep her Jewish background a secret. We also heard how Mordecai, her uncle, was promoted to a palace official after uncovering a plot …

ESTHER 1-2:
In the final two chapters of Nehemiah, we heard of the culmination of Nehemiah’s work— the ceremony for the dedication of the wall. The …

NEHEMIAH 12-13
In yesterday’s chapters in Nehemiah, we heard the names of the various religious and civil leaders who signed the statement of …

NEHEMIAH 10-11:
The returned exiles showed how sincere they were in following the Lord! They gathered together for the express purpose of hearing the …

NEHEMIAH 8-9:

Nehemiah 7 dealt with listing the various families and temple workers who came back after exile. The last phrase of verse 73 in that chapter is the transition to the next events in chapter 8.  

7:73 NLT …

NEHEMIAH 7:
Yesterday we read how Nehemiah stood up for all the common people in their financial difficulty. The nobles were rich, but everyone else …

NEHEMIAH 5-6:
Yesterday Nehemiah gave a listing of the people who rebuilt the wall. This included Shallum and his daughters, and two named …

NEHEMIAH 3-4:
After Nehemiah’s wonderful prayer for Jerusalem, more than three months went by before the king noticed him looking sad. He says he had …

NEHEMIAH 1:
Yesterday we heard how the returned exiles responded to Ezra’s shock and demonstration of his sorrow, and his prayer of repentance. The book ended with the names of those who were found guilty of forbidden …

EZRA 9-10:
Yesterday we heard how Ezra introduced himself. Note that he spoke of himself in the 3rd person, but finally resorted to ‘I’. King Artaxerxes was certainly impressed by Ezra! Ezra was given  everything he …

EZRA 7-8:
Yesterday we read of how King Darius completely sided with the Israelites seeking to reestablish the temple worship. Note that the letter to Darius from the government officials was rather complementary and …

EZRA 5-6:
When the Israelites returned from exile, they were determined to get worship started again, and they made great progress, not waiting for the temple to be repaired in order to start sacrifices on an altar built …

EZRA 3-4:
Ezra, a scribe and priest, doesn’t start speaking about himself until chapter 7. Ancient copies of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were …

EZRA 1:
Before going to Ezra, I want to say that one can do a whole lot of digging deeper in the last two chapters of Daniel. History tells about …

DANIEL 10:20—12:
In yesterday’s reading, we heard Daniel’s sincere prayer. Note that he had been seeking the Lord with limited fasting for 3 weeks. Then the angel Gabriel is again sent with a message for Daniel. Note …

DANIEL 9-10:
Yesterday in Daniel, we heard of the vision of four beasts representing four kingdoms. After the fourth would be the start of the rule of …

DANIEL 7-8:
In Daniel yesterday, we heard the famous ‘writing on the wall’ chapter. That is where that idiom in English comes from! While that was happening with King Belshazzar, the Medes and Persians were outside the …

DANIEL 5-6:
Yesterday we heard two stories: That of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue of gold and the exciting way God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and …

DANIEL 3-4:
Matthew Henry describes the parts of the statue in Daniel 2:

1. The head of gold signified the Chaldean empire, then in being.

2. The …

DANIEL 2:
In the first chapter of Daniel, we heard how Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were faithful to God in not wanting to be defiled by the …

DANIEL 1:
Yesterday in Ezekiel, the land was divided in horizontal bands across the entire width of Israel. We will see the 12 gates of the New Jerusalem again in Revelation.

We start the little but immensely important …

EZEKIEL 48:
In the chapters from Ezekiel yesterday, we heard more rules for the prince’s worship and about temple kitchens and a beginning part about …

EZEKIEL 46-47:
Yesterday we heard regulations for the priests and Levites, about foreigners, and about the prince of Israel. Also there was the …

EZEKIEL 44-45:
In the vision of the ideal temple yesterday, we heard of the buildings of rooms for the priests and offerings, the altar, the glory of God coming to this temple, and the reason for this vision.

ISAIAH 19:
…

EZEKIEL 42-43:
In yesterday’s tour of the ideal temple we viewed the sanctuary and Most Holy Place.

ISAIAH 18:
Yesterday we heard of Damascus and Syria …

EZEKIEL 41:
Yesterday we started Ezekiel’s account of his long vision about the future and ideal temple of God, and this is another vision that is referred to in the book of Revelation. The reason for this vision is …

EZEKIEL 40:
In chapter 38-39 we heard of the kingdoms of Gog and Magog, which point to future kingdoms in the north. Like Ezekiel’s prophecies against the kings of Tyre and Babylon, Gog and Magog also refer to spiritual …

EZEKIEL 38-39:
Yesterday we heard the famous ‘dry bones’ chapter of Ezekiel. Again the prophecy is that David will rule over the nation of Israel, …

EZEKIEL 36-37:
In chapter 34, we heard the passage that many Jews would have thought of when they heard Jesus say, “I am the good shepherd. I give my …

EZEKIEL 34-35:
In Ezekiel yesterday, we heard of how Pharaoh was to be mocked in the world of the dead. Then we heard of God’s justice, which he showed by the illustration of Ezekiel as a watchman for a city.

ISAIAH 13:
…

EZEKIEL 32-33:
Again, as seen in the messages to Tyre and to Egypt, God was not just speaking to one king or about one kingdom, but was also speaking against the kingdom/city of Man or the world system under the …

EZEKIEL 30-31:
As the Lord was pronouncing doom upon the Prince of Tyre in Ezekiel 28, did you notice how the language shifted to talking about things …

EZEKIEL 28-29:
So why were there two whole chapters against the city-state of Tyre in yesterday’s reading, plus one more today?! I think we see the …

EZEKIEL 26-27:
Yesterday we heard a second word picture of Jerusalem as a cooking pot. This was not good news. Then Ezekiel received word that his …

EZEKIEL 24-25:
Yesterday in Ezekiel we heard the shockingly graphic story of the two adulterous sisters, which were really the cities of Samaria and …

EZEKIEL 23:
In yesterday’s reading, we heard the Lord promise that he would refine Israel as purifying silver in a crucible. And then we heard the …

EZEKIEL 22:
Yesterday we heard of the sword of the Lord, which was to come to Jerusalem, actually in the form of the army of the king of Babylon. And …

EZEKIEL 21:
Yesterday we saw that the Lord was quite offended when unrighteous leaders of Israel came to ask for a message from the Lord! And Ezekiel begged to not have to give a highly figurative message because the …

EZEKIEL 20:
In yesterday’s reading in Ezekiel, the Lord refuted the saying that the Israelite’s were using, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.” And then Ezekiel conveyed …

EZEKIEL 18-19:
Yesterday in Ezekiel we read the riddle of the two eagles, portraying Israel’s king breaking his sworn covenant with Babylon. There is …

EZEKIEL 17:
Yesterday’s chapter graphically portrayed how God considers idolatry like the adultery of a faithless wife. Jerusalem (as Judah’s capital) …

This seems to me to be a good time to talk with you about how to understand the prophetic books of the Bible. At day number 292 in our reading calendar, we are well into reading the Babylonian exile prophet Ezekiel, and …

EZEKIEL 16:
This book should make modern day ‘prophets’ reconsider what they do in the Lord’s name. In this book we have heard again and again that …

EZEKIEL 14-15:
The title that the Lord calls Ezekiel is ‘son of man’, which the Lord is using in the normal sense, meaning ‘ordinary human’. The title for Jesus— ‘Son of Man’, is a special usage. For that, check out …

EZEKIEL 12-13:
In yesterday’s reading, the vision of the glory of the Lord left the temple. Then God disagreed with what the leaders of the Israelites were saying, that they were safe in the ‘pot’ of Jerusalem.

SONG OF …

EZEKIEL 10-11:
Yesterday in chapters 8-9 we heard the story of Ezekiel’s being transported to Jerusalem and his awesome vision of our glorious God …

EZEKIEL 8-9:
Terrible destruction is prophesied against Judah and Jerusalem. The trumpet will sound the battle call, but no one will get ready, because they are under God’s wrath.

SONG OF SOLOMON 5:
Yesterday the young …

EZEKIEL 6-7:
In yesterday’s reading Ezekiel portrayed the punishment of Israel and the siege on Jerusalem for a total of 430 days. Then he took a razor and cut his hair and divided it into three parts with a little left …

EZEKIEL 4-5:
In Ezekiel 2-3 God commissioned Ezekiel to speak for God to the rebellious people of Israel. God fed Ezekiel a scroll. This tasted sweet, …

EZEKIEL 2-3:
Yesterday Ezekiel described his vision of the four cherubim, and the chapter ended just as Ezekiel started hearing a Voice. The last verse ends of chapter 1 says: 

Ezk. 1:28 NLT All around him was a glowing …

EZEKIEL 1:
Yesterday in the last chapter of 2nd Chronicles, we heard of the quick succession of the kings of Judah at the very end before the exile to Babylon: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. And after the …

2CHRONICLES 36:
Josiah’s Passover celebration showed wonderful ability to get everyone to work together and great organizational talent. It is the …

2CHRONICLES 35:
It is simply amazing that we have books like Deuteronomy, since we see that it (or perhaps Leviticus) was almost lost. And it shows how far Judah had slipped that they didn’t know of any copies. Josiah …

2CHRONICLES 34:
We are definitely in the back-and-forth pendulum period of Judah. After one fantastic king, the next two were terrible. And now Josiah …

2CHRONICLES 33:
The account in 2 Chronicles of Hezekiah’s victory through prayer over the vast Assyrian army is summarized. It is much more dramatically related in 2nd Kings. Hezekiah’s experience with the envoys from …

2CHRONICLES 32:
Following that special Passover, the people went home and destroyed all the pagan shrines. And a good summary of chapter 31 is the …

2CHRONICLES 31:
A sign of how far Judah and Israel had wandered from the Lord was that even the Passover was not celebrated. When Hezekiah reinstituted the Passover celebration, it was the start of a real revival.

…

2CHRONICLES 30:
Hezekiah led a wonderful spiritual revival which included the reopening and cleansing of the temple and the resumption of sacrifices. …

2CHRONICLES 29:
Ahaz’s rule was one of the darkest chapters in Judah’s history. The people didn’t even bury him in the royal cemetery. He closed the …

2CHRONICLES 28:
Yesterday we heard of the reign of Uzziah (who suffered a terrible punishment for his pride) and the reign of his son, Jotham. Both were basically good kings.

ECCLESIASTES 4:
Yesterday we heard the famous …

2CHRONICLES 26-27:
King Joash didn’t end so well, did he?! He ordered the murder of Jehoiadah’s son Zechariah. Time and time again Judah’s kings needed to learn not to be proud, and that certainly happened to Joash’s son …

2CHRONICLES 24-25:
Yesterday we heard of Ahaziah’s one year reign, and then his mother Athaliah’s reign. The baby Joash was the only royal descendant of David saved from slaughter. He was raised in the temple by Jehoiada …

2CHRONICLES 22-23:
Yesterday we heard of Jehoshaphat’s famous victory, accomplished only by prayer, worship, and the power of the Lord. Then we also heard about Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, who might possibly be Judah’s …

2CHRONICLES 20-21:
Yesterday we heard of Jehoshaphat wisely appointing judges, and he also travelled all over Israel personally encouraging people to …

2CHRONICLES 19:
Yesterday we heard the story of how Jehoshaphat helped Ahab in battle. God had already spoken through a prophet that Ahab would meet …

2CHRONICLES 18:
Woops. Asa didn’t end nearly as well as he started. And his son Jehoshaphat starts out well, but makes unfortunate alliances.

PROVERBS 31a:
Today and tomorrow are our last two days in Proverbs. Verses …

2CHRONICLES 16-17:
Judah’s kingdom was truly blessed by Asa’s wise reign. The Lord rewarded the country for returning to Him.

PROVERBS 30b:
Today’s …

2CHRONICLES 14-15:
Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Rehoboam’s reign, and the writer classed him as a wicked king. Then his son, King Abijah gave …

2CHRONICLES 12-13:
Yesterday we heard of David’s grandson, Rehoboam, and the unfortunate start to his reign. The northern tribes revolted and went …

2CHRONICLES 10-11:
Yesterday we completed the story of Solomon’s achievements.

PROVERBS 29a:
A highlight for today:

Pro. 29:11 NLT Fools vent their …

2CHRONICLES 9:
Yesterday we heard God’s famous response to Solomon, which is so often applied as a promise to America. It is stretching it past the …

2CHRONICLES 7-8:
Yesterday we heard Solomon’s famous prayer at the dedication of the temple. He understood that the people would need forgiveness from …

2CHRONICLES 6:
Yesterday we heard of the various things that Huram-abi made under Solomon’s direction for the temple, and of the dedication of the …

2CHRONICLES 4-5:
Yesterday we heard of the preparations for building the temple, and then the dimensions and the beginning of the construction …

2CHRONICLES 2-3:
In yesterday’s reading we returned to the books of Chronicles, and picked up the story following King David, with the beginning of …

2CHRONICLES 1:
Yesterday we heard Hosea’s final and heart-felt warning. At the end of his book, Hosea penned a rather short apology on behalf of the …

THEME: Buckle up the belt of truth by FOCUSING YOUR GAZE ON CHRIST.

OK, in my last episode I told you about my nightmare. There was a visitor on my …

HOSEA 13-14:
Yesterday’s reading had this significant prophecy, prefaced by the words that God would not come to totally destroy:

Hos. 11:10 NLT For …

HOSEA 11-12:
In yesterday’s reading, as the Lord was pleading with Israel and using agricultural metaphors, He said,

Hos. 10:12-13 NLT … ‘Plant the …

HOSEA 9-10:
I like how the GNT translates the first paragraph of chapter 6 as being the words of the people of Israel.

Hosea 6:1-4 GNT:
1 The people say, “Let's return to the LORD! He has hurt us, but he will be sure to …

HOSEA 6-8:
In yesterday’s reading, Hosea bought back his wife from prostitution. And the Lord drew analogies in his speech to Israel.

PROVERBS 24a:
Favorite verses:

Pro. 24:5 NLT The wise are mightier than the strong,
and …

HOSEA 3-5:
Beautifully interwoven word plays or metaphors were constructed using the names of Hosea’s three children. And verses of yesterday’s …

HOSEA 1-2:
We have already heard that God considers the sin of idolatry to be parallel and just as offensive as a wife being unfaithful to her …

1CHRONICLES 29:
Yesterday we heard of the military commanders and officials under David, and the leaders of 13 tribes. Then we heard David’s …

1CHRONICLES 27-28:
Yesterday we heard of the assignments of Levites as musicians, judges, and temple gate keepers.

PROVERBS 22a:
Our highlighted verse for today:

14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap;
those …

1CHRONICLES 25-26:
There was a rather important shift in Israel’s religious life that happened with David and his plans for temple worship rather than …

1CHRONICLES 23-24:
Yesterday we heard a rather odd story about how “Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census.” But in 2Samuel 24:1 we read that “Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, …

1CHRONICLES 21-22:
Yesterday we heard the part where the writer of Chronicles skated over where David had his affair with Bathsheba. But we heard of the military victories and especially the misunderstanding that became …

1CHRONICLES 19-20:
Yesterday we heard about one of David’s greatest hours, and I think David would rank this as better than the killing of Goliath. It …

1CHRONICLES 17-18:
Yesterday we heard of the careful moving of the Ark, this time successfully. We heard exactly which men played what instruments. …

1CHRONICLES 15-16:
Yesterday we heard about the first attempt to move the Ark, more about David’s family, and his defeat of the Philistines.

PROVERBS 19a:
A highlight from today’s chapter in Proverbs:

Pro. 19:14 NLT …

1CHRONICLES 13-14:
Yesterday we heard of mighty men who joined David in war, and the roll call of people who joined him politically to become king. …

1CHRONICLES 11-12:
In yesterday’s reading, we heard of the people who returned after the exile. Then, starting with the genealogy of King Saul, we …

This is a bonus episode republished from my JoySightings.info podcast.

1CHRONICLES 9-10:
This is the last name chapter at the beginning of this book, bringing us up to the time of the returning exiles. And king Saul’s …

1CHRONICLES 8:
Hang on! We’re almost through with the names chapters!

PROVERBS 17a:
I must say that it is hard to choose just one verse to highlight in …

1CHRONICLES 7:
Yesterday we heard about Levite and priestly genealogies and their allotment of towns. The pace quickens as today we hear of six tribes.

PROVERBS 16b:
Today’s highlighted verse is this:

Pro. 16:18 NLT Pride …

1CHRONICLES 6:
Yesterday we heard details about the leaders of three tribes, Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

PROVERBS 16a:
Today’s …

1CHRONICLES 5:
In yesterday’s reading, we heard of important ancestors of the tribes of Judah and Simeon. In Ezra’s time, I can imagine that it was important to figure out who was who and what their relationship was, as …

1CHRONICLES 4:
In yesterday’s reading we started with David’s sons, then for the descendants of King Solomon, only the kings were listed. So we jumped …

1CHRONICLES 3:
So far we have traced Jakob/Israel’s descendants into the time of David, and today’s reading picks up with David himself.

PROVERBS 14b:
Here is a quote from today’s group of proverbs:

Pro. 3:20 NLT The poor …

1CHRONICLES 2:
Yesterday we traced from Adam to Noah, and the genealogy to Abraham.  Then we heard of Abraham’s two other families, those descending …

1 CHRONICLES 1:
Jewish and Christian traditions hold that Jeremiah was the author of 1&2 Kings, which were originally one book. And that Ezra, the …

LAMENTATIONS 4-5:

In yesterday's reading, the sun pierced the dark clouds with this glorious section:

Lam. 3:22 NLT The faithful love of the Lord …

LAMENTATIONS 3:
A warning for the modern times is here in chapter 2:

Lam. 2:14 NLT Your prophets have said
so many foolish things, false to the core.
…

LAMENTATIONS 1-2:
In the early chapters of his book, Jeremiah spoke several times of his tears.  Lamentations will help us to understand how this ‘weeping prophet’ felt, and how God mourned also. This book has been a …

JEREMIAH 52:
We come to the addendum to Jeremiah— seemingly written by someone else, perhaps Baruch.

I commented yesterday how chapter 51 foreshadows Revelation 18. Jeremiah was prophesying the downfall of the real city …

JEREMIAH 51:
Today the Lord continues the long prophecy against Babylon. This chapter foreshadows what will happen to the figurative Babylon in Revelation 18.

PROVERBS 11a:
An important thing I didn’t mention before is …

JEREMIAH 50:
Finally after hearing messages prophesying against so many nations, always telling or implying that the Babylonians would be God’s …

JEREMIAH 49:
Having heard bad news about Egypt, Philistia, and Moab, we now hear the bad news for the nations of Ammon and Edom, the city of Damascus, and the nations of Kedar, Hazor, and Elam.

PROVERBS 10a:
From here on …

JEREMIAH 48:
In yesterday’s reading, the Lord began giving oracles about different nations, with one chapter concerning Egypt and the next one about Philistia. Today we’ll hear about Moab.

PROVERBS 9:
Today’s chapter is …

JEREMIAH 46-47:
After finally being able to give a comforting message (“Stay here in Judah and don't go to Egypt. The Lord will take care of you”), the people not only ran off to Egypt but took Jeremiah with them. (Or …

JEREMIAH 44-45:
After all Jeremiah's messages of doom, he was able to give a comforting message to the Judeans who had been through so much. He might have thought, “At last I get to preach good news.” The Lord said …

JEREMIAH 42-43:
I have always found it fascinating what Jeremiah experienced in the aftermath of the fall of Judah's kingdom to the king of Babylon. It is interesting to me that he was led away in chains along with …

JEREMIAH 38-39:
Yesterday we heard of persecution against Jeremiah, his being imprisoned so that he had his secretary, Baruch convey his messages, and then his being imprisoned in the dungeon at Jonathan’s house. And …

JEREMIAH 40-41:
Yesterday we heard of Jeremiah being put in a dry but muddy well, and being rescued by the faithful official, Ebed-melech. And we …

JEREMIAH 36-37:
In yesterday's reading in Jeremiah, he gave more specific warnings to King Zedekiah. And then we heard of the inspiring example of the Recabites.

PROVERBS 4b:
Yesterday in the first half of chapter 4, we …

Day 4 

THEME: Buckle up the belt of truth about RESISTING SATAN.

All of the Buckling the belt episodes are scattered throughout the Bible reading …

JEREMIAH 34-35:
In yesterday’s reading, Jeremiah bought a field according to the Lord’s instructions. Under the circumstances, that seemed a futile thing to do. He prayed, and the Lord used the situation as a backdrop …

JEREMIAH 32-33:
In yesterday’s reading we heard some of Jeremiah’s most important words:

Jer. 31:33-34 NLT … this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD.
“I will put my …

JEREMIAH 30-31:
Yesterday we heard more of Jeremiah’s struggle against false prophets. And now so many centuries later, in our day, the false message is what people desire to hear, even though the truth is actually …

JEREMIAH 28-29:
In yesterday's reading we moved from more poetic content to the story of Jeremiah being opposed by priests, other prophets, and royal officials. Remember that God has promised that he will protect …

JEREMIAH 26-27:
In yesterday’s reading, some important points were revealed: The people the Lord was about to send into exile to the North would …

JEREMIAH 24-25:
A stunning prophecy was given in yesterday's reading:

Jer. 23:5-6 NLT “For the time is coming,” says the Lord,
“when I will raise up a righteous descendant* from King David’s line.
He will be a King who …

JEREMIAH 23:
In yesterday's reading, we heard how king Zedekiah sent two men to Jeremiah to ask him for help to pray for a miracle. And God made it …

JEREMIAH 21-22:
These verses from Jeremiah 20 have been often quoted as a reason for memorizing Scripture:

Jer. 20:9 NLT But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD
or speak in his name,
his word burns in my heart like a fire.

JEREMIAH 19-20:
In yesterday’s reading, we again heard some often-quoted verses. These verses come just after verses in chapter 17 where the Lord …

JEREMIAH 17-18:
One catches so clearly how trapped Jeremiah was in the time of God’s judgment, and how hot God’s anger was against Judah. Jeremiah’s …

JEREMIAH 15-16:
Yesterday the dialog between the Lord and Jeremiah continued. We heard of the drought. And the Lord forbid Jeremiah to pray for the people of Judah.

PSALM 145:
This is an acrostic psalm in Hebrew, and it …

JEREMIAH 13-14:
In yesterday’s reading, Jeremiah complained to the Lord,

12:1 “Lord, if I argued my case with you,
you would [be shown//prove] to be …

JEREMIAH 11-12:
Yesterday we heard important verses in chapter 9:23-24, verses that Paul quotes more than once:

 “Don’t let the wise boast in their …

JEREMIAH 9-10:
Being a prophet is not exactly an easy job. In 7:27 God told him,

“Tell them all this, but do not expect them to listen. Shout out your …

JEREMIAH 7-8:
In this and several other prophetic books, it is important to observe where quotes begin and end, and who is speaking. The section …

JEREMIAH 5-6:
God, speaking through the prophets, frequently says how he feels about idolatry. He considers it just like the faithlessness of a …

JEREMIAH 3-4:
In yesterday’s reading there was a play on words in Jer. 1:11-12, where the Hebrew word for ‘almond tree’ sounds like the word for ‘watching’:

11 Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?”
…

JEREMIAH 1-2:
The book of Jeremiah was written between 627 and 580 BC. Counting the number of verses, Jeremiah is longer than all other books of the Old Testament except Genesis and Psalms. Jeremiah is often called the …

JONAH 3-4:
Running from God didn’t work for Jonah. When saved from the ocean, Jonah grudgingly obeys God.

For most of my life I have been fooled by …

JONAH 1-2:
For quite a few years when I was just reading the Bible without a set reading plan, I enjoyed a break from reading the books of history after Second Kings, moving to the prophets. And our first is Jonah, who …

2KINGS 24-25:
In yesterday’s reading, we heard of Josiah’s reforms, leading the people to renew the covenant with God. That chapter had this telling comment about the Passover:

2Kings 23:22 There had not been a Passover …

2KINGS 23:
Hilkiah found the book of the Law in the temple while repairs were being carried out as ordered by king Josiah. When Josiah heard the book of the Law, he instituted reforms. And God again is glorified in …

2KINGS 21-22:
The Assyrian king mocked the God of Israel at the end of chapter 18. We heard God's answer yesterday in chapter 19, and we were introduced to the prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah asked to live for a longer time, …

2KINGS 19-20:
The writer of 1 & 2 Kings was very brief about the sins of the people of Israel (in both kingdoms) until what we heard yesterday. He seems to have saved the moral of the story until chapter 17. And then …

2KINGS 17-18:
Yesterday we again heard quite a few names of kings, especially on the Israel/Northern side. And this culminated with Tiglath-pileser of …

2KINGS 15-16:
Readers and listeners are frequently confused by the names of the kings in yesterday’s reading in 2nd Kings.  Judah’ king, Joash, died at the end of chapter 12. Then on the Israel (10 tribes) side, we heard …

2KINGS 13-14:
Yesterday we heard of Athaliah's seven year reign over Judah, of how Joash was saved from being killed, and of Jehoida's successful plot …

2KINGS 11-12:
Yesterday's story was of Jehu, anointed on Elisha's orders, and who executed the Lord's vengeance on Ahab and his whole family, and even …

2KINGS 9-10:
Yesterday we heard one of my favorite Old Testament stories: The one about the three lepers and the famine in Samaria. Elisha's prophecy …

2KINGS 7-8:
Yesterday we heard two more chapters containing fascinating miracles performed by Elisha. The story about Gahazi getting the gifts from Naaman, and the vision about the chariots of fire both have interesting …

Recorded July 7, 2023 Buckling the Belt of Truth, lesson 3

THEME:  following the SPIRIT’s lead

I will not read all the verse numbers, nor will I …

2KINGS 5-6:
Yesterday we heard of the many miracles done by Elisha, supplying water for three armies on their way to Moab for war, helping the widow of a prophet, blessing the woman from Shunem, purifying Jericho's …

2KINGS 3-4:
Yesterday we heard of the final amazing prophecies of Elijah, and then how he took leave of the prophets and particularly, his successor …

2KINGS 1-2:
Yesterday we heard stories which show that King Ahab indeed “sold himself to evil,” including the story of Naboth's vineyard. And also we …

1KINGS 21-22:
What a cruel surprise it must have been for Elijah to bring about such an irrefutable display of God's power before the people, but then to have to flee for his life because of Queen Jezebel! Note that God …

1KINGS 19-20:
The story we read yesterday in this book is one of the most dramatic in all of Scripture: The time the prophet Elijah confronted King Ahab. Remember that in the New Testament James used this story to …

1KINGS 17-18:
We've arrived at the narrative of the different kings of Judah (which now includes the smaller tribe of Benjamin) and the kings of Israel (consisting of the 10 other tribes, sometimes called the Northern …

1KINGS 15-16:
I think yesterday's story of the ‘man of God from Judah’ and the ‘old prophet from Bethel’ to be one of the most fascinating in the …

1KINGS 13-14:
Solomon was the wisest of men. So how could he make such stupid choices?! Part of the answer is the corruption caused when one has too …

1KINGS 11-12:
Yesterday we heard interesting glimpses of Solomon's international relations and commerce. Notably, the queen of Sheba came to listen to …

1KINGS 9-10:
The temple was completed! And yesterday we heard Solomon’s very wise prayer asking God to fulfill his promises and help the people of …

1KINGS 8:
Yesterday we heard lots and lots of details about the building of the temple. A man from Tyre, Huram, must have been an efficient and artistic technician in working with bronze casting. He corresponds to the …

1KINGS 6-7:
Yesterday we heard of the incredible size and wealth of Solomon's dominion. His wisdom in organization is evident. During his reign, …

1KINGS 4-5:
Yesterday we heard David's final instructions to Solomon. They contained a few messy details, and Solomon managed to finish all of those …

1KINGS 2-3:
Yesterday we heard of Adonijah’s almost successful bid to become the next king. The prophet Nathan’s intervention saved the day.

PSALM …

1KINGS 1:
Like 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles were originally each one book instead of two. The books of Kings and Chronicles have many similarities. One difference is that the books of Kings …

2SAMUEL 24:
Yesterday we heard David’s final words and the listing of the 38 mighty warriors who loyally helped David in his victories. Note that Uriah the Hittite was so poignantly included at the end of the list. And …

2SAMUEL 23:
Yesterday we read David’s long poem of praise for God giving him victory and deliverance from his enemies.

PSALM 119a:
This psalm is famous for being the longest chapter in the Bible, and it is an acrostic …

2SAMUEL 22:
We near the end of David’s story. God gave him victory over Sheba and the house of Saul. The killing of seven of the descendants of Saul …

2SAMUEL 21:
The story of David being welcomed back ended poorly with arguments. Sheba attempted to mount a revolt. He died even though surrounded by …

2SAMUEL 20:
Yesterday we heard the story of how David sent out his army under three commanders, Joab, Abishai, and Ittai. He gave them orders to deal gently with Absalom. Joab— who was always pragmatic, didn't do this. …

2SAMUEL 18-19:
Civil war might have been avoided, but Absalom didn’t choose wisely. And I observe that my being bald has advantages in some situations! But seriously, all of the terrible things that happened here are the …

2SAMUEL 17:
Yesterday we heard how Saul's servant, Ziba, showed his loyalty and helped David on his way. And how Shimei from Saul's family cursed and …

2SAMUEL 16:
Absolom first stole the hearts of all Israel by being a shrewd politician. Then he mounted a rebellion against his own father. David fled …

2SAMUEL 15:
In our last reading, we heard how Joab creatively arranged to persuade David to bring Absalom back from exile. And how eventually David …

 2SAMUEL 14:
There is more than one way in which David did not obey God’s instructions for kings. The big one of course is the Bathsheba affair, but …

2SAMUEL 13:
Yesterday we heard of David's moral failure with Bathsheba. That sin led to the death of the noble husband of Bathsheba, Uriah. Nathan gave one of his most stunning prophecies. David immediately and utterly …

2SAMUEL 11-12:
David showed kindness to Jonathan's only living son. Then we heard the story of how suspicion caused offense, which led to all-out war with the Ammonites. And David was victorious again against the …

2SAMUEL 9-10:
David realized the incongruity that he was living in a beautiful cedar palace while God's dwelling place was in a tent. Then God gave …

2SAMUEL 7-8:
At last, David became the king of all Israel, then the Lord gave him two great military victories over the Philistines. Then, after a botched attempt, David moved the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He …

2SAMUEL 5-6:
General Abner defected to David, but it cost him his life on the same day at the hands of Joab, the commander of David's forces and the …

2SAMUEL 3-4:
In yesterday's story, David was anointed as king over his own tribe of Judah, while all the rest of Israel followed Saul's son, …

Greetings everyone!

As I explained previously, I started on a quest because of frustration with 2Peter 1:3-4:

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of …

2SAMUEL 2:
David heard of Israel’s terrible defeat and of Saul and Jonathan's deaths, and he exacted the death sentence from the lying messenger. …

2SAMUEL 1:
David returned from being sent home from the battle with Israel only to find that his town had been ransacked by the Amalekites. He found strength in God, asked for God to direct him, and succeeded in …

1SAMUEL 30-31:
The Philistines mustered their armies for full-scale war with Saul and the Israelites. Saul had already done a right thing in expelling …

1SAMUEL 28-29:
Saul came after David again with 3,000 men, and David showed his integrity again and his daring. But even though Saul repented again, …

1SAMUEL 26-27:
Yesterday we heard the story of the cur Nabal and his intelligent and beautiful wife, Abigail. After Nabal was struck down by the Lord, …

1SAMUEL 25:
God gave protection and victory to David. In a scene that must have caused Saul's men to roll their eyes several times, Saul was humbled …

1SAMUEL 23-24:
As David fled from Saul, he went for help to Ahimelech the priest. He needed food and wanted to consult with the Lord, and it happened …

1SAMUEL 21-22:
Yesterday we heard the touching story of David and Jonathan's deep friendship, and how Jonathan realized at last the secret plot that …

1SAMUEL 20:
Yesterday we heard the slow escalation of David's problems stemming from Saul's jealousy. Saul made David his son-in-law, but only because …

1SAMUEL 18-19:
In yesterday's story, David showed that he was more concerned with God's reputation than for his own safety. May we all face our imposing enemies with more belief in the unseen God than in the very present …

1SAMUEL 17:
God told Samuel to anoint one of Jesse's sons as the next king of Israel. Anointing another king while one is still ruling is rather …

1SAMUEL 16:
Yesterday's reading told the story of Saul's incomplete obedience and the rejection of Saul as king— by both God and Samuel. In the …

1SAMUEL 15:
Jonathan saved the day! He and his faithful armor bearer kind of took a leaf out of Gideon's play book and agreed on a sign that would …

1SAMUEL 14:
Hostilities with the Philistines heated up to full war, and Israel was badly outnumbered. The Israelites had been kept down so much that …

1SAMUEL 13:
In yesterday's story, God's Spirit came powerfully upon the new king Saul, and he succeeded in mobilizing all of Israel's fighting men. …

1SAMUEL 11-12:
Yesterday we heard of the way God arranged for Saul to meet Samuel, and how God revealed amazing details to Samuel about what would …

1SAMUEL 9-10:
In yesterday's reading, Samuel was formally made a judge, and then he led the people of Israel into victory over the Philistines. But …

1SAMUEL 7-8:
Having won the war with Israel, the Philistines thought their idol Dagon had given them victory. The ark of God was put in Dagon's …

Review:

This podcast is Day number 2 in my series about Buckling the belt of truth. In the first day in this series (which can be found by searching for 195 or the word ‘buckling’, I explained what I consider to be the …

1SAMUEL 5-6:
Yesterday we saw the touching way that God revealed to Samuel how to listen for God's voice, and at the same time how He again warned Eli of impending disaster. Eli was incredibly able to recognize the way …

1SAMUEL 3-4:
Yesterday we heard Hannah's poetic and prophetic prayer of praise. R Then we heard of the contrast between the boy Samuel serving the Lord, while Eli's sons were scoundrels. Finally a “man of God” (a prophet …

1SAMUEL 2:
Yesterday we heard of the wonderful answer to Hannah’s prayer and of her determination to fulfill a very difficult vow to the Lord. Samuel …

1SAMUEL 1:
Yesterday we heard the charming conclusion of the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. The words of the town women have prophetic significance: “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family.” …

RUTH 3-4:
In yesterday’s start to the book of Ruth, we saw how Naomi was left all alone, and how one of her two daughters-in-law, Ruth, left her …

RUTH 1-2:
The incident of the Levite and his concubine at Gibeah resulted in the civil war that we heard about yesterday. About 24,000 men died and …

JUDGES 20-21:
In yesterday's reading, the people of Dan took all the items in Micah's household shrine and Micah's Levite priest. The priest’s name …

JUDGES 18-19:
In Judges yesterday, we heard the famous and tragic story of Samson and Delilah. Victory, in that case, was not ‘sweet’. Then we heard the start of the story about Micah and the not so nice background of …

JUDGES 16-17:
Yesterday we heard of Samson's disastrous marriage, and his first major victory over the Philistines. Ways in which Samson disobeyed God's Laws are that he touched and even ate from a carcass, he murdered …

JUDGES 14-15:
Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Jephthah's six years as a judge of Israel. Then we heard briefly of three more judges, and then about the miracles preceding the birth of Samson.

PSALM 85:
This psalm is …

JUDGES 12-13:
Yesterday, after hearing of three minor judges, we heard of Jephthah. Jephthah was a man of very poor credentials, but he turned out to be a surprisingly good leader. His story shows clearly why it is …

JUDGES 10-11:
Yesterday we heard the conclusion of the story of Gideon. It is a pity that Gideon was so successful, but that a half-son and unfaithful …

JUDGES 8-9:
Yesterday we heard of Gideon who led Israel in a miraculous victory over the hoards of Midian using only three hundred men. Gideon …

JUDGES 6-7:
Yesterday we heard the story of Deborah and Barak. (Say, that name sounds familiar!) Barak doesn't get the glory for his notable defeat of Israel's enemy, Sisera. Instead the crowning glory goes to a woman …

JUDGES 4-5:
We heard yesterday that around the time of Joshua's death, an angel appeared to the people of Israel and rebuked them for disobedience. In chapter 2, the author of Judges summarized the fickleness of the …

JUDGES 2-3:
Yesterday we heard how the tribe of Judah was more successful in driving out the Canaanites than the other tribes. Several of the tribes …

JUDGES 1:
It happens that Psalm 78 is a perfect introduction to the book of Judges! This book covers the dark ages for the nation of Israel, from the …

JOSHUA 24:
In yesterday’s reading, Joshua dismissed the three tribes of warriors to return to their homes to the east of the Jordan. But when they went home, they decided to build an altar as a memorial. But their idea …

JOSHUA 22-23:
Yesterday we heard the detailed list of the cities of refuge— the cities set apart for anyone who happened to kill someone accidentally. …

JOSHUA 20-21:
Yesterday we read the details of land allotment and cities for the remaining seven tribes with their families. Last of all, Joshua himself received a city.

PSALM 76:
It only makes sense to know God and to be …

JOSHUA 18-19:
Yesterday we heard the details about Mannaseh and Ephraim's allotment of land. I suggest that it will be very helpful for your …

JOSHUA 16-17:
Yesterday Caleb received his special portion within Judah's allotment of land, and then we heard the detailed list of Judah's boundaries and towns. Chapter 15 may be the most challenging passage in all the …

JOSHUA 14-15:
Yesterday in Joshua we heard an inventory of the kings conquered so far and details about the allotments of land for the 2 1/2 tribes east of the Jordan.

PSALM 73:
This is one of my favorite psalms because …

JOSHUA 12-13:
As we heard yesterday, God fought for Israel, even causing the sun and moon to stand still. Basically the main central body of land was conquered in only two campaigns. It is important to remember that the …

JOSHUA 10-11:
The king of Ai trusted in appearances, and was defeated. And the leaders of Israel trusted in appearances and failed to ask God for …

JOSHUA 8-9:
Yesterday the walls of Jericho “came a-tumbling down” after some skillful trumpet playing while marching around the city for 7 days. The …

JOSHUA 6-7:
In yesterday’s reading, Joshua lead the people across the Jordan on dry ground, and they set up 12 stones in two places to be memorial reminders for the people of this miracle. All the men were circumcised, …

JOSHUA 4-5:
In yesterday’s reading, Joshua sent out two spies. Rahab, who was a prostitute and later became an outstanding example of God's grace, …

JOSHUA 2-3:
Yesterday we started the book of Joshua, named after the man God chose as Moses’ successor. In this book we will see the victory of the Chosen People in conquering the Promised Land (chapters 1-12) and then …

JOSHUA 1:
Yesterday we read the conclusion of Deuteronomy with Moses blessing eleven  of the twelve tribes with a prophetic blessing. And then Moses died and the Lord buried him in an unknown location in Moab.

Now we …

DEUTERONOMY 33-34:
In yesterday's reading, Moses showed Israel that the leadership was given to Joshua, and he gave the command that this book of Deuteronomy be kept near the Arc of the Covenant. Then God gave Moses a …

DEUTERONOMY 31-32:
Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses reviewed the covenant and again stressed that the choice is between life and death, and between experiencing blessings or curses. Be aware that in the poem dictated to …

DEUTERONOMY 29-30:
Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses ratcheted up the fear index to the red level. And the scary thing about the threats he used to motivate the people to obedience is that they later all came true, as we …

DEUTERONOMY 28:
Yesterday we read of the ceremony that Moses commanded the people to perform when they entered the promised land. The Levites were to …

DEUTERONOMY 27:
Yesterday in Deuteronomy, Moses continued with miscellaneous regulations. One repeated in the New Testament is to not muzzle an ox to …

DEUTERONOMY 25-26:
Yesterday we read some laws for what kind of people could not enter into the congregation of Israel, and how long before their …

DEUTERONOMY 23-24:
Yesterday we read an odd collection of regulations: Cleansing the land from unsolved murder, marrying a captive woman after a war, …

DEUTERONOMY 21-22:
Yesterday we heard an explanation of why cities of refuge were needed. And we heard interesting rules concerning war. In the war …

DEUTERONOMY 19-20:
In yesterday’s reading we heard that the duties of the king included having a copy of the Law made, or perhaps making it himself (the Hebrew is unclear on that point). This is something we never hear …

DEUTERONOMY 17-18:
In yesterday's reading we heard about the release of debts and slaves in the Jubilee Year (also called the year of restoration), and a reminder about 100% participation for the males in three festivals.

DEUTERONOMY 15-16:
Yesterday's reading included Moses' warning about being led astray by anyone, including false prophets or even close family …

DEUTERONOMY 13-14:
In yesterday's reading Moses continued to stress the need for faithfulness to God and all his commands. It is clear that Moses …

DEUTERONOMY 11-12:
In yesterday's reading, Moses continued to hammer on the people not to think that they have been favored by God because they are such good people. Moses gave his first hand account of being in God's …

A few years ago I published a YouVersion reading plan entitled Buckling the belt of truth. In this podcast I’m reissuing the first episode of that reading plan.

Here I am at 72. I'm beginning to not be so surprised at …

DEUTERONOMY 9-10:
In yesterday’s reading, Moses continued his stern lecture. I note particularly that Moses did all he could to stress that the …

DEUTERONOMY 7-8:
Yesterday in Deuteronomy we heard Moses repeating the 10 Commandments and pleading with the people that they remain faithful in …

DEUTERONOMY 5-6:
Yesterday we heard Moses expound on the most important  command to never worship any idol or any god other than the Lord. He based …

DEUTERONOMY 4:
Yesterday Moses gave his personal account of how God led the people of Israel in not attacking three nations, but finally led them in attacking two kings. Moses pleaded with God to allow him to cross the …

DEUTERONOMY 2-3:
Yesterday we heard Moses preaching and confronting the people of Israel about their bickering and their incredible stubbornness in refusing to believe the Lord's commands, and their refusal to believe …

DEUTERONOMY 1:
Yesterday in the conclusion of Numbers, we learned that each clan's allotment of land must stay within that clan, even when parcels of …

NUMBERS 36:
Yesterday we heard about the boundaries for the nation of Israel, the 12 clan leaders appointed by the Lord, and about cities set aside for the Levites and cities of refuge— to protect from unjust prosecution …

NUMBERS 34-35:
Yesterday we heard the listing of the stages of the nomadic journey of the people of Israel. God began giving instructions for the time …

NUMBERS 33:
Yesterday we heard how the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh promised to go ahead of their fellow Israelites into battle on the west side of the Jordan, because they were receiving land on …

NUMBERS 32:
Yesterday we heard of the conquest of the Midianite people. That story is an example of how hard it is for us humans to follow God's …

NUMBERS 31:
Yesterday the listing of sacrifices continued with those for the Festival of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the 8 day Festival of …

NUMBERS 29-30:
Yesterday we heard about the request of the daughters of Zelophehad, and the Lord told Moses that it was time for him to die. Joshua …

NUMBERS 27-28:
Yesterday we heard of the second registration of Israel's troops.

PSALM 42:
This Psalm contains words we often sing. It is a song about renewing hope in the Lord after discouragement.

ACTS 3:
Yesterday we …

NUMBERS 26:
Yesterday we heard Balaam's final prophecies. Even though he was a shaman and a charlatan, God chose to speak through him on that occasion, giving a small glimpse of God's redemptive plan.

PSALM 41:
God hears …

In this episode I read Nathan Ensz' article When anxiety takes root. This article is an example of the extreme-believing of God's Word that I promote in my YouVersion reading plan entitled Buckling the Belt of Truth. I …

After being directly involved in Bible translation since 1983, I have wanted to share with younger generations about the things I have learned from …

NUMBERS 24-25:
Yesterday we heard how Balak sent for the shaman Balaam to curse Israel, and we heard that God instead moved him to bless Israel two …

NUMBERS 22-23:
In Numbers 21, the Lord gave victory to the Israelites over the Amorites, and then over King Sihon. And because of Israel’s grumbling, the Lord sent poisonous snakes among them. When the people cried out …

NUMBERS 21:
Yesterday we heard about the water of purification, which involved the burnt offering of a red heifer and following very exacting …

NUMBERS 19-20:
In yesterday's portions we heard how God proved again His choice of Aaron and the Levites by causing Aaron's staff to bud and even produce almonds. And God explained to the Levites and priests that their …

NUMBERS 17-18:
Yesterday we heard another dramatic chapter in Israel's history: The rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. They must have been included in those who refused to go to the Promised Land, but then they had …

NUMBERS 16:
In Numbers 15, we found out that there were sacrifices that could be made for unintentional sins— whether done by the whole community or …

I am releasing this episode number 12 of Joysightings at the DBRP feed in order to let you know about my recordings of Tales of the Kingdom and Tales of the Restoration, by David and Karen Mains. You can find the other …

NUMBERS 15:
Yesterday in Numbers 14 we heard the very important and dramatic story: The people of Israel became unworthy to enter the Promised Land because of their stubborn unbelief. In the midst of that experience, …

NUMBERS 14:
Yesterday we again found out what the Lord thinks when we grumble against him! Let's remember Miriam. Then the Lord commanded to send out the spies, but after taking stock of the land of Canaan, they brought …

NUMBERS 12-13:
In Numbers 10 we heard about the signals given to the people using two silver trumpets, and about the first journey leaving Mount Sinai. Then we heard of the start of the grumbling against Moses and God. …

NUMBERS 10-11:
Yesterday we heard about the position of the lamps on the lampstand in the Holy Place, and the Levites were dedicated for service. The …

NUMBERS 8-9:
In Numbers 7, we heard about the gifts given by the leaders of Israel following the dedication of the sacred tent.

Translation note: How …

NUMBERS 7:
Yesterday we heard how people had to follow through with God’s commands, and those with defiling diseases were expelled from their camp …

NUMBERS 5-6:
Yesterday we heard the assignments for the Kohathite, Gershonite, and Merarite clans in regard to the care and moving of the sacred tent, all under the direction of Aaron's sons.

PSALM 29:
This is one of my …

NUMBERS 4:
Yesterday we learned that the Levite clans were given separate tasks in the care of the sacred tent. The 22,000 Levites became substitutes for Israel's 22,273 first-born sons.

PSALM 28:
David cries out to the …

NUMBERS 3:
Yesterday we heard about the organization of Israel's camp, having three tribes on each of the four sides of the tabernacle. This also …

 NUMBERS 2:
Yesterday in chapter 1, God ordered a census of the men capable as soldiers in war. And we heard the list of the clan leaders of the 12 …

NUMBERS 1:
Numbers is the 4th of Moses' 5 books. And this is the one that I have looked forward to as the hardest book of all to read in the podcast! In this book we will see that unbelief hinders God's blessings for …

Today I would like to give pointers for understanding Jesus’ parables. I consider the parable to be one of the greatest of all teaching devices, and …

LEVITICUS 26-27:
Yesterday we heard about the Sabbath year and the year of Restoration/Jubilee. Before the Year of Restoration, property could be …

LEVITICUS 25:
Yesterday we heard about the seven important yearly celebrations of the Jewish religion. Then we heard about oil and bread for the tabernacle, and then there was the example of a law-breaker who was stoned …

LEVITICUS 23-24:
Yesterday we heard two chapters of regulations for the priests, all for the purpose of preserving their holiness. Again and again the …

LEVITICUS 21-22:
Yesterday we heard various laws that are for preserving the holiness of God's people, and various kinds of punishment for …

LEVITICUS 19-20:
Yesterday we learned about the rule that all sacrifices be done at the tabernacle, the prohibitions of eating anything containing …

LEVITICUS 17-18:
Yesterday we learned about regulations concerning uncleanness caused by bodily discharges of all kinds. Then we heard the procedures …

LEVITICUS 15-16:
Yesterday we heard about sacrifices following the healing of skin diseases and after getting rid of house mildew. Chapter 15 is about …

LEVITICUS 14:
After hearing about the serious skin diseases yesterday, today we hear of the regulations if someone is healed from one. Note that these …

LEVITICUS 13:
Yesterday in Lev. 11-12, we learned the animals considered clean and edible, and those that were considered unclean and detestable. Then we heard about the sacrifices for purification after a woman gives …

LEVITICUS 11-12:
Yesterday in Leviticus, Aaron and his sons started their work, and the glory of the Lord was revealed. But right after that Nadab and Abihu died because they offered an unauthorized kind of fire to the …

LEVITICUS 9-10:
Yesterday in Leviticus, we heard more regulations for the priests (mainly), and then heard the story of the ordination ceremony that …

LEVITICUS 7:
Yesterday we heard about sin and guilt offerings and about the ordination offering for priests. In today’s reading, it sounds to me that …

LEVITICUS 5-6:
Yesterday we read about sacrifices given for unintentional sins and for peace offerings. And I said that we would hear about offerings …

Today I would like to give pointers for understanding Jesus’ parables. I consider the parable to be one of the greatest of all teaching devices, and …

LEVITICUS 3-4:
Yesterday we heard about burnt offerings and grain offerings.

Andrew Bonar states about Leviticus:
“There is no book in the whole …

LEVITICUS 1-2:
Yesterday at the end of Exodus, the worship in the completed and dedicated tabernacle was started.

Leviticus is a continuation of Exodus, in the same way that Exodus is a continuation of Genesis. Leviticus …

EXODUS 40:
Yesterday we read about Bezalel making the outside articles for worship— like the altar for burnt offerings. There was a listing of materials used, and then we heard of the making of the priests' clothes— all …

EXODUS 38-39:
Yesterday we heard of the building of the tabernacle, the Covenant Box, and the other furniture of the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. …

EXODUS 36-37:
Yesterday we read about how Moses returned to the top of the mountain, taking two stone tablets which he had made, and God repeated many of the terms of the covenant. In the Hebrew text, chapter 34:28 says …

EXODUS 34-35:
Yesterday, we read about how God's meeting with Moses was interrupted because of the people making the golden calf. (Don’t ya’ hate …

EXODUS 32-33:
Yesterday we read about the plans for the incense altar, and about the making of incense and anointing oil. We heard also of God's …

EXODUS 30-31:
Yesterday we heard the instructions for consecrating the priests for their special work.

PSALM 4:
This is an evening hymn expressing our trust in God.

LUKE 4:
Yesterday we read of Jesus being tested by the …

EXODUS 29:
Yesterday we read about the design of the altar for burnt offerings and the plans for the courtyard. The dimensions we heard the day before were for the sacred tent that was enclosed by the courtyard that we …

EXODUS 27-28:
Yesterday in Exodus, we heard the beginning plans given by God for the Tabernacle (or sacred tent) and the Arc of the Covenant that were to become the focal point for worship of God under the Covenant. The …

EXODUS 25-26:
Yesterday we read the commands for the Israelites to be good neighbors and to practice justice. And we heard the requirement for all Israelites to celebrate three festivals, and God gave promises of how He …

EXODUS 23-24:
Yesterday we heard laws regarding treatment of slaves, cases of personal injury, protection of private property, and social responsibility.

Job 42:
After three chapters of God confronting Job, Job gives his …

EXODUS 21-22:
Yesterday we read about the awesome and fearful way the Lord revealed himself at Mount Sinai to the Israelites. (Remember that for when …

EXODUS 19-20:
Yesterday we heard of God satisfying the thirst of the Israelites by commanding Moses to hit a rock. Israel defeated the Amalekites. And Jethro brought Moses’ wife and sons to him and gave him good advice.

…

EXODUS 17-18:
Yesterday we heard the wonderful victory song of Moses. Then we heard how the people of Israel grumbled against Moses, Aaron, and most …

EXODUS 15-16:
Yesterday we heard that because of the Passover plague which killed Egypt's firstborn, God claims the firstborn of Israel for all time to come. Then we heard of Pharaoh's final hardening of his heart, and …

Every Word 2022 day 115: What most people don’t know about Bible translations

Hi there, and welcome to this bonus podcast! I will be discussing the two main types of Bible translations I recommend for most people. As a …

EXODUS 13-14:
Yesterday we heard of the final plague— including the death of the firstborn and the first Passover. And we heard the rules for the …

EXODUS 11-12:
Yesterday we heard of the plague against the livestock, the plague of boils, and the plague of hail. We are not told how much time there …

EXODUS 9-10:
The two chapters we read yesterday included the story of Aaron's staff becoming a serpent, and the plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, and flies.

Note verse that in our reading today:

9:19 Now give orders for …

EXODUS 7-8:
Yesterday we heard of Moses and Aaron's first disastrous meeting with Pharaoh, and Pharaoh's retaliation against the Israelite people. God spoke with Moses again reaffirming his promises and his covenant with …

EXODUS 5-6:
Moses has responded to God's call, returned to Egypt with Aaron, and has had a successful meeting with the leaders of the Israelite people.

EXODUS 3-4:
In yesterday's beginning to Exodus, we heard of Moses' birth and his young adulthood in Egypt. He murdered a man and had to flee for his …

EXODUS 1:
Yesterday we wrapped up Genesis with Jacob's very prophetic blessings for each of his sons. Then we heard of the conclusion after Jacob was buried and finally Joseph died.

Exodus is clearly a continuation of …

GENESIS 49-50:
In yesterday's reading, Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Joseph lead powerfully during the worst of the famine, and Jacob blessed Ephraim and …

GENESIS 47-48:
In yesterday's reading, Jacob arrived in Egypt with his family. Excluding more extended family, the whole group numbered 70 people at …

GENESIS 46:
In yesterday’s two chapters, Joseph's brothers went back to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother. Joseph contrived a creative way to reveal his identity. When Pharaoh heard about Joseph's brothers, …

GENESIS 44-45:
Yesterday we heard of Joseph's brothers on their first and second trips to Egypt. [GNT only: Regarding my comment in yesterday’s podcast about Joseph giving wine without limit, it is likely that He was …

GENESIS 42-43:
Yesterday in chapter 41, we heard of Pharaoh's dream, and what happened to Joseph as a result of his correctly telling the …

GENESIS 41:
In yesterday's reading, Joseph interpreted two dreams. He said something significant: Interpreting dreams is God’s business.

JOB 25:
Yesterday Job said,

Why doesn't God set a time for judging, a day of …

GENESIS 40:
In Genesis yesterday, some listeners to these podcasts were probably shocked. We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's …

GENESIS 38-39:
In yesterday's reading, we heard of Joseph's dreams, his brothers' jealousy, and Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt.

JOB 23:
…

GENESIS 37:
The focus of Genesis 36 was on the descendants of Esau, and the ethnic groups they spawned.

JOB 22:
In chapter 21, Job gave a very convincing argument that God does not always punish wicked people— refuting …

GENESIS 36:
Jacob's daughter Dinah was raped, and the perpetrator Shechem was killed and all the males in his town. God then told Jacob to return to …

GENESIS 34-35:
Yesterday we heard about Jacob wrestling all night with a mysterious heavenly figure, and about Jacob's reunion with Esau.

JOB 20:
This chapter is Zophar’s second response to Job. In chapter 19, Job …

GENESIS 32-33:
Yesterday we heard how Jacob and his big family got away from Laban and started the journey home. When Laban caught up with him, he and Jacob got into a quarrel and ended up making a covenant.

JOB 19:
In …

GENESIS 31:
Yesterday we heard of the rivalry between Rachel and Leah, and about more sons for Jacob— whose names all have meanings appropriate to what Rachel or Leah were feeling at the time.

JOB 18:
Yesterday Job …

GENESIS 30:
In yesterday’s reading , Jacob left home, and God appeared to him and promised to bless him as he blessed Isaac. Jacob worked for Laban, married both Leah and Rachel, and he had four sons through Leah.

JOB …

GENESIS 28-29:
After what Jacob did to Esau, with Esau holding a big grudge, it is time for Jacob to get out of town.

JOB 16:
Eliphaz said that Job …

See more at joysightings.info.

GENESIS 27:
In yesterday's reading we read the history of Isaac and Rebecca's family before the narrative focuses on their dissimilar twin sons— and especially Jacob.

JOB 15:
God has revealed so much more to us in our …

Do you know an elderly person who can no longer read the Bible? Or, do you know someone who would enjoy listening to audio Scripture but who is not …

GENESIS 24:
In Genesis 22, Isaac asked, “I see that you have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide one.”

It is amazing to me that Moses adds the …

GENESIS 22-23:
In yesterday's reading in Genesis, Abraham deceived Abimelech, Isaak was born, and Sarah demanded that Hagar and her son be sent away— …

GENESIS 20-21:
In chapter 19 of Genesis we heard what happened to Lot and his daughters after being saved from Sodom. The sons of Lot’s daughters became the ancestors of the Moabite and Ammonite races who were always at …

GENESIS 19:
In yesterday's reading, Abram and Sarai received new names and God confirmed and expanded his covenant with Abram (now Abraham). …

GENESIS 17-18:
In chapter 15 we heard of God's covenant with Abram and Abram's _fully believing_ God's promises. Then in chapter 16 we read of Abram …

GENESIS 15-16:
Yesterday we heard the stories of Abram and Lot separating company, and of Abram rescuing Lot in time of war. Then we heard of the mysterious priest Melchizedek (who we will read about in the NT in …

This year I have promised and planned to publish a supplemental episode of one kind or another on the 7th of each month. So welcome to this January 7th extra podcast!

Today I will do my best to convince you that the …

GENESIS 13-14:
In yesterday's reading we heard about God scattering people by confusing their languages. It’s important to remember that the city they were building is called Babylon. Then we traced the ancestry of …

If you are reading along while listening to the recordings, you will notice that I often exchange the word ‘believe’ (or ‘fully believe’) for …

Choose a good Bible version for your reading this year!
I recommend that you choose a good meaning-based translation for your Bible reading this year, not one of the literal versions. I recommend that you use a literal …

Most people find out about the DBRP through the YouVersion Bible reading app on their smart device. If you are one who has found out about these podcasts through some other means (such as via Apple Podcasts), then I …

How can you get more out of your Bible reading this year? My top advice is to SLOW DOWN! The readings in this plan take around 20 minutes if read aloud. If you read silently, you might finish in only 10 minutes. But if …

Hey there! It seems like we are off to a good start this year in the Daily Bible Reading Podcast.

In this extra podcast, I am trying to give answers to frequent questions.

First I want to ask you to share the DBRP NOW …

It is possible to listen to these podcasts on YouTube or Facebook, but these ways are not optimal. The Read This First pages linked in the banner of http://dailybiblereading.info give various ways to conveniently listen …

Hey there! Welcome to this day number 1 in the NLT series for the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan. These podcasts are hosted at dailybiblereading.info. Today in this episode number 1 we read Genesis 1-2, Job 1, and …