Reading for September 22nd

 VISTATION OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL

In 1.5-2.52: This story is told by means of two angelic announcements (annunciations) of special conceptions (1.5-25, John and 1.26-38, Jesus), the mutual blessing of the mothers (1.39-56), two announced births (1.57-80; 2.1-40). These stories echo the birth of Samuel who anointed David as king of Israel (1 Sam 1-2; 16.13; see also Lk 3.21-22; Acts 10.37-38). 

Read Luke 1.5-25. In 1.5-25: The announcement of John's birth. In verse 5: Herod, "the Great," was an Idumean appointed king of the Jews by the Romans (see Mt 2; Lk 23.3, 12, 38). Zechariah and Elizabeth both have priestly lineage (1 Chr 24.1-19; Neh 12.4). In verse 6: Righteous before God means they observe the law (see Simeon and Anna in 2.25; Joseph of Arimathea in 23.50-51; Paul in Acts 24.16-18). In verse 7: In biblical history, God brought special blessing through children of once barren women (see Sarah and Isaac in Gen 16-21, and particularly Hannah and Samuel in 1 Sam 1-2). In verse 9: To be chosen by lot meant to be designated by God (see Acts 1.24-26). In verse 10: The incense offering was to be made in the morning and evening (Ex 30.7-8). In verse 11: The angel of the Lord is God's messenger Gabriel (1.19; see also Dan 9. 20-27). In verses 12-13: Fear in the presence of a divine manifestation is a sign of wisdom (Prov 1.7, see also Isa 6.5-6; Lk 1.65; 2.9; 5.26; 8.37; Acts 2.43; 5.5, 11; 19.17). In verse 15: Like Samuel (1 Sam 1.11), John's prophecy and spirit would not come from wine or strong drink (also see Hannah in 1 Sam 1.12-16), but from being filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2.12-17). In verse 17: The spirit and power of Elijah means to call Israel to prepare for God's coming by repentance (see 3.3-17). In verse 18: Zechariah's question, "How will I know that is so?" is regarded as disbelief by Gabriel (see v.20 and Gen 15.8 17.17; 18.12-15, and contrast with Mary's question in v. 34). In verse 20: His mute condition is a temporary sign of judgement, awaiting inspired speech (1.64- 79; see also Acts 13.11). In verse 25: Her pregnancy is what the Lord has done for me (see Sarah and Hannah in Gen 16.2; 1 Sam 1.1-18). Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 21st

 Read Luke 1.1-4. In 1.1-4: Prologue. These four verses are one complex sentence, providing a formal introduction like those in Greek and Roman histories. The first two verses state the condition (Since many have undertaken ...), and the last two the result (I too decided ...). Orderly account (vv. 1, 3) means both writing a coherent narrative and following the sequence of what happened. In verse 1: To say these events have ben fulfilled among us is to affirm them as God's way of keeping the promises made in Israel's scriptures. In verse 2: The servants of the word probably interpreted the scriptures and proclaimed the word ( 4.20-21; Acts 1.21-22; 13.5; 26.16). In verse 3: Theophilus may have been a patron of the Christian community or of the writing of Luke and Acts, perhaps providing financial support (Acts 1.1). In verse 4: The truth here means the "firm basis" or :assurance," since Theophilus has already been instructed, perhaps as a Christian catechumen. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 20th

 Read 1 Kings 22.45-53.  No Comments for this reading..

Reading for September 19th

 Read 1 Kings 22.24-44. In verse 24: Zedekiah claims that the lying spirit is actually in Micaiah. In verse 25: Micaiah's point is not entirely clear. Apparently, he foresees Zedekiah trying to hide in an inner chamber after Israel's defeat. Another possible interpretation would take Micaiah's meaning to be coarsely sarcastic: You will know the answer to your question (v. 24) the next time you relieve yourself (taking hide in the inner chamber to be a euphemism). In verses 27-28: In peace means alive and unharmed. In verse 30: The king of Israel believed Micaiah enough so that he disguised himself in order to avoid being a target of the enemy. The probably means that he did not wear his royal robes as did Jehoshaphat. In verses 32-33: Something about Jehoshaphat's cry, perhaps his accent, alerted the Arameans that he was not the king of Israel. In verse 36: Every man to his city, and every man to his country is a cry to military demobilization. See 2 Sam 20.1; 1 Kings 12.16. In verse 38: The fact that the dogs licked up (Ahab's) blood is evidently meant as a fulfillment of Elijah's word in 21.19. In verse 40: The idiom slept with his ancestors is not used anywhere else of a king who suffered a violent death. Thus the closing formula for Ahab's reign seems to ignore his death in battle. In verse 43: The high places were places for worship outside Jerusalem. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 18th

 Read 1 Kings 22/13- 23. In verses 13-14: Micaiah's unlike the court prophets, cannot speak what he wishes or what the king wants to hear, but only what the the Lord says to him. In verse 15: Micaiah's first response agrees completely with that of the court prophets. He may, in fact, be mimicking them. In verse 16: The king of Israel recognizes Micaiah's insincerity and adjures him to speak the truth in the name of the Lord. In verse 17: The image of a king as a shepherd was common in the ancient Near East (2 Sam 5.2). The sheep are without a shepherd in Micaiah's vision because the king has died. In verse 19: The Lord is depicted as a king sitting on his throne surrounded by his council of advisers, here called the host of heaven. In verse 20: This is the only time in the story proper that the king of Israel is identified as Ahab. The council deliberates how to entice him to go to Ramoth-gilead where he will fall, that is be killed. In verses 21-23: A spirit or "breath" steps forward and volunteers to deceive Ahab as a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 17th

Read 1 Kings 22.1-17. In 22.1-53: The prophecy of Micaiah. In verse 2: As in ch. 20, the king of Israel in this story was originally not identified. The identification as Ahab is secondary and probably incorrect. In verse 3: Ramoth-gilead was an import site east of the Jordan river. In verse 5: The fact that Jehoshaphat wants to inquire of the Lord reflects the author's positive view of him. The king of Israel is depicted as an enemy of the true prophet, Micaiah. In verse 6; The prophets are probably court prophets who were sustained by the king. It is not clear whether they are even worshippers of the Lord (Yahweh). In fact, the number four hundred recalls the prophets of Baal in 18.19. Their oracle appears favorable to the king, but it could be ambiguous since they do not say which king will be given victory. In verse 7: Jehoshaphat is skeptical of the quick answer and the unanimity of the 400 prophets, so he requests another prophet of the Lord, one who is a true prophet of Yahweh but not associated with the 400 court prophets. In verse 8: The fact that Micaiah ... never prophesies anything favorable about the king but only disaster is an indication that Micaiah is a true prophet, since prophets often opposed kings. In verse 10: A threshing floor was a broad, flat area where grain was separated from the hull. Kings are often pictured in the Bible as sitting enthroned outside in similar settings (1 Sam 14.2; 22.6). In verse 11: Prophets in the Bible often carried out symbolic acts like one described here (Jer 13; Ezek 4). Nothing is known outside of this story about this Zedekiah. By his name he was a worshipper of the Lord (Yahweh). Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for September 16th

 Read 1 Kings 21.15-29. Again, the phrase in Samaria is an addition. In verses 20-24: The oracle against Ahab has been turned into a prophecy about the entire dynasty, similar as been to those against the houses (14.7-11) and Baasha (16.1-4). Verse 23, however, is new and is directed specifically against Jezebel. In verses 27-29: Ahab's repentance delays the fall of the dynasty until after his reign. These verses were likely written by a different author from the one responsible for vv. 25-26, which view Ahab as the worst of all Israelite kings. Comments or Questions..