Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

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 SOLOMON 7: As we heard yesterday, the bride is captivating in beauty, and so radiant that she is compared to the sun and moon. MATTHEW 26b: In yesterday's reading we heard about the...

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 revealing the idolatry of Israel happening right at the temple. Some of the locations shown are literal, and some are to be taken figuratively. One clearly sees that God has every right to be highly offended. Note that the people sharing God's grief at...

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 man extolled the perfection of his bride. MATTHEW 25b: Yesterday in Matthew 25, we heard two parables that speak about being ready for Christ's return. Something that is repeated in...

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 over. This was used as a demonstration that a third of the people would die in the city from disease and famine. A third will be killed by the enemy outside the city, and the last...

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, but afterwards I think he would tell us that it produced "bitterness"— as we will see with John who eats a similar scroll in Revelation. God gave these important words to Ezekiel in yesterday's reading: Ez. 3:10 NLT …"Son of man, let all my words si...

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. 1:28b GNT When I saw this, I fell face downward on the ground. Then I heard a voice SONG OF SOLOMON 2: Song of Solomon has many speaking parts for the woman, the man, and the chorus parts for people of Jerusalem or the...

This seems to me to be a good time to talk with you about how to understand the prophetic books of the Bible, as we now are starting to read the Babylonian exile prophet Ezekiel. And starting in a week and extending to the end of the year, our poetry readings will be from the prophet Isaiah, who lived 200 years before Ezekiel. Near the end of the year we'll read the minor prophets in quick success...

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 fall of Jerusalem, chapter 36 also told of the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy about Cyrus, who gave the decree to rebuild the Temple of God. While Jeremiah prophesied about th...

2CHRONICLES 36: Josiah's Passover celebration showed wonderful ability to get everyone to work together and great organizational talent. It is the capstone of the revival that he led. Unfortunately, he was stubborn about going to war with Pharaoh Neco, which cost him both his own life and his son's life. ECCLESIASTES 12: Yesterday's short chapter recorded proverbial advice to young and old, and th...

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 sincerely repented after hearing God's Word. ECCLESIASTES 11: Yesterday's chapter of Ecclesiastes was mainly separate proverbs. As an example I quote verse 3, which I like in the NLT...

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 is again like David. ECCLESIASTES 10: Here is a highlight from yesterday's reading: Ecc. 9:11 GNT I realized another thing, that in this world fast runners do not always win the races, and the brave do not always win the battles. The wise do not alw...

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 Babylon can also be used as a spiritual parable for us. We need to be careful what we just accept as fate, without asking God for something better. ECCLESIASTES 9: A nugget of except...

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 last verse: 2Chr. 31:21 He was successful, because everything he did for the Temple or in observance of the Law, he did in a spirit of complete loyalty and devotion to his God. ECCLESIASTES 8: Yesterday's chapter of Ecclesiastes included quite a variety...

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. ECCLESIASTES 7: I find it interesting that Solomon would say that everything has been decided beforehand. GNT certainly implied Who it was who decided beforehand, but NLT makes that expl...

2CHRONICLES 30: Hezekiah led a wonderful spiritual revival which included the reopening and cleansing of the temple and the resumption of sacrifices. And he wasted no time in doing those things. ECCLESIASTES 6: Solomon gave wonderful conclusions about happiness in yesterday's reading. And he also observed that we leave the world as naked and empty-handed as when we came into the world. MATTHEW 19:...

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 temple and put up places to worship Baal all over the country. Even when under severe punishment from the Lord, he never turned to the Lord for help. ECCLESIASTES 5: In yesterday's chapter, I really like the passages that talk of having the companions...

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 chapter of Ecclesiastes which starts with Ecc. 3:1 (like NLT) For everything (turn, turn, turn) there is a season, (turn, turn, turn) a time for every activity under heaven. GNT i...

2CHRONICLES 26-27: King Joash didn't end so well, did he?! He killed Jehoiadah's son Zechariah. When Jesus mentioned killing prophets A through Z, that Zechariah was the Z that he mentioned by name. Time and time again Judah's kings needed to learn not to be proud, and that certainly happened to Joash's son Amaziah, who was assassinated like his father. ECCLESIASTES 3: Chapter 2 ended with a signi...

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 and Jehosheba. When he reached only seven years old, Jehoiada mounted a dangerous coup, which succeeded. ECCLESIASTES 2: In yesterday's reading, Solomon sought to find meaning in...

2CHRONICLES 22-23: Yesterday we heard of Jehoshaphat's famous victory, accomplished only by prayer, worship, and the power of the Lord. Then his son Jehoram might possibly be Judah's worst king, except for several at the very end of that kingdom. ECCLESIASTES 2a: Yesterday the theme of Ecclesiastes was given in these words: Ecc. 2:2 NLT "Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, "completely me...

2CHRONICLES 20-21: Yesterday we heard of Jehoshaphat wisely appointing judges, and he also travelled all over Israel personally encouraging people to follow the Lord. ECCLESIASTES 1: The book of Ecclesiastes is the record of Solomon seeking to find God in a worldly way. This is a book of worldly wisdom. Solomon repeatedly uses the key theme word 'useless' to describe our lives on earth. God had no...

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 his downfall and how the dogs would lick up his blood. This happened, as we already read in 1Kings 22, when they took his chariot back to Samaria. PROVERBS 31b: Speaking of a capable and virtuous wife, this chapter says: Pro. 31:28 GNT Her children sh...

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 10-31 of chapter 31 comprise a Hebrew acrostic poem; each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Our highlighted verse today is verse 10. I like NLT's translati...

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 highlighted verse is Pro. 30:20 NLT An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, "What's wrong with that?" MATTHEW 13a: Jesus gave a stinging reply to his critics in yesterday's reading. The part about a demon leaving a person and...

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 a truly amazing speech before his epic victory over Israel. PROVERBS 30a: Today I chose to highlight two verses: Pro. 30:5 [NLT Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. //GNT "God keeps every promise he mak...