Nov 8, 2022
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 the division of the land. Very fascinating in that is the
part about the river that comes out from the east side of the
temple, including trees that are for healing, bearing fruit every
month. We will soon hear about this river and the trees of life in
Revelation.
ISAIAH 21:
Yesterday’s chapter in Isaiah was only six
verses long. It always seems very unfair to me that Isaiah had to
go about naked as a sign about two countries that were not even his
own. Surely it was a sign for the people of Israel’s benefit as
well. I wonder if Isaiah’s being ‘naked’ was really what we call
stark naked. In some cultures, if a man is wearing a loin cloth, he
is still called naked. Just as the description states, a person in
a loin cloth will have their buttocks exposed.
2CORINTHIANS 1:23—2:
At
the beginning of chapter 2, Paul is still telling about his change
of plans and showing why he doesn’t want to be misunderstood in his
motives concerning that. I will read 23 in the NLT and 24 in the
PET:
23
(NLT) Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the
truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from
a severe rebuke.
24
(PET, Phil’s Plain English Translation) My purpose and that of the other apostles of
Christ isn’t to command how each of you in the Corinthian church
live out your beliefs. We are certain that each of you will keep
standing firm in your belief. We just want to work with you so that
your joy keeps on increasing because of living according to your
beliefs.
NLT Translation
Notes:
2Cor.
2:13 But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus
hadn’t yet arrived with a report [about/from] you. So I said
good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find
him.
14 But thank God!
[God/He] has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in
Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the
knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.