From Mark Copeland... He Has Done All Things Well (Mark 7:31-37)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                 He Has Done All Things Well (7:31-37)

INTRODUCTION

1. I would like for you to ask yourself:  What has Jesus done for
   you...?
   a. Anything?
   b. Something?

2. If Jesus has done anything for you, how would you describe it...?
   a. More than you expected?
   b. Less than you expected?

[If less than expected, keep it mind as we begin reading in Mk 7:31
about Jesus healing a deaf mute...]

I. THE NARRATIVE

   A. THE JOURNEY TO THE SEA OF GALILEE...
      1. Jesus left the region of Tyre and Sidon - Mk 7:31
         a. Where he had healed the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician
            woman
         b. A woman blessed for her faith - Mk 7:24-30
      2. He traveled through the region of Decapolis - Mk 7:31
         a. So called after ten cities in the area, mostly SE of the Sea
            of Galilee
         b. Damascus, Raphana, Hippos, Abila [or Canatha], Gadara,
            Scythopolis, Pella, Dion, Gerasa, and Philadelphia [Amman]
         c. Predominately Gentile and Hellenistic in their culture
         d. Where the man healed of legions of demons proclaimed Christ
            - Mk 5:20
      3. Matthew's gospel adds a few details - Mt 15:29-31
         a. Jesus went to a mountain and sat down
         b. Many lame, blind, mute and maimed were brought and healed
         c. The multitude marveled and glorified the God of Israel
            (these are likely Gentiles)

   B. JESUS HEALS A DEAF MUTE...
      1. People bring a deaf mute to Jesus and beg Him to heal him - Mk 7:32
      2. Aside from the multitude, Jesus begins the healing - Mk 7:33-34
         a. Putting His fingers in the deaf mute's ears, spitting, and
            touching his tongue
         b. Looking to heaven, sighing, and saying "Ephphatha" (Aramaic
            for "Be opened")
      3. The healing is instantaneous - Mk 7:35
         a. His ears are opened
         b. He begins to speak plainly

   C. JESUS' REQUEST AND THE CROWD'S RESPONSE...
      1. He commanded them to tell no one, but they widely proclaim it
         - Mk 7:36; cf. Mk 1:44-45
      2. They are astonished, saying "He has done all things well" - Mk 7:37

[This is a detailed and rather unusual account of one of Jesus' miracles
of healing.  The response of the crowd is also worthy of note.  Allow me
therefore to offer...]

II. SOME OBSERVATIONS

   A. REGARDING THE HEALING...
      1. Jesus may have been using sign language to explain what He was
         doing
      2. The fingers in the ears - "Something will be done for your
         ears...and I will do it."
      3. The touch of the tongue - "Something will be done for your
         tongue...and I will do it."
      4. The spit - His intention was to heal, as saliva was thought to
         have medicinal properties
      5. The look to heaven - indicating His help came from above
      6. The sigh - the sympathizing Jesus, taking the man's condition
         to heart - cf. Isa 53:4
      -- William Hendriksen (Baker's New Testament Commentary)

   B. REGARDING THE DECLARATION...
      1. "He has done all things well"
         a. He astonished those who saw His miracles - Mk 7:37
         b. He astonished those who heard His teachings - Mk 1:22; 6:2
         c. This is before His amazing death, resurrection, and
            ascension to heaven!
      2. Has Jesus done all things well for you?
         a. Given you rest for your soul? - Mt 11:28-30
         b. Saved you from you sins? - Mk 16:15-16
         c. Given you the peace the world cannot give? - Jn 14:27
      3. If not, why not?
         a. Could it be for lack of faith? - cf. Mk 6:5-6
         b. Could it be your heart is restricted? - cf. 2Co 6:11-13
            1) The Corinthians restricted themselves from receiving
               Paul's love
            2) Might we be guilty of doing the same in receiving Jesus'
               love and power?
      4. As God has often asked His people:
         a. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" - Gen 18:14
         a. "Has the Lord's arm been shortened?" - Num 11:23
         b. "Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?" - Isa 50:2
         c. "Or have I no power to deliver?" - Isa 50:2
         d. "Is the Spirit of the LORD restricted?" - Mic 2:7
      -- Think about these things, if your spiritual life is vapid!

CONCLUSION

1. Jesus has certainly done all things well...
   a. "He changed sunset into sunrise." - Clement of Alexandria
   b. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation..." - 2Co 5:17

2. But has He done all things well for you...?
   a. If your spiritual life is insipid, remember His words to the
      Laodiceans - Re 3:14-22
   b. It is most likely you have not been following Jesus as fervently
      as you should

   "What good is having someone who can walk on water if you don't
   follow in his footsteps?" - Author Unknown

Jesus, who has done all things well, stands ready to open your eyes to
see the beauty of His salvation, to open your mouth to proclaim the
glory of His redemption...!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

Is the Kingdom Yet to be Established? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1088

Is the Kingdom Yet to be Established?

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The average American is aware of the periodic claim that “the end is near.” When Y2K was approaching, outcries of doom, global disruption, and Armageddon were widespread. Hal Lindsey achieved nationwide attention over thirty years ago with his national bestseller, The Late Great Planet Earth (1970). A more recent repackaging of the dispensational brand of premillennialism is the popular Left Behind book series (see “The Official…,” 2003). Every so often, a religious figure captures national attention by announcing the impending return of Jesus—even to the point of setting a date—only to fade into the anonymity and obscurity from which he arose when his claim falls flat, but having achieved his “fifteen minutes of fame” (see Whisenant and Brewer, 1989). The sensationalism sells well, and tweaks the curiosity of large numbers of people. Incredibly, this pattern has been repeating itself—literally for centuries!
One feature of the premillennial dispensationalist’s claim is that the kingdom is yet future, and that Jesus is not reigning now, but will commence His reign in His kingdom when He returns in the future to establish it in Jerusalem. However, several passages cannot be harmonized with such a view. First, the Bible teaches that the kingdom exists now, and has existed since A.D. 30. While Jesus was on Earth, He went to Galilee, “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15, emp. added). He also stated: “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power” (Mark 9:1). In fact, Jesus “has delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13). To insist that the kingdom is yet to be established is to fail to recognize that the Bible plainly declares that the kingdom already exists on Earth.
Second, the words “kingdom,” “Israel,” and “church” all refer to the same group of people—i.e., the saved, Christians, the church of Christ, or spiritual Israel. Jesus predicted that He would build His “church” and give to Peter the keys of the “kingdom” (Matthew 16:18-19). Jesus did not build one institution and then give Peter the keys to a different institution. Paul told the Galatian Christians: “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. …and if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:7,29; cf. 6:16). He told Christians in Rome: “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart” (Romans 2:28-29). Spiritual Israel is the church of Christ—that is, the kingdom.
Third, Jesus is reigning now in heaven, and has been since His ascension around A.D. 30. Peter explained that Jesus “has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Peter 3:22). Daniel predicted over four centuries prior to its fulfillment: “One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14). This prophecy was fulfilled at the ascension of Christ: “while they watched, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). Jesus returned to heaven where He was given rule over His kingdom (Hebrews 10:12). When He returns a second time, it will not be to reign on Earth. Rather, “[t]hen comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:24-25).
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter announced to the gathered crowd that Jesus was reigning at that moment over His kingdom: “God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke of the resurrection of the Christ.… This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God...” (Acts 2:30-33). Paul made the same point in his letter to the church of Christ in Ephesus: “He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:20-22). I repeat: the Bible repeatedly affirms that Jesus is reigning and ruling now over His kingdom.
Fourth, Jesus completed His work on Earth and, consequently, has no reason to return to the Earth to do any additional work. He explained to the disciples: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34, emp. added). Shortly before His departure from the Earth, He prayed to the Father: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You gave Me to do” (John 17:4).
Dispensationalists say that Jesus came with the intention to be King, and to set up an earthly kingdom, but that the Jews unexpectedly rejected Him. However, this claim is in direct conflict with the facts. On one occasion, after Jesus fed thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fish—a feat that would constitute a tremendous advantage should war with Rome be forthcoming—John noted that “when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to a mountain by Himself alone” (6:15). Here was the perfect opportunity for Jesus to become the physical king that the dispensationalists insist He intended to become. But He refused! Why? He gave the reason to Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36). The dispensational claim that Jesus is coming back to be a king on Earth on a physical throne is the very thing first-century Jews tried to get Him to do—but which He refused to do.
Premillennialists also maintain that the modern nation of Israel is the recipient of various promises made in Scripture, and that it plays a prominent and continuing role in God’s scheme of things. This contention has had a profound impact upon U.S. foreign policy, and in the way people around the world—especially in the Middle East—perceive America. It must surely be a shock for many people to learn that the Bible depicts no such favored status. All people stand on level ground at the foot of the cross of Christ. God is no respecter of persons, and makes no distinctions between people on the basis of ethnicity (Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:11,28-29; Galatians 3:28). The promises that were made to physical Israel in the Old Testament were fulfilled long ago.
For example, God announced to Abraham that He would give to his descendents (the Israelites) the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1; 15:7). This promise was fulfilled when Israel took possession of Palestine in the fifteenth century B.C. (Joshua 21:43-45; 2 Chronicles 9:26). What so many people today fail to recognize is that Israelites’ retaining the land was contingent upon their continued obedience (Leviticus 18:24-28; Joshua 23:14-16; 1 Kings 9:3-7). The complete and final forfeiture of physical Israel took place in A.D. 70. The reestablishment of national Israel, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple (i.e., the national promises of Deuteronomy 30 and Zechariah 12-14) were literally fulfilled in the returning remnant after the Babylonian captivity (Nehemiah 1:8-10; Isaiah 10:22; Jeremiah 23:3; Ezra 3:1-11).
Many of the Old Testament prophecies that predicted the return of the Jews after captivity were laced with predictions of the coming of Christ to the Earth to bring ultimate redemption. Hence, the national promises were spiritually fulfilled in the church of Christ, wherein both Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ. For example, premillennialists are fond of calling attention to the concluding prophetic remarks of Amos: “ ‘On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’ says the Lord who does this thing” (Amos 9:11-12). They insist that the fulfillment of this prophecy is yet future. They say the Temple, which was destroyed in A.D. 70 by the Romans (Matthew 23:37-24:35), will be rebuilt on the Temple platform in Jerusalem (a site currently occupied by the third most holy shrine of Islam—the Dome of the Rock). They say that Jesus will return, set up His millennial kingdom, and reign on a literal throne for a thousand years, incorporating the Gentiles, in addition to the nation of Israel, into His kingdom. On the face of it, this prophecy certainly possesses terminology that fits the millennial interpretation placed upon it.
However, two Bible passages correct this interpretation, and settle the question as to the proper application of Amos’ prophecy. The first is the great messianic prophecy uttered by the prophet Nathan to King David regarding David’s future lineage and royal dynasty (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Nathan declared that God would establish and sustain the Davidic dynasty. Even though he also noted that a permanent form of the Tabernacle (that God refused to allow David to build—2 Samuel 7:1-7) would be built by David’s son (i.e., Solomon), God, Himself, would build David a house (i.e., a dynasty, a kingly lineage). It is this lineage to which Amos referred—not a physical temple building.
The second passage that clarifies Amos’ prophecy is the account of the Jerusalem “conference” (Acts 15). Following Peter’s report regarding Gentile inclusion in the kingdom, James offered the following confirmatory comment: “Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written” (Acts 15:13-15). James then quoted Amos 9:11-12. In other words, on that most auspicious occasion, James noted two significant facts that had come to pass precisely as predicted by Amos: (1) after the downfall of the Jewish kingdom, the Davidic dynasty had been reinstated in the person of Christ—the “Son of David” (Matthew 22:42)—Who, at His ascension, had been enthroned in heaven, thereby “rebuilding the tabernacle of David that had fallen down”; and (2) with the conversion of the first Gentiles in Acts 10, as reported on this occasion by Peter, the “residue of men,” or the non-Jewish segment of humanity, was now “seeking the Lord.”
In light of James’ inspired application of it to the integrated church of the first century, the Amos prophecy, like all others in the Old Testament that premillennialists wish to apply to the future, finds ultimate and final climax in the momentous advent of the Christian religion on the planet. The premillennial treatment of prophecy is, in the final analysis, a demeaning and trivializing of the significance of the Gospel, the church of Christ, and the Christian religion as the final revelation from God to mankind. The kingdom is not future; it is here now. All accountable persons would do well to conform themselves to the preconditions that enable Jesus to add them to His kingdom (Acts 2:38,47; 8:12-13,36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:30-34; 18:8; 19:5: 22:16).

REFERENCES

Lindsey, Hal (1970), The Late Great Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
“The Official Left Behind Series Site,” (2003), [On-line], URL: http://www.leftbehind.com.
Whisenant, Edgar and Greg Brewer (1989), The Final Shout Rapture 1989 Report (Nashville, TN: World Bible Society).

From Jim McGuiggan... GOD HELP US

GOD HELP US

Luke 22:3-4, “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot…and Judas went…and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.”

What are we to make of this? Well, there are a lot of things we could “make of it”.

We can rightly say that Satan can “enter” people. Of course we’d still have to work out what that meant. What does “enter” mean in a text like this? Does Satan himself enter people? Does Satan literally “enter” people? Does he go inside their bodies? Or if it’s their minds he enters how does he “enter” a mind? Does he melt into the brain tissue or something like that? Should we conclude from this text that Satan can “enter” anybody at any time? Can he force his way in or must he be invited, so to speak? Once he has “entered” can he make people think and do things? These are all interesting questions but Luke 22:3-4 shows no interest in them. If Luke 22:3-4 shows no interest in them whatever, it’s safe to conclude we shouldn’t go to Luke 22 looking for answers to them. Luke must have another agenda!

What are we to make of the text? We can rightly say that the text shows us treachery so that we can renounce it and pursue honourable loyalty and we can rightly say the text is the fulfilment of scripture (see Psalm 41:9 and John 13:18). Of course that generates numerous questions about what “fulfilment” means and so in what sense Psalm 41:9 is “prophecy”. Again, this is a rich area and these are good questions but it’s John 13:18 and not Luke 22:3-4 that speaks of fulfilled scripture and points us to Psalm 41:9. As far as we can tell from the words of the text Luke has no interest in Psalm 41:9.

You understand it’s perfectly proper for us to say Judas “fulfilled scripture” in doing what he did but the real question before us at this moment is this: is that what Luke wants us to see? It was the immediate purpose of John 13:18 to let us see that Judas fulfilled scripture but we know that only because the text tells us that. It simply won’t do to say, “Luke 22:3-4 wants us to know that scripture has been fulfilled” and when someone asks us how we know, we prove it by going to John 13:18. If our listener says, “I wasn’t asking about John 13:18” it doesn’t make things better if we say, “Everyone knows Judas did that.” Everyone knows Jesus was born of a virgin but is that what Luke 22:3-4 wants us to see?

It’s certainly proper to “draw a lesson” or “infer a truth” from a text that’s written for a purpose other than the one we have in mind. What’s not acceptable is to say this: “The truth I’m offering is what this text means for us to see” when in fact we don’t know that. If we want Luke’s 22:3-4 to be heard we must allow Luke (as much as we’re able) to make his own point. It may be fine that we don’t want to make Luke’s point but if it’s John’s point we want to make we ought to go to John 13:18.

If we read Luke 22:3-4 and don’t let him make his point and instead we silence Luke by putting John’s words in his mouth we miss out on truth—truth that we might desperately need. To “homogenise” scripture like this is not only a poor way to listen to the Bible, in many ways it is not listening to the Bible at all.
I confess I’m not sure what Luke wants us to see in 22:3-4 but that only means I should do my homework and listen to other experienced people who work with Luke’s writings. If we were able to determine the central purposes of Luke in writing to Theophilus that would give us a better chance to understand how each section worked. I say a “better chance” for knowing Luke’s central purpose(s) is no guarantee that we’ll know how each section or verse fits into it.

Certainly Luke insists throughout his two books (Luke and Acts) that the reign of God was publicly exhibited in Jesus Christ who had come to proclaim God’s faithfulness to his promises in rescuing his people and in bringing salvation to the world (see for example, Luke 1:67-79; 4:14-21 and 24:47 and elsewhere through the book).

But if that was so how did it happen, Theophilus might have thought, that the leaders of his own people rejected him? Did they know some things that made rejecting Jesus the right thing to do? Luke 22:3-4 would answer such a question. The leaders in 22:1-2 want to “get rid of Jesus” (see 20:20) and one of his friends gave them a perfect opportunity. Yes, but how do you explain Judas’ behaviour? It wasn’t just a friend turning on a friend; it wasn’t just Judas against Christ. Luke brands Judas’ behaviour as satanic. Two worlds collided that night in that upper room. His betrayal of Jesus epitomized and expressed the world-spirit that stands opposed to the reign of God. Friends had betrayed friends down the centuries (a psalmist laments on his own pain—Psalm 41:9) but Luke makes it clear that what happened that night in that upper room was bigger than it looked. Theophilus is to understand that the opposition to Jesus was satanic in character and not just personal or even national political expediency (compare John 11:50) and much less was it of God or a matter of integrity.

Now, I don’t know that that’s what Luke wanted us to focus on in that text but that’s my guess. Supposing for a moment that it's true, then we won’t read the text as a protest against personal disloyalty or ingratitude; we won’t read the text expecting to learn that Satan “enters” people sometimes—we’d see that Luke takes that for granted but that his purpose goes beyond that.

Whatever we do with Luke 22:3-4, as much as we’re able we need to allow Luke to make his point rather than ours—his point within his over-arching purpose which we look for in the book as a whole.

If we don’t, we may end up with a million “answers” on moral issues but completely ignorant of what the biblical texts are saying. Preachers will fill their sermons with texts that are never allowed to speak and because there’s a host of verses quoted or alluded to they’ll be tempted to think, “Now that’s Bible preaching.” Others will toss in a couple of verses, nod at them and go their merry moralising way one. more. time.

God help us!

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

From Gary...... Common sense

Yesterday was pot-luck and as usual, I ate too much. So, today, when we saw this little "warning", both Linda and I chuckled a bit.  And then there is this familiar passage from the "sermon on the mount"...

Matthew, Chapter 7

 1  “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.   2  For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.   3  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?   4  Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?   5  You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. 

Just as shampoo and dish soap do not affect one's weight, so also people don't walk around with a beam in one's eye. We all know that you gain weight because of what and how you eat. Likewise, people need to examine their own life before criticizing others.  Enough said!!!

From Gary... Bible Reading December 8

Bible Reading    

December 8

The World English Bible

Dec. 8

Ezekiel 45-48

Eze 45:1 Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall offer an offering to Yahweh, a holy portion of the land; the length shall be the length of twenty-five thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand: it shall be holy in all its border all around.

Eze 45:2 Of this there shall be for the holy place five hundred in length by five hundred in breadth, square all around; and fifty cubits for its suburbs all around.

Eze 45:3 Of this measure you shall measure a length of twenty-five thousand, and a breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary, which is most holy.

Eze 45:4 It is a holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to Yahweh; and it shall be a place for their houses, and a holy place for the sanctuary.

Eze 45:5 Twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth, shall be to the Levites, the ministers of the house, for a possession to themselves, for twenty chambers.

Eze 45:6 You shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and twenty-five thousand long, side by side with the offering of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.

Eze 45:7 Whatever is for the prince shall be on the one side and on the other side of the holy offering and of the possession of the city, in front of the holy offering and in front of the possession of the city, on the west side westward, and on the east side eastward; and in length answerable to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border.

Eze 45:8 In the land it shall be to him for a possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; but they shall give the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

Eze 45:9 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness; dispossessing my people, says the Lord Yahweh.

Eze 45:10 You shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

Eze 45:11 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of a homer, and the ephah the tenth part of a homer: its measure shall be after the homer.

Eze 45:12 The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina.

Eze 45:13 This is the offering that you shall offer: the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of wheat; and you shall give the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of barley;

Eze 45:14 and the set portion of oil, of the bath of oil, the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is ten baths, even a homer; (for ten baths are a homer;)

Eze 45:15 and one lamb of the flock, out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel--for a meal offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them, says the Lord Yahweh.

Eze 45:16 All the people of the land shall give to this offering for the prince in Israel.

Eze 45:17 It shall be the prince's part to give the burnt offerings, and the meal offerings, and the drink offerings, in the feasts, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meal offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.

Eze 45:18 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the first month, in the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish; and you shall cleanse the sanctuary.

Eze 45:19 The priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it on the door posts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court.

Eze 45:20 So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is simple: so you shall make atonement for the house.

Eze 45:21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

Eze 45:22 On that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.

Eze 45:23 The seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to Yahweh, seven bulls and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering.

Eze 45:24 He shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

Eze 45:25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, in the feast, shall he do the like the seven days; according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meal offering, and according to the oil.

Eze 46:1 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

Eze 46:2 The prince shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate outside, and shall stand by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

Eze 46:3 The people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Yahweh on the Sabbaths and on the new moons.

Eze 46:4 The burnt offering that the prince shall offer to Yahweh shall be on the Sabbath day six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish;

Eze 46:5 and the meal offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

Eze 46:6 On the day of the new moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish:

Eze 46:7 and he shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for the bull, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

Eze 46:8 When the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go forth by its way.

Eze 46:9 But when the people of the land shall come before Yahweh in the appointed feasts, he who enters by the way of the north gate to worship shall go forth by the way of the south gate; and he who enters by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go forth straight before him.

Eze 46:10 The prince, when they go in, shall go in with of them; and when they go out, he shall go out.

Eze 46:11 In the feasts and in the solemnities the meal offering shall be an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

Eze 46:12 When the prince shall prepare a freewill offering, a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to Yahweh, one shall open for him the gate that looks toward the east; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he does on the Sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate.

Eze 46:13 You shall prepare a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to Yahweh daily: morning by morning you shall prepare it.

Eze 46:14 You shall prepare a meal offering with it morning by morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of a hin of oil, to moisten the fine flour; a meal offering to Yahweh continually by a perpetual ordinance.

Eze 46:15 Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meal offering, and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt offering.

Eze 46:16 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: If the prince give a gift to any of his sons, it is his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.

Eze 46:17 But if he give of his inheritance a gift to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince; but as for his inheritance, it shall be for his sons.

Eze 46:18 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people's inheritance, to thrust them out of their possession; he shall give inheritance to his sons out of his own possession, that my people not be scattered every man from his possession.

Eze 46:19 Then he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests, which looked toward the north: and behold, there was a place on the hinder part westward.

Eze 46:20 He said to me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the meal offering; that they not bring them forth into the outer court, to sanctify the people.

Eze 46:21 Then he brought me forth into the outer court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and behold, in every corner of the court there was a court.

Eze 46:22 In the four corners of the court there were courts enclosed, forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four in the corners were of one measure.

Eze 46:23 There was a wall around in them, around the four, and boiling places were made under the walls all around.

Eze 46:24 Then said he to me, These are the boiling houses, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.

Eze 47:1 He brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward; (for the forefront of the house was toward the east;) and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar.

Eze 47:2 Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me round by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east; and behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

Eze 47:3 When the man went forth eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles.

Eze 47:4 Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the waist.

Eze 47:5 Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.

Eze 47:6 He said to me, Son of man, have you seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the bank of the river.

Eze 47:7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Eze 47:8 Then said he to me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go down into the Arabah; and they shall go toward the sea; into the sea shall the waters go which were made to issue forth; and the waters shall be healed.

Eze 47:9 It shall happen, that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come there, and the waters of the sea shall be healed, and everything shall live wherever the river comes.

Eze 47:10 It shall happen, that fishermen shall stand by it: from En Gedi even to En Eglaim shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

Eze 47:11 But the miry places of it, and its marshes, shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt.

Eze 47:12 By the river on its bank, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall its fruit fail: it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary; and its fruit shall be for food, and its leaf for healing.

Eze 47:13 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This shall be the border, by which you shall divide the land for inheritance according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.

Eze 47:14 You shall inherit it, one as well as another; for I swore to give it to your fathers: and this land shall fall to you for inheritance.

Eze 47:15 This shall be the border of the land: On the north side, from the great sea, by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of Zedad;

Eze 47:16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer Hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran.

Eze 47:17 The border from the sea, shall be Hazar Enon at the border of Damascus; and on the north northward is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

Eze 47:18 The east side, between Hauran and Damascus and Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the east sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

Eze 47:19 The south side southward shall be from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth Kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, to the great sea. This is the south side southward.

Eze 47:20 The west side shall be the great sea, from the south border as far as over against the entrance of Hamath. This is the west side.

Eze 47:21 So you shall divide this land to you according to the tribes of Israel.

Eze 47:22 It shall happen, that you shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the strangers who sojourn among you, who shall father children among you; and they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

Eze 47:23 It shall happen, that in what tribe the stranger sojourns, there you shall give him his inheritance, says the Lord Yahweh.

Eze 48:1 Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar Enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath, (and they shall have their sides east and west), Dan, one portion.

Eze 48:2 By the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher, one portion.

Eze 48:3 By the border of Asher, from the east side even to the west side, Naphtali, one portion.

Eze 48:4 By the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west side, Manasseh, one portion.

Eze 48:5 By the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west side, Ephraim, one portion.

Eze 48:6 By the border of Ephraim, from the east side even to the west side, Reuben, one portion.

Eze 48:7 By the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west side, Judah, one portion.

Eze 48:8 By the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, shall be the offering which you shall offer, twenty-five thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the portions, from the east side to the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in its midst.

Eze 48:9 The offering that you shall offer to Yahweh shall be twenty-five thousand reeds in length, and ten thousand in breadth.

Eze 48:10 For these, even for the priests, shall be the holy offering: toward the north twenty-five thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south twenty-five thousand in length: and the sanctuary of Yahweh shall be in its midst.

Eze 48:11 It shall be for the priests who are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, who have kept my instruction, who didn't go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

Eze 48:12 It shall be to them an offering from the offering of the land, a thing most holy, by the border of the Levites.

Eze 48:13 Answerable to the border of the priests, the Levites shall have twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be twenty-five thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.

Eze 48:14 They shall sell none of it, nor exchange it, nor shall the first fruits of the land be alienated; for it is holy to Yahweh.

Eze 48:15 The five thousand that are left in the breadth, in front of the twenty-five thousand, shall be for common use, for the city, for dwelling and for suburbs; and the city shall be in its midst.

Eze 48:16 These shall be its measures: the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.

Eze 48:17 The city shall have suburbs: toward the north two hundred fifty, and toward the south two hundred fifty, and toward the east two hundred fifty, and toward the west two hundred fifty.

Eze 48:18 The remainder in the length, answerable to the holy offering, shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward; and it shall be answerable to the holy offering; and its increase shall be for food to those who labor in the city.

Eze 48:19 Those who labor in the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it.

Eze 48:20 All the offering shall be twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand: you shall offer the holy offering foursquare, with the possession of the city.

Eze 48:21 The residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy offering and of the possession of the city; in front of the twenty-five thousand of the offering toward the east border, and westward in front of the twenty-five thousand toward the west border, answerable to the portions, it shall be for the prince: and the holy offering and the sanctuary of the house shall be in its midst.

Eze 48:22 Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, it shall be for the prince.

Eze 48:23 As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west side, Benjamin, one portion.

Eze 48:24 By the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon, one portion.

Eze 48:25 By the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar, one portion.

Eze 48:26 By the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun, one portion.

Eze 48:27 By the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad, one portion.

Eze 48:28 By the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, to the great sea.

Eze 48:29 This is the land which you shall divide by lot to the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their several portions, says the Lord Yahweh.

Eze 48:30 These are the exits of the city: On the north side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure;

Eze 48:31 and the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one.

Eze 48:32 At the east side four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one.

Eze 48:33 At the south side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one.

Eze 48:34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.

Eze 48:35 It shall be eighteen thousand reeds around: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Yahweh is there.

Dec. 8

2 Peter 1

2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

2Pe 1:2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

2Pe 1:3 seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue;

2Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

2Pe 1:5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

2Pe 1:6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness;

2Pe 1:7 and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.

2Pe 1:8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Pe 1:9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

2Pe 1:11 For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

2Pe 1:12 Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth.

2Pe 1:13 I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you;

2Pe 1:14 knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

2Pe 1:15 Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.

2Pe 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

2Pe 1:18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

2Pe 1:19 We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts:

2Pe 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.

2Pe 1:21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.