I'm moving!

I am moving my blog posts. I like the functionality of Wordpress so I may not be coming back to this site. I might even eventually delete the account.

So, if you want to continue following me, consider hopping on over to my new Wordpress blog at: https://mattellis1997.wordpress.com/.

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Jeremiah 28:1–29:32 
1 Timothy 1:1-20 
Psalm 86:1-17 
Proverbs 25:17

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):



REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):


I am moving my blog posts. Please hop on over to my new Wordpress blog at: https://mattellis1997.wordpress.com/

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Jeremiah 26:1–27:22 

2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 

Psalm 85:1-13 

Proverbs 25:16

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

I am moving my blog posts. Please hop on over to my new Wordpress blog at: https://mattellis1997.wordpress.com/

Joy in the Lord

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Jeremiah 23:21–25:38 
2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 
Psalm 84:1-12 
Proverbs 25:15

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):


Psalm 84:10-12 (ESV) "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Our Verses for Today express the joy to be had in God's presence. 

Rather than spend my time (and waste your time) elaborating on these easy-to-understand verses, I want to simply ask you to go back and slowly, reflectively read each phrase, stopping periodically to reflect on what truth God is revealing to you.

Curses, genealogies, and the virgin birth

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Jeremiah 22:1–23:20 
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 
Psalm 83:1-18 
Proverbs 25:11-14

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Jeremiah 22:30 (ESV) "Thus says the LORD: 'Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days, for none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Ok. I know that I have, once again, chosen an unusual verse for our Verse for Today. But, there is a fascinating truth embedded in it. Let me share it with you. Try to stay with me on this because it could get a little confusing if you don't keep your mind in gear.

In Jeremiah 22:30, we are told about a King of Judah. His name is Coniah. Here is what we know about him:

• He was "the son of Jehoiakim" (Jeremiah 22:24), and the grandson of Josiah (2 Kings 23:34).
• His real name was Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:6). Coniah seemed to be his shortened name. Another name he went by was Jechoniah.
• He was a king of Judah (Jeremiah 22:24).
• He would go into Babylonian / Chaldean captivity under Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 22:24-26; 2 Kings 24:8-12).
• None of this children would ever sit on David's throne as king (Jeremiah 22:30).

Essentially, we find out that Coniah (Jehoiachin) was cursed by God for his sinfulness, was taken into Babylonian captivity, and the kingly line of David (through him) ceased. He was cursed by God and it was declared that none of his descendants would sit on David's throne as king.

So, fast forward to Matthew 1:1-17. We see that this text is a genealogy that begins with Abraham and ends with Jesus. In verses 6-7, we read that it includes King David and his son, Solomon.

But, notice who is mentioned ...

Matthew 1:11 "and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon."

So, Josiah (the grandfather) is said to have been "the father" (or ancestor) of Jechoniah and then we are told of the Babylonian deportation (captivity). So, we're talking about the guy in Jeremiah who got cursed, right?

But, when we continue reading in Matthew 1, we eventually get to verse 16 where we read that Jesus is a descendant of Jechoniah. 

That is a MAJOR problem because Jechoniah was told by God that none of his descendants would sit on David's throne. So, essentially, Jesus (as a descendant of Jechoniah) would have been forbidden by God to be Israel's long-awaited King!

So, what do we do with the following verses?

Luke 1:31-33 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

How is this possible? How can God say in Jeremiah 22 that none of Jechoniah's descendants would ever be king? Yet we read in Matthew 1 that Jesus is Jechoniah's descendant and then Luke 1 tells us that Jesus will be the long-awaited King?

How does this get reconciled?!

Simple! Let's look at one more genealogy...

In Luke 3:23-38, we see yet another genealogy. We see Jesus' name at the beginning and, as we read, it goes all the way back to Adam (intentionally skipping over many names for the sake of brevity).

But, notice in verse 31 that King David is mentioned. In Matthew's genealogy, Solomon is the kingly descendant of David through whom Jesus came. Notice which son of David is mentioned here in Luke...

Luke 3:31 "the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,"

Here, Nathan (not Solomon) is the descendant of David through which all of rest of the descendants came. 

And notice that Jechoniah wasn't mentioned. Why? Because he wasn't a descendant of Nathan. He was a descendant of Solomon.

If you have followed along up to this point, let me tie it all together for you...

The genealogy in Matthew 1 is the kingly line. It is the lineage of King David through his son King Solomon until we get to Jechoniah who was cursed and was the last king of Israel. But, before we get to Jesus, we realize that this was Joseph's line (not Mary's). If Jesus had been the biological son of Joseph, then Jesus would have inherited the curse and could not have been the long-awaited King of Israel who would sit on David's throne.

But, Jesus HAD to be a descendant of David without inheriting the curse. That's were we look to the genealogy of Luke 3. That genealogy is the family line of Mary. She was a descent of King David through Nathan. So, she was a descendant of David, through his son, Nathan - she just wasn't in the kingly line. But, since she wasn't from the line of Solomon, she didn't inherit the curse of Jechoniah. When she gave birth to her biological son, Jesus, he was born as a descendant of David but he didn't inherit the curse.

So, when Jesus was born, he was born at a biological son of David from Mary. Through here, He was a descendant of King David. Through her, He inherited the royal blood of the kingly line of Israel. 

Yet, in regard to His earthly father, he was the adopted son of Joseph. If he had been the biological son of Joseph, he would haven inherited the curse. But, as the virgin-born Son of God and not the biological son of Joseph, He inherited the right to reign as Israel's king (as a descendant of King David and Solomon) without inheriting the curse.

Only God could work out such a plan!!!

Can't keep quiet about Jesus!

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Jeremiah 19:1–21:14 
1 Thessalonians 5:4-28 
Psalm 82:1-8 
Proverbs 25:9-10

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Jeremiah 20:9 (ESV) "If I say, 'I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,' there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Go back and read our Verse for Today again.

I really mean it. Go back and read it again.

Does your love for the Lord cause you to want to talk about Him to others? If you were to try not to talk about Him to your family members, fellow students, co-workers, neighbors, or whoever, would it wear you out trying to keep quiet?

Lord Jesus, give us a love and passion for you like the prophet Jeremiah had! Amen.

Who are you trusting?

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Jeremiah 16:16–18:23 
1 Thessalonians 4:1–5:3 
Psalm 81:1-16 
Proverbs 25:6-8

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Jeremiah 17:5, 7 (ESV) "Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. ... Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.'"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Over and over in Scripture, we see God essentially asking people one thing: "Do you trust me?"

Adam and Eve needed to trust God regarding eating of the forbidden fruit.

Noah needed to trust God regarding a worldwide flood that had never before happened.

Abraham needed to trust God when he was commanded to leave his home in Ur to travel to a land that God would tell him of.

Etc., etc., etc.

Peter needed to trust the Lord when he stepped out of the boat onto the water.

Thomas needed to trust that the Lord Jesus had really been resurrected.

Etc., etc., etc.

And to be saved, everyone of us must place our trust in Jesus.

Over and over and over in Scripture, we see that God wants us to trust Him.

Why?

Because trusting Him reveals how wonderful of a God He is.
Because trusting Him relieves much of our stress and worry.
Because trusting Him gives credibly to our faith to a lost world that is watching.
Because He is worthy of our trust.

Friend, do you trust God? Are you trusting Him with whatever is going on in your life right now? Have you trusted in Jesus to save you?

If not, why not?