M’Cheyne’s Daily Readings for August 10, 2018

Ruth 3-4: Ruth asks Boaz to redeem her. Boaz commends Ruth’s devotion and agrees to be her kinsman-redeemer. However, a nearer relative has the right of redemption.  In chapter 4, the other redeemer gives the right of redemption to Boaz.  Boaz marries Ruth and Ruth gives birth to Obed.  The book concludes with a genealogy which traces the line from Perez to David.  The genealogy is remarkable for its inclusion of such notorious sinners.  Iain Hamilton, commenting on these verses in his sermon on this chapter, comments that “the God of the Bible is a God whose grace bursts every conceivable notion of undeserved kindness and says to people ‘no matter how bleak and black and dark and godless your circumstances, I’m able to make all things new.”  Jesus Christ was born with the blood of Judah, Tamar, Perez, and Ruth running through his veins.  His love for sinners is such that He took upon Himself our flesh in order to be for us what no mere man could ever be- a righteous kinsman redeemer who saves His people from their sins.

Jeremiah 38: Jeremiah is thrown into the cistern of Malciah but is rescued by Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch. Jeremiah warns Zedekiah of the imminent destruction of Jerusalem and tells him to surrender to the Chaldeans.

Psalms 11-12: In Psalm 11, David takes refuge in the Lord and describes his testing of the righteous and his hatred of the wicked. In Psalm 12, he cries out to the Lord because “the godly one is god…the faithful have vanished from among the children of man (v. 1).” Our hope for justice is rooted in the Lord, who cares for the poor and needy (v. 5). In the midst of an evil world, we must attend to the ever-pure Word of the Lord, trusting Him to keep us from the vileness of the wicked (v. 7-8).

Acts 28: Acts concludes with the apostle Paul in Rome under house arrest, awaiting his trial before Caesar. Paul was imprisoned for two years in Rome and spent this time proclaiming the gospel to those who would see him. Luke tells us that “he lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (v. 31).

M’Cheyne’s Daily Readings for August 9, 2018

Ruth 2: Ruth goes to glean in the fields and meets Boaz. Boaz provides for Ruth and sends her home with an ephah of barley. The Lord’s steadfast love for his people is revealed in the provision Boaz, the righteous redeemer.

Jeremiah 37: Jeremiah, having spoken of the Lord’s coming judgment, is charged with desertion and imprisoned. King Zedekiah secretly asks Jeremiah if there is any word from the Lord. Jeremiah responds: “You shall be delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon” (v. 17). Jeremiah pleads with Zedekiah to be released from prison and he is moved to the court of the guard.

Psalm 10: In Psalm 10, David addresses the justice of God in a world full of wickedness: “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (10:1).

Acts 27: Paul sets sail for Italy, encountering bad weather along the way. On one voyage, the ship is caught in a storm, forcing everyone to throw out the cargo. While they are waiting on the boat without food, Paul assures them of their deliverance. Eventually they all make for land by either swimming from the ship or going over on planks or broken pieces of the ship.

M’Cheyne’s Daily Readings for July 25, 2018

Judges 8: Gideon captures and slays the kings of Midian- Zebah and Zalmunna. He leads the people into idolatry by making a golden ephod. Gideon has seventy sons, including Abimelech, the son of his concubine. After Gideon dies, “the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god” (8:33). The cycle of idolatry-deliverance-idolatry continues on. Israel’s leaders, rather than delivering them from their wickedness, actually lead them into even greater wickedness. Sinful human judges cannot save the people from the problem of sin and its consequences. Judges 8 cries out for a greater judge, one who can break the power of our idolatrous hearts

Jeremiah 21: King Zedekiah sends Jeremiah to inquire of Passhur the son of Malciah and Zephaniah the priest whether the Lord will deliver Judah from Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah instructs Passhur and Zephaniah to tell King Zedekiah that Jerusalem will be destroyed and the King and his family taken into captivity- “Afterward, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion” (v. 7).

Mark 7- Jesus continues to experience opposition from the Pharisees. The unbelief of the Pharisees is set in contrast to the faith of the Syro-Phoneician woman. Jesus is reconstituting the people of God. His mercy extends to all nations.

Acts 12: Herod Agrippa (the grandson of Herod the Great) kills James the brother of John with the sword and has Peter arrested. The church prays for Peter and an angel of the Lord frees him from prison. After being freed, he meets with the church and describes to them how the Lord brought him out of prison. Herod Agrippa is struck down by an angel of the Lord “because he did not give God the glory” (12:3). We learn from Acts 13 that those who serve and depend upon the Lord are truly blessed, even when killed or imprisoned for the sake of Christ. On the other hand, those who magnify themselves in the sight of men will be judged by God. His wrath and curse abides upon them. Key verse: “Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last” (12:23).