September 30, Reading 1 – 1 Kings 22

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The death of Ahab is placed with his rejection of the Word of God through God’s prophet Micaiah. Jehoshaphat was a godly person. He foolishly allied himself with Ahab through the marriage of his heir. Jehoshaphat’s foolishness had devastating consequences for his family!

SJA Notes

“Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?”

This passage gives us a fascinating glimpse into heavenly politics, the spiritual happenings that occur outside of our perception.

Verse 20 onwards show us the discourse before the throne of God.

A spirit comes and says,

“I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.”

And so here is the behind-the-scenes glimpse of how things work.

The prophets telling Ahab (and Jehoshaphat) that they would conquer and triumph against the Syrians were false. False prophets.

And the Lord has His hand in this,

“Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets;”

These can be difficult truths to process, hard to understand and work through.

But we need to wrestle with them.

God does not lie (Numbers 23:19), He is the God of truth (John 14:6, John 16:13).

The devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

In these events God is completely sovereign. The lying spirit could not do a thing with the Lord commanding it (not simply a passive allowing).

It is good for us to be given these glimpses. We are not living solely in a physical world. The heavenly realities are real!

* God Above,

We sometimes struggle to understand Your word.

Please open the eyes and ears of our hearts to know what You have for us today. A little quiet word, a big profound mystery unravelled.

Whatever it is, whatever portion, Lord please show us Your word today. Write it on our hearts.

Because whatever You have in store for us, whatever part, it is all life for us! Your laws, Your commands, Your testimonies and precepts and rules.

Amen.

September 30, Reading 2 – Jeremiah 33

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Verses 22-26 are key verses. God’s promise to Abraham is repeated and is to be fulfilled through David’s line and the Levites. Read 1 Peter 2:9,10 to see how this applies to us through Christ. Use verses 3, 6-9 for meditation on God’s purposes for your church.

SJA Notes

* Gracious Lord God, please show us Jesus today. We would see Him.

“In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

Who is this RIGHTEOUS BRANCH?

We know the answer. It is great King David’s GREATER SON – God in the person of the Son, Jesus the Christ.

He is the life blooming from the stump of Jesse (David’s father).

He is the vine (John chapter 15), that we must be found in or face the fire.

And as we have seen clearly through Jeremiah, He is the EXECUTOR OF JUSTICE.

And He is our righteousness.

Are we found in Him today?

If not, let us not let the sun set without wrestling with our need for Jesus.

If we are, let us rejoice in our Risen King, the righteous Branch of Jesse – Our precious Jesus!

* Father God,

Thank You for not leaving us or forsaking us, Your people.

Thank You for Your great promises that we read of in this passage, and throughout Your word.

Please grow our trust in You, in Your faithfulness to fulfil Your promises – In the now, and in the not yet.

Please show us Jesus today.

Amen.

September 30, Reading 3 – Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Jesus is able to sympathise with your weaknesses! He is someone who has faced every temptation you have! Confidence in Jesus is the wisest thing we can give Him. It lies behind all prayer in hard and rending situations.

SJA Notes

* God of Faithfulness without end, thank You for Your love and for giving us Your word. Please teach us today.

“So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’;”

Jesus is able to interceded for us as our high priest BECAUSE He was appointed by God (after the order of Melchizedek, who had no chronology, beginning or end), and being the one who suffered as we suffer but remained obedient.

We see from this passage the folly of putting our weight of belief and trust in priests who are sinful man.

But in our King, who spent thirty-three years here on earth in the flesh – Our belief and trust in Him are worthwhile!

He did not fail, and will not fail.

He did not fail in His purpose, His every little action, thought and word.

He did not fail in being the suffering servant, the king who carried a crown of thorns, God the Son nailed to a tree.

And He will not fail because He has ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He reigns in glory, and He intercedes for us – Because He can, and He wills, and He loves us His sheep.

Hallelujah, what a Shepherd we have!

* Father God,

Thank You for Jesus, our great High Priest.

Thank You that we can trust in His intercession for us – That through Him we can be saved, eternally.

Please help us approach Your throne of grace with confidence. Not in ourselves, but in Jesus.

That we might receive mercy, and find grace.

Amen.