Week 25

12 - 18 November

Psalms 119.1-112,  2 Chronicles,  John 7 - 12, Proverbs 27


Day
Date
Psalm
OT
NT
Proverbs
Wednesday
12 November
2 Chronicles 1.1 - 6.31John 7.1-36
Thursday
13 November
2 Chronicles 6.32 - 12.16John 7.37 - 8.20
Friday
14 November
2 Chronicles 13 - 18John 8.21-59
Saturday
15 November
2 Chronicles 19 - 24John 927.1-13
Sunday
16 November
2 Chronicles 25 - 29John 1027.14-end
Monday
17 November
Ps 119.81-962 Chronicles 30 - 33John 11
Tuesday
18 November
2 Chronicles 34 - 36John 12


Psalms

Psalm 119 is by far the longest in the psalter.  In cathedrals, where the entire psalter is covered each month, this psalm takes up several services.  It consists of 22 sections, each containing 8 poetic lines, and each beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  It celebrates God's law, the Torah.


2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles is a continuation of the sacred history of Israel started in 1 Chronicles.  It begins with the story of Solomon, David's son and successor.  Where 1 Kings sees Solomon as his father's heir in his weaknesses as well as his strengths, Chronicles focuses on Solomon's completion of what his father started, in particular the establishment of the worship of God in Jerusalem, with the building of the temple.
Both David and Solomon reigned for 40 years.  Solomon was succeeded by his son, Rehoboam, and almost immediately the kingdom fell apart.  The account in Chronicles is very similar to that in 1 Kings.  Thereafter, the Chronicler concentrated on the history of the southern kingdom, Judah, where David's throne and Solomon's temple are located.  However, he does not present a white-wash, seeing all too clearly the faults that led to disaster, and ending with warfare and the ruin of Judah in 587BC.
Nevertheless, the Chronicler is writing for an audience who are part of the restoration.  He knows that God's people survive, that God's word survives, and that God's land will be restored.


John 7 - 12

The main focus of these chapters is the question: 'Who is Jesus?'  The answer comes in the form of the 'I am ...' statements.  'I am ...', spoken by Jesus, occurs 26 times in John's gospel: I am ... light, bread, the door, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the way, the truth and the life, the vine.  In Exodus 3.14, God announces himself to Moses as 'I am who I am'.  John wants us to understand that Jesus is the full and final revelation of who God is, that in knowing Jesus, we know the Father, and that it is only through Jesus that we can come to God.
This section also gives us the story of the raising of Lazarus, prefiguring Jesus' own resurrection, but in no way comparable - Lazarus, like all of us will finally die, Jesus rises to new life.
In chapter 12, following this, Mary anoints Jesus with previous ointment, and Jesus interprets this as his anointing for burial.  The cross is already in sight.  Jesus then goes to Jerusalem, where the final events will unfold.



Proverbs 27

Advice on friendship, plus mocking of a pretentious greeting.









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