First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: Psalm 110

Today’s passage: Psalm 110

Helpful thoughts:

  • Jesus quoted this Messianic Psalm in order to ask the Pharisees a few questions concerning their unbelief in His deity (Matthew 22:41-46).
  • Jesus is King and also the “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:1-10).
  • The Word of God promises here a king who will rule over the nations who is both David’s descendent and his Lord, and then who is also a priest forever.
    • Jesus’ priesthood is superior because He does not require a sacrifice for His own sin.  Christ was suitable (Being without sin) to be our sacrifice!

Questions to consider:

  1. How does Jesus fulfill all of the promises from this Psalm?
  2. Once our eyes are opened to the truth of God’s Word concerning Jesus, how seemingly obvious does it become that these prophecies point to Him?  In what way might Jesus have been appealing to this by quoting this Psalm to the unbelieving Pharisees?
  3. How does knowing the sure victory of Christ is coming help us to think biblically about all that we see happening around us today?  How permanent is any of the world’s leadership until Christ returns?

Devotional: Psalm 109

Today’s passage: Psalm 109

Helpful thoughts:

  • This imprecatory psalm and lament is referenced by the Apostles in relation to Judas Iscariot in Acts 1:20.
    • The request that another “take his office” (Verse 8) lets us know this person who had sinned against David was a leader in Israel.  This was not a foreign king, but an Israelite who had become unfaithful to the covenant and sinful toward God and David.
    • The specific sin(s) appear to be about false accusations (Verses 25, 29).
  • In order to pray this to God, asking Him to bring about all of these consequences for the offender, the assumption must be that the offender will not repent.
  • We tend to think about blessings in a very individualized manner.  But the blessing of family was seen as a far greater (Or at least as good of a) blessing than any blessing of self.  For a man to know that his family line was ending would bring much grief.

Questions to consider:

  1. David is asking for justice in the midst of this suffering as a result of others’ sin.  God is always perfectly just.  How does God remain just while showing us mercy for our own sin? (Romans 3:21-26)
  2. How do we rightly balance our own desires to see God’s justice against sin with a humility towards others, remembering that we too are sinners (1 Timothy 1:12-15)?
  3. What does David expect to see come to pass?  What does He know about God and why does that give him hope? (Verses 30-31)  Why can these truths give us hope even when we don’t see God responding in the exact way we might want Him to?

Devotional: Psalm 108

Today’s passage: Psalm 108

Helpful thoughts:

  • This psalm was taken from two other psalms.
    • Verses 1-5 match Psalm 57:7-11.
    • Verses 6-13 match Psalm 60:5-12.
  • Our hearts can remain steadfast when they are fixed upon our steadfast God.
  • Events and occurrences around us can change, but God never changes and His promises never change.

Questions to consider:

  1. Why does keeping our hearts fixed on God help us during the ups and downs of life?  If God is using all of the “ups and downs” for our good, how does that change our perspective?
  2. When we begin to seek “the salvation of man” what changes in our thinking and our emotions?  What happens to any steadiness or steadfastness we might have enjoyed?  Why?
  3. What “salvations” do we often desire?  What salvation has God already gifted us that surpasses any other “salvation” we could want?

Devotional: Psalm 107

Today’s passage: Psalm 107

Helpful thoughts:

  • After the three verse introduction, calling on the redeemed to praise the Lord, there are four groups listed who ought to give Him praise.  The four groups come from four different directions in verse 3.
    • Those who wandered in desert places (Verses 4-9)
    • Those who sat in darkness (Verses 10-16)
    • Those who suffered in their foolishness (Verse 17-22)
    • Those who were caught up in the stormy seas (Verses 23-32)
  • God humbles the proud and raises up the needy.
    • “The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.” (Verse 42)

Questions to consider:

  1. What does the reference to the east, west, north and south bring to mind?  What is God gathering together for Himself?  Who WERE these people?  Who are they becoming by God’s grace?
  2. What similarities can be found in each of the four group’s accounts?  What was their condition?  Who came to their rescue?  How does this parallel with the Gospel message?
  3. Why are the upright able to see the rise and fall of peoples around the world and remain “glad”?  What possession do we have and what truths do we hold dear that give us the ability to remain steady and given a purpose no matter what might be happening in the world around us?

Devotional: Ezekiel 48

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 48

Helpful thoughts:

  • In this final chapter of Ezekiel, the portions of land are allotted to the tribes of Israel with greater specificity than in chapter 47.
  • Verses 8-22 describe the city (A new Jerusalem) which will be in the holy portion or district where the temple is.
    • The city gates are named after the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel.  The Levites are given entrance to the city as well, so the sons of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) will share a gate.
    • This new city will be named appropriately, “The LORD Is There.”

Questions to consider:

  1. What would you say is the big theme of chapters 40-48?  What is God going to do?  What promise has He given?
  2. Why might it be difficult to interpret these chapters?  Even if the details written out are not all that hard to put on a map or to diagram, what questions do you still have?
  3. What will be the best part of the new city, nation, temple, etc.?  No matter how or when this all happens, why will it be amazing? (End of verse 35…)

Devotional: Ezekiel 47

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 47

Helpful thoughts:

  • There will be a river that springs and flows out of the temple!
    • This river will make the Dead Sea a living sea, though the salt industry will still be able to function around it.
  • The “sea” is the Dead Sea.  The “Great Sea” is the Mediterranean Sea.
  • The land is redistributed for the tribes of Israel.  The amount of land is similar to what the Lord had allotted for Israel in Numbers 34.
    • Others from outside of Israel will come and have children within the land.  When they do, their children will be included in that tribe.  Therefore all twelve tribes could be populated with people of various ethnicities, though they would be considered full Israelites and members of their respective tribes.
    • This idea of foreigners becoming members of Israel is not an entirely new concept (Leviticus 19:34).

Questions to consider:

  1. Which characteristic of the river, or the changing of the Dead Sea, or the life returned to it, or even the fruit and vegetation of the region stuck out to you the most?  What will farming and fishing by like in this area after this river begins to flow?
  2. Knowing the people groups who live all around Israel and the way that people are able to “sojourn” even in our own day, what do you think Israel will look like as a people in the day described in this chapter?  When there is a peaceful prosperous country with this kind of produce and industry, what will people around the world want to do?
  3. How does reading passage like this help us to think about the people we see all around us and around the world today?  Where will the people of God come from (Revelation 7:9)?  To whom should the church take the gospel message (Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19-20)?

Devotional: Ezekiel 46

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 46

Helpful thoughts:

  • Today’s chapter contains instructions for worship on every Sabbath and new moon.
  • It might have been tempting to guess that “The Prince” was Jesus Christ, but unless the language here is quite figurative, it can’t be.  The Prince will have sons who will inherit his land.
  • The returning of land to the possession of the prince and his family is similar to the year of jubilee found in Leviticus 25:10.
  • God continues to provide for the priests in the temple through the sacrifices offered (Verses 19-24).

Questions to consider:

  1. Knowing that the gate to the inner court will be opened (Where the glory of God is), what would be the most exciting thing about going through the temple?
  2. If that gate faces east, why would it make sense that all who come to the temple would be required to enter from either the north or south and then only be able to exit the opposite gate?  What will everyone experience by walking from one side of the temple to the other?

Devotional: Ezekiel 45

Today’s passage: Ezekiel 45

Helpful thoughts:

  • God allots land at and around the temple for the temple, the Zadokite priests, the Levites and for the house of Israel.
    • The holy area is 8 1/3 miles long and 6 2/3 miles wide.  The city portion will add another 1 2/3 miles to the width (Making the whole area square).  “The prince” will have more land on the east and west sides.
      • Not counting the prince’s land, this area covers about 69 1/2 square miles (Over 44,000 acres).
      • For reference: Washington D.C. is about 68 1/3 square miles.  Modern day Jerusalem is about 48 1/3 square miles.
  • The land surrounding the temple “district” will be governed by “the prince.”
    • The prince will be responsible to ensure accurate and honest measurements and values for goods and currency.  God will demand and ensure perfect justice in that day!
  • The Feasts of Passover (Verse 21) and Tabernacles (Verse 25) will be reinstated during this time, but they will be celebrated differently than before.

Questions to consider:

  1. If the prince is governing people inside and outside of this city, what can we learn about life in the kingdom?  Are all of the people going to live inside the city, or will it serve much the same as cities do today, with suburbs and rural areas spread around?
  2. When will justice finally be seen on earth?  Though it is right for us to pursue justice now (Micah 6:8), will the world achieve it before Jesus returns?  What will things be like when the world is ruled with justice and integrity?
  3. What does it appear the feasts/celebrations of Passover and Tabernacles will both feature?  Will the world still be mindful of sin and the need of forgiveness and reconciliation during this time?  Where does full and final restoration come from (Hebrews 10:8-10)?  What will these sacrifices at the new temple be picturing?