First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: Zechariah 1:1-6

Today’s passage: Zechariah 1:1-6

Helpful thoughts:

  • Zechariah was born in Babylon and served as a priest in Jerusalem after the return from exile, during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
  • This book opens with a call to repentance.  After their return from exile (Which had been a consequence of their sin), the people continued in their sin!  God calls this logic (Or the lack thereof) into question.
  • In the end of verse 6, we see the response of the people.  They repented and acknowledged the truth of God’s rebuke.

Questions to consider:

  1. Why would the Lord continue to refer to Himself as the Lord of Hosts in this rebuke toward the people?  How had He shown Himself to be the God who commands the armies (Think: Angel armies, Israel’s armies, even foreign armies) to accomplish His will?  Why does it make so much sense to follow His commands even at this level of understanding?
  2. With all the logical sense that demands we obey God, do we?  Were the Jews ever going to nail down perfect obedience before God?  Could we?  Why not?  (John 8:31-34)
  3. What is our only hope of freedom from this slavery to sin (Romans 6:1-7)?  Who sets us free?

Devotional: Haggai 2:10-23

Today’s passage: Haggai 2:10-23

Helpful thoughts:

  • In the law concerning ceremonial cleanness, “clean” things could not make the unclean, clean.  However, “unclean” things could make what was clean, unclean.
    • The people were proceeding with worship without the temple and without worshiping God His way.  The offerings they were bringing were made unclean and unacceptable.
    • We might like to think we can do one good thing to undo a wrong, like penance.
  • God made a clear promise to the Jews.  Since they had refused to obey previously, they were not blessed.  Once the building of the temple resumed, His blessing came.
  • Zerubbabel should have/would have been the king of Judah had there been no rebellion and exile (Matthew 1:12-13, Luke 3:27 – He is in both Joseph and Mary’s line).  In the final verses, the Lord points forward to “That day” (The day of Christ’s rule and reign) and encourages Zerubbabel in his future role.

Questions to consider:

  1. Can a sinner cleanse his or herself?  Why not?  When Jesus touched the “unclean” lepers, what happened to them (Matthew 8:1-3)?  Did Jesus become unclean? Who alone can cleanse the unclean?
  2. What can we learn from this principle of the “Clean” and “Unclean”?  How does it relate to the idea of us being in the world, but not of it?  What (Or better, who) can we offer to the world for cleansing?
  3. God commanded the Jews to obey Him and also revealed to them His eternal reign.  When does looking forward to God’s future once-and-for-all victory produce an apathetic response, taking it for granted?  When does looking forward to God’s future promises instead produce a fervency to love and obey Him?  What must be true of our hearts to be motivated toward worship?

Devotional: Haggai 2:1-9

Today’s passage: Haggai 2:1-9

Helpful thoughts:

  • Those who had seen Solomon’s temple needed some encouraging after realizing the new temple would not compare (Ezra 3:11-13).  God reminded them the temple was not their glory.  He was their glory and He would be with them.
  • Even though the new temple after the exile was not as spectacular, there will come a day when the Lord’s glory would fill the temple again in Jerusalem.
    • This passage refers to the second coming of Christ and the Millennial Kingdom!
  • In a time of economic struggle, and the realization that Israel was not what it once was, the people here are reminded; God owns everything.  God rules over everything.  His sovereign will must come to pass.

Questions to consider:

  1. In what way will Christ become the treasure or the “Desire of All Nations” when He comes again? When we see Christ as our greatest treasure, how does it help us to see the “treasures” of this world more clearly?
  2. How can these truths about God’s power and promises give us comfort when it “looks” like things are not going in the right direction?  Whose side are we on?  Who is our champion?  Who can defeat the Lord of Hosts?
  3. What kind of temple is being built today (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 2 Corinthians 6:16-18)?  How then should we apply the call to, “Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord” (Verse 4)? (Matthew 28:19-20, Notice the promise of God’s presence in both commands.)

Devotional: Haggai 1

Today’s passage: Haggai 1

Helpful thoughts:

  • Haggai prophesied after the return from the Babylonian exile.  He is mentioned in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14.
  • The Jews had come to prioritize other things in life over the worship of the Lord.  The need to build the temple first (Or not) characterized their heart of worship (Or the lack thereof).
  • God sent His word and the promise of His presence to His people with this command.  With His words, He stirred up their hearts to obey (Verse 14).

Questions to consider:

  1. What does this passage teach us about our priorities (Matthew 6:33)?  When we get booged down with the cares of this life and think we do not have time for God, what are we forgetting?  Is there anything we could do that isn’t part of our worship to God (1 Corinthians 10:31)?
  2. How did God stir the hearts of these leaders and the people to obey?  When they weren’t obeying what did He do (Hebrews 12:11)?  When they needed correction, what did He give them (And now to us)? (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  3. What did repentance look like for the people in this situation (Verse 14)?  Do we simply stop sinning, or do we replace our wrong-doing or inaction with something different and good (Ephesians 4:22-32)?  How could this biblical principle help you to change and grow?

Devotional: Nehemiah 13

Today’s passage: Nehemiah 13

Helpful thoughts:

  • This chapter is believed to be the final chapter written in the Old Testament chronologically.  The final book in the minor prophets (Malachi) was written in conjunction with the events of this chapter.
  • This final chapter is really quite sad.  As soon as Nehemiah was away and back at his post with the king of Persia, the Jewish leaders and people began to tear things apart all over again.
    • The people were breaking the Sabbath.
    • The High Priests family was desecrating the temple, consorting with the enemy (Sanballat & Tobiah), and intermarrying with pagans.
      • In preparing a room for Tobiah in the temple, this would have included setting up pagan idols…in the temple.
    • The Jewish people’s children were speaking the languages of other nations (Meaning, in their marriages with the pagan peoples, they were being assimilated into the world and forfeiting their distinction as God’s chosen people).
  • The Jewish people were never going to be able to keep the covenant.  They were and are sinners (Just like the rest of us).  Man cannot accomplish righteousness through our own efforts.  We need rescue.  We need a savior!

Questions to consider:

  1. Why do you think, Nehemiah asked the Lord three times to remember him and his efforts for Jerusalem and these people?  If you were in charge of a large group of people who were supposed to be following God and they continually rebelled, how might you feel about your leadership?
  2. While some might see the books of Ezra and Nehemiah as a time of triumph for the nation of Israel, what should we learn from them as it relates to the whole of Scripture?  How does the continual inability of Israel/Jerusalem to live righteously point forward to the need for the Messiah to be a suffering servant and once-and-for-all sacrifice?
  3. How does the reality that man cannot achieve righteousness on our own point you to Jesus?  Both for your salvation and your sanctification?  How can it affect how you pray for others as well?  How does it change how we might measure fruitfulness in our life?

Devotional: Nehemiah 12

Today’s passage: Nehemiah 12

Helpful thoughts:

  • In today’s chapter we get a detailed list of the priests and Levites (Generations worth) who would serve after the return from exile…
  • And the account of the celebration for the dedication of the wall around Jerusalem.
  • David was said to have invented different instruments during his lifetime.  These could have been played on this occasion (Verse 36, Amos 6:5).

Questions to consider:

  1. What was the expression of emotion common among the people during these festivities (Verse 43)?  Why does this verse say the people became this way?
  2. What did the joy that God gave the people cause them to do?  When God puts joy in our hearts (Galatians 5:22), what does it give us desire to do and with whom?  Then, after we follow Christ together what does it give us (John 15:10-11)?
  3. To whom was the thanksgiving and singing directed?  Were the Jews all patting themselves on the back?  Was Nehemiah trying to hold a party in his own honor?  Why was it right and good for the people to give praise to God alone?  How does this compare to our need to praise and thank God for our salvation in Christ?

Devotional: Nehemiah 11

Today’s passage: Nehemiah 11

Helpful thoughts:

  • With the city of Jerusalem rebuilt and the commitment of the people to serve the Lord faithfully, it’s time to resettle in the land.
  • Ten percent of the people remained in Jerusalem to populate the capital city (The people tithed again!).  The remaining ninety percent reclaimed their ancestral lands and went “home.”
  • We get a reminder in this chapter, what remains of Israel are the descendants of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi.  The name “Jew” is derived from the tribe of Judah.

Questions to consider:

  1. Who was blessed in verse 2?  What did they do?  In what way were they loving their families and communities by volunteering themselves?
  2. As exciting as it might have been to see their lands resettled, what did this new Judah or Israel look like compared to how it have been before?  What challenges and obstacles might they have experienced as they journeyed back “home” and started over where they’d left over over seventy years prior?
  3. How is God’s grace and blessing put on display in this passage?  Where are these formerly exiled Jews now dwelling?  What are they going to be able to do which they haven’t for over seventy years?

Devotional: Nehemiah 10

Today’s passage: Nehemiah 10

Helpful thoughts:

  • The first 27 verses list the names of the leaders who signed the covenant which we just read in chapter 9.
  • This covenant was signed by leadership but the whole of the people pledged to follow it.  The “curse and oath” formalized the commitment of all the nation to follow God’s law.
  • Much of the second half of this chapter details the changes needed for the people to continue keeping the law.  With a reduction in population and tough economic conditions, there needed to be changes to ensure the people could obey the Lord.

Questions to consider:

  1. Why would these displays of unity among the leadership and among the people be so critical in encouraging the Jews as they moved forward?  Does one person’s passion and commitment make a church healthy?
  2. How does their tithing prove to be so important in continuing the worship for the people in Israel?  What are their tithes used to provide?  How did that provide for the spiritual health of the nation?  How can that be related and applied today to the church?
  3. What does it look like to “Not neglect the house of our God” today?  Was this vow just about the building or was it more than that?  How can you purposefully contribute and serve for the good of God’s house? (1 Corinthians 3:5-17)

Devotional: Nehemiah 9

Today’s passage: Nehemiah 9

Helpful thoughts:

  • As Israel continued in repentance, they assembled to read the Word of God for three hours and then confessed their sins and worshipped for another three hours.
  • The majority of this chapter contains the public confession that would have been read to the assembly and prayed to God during that three hour period.  This was how the leaders of Israel led the people in repentance.
  • The prayer recounts the steadfast faithfulness of God and the continual rebellion of His people.
    • In verses 32 and on, the request turns to the present, including the promise of a covenanted loyalty on the part of Israel.

Questions to consider:

  1. In what way does verse 33 seem to summarize the whole prayer in this chapter?  What were the people acknowledging was true about God and about themselves?
  2. With everything we know about the covenants that God had previously given to Israel, and the way Israel treated Jesus Christ once He came, how does this attempt at a covenant taste a little more bitter than sweet?
  3. What are we to learn from the continual failings of mankind to keep their own covenants with God?  On whose working does our salvation rely (Ephesians 2:8-9)?