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About Bible Readings
What Stood Out |
The Word of the LORD To Day After the LORD sent the plague of frogs on the land of Egypt (Ex. 8:1-6), Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people (v. 8). Moses replied, Glory over me: when shall I intreat … ? (v. 9). Pharaoh's answer was: To morrow (v. 10). It may seem strange that a pagan ruler, so plagued that he would ask a servant of God to pray for him, would choose To morrow as the time to receive help. Perhaps he was hoping that he could find a solution independent of the LORD'S help. It is clear that the LORD was his last resort; the magicians had already done their part (v. 7). The LORD honored Pharaoh's choice of timing. From that point forward, the LORD did everything for him to morrow (8:23,29; 9:5,18; 10:4). The problem with to morrow is that to morrow is not the time God chooses. While Pharaoh chose To morrow for the Egyptians, God chose to day for the Israelites. Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever (Ex. 14:13). Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, … that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day (Ex. 32:29). Also … to day the LORD will appear unto you (Lev. 9:4). I command thee this thing to day (Deu. 15:15). Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; … That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day: That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself (Deu. 29:10-13). And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel (I Sam. 11:13). Jesus chose to day for Zacchaeus. He who is the The Word of God (Rev. 19:13; John 1:14) said … to day I must abide at thy house (Luke 19:5). This day is salvation come to this house (v. 9). God has also chosen To day for us. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts (Heb. 3:7-8). To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts (v. 15). Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts (4:7). But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (3:13). Isaiah recorded, Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near (Is. 55:6). Three of the four injunctions just quoted from Hebrews are about hearing the voice of God To day (3:7-8,15; 4:7). When Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to go with him to fight against Syria to reclaim Ramoth-gilead, Jehoshaphat replied, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day (I Kings 22:5). Kings of Israel were required by God to read His Law every day: Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose … . And … he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel (Deu. 17:15-20). David, who was anointed king of Israel, penned that the godly person delights in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night (Ps. 1:1-2). One might say, "I'm not a king, so I don't have to read the Law of God every day." But if we have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, Jesus Christ, who … washed us from our sins in his own blood, … hath made us kings and priests (Rev. 1:5-6). Peter reminds us: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood (I Pet. 2:9). The word royal means "kingly." So we who claim to be believers in Jesus have no excuse. If the Word of God is important to us, we will take time to read it each day. If emergencies arise before or while we read it, we will return to reading it after the emergency is dealt with. If we oversleep and have no time to read before going to work, we will take the first opportunity to read (the first break, lunch, or, at worst, the first opportunity after work). Those who are determined to read the Word of God each day will do so. Amos warned: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it (Amos 8:11-12). When Saul went to inquire of God, he asked, Is the seer here? And they answered … , He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day (I Sam. 9:9-12). The prophet Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him [Ahab] to day (I Kings 18:15). Where hast thou gleaned to day? (Ruth 2:19). Is it not wheat harvest to day? (I Sam. 12:17). To morrow could be too late. Let's not be like Pharaoh, who chose To morrow, or like Felix, who indicated that he was waiting for a convenient season (Acts 24:25). Let us take to heart and heed the plea of Jehoshaphat: Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day (I Kings 22:5). To go back to where you left off, use the "Back" button of your browser.
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