Bible Reading Planner - Step 4

<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <P><FONT SIZE="-1">Notes for: <A HREF="#week7">Week 7</A> | <A HREF="#week8">Week 8</A> | <A HREF="#week9">Week 9</A> | <A HREF="#week10">Week 10</A></FONT></P> <P><BR> </P> <TABLE BORDER="0"> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP"> <H2><A NAME="week7"></A>Week 7</H2> <H3>ISRAEL UNDER THE ROMANS</H3> <P>Roman domination of the land and people of Israel in the days of Jesus was almost total. Many patriotic Jews therefore would eagerly have followed anyone who could promise them hope of freedom from the Romans.</P> <P>Jesus of Nazareth obviously had the power to do it. His miracles showed that. He had already rejected the temptation to snatch at human glory. His Kingdom was to be a future one and would be given to him by his Father. First he must conquer sin in order to free men from its bondage and from death. Then he would be fit to be King of the Earth.</P> <P>His followers too must learn to rule themselves before they could become rulers of others. And their concern must be for the Kingdom of God, not for the politics of this world.</P></TD> <TD ROWSPAN="2"><IMG SRC="../images/palestin.gif" HSPACE="10" WIDTH="373" HEIGHT="514"> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="BOTTOM" ALIGN="RIGHT"><FONT SIZE="-1"><I>Palestine in the time of Jesus</I></FONT></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <H3>DAILY NOTES</H3> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <TR> <TD>SUNDAY <BR><I>Matthew 15 </I></TD> <TD>Jesus knew that sin arises from the heart (or mind) of man. It is that which needs cleansing (verses 18-19).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>MONDAY <BR><I>Matthew 16</I></TD> <TD>Jesus is the Christ (the Jewish Messiah) and he is the Son of God (verse 16). He foretold his death (verse 21). Would-be disciples must follow the path of self-denial (verses 24-26).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>TUESDAY <BR><I>Matthew 17</I></TD> <TD>The transfiguration of Jesus was a foretaste of Jesus in glory as future King. See Matthew 15:28 and 2 Peter 1:16-17.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>WEDNESDAY <BR><I>Matthew 18</I></TD> <TD>To be "as little children" (verse 3) means to be trusting (not childish), taking God at His word.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>THURSDAY <BR><I>Matthew 19</I></TD> <TD>Everlasting life and joy in the coming Kingdom will be given to those who follow Christ (verses 27-29).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>FRIDAY <BR><I>Matthew 20</I></TD> <TD>Jesus knew what was going to happen to him (verses 18-19). The Old Testament had foretold it. He believed he would be raised from the dead (verse 19).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>SATURDAY <BR><I>Matthew 21</I></TD> <TD>Verses 1-11 only partly fulfilled Zechariah 9:9. The rest will happen when Jesus comes again as King of the world.</TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P></P> <HR> <H2><A NAME="week8"></A>Week 8</H2> <TABLE BORDER="0"> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="30%"> <H3>JOSEPH LIKE JESUS</H3>The divinely recorded life of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) contains many parallels with the life of Jesus. This is one of many ways in which the Old Testament prefigures the coming Christ and even foreshadows his rejection by his own people.</TD> <TD> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5"> <TR> <TH>Joseph</TH> <TH>Jesus</TH> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Joseph was loved by his father.</TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Jesus was God's wellbeloved Son.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Joseph was hated by his brethren.</TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Jesus was rejected by his own people. </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Joseph learned patience through experience.</TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Jesus was "made perfect through sufferings".</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Joseph was imprisoned but later released. </TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Jesus was released from the grave, by God.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Joseph was called <CITE>Zaphnath-paaneah</CITE> <BR>(The saviour of the world).</TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Jesus IS the Saviour of the world!</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Joseph saved his brethren and forgave them.</TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Jesus will forgive his people and save them.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Joseph was exalted to be next to the King.</TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP">Jesus has been exalted to receive God's Name and will be King of the world.</TD> </TR> </TABLE></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <H3>DAILY NOTES</H3> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <TR> <TD>SUNDAY <BR><I>Genesis 32</I></TD> <TD>Jacob's name was changed to ISRAEL (a "prince with God") because he trusted God.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>MONDAY <BR><I>Genesis 33</I></TD> <TD>Jacob now acknowledged that all his blessings are from God, including his children (verse 5) and his goods (verse 11).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>TUESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 37</I></TD> <TD>Joseph was made family priest. The "Coat" was the priestly garment. This made his brothers envious. His dreams were God's revelation of the future.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>WEDNESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 39</I></TD> <TD>Joseph, like Jesus, served others faithfully and resisted temptation (verses 7-8).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>THURSDAY <BR><I>Genesis 40</I></TD> <TD>Even in prison, Joseph continued to serve, but he was soon forgotten (verse 23). In this too he was like Jesus, forsaken by those he came to help.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>FRIDAY <BR><I>Genesis 41</I></TD> <TD>It was God who brought about the release of Joseph.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>SATURDAY <BR><I>Genesis 42</I></TD> <TD>Joseph knew his brethren before they recognised him. It is the same with the nation of Israel today who do not yet recognise their Saviour.</TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P></P> <HR> <H2><A NAME="week9"></A>Week 9</H2> <H3>JESUS LIKE US AND YET LIKE GOD</H3> <P>By his birth, Jesus was the son of Mary and shared our human nature. He is also the Son of God and the centre of God's Plan in creation. The gospels underline these two facts. Read the following verses from Matthew which demonstrate this wonderful truth. (Matthew 1:1, 18, 23; 3:16-17; 16:16; 22:41-45; 26:63; 27:40, 43, 54).</P> <P>God's Son was born of woman that he might be Redeemer of mankind. God is his Father. The Father's love for us was to be made known in Jesus.</P> <P>Jesus lived like the Son of God by doing his Father's will in our frail and wayward nature.</P> <H3>DAILY NOTES</H3> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <TR> <TD>SUNDAY <BR><I>Matthew 22</I></TD> <TD>The wedding garment (verse 11) represents the covering from sin we each need, if we are to be acceptable to Christ at his coming.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>MONDAY <BR><I>Matthew 23</I></TD> <TD>Jesus never condemned the sinner who was trying to do right, but those who made a pretence at being good received his strongest condemnation.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>TUESDAY <BR><I>Matthew 24</I></TD> <TD>In this chapter, Jesus foretold first the scattering of the Jews in AD70 and then events leading to his return (verse 30).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>WEDNESDAY <BR><I>Matthew 25</I></TD> <TD>Three parables in this chapter show that there will be a judgment when Christ returns. We need to be ready (verse 13).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>THURSDAY <BR><I>Matthew 26</I></TD> <TD>Jesus enters his darkest hour as foretold in the Scriptures. The bread and the wine symbolise the giving of his life (verses 26-29).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>FRIDAY <BR><I>Matthew 27</I></TD> <TD>All knew Jesus was innocent, yet he was crucified. The title over the cross spoke of his true mission (verse 37).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>SATURDAY <BR><I>Matthew 28</I></TD> <TD>The Lord is risen indeed and his victory is complete. His work continues through the apostles with the full authority of God (verses 18-20).</TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P></P> <HR> <H2><A NAME="week10"></A>Week 10</H2> <H3>BURIAL IN THE PROMISED LAND</H3> <P>Most of the patriarchs asked to be buried in the land of Canaan, thus showing their faith in God's promises. He had promised them a literal inheritance of the land - for ever. This meant he would one day raise them from the dead to fulfil his promises (Acts 7:5 with Luke 13:28-30).</P> <P>Meanwhile, as evidence that their inheritance was FUTURE and not immediate, they were to be "strangers and pilgrims" on the earth, not yet in possession of it (Hebrews 11:13, 39-40). So Abraham BOUGHT a piece of land in which to bury Sarah. Abraham himself was buried there as also were Isaac and Rebekah and Leah (Genesis 49:29-31) and Jacob (Genesis 50:13).</P> <H3>DAILY NOTES</H3> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="5" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <TR> <TD>SUNDAY <BR><I>Genesis 43</I></TD> <TD>Joseph met all of his brethren and they bowed down before him (verse 28). Remember Joseph's dreams? Had Joseph taught his steward about God? (verse 23). Those who know about the God of Israel should tell others.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>MONDAY <BR><I>Genesis 44</I></TD> <TD>Joseph's brethren were being led to confess their faults (Genesis 42:21; 44:16). Notice that Judah was the first to plead with Joseph. See the chart for <A HREF="step3.htm#week6">Week 6</A>.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>TUESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 45</I></TD> <TD>Joseph did not seek revenge. He knew that his sufferings had been for his brethren's sake (verses 5-8). In this he was like Jesus.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>WEDNESDAY <BR><I>Genesis 46</I></TD> <TD>Here is a prophecy of the Exodus of Jacob's descendants from Egypt (verses 3-4). See Exodus 3:8.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>THURSDAY <BR><I>Genesis 47</I></TD> <TD>Jacob wanted to be buried in the land of promise (verses 29-30), because of his FAITH (Hebrews 11:8-16).</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>FRIDAY <BR><I>Genesis 49</I></TD> <TD>Judah was the chosen tribe from which "Shiloh" would come. The name means: "Whose it is", and refers to Jesus. See Ezekiel 21:27.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD>SATURDAY <BR><I>Genesis 50</I></TD> <TD>Joseph too wanted to be buried in Canaan, because he had the same FAITH (Hebrews 11:22). He died believing the promises (verses 24-25).</TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P></P> <HR> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="-1"><A HREF="#top">Top of page</A> | <A HREF="step3.htm">Step 3</A> | <A HREF="step5.htm">Step 5</A> | <A HREF="brtable.htm#table">Table of Readings</A></FONT></P> <P ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <A HREF="../index.html"><IMG SRC="../images/snicon.gif" ALIGN="MIDDLE" BORDER="0" WIDTH="28" HEIGHT="39"></A><A HREF="../index.html">Home</A></FONT></P> </BODY>