04/30/2017 DAB Transcript

Judges 11:1-12:15 ~ John 1:1-28 ~ Psalm 101:1-8 ~ Proverbs 14:13-14

Today is April 30th.  Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible.  I’m Brian. It’s good to be here with you the beginning of the new week, last day of the month of April.  We get two shiny bright new days in a row.  We get to start this week.  We get to live this week.  We get to choose this week.  We get to start over tomorrow with a brand new month.  So let’s dive in.  Brand new week, we’ll read from the Holman Christian Standard Bible this week and we will pick up with the story of the judges in the Old Testament and when we get to the New Testament we’ll begin a brand new book.  Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Judges chapter 11, verse 1 through 12:15 today.  

Introduction of a New Book (New Testament):

So, new week, new book in the New Testament.  We have arrived at the book of John, which is the final of the gospels. Of course, the gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  As we were going through Matthew, Mark and Luke, we talked earlier about the fact that these are known as the synoptic gospels largely because there is a definite harmony to them.  In many ways they cover very similar ground.  They seem to be sharing the same traditions and stories.  John, on the other hand, is quite a bit different.  It is about 90% different, in fact.  There is only about 10% of John that refers back to any of the material in the synoptic gospels.  

John was one of Jesus’ disciples.  There really isn’t any contention over who wrote the book of John. There are many compelling facts even in other church histories that John was the author of the gospel of John and that he wrote these things down after he moved from Jerusalem to Ephesus during his later years.  

After Jesus died and was raised from the dead and ascended back into heaven, John went on to be a church leader in Jerusalem.  He was known as a pillar of the church in Jerusalem, a core leader, but he did leave Jerusalem around AD 66.  Then in AD 70, so just four years later, the Romans had just had enough of the Jews and the rebellion and revolt that had been going on, and they came and just leveled Jerusalem.  It is believed that John left a few years before that happened and moved to Ephesus where he was a church leader there.  There is quite a bit of historical evidence to prove this.  Many young disciples of the older John went on to live lives after he died and wrote stories of his life and of the early church that still survive today.

John wrote his gospel in Ephesus later in his life and he refers to some of the other stories in the synoptic gospels, so it seems that he had knowledge of them and that this was the last of the gospels written.  John knew the traditions of the faith, obviously.  He was actually a disciple of Jesus.  And he knew the stories because he was actually there. But he also knew what had already been written down and rather than retelling the same stories, he essentially wrote the rest of the story.  This is important because whereas the other gospels were written to be a compelling story of Jesus and a reason to believe, John’s gospel was written to those who already believed.  He wrote it to strengthen and deepen the faith of those who had already come to know Jesus and the way of his teachings.

You’ll notice as we go through that John has a specific and unique writing style.  It’s not like this linear page-turner.  Then this happened…then this happened…then this happened.  It is not written A to Z.  John may make a point that he comes back to later on.  In fact, he does this a lot.  If you’ll embrace this, you’ll find that the language is conversational and beautiful rather than just the facts, just an account of events.  You’ll find that the spirit of the book of John is written with great passion and care and it’s beautiful to experience, especially following Matthew, Mark and Luke.  John is intimately written and reading it gives us the sense of sitting at the feet of this old man who has been a saint in the early church as he recalls the stories that he actually participated in, stories that shaped his life for sure and had grown sweet with age, told by a great man who had experienced great things.  

With that, we begin the final of the gospels, John chapter 1, verses 1 through 28 today.  

Commentary

We’ve launched our way into the gospel of John which is going to be epic and amazing and really, this is the last time we get to walk alongside Jesus because as we move away from John, we’ll be moving into the what comes next. Not that the presence of Jesus won’t be in the Bible and not that the presence of Jesus isn’t in our lives, I’m just saying it will be the last time that through our reading we’ll be following along in the footsteps of Jesus and so we want to pay attention, so we want to soak it up and we want to drink it in.  It is so beautiful.  

The elephant in the room in today’s reading is this judge named Jephthah and his vow.  We got a little bit of his story, how he was cast away, he was the son of a prostitute. He wasn’t welcomed into his family. He was shunned from his family and he went away and kind of got a band around him, a band of guys, sort of a little militia and when trouble comes, the people come to get Jephthah and want him to be the leader.  All that happened and as he’s going off into this battle, he just makes this vow, “Whatever comes out of my door when I get back victorious, if I’m victorious, I will sacrifice that to God.”  Of course, when he comes back from the battle, his only child, his daughter walks out the door.  

It’s a gut punch for him.  He is obviously dismayed and then the girl kind of understands what is going on and asks for these two months.  Then she comes back and it seems to happen.  There is scholarship and some believe that she was given as a living sacrifice to God so she could never marry and never have children, was devoted to the service of the Lord, kind of like the function of a nun.  That is much more palatable.  But just a direct reading of the scriptures seems to indicate that she came back and she became a sacrifice.

So we get all this disruption inside of us, this kind of angstiness that comes up in certain stories of the Bible like this one and we’re like what is going on here?  This person decided to sacrifice a human being to God, what is that about?  What is going on here?  This is a new level.

It’s in those times, especially as I’ve read through these stories so many times, they always bothered me until I decided one year that I was going to go into every single one of these places because I needed to understand kind of how these stories fit together with this broader picture of who God is.  So in the case of this story, we find that the idea of sacrificing a human being to an idol or to a god, to the local gods or the regional gods or whatever, that is not a new concept.  But God himself talks about this promised land and when he does talk about this promised land, before the children of Israel are there, he talks about what the people there are doing.  They are sacrificing their children to the gods.  And God says, “Something that had never even occurred to me, something that I didn’t even ever ask for, something that is detestable to me.” That’s God’s opinion of that sort of ritual and behavior.  He said it himself.  So what is absent from these stories that bothers us is God.  Right?

So we read the story of Jephthah and God isn’t in that story or deigning that vow, asking for that kind of sacrifice, inviting that sort of behavior. So whether the daughter of Jephthah was given over to perpetual virginity and just the service of God as a living sacrifice or whether she was actually laid on an altar and her life was taken in sacrifice, neither one of those things God asked for.  Which is one of the beautiful things about the Bible. It is not propaganda.  It is not this glossed over version of an unachievable life made up of legend and myths.  It leaves all of the grit and dirt and choices in.  It leaves the story in there because on a larger scale the Bible is showing us our hearts, the hearts of mankind, and the kinds of decisions that we make from our hearts and where those paths lead, all the while revealing an ever-present Father who gets cut out of the story at times by the people’s choices, but never abandons.  Then the Bible opens up because it is our story too.  

Have you ever been facing something where you throw up that prayer “God, if you’ll do this, if you’ll come through for me here, I swear I’ll…” And then you name it, the bargaining chip, the offer of your good behavior in exchange for his blessing on something you want really bad, want to achieve really bad, something that you want to get away from that you’ve done that you think is really bad and so then the negotiation begins.  That is pretty much what we’re seeing happen in the judge Jephthah’s life here.  We’ve done the same things.  Maybe not to that extreme, but the same kinds of things and it comes kind of from the same sort of place.  “If I can appease this angry or irritated God into doing something nice for me, then he’s going to want something from me and what I’m going to give him is whatever I promised.”  And you realize that doesn’t really look like a relationship.  That is a transaction for sure, but it doesn’t really look like two people who are in love with each other.  Then we realize, these things that bother me in the Bible, these stories that are sort of weird, God’s not really in tha t story.  It is a picture of a person making these choices and we get to find out where they lead.  In the case of Jephthah, they led to great, great loss.  

Prayer

Father, we invite you into that, into that story, into what we’re thinking about, the ways in which we’ve tried to throw up these negotiating chips.  You have something I want, I have something you may want, let me see here what can I throw out here?  What can I do if you’ll do something nice for me?  You died for us, so we’re kind of above that game. You came here and died here for us, so it can’t be that you just want us to throw our chips on the table and kind of offer a good solid week of not doing this or not saying that or not participating in that.  You died for us.  We’ve got to go beyond that.  You died for us and so we live for you.  You gave your all and that is what you expect.  It’s not a bargaining chip.  That is just how the relationship is shaped.  That is how two people who have fallen in love live.  So we’re sorry for the ways that we estrange ourselves from you like Jephthah, like that.  We’re sorry for the ways that we estrange ourselves from you by reading stories like Jephthah and just thinking bad things as if somehow you are not good. Our opinion of you doesn’t change who you are.  Our denial of you doesn’t change who you are.  You are the Almighty God and you are good.  Our judgement of that doesn’t change a thing.  How arrogant!  So forgive us, Lord, for the ways we have been arrogant, for the ways that we’ve tried to play games.  We simply want to be in love with you and you have done everything you can possibly do to convince us that you are in love with us.  So it boils down to a leap of faith into the loving arms of a Father. So we come and we jump into your lap and we love you.  As we move through the book of John, the gospel of John, this last retelling of your human life, Jesus, may it be like we’re sitting on your lap and receiving kindness and love from your heart as you nurture us through your word.  Come, Holy Spirit, we pray.  In Jesus’ name, amen.  

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And that’s it for today.  That’s it for this month.  Well done! We have made it through four months of the year already.  And yep, for sure by now, if you’ve been in the rhythm every day this year, then yeah, the fruit becomes self-evident.  You can see that maybe the circumstances of life haven’t changed, but something inside is changing.  That is the beauty.  So well done. We’ve completed our fourth month and we’ll look forward tomorrow to launching ourselves into the month of May. But that’s it for today.  That’s it for this month.  I’m Brian.  I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Hi family.  This is Salvation is Mine.  What I’m about to leave is in direct line to what Asia is going through right now with someone on the DAB.  As I was driving yesterday, the Lord gave me an old TV show.  I don’t know if anyone remembers the Twilight Zone, but there was an episode on the Twilight Zone where this man was about to be hanged. It was like 4 o’clock in the afternoon and it was pitch black.  At the end of that episode it was determined that there was so much hate in the world that city by city by city was going black because of all the hate in the world. We need to fight hate.  We need to fight people hurting each other.  We as Christians need to stand up and say that we are not going to stand for it.  Oh family, please, please don’t let this world go black.  Please don’t let it be like that Twilight Zone episode that had the lesson that there is just too much hate in this world.  Let there be love.  Let there be light.  Let your light shine.  Show Asia that our lights shine for her, that we lift her up and that the person, whoever this was that misinterpreted what she said, that their heart has turned black and that we are praying for their heart or whatever is going on with them, that it will come back around to the light of what Jesus Christ is which is love and mercy.  I will never, ever let anyone on the DAB or anyone else stop me from calling in to be a light for God and neither should you.  Love one another.  Keep one another.  Hold one another.  God bless you all.  This is Salvation is Mine in San Leandro, CA.  Thank you.  

Hello Daily Audio Bible.  My name is Pamela.  I am calling from the San Francisco Bay Area.  This is the very first time I’m calling and it is a very difficult call for me to do.  I love the Lord so much and I have been walking with him.  I’ve been a Christian for several years and I’m trying to hold myself from crying.  This is hard because I do key things to myself and I thank you so much, Brian, for the introduction what to do and what to say when you’re leaving a message because this is so hard.  But anyway, the reason why I’m calling is I am asking for prayer.  I don’t even know how to express myself.  I’m not comfortable speaking out what my needs are. I am one of those people who is more comfortable helping or stepping in, but I’m dealing with a lot in terms of just struggles of being a single African-American woman, college-educated professional in Silicon Valley.  I love the Lord.  I’m a Christian and I’m just so grateful and I’m thankful, but I am just going through a trial.  It is a spiritual thing.  I know God is working on me.  I live here in Silicon Valley and I work really hard and have so many goals and I feel like I’m nowhere near where I’m supposed to be in my spirit.  It just hasn’t happened.  I’m single and I was trying to figure this thing out on my own and I feel like it’s a struggle.  I was married back in 2000 and the marriage was short, but I’ve always longed for after that, not right after that, just recently and I don’t know.  I feel like sometimes I’m thinking is this what God is __ me?  Like you were married, you had someone who was successful, great and I just getting into what I wanted to do in terms of I finished…

Hi Daily Audio Bible friends.  This is Lost in the Desert.  I’ve called once or twice before, but I’m calling again.  I’ve listened to so many of you call and I just lift you guys up in prayer every day.  Just wondering if you guys could please pray for my husband?  He desperately needs a Christian man to lead him. He needs a friend.  If it is on your heart, please, please pray for him.  Please pray for God to lead that man to him, somebody special.  And also please pray for my oldest son.  He’s just really struggling and can use some prayer.  Thank you friends.  Bye.  

Hello Daily Audio Bible family.  My name is Ginger from Mississippi.  I have been listening for about eight years.  I’m a first-time caller.  I just want to say, first of all, I love the Daily Audio Bible family.  Kind of a tongue twist, Daily Audio Bible __.  Anyway, I’m calling really because my brother that lives in Michigan, his wife has been admitted into the hospital and on this morning, April 28th, they said that they suspect it could be cancerous ___, so I’m calling the Daily Audio Bible family just asking for your prayers.  Isaiah 54:17 says no weapon formed against us shall prosper.  I’m trusting that.  I’m trusting that whatever she is going through, it shall not prosper.  So I’m asking you to just pray with me for her healing, for her deliverance, and that this scourge of cancer ___ is not going to be a part of her life in any kind of way.  And also I’m asking that…  She is such a believer in Christ Jesus and she loves the Lord.  Because of her stay in the hospital, so many people will become saved, delivered and set free, know Jesus did heal.  Just going through whatever they are going through, that she can assist them, she can work while she’s receiving her healing.  So I’m asking you just to pray with me.  And I just want to say I love you guys so much.  I love you so, so very much.  You are just awesome.  You truly are the prayers of the righteous that availeth much.  God bless you.  Thank you so much.  

Hi fellow Dabbers.  This is Joe the Protector from Georgia here.  April 28th, about 8 o’clock in the morning.  I haven’t called in a while, but I’ve heard some prayer requests over the last couple days and just wanted to call in with my prayers over them and thoughts.  First one was Jake in Maryland I believe it was, having some issues in your marriage. Brother, I understand what you’re going through.  I’ve been through a situation just like that.  We just give it to God and just ask that you continue to love her through this situation no matter what the outcome.  Annette A., boy, we heard the grief in your voice, just the pain, we just lift all that up to the Holy Spirit right now and just ask you to be overcome by that.  Trying to think if there was another one.  I’m sure I heard others, but those were the main two. Stanley in Maryland I believe it was called today on the 28th and man, what encouragement.  Great encouragement for Jeff.  Let’s just keep on doing that for each other, encouragement, lifting each other up.  That is what the body of Christ needs.  Alright, I think I’m about out of time, Dabbers.  Love you all.  Bye.  

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Sunday April 30, 2017 (NIV)

Judges 11-12

Jephthah Becomes Israel’s Leader

11 Jephthah(A) the Gileadite was a great warrior,(B) but he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father. Gilead’s wife bore him sons, and when they grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You will have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.” So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob.(C) Then some lawless men joined Jephthah and traveled with him.

Some time later, the Ammonites fought against Israel. When the Ammonites made war with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. They said to him, “Come, be our commander, and let’s fight against the Ammonites.”

Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me from my father’s house? Why then have you come to me now when you’re in trouble?”

They answered Jephthah, “Since that’s true, we now turn to you. Come with us, fight the Ammonites, and you will become leader of all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

So Jephthah said to them, “If you are bringing me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me, I will be your leader.”

10 The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord is our witness if we don’t do as you say.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead. The people put him over themselves as leader and commander, and Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the Lord at Mizpah.

Jephthah Rejects Ammonite Claims

12 Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against me in my land?”

13 The king of the Ammonites said to Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came from Egypt, they seized my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok(D) and the Jordan. Now restore it peaceably.”

14 Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites 15 to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites. 16 But when they came from Egypt, Israel traveled through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. 17 Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let us travel through your land,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he refused. So Israel stayed in Kadesh.

18 “Then they traveled through the wilderness and around the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon but did not enter into the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab.

19 “Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon.(E) Israel said to him, ‘Please let us travel through your land to our country,’ 20 but Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. Instead, Sihon gathered all his people, camped at Jahaz, and fought with Israel. 21 Then the Lord God of Israel handed over Sihon and all his people to Israel, and they defeated them. So Israel took possession(F) of the entire land of the Amorites who lived in that country. 22 They took possession of all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.

23 “The Lord God of Israel has now driven out the Amorites before His people Israel, and will you now force us out? 24 Isn’t it true that you may possess whatever your god Chemosh drives out for you, and we may possess everything the Lord our God drives out before us? 25 Now are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend with Israel or fight against them? 26 While Israel lived 300 years in Heshbon and its villages, in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, why didn’t you take them back at that time? 27 I have not sinned against you, but you have wronged me by fighting against me. Let the Lord who is the Judge(G) decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.” 28 But the king of the Ammonites would not listen to Jephthah’s message that he sent him.

Jephthah’s Vow and Sacrifice

29 The Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah, who traveled through Gilead and Manasseh, and then through Mizpah of Gilead. He crossed over to the Ammonites from Mizpah of Gilead. 30 Jephthah made this vow(H) to the Lord: “If You will hand over the Ammonites to me, 31 whatever comes out of the doors of my house to greet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites will belong to the Lord, and I will offer it as a burnt offering.”(I)

32 Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the Lord handed them over(J) to him. 33 He defeated 20 of their cities with a great slaughter from Aroer all the way to the entrance of Minnith and to Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued(K) before the Israelites.

34 When Jephthah went to his home in Mizpah, there was his daughter, coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing!(L) She was his only child; he had no other son or daughter besides her. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have devastated me! You have brought great misery on me.[a] I have given my word to the Lord and cannot take it back.”

36 Then she said to him, “My father, you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me as you have said, for the Lord brought vengeance on your enemies, the Ammonites.” 37 She also said to her father, “Let me do this one thing: Let me wander two months through the mountains with my friends and mourn my virginity.”

38 “Go,” he said. And he sent her away two months. So she left with her friends and mourned her virginity as she wandered through the mountains. 39 At the end of two months, she returned to her father, and he kept the vow he had made about her. And she had never been intimate with a man. Now it became a custom in Israel 40 that four days each year the young women of Israel would commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Conflict with Ephraim

12 The men of Ephraim were called together and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon.(M) They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight against the Ammonites but didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you in it!”

Then Jephthah said to them, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites. So I called for you, but you didn’t deliver me from their power. When I saw that you weren’t going to deliver me, I took my life in my own hands and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why then have you come[b] today to fight against me?”

Then Jephthah gathered all of the men of Gilead. They fought and defeated Ephraim, because Ephraim had said, “You Gileadites are Ephraimite fugitives in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.” The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,” they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 from Ephraim died.

Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.[c]

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

Ibzan, who was from Bethlehem,(N) judged Israel after Jephthah and had 30 sons. He gave his 30 daughters in marriage to men outside the tribe and brought back 30 wives for his sons from outside the tribe. Ibzan judged Israel seven years, 10 and when he died, he was buried in Bethlehem.

11 Elon, who was from Zebulun, judged Israel after Ibzan. He judged Israel 10 years, 12 and when he died, he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

13 After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, who was from Pirathon,(O) judged Israel. 14 He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, who rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon judged Israel eight years, 15 and when he died, he was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.(P)

Footnotes:

  1. Judges 11:35 Lit have been among those who trouble me
  2. Judges 12:3 Lit come to me
  3. Judges 12:7 LXX reads in his city in Gilead

John 1:1-28

Prologue

In the beginning(A) was the Word,[a](B)
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.(C)
He was with God in the beginning.(D)
All things were created(E) through Him,(F)
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
Life was in Him,[b](G)
and that life was the light(H) of men.
That light shines(I) in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome[c] it.(J)

There was a man named John(K)
who was sent from God.
He came as a witness
to testify about the light,
so that all might believe through him.[d]
He was not the light,
but he came to testify(L) about the light.
The true light,(M) who gives light to everyone,
was coming into the world.[e](N)

10 He was in the world,
and the world was created(O) through Him,
yet the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to His own,[f]
and His own people[g] did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive(P) Him,(Q)
He gave them the right(R) to be[h] children(S) of God,(T)
to those who believe(U) in His name,(V)
13 who were born,(W)
not of blood,[i]
or of the will(X) of the flesh,(Y)
or of the will of man,[j]
but of God.(Z)

14 The Word(AA) became flesh[k](AB)
and took up residence[l] among us.
We observed His glory,(AC)
the glory as the One and Only(AD) Son[m] from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed,
“This was the One of whom I said,
‘The One coming after me(AE) has surpassed me,(AF)
because He existed before me.’”)(AG)
16 Indeed, we have all received grace(AH) after grace
from His fullness,
17 for the law was given through Moses,(AI)
grace and truth(AJ) came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God.[n]
The One and Only(AK) Son[o]
the One who is at the Father’s(AL) side[p]
He has revealed Him.(AM)

John the Baptist’s Testimony

19 This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem(AN) sent priests(AO) and Levites(AP) to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.”(AQ)

21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?”(AR)

“I am not,” he said.

“Are you the Prophet?”[q](AS)

“No,” he answered.

22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?”

23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord(AT)[r]—just as Isaiah(AU) the prophet said.”

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.(AV) 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with[s] water,”(AW) John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know Him. 27 He is the One coming after me,[t](AX) whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”

28 All this happened in Bethany[u] across the Jordan,[v](AY) where John was baptizing.

Footnotes:

  1. John 1:1 The Word (Gk Logos) is a title for Jesus as the communication and the revealer of God the Father; Jn 1:14,18; Rv 19:13.
  2. John 1:4 Other punctuation is possible: . . . not one thing was created. What was created in Him was life
  3. John 1:5 Or grasp, or comprehend, or overtake; Jn 12:35
  4. John 1:7 Or through it (the light)
  5. John 1:9 Or The true light who comes into the world gives light to everyone, or The true light enlightens everyone coming into the world.
  6. John 1:11 The same Gk adjective is used twice in this verse: the first refers to all that Jesus owned as Creator (to His own); the second refers to the Jews (His own people).
  7. John 1:11 The same Gk adjective is used twice in this verse: the first refers to all that Jesus owned as Creator (to His own); the second refers to the Jews (His own people).
  8. John 1:12 Or become
  9. John 1:13 Lit bloods; the pl form of blood occurs only here in the NT. It may refer either to lineal descent (that is, blood from one’s father and mother) or to the OT sacrificial system (that is, the various blood sacrifices). Neither is the basis for birth into the family of God.
  10. John 1:13 Or not of human lineage, or of human capacity, or of human volition
  11. John 1:14 The eternally existent Word (vv. 1-2) took on full humanity but without sin; Heb 4:15.
  12. John 1:14 Or and dwelt in a tent; lit and tabernacled; this word occurs only here in John. A related word, referring to the Festival of Tabernacles, occurs only in 7:2; Ex 40:34-38.
  13. John 1:14 Son is implied from the reference to the Father and from Gk usage.
  14. John 1:18 Since God is an infinite being, no one can see Him in His absolute essential nature; Ex 33:18-23.
  15. John 1:18 Other mss read God
  16. John 1:18 Lit is in the bosom of the Father
  17. John 1:21 Probably the Prophet in Dt 18:15
  18. John 1:23 Is 40:3
  19. John 1:26 Or in
  20. John 1:27 Other mss add who came before me
  21. John 1:28 Other mss read in Bethabara
  22. John 1:28 Another Bethany, near Jerusalem, was the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary; Jn 11:1.

Psalm 101

Psalm 101

A Vow of Integrity

A Davidic psalm.

I will sing of faithful love and justice;
I will sing praise to You, Lord.(A)
I will pay attention to the way of integrity.
When will You come to me?
I will live with a heart of integrity in my house.(B)
I will not set anything worthless before my eyes.
I hate the practice of transgression;
it will not cling to me.(C)
A devious heart will be far from me;
I will not be involved with[a] evil.(D)

I will destroy anyone
who secretly slanders his neighbor;(E)
I cannot tolerate anyone
with haughty eyes or an arrogant heart.(F)
My eyes favor the faithful of the land
so that they may sit down with me.
The one who follows the way of integrity
may serve me.(G)
No one who acts deceitfully
will live in my palace;
no one who tells lies
will remain in my presence.[b](H)
Every morning I will destroy
all the wicked of the land,
eliminating all evildoers from the Lord’s city.(I)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 101:4 Lit not know
  2. Psalm 101:7 Lit in front of my eyes

Proverbs 14:13-14

13 Even in laughter a heart may be sad,
and joy may end in grief.(A)

14 The disloyal one will get what his conduct deserves,
and a good man, what his deeds deserve.(B)

04/29/2017 DAB Transcript

Judges 9:22-10:18 ~ Luke 24:13-53 ~ Psalm 100:1-5 ~ Proverbs 14:11-12

Today is the 29th day of April.  Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible.  I’m Brian.  It’s wonderful to be here with you today as we together close down another of the weeks. Man, we’re closing down this month. Just about already through the month of April.  Hard to believe but true.  So we’re going to pick back up with the story not so much of Gideon because Gideon has died, but Abimelech, his son.  We read all this yesterday.  He assassinated his brothers, has become kind of a leader and we’ll just kind of move further into that story.  We’re reading from The Voice this week which is today and we’ll do something else tomorrow, which will be next week, but for today Judges chapter 9, verse 22 through 10:18.

Prayer

Father, thank you for another week in your word.  We just concluded the gospel of Luke and in it we get to experience once again your resurrection and victory that you then bestowed upon us. You won the prize and then gave it to us and told us to just share it with everyone else in the whole world, that this is good news that everything has changed now, that there is forgiveness for our sins and restoration within us to God.  This is the best news ever.  So we rejoice in this good news because it has not only changed our lives now, it has changed our existence forever.  So we thank you, Jesus.  Our lives without you would be lost, just completely lost.  But you came and you found us and we are found.  So we worship you and adore you and we seal this week in your name and we look forward to all that comes next, next week, all that you will say and do in our lives certainly through your word, but through the power of your Holy Spirit’s guidance.  Every day is a new day and every week is a new week and every week we get to choose how we’re going to behave, whether we’re going to believe you and live into this restoration that you offer or whether it is going to be the ebb and flow, the kind of stuff that we’re experiencing in the book of judges, the kind of stuff we’ve experienced many times in our own lives.  You’ve always been there saying choose life, that’s really all you’ve got to do.  Choose life. Follow me.  I’ll lead you into all truth.  So we accept.  Come Holy Spirit, we pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.  

Announcements

Www.DailyAudioBible.com is the website.  It’s home base.  It’s where you find out what is going on around here.  We’ve been mentioning that we’re going to go back to this land of the Bible.  So all this stuff that is happening in Judges, that is happening in the city of Shechem, so much in the Bible happens in and around Shechem.  Like in the mountain of blessing and cursing, it is right there. Shechem is kind of like right between them.  We kind of get into some of that area.  There is just not a day that goes by that we’re not reading of a place that we try to go. We try to go to all the different regions and see all the different geography changes that happen in such a small area and experience it all.  So we’ll be going back to the land of the Bible and immerse ourselves in the stories of the scriptures in February 2018.  So February 19th through March 4th will be the next time that we’ll go and you are invited.  You can find out more about the trip, all the details about it at www.DailyAudioBible.com.  Just kind of scroll down and look for the little banner that says Israel 2018 and you’ll find what you’re looking for, all of the details.  We will look forward to seeing you soon.  

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that at www.DailyAudioBible.com.  There is a link.  It’s on the home page.  Thank you.  Thank you for your partnership.  If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible App, you can press the More button in the lower right-hand corner or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996, Spring Hill, TN 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, (877) 942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that’s it for today.  I’m Brian. I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Hello.  This is Walta from Charlotte.  I’m a burning bush that will not be devoured for the glory of our God and King.  I hope you guys can hear me.  I’m driving home from work and I listen to requests on my way home.  I heard I think Mark calling from Pennsylvania and I just want you to know I prayed for that baby.  I’m praying for healing in the name of Jesus.  I believe that God is capable.  He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above your expectations, so we’re going to believe the voice of truth, God who is the creator.  And also another brother called I think from Pennsylvania as well and he talked about us giving back to the community and supporting the DAB.  Your call is definitely God.  I believe that it was God influenced because I’ve been feeling the same way.  I’ve been feeling like calling in to say something as well and I know a lot of us go to church and we give our tithes and offerings at church, but allow God to lead you as to how you’re going to distribute whatever offerings you have to share because the DAB is totally worth it.  This is definitely good soil and so I usually don’t do it every month for DAB, but I think I will start doing that instead of just sporadically. Thank you for sharing.  God bless.  

Good day.  It’s Kathleen M. from Toowoomba, Queensland Australia.  How’s it all going?  Brian, Jill, it’s good to be still listening and listening to it all and I’m still praying along, but I need some prayer for myself today.  I’ve got a bit of infection on my arm and I’m shivering and my grains are up, I’m quite sore.  I don’t know if it is the infection or not and I know if I reach out for prayer, __ and I’ll be healed and set free.  Bless you all and thank you.  Thank you for __ and praying.  Bye.  

Hi, my name is Marlene.  I am a first-time caller from Colorado and probably about an 8 or 9-year listener.  My late husband introduced me to this and he’s been gone about 5 years now.  Eternally grateful for this and the format and just being able to stay connected to the Bible, so thanks to the Hardin family for that, first off.  But I do have a request today.  My son Nate has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  He’ll be having (excuse me) his second MRI today.  He’s only 23 years old.  It’s not considered aggressive at this time, but apparently things will change in the next several years, so prayers for him as he continues to follow and try to walk with God through this.  He is pretty young.  I also have a son that we just found out is going to be stationed in South Korea, so prayers for him as well too, and I really would like to finish up with a praise. My daughter will be graduating from college this May, so that is a big praise.  I’ve been able to get all three of my kiddos through college after the death of my husband, so that is pretty exciting.  So praise to Jesus and thank you for this format.  

Yeah, this is Miguel from California calling for Kevin from California.  Hello Dabalonian and fellow Californian. Brother, I’m just calling to continue to pray for you and pray for your story.  I want to share with you the prayer that has come to mind for me as I prayed for you.  It’s actually a scripture that is out of Matthew 9. It says no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment for the patch turns away from the garment and a worse tear is made.  Neither is new wine put into an old wineskin.  If it is, the skin bursts and the wine spills and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins so both are preserved.  And I realize this is a different context.  This is talking about old and new covenant, but I think about you and your relationship with your boys and this is the prayer that is not for a patching up, for a whole new, fresh relationship to be made and it is made possible by Jesus and in prayer. So join with me in prayer, Kevin and all you, family.  Father, I do ask for a new relationship for Kevin and his boys, for Levi and for Tekoa. Forgive me if the third’s boy name doesn’t come to mind at the moment, but Father, I do ask for this new relationship for them.  God, all things are possible in Jesus’ name and I ask for this to be made new in Jesus’ name and for the glory of God, to the glory of your story, Jesus, may this be possible.  We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.  

Hi family.  It’s Shannon from Texas and I just wanted to call and agree with Sheila from Texas about the marriages this week.  I’ve been fasting.  Well, I try to live what I call a fasted lifestyle, but I am agreeing for marriages. The woman who called, her husband’s name is Mike, she said he worships money and some other things, I’ve definitely been praying for you.  Been there, done that.  God can definitely do a work for you.  In my case, I didn’t stay, but that can be a blessing all in itself.  Sometimes we need to get away from abusive situations, but that is a personal issue, so I’m definitely lifting you up and also Keven, the father of Levi, Moses and Tekoa, for reconciliation for your children.  I’m believing with you for that and for your finances.  And also for Josiah, the little boy Josiah, I’m continuing to lift him up.  Love you guys.  Bye-bye.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday April 29, 2017 (NIV)

Judges 9:22-10:18

22 Abimelech was king over Israel for three years. 23 Then the one True God sent an evil spirit to stir up dissension between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. Consequently the leaders of Shechem acted with treachery against Abimelech; 24 and all of this happened so that the brutal murder of Jerubbaal’s 70 sons might be avenged and their bloodguilt laid upon their brother Abimelech, who had ordered their deaths, and on the leaders of Shechem who had lent their strength to his cause.

25 As a result of their new hatred for Abimelech, the leaders of Shechem began to ambush travelers along the mountain roads, robbing everyone who passed by, and these robberies were reported to Abimelech.

26 When Gaal, the son of Ebed, arrived in Shechem with his family, the leaders of Shechem trusted him. 27 After they had been in the fields, gathered the grapes, and trampled them for wine, they celebrated a festival in the temple of their god. While they ate and drank, they insulted Abimelech.

Gaal: 28 Who is this Abimelech, and who are we here in Shechem that we should serve him? Didn’t the son of Jerubbaal and his deputy, Zebul, serve the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father? Why then should we serve him? 29 I wish this people were under my command! I would get rid of Abimelech. I would tell him, “Go ahead. Call out your army!”

30 When Zebul, who governed the city, heard what Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, he was furious. 31 Secretly he sent messengers to Abimelech.

Zebul’s Message: Here’s what’s happening: Gaal, son of Ebed, and his family have come to Shechem, and they are igniting the city against you. 32 You should go by night with your troops and lie in wait in the fields. 33 Then in the morning, when the sun comes up, march on the city; and when Gaal and his forces come out to defend it, you can deal with them.

34 Abimelech and his troops prepared to do just as Zebul suggested. Four companies of men waited for morning. 35 When Gaal, the son of Ebed, went outside, stood in the gate of the city, and looked out, Abimelech and his troops rose from their hiding places to attack.

Gaal (seeing them): 36 Look, Zebul, people are coming down from the mountaintops!

Zebul: It’s just the shadows on the mountains. They must look like men to you.

Gaal: 37 No, look! One company is coming right down the center, and another company is coming from the direction of the fortune-teller’s tree!

Zebul: 38 Where are your big words now? Where is the loudmouth who said, “Who is this Abimelech, that we should serve him?” Aren’t these the men you insulted? Go on, fight them!

39 So Gaal gathered the leaders of Shechem, and they fought against Abimelech’s forces. 40 Abimelech overwhelmed Gaal and chased him and his men, many of whom were wounded and fell along the way as they retreated, all the way to the gate. 41 Abimelech remained in Arumah, and Zebul threw Gaal and his people out of Shechem.

42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to work the fields. After hearing this news, Abimelech 43 took his troops, divided them into three groups, and set an ambush in the fields.

When he saw the people emerge from Shechem, he ordered his troops to attack them. 44 Abimelech and his men captured a forward position at the city gate, cutting off any retreat. Then the other two companies of Abimelech’s men swept down on the people trapped in the fields and cut them down. 45 Abimelech continued his attack all day long, until he had captured Shechem and killed everyone in it. Then he demolished the city and scattered salt over the place where it had once stood.

Abimelech here carries out a devastating act in antiquity that ensures the death of an agricultural area, both food and water sources, for subsequent generations.

46 When those leaders inside the tower of Shechem heard this news, all of them entered into the stronghold of the temple of El-berith. 47 Abimelech learned that all the leaders were in the tower, and 48 he took his men up Mount Zalmon. There he took an ax, cut a bundle of firewood, and hoisted it atop his shoulders, ordering his men to quickly do the same. 49 When they had all cut and loaded their wood, they followed Abimelech back to the stronghold, where they piled the wood against the walls and set fire to it, killing about 1,000 men and women inside the tower of Shechem.

50 Next, Abimelech went on to Thebez. He laid siege to it, captured it, and 51 discovered that in the city was a strong tower where the leaders and men and women of the city had locked themselves in to escape and had climbed onto the roof. 52 So he stormed the tower, ready to burn this tower as he had the other. 53 But this time as he approached the entrance, a woman dropped an upper millstone upon him, crushing his skull.

Abimelech (to his armor-bearer): 54 Take your sword and kill me. I won’t have anyone say that I died like this—killed by a woman.

The young man killed Abimelech with the sword.

55 When the people of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went back home.

56 So God avenged the evil that Abimelech had committed against his father by murdering his 70 brothers, 57 and the evil of the leaders of Shechem God brought back on their heads; everything happened just as Jotham, son of Jerubbaal, had prophesied when he cursed them all.

10 After Abimelech died, Tola (the son of Puah, son of Dodo), who was of the tribe of Issachar and who lived at Shamir in the highlands of Ephraim, rose to deliver Israel. He served as judge and defender of Israel for 23 years. When he died, he was buried at Shamir. After Tola died, Jair the Gileadite served as judge of Israel for 22 years. Jair had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys, and they had 30 towns, which are in the land of Gilead and are still called Havvoth-jair today. When Jair died, he was buried at Kamon.

But again the people of Israel did what the Eternal considered to be evil right in front of Him. They worshiped the Baals and Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram and Sidon, of Moab and Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. When they abandoned the Eternal and no longer worshiped Him, He became furious with them and placed them in servitude to the Philistines and Ammonites who crushed them and ruled over them for the next 18 years. They oppressed the Israelites east of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites, and the Ammonites crossed over the Jordan to attack the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim; therefore, Israel was desperate. 10 Then the Israelites cried out to the Eternal.

Israelites: We have sinned against You because we have abandoned our True God and worshiped the Baals.

Eternal One: 11 Haven’t I delivered you in the past from the armies of the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, and the Philistines? 12 Didn’t I come through in your struggle against the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they swept down on you and over you, didn’t I hear your cries for help and rescue you? 13 Yet you have abandoned Me to worship these other gods. That is why I am finished coming to your rescue. 14 Why don’t you go and cry for help to the gods you have chosen instead of Me? See if they will save you now in your time of trouble!

Israelites: 15 We have sinned against You. Do to us as You think best, but please rescue us this one time more!

16 They put away the foreign gods they had worshiped and returned to the Eternal, and He could not bear to witness their suffering any longer.

17 The Ammonites had prepared for war and were camped in Gilead, so the people of Israel gathered troops and camped at Mizpah.

Gilead Commanders (among themselves): 18 Whoever will lead the attack against the Ammonites will be the leader of all the people of Gilead!

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Luke 24:13-53

13 Picture this:

That same day, two other disciples (not of the eleven) are traveling the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. 14 As they walk along, they talk back and forth about all that has transpired during recent days. 15 While they’re talking, discussing, and conversing, Jesus catches up to them and begins walking with them, 16 but for some reason they don’t recognize Him.

Jesus: 17 You two seem deeply engrossed in conversation. What are you talking about as you walk along this road?

They stop walking and just stand there, looking sad. 18 One of them—Cleopas is his name—speaks up.

Cleopas: You must be the only visitor in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about what’s been going on over the last few days.

Jesus: 19 What are you talking about?

Two Disciples: It’s all about the man named Jesus of Nazareth. He was a mighty prophet who did amazing miracles and preached powerful messages in the sight of God and everyone around. 20 Our chief priests and authorities handed Him over to be executed—crucified, in fact.

21 We had been hoping that He was the One—you know, the One who would liberate all Israel and bring God’s promises. Anyway, on top of all this, just this morning—the third day after the execution— 22 some women in our group really shocked us. They went to the tomb early this morning, 23 but they didn’t see His body anywhere. Then they came back and told us they did see something—a vision of heavenly messengers—and these messengers said that Jesus was alive. 24 Some people in our group went to the tomb to check it out, and just as the women had said, it was empty. But they didn’t see Jesus.

Jesus: 25 Come on, men! Why are you being so foolish? Why are your hearts so sluggish when it comes to believing what the prophets have been saying all along? 26 Didn’t it have to be this way? Didn’t the Anointed One have to experience these sufferings in order to come into His glory?

Luke has told his story. It ends with joy and praise. The crucified Jesus has been resurrected and has ascended to heaven to take His place at God’s right hand just as the ancient prophets predicted. For the band of disciples, Easter joy has eclipsed Good Friday sorrow.

This ending point becomes the starting point for Luke’s sequel, known as the Acts of the Apostles. The story isn’t really over; it’s just begun. The life and ministry of Jesus that Luke has just recounted is the mustard-seed stage of the kingdom of God that continues to grow and grow and grow. Now it’s time for this Kingdom to fill the world. If Luke’s Gospel is about what Jesus began to do and teach, then Luke’s sequel is about what the risen Jesus continues to do and teach through His followers for millennia. Luke writes in hope that future believers will be taken up into this beautiful story that will never, ever end.

27 Then He begins with Moses and continues, prophet by prophet, explaining the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures, showing how they were talking about the very things that had happened to Jesus.

28 About this time, they are nearing their destination. Jesus keeps walking ahead as if He has no plans to stop there, 29 but they convince Him to join them.

Two Disciples: Please, be our guest. It’s getting late, and soon it will be too dark to walk.

So He accompanies them to their home. 30 When they sit down at the table for dinner, He takes the bread in His hands, He gives thanks for it, and then He breaks it and hands it to them. 31 At that instant, two things happen simultaneously: their eyes are suddenly opened so they recognize Him, and He instantly vanishes—just disappears before their eyes.

Two Disciples (to each other): 32 Amazing! Weren’t our hearts on fire within us while He was talking to us on the road? Didn’t you feel it all coming clear as He explained the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures?

33 So they get up immediately and rush back to Jerusalem—all seven miles—where they find the eleven gathered together—the eleven plus a number of others. 34 Before Cleopas and his companion can tell their story, the others have their own story to tell.

Other Disciples: The Lord has risen indeed! It’s true! He appeared to Simon!

35 Then the two men report their own experience—their conversation along the road, their moment of realization and recognition as He broke the bread. 36 At that very instant, as they’re still telling the story, Jesus is there, standing among them!

Jesus: May you have peace!

You might expect them to be overjoyed, but they aren’t.

37 They’re startled and terrified; they think they’re seeing a ghost.

Jesus: 38 Why are you upset? Why are your hearts churning with questions? 39 Look—look at My hands and My feet! See that it’s Me! Come on; touch Me; see for yourselves. A ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you can see that I have!

[40 Then He shows them His hands and His feet.][a]

41 Now their fear gives way to joy; but it seems too good to be true, and they’re still unsure.

Jesus: Do you have anything here to eat?

42 They hand Him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and He takes it and eats it in front of them.

Jesus: 44 I’ve been telling you this all along, that everything written about Me in the Hebrew Scriptures must be fulfilled—everything from the law of Moses to the prophets to the psalms.

45 Then He opens their minds so they can comprehend the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Jesus: 46 This is what the Scriptures said: that the promised Anointed One should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 that in His name a radical change of thought and life should be preached, and that in His name the forgiveness of sins should be preached, beginning in Jerusalem and extending to all nations. 48 You have witnessed the fulfillment of these things. 49 So I am sending My Father’s promise to you. Stay in the city until you receive it—until power from heaven comes upon you.

50 Then He leads them out to Bethany. He lifts up His hands and blesses them, 51 and at that moment, with His hands raised in blessing, He leaves them and is carried up into heaven. 52 They worship Him, then they return to Jerusalem, filled with intense joy, 53 and they return again and again to the temple to celebrate God.

Footnotes:

  1. 24:40 Some manuscripts omit verse 40.
The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Psalm 100

Psalm 100

A song of thanks.

Psalm 100 is one of the best known and most loved psalms. This hymn of thanksgiving invites the whole world to come to God’s temple in Jerusalem and enter its sacred spaces with unbridled joy and hearts filled with gratitude. And why should we? The psalm provides the answer. Not only has God created us—a gracious act of love in and of itself—but He has made us His own people. He has chosen us and loved us. As with Psalm 23, God’s people are cast in the role as sheep living well in His pasture.

The psalm ends on a high note of confidence and hope. At all times—but perhaps more in times of difficulty—we need to be reminded of what is true. Regardless of what seems to be happening around us, the Eternal is good; His love and faithfulness will endure forever.

Raise your voices;
make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth.
Serve the Eternal gladly;
enter into His presence singing songs of joy!

Know this: the Eternal One Himself is the True God.
He is the One who made us;
we have not made ourselves;
we are His people, like sheep grazing in His fields.

Go through His gates, giving thanks;
walk through His courts, giving praise.
Offer Him your gratitude and praise His holy name.

Because the Eternal is good,
His loyal love and mercy will never end,
and His truth will last throughout all generations.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Proverbs 14:11-12

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
while the tent of the upright will prosper.
12 Before every person lies a road that seems to be right,
but the end of that road is death and destruction.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

04/28/2017 DAB Transcript

Judges 8:18-9:21 ~ Luke 23:44-24:12 ~ Psalm 99:1-9 ~ Proverbs 14:9-10

Today is April 18th.  Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible.  I’m Brian and it’s good to be here with you today, next step forward, kind of turning the corner toward the end of the week and we’ve been reading about this judge named Gideon in our Old Testament reading and we’ll pick up with his story today; Judges chapter 8, verse 18 through 9:21, and we’re reading from The Voice this week.

Commentary

Let’s just do a really quick recap of where we’ve been in the Old Testament. It gets so easy to get disconnected from the story and then kind of feel lost.  

So we get into Judges and hear of these people that rise up to lead God’s people for a period of time, usually their lifetime, but it kind of feels like they are popping up here and there and we’re kind of lost to the connection.   Let’s just quick go back and remember this guy Abram.  

Remember this guy Abram, way a long time ago, right after the New Year? Abram, who comes into a land that he didn’t know, following a God that he had just met?  Everything started there.  Abram becomes Abraham.  He has a child of promise named Isaac.  Isaac has a son named Jacob and I know I’m skipping some pieces, but he has a son named Jacob whose name becomes Israel and his children, Jacob’s children literally are the children of Israel because Jacob’s name is Israel.  One of those children’s name is Joseph who ends up getting trafficked as a slave into Egypt.  We followed that entire story and that is how the children of Israel got to Egypt.  

Then God raised up Moses 400 years later to free this massive people from slavery in Egypt.  Then we wandered around for 40 years.  Then Moses died.  Joshua became the leader of this people, the children of Israel, and they crossed the Jordan into the promised land.  Everything was well and good.  The land was granted out and divided up among the tribes during Joshua’s life.  And then Joshua died, but those who were contemporary with Joshua kept everything moving in the right direction.  But then everyone died.  Everyone who had ever been in the wilderness wandering around, everyone who had been that first generation in the promised land, they are gone. So the people don’t have a leader. That is where these judges come in.

It was a time where there wasn’t a central figure, a Joshua, a Moses. Everybody was just kind of doing what they thought was right and it didn’t take long before the mixture began and people began to worship the God’s of the Canaanites or the Hittites or the Amorites.  These people that are around, they began to fall in love and mix in other religious customs and it all kind of became this leaderless group of people.  This is where the judges come in.  

Every time we come to a judge, we’re moving another generation or two later in time, so we can go through the book of Judges not realizing that we’re moving through generations of people.  Every time we come to a new judge, this is a different generation of people, and so we’re getting further and further removed from Joshua, from Moses, and we’re seeing what is happening to the people over time, over the generations.

So we get to somebody like Gideon and we’re several generations removed and the people have been in the land for a while.  Everybody who is there has grown up there.  It is all they have ever known.  And then we hear the echoes of Moses’ warnings:  “When you get there and everything is all good and you are at peace, that is where your real battle is going to be.  That is when the seduction of the false gods that you will find yourselves worshipping, that is when that is going to challenge you.”  And that is exactly what we’re seeing.  

In the Gideon story we sort of see the texture of what is going on, regional power struggles for leadership and all of this.  Gideon frees the people and actually rallies the people together in a unified mission and they want him to lead, but he doesn’t want to be their leader.  But they do revere him and he’s kind of the unspoken leader, but he dies.  Forty years later he dies.  But he has a lot of kids.  Seventy kids is a lot of kids, a LOT of kids, but one of them, Abimelech, kills all of his brothers in order to become leader, in order to use the family name to gain power and we see that the people just begin to slide backward until God brings up a new leader.

There is like this forward movement and then this retreat, this forward and retreat, this ebb and flow, this back and forth that is going on that so deeply resembles our own stories.  God shows up, gives leadership, brings rescue, everything returns to normal, the slide backwards begins.  We find that we’re not so different than these people of so long ago, not in our hearts. I think that is one of the most beautiful things about reading the Bible.  It’s retelling the story of life on earth.  It’s retelling our story.  We find in the motivations of the people that we’re reading about the same things going on in our own lives.  And then the Bible becomes less of a religious book and one of humanity and over and over and over again we get to see where the roads lead, which allows us to choose what road we’re going to walk on.  

Then, of course, in Luke’s gospel we see where that road led Jesus and we see where that road led these same people.  This story of Gideon that we’re reading, many, many, many, many, many generations later it’s these same people calling for Jesus’ execution, which we witnessed today from Luke’s gospel.  And we’re reminded once again that God will not surrender his people to the darkness. He will not stop coming for us. He has always come for us and Jesus is the greatest rescue of the human race ever, the only one needed.  And thank God.  

Prayer

Father, as we find our life in the stories in the scriptures and as we find the great rescue in your story, Jesus, we’re once again in awe.  Your word speaks truth into our lives and then we can listen or we can ignore, but your word is kind enough to show us where either one of those places will lead us.  So we choose to follow you and invite your Holy Spirit.  Lead us into all truth.  This is the promise and we believe this because it has been true in our lives.  You lead into truth and that is what we want.  You lead on the narrow path that leads to life.  So come, Holy Spirit, we pray in the mighty name of Jesus that you would do exactly that, lead us into all truth, lead us on the narrow path that leads to life.  We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.  

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And that’s it for today.  I’m Brian. I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Hi Dabbers.  This is Victoria S. from Maryland and I’m calling in because I heard a message from Annette A.  And Annette, when I hear your voice, it always brings a smile on my face, even when you and Biola were reporting live from the More Conference, that just brought such a big smile to my face.  And I heard your prayer request and I heard your challenge about your son, Alex, and you made one important statement, that God had told you that he had plans for your son.  So regardless of what is going on right now, stay focused on the promise that God has told you and not the process.  Stay focused on the promise and not the process and what it comes to.  I’ll stand in agreement with you, praying and praying for your son as he is going through this little setback.  Be blessed and be encouraged, Annette.  And remember, we win.  

Good day Daily Audio Bible family.  I feel a little funny constantly calling all the time, but prayer is all that I know and all that I know to do and I think that is a good thing.  I’m going to push.  I’m going to pray until something happens.  I’m lifting up pastors.  That is where my heart is right now.  And pastor’s wives.  I’m praying for you, praying for your finances.  Pastors make so many financial sacrifices.  My husband and my credit is just messed up because we had to take a lot of our own personal finances to put it back into the ministry.  We came second.  So I’m praying for your finances.  I’m praying for pastors who are pulled by God’s heart to do his will, but you sometimes are alone.  I’m praying for you.  I’m lifting you up.  I’m praying for your wives, the struggle sometimes to make ends meet.  I’ve been there, not having enough food sometimes. So I’m just lifting up pastors. And I want you to please remember Pastor Gary in your prayers, that God will deliver him and set him free.  Have a wonderful day everyone.  God bless.  Bye.  

Good morning family.  This is Rachel in Houston and my heart is troubled today.  I’m behind on the Community Prayers.  I’ve been listening to them and there is just so much turmoil in marriages across our family.  It just breaks my heart.  I’ve been really praying about marriages.  I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who is actually going through a divorce and she said something and it has been on my heart and it keeps coming back and keeps coming back and I just feel like the Holy Spirit is telling me that there is somebody out here that needs to hear what she said.  I probably won’t say it exactly the way she said it, but basically she said we have to forgive ourselves because Jesus would never condemn us for getting out of something that he never put us in in the first place.  I don’t know who that is for, but just know that your spirit can be renewed and the troubles in your marriage, you can overcome those as long as you follow according to what Jesus wanted you to do, what God’s plan was for you.  So thirst for his will and everything else will come into play.  I don’t know who that is for, but I hope that helps someone.  And I also wanted to give a shout-out to Jeff who is doing the trek across Spain.  Our uncle…

Hi, this is Debbie from Sarasota.  I was just at the More Gathering Conference which was just a blessing to be there.  I’m calling for Matt.  I heard that your brother and his wife are pregnant and that their baby may have some complications.  Well, I’m going to pray for this baby as well as I would like everyone to pray for my daughter’s baby.  She will be due in two months.  Her baby was just diagnosed with cystic hygroma and they actually told her to have an abortion, but we did not do that.  So for Matt’s future niece or nephew and for my granddaughter, complete healing and a miracle for our babies.  And I know that there are a lot of women in there that have sons in jail as well as I do. I’m praying for you all and I’m praying for our sons.  God bless everyone.  Have a miracle day.  

Hello Daily Audio Bible family.  It’s April 26th.  This is Stanley from Maryland.  This is a specific call for Jeff from Virginia Tech.  You prayed for the boldness and the wisdom to know how to effect change at your campus.  Let me just say to you, brother, man, that is a very honorable, noble challenge, but we have a God who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we ask or think and so I wanted to share with you, man, a prayer and I wanted to share with you these lyrics from Rend Collective and the name of the song is called Build Your Kingdom Here, so I’m just going to quote to you the chorus and I’m going to be done.  It says build your kingdom here.  Let the darkness fear.  Show your mighty hand.  Heal our streets and land.  Set your church on fire.  Win this nation back.  Change the atmosphere.  Build your kingdom here we pray.  So I’ve been listening to this song for the past week and it has just blessed me so much and I pray this prayer and these lyrics for you and to know that God wants to build his kingdom and that if you constantly ask him and pray to him and seek him and trust in him, he will show you the pathway to go.  Amen.  Have a great rest of your day, man.  Bye.  

Hello Dabbers.  This is the first time I’ve called in and I’ve been listening since the start of this year. I find it really difficult to call in and kept putting it off because I thought I was being selfish and that I could call in later.  So anyone else who is considering calling in, it is so much better to tell yourself to call in now because otherwise it will never get done.  Today I have a prayer request for my dad and granddad who aren’t Christian and don’t know God yet.  I know God has the power to do anything, but I still doubt him sometimes.  By listening to the DAB, I have learned how praying to God is so powerful because it is God’s power and love and it would be amazing if we could be united in faith and prayer to ask God to bring any non-Christian family members to God including my granddad whose called Frank and my dad who is called Trevor.  Thank you everybody for being encouraging and encouraging each other to grow in faith and hope.  Thank you. Bye,

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday April 28, 2017 (NIV)

Judges 8:18-9:21

18 Then Gideon approached the two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna.

Gideon: What can you tell me about the men you killed at Tabor?

Zebah and Zalmunna: They were just like you—like the sons of a king.

Gideon: 19 They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Eternal lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you now.

20 Gideon directed his firstborn son, Jether, to kill them, but Jether was afraid and couldn’t draw his sword since he was only a boy.

Zebah and Zalmunna: 21 Come and kill us yourself for a man is measured by his strength.

So Gideon executed them, and he took the crescents that had adorned the necks of their camels.

22 Then the people of Israel spoke to Gideon.

People: Rule over us—you, your son, and then your grandson, for you have rescued us from the oppression of Midian.

Gideon (refusing): 23 I will not rule over you, and neither will my son. The Eternal will reign over you.

24 But I have a request to make. Each of you, give me one of the earrings you have taken as plunder.

(The enemy they defeated had gold earrings, as was the fashion of the Ishmaelites.)

People: 25 We will certainly do that.

So they spread a cloak, and each of the men threw in an earring he had taken as spoils of battle; 26 and the weight of the gold earrings was over 42 pounds of gold, which does not include the crescents, the ornaments, and the purple garments they had taken from the kings of Midian, and the collars they had taken from the necks of their camels.

27 Gideon made it into a priestly vest, sometimes used in seeking oracles, and put it in his hometown of Ophrah. But the people of Israel made an idol of it, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family as well.

28 This is how Midian was subdued by the people of Israel, and Midian never lifted up its head to trouble them again. During the time of Gideon, the land had 40 years of peace. 29 Jerubbaal (Gideon), son of Joash, went to live in his own home. 30 Gideon had 70 sons who were his own children, for he had many wives and concubines, 31 and his concubine in Shechem bore him a son whom he named Abimelech.

32 Gideon, son of Joash, died after many years of life and was buried with his father Joash at Ophrah in the land of the Abiezrites.

Gideon is one of the most powerful judges of Israel: he attacks and overthrows kings; he plunders their royal treasures; and after his great success against the land of Midian, the people of God actually want to make him their king. This desire is logical. Other peoples have kings to lead them into battle and to rule over them. Why not them? But this is not God’s desire for His people, and Gideon knows that pain, destruction, and bloodshed follow when someone pursues the throne against God’s will. Gideon tells them he will not rule them—and neither will his sons—so they can get that idea out of their heads. But the thirst for power leads to intrigue, and one of Gideon’s sons plays on the people’s continual desire for order at the hand of a king.

33 As soon as Gideon died, the Israelites turned away from the Lord, and they began to prostitute themselves again to the Baals. They made Baal-berith their chief god. 34 The people of Israel did not remember the Eternal One, their True God, who had rescued them from the oppression of enemies on every side, 35 and they were not kind to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) despite all the good he had done for Israel.

Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went to Shechem to the clan of his mother.

Abimelech (to his mother’s family): Go, and say this so that all the leaders of Shechem can hear you: “Is it better that 70 sons of Jerubbaal should be your rulers, or only one of them?” And remember that I share your own bone and flesh.

So Abimelech’s mother’s kinsmen went out and repeated these words to the leaders of Shechem, and they were favorably disposed toward him because they said, “He is our brother.” They gave Abimelech 70 pieces of silver out of the treasury of Baal-berith, and he used the money to hire some reckless and worthless men who followed him and did his dirty work.

He went to his father’s house in Ophrah and killed all 70 of his half-brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. (Only Jotham, the youngest, was left alive, because he hid.) Then all the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo came together and crowned Abimelech king by the great oak tree at the pillar in Shechem.

When Jotham was told what had happened, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim.

Jotham: Listen to me, all you who are the leaders in Shechem, so that God may listen to you.

The trees once decided to go out
and anoint a king to rule them all.
They said to the olive tree,
“Reign over us.”
But the olive tree refused, saying,
“Should I stop producing the rich oil used to honor both gods and mortals so I can stand and sway over the trees?”
10 Then the trees went to the fig tree, saying,
“You come and reign over us.”
11 But the fig tree refused, saying,
“Should I give up my sweetness and stop producing my delicious fruit so I can stand and sway over the trees?”
12 Then the trees said to the grapevine,
“You come and reign over us.”
13 But the vine refused, saying,
“Should I stop producing the wine that cheers both gods and mortals so I can stand and sway over the trees?”
14 At last the trees came to the worthless thornbush, saying,
“You come and reign over us.”
15 And the thornbush said to the trees,
“If in good faith you want to anoint me as your king,
then come and take refuge in my shade (of which there was precious little).
But if you haven’t come in good faith, then let fire come from my brambles
and burn down the cedars of Lebanon.”

16 Now if you have made this decision to crown Abimelech king in good faith, with sincerity, have acted honorably toward my father Jerubbaal and his family, and have treated him as his actions toward you deserve; 17 you know how my father fought for you, risked his life for you, rescued you from the hand of the Midianites. 18 But now here you are, rising up against my father’s house, killing all of his sons, 70 of them, on one stone; and you have made Abimelech, the son of my father’s slave woman, king over all the leaders of Shechem, simply because he is your kinsman. 19 Well, I say, if you have acted honorably toward Jerubbaal and his family, then now may you take joy in Abimelech, and may he take joy in you.

20 But if you have not acted honorably, then may fire come out of Abimelech and burn up the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo. May fire come from you and burn up Abimelech.

21 When he had said these words, Jotham fled for his life to Beer, where he stayed because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Luke 23:44-24:12

44 At this point, it was about noon, and a darkness fell over the whole region. The darkness persisted until about three in the afternoon, 45 and at some point during this darkness, the curtain in the temple was torn in two.

The tearing of this heavy curtain in the temple is highly symbolic. Because this curtain separated the holiest place in the temple from the rest of the temple, some see in this act a symbol of God opening the way for unholy humans to enter into His holy presence: Jesus’ death brought forgiveness and opened the way for all to come to God. Others see in the curtain’s being torn the opposite meaning: God’s presence can no longer be confined to any single geographical place. The suffering and death of Jesus ended one age of human history, and now a new era has begun. Now God is on the move, at large, invading the whole world. Or perhaps this graphic image means both.

Jesus (shouting out loudly): 46 Father, I entrust My spirit into Your hands![a]

And with those words, He exhaled—and breathed no more.

47 The Centurion[b]one of the soldiers who performed the execution—saw all this, and he praised God.

Centurion: No doubt, this man must have been innocent.

48 The crowds of common people who had gathered and watched the whole ordeal through to its conclusion left for their homes, pounding on their own chests in profound grief. 49 And all who knew Jesus personally, including the group of women who had been with Him from the beginning in Galilee, stood at a distance, watching all of these things unfold.

50 Meanwhile a man named Joseph had been at work. He was a member of the council, a good and fair man, 51 from a Judean town called Arimathea. He had objected to the plans and actions of the council; he was seeking the kingdom of God. 52 He had gone to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 He removed the body from the cross and wrapped it in a shroud made of fine linen. He then laid the body in a cavelike tomb cut from solid rock, a tomb that never had been used before. 54 It was Preparation Day—the day before the holy Sabbath—and it was about to begin at sundown. 55 The women who had accompanied Jesus from the beginning in Galilee now came, took note of where the tomb was and how His body had been prepared, 56 then left to prepare spices and ointments for His proper burial. They ceased their work on the Sabbath so they could rest as the Hebrew Scriptures required.

24 Early on Sunday morning, even before the sun had fully risen, these women made their way back to the tomb with the spices and ointments they had prepared. When they arrived, they found the stone was rolled away from the tomb entrance, and when they looked inside, the body of the Lord Jesus was nowhere to be seen. They didn’t know what to think. As they stood there in confusion, two men suddenly appeared standing beside them. These men seemed to glow with light. The women were so terrified that they fell to the ground facedown.

This phrase, “Son of Man,” is very important in Luke’s story and may have many layers of meaning. It may mean “epitome of humanity” or “prime example of what a human can be.” But it also evokes a specific passage of Scripture that is very important to Jewish people, Daniel 7:13-27. There the phrase “Son of Man” refers to a king who receives an eternal and universal kingdom, and it also represents “the saints of the Most High”—the people of God. In light of Jesus’ central message about the kingdom of God, it is likely that the phrase suggests Jesus is the long-awaited Anointed One who launches a new era in human history and who creates a community of people who represent the eternal and universal kingdom of God. In this way, “Son of” suggests “new generation of,” and “Man” suggests “humanity.” Jesus is Himself the new generation of humanity (a second Adam, a new beginning), and the community He creates shares this identity (a new creation, a new humanity in Jesus). The two messengers here use this pregnant phrase in a way that shocks everyone: The way this long-awaited Anointed One receives His kingdom is not through conventional military victory where enemies are defeated and killed. No, this King receives His kingdom by suffering, dying, and rising again Himself. Amazing news—good news!

Two Men: Why are you seeking the living One in the place of the dead? He is not here. He has risen from the dead. Don’t you remember what He told you way back in Galilee? He told you that the Son of Man must be handed over to wicked men, He must be crucified, and then on the third day He must rise.

The women did remember Jesus’ words about this, so they returned from the tomb and found the eleven and recounted for them—and others with them—everything they had experienced. 10-11 The Lord’s emissaries[c] heard their stories as fiction, a lie; they didn’t believe a word of it. (By the way, this group of women included Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, along with a number of others.) 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he reached the opening, he bent down, looked inside, and saw the linen burial cloths lying there. But the body was gone. He walked away, full of wonder about what had happened.

Footnotes:

  1. 23:46 Psalm 31:5
  2. 23:47 A Roman military officer in charge of 100 soldiers
  3. 24:10-11 Literally, apostles
The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Psalm 99

Psalm 99

The Eternal is the king ruling over all;
let all people shake in fear.
He sits on His throne, settled between winged guardians;[a]
let the planet tremble.
The Eternal is great in the hearts of His people;
He has made Zion His sacred mountain,
and He reigns majestic over all people.
Let them express praise and gratitude to Your amazing and awesome name—
because He is holy, perfect and exalted in His power.
The King who rules with strength also treasures justice.
You created order and established what is right.
You have carried out justice
and done what is right to the people of Jacob.
Lift up the Eternal our God in your heart;
bow down to the earth where He rests His feet.
He is holy, perfect and exalted in His power.

Moses and Aaron were two of His priests;
Samuel was among those who called out to Him.
They asked the Eternal for help, and He answered them.
He answered them from a column of cloud;
they heeded His testimonies
and lived by the laws He gave them.

You answered them, Eternal our God;
You were, to them, a God who forgives,
yet You did not ignore what they did wrong
and punished them fairly as well.
Lift up the Eternal our God in your hearts,
and celebrate His goodness at His holy mountain,
for the Eternal our God is holy, perfect and exalted in His power.

Footnotes:

  1. 99:1 Literally, cherubim
The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Proverbs 14:9-10

Fools make a mockery of guilt and repentance,
but those who do what is right receive special standing.[a]
10 Only the heart can know its own resentment;
likewise no stranger can experience its joy.

Footnotes:

  1. 14:9 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday April 27, 2017 (NIV)

Judges 7:1-8:17

So then Jerubbaal (Gideon) and all the troops with him rose early, and they camped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of the Midianites was to their north, in the valley below the hill of Moreh.

Eternal One (to Gideon): You have too many warriors for Me to allow you to defeat the Midianites. As it is now, the people of Israel would just deny Me the credit and claim they had won the victory on their own. So go out and tell your army, “Any of you who are afraid and trembling are free to leave Mount Gilead.”

After this announcement, 22,000 left, so Gideon reduced his army to 10,000.

Eternal One: You still have too many warriors. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you. When I say, “This one will fight for you,” he will go with you; but when I say, “This one will not fight for you,” then he will not go.

So Gideon led his army down to the water.

Eternal One: All of those who lap water the way a dog drinks, put them to one side. All of those who go down on their knees to drink, put them on the other side.

Three hundred of the men lapped up water by raising a hand to their mouths, and all the rest went down on their knees to drink.

Eternal One: I will use these 300 who lapped from their hands to deliver Israel and to give the Midianites into your hand. Send all the rest home.

He kept jars and trumpets from the army and sent them back to their tents, but distributed the jars and trumpets to the 300 who stayed with him. The camp of Midian was in the valley below him.

That very night, the Eternal spoke to Gideon.

Eternal One: Get up and attack the camp of the Midianites because I have given you victory over them. 10 But if you should have any fear, take your servant Purah; scout out the camp, 11 and listen to what they are saying, and afterward you will find you are strong enough to attack.

So Gideon and his servant Purah approached the outposts of the army’s encampment. 12 The Midianites and the Amalekites and other people of the east were as thick as locusts in the valley, and their camels were as numberless as the sands of the seashore.

13 When Gideon arrived he overheard a man telling his neighbor about a dream he had.

Man: In my dream, a barley cake rolled into our camp. It came to the tent and hit it so hard the tent fell over. It turned over and collapsed.

Neighbor: 14 That must symbolize the sword of Gideon, son of Joash the Israelite. Their God has given him victory over Midian and all its camp!

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He went back to the camp of Israel and roused them.

Gideon: Get up! The Eternal has given you victory over the army of Midian! We strike now.

16 He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he gave them all trumpets and empty jars with torches placed inside of them.

Gideon: 17 Watch me. Do what I do. When we come to the outskirts of their camp, do what you see me doing. 18 When I and my company blow the trumpet, I want all of you to blow the trumpets all around the camp and to shout: “For the Eternal and for Gideon!”

19 So Gideon and the 100 men who were with him came to the outskirts of the Midianite camp just after the middle watch had been posted. There they blew their trumpets and smashed the jars they had brought. 20 All three companies of men blew their horns and shattered the jars at about the same time. They held the torches in their left hands, held the trumpets in their right, and together they shouted.

Men: A sword for the Eternal and for Gideon!

21 They encircled the entire camp and woke the Midianite force abruptly, so that the Midianites cried out and fled. 22 When the 300 trumpets sounded, the Eternal set the Midianites fighting against each other with their swords. The Midianites ran away in panic toward Beth-shittah, toward Zererah, to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. 23 The men of Israel were summoned out of Naphtali and Asher and from all Manasseh, and they joined in the chase after the Midianite army.

24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim.

Messengers: Come down now and fight against the Midianites, and seize the watering places from them as far as Beth-barah and to the Jordan River.

So the Ephraimites gathered, and they captured the watering places as far away as Beth-barah and the Jordan. 25 They also captured the two leaders of the Midianite army, Oreb and Zeeb; they executed Oreb at the place we know today as Oreb’s Rock, and they executed Zeeb at Zeeb’s Winepress as they chased after the army of Midian. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now beyond the Jordan.

Ephraimites (arguing angrily with Gideon): Why did you treat us this way? Why didn’t you tell us you were going to battle against the Midianites so that we could join you?

Gideon: Really now, what have I accomplished in comparison to you? Wouldn’t you say that the gleanings left from Ephraim’s grapes are better quality than the choicest of Abiezer’s? God has given the Midianite captains Oreb and Zeeb into your hands, and you have taken care of them. What have I and my 300 soldiers done compared to that?

And they were calmed by this explanation.

Gideon came to the Jordan, he and his 300 men, all of them tired and hungry, but they crossed to continue the chase. So he spoke to the people of Succoth.

Gideon: Please give some bread to my followers, for they are exhausted, and we are on the trail of the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna.

Leaders of Succoth: Have you already chopped off the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna that we should go to the trouble of feeding your army?

Gideon: All right, then. When the Eternal has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and thistles.

From Succoth, Gideon went up to Penuel and had the same conversation with them, asking for bread and being answered by the men of Penuel just as by the men of Succoth.

Gideon: When I return here victorious, I will tear down your tower!

10 Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with an army of about 15,000 men, all that was left from the armies of the east, for they had lost 120,000 soldiers. 11 Gideon approached them by the caravan trail east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and he attacked them when they least expected it. 12 When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he followed and captured them, throwing their forces into complete disarray.

13 When Gideon, son of Joash, returned from fighting by way of the Heres Pass, 14 he captured and questioned a boy from Succoth and got from him the names of 77 leaders and elders of the town.

15 Then Gideon came to Succoth.

Gideon: Look, here are Zebah and Zalmunna. Remember when you taunted me about them, saying, “Have you already chopped off the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna that we should worry about feeding your exhausted soldiers?”

16 So he took the leaders of the city, and with the desert thorns and thistles, he flailed the flesh of the men of Succoth. 17 He also shattered the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the town.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Luke 23:13-43

13 Pilate assembled the chief priests and other Jewish authorities.

Pilate: 14 You presented this man to me as a rabble-rouser, but I examined Him in your presence and found Him not guilty of the charges you have leveled against Him. 15 Herod also examined Him and released Him to my custody. So He hasn’t done anything deserving the death penalty. 16 I’ll see to it that He is properly whipped and then let Him go.

[17 It was the custom for Pilate to set one prisoner free during the holiday festivities.][a]

Crowd (all shouting at once): 18 Away with this man! Free Barabbas instead!

Crucifixion is a favorite Roman punishment for insurrectionists, slaves, and prisoners of war. Anyone daring to defy the power and authority of Caesar is executed in this public and humiliating way. Jesus indeed is a revolutionary. He doesn’t come to proclaim a new religion, but a new kingdom—a new way of life. He is indeed a threat to Caesar’s way of doing things, a way that co-opts the religious leaders.

Jesus’ revolution is a peaceful revolution. He doesn’t advocate the use of violence—in fact, when one of His disciples uses the sword to try to protect Jesus from arrest, Jesus heals the “enemy” and rebukes His disciple. So Jesus doesn’t support the regime of Caesar or follow the usual violent path of revolution: He leads a revolutionary revolution—in a path of love, healing, justice, and reconciliation.

Jesus appropriates and transforms the symbol of their power into a symbol of His greater power. He makes the cross not the icon of violent domination, but the reverse. By hanging on the cross and speaking of forgiveness, Jesus shows that there is a greater power at work in the world than the power of domination: it’s the power of God’s saving and reconciling love.

19 Barabbas had been imprisoned after being convicted of an insurrection he had led in Jerusalem. He had also committed murder. 20 Pilate argued with them, wishing he could release Jesus, 21 but they wouldn’t be silenced.

Crowd (shouting): Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

Pilate (countering a third time): 22 Why? What has He done that is so evil? I have found in Him no offense worthy of capital punishment. As I said, I will punish Him and then release Him.

23 But they would not relent. They shouted louder and louder that He should be crucified, and eventually Pilate capitulated. 24 So he pronounced the punishment they demanded.

25 He released the rebel and murderer Barabbas—the insurrectionist they had pleaded for in His place—and he handed Jesus over to them to do with as they desired.

26 On the way to the place of crucifixion, they pulled a man from the crowd—his name was Simon of Cyrene, a person from the countryside who happened to be entering the city at that moment. They put Jesus’ cross on Simon’s shoulders, and he followed behind Jesus. 27 Along with Him was a huge crowd of common people, including many women shrieking and wailing in grief.

Jesus (to the people in the crowd): 28 Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me. Weep instead for yourselves and weep for your children. 29 Days are coming when people will say, “Blessed are the infertile; blessed are the wombs that never bore a child; blessed are the breasts that never nursed an infant.” 30 People will beg the mountains, “Surround us!” They’ll plead with the hills, “Cover us!”[b] 31 For if they treat Me like this when I’m like green unseasoned wood, what will they do to a nation that’s ready to burn like seasoned firewood?

32 Jesus wasn’t the only one being crucified that day. There were two others, criminals, who were also being led to their execution. 33 When they came to the place known as “The Skull,” they crucified Jesus there, in the company of criminals, one to the right of Jesus and the other to His left.

Jesus: 34 [Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.][c]

Meanwhile they were drawing lots to see who would win Jesus’ clothing. 35 The crowd of people stood, watching.

Authorities (mocking Jesus): So He was supposed to rescue others, was He? He was supposed to be God’s Anointed, the Liberating King? Let’s see Him start by liberating Himself!

36 The soldiers joined in the mockery. First, they pretended to offer Him a soothing drink—but it was sour wine.

Soldiers: 37 Hey, if You’re the King of the Jews, why don’t You free Yourself!

38 Even the inscription they placed over Him was intended to mock Him—“This is the King of the Jews!” [This was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.][d]

39 One of the criminals joined in the cruel talk.

Cynical Criminal: You’re supposed to be the Anointed One, right? Well—do it! Rescue Yourself and us!

40 But the other criminal told him to be quiet.

Believing Criminal: Don’t you have any fear of God at all? You’re getting the same death sentence He is! 41 We’re getting what we deserve since we’ve committed crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong at all! 42 (turning to Jesus) Jesus, when You come into Your kingdom, please remember me.

Jesus: 43 I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise.

Footnotes:

  1. 23:17 The earliest manuscripts omit verse 17.
  2. 23:30 Hosea 10:8
  3. 23:34 The earliest manuscripts omit this portion.
  4. 23:38 Some early manuscripts omit this portion.
The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Psalm 97-98

Psalm 97

The Eternal reigns powerful over all;
let the earth sing with joy;
let the distant islands celebrate.
Clouds and deep darkness encircle Him;
righteousness and justice are the bedrock of His rule.
Fire precedes Him;
it burns away His opponents on all sides.
With His lightning flashing about, He illuminates the world;
the earth watches and trembles.
Like wax before the flame, mountains melt when the Eternal appears,
the Master of the whole earth.

The heavens display His order and perfect justice;
all peoples witness His magnificence.
Those who worship idols,
who boast in the impotent creations of human hands, will be shamed.
Worship Him, all you gods.
Zion heard and was glad,
and the daughters of Judah celebrated
because they saw Your justice, O Eternal One.
For You are the Eternal, the Most High, over the entire world;
You far exceed all gods.

10 Hate evil, you lovers of the Eternal.
He protects the souls of those who follow Him;
He rescues them from the devices of the wicked.
11 Light is sown in the just;
as it grows, it brings joy to the pure of heart.
12 Celebrate the Eternal God, all you who are faithful;
offer thanks to His holy name.

Psalm 98

A song.

Compose a new song, and sing it to the Eternal
because of the unbelievable things He has done;
He has won the victory
with the skill of His right hand and strength of His holy arm.
The Eternal has made it clear that He saves,
and He has shown the nations that He does what is right.
He has been true to His promises;
fresh in His mind is His unfailing love
for all of Israel.
Even the ends of the earth have witnessed how our God saves.

This hymn invites all the people on earth and creation itself to join in singing a new song of “beautiful noise” celebrating God’s justice and victories.

Raise your voices; make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth.
Let your joy explode into song and praise;
Make music to the Eternal with the harp;
sing a beautiful melody with the harp and chorus.
With trumpets and horns,
fill the air with joyful sounds to the King, the Eternal.

Let the sea rumble and roar, and all the creatures it holds shout praise;
let the whole world and all those who live in it join the celebration.
Let the rivers applaud
and the mountains join in joyful song
In the presence of the Eternal because He is coming
to judge the earth.
He is coming,
and His judgment will be what is right for the world
and just to all people.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Proverbs 14:7-8

Walk away from the company of fools,
for you cannot find insight in their words.
It takes wisdom for the clever to understand the path they are on,
but the fool is deceived by his own foolishness.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday April 27, 2017 (NIV)

Judges 7:1-8:17

So then Jerubbaal (Gideon) and all the troops with him rose early, and they camped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of the Midianites was to their north, in the valley below the hill of Moreh.

Eternal One (to Gideon): You have too many warriors for Me to allow you to defeat the Midianites. As it is now, the people of Israel would just deny Me the credit and claim they had won the victory on their own. So go out and tell your army, “Any of you who are afraid and trembling are free to leave Mount Gilead.”

After this announcement, 22,000 left, so Gideon reduced his army to 10,000.

Eternal One: You still have too many warriors. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you. When I say, “This one will fight for you,” he will go with you; but when I say, “This one will not fight for you,” then he will not go.

So Gideon led his army down to the water.

Eternal One: All of those who lap water the way a dog drinks, put them to one side. All of those who go down on their knees to drink, put them on the other side.

Three hundred of the men lapped up water by raising a hand to their mouths, and all the rest went down on their knees to drink.

Eternal One: I will use these 300 who lapped from their hands to deliver Israel and to give the Midianites into your hand. Send all the rest home.

He kept jars and trumpets from the army and sent them back to their tents, but distributed the jars and trumpets to the 300 who stayed with him. The camp of Midian was in the valley below him.

That very night, the Eternal spoke to Gideon.

Eternal One: Get up and attack the camp of the Midianites because I have given you victory over them. 10 But if you should have any fear, take your servant Purah; scout out the camp, 11 and listen to what they are saying, and afterward you will find you are strong enough to attack.

So Gideon and his servant Purah approached the outposts of the army’s encampment. 12 The Midianites and the Amalekites and other people of the east were as thick as locusts in the valley, and their camels were as numberless as the sands of the seashore.

13 When Gideon arrived he overheard a man telling his neighbor about a dream he had.

Man: In my dream, a barley cake rolled into our camp. It came to the tent and hit it so hard the tent fell over. It turned over and collapsed.

Neighbor: 14 That must symbolize the sword of Gideon, son of Joash the Israelite. Their God has given him victory over Midian and all its camp!

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He went back to the camp of Israel and roused them.

Gideon: Get up! The Eternal has given you victory over the army of Midian! We strike now.

16 He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he gave them all trumpets and empty jars with torches placed inside of them.

Gideon: 17 Watch me. Do what I do. When we come to the outskirts of their camp, do what you see me doing. 18 When I and my company blow the trumpet, I want all of you to blow the trumpets all around the camp and to shout: “For the Eternal and for Gideon!”

19 So Gideon and the 100 men who were with him came to the outskirts of the Midianite camp just after the middle watch had been posted. There they blew their trumpets and smashed the jars they had brought. 20 All three companies of men blew their horns and shattered the jars at about the same time. They held the torches in their left hands, held the trumpets in their right, and together they shouted.

Men: A sword for the Eternal and for Gideon!

21 They encircled the entire camp and woke the Midianite force abruptly, so that the Midianites cried out and fled. 22 When the 300 trumpets sounded, the Eternal set the Midianites fighting against each other with their swords. The Midianites ran away in panic toward Beth-shittah, toward Zererah, to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. 23 The men of Israel were summoned out of Naphtali and Asher and from all Manasseh, and they joined in the chase after the Midianite army.

24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim.

Messengers: Come down now and fight against the Midianites, and seize the watering places from them as far as Beth-barah and to the Jordan River.

So the Ephraimites gathered, and they captured the watering places as far away as Beth-barah and the Jordan. 25 They also captured the two leaders of the Midianite army, Oreb and Zeeb; they executed Oreb at the place we know today as Oreb’s Rock, and they executed Zeeb at Zeeb’s Winepress as they chased after the army of Midian. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now beyond the Jordan.

Ephraimites (arguing angrily with Gideon): Why did you treat us this way? Why didn’t you tell us you were going to battle against the Midianites so that we could join you?

Gideon: Really now, what have I accomplished in comparison to you? Wouldn’t you say that the gleanings left from Ephraim’s grapes are better quality than the choicest of Abiezer’s? God has given the Midianite captains Oreb and Zeeb into your hands, and you have taken care of them. What have I and my 300 soldiers done compared to that?

And they were calmed by this explanation.

Gideon came to the Jordan, he and his 300 men, all of them tired and hungry, but they crossed to continue the chase. So he spoke to the people of Succoth.

Gideon: Please give some bread to my followers, for they are exhausted, and we are on the trail of the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna.

Leaders of Succoth: Have you already chopped off the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna that we should go to the trouble of feeding your army?

Gideon: All right, then. When the Eternal has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and thistles.

From Succoth, Gideon went up to Penuel and had the same conversation with them, asking for bread and being answered by the men of Penuel just as by the men of Succoth.

Gideon: When I return here victorious, I will tear down your tower!

10 Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with an army of about 15,000 men, all that was left from the armies of the east, for they had lost 120,000 soldiers. 11 Gideon approached them by the caravan trail east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and he attacked them when they least expected it. 12 When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he followed and captured them, throwing their forces into complete disarray.

13 When Gideon, son of Joash, returned from fighting by way of the Heres Pass, 14 he captured and questioned a boy from Succoth and got from him the names of 77 leaders and elders of the town.

15 Then Gideon came to Succoth.

Gideon: Look, here are Zebah and Zalmunna. Remember when you taunted me about them, saying, “Have you already chopped off the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna that we should worry about feeding your exhausted soldiers?”

16 So he took the leaders of the city, and with the desert thorns and thistles, he flailed the flesh of the men of Succoth. 17 He also shattered the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the town.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Luke 23:13-43

13 Pilate assembled the chief priests and other Jewish authorities.

Pilate: 14 You presented this man to me as a rabble-rouser, but I examined Him in your presence and found Him not guilty of the charges you have leveled against Him. 15 Herod also examined Him and released Him to my custody. So He hasn’t done anything deserving the death penalty. 16 I’ll see to it that He is properly whipped and then let Him go.

[17 It was the custom for Pilate to set one prisoner free during the holiday festivities.][a]

Crowd (all shouting at once): 18 Away with this man! Free Barabbas instead!

Crucifixion is a favorite Roman punishment for insurrectionists, slaves, and prisoners of war. Anyone daring to defy the power and authority of Caesar is executed in this public and humiliating way. Jesus indeed is a revolutionary. He doesn’t come to proclaim a new religion, but a new kingdom—a new way of life. He is indeed a threat to Caesar’s way of doing things, a way that co-opts the religious leaders.

Jesus’ revolution is a peaceful revolution. He doesn’t advocate the use of violence—in fact, when one of His disciples uses the sword to try to protect Jesus from arrest, Jesus heals the “enemy” and rebukes His disciple. So Jesus doesn’t support the regime of Caesar or follow the usual violent path of revolution: He leads a revolutionary revolution—in a path of love, healing, justice, and reconciliation.

Jesus appropriates and transforms the symbol of their power into a symbol of His greater power. He makes the cross not the icon of violent domination, but the reverse. By hanging on the cross and speaking of forgiveness, Jesus shows that there is a greater power at work in the world than the power of domination: it’s the power of God’s saving and reconciling love.

19 Barabbas had been imprisoned after being convicted of an insurrection he had led in Jerusalem. He had also committed murder. 20 Pilate argued with them, wishing he could release Jesus, 21 but they wouldn’t be silenced.

Crowd (shouting): Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

Pilate (countering a third time): 22 Why? What has He done that is so evil? I have found in Him no offense worthy of capital punishment. As I said, I will punish Him and then release Him.

23 But they would not relent. They shouted louder and louder that He should be crucified, and eventually Pilate capitulated. 24 So he pronounced the punishment they demanded.

25 He released the rebel and murderer Barabbas—the insurrectionist they had pleaded for in His place—and he handed Jesus over to them to do with as they desired.

26 On the way to the place of crucifixion, they pulled a man from the crowd—his name was Simon of Cyrene, a person from the countryside who happened to be entering the city at that moment. They put Jesus’ cross on Simon’s shoulders, and he followed behind Jesus. 27 Along with Him was a huge crowd of common people, including many women shrieking and wailing in grief.

Jesus (to the people in the crowd): 28 Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me. Weep instead for yourselves and weep for your children. 29 Days are coming when people will say, “Blessed are the infertile; blessed are the wombs that never bore a child; blessed are the breasts that never nursed an infant.” 30 People will beg the mountains, “Surround us!” They’ll plead with the hills, “Cover us!”[b] 31 For if they treat Me like this when I’m like green unseasoned wood, what will they do to a nation that’s ready to burn like seasoned firewood?

32 Jesus wasn’t the only one being crucified that day. There were two others, criminals, who were also being led to their execution. 33 When they came to the place known as “The Skull,” they crucified Jesus there, in the company of criminals, one to the right of Jesus and the other to His left.

Jesus: 34 [Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.][c]

Meanwhile they were drawing lots to see who would win Jesus’ clothing. 35 The crowd of people stood, watching.

Authorities (mocking Jesus): So He was supposed to rescue others, was He? He was supposed to be God’s Anointed, the Liberating King? Let’s see Him start by liberating Himself!

36 The soldiers joined in the mockery. First, they pretended to offer Him a soothing drink—but it was sour wine.

Soldiers: 37 Hey, if You’re the King of the Jews, why don’t You free Yourself!

38 Even the inscription they placed over Him was intended to mock Him—“This is the King of the Jews!” [This was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.][d]

39 One of the criminals joined in the cruel talk.

Cynical Criminal: You’re supposed to be the Anointed One, right? Well—do it! Rescue Yourself and us!

40 But the other criminal told him to be quiet.

Believing Criminal: Don’t you have any fear of God at all? You’re getting the same death sentence He is! 41 We’re getting what we deserve since we’ve committed crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong at all! 42 (turning to Jesus) Jesus, when You come into Your kingdom, please remember me.

Jesus: 43 I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise.

Footnotes:

  1. 23:17 The earliest manuscripts omit verse 17.
  2. 23:30 Hosea 10:8
  3. 23:34 The earliest manuscripts omit this portion.
  4. 23:38 Some early manuscripts omit this portion.
The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Psalm 97-98

Psalm 97

The Eternal reigns powerful over all;
let the earth sing with joy;
let the distant islands celebrate.
Clouds and deep darkness encircle Him;
righteousness and justice are the bedrock of His rule.
Fire precedes Him;
it burns away His opponents on all sides.
With His lightning flashing about, He illuminates the world;
the earth watches and trembles.
Like wax before the flame, mountains melt when the Eternal appears,
the Master of the whole earth.

The heavens display His order and perfect justice;
all peoples witness His magnificence.
Those who worship idols,
who boast in the impotent creations of human hands, will be shamed.
Worship Him, all you gods.
Zion heard and was glad,
and the daughters of Judah celebrated
because they saw Your justice, O Eternal One.
For You are the Eternal, the Most High, over the entire world;
You far exceed all gods.

10 Hate evil, you lovers of the Eternal.
He protects the souls of those who follow Him;
He rescues them from the devices of the wicked.
11 Light is sown in the just;
as it grows, it brings joy to the pure of heart.
12 Celebrate the Eternal God, all you who are faithful;
offer thanks to His holy name.

Psalm 98

A song.

Compose a new song, and sing it to the Eternal
because of the unbelievable things He has done;
He has won the victory
with the skill of His right hand and strength of His holy arm.
The Eternal has made it clear that He saves,
and He has shown the nations that He does what is right.
He has been true to His promises;
fresh in His mind is His unfailing love
for all of Israel.
Even the ends of the earth have witnessed how our God saves.

This hymn invites all the people on earth and creation itself to join in singing a new song of “beautiful noise” celebrating God’s justice and victories.

Raise your voices; make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth.
Let your joy explode into song and praise;
Make music to the Eternal with the harp;
sing a beautiful melody with the harp and chorus.
With trumpets and horns,
fill the air with joyful sounds to the King, the Eternal.

Let the sea rumble and roar, and all the creatures it holds shout praise;
let the whole world and all those who live in it join the celebration.
Let the rivers applaud
and the mountains join in joyful song
In the presence of the Eternal because He is coming
to judge the earth.
He is coming,
and His judgment will be what is right for the world
and just to all people.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Proverbs 14:7-8

Walk away from the company of fools,
for you cannot find insight in their words.
It takes wisdom for the clever to understand the path they are on,
but the fool is deceived by his own foolishness.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

04/27/2017 DAB Transcript

Judges 7:1-8:17 ~ Luke 23:13-43 ~ Psalm 97:1-98:9 ~ Proverbs 14:7-8

Today is the 27th day of April.  Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible.  I’m Brian.  It’s so good to be here with you today.  Really, it’s so good that we have a burning global campfire that is always alight and there is always somebody around it and so when we come to it, we’re never really alone.  That is amazing.  It’s just amazing to know whenever it is we turn this on and kind of step away for a minute and give ourselves some space to absorb and let God’s word wash over us, we’re never doing that by ourselves.  Someone else is always also doing it.  That’s mind-boggling.  Anyway, I digress.  

It’s great to be here with you right now as we prepare to take the next step forward and the next step forward is about the judges of Israel, the people who came after Joshua to lead.  We’ve begun learning of this judge named Gideon and we’ll pick up with his story now. Judges chapter 7, verse 1 through 8:17 and we’re reading from The Voice translation this week.  

Prayer

We thank you for your word, Father.  We thank you for the way that it washes over us, the way that it shifts our orientation back to you and even today, as we see this victory in Gideon’s leadership over the Midianites in very counterintuitive ways, a victory against all odds, and then we come to the gospel of Luke and we see you, Jesus, seemingly in the ashes of defeat, hanging from a cross humiliated and dying, but yet this shows us again, against the odds, there is more going on in all of these stories, just like there is more going on in our lives.  So we turn toward that.  There is more going on here and we invite your Holy Spirit to speak and lead, guide and correct us because all of these things compel us into trust.  And we do trust you.  We trust you with everything.  We invite you into everything.  Nothing is off-limits to you.  We declare this often, but we need to.  We need to remind ourselves because we so easily go back into our compartmentalized lives.  Nothing is off-limits to you.  There is more going on here than we know, but you know all.  And you are our Father.  So knowing that there is more to every situation that we’re facing, knowing that you are our Father, we pray together.  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.  

Announcements

Www.DailyAudioBible.com is the website.  It’s home base.  It’s where you find out what is going on around here and the one thing that we are mentioning right now is that we’ll be going back to this land of the Bible in February.  You can be there.  If it has been a desire of your heart, then certainly check it out.  It certainly changes the way you look at the Bible, and that is a fact.  It changes the way you look at the Bible forever.  So you can find out the details at www.DailyAudioBible.com.  Just kind of scroll down.  You’ll find Israel 2018 and click that link.  Or you can just go to www.DailyAudioBibleIsrael.com and that will take you right there.  You can get the details and we’ll look forward to that.  

While you’re at the website, certainly check out the resources that are available, the Prayer Wall that is constant 24 hours a day.  We’re always reaching out to each other, so check that out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in just keeping everything going, if this community is life for you, then thank you for being life so that it exists.  There is a link on the home page.  If you use the Daily Audio Bible App, press the More button in the lower right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996, Spring Hill, TN 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, (877) 942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that’s it for today.  I’m Brian. I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer Requests and Praise Reports

Hey Daily Audio Bible.  This is Jake in Maryland.  I just wanted to call.  I was encouraged by some of the other calls that I’ve been hearing.  I’ve been listening since the first of the year.  I haven’t always listened to the prayers, but I’ve been listening to them lately and I’ve been encouraged to reach out and just ask for prayer from you guys.  Shortly after the first of the year I was confronted by my wife who warned me that she had an affair and that she is pregnant.  Unsure at the moment whose child the baby is.  I’m praying that it is mine.  I’m fighting a lot of thoughts daily.  Blessed to have a group of strong men around me, godly men.  I know that every little bit of prayer helps, so I just wanted to reach out and let all those other guys out there know we’re not alone in this if you’re fighting for your marriage.  I know it is not going to be easy going forward, but I’m going to fight and I’m going to keep fighting.  Thank you and God bless.    

Hi DAB family.  It’s Shannon from Salem, OR.  Please pray for my husband, Brett, who is in ___ helping lead a mission team.  The team is ministering all week through medical clinics, BMX stunts, dramas, and an outdoor evangelistic festival which is happening Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 28, 29, and 30.  This will also be the launch for an online followup software Brett has been developing.  Father in Heaven, thank you for raising up workers to go into the harvest of ___.  Please help them to stand firm in your armor and proclaim your word fearlessly.  Draw souls to Jesus.  Help the followup software to work flawlessly and use it to help our new brothers and sisters in Christ connect with you, your body, and your word. Encourage Brett’s heart and help me and the kids to pray and stand firm here at home.  We ask for good soil and pray against the devil’s schemes to steal the seed of the gospel, choke it out with the worries of life, and scorch and wither the new life.  But help our new brothers and sisters to grow deep roots into your love.  Help them abide in you and bear much fruit.  Bless, refine, and grow your church in ___. Help our brothers and sisters to be of one heart and mind, contending for the faith and encouraging one another. In Jesus’ name, amen.  Alicia in Kansas, I’m praying for deliverance for your daughter.  May the eyes of her heart be enlightened in order that she may know the hope of her calling, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  In Jesus’ name.  Feel free to connect with me at Shannon@innocencefound.org.  I would love to pray with you.  Again, my email is Shannon@innoncencefound.org.  Love you all. Bye.  

My name Kashell J.  I really, really, I don’t know how to say I need prayer.  I need clarity.  I need strength.  I need hope and faith.  And I thought I had those things, but I’m just in a place where I’m like immobile. I just can’t come to a place where I’m ___.  Financial woes just have plagued me and I thought was at a better place in life.  I don’t know if I’m aligning that to ___. I don’t have a job.  I’ve been offered a job.  I’ve been waiting for clearance from the Department of Justice. I haven’t gotten my clearance yet to go back overseas to work.  And I knew it was ___.  I just knew that was from God because of the timing and the way it happened.  I’ve just kind of shut down waiting on that clearance and, as a result, I’ve depleted my savings and I don’t know, I just need someone to help me to hold on.  Help me to know that God never changes.  He has been there for me forever, so why am I in such ___?.  

Good morning Daily Audio Bible family.  This is Alicia calling from Arizona.  This is my first time calling and also my first year of following Brian and his beautiful voice and  messages every morning.  Thank you, Brian, for that.  And this morning in Judges chapter 4, this is the 25th of April, the message and the word concerning Deborah’s courage against the forces of darkness resonated very deeply for me as I have tried to remain courageous during this time of my life, being a grandmother now dealing with marital issues.  There have been a couple of callers who’ve called in concerning marriage.  I know that the enemies hate marriage and we are desperately seeking God for answers and wisdom and prayer concerning that.  We do not want to end our marriage.  That is not what the Father wants.  I know that he wants me to remain strong and courageous, but there are so many times when it feels like I just can’t carry it any longer.  So I’m seeking wisdom, Father God.  I am seeking your purpose for my life.  I’m seeking your purpose for our marriage.  We are currently living miles apart due to lack of work for my husband and I am praying that he will be offered more hours so that he can retire soon, which is the plan.  Other employees at his job are able to work more hours and are offered; however, he gets picked over and I’m just praying for ___.

Good afternoon Daily Audio Bible family.  This is Lee from New Jersey.  It is April 25th.  I called in the morning, but I’m calling again now because I’m having my lunch with the Community Prayer this past weekend and I heard Donnie from California call in.  Your desperation just moved me to have to call in and praise you because I know the feeling of being desperate and just screaming out calling out to God and it is just so overwhelming sometimes.  So Father, we pray for Donnie’s grandson who is going through a tough time right now with fevers, hasn’t been diagnosed, Lord.  You are above all physicians, all ___.  Reveal what exactly is wrong with this young man so that way he gets the proper treatment, Lord, and that way his family, his surrounding family, Lord, what do you want them to learn from this?  What do you want them to gain through this situation, Lord?  Your will be done, Lord.  May your mighty hand come over this young man that he be healed, Father.  You work miracles.  May he be healed by you ___ revealing to the physicians that are caring for him what exactly is wrong and what kind of treatment that he will receive, Lord.  That is your miracle, Lord, for this young man and for this family.  Lord, I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.  

Hi.  I’m calling today for Annette A.  Hi Annette. I’ve been listening to you for so many years now and I remember the first time I heard your voice.  It just made me smile from ear to ear.  You just have such a joyful voice and just such a great warm personality.  I remember the year that you went to the women’s conference in Georgia.  I went that same year.  You said you’d be the one with chocolates.  Unfortunately, I never met you, but maybe one day I will.  Anyway, I’m calling because my heart is very sad.  A few days ago I heard your prayer request for your son Alex and I just want to pray for the healing of his foot and I want to pray for him getting out of jail.  I’ve never heard you sound so sad and it just breaks my heart to hear that.  So Annette, I just want to thank you for all these years that every time you’ve called you’ve made me smile and I’ve been praying for you and your family for many, many years now and now I will focus on praying for your son Alex.  Annette, thank you for your joy in Christ and all your prayers and may you be blessed, your family be blessed, and your son be blessed at this very difficult time in his life.  Thank you, Annette.  This is Kim from California.  God bless you all.  Thank you, Brian.  Thank you, Jill.  Thanks to the entire Hardin family and everyone behind the scenes of the DAB.  Thank you for this wonderful forum.  I pray for each and every one of you.  God bless you all.  Kim from California.  Have a blessed day.  Bye-bye.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday April 26, 2017 (NIV)

Judges 6

When the people of Israel again did what the Eternal One considered evil, He made them serve the Midianites for seven years. The power of Midian prevailed over Israel so that the Israelites built for themselves hiding places in the mountains, in caves, and in safe strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted seed, the soldiers of Midian, Amalek, and others from the east would rise up against them and destroy their farms and fields as far as Gaza in the west, leaving them nothing to eat and no livestock. They would come up with their tents and their livestock, as thick as a cloud of locusts. They and their camels were so numerous they could not be counted, and they left the land desolate behind them.

So the people of Israel were impoverished because of the Midianites, and they cried out to the Eternal One for help. When the people of Israel cried to the Eternal for relief from the Midianites, He sent a prophet to them.

Prophet: Here are the words of the Eternal God of Israel: “I brought you out from slavery in Egypt. I delivered you from the Egyptians, from all who would have oppressed you. I drove the Canaanites out before you and delivered their land into your care. 10 But I said to you, ‘I am the Eternal One, your True God, and you must not worship the gods of the Amorites, those people in whose land you settle.’ And you have not listened to Me.”

This unnamed messenger brings a familiar message, one we find coming from both well-known and unknown prophets in the Scriptures: “I am the Eternal God, and I have done many things for you. You swore to be My people, but you have turned away from Me and turned toward other gods.”

God has brought the patriarch Abraham out of the east and initiated a relationship with him. Later the people of God make a covenant with Him, a sacred contract that both sides are expected to honor. When they are faithful to God and God’s laws, the people of Israel prosper. Whenever the Israelites fall away from true belief and true practice, God withdraws His blessing from them. This messenger is simply reminding them of what they already know—as prophets sometimes must.

11 Now in Ophrah, the Eternal’s messenger sat under an oak tree that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. Gideon, the son of Joash, was beating out wheat in the winepress so that the Midianites could not see what he was doing. 12 The Eternal’s messenger appeared to Gideon.

Times are so bad that even when processing the wheat, one has to be quiet about it so that the Midianites do not notice and seize the food.

Messenger of the Eternal One: The Eternal One is with you, mighty warrior.

Gideon: 13 Sir, if He is with us, then why has all this misfortune come on us? Where are all the miracles that our ancestors told us about? They said, “Didn’t the Eternal deliver us out of Egypt?” But now He has left us. He has made us servants of the Midianites.

14 The Eternal turned to Gideon and addressed him.

Eternal One (speaking through His messenger): Go out with your strength and rescue Israel from the oppression of Midian. Do you understand that I am the one sending you?

Gideon: 15 But, Lord, how am I supposed to deliver Israel? My family is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least of my family.

Eternal One: 16 Go. I will be with you, and you will totally destroy the forces of Midian as one man.

Gideon: 17 If You do look on me with favor, then give me a sign that I’m really hearing from You. 18 Wait here until I return and bring out my offering and place it in front of You.

Eternal One: I will stay here until you return.

19 So Gideon went into his house, cooked a young goat, and made cakes of unleavened bread from half a bushel of flour. He then put the meat into a basket, poured the broth into a pot, and brought the food out to present it to Him under the oak.

Eternal One: 20 Put the meat and the unleavened bread on this rock, and pour out the broth.

Gideon did as he was told. 21 Then the Eternal’s messenger touched the meat and bread with the tip of the staff he carried. Fire raged out of the rock and consumed the food, and the Eternal’s messenger vanished from sight.

22 Then Gideon realized that he had been speaking to the Eternal’s messenger.

Gideon: Have mercy on me, my Lord, the Eternal, since I have seen Your messenger face-to-face!

Eternal One (speaking after the messenger had departed): 23 Don’t be afraid, Gideon. Be at peace. You will not die.

Gideon expects sure death after conversing and looking on a divine manifestation of the Lord.

24 Afterward Gideon built an altar to the Eternal there and called it “The Eternal One is Peace.” It still stands at Ophrah in the land of the Abiezrites.

25 That night, the Eternal spoke to Gideon.

Eternal One: Take your father’s bull, the second bull, seven years old, and pull down your father’s altar that has been consecrated to Baal. Then cut down the image of Asherah made of wood that is beside the altar. 26 Then build correctly an altar to the Eternal One, your True God, on the top of this stronghold. Build a fire using the wood from the image; then take your father’s bull and offer a burnt offering to Me.

27 So Gideon took 10 of his servants and did as the Eternal had told him; but since he was worried about what his family and the people of the town might think, he did it at night while they all slept. 28 Early the next morning, when the townspeople left their homes and saw the altar of Baal destroyed, the wooden image cut down, and the second bull offered on the new altar, 29 they asked each other, “Who did this?”

After the investigation, it became clear that it was Gideon, the son of Joash, 30 so they went to Joash’s home and called for him.

People: Send out your son Gideon. He has torn down the holy altar of Baal and the Asherah image beside it, and he must die!

31 Joash stood up as the angry crowd lined up against him.

Joash (to the crowd): Will you fight in place of Baal himself? Can you save him? Anyone daring to say such a thing will be put to death by morning! If Baal is indeed a god, then let him stand up for himself, because his is the altar that has been torn down.

32 From that time on, Gideon was also called “Jerubbaal” (“Let Baal fight against him”), because he pulled down Baal’s altar.

33 At that time, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east had come together, crossed the Jordan, and camped in the valley of Jezreel.

34 Then the Spirit of the Eternal touched Gideon; he sounded his trumpet, and the Abiezrites all gathered behind him. 35 Gideon sent messengers to the members of the tribe of Manasseh and called them also to follow him. He also sent messengers to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they, too, gathered at his call.

36 Then Gideon spoke to the True God.

Gideon: So that I can know if it’s true that You plan to use me to rescue Israel, 37 I am going to lay out a wool fleece on the threshing floor. Tomorrow morning, if it is wet with dew while the floor around it is dry, then I will know You are going to use me to deliver Israel, as You have told me.

38 So the next morning, that was what he found. In fact, Gideon wrung enough water out of the fleece to fill a bowl, while the floor around it remained dry. But Gideon still was not satisfied.

Gideon (to the True God): 39 Please don’t be angry with me, and I will ask this one thing more. Please let me use the fleece again to prove that You are with me. But this time, let me lay out the fleece, and let it remain dry while all the floor around it is wet with dew.

40 God did as he asked that night. The next morning, the fleece was completely dry, while all the floor around it was wet with dew. Gideon knew that God was calling him to deliver Israel.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Luke 22:54-23:12

54 They grabbed Him at this point and took Him away to the high priest’s home. Peter followed—at a distance. 55 He watched from the shadows as those who had seized Jesus made a fire in the center of the courtyard and sat down around it. Then Peter slipped in quietly and sat with them. 56 But a young servant girl saw his face in the firelight. She stared for a while and then spoke.

Servant Girl: This fellow here was with Jesus. I recognize him.

Peter (denying it): 57 Woman, I don’t even know the man.

58 A little later, a man also recognized him.

Man: I recognize you. You’re one of Jesus’ followers.

Peter: Man, you’re wrong. I’m not.

59 An hour or so passed, and then another person pointed to Peter.

Another Person: This fellow is obviously Galilean. He must be a member of Jesus’ group.

Peter: 60 Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about.

And he hadn’t even finished the sentence when a nearby rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned toward Peter, and their eyes met. Peter remembered Jesus’ words about his triple denial before the rooster would crow, 62 so he left the courtyard and wept bitter tears.

63 At this point, the men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him. 64 They put a blindfold on Him.

Men Holding Jesus: Hey, Prophet! Use Your prophetic powers to tell us who just whacked You!

65 They kept on with this sort of insulting, degrading treatment for quite some time. 66 When dawn had given way to full day, the Sanhedrin council assembled, consisting of religious leaders of the Sadducean party, along with the chief priests and religious scholars. They took Him to their headquarters for interrogation.

Sanhedrin: 67 If you are the Anointed One whom God promised us, tell us plainly.

Jesus: If I give you an answer, you won’t believe it. 68 And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer it. 69 But this I will say to you: from now on, the Son of Man will take His seat at the right hand of the power of God.

Sanhedrin: 70 So You are the Son of God, then?

Jesus: It’s as you say.

Sanhedrin: 71 What more evidence do we need? We’ve heard it with our own ears from His own lips.

23 So the whole council got up and took Jesus to Pilate. They brought accusations against Him.

Sanhedrin: We have observed this man leading our nation astray. He even forbade us to pay our taxes to Caesar. He claims to be the Anointed One and a King Himself.

Pilate: Are You the King of the Jews?

Jesus: It’s as you say.

Pilate (to the chief priest and crowd): I find this man guilty of no crime.

Sanhedrin (growing more intense): He has been stirring up discontent among the people all over Judea. He started up in Galilee, and now He’s brought His brand of trouble all the way to Jerusalem!

Pilate: Just a minute. Is this man a Galilean?

When Pilate learned that Jesus was indeed Galilean—which meant He was officially under Herod’s jurisdiction—Pilate sent Him over to Herod, who was currently in Jerusalem. Herod was fascinated to meet Jesus for he had heard about Him for a long time. He was hoping he might be treated to a miracle or two. He interrogated Jesus for quite a while, but Jesus remained silent, refusing to answer his questions. 10 Meanwhile the chief priests and religious scholars had plenty to say—angrily hurling accusations at Jesus.

11 Eventually Herod and his soldiers began to insult Jesus, mocking and degrading Him. They put expensive clothing on Him and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 This ended a long-standing rift between Herod and Pilate; they became friends from that day forward.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Psalm 95-96

Psalm 95

Come, let us worship in song, a joyful offering to the Eternal.
Shout! Shout with joy to the rock of our liberation.
Come face-to-face with God, and give thanks;
with loud and joyful voices, praise Him in songs.
For the Eternal is a great God,
and a great King, supreme over all gods.
Within His control are the very depths of the earth;
the mountaintops too—they all belong to Him.
The sea belongs to Him, for He created it—scooped and filled it—
with His hands He made the dry land—every valley and mountain.

Come, let us worship Him. Everyone bow down;
kneel before the Eternal who made us.
For He is our God
and we are His people, the flock of His pasture,
His sheep protected and nurtured by His hand.

Today, if He speaks, hear His voice.
“Don’t harden your hearts the way they did in the bitter uprising at Meribah
or like that day they complained in the wilderness of Massah.
Your ancestors tested Me,
wanted Me to prove Myself though they had seen that nothing was too great for Me.
10 For 40 years I despised that grumbling generation
and said, ‘Their hearts are unfaithful;
they no longer walk in My ways; though I call, they do not listen to My voice.’
11 That is why in My anger I swore,
‘They will never enter into My rest.’”

Psalm 96

Sing a new song to the Eternal;
sing in one voice to the Eternal, all the earth.
Sing to the Eternal of all the good things He’s done.
Bless His name;
broadcast the good news of His salvation each and every day.
Enlighten the nations to His splendor;
describe His wondrous acts to all people.
For the Eternal is great indeed and praiseworthy;
feared and reverenced above all gods, the True God shall be.
For all human-made, lifeless gods are worthless idols,
but the Eternal plotted the vast heavens, shaped every last detail.
Honor and majesty precede Him;
strength and beauty infuse His holy sanctuary.

One of the great themes of Scripture and Psalms is the kingship of God. While lesser kings come and go, God is the One who ultimately rules and reigns over His people, and by extension over the rest of creation. Psalm 96 and others in the collection are often referred to as “enthronement” psalms because they declare boldly and unequivocally that the Eternal is King. There is evidence to suggest that an annual festival at the beginning of the year provided an opportunity to reaffirm the people’s loyalty to the one True God. Psalm 96 calls for new songs to be composed and sung to God and about God as a witness. The enthronement psalms call the world and all its inhabitants to come and recognize His beauty and majesty.

Give all credit to the Eternal, families of the world!
Credit Him with glory, honor, and strength!
Credit Him with the glory worthy of His magnificent name;
gather your sacrifice, and present it at His temple.
Bow down to the Eternal, adorned in holiness;
lay awestruck before Him, trembling, all people of the earth.

10 Shout out to the nations, “The Eternal reigns!
Yes, indeed, the world is anchored and will not shake loose.
He governs all people with a fair hand.”
11 And so, let the heavens resound in gladness!
Let joy be the earth’s rhythm as the sea and all its creatures roar.
12 Let the fields grow in triumph, a grand jubilee for all that live there.
Let all the trees of the forest dig in and reach high with songs of joy before the Eternal,
13 For the Eternal is on His way:
yes, He is coming to judge the earth.
He will set the world right by His standards,
and by His faithfulness, He will examine the people.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.

Proverbs 14:5-6

An honest witness can always be trusted,
but a false witness breathes out nothing but lies.
Wisdom eludes mockers, though they seek it,
but insight comes quickly to those with understanding.

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.