2 Kings 17:1-18:12, Acts 20:1-38, Psalms 147:1-20, Proverbs 18:6-7
Today is the 30th day of June. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It’s great to be here with you today. Congratulations. Today marks the halfway point in our adventure through the Bible this year. And what an adventure it has been together. So, let’s dive in and take the next step forward and cross through this halfway point. We’re reading from the God’s Word translation this week, which happens to be today. And we’ll go into the second half of the year choosing a new translation as we begin a new week. 2 Kings 17:1 - 18:12 today.
Commentary:
Okay. So, as we cross this threshold, the halfway point of the year, we see the ending of Israel. The ten northern tribes broke away from David’s family after Solomon’s reign. They have been conquered and they have been taken away. They were assimilated into the Assyrian empire. So, from a formal historical perspective, they left the stage. They’re the lost tribes of Israel, they’re gone. And people were brought into the land to resettle it, which was the way of empire building at the time. If you conquered one people then you conquered another people and you swapped them and intermingled them, then over generations they would become one people, people of this empire, but wouldn’t have this national identity that they once had. So, new people are in the land.
Then in the book of Acts, as we’ve reached this halfway point in the year, we’re about to turn the corner and follow a different kind of story. We’ve been traveling with Paul freely. I mean, not freely for him. He’s been suffering persecution wherever he goes. Wherever they go, they cause disruption. But he’s been able to move around. Now he’s on his way back to Jerusalem and that part of the story’s going to change. And we’ll be mostly spending our second half of the year with the Apostle Paul and with the Apostle Paul’s letters as we move through the New Testament not completely but the majority of the time. So, we’ll get to know Paul pretty well. We’ve gotten to know some of the backdrop, some of the challenges that the early church was facing, especially the Jews and Gentiles intermingling with one another. And we will see that come out in Paul’s letters quite a bit, so we’re poised. But let’s take a deep breath. We’ve made it halfway. This has been good. God has been faithful. He has been merciful and kind. And He’s spoken profoundly through His Word on so many occasions. He has certainly brought us this far, and he will certainly continue to carry us forward through the rest of the year and through the rest of our lives.
Prayer:
Father, we are grateful. We are grateful that when the road stretches out before us, You are here and You are there and everywhere in between. And we rest in that. We rest in the fact that You are our father and You are good and we trust You. Thank You for bringing us through this first half of the year, Lord. And we look forward with great anticipation to everything that You will speak to us in the coming months. Come, Holy Spirit, we pray. In Jesus name. Amen.
Song:
Say you’ll hold me ever near Emanuel
I feel you and I know that I am not alone
When the tide is angry let the billows roll
I know that there is peace just beyond the storm
And if the road is long
You will carry me
And all my strength is gone
You will carry me
I will lift my hands
You will carry me
Like the child I am
You will carry me
And if tomorrow brings a bitter yesterday
I’ll hold on and believe in the sweet reality
Of love and hope and faith that come what may
I know that you’ll be here and holding on to me
Lay me down in a daffodil field where the still waters flow
Set my eyes on the horizon and the picture of home
Sail with me miles over even my highest hopes
Cause where ever you are- that’s where I want to go