For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Mark 2
What does it mean that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath? How has taking a regular Sabbath benefited you? The Sabbath, like the rest of the law, is God’s provision to us. It was never intended to be our master. God alone is Lord over everything. We are to serve Him, not His law. When we keep that in the right order, we obey God’s true law.
Jer. 27-28
What did the yoke symbolize? How did Jeremiah describe God in 27:5 and how is that relevant to the rest of Jeremiah’s message? How did the yoke factor into the exchange with Hananiah in chapter 28? “With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please.” (Jer. 27:5). God is sovereign. He gives power and authority and He takes it away. It is all His to do with as He wishes. We would do well to surrender to God’s authority in whatever form it comes.
As for those false prophets, I notice that their prophecies always tickle the ears of their listeners. But they promise good things without cause. The true prophecies of God are backed by God’s character. When He promised good things, it was always for His name’s sake or in response to humble repentance. When He promised bad things, it was always as a consequence of the people’s proud, hard hearts, blind eyes, and stopped up ears. The promises of Hananiah and the others, however, were empty. Jeremiah emphasized this by responding to Hananiah’s prophecy with, “Amen! May the LORD do so!” (Jer. 28:6a). Hananiah prophesied what everybody wanted, but that didn’t make it true.
Ps. 121
Who is your “help” when you’re in trouble? Why does the psalmist say that God is such a good helper? This Psalm points out two things that set God above all other forms of help. One is that God is the creator of all things. Thus, all things are subject to Him. He is the only one with the power, authority, and control. The other is that God doesn’t miss a thing. Nothing gets by or surprises Him. He is aware of every minute detail. I’ll be the first to state that God doesn’t always deliver help and protection to fit my definition. It’s in times like those that I need His help the most – help to trust in what I know of His character and to hold fast to faith, knowing to the depths of my soul that what feels like harm to me is really for my good.