For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
John 9
What does Jesus mean that he came to make the blind see and the seeing blind? (v. 39-41) What can you do to make sure you see? Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (Jn. 9:41). I see self-dependence in that statement. It was the Pharisees’ refusal to admit that they were in need that kept them from receiving help. Jesus came to heal the sick, seek the lost, and give sight to the blind. Unless you acknowledge that you are sick, lost, and blind, however, He can do nothing for you.
Maybe that’s what He meant when He said He came so, “those who see will become blind.” (Jn. 9:39b). He came to show people the fallacy of their self-dependence; to show them that they really do need Him. Because it is only when they realize they are in fact blind that He can then give them sight.
Nahum 1-3
Notice the contrast in 1:7-8. What does this tell you about the character of God? Compare Jonah’s prophecy against Nineveh with this one which was much later. Wow. After six verses describing the terrifying wrath of God, Nahum says, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble.” (Nah. 1:7a). Though these are vastly different descriptions of God, He is not a contradiction. Rather, He is both good and avenging because He is righteous. We need to understand that God is the sovereign standard; there is no wrong in Him. We also need to understand that He does not perceive, think, or act as humans do. That means that the contradiction is in us.
Because God is the standard, it is up to us to either conform to that standard or to go our own way. Anything short of full surrender to Him is opposition. And because He is sovereign, no opposition to Him can or will stand. It’s not that He is harsh, mean, or petty. It’s because, by definition, righteousness cannot leave the guilty unpunished. If you oppose what is right, you stand as guilty. If, however, we choose to humbly surrender to Him, we find, “He cares for those who trust in Him” (Nah. 1:7b). In fact, we find Him to be far more than good because He covers us with His own righteousness to save us from His wrath.
Ps. 146
What are the reasons the psalmist counsels us not to put our trust in human leaders? What are the reasons to trust the Lord? This Psalm tells us more about How God is good to those who acknowledge His sovereignty and do not oppose Him. Only God is worthy of our trust because only God can do what God can do.