Dave Miller's 2024 Bible Reading Challenge

Today's Reading - Leviticus 16-19 Background As you read through the laws of Israel, some are common sense and some are strange to our ears. But they have two primary purposes. First, God's people are to come apart from the world and not to live as the world does. Paul said, in Romans 12:2, that we were not to be conformed to the world but transformed by Christ. Instead, we are to live holy lives, separated from the world to the service of God. Devotional - Because I Am “ Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy  because I, the  Lord  your God, am holy. " Leviticus 19:2 This statement, repeated several times throughout the book, is the theme of Leviticus. It's not just about rules, but about holiness. It's not just about standards of sexual morality or honesty or laws for treating strangers or foreigners. It is about the holiness of God and what that demands of us. Because God is holy, we must live our lives a certain way.  And it is about ...

Today's Reading - Leviticus 12-15 Background Today's reading is truly a highlight! It deals with purification from childbirth, infectious skin diseases, mildew, and bodily discharges. Riveting, right? The key in today's readings is the message behind the laws themselves. We are not obligated to sort these laws out and follow them explicitly - that is one of the blessings of the New Covenant. But we must understand the character of the God who gave these laws and live as he commands. We must learn the lessons of these laws. Devotional - Living Holy If you are following along in our readings, you will be aware that our Old Testament readings in Leviticus have been a little strange. We've had long lists of animals that could be eaten and those that could not. We have had extensive discourses on the identification and treatment of skin diseases and mildew. And, in today's reading, we are given detailed information on how to respond to certain bodily discharges. By the g...

Today's Reading - Leviticus 8-11 Background These chapters deal primarily with the role of the priest, setting a higher standard of morality and character for priests than for the average Israelite. But it is a mistake to see the word "priest" and think "preacher." Remember that the New Testament says that we are a kingdom of priests - all of us, clergy and laity alike. We have direct access to God and are responsible to bring others to him. We, as the redeemed of Christ, are each and every one held to the higher priestly standard! Devotional - Acceptable Sacrifice The Law specified the intricate and complicated system of sacrifices. We've been reading through these over the last three days, and if you are honest, you might admit its not the most riveting reading the Bible offers. But it is important. God gave these sacrifices to Moses in great detail. Then God set apart the priests to administer the sacrifices, consecrated them and put them to work. Under t...

Today's Reading -  Leviticus 1-7 Background Can I give you a word of encouragement? Leviticus is a tough book. Chapters chock full of details on sacrifices and others explaining things about infectious skin disease and mildew that none of us wants to think about. There are laws about sexual practices decent people don't discuss and a bunch of intricate instructions we don't understand. Stick with it. Don't give up! It is God's word and there is truth to be learned. It is about holiness - God's people are different than the world around them and have to live by different rules. On the other hand, I have blocked out some long sections and my recommendation would be to simply "skim" some of the more arcane and detailed parts. This might be a time to augment your reading with a Psalm or a quick chapter of Romans! If you wish to do a little deeper reading on the sacrifices described in this passage, here is an online resource . Here is another (even has a ...

Today's Reading - Exodus 36-40 Background Again, this passage can be somewhat tedious to read. Essentially, it repeats the instructions of chapters 25-30 and says that Moses followed them carefully. That is key point. Do things as God says and then the blessing falls! Devotional - The Glory Fell Glory! It was a startling and wonderful moment, as the glory of God came down and so filled the tabernacle that Moses had completed that he could not even enter the tent. Imagine that, will you? The presence of God was so strong, the power of God so real, so palpable, that God's servant could not even go into the designated place of worship. Wouldn't that be something? We hear a lot today about revival. At its root, revival is simply the restoration of the glory of God among the people of God. When the Scriptures speak of glory, they mean the manifest presence of God. God is always here, always everywhere. But sometimes he makes himself known in such a way that his presence is unmis...

Today's Reading - Exodus 31-35 Background The key story in today's reading is the Golden Calf saga. Moses is on the mountain receiving the law of God and Aaron is cowed by the people to build an idolatrous image and worship it. Moses returned and broke the tablets to represent that the people broke God's law. God dealt with them, then sent Moses back up the mountain to start again. Devotional - More Faithful than Our Failure There are ignorant people who claim that the God of the Old Testament was mean, harsh and cruel, and they contrast him to the God of love revealed in the New Testament. Such nonsense. Yes, the God of the OT is holy, giving his law and expecting his people to obey it. He punishes evildoers and protects his people from their enemies. All of that is true. But to overlook his love and kindness is willful folly.  You need look no farther than Exodus 34 to settle the issue of God's love and mercy. Eight words in that passage tell us all we need to know. a...

Today's Reading - Exodus 25-30 I will be honest with you - readings such as today's are what make "through the Bible" readings tough. This is a specification list for the Tabernacle, and while there is great symbolism of Christ in almost every detail, it is not riveting reading. Background The Tabernacle, ordered here by God to Moses, was no simple sanctuary. It was the dwelling of God, fraught with symbolism. I will include some diagrams and drawings to help you picture what you are reading.  The Tabernacle was a two-room tent (about 45x15 feet) surrounded by a walled courtyard. The courtyard had an altar for sacrifices and a laver for the washing of hands. In the larger room (the Holy Place - 30x15) there were three articles of furniture - a table on which bread was placed, a candlestick (think large menorah), and an altar for incense. A curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) where the presence of God dwelt. In that room was the ...

Today's Reading - Exodus 19-24 Background The Ten Commandments, the basis of God's law. In reality, there are only two laws. Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. The first four commandments explain how to love and honor God and the last 6 are about honoring our neighbors as ourselves. The rest of the laws of the Old Testament are designed to expand on the Ten laws which expand on the two. The laws we read in chapters 21-24 have several key purposes, beside expanding and illuminating the Ten. They call on Israel to eschew idolatry in all forms and to worship and serve God faithfully.  They require personal responsibility. If you break it, fix it. If you take it, give it back.  They require justice and mercy. Treat people honestly, fairly, and with compassion. Don't oppress people to get rich.  They require sexual and moral purity.  There are no doubt strange laws that we have trouble understanding. They can seem harsh in some areas. but ma...

Today's Reading - Exodus 13-18 Background There are three parts to today's reading. First, we see the actual Exodus, God's saving act of grace to Israel when he took them out of Egypt by his grace through the Sea and eventually to the Promised Land. Then, we see Moses' song of praise in chapter 15 after the horse and rider were thrown into the sea. Our God is a warrior who defeats his enemies and ours to accomplish his work in us. The third section is a study of human nature. Israel saw the greatness of God's love and grace, but when they had a need they complained and groused instead of trusting in him. They needed water - they complained he provided. They needed food - they complained, he provided. They wanted meat - they complained, he provided. An enemy attacked - he provided. In chapter 18, God gives Moses a lesson in leadership. He was overwhelmed and overworked and his father-in-law Jethro told him to delegate, to get other leaders to help him. Devotional - ...

Today's Reading - Exodus 9-12 Background The plagues escalate throughout these readings until the climactic moment when the tenth and greatest one approaches, as the Death Angel passes through Egypt. The Passover is heavy in the symbolism of the death of Christ. If you ever watch TV shows about the Exodus, they try to give natural explanations for the plagues. A volcano dropped ash in the Nile that turned it red, driving the frogs out. They died, drawing flies and causing disease, etc. Those of us who believe in a sovereign God need no such crutches. We believe in a God who can turn the Nile to blood and bring supernatural plagues to display his power. Devotional - The Cross and the Passover  There are few places where foreshadowings of the work of Christ are clearly seen than in the Passover in Exodus 11 and 12. There is so much in the story of the death angel passing over that directly prophecies Jesus' Passion - his death, burial and resurrection and their effect on us. To...

Today's Reading - Exodus 5-8 Background When  you do the right thing and serve God, everything will work out fine, right? If you believe that you haven't read today's reading. Moses finally gave in and went to Egypt in obedience to God, confronting Pharoah - that's when Murphy's Law took over. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong. Pharaoh did not accept Moses' terms and heaped a greater burden on Israel. Now they had to make their full quota of bricks, but gather their own straw. They turned on Moses pretty fast. Moses showed the secret to success - he just kept going. He went back to Pharaoh again and again. The plagues began and Pharoah yielded then changed his mind again and again. Moses was dogged in his obedience until God finally fulfilled his promise. Devotional - When It All Goes South What we do when things don't work out makes all the difference in the world. In Exodus 7, Moses demonstrated the secret to significance in the Kingdom of God. He...

Today's Reading - Exodus 1-4 Background We enter the book of Exodus, perhaps the most dramatic book of the Bible. As the Cross is the focus of our salvation experience, the Red Sea was Israel's. Over and over again, God would remind Israel of his love and faithfulness demonstrated to Moses and the people as he led them out of Egypt, through the Sea on dry ground and eventually to the Promised Land. In these first four chapters, we meet Moses, born under oppression as a Jewish slave. He is hidden by his mother and adopted in a miraculous way by the daughter of Pharaoh. Lucky, right? God worked it so that a Hebrew slave grew up as a grandson of Pharaoh! But he tried to take matters into his own hand and killed a soldier, forcing him to flee to Midian, where he spent 40 years tending sheep and learning humility. That is when he encountered God in a burning bush. Devotional - Get Someone Else Moses saw something that no one in the history of humanity has seen - a bush that was eng...

Today's Reading - Genesis 46-50 Background - Put the Past in the Past  This reading wraps up Genesis as Jacob is moved to Egypt to be reunited with his son Joseph and there is great rejoicing. He blesses his sons, though some of those blessings are questionable as blessings - they read more like curses! Finally, Jacob dies and is taken back to his homeland for burial.  That's when the sneaky brothers show themselves again, telling Joseph a story about how their father had left instructions to forgive them. He once again expresses his faith in God's good hand behind even their treachery.  Devotional It was a time of grief as they buried their father, but for Joseph's brothers it was also a time of stress and fear. They carried with them the memory of a terrible wrong they had committed against their brother, imprisoning him and selling him into slavery in Egypt. And now their brother was the second most powerful man in the world.  And dad was not around...

Today's Reading - Genesis 42-45 Background We encounter one of the truly entertaining stories in the Bible today - Joseph's interaction with the brothers who betrayed him. They'd assumed he was long dead and gone and had no idea that the powerful ruler they were encountering was the little brother they'd hated and sold into slavery. Joseph knew, though, and he tricked them. Was he justified in the tricks he played on them? He could have just revealed himself at the start and been reunited, but he chose to hide his identity, entrap them, hold little brother Benjamin hostage and put his brothers through an emotional wringer. By New Testament ethics it would hardly be considered Christlike behavior, but Joseph did not have the Beatitudes and the teachings of Christ to consider. Why did he deceive them? The best explanation is that he was testing their hearts. They had sold him out to advance their own positions. Would they do the same with his little brother Benjamin? Or ...

Today's Reading - Genesis 37-41 Background The story of Joseph which begins in these chapters and carries on through the end of the book of Genesis, is fascinating and powerful. He is given great promises by God, then is sold by his brothers, imprisoned because of lies, forgotten by one he helped. Then when God was ready for him, he was elevated to the position God had promised to give him. There are several lessons we learn from Joseph's life: God's promises are trustworthy even if they are delayed or if circumstances seem to show they are impossible.  Serving God is no guarantee of ease and comfort.  God's concern is for our character development more than our comfort, ease, and prosperity. Job suffered much for many years to develop the character he'd need to do the job God assigned him.  Our duty is to serve God whatever the circumstances.  Circumstances never tell the truth about your life. God's word does.  There is much more to say - this story is filled...

Today's Reading - Genesis 31-36 Background Jacob finally decided to return home and face the music. Decades had passed and he wanted to see his family again. He separated from Laban (and some of his scheming past came out) and headed back. Surprisingly, Esau welcomed him back and all was forgiven. The most significant aspect of these readings are two encounters Jacob has with God at Bethel (House of God), one in chapter 32 and the second in chapter 35. In the first, Jacob wrestles with God and finally, he encounters God in power, the covenant with Abraham is renewed with him and his name is change to Israel (He struggles with God). Jacob became Israel, a changed man. Devotional - Changed One of the fundamental assertions of modern pop-psychology is that people don't really change. You are what you are and that is what you always will be. An alcoholic may be able to stop drinking, but he remains an alcoholic to the end of his days. It is assumed that people's sexual desires...

Today's Reading - Genesis 26-30 Background The story of Jacob is one of redemption and transformation. You and I wouldn't have much liked him. He was a momma's boy and a schemer. They named him Jacob, a word that carried that meaning and he fulfilled his name. He manipulated his brother out of his birthright and stole the blessing of his father. When he fled north to Abraham's ancestral home, he was schemed against by Laban and married his two wives, beginning his family. We also see here the beginning of the change of a man's heart. Exiled from home the deceiver gradually changes until that moment when he encountrs God and is made a new man (tomorrow's reading). One interesting note is that Genesis foreshadows the conflict of the nations throughout time. Abraham's tryst with Hagar brought Ishmael to life - he is the father of the Arab peoples who have troubled the Jews for millennia. Lot's daughters were the beginning of Moab and Ammon. Now, you have E...