Dave Miller's 2024 Bible Reading Challenge

Today's Reading - 1 Samuel 6-10 Background It is interesting how often immensely talented people end up being failures in God's kingdom work. Samson was good-looking and athletic but lacked character. Here we have King Saul - head and shoulders taller than others, charismatic and appealing. But he was not careful to obey God and his life became a cautionary tale of failure. In today's reading we see Saul anointed as king with tremendous promise, which we know will fail in the next few chapters. We see a flaw in Israel here. Though we know it was ultimately God's will to have kings in Israel, it was also an indication of Israel's failure to trust God when they chose to be like the nations around them and ask for a king. Devotional - Anointed Failure  I remember eavesdropping on a conversation between my dad and another pastor, in which they were discussing how churches find pastors. Among Baptists, the church chooses its own leader, forming a search committee, field

Today's Reading - 1 Samuel 1-5 Background As Judges 17-21 took Israel to the nadir of its history, this passage is the beginning of the rise to Israel's greatest days. God's grace restored Israel. The irony is that when Israel reached its worst days at the end of the period of the Judges it was only 50 years or so from its glory days under King David. It all began when one woman prayed fervently for a son, then gave that son to God. Samuel grew to lead Israel back to God and eventually anointed a young shepherd as Israel's second king. Devotional - Magical Religion Israel couldn't figure it out. The Philistines had defeated them soundly in battle. Where was God? Why was he not delivering his people and defeating their enemies? Why had God failed them? So, they came up with a plan; one that would bring them success on the battlefield. "Let’s bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then it will go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” All

Today's Reading - Ruth Background Ruth is one of the truly great love stories in ancient literature. No, it is not so much a story of romantic love, but the faithful love of a daughter-in-law to a mother-in-law. The purpose of this book is to tell the story of King David's great-grandmother from Moab. She is also one of the four women who appear in Jesus' genealogy. Devotional - For the World The fundamental failing of Israel was their failure to understand the full meaning of the blessing they'd received from God. In Genesis 12:2, God made this promise. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. Abraham's descendants were to be blessed and made into a great nation - God would work among them to make their name great. But it was not because they were so special or because God found something meritorious in them that was not in any other nation. No, God chose Israel and blessed them to make them a

Today's Reading - Judges 17-21 Background There is little uplifting or encouraging in this passage. It is the story of the degradation of Israel at the end of the downward spiral of the cycle of Judges. As Israel drifted away from God and then returned, the nation gradually degraded and the behavior of the people showed absolutely no obedience to God. The last verse of the book describes the spiritual condition in a nutshell. In those days there was no king in Israel;  everyone did whatever seemed right to him. Judges 21:25 Devotional - King of My Life Do what you want. Don't let anyone else bully you or control you. Be your own person. Our world values individualism and rebellion. The greatest horror is to let someone else control your life. "I gotta be me. I gotta be free." Strange that the book of Judges uses precisely that concept to describe a society in the last stages of moral and spiritual decay. In those days there was no king in Israel;  everyone did whateve

Today's Reading - Judges 11-16 Background As the cycle continued, Israel's judges became less noble and more flawed. Today we focus on two flawed leaders - Jephthah and Samson. The biggest question in today's reading is what happened to Jephthah's daughter (Judges 11). There are two schools of thought and each time I have taught this book I've changed my mind. Jephthah's daughter was sacrificed - put to death - in fulfillment of the vow.  The sacrifice was not death, but that she was never allowed to marry or have children.  The most natural reading of the passage is that she was sacrificed and put to death. But the fact that she mourned not over her death but over the fact that she was a virgin and would never marry (11:36-38) opens the door to the other. It also seems that God would have reacted more retributively had a human sacrifice taken place. We will likely be arguing about this until we see Jesus face to face. Devotional - Kryptonite Samson is a biblica

Today's Reading - Judges 6-10 Background Today we read the story of Gideon, the nobody who God made a judge. It is a story of God's power to transform and to accomplish great things with the weakest of vessels who submit to his use. Devotional - Mighty Warrior Judges 6:12 is one of those great moments in history. Gideon was hiding in the winepress, threshing his grain and keeping his head down. The most unlikely of heroes, he the insignificant son of an insignificant family in the large, but largely insignificant tribe of Manasseh – he was not voted “Most Likely to Deliver Israel” during his high school years. Yet, God used him. God appeared to him and defined him not by his past or even by his present, but by what God was planning to make of him. “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Mighty warrior? There was no evidence that this was true in Gideon’s life to this point. But God tapped him on the shoulder and called him to his service, and made the promise that changes ever

Today's Reading -  Judges 1-5 Background Having divided up the tribal land, Israel failed to drive out the inhabitants as they were commanded to, and the result was a terrible cycle of spiritual drift, catastrophe, revival, and renewed drift. Chapter 2 explains the cycle and the rest of the book covers the stories of the judges that led Israel back to God. There are 12 judges but the book focuses on 7. Throughout the duration of this book, there is a downward moral spiral that results in Israel's lowest point in its history, in chapters 17-21. The good news is that as the book ends and Israel is at its lowest point it is about to enter its most glorious time in history. God is going to raise up King David to lead Israel to greatness. God is great and good. Devotional - God's Relentless Faithfulness Up and down, up and down, up and down. That is the story of Israel during the period of the judges. When Joshua died, Israel drifted into sin and as God had promised, he allowed

Today's Reading - Joshua 19-24 Background As the inheritance is distributed to each tribe, we begin to see the fact that the tribes are failing to drive out the inhabitants from their areas. They may subdue them, but they do not drive them out. Those inhabitants would eventually come back to haunt them. The book of Joshua ends with a powerful covenant renewal, in which Joshua leads the people to recommit themselves to faithful obedience to God. Devotional - Why Can't I Do As I Please? Why can't I just do what I want? That is the spirit of our times, even among Christians. I'm going to do what I feel like doing and no one is going to tell me what I should do. Doesn't God want me to be happy? Would he really ask me to do something hard, something I don't want to do, something that makes me sacrifice and struggle? Well, yes. He would. In fact, it is the fundamental issue of Christianity - who is going to rule in your life? Those who enter a relationship with God th

Today's Reading - Joshua 13-18 Background We begin, in today's reading, the division of the land among the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The boundaries can be fairly dry reading - I'd encourage you to keep a map beside you as you read. The most interesting part of this to me is Caleb's request in chapter 14 to have a hill to conquer in his old age. May his tribe increase. Devotional - A Hill to Conquer  Inerrancy requires that I believe that Scripture accurately records what Caleb says in Joshua 14:10-11, but I am allowed to have some doubts about whether Caleb was 100% accurate when he said it. As you see, the  Lord  has kept me alive these forty-five years as he promised,  since the  Lord  spoke this word to Moses while Israel was journeying in the wilderness. Here I am today, eighty-five years old.   I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks is now as it was then. I am 85 years old, he says. I assume he knew

Today's Reading - Joshua 9-12 Background There are three major thrusts in the Conquest of Canaan. First, there is the Southern Campaign. After Jericho and Ai, Israel fought the Battle of the Five Kings recorded in today's reading - famous for the sun standing still. Then there was the Northern Campaign, recorded in chapters 11-12, along with a summary. The third section, which takes up most of the rest of the book, is what I call "Divide and Conquer." Each of the tribes is given their section of land to conquer. It is here where failure begins to creep in, as they do not drive out the inhabitants. Devotional - The Folly of Independence The contrast throughout Joshua is stark. When Israel consults God, depends on him, and does battle in his power, they are undefeated, unconquerable, and fearsome - the nations quake. The walls of Jericho come tumbling down. Five powerful armies are destroyed. The great kings of the north are brought into submission. Depending on God, I

Today's Reading - Joshua 5-8 Background One of the great stories of the Bible, the battle of Jericho, is in today's reading. There was the encounter with the Captain of the Lord's army who gave Joshua the plan. He then went back and reported the plan to the leaders of Israel. Can you imagine their response? Walk around 13 times? Are you nuts? But the key was obedience! And persistence! And God brought the walls down. Then, sinful and arrogant Israel faced defeat at Ai, a ruined town which may have been the only time in its history it faced an army smaller than itself. After dealing with the sin they returned to victory in God's power. Devotional - Dealing with Defeat Joshua was flabbergasted. After the great victory he and the people of God had won over Jericho, they had suddenly been horribly defeated by a little nothing village called Ai. Had God let his people down, forgotten them? Joshua was convinced that God had failed his people and he called out to him for help

Today's Reading - Joshua 1-4 Background There is no issue in the early chapters of Joshua with a lack of interesting and exciting stories. Joshua begins with the eponymous character's being established as the leader of Israel. He then guides the people through the Jordan at flood stage into the Promised Land. The crossing of the Jordan is a great story of faith. Remember, it was flood stage and God said that he would only stop the river once they stepped in. Step in first, then God does his work! Faith precedes the miracle. We often want to sit back and say, "God, open the door and I will walk through." God says, "Walk through the door in obedience, and I will open it." Devotional As much as we talk about success in America today, and in American religion, it is not a word that appears often in the Scriptures. Many have tried to twist the Bible to make it into a manual for earthly success - helping me get all I want and all I need in this world. The Bible i

Today's Reading - Deuteronomy 30-34 As you read this, I will hopefully be in transit from Sioux City to southern Senegal. I am writing this a week before I leave and am hoping to be able to get all the devotionals written. However, I do have at the very least have the passages set up. If I am not able to get a devotional written for EVERY day, you might just have to write one for yourself! Background Today's reading is about transitions. Moses has led Israel from the moment God sent him from the Burning Bush and now it is his time to die. Joshua has been beside him for 40 years and it is his time to take over. This is going to be tough, but God guides his people through. Devotional - Irreplaceable I did not understand why God was moving me from the church I thought I would retire from across the state of Iowa. But it all became clear at a meeting a few days after I resigned when I was trying to help some of the leaders of the church make some plans for the future and one of the

Today's Reading -  Deuteronomy 24-29 Background The lengthy section giving the "Second Law" continues as it has in our last several days of readings. But the key thought here is the ceremony on Gerezim and Ebal, in which the choice of blessing or curses is given. A note - when we think of "curse" it conjurs vivid ideas, but we ought to think more of God's discipline and the consequences of sin. Devotional - Life Is Choices Life is a journey in the valley between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal. In Deuteronomy 27, Moses gave instructions to Israel for a ceremony that would take place after they had conquered the land of Canaan. They were to go the valley between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. Half of the people would stand on Mt. Gerizim and half on Mt. Ebal. The Levites would stand between them and call out the blessings that would come from obedience to God’s Law and the curses that would come from disobedience. Gerizim represented the blessing of God and Ebal represe

Today's Reading - Deuteronomy 18-23 Background The expansion of the law of God continues. As you read these laws, look for the character quality of God behind the law. We may not be under the law, but our God does not change. Devotional - Enemies Too Big Quite a pep talk God gave Israel through Moses in Deuteronomy 20:1-4. "Your enemies are always going to be bigger than you! Aren't we supposed to tell people that God won't give them more than they can handle? Aren't we supposed to motivate them to victory? But Moses told them that every foe they faced would be bigger and stronger than they. And that was pretty much true throughout Israel's history. And it is true in your life as well. Someone observed that we have three great enemies. The devil has rebelled against God and goes about on this earth as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The world we live in is enslaved to his lies and does obeisance to him. And our own sinful flesh is drawn to the ways o

Today's Reading - Deuteronomy 14-17 Background The expansion of the laws of Israel continues in these chapters - with a wide variety of topics, all of which we have seen previously. Idolatry. Cleanliness. Feasts. Tithes. Cancelling debts. Devotional - Under the Law "We are not under the law but under grace." I am thankful for that every day - and if I am not, I should be. We understand that our relationship with God is a product of the work of Christ, not our merit or good works. He paid it all. But too often we come to believe that the law is somehow evil, shameful, or oppressive. Yes, there were parts of the law that were difficult - what you could eat and couldn't, the intricate sacrificial system. But the law was not oppressive. It was designed to help God's people. There were three primary purposes of the law. The greatest command is to love God with all your heart. Much of the law is designed to help us do that - to avoid idolatry, to take time for worship,

Today's Reading -  Deuteronomy 9-13 Background These chapters focus on a pure heart, a devoted heart - one that is faithful to God. It speaks of what God requires and of Israel's covenant renewal with God. Devotional - He Earned Our Love Why should I obey God? Why should I love him? Why should I turn my back on my own desires, my own ambitions, my own will, and give myself wholly and completely to God. The Israelites asked themselves this question repeatedly. Why should we love and serve the Lord? Why can't we be like all the nations around us? God answered this question clearly in Deuteronomy 11. The chapter begins with a call to love God and to demonstrate that love through obedience. True love for God is evidenced by a submissive, obedient heart. “Therefore, love the Lord your God and always keep His mandate and His statutes, ordinances, and commands." Deuteronomy 11:1 Moses then explains clearly why Israel was obligated to love God.  His greatness, strong hand, an

Today's Reading -  Deuteronomy 5-8 Background Today's reading reviews the giving of the Ten Commandments and highlights the most important aspect of it - total loyalty to God. Chapter 6:4 has the well-known Shema - the call to worship that was Israel's affirmation for generations. Devotional - With All My Heart Deuteronomy 6 is one of the foundational passages of the Old Testament. It begins with the "Shema Y'israel" (Hear, O Israel), in 6:4 and follows with what Jesus identified as the greatest commandment,  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  Then in the next few chapters Israel is told how to live our that devotion, commanded to eschew idolatry of any form, to trust God against all enemies who would try to keep them from the work of God and to expect that the God who saved them from Egypt would establish them in the Promised Land.  But the passage roots in the first command, to love God with all of

Today's Reading - Deuteronomy 1-4 Background Deuteronomy means "second law." It is Moses' recounting of the faithfulness of God to Israel from the Exodus throughout the wilderness wanderings. It highlights the key aspects of the law. Devotional - Review and Remember Deuteronomy is a favorite book of mine, because I take a lot of teasing about how often I "review" and repeat my teachings. The whole book is one long review. Moses, at the end of his life, just before he would turn over the reins of leadership to Joshua and his life would come to an end, reviewed the story of God's grace to Israel and the law that was told in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. There is a reason why God, through Moses, gave the book of Deuteronomy, why he reviewed the story of his grace to these people. God's people have a tendency to forget his goodness. We have short spiritual memory. Look at the warning in Deuteronomy 4:9 (which will come in tomorrow's reading). Only

Today's Reading - Numbers 31-36 Background We wrap up our reading of Numbers today with another difficult reading. Chapter 31 tells of a war with Midian and then the journeys of Israel are recounted in detail. The boundaries of the Promised Land are spelled out - far larger than modern Israel. Then we read of the founding of the cities of refuge and the inheritance of Zelophehad's daughters being finally given. Israel did not have courts. When a crime was committed, the family of the victim exacted revenge. The cities of refuge were places a person could flee to for protection until his case was heard. God seeks justice, not just vengeance. The key passage in today's reading is Numbers 33:50-56. Here God commands the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land and not to fail. He also warns that those inhabitants they do not drive out will plague them. This is an unfortunate prophetic history of Israel and also an example to us of the need to deal with the sins in o