Today’s Bible Reading

November 25

Old Testament I
2 Chronicles 23, 24
2 Chronicles 23 and 24 describe the reigns of two kings of Judah, Joash and Athaliah.

Chapter 23 begins with the story of Joash's coronation. Joash was the only surviving member of the royal family and was hidden away by his aunt Jehosheba when his grandmother Athaliah seized the throne and killed all of the other potential heirs. With the help of the high priest Jehoiada, Joash was crowned king at the age of seven. Jehoiada also led a successful rebellion against Athaliah and had her killed.

Chapter 24 describes Joash's reign and his attempt to repair the temple of the Lord, which had fallen into disrepair. Joash ordered the priests and Levites to collect money from the people to fund the repairs, and the work was completed successfully. However, after Jehoiada died, Joash began to turn away from the Lord and allowed the people to worship idols. He even had Jehoiada's son Zechariah stoned to death when he prophesied against him. As a result, Joash's reign ended badly, with the kingdom falling into disarray and Joash himself being assassinated.

Overall, these two chapters illustrate the importance of remaining faithful to God and the consequences of turning away from Him. Despite Joash's successful reign at first, his downfall shows that even the most powerful leaders can be corrupted by sin and pride.

Old Testament II
Ezekiel 41
Ezekiel 41 describes the prophet's vision of the temple in Jerusalem. The chapter begins with Ezekiel being taken to the sanctuary, where he sees the Holy of Holies, which is a perfect cube of 20 cubits in length, width, and height. He notes that the wall of the sanctuary is six cubits thick and has side chambers around it, three stories high.

Ezekiel also describes the building of the temple in detail, including the measurements of the walls, the size of the doors, and the design of the cherubim and palm trees that decorate the walls. He notes that the inner sanctuary is separated from the outer sanctuary by a wall, and that there are doors and windows throughout the temple.

Throughout the vision, Ezekiel is shown the importance of purity and holiness in the temple. He sees that the altar is made of wood and covered in bronze, and that the priests must wear linen garments when they enter the sanctuary.

Overall, Ezekiel 41 provides a detailed description of the temple and emphasizes the importance of holiness in worship. The chapter serves as a reminder that God desires His people to worship Him in spirit and truth, and to approach Him with reverence and purity.

New Testament
John 18:1-27
John 18:1-27 records the events that took place on the night of Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. The chapter begins with Jesus and His disciples crossing the Kidron Valley to enter the garden. Judas, who had already made a deal with the chief priests and Pharisees, led a group of soldiers and officials to the garden to arrest Jesus.

As soon as Jesus saw them, He asked, "Who is it you want?" When they replied that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus identified Himself and said, "I am He." At that moment, the soldiers and officials fell to the ground, overwhelmed by His presence and power.

Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, drew his sword and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear. Jesus rebuked Peter, saying that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. He then submitted Himself to be arrested and taken away.

Jesus was first brought before Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest Caiaphas. Annas questioned Jesus about His teachings and disciples, but Jesus replied that He had spoken openly to the world and had nothing to hide. Annas then sent Jesus to Caiaphas.

Meanwhile, Peter and another disciple followed Jesus to the high priest's courtyard. Peter was recognized by a servant girl and denied three times that he knew Jesus, just as Jesus had predicted.

Inside, Caiaphas and the Jewish leaders questioned Jesus about His teachings and His claim to be the Son of God. When Jesus affirmed His divinity, they accused Him of blasphemy and sentenced Him to death.

In this passage, we see Jesus' willingness to submit to the Father's plan, even in the face of arrest, false accusations, and denial by His own disciple. We also see the contrast between the power and authority of Jesus and the weakness and fear of those who came to arrest Him. Lastly, we see the fulfillment of prophecy as Jesus is unjustly accused and sentenced to death for claiming to be the Son of God.