Today’s Bible Reading

November 4

Old Testament I
1 Chronicles 17, 18
1 Chronicles 17 and 18 record the establishment of King David's reign over all of Israel and his desire to build a temple for the Lord. In 1 Chronicles 17, David expresses his desire to build a house for the Lord, but the prophet Nathan receives a message from God that David will not be the one to build it. Instead, God promises to establish a dynasty for David and to build a house for David's name.

In 1 Chronicles 18, David leads Israel in victorious battles against neighboring nations and expands his kingdom to its greatest extent. The chapter lists the various nations that David conquered and the tribute that he received from them. The chapter also highlights the key military leaders who served under David, including Joab, Abishai, and Benaiah.

Overall, 1 Chronicles 17 and 18 emphasize the importance of David's reign in establishing Israel as a powerful and prosperous nation under God's blessing. While David's desire to build a temple is deferred, God promises to establish a lasting dynasty for David and to build a house for his name. The chapter also highlights David's military prowess and the key leaders who helped him achieve his victories.

Old Testament II
Ezekiel 17
Ezekiel 17 contains a parable about two eagles and a vine. The first eagle represents Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who came and took King Jehoiachin and the people of Judah into captivity. The second eagle represents Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who promised to support Judah but ultimately failed to do so.

In the parable, the vine represents Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, and his covenant with Babylon. Zedekiah broke his covenant and sought help from Egypt, but this only led to his downfall. The chapter ends with a warning that those who rebel against God and trust in human power will ultimately face judgment and destruction.

Overall, the chapter emphasizes the importance of keeping one's commitments and trusting in God rather than human power or alliances.

New Testament
John 6:22-40
In John 6:22-40, Jesus has just performed a miracle by feeding a large crowd of people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. The next day, the people who had been fed went looking for Jesus and found him on the other side of the sea. They asked him when he had gotten there, and he responded by telling them that they were only looking for him because he had fed them, not because they believed in him.

Jesus then tells them that the food they had eaten the day before was not the true bread from heaven, but that he himself was the true bread of life. He explains that whoever comes to him will never be hungry and whoever believes in him will never be thirsty. He also tells them that he came down from heaven to do the will of his Father.

The people then ask Jesus what they need to do to do the work of God, and Jesus responds by telling them that the work of God is to believe in him, the one whom God has sent. He again emphasizes that he is the bread of life, and that whoever comes to him will never be hungry or thirsty.

Jesus continues to explain that he is the living bread that came down from heaven, and that whoever eats of this bread will live forever. He tells them that his flesh is true food and his blood is true drink, and that whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will have eternal life.

Many of the people who heard Jesus' words were confused and found them difficult to understand. Some even started to grumble among themselves. However, Jesus continued to teach and explain that no one can come to him unless the Father draws them, and that those who believe in him will be raised up on the last day.

In summary, John 6:22-40 is a passage where Jesus teaches that he is the bread of life, the true bread from heaven. He emphasizes the importance of believing in him and coming to him in order to have eternal life. Many of the people who heard his words were confused or skeptical, but Jesus continued to teach and explain the truth to them.