TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Nahum 2:11-13
“I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. - Nahum 2:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Lions were a symbol of the Assyrian Empire in Bible times. A pair of enormous stone lions, for example, stood on either side of the entrance to a temple dedicated to Ishtar, Assyrian goddess of fertility and warfare. The lions measured eight-and-a-half feet high and more than seven feet across. Their mouths were open, as if they were roaring, and their expressions communicated power and ferocity. Written on one lion was a prayer to Ishtar as well as a record of a particular king’s achievements. The temple was excavated in 1849 in northern Iraq, and today that lion can be seen in the British Museum in London.

Knowing that lions symbolized the Assyrian Empire shows today’s reading to be highly ironic. Like a marauding lion, Assyria had been on the prowl, hunting and conquering other nations. In Nahum’s prophecy the tables are turned and the hunter becomes the hunted; the fearless become the fearful. “Where now is the lions’ den?” (v. 11) is a taunting question. To American ears this might sound like something we would describe as unsportsmanlike trash talk, but culturally and literarily it was an appropriate way to highlight the meaning of this significant event. The overthrow of Nineveh meant that God’s words were true and His sovereignty absolute. To look at this in terms of the overall biblical storyline, the supreme lion is the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ (Rev. 5:5).

Assyria would experience a complete reversal of fortune (v. 12). What a contrast with the Nineveh of Jonah’s day—from hearts open to God’s tender mercies to hearts determined to set themselves up against God Himself. Once powerful, Nineveh would become helpless. Once rich, it would be plundered. Once in pursuit of fresh prey, it would become the prey of others. Once a place of security and stability, it would soon see war refugees fleeing for their lives. How would all this happen? Why would chariots go up in smoke? Why would the army be defeated? Why would the empire’s political power vanish? The reason was God’s fearsome statement, “I am against you” (v. 13).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The results of opposing God are always disastrous. To reject His Word and His gospel is to make oneself His enemy. “Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). One might expect to lose when pitting human knowledge against God’s wisdom and human power against His might. So why do people do it? They are irrational and prideful—sins that can characterize whole societies (like Nineveh) as well as individuals (like Jonah).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Nahum 3:1-7
They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. - Hosea 8:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1839, the Amistad sailed for Cuba with a shipload of African slaves. The captives, led by a man known as Cinque, escaped from their chains and took over the ship. As seen in an award-winning movie, also called Amistad, they then attempted to return to Africa but were captured by the U.S. Navy and imprisoned while the case was investigated. Spain tried to pressure President Martin Van Buren into extraditing the group so they could be tried for piracy and murder, but abolitionists succeeded in having the case tried in the United States. Two years after the original mutiny, the Supreme Court finally ruled that they had been taken captive illegally and were thus free to go. Justice had been done!

In vivid and intense language, Nahum 3 reiterates the justice of God’s judgment on Nineveh and poetically addresses the reasons for it—which is, in short, their sins. This “city of blood” (v. 1) was guilty of cruelty, pride, idolatry, deceit, and witchcraft, and one gets the feeling that Nahum’s list is a sampler, not a complete record. The Lord’s justice would be poetic: Sins done in private would be made public. Shamelessness would be shamed. “I will pelt you with filth,” said God, “I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle” (v. 6). This may sound extreme, but the literary device of hyperbole (exaggeration for effect) reflects the true heinousness of Nineveh’s sins.

Assyria was not just a superpower, but a sadistic and evil one. History testifies to their bloody cruelties. They are alleged to have cut off enemies’ hands, feet, and noses; gouged out their eyes; flayed or skinned them alive; ripped open pregnant women; beheaded and then burned the bodies in huge piles; and carried out many massacres. Their lust for power is comparable to a lust for sex—the “harlot” (v. 4) is probably Ishtar, goddess of both fertility and war. Given all this, it’s no surprise that no one will mourn the destruction of Nineveh, no one will offer words of comfort. Instead, Assyria’s former victims will rejoice in their liberation (v. 7).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Justice is often about reaping what we sow. Sowing the wind, the Assyrians were bound to reap the whirlwind (Hos. 8:7). We need to remember, though, that God can and does break this pattern with His mercy and grace. He can make it so that “those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy” (Ps. 126:5). In Christ, He has made it so that those condemned to death can receive eternal life (John 3:16).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Nahum 3:8-13
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. - Psalm 77:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
The survey discussed earlier on September 9 suggested that Americans are mixing and matching their religious beliefs for personal reasons. Another recent survey focused on American “millennials”—the generation born about 1980 that came of age at the turn of the millennium—sees a similar decline in orthodox Christian beliefs: Twenty-six percent of this generation are not affiliated with any church or faith tradition, even though 41 percent pray daily and 53 percent are “certain God exists.” Only 18 percent attend any worship service weekly. Among all Americans, more than half say they combine their religion with New Age and Eastern beliefs such as astrology and reincarnation.

Although these numbers show a thirst for spirituality, God will not bless those who make up their own truth. They will reap what they sow, just as in today’s reading. This passage is another reminder that God’s judgment is certain because His power is absolute. If the Ninevites doubted, all they needed to do was remember

Thebes (vv. 8-10). Thebes, located about 400 miles south of Cairo on the eastern bank of the Nile River, was the capital of Upper Egypt. Defended by many moats and canals and with strong allies, Thebes was nonetheless destroyed by Assyria in 663 B.C. Assyrian records contain many details of this great victory, such as the exile of the city’s people, the enslavement of its nobles, and the slaughter of its infants. Jeremiah (46:25) and Ezekiel (30:14-16) both prophesied about this.

Nahum’s point was that Nineveh would suffer the same horrifying, humbling fate (vv. 11-13). Though now on top of the world, they would soon be running and hiding like refugees or like women (given that war was a “manly” pursuit in that day and age). Their defenses would fall like ripe figs—a startling simile, like comparing nuclear missiles to dandelion seeds blown away by the wind. Furthermore, the figs do not merely drop and spoil, rather, they are hungrily and effortlessly devoured, just as Nineveh would be by the armies of Babylon.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In the face of temptation, let us pray our defenses do not drop like ripe figs! When under spiritual attack we must “put on the full armor of God.” We are to “stand firm” with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and other spiritual truths pictured as pieces of military equipment. Behind the shield of faith, we are safe from the “flaming arrows of the evil one,” and with the “sword of the Spirit” we can disarm him (Eph. 6:10-18).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Nahum 3:14-19
Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall. - Nahum 3:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
How can a loving God judge and destroy? This question applies not only to the city of Nineveh in today’s passage but also to the doctrine of hell. Writer and apologist C. S. Lewis explored this issue in his books The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce. He argues that those condemned to hell get not only what they deserve but also what they have chosen. In The Great Divorce he wrote: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.”

One of the challenges of faith is to come to terms with truths that at first glance seem appalling. Judgment and hell are among these. Today’s final reading in the book of Nahum again describes the defeat of Nineveh (vv. 14-15). Though Assyria was a commercial empire and center of world trade, it would be devoured by locusts, as it were. Merchants would take what they could and run (v. 16). Political leaders would disappear during the crisis (vv. 17-18). While a king named Ashur-uballit would try for several years to keep the empire going from another city, Nineveh’s defeat would essentially be the death blow (v. 19). No one would grieve, for “who has not felt your endless cruelty?” The book ends with one of the many rhetorical questions, an effective literary technique in this prophecy.

How are we to respond to the fact that Nineveh was completely wiped out? It was never rebuilt, though archaeologists discovered its ruins in 1842. Was this overkill on God’s part? Not at all. The wonder is that He waits so patiently and offers so much mercy in the face of human wickedness! If we had a true sense of His holiness and our own sin, we would, like Isaiah, fall to the ground in reverence for Him and in horror with ourselves: “Woe to me!” (Isa. 6:5).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God’s love cannot ignore or overlook sin. We should rejoice in divine justice and judgment because it represents the triumph of holiness. If these truths or the doctrine of hell are troubling you, consider doing additional Bible study on these topics. You might also read one of the books by C. S. Lewis mentioned above. The Screwtape Letters offer “advice” from a senior devil to a junior one, while The Great Divorce narrates a “bus tour” from hell to the edges of heaven.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Haggai 1:1
The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai. - Haggai 1:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
The teachings of the great Chinese philosopher Confucius have for centuries influenced culture, social morality, philosophy, and political theory throughout Asia and the world. He emphasized order and propriety in relationships, justice, and harmony. He believed strongly in the value of education as a key dimension of self-improvement, and he also promoted study of the classics as a highly virtuous pursuit. He is perhaps best known for his version of the Golden Rule, “Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself,” which he called the virtue of “reciprocity.”

Did you know Confucius was a contemporary of the prophet Haggai? Considering Haggai’s ministry in this final week of our month’s study, we begin by noting his book is the second shortest (to Obadiah) in the Old Testament. Its two chapters contain four brief messages delivered during a four-month timespan: chapter 1, 2:1-9, 2:10-19, and 2:20-23. It was written in 520 B.C., in the second year of the reign of Darius. It is permeated by a strong sense of being a message from God, as more than two dozen times we are reminded that this is the “word of the LORD.” Haggai is regarded as the first postexilic prophet, joined soon after by Zechariah. Nothing is known about his personal background, though it is speculated he was perhaps in his 70s. This is based on a possible inference (from 2:3) that Haggai was one of the people who had seen the original temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.

The book’s main purpose was to encourage the rebuilding of the temple. During the reign of Cyrus, 50,000 Jews returned home under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the priest. In the second year of their return, the foundation for a new temple was laid, but then construction halted due to Samaritan harassment, political shifts in the empire, and the people’s own spiritual apathy. Sixteen years later, Haggai appeared on the scene. The ministry of Haggai and Zechariah would be successful: The people obeyed and finished building a new temple about 515 B.C.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The book of Ezra (especially 3:1-4:5) provides background for understanding Haggai. The return of the people from exile happened as God promised, but it wasn’t easy. The people had to make a new life, including rebuilding homes and planting crops. Collectively, they faced the challenge of rebuilding the temple and reestablishing national worship. It must have seemed overwhelming! Fortunately for them and for us, “nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Haggai 1:12-15
The people feared the LORD. - Haggai 1:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
The popular children’s television program Reading Rainbow ended its 26-year run last summer. During this time, it won more than two dozen Emmy awards and was widely admired for inspiring children to fall in love with books and reading. Hosted by actor LeVar Burton, the show didn’t address how to read but why to read, as reflected in the theme song: “Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high, Take a look, it’s in a book.” Children responded positively to the show’s message.

In today’s reading, the Jewish exiles who had returned to the Promised Land responded positively to God’s message as brought by Haggai. This makes for a refreshing change in our month’s study! Jonah eventually obeyed, but much of the time he acted like a stubborn donkey being pulled along a mountain path. The Ninevites responded to Jonah’s message with humble repentance, but by Nahum’s time their sins were so great that God judged them by totally destroying their city. Here at last in Haggai we find a group of people who, upon hearing the word of the Lord, simply got up and did it.

Thanks to Haggai’s precise dating, we know that a mere 23 days passed between receiving the prophecy and restarting the temple building project. This short time tells us that Zerubbabel and Joshua were highly effective leaders and that the hearts of the people were spiritually receptive and responsive. They obeyed and feared the Lord, meaning they showed awe and reverence for Him (v. 12; cf. Deut. 31:12-13). For this reason, He renewed the covenant promise they most wanted to hear: “I am with you” (v. 13; cf. Matt. 28:19-20). What was the key to their obedience? From a human perspective, they got their hearts right with God and made the right choice to obey Him. From God’s perspective, He “stirred up” their spirits or moved their hearts, a phrase suggesting both passion and action. In short, He spiritually transformed their self-centered hearts, enabling them to seek Him and choose to do the right thing (v. 14; cf. Ezra 1:5).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Now it’s your turn to “give careful thought to your ways.” Would an outsider looking at your decisions and way of life know that God was at its center? Worship and obedience are key, but we can’t simply “will ourselves” to do them. We need God’s help to seek Him and make right choices. We need Him to stir up our spirits and transform our hearts so that we can be better followers of Him. Let this be the cry of our souls today and every day!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Haggai 2:1-5
My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear. - Haggai 2:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
During the most recent Super Bowl between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, college football star Tim Tebow of the University of Florida played a starring role—not in the game, but in an advertisement aired during the game. The pro-life ad, sponsored by Focus on the Family, featured Tim and his mother, Pam. Pam discussed how she had almost aborted Tim, and viewers were directed to a Web site for more information. The ad sparked controversy before it even aired, but Tim Tebow and everyone involved stood their ground.

It takes courage to obey God’s Word, as seen in today’s reading. The date of this prophecy was the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, a harvest festival and the same holy day during which King Solomon had dedicated the original temple (v. 1). Again the prophecy was addressed specifically to the main political and religious leaders, Zerubbabel and Joshua, and then to the people in general (v. 2).

No doubt the older returnees from exile, possibly including Haggai himself, remembered the original glory of Solomon’s temple. Unquestionably the new temple was nowhere near as splendid as the old one (v. 3). God knew it, the people knew it, and the leaders knew it. The book of Ezra records that when the new temple was dedicated, shouts of joy were mixed with sounds of weeping (3:10-13). Feeling discouraged was a natural result of recalling the nation’s and temple’s former glory and why it had been lost—their sin and God’s judgment of conquest and exile.

In the face of these very human emotions, God Himself encouraged the people to “be strong” or “take courage” (v. 4, NLT; cf. Josh. 1:6-7). The size and beauty of the temple wasn’t the point. The point was that God was their God and He was with them once again—the same God who had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and shepherded them throughout their history (v. 5). Their responsibility was faithfully to do the work of rebuilding, not to mope around comparing their lives to the supposed “good old days.”

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you wonder where the “good old days” went? Do you think something you’ve done wrong has ruined everything? Be strong, take courage, your God is still with you. Be faithful to the work to which He has called you. Do not compare what you’re doing now to the apparent “glory” of the past. Do not compare yourself to the next person about who is the “greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:1-4). Trust that God “will keep you strong to the end” (1 Cor. 1:8-9).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Haggai 2:6-9
The desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory. - Haggai 2:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
To a previous generation, CBS newscaster Walter Cronkite was an authoritative voice. If he said it, it must be true. From 1962 to 1981, he stood for good journalism and “middle America.” His reports on politics, the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, the first moon landing, Watergate, and other national and world events were models of objectivity, compassion, and hard-nosed integrity. When he died last summer at the age of 92, his obituaries invariably cited his reputation as “the most trusted man in America.”

If we can trust the words of a television anchorman as reliable, how much more can we trust the words of God as completely certain? The Lord continued to encourage the people in today’s reading by giving them the big picture and looking ahead in time to a great day when the “desired of all nations” would come (vv. 6-7). The phrase “once more” reminded them of God’s mighty power. No one can stand against it. When He decided to liberate slaves from Egypt, it was done. When He decided Assyria’s time was up as a world superpower, it was done. When He decides to shake things up, it is done. History irresistibly follows His decrees!

The writer of Hebrews referenced these verses as applying to Christ’s Second Coming, God’s final judgment of the nations, and the consummation of all things (12:26-29). This Haggai passage is therefore both messianic and eschatological. In the past, God’s glory had filled a literal tabernacle and temple, but in the future, it would be most clearly revealed in the coming of His Son.

The advent of Christ was, and is, the turning point and climax of God’s plan for history. The Jewish returnees needed to hold fast to the truth of God’s sovereignty, His ordering of all world events (vv. 8-9). If He decided to fill the new temple with silver and gold, it would be done (Ezra 6:8). If He decided global riches will come to Zion in the end times, it will happen (Isa. 60:1-5). He sent His Son to be the Prince of Peace, and when He establishes that peace we will inherit a “kingdom that cannot be shaken.”

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God was teaching the people a lesson in how He sees things, and as a consequence, how we should strive to see things. From a human perspective, “first” and “last” might be obvious, but God has a way of turning that upside down (Luke 13:30). From a worldly perspective, “strong” and “weak” seem clear, but the Lord has a way of reversing that, too (1 Cor. 1:25-29). We must see not through earthly eyes but through His eyes.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Haggai 2:10-14
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans contain large areas called “garbage patches.” These are massive offshore regions in which trash is accumulating, with plastic waste especially threatening the health of fish and other marine animals. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is the size of the state of Texas, is well-known, but its Atlantic cousin has only recently been identified. The width of the Atlantic version is currently unknown but its length is roughly the distance from Cuba to Virginia. Plastic waste can be found as deep as 65 feet down, and trash density in these patches can be as high as 1.9 million bits of plastic per square mile.

Such pollution is a violation of God’s mandate to care for His creation. It is also a reminder of the consequences of impurity in both the physical and spiritual realms. In today’s reading, Haggai reminds the people of the importance of purity in obeying the word of the Lord. Two months had passed since his previous message, during which time Zechariah had begun his prophetic ministry (v. 10).

This message is delivered in the form of legal questions; the apparent purpose of these questions is to get official rulings on issues of ceremonial purity according to the Law. This implies a public or formal occasion and heightens the significance of the message. The first question asked, Can holiness be passed on by contact (vv. 11-12)? The answer came: No, purity cannot be transmitted in that way. The second question asked, Can unholiness be passed on in that way (v. 13)? The answer to this question was Yes (cf. Lev. 22:4-7).

Through these questions, God was highlighting the contrast between purity and impurity, obedience and disobedience. The issue was not whether the people had been offering sacrifices, but the state of their hearts (v. 14). They had been told to “give careful thought to your ways”—and now God was giving them His evaluation of their previous ways. Their worship had been rendered meaningless by their disobedience. God’s response to their corrupt worship is the subject of tomorrow’s devotional.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do we go to church as a matter of habit only? Are our minds elsewhere when Scripture is bring preached? Instead of worship and praise, do we focus on what people are wearing? Do we think God meant that message for our neighbor? Do we act as though mere attendance has a purifying effect on our lives? True worship comes from the heart, the Word is supposed to change us, and fellowship is to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb. 10:24-25).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Haggai 2:15-19
From this day on I will bless you. - Haggai 2:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Ingathering, was established in the Mosaic Law as an occasion of gratitude to the Lord for the harvest (Lev. 23:33-43; Deut. 16:13-17). It typically took place in the seventh month on the Jewish calendar, or in September or October by our calendar. The people lived in booths in order to commemorate the Exodus and the long journey from Egypt to Canaan. Their thankfulness was not just for a specific year’s harvest but also for the general fruitfulness of the Promised Land.

In today’s reading, Haggai called upon the Israelites to consider their ways in light of the poor harvests they had experienced since returning from exile (vv. 15-17; cf. Amos 4:9). Prior to resuming work of building a new temple, they had seen only poor harvests and empty barns. This was true of all crops, including staples such as grapes and olives and more exotic items such as figs and pomegranates. In case they hadn’t noticed, their hollow spiritual condition correlated with their meager return for their physical labor. All they did turned out poorly, because God made it turn out poorly, yet they hadn’t seemed to understand why. The day they responded in faith to Haggai’s ministry was the turning point (vv. 18-19). Assuming they continued to obey and rebuild the temple, God promised to bless the harvests to come.

God had responded to their empty worship and neglect of His house by continuing to pursue them with His love. He sent a prophet, Haggai. He gave warnings by making their farming unsuccessful—a significant judgment in an agricultural society. Once they had heard and obeyed and gotten back to building the temple, He promised to provide for and bless them in ways that contrasted with their recent failures. This “before and after” snapshot sent a clear message that He was pleased with their heartfelt response to His exhortations. God had shepherded the people from being oblivious, defiled, and disobedient to being obedient, responsive, and pleasing to Him.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In studying the book of Jonah, we learned that our God is a God of second (and more!) chances. This is true not only for individuals like Jonah but also for groups of people and even entire nations such as the Jews in today’s reading. Neither Jonah nor they were “worthy” of God’s patience and all the effort He made to show them His love and call them back to Himself. The fact is that none of us are “worthy” of God’s love . . . a fact which brings Him more glory!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Haggai 2:20-23
I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you. - Haggai 2:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his book Turning Points, historian Mark Noll has identified a dozen “decisive moments in the history of Christianity.” They range from the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 to the Council of Nicaea in 325 to the conversion of the Wesleys in 1738 to the Edinburgh Missionary Conference in 1910. In each of these pivotal events, the church stood at a crossroads involving and interweaving history, doctrine, and sociopolitical and cultural forces and trends. The decisions and actions of key leaders at these times, under God’s sovereignty, shaped the future of the church for years to come.

As we can now see, the book of Haggai is the story of a turning point in the spiritual life of God’s people. They had gone from neglecting the new temple and the spiritual state of their own hearts to obediently rebuilding the temple and joyfully participating in genuine worship. They had moved from self-centered to God-centered, and as a result were poised to experience His blessing on their harvests and community.

Today’s final message is addressed to Zerubbabel, and it parallels the messianic passage earlier in the chapter (vv. 6-9). The first part reaffirms that God is sovereign and has a plan for the nations (vv. 21-22). The second part portrays Zerubbabel as a “signet ring” on God’s hand (v. 23). One meaning of this image was that God would bless Zerubbabel as a leader, as opposed to King Jehoiachin, who as a “signet ring” had been discarded (Jer. 22:24-25).

A second meaning of this picture was that Zerubbabel was a type or foreshadowing of Christ (cf. Zech. 3:8). Generally, a king’s signet ring carries the authority of the king, just as Christ the Son is equivalent in authority to God the Father (John 17:2). From our vantage point in history, we know that Zerubbabel was in the line of David and an ancestor of Jesus (Matt. 1:12). Zerubbabel, then, was chosen by God to lead in a special task, rebuilding the temple, at a key time in history, and both who he was and what he did had spiritual significance beyond that time, just as God had planned.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We know that Messiah has come, and He will come again. We can have hope and confidence! “While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,” we are “to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” so as to become “a people that are [Christ’s] very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11-14). Christ says, “‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossians 1:3-14
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 3:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
Debates about educational standards have raged in American society for generations. Some propose that extensive testing in core areas ensures that students are learning the fundamentals; other experts maintain that too much testing is counterproductive, and students should be allowed to explore subjects that interest them. What has remained constant, however, is agreement about what constitutes the fundamentals—the good old-fashioned “3 R’s” of reading, writing, and arithmetic. If students are to progress academically, they must grow in these essential abilities.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to grow in the fundamentals of the Christian life. Our key verse for today serves as the theme for our study this month: we will explore what it means to grow in grace and to grow in knowledge. As we will see, our growth in these areas provides the platform for the rest of our spiritual development. Both grace and knowledge are rooted in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s passage is a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving offered by Paul on behalf of the church in Colossae. He had much to be thankful for; these believers were characterized by love for each other and a concern to spread the gospel. Notice what formed the foundation for this growth: they had “understood God’s grace in all its truth” (v. 6). An understanding of the grace of God had resulted in their faith in Jesus, love for the saints, and hope in heaven.

Paul acknowledged their understanding of grace and the results that fueled the spread of the gospel, but he didn’t then tell the Colossians to rest on their spiritual laurels. Instead, he prayed that they would continue to grow in the knowledge of God (v. 10). Just as growing in grace produces love, faith, and hope, growing in knowledge leads to lives that please God and bear fruit. Knowledge of God would enable them to endure patiently what lay ahead on their Christian journey. The letter then transitions to a glorious anthem of praise to the Savior “in whom we have redemption” (v. 14).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we begin our study this month, spend time in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to show you where you might need to grow in grace and knowledge. These are not abstract feelings or facts that sit idly in your head; rather, grace and knowledge produce results in your spiritual life. Could our lives be described as full of faith, love, hope, endurance, patience, and thankfulness? Let us seek to have lives that please the Lord and promote the spread of the gospel to others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 2:39-52
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. - Luke 2:52
TODAY IN THE WORD
When taking their child to the pediatrician for well-baby examinations, the highlight for many parents comes when the little one is measured and weighed and then the numbers are plotted on a growth chart. It’s interesting to see that little Johnny’s projected adult height will be 5’10” or that little Mary’s growth pattern looks just like her older sister’s. More importantly, those measurements help to determine whether a child is growing consistently and appropriately.

Just as we expect a healthy baby to grow and learn, so also believers should be growing and learning as a sign of spiritual health. Jesus Himself exemplified this kind of growth for us.

Scripture doesn’t record many details from Jesus’ childhood. In our passage today, we see that as Jesus grew older, He also grew in wisdom and grace (v. 40). Immediately after this general description, the Gospel of Luke provides an example of this growth. At the age of 12, Jesus made the annual trip to Jerusalem to observe Passover with His parents. This time, though, He didn’t return home with them. After three frantic days of searching, they found Him in the Temple courts interacting with the teachers.

Jesus’ wisdom and knowledge were on display: “Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers” (v. 47). Even His parents were astonished. Jesus was not simply a prodigy or theological savant, however. He demonstrated His growth in grace by what He did next: He returned home with His parents and “was obedient to them” (v. 51). Already at this young age, Jesus did not claim His divine rights or demand special treatment on account of His status (see Phil. 2:5-8). This episode was not the final stage of spiritual development, either. Jesus continued to grow in wisdom (v. 52).

Jesus demonstrated that growth requires action—through His habits, He put Himself in the physical and spiritual space where knowledge and grace of God would shape Him. And Jesus is the perfect example of being filled with wisdom and grace in order to minister to others.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If we want to grow in knowledge and grace of our Lord, we need to know the practices that enabled His own growth. He made study of Scripture a priority (see Matt. 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:21; John 18:20). He was committed to times of prayer (see Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 11:1; John 17; Heb. 5:7). He extended compassion to those who were suffering or marginalized (see Matt. 19:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 8:43; John 9:1). Jesus is the example of how to grow and why to grow in our spiritual life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Proverbs 2:1-11
You will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. - Proverbs 2:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Earlier this year, a nationwide treasure hunt began with the publication of the book, The Clock Without a Face. The story contains clues to find emerald-encrusted numbers from a clock—and in fact, twelve actual numbers have been buried across the United States. If you read the story, follow the clues, and find one of these numbers (with actual emeralds!), you get to keep it. As of this writing, nine of the twelve numbers have been found by people from Texas to Connecticut to Wisconsin.

If we’re going to find buried treasure, it’s important to have a map or clues to guide us. Today we’ll begin a series of studies focused on how to grow in the knowledge of God. In our reading, wisdom, knowledge, and insight are compared to hidden treasure; just as we would commit time and energy to uncover buried riches, so too we should commit ourselves to the pursuit of the knowledge of God (v. 4).

The instruction in this passage, first given by David to his son Solomon, exhorts the reader to do two things. The first involves knowing content: “Store up my commands within you” (v. 1). Growing in knowledge means knowing the content of God’s Word. This discipline is indispensable for our spiritual growth. But the knowledge of God does not end with the study of content. The second exhortation describes an attitude that hungers for spiritual knowledge and values wisdom. Notice the verbs in verses 3 and 4: “call out,” “cry aloud,” “look,” and “search.” This is a pursuit for more than just facts. This is a passionate quest to know God.

We are instructed to study God’s Word and to desire God’s wisdom. And God does not leave us alone in this endeavor; He engages with our efforts. He promises to bestow His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (v. 6). In response to our searching, He provides victory and protection. Through our experience of His care and sovereign guidance, we then have the blessings of the knowledge of God. We know His commands and we know His character, and “wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul” (v. 10).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The knowledge of God is a treasure that we can find! As you reflect on this passage, ask the Spirit to evaluate your heart. Do you commit time to studying the Word of God? Do you have a passion to grow in His insight and understanding? Perhaps you’ve walked with God for many years, and can testify to your experience of His protection in your life. Share that testimony with others, just as David did with Solomon, to encourage them to grow in the knowledge of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 8:4-15
The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you. - Luke 8:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Bush’s Baked Beans is the top-selling brand of baked beans in the United States. The family-owned company gained fame throughout the 1990s with commercials featuring Jay Bush, the great-grandson of the company founder. In the ads, his golden retriever, Duke, keeps threatening to reveal the family’s secret recipe, which has been handed down from generation to generation since 1922.

The allure of secret recipes, formulas, or codes appeals to our imagination. In our passage today, Jesus revealed that His followers have the secrets of the knowledge of the kingdom of God!

This announcement occurred after Jesus told the Parable of the Sower to the large crowd. He concluded, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (v. 8). Puzzled, the disciples asked Him what the parable meant. Before providing the meaning of the allegory, Jesus responded with a quotation from Isaiah 6. In that context, Isaiah had just responded to the call from God, and his first instruction was, “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving’” (Isa. 6:9). God went on to describe how His people would be judged for their sins—and yet a root of hope would remain.

With that in mind, as we look at Jesus’ explanation of His parable, we note that only a fraction of seed ends up bearing fruit. Most who hear the Word fall away or find spiritual desire choked by the cares of the world. Though initially this appears discouraging, we have hope that God is preserving His Word and His people. Even the greatest trials and most severe judgments will not obliterate them forever.

Two elements of Jesus’ dialogue with the disciples are particularly noteworthy. First, it appears that only the disciples had the spiritual curiosity to ask Jesus the meaning of the parable. In response to their petition, Jesus answered. Second, the knowledge of the kingdom of God is directly connected to the way God works through His Word for His people. Both in Isaiah and in the parable, the Word went forth. And in both instances, a remnant of His people was preserved.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Our growth in the knowledge of God depends on His Word. Do we proclaim it? Do we nurture it as a priority in our lives? Do we go to God with our questions about it? These indicate a healthy growth pattern for believers! Our knowledge of God also gives us hope in the face of testing, whether in our own lives or when we see God’s people facing difficult times. We have the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God: He will prosper His Word and protect His people (see 2 Cor. 4:9).