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Dec 11, 2023 06:00am

The Bible Recap: Days 267-273

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(The following are reflections from the writer’s personal journey through The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble – a Bible reading plan to read the Bible chronologically in one year. To learn more about The Bible Recap, visit thebiblerecap.com. Find more posts from this series at lifeword.org/thebiblerecap.)

Day 267: Read Esther Chapters 6-10

My Takeaways:

The Great Reversal!

Don’t you just love stories with good endings?! God not only tied up all the loose ends in the story, but He is also the master of plot twists!

The sleepless night the king had opened his eyes to his history books and the fact he had not rewarded Mordecai for protecting him. So, just as Haman was coming into the palace bent on Mordecai’s capture and murder on the gallows, PLOT TWIST! He had to honor him all throughout the city! I am smiling here—did he choke on the words, “This is the man the king wants to honor!”?

The banquet Haman was specially invited to was a set up to expose him, instead of honor him.

Haman’s gallows he built for Mordecai was used on him instead. Big PLOT TWIST!

The edict that was aimed at the annihilation of Jews was combated with the edict that Jews could defend themselves and fight those opposed to them.

The edict that allowed Jews to protect themselves for one day was extended to two days—75,000 died throughout the kingdom!

Instead of weeping about the day the Jews were to be assassinated, it was turned into a day of celebration from then on. (Actually, two days!)

And Mordecai, a foreigner in Susa, got a new job promotion: second in command to the king.

Though God’s name is nowhere in this book, His fingerprints are all over it! God’s sovereignty is clear! And, Haman’s family was the first to see the “writing on the wall” that led to his family’s annihilation.

God’s plans may not always be clear to us, but if we are willing to submit to Him with our whole hearts, He can do not just the impossible, but the reversal! He can take our current life’s story and create such a plot twist none of us could imagine!

Think about it in your life…when have you ever said, “I will never…” and somehow, in God’s sovereignty, you ended up doing it.

Day 268: Read Ezra Chapters 7-10

My Takeaways:

You want to talk about a faithful servant?!

Ezra’s faith in this book was so refreshing! I love how Chapter 7 said that Ezra “decided in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

May we also decide in our hearts to keep studying God’s Word, following Him in obedience!

God’s hand was upon Ezra, and God’s hand was upon the king! Xerxes’s letter (I am assuming this was Esther’s husband?) to the exiles about God and their return was shocking. God’s sovereignty is so apparent—just as it was for Esther! Ezra knew this, too, and praised God for His blessing. In fact, it encouraged him and he took strength in knowing this was God’s will. So, he gathered his people up for the mission!

He and the exiles fast before going. This part made me chuckle—he wanted an army to go with them for protection but blew it off telling the king “God’s got it!” You know what? That is the type of faith God wants and blessed—they were protected for the five months of travel. Upon arriving, Ezra finds out the returned exiles have been marrying the locals—he weeps and pulls out his hair! (Listen, I have been upset a lot over the course of my life—but never so upset I have pulled out my hair! Ouch!)

This shows us the heart of Ezra.

He is crushed by this news and says a passionate prayer, one in which he praises God, asks for forgiveness, and petitions God for help in this situation. A fellow Israelite comes up with a plan of making all exiles divorce their wives and families and this book ends abruptly.

I have questions—what happened after this? Maybe it’s in Nehemiah, but I needed more details after this shocker.

My God Shot was Ezra’s faith, his passion to follow God, and his beautiful prayer. I loved how he knew God was in the details, and he took courage from that. I love his holy passion when God’s people, once again, disobey him.

I love his heart! It was the type of heart that God seeks and blesses.

Day 269: Read Nehemiah Chapters 1-5

My Takeaways:

“Don’t be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families and for your home!”

Another great story to read today! It’s another reminder that God is in the details and works through us to accomplish His will. He used one man’s passionate heart to get his attention that something needed to be done back home. Nehemiah, a cupbearer to the king was given holy passion to help his people and holy favor by the king to go and do it. The king gave him protection and timber to rebuild the gates and wall. It wasn’t easy—there was opposition along the way, but each time something came up, Nehemiah prayed, faced the hard thing in faith, making sure his people were protected and carried out their mission.

It makes me think of all the times God puts something in our hearts to do—things that aren’t always easy. We will always have opposition. But, God gives us a holy zeal that compels us to keep on going. Nehemiah could have easily given up rebuilding the wall—but, he doesn’t. He trusts God.

We end our reading with his prayer:

“Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.”

Nehemiah is a man of prayer and a man of humility—he is a great leader for these lost exiles! He shows us that there are things worth fighting for—your faith and your family are among them!

Day 270: Read Nehemiah Chapters 6-7

My Takeaways:

This was one of those days, I got so into the story, I kept reading until I was on Chapter 9. The drama! The revival! I love it!

Today was all about the warfare that can come to us when we are carrying out God’s will. Nehemiah had death threats and plots against him….but he did not stop doing the work of his Master.

How convicting! How many of us would want to give up if you knew others were threatening your life or plotting against you? I love Nehemiah’s prayer.

It’s simple but powerful:

“But now, my God, strengthen my hands.”

Nehemiah didn’t take revenge against his enemies—instead, he asks God to remember what they did to him. He surrendered his enemies to God and God’s judgment.

There are a few people in the Bible who you really have to admire because they don’t give way to their flesh—Joseph, Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. These guys show us to stay the course and trust God.

The exiles come back, and they collect an astonishing amount of offerings! When it’s God’s will, He finds a way to foot the bill! He does it through His people!

I want Nehemiah’s focus to stay the course despite the intense opposition. I want God’s dream to be so big in my heart, I chase it with Nehemiah’s resolve. I want Nehemiah’s confidence in God when the opposition threatens to take me down.

So many good things today! Above all, I want my trust in God to be so firm, I follow Him….NO MATTER WHAT.

Day 271: Read Nehemiah Chapters 8-10

My Takeaways:

This reading! How beautiful and refreshing! This, friends, is the moment we have been waiting for—the repentance of God’s exiles and their turning back to Him wholeheartedly.

You guys, the part when Ezra read God’s Word and the people wept once they realized how much they had sinned. That is conviction! I love how Nehemiah told them to enjoy this time and not grieve—that the joy of their Lord is their strength.

They celebrated so much in those 7 days—they hadn’t reveled like that since Joshua’s day!

And then, they fasted and repented. The most beautiful prayer was said—that covered their whole history with God, and it ended with where they were now: “we are in great distress.”

They made a reference of something we have heard several times in Scripture: “You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.”

And they didn’t leave it there—they made a new vow of faithfulness! They will tithe and take care of God’s house and God’s priests.

You guys, this is REPENTANCE! They acknowledged their sin, they turned away from their sins and to God for help. They are making it right and will change their behavior.

But you know what? It’s God who will change their hearts to keep it up. It’s something He promised back in Ezekiel—a new fleshy, God-willed heart in place of their stony hearts of sin. You see, it just doesn’t work to change our behavior—it has to come from within: their love of God. Good deeds can’t save them—a relationship with God can.

Oh, this reading was one of my favorites! Where God’s Word is shared, hearts return back to God. Conviction and repentance can happen, speaking a revival that can last for generations.

Day 272: Read Nehemiah Chapters 11-13 & Psalm Chapter 26

My Takeaways:

Remember me, my God, with favor.

And here we go, friends. When Nehemiah leaves and goes back to his job with the king Artaxerxes. When he leaves, people start straying AGAIN. They defile the temple, they don’t tithe, they do business on the Sabbath, and they marry pagans. OH MY!

Here we go again!

Nehemiah hears about all of this and comes back to clean house! Let’s just admire Nehemiah’s zeal for God and His house. He made that very long journey again to restore order! He sees “the writing on the wall” and doesn’t want to lose this new blessing again!

So, he comes back and takes care of business! He doesn’t do it without reason—he KNOWS where this rebellion can lead!

Three times we hear him praying for God to remember him and his actions to clean up the temple and the people’s hearts.

My God Shot comes through the passion of Nehemiah to keep God’s people on track and following His Word. It surfaces in his prayers to God. And, this reading reminds me how important godly leaders are and how much we need people to rebuke us and keep us on track when we stray away—people to keep us accountable.

It also shows me that human nature is prone to sin and wandering. If we don’t purposely stay close to God, we too will stray.

Day 273: Read Malachi Chapters 1-4

My Takeaways:

We did it. Holy cow, guys. When we were knee-deep in these prophets, I was dreaming about the Gospels! I have done The Bible Recap last year, but stopped mid-prophets and picked back up sporadically after that. We had done a Bible study through our church and I couldn’t keep up with both.

So, I am SO HAPPY to wrap it all up today! And we ended with a thought provoking book: Malachi.

God doesn’t mince words when He starts off by declaring His love for His kids and His hate for Esau, both a man and perhaps a symbol for someone opposed to God’s kids.

For the last time in the Old Testament, God calls out sin. God calls out the disobedience of the priests by making sacrifices with flawed animals.

He warns the priests that He will send a curse among them for their disobedience. They have turned from the way and caused people to stumble.

He calls out those in both literal and spiritual adultery.

I had to chuckle when God said “You have wearied the Lord with your words.” I would imagine this would be aimed at all those who may declare their love for God and then act unfaithfully.

He calls out those not tithing and sends a challenge: “Test me in this way…see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.” Friends, I can personally attest to this. My husband and I have bumped our tithes up over the years, and God has been faithful to us! Every time we have bumped it up outside our comfort zone, something has happened to blessed us. This is a promise you can count on.

And then, He tells us that He is sending His messenger. He will be a refiner, like bleach! He is a purifier and will refine God’s people. He is coming in judgment. This statement got my attention, folks. His messenger is coming to be a witness against God’s kids about how they have been living life. It doesn’t promise “peace and good vibes.” God’s messenger is coming to REFINE.

And we will find out this prophecy will be fulfilled when Jesus Christ starts His ministry. He didn’t come to make people feel good about themselves. He came to convict and to turn people back to Him.

Oh friends, God is not a feel-good God. He is a God who demands faithfulness and authenticity. He is a God who gives us JOY amid our pain. He is a God who gives us strength to face the hard in life. He is a God who gives us forgiveness when we mess up. He is a God who restores.

And, He is a God who says, “Return to me, and I will return to you.”

God wraps up the first part of His story with this: “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall.”

Oh, what a day.