Reading for Today:
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Isaiah 3:1
Chapter 3 1 For, behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water;
–4:6
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Psalms 105:7-22
7 He is Jehovah our God: His judgments are in all the earth. 8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations, 9 `The covenant' which he made with Abraham, And his oath unto Isaac, 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant, 11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance; 12 When they were but a few men in number, Yea, very few, and sojourners in it. 13 And they went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people. 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong; Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 15 `Saying', Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm. 16 And he called for a famine upon the land; He brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant: 18 His feet they hurt with fetters: He was laid in `chains of' iron, 19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of Jehovah tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; Even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance; 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.
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Proverbs 24:26-27
26 He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer. 27 Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.
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1 Corinthians 15:1-28
Chapter 15 1 Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the `child' untimely born, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Whether then `it be' I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached that he hath been raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised: 14 and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Yea, we are found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised: 17 and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. 20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 For since by man `came' death, by man `came' also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then `cometh' the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be abolished is death. 27 For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him. 28 And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all.
Notes:
Isaiah 3:8 Jerusalem…Judah. The fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. was only a partial fulfillment of this prophecy. The final fulfillment awaits the times just prior to Christ’s Second Coming. against the LORD. The root of Zion’s problem surfaces: overt rebellion against the Lord. The people sinned shamelessly; they made no effort to conceal it (3:9).
Isaiah 4:2 Branch. This messianic title occurs also in
Jeremiah 23:5
5 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
; 33:15;
Zechariah 3:8
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men that are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.
; 6:12. The thought behind the title relates to
2 Samuel 23:5
5 Verily my house is not so with God; Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things, and sure: For it is all my salvation, and all `my' desire, Although he maketh it not to grow.
, that of growth. The life of the Branch will bear spiritual fruit (
John 15:4
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.
, 5).
Psalm 105:8 a thousand generations. A reference to an exceedingly long time (a generation is normally 40 years) which would encompass the remainder of human history; i.e., forever (Deut. 7:9; 1 Chr. 16:15).
1 Corinthians 15:5
5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve;
–7 The testimony of eyewitnesses, recorded in the New Testament, was added to support the reality of the resurrection. These included: 1) John and Peter together (
John 20:19
19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first `day' of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace `be' unto you.
, 20), but probably also separately before (
Luke 24:34
34 saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
); 2) the 12 (
John 20:19
19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first `day' of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace `be' unto you.
, 20;
Luke 24:36
36 And as they spake these things, he himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace `be' unto you.
;
Acts 1:22
22 beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection.
); 3) the 500, only referred to here, had all seen the risen Christ (Matt. 28:9;
Mark 16:9
9 Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
, 12, 14;
Luke 24:31
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
–39;
John 21:1
Chapter 21 1 After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and he manifested `himself' on this wise.
–23); 4) James, either one of the two so-named apostles (son of Zebedee or son of Alphaeus;
Mark 3:17
17 and James the `son' of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and them he surnamed Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder:
, 18) or even James the half brother of the Lord, the author of the epistle by that name and the key leader in the Jerusalem church (
Acts 15:13
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me:
–21); and 5) the apostles (
John 20:19
19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first `day' of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace `be' unto you.
–29). Such unspecified appearances occurred over a 40-day period (
Acts 1:3
3 To whom he also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God:
) to all the apostles.
1 Corinthians 15:25
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet.
all enemies under His feet. This figure comes from the common practice of kings always sitting enthroned above their subjects, so that when the subjects bowed or kneeled, they were lower than the sovereign’s feet. With enemies, the monarch might put his foot on the neck of a conquered ruler, symbolizing that enemy’s total subjugation. In the millennial kingdom, Christ’s foes will be in subjection to Him.
1 Corinthians 15:26
26 The last enemy that shall be abolished is death.
, 27 last enemy…death. Christ has broken the power of Satan, who held the power of death (Heb. 2:14), at the Cross. But Satan will not be permanently divested of his weapon of death until the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:1–10). At that point, having fulfilled completely the prophecy of
Psalms 8:6
6 Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:
(v. 27a), Christ then will deliver the kingdom to His Father, and the eternal glory of
Revelation 21
Chapter 21 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven of God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, `and be' their God: 4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. 5 And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write: for these words are faithful and true. 6 And he said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part `shall be' in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. 9 And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal: 12 having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, which are `the names' of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal. 17 And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, `according to' the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 And the building of the wall thereof was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof. 23 And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof `is' the Lamb. 24 And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. 25 And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there): 26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it: 27 and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb's book of life.
and 22 will begin.
DAY 6: What difference would it make if the Resurrection of Christ never really happened?
“How do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (1 Cor. 15:12). The Corinthian Christians believed in Christ’s resurrection, or else they could not have been Christians (
John 6:44
44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day.
; 11:25;
Acts 4:12
12 And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.
; 2 Cor. 4:14; 1 Thess. 4:16). But some had particular difficulty accepting and understanding the resurrection of believers. Some of this confusion was a result of their experiences with pagan philosophies and religions. A basic tenet of much of ancient Greek philosophy was dualism, which taught that everything physical was intrinsically evil; so the idea of a resurrected body was repulsive and disgusting (
Acts 17:32
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again.
). In addition, perhaps some Jews in the Corinthian church formerly may have been influenced by the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection even though it is taught in the Old Testament (
Job 19:26
26 And after my skin, `even' this `body', is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God;
; Pss. 16:8–11; 17:15; Dan. 12:2). On the other hand, New Testament teaching in the words of our Lord Himself was extensive on the resurrection (
John 5:28
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
, 29; 6:44; 11:25; 14:19), and it was the theme of the apostolic preaching (
Acts 4:1
Chapter 4 1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,
, 2). In spite of that clarity, the church at Corinth was in doubt about the resurrection.
In vv. 13–19, Paul gives 6 disastrous consequences if there were no resurrection: 1) preaching Christ would be senseless (v. 14); 2) faith in Christ would be useless (v. 14); 3) all the witnesses and preachers of the resurrection would be liars (v. 15); 4) no one would be redeemed from sin (v. 17); 5) all former believers would have perished (v. 18); and 6) Christians would be the most pitiable people on earth (v. 19).
From The MacArthur Daily Bible Copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Bibles, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc, Nashville, TN 37214, www.thomasnelson.com.
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