Shortly after his temptation in the wilderness, Jesus began preaching. He started up north, in the area inhabited by the ancient Israeli tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali. In choosing this location to open his public ministry, Jesus fulfilled this prophecy from Isaiah:

Land of Zebulon and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:1,2).

Can you imagine? In a place described as the land of the shadow of death, Jesus went to work. He renewed hope in God to anyone carried before him, some suffering chronic pain and others with gnarled up limbs or exploited by demons. Crowds descended from miles away, hoping for healing, drawn to his light.

After a dark night, it’s hard to neglect the dawning of a sunny day. But sometimes I sleep through first light. In a similar way, some misunderstood the works of Jesus, while others refused to believe.

I don’t know how anyone slept through this sensational arrival. But I’m more concerned when I doze off and miss Jesus’s illumination around me. You and I still live in the land of the shadow of death, and we need to lift our eyes to the light breaking on the horizon.

Matthew 4 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Quentin Rey

I’m not sure what to think of John the Baptist. Jesus’s crazy cousin, John preached out in the wild lands of Judea, wore an outfit of camel hair and foraged for wild honey and locusts. Wonder how he brushed his teeth?

But John preached to the core. Crowds flocked to hear him and left changed by his message. John baptized loads of people in the Jordan River.

John conspicuously targeted the Pharisees. You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath! The ax is already at the root…and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

When I read about the Pharisees getting it from someone, like John here or Jesus later, I put myself in their shoes. Religious professionals, the Pharisees got up in the morning and worked at ministry. A religious professional myself, I hope to avoid the disregard for the kinder points of the law of God the Pharisees exhibited. While I don’t possess the societal status and power enjoyed by the Pharisee class, I can easily don their attitudes.

May the Lord call out such ungodly posturing in my life. Hopefully through someone other than a wild man crunching grasshoppers.

Matthew 3 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by David Clode

When I put my life at risk, which I do every day, I trust thoroughly tested items.

I trust the brakes in my Jeep, which a mechanic checks regularly. I trust the stop light showing green to me shines red to those racing up the cross street. I’m forced to trust the multitasking skills of the Subaru mom behind me, texting and checking on homework while rushing kids to school. I board a long metal tube with wings and count on that thing to fly.

Some things I refuse to trust. Obviously, I don’t trust experimental submersibles any more. My wife and I just watched a documentary on Bernie Madoff, the evil genius behind the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Lots of good people trusted him and lost their life savings. As a parent, no way would I allow my child to receive gender blocking hormones as part of the untested societal experiment going on across our land. Too much at risk.

Fortunately, the psalmist reminds me of a comprehensively vetted source of wisdom:

Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.

For centuries people took their Bibles and applied the teachings and principles found therein to their parenting, finances, marriage and work. Followers of the Book love God and do unto others as would be done unto them. Individual lives and entire societies improve dramatically by living the truths found in the Scriptures.

Thoroughly tested for several thousand years. When I put my life at risk, which I do every day, I go with confidence found in the certified wisdom of the Bible, far superior to the confusion and uncertainty offered by the world around me.

Psalm 119:140 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Crystal Kwok

Queen Jezebel put a death order out on Elijah after he shellacked her prophets of Baal, so he ran for the woods. Exhausted and despondent, Elijah lay down to die.

Then a remarkable experience. An angel visited Elijah with freshly baked bread and sparkling water. Elijah ate and fell asleep. The angel woke him and said, Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.

This angel met Elijah in his distress, feeding and nourishing him for the long journey to come. Later the Lord himself spoke to Elijah (in a whisper), reminding him that even though Elijah felt abandoned, he was not alone. I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.

The Lord cared for Elijah, strengthening him physically and encouraging him emotionally. Through his interaction with an angel and in the whisper, we see a tender, touching series of events. From start to finish, in perilous run-ins with treacherous leaders, the Lord stood with Elijah. To further bolster his faith, God reassured Elijah that many others supported his mission.

Stay faithful. Stay faithful in the midst of crushing events. Stay faithful when pursued by evil. Stay faithful when it appears no one seems to care.

The Lord walks with all who walk with him. Many, many others, most of whom we do not know, faithfully follow Jesus alongside us. Pray the Lord might reveal a few of these saints to you.

Don’t give up. You and I are not alone. Like Elijah, keep the faith.

1 Kings 19 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Edwin Andrade