Today’s Bible Reading

November 15

Old Testament I
2 Chronicles 6:12-42
2 Chronicles 6:12-42 records King Solomon's prayer of dedication for the Temple he built for the Lord in Jerusalem. Solomon begins by acknowledging God's faithfulness to keep His promises and build a house for His name. He then recognizes that the Temple cannot contain God, but it is a place for His people to gather and seek His presence.

Solomon prays for God's favor to rest upon the Temple and for His eyes to be open to the prayers offered there. He asks God to forgive His people when they confess their sins and turn back to Him. Solomon also asks God to hear the prayers of the foreigner who comes to the Temple seeking Him.

Solomon acknowledges that there will be times when the people sin and face judgment, but he asks God to have mercy on them and restore them when they repent. He concludes his prayer by asking God to dwell in the Temple and bless His people.

Overall, Solomon's prayer of dedication highlights the importance of seeking God's presence and forgiveness, and the significance of the Temple as a place for His people to gather and worship Him.

Old Testament II
Ezekiel 30:20 - 31:18
Ezekiel 30:20-31:18 contains a prophecy against Egypt, specifically its Pharaoh and its power. The chapter begins with Ezekiel prophesying that Egypt will fall and be brought down by Babylon, and that the Egyptians will be scattered among the nations.

In verses 22-26, Ezekiel speaks directly to Pharaoh and warns him that his pride and arrogance will be his downfall, and that he will be brought down by Babylon. The Lord declares that he will break the arms of Pharaoh and the swords in his hands, causing his people to flee in terror.

In chapter 31, Ezekiel uses a metaphor of a great tree to describe the power of Egypt, which has grown tall and strong, but will soon be cut down by the Lord. The tree is compared to Assyria, which was once powerful but was also cut down by God. The Lord declares that he will hand Egypt over to a great and powerful nation, and that the Egyptians will be scattered among the nations.

Ezekiel then speaks directly to Pharaoh and his people, warning them that they will be brought down and humbled, and that they will be sent to the depths of the earth. The chapter ends with a declaration that all the nations who see Egypt's fall will tremble and be filled with dread at the power of the Lord.

New Testament
John 11:28-54
In John 11:28-54, we see the aftermath of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. In this passage, we see several reactions to this miracle, including the belief of some in Jesus and the disbelief and fear of others.

Verse 28-32: After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, went to meet Jesus. She fell at his feet, saying that if Jesus had been there, her brother would not have died. Jesus was moved by her grief and the grief of those with her, and he wept.

Verse 33-37: Some of those who witnessed the miracle went to tell others what had happened, and they brought them to see Jesus. However, some of the religious leaders were afraid of what this would mean for their power and authority, and they began to plot against Jesus.

Verse 38-44: Jesus then went to the tomb where Lazarus had been buried and commanded that the stone be removed. He then prayed to God and called Lazarus to come out of the tomb, and he did. This miraculous event caused many who witnessed it to believe in Jesus.

Verse 45-46: However, some of the religious leaders refused to believe and began to plot against Jesus even more. They saw his miracles as a threat to their power and authority, and they were afraid that the people would follow Jesus instead of them.

Verse 47-54: The leaders called a meeting to discuss what to do about Jesus, and they decided that he must be stopped. Caiaphas, the high priest, said that it was better for one man to die than for the whole nation to perish. From that moment on, they began to plan Jesus' arrest and eventual crucifixion. Jesus withdrew to a town called Ephraim to avoid them, but he knew that his time was coming.