Bible Reading's Glorious Consummation!

All Scripture leads to the consummation of all things. That's what I am seeing as I close out this year's Bible readings. It has been my blessing to have read through the Bible using the ESV Study Bible plan located at the back of the Study Bible. It lays out four readings per day from different sections of the Bible.

MEDITATION
As I close out this year, my readings have been in Job, Psalms, Isaiah, and Revelation. There is a sort of unity of thought that arises from this combination of texts.

FIRST--WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
Young Elihu has just finished dressing down Job, and glorifying God's perplexing, myterious ways. Now, God takes His turn and corrects Job by comparing Job's inability with God's infinite power, foresight, etc. As righteous as Job truly was, when compared to God, no one stands. What a lesson to learn not to try and correct God's ways, to question his wisdom! Inexplicable? Yes. Wrong or misguided? Don't even think about it!!

SECOND--GOD'S PLAN IS AS GREAT AS THE ONE ORDERING IT!
This is Isaiah's message, among others. You cannot read the last chapters of Isaiah (actually from 40-66) without seeing how gloriously powerful God is in all his ways. This is a most pleasant way to end the year. Yes, Israel had sinned God out of their worship, out of their national identity. But God was never disrupted in His plan to bring salvation to all mankind. And no matter how the year ends, He is still in control and working out His wonderful ways for the lost and in the saved. "And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD, and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken" (62:12).

THIRD--PRAISE BEFITS GOD'S WAYS ALWAYS!
The Psalms close out with "Praise the Lord" in numerous ways. Whatever we may be feeling, He knows all the stars, calls them all by name, and certainly has all of our lives well in tow as well. The Psalms end on a good note, a happy tone closing out the Psalter.

FOURTH--ALL EVIL GOD JUSTLY RIGHTS AND RESTORES GOOD
So we read in the closing chapters of Revelation. Babylon the whore, who has captured all the nations of the earth and all religious pretenders, all the devilish armies gathered against the righteous inhabitants of the earth and ultimately against the Creator of all good, WILL SUFFER FINAL DEFEAT! Yes! All will resolve into God's perfect plan. Jesus Christ goes forth conquering and to conquer. The battle will end. Christ Jesus is Victor! JESUS WINS! JESUS WINS IT ALL!! AMEN.

Together, my Bible reading (with two days remaining) congeals into God's greatness and mercy, His unfailing plan of salvation and final defeat of evil. Victory! Reconciliation! The resolution of all things! PERFECT ENDING!
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