July 1

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR JULY 1, 2025: 1 KINGS 4, COLOSSIANS 2, PSALM 62                                                    1 KINGS 4  In this chapter Solomon uses his great wisdom to organize his administration. Administration is a necessary element of every organization, be it a country, business, or a church. Administration is listed as a gift of the Spirit in 1 Cor. 12:28, just before the gift of tongues and after the gift of helps. The first verses of this chapter list his senior officials, like a president’s cabinet.  Included are heads of defense, labor,  priests(reminding us that this a theocracy), the chief of the household, a personal advisor, and a recording secretary.  

In addition, Solomon divided up the country into 12 administration units that did not precisely follow tribal boundaries. Each unit was responsible for supporting the king’s house/central administration for one month of the year. There is no mention of a unit within Judah so perhaps they were exempt. This plan generated enormous revenue for the country and Solomon’s house. The numbers are staggering. In fact, the mention of 40,000 stalls for horses may be an inadvertent scribal error because it doesn’t match the parallel passage of 2 Chron. 9:25: “Now Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horsemen.” Most impressive is the great wisdom and breadth of knowledge of Solomon. The text states Solomon’s wisdom surpassed all others so that people from all over the world visited Jerusalem to experience this unique mind. How can we obtain this kind of wisdom? “The sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15). READ THE BIBLE!

COLOSSIANS 2 Paul wants the Colossians to know he struggles in powerful ways for them, for those in Laodicea, and for believers he has never visited. We know the reason he struggled: so that they would be unified, knowledgeable, and wise in their faith in Jesus—not susceptible to

READING FOR JULY 1, 2025 CONTINUED: COLOSSIANS 2, PSALM 62 COLOSSIANS 2               false, but persuasive, teachings. Do these concerns cause us to struggle over our church at all? The world is currently saturated with nice-sounding statements that at root deny the Gospel. Pray that we will remain secure in the truth God has given us in His word. Paul’s advice to them was to live their faith as they had received their faith. How do all people receive faith? Romans 10:9 says: “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” In other words, we need to keep focusing on what Jesus did for us on the cross to pay for our sins and then keep confessing Him as Lord by obeying His word. We don’t ever graduate from these truths: “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it... How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:1-3). Paul again warns that there are deceptive philosophies that teach that man alone is sufficient, and not totally helpless without trusting in Jesus. Here are three popular such views:                                                                                                                                                                                                   

  • Humanism stresses the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasizes common human needs, and seeks solely rational ways of solving human problems. 
  • Progressive Christianity promotes practices and teaching leading to greater concern for the way people treat each other more than the way people express their beliefs, the acceptance of all people, and a respect for other religious traditions.
  • Buddhism teaches human life is one of suffering caused by desire and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve detachment, enlightenment, or nirvana.

The rest of chapter two focuses on the full divinity of Christ, His redemptive work on the cross, and our faith in that work (confirmed by baptism) as the only way to receive God’s forgiveness. As emphasized in Galatians, doing works of the law are not part of that way!

PSALM 62 This chapter resembles a ping pong game. Powerful statements of faith in God alone for salvation alternate with descriptions of murderous and lying men who trust in evil. David accurately presents the way of God as the best choice by far. His last statement, “For You reward a person according to his work” is worth more study than space allows. It occurs throughout both testaments but doesn’t mean we are saved by our works. Here is a summary: 

  • Judgment Seat of Christ. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). This judgment is for those who are saved to be given their heavenly rewards. 
  • Great White Throne Judgment. “Then I saw a great white throne... they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds...anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:11-15) This judgment is for those who didn’t believe in Jesus as Saviour and Lord while on earth.