Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.
6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.
13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.
Solomon's Great Wealth14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 15 besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels of gold went into each shield. 17 And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the throne had a round top,[d] and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 20 while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. 21 All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[e]
23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 25 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh,[f] spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.
26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders received them from Kue at a price. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king's traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
Meditation
Today’s chapter offers us opportunity to realign the purposes of our lives with the purposes of God, to further His glory among all peoples and nations.
 
God’s goal is to bless all the nations of the earth (Genesis 12:1-3) through Abraham’s offspring. The Queen of Sheba points back to Rahab as a lost woman coming to worship the Lord (Joshua 2:9-14), forward to the Ethiopian Eunuch whom Philip converts (Acts 8:28-40), and ultimately anticipates the new heavens and the new earth where every tribe and nation will worship Jesus for salvation (Revelation 21:23-25; Isaiah 60:11).
 
The queen came from Sheba, most believing this to be modern day Ethiopia in East Africa or Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula.  The greatness of Solomon drew her to come and see Israel. The queen’s breath was taken away and she worshipped the Lord who gave Solomon his wealth and wisdom (11).
 
Jesus likewise uses the wealth and wisdom of Solomon to draw out worship when He claims for Himself, “Something greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42). Jesus is the true King and His salvation commands worship.
 
Jesus reverses the flow of God’s mission. Rather than waiting for the world to come to the Church, Jesus sends disciples out to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). We are called to give everything for God’s mission of furthering God’s glory among the nations.
 
The Church must re-align our purpose with God’s, furthering God’s glory among the nations.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do your purposes align with God’s purposes to further His glory among all nations?
 
-What part of the mission of God articulated in the meditation stands out to you? Why?
 
-Jesus is greater than Solomon, a King whose word we must obey. How are you participating in His work of worship furthering among the nations?
 
Key Verse
9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”

They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord said to Moses,12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”[a] For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field.26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”
27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept.35 The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)
 
Meditation
We should not be surprised by the grumbling we read about in this chapter.  We try to teach our children not to grumble and complain but the truth is many of us continue to grumble throughout life.  Gratitude and trust are not always easy first responses for our hearts.
 
Israel’s wilderness grumbling was introduced in chapter 15 (15:24) and amplified here (mentioned nine times in the first twelve verses). Grumbling is a sin against our sovereign shepherd who leads us through the wilderness. God offers daily grace to increase His glory.
 
“What is it?” (15) Manna is God’s gracious provision. Do you recognize grace when you see it? God invites you to gather His grace every morning.
 
God gives grace for the day to reveal His glory through our lives. God gives direction for gathering: Take enough for today and return tomorrow to gather more. God wants to reveal His faithfulness every morning. On the seventh day God gives the gift of Sabbath, good news for both former slavers and recovering workaholics like me.
 
God’s gracious response to our grumbling grounds our hearts in His generous provision. Jesus is the bread of life and we gather His word into our hearts as we wander in the wilderness, day by day experiencing God’s gracious provision.
 
“What is it?” IT is daily bread, grace given for you today so you can live for God’s glory in all of life. Let’s transform our grumbling into gratitude so we can live more faithfully and fruitfully for God’s glory!
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you grumble about the details of your life? How do you feel like God responds?
 
-God responds to our grumbling with generosity, displaying His grace through giving daily bread. Do you gather His grace every morning? Why or why not?
 
-How can God’s grace transform your grumbling into gratitude and generosity? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,[a] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Prodigal Son11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.15 So he went and hired himself out to[b] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[c] 22 But the father said to his servants,[d] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
 
Meditation
We underestimate the passionate love of our Heavenly Father.
 
Jesus shares with two opposing sides of the crowd… Tax collectors and sinners draw near to Jesus while religious folks grumble and judge (1-2). Jesus does not allow for middle ground.
 
A shepherd loses a sheep and leaves ninety-nine others to find the one. Upon return the shepherd commands celebration and Jesus teaches that this is a small reflection of the celebration of Heaven when a sinner returns to the Lord.
 
A woman loses a valuable coin and will not rest until she finds her treasure. Like the shepherd, the woman commands celebration when the coin is found and Jesus again highlights the Heavenly joy when a lost sinner is found.
 
The final story drives the point home. The focus is not the rebellion of the younger son, his squandering of his inheritance, his coming to his senses, or his return home. Jesus wants us to focus on the Father who was looking for his son, seeing him while still far off. The Father ran to his son, embraced him, kissed him, and commanded celebration upon finding his son. The older son was exactly like the Pharisees and scribes in verse one- distant, grumbling, and judgmental.
 
The extravagant love of the father re-orients everyone’s perspective- We must celebrate, rejoice, and be glad. The love of our Father makes dead things alive, lost things found, and broken things whole. This is both an invitation and a rebuke.
 
Whether self righteous or rebellious, the Father’s love is waiting for you, eager to celebrate your return.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you underestimate the love of our Heavenly Father? Does a more full understanding of our Father’s love draw you near or lead you to grumble?
 
-Who do you identify with more, the sinners and tax collectors or the Pharisees and scribes? Why?
 
-The love of our Father must be shared. Who do you know that needs to hear of His passionate love? How can you share the love of our Father with them today?
 
Key Verse
32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.

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In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.”8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.20 Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
    to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
    he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what is in the darkness,
    and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my fathers,
    I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
    and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
    for you have made known to us the king's matter.”
24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” 26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.
Daniel Interprets the Dream
31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay.42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Daniel Is Promoted
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court.
 
Meditation
God reveals the mystery of His Kingdom in the midst of trials and troubles. Daniel and his friends were away from home, under a foreign power, and serving a pagan king. In the place of uncertainty God reveals the mystery of His eternal kingdom, a certainty to come as a stone to shatter the kingdoms of this world (44-45).
 
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was disturbing (1-4) and he demanded his wise men to interpret without hearing the details. Like trying to pass a test without knowing the questions, the wise men knew this was a task too great for any person. Only the “gods whose dwelling is not with flesh” (11) could reveal a mystery such as this.
 
The king was furious, demanding all wise men be slaughtered for their total inability. Daniel was faithful, setting an appointment with the king (16), and then seeking the LORD’s mercy, along with his companions, to reveal the mystery (18). The “mystery” was revealed to Daniel. Our God reveals mysteries (28).  Daniel immediately worshipped the LORD for his faithfulness in revealing the mystery.  After king Nebuchadnezzar heard the interpretation he worshipped the Lord as King of Kings, the only revealer of mysteries (47).
 
The dream and interpretation is centered on a stone smashing all other kingdoms, establishing the eternal and unshakable Kingdom of God.  Jesus is the stone (Psalm 118:22; Mark 12:10), the rock revealing the mystery of God’s Kingdom through the Church (Ephesians 3:3-10). We are called to live the mystery before a world looking for answers, knowing the Rock personally, and demonstrating the power of His “Kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). Worship Him!
 
Richly Dwelling
-Daniel made the appointment with King Nebuchadnezzar BEFORE he knew the mystery. What surprises you about this level of faith?
 
-Nebuchadnezzar worshipped the Lord when he heard the mystery revealed. What does this reveal about humanities longing to have answers?
 
-Jesus is the stone, the center of the mystery of God. How can you show and share Jesus with others, answering their uncertainties on the one hand and providing hope on the other?
 
Key Verse
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
 
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your sign. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
 
9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.
 
Meditation
Our family enjoys the game Settlers of Catan. The goal is to take over all the resources, an objective more easily accomplished when you draw the card, “Year of Plenty.” Today’s reading is a harvest hymn promising a year of plenty for those who sow seeds of trust in the soil of God’s redeeming love. God provides all resources needed for the goal of His glory through a harvest of righteousness.
 
God forgives sin and His grace empowers us to begin again (1-4). His gracious invitation for salvation is for every people, tribe, and nation- hope to the ends of the earth (5-8).
 
The river of God will never run dry, nourishing grain growing in God’s gracious space (9). The water will bring plentiful life, showers of grace growing in both blessing and abundance (10).
 
The harvest planted in hope will be plentiful, “wagon tracks overflowing in bounty” (11).  The picture is of an overflowing harvest, the land itself shouting in joy and the flocks joining the choruses (13).
 
The Lord promises a year of plenty for those who sow seeds in the Spirit, reaping eternal life one day and righteousness in life today (Galatians 6:8-9). When we sow righteousness we will reap steadfast love (Hosea 10:12).  God’s covenant love promises a year of plenty, abundant fruitfulness when we trust His design and direction, a life lived by faith alone.
 
Do you want to experience more deeply the abundance of God’s steadfast love? Step out in faith, trusting God and His promises more than anything else in life.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you have faith in God’s design and direction for life, trusting Him and His promises more than anything else?
 
-Do you believe God wants to bless you with an abundant harvest, a year of plenty? What does a blessing of abundant harvest look like in God’s economy? 
 
-What are specific ways you can step out in faith… in your finances, friendships, family, future plans…?
 
Key Verse
11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; 3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; 4 who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig's flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; 5 who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.

6 Behold, it is written before me: “I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their lap 7 both your iniquities and your fathers' iniquities together,
says the Lord; because they made offerings on the mountains  and insulted me on the hills, I will measure into their lap payment for their former deeds. 8 Thus says the Lord:
“As the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it,  for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for my servants' sake, and not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of my mountains; my chosen shall possess it,  and my servants shall dwell there. 10 Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,  for my people who have sought me.

11 But you who forsake the Lord, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny, 12 I will destine you to the sword,  and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen,
but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in.” 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame; 14 behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart  and shall wail for breaking of spirit. 15 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord God will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name, 16 so that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.
New Heavens and a New Earth17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness.19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
 
Meditation
God offers a gracious invitation, ready to be found by all who seek Him. The Lord says, “Here I am! Here I am!” as He spreads out His hands in welcome (1-2).  Will our hearts return home to Him?
 
Some reject the Lord’s invitation, forsaking the Lord (11). The difficulties they possess soon reveal the destiny of God’s judgment (12).  Those who come to their senses and return to the love of the Father will experience the transformation of trouble into peace.
 
The Valley of Achor was a place of trouble and judgment when Achan sinned against God (Joshua 7:10-26). The salvation of God transforms trouble into peace, a promise for all who seek the Lord (10). Jesus is the way of transformation, taking the judgment of sin to offer the blessing of God’s covenant love. Through Christ we are offered God’s gracious invitation- Return to me.
 
Those who respond to God’s gracious invitation will “eat, drink, rejoice, and sing for gladness of heart” (13-14). They will dwell with God in His eternal promises, a new heavens and a new earth (17). There will be no sign of weeping or distress in the place of abundant life (19-20).  There will be stability of homes, fruitfulness of toil, purpose in labor, and reconciliation of former competitors on the food chain (19-25).
 
The Lord stands with arms wide open, inviting His people to return to Him and experience the blessings of His covenant love, our troubles transformed into peace.  Will our hearts return home to Him?
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you hear God’s gracious invitation to His people? Have you returned to His open embrace for you?
 
-Who do you know who needs to return to the Father’s love? How can you help them hear God’s gracious invitation?
 
-Trouble is transformed into peace for those who trust the Lord. The place of judgment opens a door of hope. The valley of Achor is the cross of Christ, and Jesus is calling you. What trouble can you trust to Him to find peace in the promises of the passage?
 
Key Verse
10 Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who have sought me.