Hello friends! Welcome to the first leg of our final journey through the Old Testament, beginning with our final prophet, Malachi. After Malachi we have 1st and 2nd Chronicles and then we are officially moving on to the New Testament. How time has flown by. Malachi repeats similar warnings and laments to the Israelites from what you've read before but there's still little glimpses of heaven in there. Just need to wade through the murky waters of judgement. Let's dive in and see what I mean.
Scripture to Read
Estimated time to complete the reading: Less than 10 minutes
Audio Bible
Questions to Consider
What does this teach me about God?
What is my best guess about what was happening at the time that inspired this writing?
What, if anything, feels applicable to today? What does it inspire me to do as a result?
I will reserve my thoughts until tomorrow as it is customary to start off a new book with an overview video from our friends at the Bible Project. I encourage you to check it out and share in the comments what stood out to you.
Praying the Hymns
Our prayer today is another classic Advent hymn - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. I hope you will join in mind, body, and spirit as you make the words of this hymn your own. I'm treating you to the Frank Sinatra version (because if you can use Sinatra - you do) but it's only the first 2 verses. If you want to read and pray the rest of the hymn it's beneath the video.
1. It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
2. Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
3. And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing!
4. For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of old, when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.