Day 258 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Isaiah 19:1–21:17; Galatians 2:1-16; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 23:13-14
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Thou Hast Been My Defence and Refuge
But I will sing of thy power; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: For thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: For God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
Psalm 59:16-17
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In That Day
In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.
In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
Isaiah 19:19-25
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I Went Up By Revelation
Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Galatians 2:1-2
Then after a period of fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem, [this time] with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. I went up [to Jerusalem] because of a [divine] revelation, and I put before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so in private before those of reputation, for fear that I might be running or had run [the course of my ministry] in vain.
Galatians 2:1-2 AMP
Paul went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus because God, by divine revelation, told him to go.
False Brethren Brought In To Spy Out Our Liberty
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Galatians 2:3-5
Given the Right Hands of Fellowship
But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: but contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Galatians 2:6-9
Why Compellest Thou the Gentiles to Live as Do the Jews?
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Galatians 2:10-14
Paul confronted Peter (in love) because Peter was living his life one way when he was around the Gentiles and another way around the Jews. The people Peter was backing down to were the Judiazers. These believed that faith alone was not enough for salvation and that one must also obey the Jewish laws. One example of a law they wanted to be enforced was circumcision.
So Peter was saying in word and by his life that salvation was not only by grace through faith in what Jesus did on the cross, but there was also a need for works or the Jewish laws. So Paul confronted him.
For Paul, the laws of the Jews had all been fulfilled in Jesus. There was no need for anyone, Jew or Gentile, to attempt to live up to it. Jesus’ death made things right with God, and through Jesus, we are reconciled to God. Faith in Jesus mattered to Paul, not adherence to the Mosaic law. The separation between Christian Jews and Gentiles needed to end. All are the same in Christ. This revelation (received straight from Jesus) put Paul in a hard place, and he suffered great opposition over it.
We should ask ourselves, do we add requirements to the Gospel we preach? Do we require more than Jesus does to be saved and to walk in daily fellowship with our brothers and sisters? Just something to think about…
By the Works of the Law Shall No Flesh be Justified
We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 2:15-16
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Withhold Not Correction
Withhold not correction from the child: For if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, And shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Proverbs 23:13-14
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Unto Thee, O My Strength, Will I Sing
But I will sing of thy power; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: For thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: For God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
Psalm 59:16-17
