Author: Bill Hall

8: John asked for a repentance evidenced by works. He knew well that these were expert at a pretended piety. He was warning them not to think that this was yet another feather for their cap. He would not baptize them unless their repentance was genuine. Those whom he baptized could make specific statements concerning the sins they had committed. The Pharisees and Sadducees would never do so.

7: In some cases, shocking statements may be needed to jolt certain religious persons into a realization of their need for repentance.

Personal Journal Entry #12110
Prayer Journal Entry #12110
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 12:1-14:31
Praise Journal Entry #12070: Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to serve You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

6: John’s baptism was to show true repentance. He would not administer it to those who would not truly repent of their sins. Those who partook were voluntarily saying that they were unworthy of the coming Messiah. They were confessing their ill-preparedness due to sin in their lives. They were confessing a change of attitude toward their sin, which they would now endeavor to amend to be more worthy of the coming Messiah.

Personal Journal Entry #12109
Prayer Journal Entry #12109
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 10:1-11:43
Praise Journal Entry #12069: Heavenly Father, thank You for the peace that we can have with You. Thank You for the hope we have in Christ. Thank You for Your love, and You gift of life. Thank You for giving us joy in our lives. Your grace is truly amazing. By faith alone You give us great blessings. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

4: John was clothed very similarly to Elijah. His clothing and living in the wilderness upon the fare of the wild both parallel the ministry of Elijah. It is best to understand locusts as literally being locusts, several types of which might be eaten even by one keeping the law of Moses.
5: John was exactly the kind of prophet that the Jews expected. Many of them were quick to go out and see him.

Personal Journal Entry #12108
Prayer Journal Entry #12108
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 8:1-9:28
Praise Journal Entry #12068: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy in spite of our failures. Your order for our lives is such a blessing to us, and yet we resist it so often. Father, may we always embrace Your will, walk in Your way, and learn Your plan. You truly know what is best for us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

3: John stands at the end of the old testament and the beginning of the new. He shows the reality of the old prophecies, and yet the advent of a new reality. Christ is come, and repentance is commanded. The hope has come to fruition and it is high time to make the most of it. His message could not be safely ignored. It was filled with things that the Jews had wanted to hear for years; but, also, things they had never thought they would hear again.

Personal Journal Entry #12107
Prayer Journal Entry #12107
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 6:1-7:51
Praise Journal Entry #12067: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your wonderful kindnesses. You give us life and peace although we often take these for granted. We think it only natural to be at peace and be in health. And yet, these are amazing blessings from Your hand. Help me to be more mindful of Your kindness in allowing me to live, and to have peace in my life. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

2: Repentance is the only proper response to the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom coming refers specifically to the coming of the Messiah. The Jews at that time did not expect to have to repent in order to enter into the Messiah’s kingdom. As Jesus later explained, the kingdom of heaven would grow from a small group to something very large. Those who repent, changing their minds about their sin, are prepared to enter into it.

Personal Journal Entry #120106
Prayer Journal Entry #12106
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 3:1-5:18
Praise Journal Entry #12066: Heavenly Father, thank You for being changeless. So much in this world changes and is uncertain. But You are always the same. What a comfort that is! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

1: John the baptizer is the great forerunner of Christ. He lived his entire life for the purpose of preparing men for the Lord. Much can be learned from his example.

Personal Journal Entry #12105
Prayer Journal Entry #12105
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 1:1-2:46
Praise Journal Entry #12065: Heavenly Father, may we be busied with the gospel at all times. You are glorified by the gospel being spread to the ends of the earth. Help us to make it the ever-important goal of our lives. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

21: Once again, Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the woman’s child. He doesn’t say that Joseph took his son back to Israel, but that he took the child and his mother.
22: Archelaus was much like his father, Herod. So, Joseph obviously wanted to avoid another move in the near future. God guided him to Galilee. In that region Archelaus’ brother Antipas now ruled. He was of a milder disposition and mainly busied himself with the building of a couple of new cities.
23: Apparently it had been Joesph’s plan to return to Bethlehem, but God intervened. Nazareth was Joseph’s original home, before the taxation. This brought Joseph’s family to a safe place, put them among relatives, and fulfilled prophecy, all at the same time. In several places in the Old Testament, Jesus is referred to as the Branch. He is so as the Messiah, but also as a Nazarene. Nazareth comes from the Hebrew for branch.

Personal Journal Entry #120104
Prayer Journal Entry #12104
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 23:1-24:25
Praise Journal Entry #12064: Heavenly Father, thank You for Scripture. It gives us such a sure foundation. Starting from it we can have a guide to the Truth in any subject. Thank You for the certainty that it brings to life. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

20: It is said here that ‘they’ were dead that wanted to kill Jesus. This is strange since it seemed to be the design only of Herod at that time. So, this may be a case of using the plural when the singular is meant. However, it is more likely that both Herod and his son, Antipater, were meant here. Antipater was much like his father, and would likely have the same plans concerning any potential king other than himself. By this time, both men were dead. Herod had killed his son, and died himself a few days later.

Personal Journal Entry #12103
Prayer Journal Entry #12103
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 20:1-22:51
Praise Journal Entry #12063: Heavenly Father, bring revival to Your people! Lord, You are the One who renews our lives daily if we will but turn to You for that renewal. Father, draw Your people closer to You in this age that we may be witnesses to so many who are dying without hope. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

19: Even the fact that Jesus was in Egypt for a time was the fulfillment of prophecy. Everyhting about his life fulfilled prophecy.

Personal Journal Entry #12102
Prayer Journal Entry #12102
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 17:1-19:43
Praise Journal Entry #12062: Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus. His life is so clearly for us. He lived and died and rose again for our salvation. To God be the glory! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.