GTY: The MacArthur Daily Bible

July 24

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Ezra 9:1–10:44
Psalm 88:6-10
Proverbs 21:23-24
Acts 24:1-27

Notes:

Ezra 9:1 When these things were done. This refers to the implementation of the different trusts and duties committed to him. priests…Levites. As was the case before the Assyrian and Babylonian deportations, the spiritual leadership defaulted along with the people (Is. 24:2; Jer. 5:30, 31; 6:13–15; Hos. 3:9; Mal. 2:1–9; 2 Tim. 4:2–4). abominations. The reason for this exclusiveness was to keep the people pure. In the first settlement, Israel was warned not to make covenants with the nations, which would result in intermarriages and inevitably the worship of foreign gods (Ex. 34:10–17; Deut. 7:1–5). To a great extent, the continual violation of this precipitated the 70-year exile from which they had just returned. Ezra found out it had happened again and called for immediate repentance. Nehemiah (Neh. 13:23–27) and Malachi (Mal. 2:14–16) later encountered the same sin. It is unthinkable that the Jews would so quickly go down the same disastrous path of idolatry. Neither wrath from God in the exile to Babylon nor grace from God in the return was enough to keep them from defecting again.

Ezra 9:5–15 Ezra’s priestly prayer of intercession and confession is like Daniel’s (Dan. 9:1–20) and Nehemiah’s (Neh. 1:4–11), in that he used plural pronouns that identified himself with the people’s sin, even though he did not participate in it. The use of “we,” “our,” and “us” demonstrates Ezra’s understanding that the sin of the few is sufficient to contaminate the many.

Ezra 10:1 praying…confessing, weeping, and bowing down. Ezra’s contrite spirit before the people was evident and they joined him. These extreme expressions of contrition demonstrated the seriousness of the sin and the genuineness of their repentance.

Acts 24:3 Felix. Governor of Judea from A.D. 52 to 59. Felix was a former slave whose brother (a favorite of Emperor Claudius) had obtained for him the position as governor. He was not highly regarded by the influential Romans of his day and accomplished little during his term as governor. He defeated the Egyptian and his followers (21:38), but his brutality angered the Jews and led to his ouster as governor by Emperor Nero two years after Paul’s hearing (v. 27).

Acts 24:24 Drusilla. The youngest daughter of Agrippa I (12:1) and Felix’s third wife. Felix, struck by her beauty, had lured her away from her husband. At the time of Paul’s hearing, she was not yet 20 years old.

Acts 24:25 righteousness, self-control, and the judgment. God demands “righteousness” of all men, because of His holy nature (Matt. 5:48; 1 Pet. 1:15, 16).For men and women to conform to that absolute standard requires “self-control.” The result of failing to exhibit self-control and to conform oneself to God’s righteous standard is (apart from salvation) “judgment.” Felix was afraid. Living with a woman he had lured away from her husband, Felix obviously lacked “righteousness” and “self-control.” The realization that he faced “judgment” alarmed him, and he hastily dismissed Paul. when I have a convenient time. The moment of conviction passed, and Felix foolishly passed up his opportunity to repent (2 Cor. 6:2).

DAY 24: How does Ezra’s handling of the intermarriage situation fit into the overall pattern of biblical teaching?

Ezra 9 and 10 record a critical time in the reestablishment of the Jewish people in their homeland. In the years before Ezra arrived from Persia, many of the returned Jewish men intermarried with pagan women from the area. This practice reflects no circumstances like we find in the marriages of Rahab or Ruth, Gentiles who became believers in God. The pagan background of these women was not taken into account by their husbands. Ezra received this news as part of the report when he reached Jerusalem.

For Ezra, this was almost the worst possible news. Intermarriage with pagans had historically been a key in the repeated downfalls of the nation. These marriages were an act of disobedience. Ezra was overwhelmed with shame and distress over the situation (Ezra 9:3, 4). His grief was open and convicting.

Eventually, the people themselves confessed their error and decided that those who had married pagan women would have to “put away” (divorce) these wives.

God had not changed His mind about divorce. Malachi, who lived in this time period, declared that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16).

Several important notes can be made about this passage in Ezra. It does not establish a norm about divorce. It is also easy to overlook the fact that while the solution of divorce was a group decision, each of these marriages was examined individually. Presumably, cases in which the women had become believers were treated differently than cases in which the women involved saw questions of faith as violation of the marriage agreement.

In the humility of the guilty and the care in confronting these issues, a great deal of God’s mercy comes through. A strict interpretation of the law could have led to the stoning death of all involved. The eagerness to set things right opened the doorway for a solution, even though in some of the cases it involved the grief and sadness of divorce.

Additional Resources

July 23

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Ezra 7:1–8:36
Psalm 88:1-5
Proverbs 21:21-22
Acts 23:16-35

Notes:

Ezra 7:6 a skilled scribe. Ezra’s role as a scribe was critical to reinstate the nation since the leaders had to go back to the law and interpret it. This was no small task because many aspects of life had changed in the intervening 1,000 years since the law was first given. Tradition says Ezra had the law memorized and could write it from recall. the hand of the LORD his God upon him. This refrain occurs throughout the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Its resounding presence assures the reader that it was not by the shrewd leadership skills of a few men that Judah, with its temple and walls, was rebuilt in the midst of a powerful Medo-Persian Empire. Rather it was the sovereign hand of the wise and powerful King of the universe that allowed this to happen.

Ezra 7:10 seek…do…teach. The pattern of Ezra’s preparation is exemplary. He studied before he attempted to live a life of obedience, and he studied and practiced the law in his own life before he opened his mouth to teach that law. But the success of Ezra’s leadership did not come from his strength alone, but most significantly because “the good hand of his God [was] upon him” (7:9).

Ezra 8:21–23 I proclaimed a fast. The people of Israel would soon begin the long journey. Such travel was dangerous, for the roads were frequented by thieves who robbed for survival. Even messengers traveled with caravans to ensure their safety. Ezra and the people did not want to confuse the king regarding their trust in God’s protection so they entreated Him for safety with a prayerful fast. God honored their prayer of faith with His protection.

Psalm 88:4 go down to the pit. “Pit” is one of several references to the grave in this psalm (the dead, vv. 5, 10; the grave, vv. 3, 5, 11; place of destruction, v. 11).

Acts 23:16 Paul’s sister’s son. The only clear reference in Scripture to Paul’s family. Why he was in Jerusalem, away from the family home in Tarsus, is not known. Nor is it evident why he would want to warn his uncle, since Paul’s family possibly disinherited him when he became a Christian (Phil. 3:8). entered the barracks and told Paul. Since Paul was not under arrest, but merely in protective custody, he was able to receive visitors.

Acts 23:27 having learned that he was a Roman. Actually, Lysias did not find this out until after he arrested Paul (22:25, 26). Lysias sought to portray himself in the best possible light before the governor. For that reason, he also neglected to mention his order to have Paul scourged (22:24) and his mistaken assumption that he was the notorious Egyptian assassin (21:38).

DAY 23: How can Luke’s authorship of Acts be defended when his name is not mentioned in the book?

Lack of the author’s name is not an unusual challenge in establishing the authorship of a Bible book. Many books of the Bible come to us without obvious human authorship. In most cases, however, internal and external clues lead us to reasonable confidence in identifying the author. One benefit created by initial anonymity involves recognizing that the Bible books originated by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It may take some effort to discover whom God used in writing one of those books, but the original Author is not in question.

The Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles share numerous marks of common human authorship. They are addressed to the same person—Theophilus (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). They are parallel in style. The second book claims to be an extension of the first.

Luke was in a unique position to record Acts of the Apostles. He was Paul’s close friend, traveling companion, and personal physician (Col. 4:14). His work indicates that he was a careful researcher (Luke 1:1–4) and an accurate historian, displaying an intimate knowledge of Roman laws and customs. His records of the geography of Palestine, Asia Minor, and Italy offer flawless details.

In writing Acts, Luke drew on written sources (15:23–29; 23:26–30). He, also, no doubt, interviewed key figures, such as Peter, John, and others in the Jerusalem church. Paul’s 2-year imprisonment at Caesarea (24:27) gave Luke ample opportunity to interview Philip and his daughters (important sources of information on the early days of the church). Finally, Luke’s frequent use of the first person plural pronouns “we” and “us” (16:10–17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16) reveals that he was an eyewitness to many of the events recorded in Acts.

Additional Resources

July 22

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Ezra 5:1–6:22
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 21:19-20
Acts 23:1-15

Notes:

Ezra 5:1 Haggai and Zechariah. The Book of Haggai is styled as a “royal administrative correspondence” (Hag. 1:13) sent from the Sovereign King of the Universe through the “LORD’s messenger,” Haggai (Hag. 1:13). Part of its message is addressed specifically to Zerubbabel, the political leader, and Joshua, the religious leader, telling them to take courage and work on the temple because God was with them (Hag. 2:4). These two prophets gave severe reproaches and threats if the people did not return to the building and promised national prosperity if they did. Not long after the exiles heard this message, the temple work began afresh after a 16-year hiatus.

Ezra 5:5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders. God’s hand of protection which led this endeavor allowed the work to continue while official communication was going on with Darius, the Persian king.

Ezra 6:14 the commandment of the God of Israel…the command of Cyrus. This is not the normal term for commandment, but it is the same word translated “decree” or “administrative order” throughout the book. The message here is powerful. It was the decree from God, the Sovereign of the universe, which gave administrative authority to rebuild the temple. The decrees (same word) of 3 of the greatest monarchs in the history of the ancient Near East were only a secondary issue. God rules the universe and He raises up kings, then pulls them from their thrones when they have served His administration.

Ezra 6:22 turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them. By turning the heart of the king in their favor in allowing them to complete the rebuilding, God encouraged His people. They understood the verse, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD” (Prov. 21:1) better through this ordeal. The title “King of Assyria” was held by every king who succeeded the great Neo-Assyrian Empire regardless of what country they may have come from.

Acts 23:2 high priest Ananias. Not the Annas of the Gospels, this man was one of Israel’s cruelest and most corrupt high priests. His pro-Roman policies alienated him from the Jewish people, who murdered him at the outset of the revolt against Rome (A.D. 66). commanded…to strike him. An illegal act in keeping with Ananias’s brutal character. The verb translated “strike” is used of the mob’s beating of Paul (21:32) and the Roman soldiers’ beating of Jesus (Matt. 27:30). It was no mere slap on the face, but a vicious blow.

Acts 23:3 whitewashed wall. Ezekiel 13:10–16; Matthew 23:27. contrary to the law. Outraged by the high priest’s flagrant violation of Jewish law, Paul flared up in anger. When Jesus was similarly struck in violation of the law, He reacted by calmly asking the reason for the blow (John 18:23). Paul’s reaction was wrong, as he would shortly admit (v. 5). Although an evil man, Ananias still held a Godordained office and was to be granted the respect that position demanded.

Acts 23:7 a dissension arose. There were major social, political, and theological differences between the Sadducees and Pharisees. By raising the issue of the resurrection, Paul appealed to the Pharisees for support on perhaps the most important theological difference. Since the resurrection of Jesus Christ is also the central theme of Christianity, this was no cynical ploy on Paul’s part to divide the Sanhedrin over a trivial point of theology.

DAY 22: How does Psalm 87 describe God’s love for Jerusalem?

This psalm describes the Lord’s love for Jerusalem and exalts this city as the religious center of the world in the coming messianic kingdom (Ps. 48).Though the nations of the world (even including some of Israel’s former enemies) will worship the Lord then, Israel will still be the favored nation (Is. 2:2–4; 19:23–25; 45:22–25; 56:6–8; Zech. 8:20–23; 14:16–19).

“His foundation is in the holy mountains” (v. 1). “His foundation” means “His founded city,” namely Jerusalem, located in the hill country of Judea. “The LORD loves the gates of Zion” (v. 2). Zion is a poetic description of Jerusalem, seemingly used by the Old Testament writers when special spiritual and religious significance was being attached to the city. Though God certainly loved other cities in Israel, He did not choose any of them to be His worship center. The gates represent the access of the potential worshiper into the city where he could come into a special worshiping relationship with God. “More than all the dwellings of Jacob.” The other cities in Israel were not chosen by God to be the place of His special dwelling.

“Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God!” (v. 3). Jerusalem was God’s city because there God met His people in praise and offerings. “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon” (v. 4). Rahab was a monster of ancient pagan mythology and symbolized Egypt in the Old Testament (Ps. 89:10; Is. 30:7; 51:9). Two of the superpowers of the ancient world, fierce enemies of Israel, will one day worship the Lord in Zion (Is. 19:19–25). “Philistia…Tyre…Ethiopia” (Ps. 87:4).Three more Gentile nations, ancient enemies of Israel, whose descendants will worship the Lord in Jerusalem (Is. 14:28–32; 18:1–7).This multinational worship is pictured as a great joy to the Lord Himself. “This one was born there” (Ps. 87:6). To be born in Jerusalem will be noted as a special honor in the messianic kingdom (vv. 5, 6; also Zech. 8:20–23).

“All my springs are in you” (v. 7). “Springs” is a metaphor for the source of joyful blessings. Eternal salvation, including the death and resurrection of Christ, is rooted in Jerusalem. The prophets also tell of a literal fountain flowing from the temple in Jerusalem which will water the surrounding land (Joel 3:18; Ezek. 47:1–12).

Additional Resources

July 21

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Ezra 3:1–4:24
Psalm 86:11-17
Proverbs 21:17-18
Acts 22:1-30

Notes:

Ezra 3:12 the first temple. The temple built by Solomon (1 Kin. 5–7).wept with a loud voice. The first temple had been destroyed 50 years earlier. The old men, who would have been about 60 years or older, knew that this second temple did not begin to match the splendor of Solomon’s temple nor did the presence of God reside within it (Hag. 2:1–4; Zech. 4:9, 10). The nation was small and weak, the temple smaller and less beautiful by far. There were no riches as in David and Solomon’s days. The ark was gone. But most disappointing was the absence of God’s Shekinah glory. Thus the weeping. shouted…for joy. For those who did not have a point of comparison, this was a great moment. Possibly Psalm 126 was written and sung for this occasion.

Ezra 4:6–23 This section represents later opposition which Ezra chose to put here as a parenthetical continuation of the theme “opposition to resettling and rebuilding Judah.” He first referred to the opposition from Israel’s enemies under King Ahasuerus (a regal title) or Xerxes (ca. 486–464 B.C.), who ruled at the time of Esther (4:6). Ezra 4:7–23 then recounts opposition in Nehemiah’s day under Artaxerxes I (ca. 464–423 B.C.) expressed in a detailed letter of accusation against the Jews (vv. 7–16). It was successful in stopping the work, as the king’s reply indicates (vv. 17–23). Most likely, this opposition is that also spoken of in Nehemiah 1:3. All this was the ongoing occurrence of severe animosity between the Israelites and Samaritans, which was later aggravated when the Samaritans built a rival temple on Mt. Gerizim (John 4:9). The opposition to Zerubbabel picks up again at 4:24–5:2 during the reign of Darius I, who actually reigned before either Ahasuerus or Artaxerxes.

Ezra 4:21 Now give the command. No small order for one or two workers, but rather the efforts of 50,000 were called to a halt. The king was commissioning a decree of great significance. The original language calls for the difference. This decree would not lose its authority until the king established a new decree.

Acts 22:3 I am indeed a Jew. A response to the false charges raised by the Asian Jews. born in Tarsus. Tarsus was the chief city of Cilicia. brought up in this city. Paul was born among the Hellenistic Jews of the Diaspora, but had been brought up in Jerusalem. Gamaliel. That Paul had studied under the most celebrated rabbi of that day was further evidence that the charges against him were absurd. fathers’ law. As a student of Gamaliel, Paul received extensive training both in the Old Testament law and in the rabbinic traditions. Also, though he did not mention it to the crowd, he had been a Pharisee. In light of all that, the charge that Paul opposed the law was ridiculous.

Acts 22:21–23 Paul’s insistence that the Lord had sent him to minister to the despised Gentiles was too much for the crowd. They viewed the teaching that Gentiles could be saved without first becoming Jewish proselytes (thus granting them equal status with the Jewish people before God) as intolerable blasphemy.

DAY 21: Who were the people who made so much trouble for those Jews who returned from captivity?

In Ezra 3:3, it mentions “the people of those countries.” These were the settlers who had come to occupy the land during the 70 years of Israel’s absence. They were deportees brought in from other countries by the Assyrians and the Babylonians. These inhabitants saw the Jews as a threat and quickly wanted to undermine their allegiance to God (4:1,2). These are called “the adversaries”—Israel’s enemies in the region, who resisted their reestablishment of the temple.

These enemies came to the Jews offering their assistance, saying, “We have sacrificed to Him” (v. 2).This false claim represented the syncretistic worship of the Samaritans, whose ancestry came from intermarriage with foreign immigrants in Samaria after 722 B.C. (4:10). In the British Museum is a large cylinder; and inscribed on it are the annals of Esarhaddon, an Assyrian king (ca.681–669 B.C.), who deported a large population of Israelites from Palestine. A consequent settlement of Babylonian colonists took their place and intermarried with remaining Jewish women and their descendants. The result was the mongrel race called Samaritans. They had developed a superstitious form of worshiping God (2 Kin. 17:26–34).

Idolatry had been the chief cause for Judah’s deportation to Babylon, and they wanted to avoid it altogether. While they still had their spiritual problems (Ezra 9; 10), they rejected any form of mixed religion, particularly this offer of cooperation which had sabotage as its goal (vv.4, 5).“King Cyrus…commanded us.” This note gave authority to their refusal.

Nevertheless, the enemies hired counselors who managed to “frustrate” the work on the temple. This caused a 16-year delay (ca. 536–520 B.C.). As a result, the people took more interest in their personal affairs than in spiritual matters (Hag. 1:2–6).

Additional Resources

July 20

letters@gty.org (Grace to You) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Reading for Today:

Ezra 1:1–2:70
Psalm 86:6-10
Proverbs 21:15-16
Acts 21:18-40

Notes:

Ezra 1:5 whose spirits God had moved. The primary underlying message of Ezra and Nehemiah is that the sovereign hand of God is at work in perfect keeping with His plan at His appointed times. The 70 years of captivity were complete, so God stirred up not only the spirit of Cyrus to make the decree, but His own people to go and build up Jerusalem and the temple (1:1).

Ezra 2:2 Zerubbabel. This man was the rightful leader of Judah in that he was of the lineage of David through Jehoiachin (1 Chr. 3:17). He did not serve as king (the curse on Jehoiachin’s line, Jer. 22:24–30), but was still in the messianic line because the curse was bypassed (Matt. 1:12; Luke 3:27).The curse of the messianic line for Christ was bypassed in Luke’s genealogy by tracing the lineage through David’s son Nathan. His name means “offspring of Babylon,” indicating his place of birth. He, rather than Cyrus’s political appointee Sheshbazzar (1:11), led Judah according to God’s will. Jeshua. The high priest of the first return whose name means “Yahweh saves.” He is called Joshua in Haggai 1:1 and Zechariah 3:1. His father Jozadak (Ezra 3:2) had been exiled (1 Chr. 6:15). He came from the lineage of Levi, Aaron, Eleazar, and Phinehas; thus he was legitimately in the line of the high priest (Num. 25:10–13).

Acts 21:24 be purified. Having just returned from an extended stay in Gentile lands, Paul was considered ceremonially unclean. He therefore needed to undergo ritual purification before participating (as their sponsor) in the ceremony marking the end of the 4 men’s vows. pay their expenses. For the temple ceremony in which the 4 would shave their heads and the sacrifices associated with the Nazirite vow. Paying those expenses for another was considered an act of piety; and by so doing, Paul would give further proof that he had not forsaken his Jewish heritage. shave their heads. A practice commonly associated with a Nazirite vow (Num. 6:18).

Acts 21:28 the people, the law, and this place. Paul’s enemies leveled 3 false charges against him. They claimed that he taught Jews to forsake their heritage—the same lie told by the Judaizers. The second charge, that Paul opposed the law, was a very dangerous one, albeit false, in this setting. Originally, Pentecost was a celebration of the firstfruits of the harvest. But by this time, it had become a celebration of Moses’ receiving the law on Mt. Sinai. Thus, the Jewish people were especially zealous for the law during this feast. The third charge, of blaspheming or defiling the temple, had helped bring about the deaths of Jesus (Mark 14:57, 58) and Stephen (Acts 6:13). All 3 charges were, of course, totally false.

Acts 21:30 doors were shut. This was done by the temple guards, since Paul’s death on the temple grounds would defile the temple (2 Kin. 11:15). They made no effort, however, to rescue the apostle from the crowd, which was intent on beating him to death.

DAY 20: How did God sovereignly restore the Jews to the land?

It was through a proclamation by Cyrus king of Persia. The Lord had prophesied through Isaiah, who said of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd,…saying to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be built,’ and to the temple, ’Your foundation shall be laid’” (Is. 44:28). The historian Josephus records an account of the day when Daniel read Isaiah’s prophecy to Cyrus, and in response he was moved to declare the proclamation of Ezra 1:2–4 (538 B.C.).“That the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled.” Jeremiah had prophesied the return of the exiles after a 70-year captivity in Babylon (Jer. 25:11; 29:10–14; Dan. 9:2). This was no isolated event, but rather an outworking of the covenant promises made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3.

We are told that “the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus.” A strong expression of the fact that God sovereignly works in the lives of kings to effect His purposes (Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21; 4:17). Cyrus made a proclamation, which was the most common form of spoken, public communication, usually from the central administration. The king would dispatch a herald, perhaps with a written document, into the city. In order to address the people, he would either go to the city gate, where people often congregated for social discourse, or gather the people together in a square, occasionally by the blowing of a horn. The herald would then make the proclamation to the people. A document called the Cyrus Cylinder, recovered in reasonably good condition by archeologists, commissions people from many lands to return to their cities to rebuild the temples to their gods, apparently as some sort of general policy of Cyrus. Whether or not this document was an extension of the proclamation made to the exiles in this passage must remain a matter of speculation.

It is possible that Daniel played a part in the Jews’ receiving such favorable treatment (Dan. 6:25–28). According to the Jewish historian Josephus, he was Cyrus’s prime minister who shared Isaiah’s prophecies with Cyrus (Is. 44:28; 46:1–4). The existence of such documents, written over a century before Cyrus was born, led him to acknowledge that all his power came from the God of Israel and prompted him to fulfill the prophecy.

Additional Resources