March 17, 2023

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Today from chapters 14, 15, and 16 we read of clean and unclean food, tithing, seven-year debt cancellation, freeing servants, first born animals and the festivals and judges to be appointed.

Chapter 14 –

Moses continued to warn the people against following the gods of other nations. He also wared them about certain religious practices. The Lord prohibited them from practicing morning rituals of the nations. They were not cut themselves on their head on behalf of the dead.

A major day-today aspect of Israel’s covenant with God involved keeping the nation’s food laws. Some say God gave these requirements for health reasons such as pigs can carry disease and vultures feed on rotting flesh. However, scripture does not record that as justification for avoiding these items. We will find in Acts 10:9-15 that the Lord declares all food as clean. Other reasons would be because these were practiced and eaten by other nations and Israel was set apart. You are a holy people.

The laws of tithing was another way for the Israelites to remember all God had done for them. Part of the tithe was for the Levites who had no inheritance in the land. Giving to God is crucial because it shows how much devotion we have to Him. Their giving of the tithe acknowledged everything they had was from God. Giving to God is a test of our faith.

Chapter 15 –

In the sabbath year all debts were to be forgiven. That sounds like a strange idea for people to forgive a monetary debt but that is the way God operates. There will never be any shortage for good stewardship. Moses continues to emphasize they were to help the poor who will always be with them. Verse 15 says something very interesting – how do you see it?

God commands His people to trust Him and be generous. Don’t think that 15:11 contradicts 15:4. Verse four was a statement of God’s will for His people verse eleven is a sad mention of what God knew would become reality.

Concerning servants – a newly released servant had to be set up with everything they needed to make a fresh start. Sadly Israel would fail to keep the Sabbatical years and the rules surrounding the year of Jubilee that are discussed in these verses.

Following are instructions in verse 19 -23 that deal with giving up possessions to the Lord. The firstborn male of all animals belonged to the Lord. They could have no blemishes but the blemished could be eaten provided the blood was properly drained.

Chapter 16 –

There were festivals on Israel’s annual calendar that required males to make a pilgrimage to the central sanctuary. The first was Passover, the seven-day festival celebrating God’s deliverance of the people out of Egypt. On it, they were to sacrifice a Passover animal from the herd or flock and eat unleavened bread with it, in remembrance that they had left Egypt in a hurry.

The Passover can only be celebrated in the place designated by the Lord where He chooses to have His name dwell. The next national celebration gathering was the Festival of Weeks also known as Pentecost form the Greeks meaning “fiftieth” or fifty days after the Festival of Firstfruits. The third pilgrim festival was the Festival of Shelters also known as the Festival of Tabernacles or Booths. This was a seven-day observances where the Israelites were to build temporary shelters as a reminder of how God provided for them in the wilderness. This is a reminder that the heads of the family were to lead in worship.

Israel’s government was a theocracy in which God served as the nation’s king. Those charged with judging others must do it with righteous judgement just as the Lord had done.

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March 16, 2023

Numbers 11, 12, and 13 reveal instructions on obeying God’s law, the one place for worship and warnings on idolatry.

Chapter 11 –

Therefore – in light of all God had done for Israel – Moses called them to love God and keep His commandments. All of Israel’s history had been for the purpose of learning God’s discipline. Moses delivers a brief history lesson to them beginning with Israel’s deliverance from Egypt where God’s greatness, strong hand, and outstretched arm decimated Pharoah.

There was a bright future available for the Israelites if they obeyed God and loved Him with their whole hearts. Moses compared Canaan with Egypt reminding them that Egypt had to be irrigated by hand in order for anything to grow by contrast Canaan was watered by rain from the sky.

The choices God gave Israel boiled down to two clear choices: a blessing for obedience and a curse for disobedience. Moses cautioned them to be carful to follow all the statutes and ordinances set before them.

Chapter 12 –

True worship verse false worship. As Israel entered Canaan, they would see the various Canaanite worship centers which we typically erected high on mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree. This kind of perverted worship often included sexual symbols and immoral sexual acts. Instead Israel was to worship at the place God would choose to put His name on His dwelling. God intended to centralize worship with the ultimate fulfillment being the temple in Jerusalem.

Moses then repeated what he had just said in 12:5-7. When they entered Canaan, they were to only worship in the place designated by God for worship. That would be the only appropriate palce to worship and offer sacrifices. Although animals could only be sacrificed in one palce they could still hunt animals for food. The one thing they had to do was not eat the blood of the animal but pour it on the ground like water. Any animal offered for sacrifice had to be eaten in the presence of the Lord.

Chapter 13 –

Some people might think that if a self-proclaimed prophet is able to perform a miraculous sign or wonder then he must be the real thing. But Satan and his followers will do the same thing to lead people astray. The Lord would allow apparent wonder workers to appear to test the Israelites – to se if they would keep God’s laws, stay faithful, and continue to worship Him.

Any false prophet who would attempt to lead Israel astray was to face imminent death because they were encouraging rebellion against God. False doctrine is not to be tolerated in the church either.

Sadly, the temptation to fall into idolatry could come from and intimate source such as a brother…son…daughter…wife or close friend. Idolatry among God’s people had the potential to infect an entire city in Israel, so if anyone was found guilty of tolerating it, the inhabitants of such city were struck down with the sword, and the city was NOT to be rebuilt.

Moses told the people the only way to avoid judgement was to keep God’s commandments and to do what is tight in the sight of the Lord. Following God’s word is always the proper path to follow.

March 15, 2023

Today we read about God’s commands, the replacement of the Tablets containing the Ten Commandments, and the repeating of the story of the golden calf.

Chapter 8 –

 Moses was a great historian who knew what God’s people had been through, he also was a great teacher who wanted his students to learn about and be obedient to God.

God’s teaching for the Israelites humble dependence on and obedience to Him was something they needed. God is the ultimate parent who disciplines His children to become wise parents.

In contrast to the wilderness the promised land offered an abundance of water, crops, and minerals. But with prosperity comes temptation. The human heart can quickly turn from thanking God for His blessings to puffing up with pride. To often people say My power and my own ability have gained this wealth. To counter arrogance, Moses made one of the great statements of kingdom economics Remember the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth. The Israelites were told if the acted like the Canaanites they would fare the same as they did.

Chapter 9 –

Moses emphasized the challenges that lay ahead of them on the other side of the Jordan River. There was a need to drive out nations greater and stronger than Israel. Moses also warned them against spiritual pride: Do not say to yourself, The Lord brought me in to take possession of this land because of my righteousness. He pulled no punches when he call them stiff necked people.

The last comment led Moses to offer an extended illustration of the Israel of the rebellious nature of the Israelites. He said, “Remember and do not forget.

God was angry about the calf incident that he threatened to destroy Israel and start over with Moses. Moses too, was furious and smashed the tablets, he burned the calf tot eh ground and put it in the water source. Then Moses fell down and interceded for the people.

He closes chapter nine by saying You have been rebelling against the Lord since I knew you.

Chapter 10 –

Moses continues his story on the vents from Sinai and beyond. He told the Israelites how God had replaced the stone tablets of the law that ad been broken and to build an ark to house them in.

He refers to the death of Aaron in verses six through nine and the succession to the priesthood by Eleazar. He resumes his narrative recounting his second stint of forty days and forty nights on Mt. Sinai. Then it was time for the nation to possess the promised land Canaan. Living there would require the people to fear the Lord.

God was worthy of Israel’s complete devotion because he is the Lord of creation to whom everything belongs. The God of Israel is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the god of justice, love, and mercy who calls on His people to show the same mercies and qualities.

March 13, 2023

Deuteronomy 3 & 4

Today in our reading the wanderings of Israel have ended and Moses shares the words of God to Israelites.

Chapter 3 –

Israel defeats both kings Sihon and Og takes their land which a vast region east of the Jordan. King Og bed is measured indicating he is no small man but God is no small god either. Moses then recounts the dividing of the Transjordan among the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh. They will stay on the east side of the Jordan after agreeing to battle with the other tribes to gain the promised land.

The transfer of leadership is next discussed and no doubt difficult for Moses who had led them this far. He reminds Joshua of what happened to Sihon and Og saying The Lord (would) do the same to all the kingdoms (they were) about to enter. Don’t be afraid of them for the Lord your God fights for you.

Moses had in his prayers begged God to allow him to enter the promised land God said “No” and His “No” remained. In fact the message was “That’s enough! Do not speak to me again about this matter.” He did allow Moses to go to Mt. Pisgah and view the promised land but that was a far as he could go.

Chapter 4 –

Chapter 4 is an important hinge in Deuteronomy pivoting from Moses retracing the forty-year journey in the wilderness to the lessons the nation needed to hear in the retelling of the story.

The new generation needed to hear two points: obey God and worship Him alone. In their short time as covenant people they had repeatedly failed God so Moses ws to remind them of their responsibility. All who had remained faithful were alive but those who were disobedient had been put to death.

To fulfill the role as God’s covenant people, Israel dare not forget the things they had seen and been taught. Since idolatry had posed such a problem in the past, the land they were entering was filled with it, Moses spent extensive time warning them of the consequences of idolatry. God has no shape they were reminded and when they put shape to a figured they are committing the worship of an idol.

Moses reminded the people he would not accompany the into the promised land. In his frustration with the people he sinned by striking the rock for water and this was his punishment for that action. He urges then to not forget the covenant God had made with them and them with God.  For the Lord your God is a consuming fire.

If they were to forsake their covenant God for an idol in the form of anything His judgement on them would be severe. Yet God would not completely abandon His people. Moses said, You will search for the Lord your God, and you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart.

In closing chapter four Moses reiterates the cities of refuge that have been established.

Sunday March 12, 2023

So we have read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and portions of Job and Psalms in our 2023 quest to read through the Bible.

After the Lord delivered the Israelites out of Egypt slavery He led them to the Sinai wilderness, entered into covenant with them, and gave them His law. One year later they departed Sinai, and God led them to the entry of the promised land. However, because the people feared the Canaanites, they refused to take the land. Therefore, they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

The fifth and final book of the Pentateuch is Moses farewell address to the second generation of the Israelites. Moses’ message to the Israelites is a simple one to obey or disobey God’s law. Deuteronomy is a convenantal book. Through it, God tells His people that He will bond with them based on their adherence to the covenant of His kingdom.

Chapter 1 –

Moses is peaking to Israel on behalf of the Lord who is Israel’s lawgiver and leader. He is the man who God has chosen to speak through. When the Israelites sinned Moses interceded for them, he had led them for forty years never shrinking back a bit.

Moses was a faithful leader but he could not do it all by himself. So leaders from every tribe were appointed to help Moses – wise, understanding, ad respected men. When they reached the edge of the promised land Moses sent out twelve spies who came back with this report. See, the Lord your God has set this land before you. Go up and take possession of it…do not be afraid.

But things rapidly went downhill from there. The people rebelled against the Lord and grumbled when ten cowards claims the inhabitants were like giants. Moses tried to rally the people to move on but their fear made them deaf and blind to his words although he assured them the Lord would go before them.

On their first opportunity to enter they refused claiming their children would be plunder for the nations living there. Ironically, God turned their excuse against them. In reality they would be excluded from the promised land and die in the wilderness, while their children would inherit the promised land.

Chapter 2 –

Following the failure at Kadesh, God told the Israelites to turn back and head into the wilderness where they wandered for the next few decades.

Moses recounted how they encountered three groups of relatives along the way, whom the Lord had told them not to pick a fight they were the Edomites, the Moabites, and the Ammonites. The first group the Edomites refused to allow them to pass through but God still provided for them. They lacked nothing while in the wilderness for forty-two years.

From Edom they traveled to Moab and received the same command from God not to provoke the nation of Moab. When God’s judgement on the older generation had been carried out Israel was ready to move on in preparation for entering the promised land. Once again, they were to cross the border of Moab thus bringing the close to the Ammonites again, they were not to provoke these people.

The next move was to take the Transjordan the land east of the Jordan River beginning with the defeat of King Sihon. Through this victory God would begin to make people fear the Israelites and their mighty God. God knew in advance the king would reject their peace offering. Notice what God told the Israelites I have begun to give Sihon and his lane to you. Begin to take possession of it which raises a question. Did God give it to them, or did they have to take possession of it? The answer is both. Even if god promises us something we must be obedient to possess it.

God handed the army of Sihon over to the people when they came out to battle, the Ammonites were destroyed and Israel took all their possessions. There was no city inaccessible to Israel.

Saturday March 11, 2023

From Numbers 35 and 36 we learn three things: towns of refuge, the cities of the Levites, and the limitations of female property owners.

Chapter 35 –

The tribe of Levi did not receive any inheritance because the Lord was their portion- that is, they had been chosen from among all tribes to serve the Lord at the tabernacle. However, they still needed a place to live and pastures for their herds. God gave instructions to Moses to give property to the Levites. Being placed where they were they were accessible to all people.

Among the cities of the Levites six were designated as cities of refuge. As the name implies, there were places where a person who had (killed) someone unintentionally (might) flee…until he (stood) trial.

There was no refuge for the person who intentionally committed murder. This required the death penalty oftentimes a family member would carry out the punishment. Cities of refuge provided that safe haven for those committing manslaughter without hostility and without malicious intent. The process is outlined as to protection from the assembly, the court would rule if the court ruled for the defendant he would be taken back to his city of refuge to live until the priests died then he could return home. If he violated these conditions his accuser could kill him.

Another provision to prevent miscarriages of justice was the necessity of having a multitude of witnesses one witness could not generate a sentence of death.

At the end of the chapter, we learn the bottom-line reason for these ordinances: Bloodshed defiles the land. There can be atonement to cleanse the land…except the blood of the person who shed it.

Chapter 36 –

Concluding the book of Numbers, we come in contact with a family we have met before in our reading. The five daughters of Zelophehad. The first time they met Moses they were concerned their father had no sons therefore they had no inheritance. This time the ones raising the question was the heads of the clan of the families.

Again Moses recognized that what they said was right. So he sought the Lord once again and returned with a ruling on how to proceed. The daughters were free to marry anyone…provided they marry within a clan of their ancestral tribe. Also, no inheritance belonging to the Israelites (was) was to transfer from tribe to tribe.

We have come from Mt. Sinai in the book of Numbers to where the Lord made  a covenant with Israel, to the edge of the land He had promised them. Though the people, including Moses would be unfaithful God remained faithful, He would preserve His people.

But in the days to come He would also be faithful to His greatest promise of all: “A star will come from Jacob; a scepter will arise form Israel.” (24:17). And sure enough the messianic King, Jesus Christ, came to atone for sin, defeat His enemies, and give the riches of His grace to His people.

March 10, 2023

In reading today from chapters 33 and 34 of Numbers two things are prominent: Israel’s journey is laid out and the borders of Canaan are laid out.

Chapter 33 –

Moses maintained a very detailed travel plan of the Israelites on their journey from Egypt to the promised land. Remember they left Egypt quite defiantly while the Egyptians were burying their firstborn. Moses noted the Israelites camped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh) which is the name where the nation rebelled and wandered for forty years.

At Mount Hor Aaron the brother of Moses dies. Then we see the Canaanite king opposed the people’s passing and was soundly defeated, then he records their encampment in Abarim range so Moses could see the promised land.

The remainder of the chapter includes Moses’ instructions and exhortations to God’s people about entering the promised land. He emphasizes the total spiritual depravity of the people they would encounter as well as the Lord’s command concerning them.

Once God’s people possessed the land it was to be divided among them. Moses’ message from the Lord then ended with a stern warning: But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants…those you allow to remain will become …thorns in your sides: they will harass you in the land where you will live. And what I have planned to do to them, I will do to you. If you are disobedient then these people will be a snare to you.

Tragically the Israelites would fail to follow the directions given them and they would suffer both military and spiritual defeats in the centuries ahead. Eventually after years of covenant unfaithfulness – and years of the Lord being abundantly patient they would be cast form the land in stages.

Chapter 34 –

Before transitioning from Moses to Joshua the Lord gave specific instructions to Moses about the details of dividing up the land so there would be no confusion. He provided precise boundaries for the land and identified leaders of the tribe who would oversee the distribution.

All borders were identified of the promised land. Each tribe was to receive their land by lot but the process only involved distribution to nine and one half tribes because Rueben and one half Manasseh remained east of the Jordan.

Thursday March 9, 2023

Numbers 31 & 32 reveals to us Moses carrying out revenge on the Midianites and teaching about the Reubenites and Gadites.  

Chapter 31 –

Moses’ last act as leader of the Israelites was to exact judgement on the Midianites. When this was completed Moses’ life would end. Since God was leading the engagement Israel would only need a small contingent to defeat them so He had Moses gather one thousand men from each Israelite tribe to go against the Midianites. War was waged against Midian and every male was killed – that is every soldier. In addition too all that were killed included the kings and Balaam whom we recently met.

When they returned Moses and Eleazar and all the leaders of the community were furious with the leaders who brought with them some of the same women who had incited the Israelites to unfaithfulness. They had lured the men into sexual immorality in worshipping Baal the same reason twenty-four thousand died previously. The decision was to Kill every male among the dependents and kill every woman who had gone to bed with a man. The execution was necessary to purge any influence of the Midianite culture.

Ceremonial cleansing was necessary for the soldiers who were unclean in carrying out their duties. Everything had to be purified by water or fire. Next, they divided what they had taken in the victory. God required a tribute and the remainder was shared. When was said and done one last thing remained – The leaders of the soldiers informed Moses not one of their men had been lost in battle. Another offering was made to the Lord.

Chapter 32 –

While they were still camped on the east side of the Jordan opposite Canaan the tribes of Reuben and Gad looked around and saw that the region was good for livestock which they had many. They asked for that land, maybe not giving any thought to the fact that every other tribe had to battle the Canaanites for the land. Moses’ wise answer was a swift one Should your brothers got o war while you stay here. Did they really prefer this land, were they afraid of battle? Moses then asks another pointed question Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land the Lord has given? He wanted them to recognize their decision would affect the rest of the nation.

That same principle applies today to the church. Some people who claim to follow Christ insist that their similar actions – whether they are choosing to worship at home each Sunday when just as easily could be in church and serve there. Sinful choices do affect those around us.

They change their tactics and agree to lead the battle. It appears they had not thought through all the implications when they initially spoke. They received permission to build pens for their livestock with a warning from Moses if they did not follow through, they would be sinning against God. They did, they received their inheritance and they remained there.