Judges. "Jael nailed it all down." Someone came up with that at the college I attended many years ago. I still smile at it, though the idea of such barbarism is very foreign to me.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
March 30, Day 89
Judges 21:25 is the very last verse in this book we begin today. However, it describes the entire book. It says..."In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes." You are about to read a very unsettled part of Israel's history in their new land. It is full of great heroes and horrible sinfulness.
The Israelites failed to fully drive out the people of the land. They failed to put an end to pagan worship. Here we are, thousands of years later, with the promise, "they will be thorns in your sides," holding true. The last part of Chapter 2 describes the cycle that comprises this whole book: the people rebelled - God sent judgment - the people cried out for help - God sent a judge to deliver them - life got comfortable - the people rebelled. In this book you will see the cycle over and over again.
One other thought; Judges reads like an action-adventure novel. The stories are largely tragic, but thoroughly engaging.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
March 29, Day 88
Joshua. Long ago, church leaders were told, "Don't go into a bar to talk to someone about Christ because you might be seen by someone who knows you and your testimony could be smeared." I'm not sure the same stigma exists today. However, if you or I did something that made others question our motives, I hope the questioners would be as integrous as the Israelis were; they sent a delegation to get answers before they sent the army to wipe their brothers out.
The final chapter of this book reminds me of how different it was when the people didn't have the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit within them. He (the H.S.) lives in Christians today because we live after the crucifixion and resurrection. The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) was when God chose to start baptizing Christ's followers in the Holy Spirit. During the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon certain people at specific times for special tasks, but they didn't know the presence of the Spirit in them.
That said, I think they meant to serve God from then on, but they quit after Joshua died. It's as if the leader who kept them in line was gone and they ran the other way.
Monday, March 28, 2011
March 28, Day 87
Joshua. Today I noticed an important spiritual lesson in these verses: "9 The Israelites gave the following towns from the tribes of Judah and Simeon 10 to the descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, since the sacred lot fell to them first: 11 Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. (Arba was an ancestor of Anak.) 12 But the open fields beyond the town and the surrounding villages were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession." Joshua 21:9-12 (NLT) We read a few days ago about the faith of patience of Caleb who waited 40 years to take possession of his promised territory; then he had to fight for it, slaying giants.
Notice in the above verses that God chose Hebron, the chief city of Caleb's possession, as a city of refuge and inheritance for the Levites. Caleb wait, Caleb fought and the best went to God. But we don't have any record that Caleb cried, "Foul!"
How do you and I receive it when we work hard for something and God wants the first from it? I think it was an honor for Caleb. Is it for us?
Sunday, March 27, 2011
March 27, Day 86
Joshua. I think the contrast in Joshua 17 of the attitude of the Ephraimites compared to Caleb's family is very telling. Caleb wanted to press forward in faith. This tribe was paralyzed by fear. Joshua answered them with wisdom when they wanted to take the easy way out. Ultimately the choice was theirs; if they wanted more land, they needed to be willing to pay for it. That event has many modern implications that I can imagine.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
March 26, Day 85
Joshua. Caleb waited forty years for his inheritance, knowing that conquering it would take a war. I hope you don't read past his story without pondering it. In a way, it makes me think of the character Strider in Lord of the Rings, who is really Aragorn. He journeys up and down the highways, watching the world. He seems but a tough traveler, yet he knows he is waiting for his place as King of Gondor. If you love those books and movies as I do, try to see Caleb through that lens and imagine what he must have been like.
Many Scripture passages tell us history. This section of Joshua is about geography. It would be easier to understand if we were looking at an ancient map.
I often think about the millenia-old conflict that resulted from the inability to drive out the Jebusites. Jebus the name comes from a root meaning "hatred." Jerusalem is supposed to be a city of peace, but instead has been full of bloodshed all these years.
Friday, March 25, 2011
March 25, Day 84
Joshua. With the Gibeonites, Israel consulted the "evidence" without consulting God. It's easy to say, "God gave me a brain, eyes, ears, a nose and some common sense to handle this myself." There should be people in our lives that we can trust and take at face value because they earn that trust with every good decision and every kept promise. But what about those who promise over and over again that they are being truthful and keep letting us down? What about those we don't really know and who might have a motive to lie? In all those circumstances we must keep our hearts open to God's promptings. I will never forget how I intentionally ignored a whisper from God and plunged ahead with a decision because all the "facts" lined up. It hurt me and our church for many years.
Today's list of defeated enemies speaks to me of God's faithfulness and Joshua's obedience. God was faithful to "deliver" Israel's enemies into their hands. Joshua and his leaders had learned from past mistakes, and were soundly destroying their enemies. It sounds so unrefined to us, but it is a picture of the ruthlessness we must have over the sin in our own lives.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
March 24, Day 83
Joshua. For a powerful illustration of the fall of Jerico's walls, read here.
Today's reading moves like an action adventure book. It is full of points about listening to God, being courageous and obeying what God says. I recently read this question: "Are you trying to pray yourself out of a situation that you behaved yourself into?" Reading the reaction to the defeat at Ai reminds me of trying to do exactly that. God's answer for them was to behave themselves back to the place they should have been.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
March 23, Day 82
Joshua. I love this book! I think I am endeared to it because it has so much to say about the joys, the hardships and the pitfalls of leadership. "Be strong and courageous." Joshua heard that message over and over. Perhaps he was timid at first. After all, he was the man in Moses' shadow for many years. He found strength in the Lord and ultimately the allegiance of the people.
If you look at the lineage of Jesus, you will find some provocative names there. One of them is Rahab the harlot, whom we meet in Joshua 2. Before the story is over, she will end up the wife of the tribal leader of Israel's strongest tribe. The romantic in me hopes I will get to hear their love story in heaven.
Joshua held the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh to the agreement they made with Moses. Accountability!
The Jordan was at flood stage when they crossed. It's possible that it had overflowed its banks out to 20 miles width. It wasn't a calm stream, but a raging torrent and God held it back, just like He had done to the Red Sea 40 years earlier. Note: it takes the miracle of God for you and me to leave our slavery to sin (Egypt), but it also takes the movement of His Spirit to deliver us out of spiritual wilderness into the victorious life He designed for us. We can't discipline our lives into the spiritual Promised Land. We can only humble ourselves in the sight of God and cry out for Him to bring us there.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
March 22, Day 81
Deuteronomy. 13 He let them ride over the highlands and feast on the crops of the fields. He nourished them with honey from the rock and olive oil from the stony ground. 14 He fed them yogurt from the herd and milk from the flock, together with the fat of lambs. He gave them choice rams from Bashan, and goats, together with the choicest wheat. You drank the finest wine, made from the juice of grapes. 15 “But Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed! Then they abandoned the God who had made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:13-15 NLT) This is just like those of us who have been so blessed by God and have forgotten Him, thinking we accomplished it all ourselves.
Chapter 33 is the blessing Moses spoke to each of the tribes. Notice that his blessing is different than the one spoken by Jacob (whose twelve sons fathered the tribes) at the end of Genesis. Jacob's blessing had some barbs in it because of unfaithfulness he saw in his sons. Moses' blessings were all positive, full of hope for each group. No doubt he knew great people in each tribe and wanted the best for them all.
Chapter 34 was obviously written by someone other than Moses. Perhaps it was Joshua. Jude 1:9 (New Testament) says that that Michael the archangel fought with the devil over the body of Moses. Mysterious indeed!
Psalms 91. I am not sure why the arranger of this chronology included this Psalm here. In my brief research, I don't see evidence that it was written by Moses. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful and powerful Psalm about God's protection.
Monday, March 21, 2011
March 21, Day 80
Deuteronomy. Chapter 30 is the beautiful opposite of Chapter 28, which we read yesterday. It defines God's glorious promise to those who repent and return to Him. Verse 6 says, "“The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!" That's the person I want to be!
We are nearing the end of the "Pentateuch", the "five books" of Moses. He is about to pass the sword to Joshua. He warns Josh of painful things in the future. He exhorts him, "Be strong and courageous!" Amen!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
March 20, Day 79
Deuteronomy. The picture in Chapter 28 is graphic and sickening, but it ultimately came true! The latter years of the Old Testament era are described as ones when the judgment of slavery, siege, hunger and desperation followed generations of sins so horrible that they will make you want to throw up. Finally, He sent Jesus to pay for the terrible sins of humankind and gave the gift of His Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out. Wow!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
March 19, Day 78
Deuteronomy. Some of the regulations we read today are easy to understand. Others are downright baffling!
I have grown in understanding and gratitude for this description of bringing the first offerings in the new land. What a powerful reminder that it was God that got them here. I can "see" the visual effect of pronouncing the curses from Mount Ebal and the blessings from Mount Gerazim.
Friday, March 18, 2011
March 18, Day 77
Climbing Companions! With the hope of ramping up the conversation about what we are reading, I have added a Group at YouVersion. I hope you will sign up. I have made it a moderated group to keep it among those of us who read on the same schedule. Please sign up and enter the discussion! Sam
Deuteronomy. While many of these regulations don't jive with our current culture, most (or all) of them paint a significant picture of God's righteous standards. Living by them not only brings Him glory, but also protects us from much pain. What do you think?
Some of these regulations are simple and practical; common sense. Some would protect the people from strife. Some would keep them from future sin.
In Deuteronomy 23:8, it says, "The third generation of Edomites and Egyptians may enter the assembly of the Lord." I wonder what that was about. Perhaps the idea was that the grandchildren of those who treated Israel with contempt and who suffered judgment from God might be more likely come to God with a true and humble heart.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
March 17, Day 76
Climbing Companions! With the hope of ramping up the conversation about what we are reading, I have added a Group at YouVersion. I hope you will sign up. I have made it a moderated group to keep it among those of us who read on the same schedule. Please sign up and enter the discussion! Sam
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was used of God to shake up that nation as well as the traditional Catholic church. He did so by going into communities and building compounds within them. In those compounds they practiced their faith as it had been taught by Jesus. Living there was a commitment to love and serve your neighbors, speak truthfully, and share with each other. A person could stay as long as they lived by the covenant. Many moved in who didn't believe in Christ and became Christians because of the way the Christians treated each other. Once a group was established, a few young families would move to a neighboring community and start the process over.
Deuteronomy: “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ I preached about this last Sunday at Stone Ridge Church. It's always a temptation to go back to Egypt. Egypt represents the world system and it's hold over us. We who come to Christ are transferred out of Egypt in into God's kingdom. We have a whole new life and must not long for Egypt.
Being a pastor in a city with military bases makes me often think about the rules of engagement in Deuteronomy 20. I find it especially significant that God warned them not to cut down the fruit trees. As someone who grew up with a small fruit orchard, the value of those trees is beyond numbers. It can take many years to replace them with trees that will bear similar fruit. Fighting forces, though, can be tempted to ravage the land in their quest for victory.
I can imagine all kinds of situations in later years when Israel was facing a question and went back to today's passage for instructions.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
March 16, Day 75
Climbing Companions! With the hope of ramping up the conversation about what we are reading, I have added a Group at YouVersion. I hope you will sign up. I have made it a moderated group to keep it among those of us who read on the same schedule. Please sign up and enter the discussion! Sam
Deuteronomy: Moses continues the "Second Law" (literally "Deuteronomy") with reminders about dietary rules for their health, economic rules for their prosperity and worship rules for their spiritual lives.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
March 15, Day 74
Climbing Companions! With the hope of ramping up the conversation about what we are reading, I have added a Group at YouVersion. I hope you will sign up. I have made it a moderated group to keep it among those of us who read on the same schedule. Please sign up and enter the discussion! Sam
Deuteronomy. God knew that Israel would be tempted to take on the worship practices of the pagan tribes they were displacing. He promised to protect and provide as long as they worshiped Him alone. The word picture of how they made rows with their feet to plant vegetables in Egypt is followed by God's promised to be their irrigation specialist as long as they put Him first.
Don't be tricked into worshiping other gods. When God's people entered the land, it was already dotted with various "high places" of worship. Often the hilltops were covered with the places of pagan worship, sacrifice and sexual sin. They (and we) must not fall asleep to the horrible ways worship can be twisted. And don't be fooled by the spiritual power of those who follow false gods. We learned when we read about Balaam that someone can be very powerful and still rebellious. We must put away all the foreign ideas of worship and keep our hearts directed toward God alone.
Monday, March 14, 2011
March 14, Day 73
Deuteronomy. I was moved today by these verses: "16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. 17 He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’" I keep re-learning the lesson that I tend to get stale in my communion with God when everything is going fine. I want to keep that intimacy at all times, not just when everything seems to be falling apart.
Moses reminded the people that God had a special plan for them because of His love. However, they needed to humble themselves before Him. It's a great lesson for you and me. Truthfully, God wanted to bless the whole world through them. Rather than take His blessings and hoard them, they were to demonstrate the power and love of God by refusing to following the false gods that were being worshiped in their new home. When He showered His blessings of love on them, they could show that love and encourage all to follow Him. The way it actually turned out is tragic.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
March 13, Day 72
Deuteronomy. This is more than a refresher on the Ten Commandments. It is a word picture of the possibilities if God's people will completely follow Him and teach succeeding generations to do the same. It includes the need to resist temptation. God was setting Israel up as His people through whom the whole earth could know about Him. They failed. Will we?
A stern warning comes in Chapter 7. God's people need no fear the evil influences around them, but must be diligent to destroy the power of those influences. In the Old Testament, that including wiping out the nations who would bring them down. The New Testament, especially the Epistles, tells us to deal severely with the power that invades through our flesh.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
March 12, Day 71
Deuteronomy. After describing in detail how Israel conquered two great kingdoms, Moses confesses how he tried to bargain with God to be able to enter the Land after all. As I get older, having spent many years in a church, I can imagine the temptation to "beg" God for another chance to see this for himself. That's what Moses did, but it didn't change the outcome. God often gives second chances, but not always.
I was struck by the simplicity of verse 2 Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you. They truth is that they DID add to the commands and made the Law a back-breaking challenge which wouldn't allow anyone to succeed. At the same time, the religious leaders created loopholes for themselves and their cronies. No wonder this passage included the promise of a coming judgment.
Friday, March 11, 2011
March 11, Day 70
Deuteronomy. It took me years to understand the "why" of this book. The name means "second law." Deuteronomy was a detailed re-telling of the events that are listed (primarily) in Exodus and Leviticus. It helps me understand the purpose better by imagining Moses up on the small mountain and looking out across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. He has been told by God that he can't go there. Therefore, here he is, at the end of his days, recalling God's work and words for the past 40 years. He is like a world leader writing his memoirs. He also takes advantage of this last communication before his death to warn the people that they must follow God and not go astray.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
March 10, Day 69
Numbers. Where do you stand on the death penalty? When you read about the Cities of Refuge, it was obviously very clear to them. I can imagine scenarios, though, in which someone fled to a City of Refuge just days or hours before the High Priest died. How much danger would that create if the person left the city? Jesus' teaching on forgiveness is a much higher and nobler law than this. Our revenge will never take away the pain in our hearts. The only way to heal those wounds is to forgive.
The Year of Jubilee was the great equalizer. No matter how much property someone earned, everything went back to the original family on the Year of Jubilee. This allowed people to work hard, manage well and enjoy the rewards without creating a culture of permanent rich people and permanent poor people.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
March 9, Day 68
Numbers. The only way for me to connect with Numbers 33 is to think of it like a slide show of the places they had been during their 40 year journey. To those of us who haven't traveled in that part of the world, the names are mostly meaningless. But, if we knew and had experienced those locations, it could make for interesting reading. As it stands, it's a great and focused history of their travels.
I was struck by Numbers 33:55: "But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides."Several thousand years later, we still live in the shadow of their failure to do what God said.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
March 8, Day 67
Numbers. In our modern culture and current level of civilization, we can't imagine a scenario in which married women and boys must be slaughtered. When I tell you that it was far more normal for them to do it, I am not saying that it was right. There are still parts of the world where human life has far less value than it does for us. In today's reading, the women had been among ones who took Balaam's advice and led the Israelite men astray into sexual promiscuity. The boys would grow up to seek revenge for their families. Therefore, it was required that they be destroyed.
After forty years together in the wilderness, this new generation of tribal leaders had some of their own thoughts about their future. God had promised them the land across the Jordan River. 2 1/2 tribes decided that they liked land east of the river better. It seemed so logical. They would get settled, then cross with their brothers and help them fight for the Land. God allowed it and so did Moses. Many generations later, their land was some of the first to be overrun by enemies.
Monday, March 7, 2011
March 7, Day 66
Numbers. As this book draws to a close, we are given a task list for the various offerings to be given and the festivals the Hebrews celebrate each year. While I'm sure that this list has been reformed over the years, Jewish people still celebrate each festival. The traditions give great meaning to our faith. No doubt they kept this chapters in mind, almost like a "Festival shopping list" that, in modern times, we might attach to our refrigerator with a magnet.
Vows are meant to be taken seriously. Our culture seems to ignore them these days. On the other hand, I have seen a thoughtless vow become a chain of bondage that destroys hope. Thank God for His grace in those occasions!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
March 6, Day 65
Numbers. This book began with a tabulation of the forces of Israel. Another is recorded here. Remember, these were just the men who were prepared for war. The actual number of people was much larger. This second registration was in preparation to invade the Promised Land. Much had happened during the wilderness years and it was time to take roll call again.
God's economy included the need for families to be given equal opportunity to own their own land. A family who has only daughters could keep their land, based on what happened in today's passage.
Moses had already been told that he couldn't go into the Land because of his sin. Joshua was God's choice to lead the people next. We are winding down on the story of Moses' life. We will shortly join him at the top of a mountain as he looks across to the Promised Land and reflects, writing down a reminder of God's Law. What he wrote became known to the Hebrews as the "Second Law." It's not another law from the first, but a reminder and explanation of it. "Second Law" is our word "Deuteronomy".
Saturday, March 5, 2011
March 5, Day 64
Numbers. Balaam had so much potential for good, but his greed led him astray. I was jolted by this verse in Chapter 23: "No curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel." In our trips to the Dominican, I feel the presence of spiritual warfare like I am just beginning to feel here in the U.S. But I never feel really afraid.
After the plan to have Balaam curse them failed, obviously the enemy had another trick to pull. You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar. Balaam is later blamed for this ploy, so he obviously told Balak a weakness that he saw. The Israelites were brave and strong, making it nearly impossible to conquer them in battle. However, if they turned their hearts away to false gods, they would lose their favor. How to tempt them? Sex. How many people of God have been brought down by this temptation over the generations? It's a critical lesson.
Friday, March 4, 2011
March 4, Day 63
Numbers. Yesterday we read about the refusal of Edom to allow Israel to pass through their land. God had a purpose in it all. One thing He wanted His people to learn was how to fight. They had to face the great kings Sihon and Og so they could discover dependence on God in the heat of battle. They would fight many more battles from much more powerful foes in the Promised Land. This was like training. (Side note: Sihon was king of the Amorites. The root of "Amorite" literally means "pride". They had to fight their pride so they could learn to be useful in other ways.) To help us understand the significance, God often allows us to face enemies in our own spiritual wilderness that must be defeated before we start taking spiritual territory in His kingdom.
Someone said, "If the devil can't make you sin, he'll make you busy." Today we see that fear of the enemy is no longer hindering Israel from marching forward. Enter Balak with another solution: call Balaam. Some of you may wonder if Balaam is actually a prophet of God. Believe me, Satan has his prophets, too. And many of them are the real deal -- full of spiritual insight and power. Balaam was spiritual and, ultimately, couldn't trump God's will. However, he was out to fill his own pocketbook rather than worship the living God. Many people believe in God and His power without being willing to worship Him. That will be hard for some to fathom, but it's true.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
March 3, Day 62
Numbers. Today's reading includes several different events, all of them important in the history of God's people. The purification involving the red heifer seems to be more about health and sanitary conditions than spiritual ones. Then you will notice the incident which brought Moses and Aaron under God's judgment and kept them from entering the Promised Land. In his frustration, Moses violated God's holiness. In doing so, he violated a critical illustration God was giving about things to come. Earlier, God commanded Moses to strike the rock and water came forth. We learn later that Jesus is THE Rock of our salvation and He had to be struck for us to receive the water of life. Now that Christ has been struck for our salvation, we need but ask and receive to get the living water He offers. Moses didn't just ask; he struck. This time twice!
God could have changed Edom's heart and given favor to His people among the Edomites. God's plan, however, would take them another way. They still had more to learn.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
March 2, Day 61
Numbers. Korah was from the tribe of Levi. As a member of the priestly tribe that represented the people to God and vice versa, the rebellious Levites brought a serious judgment upon themselves. God took their lives, but spared the censers which had been dedicated for worship. Dathan and Abiram were from the tribe of Reuben, who had been the oldest son of Jacob. Reuben was removed from the rights of the firstborn because of rebellion; now these descendants of Reuben were judged harshly because of their rebellion. We struggle with rebellion against authority almost from birth. Why do you think God was so strict in His judgment on this rebellion?
God, full of grace and mercy, gave the people a visible illustration that He had chosen the tribe of Levi to serve as priests. Unfortunately, seeing isn't believing for someone who doesn't want to believe.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
March 1, Day 60
Numbers. It's a dangerous thing to disobey God, then try to undo it by disobeying Him again. Far too often, parents let their kids "whine them" into changing a decision. God won't be manipulated like that! God is faithful; that means He is faithful to His promises. In this situation, the people didn't repent; they just tried to avoid the consequences. What a lesson!
Today we discover another great reason to read the Bible in chronological order. In Psalms 90 Moses reviewed the sins of his people and God's response, then said, "We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury." Their predicament led to Moses' cry, "O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants!"
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