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2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 263

Sep19

    Day 263—We are in the NINETH month of Bible reading, with more of Israel’s history and ZECHARIAH’S prophecy.

    Day 263 – Zechariah 1 – 4  (A call to repentance, and five visions)

According to Ezra 5:1 and 6:14, Zechariah and Haggai were prophets to the returned-from-exile Jews to begin (Haggai) and to finish (Zechariah) the rebuilding of the Temple.  Z. reminded them that this is where the Messiah would come, so build it!! Haggai was more scolding, whereas Z was more positive, reassuring them of future blessings. 

Zechariah 1.  Zechariah’s first words were of hope. “Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you.” Don’t be like your fathers who did not listen.  The people took this to heart and repented.

The “Horseman” was the first of five visions/dreams in this section and reassured the Jews of God’s purpose for their future. The man on the red horse is called “the angel of the LORD” and possibly is an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ.  Z. also sees three other horses, possibly referring to Revelation 6:1-8.  These patrol the earth, seeing the nations who had come against Israel, which angered the LORD. But He promises to return to Jerusalem with mercy. “My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.”

The “Horns and Craftsmen” vision is the second in the same night. The angel tells Z. that the four horns he sees are the nations God used to scatter Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.  The four craftsmen were come to terrify those nations and “cast them down.”

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Zechariah 2. The “Man with a Measuring Line” vision was next in that night of dreams. This vision is meant to comfort the returned exiles.  Not only is God measuring Jerusalem to rebuild it in their time, but also a greater Jerusalem in the time of the Messiah’s reign on earth.  And again, woes to the nations who dared to “touch Israel, the apple of His eye.”

And God’s promise of a glorious future time, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come, and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people.”

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Zechariah 3. The “Joshua as High Priest” vision is the fourth that night and speaks of Israel’s future role as a priestly nation.  Joshua, the high priest, is pictured standing before “the angel of the LORD” in filthy garments (much like the nation of Israel, sinful and unworthy). At his right is Satan, the Adversary, accusing him.  The LORD rebukes Satan, saying Joshua is chosen, a “brand plucked from the fire,” much like Jerusalem. 

Note: God Himself (the angel of the LORD) removes Joshua’s filthy garments and clothes him in pure robes and a priestly turban.  This is also a glorious picture of God’s actions for those who trust in His Son, Jesus the Messiah. Our filthy sin is removed, and Christ’s righteousness clothes us like a robe.

Then, speaking of Jesus, the Messiah, the “Branch,” God says, “I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.”

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Zechariah 4. The “Golden Lampstand”  vision is next.  It’s a huge menorah with a large golden “bowl” for oil, seven branches, and seven lips on each branch.  Behind it are two olive trees feeding oil constantly to the bowl and branches.  “What are these?” asked Z.  “Don’t you know?” asked the Angel.  “No, my, Lord,” said Z. 

And the LORD replies,  “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. What are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel, you shall become a plain.”   Here, the LORD, through Z., encourages Zerubbabel to finish the temple building.  And God will give an abundant supply of His Spirit to help. (Spirit is often represented by oil in the Bible.)  God says that, although this temple is smaller and less grand than the previous one, it represents the glorious restoration temple when the Messiah comes to reign. 

And then the LORD tells Z. who the olive trees represent (verse 14). They are the “anointed ones” representing the kingly and priestly offices in Israel, through which God’s blessing will flow. At the time, these were Zerubbabel (descendant of David) and Joshua (descendant of Eleazar).  Together, they foreshadow the Messiah, who is both king and priest, like Melchizedek.  (Psalm 110)

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(Three more dreams that night will follow tomorrow.)

  

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 257

Sep13

    Day 257—We are in the NINETH month of Bible reading, with more of Israel’s history and future visions in DANIEL’S prophecy.

    Day 257 – Daniel 4 – 6 (Daniel serves under 3 kings, the tree stump dream, the handwriting on the wall, and the lion’s den.)

Daniel 4. Nebuchadnezzar’s praise of the God of Heaven from chapter 3 continues here… for a little while. Then he has another ominous dream – a great tree fallen with only the stump remaining. 

Daniel is called again to interpret the dream and is sad about its meaning.  He tells Nebuchadnezzar that HE is that beautiful tree that spreads far and wide, sheltering and giving food to all.  But a “holy one” coming down from heaven will chop it down and leave only the stump, bound with an iron band, for seven years. 

“Sorry, O King, but YOU shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven for seven years…..until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will.”

Daniel begs the king to repent and practice righteousness so that this dream will not happen for a long time.  But alas, 12 months later, we see the uber-proud king strutting on his rooftop proclaiming that all the riches and glory of Babylon were built by HIS OWN MIGHTY POWER and for the glory of  HIS MAJESTY.  And while he spoke… um… he became like an ox and was driven from the city to eat grass in the field, his body – long hair and long nails – wet with the dew of heaven.

Yikes! Talk about a God-inspired severe mental breakdown!

Seven years to the day, old King Nebuchadnezzar “came to his senses.” (What am I doing eating grass in a pasture??? I need a haircut and a manicure! )   He “lifted his eyes to heaven and blessed the Most High, and praised and honored HIM who lives forever.”

At the same time, his reason returned, as did his glory, majesty, and splendor. And he said, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the “King of Heaven” for all His works are right, and His ways are just; and those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”

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Daniel 5.  Twenty years after Nebuchadnezzar’s death, his son, Belshazzar, is about to meet his Maker, and his kingdom is violently given to the Medes & Persians. 

He is feasting and drinking with a thousand of his lords. In drunken braggadocio, he calls for the splendid gold and silver chalices his father took from the Temple – the House of God – in Jerusalem. “Why aren’t we drinking from them?”  He, his guests, and concubines drank wine and praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

And IMMEDIATELY, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the wall plaster, and the king saw them. His pallor changed, his limbs weakened (Can you imagine the goblet slipping from his fingers, wine splashing on him?), and his knees knocked together.  He called for all his magicians to interpret the writing, but they could not.

Then, the Queen (his mother) mentioned a man ‘in whom is the spirit of the Holy gods.’ Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, trusted him because he could interpret dreams and solve problems.  ” Let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

Daniel is located and brought to the palace. The king said, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles, whom the king my father brought from Judah. I have heard that light, and understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve problems.  IF YOU WILL READ THIS WRITING AND INTERPRET IT, I will make you Number Three in my kingdom!”

“Keep your gifts, O king,” said Daniel shortly. “But I will read and interpret the writing.”  

But first, Daniel gives a little history of this king’s father, Nebuchadnezzar, how God made him great, how he was prideful, how God made him like an ox, and how God restored his majesty when he humbled himself and acknowledged the God of Heaven.  “But YOU, his son, Belshazzar, have NOT humbled your heart though you knew all this. You have lifted yourself up against the God of heaven. You have praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.  But the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have NOT honored.  And so, this hand was sent.” 

It says, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.  It means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting. Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

That very night, Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom.”

(You don’t mess with the God of heaven or His Holy stuff!)

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Daniel 6. And now, Daniel is serving under a third king, Darius. He is now one of three ‘presidents’ in charge of the 120 satraps (governors).  They all had to report to him.  Soon, they were resentful and jealous of him, “one of the exiles” ruling over them, and they devised a wicked, deceitful plan to get rid of him. The only grounds of complaint against Daniel that they could find (for he was exemplary) was to see it in the law of his God.

They convinced King Darius that he should be honored for a month.  (Darius month!!)   During that month, if anyone asked anything (petitioned) of anyone except the king, he would be thrown into a lion’s den.   The king said that sounded cool and stamped it into law.

The jealous governors camped outside Daniel’s house, and when they saw him open his East-facing window toward Jerusalem, kneel, and pray three times each day, they knew they had him. Wide-eyed, with innocent smiles, they tattled to the king.

Of course, the king was distraught. Daniel was one of his chief men. A “rainmaker.” But, the law of a Mede or Persian could not be changed. (We’ll see this again in Esther.)  And he condemned his ‘fave guy’ to the lion’s den. (BTW, Daniel is about 82 years old by now.)

All night, Darius prayed and fasted for Daniel. (Quite a turnabout.)  Early in the morning, he rushed to the lion’s den.  “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

A tiny wait while he held his breath.

“O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me.” 

Daniel is drawn from the den joyously, and those jealous, sneaky satraps and their wives and children are tossed in. (Does this remind you of the fiery furnace story??)  Having been denied dinner all night, the lions leaped on them before they even hit the bottom of the den. 

Darius then sends a message throughout his kingdom that people are to tremble and fear the God of Daniel. “For He is the living God, enduring forever; His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and His dominion shall be to the end.”

And this chapter of Daniel ends with…”So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”

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(Tomorrow, we begin Daniel’s prophetic visions.)

 

 

 

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 227

Aug14

    Day 227—We are in the eighth month of Bible reading, with more of Israel’s history and prophecy.

    Day 227 – Jeremiah 30 – 31 (Bad news, but then glorious news, future, then WAY future)

Jerimiah 30. The promises of God (more than 22!) stand out in this chapter: restoration, return, bonds & yokes broken, end of servanthood to foreigners, salvation, a King, medicine and healing, retaliation against their oppressors, compassion, rebuilding, their position as the people of God.

What a glorious, hopeful message this must have been to the exiles! And a Messianic hope!  “Their Prince shall be one of themselves; their Ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make Him draw near, and He shall approach Me, for who would dare of himself to approach me?, declares the LORD. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

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Jeremiah 31.  Prophecies of the nation’s restoration are continued in this chapter, both closely future and distant, end-times future.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you.  AGAIN, I will build you and you shall be built, O virgin Israel (What???)  AGAIN, you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.  AGAIN, you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and shall enjoy the fruit.”

“For the LORD has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD…”

“I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the LORD.”

And in the far future… “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, NOT like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke (the law)…”    “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel AFTER THOSE DAYS,  I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD’ for they shall ALL know me, from the least to the greatest.  For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more.”

“Behold the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORD.”    “It shall not be uprooted or overthrown  anymore forever.” (see Revelation 3:12, 21:2)

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 199

Jul17

    Day 199—We are in the seventh month of Bible reading and are continuing in Isaiah.

    Day 199 – Isaiah 23 – 27. (severe judgment, the Day of the Lord, and HOPE for God’s people)

Chapter 23 is the oracle of judgment on Tyre and Sidon. They are the traders of the world, and now the port cities are amazed at the judgment on them. Verses 8 & 9: “Who has purposed this against Tyre….”   “The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pompous pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth.”

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Chapter 24 describes the judgment on THE WHOLE EARTH!  “Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.”   “The earth shall be utterly empty   plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word.” 

“The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants, for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the EVERLASTING COVENANT.  Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their GUILT; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left.  (Maybe see Genesis 9:5-16.)

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Chapter 25 speaks of home in that God will end death.  “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.”

“It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God, we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

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Chapter 26 continues with a song that will be sung in the land of Judah. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”

“Come, my people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed. For behold, the LORD is coming out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover up the murdered.”

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Chapter 27. Israel will be redeemed. “In the days to come, Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom, and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit.”   

“In that day, from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt, the LORD will thresh out the grain, and YOU will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel.  And in that day, a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain of Jerusalem.”

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 114

Apr23

    Day 114—We have been reading the Bible daily for a third of the year.   What have you learned about God? About yourself?

Day 114 – Psalms 43, 44, 45, 49, 84, 85, 87. (Psalms of David, prayers for help and praises.)

Psalm 43 – “Why are you cast down, O  my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God!”

Psalm 44 – “You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! Through You we push down our foes; through Your name we tread down those who rise up against us. For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. But You have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us! In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever.”

Psalm 45 – “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness, You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.”

Psalm 49 – “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.”    “But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.”

Psalm 84 – “My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”    “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”    “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”

Psalm 85 – “You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath; and turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!”

Psalm 87 – “On the holy mount stands the city He founded; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God.  Among those who know me, I mention RAHAB and BABYLON; behold, PHILISTIA and TYRE, with CUSH — ‘This one was born there,” they say. And of Zion it shall be said, ‘This one and that one were born in her;’ for the Most High himself will establish her.  The LORD records as He registers the PEOPLES, ‘This one was born there.’

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 82

Mar22

    Day 82—  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 82 – Joshua 1 – 4  (Commissioning & command of Joshua, Spies & Rahab, Crossing the Jordan, Memorial stones)

Today we begin the 7th book so far, and move from the Torah (& Job) to the Historical books. In the First Chapter, God commissions Joshua to take over the leadership of Israel. He encourages him by telling Joshua that;

  • 1) his campaign to conquer will be successful,
  • 2) that He, Himself will be with Joshua and will not forsake him.
  • 3)  that this success and prosperity will come as he meditates day and night in the Law of the LORD, and obeys everything he reads.

God commands him to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua’s first order is for the people to prepare to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land in three days.  He reminds the Eastern-settling 2.5 tribes, of their promise to fight and conquer the land WITH their brothers.

In Chapter 2, Joshua sends two spies out to “view the land, especially Jericho.”  They obey (and as God led them) entered the house of Rahab. She was a prostitute, but also possibly a “hotel” owner. Her house was on the wall that surrounded the city and was accessible.  She hides the two Israeli spies when the king’s men come looking for them, and sends those soldiers on a “wild goose chase,” while sending the spies on a different route.

Why? Why would this female, pagan prostitute help enemy spies? Verses 8-12 explains that she KNOWS that the LORD has given the land to Israel. Everyone is in terror because of them. They’ve all heard about Israel’s miraculous crossing of the Red Sea and their successes with Kings Sihon and Og and their hearts are melting.  Then her proclamation of faith: “The LORD your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”  

She then requests, that for her helping them to escape, that they will save her and her family when they attack.  The spies agree, with one caveat. She and all of hers must stay within the house, and she must hang a red rope from her window down the outside of the wall.  When Israel sees that red cord, they will pass over her house, and save her and hers alive.

The spies report back to Joshua that the LORD has indeed given all the land into their hands. And the hearts of all the inhabitants “melt away because of us.”

In Chapter 3, Israel crosses the Jordan River into Canaan, much like they crossed the Red Sea out of Egypt. Except, it is the action of the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, who step into the water, that God  uses it to stop it flowing and open a way through. So, as the “soles of the feet” of the priests carrying the Ark stepped into the water, it bunched up in a heap. The priests/Ark stood in the middle of the dry river bed until ALL OF ISRAEL passed over into the land.

Chapter 4 describes how Joshua, at God’s command, had a representative from each tribe take twelve stones from the river bed, and carry them to Gilgal where they were to camp and laid them down. Joshua set them up as a memorial, something these people would tell their children about in years to come.

When the priests & the Ark followed the people out of the river bed, all the water came rushing back again.  And it was the first day of the preparation for Passover.  (Fitting, huh?)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 79

Mar19

    Day 79 —  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 79 – Deuteronomy 28 – 29 (Blessings, More curses, God’s glorious Name, Admonitions, Willful sin, Secret things.)

What a joy it is to read the “Blessings” God will shower on faithful people in Chapter 28.  “If you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.” 

(Yes, he is speaking of Israel, but it sounds a little like what America was in the beginning. Why have we forsaken the God of our forefathers?)

  • God promised Israel fruitfulness of the womb, in the fields, vineyards, and barns.
  • He promised to bless all their goings and comings, their fights against enemies, and in all they would undertake.
  • He promised He would establish them as a people, holy (separated) unto Himself. 
  • All nations would see this, and fear them.
  • They would abound in prosperity. 
  • They would get good rain in season, and have such an abundance that they would lend to other nations and never have to borrow.  WOW!

If only they would obey Him and not go after other gods to serve them.

BUT…..if they would NOT obey Him and keep His commands…. then all these horrific and terrible curses would assail them.

  • They would experience the plagues of Egypt that they had earlier escaped. 
  • There would be drought and their soil would turn to iron and powdery dust.
  • Their enemies would easily defeat them and their dead bodies would become the food of the birds and beasts of the earth. 
  • They would experience deadly, despicable, and painful, physical disease.
  • They would become captives, their children taken as slaves, and they’d be driven mad by the things their eyes would see happen.
  • They would eat their own children out of intense hunger, even the most refined and tender men and women would do this.
  • Extraordinary, severe, grievous and lasting diseases would cling to them and not be cured. 
  • Trembling hearts, failing eyes, languishing souls. Day and night they will be in dread of their life.

All because they were not careful to 1) do all the words of God’s law, and 2) they did not fear this glorious and awesome name, the “LORD your God.” (28:58) 

In Chapter 29, Moses reviewed the covenant the that LORD made with them at Mt. Sinai, and how He miraculously took care of them.  He reminded them that Israel was standing that day on the brink of their destiny, on the edge of the Promised Land, and that ALL the people of Israel were to join into this Covenant with their God.

“Beware,” he warned, “lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, on the one, when he hears good words of the sworn covenant, that he… “blesses himself in his heart saying, ‘“I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.”   

Oh, this is presuming on Almighty God, and even today we do this! Beware…. “the LORD will not be willing to forgive him… but will blot out his name before heaven.“

29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law. “

Could those “secret things” that God will carry out in the future be the completion of His so great a salvation for sinners in the work of salvation through Jesus, the Messiah?

 

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 75

Mar15

    Day 75 —  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 75– Deuteronomy 14 – 16 (More reviews, Soft hearts, Main Feasts)

In Chapter 14, Moses reviews a few dietary laws of things they will face in the Promised Land, listing what is “clean” for Israel to eat. He reminds them “You are a people holy (set apart) to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. YOU shall not eat any abomination.” (14:2-3)

They are also reminded not to forget the Levites and giving their tithes which are to support them.

Chapter 15 goes over the Sabbatical Year, when all indentured “slaves” are to be released, and for the wealthy not to send them away empty, but with supplies. God warns them against a “hardened heart” toward the poor, and to give them freely what they need. Hasn’t God supplied all of them abundantly with more than they need?  “Open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy, and to the poor of the land,” says the LORD.

Chapter 16, reviews their obligation to keep (remember always) Passover, for it is when God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. (A “picture” of the deliverance Christians receive through the sacrifice of the ultimate Passover Lamb at the crucifixion of Jesus. We too are to Remember it.)  Details on the first harvest Festival of Weeks (First-fruits or Pentecost) and the Festival of Booths (Tabernacles) when Israel remembered their time living in tents in the Wilderness are also reviewed and encouraged.

The chapter ends with a caution about unrighteous judges, and a warning against forbidden objects or means of idol worship, for the LORD hates such things.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 62

Mar2

    Day 62—  Today we begin the THIRD month of Bible reading! We’ve been reading for over a 1/6 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that we will continue.

   Day 62 – Numbers 18 – 20 (Reviewing Levitical duties & purification, Miriam, Aaron, Moses)

After the last few days of Levite rebellion and God’s swift punishment & affirmation of Aaron & Moses, it’s suitable in Chapter 18 for God to review the duties of Priests and Levites, and their compensation for service. The LORD reminds them that in the Promised Land, they will get no real inheritance of property, but will have Himself as their inheritance and provider.

Chapter 19 reviews the laws of purification after touching a dead body. (Remember in chapter 16, how God’s plague killed 14,700 rebels. Lots of handling and burying!)

Chapter 20, (as the end of the 40 wilderness years approaches) lists several SAD, but necessary, things. First, Miriam, Moses’ oldest sibling, dies and is buried in the Wilderness of Zin.

Next, at the “Waters of Meribah (“questioning”), the people – yes, this newer generation – again grumble about not having water for themselves and their animals, and yearn for the figs, grapes, and pomegranates of Egypt. (YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING, how can they even remember that?)  And Moses loses it.

God tells him to take the staff (Aaron’s rod that budded?), assemble the people before a rock, and SPEAK to the rock, which will yield abundant water for them all.  Moses is so fed up with these people (he’s 120 years old and has been with the grumblers for 40 years), that he, 1) gets the staff, 2) takes the people to the forementioned rock, and 3) speaks…. but NO! Moses STRIKES the rock, not once, but TWICE!!

God is faithful. Water flows to the ingrate people, but Moses’ fate is sealed. He WILL NOT lead the people into the Promised Land, but die at its boarder. Wow.  Seems harsh, right?  I mean, which of us wouldn’t be as frustrated at those millions of “babies” and lose our cool?  Why would God condemn him for this ONE little human mistake?

Well, it is abject disobedience, of course, before the Priest and all the people. Punishable for a leader.

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But I’d like to consider a few other possible things. I’m thinking that in striking the rock this time, Moses “ruined” the “picture” or “type” of Christ’s work on the cross. Jesus our Lord is often called our ROCK of our salvation.  He’s referred to as the corner stone.  Jesus died for sin and experienced the wrath of God ONCE, on the cross. God approved and raised Him to life again.  After that, Jesus told His disciples they could pray to God for anything in his name. They could (and should) confess their sin and ASK for forgiveness, and God would hear and answer (for Christ’s sake). 

Jesus did NOT have to be crucified (sacrificed) again and again, like the bulls and rams in Moses’ time.  He – once and for all time – took the wrath of God for sin, and whoever believes in Him can have eternal life (rivers of living water).

Picture Jesus as that rock at Mt. Horeb, struck once, and yielding abundant water for Israel. Then, Moses was just to SPEAK to the rock (ask, if you will) and water would flow.  But he STRUCK the rock. It could be seen as having to crucify Jesus again to receive that eternal life. 

This is how I see Moses’ sin. It does not say specifically in God’s Word that this is so, so take it as a possible suggestion.  And also remember direct disobedience of a leader of God is very serious in it’s own right.

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After this incident, Moses continues to lead Israel toward the Promised Land.  They are taking the route to the East of the Jordan River Valley/Dead Sea, which will take them right through the land of Edom. These people are descendants of Isaac. Esau/Edom was Jacob’s brother, so these would be their closest relatives. Moses asks permission to move through the land – NOT march forward as against enemies – and Edom refuses twice, and then brings out their army.

God had told Moses (Deut. 2:5) NOT to wage war on their “brothers” or even take any food or water from them, so Moses leads Israel the long way, around Edom and Mt. Seir, the land God had given to the descendants of Esau.

But before they start, at Mt. Hor, on the boarder of Edom, God tells Moses to take Aaron and his son Eleazar to the top of the mountain, remove the priestly vestige from Aaron and put it on his son, for Aaron will die there. It seems he was involved in some way in striking that rock, so he also could NOT enter the Land. Moses obeys, and when the people see him coming back with only Eleazar in priestly garb they know Aaron is dead, and they weep for him 30 days.

Let These Go, says Jesus

Mar29

Morning and Evening by Spurgeon

John 18:8  Jesus said unto them, If ye seek me, let these go their way.

Mark, my soul, the care which Jesus manifested even in his hour of trial, towards the sheep of his hand! The ruling passion is strong in death. He resigns himself to the enemy, but he interposes a word of power to set his disciples free. 

As to himself, like a sheep before her shearers he is dumb and opened not his mouth, but for his disciples’ sake he speaks with almighty energy. Herein is love, constant, self-forgetting, faithful love.

 But is there not far more here than is to be found upon the surface? Have we not the very soul and spirit of the atonement in these words? The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, and pleads that they must therefore go free. The Surety is bound, and justice demands that those for whom he stands a substitute should go their way. 

In the midst of Egypt’s bondage, that voice rings as a word of power, “Let these go their way.” Out of slavery of sin and Satan the redeemed must come.

 In every cell of the dungeons of Despair, the sound is echoed, “Let these go their way,” and forth come Despondency and Much-afraid. 

Satan hears the well-known voice, and lifts his foot from the neck of the fallen; and Death hears it, and the grave opens her gates to let the dead arise. 

Their way is one of progress, holiness, triumph, glory, and none shall dare to stay them in it. No lion shall be on their way, neither shall any ravenous beast go up thereon.

 “The hind of the morning” has drawn the cruel hunters upon himself, and now the most timid roes and hinds of the field may graze at perfect peace among the lilies of his loves. 

The thunder-cloud has burst over the Cross of Calvary, and the pilgrims of Zion shall never be smitten by the bolts of vengeance. 

Come, my heart, rejoice in the immunity which thy Redeemer has secured thee, and bless his name all the day, and every day.