To keep up
reading The One Year Bible it is nice to have some days when we can
reverently speed read something. Today in the NT will be one of these days, but
only if you want to. The OT reading lends itself to some quick devout reading
also.
Numbers 28:16-29:40
At this point, it is either weeks or just a
couple of months before Israel enters the land. I doubt that the address of
Deuteronomy took less than a week to deliver. And at the end of Deuteronomy
when Moses died, the people stayed in one place for 30 days and mourned for
him. Still, every day there would have been a growing excitement that the cloud
would lift and that God would lead them into Canaan. There are still some
things to be put in order and God is focusing on their relationship to Him.
This is good for us to remember too. God’s
preparation in using us in the harvest has less to do with our abilities than
with our heart. When I read John 15 I read about fruit, but that fruit is
dependent on disciples being pruned and abiding in Christ. Lots of people do
stuff without abiding in Christ. God wants the right kind of disciples, so He
will have the kind of fruit that abides and makes disciples, who make
disciples.
In our reading today there is a constant
refrain. Yesterday God reminded Israel of the daily offerings. These would be
daily, perpetual reminders of their need for forgiveness and God’s gracious provision
of all things for them. Today, as God reviews the holy days and feasts, He will
remind them over and over and over not to forget the daily offerings. Even with
the offerings of those special days, they were still to offer the lamb in the
morning and in the evening.
Numbers 28:16-31
Vs. 16-25 These are the instructions for the
Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In spite of all the offerings going
on, the morning and evening offerings were still to be daily reminders of their
need and God’s care. This was one of three occasions where all males had to be
present in Jerusalem. Notice that the last day of this feast was a Sabbath
rest.
Vs. 26-31 This was the Feast of Weeks, meaning that it took place seven weeks after the
Sabbath mentioned above. This was the Feast of the Firstfruits or Pentecost.
This is the second of the three occasions when all males had to be present in
Jerusalem. Notice v. 31. You get the idea that this is really a key emphasis.
Numbers 29
Vs. 1-6 This was like their New Year’s feast.
It signaled one of the most important events was about to take place, the Day
of Atonement, followed by the Feast of the Tabernacles. The males didn’t have
to be in Jerusalem for this, but it was more an alert for the nation, and men,
to get ready to head to Jerusalem.
Vs. 7-11 This is the Day of Atonement. All of
the males had to attend this and the following feast. This is the only holy
feast day when the Jews had to fast. This is when the high priest took the
blood of one goat, went into the Holy of Holies, and sprinkled it on the mercy
seat to make atonement for the people. Then they sent the scapegoat out into
the wilderness. Notice v. 11.
Vs. 12-40 These are the days of the Feast of
the Tabernacles. There are some differences in the offerings of those days but each
day ends with the same reminder to continue the normal offerings, morning and
evening, that would be done each day.
In 29:40 it says that these instructions were
given publicly. We might be saying, "Didn't I just read something like
this earlier?" Yet, for many people listening now, they have never heard
this before. Between chapters 19 and 20, 38-40 years passed. There are
40-year-olds who have never heard these laws, and we'll find out when we read
Joshua, men who have never been circumcised. What we're reading here is the
preparation of the people for entering the land. Just as a reminder for us, for
the people to have come to these feasts, it meant they had to leave their homes
and fields for weeks. They couldn’t work and they had to trust in the Lord, as
He promised, to guard their stuff. It all depended on their faith and true
gratitude to the Lord for saving them. Unfortunately, once they were in the
land, the people seldom celebrated some of these feasts. You just read about
the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). Now, if you want something that will
shock you, read Nehemiah 8:17, a thousand years later. If that doesn’t make you
want to cry, I don’t know what will.
I think there were individuals who celebrated
these things, like Boaz and Samuel’s parents, but these were national events to
keep the heart of the nation healthy and pulsing with love for God.
If you want to challenge yourself as a
disciple, read Matthew 5-7 and realize that this was all said to the newly
selected twelve disciples. I think it applies to us too. I have the feeling
that when Jesus returns, He might say to the majority of the church, “you never
obeyed what I told you.” I was just reading about Jesus saying to His disciples
in Luke 18:8, back then and in the future, Nevertheless,
when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?
In Joshua 5, the first thing the people do
after they cross the Jordan will be to circumcise the men. The second thing
they will do is to celebrate the Passover. The day after the Passover, the
manna will cease.
One question I have in all of these
instructions is that if the sacrifices called for flour, and the bread for the
Holy Place needed flour, where did they get the flour? Also, if the sacrifices
required wine, where did they get the wine? They had been doing this for 40
years in the wilderness, so where did they get flour and wine? I think it is
safe to say that their main food was the manna. How else do you feed two to ten
million people? But, if you were a merchant, or a local farmer, and you knew
there were two to ten million people sitting there with money but nothing to
spend it on, don't you think you'd want to help them? I'm sure that Israel
became a stop, or even a main destination, on one or more caravan routes. For
the sacrifices and the temple service, I'm sure they bought wine, flour and
olive oil (and the occasional leek and garlic). I'm sure the people also bought
cheeses (although they had plenty of milk with their flocks), veggies, flour,
wine, clothing (with sheep and goats they had plenty of wool) and other stuff;
but again, two million people in the wilderness, off the beaten trail, couldn't
have survived solely on outside merchants.
Luke 3:23-38
Luke gives Jesus' lineage from Mary, whereas
Matthew uses the lineage from Joseph. Both Joseph and Mary are descendants of
David. Matthew traced the lineage back through the kings of Israel. Luke traced
the lineage back to David, but through one of his sons who never became the
king. Luke gives the lineage here because of Jesus' baptism and anointing as
King. This is the beginning of His ministry. (I'm making this up now: Maybe
back in the day, when they had gladiator fights or contests, as the fighters
entered the arena, they gave their credentials. I don't know. I wasn't there.)
But it is interesting that Jesus' credentials are given here, and that He's
about to "duke it out" with "the ruler of this world."
Notice that in vs. 32-33 we find Nahshon the son of Amminadab. We have
read quite a lot about Nahshon in Numbers. Remember it was his sister who
married Aaron the high priest (Exodus 6:23) and his son who married Rahab as
recorded in Matthew 1:4-5.
Also, Luke takes the genealogy back to Adam
and to God. This will fit well with Paul’s writing and it shows a Gentile world
that Jesus is the Savior of all men.
Psalm 62
I feel like I'm living this
psalm. It is very hard to get it into your head. For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He
only is my rock and my salvation…
Just circle the repetition of words here: God alone, my salvation, shaken, etc.
This is a great psalm. I can imagine that as David lived those long years running
from Saul, there were rumors and suggestions of help that might have come from
people in Saul’s government who really liked David. Or there may have been
rumors that certain leading men of some of the tribes might come to his aid.
None of this ever happened but it is normal for people to hope for help from
others, especially when you’re running for ten years.
But this is how God “pruned” David and made
him the man he was, a man after God’s own heart.
Vs. 1-2 This is David’s only hope.
Vs. 3-4 David suffered because of how he was
lied against and wrongly pursued.
Vs. 5-7 Take time to read this. There is the
waiting in silence, the seeking of refuge and the pouring out of all of our
fears and concerns. It is somehow healing just to read this and know the Lord
understands and that this is all He wants when we are weak.
V. 8 As always, David praises God and exhorts
everyone to trust Him and make Him their refuge.
Vs. 9-10 Maybe David is still talking to
everyone, but this truth is also being given to us from God Himself.
Vs. 11-12 Wow! God has spoken. To Him belongs
power and steadfast love, and He will judge. Amen.
Where is our help really found? In the Western world, many people have deep resources. We have credit cards, friends,
advocates, people offering services, Dr. Phil, geek squads, libraries,
podcasts, Google. Basically, we have help for everything. The Lord may be the
first one we call, but usually we only come before Him like this as a last
resort.
As disciples, what brings us to the place
where we realize, without God, there is no help, no refuge, no resource, no
stability? In reality, it isn't a "what," it's a "who." For
the Lord to really train us as disciples, He makes following Him in the harvest
the passion we can't live without, and in that context, without Him, we can do
nothing.
Proverbs 11:18-19
Notice the pattern of these verses: evil,
righteous, righteous, evil. I read in the Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT,
that the sound of the words for wages
and reward is very similar. The
appearance of what we get in life is also very similar. We could actually think
that what we gain by not following God or being “smart” and “shrewd” is a
reward. But if it keeps us from God, it is death, and we’ve been deceived.
It kind of makes you think of Romans 6:19-23,
I am speaking in human terms, because of
your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves
to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your
members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were
slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were
you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the
end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and
have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its
end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year
Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't
work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/
and click on “Every
Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are
following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple,
following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship
culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging
each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make
disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here
or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some
explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My
comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on
Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups
will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with
and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the
harvest.
If you would like a complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is
still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's
keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you
what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in
fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is
encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the
comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding,
that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but
only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download
these to use on your computer or to print.
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