If you don't
have a One Year Bible or prefer something online, this link will take you to
the day's reading, http://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/. This
site allows you to select from several languages and several English
translations.
MARCH 15
Numbers 22:21-23:30
Numbers 22:21-41
Vs. 21-30 This section has given rise to lots of jokes because of the
talking donkey. On the other hand, Balaam, from this point on, becomes infamous
in the Bible. He's a bad guy. The images he brings up are of a false believer,
someone who has infiltrated the company of faith. He actually does
"believing" stuff, prays out loud, and is someone whom God actually
speaks to and uses. But, here's the thing, it affects the people of God to be
useless for God, or it leads them to bring God's judgment on themselves. We'll
read what Peter says about Balaam, but Paul talked about people like this who
infiltrated churches and actually had a following in the church. Gain and
position was always the motivation of these people. He told Timothy these
errant teachers made their way into households by capturing people easily
swayed; they thought "godliness" was a means to gain. To the
Philippians Paul warned them of brothers whose god was their belly. And in a
very strong warning at the end of Romans, Paul said that people like this
"do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites."
To get a better idea before you read about Balaam, read 2 Peter 2,
Revelation 2:14 and Numbers 31:8 and 16. I'd recommend this because it gives
insight into what is happening with Balaam and the events immediately following
his return to Mari.
V. 22 Here is a case in point where knowing what is going on with
Balaam helps. You would eventually figure all of this out by reading your
one-year Bible every year. God is mad at Balaam because he went, but God told him to go. The issue is what is
brewing in Balaam's heart. He's looking for a loophole, and God knows it.
V. 30 I suppose one application here is that if an animal you own ever
begins talking and wins the argument, you are in trouble.
Vs. 31-35 Verse 32 expresses what God has seen. Balaam is going with
the intent of finding a way to get rich. He wants to find a way to be paid.
Notice that the angel's warning to Balaam in v. 35 is only to speak the word He tells him. Balaam will obey until he
is off the clock and on his way home. Then he finds the loophole.
In observing, one question will be, “Who is the angel of the Lord?”
What clues do you have in vs. 31-35 that this is actually God, the
pre-incarnate Son of God? This also helps explain Numbers 23:4 and 16.
Vs. 36-41 Notice that Balaam tells Balak that he must speak the word
that God puts into his mouth. This will be like a refrain, and knowing Balaam,
you wonder if there was something sinister even in him saying this.
V. 40 The sacrifices are interesting, because, though pagan, they were
similar to what God told Israel to do. Since the Fall it is probably built into
the conscience of man that God must be appeased somehow. Also, God apparently
told Adam how to sacrifice to cover his sin and come before Him. Abel must have
had some instruction. This probably passed down through mankind.
V. 41 The place Balak took Balaam was for Baal worship. Not only were
these "holy" places, but Balak was hoping to find a part of Israel
that God didn't like and would curse.
Numbers 23
Vs. 1-6 Don't vs. 4-5 amaze you? It appears that God gave Balaam a
prescribed way to come before Him. For Balaam it was probably more like a rite
to get God to do something. I don't think Balaam really worshiped God. But
notice, God not only speaks with Balaam, but it also appears He meets with him.
If so, this would be the angel of the Lord.
Vs. 7-10 This is Balaam's first blessing of Israel.
Vs. 11-17 Balak was upset, but Balaam was holding to the rules, and
Balak believed in the need of spiritual warfare against Israel so deeply that
he begged Balaam to try again.
V. 14 Pisgah is also the ridge from which Moses would look over the
Promised Land and take his last breath.
V. 21 This is interesting. Balak keeps taking Balaam to a different
spot to find some part of the people that God is displeased with and will
curse, but here it says that God doesn't find anything about them that
displeases Him. God certainly has His own issues with the people, but for the
sake of His promise to Abraham, they are beloved. He says this through Paul
also, As regards the
gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the
sake of their forefathers. (Romans 11:28)
That's the same with us. God may have an issue, for the moment, with
our behavior; but in Christ, we are absolutely and completely loved and
accepted at every moment.
V. 23 God says He will not only protect Israel spiritually; but their
success, like in Egypt, will be seen as His work.
Vs. 24- 30 I guess three times is a "charm" when you're
trying to curse someone. Balak took
Balaam to the top of Peor. That word, Peor,
will become a bad word among Israel, but not because Balaam curses them. In
fact Balaam can only bless Israel. But this will be the place where Balak uses
a little trick Balaam will give him, and Israel will bring God's judgment upon
themselves. At the foot of this mountain, 24,000 people will die, not because
of a curse, but because Balaam knew God well enough to know what the people
would have to do to get God to judge them.
Luke 1:57-80
V. 63 This gives you the idea that Zechariah was not only unable to
speak, but that he was also deaf. I think that when the angel told him he would
be silent, he meant that Zechariah would live in silence and be unable to speak.
That's why they had to make signs to him; and that's why, when he writes John, they are amazed. He couldn't have
heard that conversation.
Vs. 64-66 God used this entire situation. Now, with this amazing
situation He had built (Elizabeth's barrenness all those years, Zechariah's
deafness and dumbness, the unexpected "miracle" pregnancy), suddenly
Zechariah's mouth is opened and tongue loosed. The people go out and spread the
word, not extremely far, but far enough. The seeds are planted, and in 30 years
John will come forth. So, what was the news that the neighbors pondered in
their hearts and spread far and wide? It was what they recounted, not only the
physical events of John's birth, but also what they heard in vs. 67-79.
Vs. 67-79 Notice that the focus is salvation and the forgiveness of
sins. Who did Luke find who remembered that prophecy? If I had to guess, I
would say Luke heard it from Mary, Jesus' mother, who was still there and heard
it.
Notice how the promise to Abraham brings deliverance to Israel and
salvation to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
V. 80 We have no clue where John grew up. He might or might not have
been raised in a very separate Essene community. The best guys I read (Pentecost
and Edersheim) say that John probably wasn’t an Essene. It says that he lived
in a remote place, which might have been east of Hebron, toward the Dead Sea.
He would still have gone to Jerusalem three times a year as all Jewish males
were required, and he would have known his cousin Jesus, and maybe his cousins
James and John, who later became his disciples and then Jesus' disciples.
I know this might seem like "Christmas in March," but it
should still be inspiring for us to hear how God patiently worked to bring
salvation to the world. As disciples in the harvest, we have received this
salvation. We are the fruit of God's love and patient working. We are the fruit
of the travail of His (Jesus') soul,
(Isa. 53:11, KJV) and Jesus is pleased at His work. What an incredible message
to take into the harvest as we follow Him, making disciples, who make disciples.
Psalm 58
We're not that "into" judgment, so this psalm, and its very
graphic pictures, might leave us cold. Verse 11 is the point of this. There is
a reward for being close to God on this planet and God does, and will, judge
mankind. This morning I was reading some of the parables of Jesus regarding the
Kingdom, and along with the images we like, there is also the warning of the
close of the age when the angels will come out and separate the wicked from the
righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire where men will weep and gnash
their teeth.
We work in the harvest now, while there is still time for people to
respond to God. Truly, truly, I say to
you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He
does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)
It's a good exercise to put things into sections to understand the flow
of what the psalmist is saying.
Vs. 1-2 David is addressing those individuals who are making themselves
judges over him and the people, spreading lies and mistreating the people.
David is running from these individuals who are working for King Saul.
Vs. 3-5 David is declaring what they are like.
Vs. 6-9 David is asking God to judge them. If you read 1 Samuel 22,
you'll see that these people deserved to have their teeth broken out.
Vs. 10-11 This is the hope of those who are oppressed for their faith
and trust in God. I was reading today of Jesus saying that the day of the Son
of Man would bring judgment on the earth. When you see Jesus sitting on the
throne in Revelation and opening the seals, you understand that this will be a
day of rejoicing for those who love God.
Proverbs 11:12-13
This is a good word for anyone trying to reach his neighbors or the
people close to him. The closer you get, the more you learn. Knowing the love
of God, and the grace we have been shown, gives us the spiritual wisdom to be
silent, patient and forbearing, so we can build trust and keep showing them the
love of Christ.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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 and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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, as disciples, 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, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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