90 Day Bible Reading Challenge

1,104 days later

2010-12-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

I was cleaning up some google accounts and peeked into this bit of history...it's hard to believe that it has been nearly four years since this undertaking.

Yes, I did do some study of the Roman empire. Then I spent about six months planning a trip, and in June 2010 my husband, daughter, mom, dad, and mother-in-law took a 12 day trip to London and Rome. I've also immersed myself in the court of Henry VIII. Go ahead, ask me about one of the six wives. Thank you Dave Ramsey - we saved ahead and paid for it in cash, and are planning for the next trip - everyone wants to go back to England. Except Grace, who would rather go to a motel pool.

The tulip tree in the back yard was dead. It is now a fire pit. And Grace is finally reading at grade level - which is fourth. Thank you Hamilton Heights for a great program to get her on track.

I need to read this again. Since 2007 Cicero Christian Church has had a challenge to read the new testament in 90 days, the old testament in 274 days, and the gospels in a harmonious manner in 31 days. Maybe it is time to institute the hard challenge again in 2011. And blog it - that sure did keep me accountable and on track.

And I wish I still looked like my profile picture - my daughter pointed to the computer screen and said "that lady looks like you."

Day 88 ~ The end is in sight

2007-11-27T18:14:00.000-08:00

Although it was my intent to blog something for each day's reading, I failed after about the eighty-second day, as you can see. I took notes for days 83 & 84, but never got them online, and won't take time to do so now. After that, I didn't really even take notes...the rest of the journey (Galatians on) has kind of been completed with a snow plow, but it has been taken. I was also more familiar with the mid section of the New Testament, and I think that familiarity was kind of lulling me into a stupor at times. Tonight I will launch into the book of "levelation" as Grace calls it when she sings the New Testament book song she learned with Pastor Ben on family nights. I told her I was starting the last book of the Bible tonight, and asked her what it was. She buried her head in her hands for about 20 seconds then said "levelation! - I was singing in my head"

Well, I'll be singing in my head after tomorrow night - Hallelujah!. We've already had about 25 people report in that they've completed the challenge. 182 let us know that they were going to try when the program started back in August. I'm sure many will trickle in over the next week or so. I commend you all! I sure each journey was different. I'm sure each journey was worth it.

I will have to say I really got the most out of the old testament, and other than slacking a bit in some of the books of poetry, I felt I really tried to absorb and understand what I was reading from at least an historical perspective. The challenge was well worth it. I honestly think I'll read through some book on the rise and fall of the Roman empire - specifically how it interacts with the ministry of Jesus and the destruction of the temple in 69ad.

The New Testament, however, was just too much to try to digest and make commentary and complete my reading goal. Maybe another time.

What will I do with the hour or so that I've spent reading over the last 90 days? Hopefully look back through my blogs and see where I commented that I wanted to spend more time, or do a character study (add to that Gaius, mentioned in 4 NT books). Or topical studies (how about adding homosexuality, given what I read in Jude last night seems like it permeates the entire letter.) Or how about that Paul? Do you think he was real pleasant in person? My guess is no. But he was a powerful witness. I could go on....but I need to ready half of Revelation. And it is not the book of Revelations. that drives me nuts when people add an s. There is my last bit of commentary!

Signing off - better for accepting and completing the challenge - Beth

Day 82 ~ Do you want a spanking?

2007-11-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

You can tell that Paul has a personal relationship with the people from Corinth (unlike the Roman church, where he had not yet been). They are addressed like a petulant child who, when out of sight, does as they please. But, someone in Chloe's household has ratted out some of the bad behavior (1:11), and Paul is not happy. In fact, he asks the Corinthians if they want him to "come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?"

So what are the Corinthians doing?

Division over who preached to them or baptized them - sectarianism.
Bragging about their wisdom (or as Paul identifies, their actual lack of wisdom).
Sexual immorality - a man with his father's wife - within the church - and the church seems to be turning a blind eye to the sin.
Taking brethren within the church to public court rather than working out the situation fairly amongst themselves.
Sexual sin among the unmarried, and tension within marriages over sex. There must have been many divorcing or contemplating divorce. Paul recommends remaining single and exhibiting self-control.
They are apparently eating food that has been offered to idols, and becoming a stumbling block to others with their actions. In effect, he says just because it isn't illegal for fat women to wear spandex doesn't make it a good idea.
Paul's advice: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it"
There seemed to be a power struggle between the men and women in the assembly. The argument is about hair and hair coverings, but it's deeper argument is being under authority.
They have no true understanding of the communal institution of the Lord's supper. Paul gives them instructions, and tells them "For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged" (11:32). There must have been more concerning the Lord's supper, because Paul says he will set the rest in order when he comes.
They were assigning more honor to some spiritual gifts over others, and Paul says that they are hurting each other and the church as a whole with this conduct.
In fact, it would seem that the members of the church of Corinth were doing all things that I Corinthians 13 says that love doesn't do, and he offers love as an antidote for their actions.
He encourages them to seek the gifts that edify the entire church fellowship.
Their meetings must have been unorganized, and Paul provides guidelines for order.
They are worried about those already dead and how they will rise again with Christ, and are apparently baptizing for the dead. Paul says they lack knowledge of the scriptures and should be ashamed. He explains about the difference between earthly bodies and heavenly bodies

Days 80 & 81 ~ This is Heavy!

2007-11-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention in Acts how prevalent women are mentioned by Paul in his ministry. Reading through Romans made me think of it again, especially in the last chapters as he name several women.

What can I say about the first three chapters of Romans? circumcision...faith...impute...law...grace...works...sin...Spirit - those words just repeat in my head over and over again. This is some pretty deep stuff, and you can see Paul's experience as a Pharisee being put to full use! The heavier Jewish law stuff seems to end by chapter three and it becomes easier to understand and apply starting in chapter 4.

Romans 10:17 - faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Days 78 & 79 ~ Acting out

2007-11-18T05:29:00.001-08:00

Wow, I haven't posted in four days. I got stuck in Acts. Trying to absorb and think and comment on so much has nearly defeated me, but last night, laying in bed and reading to Grace, I completed the book of Acts. What follows is my limited scrawlings as I reigned in my wandering mind and tried to get through the task. According to most, the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts are written by the same author, Luke, and Acts is almost like a second volume to Luke.

Acts 1:1 - Jesus will return like He left
1:13 - yet another list of apostles names with alternate names sent me looking for a chart of all the names assigned to each of the twelve. Two Judas? Two James? I found an interesting blog that contained the following list at http://p099.ezboard.com/fsabdiscussionboardcontradictions.showMessage?topicID=1558.topic

1. Simon Peter Cephas
2. Simon Zeolotes the Canaanite
3. James the son of Alphaeus
4. James the son of Zebedee (son of Thunder)
5. Judas Lebbaeus Thaddeus the brother of James
6. Judas Iscariot
7. Thomas Didymas the twin
8. Bartholmew Nathanel
9. John the son of Zebedee (son of Thunder)
10. Andrew
11. Philip
12. Matthew Levi

1:20 - the apostles chose another to fill Judas Iscariot's spot per Ps 109:8. I'm assuming that whomever they chose had spent quite a bit of time with them and with Jesus.
1:26 - they cast lots to determine whom would be chosen. Casting lots has occurred many times in the Bible, sometimes by a sorcerer, but also by the priests and others. Remember Urim and Thummin? I think they might be involved in casting lots. Why don't we cast lots now? What was God's role in this?
2:1 - Pentecost was the "Feast of Weeks" which occurs 7 weeks after Passover for the completion of the harvest as an offering of "first fruits". The city is very crowded, and the "first fruits" of the new church was 3000.

2:4 - my personal take on "tongues" in this passage is that the Holy Spirit equipped those who would be spreading the gospel to speak in languages that they had not been taught but were spoken by those that they would be witnessing to. They would need to fulfill verse 1:8 to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. It was like a reversal of the tower of Babel. Although many main-stream religions would claim that this is the introduction of a holy language for glorifying God, a prayer language of sorts, that would be understood by God, in context, I don't see that in this passage. But on in 8:47, Peter is in Caesarea preaching to the Gentiles in Cornelius' house, and the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers and the Jews who were there were astonished "For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God" - was this a prayer language of sorts? How would people know what they were saying - they were described as magnifying God - how would one know unless at least one person understood the language.

2:38 - "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Pretty clear. But it doesn't always happen in that order - the Holy Spirit is not limited or tied only to baptism. We've seen the Holy Spirit "drop in" in several instances, especially when miracles occur. He also returns to fill those who have already been baptized (like 4:31). Compare this also to 8:14-17, where believers in Samaria had been baptized but did not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John came and prayed and laid hands on them. Was this a lesson for Peter and John? Also see 8:44-48, where the Holy Spirit came first and the baptism second.

4:6 - I thought Annas was the father of the High Priest - apparently they are under a different High Priest. We are also dealing throughout the book with different Roman rulers - there is Claudius, and two Herods. Acts goes through at least 6 years of time just in the asides like "they spent one year and six months in the city".
4:8 - As Jesus said, don't worry what to say under pressure, the Holy Spirit will give you the words.
4:22 - what is the significance of the healed man being over 40?
4:31 - stress - prayer - refreshing indwelling
5:38,39 - wise words, not followed (vs. 40 - they beat them)

Chapter 6 - a Hellenist is a Greek-speaking Jew. The council (Sanhedrin) is the hightes ruiling and judicial body of Jews, but they are under the ultimate political authority of Rome. The council consists of 71 members including Pharisees, Saducees, scribes, preists and elders (leading men). The council had it's own police force, but were prevented by Rome in exercising capital punishment (which we saw with Christ and will see with Paul). So there was division among the council (Pharisees/Saducees), division amongst the Jews (Hellenist/Hebrew speaking), division politically (under Roman rule), and religiously (Greek gods, Roman gods, Christianity, Judiasm).

6:15 - how did Stephen's face look like the face of an angel? And they stoned him anyway?
Chapter 7 - Stephen delivers a good overview of the history of Israel for the New Testament readers.
7:58 - Saul, who would become Paul
This stoning of Stephen seems to have opened the door widely to sprad the Word across the surrounding areas, as the people scattered.
8:39 - the Spirit moved Philip physically over geographical boundaries.
9:2 - the new religious movement is called "the Way" - followers of Christ.
9:5 - what does "kick against the goads" mean?
9:15 - Saul is a chosen vessel by God to the Gentiles
10:15 - The vision shows Peter that "the Way" is not just for Jews, but for Gentiles as well.
11:15 - as at the beginning - at Pentecost?
11:18 - woo hoo! "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life"
11:26 - first called "Christian"
12:17 - back to the names of the apostles - James - when I read this I wondered if Peter didn't know that James was dead (12:2), but apparently he must have been referring to the other James, not the son of Zebedee.
12:24 - I wonder how Roman history records the death of this Herod
14:19 - Paul is first worshipped as a god, then quickly the mob turns and he is stoned, but he lives.
14:23 - they appointed elders in every church
15:20 - When the argument comes up that the gentiles should have to follow Mosaic law and be circumcised if they convert to "the Way", the apostles say it is not necessary. However, they do come up with four rules that the gentile converts need to follow: abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. Seems like an interesting combination, given everything else they could have chosen. Avoid idol pollution: check. Avoid sexual immorality: check. Avoid blood: I'm assuming you mean eating blood, like it says in Moses' law: check. Avoid things strangled: I don't get it.
16:3 - why was Timothy circumcised? They just said it wasn't necessary. And if his mother was a Jew, why didn't that occur a long time ago?
18:2 - Jews were being kicked out of Rome by Claudius. Persecution of the Jews.
18:21 - Paul says he must have Passover in Jerusalem, but he goes to Israel and then heads north and spends 2 years in Ephesus.

So, other than Peter and John, who we see traveled to Caesarea and preached to the gentiles there, and Philip, who explained Isaiah to the Egyptian fellow, and James, who is killed, what are the other Apostles up to while Paul is roaming around spreading the word. Apparently Luke is pretty well connected to Paul because he writes this account. But Luke wasn't an apostle.

21:8 - Philip - one of the 7 - one of what seven?
21:26 - why would Paul offer up a sacrifice of purification? Wasn't he no longer under that law of sacrificing and purification? He had made a vow in 18:18 and cut off his hair then, too.

Paul was well equipped to get out of situations - he could play the "Pharisee" card the "Jew" card, the "Roman" card - and he didn't hesitate to do so.

Day 77 ~ who is the disciple that Jesus loved?

2007-11-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

A quick view of tomorrow's reading made me think I would finish out John tonight and start Acts fresh by itself. So instead of John 8-15, I'm blogging John 8-21.

Hatred of the Samaritans by the Jews is very evident in the book of John. Just like the crowds seemed more oppressive in Mark over Matthew, Luke and John. The Samaritans were Jews, too - Samaria was the capitol of the northern kingdom. Of course, more than 700 years ago they went into captivity to Assyria and intermarried and never really recovered. This is basically the southern tribe, knowing by scripture that the Messiah would come from them, thumbing their noses at the "weaker" northern tribe. Yet when the Messiah was right in front of their noses - pun intended, they were determined to deny that Christ was the answer to what they had been waiting for. Another obvious theme - probably in every chapter - Jesus is the Light.

John 8:6, 8 - what did Jesus write on the ground? it must have been very convicting
8:33 - "We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone" - how could the Jews say that - they had been in bondage to Babylonians and the Persians and who know who else in the 400 years since Malachi.
9:7 - Pool of Siloam - Jesus again showing His power is triumph over the water of the rituals.
9:16 - there is division among the priests. Remember Nicodemus, who came to Jesus at night and professes his believe in Christ as the Messiah. Also, Nicodemus helps Joseph with the body of Christ after removal from the Cross and donates spices to help with burial preparations.
10:22 - feasts of ligh - Hanukkah. This is not a feast prescribed by the Old Testament, but instituted to celebrate the cleansing of the temple after the desecration in the intertestamental period by raising an altar to the Greek god Zeus. I would also count that as being in bondage, when the temle you're suppose to be running is desecrated - so there you priests in 8:33.
11:47-48 - Is this what was driving the Jewish leadership to be so fearful of Christ - “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” I don't want to go down the trail to see what threats the Romans held over the heads of the Jews, but I think they are kidding themselves that the Jews actually have any control - they are living in a Roman territory that just happens to have a governor who is tolerant of their religion. That won't last much longer.
11:55 - Passover #3
12:27 - Here is a secondary statement (the other while praying in the garden of Gethsemane) where Jesus shows his trepidation, however momentary, about the job in front of him. God's reply was to verbally encourage Jesus.
12:32-33 - " 'And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.' This He said, signifying by what death He would die." - does this describe death on the cross?
Chapter 13 - shows a real intimacy between the apostles and Jesus. He washes their feet (remember, they wore sandals and walked in dirt all day). They recline and eat together. They share food.
14:6 - no one comes to the father except through Jesus. Not through Buddha, not through works, not through reincarnation, not through prayers on your behalf...through Jesus.
14:9-10 - how many times has Jesus said "If you see Me you see the Father" or something similar - at least a dozen in what we've read in John so far. What would be the reason for Philips question? Did he not believe?
14:15-18 - Spirit of Truth, the Helper, promised. This is the Holy Spirit (14:26)
14:22 - Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” - answered in part by "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" - does this mean the Word in the form of the New Testament to be written by the Holy Spirit working through the authors?
15:1-8 - am I bearing fruit, not just fruit, but good fruit, much good fruit? Or am I spinning my wheels simply doing what I deem to be good - am I fine-tuned to God's desire to work through me, am I finely grafted to the vine as a healthy branch?

I don't see anything about Jesus stepping on the head of a snake in John, either, like in the movie Passion of the Christ. I only bring this up because it was so startling in the movie. I know, everything that you see on TV or the movies isn't true. Artistic liscense, I presume. There is certainly much evidence of Gibson's catholicism throughout the film.

John 18:6 - people fell over in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus answered "I am He" - wonder who fell - I don't remember this from the other three gospels.
18:18 - Jews of the council, who have been plotting the death of an innocent man, wouldn't dare enter the Praetorium and be defiled for Passover. This makes me ill thinking about how hypocritical the religious leaders were.
18:31 - what had Christ done unlawful that would have been worthy of death in a Roman court? Declared Himself the King? 19:7 states that the Jewish law Jesus had "broken" was cause for death in Jewish law. But they say they can't kill him - why? Because of Passover? Because the Romans won't allow the Jews to punish at that level?
19:21 - the Jewish leadership want Pilate to change the sign above the cross from "King of the Jews" to "He says He is King of the Jews". Pilate refuses. Again, that awesome attention to detail by the religious!
19:25 - these Mary's are hard to keep track of - three of them are together her, Jesus' mother, the mother of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Wonder who this Clopas is.

The empty tomb - here is a thought - 19:41-42 - "Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby." So, is it possible this tomb where He was laid not the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea? Did they place Jesus' body hastily in a temporary location, perhaps just inside the cemetery (for lack of a better word) because of the coming sabbath, which would allow no work? When Mary says in 20:2, 13 that "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” - who is "they" - was she expecting someone to take the body, and the question was where the body was? Was Joseph to move the body to his donated tomb as soon as sabbath was over. Just a thought.

20:21 - Jesus breathed on them - did he give them the Holy Spirit with this breath - when He says "receive the Holy Spirit" does He mean right now? If not, and the Holy Spirit won't be received until Acts 2, why does he breathe on him?
20:17, 26/27 - what's going on with Jesus' body? Is it "unstable" - he tells Mary not to cling to Him because He hasn't yet ascended to His Father. But 8 days later, Jesus invites them to stick fingers in his wounds, and later he eats something. In the 8 day period, did His body "gel" in some way, or did he ascend and it become stable?
21:2 - Nathanael - I wondered when he was first introduced in John 1 if he was an apostle by another name. Now I really wonder if this is the case, as he is with some other disciples. Maybe he is Bartholomew. He is mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke but not John, and vice versa for Nathanael. Maybe he's a sidekick. I think he'll be mentioned in Acts.

Who is "the one Jesus loved?" At one point, the disciple "the one Jesus loved" was leaning against Jesus chest at the Passover meal and shared an intimate conversation about who would betray Jesus with Peter. Who is this "one Jesus loved?" I would think that it would be one of the inner circle of closer disciples to Jesus - Peter, James, John (our author). This phrase is only used in John.

Is it James, the brother of Jesus? (Mary’s other sons included Joses (Joseph), James, Judas and Simon [Mt 13:55-56, Mark 6:3]). John 19:26 says that the one Jesus loves was at the base of the Cross with Mary the mother of Jesus and Jesus called Mary this loved disciple to "behold your mother." I take that literally, but of course it could be figurative as well. And John is not listed as a biological brother of Jesus that I'm aware of. John is the brother of James, but a different James, the son of Zebedee.

I wonder if "Twelve Ordinary Men" by John MacArthur would answer that question. I think that book is floating around the house somewhere from Jeff's participation in men's breakfast. Maybe he read it and can tell me.

The author in 21:24 basically seems to say that he is the one described as the one that Jesus loved. Another question for the ages.

Day 76 ~ Jesus cries out at a pivotal feast

2007-11-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

I closed up Luke last night, so I started fresh with a new book - number 37 if you're keeping track. John's writing style is totally different. It's very poetic, highly stylized. He is the author of the book of Revelation, and if you want to talk about highly stylized, Revelation fills the bill.

John 1:40 - Andrew apparently was the first of the apostles to know Jesus. Not only was he a fisherman, but also a follower of John the Baptist. When he meets Jesus, he knows what he has found - the Messiah, and brings his brother Simon Peter to Christ to meet him.
Who is Nathanael? Is he an apostle known by another name? Or just someone who exhibits some faith.
2:4 - The first miracle - water into wine in Cana - Jesus tells His mother His time has not come yet. What does that mean? And did his time come just a few minutes later?
2:20 - It took 46 years to build the temple (when Christ talked about the temple being rebuild in 3 days).

King Herod (the father of the current king Herod, the one who killed the babies), started a major reconstruction/ restoration of the temple in 19BC that he pledged would be reminiscent of the glory of Solomon's temple. It continued until 64AD, or for a total 83 years or so. So, if we're 46 years into the rebuilding, it would make it about 27AD, right? In 70AD, this new temple would be destroyed by the Romans. John was writing this gospel about 90AD from all accounts. He would have known about the temple destruction. Does he ever allude to it in this gospel, or in I, II or III John, or Revelation?

5:22 - Jesus had been given the authority to do all judging, God won't do the judging.

We have a chart of the parables of Jesus in the gospels. But John bases his gospel around several key miracles which point to important qualities of the Messiah. So, can I find a chart of the miracles of Jesus in the gospels. Here you go: http://www.jesuschristsavior.net/Miracles.html. Five of the seven miracles in John are unique to John.

6:4 - This is the second Passover mentioned in John (the first was 2:13) and the next will be the final one. This helps us to determine the length of the ministry portion of Jesus' life.
6:60-67 - Som find Christ's teaching too hard to comprehend and abandon following Him.
7:28 - while teaching in the temple during the feast of booths (do I remember correctly that this falls in the same month as Passover?), Jesus "cried out" - in anger? in frustration? to deliver a point? to get attention? to be heard above a crowd?
7:35 - "Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?" - what does this mean? what is the Dispersion among the Greeks and why is it capitalized.

7:37 - on the last day of the feast of tabernacles, Jesus cries out again. Let me share from you from the commentary from the NKJV Word in Life Study Bible about the importance of this verse.

The annual feast of tabernacles (or booths or tents) swelled Jerusalem to an overflow of festive crowds. Every Jewish family within 20 miles of the city was required to move out of its home and live in a booth or tent in remembrance of Israel's wanderings in the wilderness. Many chose to move into the city for the week. Reunions and parties alternated with solemn processions from the temple down to the Poolof Siloam, a reservoir. PUshing its way through the crowded streets, the throng sang Psalms 113 to 118 in anticipation of God's righteous reign over Jerusalem.

Jesus chose to keep a low profile at this year's festival (7:2-10). He taught in the temple, but waited for the right moment to declare Himself publicly. It came on the last day of hte feast, probably at the climax at the daily processional.

As on the previous six days, the high priest filled a goblet of water from Siloam and carried it back to the temple, where he poured it out for all the people to see. Each day at that point the crowds chanted, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord" (Ps 118:1) and "Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity" (Ps 118:25). Then they shook myrtle, willow, and palm branches toward the altar, as if to remind God of His promises. Then, after a pause, sacrifices were offered.

On the last day, however, just after the crowds had not only waved their branches, but as was the custom, literally shook them to pieces in a frenzy of enthusiasm, a voice suddenly cried out: "If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink." Jesus' timing couldn't have been more perfect or His claim more explicit: He was declaring Himself to be none other than the long-awaited Christ who would pour out the Holy Spirit, as many in the crowd immediately recognized (7:38-43).

In many ways 7:37 acts as the pivot for John's account. From that point on, the hostility of Jesus' enemies mounted until they finally arrested Him (18:12) in vain hopes of shutting off the "living water."

Day 75 ~ pass the buck to Herod

2007-11-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

Luke 16:16 - the law of the prophets lasted until John. Since then, the King of of God has been preached.
16:19-31 - Did you ever notice how when you see really poor people interviewed on TV that they have a deep devotion to God. They have so little, yet they are so appreciative. I was watching a TV show about diamond mines yesterday and there was a man in Sierra Leone working for like a dollar a day in the muddy pits and living in a mud hut with a grass roof. And he continually talked about God's will in his life.
17:5 - Apostles ask Christ for what they need - to increase their faith.
17:20 - what are our duties to do without thanks - spiritually and in daily life? This fits well with the sermon this morning about how we grumble about the little things.
19:11 - the apostles thought that the Kingdom of God would come immediately - I wonder if they were constantly thinking - "okay, this is it" like Fred Sanford "Oh, this is the big one 'lizabeth!"
19:37 - Jesus and the Mt. of Olives. - Here is a panoramic photo of Jerusalem taken from the mount of Olives. On the wall below and to the right of the golden dome of the rock and the foreground spruce tree is the eastern gate, sealed over. Directly in front of the gate is a graveyard. Some think that this will keep Christ from returning through the eastern gate as announced in Revelation because a good Rabbi would never cross over dead bodies (or something like that). I don't think it will stop Him! Also, note that close proximity - just a valley away from the main walled city. Jesus will return to this hill to pray in the garden of Gethsamane. http://www.hatzphoto.com/Jerusalem/index.html I have some really good photos of this as well from 1998.
21:9 - "But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.” This passage adds a bit to the end times info - don't be terrified, and it will not come immediately. Did you know the concept of the rapture, that Jesus would take away His believers before the tribulation, was first gained popularity in the early 1800s and most famously by John Nelson Darby in 1837. If the tribulation is to occur in my life time or the lifetime of my child, I hope Christ snatches us away first, or that we will be dead.
21:36 - watch and pray - don't be caught unaware!
22:3 - how was Judas, who was with Jesus and and heard and learned so much from him, able to betray Him? Satan entered him.
22:30 - the apostles would judge over the tribes of Israel in Christ's kingdom
22:35 - the tides have changed - no longer can the apostles count on the welfare of others - be prepared and armed.
22:43 - an angel came and strengthened Christ while He prayed in Gethsamane. Did we hear that yet? When does he step on the snakes head like was so well portrayed in the jolting image from "The Passion of the Christ" movie. Must come in John. Or was that Hollywood?
23:6-12 - a little more info on Pilate (Roman governor of Judea) and Herod (tetrarch of Galilee and Perea). I don't know if they were equal in authority, but they ruled different territories. I don't know if Herod was a ruler over Pilate or not. Herod was not the same Herod from Jesus' birth who killed all the babies, but his son. Herod was the one who killed John the Baptist. I think you would liken Herod to the roman governor of Israel, and Pilate was the mayor of a large territory
23:48 - where are the apostles? the women are near the cross.
24:21 - "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel" the apostles after Jesus is discovered missing from the tomb. What did they expect Jesus to do? They still fundamentally didn't get it. They said this to Christ who met them on the road and walked with them but they didn't know it was Him.
24:27 - "And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" - I wish they would have written that down!
24:49 - stay in Jerusalem until you are given power from on High - in Acts 2

I read one chapter into tomorrow's reading to end Luke

Day 74 ~ I could never be a Catholic

2007-11-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

Beginning with chapter 10 of Luke, several parables are told that have not yet been shared in Matthew or Mark. I've seen a couple of charts with the parables laid out, and they don't include the gospel of John in the chart. Are their no parables in John? Guess we'll find out in a few days. Seems to me that when you read the gospels in a parallel Bible, John is always included. This chart - http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/parables/ - lists the parables with John, and it lists three parables in John, none of which are recounted in Matthew, Mark or Luke. At least 20 parables are told in John that do not appear in any of the other three gospels. All of them but one (in 7:41-43) appear in chapter 10 or later of Luke. Matthew has 15 that are not included in any of the other gospels. Mark only contains two unique parables.

Chapter 10:1-12 - 70 are sent out to heal and announce the coming of the Kingdom of God has come. I don't know if this included the 12 apostles - I suspect they stayed with Christ - the 70 weren't gone long, for in verse 17 they returned to profess their joyful accomplishments.
Chapter 10:38-42 - Mary and Martha - I remember reading a book that discussed the characteristics of a Mary or Martha church. I know I lean more toward being a Martha, but need to heed the warning about being busy and not being fed spiritually.

Let's talk about Catholicism. Most of my knowlege is from a historical study, showing all the corruptness and political side of it, and I'm not a big fan of Catholicism.
In Luke 11:27-28 - Jesus' response to praise of His mother - "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” This makes me wonder why the Catholic church so highly exalts Mary, the mother of Jesus. I'm assuming that the Catholic religion bases their praying to Mary for intercession based on Mary's song from Luke 1. Why do they need an otherworldly intercessor to Jesus to God? When Jesus is the ultimate interecessor, why do we need to get his attention through his mother? Especially when Jesus downplays the praise of His mother in these two verses.

I found the phrase "Mary co-redemptrix" doing websearches (with http://www.goodsearch.com/ with Cicero Christian Church as the charity, of course!). That phrase really scares me. Just like the Pharisees added layers of details to the law of Moses, the Popes of the Catholic church have applied layers of attributes to Mary over the years, such as Pope Boneventure in the twelveth century "[Mary is called] the gate of heaven, because no one can enter that blessed kingdom without passing through her." Okay, how is that Biblical? or Pope Pius XII, in his Munificentissimus Deus (1950-NOV-1), defined that Mary, "after the completion of her earthly life was assumed body and soul into the glory of Heaven." That is, she was "taken up body and soul into heaven," at the time of her death. She is there "exalted as Queen of the Universe." This, to me, is dangerous. I guess it is safe to say that I will never be a Catholic, and I will have a very difficult time if my daughter were to consider dating a "good Catholic boy". Yes, I said it, Popes of the Catholic church can be likened to Pharisees. Apparently, many people like to be told what to do by the Pope, as over 1/6th of the population of the world profess to be Catholic.

12:8 - I think this is why we profess our belief in Christ in front of witnesses - “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God."
13:1 - "Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices" - wonder what this was. It appeared some had been martyrs at the hand of Pilate. I always thought of Pilate as a decent guy in a bad situation when he had to give Christ over to the Jewish authorities. But maybe Pilate wasn't that nice a guy.
14:2 - what is dropsy? Wikipedia says it is "edema" which is extra fluid in an organ causing inflamation.
14:7-11 - to me this is a good example of being humble / the first shall be last.
15:25-30 - the prodigal son. Having being raised in the church and educated in a religious college, I too would likely respond as the obedient son who didn't welcome back his prodigal brother.

Day 73 ~ the chronological gospel

2007-11-09T14:07:00.000-08:00

Luke tells us in the third verse that he is writing in consecutive order. He starts with John the Baptist, who is from the tribe of Levi.

1:15 - John is filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother's womb
:74 - serving God without fear can be accomplished through Christ

Chapter 2 - Quirinius is the governor of Syria - I love these details that can be corroborated in historical evidence and thus proving the factuality of the Bible. Also, verse 3:1 gives some excellent info to check against Roman history.

This is the chapter that is read on Christmas morning in my family before any presents are opened. I can remember sitting in jammies with a tape recorder as dad read to us and recorded it for my grandparents living in Florida to listen to. There is a great photo somewhere of what I call the "refuge" christmas - Todd, Christy and I in underwear and t-shirts, sitting crosslegged in front of the christmas tree with the worst possible posture ever. We progressed on to a video tape machine in the corner. There was always some twist to the wrapping - three big piles covered with newspaper, presents wrapped but labeled only with numbers 1, 2 or 3, or the sleeping bag christmas when all the presents were hidden under the blue patch quilt patterned bags. I now know as a parent that my folks simply didn't have the time to get them all wrapped. I'm sure some years they didn't have the money or time to shop until just before the big day. Some years they attempted to hide them in advance from us, but attic access in the garage proved to be a poor choice. We also were good at shaking, or opening and rewrapping.

2:24 - Joseph and Mary offered a sacrifice at the temple according to the Law of Moses for their new Son.
2:36-37 - Anna, widowed after only 7 years of marriage, served out her life in the temple in a ministry of prayer - what a crown of glory to see the Messiah in her old age

Chapter 3 - I wonder how much before Christ's ministry began did John begin his ministry? We know he was well known at the time of Jesus' ministry.

3:6 - "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" - quoted from Isaiah 40:5. The blood of the cross covers all, back to Adam.
3:23 - begins the geneology - again through Joseph - all the way back to Adam. I thought one of these geneologies traced it from the side of Mary as well. Guess we have to wait for John to see. Jesus' ministry begins about his 30th year.

Chapter 4:6 - the fallen earth has been handed over to satan, per satan

4:14 - news about Jesus spread - was this even before he had done any miracles? Perhaps some time has passed. In 4:23, it alludes to some miracels already done by not told in Luke. And in Mark, several miracles are recounted before Jesus goes to Nazareth.
4:30 - "passing through their midst" - hwo do you go from being nearly thrown off a cliff to walking away - did Jesus change bodily form to escape? like a ghost?
Jesus did a lot of teaching throughout the synagogues before he picked his disciples.
4:37 - word was spreading about Him
4:38 - Simon (Peter, see Matthew 8:14) - when was he actually called as a disciple? It seems he may have been the first, and that Jesus had a relationship with Peter's family.

Chapter 5:10 - Simon, James and John were partners in fishing.

:16 - Jesus seems to re-energize through prayer
:17 - were there times when the power of the Lord was not present for healing? What would those times have been? Did Jesus run out of juice, and have to recharge through prayer and fasting? Or was the power constant?
:27 - Matthew (Levi) the tax collector joins the disciples. Looking back at Matthew's gospel, he doesn't recount any of the activities of the disciples together until the Sermon on the Mount, which occurs in part in Luke 6 starting with verse 20. Based on the chronological account per Luke, this makes sense.

Chapter 6:12 - disciples vs. apostles. Apparently Christ had many followers he called disciples, probably including Mary Magdalene and Mary mother of Jesus. But the inner circle of twelve he calls his apostles. Only the men who studied with Christ are called apostles. There are no modern day apostles, but there are modern day disciples.

6:38 - "For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you"

Chapter 7 - do you notice that Capernaum (on the northern edge of the sea of Galilee) is a home base for Jesus? One of the sites we visited when we went to Israel in 1998 was Capernaum, and we stood on the ruins of a first century synagogue that was built on the remains of the synagogue that was mentioned in verse 5. Visit here for a picture of what I'm talking about - http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sites/TScpsyn1.html

:18 - I would have thought that God would have made it known to John that Jesus was the One, but apparently not. Wasn't it clear from chapter 3 when John baptized Jesus?
The woman who cries and washes Jesus' feet with her tears is often said to be Mary Magdelene. But that is not clear here.

Day 72 ~ okay, once again...on the third day, I'm going to raise from the dead...

2007-11-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

Mark 9:10 - the disciples at the transfiguration questioned what rising from the dead meant. Jesus had "spoke this word openly" back in 8:31-32. Why did they not understand? again in 9:30-31: " He taught His disciples and said to them, 'The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.' But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him." Why were they afraid? Why did they not understand? Did they think he was talking in parables again? He tells them again in 10:33&34.
9:43 - eternal fire in hell. Quote from Isaiah 66:24 about the fire that is not quenched - you would have had to have been paying close attention to catch that and equate it to the reality of an eternal punishment in hell - back when we were looking for the promise of heaven in the Old Testament. There is no lack of talk of eternal life in the New Testament.
10:25 - I remember from somewhere that the "eye of the needle" was a gate in a city and the talk of getting the camel through was to envision a camel loaded with stuff and trying to fit him through a stone gate in a wall too small for him to fit. He would have to be unloaded and practically go through on his knees to fit. Unburdened, like one who sold all their possessions and became humbled.
10:35 - the Sons of Thunder seem to treat Jesus like a genie in a bottle - grant us our wish. Seems a bit unbelievable. How long had these guys been with Jesus? Would you ask Jesus that question in their situation?
11:24 - "whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them" is quickly followed by "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” My guess is that if you are in a state of trespass with God, He is unlikely to answer your prayers.
12 - vineyard parable - I'm going to say that God is the vineyard owner, the vineyard is heaven, Jesus is the son that is killed by the vinedressers, the vinedressers are Jews, and the gentiles are the ones who will receive the vineyard.
12:18 - sadducees. I remember from "Jet Cadets" back in the 5th or 6th grade that sadducees are "sad, you see" for they don't believe that Jesus would raise from the dead. And that pharisees were "fair, you see" or not as bad as the saducees.
14:51-52 - what is the significance of the naked man?
Mark doesn't say anything about graves opening up when the temple curtain rips, nor does he say anything about the earthquake or the curtain rip for that matter.
16:17-18 - who displays these signs? I think it is the disciples he is addressing who truly believe He has been raised from the dead. Jesus has just rebuked them for their unbelief at His appearances after his death. Perhaps those who truly didn't believe wouldn't be able to display the signs. I don't think these signs necessarily were displayed by anyone who believed, or else the whole country side would be filled with people picking up snakes and speaking new languages (which is a skill they would need if they are to go out to every nation).
16:19 - which hand of God will Jesus sit at? the right hand of course

Day 71 ~ Crowd pressing in from all sides

2007-11-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

Thinking through Matthew, I wondered if Jesus and the disciples ever offered a sacrifice. Doesn't seem that there would be a need since Jesus could forgive. They went to the temple, the celebrated the passover feast. Also, it would seem that the high priest would be very busy with sacrifices and such around the temple, but apparently he had time for all the political play going on.

1:12 - the Spirit drove Jesus to the wilderness for the temptation
:15 - Jesus told them to believe in the "gospel" - what was the gospel to them?
:20 - what happened to Zebedee. His wife, the mother of James and John, is mentioned a couple of times in Matthew. Zebedee is mentioned here as being left with the hired hands and James and John go with Jesus.
:24 - the demons know who Jesus is, also vs. 34

Mark makes the multitudes and the pressing of the crowds more apparent, more pressing, more exhausting, more constant. Jesus tells many of those he heals, and the demons that he cast out, to be silent about who He is and what He has done. Is this to help with crowd control? or reverse psychology to spread the word?

:43 - this is another instance, as was verse 24, where Jesus told those healed not to tell of who He was

Chapter 3 - disciples are named and charged. Mark calls Peter "Simon" and Matthew "Levi" and the Sons of Thunger James and John "Boanerges".

3:21 - He is out of His mind - are they talking about Jesus (I think so) Why do they say this?
5:13 - what would Jews do with 2000 pigs? They can't eat them.
5:19 - the demon possessed man was told to tell his friends. This is the opposite - usually Christ tells them to keep silent
5:30 - Jesus felt the power go out of him when the woman touched his robe. Did the healing take a physical toll on Christ?
6:13 - disciples anointed with oil those who were sick. Did Jesus ever do this? He sometimes used his spit.
6:52 - part of the reason that the disciples didn't understand is that they had hard hearts.
7:24 - Gentile girl healed (not a Jew). The mother argued successfully with Jesus with the dog / crumb analogy.

Day 70 ~ Jesus sings a hymn

2007-11-06T16:40:00.000-08:00

Matthew Chapter 22 - many are called but few are chosen (or few make the cut). Parable of the wedding guests - you better come with your game clothes on if you're given a chance to hit the field. The greatest commandment is the shamah - Deut 6:5-6

Chapter 23 - Scribes seem to be in an elevated position since the old testament. Thye have created additional rules over those given to Moses and complicated things - all for show. They were mentioned, and I really never knew what they were, so I guess I should finally look it up. Interestingly enough, the reference says "scribe" can be confusing. sometimes it means "lawyer" meaning a teacher of the law. During the reign of David and Solomon, it was like an administrator similar to secretary of state. In other times, they were more like recorders, chroniclers or historians, recording history as it happens (this is what I think of). But in Jesus' day, scribes had become a learned class in Israel who studied the scriptures and served as copyists, editors and teachers. Once qualified through years of training, they could act as judges, rabbis and joined the chief priests and aristocratic families who made up the Jewish council.

Chapter 24 - signs of Christ's return. This chapter deals with two separated but connected things - the soon-to-come fall of Jerusalem (again) and the end times when Christ returns after his resurrection and return to heaven (hasn't occurred yet). It's hard to tell them apart. If you were to read this outside of context of other scripture, say Revelation, then you could think that the tribulation at the end of the times would occur with believers going through the tribulation. The desecration of the altar is talked about - it will occur when the Romans destroy the temple in about 35 years after Jesus' death, and will occur again after the temple is rebuilt in the future. This is a piece of the pre-post-mid tribulation puzzle. I guess the main point is to be ready at all times, don't be caught off guard, know what you believe.

Chapter 25 - Chief priest vs. high priest. I think I was confusing chief priest with high priest before and didn't realize it until I read about the high priest (only one) being Caiaphas. The priests can't "get Jesus" on their own, they have to resort to trickery and their goal is death of Jesus.

Jesus is anointed with oil in preparing his body for his death.
Judas sells him out.
Jesus celebrates his final passover. It appears that passover has become part of the routine once again instead of forgotten in the past.
:27 - Jesus is the blood of the NEW covenant
:30 - Jesus and the disciples sing a hymn. I guess I always thought about singing to Jesus, but it's kind of cool imagining Him singing.
:32 - Jesus says he will reappear in Galilee (after his death)
:33 - Peter - bullheaded and proud, is corrected by Jesus when he says he won't deny Christ.
:41 - the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak - pray is a key to avoiding temptation
:47 - hail, hail, the gang's all here - in the garden of Gethsamane - multitude led by Judas, chief priest, elders - but it doesn't say soldiers. Wonder if the other gospels provide that fact.
:60 - two false witnesses testify - remember OT law requires two witnesses to allow for discussion of death

Chapter 27 -

:1 - Chief priest and religious leaders know they can kill him according to Jewish law, but the need more plotting to make it "legal" in roman law.
:18 - Pilate knew the religious leaders motives - envy
:52 - I don't think I caught this before - when Jesus dies, graves were opened and fallen saints rose up and appeared to many in town. interesting. folks had to know something was up!
:58 - imagine Joseph of Arimathea going to Pilate and asking for Jesus' body. I think of it being dark and being dimly lit by candles, a very intimate exchange between the two men, perhaps Pilate even discussing how he felt. Just my imagination.

Chapter 28 - Jesus reminds them that he will see them in Galilee. The plot thickens with the religious leaders - lies get bigger and more costly to cover their tracks. The chapter ends with Jesus reappearing before his disciples and the great commission.

Day 69 ~ multitudes and miracles

2007-11-06T10:27:00.001-08:00

Matthew - Jesus answers his proponents questions with questions. Many times it is mentioned that Jesus was surrounded by multitudes, and healing multitudes. Just try to imagine this scene over and over and how you might handle it. Jesus did take some time alone to recharge when he could. It's hard to give my thoughts in this fast moving full to over flowing content without just giving you an outline of the book, but here we go.
Chapter 12 -

12:7 - as we've seen many times in the Old Testament, God desires mercy, not sacrifice
:16 - this is at least the third time Jesus has told someone not to tell what He has done for them
:25 - a house divided cannot stand
:31-32 - blasphemy of the Spirit is not forgiveable
:34b - the mouth speaks what is in the heart.
:38 - sometimes it is quite clear that these people are Jews by their hard-headedness - how many signs do they need?
:40 - the answer to the sign that they need - Jesus, like Jonah who was 3 days in the belly of the whale, will be 3 days in the heart of the earth (he gives this as an answer a bit later in Matthew as well)
:50 - whomever does the will of the Father in heaven are brothers and sisters with Christ

Chapter 13 - many parables - sower and the seeds, tares and the wheat, the mustard seed. Nazrareth rejects him as prophesied.

:55 - the actual brothers of Christ are named - James, Joseph, Simon (not Simon Peter), Judas (not Iscariot) and unnamed sisters

Chapter 14 - John the Baptist loses his head, literally. Jesus feeds multitude with 5 loaves and 2 fishes and walks on water with Peter.

Chapter 15 - Pharisees go out to meet Jesus from Jerusalem - they were becoming focused against Jesus. But they make a pretty weak argument about washing hands in verse 2.

:24 - Jesus says He was sent only to the Jews (the lost sheep of the house of Israel). Remember in the beginning of Matthew when the disciples are sent out specifically to the Jews first?
Disciples are sometimes thick-skulled - 15:12 they ask Jesus if he knows that he made the Pharisees mad. 15:33 - where will we get food? Did they forget about the feeding of the multitudes with only 5 loaves and 2 fish?

Chapter 16 - Pharisees are now joined by the Saducees - well at least they can get along when they have a common goal - getting rid of Jesus.

:15 - who do you say that I am?
:18 - Peter is the rock on which the church will be built. The Catholics consider him the first priest, I think based on this.
:20 - again, tell no one that I am the Christ
:23 - a short 5 verses after the spirit-supplied answer of "you are the Christ, the son of the Living God" is given by Peter, Peter is rebuked by Christ for his doubt with "get behind me Satan"
:24-27 - deny, take up your cross, save your life by losing it

Chapter 17 - transfiguration

:11-12 - Jesus states that Elijah, who appears with Moses at the transfiguration with the "inner circle" of disciples and Christ, had come again through John the Baptist.
:17 - Jesus is frustrated with the disciples lack of faith to cast out demons. There is a parenthetical verse 21 (why?) that says this kind of miracle required prayer and fasting.

Chapter 18 - become like little children - humble / don't be a stumbling block / keys to conflict resolution / forgiveness examples with the master and servant

Chapter 19 - Divorce discussed

:12 - what is a Eunuch from his mother's womb? A hermaphrodite?

:13 - let the children come to me - did the disciples not listen in chapter 18?

:23 - hard for rich man to get to heaven

:26 - with God, all things are possible

Chapter 20 - the first will be last the last will be first - the parable of the Vineyard owner is a tough nut to crack - I don't really get it.

:18 - Jesus tells the disciples exactly what is going to happen - my guess is that they don't get it or don't believe it, or they think he's talking in a parable they don't understand. He will be delivered to the chief priests, die and raise again.
:22 the sons of Zebedee's mom is vying for position in heaven - pretty tasteless.

Chapter 21 - Jesus is procurred a donkey to ride. He overturns the money changers tables in the temple. He "calls a spade a spade" and leaves no question about how he views the Pharisees and the chief priests, and they receive his message (vs. 45)

Day 68 ~ Jesus' ministry begins, disciples chosen

2007-11-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

Chapter 1 - The lineage of Jesus (through his earthly father, Joseph; his line through his mother is in another gospel) contains some familiar names now, doesn't it. I'm assuming that Jews can trace lineage after the silence of the 400 years since Malachi and know who the people after Zerubbabel, which is the last familiar name to us. There is so much mathematical beauty to the Bible, much of it hidden it the details. Here, 1:17 tells us the 14 generations from Abraham to David, from David to Captivity, from captivity to Christ. Wonder what happened 14 generations after Christ?

2:6 - quoting from Micah to King Herod, and King Herod is scared for his political office.
Chapter 2 - isn't it interesting how Egypt is interwoven into the history with Israel. Again, they provide a place of safety for the new king. After a time, they returned to Israel, but not to their original home, instead settling in Nazareth were they felt more safe from the political ruler.
Chapter 3 - John kind of reminds me of Ezekiel and all the weird things he had to do as object lessons to the people. John was a little rough around the edges. We learn more about him in another gospel (cousin of Jesus, about 6 months older).
This whole thing of baptism is just plopped right down for us. Wonder what the history of this ritual is? It wasn't in the old testament, was it? And here, it is an act of confession of sins. Why wouldn't they just sacrifice - the temple is still around? At any rate, his baptism was different that Christ's, because Christ would include the Holy Spirit. John baptizes Jesus and the Spirit of God "alighting upon him" - just what he needed for the next 40 days of temptation to come. He was prepared.
Chapter 4 - quite obvious - after 40 days and nights of fasting, Jesus was hungry (4:1). Jesus quotes Deuteronomy - we'll learn that he knows the scriptures inside and out, but so does the Tempter.
The ministry begins - 4:17.
Chapter 5 - begins gathering disciples, starting with the fishermen Simon Peter and his brother Andrew and James and his brother John.
4:23 Synagogues - this is a new thing since Malachi as well.
Beatitutes Chapter 5, also in Luke 6.
Salt and Light 5:13-16
He came not to get rid of the Law, but to fulfill it (5:17-18)
This got Jimmy Carter in trouble. Why in the world did he agree to be in Playboy anyway? 5:28
Jesus is putting an ethical twist on strict rules, making them think of the context, not just act by rote.
Chapter 6 - don't let your acts of worship to God be known - charity, fasting, prayer - no one needs to know other than God, who will reward you.
6:1-4 - do your charity work in secret - don't be a show off.
The prayer of example - The Lord's prayer - 6:9-13. Praise, thanks, petition
6:19-34 - don't worry, God will provide, keep your treasure in heaven
Chapter 7 - don't judge; do unto others what you want them to do to you; follow the narrow path; you will be known by your fruits; wise/foolish housebuilders. Note in 7:29 that the scribes have lost their authority in the eyes of the people.
Chapter 8 - healing of leper, centurion's servant, Peter's ma-in-law. Jesus says that the Jews won't believe (8:10-11); no where to lay His head; calms a storm - rules nature (did you know the Sea of Galilee and Morse Reservoir are the same length - 7 miles? - the sea of Galilee is much wider, but this puts in perspective how small it really is - not a sea at all.); demons fear Him and recognize who He is. Why did they want Jesus to leave? (8:34)
Chapter 9 - Jesus has the power to forgive sins, considered blasphemous. Adds Matthew to his crew. 9:13 - quoting God's words mentioned many times in the Old Testament "I desire mercy and not sacrifice". Healings: dead girl raised, woman touches robe, blind men, demon-possessed mute. Harvest is plentiful, laborers are few (9:37)
Chapter 10 - the disciples are listed - and he gave them power over unclean spirits, and to heal. Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddaeus, Simon, Judas. He sent them to the lost sheep of Israel - that's his first goal, and they depend on the kindness and peacefulness of strangers to meet their needs. He warns them of the trouble they will encounter, and tells them they will be given the words to say by the Spirit. Don't fear those who can only kill the body, but not the soul - they are trying to save the lost from the one who can kill both the body and soul. Following Christ will be costly.
Chapter 11 - John the Baptist - Jesus says "he is Elijah who is to come". Wonder what that means. Jesus is thankful that he has men with open minds to help Him. Jesus' yoke is easy and burden light.

Day 67 ~ did you skip, or catch up?

2007-11-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

I skipped, wished I would have read ahead!

Day 66 ~ the end of an era, then 400 years of silence

2007-11-04T16:28:00.000-08:00

Zephaniah

Zephaniah was a prophet writing to Judah, a contemporary to Jeremiah with good king Josiah (killed by Pharaoh Necho). We read again the sentiments that the chosen people will build houses and not live in them, will plant gardens but will not get to harvest their crops.

Haggai

Haggai 1:1 - written in August - December, 520bc. "In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest..." - you don't get much more specific in identifying when this was written. This is 18 years after Cyrus has allowed the captives to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. But the temple is still not rebuilt, and the people are just barely getting by. 1:9-10 tells us: "...Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit". In other words, get busy.
Chapter 2 - even though the temple is not as nice as it's former building, the glory and peace will be greater.
2:12 - Zerubbel,the high priest, came back in 538bc (see Ez. 2:2)

Zechariah

Two months after calling Haggai to prophecy, the Lord calls Zechariah. Chapters 1-8 are to be contemporaneous to Ezra 5-6. Zechariah worked with Haggai. There are many messianic references in this book.
1:11 - was the earth at peace in the eleventh month of 520bc? It would be interesting to compare historical records.
2:8 - the Jews are the apple of God's eye
4:6 - not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.

Let's talk about Government, and the transition that is occuring post exile. 4:11-14 - A new type of government is described, more balanced. The line of kings line has been cut off with the captivity. We don't hear of another king after Jehoiachin (who served in bondage in Babylon and was released by Evil-Merodach) or Zedekiah (who reigned as a puppet of the Babylonian empire in Jerusalem until the fall in 586bc). Of course, God never wanted kings in the first place (I Samuel 8:19-21). The more balanced government that will begin to transition through the next four hundred years before Christ is governors and a high priest instead of kings overbearing weaker high priests. Here, Zerubbabel is governor in Jerusalem, Joshua is the high priest in the first wave of returnees. In a later wave, Nehemiah is the governor, and Ezra is the high priest.

5:11 - a house of wickedness will be removed from Jerusalem and will be built in Babylon (Shinar).
7:4-10 - What is your motivation for fasting? empty religion vs. true spirituality. Genesis
9:9-10 - king riding a donkey, fulfilled in Matthew 21:1-5
11:4-13 - prophecy of shepherds interesting - dismissed three in one month - what does that mean? 30 pieces of silver - like with Judas selling Jesus
12:10 - they will look on Me whom they have pierces - Christ on the cross fulfilled in John 19:34-37
14:5 - reference to the earthquake during king Uzziah's day.
Chapter 14 - end times? not yet occurred in our day?

Malachi

Written to Israel - the name used for the recombined kingdom with one capitol in Jerusalem. Sounds like the priests are going off track again - this time substituting sub-standard sacrifices where good stuff is available.
1:11 - God's name will be great among the Gentiles
Chapter 2 contains some commentary on marriage. Apparently, to cleanse themselves of pagan culture, many divorces occurred when the Jews returned to Israel. They had been captives 70 years (or more in the case of those returning from the northern kingdom) and had married outside the tribes of Israel. Their answer was a quick and easy divorce. But God thought that was dealing treacherously.
3:1 - the next prophet will prepare the way before Me. Matthew 11:7-10 - John the Baptist. After a succession of overlapping prophets, the Jewish people will have to wait 400 years.
3:8-10 - don't rob God of his tithes and offerings.
Chapter 4 - Elijah will return. Many thought Jesus was Elijah. Elijah never died, remember?

So, what happens the next four hundred years before the New Testament begins (Intertestamental period)? Apparently the books of the Old Testament, even these later ones after the exile, were well known, because Jesus starts out quoting them from the beginning of his ministry. I gathered this info from some online sources, including "gotquestions.org":

The political, religious, and social atmosphere of Palestine changed significantly during what some refer to as the “400 silent years”. Much of what happened was predicted by the prophet Daniel. See Daniel Chapters 2, 7, 8, and 11 and compare to historical events.
Israel was under the control of the Persian Empire from about 532-332bc and allowed the Jews to practice their religion with little interference (including the time of rebuilding the temple.
This relatively peaceful and content time was just the calm before the storm. Alexander the Great defeated Darius of Persia, bringing Greek rulership to the world and required that Greek culture be promoted in every land that he conquered. As a result, the Hebrew Old Testament was translated into Greek, becoming the translation known as the Septuagint (which is what Jesus probably knew). Alexander did allow the Jews religious freedom, though he still strongly promoted Greek lifestyles. This was not a good turn of events for Israel, since the Greek culture was very worldly, humanistic and ungodly.
After Alexander died, Judea was ruled by a series of successors, culminating in Antiochus Epiphanes who overthrew the rightful line of the priesthood and desecrated the temple, defiling it with unclean animals and a pagan altar (see Mark 13:14) (Was this the desolation described in Daniel?). Eventually, Jewish resistance to Antiochus restored the rightful priests and rescued the temple.
The period that followed was still one of war, violence and infighting. Around 63 BC, Pompey of Rome conquered Palestine, putting all of Judea under control of the Caesars. This eventually led to Herod being made King of Judea by the Roman emperor. This would be the nation that taxed and controlled the Jews, and eventually executed the Messiah on a Roman cross.
Roman, Greek, and Hebrew cultures were now mixed together in Judea, with all three languages spoken commonly.
During the span of the Greek and Roman occupations, two important political/religious groups emerged in Palestine. The Pharisees added to the Law of Moses, through oral tradition, and eventually considered their own laws more important (see Mark 7:1-23). The Sadducees represented the aristocrats and the wealthy. The Sadducees, who wielded power through the Sanhedrin, rejected all but the Mosaic books of the Old Testament. The Jews, once again, were conquered, oppressed, and polluted.
The synagogue was created. Most of the Jews in Babylonia remained there even after King Cyrus permitted them to return to the Land of Israel. While sacrifices could be offered only from the altar in Jerusalem, prayers and study of scripture could be offered anywhere. The Talmud tells that at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (69ad, soon after Christ's death), there were 394 synagogues in Jerusalem alone.

Day 65 ~ Self-indulgent? Who, Me?

2007-11-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

Amos lives south of Jerusalem in Tekoa, but his message is for the northern kingdom, pre-captivity (before 722BC). He is a contemporary of Micah, Isaiah, Hosea and Jonah. Assyria and Egypt are experiencing weakness during the time of Amos' writing. There is much prosperity in Israel during the reigns of Uzziah (Israel) and Jereboam (Judah). Likely about 760bc.

1:1 - two years before the earthquake (also referred to in Zech 14:5). Israel is on an earthquake faultline and earthquakes aren't unusual, but this one must have been remarkable enough to be mentioned twice. There is archaeological evidence of an earthquake about 760bc, and Josephus refers to an earthquake related to Uzziah.
1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13..."and for four" - what is the significance of this phrase
2:5 - fire will be on Jerusalem - prophesying Babylon's burning of the temple in a few hundred years
Chapter 4 - even when many would seek out God in times of trouble (no rain, disease, war, famine), God's blasting the Israelites with these calamities did not send them to their knees toward God.
5:3 - Ten percent will survive the coming attacks and will be displaced. Enough to bury the dead.
5:11 - the Israelites are living comfortably, oppressing the poor, taking bribes

Amos 6:3-7, the people are described as self-indulgent. Here the commentary has some thought provoking questions for us modern day readers under the title "Self-Indulgent? Who, Me?"

Is your lifestyle focused on peace and pleasure, comfort and convenience? The affluent people to whom Amos was speaking lived a lifestyle of luxury that many modern-day westerners would recognize. But the prophet pronounced woe on them for allowing their easy living to lull them into spiritual slumber (6:3). Their self-indulgence completely deadened their sensitivity to the Lord. Could your lifestyle be described as self-indulgent? Is it designed around making yourself feel good and satisfy your own desires, with little thought of the needs of others or the values and concerns of God? To help you think about these issues, carefully read Amos's description of the Israelites' lifestyle, then reflect on the following questions. The point is not that having material things is a cause for guilt, but to think carefully about what Jesus called the "deceitfulness of riches" (Matthew 13:22), which can strangle your spiritual life.

Do you view a forty-hour maximum work week as a right to which you are entitled?
What kind of home do you live in? Would others in our society be envious? Is your home a benefit to anyone else?
Do you spend more on clothing each month than you give to your church or to charity in a year? Who benefits materially from your disposable income?
How much do you spend on personal grooming--for example, on such things as hair care, manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, cosmetics or perfumes?
Have you ever had plastic surgery other than to correct a medical problem? Describe your motivation in doing so.
What percentage of your income do you donate to your church, religious organizations, or charitites? Has that increased or decreased in the past three years? How much is your giving determined by tax advantages?
Do you aspire to be rich? How would you define rich? What do you consider to be "enough" for you in financial terms? Could you live on 10 percent less than you have now? 30 percent? how about 50 percent?
Do you own a second home or vacation home?
How do you spend your leisure--the time that is not taken up with work and family obligations?

How would you hold up to Amos's scrutiny? What kind of a steward are you with God's resources?

chapter 7 - Amaziah, the priest, does not recognize Amos' prophetic calling.
7:14 - does a sycamore tree have fruit? other versions (I'm reading New King James most of the time) state sycamore-fig
9:12 - when temple is restored (which has not yet been destroyed in Amos' writing), Gentiles will be called by God's name.

Obadiah - one chapter addressed to Edom. Remember Edom is started by Esau when he gives his birthright to Jacob. Eventually, they will be ruled by the Israelites (though not yet in anything we've read)

Jonah - Ninevah is the capitol of Assyria that the Lord instructs Jonah to go and preach too. Jonah is a Hebrew. Ninevah was founded by Nimrod, the great-grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:11-12). Jonah preaches there (after attempting to run from God) before the fall of the northern kingdom. Ninevah (or Nivenah, as Grace always pronounced it as a young child) was a huge (at least 120,000 people per Jonah 4:10), splendid, irrigated city with a gigantic wall surrounding it. It was destroyed in 612bc by Babylon/Sythian/Mede attack. Mound of ruins has only been studied in the last century.

1:3 - Jonah tries to run away to Tarshish - although unknown where this is, it may be in Spain - that's a long way from home or Ninevah. This makes me wonder what is going on in other civilized areas in the time frame of this writing - before 722bc fall of northern kingdom.

800bc - the Illiad written
780-560bc - Greeks are establishing colonies on Asia Minor. 776bc first olympic games held in Greece.
770bc - eastern Chou dynasty begun in China
753bc - Rome founded
722bc - Samaria (capitol of northern kingdom) captured by Assyria
701bc - Sennacherib locates his capital of Assyria at Ninevah
689bc - Assyrians flood Babylon
612bc - Ninevah destroyed by Medes, Babylonians and Scythians
608bc – Necho of Egypt defeats and kills Josiah, king of Judah, at the Battle of Megiddo.
600bc - Life of Susruta, of Varanasi, the father of surgery. His ayurvedic treatises cover pulse diagnosis, hernia, cataract, cosmetic surgery, medical ethics, 121 surgical implements, antiseptics, use of drugs to control bleeding, toxicology, psychiatry, classification of burns, midwifery, surgical anesthesia and therapeutics of garlic
600bc - Taoism in China (for next 2000 years)
586bc - Nebuchadnezzar captures Jerusalem
559bc - Cyrus founds Persian empire

Okay, back to Jonah

1:7 - doesn't say whale - a great fish
3:5 - the people of Nineveh react the exact opposite of the Israelites when given the prophetic message of destruction - they repent! But, this repentance wouldn't last long. The visit of Jonah to Nineveh is placed about 759bc during Assur-dan III. In 722bc, Israel will fall.
Chapter 4 - aren't we like Jonah? we say one thing and wish for another. He cared more about a dead plant that served his purposes than a city of 120,000.

Micah - a contemporary to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea and Jonah. Prophecy to rulers in Samaria and Jerusalem. Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings - the capitols of were full of idolatry.

4:3 - swords turned to plowshares
5:2 - one to be ruler in Israel will be from Bethlehem - Jesus
6:8 - "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?"
7:18b - "He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy."

These minor prophets are like a broken record of evil, warnings, ignoring of warnings, devastation, restoration

Nahum - to Ninevah, after the fall of Israel, before the fall of Judah, predicted conquest by Babylon/Synthian/Mede empires in 612bc

1:1 - God is slow to anger
1:7 "The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him."
3:8-9 - powerhouse of Egypt which fell - No Amon (Thebes) is an example to Ninevah that power doesn't last

Habbakuk - Chaldeans (Babylon) is rising up

1:12 - questions why God would use and evil nation like Babylon to do His will
2:4 - live by faith
3:4 - sounds like a superhero - "His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden."
Chapter 3 is also a song or psalm.

Day 64 ~ minor prophets start

2007-11-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

Daniel 11 - vision with the angel Michael. This is a question of when this vision will be fulfilled. Has it been fulfilled? Resist...urge...to...graph...
11:32 - abomination of desolation - of course my Bible chooses this area to be silent. There are no commentaries on this prophetic passage that many believe will occur before Christ returns.
12:2 - promise of everlasting - even to those already dead - everlasting life or everlasting shame and contempt. Also 12:13 - arise to inheritance. More promises of eternal life.
12:11 - after the abomination of desolation, 1290 days (real days?, figurative days?). Blessed is he wo waits nad comes to 1,335 days. What about the 45 days between? What events have occurred that fit into this prophecy? any?

Daniel ends the "major" or longer books of prophecy. We now enter in to the "minor" or shorter books of prophecy - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi which closes out the Old Testament. Which is what we'll do in a few days. Can you believe it?

Hosea - back up 200 years or so, after a larger focus on the southern kingdom of Judah, Hosea prophecies to the northern kingdom of Israel the last 30 or so years before their captivity by Assyria in 722BC. Israel is sometimes referred to as Ephraim, the largest tribe of the northern kingdom.

Chapter 1 - Hosea marries a prostitute as a symbol of God's love for a wayward nation.
1:11 - reunited after captivity as one nation
5:14/15 - God will take Israel and Judah into captivity then wait until they acknowledge their sin and seek him earnestly.
6:2 - Messianic - like Jesus, raised up on the third day?
6:6- God desires mercy, not sacrifice; Knowledge of God is more than burnt offerings.- this has been stated many times now since the rules of Leviticus were given.
11:7 - "My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High. None at all exalt Him."

Joel is written to Judah. Many agriculture references. Again, we are told of the lament of coming invasions to not only Judah and Israel, but the surrounding countries.

2:13 - rend your heart, not your garments.
2:28-29 God will pour out his spirit - fulfilled as quoted in Acts chapter 2:16-21.

I saved Amos to begin tomorrow.

Day 63 ~ the Golden toenail

2007-11-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

Daniel was a Jew taken captive as a child or very young many in the first round of capitives taken to Babylon during the reign of king Nebuchadnezzer in about 605bc. In our timeline, Ezekiel refers to Daniel, who by the time of Ezekiel would have likely been in a position of power in the court of Nebuchadnezzar.
Chapter 1 - Best and brightest youn men/children were chosen to serve in the kings court, Daniel and his three friends were chosen and given new names.
1:16 - something to be said for vegetarian diets.
1:21 - Daniel must have lived all but his childhood in Babylon - he served under Nebuchadnezzar until at least the early years of Cyrus - about 68 years or longer.
Chapter 2 - does Nebuchadnezzar's dream have any correlation to another prophet's vision?
2:5-6 - you don't want to mess with Nebuchadnezzar
Daniel, known as a wise man, was being searched out to be killed per Neb's demand that the wisemen be killed because they could not interpret his dream. Daniel thinks quickly on his feet, and we see that he keeps the safety of others foremost in his thoughts (2:24). Daniel also makes sure to give God the glory before he even begins the task before him (2:28).
According to the commentary in my Bible, Nebuchadnezzar II built the hanging gardens of Babylon (one of the seven wonders of the world), Ishtar gate, Ziggurat (like a pyramid without smooth sides), canals, and he was the father of Evil-Merodach, the king who released king Jehoiachin (Judah's king in exile).
Not only does Daniel interpret the king's dream, he tells the king what the dream was.
In the description of the statue, indicating weakening rulers of Babylon, I'm thinking that the correspondence goes as follows just off the top of my head - Gold - Nebuchadnezzar, Silver - Evil Merodach, bronze - ?, iron - ?, iron/clay - Belshazzar.
Chapter 3 - the huge golden statue. When Grace was about 3, we had a VBS that had a dramatic segment about Daniel and the call to worship the golden statue. As an actor portraying a Babylonian under king Nebuchadnezzar's rule, I created a huge golden toenail and told the kids that I had stolen it off the statue. The children were jewish captives that were not to bow to false idols. We talked about worshipping false gods and the rules that Neb had created for requiring idol worship at the sound of specific instruments, and talked about what the consequences were if you didn't bow, plus what the eternal consequences were if you did bow. We cued some appropriate music and I told the kids (as the Babylonian idol worshipper) that they had to, by law, bow to the golden toenail. Half the kids, including Grace, hit the deck and bowed that golden toe in fright. It was something else. We had to have a good discussion about how God would view that weakness in our faith. I wonder if I scarred her for life.
3:5 - who else was in the furnace? An angel, some say Jesus. How does Nebuchadnezzar know what the "son of God" looks like? Had God appeared to Neb before?
Chapter 5 - Belshazzar - son of Nabonidus (per my commentary), but that isn't clear to me from scripture. I realize that when they say "son of" that they mean in the line of. Anyway, he was a royal descendant of Nebuchadnezzar who took the throne (I think he's the iron/clay feet). Under Belshazzar's rule, Persians take over - in fact, that very night (5:30) of the writing by the hand on the wall. Apparently, the Persians had been seiging the city (just as Babylon had done to Jerusalem) for some time, and they cut off the Euphrates. Belshazzar didn't much mind - he must have felt (falsly) safe enough to hold a party for 1,000.
Chapter 6 - Daniel is one of three in charge in the new Persian government. He was "set up" by power hungry men who got the king to make a decree that they knew Daniel wouldn't follow. The king should have read the fine print, for he was very upset when Daniel was a victim of the severe consequences.
Chapter 7 - Highly prophetic - end times? "Ancient of Days" there are so many questions to be answered - a riddle answered by a riddle
Chapter 8 - okay, with all this highly prophetic stuff, my commentary in my Bible is silent.
8:14 - 2300 days = 20 years. Is this a vision of kingdoms who would rule over Judah in captivity?
8:17 - Time of the end of what?
8:21 - Greece - do they defeat Persia? Does Persia defeat Greece? Is this the first reference to Greece that we see?
Chapter 9 - Daniel knows the 70 years of captivity is almost over.
9:21 - Gabriel flew fast - from where? heaven?
9:25-26 - 25 “ Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. "
Okay. Is this telling them when the Messiah would come? What is the length of a "week?". Sixty two "week" would be 434 "days" - is a day a year? Wouldn't that be about right - aren't there 400 years between the last book of the Old Testament and Jesus? Just guessing, I would say a "day" is a year.
Why would a chapter break (10-11) occur in the middle of a parenthetical statement?

Day 62 ~ Where are my notes??

2007-11-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Chapter 36:17 - this is the third or fourth reference in Ezekiel about a woman during her impurity. Outside of Leviticus, and a similar reference in Ezra, Ezekiel is the only one who uses this reference in comparing Israel's sin.
chapter 37 - the two kingdoms (Israel & Judah) will become one nation
chapter 38 - Gog & Magog - I know that this is heavy in the end times prophesy discussions. I am resisting the urge to go down that track!

Okay, this is where I have lost my notes from chapters 39 - 48, and I'm not going to try to recreate them - but most of the end of Ezekiel reads like the assignment of territories.

Day 61 ~ International consequences

2007-10-31T07:12:00.002-07:00

Ezekiel 22:30 - men to "stand in the gap"
23:20 - what does this mean? kinda gross
24:2 - Babylonian seige against Jerusalem begins
Chapter 25 - international destruction to come for vengeance against Judah and Israel - Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia
26-28 - Tyre - because the mocked the fallen Jerusalem, destroyed. Wonder where this falls in historical records - about 1 or 2 years after Jerusalem is seiged. What is modern Tyre? Haifa?
28:12ff - Tyre was perfection , in Eden, covered by Cherubs, however their wealth led them to violence and sin and they are cast off the mountain of God. Huh? who started Tyre? Abel?
29-32 - Egypt - because they claimed they created, they will be scattered for 40 years and returned lowly. 17 years later, Babylon struggles against Tyre (29:18). Egypt will be given to them as reward for working for God.
33:11 - God gets no pleasure in the death of the wicked
33:21 - Jerusalem captured by Babylon (third and final time)
33:22 - Ezekiel no longer mute. When did he become mute?
34 - the Lord is the Shepherd - without Him, the flock spread.
34:26 - showers of blessing.

Day 60 ~ DC trip highlights, God leaves the temple

2007-10-31T06:03:00.000-07:00

You know how it is when you get home from vacation and you need a vacation to recover from vacation? Yeah, that was yesterday. Laundry, bills to pay, homework, cat puke on the carpet to get out, cleaning up around the house, lunches to pack...back to the routine.

In case you're wondering, we walked our legs off in Washington DC. We arrived Thursday afternoon and left Monday afternoon. We stayed south of the mall about 4 blocks south of the new Indian museum, a block from the Federal SW metro stop. Great hotel, decent prices, awesome breakfast included. The first two days were steady rain, but we donned our rain gear and ventured out as soon as we hit the ground. Mom had done an awesome job getting all the information gathered up, and we made a grid of what we would do to fit as much stuff in as possible, and I believe we were very successful. We'd all been to the Virginia side (Arlington, Mount Vernon) and never ventured west of the Potomac River except the airport.

Thursday: Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (including a small exibit from the closed for renovation Museum of American History), Corcoran Museum of Art, strolled by the White House and were ushered out of "the park" about 9pm when the presidential helicopter was expected to fly in from his trip to the fires in CA.
Friday: tour of the Supreme Court (featuring Moses and Solomon in the highest chamber of the land), National Archives, Navy Memorial, Old Post Office (first time, couldn't get up into the tower), White House Visitors Center (this is where we were going when we saw Mike & Deb Alley - skip it if you go, they don't even have a model!), Fords Theater and the house where Lincoln died (theater closed for renovation - we saw it last time), Madam Toussaud's Wax Museum (expensive, but really cool - Grace's favorite place "where they make the plastic people"), International Spy Museum (really good - I would like to go back and do the spy activity sometime).
Saturday: Library of Congress. This was an awesome building, my favorite of all we saw. Reagan building (nice food court, good way to cut through a few blocks out of the rain), Old Post office (again, line too long to go up to the tower), Octagon house (been closed for two years, you think they could post that on their web info somewhere?), Daughters of the American Revolution building (we walked all the way around it to get inside - a sign would have been helpful to show where the construction entrance was), World War II Memorial, Washington Monument (we decided we would touch it instead of climb it), Museum of Natural History (I disliked this one last time we went, but the stuffed animals were cool. It is saturated with evolution, at one point I nearly cried. The photo shows the rat like creature that "a close relative of this tiny creature was the first mammal on earth. Its DNA was passed on to billions of descendants - including you." Followed up by a night tour of the monuments (save your money and do it during the day - too many light bulbs out on a few of the monuments to get a good taste) - Korean, Vietnam, FDR, Lincoln, and some drivebys of other stuff we'd already walked past.
Sunday. We started off reading a chapter from Jeremiah 1, because that is where Dad is in his 90 day Bible Reading. I was pushing for the end of Ezekiel. We walked up to the east end of the mall and watched about 15 minutes of the 32nd annual Marine's marathon. Then on to the Smithsonian Indian museum (dissappointing exhibits - not much historical info, mostly current, cool architecture). The cafeteria had interesting food: octupus, frog legs. Back to the old post office and we finally got up to the top. We then went to the Washington Cathedral (off the beaten path) and sat through a Lutheran service. Grace wanted to go back to the children's chapel, where she "read" scripture (and from several other chapels on site). Well worth seeing - it took 80 years to construct and was only completed in 1990. By the way, get a transfer from the metro station for the bus and save .85 cents. We ended up back in China town for supper, then to the pool.
Monday. Tour of the Capitol arranged by Senator Lugar's office. We ate an $11 salad at the Smithsonian Art Museum. Then the fun began. Back to the hotel to get our stowed bags and to the airport. On the platform of the Metro exit at the airport, we discovered baby Sarah and Baby Susie, Grace's dolls, had been left at the hotel. Everyone else went to the terminal, mommy went back to the hotel to get the dolls. Doing her own little Marines marathon. Success. On the way back on the platform of the metro train, Jeff called to say they had bumped us from our flight because our bags had not been checked 1-1/2 hours before the flight must be a Reagan National thing. Oh well, I wouldn't have made it back for the flight anyway. So now rather than a non stop, we get to go to Detroit! We had been unable to check ourselves in at the hotel online earlier in the day or week (I think they had overbooked the flight). The Lord was saving us from ourselves! They told the Northwest counter gal the doll sob story and they didn't charge us any fees! We got all five of us on a totally full flight to Detroit and another full flight to Indy. And, if your van is completely dead in long term parking because it is possessed and the lights come on by themselves and drain the battery, if you flag down a shuttle bus, they'll call you a jump that comes in less than 10 minutes and only costs $12. Only God can make that happen. Nobody lost their cool, everyone home safe.
What we didn't get to see that we wanted to see: Kennedy Center, White House (try to book more than 6 weeks in advance through representative), Jefferson Memorial close up.

Now, the real stuff - Ezekiel

Chapter 10 - in Ezekiel's vision, God leaves the temple in Jerusalem - he vacates the location where the Israelites could worship and see his glory
Chapter 11 - the vision makes me wonder if he was actually taken physically to Jerusalem
11:19 - "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in My statues and keep My judgments and do them, and they shall be My people, and I will be their God."
Chapter 14 - you cannot save anyone else with your righteousness; 18:20 the son shall not bear the guilt of the father (consequences, yes, but guilt, no)
14:14 - Daniel (next book to be read) is known to Ezekiel, who started prophesying after Daniel was taken to Babylon and would now likely have been in a position of power under Nebuchadnezzar.
16:44 - ‘Like mother, like daughter!’ - I didn't know that was in the Bible.
20:25 - “Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live" - God, talking about the Israelites - he has another plan in mind
21:21 - divination rituals described, including shaking arrows, consulting images, looking at the liver

Day 59 - Ezekiel saw the wheel

2007-10-28T09:10:00.001-07:00

Lamentations -
I took no notes on Lamentations - a poetic expression of the afflicted people and city of Jerusalem

Ezekiel - timeline time!

Ezekiel is a young (20s? 30s) man chosen to prophesy to captive Jews in Babylon. He uses references to the rule of king Jehoiachin to reference his receipt of the prophecies from God. Jehoiachin ruled only 3 months in Jerusalem, but "ruled" in Babylon under confinement for 36 more years until Nebuchadnezzar's successor freed him.
Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, Zedekiah was the puppet king of Nebuchadnezzar, so the Jews had two kings simultaneously.
Ezekiel was a contemporary of Jeremiah, but on the back end of the kings rule. It looks like he was part of the second of three waves of captives taken to Babylon. Daniel would have been in the first wave (Ezekiel refers to him a couple of times). The third wave is when the temple is burned, and Ezekiel warns the Jews of this. Those Ezekiel prophesied to (captives in Babylon) were probably thinking "we've been carted away, what more could happen?" and Ezekiel filled them in that much more could and would happen.
Did you try to visualize the four 4-winged, 4-headed creatures with the wheels from the vision Ezekiel had in chapter 1. I tried, but I don't get the wheel part.
Why does God repeatedly use the phrase "son of man," which is also used for Jesus, to address Ezekiel?
Ezekiel was a one man freak show given some really weird object lessons to carry out to further explain God's prophecies. Lie on your left side for 390 days (for Israel's iniquity), on your right side 40 days for Judah's iniquity (right side again! is this because Judah is the kingdom through which the messiah would come? - chosen, choice, preferred = right side?)
God controlled Ezekiel's body (4:8) and his tongue (3:26, 27). This reminds me of the Steve Martin movie "All of Me" with Lily Tomlin. That's a funny movie.
While lying on one of the two sides, Ezekiel is given some specific eating and cooking instructions. He's supposed to cook his food with his own body waste as fuel. Jeremiah says he can't do that (against some type of Levitical rules I'm assuming) and God lets him substitute cow dung.
The final siege against Jerusalem is portrayed in chapter 4 through another object lesson with a clay tablet. Ezekiel shaves his head and scatters or burns the hair to signify what will happen to those who remain in the city of Jerusalem.
Chapter 8 - 14 months later, his hair has grown back (8:3) and the detailed description of the abominations of idolatry that has and is (and will? who knows with these visions if they are past, present, future or a combination) going on in Jerusalem.

Day 58 ~ governments will topple

2007-10-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

Chapter 40 - Jeremiah is released by the captain of Nebuchadnezzar's guard releases Jeremiah. Jeremiah chooses to go with the Babylonian-appointed governer, Gedaliah, to what was the new headquarters in Judah - Mizpah. A swarm of displaced Jews came back to Mizpah and the produce of the fields.
Chapter 41 - Ishmael the son of Nethaniah (I'd guess he is Babylonian, or possibly from another neighboring nation) kills the governor (as warned at the end of chapter 40 by Johanan but ignored by the gov), some of the 80 visitors from around the area who had come to see the governor, and tosses their bodies in a hole that had been used before by king Asa as a mass burial. Ishmael drags a bunch of Hebrews to Gibeon, and Johanan comes after him - the Hebrews go back to Johanan and Ishmael escapes. This whole scenerio scared the Hebrews, and they decide they're going to take off for Egypt. Because that worked out for them so well last time.
The remnant left in Judah asks Jeremiah to seek what God's would have them to do and they will obey it (ha!). God says "Do not go to Egypt!" - seems clear enough. Also has some consequences attached if they do go.
Chapter 42 - of course they call Jeremiah a liar and set off for Egypt. Why is Jeremiah still with them? He prophesies that Babylon will follow them into Egypt and take Egypt as well, and except a few who will escape and return to Judah, the rest will die in Egypt
42:30 - can check against egyptian and babylonian records for proof - see this reference site for some further info - http://formerthings.com/hophra.htm
Chapter 45 - back in time again to Pharaoh Necho. This is the Egyptian who was on his way with his army to back up Assyria against the Babylonians, but they were delayed by good king Josiah of Judah and engaged and Babylon was able to defeat Assyria, then Josiah dies by arrow.
Hey, I found a third typo in the New King James version of the Bible at BibleGateway.com. you can turn those in to them and they fix them. 47:4 - @ symbol in a word
More kingdoms to fall to Babylon - Philistine, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam. I guess since Judah won't listen to him, God has given Jeremiah messages for the surrounding communities.
and another typo at 49:14 - !RM at end of second line - did they correct them yet?
Chapter 50 - Babylon's rule will not be long - they too will be attacked and overtaken from the North. Babylon will gather all this territory to empty it directly into the basket of Persia within 70 years of the first group that left Jerusalem. They are named the Medes in 51:28
50:20 - in the days of Babylon's defeat "The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve. "
51:11 - "For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the LORD, The vengeance for His temple. "
51:14 - another typo - !RM
51:37 - another typo - !RM - geez, do a spell check.
Okay, I get it, Babylon is going to fall. It's not as interesting when we aren't talking about the Jews
Chapter 52 - review of the fall of Jerusalem. Perhaps Jeremiah didn't have a scroll of 2 Kings or 2 Chronicles around to read. Could I have skipped chapters 1-51 and read only chapter 52? Cliffnotes version. So, why tell us the little details about the bronze capitols?
52:33 - only 4,600 total people carried out of Jerusalem into captivity. I would have thought it would have been tens of thousands.
Why would the new king (replacing Nebuchadnezzar I presume), "Evil-Merodach" give favor to the puppet king of the jews, Jehoiachin?

Turn the electronic page, and I'm done with Jeremiah! 24 books down. Not really looking forward to Lamentations, especially since I'll be cramming it in late tomorrow night after Financial Peace University class and packing for vacation to Washington DC. i guess I'm a chapter ahead, as the reading only goes to chapter 52.

Keep us in your prayers as we (Mom & Dad, Jeff, Grace) travel. And that I'll be diligent in maintaining the habit I've established over the last 58 days. Hopefully I'll have completed Ezekiel by Monday!

Day 57 ~ The Northern Tribe is part of the Remnant

2007-10-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

We hop around in the timeline of the last few kings of Judah in the reading today. This would be a good section to read in a chronological bible. This section also has quite a bit of message of hope to the southern and the northern kingdoms. Someone finally talks about the northern tribes (Israel / also referred to as Ephraim) and provides some hope for them as well as the southern kingdom.

Jeremiah 26 - threats against Jeremiah's life were real. Another Godly prophet, Urijah was hunted down and killed for word from God.
Don't resist Babylon's rule. Babylon has already carted some Hebrews off from Jerusalem, as well as some of the temple articles, eventually they will all be taken off. But, they will eventually be restored.
Chapter 28 - Hananiah was making predictions in God's name, but he was a false prophet (in fourth year of Zedekiah's rule he predicts that within 2 years Babylon would bring back all that they had taken from Jerusalem.) This goes against what Jeremiah has been speaking. The Lord strikes down this false prophet. (obviously wrong, see 32:1)
29 - captivity will be 70 years from the original group taken captive, then a remnant will return to Jerusalem
29:10-13 explains this promise, encapsulating an oft-quoted passage of hope - "For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." 29:11 is the passage that I quoted in my college yearbook.
29:22 - Nebuchadnezzar's chosen method of torture is exposed - roasting in the fire. Were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo in captivity under Nebuchadnezzar? We'll find out later, I'm sure.
30:3 - hey, some news about the northern kingdoms - Israel and Judah will be returned.
31:9 - was Ephraim the firstborn of the 12 sons who became the tribes of Judah? No, Reuben was the first born, but he lost his inheritance to Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Chronicles 5:1), thus the phrase "Ephraim is my firstborn". Chapter 31 spends many of the verses on the return of the northern kingdom as well as the southern kingdom.
31:31 - New covenant coming - a personal intimacy - :34 - knowing God, not just knowing about Him
32:7 - do you remember the rights of redemption of property - see Leviticus 25:25, or revisit Boaz and Ruth. Jeremiah redeems a piece of property with the aid of his right-hand man and scribe (Baruch). All this while in jail, and apparently the paperwork on closing a property took alot of time and witnesses 2500 years ago, too.
32:17 - song - Ah, Lord God, Thou has made the heavens...
34:12ff - slavery rules - limited to 6 years (slavery invoked to repay debt)
35 - going back in time here, Jeremiah's been in jail under Zedekiah, but chapter 35 goes back 3 or 4 kings to Jehoiakim.
Rechabites? This is all a bit confusing. But I think the idea is that they heeded Jeremiah's word.
35:3 - did Jeremiah have a son? was this before God told him not to get married or have children?
36:5 - Baruch acts on behalf of Jeremiah - he goes and reads the scroll that he had transcribed for Jeremiah in front of the princes - because Jeremiah is confined. Confined where? In jail? But not in jail like he was in chapter 35 under Zedekiah, because Baruch reads the scroll in the presence of the prince Zedekiah (36:12). Jeremiah and Baruch made a good team.
37:1-2 - Zedekiah becomes king to fulfill the prophecy from 36:30 that Jehoiakim's line would end.
37 - Jeremiah is accused of being a spy for Babylon and imprisoned, but transferred to Zedekiah's jail. Are we caught back up to chapter 32 now? Anyway, Zedekiah has his doubts that Jeremiah is a spy and asks him to speak frankly to him about God's plans. But he doesn't believe it.
What is worse than being a hated prophet in a city under seige? Being imprisoned in a cistern with no food in a city under seige.

Day 56 ~ 23 years of warnings

2007-10-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 10:12 - another support of Genesis creation by God
12:2 - hypocrites - "You are near in their mouth But far from their mind"
12:21 - Anathoth - Jeremiah's town at the time of his calling (1:1), a Levitical city (Joshua 21:1-3), home of Abithar the priest (1 Kings 2:26). This should have been a city that was a model of righteousness, but instead threatened Jeremiah's life rather than heed his warnings.
12:15, 16:15, 23:3, 24:7 - promise that after the captivity, the remnant will return to Jerusalem.
11:14, 14:12, 15:1 - don't waste your breath or your prayers - God will not hear them, not even if Moses or Samuel appeal
15:4 - Manasseh's deeds were the last straw -(he built idols to Baal and sacrificed his child to them)
Jeremiah appeals to God to strike down those who persecute him (15:15, 18:18). God tells him he will be redeemed from the wicked (15:21). In chapter 18 he reminds me of David calling down God's wrath on his enemies.
Jeremiah is told not to marry or have children - he will be sparred mourning them. chapter 16
17:9-10 - our hearts are deceitful, but God tests it, our fruit matters to Him.
17:19ff - Jeremiah is instructed to appeal to Jerusalem to honor the sabbath day
19:10 - seige against the city will be so great that people will resort to cannibalism
chapter 20 - Jeremiah is imprisoned by Pashur, a priest/chief governor.
20:9 - In the face of so much persecution for his message from God, Jeremiah tries to hold in the message and not speak of it, but he was compelled to do so.
chapter 21 - now the King (Zedekiah), who is at war with the king of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar) wants to know what God says? He wants Jeremiah to butter up God who will use his "wonderful works" to save his people. The Lord's response is that He is warring against Judah, not Babylon - Babylon is just a weapon of choice. Your choice city will burn.
22:14 - clueless king Jehoiakim, during this time of oppression and high taxes, choses to build himself nice new house.
Chapter 23 - false prophet tell the message that "it's going to be okay" but that goes against the scripture. Check those who say they are messengers of God against scripture - God will not contradict His word.
24:33 - what is an oracle? a prophet? a "crystal ball", urim and thummin? something through which God speaks?
chapter 24 - God will sort out and encourage/equip those in captivity for a strong remnant to return (I think of Daniel)
chapter 25 - in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign in Judah, the first year of the new king of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Jeremiah's 23rd year of preaching God's message of the impending destruction, Jeremiah days Babylon will carry off Judah for 70 years, then they will be punished.
25:17-26 - international wrath to come.

Day 55 - Destruction is coming from the North

2007-10-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 63:15-19 - a prayer of penitence - but from whom? Appropriate for a non-Jew? "Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name."
65:17ff - the glorious new creation. Is this a description of heaven, or a world as God intended it to be from the beginning? Will there be a type of "heaven on earth" at some point in the future? I ask, because it talks about death, and it would seem that heaven would not have death. (vs20). The former earth won't come to mind.

Isaiah is completed. Let's jump right into Jeremiah and tackle the first nine chapters.

Now, where are we - the author of Jeremiah tells us that this occurs from the 13th year of king Josiah's reign in Jerusalem through king Jehoahaz (3 months) king Jehoiakim (who is ruler in Daniel 1:1, when Babylon begins carting off Judah into captivity a bit at a time), Jeconiah (3 months) then until the 11th year of king Zedekiah, when Babylon burns Jerusalem. Israel has been captive under the Assyrians for more than 100 years, and then presumably under Babylon as they conquer Assyria. Josiah was the last king to rule independently on the throne of Judah. His offspring were puppet kings under foreign control. Revisit II Kings starting about chapter 22, and II Chronicles 34.

Jeremiah is called by God and God puts His words into Jeremiah's mouth just after Josiah's first reform where he removes all the idols from the kingdom.

Chapter 2 - apparently Judah has a pretty tight allied relationship with Egypt.
Chapter 3 - some info on divorce. Israel was an example for Judah to see, but Judah didn't get it and will suffer the same consequence.
3:10 - "And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” - the attempt by Josiah to clear the land of idols was only surface deep.
3:18 - "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers. " - what does this mean? Does it mean that some of all the tribes will be reunited at some point? Is this when they return to Zion after 70 years in Babylon? It seems that I recall some of the tribes of Zebulun and Ephraim being talked about when we had some info about the return in Ezra and Nehemiah.
5:18,19 - “Nevertheless in those days,” says the LORD, “I will not make a complete end of you. And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the LORD our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.'"
7:11 - temple referred to as "den of thieves"
I remember that Shiloh is the first place where they set up the "permanent" tent tabernacle. But what did God do to it? 7:14
God's patience has run out.

Day 54 ~ Suffering Servant

2007-10-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 43:3 - Egypt was given as a ransom for Israel. When Assyria had ruling power, they controlled a small part of northern Egypt. Later on, when Babylon overtakes Assyria, the size of the kingdom is actually smaller, and Egypt is not controlled by Babylon. However, when Persia comes into the picture, the kingdom is gigantic, and Egypt is included.
43:10b - only one God - "Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. "
44:28 - Cyrus - he would be used to shepherd God's people even though he did not know God.
The signifance of the right hand still escapes me - used again in 45:1, 48:13. I think it is the favored hand.
45:14 - when does Egypt serve Israel? Is that yet to come?
Companion verses to Genesis 1 underlining that God created the heavens and the earth - 44:24, 45:7, 18; 48:13, 51:13
46:3 - the "remnant" here directly points to Israel (northern kingdom) in captivity.
46:4 reminds me of the poem "footprints in the sand"
48:16 - does this describe the trinity? assuming this is about or spoken by Jesus - "“ Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit Have sent Me.”
49:6 - salvation will be opened up to Gentiles - light of the world is Jesus
51:9 - Rahab mentioned again. Is this the same woman who let down the scarlet cord from the wall to save the spies. According to the topical index on BibleGateway.com, this is also a name used to refer to Egypt.
52:7 - song - "our God reigns" - sung when they returned to Jerusalem to rebuild.
53 - Christ - wounded for our transgressions, suffering servant for us
55:2 - money spent foolishly
55:3 - God's covenant is everlasting
55:11 - "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void "
chapter 56 is a promise of something everlasting
chapter 55 - descriptions of improper and proper motives for fasting
61:1 - Jesus launches his ministry with this quote in Luke - "“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound"
another theme in Isaiah - God as a groom

Day 53 ~ Don't show all your treasures to the enemy!

2007-10-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 28:10 - this is how I feel the reading challenge is - "precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
29:1 - Jerusalem is referred to as Ariel. I don't recall that name for the city.
Chapter 36 - what Isaiah has been going on about for at least 8 chapters has finally begun. Sennacherib of Assyria besieges Jerusalem during the 14th year of Hezekiah's reign. We know from 2 Kings that 7 years earlier Hezekiah had begun to pay money to Assyria to keep them away - and we see that didn't last long. But we know that this will not be the end of Judah, for they are taken away captives by the Babylonians.
Chapter 37 makes a big switch over from poetry to history.
37:4 - remnant. Which remnant? The southern kingdom that is left now that the northern kingdom has been taken captive by Assyria before the reign of Hezekiah in Judah? Those that are left behind as the Babylonians move the captives out of Jerusalem in stages? Those who return to Jerusalem with the king of Persia's blessing?
37:36-37 into chapter 38 - see what some serious, fervent prayer can do? It gets 185,000 Assyrians killed, seemingly without Judah raising a finger. It adds 15 years to Hezekiah's life.
Sennacherib returns home to Ninevah in defeat and is welcomed home to be killed by his own sons.
The Assyrians and this whole scenerio have to play a role in the story of Jonah. Guess we'll find out in about 12 days.
Wonder if figs are part of modern medicine's treatment of boils? 38:21
We get the third telling of Hezekiah's stupid move of showing off all the treasures of the kingdom to the nice new king of Babylon; soon to be the future ruler of Judah. Hezekiah's response to Isaiah's prophesy of Babylon's conquering of Judah? "At least I won't have to deal with it"

Chapter 40 is to be the break where we begin to tell of the coming messiah. Right off the bat I see a reference to Luke chapter 3.

40:22 - the earth is described as a circle.
40:31 - "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
41:2, 25 - ruler from the East, North - Persia? A future ruler even past our time?
42 - a passage for us - the Servant of God, His elect one, with the Spirit upon him (Jesus) will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. The days of the closed club only for the Jewish chosen by God is going to have it's doors opened.

Day 51b & 52 - I would bet on Isaiah's predictions

2007-10-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

Isaiah is considered a "major prophet." His primary audience is the nation of Judah. He received his call to prophesy in the last year of the reign of Uzziah (2 Kings 14:21-22; 15:1-7; 2 Chronicles 26) who was the mostly good king who ruled for 52 years, but most of it with leprosy from his bedroom through his son because he had intruded into the priestly duties. Both the northern and southern kingdoms were still intact when Isaiah started his calling, but the capital of Israel (Samaria) fell to the Assyrians and the Northern kingdom was taken into captivity during the time that Isaiah preached to Judah. He prophesied through kings Jotham (mostly good son of Uzziah), Ahaz (wicked), Hezekiah (really good) and possibly onto Manasseh.

Isaiah has 66 chapters, as the Bible has 66 books. It can be divided into two major sections, 1-39 dwelling on failure (corresponding to the old testament) and 40-66 emphasizes the hope of the coming messiah (corresponding to the new testament).

Chapter 1:7-9 pretty much tells what is going to happen - cities burned, overthrown by strangers, deserted capital after besieged, small remnant. God is not happy, He gets no pleasure out of their sacrifices.
How can Judah avoid this downfall? 1:16-20 tells us. Wash away your evilness, learn to do good, seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." (1:18)
Judah is compared to a harlot.
Jerusalem's haughtiness is described in 3:16-23 - jewels, pendants, headdresses, perfume, nose rings, festive apparel, mirrors...
God's beloved children are compared to a disappointing vineyard in chapter 5.
5:4 - makes me think of a rebellious teen or young adult raised by parents who did what they were supposed to do with parenting yet the child still takes the wrong path - "What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes? "
6:1 - Isaiah called to be a prophet in the year King Uzziah died (about 735bc). His vision of God includes the refrain of a song - “ Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
Does anyone else remember Rod Cameron's ventriliquist puppet Gabby (Rainbow Christian Camp) singing the "Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord...Here am I! Send Me!" - see 6:8
terebinth tree alert - 6:13
Isaiah predicts for evil king Ahaz that parts of Judah will be seized, and they will be attacked by the northern kingdom (2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28)

Wait a minute, where did that come from - major messianic prophesy alert! Isaiah's trying to convince Ahaz to test God and reveals "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." 7:14.

Why did they not listen to Isaiah? He even told them where the attacks would come from - very distinctly, and including Egypt, Assyria, and the other kings by name. Instead, stupid Ahaz will appeal for help from the Assyrians. It gets Israel off his back, but will bring Judah under greater foreign control. Don't touch that, it's hot. I'm telling you, it's hot - don't touch it. OUCH! I told you not to touch it.

I'm tired tonight and I'm dissappointed that I'm sure I'm reading too quickly and not absorbing much. I know that Isaiah is full of prophecy that will be fulfilled in Jesus, and that the promise of eternal life that I looked for in the Old Testament that seems to be missing so far will be pointed to in this book. This will be one I'll want to come back and read more slowly. However, tonight, I must push forward and I'm going to limit my comments as much as I can or I'll quickly lose ground on keeping on track. I am giving myself permission to read quickly.

But...only three verses into my speed reading...another wonderful passage - 9:66 "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. "

Assyria may be given "permission" by God to rule over the promised land, but their day is coming (Babylon will defeat them). Chapter 9.
Return of the remnant to Jerusalem predicted starting in 9:20
apparently Egypt's power is in decline (9:24-26)
Chapter 11 - all about Jesus - "for the Gentiles shall seek Him" - that's us! 11:10
Is 11:6-9 a description of heaven?
13:17 - Medes will be stirred up against Babylon.

Do you remember several entries ago how I questioned how the captured southern tribe was taunted by the Assyrians, but ends up being captured by the Babylonians, then ruled by the Persians? Isaiah seems to already know all this. He knows about the Assyrians. He tells about the Babylonians conquering the proud Assyrians. He knows the Medes (Persians) will overtake the Babylonians. What cool cross references for non-Biblical historical records is this? Talk about confirming the validity of the Bible - this kind of stuff does it for me. Now, I don't know if I would have absorbed this if I hadn't gotten off track and put two and two together several days ago.

Some history about the fall of Satan (Lucifer) in chapter 14. Isaiah is all over the place in the time line - past, future, present
Ahaz is dead in 14:28. Philistia will fall
Negative prophesy given against Moab (ch 15), Syria (17), Ethopia (18), Egypt (19, civil war).
Someday Egypt will worship God, as will Assyria, and a highway will connect them. I don't think this has happened yet. See 19, starting with vs. 18.
Did Isaiah walk around naked for three years? (ch 20)
What is the Valley of Vision? (ch 22)
Shebna was an official under king Hezekiah. Apparently he had a tomb that was a bit too fancy for God's taste.
It seems that Tyre will fall, and will in some way supply treasures to the Israelites. (ch 23)

It is hard to tell if Isaiah is making prophecies that came true long ago, or if he is describing things that are yet to come. Chapter 24 describes a pretty desolate landscape, a vast wasteland - is this still to come? How about the praise described in 25? Is the trampling of Moab to come again in the future, or is he back to the fall of Moab in chapter 15 (vs. 10)?

Chapter 26:1 - in what day? When the Lord returns to reign? Our past or our future?

Day 51 ~ dove-eyed girl loves gazelle boy

2007-10-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

The conclusion of Ecclesiastes really didn't strike up any more significant questions, other than after all that depressing talk about living for today because you die and that's it, he concludes that you should live for God. Not one of my favorites of what we've read so far.

So, we're off to read through Song of Solomon, again attributed as written by King Solomon, or possibly for him. In our readings about Solomon we know he seemed to favor one wife referred to as the Daughter of Pharaoh. But this woman who becomes his bride (one of his 700) is a dark skinned Shulamite. One of the comments in my Bible reminds us that the young girl that slept with the old King David to "keep him warm" in his old age was a Abishag, the Shunamite maiden (1 Kings 1:1-4, 15). David's son Adonijah requested that he be given Abishag when David died. But this was improper in that Solomon, David's named successor, was entitled to her along with David's other wives and concubines (maybe Solomon inherited a starter set of wives.) Anyway, Solomon had Adonijah put to death for his request, so that particular Shunamite maiden was available.

Song of Solomon is a love story between a married couple. Read between the lines and it's kinda juicy, on the surface, it's just a little strange.

chapter 3 - she gets up at night and goes looking for him because he is not in the bed. She asks people on the street if they have seen her love. If this is truly about Solomon, I have a guess (or about 1000 guesses) where he might be.
chapter 4:1-2 - is he complementing her because none of her teeth are missing?
4:9 - it would kind of gross me out if my husband called me "sister"
6:8 - okay, maybe Solomon doesn't have 700 wives and 300 concubines - yet. It appears that he only has 60 queens (wives) and 80 concubines.
7:2 - hey, my waist looks like a heap of wheat! When will we return to the time when that is considered beautiful?!
7:8 - okay, that's a bad pickup line - "can I climb your palm tree and grab your branches?".
7:9 - you don't often hear of people complimenting someone for the roof of their mouth.

I asked my husband to write me a love poem one time. It had something about eggs and bacon in it. I like my husband's poem better than Solomon's.

Twenty-two books completed. I'm going to wait to start Isaiah until tomorrow. I'm really tired and have a headache, and I've been looking forward to Isaiah, and I'll miss too much if I read it now.

Day 50 ~ Is there a promise of Heaven in the Old Testament?

2007-10-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

Are all the proverbs written by Solomon? Or only the ones that say they are written by Solomon (1, 10, 25). I get that question answered in Proverbs 30 & 31, when the author of those chapters are listed as Agur, and King Lemuel. But Agur and King Lemuel is only listed in Proverbs 31, and no where else, so we don't know who they are. According to I Kings 4:32, Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs and 1000 songs.

25:16 - gluttony - "Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit."
25:17 - "Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you"
25:24 - repeated nearly verbatim from 21:9. Why?
What is the deal with lions? Are their lots of lions around the promised land? Psalms and Proverbs uses the lion many times.
25:18 -19 - hey, I was only kidding!
27:1 - don't boast about tomorrow
recurring theme - self praise - as in don't do it - 27:2
27:13 - repeated again from 20:16 - garment as surety (guarantee)
28:20 - get rich quick schemes will not go unpunished
29:18 - no vision = no restraint
30:4 - "Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?" - I'm assuming this is about Jesus.
30:6 - why some people don't write in their Bibles.
30:26 - rock badger - don't eat it!
The whole chapter 30 of Proverbs was odd. I'm glad Agur only wrote one chapter.
31:10-31 - a virtuous woman described. Depressing for us working moms - I can't even keep my own house clean! Fortunately, my husband got me housecleaning as a christmas present (hint, hint, excellent gift!). Now I have the time to make the fine linen garments for him.
31:23, 31 - the gates of the city - it must have been like the business district - it would be interesting to see the activity around the gates of a city like Jerusalem.

Twenty books are completed, 46 remain. It doesn't seem like we've covered much territory when you look at it this way, but we're more than 1/2 the way through the entire content. Only forty days remaining in the challenge. Wow.

Ecclesiastes - it's all about the context of the writer in my mind. If this was written by Solomon, which it appears it likely was, then this fellow was unhappy. Remember that Solomon ended his rule in a terrible manner, led astray to worship many idols by his 700 wives and 300 concubines. (See 1 Kings 11:1-13). (You won't read about this in the Chronicles, written with "rose colored glasses" highlighting more of the good than the bad). He also wrote some of the Proverbs and Psalms, and the Song of Solomon which we'll read tomorrow. If I had to guess, I'd say he wrote Ecclesiastes near the end of his life when it was all going downhill. Of course, I haven't read the whole book, maybe the end provides something more than "vanity, vanity, all is vanity."

Now, after starting the depressing book of Ecclesiastes, I wonder why the author (king Solomon, most likely) is so short-sighted. Why does he consider that when he is dead and everything is lost or passed on, that he has wasted his life, that is is a waste. Has he no promise of something after he's dead? No eternal rewards? And this brought to mind heaven. Or the lack of reading about heaven.

Did the people of the old testament have a promise of life after death before the new covenant? Was there a promise of Heaven?

King David seemed to have some kind of understanding that he would have an opportunity to dwell with God:

Psalm 16:11 "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 17:15 "As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."

In Matthew and Luke, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are described as being in heaven, or the kingdom of God, or Paradise. But the phrase "Kingdom of God" is only found in the New Testament in the New King James Version, same thing with "Paradise."

So what permanent, everlasting promise is there to the people of the Old Testament that would be enticing enough to follow all these commandments? Is it to avoid eternity in hell? Proverbs has many instances where as soul can be delivered from hell, or behavior that will lead to hell. To me it would have all seemed futile? Am I right to think that if you're an OT Hebrew, you're trying to follow the rules just to keep from being punished, not because you will get an eternal reward. Doesn't seem too enticing to me. But every once in awhile we get a glimpse of the savior to come in some prophetic passages.

What was "heaven" to the people of the Old Testament? Did they have an understanding of the promise of eternal life in a perfect creation with God? A future dwelling place, as promised to the righteous in the New Testament? Did they understand that they were striving to please God so that they could be with Him? The word "heaven" is almost always used to refer to the physical sky/planets/atmosphere.

This makes the New Covenant even more important. If I were a Hebrew, or a modern-day Jew, what do I have to look forward to? Sacrifices that don't fully or permanently atone for my sin in a new temple? As a Christian, I have a promise of something more than my dreams can imagine, rewards for my faithfulness and devotion, and eternity with my Savior and Lord in heaven, an opportunity to be in the His glorious perfection. No wonder Solomon found it all futile...it was! He seems to have no promise, so it didn't matter. The Law is not enough. But even if the Law was followed perfectly, there would be no promise without Christ's sacrifice. As soon as you enter into the New Testament, it is full of "Kingdom of God," eternal life, and visions of heaven. It's all about the covenant...it's all about Jesus.

I think Hebrews will unlock some of this for us. In 37 days.

I had a song in my head, and coming out of my mouth (just ask my co-workers) all day today - I could not get it out of my head until now when I can't remember a lick of it except the really high squealign part (some 70s pop one-hit wonder with the really high "aaah ahh ahhh ah ah ah" sung with a black woman with an afro full of babies breath per the youtube video). It has been replaced with the Byrds 1965 hit "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everthing There is a Season). Hum it in your head. Now read Ecclesiastes chapter 3.

Okay, more about heaven. Will there be pets in heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:21 makes me think about it: "Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?" Don't worry little Timmy, you'll see Lassie in heaven." Is that true? Do animals have souls? Why would Jesus die to redeem Lassie? No. Here is how Billy Graham answers the question on his website.

Q: Will there be animals in heaven?
A: God has a special reason and place for each of His created beings. Animals, too, are a part of an orderly creation by God. Man, as the highest order of creation, has been given dominion over the animal kingdom (Genesis 1:26-28). We believe that animals were intended for man's enjoyment and use. The Bible itself does not indicate that there is life after death for animals. It may be that God's purpose for animals is fulfilled on this earth. However, if animals would make us happier in heaven, surely there will be a place for them there. Some Bible interpreters have called attention to Isaiah's description of the peace of God's future kingdom where he says that "the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox" (Isaiah 65:25). Heaven will lack nothing that is good and that will bring glory to God.

7:26 - perhaps this is the root of Solomon's problem - we know it is what led him astray. - "And I find more bitter than death The woman whose heart is snares and nets, Whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, But the sinner shall be trapped by her."

After a week or so of some "light reading," there was much to chew on in today's passage. But, I've got to move on!

Day 49 ~ Train up a child in the way he should go...

2007-10-15T14:43:00.001-07:00

After having read through the majority of the proverbs, I wish I would have kept a list of themes that I noticed from the beginning. Maybe I will next time I read through the proverbs. There are many familiar proverbs in today's passage.

Proverbs 13 - honesty and hard work vs. laziness - guess which is better for you?
13:24 - Spare the rod, spoil the child. Theme alert: also see 20:30, 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14.
14:15 - "The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps." Have you seen the commercials on tv for the weight loss drug "akavar" where they say "eat all you want and still lose weight...and we couldn't say that on tv if it weren't true" - yeah, right.
Proverbs 15 - wisdom in speech. 15:1 - soft answer turns away wrath
Another theme - seeking wise counsel, avoiding listening to fools
16:18 - "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. "
14:12 & 16:25 are the same - "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."

I noticed repeated proverbs again on several other verses -they are repeated again exactly or in a very similar manner. Why? When chapter 1, 10 and 25 list Solomon as the author, are they the only ones written by Solomon? I was assuming that the entire book of proverbs was written by Solomon. Maybe not. Why the repeating?

16:33 - casting lots - the decision is from the Lord. Is this in reference to Urim and Thummin? Are they special dice of some sort that can be used to determine God's will? Also in 18:18 - " Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart." I don't think that this means if you want to avoid fighting, go to Atlantic City or Vegas.
18:10 - song - "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe."
18:21 - another recurring theme is controlling your speech - "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit."
17:9, 18:24 - friend closer than a brother.
19:9 - another theme - bearing false witness - don't do it!
19:11 - I need to keep this in my mind! - "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression." See also 20:3

Okay, what's with picking on nagging women? Maybe these poor women have to live with the unfaithful or lazy men that are described in the proverbs as bad news. 19:13b - "And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping" is repeated again in 21:9 as "Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman" and 21:19 as "Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman." and 27:15 - "A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike"

Another recurring theme - having mercy on the poor. 19:17. There are many proverbs to encourage one who is poor (but not if they are poor because they are lazy!)
Warnings about abusing wine and strong drink are in 20:1 and 23:29-35
20:21 - avoid get rich quick schemes - "An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end"
20:22 - revenge is God's to take care of, not ours.
22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."
22:7 - Dave Ramsey's key verse in Financial Peace University (take it - it can change your life!) - "The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender."
Another money theme, in regards to borrowing/charging interest - See 22:26-27, 23:4-5
22:28 - "Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set." (also 23:10). Is this because in the year of jubilee all the territory is to be returned to the rightful/original owner?
Another recurring theme - proper use of weights and measures
24:17 - "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;" - This would seem to apply to David.
24:27 - Pioneers (at least the ones portrayed on tv) use this tactic - barn and fields first before the family gets a good house - "Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house."

Day 48 ~ Righteous is Good, Wickedness is Bad

2007-10-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

How am I suppose to read the Proverbs in 2-1/2 days and not basically mention every one as I go? My husband is reading through a proverb a day right now in his devotional time. Perhaps when this challenge is completed in about 42 days, I'll do the same. Today he is reading Proverbs 13, which is one chapter past my goal. Tomorrow, I'll think of him when I read chapter 14, and we'll have something to discuss as we lay down to go to sleep.

The intro to the proverbs in chapter one lists Solomon, the wise king and son of David, as the author. I'll be looking for proverbs that highlight money, as I'm involved with the Financial Peace University class right now and the materials often quote proverbs.

Here we go...

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
3:9-10 - "Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
3:11-12 "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights."
Why is wisdom described in the feminine tense?
I think Solomon wants his son to pay attention to his words. How many times is this repeated in just the first four chapters? Reminds me of the young guy at the end of Job who keeps saying "listen to me"
How does someone who has 700 wives give advise like 5:18 - rejoice in the wife of your youth?
Dave Ramsey's "gazelle intensity" comes from this passage in Proverbs 6:1-5 - where the advise is to get out of a situation where you owe someone money as quickly as possible.
Seven things God hates: a proud look, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, fee that run toward evil, false witness/liar, and one who sows discord. 6:15-19.
Do you notice how many times already we're advised to stay away from immoral women? Is this because it is such a challenge to Solomon, or men in general.
"playing with fire" - 6:27.
Wisdom is better than rubies. I always preferred diamonds, sapphires or emeralds. 8:11
8:27 - in the context of talking about God and creation" when He drew a circle on the face of the deep" - does that mean that the earth was round?
10: 4 - "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich"
10:19b - "But he who restrains his lips is wise."
11:15 - "He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure."
11:22 "As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion."
12:10 - tender mercies - but used in an odd way in reference to and unrighteous response
12:15 - "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise. "

Day 47 ~ Praise the Lord

2007-10-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Several of the psalms in this section are called "song[s] of ascent" and are very uplifting, glorifying and thankful.

Psalm 121 - I know two different versions of this psalm set to music, and both of them are very moving.
122:1 - song - I was glad when they said unto me...
127:1 - "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it"
127:3 - "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward"
Psalm 130 - wait and hope - redemption will come
I've noticed the phrase "this time forth and forever more" multiple times - 113, 115, 121, 125, 131, 133
132:6 - Ephrathah - I remember this word from the play a couple of years ago when the Christians in the dark edges were interrupted in their worship by soldiers. The minister was preaching and reading from the Bible and had to say that word, which is a tongue twister. He was reading from Micah 5:2.
Psalm 133 - unity. Vs. 2 - why is it pleasant to have oil run down your head and beard?
135:7 - God causes the "vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth" - what does that mean?
135:15-18 - comparing the living God to inanimate objects, very similar to Psalm 115.
136 - repeating "His mercy endures forever" following truths of God
139 - very personal psalm, very open to God, very intimate. This psalm and 121 are two of my favorites. However, David, the author, spoils it a bit for me when he calls the wrath of God down on the wicked. But this time he at least is wanting them slain because they hate God, as opposed to having David complain that he is under pressure. But God knows David's thoughts (and mine), and David is transparent enough to voice them.
142:4; 144:11 - the right hand again
143:7 - what is the pit? hell? I always wonder what "the pit" is in Grey's Anatomy, too.
144:3-4 - "Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow."
145:9 - tender mercies

We've completed 19 books with the end of Psalm 150.

Day 46 ~ The entirety of Your word is truth

2007-10-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

As freqently as David glorifies God, he invokes God's wrath. Why not pray for his enemies to be converted to followers of God? In Psalm 109, as in many others written by David, when David gets offended, he wants God to strike them down. No tender mercies from David.

109:31 - right hand - and again in 110:1
111:10 - "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom"
Psalm 115 contrasts the real living God with the inanimate idols
Psalm 117 - only one verse long - shortest psalm, perhaps even the shortest chapter in the Bible?
118:8-9 - misplaced trust
118:22 - Messianic - "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone."
118:24; 26 - songs - This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

Have you ever received the email about Psalm 118 being the middle of the Bible? This is an interesting link that proves/disproves this idea. http://www.snopes.com/religion/center.asp

The 176 verses of Psalm 119 are divided into 22 stanzas of eight lines each: one stanza for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the first stanza, each of the 8 lines begin with the first letter of the alphabet; in the next stanza, each of the lines begin with the second letter, and so on through the entire alphabet. Poems that use patterns involving the initial letter of a line are called acrostics Psalm 119 is one of about a dozen alphabetic acrostic poems in the Bible (including Psalm 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, and 145). Of course the beauty of this structure is lost on us when it is translated into english.

The second stanza is for the Hebrew letter "Beth," or "Bet" or "Beit" or "vet" (why can't we have only one translation of this one letter)? How fitting, especially verse 15: I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways." I've been meditating and contemplating for 46 days now!

Psalm 118 is basically saying teach me your commands and help me to know and follow them. No less than eight words are used to describe these important writings: word, law, testimonies, precepts, statues, commands, ordinances, judgements.

119:105 - song - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
119:145 starts a new stanza with the letter "Qoph" - great scrabble word.
119:156 - tender mercies
119:160 - "The entirety of Your word is truth"

I may just start signing my correspondence ב (beth)

Day 45 ~ Let the Redeemed Give Thanks

2007-10-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

DAY 45! I made it half way through and have actually gained a day so far! Praise God!

Psalm 90:10 - there are 70 years in our lives, 80 if we're fortunate.
Psalm 91 - written as if first person God again.
92 - sing on the sabbath day

In addition to "tender mercies," I've also noted three other phrases of interest - "in the courts"; God described as a "rock"; the "right hand" of God. I'm assuming that the first is in reference to the temple, being in God's presence (although you aren't in the holy of holies with the ark and God's glory between the cheribum's wings. Rock, I'm assuming is the stability, the solid foundation. Right hand - I'm thinking maybe that is the "clean" hand, the one to bestow good things? I'm guessing.

Grace and I read a book tonight before bed with a princess and a dragon. It was great to be able to share with her that there was a dragon-like creature in the Bible that breathed fire and lived in the sea (Job, Psalms, and later in Isaiah - Leviathan).

Psalm 100 - be an active, vocal participant in worship - that is what God desires.
102 - describes a person in deep depression
103:1 - song - Bless the Lord, Oh my soul. Why does it seem that verse one contains instantly recognizable songs in so many Psalms?
103:4 - tender mercies
104 - describing creation
104:18 - rock badger - don't eat it, it's unclean!
104:26 - Leviathan
104:30 - God created by sending forth His spirit
105:1 - song - "Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!"
105:8 - God remembers His covenant forever
105:23 - Egypt from Ham, son of Noah - and again in 106:21-23
105:27 - a description of the plagues given, with a few more details each time. We've already read another plague description in the Psalms, just don't remember which.
106:45 - why does God continually save His chosen people? Because of His covenant.
107:1 - Let the redeemed give thanks -that's us!

Day 44 ~ Tender Mercies

2007-10-09T18:44:00.000-07:00

Book Three of the Psalms contains Psalm 73-89. Asaph, the author of several Psalms in this grouping (and also Heman - see Ps 88, 89) were selected by David in I Chronicles 15:16-17 to be singers accompanied by musicians in the temple.

Psalm 73 - the writer is tempted to be jealous of the wicked and their stuff, until verse 17, when he is in the sanctuary of God, then he understands their true wickedness. If we are in God's presence, the evil will become obvious to us.
73:25-26 - song "God is the Strength of My Heart"
Psalm 74 - describes the destruction and burning of the temple
77:9 - "tender mercies" - this description has leaped off the page at me a couple of times. Psalm 25:6, 40:11, 51:1, 69:16, here and again in 79:8, (then also in 103:4, 119:77, 156, 145:9 - which I haven't read yet). Mercy seems tender to me anyway, this seems very loving.
Psalm 77 - for the insomniac
78:25 - Mannah is angel food. I thought we wouldn't eat in heaven. Who knows what that thought is based on.
78:47 - tree alert! Sycamore!
78:51 - Egyptians descend from Ham (son of Noah). I'm going to guess that's right - I'm too tired to go look it up!
Psalm 81 - written in first person from God's perspective. I think that's something new.
84:1-2 - song "How Lovely Are Thy Dwelling Places"
Psalm 86 - written by David, guess we're not done with his songs yet
89:1 - song "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever"

Day 43 ~ I Miss Rich Mullins

2007-10-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting on my back porch tonight. The little black kitten is long gone, off to another new home. The weather seems to have turned toward fall. My tulip tree in the back yard has dead rust colored leaves clinging to the branches. It turned quickly over a couple of days. I saw several tulip trees a bit smaller at the Hutson's during the Home Fellowship bonfire on Saturday and they all had their green leaves. I'm thinking ours might be dead or dying. I hope not, it is the only good sized tree in the back yard before you get to the woods. I hear lots of sounds...crickets, a motorcycle, cars, the neighbor's toddler crying, dogs barking, footsteps on the stairs inside the house, a vacuum, a combine... Given the peaceful setting, and the fact that I don't stop for much in Psalms, I'm going for two nights reading tonight!

Psalm 51 - David has been caught in his sin, and he doesn't lie or deny his guilt. However, in verse 4 he says he has only sinned against God. I'm not sure that Uriah would agree with that statement. I don't think I do either.
51:15-16 - God desires a broken and contrite heart above a burnt offering (we'll see this thought again in 60:31-32.
53:1 - also in 14:1 - the fool has said there is no God.
55:6 - reminds me of Jenny from Forest Gump - when young Jenny says "Dear God, make me a bird. So I could fly far. Far far away from here" Wasn't that an awesome movie?
56 - does your Bible version have an opening descriptor to most of the Psalms? Mine does, I think it is part of the scripture, not the commentary. Anyway, many of them say "set to" and then what appears to be a melody title, in this case "The Silent Dove in the Distant Lands". There are also "melody" songs listed in Psalm 9, 22, 45, 57, 58, 60, 69, 75, 80, 88 (I stopped at 89, cause I made it through two days!). Some of them are listed more than once, like "Do Not Destroy" and one with "Lilies" in the name. So, are these titles rythyms, or melodies or tunes? Do the Jews still know the tunes and use them?
And what is Michtam? listed in the describing sentence in Psalm 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60.
62:1, 5 - Truly my soul silently waits for God.

Rich Mullins break here. Psalm 63:1 reminds me of him. I love Rich Mullins' music. I remember being at weeks of camp with him way before he became famous (with a group named "Zion" and at Cincinnati Bible College), one at Rainbow Christian Camp as a teenager. He kept singing "Jenny, Jenny...867-5309" - do you remember that song? The last time I saw him was at Taylor University in September 1996, a year before his death in a car accident. If I remember correctly, I went with Gino & Deb Small, Alicia & Eric King, Jay & Julie St. Peters. I cannot hear a Rich Mullins song to this day without getting a tight throat or crying. And I'm not much of a cryer. If found a youtube video of a concert about 6 weeks before his death that is very similar to the concert that I went to, however at Taylor he played the Dulcimer on this song, which was awesome to watch. Anyway, Psalm 63:1 instantly reminded me of his song "Sometimes by Step". I strongly recommend his CD "Songs" - one of my all time favorite CDs. Here's the song on Rhapsody: Rich Mullins Sometimes by Step: "1. Sometimes By Step - Rich Mullins ". Here's the song with a video and the words on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-b7TQMoZsM

Psalm 71 - the Elderly believers psalm
72 is from Solomon (the first one I think). He'll have a whole book of songs later. The psalm ends with "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended." That's kind fo weird. What does it mean? Will we have any more Psalms written by David (yes, 86).
72:20 - "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended" - what does this mean? Will we have any more from David?

Day 42 ~ Be Still and Know That I Am God

2007-10-08T15:54:00.000-07:00

Ps 33:9 - "For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." - I think of this in reference to creation.
Ps 34:8 - "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good"
Ps 35:12-15 make me wonder if David is referring to the time that he sent condolences to a neighboring kingdom when the king died (Moab?) and the recipients doubted his sincerity and subsequently attacked him.
37:9-11 - reminds me of the Beatitudes
37:16 - "A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked."
Ps 39 - learn to keep your mouth shut; life is short

So ends "book 1" of the Psalms (1-41). Book 2 is listed in my commentary as 42-72.

The sons of Korah are mentioned several times in the remainder of today's passage. Per our former reading, the sons of Korah are Levite gatekeepers. I thought that maybe they were the order of musicians that David created. Guess not.

42:1 - "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God."
45:8b - "Out of the ivory palaces" - do you remember the song?
46:10a - "Be still and know that I am God."
47:1 - "Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!"
49:8-9 - "For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever—That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit." - Messianic?
50:16-17 - "But to the wicked God says: 'What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth, Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you?' "
50:22-23 - Hope for the sinner, separated from God:
“Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver: Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”

Day 41 ~ Joy comes in the morning

2007-10-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

Psalms 14:1 - "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' "
14:7 - 7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! - and it does!
Ps 15 - description of integrity - I've failed within the first few descriptors
Ps 18 - horn of salvation - referring to the horn on the altar? A place of safety? Remember someone we've read about escaped to the horn of the altar - yes, a couple of kings - Adonijah (1 Kings 1:50), Joab (2:28). This psalm also contains the song sung in rounds..."I will call upon the Lord...Who is worthy to be praised..."
19:14 - "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer."
Ps 22 - parallels Jesus' death in at least three ways in verses 14-18: "I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots."
Of course we all know the 23rd Psalm.
Ps 24:1 - The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.; 24:3-4 - more examples of integrity - "Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully."
Ps 25 - "Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me" goes well with the passage from the sermon today from 1 John 3:18-22 "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."
Ps 27:1 - this would be a good one to teach Grace to remember when she has those nightmares about Spiders and Snakes: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?"
Ps 30:5 - "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."

Day 40 ~ Behemoth & Leviathan: dinosaurs?

2007-10-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

I read as scheduled, but didn't do the blog yesterday because my comments were so brief. I guess that was God's timing, because in church this morning Ed Moore launched the service with a passage from Job chapter 37 about God and how he miraculously controls nature through the weather. It was nice for him to have used the challenge, and I knew exactly what he was talking about - it put a nice meaningful spin to my worship today.

Job Chapter 40:15 - Could Behemoth have been a dinosaur? Visit Answers In Genesis for their take: http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i2/behemoth.asp
Job 41:1 - Could Leviathon be a sea monster or dragon or dinosaur? Visit Answers in Genesis for their take: http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i2/behemoth.asp
Note that there is no closing comments with God and Satan as there were opening comments at the beginning of Job.

Job completed! Now, are we beginning the "hymnbook of the second temple" described by Ezra? My brief recordings as I breeze through these poems

Ps 1 - choose your path: Godly or ungodly
Ps 2 - quoted in Acts 4, Hebrews 1:5, 5:5; 2:6 - Messianic
Ps 3 - David flees from Absalom when this is written. What is a Selah? A transition? Interlude? Musical direction? We know that David established the music troops for the temple and that he played instruments well - that is how he got in front of King Saul - he could sooth his troubled spirit.
Ps 4 - Man rules over beasts

Day 39 ~ Why not blame Satan?

2007-10-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Job and his "friend" continue to debate back and forth about what has brought Job's disasters. They all talk about God, but why do none of them talk about this coming from Satan?

Day 38 ~ With friends like Job's, who needs enemies?

2007-10-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before that I'm not much into poetry. Plus, Job is one tidbit after another, almost like proverbs. I'm just reading through.

Job does mention Rahab, which makes me believe that he would have been chronologically after Rahab.

Job's "friends" have many reasons why God must be punishing Job - Job must have done something wrong, but Job insists he is innocent, and appeals to God to show him his sin. He tells his friend they are pitiful encouragers, and he would encourage them if they were in his situation. Job knows his only redemption can come from God. He continues to contend he is innocent. There are some good comebacks to mouthy idiots.

My shortest blog ever!

Day 37a ~ Cliff Notes Revisited

2007-10-04T06:18:00.001-07:00

As I was sitting eating my breakfast this morning and getting a start on my reading for today, I was using the NKJV Bible with the study helps that I normally use, but did not use yesterday, nor for Ezra or Nehemiah. I reviewed the study helps and have the following to add to my comments about the empires that oppressed Judah and Israel.

King Josiah of Judah fought against King Necho of Egypt back in II Chronicles 35. Apparently King Necho was on his way north not to fight Judah, but to help the Assyrians in an attack against the Babylonians. The delay of Necho to battle King Josiah resulted in the the fall of the Assyrian city of Haran in 609BC.
Ezra wasn't in the first round of Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. There were three major waves of Jews who returned to Jerusalem after King Cyrus gave the green light. Cyrus, if you remember, was one of the first kings of Persia after they defeated the Babylonians bringing that empire to an end. The study helps say that Ezra returned in the second wave, about 458BC, and that Nehemiah was in the third wave, about 444BC. I don't have my handy Old Testament Chronology CD to check that against.
Apparently the Cyrus of Ezra was not the first Cyrus in the Persian empire. The Chart that I referred to only starts with the line of empire where they overtook the previous empire who ruled over the Jews.
The study helps in this Bible place the chronology of Esther before Ezra and Nehemiah. It attributes Xerxes I as king Ahasuerus in Esther 1:1, with his reign from 486BC to 465BC.
The study helps in this Bible place both Ezra and Nehemiah under the rule of Artaxerxes I Longimanus (464-424BC). So Ezra wouldn't have been an old man when Nehemiah came, because I was assuming that Ezra was in the first wave of Jews who started the temple reconstruction before it was halted, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

No, I didn't read any new material yet!

Day 37 ~ Cliff Notes on Assyria/Babylon/Persia timeline

2007-10-03T18:44:00.001-07:00

Okay, you know I've got this thing about the timeline, right. To me, all these clues, in context with other historical documents, especially of other cultures, solidifies even more the accuracy fo the Bible.

It would seem that Ezra, Nehemiah and the book of Esther would be during similar time periods. In my handy chronology of the kings of the divided kingdom, states that in 536BC the temple reconstruction instructed by Cyrus is started, and it is concluded in 516BC. Ezra and Nehemiah were obviously contemporaries, as Ezra reads the book of the Law in Nehemiah's presence in front of the people. And Ezra would have arrived in Jerusalem before Nehemiah and begun the temple reconstruction, then Nehemiah began the wall reconstruction. The king in Esther, Ahasuerus (also identified as Xerxes in some texts), is also named in Ezra (4:6). The same name is also used in Daniel as the father of the king when Daniel was in Babylon. But Nehemiah worked under King Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1). So, maybe Esther was before Ezra, and the king who replaced Ahasuerus/Xerxes was Cyrus. I'm having enough trouble with keeping the kings of Israel straight, I should avoid trying to place the kings of Assyria in chronological order.

But, I can't. You knew that.

Guess what? There's another great timeline in my book "The Chronology of the Old Testament" by Floyd Jones, and it gives the chronology and helps with the Assyria/Babylon question. Here's the Cliff Notes:

Israel, under king Hoshea, falls to Sargon II, king of Assyria, in 721BC (II Kings 18:9-11)
Assyria begins to fall apart - Ninevah falls in 612BC, followed by city of Haran, followed by a failed counter-attack against the Babylonians, then the fall of a final city and they are defeated by Babylonians by 605BC. We'll hear more about this in Ezekiel 1 and Jeremiah 25.
"The Servitude" of the Babylonians against the southern kingdom of Judah begins within a year of the Babylonians defeating the Assyrians - the Babylonians were waging wars on more than one front. See jeremiah 25:1, 46:2.
The reign of king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began shortly after this oppression began - Jehoiakim was king of Judah (2 Kings 23:36, 2 Chronicles 36:5). The captivity comes nine years into Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. (2 Kings 24:17-19, 2 Chronicles 36:11, Jeremiah 39:1,2). Zedekiah "ruled" as a puppet of Neb in Jerusalem for 11 years, but many are taken captive to Babylon at the beginning of Zedekiah's reign (about 597bc).
Jerusalem is burned 586BC. 2 Kings 25:1-4, 8-10. Jeremiah 52:12. I assume it's abandoned.
Thus begins 70 years of no temple in Jerusalem. We'll hear about that in Jeremiah and Daniel. But apparently the reconstruction of the temple begins during the end of this 70 years, and the 70 years is complete when the temple is complete.
About 65 years after Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon, and about 4 kings later in Babylon, it falls to Darius the Meade (2 Chronicles 36:21-23, Ezra 1:1,2). What is a Meade? According to 2 Chronicles 36:20 "And those who escaped from the sword he [Nebuchadnezzer] carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia". Darius is Persian. Didn't I wonder about that yesterday? Is Persia Assyria? I thought maybe it was, but now we know that Assyria was defeated by Babylon who was defeated by Persia, which became a huge empire, and will be the empire that 200 years later is ruled by Alexander the Great.
Now, you know how names are used over and over again? Same thing in the Persian empire, too. In 13 listed kings of Persia, starting with Darius then followed by Cyrus (from Ezra, who instructed the rebuilding of the temple), there are three king Darius, two Xerxes, and three Artaxerxes. You try to figure out which Darius is from Daniel and which Xerxes is from Esther. I can't.
The chart doesn't give a timeline for when Esther's story takes place. If I had to guess, I would say the second or third Xerxes. The Jews don't seem to be oppressed and are spread out among the huge empire.
The timeline places the completion of the temple in the second Darius' rule. All of the three Xerxes reigns' occur after the temple is completed (the first is 30 years after the temple is complete).
The Artaxerxes in Nehemiah 2, according to this chart, would have been at least 45 years after the completion of the temple. Ezra would have been an old man when he read the law before the people in the presence of Nehemiah.
I'm likin' this Floyd Jones guy. Aren't you glad we got this out of the way before we get to Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel? 'Cause you know it's gonna come up again.

So, what happened to the tribes of the northern kingdom? All we heard about in Ezra and Nehemiah were from the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin and the tribe of Levi. Are the northern tribes lost forever?

Now, to the history via the book of Esther

The king's empire is vast - 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia, and I would presume that includes the territory that Judah formerly occupied, as well as the former land of the northern tribes who formed the country of Israel. This would have been a world power at the time, and the people of Judah would have been but a cog in the wheel.
Apparently the "Assyria's Next Top Model/Queen" contast to replace the dethroned Vashti required a 12 month preparation period of eligible virgins.
Esther has many admirable qualities - humility, beauty, bravery, boldness, respect, pride, patience, loyalty...
Esther finally gets her chance in front of the king. This was an overnight stay, by the way; my guess is that she was no longer a virgin. She is not sent to the second harem of concubines, but is made queen right away. Note that the beauties are surrounded by Eunuchs, who didn't have the "equipment" to interfere with the ladies, if you know what I mean.
Why did Mordecai tell Esther not to say she was Jewish? It appears the oppression of the Jews was started by Haman because Mordecai would not bow to him and it bruised his oversized ego. I'm assuming this time frame is after the Jews were allowed to go back to Jerusalem.
3:14 - if you knew the time of your slaughter, wouldn't you get lost? I guess it would be hard to get away if the decree is given to 127 provinces that on the 13th day of the 12th month your race was to be wiped out.
4:14 - Mordecai to Esther - "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this"
Pride goeth before the fall. Haman is a great example of this. The king can't sleep, so he reads a bit of the history of his reign and recounts Mordecai providing information that had saved the life of the king. He wants to know how Mordecai was rewarded for the information, and when he finds out that he wasn't rewarded, the king wants to honor him immediately. Haman must have been embarassed that the man he came to the king to ask to be killed by his hand on the gallows he had already constructed was now the man that he had to lead around for all to cheer. Haman's own family and friends had told Haman that his pride was going to cause him problem if he didn't keep it in check.
Esther's well-devised plan results in Haman's death on his own gallows, and the property and position he held went to Mordecai.
You can't revoke the kings original decree to all the killing of the jews for one day, but Mordecai is given the approval and power to give it the old college try to come up with a way to avoid the disaster. His king-approved decree was that the Jews could actively defend themselves, and even attack, on this one day and take plunder from those they defeat. The Jews take advantage and kill 75,000 throughout the provinces, but leave the plunder.
8:17 - many people become Jews because of this proclaimation.
Have you heard of the Jewish Purim. This is where it comes from. See 9:22.
Want to celebrate Purim or learn more - http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday9.htm

Okay. I finished Esther at lunch today, and have been working on this blog for 2 hours. I have 8 chapters to read in Job tonight to keep on track.

17 books completed. I think I got lost somewhere, but I counted it out tonight. Books of Law (5) - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Books of History (12) - Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Now on to the books of Wisdom: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. hey, I remembered that from memory, at 11:27pm.

I'm not even going to try to figure out when Job occurs. I don't think anyone knows. He was into sacrificing, so maybe it was during one of the few moments when Israel was on track. So it was after the exodus, and likely before the temple, since they don't mention the temple in his sacrifices.

You know the story of Job. God allows Satan to try to get Job to defy God. He takes away his family, his health, his friends and wife mock him. Job curses the day he was born, he asks God to let him die. His friends tell him he must have sinned and should appeal to God.

The rest...tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed this explanation of the timeline of Assyria/Babylon/Persia.

Day 36 ~ Walls of Jerusalem rebuilt

2007-10-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Chapter 4 - Nehemiah's wall is defended against enemies who taunt them, but the people have a mind to work. The enemies try to get them off focus of the task at hand - rebuilding the wall, and nearly do, but they devise a plan for shifts to construct and defend - one hand working, one holding a weapon.
Chapter 5 - more obstacles to stying on focus occur - shortage of food, infighting, taxes, slavery.
Apparently when the king of Assyria sent Nehemiah, he must have appointed him as governor, his length of time to be gone from Assyria looks like it was 12 years.
Chapter 6 - when he returns to Assyria, Nehemiah gives charge of Jerusalem to his brother, who was a faithful man and feared God more than many. But apparently not good enough, because we see later in chapter 13 that while Nehemiah is gone, the people quickly sway from the covenant that they sign in chapters 9 & 10.
Chapter 7 - I wondered in Ezra why the people that had returned to Jerusalem were only listed as Levites, or from Judah or Benjamin, then I remembered that they are the tribes that were carried off to Babylon, while the other 10 tribes had been carted off to Assyria. So I decided to look on a map where Babylon and Assyria were, and basically the maps show that Assyria encompasses Babylon. Now I'm more confused. At any rate, they were two segments of a kingdom if not two separate kingdoms. There is a long list of people who returned to Jerusalem with Nehemiah. I assume that the northern tribe and the southern tribe were not held together.
Ezra had arrived earlier and rebuilt the temple. Now Nehemiah rebuilds the walls, and it is time to fill the city.
A new currency is listed in vs. 71 - drachmas, minas (also listed in Ezra).
Chapter 8 - Ezra (scribe) and Nehemiah (governor) work together to read the Law and celebrate the feast of tabernacles. They helped people to understand the Law. They had not celebrated this feast of tabernacles (booths) since the time of Joshua.
Chapter 9 - the people confess their sin, recall the history of their people, and make a covenant which many of them sign - and it includes not to marry foreigners, no work or sales on the Sabbath, rest the land every 7 years, support the temple and give of their firsts to the Lord.
Chapter 10 - list of people who signed the covenant - there were many. You would think it would be enough to keep each other accountable, but it isn't
Chapter 12 - a big choir stands on the wall. More architectural descriptions given.
Chapter 13 - Nehemiah is back in the capital in the 32nd year of the kings reign, and comes back to Jerusalem to visit. The people in charge had become corrupted and had broken the covenant on several counts. Nehemiah gives new assignments to more reliable men. (We'll see how they fare).
The downfall of Solomon is given as an example of why not to marry outside of the Hebrews.

Day 35 ~ Temple and walls rebuilt

2007-10-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Ezra Chapter 1 - Cyrus, king of Persia, is instructed by God to send the Israelites who have been captive in Assyria back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple. He gathers up the stuff that had been stolen to return with the captives.
Chapter 2 - the Israelites who return are listed.
Chapter 3 - worship is restored in Jerusalem. Temple reconstruction is started. Some really loud shouting.
Chapter 4 - Resistance and opposition to the rebuilding of the temple is intense. A letter writing campaign from the advesaries of Judah delays and tries to stops the temple reconstruction.
Chapter 5 - I guess Persia is Babylon, because verse 13 lists Cyrus king of Babylon. King Darius is asked to check the archives to see if the letter from Cyrus really exists that instructs that the Jews could rebuild the temple. And it was found, and it even says that Persia will pay for the project. And, whomever alters the edict is to be destroyed. So Darius lets them complete the temple.
Chapter 6 - Haggai and Zechariah are prophets in this rebuilding time.
Temple is completed in the sixth year of Darius reign.
Passover is celebrated.
Chapter 7 - Ezra is introduced as a great scribe of God, come from Babylon with king Artaxerxes blessing to Jerusalem to teach. It appears that the Assyrians/Persians still reign over the Jews in Jerusalem, but support their religious ways. Ezra is to choose the judges in the land "beyond the river"
Chapter 8 - The families who went with Ezra to Jerusalem are listed.
Ezra and those with him camp near a river and send for Levites from Jerusalem to help fast and pray for protection as they move to Jerusalem.
Chapter 9 - it is brought to Ezra's attention that the people are intermarrying with the pagan tribes again, especially those in leadership positions. "So when I [Ezra] heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished" vs. 3. Had he not read any of the history of the people? This shouldn't have surprised him too awfully much!
Chapter 10 - those willing to turn away their pagan wives and children were to report to Ezra within 3 days or loose their property and be separated. They ask for more time and a scheduled arrangment, which they get. The guilty parties are listed.

That's the end of Ezra. What did I learn? Ezra used fasting and prayer effectively. God used a powerful king to whom the Jews would listen to prepare a new temple for His Glory. The Israelites won't listen to their own prophets, but apparently will listen to a foreign king holding them captive.

15 books down, 51 to go.

Nehemiah Chapter 1 - In the twentieth year of what? Is this before the temple is rebuilt? Or has there been more damage to the temple?

I've done a lot of reading of this challenge online using www.Biblegateway.com, reading from the New King James Version, because that's the hard copy version I started with. I've found two typographical errors so far. One is in Nehemiah chapter 1, verse 3. Can you find it?

Apparently Nehemiah has read Deuteronomy, because he is quoting it. Maybe it wasn't in that form, but he knew it.
Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. Which king?
Chapter 2 - king Artaxerxes. When the king inquires why he looks sad, Nehemiah says he wants to return home to help restore the burned city and the burial places of his family. The king says he can go, but he is to return at an assigned time. Nehemiah is bold enough to ask for a traveling safety pass and for people to supply him with what he needs for the rebuilding projects.
Hey, I remember this guy - he rebuilds the wall - Pastor Barry gave a sermon from Nehemiah that I remember.
Reference to the Refuse Gate and the Valley Gate and the Fountain Gate in Jerusalem as Nehemiah checks out the damage at night.
Chapter 3 - Repairs or building of: Sheep Gate, Fish Gate, Old Gate, Refuse Gate, Eastern Gate, Horse Gate. Many people got into the action of repairing the walls and gates: the men of power, perfumers, daughters, goldsmiths...

Important archaelogical references - the gates that Nehemiah refers to are probabaly long gone - either destroyed by the Romans, or covered up and built over. However a reference is made to the "stairs that go down from the City of David" and a man-made pool - I think those were discovered on the south side of the temple mound when some excavation was done within the last few decades. Visitors to the Jewish Quarter of the old city of Jerusalem can see a portion of the wall that was rebuilt by Nehemiah. Is the East Gate mentioned in 3:29 the closed up gate that can be viewed today? Some sources say that the masonry at the base dates from the time of Nehemiah. It's more likely that the Golden Gate was erected on the same site of the Gate that Nehemiah erected.

Here are a couple of interesting sites about the temple mount: http://www.templemount.org/visittemp.html and the southern stairs http://community.gospelcom.net/Brix?pageID=5015

Other than referring to the tribe of Levi, it seems Ezra and Nehemiah don't really pay attention to the tribes much. They list by heads of families.

Day 34 ~ What's this temple used for?

2007-09-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

We had a different type of Tribe Warfare - my home fellowship group (Roberts/Russell) challenged another home fellowship group (Hartwick) to "Survivor Arcadia" (styled by Paul and Jen Huss after the Survivor TV show) and we were judged by the Conder's and the Knapp's. We all had a fantastic time, and the weather and food couldn't have been any better. No one got injured (and that counts the 15 or more kids offsite with some awesome babysitters). I'm looking forward to having an event like this again. And I owe Alicia King a huge favor! But now, I must pay the consequence of taking a nap after church instead of getting my blog from yesterday's reading done and doing my homework for today. Team names were plucked straight from the scripture - Shallum (chief over the temple treasury) and Mattithiah (chief over the things baked in pans). I thought that was hilarious - but the "biscuit makers" kicked some Shallum rear end until the fire making challenge, where the former body guard Darrell lead us to a tie. Where will our lovely shared trophy show up next?

Okay, on to the real tribe warfare, from 2 Chronicles.

Young king Joash of Judah discovers just how badly Judah has fallen away from the Law of Moses. Collection boxes are placed for the people to bring their gifts to support the repair of the temple. "Then all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given." 24:10 - looks like the people welcomed this return to the Law.
How many of us are like king Amaziah? 25:2: "And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart"
25:12: "Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand [people of Seir] alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces" - pretty brutal
Amaziah's arrogance and stubornness cost him greatly - at the hands of the Israelites - he was captured and a large section of the wall of Jerusalem was destroyed.
Chapter 26 - Uzziah - king of Judah - as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper
Interesting facts about Uzziah - he built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall and in the desert. He dug many wells, he loved the soil. When he attempted to burn incense in the temple, he was struck with leprosy.
Chapter 27 - Jotham built the Upper Gate of the house of the Lord
Chapter 28 - Israel and Syria band together to defeat an evil king in Judah - who had resorted to sacrificing his own children to a foreign god. But God is not happy with Israel because they have viciously attacked Judah and taken captives. The Israelites quickly correct their behavior and send the captives back home.
Chapter 29 - the lamps which were to burn continually in the temple had been extinguished and the doors to the temple shut when Hezekiah cleanses the temple.
29:16 - they finished the cleansing of the temple on the 16th day of the first month, having started on the first day of the first month. They missed Passover again - why didn't they institute a passover when they were trying to get back on track (Numbers 28:16 - "On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord."
King David's words and poems were used as worship songs as early as Hezekiah (29:30: "King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David")

What I've been watching for - Passover - and everyone is invited to Jerusalem. But is this before or after the captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians? It looks like it is after the Assyrians cart off the northern kingdom (vs. 30:6). According to the timeline I've been referencing, the "final dispersion" of the northern kingdom occurs in the early years of Hezekiah's rule in the southern kingdom. Hezekiah starts the restoration of sacrificing in his first year. A month late, but at least they didn't wait, and followed the instructions to purify appropriately. Even though the people celebrating the passover didn't follow the letter of the Law, Hezekiah prayed to God for forgiveness and it was given.

30:1-5 "And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner."
2 Chronicles basically skips right over the fact that Assyria captures the northern kingdom and takes them captive. It just talks about the northern kingdom has a chance to return if they favorably accept the invitation to return to the roots of their worship.
Of course the invitations were mocked by most, but some in Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun responded, and God placed a special desire on Judah to be obedient (we know why).
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is also a name for Passover (30:13). I'll do a quick search for that phrase and see if I missed it being celebrated under that name since first entering the promised land. Yes - one time after Joshua and before Hezekiah in Solomon's day - "Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD which he had built before the vestibule, according to the daily rate, offering according to the commandment of Moses, for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the three appointed yearly feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles." (2 Chronicles 8:12-14) - I just read that! Later on: 30:26 referencing Passover: "for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem"
Perhaps this return to the Law is what allowed Judah to survive a bit longer before they are taken captive.
As he laid seige against Hezekiah in Jerusalem, King Sennacherib of Assyria tries his own version of "Tokyo Rose" to discourage the Hebrews who had returned to Godly worship. The Hebrew's faithfulness pays off, as God sends King S. back to Assyria like a puppy with his tail between his legs, and he is murdered back home.
32:30 - "Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David" - wonder if this underground system of water supply has been found?
Chapter 33 - didn't last long! Hezekiah's own son, Manasseh the new boy king, not only brings back idol worship, but sets it up right in the temple of God, sacrificed his own son, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying.
however, after being dragged off in chains by the Assyrians, Manasseh gets the picture and begs for mercy from God, which he was granted.
33:14 - some more architectural notes: "After [repentance] this he built a wall outside the City of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it enclosed Ophel, and he raised it to a very great height"
Chapter 34 - geez, these people are either hot or cold. They go full tilt in one direction or the other, and pretty quickly. Again, all Law appears to have been abandoned, for within 18 years of Manahasseh's death, the book of the Law apparently was lost and finally found.
Imagine what it would be like if you found a book and read it and discovered that what you were doing would lead to your doom. What would you do?
Josiah keeps a passover in chapter 35. 35:18 - "There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." What about Hezekiah's Passover? Was it disqualified because it was held in the second month?
I think we're going to hear about King Josiah some more in Lamentations Jeremiah. 35:25 - "Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments."
Egypt installs a puppet king in Judah after Josiah is killed in battle against Pharoah Necho.

There are some pretty interesting people to do a detailed study on - King Necho, Sennacherib, Josiah, Hezekiah, Ahaz...

King Nebuchadnezzar appears to do a back door attack on Judah already subdued by Egypt, and carries off parts of Judah (including the puppet king) and some stuff from the temple to Babylon with little fanfare from the Chronicler.
Apparently Nebuchadnezzar continues to cart stuff back to Babylon from Judah over several years. Where is Egypt protecting their interests here? Maybe they had already taken what they wanted and were no longer interested.
God sent powerful prophets to try a last-ditch effort to save Judah, but they refused.
The people of Judah will be slaves in Babylon until the rule of Persia. Wonder when that is. Perhaps Persia defeats Babylon. Also, Jeremiah must make some prophesy about how long Judah remains captive that has to do with 70 years. (36:21)
Enter King Cyrus of Persia, whom it appears God has instructed to rebuild Jerusalem and a temple.

14 books completed, 52 left to go. And I'm caught back up with my challenge (I got the reading done yesterday, but not the blog).

Day 33 ~ Rose Colored Glasses

2007-09-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

The writer(s) of 2 Chronicles offer a bit rosier picture of the history of Israel, this book favoring the history of Judah over the northern kingdom.

7:7 - "Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat." Why? Were there too many animals being sacrificed to keep up?
Still looking for clues to see if a Passover had been held. 7:8-10 mentions a 7 day feast, but it was held in the seventh month (feast of trumpets followed by tabernacles?). Passover is in the first month. Not mentioned in 8:13 either. Does Passover go by any other name?
7:14 - "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
8:11 "Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, 'My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy.' " Was she not holy? She was likely an idol worshipper - did Solomon acknowledge her uncleanliness?

Notice how in the passage today it fails to mention that Solomon becomes an idol worshipper. In fact, the book of 2 Chronicles seems to shed a better light on the history than I & II Kings, more so for the nation of Judah.

Chapter 9 - Queen of Sheba visits Solomon. I read somewhere that the Queen and Solomon had a child together. Neither of the accounts that we've read so far come out an say that, and don't really imply it either. However, in 9:12 it says "Now King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired" - Did she desire a child with him. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, it wasn't as if this would have been out of the realm of possibility.
9:21 - why do they import monkeys? And why is it important to list that they import monkeys?
Sounds like Solomon has created a fee for being in his presence (9:24)
11:13-15 - did I miss this detail before? The Levites abandon the northern kingdom when the division occurs and move to the Southern kingdom.
Civil war between Judah and Israel leaves 500,000 dead.
14:9 - a 1,000,000 man army comes out of Ethopia against Judah. They are defeated by God's intervening hand.
15:2b: "The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you."
Approximately only 35 -45 years after Solomon did so much sacrificing that an additional altar had to be consecrated, the altar had fallen into disuse and disrepair (15:8)
Chapter 16 - because Judah relied on alliances with foreign countries instead of God, they will be plagued with wars for their foolishness
Chapter 17 - 1,000,000 troops or more are available in Judah
Chapter 18 - Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) / Ahab (king of Israel) alliance - how in the world did Jehoshaphat end up marrying a daughter of Ahab, the enemy king?
Only one prophet of God in all Israel.
20:3 - a fast is called for.
God likes the sincere attention and works a great victory as a reward for their seeking Him. Judah didn't fight, just collected the loot.
Again - Jehoshaphat allies with Ahab's evil successor? Why? The result was the jointly built sea fleet was destroyed.
Chapter 21 - Jehoram was a lousy king which caused a plague of intestinal distress to come upon his people, as well as attacks by the Philistines and Arabians.
21:20 - Jehoram, "to no one's sorrow, departed."
The Lord allows the lineage of Christ to flow through Judah in spite of themselves. He has to arrange to have a boy hidden for years from his murderous mother to do so.
23:15 - mention of the Horse Gate in Jerusalem; 23:20 mention of the Upper Gate.

Day 32 ~ Order, structure, schedules

2007-09-28T18:52:00.001-07:00

Chapter 22 - Although David didn't build the temple, he gathered all the needed materials.
Perhaps David planted the idea of asking for wisdom and understanding in Solomon (22:12)
23:5 - musical instruments " 'which I made' said David, 'for giving praise' " - what does this mean? Did David actually make the instruments?
23:31 - mention of feasts and festivals, but not specifically passover. I'm looking for evidence that a passover was held after the one described in Joshua 5 when the Israelites first came in to the promised land.
25:1 - how do you prophesy with a harp?
25:8 - when given shifts for work of the musicians of the temple "the small as well as the great, the teacher with the student" - I like the idea of them working together.
In the assignments of the leaders of tribes in 27:18 "over Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers". Why isn't this brother listed in 2:23-24?
28:12 - apparently the plans for the temple were give to David by the Holy Spirit. 28:19 - “All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans.”
28:20 - we've seen this many times, and it bears worth repeating, this time the charge by David to Solomon: "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God—my God—will be with you."
29:2 - marble for the temple - I don't remember marble from before.
29:9 "Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly"
29:14 But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.
How do you sacrifice 1000 of three different types of animals in one day? Aren't they limited to the one altar at the tabernacle? (29:21)
"Now the acts of King David, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer" 29:29 - where are these books - Nathan, Gad? We have Samuel, it's been made into two books.

1 Chronicles done. It was basically from beginning through David. My guess is that 2 Chronicles will be Solomon through the captivity of Israel and Judah. 13 books down, 53 to go.

Chapter 1 - Why is the tabernacle in Gibeon? It was in Jerusalem in the last chapter of 1 Chronicles. Wonder why and how it got to Gibeon. Did Solomon take it there as a memorial gesture?
1:16 - the kingdom was so rich in Solomon's day that they didn't even try to pay discount - just pay the full price!
Chapter 2 - Solomon asks Hiram, king of Tyre, to send him the supplies and skilled workers needed for the temple building project. I would think he should have asked God to send him the workers he needed.
Chapter 3 - additional detailed description of the temple construction and decor. Gold from Parvaim this time, not Ophir. Did they use up all the gold that David had accumulated from Ophir?
The cheribum in the holy of holies face inward (they have 10 cubit wingspans which touch the walls on each side of the room and the other cheribum's wing in the middle). Trying to picture that is like they would be looking to their sides, not forward.
What is the significance of the names of the pillars outside the temple: Jachin and Boaz? Jachin shows up as a son of Simeon, and Boaz was David's great-grandfather. What is the significance of pomegranates?
Chapter 4 - what are the great sea and the lavers used for? 4:6 - "He also made ten lavers, and put five on the right side and five on the left, to wash in them; such things as they offered for the burnt offering they would wash in them, but the Sea was for the priests to wash in". That was easy.
Chapter 5 - the temple is complete. God enters his glory and inhabits his new home with much sacrificing and fanfare.
Chapter 6 - it seems like a humble act for the great king Solomon to kneel before the nation and offer this great prayer of dedication to God. The prayer reminds me of another choir song.
6:36-39 is more real than Solomon imagines - if your people are carried off to captivity and turn from their wicked ways, hear their prayer and forgive them. Will the captives in Assyria and Babylon turn from their wicked ways and be returned? Let's get on with the repeats and get to some new history!

Day 31 ~ More timeline pretzel, David revisited

2007-09-27T15:47:00.000-07:00

9:2 "And the first inhabitants who dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and the Nethinim." What does this mean? whose possession? whose cities? Is this the Israelites returning to the promised land, or is this the first round of captives shipped off to Babylon, or are these people who never left during the captivity? Review of a couple of different translations show these were the first to return to Jerusalem, and the following verses outline specifically who returned. Nethinim were the helpers in the temple, possibly not Israelites.
There is no talk of the high priest, just the service/guard types.

Where are we? We keep going back and forth in time and it is confusing me! These Levites that are coming back to care for the temple - I thought that the temple was destroyed by fire and the walls torn down then the people were taken into captivity to Babylon (II Kings 25:8-10). So what do they have to do? Then we go back and talk about Saul again, who has been dead for hundreds of years. I checked a few of the names in the Levites job list, and didn't find those that I looked for mentioned prior to 1 Chronicles 9, so it would seem to indicate that they weren't around prior to captivity.

Maybe this captivity was done in stages. After the death of Josiah (who cleaned up the temple and instituted a passover), a pharoah appointed a king to replace Josiah (2 Kings 23:34), so they were being ruled by a puppet controlled by the Egyptians first.

I've got to let this go or I'll be up all night!

We don't stick with Saul long - basically the story of the desecration of his body. Now we're off to get some more details on David's reign.
10:11 Tamarisk tree alert!
Maybe all that levitical stuff in chapter 9 had to do with when David moved the tabernacle to Jerusalem.
Chapter 12 tells us how big the army of David was when he was told at Hebron by the Lord he would overtake the throne, with soldiers from many (I'm not gonna check and see if it's all) the tribes.
Chapter 15:1 - David built houses (note plural) for himself in Jerusalem, but pitched a tent for God.
15:13 - the reason David gives for God striking the man who tried to steady the falling Ark when it was brought to Jerusalem was because the priests failed to ask God about the proper order. He asks them to get it right when the move the Ark after stowing it for three months.
David asks the Levites to create a music department for the tabernacle. singers, instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, cymbals - raising the voice with resounding joy. Also listed were trumpets, horn
Chapter 16 - after the big celebration of bringing the Ark to the tabernacle in Jerusalem, every man and woman in Israel were given a loaf of bread, a piece of meat and a cake of raisins.
17:8 " Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!" 24-25 "Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods." - part of a psalm to the Lord, also a tune from a choir song using this passage comes to mind.
The word Gentile is used in the Psalm in vrese 35. Have we seen this before? (Yes, three times in New King James version: Genesis 10:5, Deuteronomy 32:43, 2 Samuel 22:50)
Chapter 18 - David extends the kingdom all the way east to the river Euphrates. Somewhere before we read that the land was expanded because of all of the flocks - this would have been pasture land for Manasseh, Reuben, Gad.
What's the difference between a recorder and a scribe?
Joab doesn't come off as badly as he did in II Kings.
Chapter 21:1 "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel". It is pretty clear here that this census didn't come from God. Even Joab questions David why they need the census.
Somewhere here we've gone back in time again, because in 21:29, after the evil census, the tabernacle is in Gibeon.
1,100,000 swordsmen in Israel; 470,000 in Judah. Why was the count given in context of the the divided kingdom when it wasn't divided at this time?
Joab was so unhappy with David's decision to do the census that he didn't count Levi and Benjamin. Levi I understand, they are the priests. But why not Benjamin. Was Joab from the tribe of Benjamin?
God strikes Israel because of the census.

Day 30 ~ Common-lands, blah blah blah, common-lands...

2007-09-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

We've left the divided kingdom in suspended animation in captivity - I know from the timeline I've been using that they will return, but I don't think that has been obvious from what we've read. Let's go back to the beginning to our favorite type of reading...geneaology! This is a short reading, and I know why. The readings were based on about 350 verses each, with each reading ending at the end of a chapter. The verses in this section were really short.

1:10 - Nimrod began to be a "mighty one." Was that name used in reference to giants? I don't think so - he was described as a mighty hunter in Genesis 10
1:14 - in the "begot" of Canaan, why does it switch from proper names to "ites"
1:19 - in the days of Peleg the earth was divided. This was before Abram but after the flood. Was it Babel that divided them?
Lots of names are used over and over - Sheba and Dedan popped out to me in 1:9 & 32
1:38 - who is Seir? It doesn't list him as being a child of anyone, but gives his descendants. Seir is only listed other places as a location in Edom (named after Esau). Genesis 36:21 lists Seir the Horite. I'm assuming he comes from Esau. Why is he singled out in this list?
2:4 - Tamar - what was her story - why is she listed here? Oh yea, she was the widowed daughter-in-law of Judah who posed as a prostitute and got Judah to impregnate her. Their son Perez (Genesis 38) is in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:3, Luke 3:33)
The names of king David's brothers are supplied in 2:13-14
Prayer of Jabez is found in 4:10: "And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested."
Geez, I want to see a big family tree!
5:26 - Pul, King of Assyria, carried off Reuben, Gad and 1/2 Manasseh way before the two kingdoms fell.
6:31 - Did David instituted tabernacle musicians? I don't recall anyone being assigned these tasks when the Levites were given specific jobs.

common-lands, blah blah blah, common-lands, blah blah blah, common-lands...

7:13 - one whole verse for Naphtali. What is the story there?

Beth Shean 7:29 - one of my favorite places to visit was the site of Beth Shean. Most of the ruins that we saw were from the Roman periods in first century AD, at the foot of the "tel" ( a mound where ancient cities built on top of one another), but there were also ruins there from the time of King David and before at the tel. This is where the dead bodies of king Saul and his son Jonathan were hund (1 Samuel 31:10). Here's some info: http://www.jewishmag.com/39mag/shean/shean.htm or better pictures at http://www.bibleplaces.com/bethshean.htm

Benjamin is listed both in 7:6-12 and 8:1-28, but the lists don't match. Why? (7:6 "The sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, and Jediael—three in all"; 8:1 "Now Benjamin begot Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah[a] the third, 2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth"). And why is there no mention that Benjamin is practially wiped out when teh concubine of the Levite is raped?

Day 29 ~ 450 years without a Passover

2007-09-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of handy charts on the kings of Israel and Judah. http://www.lightuntomypath.us/kingsjudahisrael.htm
http://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/israel-kings.html

more duplicate king names...resist the urge to create a spreadsheet...
chapter 14:8 - just because you beat the Edomites, don't think you can take on others - the king of Judah gets big headed and takes on the kingdom of Israel and is Judah is soundly defeated. The king of Israel warned the king of Judah, but he wouldn't listen.
Wow...not only did the king of Israel defeat Judah, he came in and destroyed part of the wall around Jerusalem and sacked the temple
Chapter 15 - Azariah is king of Judah for 52 years, but hides out in the palace with leprosy while his son Jotham judged the people. Then Jotham reigned after him another 16 years (:33)
We get a list of kings of Israel, all wicked (part of that bad kings for four generation curse from God, :12)...Zechariah (6 months), killed by Shallum, who reigned for 1 month, killed by Menahem (who killed pregnant women and ripped out their babies, as predicted) reigned 10 years. He raised taxes to pay off the king of Assyria who was threatening the land. He dies a natural death (for once) and is replaced by his son Pekahiah, killed after 2 years by the son of his officer named Pekah. Pekah reigns 20 years. Assyria comes back and steals a few cities away from Israel during his reign. Hoshea kills Pekah and reigns in his place.
While Pekah is king in Israel, Jotham (who covered for his father king Azariah the leper) comes to rule in Judah and rules for 16 years. He was mostly good, but there was still idolatry. He built the Upper Gate of the house of the Lord.
Pekah (Israel) joins the king of Syria and strikes against Judah. Jotham is killed and his son Ahaz takes the throne.
Chapter 16 - Ahaz reigns in Judah 16 years and was a bad king, and worshiped idols himself. The king of Israel and Syria attack again, but can't overcome Ahaz, but do take some of Judah's territory.
Ahaz pulls the back door trick and appeals to the king of Assyria who has twice struck at Israel in the last two reigns to save him from Israel and Syria. The king accepts silver and gold from the treasures of Judah's kingdom (can't be much left to give!). Assyria attacks Syria, kills their king and takes their capitol, Damascus.
This can't be good - while looking over the taken city of Damascus, Ahaz sees and altar he likes and has it replicated in Jerusalem and then makes offerings on it. He makes the old altar a crystal ball of sorts. Why didn't the priest Urijah stop this?
Apparently under pressure from Assyria, the king of Judah begins to disassemble portions of the temple.
Ahaz dies naturally, then his son Hezekiah reignes in his place. Looks like they are really a puppet of the king of Assyria now. Which is interesting, because the northern kingdom will fall to the Assyrians first, not the southern kingdom. Will there be a double cross?
Chapter 17 - Well, didn't have to wait long for that...the next king of Israel, Hoshea, conspires against Assyria who is still asking for tribute money. The king of Assyria (Shalmaneser, 18:9) finds out about the conspiracy and besieged Samaria, then takes Israel captive back to Assyria. This is in about 721 BC. We get a long recounting of how Israel disobeyed God repeatedly and in many different ways which led up to this capture, even after repeated warnings to turn from their evil.
Assyria moves in to Israel and occupies it, but sends the people of Israel (northern tribes) out. God still claims the land and sends lions to plague the Assyrians in His promised land. The Assyrian king was smart enough to get a priest from Israel and send him back to Samaria to teach the Assyrians how to sacrifice to God to perhaps get Him to ease up on the lion attacks.
It was a melting pot of religions (including a fear of the Lord, but not a reference for Him) with the multiple allies of Assyria also occupying the taken territory.
Chapter 8 - I predicted it...the bronze snake image that Moses cast at God's command had become an idol in Judah, but a decent king, Hezekiah, destroys it and the other areas of idolatry in Judah.
Hezekiah held off the hand of the Assyrians (who set their sights on Israel and overtake them) and subdued the Philistines. But after only eight years, king Sennacherib of Assyria captures the fortified cities of Judah. Hezekiah strips the gold from the doors of the temple along with other silver and gold and pays it to the Assyrian king...this does no good and the king continues to harass Judah.
Apparently there is some sort of allied treaty with Egypt and Judah, but Egypt was described as weak (18:21)
Chapter 19 - enter a new prophet, Isaiah. My guess is he's pretty good, since he has a whole book named after him, and it's still at least 110 years before Judah falls. Isaiah prophesies of the death of the Assyrian king, who has blasphemed God.
Hezekiah prays fervently to God, but God doesn't speak directly to him - he speaks through Isaiah.
19:31: for out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant (is this Messianic?)
The Lord strikes 185,000 dead overnight in Sennacherib, camp against Jerusalem, and he returns to Nineveh. He is killed by his own son, Esarhaddon, who ascends the throne.
Chapter 20 - Hezekiah, near death, appeals for a longer life and God grants him 15 more years. God shows a sign of his promise by making a shadow go backward 10 degrees.
For some stupid reason, Hezekiah shows a new foreign leader, of Babylon, all his treasures. Where does he keep getting these treasures? Not so long ago he had stripped the gold from the temple doors. God tells Hezekiah that Babylon will carry all these treasures off as well as some of Hezekiah's descendants, who will serve the Babylonian king as eunuchs.
Apparently Hezekiah did something cool with water in Jerusalem. He dies (extended by 15 years), and his son Manasseh took the throne at the age of 12.
Chapter 21 - Manasseh was a bad king, reintroducing idolatry, including in the temple of the Lord.
21:41 - God will forsake the remnant of His inheritance because of their evil deeds.
A 55-year reign of evil ends, and Manasseh's son Amon takes his place, following the same evil path. He is murdered after 2 years and replaced by Josiah.
Chapter 22 - But Josiah, only 8 when he was placed on the throne, did right in God's eyes. He has repairs made to the temple of the Lord, and guess what they find? The Book of the Law!
Interesting - Jerusalem is broken up into quarters - as it still is today (22:14). A female prophet named Huldah. She tells of the unquenched anger of God to come, but also prophesies that the good king Josiah will not have to witness it.
Chapter 23 - the king gathers the elders and does something that hasn't been done in probably a long time - and which is to be done at least every seven years if I remember correctly - he reads the book of the Law.
Josiah cleans house - gets rid of the idols within the temple, the high places, removes the corrupt officials.
Passover is reinstituted. 23:21

Passover had not been practiced since the time of the judges. Ouch. Let's see, the first king (ending the time of the judges) was Saul about 1095 BC per my OT chronology CD. We're at least 18 years into Josiah's reign (22:3; 23:24); or Josiah was 18 years old, which would be about 10 years into his reign, so about 630 BC. Josiah found the book of the Law, he wasted no time clearing out the country. A quick scan for the word "Passover" shows that the last time it was used was way back in Joshua 5, when the Israelites first crossed into the promised land and celebrated Passover in their new territory. This is disgusting - did they really quit celebrating the important festival for 450 years? Why even go to the trouble of having all the sacrifices? Perhaps they did it just to try to appease God. Not even David turned to the Law as did Josiah. Is there any evidence to the contrary that the Passover feast was celebrated in this timeframe?

But, it's not enough. God's fury is still hot.
If there was a sort of treaty in the past with Pharoah, it's over now. For some reason, while Pharoah is battling Assyria, Josiah tries to take on Pharoah. I'm sure we'll see details of this in the Chronicles, but Josiah dies in battle.
Jehoahaz, Josiah's son, returns to evil as he rules for a short three months. The Pharoah imprisoned him and taxes Judah, and sets another son of Josiah, Eliakim/Jehoiakim on the throne. He was also evil, and ruled with heavy taxes for Egypt for 11 years.
Chapter 24 - Ah, here he is...Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The end is near. The egyptians leave Judah alone now because Nebuchadnezzar has plundered them as well.
Jehoiachin replaces his father as king after Jehoahaz' death, as short three month reign beseiged by Nebuchadnezzar, and are taken prisoner.
Why has the author consistently given the names of the mothers of these kings?
All of Jerusalem (except the poorest people) and the treasures are carted off to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzer wants the soldiers, craftsmen, and ablebodied only.
Mattaniah is made king over Judah in Jehoiachin's place by Nebuchaddnezzar. Neb changes his name to Zedekiah. He'll change the names of the captives when they get to Babylon too. No surprise that he doesn't follow God, but somewhat surprising that he does rebel so quickly.
Chapter 25 - not a good ideal to rebel - it drew Neb's attention back to Jerusalem.
Good info for cross referencing other historical records - in the fifth month, seventh day of the ninetheenth year of Nebuchadnezzer's rule in Babylon, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and the walls of Jerusalem were broken. By my handy chart, this was 586BC.
More captives were carted off from Jerusalem. Some were left to farm and care for the vineyards for Babylon's use.
Where is Riblah? Is it halfway between Jerusalem and Babylon?
I'm not sure, but it looks like those left behind fled for Egypt because of the Chaldeans.
Apparently Nebuchadnezzer is no longer on the throne, and a new king of Babylon, Merodach, releases the deposed king Jehoiachin of Judah from prison after 37 years, and Merodach gives him a place of honor in his cabinet. Don't understand that logic.

That is the end of 2 Kings. 12 books down, 54 to go. From all the times we read "are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah" I think we're going to get some ugly details of the failed time of the kings.

Day 28 ~ Teasing bald men can be deadly

2007-09-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Chapter 1 - Moab attacks - there is an enemy who was waiting for an opportunity - Ahab's death
The Lord reminds the king of Israel that there is still a God over the land through his prophet Elijah. It costs Ahaziah 100 men and his own life
Chapter 2 - Elijah seems like he is trying to get rid of Elisha - he tries to get him to stay behind three times, but Elisha won't leave his side.
The third and fourth time that the Lord parts water so people can cross on dry land occurs in 2:8 through Elijah, and vs 14 by Elisha. The mantle is passed to Elisha. Literally
Elijah is taken with a chariot of fire in a whirlwind to heaven. He is the second prophet to not die - Enoch was the first (Genesis 5:24)
It isn't clear to me - did Elisha get the double portion of spirit?
Elisha was a bit touchy about his bald head - 42 youths who teased him were mauled by bears (2:24)
Chapter 3 - Jehoram is a bad king, but not super bad like his father. I guess that's a compliment of sorts. And he isn't as bad as Ahab's other son, Ahaziah, who king Jehoshaphat of Judah would not work with, but this replacement is good enough that the two kingdoms unite together with the king of Edom in battle agains the Moabites.
The three kings realize they are in a weaked situation and send for a prophet of God (should have done that before you went marching into the desert for 7 days). Elisha won't deal with the evil king of Israel, but will prophesy for the king of Judah.
Chapter 4 - the widow and the blessing from Elisha to fill the oil jars. Don't be short-sighted! When the jars ran out, so did the oil.
The Shunammite woman was so hospitable to Elisha when he traveled his circuit, that she prepared a room for him to use whenever he was in town. Her blessing was a son, who was later injured on his head and died. The woman goes to Elisha at Mt. Carmel to get Elisha because she knows he can perform miracles in God's name. Elisha was able to perform the miracle of raising the boy.
Chapter 5 - why does Naaman want two loads of earth (5:17). He wants to follow God after being healed, but if pressured, he will bow to the false gods and is asking forgiveness in advance (5:18). Reminds me of the Left Behind books when people refuse to deny Christ - they don't deny him and are killed. Naaman's commitment is only skin deep.
Gehazi - a hanger-on to Elisha, gets greedy and gets leprosy.
Chapter 6 - what is the point of the floating ax head?
It would have been pretty cool to see the army of the Lord revealed as described in vs. 17. This again reminds me of the Left Behind books.
Why does the king call Elisha "father" (6:21)
A famine so severe comes on the land that the price is given for a donkey's head - I'm assuming that the people were so desperate that they would actually sell a donkey's head to eat for a large sum. Only 5 horses are left in all the city (7:13) It gets worse: in verse 6:29, the people are resorting to cannibalism.
The raider warfare wasn't working, so Syria besieged Samaria, and this only compounds the famine. The king thinks that killing God's prophet will help?
Chapter 7 - God again plays with one of the senses to fool the Syrians - in chapter 6 he made them blind then restored their sight in the presence of their enemy; here their hearing makes them think they are surrounded by a great army and they leave Samaria. The plunder from the abandoned camp ends the famine as Elisha prophesied.
Chapter 8 - It would seem that chapter 8 backtracks a bit - Elisha must have told the woman to leave before the famine described in chapters 6 & 7. For one, the king is talking to the hanger-on of Elisha, Gerhazi, and we know that he has leprosy (chapter 5) and would no way have audience with the king.
The kingdom of Syria gets a wicked king - Hazael, sent by Syria's king Ben-Hadad, was sent with gifts to Elisha to see if the king would be healed of his sickness. Elisha prophesies that he will not die of his sickness, but he won't live. He says that Hazael will take over the throne and will be a terribly violent leader. Hazael doesn't waste any time - he goes back with the news that Ben won't die of his sickness, then kills the king in his sleep and takes the throne.
Judah breaks it's string of okay (as opposed to really bad) leaders when Jehoshaphat's son marries a daughter of evil king Ahab (northern kingdom) and rules after his father. Downhill from there.
Two bad kings of Judah and Israel unite to fight against the killer Hazael of Syria. Both Hebrew kings return home injured or sick.
Chapter 9 - some more blood for the dogs to lick up in the stolen field of Naboth. Jehu, anointed as king by word of Elisha, kills both the king of the northern and the southern kingdoms. Which kingdom will he rule over? The prophecy about Jezebel's death comes true at the hands of Jehu as well.
There should be a rule about unique names in the Bible. To make this ruling power timeline more complicated, there is an Ahaziah in both the northern and southern kingdom. And similar names: Joash/Jehoash/Jehoahaz - I'm tired and I can't keep these straight!
Chapter 10 - another prophecy comes true at the hands of Jehu - the family lines of Ahab (north) and Ahaziah (south) are wiped out (well, except for Joash, who was hidden for several years and then later rules in the southern kingdom - see chapter 11). Jehu cleans house by killing Baal worshippers, but he doesn't clear out the golden calves of Jeroboam. God rewards the good work that he did by promising that Jehu's family would rule in the northern Israel for four generations.
10:32 - important to note that the Lord was cutting off parts of the land given to the tribes - all the land of Gilead given to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh is lost. This is the land outside of the promised land to the east of the Jordan. I don't think it will ever be regained.
Chapter 11 - hey, a devilish queen for a little while in the southern kingdom (Athaliah). She kills her own kids to ascend the throne (misses one!) A new priest, Jehoiada, comes on the scene in Judah, and he goes behind the back of Athaliah under heavy guard and crowns the seven-year-old boy Joash as king. Athaliah is killed.
Chapter 12 - Jehoiada must have been a puppet master for awhile to the young king, but he cleans the place up a bit, and Joash (there are descrepancies in the spelling) tries to be a good king, but he's a sissy. He has the temple repaired, only to turn around and give up all the stuff to the king Hazael of Syria who threatens to attack Jerusalem. Why attack when a threat delivers the booty?
Another killing of a king by inside men. Joash is history.
What happened with Elisha? He's been off the scene since appointing Jehu king in early chapter 9.
Chapter 13 - oh, there is Elisha, but he's sick and gonna die. Joash calls him "father" too. I'm too tired to try to decipher the last few paragraphs...but I did read them!

Day 27 ~ Divided Kingdom

2007-09-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

We cover alot of years and kings in the divided kingdoms in today's passage from 1 Kings 12 - 22. I thought I'd come back and recap the kings, and looked for an online chart to reference. Of course, I see fault with the nice chart I found (based on a chronology of John Bright).

The Bible lists our last king of Israel in our passage today as "Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel (22:51). Back a few verses (22:42) "Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem." This chart listed Ahaziah from 850 to 849BC (we count backwards before AD), and Jehoshaphat from 879-843BC. 850BC could not have been the 17th year of Jehoshaphat's reign by this chart. Maybe the books of I & II Chronicles, which are referenced continually in the text, provides a different timeline. It contradicts the text, so I'm going to move on, but if you want to see what I'm talking about: http://www.cresourcei.org/israelitekings.html. It lists the split of the kingdoms at 922BC.

Things the charts I referenced online did agree to: the fall of Samaria to the Assyrians (northern kingdom capital) in 721/722BC and the fall of Jerusalem to Babylonians (southern capital) in 586/587BC. To further confuse me, there are two kings named Ahaziah, one in each kingdom, but we haven't been introduced to the second one yet. So, why can't they do the math? Apparently we don't get the start/end/length data we need.

I'll reference my handy CD from the Chronology of the Old Testament book...right on target...Ahaziah is right where he should be in reference to Jehoshaphat. At least there is no contradiction of the math given in chapter 22. It lists the split of the kingdoms at 975BC. I've seen about a 50 year difference in the different timelines for the start dates, this being the earliest date.

9 kings (all of them bad) in these 10 chapters in Israel (including the short-lived split within Israel); 4 kings (2 of them bad) in Judah.

Rehoboam leaves Jerusalem to go to Shechem to be inaugurated - why? Why wouldn't they do that in Israel where the temple and palace were?
12:4 - apparently Solomon had high taxes to pay for all the opulence
Rehoboam shows he's an idiot from the beginning - let's rule with fear!
The split occurs - Judah & Benjamin (called Judah) vs. the other ten tribes (called Israel)
To keep the religious people of Israel (northern kingdom) from going to Jerusalem to sacrifice (in Judah, southern kingdom), Jeroboam created two new sights within the northern kingdom, extended the ability to be a priest outside the tribe of Levi, and instituted a rival system of feasts.
Chapter 13 - the Lord shows his displeasure with the idolatrous altars built by Jeroboam.
Chapter 14 - when his son becomes sick, Jeroboam sends his wife in disguise to Shiloh - wouldn't this be in Judah? Does this mean that he goes to the true religion when he knows he needs help? God foreshadows the captivity of the northern kingdom (by Nebuchadnezzar I think).
For more details on Jeroboam's and Rehoboam's reign, see Chronicles (14:19; 29)
King Rehoboam of the southern kingdom was no better. He also had idol altars, and within 5 years of his reign, all the wealth of he palace had been taken off by the Egyptians.
Why was the name of Rehoboam's mother given two times? (14:21, 31)
Chapter 15 - hey, one of the kings of Judah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord! Asa. But when at war with Israel, he sent the riches out of Judah into Damascus under a treaty with the Syrians. It doesn't seem likely that the riches will be coming back.
We get a back and forth between the history of Israel and Judah. On the northern side, Jeroboam's entire family is wiped when Baasha murdered the son of Jeroboam, Nadab, and ascends the throne.
Chapter 16. Baasha's family line is also wiped out when his son Elah, who inherited the throne from his father, is murdered while drunk by his servant Zimri, who takes over the northern throne, sort of. He lasted 7 days - the people chose a different king, Omri, and Zimri kills himself. But there was division in Omri's reign and the northern kingdom split temporarily, but Ormi defeated the rival. The kingdom headquarters moves to a new city called Samaria.
As predicted in Joshua 6:6, Jericho was rebuilt, and the man who built it was cursed
Each king is worse than the next, especially in Israel.
Chapter 17 - the Lord sends sends a drought up0n the land and protects a new prophet, Elijah. But in this chapter, he is only making a difference in the lives of a woman and her son, whom God revives after death.
Chapter 18 - how did Obadiah know Elijah (he recognized him as a man of God, like himself).
Jezebel must be the wife of evil king Ahab (16:31), and an idol worshipper. Will we learn more about her in Chronicles? Apparently she has killed other prophets (18:13) and Obadiah hid more than 150 prophets from her.
One man of God, Elijah, shows up the 450 prophets of Baal, who could not get their false god to respond to their acts of worship. (The story of the altar and the wet sacrifice which God lites afire.)
Chapter 19 - Jezebel is not happy with Elijah because he killed the prophets of her false religion - baal, and promises to kill Elijah, who runs for the hills.
19:4 - a new type of tree: broom tree. I am resisting the urge to see what this is.
Elijah rests for several days, and the Lord passes by him and tells Elijah to go and anoint some new kings in Syria (has Israel taken over Syria?) and Israel, as well as his own successor as prophet, Elisha.
19:18 - 7,000 (0nly 7,000?) remain in Israel who have not turned to foreign gods.
Chapter 20 - I'm confused by this threat by the king of Syria. Why does Ahab decide he's going to to what God wants now? And why would he enter into a treaty with someone so close to being wiped out. Because he will only follow the power that he thinks will give him what he wants. The wall at Aphek must have been huge - it fell and killed 27,000 soldiers (20:30)
Chapter 21 - big pouty baby king Ahab (vs. 4) tells his wife with the go-get 'em attitude he wants the neighbors land, and she arranges to have the man killed on false charges.
I don't really buy that Ahab was really being humble - it seems like he was just placating to save his neck. But God would know his intent. So, God will hold off the cutting off of Ahab's name until his Ahab is done and the punishment will be on his sons.
Chapter 20 - why does it say that the king of Judah went "down" to visit the king of Israel, when Israel is to the north. Judah must be a higher elevation. When Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, the two split kingdoms worked together to take a site in Syria. Didn't the north have a treaty with Syria?
Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa, who was a good king in Judah. Apparently he didn't see a godly man in the prophets that the king of Israel asked to inquire of the Lord concerning going against the Syrians. They must have all been a bunch of "yes" men. Except for one, who always prophesied against Ahab. When this prophet agrees with the "yes" men, Ahab knew he had to be lying because he never agreed with them.
So, after all this, which showed that the one godly prophet told them not to fight, why did they fight? Anyhoo, Ahab is killed in battle as the prophet said he would be, and dogs like his blood as God said they would (21:19) When will Jezebel get eaten by dogs (21:23)? Probably in one of the Chronicles.
Jehoshaphat did not strike a deal with Ahab's evil son (22:49).
They've been waring against each other and against the Syrians. What has kept the Philistines, the Edomites and the Egyptians busy all this time that they have not struck against the divided kingdom?

I just realized we finished 1 Kings...11 books completed, 55 to go.

Day 26 ~ Temple is built; Solomon gives in to the ladies

2007-09-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

I spent a good part of the day at the Earth Festival in Atlanta with my daughter and it was nice to visit, even for a short while, with my Uncle Larry and Aunt Mary, Uncle Jim & Aunt Vonne Ann, my cousin Donna and her husband Randy and their son Michael. Uncle Larry showed Grace the very trick I talked about way back in Leviticus where you make it look like one arm shrinks. He also kept popping out his false teeth, and she kept sticking out her lower jaw trying to replicate the trick. I ate way too much and I have heartburn. I'll admit I'm tempted to say "I read it", it was about Solomon, the new temple, a glorious compound for himself, the queen of Sheba, and 700 wives, but I'll add a few (ha) points. This section hits on much that can be used in the field of archaeology, which is interesting to me.

4:7 - Ben-Hur - is this the guy from the book and the movie, or was that just fiction?
Solomon breaks up the nation into 12 provinces with governors. Why didn't he break them up by tribes? Each province is assigned one month to supply materials to the king.
5:6 - when you want the best job done, go to the experts.
Chapter 6 - 480 years after the exodus is when Solomon started the temple, in the fourth year of his reign. This has to be a solid point in the pretzel timeline of old testament events. It took seven years to build the temple.

All this discussion of the temple that Solomon built takes me back nearly ten years ago to our trip to the Holy Land and the temple mount. Solomon's temple was destroyed and it had been rebuilt in the time of Jesus, but the "wailing wall" is believed to be the stone base of the temple mount that was described as being built by Solomon. There is a large area (near/under?) the temple mount that was believed to be one of Solomon's stables (10:26). http://www.templemount.org/solstables.html

I did a few searches for some artists rendition that is matching the picture in my minds eye of how the temple is described, and this one seems to fit - the windows, the big bronze pillars, the huge altar and laver of water, the shape, the height: http://www.crystalinks.com/solomonstemple.html. http://www.templemount.org/badillo/Temple-A.pdf This temple will last less than 100 years before it is destroyed.

What about this series of buildings that Solomon has built for himself that take 13 years to build? They must have been something else. I do have to admit that carved wood covered with gold all over is a bit much for my decorating taste, but God must like gold covered stuff. At least Solomon thought God did, and when the temple was done, a cloud of God's glory entered in to the holy of holies. The holy of holies was 20 cubits square, and inside it were two huge cherubim

whose wings touch each other in the middle of the room and also touch each wall. The cherubim were 10 cubits high and wide each. Remember that Goliath was 6 cubits high, and this is translated as about 9 feet tall.
7:41-43 - foreigners welcome to come to Jerusalem and worship God. A foreshadowing of the salvation that will be open to the non-Jews in the new testament?
8:46 - there is no one who does not sin
Chapter 9 - if Hiram doesn't like the cities that Solomon gives him (presumably as payment for his work and supplies?), then why does he send Solomon a bunch of gold.
The wall of Jerusalem is built during all this time.
Archaeology is so important to proving the truth of the Bible. Take verse 9:15, and a reference to building at Gezer. Just one short sentence that many would gloss over. Now look at this site: http://www.kingsolomonsgate.com/
A few things about the temple mount. First, the city of David was not within the walls that now surround the old city of Jerusalem. Apparently the inner walls of the city (which have been expanded a few times) were built during Solomon's reign (9:15).
What is a Millo?

Here are a few things of interest about the the holy land:

if they say it's a mountain, it's a hill; if it is called a sea, it's a lake (the sea of Galilee is 7 miles long - so is Morse); if they call it a river, it's a creek. There is a valley between the mount of olives and the temple mount, but you could walk between the two places (through a cemetary and a bunch of rubble).
The old city of Jerusalem has not only been expanded north, south, east and west for a few thousand years, but it has been built layer upon layer from the rubble of destruction. Near the temple mount, there are literally four or five layers of the city.
Discovery of the old city of David has only been unearthed just in the last century or so, the possible location of David's palace within my lifetime. It was outside the walls of the city that was built by Solomon. http://www.huc.edu/de/arubin/images/solomons_temple.gif
Here is a good site for a quick overview with pictures: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vie/Jerusalem2.html#Temple
Some religions have made it convenient to visit the historical parts of the city and created a neat little package of sites and deemed them the real deal, but I'm not buying it - like the stations of the cross. How could they possibly know the spots were Jesus fell when he carried the cross. Some of them could be authentic, but most of them simply can't be. Everywhere you go, things are passed off as the actual Biblical site, like the tree where Jesus prayed in Gethsamane, which is only maybe 1000 years old, but some claim that the tree is from the remains of one that Jesus would have prayed by - impossible to know, but good for tourist trade.
One of the nicest public restrooms I've been in is by the wailing wall in Jerusalem.
This makes me want to save up and go again.

Back to the text:

I bet people would like to find Ophir - this place was a goldmine, literally! As well as valuable wood and gemstones. (9:28, 10:11)
The Queen of Sheba comes to visit and is more than impressed (chapter 10)
Solomon has too close a relationship with the former oppressors of the Hebrews - marries a wife from Egypt, and trades with the Egyptians (10:28)
Chapter 11 - like father, like son, and both liked the ladies. Solomon loved the foreign ladies, and had wives from all over. 700 wives, and 300 concubines. I thought the man was wise!? As with David, these women were his downfall - he turned to their gods - he wasn't particular...chemosh, Molech, Ashtoreth...
God's punishment for Solomon's idolatry really didn't hurt Solomon too much. He didn't have to pay the consequences, but his son would.
The tribes would be split 10 to 2. Jeroboam would take the majority of the leadership of the country, but Rehoboam, Solomon's son, would hold a small portion. Not sure of the math here in 11:31-32 - 10 tribes + 1 tribe is 11, not 12.
Solomon reigned 40 years. Rehoboam takes over. Get ready for a bumpy ride.

Day 25 ~ Solomon ascends the throne

2007-09-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

David shows over and over again that he has a merciful spirit. In 2 Samuel 18:5, he demonstrates it in his instructions to deal gently with his son Absalom who is trying to abdicate the throne.
The woods devoured more in the battle than the sword - what does that mean? (18:8)
The infamous terebinth tree strikes again! This time it grabs Absalom by the hair - it must have been time for his yearly trim.
I'm guessing that David is not going to be happy with Joab, who against David's orders and the advise of his troops, kills Absalom as he hangs by his hair from a tree.
Chapter 19 - David mourns Absalom, to the extent that Joab is irritated because it seems to him to be excessive, and he tells David so. Remember that Joab was in on the sin that caused the ultimate death of Absalom when he arranged to have Uriah killed in battle. David makes the people request that he return to Jerusalem to be king.
Why does Joab try to keep the news from David about Absalom? Is he more worried that David will find out that it was he who disobeyed David's instructions?
David's mercy is extended to Shimei (who had cursed him), Mephibosheth (who had not joined David as he fled Jerusalem), and Barzillai (who had aided David in his time in Gilead)
The immature tribes who had sided with Absalom now argue about who should have accompanied David back to Jerusalem.
Chapter 20 - What is the deal with the Benjamites. First they stand with David, then a bunch of them rebel with Sheba.
For some reason, I really don't trust Joab.
A wise woman of Abel of Beth Maachah saves the city by delivering the head of Sheba to Joab.
David's political cabinet: Joab - military; Adoram - treasury; Jehosaphat - recorder; Sheva - scribe; Zadok & Abiathar - priests; Ira - chief minister. But what/who are the Cherethites and Pelethites, first mentioned in chapter 8. Anyway, Benaiah was over them.
Chapter 21 - Saul's sin against the Gibeonites (a remnant of the Amorites whom were to have been protected) results in three years of famine. David seeks what he may do to atone to the Gibeonites. They want 7 decendants of Saul to hang. David gives up 5 of his (ex) wife Michal's children (ouch!).
David recovers the seven bodies as well as the desecrated bodies of Saul and Jonathan and gives them a proper burial.
This is the second or third time that David's army tell him not to come to battle - he is too valuable (21:17). Especially when they are fighting the giant Philistines, who would surely have it out for David after he killed Goliath.
Odd trivia: who had 12 toes and 12 fingers: a giant of Gath killed by Jonathan.
Chapter 22 - “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
The God of my strength, in whom I will trust" 2b, 3b
Remember this song that you sing in a round? "I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies." “The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!" (vs. 4, 47)
I'll admit right now that I'm not a big fan of poetry. I like the stuff that rhymes, but to pick up and read a book of poetry is really not my thing. I tend to tune out when it's not written in narrative form, and I did it to some bit just reading this one passage. I'm going to really have some trouble being focused in the books coming up.
Chapter 23 - full of a bunch of his army buddies
Chapter 24 - census time again. God is angry and wants a count. He sends Joab to do it, and Joab questions David. Noone else is that bold. Nearly 10 months later, but they are still separated by "Isreal" and "Judah" - even though the kingdom is under one ruler, this foreshadows the split to come. Israel (northern) 800,000 swordsmen, Judah 500,000 men.
24:10 - what had David done that was sinful (this time?). The Lord let's him choose his punishment through the prophet Gad: 7 years of famine, flee three months while being pursued by and enemy, or a plague for three days in the land. I think he'll choose the enemy chasing him, because he's done that so much. Guess I was wrong, that is exactly what David didn't want. The Lord sent a plague, and restrained the angel with the plague from destroying Jerusalem. At least 70,000 were killed.
24:24 - David won't offer a sacrifice that costs him nothing - he insists on paying.

What do you know - 2 Samuel is complete. That makes our count how many books now? 10. 56 to go. Onward to 1 Kings...

1 Kings - they know just the thing to comfort the man who goes for the ladies...a nice young virgin to warm him up in his old age.
Absalom's brother, Adonijah, another good looking son of David, gets it in his mind that he would be a good king. Will he wait for old, cold David to die? Or will he take matters into his own hand. Surely he won't think to seek the Lord on what to do.
A-ha! I knew I didn't like Joab - he jumps ship (with one of the priests, Abiathar) and supports Adonijah while others in David's cabinet stick with David. ( 1 Kings 1:7,8)
Just because he gathers some men, how does this make him a king? Nathan tells Bathsheba that Adonijah is king and David doesn't know it. That doesn't seem like the truth. (:12)
Is this the first time that we have heard that Solomon is to ascend the throne? I think so.
That must have been an interesting situation - Bathsheba goes in to see her husband and the young girl is in there keeping him warm. (:15)
David appoints his son Solomon as his successor to the throne.
When Adonijah, who was once cocky and is now quite scared, finds out about the coronation of Solomon, he runs scared to the altar (is this the home base in a game of tag?) and begs for mercy to be spared. Solomon spares him (for now?)
Chapter 2 - David charges Solomon to walk in the ways of the Lord in order to prosper.
A-ha again! David's deathbed instructions are to give Joab what's coming to him. He also passes the protection he promised to the sons of Barzillai and Shimei to Solomon.
The age that people are dying seems to be dropping considerably. Not too many books back, people were living to be several hundred years old. Then people were living into their lower hundreds. In one of the verses we've read today, a man is described as old at 80. Now David is dead after reigning 40 years, and I think he was 30 when he took the throne (hey, I remembered correctly - 2 Samuel 5:4). That's only 70.
Solomon sat on the throne of his father and his kingdom was firmly established. I bet not for long. (:12)
Adonijah has some nerve - he asks Bathsheba, Solomon's mom, for the young virgin that kept David warm before he died as his wife. I'm thinking that was not a smart move. Confirmed: Adonijah sealed his fate and was killed (:25)
Abiathar is removed from his priestly position but his life is spared by Solomon. You know that Joab has to be shaking in his sandals. Yep - he tries the "home base" at the altar ploy as well. (:28). I'm surprised that God didn't strike them dead for touching it.
You better do exactly as Solomon instructs. Shimei learns a lesson the hard way. (:46). I bet when people saw Benaiah coming, that they started running for their lives.
Chapter 3 - What!? Solomon breaks a couple of rules right off the bat: 1) he makes a treaty with a foreign land (Egypt); 2) he marries outside the tribe. How does it say that Solomon does this and a verse later it says Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statues of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places. I would add some more stuff to that based on the first verse alone. However, he must have at least started the temple (seee vs 1)
God asks Solomon "what shall I give you?" in a dream. What would you answer? Solomon admits that he's a bit green and wants to be able to judge the people with an understanding heart and discern between good and evil. God is pleased and grants his request, in addition he will get riches and honor...if you walk in my ways, keep my statutes, then God will lengthen his days. In addition to the other granted requests?
The wisdom of Solomon is displayed in the story of the two women claiming to be the mother of an infant. Abraham Lincoln did something similar to this in his days as a circuit judge, but the baby in question was a colt.

Day 24 ~ Political Intrigue fit for a Tom Clancey novel

2007-09-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Today my brother Todd had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back that has been causing him some pretty severe pain. While I grabbed a bite to eat in Ball Memorial Hospital, I discovered that they had some computers, so I actually got through five chapters and started my blog while Todd had his surgery. He came through well, and was very pleased that his leg and hip pain were gone. He'll have to lay low for a few weeks, but should be fine.

I had an email from my college roommate today. We roomed together for four years at Johnson. you know how it is when you hear from someone whom you were once really close with but haven't seen for awhile, it seems like it was just yesterday and you're comfortable immediately? I felt that way with Danielle, and long to see her again. She's in Tennessee with her husband Allen, a Youth Minister and their two children. I jotted back a few lines and really wish I had more time to catch up! But, I'll have to wait for a lazy day or wait 66 days until this challenge is complete!

After I read to Grace tonight, she asked me if I had my homework done. I told her I had the chapters read, but I had to write the report....

We find out that Ishbosheth, Saul's son who made king over the tribes except Judah, only reigned two years, and he is killed. David is not happy about his murder.
Why was Jerusalem chosen for the location of the tabernacle location?
Mephibosheth is introduced.
5:13 -more wives & concubines and children for David - you can tell that women will be at the root of his downfall
The ark is finally moved from the location where it has been for 20 years since it placed in it's temporary location after it came wandering back from the pHILISTINES.
6:5 - Uzzah buys it on a technicality, and David gets too nervous and parks the ark for three months before really moving it into town. Why did he park it in obed-edom?
imagine the celebration described in chapter 6 when the David brings the ark back. He must have been a dancin' fool, and his first wife was embarrassed. Perhaps she never really wanted to be with David. Her father Saul gave her away as a prize, then took her back, then she married someone else whom it seems really loved her, then she is returned to David. Her bitterness causes her to never have children with David.
why did David wear the ephod - where were the priests?
God wants David to build a permanent temple (chapter 7) - if David does: 7:12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom." Is this also Messianic?
Chapter 8 - the kingdom grows; gathering wealth and booty (likely to be used in temple?)
David is not only the king, but the chief judge
Mephibosheth's story is recounted in chapter 9
What is with the "dog" refrences used in an insulting way. It seems to have started with Goliath - "what am I, a dog that you come at me with sticks?" This is the third or fourth dead dog reference. 9:8
David sent sincere sympathy at the death of a neighboring king, but it was interpreted as a spy maneuver.
Chapter 11 - begins the adultery with Bathsheba. Rather than live up to his responsibility of getting her pregnant, he gets her husband home from the battle field and tries to get him home for a congugal visit, but Uriah won't accept special treatment while his buddies are on duty. David's next try to solve the problem could be deemed successful - he has Uriah placed in harm's way on the battlefield and he is killed. David takes Bathsheba as his wife. The country may have been fooled, but the Lord is not pleased.
The Lord sends Nathan (not David's son, a different Nathan) to tell David of the consequences of his sin: the son born to him and Nathan will die, a son will rise up against David, he will be publically humiliated, and the time of peace under his rule is over. David's response is a sincere "I have sinned" - Psalm 51. The consequences of David's sin are paid by an innocent child.
As a sign of His forgiveness, the Lord allows David and Bathsheba to have another son, Solomon, who will rule over the kingdom at the height of the empire.
Chapter 13 - All these half-related children in David's family make for an family tree with many branches. Absalom, who will become the child who rises up against David, shows his true colors. He suggests to his half-brother Amnon a way that he can try to seduce Absalom's sister Tamar, whom Amnon loves (and is half-sister to). The seduction becomes a rape. Absalom turns on Amnon, tells Tamar to keep her mouth shut, and kills Amnon. Nice guy. When Absalom doesn't get his way, he acts out in violence. It's also interesting that Absalom names one of his children Tamar. (14:27). He remindes me of a slimy politician in chapter 15 as he gains favor.
15:26 - foreshadowing - discussion of Absalom's hair
David flees from his son who is trying to usurp the throne. See Psalm 3.
Hey, whatever happened to David being all gung-ho about fulfilling God's desire for a temple in Jerusalem?
Chapter 15 & 16 - oh, the political intrigue! Spying, double-crossing, traitors
David's public humility described by Nathan occurs when Absalom comes into Jerusalem, and rapes David's concubines.

Day 23 ~ David and Saul play tug-of-war

2007-09-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

I forgot to send out my email encouragements today. I thought about it several times, but I have no short-term memory.

21:7 An Edomite is a servant in Saul's kingdom.
Chapter 22 - David jumped from the pan into the fire - from Saul to a foreign king of Gath; but that king recognized him and David fakes insanity
Saul's stronghold is so great tht no one can protect David's family in Israel. So David sends them out of the kingdom. Reminds me of Jesus going to Egypt to escape Herod.
22:6 Tamarisk tree - I'm not going to go there!
23:6 - why is it important to comment that the one priests son who escaped the massacre had an ephod. Did the ephod contain urim & thummin or was that reserved only for the ephod of the high priest? Was this ephod an oracle for inquiring of God?
Chapter 24 - When Saul went into the cave to "attend to his needs" (24:3) did he cover it up as instructed in Deuteronomy 23:13?
Saul knows his fate is sealed when David does not kill him, and David agrees not to cut off Saul's descendants when he takes power.
Chapter 25 - Samuel dies. No big fanfare.
Abigail appeals to David not to kill the men in Nabal's household simply because of Nabal's ungrateful behavior. David spares them. Abigail returns to the house to tell Nabal what has occurred, but he is drunk. Note that she doesn't try to tell him something important until he sobers up. Ten days later Nabal was dead - the Lord took his revenge. David proposes to Abigail and she becomes his wife. And he takes on a spare, Ahinoam. Apparently his original wife Michal had been repossessed by her father and assigned to someone else.
Chapter 26 - David's band of armed men has doubled in size. David had learned through Nabal's example that if he is patient, God will take care of his enemies. The Lord had caused a deep sleep to fall on Saul and those sleeping around him. This seems like a test for David to see if he would take advantage and kill Saul, or if he would be patient.
Chapter 27 - David sees right through Saul's lies and knows that Saul will be hotter to kill him than ever. He goes back to the king of Gath and hides out from Saul. David would attack other foreign nations and kill all, then bring back he spoil and let the king of Gath believe he was attacking Israel.
Chapter 28 - The king of Gath thinks that he basically has David cornered by the Israelites hatred and that he has no where to go but to remain and serve him.
Now that Samuel is gone, Saul has no way to be in contact with God. He tries the Urim and it doesn't work. Saul had kicked out all the mediums when Samuel was still around, but now he wants one to a medium to conjur up Samuel so he can get the answer he seeks. See how removed he is from communicating with God? Surprisingly, the medium successfully contact Samuel who predicts the defeat of the Israelites to the Philistines (king of Gath) and Saul's death the next day.
Chapter 30 - while David is preparing for battle with the Philistines against Saul and the Israelites, the lords of the troops are concerned that David will defect back to the Israelites, so the king of Gath sends he and his troops back to their Philistine city. When they return, their city has been attacked by the Amalekites, and David's wives have been taken captive. They probably recovered some of the stuff David had taken from them. Apparently you can communicate to God through the ephod, because that's what David does.
This is like the third time in 1 Samuel that they talk about men at war not eating and getting too tired. David and the Amalekites play tug-o-war again and David, with God's blessing, wins. He sets a precedent of sharing the spoils evenly. I wonder if David got his wives back.
Chapter 31 - Saul commits hari-kari when he is mortally wounded by the Philistines. Jonathan dies too. I'm sure David will be upset. The Philistines desecrate Saul's body, but it is recovered and they mourn him. Israel is without a king.

I Samuel complete. 9 books down, 57 to go. Man, this seems like a long reading tonight!

II Samuel 1:10 - why would this guy lie about killing Saul? And was he an Israelite or an Amalekite? Doesn't matter, even in Saul's death, David is respectful of his position as anointed king, and he has the Amalekite killed.
Hey, the Book of Jasher again. If it gets mentioned one more time, I'll go on off the path and track it down. (1:18)
2:2 - yes, he got his wives back.
David is anointed king of Judah in Hebron. Was Saul only the king of Judah, or of all Israel?Apparently Abner (Saul's right hand man) appoints Saul's son king over the rest of Israel, and only Judah goes with David. The kingdom is split.
David has picked up a few more wives in 3:2-5, and it seems he splits his time evenly between them. Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Talmai, Haggith, Abital, Eglah. Each of them bore him a son.
Why does power hungry Abner, who has Saul's son the king scared of him, want to make a pact with David, and transfer power. This smells fishy.
David wants, and gets, his original wife Michal back.
Joab sees through Abner's plot to spy on David. He kills Abner in revenge for his brothers death. David makes it clear that he is not responsible for this act - a good political act for one who will be taking over the kingdom that previously was run by Abner with Saul's son as the puppet king.

Day 22 ~ The Jealous King

2007-09-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting thing happen to me today. Our friends from our home fellowship, Chris and Melissa Perry, had a baby two weeks ago. Last week I planned to take them a meal, but when I got home to the crock pot of food that was to have been cooking all day, I discovered I never turned the crock pot on. I was more than slightly irritated with myself. So I had to call and confess my stupidity. Well tonight, I did come home to the smell of food cooking, and Grace and I headed west to visit new baby Olivia. I didn't plan ahead for a dessert, so we stopped at the pie shop. Since tomorrow is payday for me, and we're doing the Financial Peace cash envelope system, I used $8.50 of the $9 dollars that I had left in the eat out envelope (groceries and blow money were gone a few days ago - sam's club and a garage sale did me in). Then we proceeded to take one step and the pie flipped out of the box onto the floor. I just kind of stood there, and Grace and I asked for a spatula to clean it up. Grace asked if we would get another one, and I said I couldn't because I didn't have any more money. A man who came in while we were cleaning up the pie (I was tempted to eat some of it off the floor rather than to waste it all) said "you have the money, I'll buy the pie for you." I nearly cried. He said he's wife had died two years ago and she would have had him do so. I told him it wasn't even for us, and that he was a real blessing. I got paid forward for buying lunch in the drivethru that guy in the truck behind me at McDonalds. What a blessing to share with my daughter...about money, about sharing, about being thankful. Guess that is why I forgot to turn on the crockpot last week - because last week I had a dessert, and this week I didn't - I would have missed out on the blessing.

10:3 What is a terebinth tree? It seems like this type of tree has been mentioned before...let's see (goodsearch.com & biblegateway.com)...yes, in Moreh, Mamre, Shechem, Bethel, Zaanannim, Ophrah. There must be something about these trees that makes them worthy of a geographical indicator. Like the tree where Lee and Grant signed the surrender to end the Civil war under the Ash tree in Appamattox Court House - it was huge. In 10:3, the NIV calls it the "great" tree; in the NASB, Message, Amplified, Contemporary and American Standard versions "oak" is used. I guess I may be one of the few actually seeing the word "terebinth" in the New King James version. the KJV doesn't even have a tree, it calls it a "plain." Easton's Bible Dictionary says "a turpentine-tree, the Pistacia terebinthus." Wikipedia (which you can't really trust the content of on alot of things) says it is a small tree or large bush. That doesn't make sense - and Oak trees are not small or like bushes. Why would a large bush be a landmark? Also mentioned in most sources was that the tree was a source of turpentine, which may have been of interest to note in histories.
Okay, I just spent 30 minutes on the first three verses of the reading. Somebody smack me.
10:6 - Saul will be "turned into another man" - as in "poof, you're an egyptian!" what does that mean? Will God change him significantly? (yes, vs. 9) Go make sacrifices and wait 7 days (vs. 8 - to become clean?).
Back to the timeline pretzel. Remember when Benjamin was practically wiped out by the rest of the tribes? Now the new king is picked from the tribe of Benjamin. I'm resisting the urge to look at the timeline, but I'm curious if that was before the war with Benjamin or after, and if it was after, was it shocking? (10:20)
10:25 "Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD" - explained how the kings were suppose to act, or how the people were to act around kings?
Chapter 11 - Saul does a good job rallying the all the tribes behind a city under threat, and defeats the would-be oppressors, the Ammonites.
Chapter 12 - It doesn't matter who rules over you - a judge or a king - what matters is if you follow the commandments of the Lord.
Chapter 13 - Saul's tenure as king was shortened in the second year when he was impatient and sacrificed improperly instead of waiting for Samuel. 30,000 chariots of Philistines were breathing down the neck of Saul's small 600 man army, with only a few weapons.
Chapter 14 - all that war talk is confusing to me, but Jonathan must have snuck away to get some weapons at the garrison and won a battle. Saul made a stupid rule that the men couldn't eat until the battle was over, so that when they did eat, they were so hungry that they ate the blood (against the levitical rules). Saul wants Jonathan dead because he ate, even though Jonathan didn't know about the rule. The soldiers wouldn't allow Saul to kill his son.
Chapter 15 - Samuel has an excuse for his disobedience in following God's commandments. Verse 12 says Saul set up a monument for himself. He did not utterly destroy, and brought home lots of spoil from the war with the Amalekites.
15:22 “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams."
Samuel does what Saul should have done, and as NKJV so poetically puts it, "And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD" (15:22)
Chapter 16 - the Lord has given up on Saul, and selects a new king to replace him and send Samuel out to find the new king.
Samuel immediately sees one of the good looking sons of Jessee and presumes this must be the chosen one (remember that Saul was a fine specimen). “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (16:7)
Saul no longer has the peaceful spirit of the Lord, but a distressing spirit. The favor of the king has now been given to David, and Saul can tell, and turns to soothing music, played by none other than the newly selected successor, David.
Remember king Og the giant from Deuteronomy 3:11 who had a bed that was 9 cubits long and 4 cubits wide? I remember thinking then that Goliath was 9 cubits tall. But I was wrong, Goliath was 6 cubits high, over 9 feet. So Og was much taller than Goliath.
Goliath the the young David: “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” I love that line. (17:43). David gives the glory of the defeat to the Lord, even before the stone is thrown.
Chapter 18 - we know that Saul doesn't much like his own son, Jonathan, so when Jonathan and David become best of friends, that irritates Saul, and when David is praised by the people for his victory, after Saul has spent his entire reign in battles, Saul begins to watch David closely, sensing that his throne is in jeopardy. Saul knows David is popular, but he wants him gone, so he tries to put David in situations where he could get killed at the hands of others. He tries to trip David up by offering his daughters in marriage. Dowry: 100 foreskins of Philistines - yeah, that might put David in harms way just a little bit. But David brings Saul 200. The overachiever gets under Saul's skin even more.
Chapter 19 - Saul's own children help protect David from an increasingly unstable Saul.
20:5-6 - hey, it's the new moon feast from Numbers 29:6
20:31 - good point - as long as David is around, Jonathan's chance of inheriting the throne from his father Saul are slim. Jonathan is more loyal to David over his own father and is not swayed by the power of being a king.

Day 21 ~ Timeline pretzel

2007-09-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

Pastor Tim's sermon this weekend highlighted from Romans 7 why the Israelites became so depraved - the law itself is powerless to produce righteousness.

I think I read a chapter too much yesterday. Anyway, a reminder that Ammon and Moab were the incestuous sons of Lot by his two daughters. Judges is completed - started out good, but ended up with Israel deeply depraved and at civil war with itself. Seven books down, 59 to go. Next, the book of Ruth.

Why did Naomi and her husband Elimelech leave the promised land during the famine when they had well-to-do relatives they could have turned to?
Boaz seems like a pretty good guy. He seems to know God, and follows some of the rules established in Leviticus, like leaving the gleaning in the field for the poor.
It seems a bit forward for Naomi to send Ruth to the foot of Boaz' bed, but the rules for carrying on the family name would direct Ruth to the nearest relative of her husband. Boaz truthfully knows there is one other closer to her, but that man doesn't want to risk buying the land and getting a wife in the deal when if a son is born, the land would revert to the woman's first husband's family.
I don't remember any mention of what kind of beauty Ruth may or may not have had. Boaz commends her on her good reputation and how well she cared for her mother-in-law

I'm sure I could get more out of the book of Ruth...but this is about quantity, not quality...although I think I'm getting a lot more quality than I ever anticipated. Eight books down, 58 to go!

Hey, they start the first chapter of 1 Samuel with reference to the big yearly feast in Shiloh. This may be a good sign.
Eli was the grandson of Aaron, the first high priest and brother of Moses. I can just picture him sitting in front of the tabernacle, with his chin resting on his hand, wondering what another drunk woman was doing at the tabernacle. Apparently his no-good sons were not only demanding the best for themselves from the sacrifices, and not even following the rules to burn the fat, but they were apparently messing around with the women who came to sacrifice at the tabernacle. Eli was a wimp in his chastising of his sons, basically telling them "you really shouldn't do that boys" and then sitting around worrying about it. Reminds me of some parents I know - too scared, and probably too late, to try some strict boundaries on their own kids and hold them accountable. Hope I don't do that.
Hannah's prayer for a son were answered in Samuel and she did as she promised and left him to live with Eli at the tabernacle in Shiloh.
Although Samuel was groomed by God from the start, in chapter 3 it says that when God called for Samuel that it basically didn't enter his mind that it would be the Lord calling him. He "did not know the Lord" even though he was living with the priest at the tabernacle. Pretty sad. But Eli knew that God was calling him and told Samuel to listen and obey.
God chooses Samuel as a prophet, and he also serves as a judge for 40 years. I don't know where he falls in our timeline.

Speaking of timeline, this whole pretzel of a timeline is really starting to confuse me. I was assuming that the period of judges didn't even start until the Israelites were in the promised land, but I found an online sources of old testament timelines that puts the first sited judge, Othniel, before Moses is even born! That would explain why there was no talk of sacrifices, because they didn't have those instructions yet. It also places the Canaanite oppression broken by Deborah and Barak just after the Israelites enter the promised land, Samson and Samuel alive at the same time (partly during the occupation by the Philistines and Ammonites), and Ruth and Boaz before Samson but at the end of Gideon's life. But that just does not seem right! I should dig deeper! Othniel was the nephew of Caleb (Judges 3:9), so there is no way that the judges started before Moses, because Caleb was younger than Moses. That site's timeline is contradicted by scripture.

But wait! I have a book that I've never cracked open called "The Chronology of the Old Testament" with CD timelines I ordered from Answers in Genesis. Let's see what it says. It places Othniel after Moses' death, places Ruth at the time of Deborah and Barak, and Samson right before Saul, with the Ark of the Covenant being captured in the middle of Samson's life. This one makes more sense. Why did I open that book and just use up a half hour? I will never get my hotel selected for our trip next month at this rate. You know, homework before play!

The Ark of the Covenant is taken from the Tabernacle in Shiloh to war as a sort of good luck charm (without consulting God, who surely would have said no), and it was captured by the Philistines and placed in a temple of Dagon, a false god. The ark was a bad luck charm, and they passed it from city to city for seven months before setting it on a cart and pointing it toward the East and the Israelites. The Philistines remembered what God had done to the Egyptians, and had themselves experienced tumors wherever the ark went, Before they put it on a cart they try to appease God with an apology gift of sorts - golden tumors and rats. Nice.
When the ark returned to Israel, you think they would rush it right back to Shiloh and the tabernacle. But no, they keep it in a temporary home for 20 years. Even though the ark wasn't where it was supposed to be, there was a period of peace and reclaimed territory under Samuel.
But his sons were rotten, so much so that the people demanded a king be given to them like the nations around them. Samuel sought God's council, and the Lord said give them a taste of what they think they want, but warn them it will not taste very good.
It is interesting that the first time we see the man who would be king, he is described as good looking. That should fit in well with the Israelites hollow reasons for a king - a good-lookin' king is a bonus!

Day 20 ~ Flawed men of power

2007-09-16T18:23:00.001-07:00

For some reason I'm really looking forward to getting to Ruth and trying to figure out where her story falls in the chronology based on the clues we've been given. We can create a basic timeline with the ages given at death, and the times between the judges, and the geneology (like Rahab, who was an ancestor of Ruth's husband Boaz)...Anyway, back to Gideon.

Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh from the village of Orphah (which doesn't appear to have been uncovered archaeologically), presumably from the portion of the tribe on the west of the Jordan. He was joined in his army by soldiers from Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, all to the north of his territory. Now, if you remember correctly, the Midianites have been mentioned many times so far, but were always to the east of the Jordan. Apparently things had gotten so bad in the promised land that the Israelites couldn't even keep neighboring enemies from invading them. Apparently the Midianites had crossed the Jordan into the west and were oppressing at the time of Gideon. After their strategic pitcher/torch/trumpet plan, the small army chased the Midianites into the territory of Ephraim. Why do I tell you all this? So you can understand why Ephraim gets on Gideon's back in the first verse of our reading today.

Chapter 8: Gideon and his army cross the Jordan to the east pursuing the Midianites. They asked for food from two different towns and were refused. After Gideon captured the kings Zebah and Zalmunna, he returned to the towns of those who refused them food and punished them. He then reminded the kings Z&Z that they had killed some of his relatives and killed them himself. Israel wants Gideon to rule over them, but he refuses saying only God can rule over them.
Gideon collects all the golden earrings (of course, the Ismaelites wear earrings 8:24) from which he made a golden ephod. We've only seen the word Ephod used in the context of the jewel encrusted piece worn by the high priest to this point, but going forward it the word will be used to describe a linen ephod, and this ephod that Gideon makes, intended to be something sacred, but it apparently became some type of idol.

Back to our cycle of Judges: Israelites do evil...become oppressed by a native people who weren't utterly destroyed...God raises a judge to delivers them...followed by a period of obedience and peace. . Starting in day 19:

Mesopotamia...8 years slavery...judge Othniel...40 years of peace
fat Eglon in Moab...18 years...left-handed Ehud...80 years of peace
Shamgar - no specifics on this judge
Jaban of Canaan...20 years...Deborah (who is a bit cocky, it seems to me)...40 years
Midian...7 years...Gideon...40 years
Baal worship/reign of bad Israelite king Abimelech...3 years...Judges Tolah/Jair...23 years/22 years (doesn't say it was peaceful
Philistines & Ammon...18 years ...Jephthah...6 years followed by Judge Ibzan/6 years...Judge Elon/10 years...Judge Abdon/8 years
Philistines...40 years...Gideon...20 years

Gideon had many wives and 70 sons. One son by a concubine (in addition to his seventy wives?) was named Abimelech (8:29-31). Remember that Gideon was renamed Jerubbaal when he tore down some idols after being addressed by the angel. Abimelech gained the trust of his brothers and then killed them all but one, Jotham. Then the men of the city made Abimelech king, presumably out of fear. He attacks and kills many, but a woman drops a millstone on his head and he asks to be killed by sword of one of the soldiers to it wouldn't be said that he died at the hands of a woman. Sorry Abimelech, they got the story down in a way you would not have approved of.
Chapter 10. Israel has a smorgasboard of idol worship going on, and the Lord delivers them into slavery to the Philistines and people of Ammon. All of the eastern territory was in slavery, and then the Ammonites crossed the Jordan westward and were attacking Benjamin, Judah and Ephraim. God tells them to cry out to the new gods they have served for help. But they put away the idols and God's "soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel" 10:16.
Chapter 11: Why would Jephthah's kinfolk kick him out for being illigitimate, then go get him to lead them? He was out running around and causing trouble with a group of raiders. Jephthah gives the king of Ammon a history lesson about why they can't have the land which the people didn't buy.
The spirit of the Lord comes upon Jephthah, who promises that he will sacrifice as a burnt offering the first who comes out his door when he comes home in victory if God will aid in the defeat of the people of Ammon. Of course, his only child, a daughter, greets him after God allows him to subdue the people of Ammon. Why would God accept a human burnt offering? It doesn't say God accepted it, but Jephthah fulfilled his vow to God.
What is with these people of Ephraim and getting mad when they don't get asked to go fight? This is the second time already. 12:1
Jephthah shows his true colors - he did a smack down of Ephraim, and the Israelites actually stooped so low as a "nation" of Israel that they are enslaving and killing their own people. They know that the people of Ephraim can't pronounce a word correctly, and if they say it wrong, they kill them.
Ibzan clearly breaks a rule from long ago, don't marry outside your tribe, he brings in outsiders as wives for his 30 sons.
13:1 - the Lord delivered the people into the hands of the Philistines for 40 years. We don't know if this includes the time God's anger grew hot in 10:7 and sold them to the Philistines and the Ammon - because chapters 10-12 deal with fighting with Ammon. This slavery to the Philistines may be the same time, because in chapter 13, we're in a different area, to the north with the tribe of Dan.
An angel is again the choice of communication between God and his chosen. The wife of Manoah is greeted by an angel and told specific rules to follow for her son to be born. She wanted her husband to get in on the instructions...apparently she was more than willing to be a vessel of the Lord's work and wanted to get it right. Manoah also sees the angel, and not realizing it was an angel, offers to fix dinner. The angel tells them to prepare a sacrifice to God instead, which they do (and amazingly still know how to do). They assume their sacrifice was accepted by God. The angel does a cool trick in the fire.
They have a son...Samson, who is to be raised as a Nazarite. See Numbers 6. Other Nazarites: Samuel, John the Baptist.
Chapter 14 - Samson parents were aware that their son should not marry outside their tribe, but Samuel wanted a Philistine gal. Apparently, God had planted that desire in Samuel to create an occasion to move against the Philistines (14:4)
Apparently Samson has a huge anger control issue. To pay the bet off of 30 articles of clothing, he goes and kills some men and takes their clothes, then gives his traitor wife to his best man...
...then he wants her back, and not only does he have an anger control problem, but he has a cruelty to animals problem and uses some live foxes as torches to ruin the crops, and deflects the Philistines anger onto his father-in-law. Samson then has a reason to attack the Philistines directly - they have killed his father-in-law, and he does some revenge killing then heads for the hills. The tensions grow as the Philistines come looking for Samson, and Samson's people are more than willing to give him up to get the heat off.
Samson, filled with power by God, goes berzerk with a jawbone and kills 10,000 Philistines.
What does Samson want for his effort? A drink of water (15:18).
God certainly uses some flawed people and some questionable ways to get his will done. Samson is a bully, a killer, visits prostitutes, and a liar. He meets his match in the money-hungry Delilah, offered a great sum of money to find out Samson's secret to his strength through her feminine charm. Samson can't take the pestering of a woman (16:16), and just like his first wife, he tells her what she wants to know to shut her up. You know the rest of the story...cut hair...lost strength...gouged out eyes...one last blast of strength...many people (more than Samson had killed) die in a pile of rubble along with Samson as he makes the building collapse.
Judges 17 tells us just how backward the people had become...Micah's mother dedicated silver to the Lord so she can make idols of it. Micah, from tribe of Ephraim, ordains one of his sons as a priest (wrong tribe, not appointed by God), but when a Levite comes to visit, Micah offers him the role of priest of his household.
Who does this sound like: 17:6 "In those days ... everyone did what was right in his own eyes."?
We find that the tribe of Dan still hasn't been able to gain their promised land in chapter 18. They are out scouting a weak place to attack, and when they come across what apparently is a unique occurance of a Levite priest (even though wrongly appointed), they immediately ask him for help, like a soothsayer. They steal the priest from Micah, along with his idols and fake ephod, and bring him along like a good-luck charm. I don't see them asking of God, nor of the priest asking of God, but they sure do like to use God's blessing without really knowing what it is. They defeat this weak little village and set up their own little idol chapel "all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh" 18:31 - the tabernacle was still the main place of worship for the nation, and it was in Shiloh.
Chapter 19. The levite and his concubine picked the wrong town to sleep in. Note that they picked this town because it was an Israelite town, not a foreign town, but it was filled with homosexuals that weren't shy about what they wanted. As before in another similar story, the poor innocent daughter gets offered up to these heathen. Why would they rather protect a stranger than their own child? The daugher doesn't get taken this time, but the concubine does, and they basically ravage her and leave her to die. So the Levite cuts her up and sends a bit of her to each tribe.
This special package to the tribes ignites some unity in all the tribes but Benjamin and a civil war is launched against Benjamin. The Lord, after being asked, sends men from Judah first to attack. But Benjamin takes the united tribes for some battle losses, but in the end were defeated.
It's like we entered a totally new book with Judges 20. Apparently this description of the skirmishs against Benjamin has taken a big step back in time. 20:26-28: Then all the children of Israel, that is, all the people, went up and came to the house of God and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. So the children of Israel inquired of the LORD (the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days)." I need to dig out my chronological Bible.

Remember my first paragraph today? Given the curveball in chapter 20, it may be next to impossible for me to figure out the chronology on my own. This is becoming a big ball of intertwining strings and timelines. Just wait until we get to Revelation, it is even more overlapping!

Day 19 ~ Rinse & Repeat: do evil, be oppressed, get delivered, peace

2007-09-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

I'm wondering how long I can keep up this detailed reading and blogging. Maybe I'll have to limit myself to 5 comments or less. I'm enjoying it, but it is taking alot of time, and looking at the stuff that I'm not getting done (putting away clothes, sweeping, cooking, ironing...you get the picture), I can't keep this up for 71 more days. Will I be able to give up my attention to detail - who knows, maybe the Lord will reward me, or maybe He will allow me to "let go" and "just read it". I can't fathom how I will be able to get through some of the new testament passages unless I do that. I have the rest of my life to go back through and spend some time. For the mean time, though, I took 3 full pages of notes on Joshua 21 - Judges 7.

21:45 The Lord fulfilled His promises.
What was the iniquity of Peor in 22:17 (this is where Balaam built 7 alters in Numbers 23)
Apparently the eastern tribes built an altar in memorial, which nearly cost them a smack down from the other tribes.
Chapter 23 covers in some detail the nations that were not utterly destroyed, and that they would be snares to the Israelites.
24:12 - what was the hornet that the Lord sent out before the Israelites that drove out the nations. (Ex. 23:28, Deut 7:20)
Joshua instructs the Israelites shortly before he dies to ..."choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve"..."as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods" (Joshua 24:15, 16). How far, exactly, Israel?
Joshua is dead at 110 years of age. The Israelites will walk the straight and narrow through all the days of the elder following Joshua (a generation?). Eleazer the High Priest also dies. There is no record of God instructing Joshua or Eleazer to pass the leadership on to another like God instructed Moses and Aaron. I'm going to assume Eleazer's son Phinehas assumed the role of high priest.
Joseph's bones brought from Egypt just as Joseph had requested, and are buried in Shechem, which had been purchased by Joseph's father Jacob long ago and has now been reclaimed. 24:32.

Joshua is completed. 6 books down, 60 to go!

Judges chapter 1 Adoni-Bezek (introduced in Joshua 10) must have been famous for cutting off the thumbs and big toes of his enemy kings, and finds out payback stinks.
Chapter 1 also recounts many failures in driving out the native nations from the promised land. Dan was actually forced from his territory (1:34).
All who had seen the great works of the Lord obeyed. Those who followed disobeyed and God responds with defeat.
In place of great leaders, God raises up Judges in areas where there appears to have been localized defeats and captivity of tribes. The Israelites basically do everything Joshua warned against in his farewell address in Joshua 23.
Watch the developing cycle: Israelites do evil...become oppressed by a native people who weren't utterly destroyed...God raises a judge to delivers them...followed by a period of obedience and peace.
Mesopotamia...8 years slavery...judge Othniel...40 years of peace
fat Eglon in Moab...18 years...left-handed Ehud...80 years of peace
Shamgar - no specifics on this judge
Jaban of Canaan...20 years...Deborah (who is a bit cocky, it seems to me)...40 years
Midian...7 years...this is where we leave off with Gideon...

A break for a moment to return to my questions about Jethro, Moses' father-in-law. Judges refers to Moses' father-in-law twice already as "the Kenite" (1:16) and "Heber the Kenite of Hobab" (4:11). Hobab was a son of Reuel, a Midianite (Num 10:29). I don't know what that is based on. I thought Jethro was his name-o, and that he was from Midian. According to some footnotes, Jethro was also known as Reuel. Moses did have the Ethopian wife, but Ethopia is nowhere near this area.

Part of Deborah's song recounts how the tribes are out doing their own thing and not watching the backs of their neighboring tribes for the next part.
Gideon makes an offering of sorts, even though he isn't near the altar the angel provided the fire needed to consume and accept the offering.
The Spirit of the Lord came on to Gideon in 6:34 - we haven't seen this in awhile. Chapter 6 tells us the testing of God by Gideon and God's response to convince Gideon he is chosen.
Gideon builds up an army and God breaks it down - first all you who are scared can go home, and 2/3 of the people go. What I don't understand is why 9,700 people drink like dogs on their knees. I would think most people would drink using their hands as cups, as the 300 who who go to fight did.
In all the times I've read or heard about Gideon, I had no memory of his listening in on the dream and it's interpretation.
I do remember the tactical strategy they employed against their enemies with the pitchers, torches and trumpets.

God seems to have changed His way of communicating to the Isrealites now that Joshua and Eleazar are gone. He is now using angels (at least three times in today's passage). An what happened to the tabernacle, the sacrificing and the feasts. Other than Gideon's sad offering, these very important rituals are now silent in the written text.

Day 18 ~ Land is divided among the tribes

2007-09-14T17:53:00.001-07:00

This passage won't take long to cover tonight, as most of it is geographical references associated with the tribal land assignments. It's hard to picture them in your head, and this allowed my mind to focus on just trying to get through the difficult names.

You would think that the Israelites had a little experience under their belt in the area of war. They played a pretty good strategy against Ai with the backdoor manuever. But come on, were they not the least bit suspicious of the Hivites of Gibeon, who made themselves look as if they came from far outside the promised territory to appeal for a covenant with Israel? They lucked out with Rahab, and didn't do a reference check on this band who approached them. Honestly, I expected God to really let the Israelites pay for this one. Especially after verse 9:14 says that they didn't even ask council of the Lord. And what about the "no peace treaty" clause?

Anyway, they went ahead and made a pact with the Gibeonites, who must have been laughing all the way back to their (local) camp. Once found out, the Israelites are more concerned with what the Gibeonites will do with them if they break the covenant (made under false pretenses, by the way) than if they continue to break the covenant that they made with God. Once again, they seem to have their priorities backward.

Then, to make it a bit worse, they take the Gibeonites on as servants, and let them serve near the tabernacle (9:27). That seems like a really bad idea. Not only do the Israelites let them live, and serve near their holy tabernacle, they go to war for them instead of against them. When the Gibeonites are attacked by another king, the Israelites now have to back them up.

But God doesn't give the Israelites any grief for this mistake. In fact, God broke natural law to allow the day to be prolonged for their fighting, and the Israelite/Gibeonites defeated the attackers. We'll see if there will be consequences for not destroying the Gibeonites and falling for their trick without seeking God's council; but, at least through Joshua chapter 20, the punishment has been withheld.

9:13 - What is the book of Jasher?
The kings of the several neighboring kingdoms band together hoping that they will be able to overcome the Israelites. The reputation of God and his hand guiding the Israelites has become well-known and feared.
Weren't some of the kings mentioned to be killed in 10:39 already dead in 10:23 & 24?
11:18-19 states that Joshua was at war a long time and that all were utterly destroyed except the Hivites from Gibeon. This included God's top 5 hit list: Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizites, Jebusites.
11:22 - Anakim - aren't they the giants? They are destroyed within the promised land boundaries, but still survive outside the boundaries.
Those not driven out completely include the Gesurites and Maachathites - they "did not" drive out completely (13:13). Jebusites in Jerusalem "could not" be driven out (15:63). It seems like there would be a big difference between "did not" and "could not." In chapter 17:12-13 "Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out." I thought concerning the Canaanites that "they attacked them until they left none of them remaining" 11:8, referencing 11:3. Perhaps these were from the portion of Manasseh that is to the east of the promise land where the Canaanites were still dwelling, not in the promised land over the Jordan.
This isn't a welfare state - if you want more land, go clear some more, Manasseh and Ephraim. (7:14). Dan enlarged their territory beyond what they had been given (19:47).
They set up the tabernacle at Shiloh. From there, surveyors are sent out and then the remaining tribes are portioned out land by lot, in the order of Benjamin, Simeon (who was given territory from the property assigned to Judah because it was too much for them), Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. And finally, Joshua is given a city state for his leadership (19:49-50).

Day 17 ~ Be strong and courageous

2007-09-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

31:6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” The instruction to be strong and courageous occurs 7 times in our reading today.

I've been trying a new tactic in my third week of reading (hey, we're in our third week!). I've been using biblegateway.com to read the passage while I have the blog open and make my notes as I go. I had been reading and writing out the notes long-hand then trying to read my scribbles. I find that I get side-tracked more easily using this online method with ready access to do quick searches via the internet (remember the whole sheep per square mile tangent?), but I'm getting some questions answered, and I think it is helping me to keep alert. Of course, like many of you, I'm also grabbing a few minutes here and there with the book in hand and jotting down notes as I go.

This has put a serious dent in my tv-watching time, which isn't a big deal because everything is in reruns right now anyway. I'm usually only a sucker for the hour-long serial type series, and who gets time to sit down and watch tv before 10pm anyway?? I'm still recording my summer favorites and find 40 minutes to zip through without commercials. This season it's Top Chef and Design Star. Padma Lakshmi, the host of Top Chef, is the soon-to-be ex-wife of Salman Rushdie. What an odd combination. But the new season of Lost won't even start until February (that's a crock!), so I won't have too much anticipated tv luring me away in the fall. Grace, on the other hand, becomes a tv zombie when Tom and Jerry cartoons are on, and she would watch the Boomerang cartoon channel on satellite until her eyes dried up if you let her.

I haven't spent much quality time with her since I started this challenge because I've spent so much time in the reading, exploring and documenting. If I don't start until she goes to bed, I'll be up half the night! Plus with Jeff's work schedule, there are several nights a month when he's not available to get help her with her homework and get ready for bed while I do my "homework." He's been encouraging me through this simply by keeping her homework and bedtime routine on track. I need to sneak more time reading when she's not around. She asked me if I'd finished my homework chapters tonight so I could read a chapter of Junie B Jones to her ~ which I did. Those books are cute. She's asleep in my bed now while Jeff's at the firestation on his 24-hour shift. I'll have to put a pillow between us or she'll kick me repeatedly in the middle of the night.

Nuff about me. Let's talk about the Israelites.

God bluntly tells Moses and Joshua that the covenant he has made with the chosen people of Israel will be broken by the Israelites. Moses must have grieved at his death knowing that the Israelites were doomed.
The laws were mandated to be read to the people at least every 7 years during the feast of tabernacles. We see that they are read after a battle against Ai in the passage today as well.
That was quite a song that Moses wrote. It would have had to have a catchy tune, because the lyrics aren't all that engaging. What a sad swan song. I feel sorry for Moses.
Who/what is Jeshurun - and why did he/it become fat? (32:15) Apparently this is a poetic name for Israel. Rolls right off the tongue.
The mysterious Thummin and Urim appear in 33:8 when Moses gives the blessings to the Levites. What are these things? Urim is used by God to determine judgement (Numbers 27:21). They appear to only be used by Priests, and they are part of the high priests breastplate. Was it a way that God communicated judgement to the priest?
In the blessing given to Benjamin, the description reminds me of the location Benjamin will get in the new territory - securely seated at the head of Judah. Might be a stretch.
33:22 - “Dan is a lion’s whelp; He shall leap from Bashan.” That doesn't sound flattering. Will Dan loose his territory?
Although still in good health with good eyesight at 120, Moses dies after God instructs him to go to the top of Mt. Nebo and he views the territory. I was curious if it actually said he died, or if God just takes him, like he does Enoch (Genesis 5:24). But chapter 34 clearly states several times that he died.

Deuteronomy is complete (Moses held out till the last chapter!). Five books, the books of Law, are complete, 61 more to go. Let's find out how Joshua fares leading the childish Israelites.

Right away in the first several verses we see a theme that we've read several times already in the later chapters of Deuteronomy - be strong, be courageous, I will be with you, do not fear.
Joshua 1:16-17: “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you." We'll see about that. I bet we don't read another full chapter before the Israelites mess up.
Okay, I was wrong. They didn't get the wrath of God in the next chapter (3). Although, technically, they aren't supposed to make any oaths with the foreigners, but they did so with Rahab. I believe Rahab is key to the line of Jesus...let's see...ah, yes, Rahab is the mother of Boaz, great-great-grandmother of king David, and then on to Jesus. But how did the spies know that she was legitimate, and not trying to trick them?
The troops were lead out by the priests assigned to carry the ark of the covenant. Must have been some sight...four guys (I'm guessing) carrying a gleaming gold box with two angels on top followed about a half mile behind by 40,000 (4:13) warriors.
3:6 - the Jordan was halted and they crossed the Jordan on dry ground. I hadn't remembered that. And not just the narrow brook that I remember seeing in Israel, but a swollen river during rainy season.
I think this is just the first of many commemorative pillars of stones to come (chapter 4).
What is the first thing you do when you go to conquor the land? Why, get circumcised, of course! (Chapter 5). Good thing the Amorites were scared, otherwise they would have been watching what the Israelites were doing and would have tried to attack them when they were recovering (Levi had pulled this trick before, remember?). Weren't the Israelites instructed to circumcise the infants at 8 days? (Gen 17:12 - introduced to Abraham; Isaac was circumcised as instructed at 8 days (Gen 21:4). Leviticus 12:3 again instructs to do so on the 8th day. Exodus 12:48 says no uncircumcised person was to eat the Passover.
The passed through the Jordan on the 10th day of the first month (4:19). If you remember, you know they're required to have Passover on the 14th day of the first month (numbers 28:16 and others). Did they have Passover before the circumcisions? Wouldn't the act itself have made them unclean?
5:12 - the Manna stopped. Before this 90 day challenge, I was thinking that they had manna in the morning an quail at night the entire time, but I think the quail was only a one- or two-time event. Ex 16:12-14 the quail looks like it came in the evening, with no discussion of the the plague that came with the quail sent after complaints for meat in Numbers 11:31-34.
I bet the commander of the army of the Lord was an awesome sight (5:13-15).
The march around Jericho is described in Joshua chapter 6. The ram's horns trumpets are called shofar. We had one for VBS this year and I attempted to blow it (a few times I was successful). It wasn't easy. It made your lips tingle and go numb. When it got wet, it stunk. The trumpet blowers had to blow continually as they marched around the city. That would have been difficult.
7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass...It took 4 chapters for the Israelites to disobey. Well, at least one of them disobeyed...Achan. They assess the city of Ai and determine with cockiness that they only need a few thousand soldiers. They didn't ask God about it. But one disobedient person was all it took for God to allow 36 to be killed. Is this the first that we hear of any soldiers of Israel being killed? I think so. The Israelites quick loose their pride and their courage flows away like water.
7:10 uses the word "stuff" - as in "their own stuff". Doesn't seem like a very Biblical word to me. I looked it up, and this is the only verse in the entire New King James Version where this word appears. I found the needle in the haystack, and I wasn't even looking! 7:26 - another heap of stones to remember Achan and his entire family who suffered death for his misdeed (not to mention the 36 soldiers killed).
They're not so prideful this time when they go against Ai - they take 30,000. They used the good ole' fake like we're scared and run away while we ambush you from the other direction strategy.
Did Joshua literally hold out his spear during the entire battle, like Moses did at the Red sea, and in the early battle in the wilderness? (8:15)
8:29 - another heap of stones, marking the death place of the King of Ai.
8:30 Another heap, this one used as a sacrificial altar, presumably whitewashed (Deut. 27:2-4) before writing the law of Moses on it, and reading the law of Moses. What exactly was "the law of Moses" - was it just the 10 commandments, or the details in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy?

Day 16 ~ Blessings and curses, curses, curses

2007-09-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 17:6 - testimony of more than one witness is required for death penalty - repeated from Numbers. Again in 19:15 - more than one witness is needed.
Kings must be chosen by God, and cannot be a foreigner. The President of the United States has to have been born in the US - do you remember that from government class? Of course I did, but I lived with the government teacher! (sorry Arnold). And the King has to follow the same rules as everyone else.
Oh, something new mentioned for the Levities - they get the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach from those offering sacrifices. We have a joke in our family that my dad was so poor when he was growing up that when they had a chance to have a chicken for supper, they would use every part of the chicken. All the parts? Even the chicken eyes? Thus the expression "chicken-eye chili." The Levitical version would have been "sheep-cheek chili."
18:10-13 It is passages like this that make me uncomfortable with Harry Potter, or all other sorcery based children's stuff (where it is cool to be into magic). Fortunately, my daughter is still too young for that stuff. Sure, they want to read and that's good for them, but the scriptures are clear to avoid this stuff. We did however, read the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to her and she's seen the movie. Perhaps I talk from both sides of my mouth. Talk amongst yourselves: topic - children based sorcery books - good or bad?
A prophet like Moses is to come (18:15). You'll know if he is truly speaking God's words by the fact that he remains alive.
20:10 - what happened to the utterly destroy plan when you attack a city? Now they are allowed to make peace offerings, and take the people as servants? - apparently this applies only to the cities that are far off, not part of the territory of the inheritance (15)
20:16 - ah, there we are...you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive within the territory of the inheritance. By the way, the Israelites fail to do this.
21:10-14 - again, what about the utterly destroy clause? Now if you find a good-lookin' woman you can bring her home and keep her for yourself? This doesn't seem to fit.
21: 15-17 could be called Hagar's law.
Teenagers had to really keep their nose clean back in the day! (21:20).
I sleep in my husband's t-shirt pretty regularly. That would have been a no-no. I guess drag queens would have been pretty scarce. (22:5)
Does 22:9 prohibit cross-breeding of plants?
Is it even possible to get an ox and a donkey to work together? (22:10)
The wool and linen rule again in 22:11
Poor gal, her husband hates her and calls her a liar, but they give the dad money and make the girl stay with the husband. Wonder how that worked out for her?
22:22 - most tv shows on today wouldn't last long because the cast of characters would be so quickly killed off by the adultery = stoning rule.
Please don't tell me what 23:1 means.
When the Lord walks in the midst of your camp, he doesn't want to step in your poo, so cover it up. (23:13-14).
You can't remarry your first husband if you've married a second time. 24:4.
The honeymoon shall last a year - and keep the girl happy! 24:5.
Be kind and generous with the poor and needy is again addressed in detail in chapter 24.
Beatings as punishment are limited to 40 blows. Remember Jesus' beating? I can remember counting the blows in The Passion of the Christ movie and they went way past forty blows. I wonder if I'll remember when I finally get to this portion of reading to see if they were limited in how many times they could beat Jesus.
God only know why he comes up with this stuff - removing sandals and spitting in faces, rules for women who seize genitals - apparently God knew that this stuff would come up.
Repeating the history of the Israelites as part of the rituals was a way to keep the information alive.
Chapter 27 curses and amens sounds like a big pep rally before the big game.
The curses of chapter 28 are especially sad to read because we know many of them will come true due to the stiff-necked Israelites failure. You know things are pretty far from what God intended when canibalism is described.

Well, Moses is still alive.

Day 15 ~ Let's reminisce shall we?

2007-09-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Reminisce...that's a word that you don't hear too often. When I was a kid, I used to love to go to my grandma's and read her Reminisce magazines. She also had a subscription of Grit, and kept the back copies for me. I think those were the farmer's version of The National Enquirer. I would sit in Grandpa's reclining chair near he cb radio and read for hours. Her cb handle was "sugar cookie." I made some of her recipe of sugar cookies the other day for my KIP project. One of the firemen at Jeff's station said they tasted like his grandma's cookies. Grandma's must have shared recipes.

How long ago was it that Moses was told he was going to die? When God told Aaron, it was a few verses later, then BAM, it's all over. Moses wants to make sure that the Israelites do one thing: REMEMBER!, so he recaps the 40 years for them for several chapters.
A recap of the 10 commandments is given in chapter 5 of Deuteronomy.
It is interesting that the word "carved" is used in reference to idols (5:8). What about drawn idols? or cast idols (like the bronze snake God instructed Moses to make).
Don't take the Lord's name in vain. For me, this has always included the expression "oh my God," and of course "Jesus Christ!" which is used in our daily conversations almost like "um" and has become common place in tv and other media. It used to be bleeped out. Not any more. Hearing that expression (used outside the context of actually appealing to God, of course) is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I guess it is how you're raised. No one in my family was allowed to say it, and my family doesn't use it as a thoughtless expression. Of course, I didn't use the word "butt" until I was in high school because my parents told me not to. Listen to yourself and your family - how often do you hear it? It seems disrespectful to God to me - maybe not necessarily what this commandment is prohibiting, but what if it is? I invite you to do a little clean up of your language if this is an expression is part of your vocabulary. I made some suggestions to Grace: oh my word, oh my goodness, leapin' lizards, great balls of fire, gee whiz - if it sounds like it would have been on "Leave it to Beaver" then it is probably a better alternative. And cut out the OMG in your text messages, too!
5:16 - every child should memorize "honor your father and mother" - why, not because your parents says so, but so you'll live long.
Deuteronomy 5:4-5 is the "shema" - your children probably know it from VBS. “Hear, O Israel: "The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." The following verse and a half tell us what to do with this infomation: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children"
6:16 “You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah. What did they do in Massah?
6:20ff - why do we do this stuff, daddy? because God said to.
7:1 who will be cast out: where did they come from: Hittites (from Noah's son Ham's line through Canaan through Heth; they sold burial land to Abraham) and the Girgashites and the Amorites (giants, another descendant of Ham/Canaan/Heth) and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites (more descendants of Canaan, they took Dinah by force and were attacked by Simeon and Levi) and the Jebusites (another tribe of Canaan)
Pay attention: utterly destroy those you attack - no covenants (how can you if they are utterly destroyed), no marriages (how can you if they are utterly destroyed)
7:9 - when the covenants between God and man are broken, it is we who break them. God keeps his covenants.
7:22 - the Israelites will defeat the dwellers in the land a little at a time. Not because God can't wipe them out all at once, but because the Israelites can't handle the influx of booty!
Don't covet the silver or gold - is this in reference to the idols? or are they not to take gold and silver of any type as spoils (7:25)
"man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord" a familiar verse from 8:3
It is not because the Israelites are righteous that the dwellers in the promised land will be displaced, it is because the dwellers are wicked and because God keeps His promises. Don't get cocky, Hebrews. 9:5
Here's a detail that wasn't in the first account of the second set of tables - Moses made an ark of wood and placed the commandments in it. 10:1
Another form of the shema is in 10:12, 13
10:16 - not a pretty word picture - circumcise the foreskin of your heart

According to 11:4, apparently the Egyptians had still not recovered from the death of their Pharoah and his army. This makes me wonder: do we know who the Pharoah was that ruled during the Exodus? What clues have we unsurfaced in this blog alone?

It doesn't take much searching to know there are lots of theories. One Jewish scholar noted Exodus 13:17 - "Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.' " Apparently it is historical record that the Philistines (a sea-faring people) attacking the Egyptians - perhaps this was going on shortly after the Exodus.

We are told (Ex. 1:11) that Hebrews were forced to labor at the building of Pithom and Raamses, and it is believed that latter is none other than the ancient Hyksos capital Avaris. Remember to the reference in Numbers 13:22 that Hebron was built seven years before Zoan? Apparently Zoan is another name for Avaris. The Egyptians didn't like to use the name of other peoples in their records, why would you name someone beneath you, so there is no record of the Israelites by name, but there are records that quote a pharoah of allowing an immigrant people who were an abomination to the egyptian gods to depart. All very interesting. I digress...

11:18-20 - mention of placing God's words on your hands and between the eyes again, and adding on the doorposts of your house. This "write them on the doorpost of your house" is called the Mezuzzah. Look it up. Look just to see to what ridiculous detail the Jews have taken one partial sentence and added some additional stipulations: 2 passages from Deuteronomy have to be written in 22 lines, placed in the top third section of the upper right side, at 45 degree angle (the compromize of two sects who argued over whether it should be 90 degrees or straight up). I could go on...the rules do! This creation and adherence to sets of rules becomes a huge part of Judiasm, much above and beyond what is called for in the scriptures. Jesus chastizes the Sadducees and Pharisees for just this type of stringent rules, but not understanding the underlying principle: have a reminder to love the Lord your God!
The first part of chapter 12 sound just about like 2/3 of what we've read in Deuternomy already. Later in 12 - God picks the place for sacrifice, not you. Instructions on where you can and can't eat meat.
12:31 - a reference to Molech? Burning children as sacrifice.
chapter 13 - don't worship other gods...those that do should be killed
more about what you can and can't eat in chapter 14. I'm sorry, I really like pork. I can pass on the hoopoe and the bat. If you find an animal you are allowed to eat already dead, you can't eat it, but feel free to sell the rotting carcas to a foreigner. And, of course, do not boil a goat in it's mother's milk (14:21).
15:6 - don't borrow money.
Chapter 15 brings to forefront another running theme...be kind to strangers, as you know what it was like to be a foreigner in a strange land. We also revisit the 7 year cancellation of debt.
one...more...time... the feasts reviewed in chapter 16.

I didn't think this reading would ever end. Each new chapter I thought for sure Moses would take the one last walk up the mountain and lay down for the final time. Maybe tomorrow.

Day 14 ~ What's with all the giants?

2007-09-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

Numbers 30 gives some details about vows - and actually more detail about authority over a woman. It seems like every circumstance in a woman's life (child, single young woman, married, divorced, widowed), but what about a single older woman? 30:16
Do you remember Dionne Warwick and her Psychic Friends Network? Do you remember the joke that went around when the Psychic Friends Network went bankrupt - "didn't they see that coming?" That's what I thought of when I read 31:8 that Balaam was also killed. He was able to prophesy about others, but didn't get the full story from his oracle.
31:9 - my first thought - taking these women is going to cause you trouble! You can't handle the temptation, Israel!
Only had to wait 9 verses for confirmation. Moses is furious with the soldiers who didn't kill all the enemy. However, the Lord didn't tell Moses to tell the people to kill the women except for the virgins - that seems to be Moses' idea. That's the biggest temptation of all to the soldiers, and Moses gives them 32,000 ways to be tempted (31:35). Just a few verses later, the Lord does tell the people how to split the plunder. I wonder if Moses would have asked God, what God would have instructed about the women.
675,000 head of sheep captured in the plunder (plus what the Israelites had on hand). That seems like a lot of sheep. Made me wonder how many sheep there are in the United States right now for comparison. Don't you love the internet? According to the American Sheep Industry Association, as of January 1, 2007 there were 6.2 million head of sheep in the US. Some quick math: the US is 9.17 million square miles; the country of Jordan is 35,637 sq mi. The state of Indiana is 36,185 sq mi. So, the plunder of the Midianites resulted in 10.8% of the number of sheep in the US right now grazing on about 10% of the land mass of Jordan/Indiana or less. That's about 190 sheep per square mile. Purdue says "30 acres of land can be utilized to supply the forage needs of a 100-ewe flock." 640 acres = 1 square mile, so about 2133 sheep per square mile advised. So the Israelites were using up about 10% of their available grazing land on captured sheep alone. Grazing land was VERY important.
Okay, that last paragraph was just way too much. Someone stop me. Please don't ever give me any jelly bellies, and don't ask why.
Not one Israelite man was killed. Not even trampled by all this livestock. (31:49)
In chapter 32, the tribes that were apparently involved with grazing animals (Reuben, Gad, 1/2 Manasseh) ask for their land now - they like where they are (nw Jordan). Other than being short-sighted because they haven't even seen how good the grazing land was in the promised territory flowing with milk and honey, who wants to roam around with all this sheep!! They get their land on the condition that the go fight until all the other tribes get their land. Reminds me of the prodigal son.
A detailed route of the wandering in the wilderness for 40 years is provided. Unfortunately, none of this stuff still exists, we don't even really know where Mt. Sinai is. Even though God gives us an incredible map, we can't use it.
33:38. Aaron died in the 40th year of wandering, in the 1st day of the fifth month. He was 123 years old. A lot happens in the last several months of that fortieth year. What does mark the end of the wandering? Is it Moses death (yet to come, but already predicted). How many months are there in the Hebrew calendar?
33:53 - dispose of the inhabitants or they will be an irritant to you. Seems pretty clear.
Another detailed word map of the physical boundaries of the promised land is found in chapter 34. Note that it doesn't include the tribal territory east of the Jordan in Gilead assigned to the 2-1/2 tribes. Also note that Edom is specifically noted as not being part of the territory. Bet they cause problems later.
Amidst all these odd names and geneologies, don't miss that God knew all these people by name, and chose whom he wanted to be in leadership.
Chapter 34 also covers the establishment of 6 cities of refuge among the 48 cities for the Levites within the territories of the 12 tribes.
Who is the avenger of blood?
Can you see the basis of our judicial code for murder in here?
One witness is insufficient for the death penalty (35:30).
Didn't I ask the same question about Manasseh's daughters as is asked in 36:6? They are instructed to marry only within their tribes. Was this only for those specifically in Manasseh, or for the whole nation?

I have completed the book of Numbers! Four down, sixty-two to go.

Question answered again - The forty years of wandering appear to end in month 11. (Deuteronomy 1:3)
Some timeline clarification in 1:15,16- He broke down the leadership first, then appointed judges (per Jethro's advise, I presume).
1:28 - sons of the Anakim were giants (see Numbers 13:33).
Remember how God specifically named Edom (descendants of Esau) as territory that would not be received. He tells us this again in 2:5
2:9 confuses me. It seems like Moab and Midian have been used almost interchangeable in the past couple of books. Guess I'm wrong, because God says the Israelites won't overtake Moab either. Refresher on Midian/Moab: Midian was a son of Abraham by his second wife Keturah. Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt. Moses flees to Midian and marries the daughter of Jethro, an Elder of Midian. The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian go together to get Balaam to curse Israel. The Israelites sinned with the Midianite harlots and some worshiped their false gods, then revenge was taken on them and they get wiped out (see the booty numbered sheep in the obsessive point above). Moab was the son of Lot by one of his daughters (ewww). Gen 19:37 clues us in that they don't get wiped out with the phrase "he is the father of the Moabites to this day".
Apparently there are at least two races of Giants in the area - Anakim, Emim, Zamzummim
2:14. I don't remember this recounted story from the battle of Zered "all the generation of the men of war was consumed from the midst of the camp" in year 38, do you? I think it comes from Numbers 11 when they complained and God burned some of them up on the outskirts of the camp, because later in the chapter Zered is mentioned.
2:30 God hardened the heart of the king of Sihon, like with Pharoah
3:8, 9 give some geographical names from different civilizations. This type of info has to be gold to archaeologists.
Apparently the giant Og's bed (9 cubits in length) was something people could go look at in some roadside museum. (3:11). Wasn't Goliath 9 cubits tall - he surpasses this giant who was one for the local record books.
3:19 - I know that you have much livestock. So do we, since we did the math.
Moses pleads with God to set foot into the promised land, and like a toddler begging for something, God gives him a bit to shut him up - he can see the territory well from Mt. Pisgah, and that will just have to do.
The first five books of the old testament are supposedly written by Moses. But only three chapters into Deuteronomy, the style is much more narrative. I don't ever remember Moses referring to himself in the first person as he does in the end of chapter 3. Interesting.

I'm really tired, as I'm sure Moses is at this point. Off to bed for me, and Deuteronomy chapter 4 awaits me tomorrow.

Day 13 ~ Shrek did not have the first talking donkey

2007-09-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

I so enjoyed the worship service this morning. I really like when we have one service so you get to see more people, and the worship energy was great. I hope the Lord was blessed by the worship, and that our church, community and the House family are blessed through his being set-apart to the Eldership. Complete the morning with a dessert bonanza followed by a nap, and it was nearly the perfect day! I saw some more have turned in cards accepting the 90 Day Bible Reading Challenge. The number received is in excess of 180 people. Isn't that awesome!

The red heifer instructions were something new. I had to look up what a heifer was. I thought it was a female cow, which it is, but it also has not had a calf. Other than a few places in Leviticus where a female lamb or goat is acceptable, there has been no description of a female as acceptable for a large animal offering. Also, it is killed outside the camp. The ashes from the burning of this offering are put in water to purify the unclean. It doesn't say when to do this or how often.
20:1 is the start of a first month of another year. Which year of the 40? Who knows, other than it's the year that the Israelites complain. Oh, yes, that could be any year. This time the complaint is about water again, and Moses loses his temper. Rather than speaking the water from the rock as instructed by God, he strikes the rock two times. This sudden choice out of anger and frustration costs Moses and Aaron the ability to set foot in the promised land as well.
Edom. Remember from whom the Edomites descended? Esau, the twin of Jacob. The two branches of the family but heads and the Edomites flatly refuse to allow the Israelites to pass through their land on the highway. (20:21)
The Lord tells Aaron he is going to die - Moses passes the priestly garments to Aaron's son, Eleazar.
Edom, let the Israelites off easily. After Arad, the king in the south of Canaan, refused their passage, he attacked them and captured some Israelites. God allowed Israel to utterly destroy them and their cities.
The Israelites play the "b" side of their broken record, which includes the unpopular tune "we don't like this lousy bread." The Lord highly disapproves, and sends a plague of fiery snakes. To stop the plague, Moses is instructed to make a serpent on a stick that they can look at and be saved. This looks like something the Israelites will try to make into an idol.
21:14 What is the "book of War of the Lord"?
Hey, they've marched so much they've arrived back where they were the first time they complained about water.
Unlike Hormah (21:3), where the Israelites destroyed the city, when attacked by and the king of Sihon (after refusing the Israelites pass), the Israelites defeated the king of Sihon and took possession and live in the defeated cities. They also defeat King Bashan of the Amorites. I think this will come back to haunt the Israelites. Later in the Old Testament, God will provide instructions to completely wipe out the peoples where they take over the land - perhaps they will do something here that will require the strict rules (which you know they won't follow!).
I couldn't remember where the Amorites came from. A quick search revealed in Genesis 14 that they were allies with Abram. In chapter 15 of Genesis, it states "But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete" - is that Numbers 21? Will we see the Amorites again? We'll hear the story recounted Deuteronomy, but I think this is the end of them. Oh, they came from the lineage of Noah's grandson Canaan, through Ham.
The Israelites are beginning to get a reputation to be feared. In chapter 22, King Balak of Moab is scared and knows that he can't take on Israel without some backup. He speaks to the elders of Midian (wasn't Jethro an elder of Midian?) and they sought out Balaam. Was Balaam a worshipper of God, or just used by God? At any rate, unlike the Israelites, Balaam actually listened to God (for the most part). He doesn't specifically follow God's instructions to only go to Balak if they come for him again in the morning, instead he just gets up and goes, but through a talking Donkey, God made quite an impression on Balaam and he did what God said to a T.
Why did Balak seek out Balaam? Was he a known majician of some sort? I thought Balak just wanted the forces Balaam could provide, but it sounds like Balaam had some sort of conjuring power to curse the Israelites. He takes up his "oracle" - a majic ball of some sort? - several times, but speaks the blessing from God.
24:14 - we are not only told that Balak will be defeated, but also the downfall to come for the Amalekites and Kenites.
Is 24:17 Messianic?Star out of Jacob, Scepter out of Israel.
Didn't take long - the Israelites already fall to the women and gods of the Moabites in chapter 25. 24,000 are struck down in their sin. Phinehas, son of Eleazer from the Levites gets a gold star for his actions.
Chapter 26 calls for - another census of those 20+ who can go to war results in 601,730 (51), excluding the Levites. According to 26:74, this also excludes those who are not able to enter the promised land - so it appears the size of this group is probably pushing a million men at this time. Why were the ladies singled out in Manasseh?
26:52 - the land will be divied out in the promised land according to the census - larger tribes will get more land.
Rules for inheritance are laid out in chapter 27. It also explains why the daughters of Manasseh are discussed earlier.
The mysterious "urim" shows up again in 27:21
Moses' death is close at hand, and Joshua is chosen by God to give "some" of his authority (27:29).
Moses gives the Israelites one final reminder about the sacrifices, offerings, and feasts. I'm sure he knows this will be a long road for the Israelites to travel, and gives them the instructions one last time in hopes that this time they will actually absorb what is expected of them.
29:6 - new moon offering - I don't remember this one. I noticed one detail in the feat of tabernacles, which goes for 7 days. From the first to the last day, one less bull is offered.

Day 12 ~ When did Jethro visit?

2007-09-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

Even with dozens of rules, there will always be situations where you need a clarification. This occurs a couple of times in our passage today from Numbers 8-18. It also occured for me - I asked "why?" several times when reading, only to have the answer supplied a few verses later, or still scratching my head.

Someone who had become unclean wanted to observe the passover feast, which no one is supposed to miss - God tells them that they may observe a month later, in the second month. I had to reread that - I thought God told them they could observe at the normal time even if unclean, but Passover is the first month.
The Hebrews stayed in place for 1 month and 11 days using the new tabernacle before God's cloud of glory moved. (Ex 40:17, Num 10:17)
I was assuming that it was God's intent for the Israelites to wander in the desert for 40 years from the beginning. I wondered why they needed Hobab's help scouting around - why don't they just follow the cloud? But, as we'll see shortly, God was ready to move them into the promised land, but the people are so short-sighted they blow their chance at some rest in a new home land.
Peer pressure is nothing new - we all know that. Assuming that the end of chapter 10 (bunch of complainers on the outskirts of camp get burned up by God for their grumblings) occurred shortly before 11:4, why would anyone complain at this point? But the "mixed multitude" (non-Hebrew travelers with the Hebrews?) began to crave meat, and the Hebrews quickly joined the complaints.
Moses has had enough - he is stressed out and asks God to just kill him rather than have to lead this thankless group single-handedly. God sets up 70 Elders and give them the same Spirit he gave Moses. This makes me wonder about Jethro, and confuses me about the timeline again. I struggled with at what point Jethro came to Moses in the wilderness (Ex 18) - was it within months of leaving Eqypt, or years - ch. 19 clearly states a backward progression in the chronological story. How does Jethro's advise to get help in judging coincide with the 70 Elders that God appoints in Numbers 11. When does Numbers 11 occur in the chronology?
You want meat? I'll give you meat! (11:20) Eat it for an entire month!
The Spirit of the Lord rested on the Elders and they prophesied. Reminds me of Acts 2.
The quail arrives - at least for one time - but those who do eat it, God strikes them dead. I don't get that.
Chapter 12 - more confusion. After reading Ex 18 a few times, apparently Moses had sent out of Egypt before the exodus his wife Zipporah and his two sons by Zipporah back to her father, Jethro. Jethro brings Zipporah and the two sons when he visits in Ex 18. Apparently, Moses picked up an Ethopian wife somewhere. Jethro was a priest of Midian, and I don't think Midian was in Ethopia. When did Moses take this wife? Was she one of the "mixed multitude" with the Hebrews in the desert? When did Jethro depart from Moses, and when he did, did he take Zipporah and the boys with him?
Anyway, Aaron and Miriam are jealous. More likely, Miriam is jealous and wants some type of power or attention. Miriam pays a penalty for her jealousy, but again the humble Moses intervenes with God and softens the blow. Aaron once again shows his weak side, unable to keep his wife from mouthing off.
Remember the song from junior church (and the hand motions?): 12 men went to spy on Canaan, 10 were bad and 2 were good. (chapter 13). Further info that God was going to move them in pretty quickly to the promised land. But the idiots doubted His power again, and it cost them 40 years of wandering, and their generation will never set foot into the land, except for Joshua and Caleb.
So, instead of being repentant, the Israelites decide in their infinite wisdom that they don't really need God and set out to overtake the Amelikites and Canaanites. That didn't go well. (14:45)
Commercial break for chapter 15 to remind us again about offerings.
Since the chosen people can't seem to remember all the miracles God performs for them, he gives them another way - put tassels and blue threads on your clothes - maybe then you'll remember.
In chapter 16, since the crowd can't fathom accepting responsiblity for their stupid decisions and losing the right to go into the promised land, they decide to blame it on Moses. A rebellion occurs, and facts are twisted against Moses. The Lord kills the foolish men who have banded together, and those who have presumed that they can fill the duty assigned to the priests of Levi. Moses appeases the Lord through quick thinking of an an atonement offering, but not before the Lord strikes out 14,000+
Blooming rod - chapter 17. Is this another backtrack? We already know that the Levites are the priests. Or did this really occur after the rebellion as yet another sign of God's intended structure. At any rate, after everything the people have seen, they think this rod sprouting is something to behold and believe God for once.
A warning is given to the Levites not to profane the money they receive as part of the tithe. Wonder if they will heed the warning? (18:32)

Do we appear as stiff-necked as the Israelites to God? To me, they seem like downright idiots most of the time, either that, or they have no short-term memory.

Day 11 - Census takers needed

2007-09-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

Leviticus transitions into Numbers today, and we see some order taking shape within Israel's wandering community. We begin with chapter 27 and read through Numbers 7.

27:29 - no human devoted to destruction can be ransomed. This reminds me of religions who promote ways of getting people into heaven who have already died and their arrival there is doubtful.
After a big year in the wilderness, which included an escape from Egypt, drinking gold-tainted water, receipt of commandments from God, reading and listening to instructions on sacrifices, festivals, and other rules, being provided instructions for the tabernacle and building the tabernacle, it is time to do some counting.

Leviticus is complete! 3 books down, 63 more to go. You know, that wasn't too bad. I kept looking for the odd clues in the passages.

Numbers 1: A census of the men 20 years and above, able to fight and excluding Levi was 603,550. That cable tv show I was talking about a few days ago where the Jewish scholar scoffed at the number of 600,000 men coming out of Egypt - does he ignore this passage?
Numbers 2: With the tabernacle as the center of their community, each tribe was assigned a camping spot, and a marching order for battle. Each tribe was assigned a leader. The tribes are assigned in a clockwise direction starting in the East. Supposedly, this map
Assignment order: (east, first to march) Judah, Issachar, Zebulun; (south) Reuben, Simeon, Gad; (west) Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin; (north, breaking camp last) Dan, Asher, Naphtali
Numbers 3: The Levites are assigned specific tasks in caring for the tabernacle according to clans. The census if Levi is a bit different - they count all males 1 month old and above, and 22,000 are counted. They are also assigned camping spots in a tighter rectangle around the four directions of the tabernacle.
A census of the firstborn males 1 month and older is taken, resulting in 22,273. The Levites are a substitution for the firstborn of the other tribes, similar to the way Christ is a substitute for the sacrifice required for our sins. But there are 273 more first born in the entire nation than the Levites available for substitution, so those were redeemed with money.
The tabernacle must have been the place where the value of money was established and controlled (3:49).
Aaron and his sons are in charge of the most holy activities, especially preparing the most holy elements to be moved. But once they are covered appropriately, other family members take over. Further census are required among the Levites as specific task assignments are divied up in caring for and moving the tabernacle and all it's elements. Note that the age range is 30-50 year old males this time (4:3)
Wonder what the significance of the blue cloth is? It is described numerous times as worthy of covering the most holy items.
5:11ff - the litmus test for unfaithful wives results in rotten thighs and swollen bellies. It would be hard to cover up a rotten thigh - you would be caught for sure. And tossed outside the camp for being unclean (5:1)
Numbers 6: The introduction of a Nazarite - one dedicated to the Lord who does not drink or eat of grapes, and doesn't shave or cut the hair of their head. What is the vow? What is the significance of this devotion? How long does it last? We know that when it is over, sacrifices and shaved head is required, then consumption of wine can start.
Numbers 6:22-26 - the beautiful blessing that is the context of a song that the choir has sung. Can you remember the tune?
Numbers 7 shows how the Levites obtained the materials they need to fulfill their duty when they had to move the tabernacle, and discusses the inaugural consecrating sacrifices from each tribe, one tribe per day for 12 days. Note that they sacrifice in the order of their camping stations. It appears that all their sacrifices are the same. Although I was tempted to make a comparison chart, I did not.
We close with the sacrificial offerings to the storehouses completed, and God speaking to Moses from the mercy seat in the tabernacle.

Day 10 ~ having one arm longer than the other may be a good thing

2007-09-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I've completed 10% of the challenge so far. It hasn't been a struggle as of yet, and for that I'm thankful to God.

17:11 ..."for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul" - this struck me as the first time that blood was actually sited as the "key" to the atonement. I did a quick search, and it was (in the NKJV anyway). Only Jesus' blood, a perfect sacrifice, was good enough to atone and create the new covenant.
Finally, some boundaries are placed on the sexual behavior in chapter 18. These boundaries are basically the same ones we use today for acceptable moral behavior (except on television, where the exact opposite seems to be true). The rules for the sin have changed, however - They don't kill you for adultery anymore.
Molech was a false god who is mentioned 5 times in today's passage. Apparently the worshippers of this false god sacrificed a family member to it by fire. A quick internet search revealed it was a god of the Ammonites, decendants of Lot. We'll hear more about Molech later, when a once wise Solomon builds a temple to him in I Kings.
Leaving grain around the fields for the poor to collect is a rule that paves the way again for the coming Christ. Ruth picked grain from the fields of Boaz, she became his wife, and they were the great-grandparents of King David, who carries the line on to Christ.
19:19 - wonder why you can't mix wool and linen in a garment? Apparently, to the Jews, this is called "shatnez," and is categorized as a "chok" -- a law whose logic is not evident. Well, the old testament is chock full of these types of rules.
19:27 - no shaving fancy shapes into your beard or hair on the side of your head. Another one to add to the chok list. I like this one and will keep it marked for future discussions with my daughter should it become necessary: You shall not...tattoo any marks on you
20:22 - what a pretty word picture
You know that trick you use on little kids where you swing your arm around and stretch it out full and it looks like you've got one arm longer than the other? Perfecting this trick would have been a real temptation to a young man in the tribe of Levi, because you would be exempt from service in the tabernacle if you have one limb too long. 21:18. Oh, come on, didn't that strike anyone else as the perfect way out of an impossible job?
22:33 gives an example of how less-than-perfect animals could be used for some sacrificial rites.
Chapter 23 is dedicated to the further description of feasts: Passover/Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Weeks, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles (kind of a little camping trip feast). These last three occur in the same month.
Keep the lampstand burning - for some odd reason, this phrase is reminding me of some REO Speedwagon song. I listened to the Hi Infidelity 8-track tape so much that I could hear both sides playing at one time. Did the same thing with one of the Carpenter's 8-tracks, too. Maybe I should go out to my car and dig out the CD to find out why I can't get it out of my head.
The oft-quoted "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" passage is found in 24:20.
A year of rest is to be given to the land every seven years, and every forty-nine years a year of jubilee is to be observed. It looks like the year of rest would be two years in year 49 and year 50.
Property and the Jubilee can become tricky. If I read this correctly, once the Hebrews take the promised land, whomever first "owns" (God is really the owner - 25:23) the property is the owner perpetually, and any exchange of money for the property is basically a pro-rated leasing program based on the time after or until a year of Jubilee. They must have kept good records. However, there is a one year time limit on redemption before "ownership" transfers within the walled city. Outside the city wall was a different story. Bet lots of people built walls around their properties.
Our society is the exact opposite of 25:35 - if someone can't afford something, and has bad credit, they are more likely to get credit at a higher rate of usury.
When does it become unacceptable to have a slave. There were slaves in the New Testament. Is it Biblically acceptable to own slaves?
Blessings for obedience are described in chapter 26, a nice change from the consequences for disobedience. Well, for 13 verses, anyway, then back to the consequences.
Confession leads to Restoration is described starting with 26:40. This is a key point of these passages - it also fits with the upcoming "Identity Theft" sermon series that starts September 9.

Day 9 ~ Hey Nadab, watch this!

2007-09-05T17:52:00.001-07:00

This has been a busy day, as I expected, with the start of fall programming at church. I tried stuffed cabbage for the first time, and it was pretty good (that was our supper for the first fall family night). Jeff just came and picked up Grace after his busy day of training and meetings himself, and I am stealing as few minutes as I can without feeling too guilty here at the office to start the reading. I'm ready The Message version tonight cause I'm too lazy to go out to my car and get the one I've been using.

Hey Aaron, do you think we should keep the fire on the altar burning? These instructions aren't real clear: "Meanwhile, keep the fire on the Altar burning"; "it must not go out" "Replenish the wood for the fire every morning," "Keep the fire burning continuously." "It must not go out." Did I mention that I am somewhat sarcastic.
I wondered what they were going to do with the beautiful new robes after the priests were sprinkled with blood in the cleansing ceremonies. Somewhere in the end of Leviticus 6, it says they have to be washed in a holy place. I can't tell you where in Leviticus, because the Message Bible doesn't think we need any verse numbers, just pretty little symbols between sections.
There should be lots of broken clay pots in the ruins of where the Hebrews camped.
No wonder they needed offerings of incense. The altar area had to have stunk.
For goodness sake, don't eat any ritually unclean meat, fat or blood. Say, do you have any good recipes for right thigh that doesn't involve boiling it in it's mother's milk? I'm just plumb out of ideas! Oh, a recipe for a 36-hour stew - no can do!
The mysterious Urim and Thummim can be placed in a small small pouch.
Notice that Moses doesn't have to be consecrated to be able to consecrate the Levites.
Why has the phone rung three times at church after 9:00pm?
After Aaron has been in seclusion for purification for seven days, the first thing they have to do is make an absolution offering for himself. What did he have to absolve for - this is so complicated!
God's glory shown, and He showed them something new, fire blazing out from his glory can consume things, like Nadab and Abihu, who were trying an unsuccessful incense experiment - hey, Abihu, this smells good, you think God will like it? I don't know, Nadab, let's see. (What does an idiot say just before he dies? "Hey, watch this!")
Aaron was silent. Probably because his chin was on the ground.
Apparently the desert wilderness was akin to "The Twilight Zone". Eat animals with split hooves that chew their cud, but not if they only have a split hoof and don't chew their cud, or chew their cud but don't have a split hoof. (Who wants to eat a rock badger anyway?) Got it? Next rule, please.
If I step on the carcass of a dead animal with my sandle, have I technically touched it? Cause my clothes are still wet from cleaning them after I touched the piece of wood that a dead lizard had been lying on.
What's wrong with Leviticus - there is excellent material here for a Hebrew comedian.
I had a baby daughter and I only got six weeks off, God allows 80 days!
Hey, Elzaphan, you've got blister checkin' duty today - you drew the short straw.
Why do you have to show the fungus-infected clothing to the Priest - why wouldn't you just throw it out?
My stomach is literally feeling queasy reading this stuff.
How did one altar keep up with the massive amount of sacrificing that would have had to have been done for this huge group of people?
Mishael, quit laughing at Elzaphan. You've drawn the straw for house-fungus checking.
Okay, the opening from chapter 15 is TMI. And given that you have to bring an article of fungus-infected clothing to the priest to have it declared unclean, I'd venture that this is a no-brainer that this fellow is going to be spending some time alone. Yeah, let's include all of chapter 15 in the "ewww" category.
Origin of scapegoat - chapter 16.
What/where was Azazel?
Day of Atonement, Sabbath of all Sabbath's - tenth day of the seventh month.

Hey, I was having so much fun, I actually read a chapter ahead. I better head for home!

Day 8 ~ Recipe for disaster

2007-09-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

I checked the Kindness in Progress Servant Evangelism "Business Blast" board this morning when I got to the office, and wrote down some names of businesses that had not been selected (lots of them left...feel free to pick one up - you have the whole month to help us cover the community with simple acts of kindness). I had made up 10 plates of cookies, and distributed them at lunch with "you've been served" stickers adhered to them. It was fun to hand them the plate and tell them I made them some cookies. I let the sticker do the rest of the talking. As part of passing out the treats, one of the gas stations said they were wanting to partner with the community, and offered several suggestions how they could do so with the church, even to the extent of letting us use some of their facility to do fundraisers - I hurried back and told our Youth Minister, as he is preparing for a mission trip with his group in the spring. God is good! Now, my observations on today's passage.

Are Mount Horeb and Mt. Sinai close to each other. Moses goes up to Sinai, then God says he will punish the idol makers at Mt. Horeb, then Moses is back up at Sinai the second time for the new set of stone tablets. Nobody really knows where this all occurred for sure.
Moses, on Mt. Sinai the second time for the tablets, is instructed to cut the stone for the new tablets and present himself to God the next day. It is interesting to note that he is not given some detailed purification ritual.
The passage about sins will be passed on to generations comes from 34:7.
Another name of the Lord: Jealous 34:14.
Is the first month of the Jewish calendar still Abib? What year are we on in the Jewish calendar. Does God ever tell them to start the calendar over again after the Exodus, say when the return from captivity in Babylon?
Apparently these instructions bear repeating. Numerous times. Remember, the Israelites have short term memory loss issues. Perhaps I'm actually a Hebrew.
After an additional 40 day period with God, Moses seems to have absorbed some of his glory, causing his face to glow. I always thought his beard turned white, too. That must have been from a movie, because it isn't in this passage. Was the glow the intensity of the Holy Spirit in him?
The people gave out of free will, willingly, with hearts stirred with wisdom, not out of fear, for the tabernacle (35:26, 29).
In addition to equipping craftsmen with the Holy Spirit and the ability to produce what was needed, God put in their heart the ability to teach. What a gift.
Moses had to instruct the people to stop giving - more than enough was received. That's never had to be discussed with any modern-day congregations that I'm aware of.
Is there any tabernacle replica that has been built that can be seen? A search through www.goodsearch.com takes you a Mennonite reproduction in Florida, there is one at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, and apparently one in Arkansas I found right off the bat, as well as a traveling tabernacle experience you can put on at your church. Arcadia Christian Church did some type of festival observance a couple of years ago - it's neat to bring the Bible to life (minus the sacrifices, please!)
For once, the Hebrews were not grumbling. They were busy at work, and in 39:32, you'll see that they actually did what God said for once!
Levites are also given a task of accounting (38:21).
In the show that was on TV Monday about Moses in the desert with the Hebrews, one scholar was trying to downplay the number of people that left Egypt (600,000 men in the New King James version in 12:37). Is there another way to count the men in 38:26? Of course you have to know how many shekels there are per talent. That's probably in the OT somewhere.
It's hard not to zone out when you're reading about the dimensions for the third or fourth time.
It is time to move on when the cloud of God's glory leaves the dwelling place in the completed tabernacle.

Second book completed, sixty-four to go! I need to go get Grace - she's been over at the St. Peters for an hour and a half while I have gone through this reading at a leisurely, undistracted pace.

This sacrifice stuff is confusing. Sin offering, Burnt offering, grain offering... offering of the herd, the flock, bird, grain. Who does the killing, which side of the altar. To place the hand on the head or not, male or female; atonement for priests, groups, rulers, commen men.
Do all the sacrifices transfer the sin to the item being presented for sacrifice? Not all of the items are described with the hand placement on the head. Do all the sacrifices offer forgiveness? That isn't always said.
Where and when are they told exactly what is unclean? As a Hebrew, even if I want to follow the rules, do I know what the rules are? I'm sure many more rules are to come. My guess is that I won't get by on pleading ignorance. We're specifically told even if we sin unintentionally, or don't even know about the sin, we still need atonement. This looks like a recipe for disaster. Did God really think that the Hebrews could carry this off?

Day 7 ~ Stiff-necked people

2007-09-03T18:09:00.000-07:00

I slept in this morning, and while I ate my breakfast, I mean brunch, I turned on the TV. The show that was on was about Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. No kidding. I didn't change the channel to it, it was on when I turned the set on. I spent the day baking cookies for the business blast servant evangelism challenge. I only ate three. Jeff and Grace took a bikeride at Forest Park. Tonight's observances:

Six years cultivating, then a year fallow. Is that next spring for our garden?
Why can't you boil a young goat in it's mother's milk?
Any troops would feel a bit more confident if they had an angel, confusion among the enemy and hornets going before them to battle. IF they keep the covenants.
24:9 - Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu + 70 more SEE GOD. Don't underestimate what this would be like. What part of God they see, I'm not sure, as later God will say no one will see His face and live, and Moses wouldn't be able to take it if he saw all of God's glory.
Moses waits on the mountain 6 days with Joshua, then ascends to the Lord for a whole lot of instructions and visuals of what needed to happen. It's not clear if Joshua went up with Moses, but it would have been nice to have a secretary and sketch artist around.
All the plunder from the Egyptians would be coming in handy.
25:16 - what is the "testimony" - the term was used in reference to the sample of manna before.
God will now dwell among His people and communicate from his mercy seat. He provides detailed instructions to Moses for ark, table, curtains, altars, priests' clothing, oil, washstand, and incense, among other things. The expression goes "the devil is in the details." I think this shows that God is in the details.
I need to look up birthstones and see if they are the same as the stones in the breastplate, just for curiosity.
28:30 - what are urim and thummim?
Details again, remember how God didn't want to see up the skirts of the priests as they go up the altar steps? He gives instructions for trousers.
29:20 - I don't remember this odd detail (and many others): blood on the right ear, thumb and big toe.
There are lots of types of offerings: burnt, wave, heave, drink, grain, incense...
Okay, now all this detailed stuff - this is to be done every day. I don't know if the tribe of Levi considered themselves lucky or unlucky. 29:35. There are multiple layering of actions: daily, weekly, during festivals, annually, every seven years, every 50 years.
Okay, Moses, you are the contestant designer on ________ (pick a home improvement show: trading spaces, design star, while you were out...). How will you ever pull off the plan God has given you? You get some very well-equipped help from the tribes of Judah and Dan (they come equipped with killer skills as well as the filling of the Holy Spirit!)
How many signs of the covenant between God and the Hebrews are we up to now? Circumcision, law, sacrifices, keep the sabbath...
WHAT IS AARON THINKING!!! He saw God! Maybe the tribe of Levi is not such a great choice to make to fulfill all the detailed rules.
God basically tells Moses that he's had it, and will start over with his nation with Moses, but Moses tells God He will get more glory if the stiff-necked people live. The Lord relents.
Joshua is again described with Moses. Was he at base camp up in the clouds this whole time?
Moses then experiences some of the hot anger that God expressed, and destroys the tablets. He inquires of Aaron what terrible threat the people made against Aaron to make the idol. Aaron's answer is very weak. Some people are immediately singled out as evil and killed.
Just wait until your father gets home! Isn't that much worse than the actual swift punishment. God tells the Hebrews the same thing - your punishment is coming, now move on to Horeb, and I'm leading with an angel this time, otherwise I might just consume you if I get too close!
Moses wants assurance from God that He won't abandon His nation, since they are the group that is really going to stick out, and God assures Moses that He's got Moses' back.
Moses and God are pretty tight - like good friends. They meet in Moses' tent outside the camp. God shows him a glimpse of His glory. I don't know how that is different that seeing God at the beginning of this passage, but it must be. That is a whole 'nutha topic.