Moses dies Joshua leads
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 81 (March 22): Moses: blesses Israelites, views Canaan, dies: Joshua leads, Joshua encourages Israelites, plans attack; Rahab hides spies, asks for safety

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 33
We are starting a new book today — Joshua.  For background information about Joshua, go to http://www.biblestudytools.com/nlt/joshua/
— Joshua 1-2
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the entire Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 33:1): I don’t think I have heard Moses referred to as the man of God.  I can certainly understand the reference.  He was truly a follower and a believer.  He was the earthly commander for God.  Is there anything else to this name that would be worth noting?

A. This is the first occurrence of that name, but it will be used later to describe Joshua and later prophets.  I think you have given a good description in your question.

Q. (33:3): “All His holy ones are in His hands.”  What does that mean?  I’m not sure if he’s talking about the Israelites, Moses, or those in heaven with him — Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

A. He’s talking about the nation of Israel, which, in my mind, would include Moses, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Those who belong to God are never lost to Him.  That’s the idea behind being in His hands.

Q. (33:6): I guess Reuben’s tribe doesn’t get as much praise as the others?  It’s all because of Reuben’s actions long ago or did the tribe follow in the same footsteps?  This almost sounds like they have to be blessed solely because they are descendants of Jacob.

A. I would say that is accurate.

Q. (33:7): Judah is the tribe that Jesus is a descendant of, right?  What is Moses talking about when he says, “Give them strength to defend their cause?”  Do they know that the Savior will come from them?  Notice the location of Judah.  You can google “12 Tribes of Israel map,” and click on images to see the tribes’ territories. There’s Bethlehem!

A. Good catch there on the map.  I don’t think this blessing referring to the Messiah specifically, but rather noting that Moses is telling the people of Judah to be active for the cause of God.

Q. (33:10,11): I don’t understand why Moses says that they teach God’s regulations to Jacob, when Jacob has died.  And, why does it say in 11, “Hit their enemies where it hurts the most; strike down their foes so they never rise again.”  The Levites supported the priests and didn’t go into battle, so what is this verse about?  Those who speak out against God?

A. Jacob and Israel are shorthand for the entire nation.  After Solomon, the 12 tribes will divide into two kingdoms, Jacob (North) and Israel (South).  Even if we (rightly) think of Abraham as the father of the nation, it is almost never referred to as the nation of Abraham, but of Jacob’s two names: Jacob and Israel.  I think you will see very shortly that the priests will indeed have a very important function in the battle against Jericho.

O.  (33:12): This sounds like the blessing that a youngest child might receive.

Q. (33:19): Hidden treasures in the sand?  What is that?

A. It refers to maritime wealth.  These two tribes would be near the shore, and would likely participate in trading with the sea faring tribes in the area.

Q. (33:21): I don’t remember that there was an official “lead” tribe of Israel.

A. There isn’t.  This verse is saying that Gad’s tribe got the leader’s share of good land for their flocks on the east side of the Jordan.  Today we would call this “the lion’s share.”

Q. (33:24-25): Can you remind us again why Asher is getting a more glorious blessing than the others?

A. I don’t have a firm answer, but both Jacob (back in Genesis) and Moses give Asher a strong blessing.  Asher would come to possess fertile land by the Mediterranean Sea, which probably made them wealthy among the tribes.

Q. (34:1,5-8): I can gather from the text that Moses couldn’t see this whole land with regular human sight.  The text says, “the Lord showed him the whole land.”  I can only imagine how Moses felt to see the land he had waited so long to see and had supported when his followers began to grumble again and again over a 40-year span.  It sounds like the details of Moses’ death is a mystery.  I just figured he would go directly to heaven, sort of passing the grave.  Moses seems like the Energizer Bunny.  He climbs a mountain and then dies?  But, we don’t know how long he was there, right?  Maybe God gave him some time to relax, reflect and enjoy the view?

A. There’s no way of knowing.  That is part of the mystery of Moses’ death: we do not know the ultimate cause or location.  He is not taken like Elijah, who is swept away in a whirlwind.  It simply records that he goes up on the mountain to die.

O. (Joshua 1:8-9): Awesome verses to live by!

Q. (1:16-18): The Israelites sound more supportive of their mission and more obedient than they ever have.  Maybe since they have finally seen the Promised Land, their convictions are more steadfast?

A. This is what those particular men (from the tribes that settled on the east side of Canaan) promised to do: in exchange for the land there, they had to promise to basically lead the charge for the other tribes into Canaan.  They swore to Moses that they would do this back in Numbers 32.  So regardless of their enthusiasm, they are bound to fulfill their vow to Moses.

Q. (Joshua 2:1-24): Is there significance to the fact that the one who hid the Israelite spies was a prostitute?  Is saving Rahab and her family significant?  I can think of one lesson: No matter who you are or what you do/have done, if you acknowledge God, He will take care of you.  How is that?

A. Rahab is a symbol of the “others” that we have discussed off and on: a person who is not an Israelite, but who sees the power of God in their tribes.  Basically, she is asking the men for protection so that she and her family will be spared.  I would assume that Rahab’s family becomes a part of the community in some capacity, but don’t know that for certain.  Rahab’s bravery will also serve as a contrast to the cowardice of a member of the tribe of Judah named Achan, from Judges 7.  The stories run together, so we can assume that author desires us to see the contrast clearly: this prostitute who should know nothing of God serves Him, while this son of Judah who should know better is unfaithful.

For further reading: There’s a lot packed into the story about Moses striking the rock for water as the reason for him being banned from the Promised Land. https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/why-was-moses-not-allowed-to-enter-the-promised-land.html

Shop: When we trust in God, we experience His goodness. https://livinlight.org/product/god-is-good/

Tomorrow’s reading: Joshua 3-6

 

Song of Moses. The song exalted the power of God and how He would bring them victory.
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 80 (March 21): Song of Moses, God keeps his promise to forbid Moses from entering Canaan, prayer of Moses

Credit: Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 31:30-32:52
— Psalm 90
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the entire Bible.

Questions & Observations

O. Before I read today’s readings, I was thinking about Moses’ relationship with God.  Thus far, he has been the closest human to God, so we should focus on what he is about to say and know that the words are coming from a man who has spent many days with God and had God’s glory in him.

Q. (32:8): Can you explain this verse?  I’m at a loss.  When it says “divided up the human race” is he talking about the tribes being assigned land?  And what is the heavenly court? From my footnotes, it looks like it could have several meanings?  The Dead Sea Scrolls, the Greek version and the Masoretic Text all say something different.

A. Nice job incorporating our material from yesterday!  I don’t have a clear explanation for the verse.  The dividing up the human race appears to be a reference to the Tower of Babel and the distribution of the nations after its fall from Genesis 11.  The heavenly court is usually viewed as the congregation of the angels, as we saw in the beginning of Job.  There are some Jewish traditions that ascribe to a notion that angels had a territory among the different nations, so the reference to division based upon the court might refer to that.  But, I can’t say it definitively.

Q. (32:10): What does the second part of the verse mean where he says he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes?

A. You guard your eyes like no other part of your body.  Even as a reflex (blinking, pulling away, etc.) your body automatically will take great steps to ensure that your eyes are not damaged.  They are so important.  God is watching over Israel just as closely, it says, as how carefully you guard your own eyes.

Q. (32:15): Moses refers to God as a Rock here.  I’m sure there is a good meaning behind the name.

A. Even today, we think of rocks as being steady and unbreakable.  That’s a central part of the image.  Also, in this era, rock faces and caves would have served as shelters for people who desired to hide, so we can also think of rocks as a source of protection.  So God as the Rock paints an image of protection, steadiness, and longevity.

O. (32:39): A verse worth noting.  It brings up a question we have had before about if there are other gods.  “Look now: I myself am he!  There is no other God but me!  I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand.”

Q. (32:40-41): Is Moses talking for God here or himself?  I don’t know what Moses means when he says, “As surely as I live, when I sharpen my flashing sword and begin to carry out justice, I will take revenge on my enemies and repay those who reject me.”

A. Moses is talking for God here.  This imagery refers to God avenging Himself among those who reject Him, referring specifically to the many Israelites who will be unfaithful to Him.  We will see various instances of this in future readings (I’m thinking of Joel 2 in particular, which is a powerful image of God avenging Himself), so let’s see how this verse is seen in subsequent stories.

Q. (32:50): What is the significance of both Moses and Aaron dying on a mountain?

A. Mountains are associated with the presence of God (like Mt. Sinai/Horeb), so dying on a mountain would be associated with the path a person “walks” to join God on high.  It is symbolic of a life journey where the end destination is God.

Q. (Psalm 90:4): Can this verse be used as proof of creation?  The 7 days of creation may have been longer.  I know it’s not important how long it took God to create the world.  I just thought it may be used to explain that.  Or, was Moses just making a quip?

A. You have touched upon something that is common in some circles: to use this verse and other citations of it to say that Creations could have been longer than one 24-hour period.  I don’t put much stock in these.  Moses is using metaphorical language to say that our concept of time means nothing to God.  I wouldn’t take it to mean anything more literal than that.

Q. (Psalm 90:5-9): This doesn’t paint a pretty picture of a reverent relationship with God.

A. In light of the eternal nature of God, I can’t say that I disagree with the assessment.  Next to Him, everything seems finite and fading.  It is only by His mercy that we are able to be more than dust in the wind, as it were.

Q. (Psalm 90:12): This verse says a lot!  I often think of troubles I have or things I want to do but can’t, for reasons of time and money.  And, if I’m in my right mind — which isn’t often enough — I remember that our time on Earth is so short and that if I don’t get the things done on my bucket list, then it’s no big deal.  God has bigger and better things for me waiting in heaven.  And I also think that my future in heaven, and possibly other’s futures, relies on what I do right now on Earth.  That gives me perspective to keep on seeking God’s guidance and do what He wants me to do.  This does sound a little dogmatic and I don’t mean it to.  I truly believe that He has given me, and anyone else who cares to listen to Him, a curriculum for my time on Earth.  And, from that, I gain the wisdom to make the right choices and not waste my time on empty matters.  Did I apply this correctly, Rob?

A. If we have properly fixed our gaze and decisions on the eternity of God, and not our time on earth, then I think that we are able to make decisions that allow us to live in light of this eternity.  You’ve got the idea.

Thanks for reading along.  See you tomorrow!

Further reading:
— Seven things to know about the Song of Moses, https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/inspiring-things-to-know-about-the-song-of-moses.html
— A deeper look into the Song of Moses, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Moses

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 33-34, Joshua 1-2

Joshua Israel's new leader
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 79 (March 20): Moses reviews Covenant, God shows mercy, life choices, Joshua is Israel’s new leader, Book of Instruction, God predicts disobedience

Wong Chim Yuen

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 29:2-31:29
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the entire Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 29:29): This is an interesting verse.  Has God said this before that there are secrets that He has not revealed?

A. I don’t think it has come up to this point, but honestly, there will always be things about the infinite God that are incomprehensible to the finite “us.”  I don’t really like the way that this verse in translated in this version.  The NIV makes Moses’ point more carefully.  The focus is not on God and His secrets, i.e. things He has not revealed, but rather on the Law as a blessing to the people and future generations of their children.

O. (30:1-10): Yeah!  God has mercy on the Israelites.  God is merciful.

O. (30:9-10): This passage made me smile.  It’s nice to know we can delight God.  So many times, it feels like we can either make Him happy or make Him mad.  But, the thought that we can bring joy to His heart brings joy to my heart, much like when I look at my girls and think how lucky I am that God made them a huge part of my life.

Q. (30:17): I know these commandments are for the Israelites — I never really differentiated that rules were for them and not necessarily for us today until Rob explained that — nevertheless, we can still learn from them, right?  Here Moses is telling the Israelites that if they worship other gods, they will be destroyed.  There are other false gods to worship, but I think that once you become a Christian, you are not likely to be lured by other cults, religions, etc., but we have idolatry of today — TV, work, money, hobbies, food, alcohol, sports, travel, lust — anything that we give so much importance to that we forget about God.  Would you say that applying this passage to today in this way is accurate?

A. I think it is.  You have begun to see the way that we should think about idolatry today: as anything that competes with God for our attention and time.  It is anything that we trust in besides God.  Having said that, I think that we as a society are moving toward a more open view of mixed religious theology.  We usually call it pluralism, and say things like, “all roads lead to God.”  Unfortunately, this goes exactly against what Moses is teaching the people here.  We must be very careful about allowing other religious ideas to infiltrate our faith.  Intermixing their faith in God with other faiths will get the Israelites in a lot of trouble.

O. (31:1-8): Just reading this gets my heart pounding.  I imagine the Israelites thinking about how big and numerous these inhabitants were and here God said He is going to conquer them.  And now, since they did not actually see the miracles in Egypt, there may be many who doubt His power.  But, Moses keeps reminding them of the deliverance and miracles and I’m sure their parents did — the loyal, wise ones anyway.

Q. (31:12): What is in the Book of Instruction?  The curses and the blessings?  Was this book placed in the Ark of the Covenant also?  Do any of these exist in museums today?  That’s another question: Can you give us a nutshell version of where all of the scrolls that form the Bible were found?

A. The Book of Instruction is the Law.  It is basically some form of the previous four books we have been reading: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  I suspect the versions of the books that we have been reading were edited together to combine the instructions of the Law with the journey in the wilderness that we have been reading about.  There will be various references to copies of the Law throughout the OT, but it appears a copy of the Law did end up in the Ark.  It is very unlikely, however, that it was a copy that would have been used.  It is likely that other copies made by the priests were used for everyday study.

Regarding your other question, you’ve touched upon a complex subject: the transmission of the OT.  There’s a few things to note. First, the oldest known copy of the complete OT in Hebrew is called the Masoretic Text (usually MT), which is a medieval copy of the OT from the Middle Ages.  We have portions of the OT that are found throughout the Middle East, but there’s a catch.  In the late BC era, the OT was translated into ancient Greek, to create a document known as the Septuagint (from the Greek word for seventy from the number of translators who worked on it).  Most of the ancient copies of the OT are Septuagints: Greek, not Hebrew copies.  Modern Jews reject the use of the Septuagint (probably because it’s the version that many early Christians, including Paul, used), and feel that only the Hebrew is valid for translation.  So while we have many fragments of the OT in Hebrew, and several copies in Greek, the oldest complete text comes from the Middle Ages.

I hear the questions rising now: isn’t that a long time?  Yes it is, but one of the coolest discoveries of modern Biblical archeology was the discovery of what is known as the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940s and 50s- found near the Dead Sea in the West Bank.  This was a collection of nearly a thousand clay pots that contained scrolls of various sizes.  These scrolls contained various portions of nearly every book of the OT (the exception was Esther, for reasons that don’t concern us here).  The ultimate find, however, was a full-length copy of the Book of Isaiah on a 12-foot scroll.  The coolest part of the discovery: the text of Isaiah matched more than 99% of the Masoretic text, despite being more than a thousand years older!  This, I think, tells us the great care with which Jews have copied their sacred text (and the way early Christians transmitted theirs), and gives me great confidence that the copies of the Bible that we have today are accurate representations of what the original author and editors desired to write about God.

O. (31:16-18) I doubt this is news that sits well with Moses, especially on the day of his death!

Q. (31:29): So much for peace in the valley of milk and honey.  Why does the disobedience have to continue?  From reading the Bible thus far, it seems that God does have a hand in what disasters strike.  Is this just more of God testing to see who deserves His blessings?

A. The people continue to rebel against God.  And just because God can “see it coming” as it were, does not make the people any less responsible for their actions, which is part of what God is telling Moses here.  The purpose of the curses, the droughts, the conquest by other tribes, these are all tools used by God to call His people back to Him.  None of us deserve the blessings God provides for us.  Like the Israelites, our call is to be faithful to God, and He will handle the rest.

Tune in tomorrow: a song God gave Moses to share with the Israelites.

For further study: What are the oldest copies of the Bible? https://biblearchaeologyreport.com/2019/02/06/the-three-oldest-biblical-texts/

Shop: We are so blessed to have a merciful God who forgives us 70 x 7! https://livinlight.org/product/490/

Tomorrow’s reading
— Deuteronomy 31:30-32:52
— Psalm 90

 

Blessings and curses. Moses renews Covenant with all of the Israelites
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 78 (March 19): Offering of first crops of new land, obey God’s commands, blessings and curses

Credit: Wong Chim Yuen

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 26-29:1
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the entire Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 27:15-26): I don’t remember the implementation of curses thus far.  How is “cursing” different from laws, rules and covenants?

A. As this passage is laid out, the curses have nothing to do with the Law.  Where the blessings and curses come into play is they are the result of obedience to God’s law (blessing) or disobedience/rejection of God’s law (curse).  Don’t think of the curses or blessings as being in a separate category from the regulations, they are the result of them.  That covers the laws and rules part of the question, and basically, Moses is telling people THIS is the covenant: if you obey, God will bless you like you have never known, and if you disobey, God will make you wish you were never born.  In the book of Judges in particular, we will see periods of both: disobedience brings about curse (the people are defeated in combat, crops don’t grow, etc.) and this, in turn, causes the people to repent of their sin, at which point, the curse is lifted.  Repentance will play a big role in the way the rest of the story will unfold in the OT.

Q. (Deuteronomy 28:15-68): Wow.  I don’t see that the Israelites really had a choice not to follow God.  I don’t know if this text is foreshadowing what will happen — that people are cursed in future readings because of disobedience — or the curses scare them so bad that they dare not disobey.

A. As I mentioned in the previous question, we will actually see instances of both.  Blessings and curses will also be central themes in the book of Judges, which we should be getting to in a week or two.  Hang in there.

Blessings!  See you tomorrow!

Podcast: The roles of blessings and curses of Deuteronomy, https://bibleproject.com/podcast/covenant-curses/ 

Shop: Following God will lead to immeasurable joy! https://livinlight.org/product/overflow-t-shirt/

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 29:2-31:29

Ways of life regulations. Captive women must have their hair cut in order to marry an Israelite.
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 77 (March 18): Captive wives, firstborn rights, unruly sons, rules on living, chaste, worship laws, Edomites and Egyptians may worship, other regulations

Credit: Wong Chim Yuen

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the whole Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 21:15-17): I’m confused.  I didn’t think God cared about birth order.  We saw that with the story of Jacob and Esau and Joseph and his brothers, among others.  Can you explain if “firstborn rights” are truly handed from God?  If so, why the contradiction with the earlier stories?

A. There’s not a contradiction in my mind.  What I have said on previous occasions is that God does not make considerations of birth order when selecting people for HIS purposes.  The people he selected and chose to bless (Jacob, Joseph, Isaac, etc.) were not the firstborn sons, but this does not mean that God makes no consideration for the way that society ran at that time: the firstborn son was to be given the largest share of the inheritance in order to maintain the family heritage from generation to generation.  This is very much in keeping with what God is doing here: setting up a society that will prosper, and be able to keep the land that God gives them.  In this time period, the best way to ensure land was passed from generation to generation fairly was that the firstborn son got the “lion’s share”.  But when it comes to who God desires to use for His purposes, birth order does not, and will not, matter.  Wait until we see how He picks King David.

O. (22:8): This sounds like modern-day legal issues.  How funny they are relevant today.  Luckily, not that many people have to get on roofs.

O. (22:20-21): I have just now realized another way of preventative measures the Israelites had in place: discouragement.  If they don’t obey, they get stoned.

Q. (23:1): Do I dare ask, how this could happen?

A. Well, I suppose it could have been the result of an attack or accident, but basically, this is talking about eunuchs: male slaves who had their genitals removed (usually as boys) as part of their entry into a life of slavery.  This could be because of the work they were assigned, such as with women, but also because by removing the man’s genitals, it would, in theory, prevent him from focusing on his own plans for family or personal gain.  Eunuchs were therefore considered good and desirable workers who would be loyal to their masters.  I am unclear what it is about being castrated that got them excluded from the assembly but I can tell you that one of the first Christian converts is a Ethiopian eunuch.  This is just one more place where the work of Jesus Christ brings salvation to ALL people, even those who had been previously excluded.

O. (24:5): If only this was valid today.  A one-year honeymoon would be wonderful!

Q. (25:5-6): Didn’t the NT revoke this law?  The law was just for the Israelites to protect the family lines?

A. Be careful with the terminology.  Nothing about the NT revoked the ways of the OT, it simply replaced them with a different system, that was not dependent upon human effort.  But the answer to your question is yes, this was all about protecting family lines.  This is actually the way that Ruth will be able to claim a new husband in her story coming up.

Q. (25:7-10) What?  More comedy?  Was having a sandal pulled off disgraceful?

A. I’m not sure.  It appears that this is an attempt at public shaming, in order to, once again, maintain family lines.  These verses will also come into play in Ruth.

Q. (25:11-12): The testicles hold the seed of the family lines?  So, harming them is a huge offense?

A. I think that’s part of it.  But also, since this law is set up based upon rules of retaliation (eye for an eye), and since the woman would, obviously, not have the parts in question, the hand is selected for the reprisal.  Isn’t that fun!

For further study: Having trouble accepting how they lived in Bible times?  Have you heard of presentism?
— https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thereligioushistorynerd/2022/10/presentism-in-religious-history/
— https://www.voicesandimages.com/presentism-dont-judge-ancestors-actions-by-todays-standards/

Shop: Share the source of Truth by wearing this Livin’ Light shirt: https://livinlight.org/product/truth/

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 26-29:1

Judges and officers appointed in towns charged to judge fairly in the Israel tribes
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 76 (March 17): Judge fairly, choosing a king, gifts for priests and Levites, avoid foreign sin, future prophets, battle regulations, unsolved murders

Wong Chim Yuen

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the whole Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 16:21-22): This seems kind of random.  I read that Asherah was a Canaanite goddess?  Did God not like these pillars because they resembled some goddess?

A. You assessed this female deity correctly.  Asherah was worshipped as a fertility goddess, and archeological records indicate that she was worshipped at sites of tall trees or carved poles (we don’t know exactly what the Hebrew word for “pole” refers to).  Some scholars think they may have been carved figures like totem poles in Native American worship, but we do not know how large they were.  The pillars were the sites of worship of Asherah, not necessarily a physical resemblance, though in some instances the image of Asherah may have been carved into the pillar, pole, or tree.

One of the most interesting archeological discoveries from this period are a number of engravings, which name “Yahweh and his Asherah,” as well as figurines of her image, with the implication that Asherah was the wife of Yahweh after the Israelites settled in the Promised Land.  This would indicate that the people FAIL to not worship this other goddess, despite God’s strict command not to.  We shall surely revisit this issue.

Q. (17:5): I notice, for the first time, that the text refers to “the gates of town.”  Were most towns walled and gated?  It really sounds like hostile times all around.

A.  In this era, a city is defined by its walls and gates.  It was the easiest way to ensure protection against bandits and wild animals, both of which were huge problems outside of camps and cities.  The mindset that these people would have held was that if it didn’t have a wall, it wasn’t a city.

Q. (17:8-13): Would you say that our current justice system has roots in these passages?

A. Like many other nations, there is some limited influence on the system of justice that comes from the system created here, but I would hesitate to say that such laws “come” from this text.  They have been adopted from concepts laid out here, however.  We might call it a foundation for future judicial systems.

Q. (18:9-14): Fortune telling today seems almost like a circus act.  It’s hard for me to believe that anyone can “channel the dead.”  I am naïve to any practices.  But, I would suppose, that God would still consider these practices detestable today, just like He was with the Israelites?

A. As I think we have discussed (I don’t recall where), consorting with the dead or fortune telling is always about trying to gain an advantage over future events, and when you do that, you have moved beyond faith in God to provide for your needs.  There will be various references to speaking to the dead in future readings (of all the people, a king of Israel will do it, yikes!).  So to me, it would appear that the Bible says it IS possible to consort with the dead, but that we should not.  Let’s revisit this when our unfortunate king actually does so in 1 Samuel.

Q. (18:15-22): What future prophet is God referring to, or is it a surprise?

A. The language used is plural, indicating that Moses is talking about a series of prophets, which will provide guidance for the people in each generation.  Having said that, the language is also indicative of a final capital “P” Prophet, which is why many Christian scholars believe that it has Messianic expectation, which would of course point to Jesus as THE Prophet.  Jesus refers to himself as a prophet in Luke 13, and prophet is one of the three anointed offices in the OT, along with priest and king.  Jesus, in some form or another, fulfills each of these roles, but we’ll get to that at some point.

O. (19:1-13): This passage shows how much God strives to keep the purity in Israel.  If someone is killed and it’s a true accident, no more blood should be shed by an avenger.  He reserves some cities as refuges for those innocent offenders.  If they are not, it is better to purge them from Israel.  I like that word, “purge.”  That word gave me this clear visualization of Israel’s purity for the first time.

Q. (20:5-7): I don’t understand this passage.  If you haven’t eaten from your vineyard, you may die?  And the other scenarios.

A. Nope.  You’ve got it backwards.  The officer is saying that under each of the scenarios, the person is exempt from military service.  It appears that these were scenarios (getting married, buying new property, etc.) that were considered more valuable to their society than fighting for the nation, and therefore you could get out of service.  So it’s not “if you haven’t eaten from your vineyard, you might die,” it’s “if you die in combat, someone else gets your vineyard.”

Q. (20:15-18): Can we assume that the inhabitants of the towns God instructs the Israelites to destroy worship idols and act immoral?

A. Yes, I think that is a fair interpretation of the purpose of the task: they were ordered to entirely destroy the nations that occupied the Holy Land, not merely to drive them out and let them settle elsewhere.  We will see what happens when they fail at this task in Joshua.

For further study: How were city walls and buildings built in Bible times? https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/a/architecture-in-the-biblical-period.html

Shop: Luckily, today we don’t have to remember all of these commands.  These laws of the Old Testament were designed to set the Israelites apart as God’s people.  Today, loving God and loving others as much as you love yourself, is the way to identify Christians.  https://livinlight.org/product/love-rules-t-shirt/

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Moses repeats laws to Israelites
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 74 (March 15): Moses reviews Ten Commandments, on mountain with God, urges to love and obey God, God orders places for worship in each tribe

Wong Chim Yuen

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 10-12
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the whole Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 10:17): What does it mean here when it says “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords?”  I remember talking about other gods in Egypt when Pharaoh’s magicians came out to try to replicate Moses’ and Aaron’s miracles in the answers on the reading of Day 33 (Feb. 2).  Here, Moses implies that there are other powers.  We know God created the Earth, so He would have had to create these other powers also?

A. The traditional Christian understanding of these other “gods” is that they are demonic powers.  That is, they were angelic beings created perfectly by God to serve Him, but they chose to rebel with their master Satan, sometime before the creation of people.  That’s the best guess we can reach from the record of Scripture, which frankly has little interest in telling us the origin story of these other powers.  The primary thing to remember is that God is above them all!

Q. Why is most of this repeating Scripture we have already read, almost verbatim.  Did Moses write down the same thing twice, knowing it would all go into one book?

A. Don’t forget that repetition in an ancient text was a form of emphasis.   Moses appears really determined to make sure his points are coming across clearly, so there is no reason to assume that he didn’t intentionally repeat himself in order to make the people clearly understand his point.  It will continue this way.  We will, for example, come back to the choice between blessing and curse again.  That’s the way it goes with this text.

Q. (12:15): God is cutting them some slack here?  They don’t have to be ceremonially clean or are they not directed to a certain place to eat the meat.  Why the change?  Is this because they are at Canaan and are defeating people and will have no longer have anyone from whom to be “set apart”?

A. I am not completely sure (my notes didn’t say much about this section), but I think what God is saying here is that the people were free to butcher their own animals, for the purpose of eating, in their own hometowns.  It’s not saying that the rules for sacrifices were changed; it is simply providing some guidance for the people to keep, and eat, from their own herds.  They didn’t have to bring animals to the Tabernacle if they were simply going to eat it, rather than kill it to make a sacrifice.  This doesn’t make any changes to the sacrifice system.

O. (12:23): Here is the blood discussion again.  We have talked about this in the answers on Day 49 (Feb. 18).  It’s a good discussion.

Shop: We are so fortunate to have God’s grace!  We are to forgive like we have been forgiven, roughly 490 times. https://livinlight.org/product/490/

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 13:1-16:17

Moses preaches and reminds Israel of God's faith and the need to obey Him.
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 73 (March 14): Moses calls Israel to fully commit to God, God’s blessings, God to drive out the wicked, Golden calf reviewed again

Wong Chim Yuen

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 6-9
(1406 BC) Click here for a timeline of the whole Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 6:2): What is God referring to here when he says “you will enjoy a long life?”  Is he referring to eternal life or just that they will live a long, healthy life on earth?

A. There is not much discussion of eternal life in the first five books of the Bible.  It is a concept that is introduced later, notably in the New Testament.  Moses is speaking only of a prosperous, healthy temporal life on earth.

O. (6:4): What a simple, great verse, but so hard to wholeheartedly get my mind and heart around.  I find it extremely hard to forget about “myself” and replace it with God — God’s will.  I often wonder when I will get to this point in my life and how I can let myself go and let God take over.  I have definitely taken baby steps in this endeavor and it feels great when I do, but then I need to take even bigger steps to get that same feeling.  I am looking forward to a complete turnover.  That’s the major reason I am reading the Bible in a Year.  Not to do it fast like a race, but to commit myself to studying all of it so I can know God better and what he wants me to do with my life that will help others and help Him.  And, I hope to find the time when I can fully give up my own wishes for God’s.  It’s just so hard to fathom!

O. (6:6-9): This sounds like what our schools want us to do.  We put posters up and try hard to teach our kids everything the standardized tests want them to learn, but how many people post God’s rules all over their house and recite them regularly to their children? Where do our world’s priorities lay?

Q.  (7:7): It is pretty amazing that God chose Abraham, who had no children, to be the father of all nations.  Then, he finally gave him one child Isaac.  These were both good men who followed God, thus God’s love for them and promises to them.  But, there is nothing special about this nation, other than the fathers of it were loyal to God.  So, it is interesting that God chose the Israelites.  Rob, can we talk about this a little?  Like, why God chose anyone?  What is the purpose of God having his own people?  I assume it’s for God to have a model nation to show his power through them, that he is the one, true God.  Are there any other reasons for choosing them?

A. I think that the relationship between God and Abraham is special, as Genesis indicates, and the Bible writers go out of their way to point out that when God makes a promise, He is faithful to it — unlike us.  So, part of the reason that God is so faithful to this particular nation, that there is nothing else especially interesting about, is that He is keeping His word to Abraham.

In the Old Testament, God is painting an image of a nation that will be a shining light to the rest of the world: a symbol of what right relationship between God and man looks like.  At this stage, it looks like this: God sets the terms of the relationship in exchange for the great provisions that He will pour out on His people, as long as they are faithful to the covenant.  We will see Israel’s unfaithfulness explored a lot more in the coming texts, but we will also see the way that the Prophets of God (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, among others) will powerfully describe the way that God has remained faithful not only to His promises, but also His vision for the nation of Israel — as unfaithful as she is — to be a light to the Gentile world.

O. (7:9-11): “9 Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. 10 But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. 11 Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.”

These verses are a wonderful summary of the awards and consequences of following God’s rules.  Loving God is for the Israelite’s benefit.  These are verses that you can take either with a “half-empty” or “half-full” approach.  Half empty, you can either read it that if the Israelites don’t obey God, they will be punished.  Or, half full, read it if they love God, they will give them his unfailing love.

Q. (7:12-14): These verses suggest that if the Israelites obey God they will be fruitful — I would think that would translate into “rich” — but the Bible also says that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get to the Kingdom of Heaven.  Is this contradicting?

A. I don’t see a contradiction, and I think that part of the passage we just read helps us understand the distinction.  The camel/needle idea comes from Matthew 19:24, in which Jesus is warning against the way that wealth tends to blind us to our own need for God.  A rich person is not necessarily dependent upon God in order to prosper or succeed.  But that is the danger: it is not the money in and of itself, but what the money does to our spiritual priorities.  In this passage (6:12), we see Moses give a careful warning: you are about to enter a realm, he says, where you and your families will prosper.  Be careful, therefore, that when you have all this stuff, that you DON’T FORGET GOD!  That, I think, is the real danger of wealth and riches in that it insulates us to our own need for God.  Such insulation can truly make it easier for the camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to properly understand their own need for God who has greatly blessed them.  I hope that makes it clear.

Q. (7:15): To me this also has a contradiction in it to the NT.  Here God says He will protect His followers from sickness, but doesn’t the NT say that sickness can come to Christians?  We have seen it come to Job in the OT.  That was a different circumstance.  And, it doesn’t seem that this necessarily applies to today, right.  This “sickness-free” decree was meant for the Israelites?

A. I’m not even sure if I would say that Moses is doing anything but making a rhetorical argument about how good the Israelites will have it in the Promised Land if they are faithful to God.  I would say that much of what he is promising here is hyperbole: you will NEVER get sick, your animals will ALWAYS have offspring, etc.  I would not take such promises completely literally: Moses is saying that you will have it good in this country.  And honestly, part of the problem with the entire scenario is that we never get to find out how much of it was what God truly promised: the people will be unfaithful to the covenant, so they lose out on the promises anyway.

In general, it is a good idea to consider that any promise, rhetorical or not, made in Scripture is only applicable for the people that it is written to, unless the promise specifically says it can be applied to different circumstances.  It’s a good rule of thumb for such sections of Scripture.  We will see more examples of this, and I will try to highlight instances where either scenario is appropriate.

O. (7:16-20): The Israelites are reminded again and again about God bringing them out of Egypt.  After they failed God, I can understand the constant reminders.  I, too, need constant reminders of everything God has done for me and that nothing is impossible and everything is possible.

O. (8:5): I never thought of this analogy before, that we are to God what our children are to us.  That puts some perspective on our relationship to God: that we are devoid of power and not comparable to Him.

Q. (9:1-6): I am struggling with the question of why God tries so hard to make the Israelites realize that He is all powerful?  Why does He care so much?  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are long gone.  If He were human, he would have likely given up on them, after all of their failings, a long time ago.

A. I would actually answer this the same way I answered our question from 7:7: God has made a covenant with Abraham, and He is faithful to keep it, even in light of the failings of each generation.  One other thing to remember: the nation of Israel will give birth to the Messiah, Jesus.  Jesus is the one who will set not just Israel, but the entire world to rights with God.  So certainly part of God’s plan is to use this nation, in spite of its failings, to bring about a restored relationship for all humanity — past, present, and future.  Why God chose these people is beyond our full comprehension, but as Christians, we can see the way that God is laying the foundations so that one day, God Himself will walk the earth as one of us to save us from our sins and teach us the right way to be in relationship with Himself and one another.

One other reaction I had to the way you phrased your question: be careful about assuming that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are “long gone” as you put it.  When Jesus was confronted about the afterlife, He clearly pointed to the idea that these men were still alive with God.  He quotes God’s conversation with Moses in Exodus 3 when God says, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”.  God, Jesus tells us, is not a God of the dead, but a God of the living!  (Matthew 22:32)  What an amazing verse!  So, perhaps we would be careful about assuming that God is any less faithful in the afterlife to these men, and those who faithfully follow Him, as He was when they were living.

For further study: What does it mean to fall from grace? https://escapetoreality.org/2014/03/27/fallen-from-grace/

Shop: God loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us! Tell that to everyone you meet. https://livinlight.org/product/deepest-love-t-shirt/

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 10-12

God forbids Moses Promised Land. God shows Moses Canaan, but he is not allowed to enter it.
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 72 (March 13): Moses banned from Promised Land, but gets a good look, reminds Israel to obey, God’s love of Israel, Ten Commandments

Wong Chim Yuen

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 3:21-5
(1407-06 BC) Click here for a timeline of the whole Bible.

Questions & Observations

Q. (Deuteronomy 3:21): This is such a powerful scene.  I picture Moses on a hill or cliff looking over to Canaan seeing all the cities.  What fear these inhabitants must have had after Israel started conquering them.  Has any movies been made of this that you know of?

A.  About this section of the story?  No.  I know portions of the story are told in classics like The Ten Commandments, and the more recent animated Prince of Egypt (I think both of them are really good).  But I don’t know of any movies about Moses not entering the Promised Land or Joshua’s conquest of it.

Q. (3:23-29): Again, God is amazing.  Moses wanted to see this land that he has been leading a huge group of Israelites to and proclaiming how wonderful it is.  I really want Moses to see it.  God has a wonderful solution for Moses, while still holding up his punishment that Moses would not cross into it.  To whom is Moses referring when he says, “the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me?”

A. You might be happy to know that, in a way, there is a happy ending to this story for Moses.  Moses will enter the Promised Land…in the Gospel of Matthew 17.  When Jesus is transfigured, the story tells us that He is joined by…Moses! … and Elijah.  For at least a short period of time, Moses, in some form or another, sets foot upon the land of Israel.  He, like all of us, is redeemed by the work of Jesus, and the fulfillment of this redemption is one of the sweetest moments that we can glimpse in Jesus’ redemptive work to me.  Cool huh?

As to whom Moses is referring to, this entire speech is delivered to the crowd of the nation.  It is the people who were bitterly complaining causing Moses to get angry, which in turn, caused God to be angry with him.

Q. (4:2): Why do some denominations have their own rules.  Here it says to obey God’s rules and do not add or subtract from any of them.  What would you say to those churches that push more rules than are in the Bible?

A. I would be willing to bet you that any church that has such “extra” rules as you claim would say they have taken them from Scripture.  Usually, such rules are adapted from various scriptural and church traditions.  At this moment in time (don’t forget that part — we are dealing with God’s relationship with a particular people at a particular time), God has given the people PLENTY of rules, as we have discussed, and there would appear to be no reason to add to them.  As to whether a church can have “too many” rules, I would have two responses.  1) Rules are not what a relationship with God is about because of what Christ has done: He set us free from the need for such legalistic regulations (Galatians 5:1).  But having said that, 2) we would have to look at particular rules to be able to judge whether they are “too many” or go “too far”.  Many rules that churches (or similar groups) have set in place are for good reason.  In the monastic tradition of monks and nuns, the convent or monastery lived by a Rule, a series of regulations, that sometimes numbered in the hundreds.  You can read about two of them here (they are fascinating to me): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_Benedict and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_St_Basil

Q. (4:24): I don’t recall if we have explored the meaning of jealous when God says he is a jealous god.  I googled “jealous God” and came up with this, which I missed when we read it.

From Bible.org: The Manifestation of God’s Jealousy

He Is Jealous for His Holy Name. It wasn’t long after God first spoke of His jealousy that He had occasion to demonstrate it. Moses had come down from the mount with the two tablets of the law in his hands only to find the people of Israel carousing in idolatrous worship before the golden image of a calf. He dashed the tablets to the earth, burned the calf and ground it to powder, then commanded the Levites to discipline the people. It was a vivid expression of God’s jealousy operating through His servant Moses.

When the crisis was past, God invited Moses back to the mount for a fresh encounter with Himself. That was when He revealed His glory to Moses as no one had ever seen it before. Moses saw Him as a compassionate, gracious, long-suffering God who abounds in mercy and truth (Exodus 34:6).

Rob, do you agree with this?

A. I think this is an excellent description of what we should have in mind with the second commandment, which of course forbids idolatry.  One note for us today, however: just because we no longer make gods out of rocks or wood does not mean that we do not struggle with idolatry today.  If we put our trust into anything over our trust of God — be it possessions, money, relationships, career — we have made an idol out of that thing.  And while, as we have discussed, we are not under the Law, it would be very wise for us to know when it is we have made an idol out of anything, so that we can properly cast it aside in order to walk in right relationship with God.  I feel this is one of those areas where we can get a false sense of security by saying, “I’ve never made a golden calf, what do I have to worry about idolatry?” and not have a full understanding of the heart of the commandment.

O. (4:28-31, 39-40): I love these verses.  It shows God’s hope for man.  Ones that have been cast aside and many of their loved ones are gone, have hope, if they search with their heart and soul.

O. (4:39-40): I like the next two also, especially, “The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other.”

O. (5:7-21): Let’s list the Ten Commandments as we go through them:

1) Worship no other god but the Lord.

2) Make no false idols.

3) Don’t misuse the name of the Lord

4) Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy

5) Honor your father and mother

6) Do not murder

7) Do not commit adultery

8) Do not steal

9) Do not testify falsely against your neighbor

10) Do not covet

To see how the old covenant should be viewed after God gives us the new covenant in the New Testament, see the first and second question and answer on Day 37 (Feb. 6).

For further reading: Why is God jealous? https://www.christianity.com/wiki/god/why-is-god-a-jealous-god.html

Watch: the 1956 The Ten Commandments starring Charlton Heston, Anne Baxter and Yul Brynner for around $4 on amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ten+commandments+movie&crid=NXY66LAUNTFC&sprefix=ten+commandments+movie%2Caps%2C249&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 6-9

Deuteronomy Moses Bible open to book of Deuteronomy
Categories365 Daily Bible Readings by

Day 71 (March 12): Moses gives instructions from God, Moses recaps 40-year journey

Woohoo!  We made it through Numbers.  Next up, Deuteronomy and, then, the Israelites finally get to the Promised Land.

Welcome to Livin’ Light’s Bible-In-A-Year challenge of discovering God’s love for us and His purpose for our lives. Here is the format for this great adventure: The daily reading assignment is posted at 5 a.m. After each day’s reading, Leigh An Coplin, the blog host, shares observations and poses questions about difficult passages to Rob Fields, who studied Christian Education at Asbury Seminary and currently teaches Biology in the Orlando area. To start from the beginning, click on 365 Bible Readings and scroll down to Day 1. The reading schedule is taken from The One Year Chronological Bible NLT. 

Today we start Deuteronomy the fifth book of the Bible.  For background information about Deuteronomy, go to http://www.biblestudytools.com/nlt/deuteronomy/.  We will be referring to this link before every new book to provide information about the author, time it was written and other scene-setting material.

Today’s Reading
— Deuteronomy 1-3:20
(1407 BC) Click here for a timeline of the whole Bible.

Questions & Observations

O. (Deuteronomy 1:12): Moses is certainly someone who is pure at heart.  Remember when after God chose him to take the Israelites out of Egypt that he told God he was not a good speaker.  And here, he is so blunt to the people.  Maybe it’s that old age thing where the older someone gets they are not afraid to tell you what they are thinking.  This verse just puts a little humor in the Bible for me.

Q. (2:5,9): This verse almost sounds like there is another whole story out there where God is governing other nations.  Did God say that he gave Seir to the Edomites and Ar to the Moabites in the Bible?  I love how we are seeing so much continuity in the Bible.  We have read about Esau and the Edomites and Lot and the Moabites before.  I know there are a lot more connections to come.

A. Though they are not the “chosen” people, in these verses we see that God remains faithful to other descendants of Abraham: either directly as with Esau, or indirectly as with Lot.  Note that this is despite the moral failings of both of these men.  God is generous indeed!  The verses that we read about here are where the territory is declared for these other tribes, so I don’t think there is another reference.  These holdings, and more importantly, God’s protection of them from the Israelites themselves, just point to the generosity of God, especially in places where we note that God’s blessings extend to future generations of those who faithfully serve Him.

Q. (3:11): Now that’s tall.  Now I can understand the Israelites fear of giants.  Do you know anything about if it still exists?

A. That is indeed a big bed, but it doesn’t given any indication of how big the king was.  Anyway, my notes indicate that they are probably not referring to a place of nightly sleep, but rather a sarcophagus: an elaborate above ground tomb — think of the one for King Tut of Egypt and you’ve got the idea.  So, they are describing a bed for eternal sleep.  According to my notes, iron sarcophagi have been found in this area of the Middle East- Amman is the modern day capital of Jordan.

Q. This whole day’s reading looks like a review of Numbers.  Is there anything special we need to take from this review?

A. I would say there is not a lot to note that we did not already cover in our look at Numbers itself.  Israel was given the promise of God to enter the land given to Abraham, but in fear, they doubted that even God could help them conquer this land of giants.  Because of this doubt, God condemned them to wander for 40 years, but now the next generation was on the cusp of claiming their birthright.  Moses is taking the opportunity to share his final thoughts on how the people have come to this point, and how they can avoid the mistakes of the past.

Shop: Be a billboard for God, wear T-shirts with messages from His Word on the front and the back!  https://livinlight.org/shop/

Tomorrow’s reading: Deuteronomy 3:21-5:33