Joshua 23:1-24:33

I've gotten behind on my posting.  While I've found it difficult to sleep the past few days, I've found it very difficult to concentrate when doing my reading.  I would read a paragraph over and over and over and still be unsure of what I'd read.  Of course, this is the most famous passage of Joshua, and many homes sport that well known command: "Choose this day, whom you shall serve; as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord."  Paraphrased, a bit.  The thing that really struck me this time around, was not that particular passage, but the warnings Joshua gave the people again and again about intermarrying with the local tribes and being careful to be faithful to the Lord, even calling them to be witnesses against themselves should they turn away from following the Lord.  Israel already had a history and a proven tendency to go astray.  Joshua erected a monument beneath the terebinth in order to remind them of their promise to follow God.

I don't know if it is discouraging that Israel is warned over and over again to be faithful, and yet they prove faithless, or if it could be encouraging.  Discouraging, that even a people who have a unique and intimate relationship with the one true God, who are given prophets and Scriptures to keep them steady, can't seem to hold it together.  Encouraging, that despite all of these things, and the fact that they can't hold it together even with all the help, God still loves them and provides for them, remains faithful to them.  I definitely don't hold it all together; not even some of the time.  I mess up.  Horribly.  There are many times I am convinced I am the worst of women.  But still God loves me.  And He's faithful to me.  It's encouraging to remember 1 John 1:9, that if I'm faithful to confess my sin, I will be forgiven.  Just like Israel.

Next Reading: Judges 1:1-36

Joshua 22:1-34

Remember we just recently talked about how Manasseh could have served as a bridge to those tribes on the east bank of the Jordan River?  How easily misunderstandings could arise?  Case in point: the altar Gad, Reuben, and half of the tribe of Manasseh erected once on home soil again.  Upon hearing it, the rest of Israel stood up-in-arms and marched over to set these erring tribes to right.  However, upon confrontation, they learned that they were mistaken.  The altar had not been erected for the purpose of sacrifice, something those eastern tribes repeated again and again for emphasis (v. 26, 28, 29).  They had no intention of instituting worship at this altar; rather, it was to be a reminder to the people on both sides of the Jordan who the eastern tribes were to serve: the LORD, and none other.  Did they stay true to that?  We shall see.

Such misunderstandings are easy to come by, aren't they?  You see someone doing something, believe it is for one thing rather than another, and suddenly you've made a rash judgement.  And it's easy to act on those rash judgements, just as the Israelites did.  There's two reminders here, I'm thinking.  One, that we need to be mindful of how our actions might come across.  True, we are not responsible for what others think; they are.  However, we are responsible for the way we ourselves act, and we need to be mindful of how we comport ourselves.  Especially before unbelievers: we're not perfect, but we do want to be a good reflection of our Savior.  Two, we need to be mindful that we might not have the whole story when we see something happen.  We may assume a particular person is like this or that, we may assume that someone has done this or that particular thing with a particular motive.  And we could be dead wrong.  And the damage could potentially be catastrophic.  We can't live our lives walking on eggshells, but we can live it prayerfully, seeking the Lord above all things and praying that our lives and our actions would be a reflection of Him above all.  Don't you think?

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 23:1-24:33

Joshua 21:1-45

We help with the high school youth group at our church on Sunday nights.  I must say, there are things going on in my heart and head from the day, and even the past few months, that make me come to Scripture tonight with the longing for something "relevant".  Something that speaks to where my heart and head are at.  But I am so thankful for our youth minister's lesson tonight; God spoke to me through him, and I hope our kids were hearing it as well.

Tonight, Travis, our youth pastor, talked to the high schoolers about the word of God, why all of it matters.  It's about the whole story.  If you ignore or gloss over any portion of the Bible, you're missing out on the whole story.  Genealogies difficult to read?  Well, yeah, but if you miss them, then you're missing the whole story.  There is information in them we should know.  The allotments of Israel's inheritance?  Yes, it's important.  It's part of the whole story.  The passage tonight: it's part of the story of the Levites and God's relationship with them.  It began, in part, with Levi himself, his sin against Shechem, and the prophecy his father Jacob made on his death bed.  It also began at Mt. Sinai, when they stood for the Lord at the Golden Calf incident.  It continued with the selection of Aaron's family as the priesthood, choosing the Levites to serve before the Tabernacle, outlining their duties, and here, God fulfilling the promise to Levites to give them an inheritance scattered among the people (just as Jacob said) so that they might serve the Lord among the people.

Travis talked about how the historical books like Joshua, Judges, Ezra, and Nehemiah show that God is involved.  He's not just sitting on the sidelines, but he is involved in the activities and daily-doings of Israel.  God was involved (and still is) in the story of the tribe of Levi.  Here in this chapter He is fulfilling His promise to them.  At the beginning the chapter, it plainly states that it was by the Lord's command that Levi was given these cities and pasture lands as their inheritance.  God was involved even in the smallest detail of who got what city and the land that surrounded it, because remember some of the cities awarded in Judah did not come with pasture land as it was given to Caleb as a result of God's promise to him. 

These two lessons really encourage me in my reading tonight.  Maybe I would have preferred a Scripture that spoke more directly to the things on my mind.  But you know what?  No matter where I am in the Bible, I can learn something about God.  I see here, in these cities, that God is indeed involved with man.  He fulfills His promises.  He is concerned with the smallest of details.  He follows through.  He's not distant, unconcerned, or uncaring.  If He was, wouldn't He have told Joshua, "Eh, work it out amongst yourselves"?  But instead, it was by His command, by the throwing of lots, which they did to understand God's word (and which the did for the last time just before the Holy Spirit came to indwell all believers) and God's will.  It was not their decision, nor chance, but God's direction through the Urim and Thummim.  (That's not something I've ever really discussed in this blog, but if you need the background, the Urim and Thummim were given to the priests to read and interpret God's will on certain questions.)  God cares.  And that's good enough for me tonight.  I know that whatever I'm thinking or sorting out or dealing with, I can take to Him in prayer and He will be involved and respond.  God is good.  Amen.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 22:1-34

Joshua 19:24-20:9

This is where cross references in your Bible come in very handy.  If you don't have a Bible with good cross-references, you might consider getting one.  Reading about the allotment of Dan, I was surprised by the obscure reference to the fact that they lost their territory.  However, I had a few cross-references which, when I looked them up, shed a little more light on the subject.  Apparently, the Amorites came down and pushed Dan from the cities they were allotted, driving them into some hill country rather than the plain they were to have.  They were unable to push the Amorites out, as they should have done by faith, and instead took over another town across from the northern part of Naphtali.  By chapter 18 of Judges, several generations later, Dan was still on borrowed territory and were seeking their own inheritance.  Their lack of faith had thwarted their ability to gain and maintain a territory, as God has said over and over throughout Deuteronomy and Joshua that He would go before them in securing the land.  This lack of faith is reiterated by the end result of the story in Judges 18, which we will look at in more detail, but it boils down to Dan adopting idolatry and setting up their own priesthood.  Very sad, indeed.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 21:1-45

Joshua 18:11

Just a few quick notes:

• Jerusalem was actually in the territory of Benjamin.  This is significant because it was Judah and Benjamin that hang tight with Rehoboam, Solomon's heir with the country splits.  This is how Jerusalem remains in the country of Judah and eventually in Judea.  Also, cross reference Moses blessing in Deuteronomy 33:12.  There's little question that Jerusalem is beloved by God (Luke 13:31-34), so could this be what Moses was talking about in his blessing to Benjamin?
• Simeon's allotment was definitely a fulfillment of Jacob's prophecy (Genesis 49:5-7) in his blessing over Simeon and Levi.  Because of their blood-thirstiness and the manner in which they dealt with Shechem and his people, they were to be scattered among the tribes of Israel.  So Simeon's inheritance is a number of towns in the land of Judah.  They do not have a territory of their own, but are scattered among a much larger tribe that was awarded more land than they really needed.
• Zebulun's allotment is in the north, and may have included a strip of land that went from the interior of Israel to the coast among Issachar's allotment.  This is how it would be a haven to ships, as foretold by Jacob in Genesis 49.  Nazareth was not likely in existence at this time, but someday the town of Nazareth in Galilee would stand in the territory of Zebulun, corresponding to the prophecy is Isaiah about Zebulun and Naphtali (Isaiah 9:1,2).

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 19:24-20:9

Joshua 16:1-18:10

Truth: did you have difficulty paying attention to the allotments?  I did.  Sometimes I have to focus on the small things to keep myself going in passages of Scripture that might not seem relevant.  Example: Manasseh was granted the city of En-dor.  Importance?  Well, besides sounding like a Star Wars reference, it was at En-dor that Saul sought out the witch to resurrect the spirit of Samuel for consultation.  A decidedly bad idea.  There's also the fact that Manasseh actually could have served as a bridge over the Jordan for those tribes on the east and on the west.  It was easy, being separated as they were, for differences and misunderstandings to arise, and I think we will see that in Judges.  But I would have thought that Manasseh, as a tribe which had to function as a whole among the tribes of Israel, could have provided a way to overcome that division at the river.  I'm not sure if they did.  Focusing on things like that, no matter how little, sometimes helps me to remain interested when I'm tempted to "check out".  What strategies do you use to keep yourself faithful in your reading?

Notice, though, that neither Ephraim nor Manasseh managed to drive out the Canaanites from their territories.  They went to Joshua to complain about their allotment, even complaining when he granted them the hill country, saying that their numbers needed far more land than that.  Joshua had full confidence that they would clear the hill country and find room, but he also believed they would drive out the Canaanites.  It made me wonder: would they have had plenty of room if they had in fact accomplished their command from the Lord, to clear out the inhabiting peoples?  It's a pattern cropping up among the people of Israel: they're not fully driving out these peoples.  Instead, the pagan nations are remaining to entice and snare the Israelites into false religion.  Perhaps if they had fully obeyed that command, seeing as the Lord had promised to drive those people out, they might not have had such difficulty remaining faithful to the Lord.  It's something to watch as we move forward in the Scripture.

Joshua 15:1-63

Judah is the first of the tribes to receive their allotment on the west side of the Jordan, being the largest, most populous among the tribes.  This also means that Judah received the most significant portion of the land to accommodate their numbers.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary points out that Jacob's prophecy in his blessing to Judah comes true in this allotment: they are hemmed in by in by enemies: Philistines to the west, Amalekites in the southwest, Moabites on the east, and Edom on the south.  Except for Simeon, who receives some of the cities allotted to them, Judah is the southernmost tribe in Israel and therefore is most responsible for facing these foes.  By their numbers and might, most of the cities they take with great success.  Note the last verse, however: they are unable to dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem.  This does not bode well for Israel's occupation in that a people whom the Lord forbid to live among them remains.  It is also significant for the city that they hold: we all know the significance Jerusalem will come to take in Israel's history.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 16:1-18:10

Joshua 13:8-14:15

Forty-five years!  Caleb was 40 years old when he spied out the land of Canaan for Moses, when he spoke up for the Lord before a fearful and stubborn Israel, when he received the promise of inheritance.  He was eighty-five when he went before Joshua and claimed it.  Forty years of wandering, and then we can assume it was five years of war before Caleb was able to enjoy the result of the promises.  That is patience!  But then, God has never rushed His promises.  He had promised all that land to Abraham, who died long before his descendants even saw the Promised Land, let before they actually went in.  It was prophesied to Judah that kingship would come in his line hundreds of years before David was anointed (and even then, he did not receive the kingship until many, many years later).  Over centuries, God promised the Messiah before Jesus was born onto the earth, and even yet there are prophecies of His return that have yet to be fulfilled.  God's timing is not our timing.  Caleb likely would have enjoyed receiving his inheritance many years before, though his strength was unwavering at age 85 (amazing!).  We don't know how long Caleb's strength lasted or when he died, though we know that he awarded his daughter to his younger brother for answering the call against Kiriath-sepher.  He must have led for at least a time after Joshua's death, but not too much longer as Israel then failed to drive out the peoples of the land as they were supposed to.  Still, Caleb proved faithful to the Lord, even in his last years, defeating the Anakim and driving out the sons of Anak and inspiring others to do the same (as his brother Othniel).  And God blessed him: He gave him his inheritance, he was able to enjoy it, for however long.  God fulfilled His promise to Caleb, in his own time.

This is something I've had to remind myself over and over: God's timing is not my timing; God's ways are not mine.  God is much higher and wiser and better than I am.  And yet sometimes I am still tempted to question Him.  Particularly when things don't go the way I wanted.  It is good to see examples like Caleb, who was faithful over years and years and years, who had to prove faithful though they could not immediately see a fulfillment to promises.  Many of the things I hope for or desire are much smaller than what Caleb may have desired: peace and a place to settle.  If he can prove faithful waiting for that, surely I can prove faithful, too.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 15:1-63

Joshua 12:1-13:7

I couldn't believe how short the reading was today!  Seriously, it took me only five minutes, maybe less!  Thirty-one king.  Thirty-one kings Joshua fought and conquered as he guided Israel to conquer the promised land.  And yet there were so many more, so much more land that needed to be subdued.  The Lord makes it clear that Joshua won't be doing it: after all, he wasn't exactly a spring chicken after forty years of wandering.  Still, it remains to him to allot the land to Israel, and the rest of the conquest would be left to another day, even another generation.  You'll see the names of these peoples come up again and again in the Book of Judges, especially the Philistines.  They prove to be the proverbial pain-in-the-rear of the Israelites. 

From here we will be reading about the allotment of the tribes' inheritances.  I admit, I'm a little intimidated, as it is a number of cities and areas I am totally unfamiliar with.  No Biblical map I own is detailed enough to show me all of them, or even most of them, or maybe even more than a handful.  I have maps that show me where the allotments fell, but this doesn't help correspond a great deal with the litany of cities.  I think it is going to take wisdom and a lot of prayer and help from the Holy Spirit to remember that this is for our nourishment as well, that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful to us.  And so tomorrow, we begin.  Best to pray before we do!

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 13:8-14:15

Joshua 10:16-11:23

It's an epic battle, the one described in chapter eleven, when the kings of Hazor, Madon, Shimron, Achshaph, and the rest came against Joshua and the Israelites: the Bible describes it as a great horde like the sand on the seashore, gathering against them.  Did you notice that the Israelites did not have to pursue these battles, but that they ended up coming to them?  The neighboring kings of a recently conquered region gets word of what has happened, and they send out to every ally they might have to make war against the Israelites.  And then they get routed in battle.  God had been clear from the get-go that He would give this land over to them to fulfill the promise to their forefathers (ch.1) and each time He commanded to devote all the people to destruction.  I couldn't help but wonder what the aftermath of such a war looked like.  What did they do with all their bodies?  If the mighty men made a great horde, then imagine how many women and children were left behind also to be dealt with: it says over and over again that not were left breathing. 

It's quite the human toll.  And it makes me sad.  Not because I think it was wrong or mistaken to devote these people to destruction: God is just and right in all He does and I can trust Him for that.  But that there were so many people so stubborn and willful and disobedient before the Lord, who loved their sin and loved their own ways, that the only alternative was to exact their judgment against them.  It will be like that in the last days, too (2 Timothy 3, Revelation 9:20-21).  A huge human toll has been paid for the sin in this world.  Sin is an ugly thing; it hurts other people, and it hurts us.  And yet we [human beings] seem to prefer it to being subject to the Master.  This really leads me to pray: for people, for myself, for wisdom to know how and when to share the Word, to have the courage and strength to do it.  Will you pray with me?

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 12:1-13:7

Joshua 9:1-10:15

I'm worn out.  I have been pursuing "home-management" assignments all day and have worn myself out, mind and body.  I had difficulty paying attention to the passage as I read it, and it's a shame for it's great material.  The Gibeonites deceive the Israelite leaders into thinking they are from afar and make a treaty with them; if the Israelites had consulted the Lord, they would have known the truth and avoided such an error.  Crafty Gibeonites.  Plus, the amazing story of the sun standing still in battle against the king of Jerusalem and his cohorts.  There has never been a day like that before or since.  How bewildering it must have been to see that the sun was not hurrying, to feel time passing, to feel your body wearing at the end of the "day" and yet to see the sun still uncharacteristically high.  It allowed the Israelites to defeat their enemies by the Lord's mighty hand, and it's the only time God ever changed the laws of the universe to heed a request from a human being.  Amazing.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 10:16-11:23

Joshua 7:1-8:26

This passage is a perfect example of a pattern set throughout Joshua.  At Jericho, the Israelites were obedient and faithful, and therefore gloriously victorious over their enemy.  But then, they (or at least one of their number) was drawn to sin, and broke the covenant with the Lord.  They were to take nothing and keep nothing from the people they conquered, lest it drew them astray.  See how Achan's sin began when he saw the cloak from Shinar and the gold and silver, but it grew to not only theft but lying and deceiving those around him when he hid them beneath his tent.  Because of the sin amongst them, the Israelites failed in the endeavor to take Ai, which should have been easy.  It wasn't until the sin was routed out and dealt with before the Israelites gained victory over their enemies.  And quite an impressive one, wasn't it?  It showed great military strategy, they way they drew out their enemy, surrounded them, and gave them no place to go.  Not only did they win, but they set an example before which other towns in Canaan would tremble.

We'll see throughout much of this book this pattern emerging: obedience gaining victory, unfaithfulness resulting in defeat.  We can see that in our own lives, though, can't we?  It's not the paradox where we try to curry favor with God so that He'll bless us in whatever we want to do.  Rather, when we are being obedient to God, we are more closely following His will, seeking the things He blesses us in.  It's like the verse in Psalms, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He'll give you the desires of your heart."  If you are truly delighting yourself in the Lord, your main desire will be Him, and He will bless you.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 9:1-10:15

Joshua 5:1-6:27

It's no coincidence that the Amorite kings' hearts melted when Israel passed the Jordan.  Okay, admit it: it would be pretty scary to know that an invading army has just come onto your territory, one that (as far as you know) has never been beaten, who is impossible to curse, and who apparently the water of an overflowing river is willing to stop for.  But the timing here is perfect: we learn that the Israelites failed to circumcise their children along the way in the wilderness, leaving an entire generation uncircumcised (actually more than that, because the children of the children of those who left Egypt were also of fighting age).  Which meant that an entire army needed to be circumcised and consecrated to the Lord before they went off on the Lord's orders.  If the Amorite kings hadn't been so afraid of them there might have been another Shechem (Genesis 34), where the Amorites could have destroyed the Israelites during the convalescence as the sons of Jacob did to Shechem and his people.  Instead, the Israelites were protected to undergo this all-important ritual by the fear instilled in the surrounding peoples.

It also allowed them to celebrate the Passover in peace, an excellent observance on the eve of battle.  Consider the correlations: Israel celebrated Passover to remind them of what the Lord did to bring them out of Egypt, how they escaped the plagues and how their firstborn were spared.  They would remember that day they departed from Egypt, plundering the Egyptians for the asking, and all the miracles that the Lord performed to help them escape the pursuing Egyptian army.  I would think this would be an awesome reminder, and a heartening one, as they set out to begin their conquering of the land.  And perhaps it would keep them from questioning the Lord's instructions regarding Jericho.  After all: it would seem pretty silly, walking in silence around the walls of Jericho for seven days.  The Pea's song in The Veggie Tales: Josh and the Big Wall may be spot on.  Then again, consider what the residents of Jericho may have felt in seeing it.  They were already shut up in the city because of the Israelites.  They feared Israel and their God, and to see them silently marching around their city each morning.  Regardless, the outcome was decidedly in favor of the Lord.  I would hope this would spur the Israelites on to greater obedience than what they had just performed through their own circumcisions and the Passover feast.  I might be wrong.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 7:1-8:29

Joshua 3:1-4:24

Reading this account, do you ever wonder what the people at Adam thought when they saw the waters of the Jordan heap up as if in a mound?  What might that have looked like?  The crossing of the Jordan was not completely unlike the crossing of the Red Sea for Israel, but this time it brought them into the land where they were going, rather than rescuing them from the land they were leaving.  It also served to solidify Joshua as Moses' replacement.

What I love best, though, about this story is the twelve stones for remembrance.  Those stones stood for years a testament to what the Lord did for Israel on that day.  The Israelites were to leave those stones for generations and to teach their children by them.  You can almost imagine children running around them, maybe even climbing on them, and their parents telling them the story.  It would almost be like Independence Rock on the Oregon Trail, an important landmark.  Are those stones still there?  Well, if they are, I don't think anyone could identify them.  Perhaps over time and after many wars, they were scattered and lost.  I'm not sure of the story.  But I rather wish we had monuments like that.  We have monuments to America's history scattered across our land; I wish we had monuments erected to the Lord's might rather than America's own.  It would be a great object lesson to take my daughter and my son by such a place and say to them, "Do you see that?  That was put up because the Lord...."  Instead, I will have to teach my children without such a grand visual.  Rather, I should pay attention closely in our daily lives, and if I chose a momento to keep, choose it wisely so that it could be used to teach my children about Jesus.

Tomorrow's Reading: Joshua 5:1-6:27

Joshua 1:1-2:24

This was actually to be yesterday's reading.  It's an easy read: being a familiar story full of familiar verses: be strong and courageous.  Do not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth.  Rahab hides the spies.  I've always tried to put myself into their shoes.  How did Joshua feel after Moses failed to come down the mountain and he knew he was up?  What was it like to receive word directly from the Lord after he'd been watching Moses and guarding the tent of meeting for so many years?  I had always pictured Joshua as a young commander of his troops, but Joshua was from that original generation.  He was at least sixty years old, perhaps older seeing as they had chosen him to be among the original spies.  How did he feel on the eve of going into the Promised Land at last, knowing the only other of his generation to go with him was Caleb?

What about the spies?  How did the two of them feel, going into the land to spy it out?  To find out that they'd been "found out" and to have to hide among the flax stalks until evening, their life depending on an unknown prostitute and innkeeper?  And Rahab?  Her words to the spies testifies to the fact that Israel's reputation, and more than that, their GOD'S reputation long preceded them.  Was it simply the fear of destruction that motivated her to forsake her people and throw in her chances with the God of Israel?  Or did she recognize even at that date that perhaps He was the true God? 

Sometimes it is so easy to read these Bible stories as just a good story.  (And we're in for some doozies!  The OT is chock-full of great stuff!)  But it is just as important to remember that the Old Testament is history, not just for the veracity of Scripture, but to remember that these were real people.  They had families.  They talents and faults and misapprehensions and hopes just like we do.  They may have been different from us in time and culture, but really, they weren't all that alien to what we are today.  I think it's important to remember that, because we may find ourselves in a situation where we might be asking the same questions.  We may be confronted with similar issues.  Will I have have to do the exact same things?  Not likely.  But might I ever have to ask the question, what will I give up for this God?  Yeah.  That's a strong possibility.  Do I want to be more like Rahab?  If it means casting all of my trust on the Lord, yes, I think I do.

Next reading: Joshua 3:1-4:24

Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12

Exhaustion and computer stupidity have been working against me.  In fact, in the next week or so we will likely have to reinstall our operating system and I will have to reinstall my Bible software and recreate my reading plan.  I'm not sure yet what that will do to affect my blogging schedule here, but for the sake of accountability, I'll post an update here.

It's understandable why the Jews held Moses in such reverence.  The end of Deuteronomy attests to the fact that, as of the writing of the end of the book, no such prophet had arisen in Israel to rival him.  No one, miracle for miracle, could match him, not in their intimacy with God, nor their foretellings.  No prophet in Israel ever rose to rival him, until the Christ.  And the Christ, being God, far superseded Moses.  Christ was the one Moses saw coming.   Moses was a great man.  A fallible man, but a great one.  And yet, he is not the Christ.  And he would likely have given his eye-teeth to have seen Him. 

Do you ever wonder where God buried Moses?

Next reading: Joshua 1:1-2:24 (which I intend to catch-up with tomorrow).

Deuteronomy 31:30-32:47

Today in Sunday School we looked briefly at a passage where Christ denounces the cities where many of His works had been done.  A rather odd conversation flowed from that; I still can't quite make sense of it.  One person brought up that we always talk about how God is so loving, that it seems strange to see Him denouncing or reproaching these cities.  This brought up the fact that God is both loving and merciful and just.  These cities had apparently seen great works from Christ and yet had refused to heed His teachings or to repent.  We know that God's will is that none should perish; but if they stubbornly refuse to submit to Him, His justness will then require from them the consequences of their choices.  As the discussion chewed on similar points to this, another member of the class brought up a story about a minister whose wife and daughter had been killed in a horrible bus accident.  The tragedy led him to leave the ministry.  Whether or not he chose to leave his faith, I don't know.  But the class member then demanded what would you say to a man in that situation; there was nothing you could say, she said.  Platitudes and the like would mean nothing.  We talked briefly about how God is sovereign, how we as humans do not always understand why some things are allowed to happen.  What could anyone say to this man?  Perhaps it is not our place to say anything, but to love him and to pray, and to trust that God would not let any of His disciples go uncared for.  I understand that he recently died, never having returned to the ministry, but this doesn't tell me how his relationship with the Lord stood when he died.  The lady who brought this story up said she didn't think God could have been punishing this man or his family by allowing such a thing to happen.  Are you following all of this?  Because I didn't, quite.  I still don't know how all the pieces fit together or why the conversation took the turns it did.

What does it still have to do with Deuteronomy?  Maybe nothing, but I couldn't get it out of my head as I did my reading today; in fact, I had difficulty concentrating on Moses' song of praise to be able to do so.

Here are some things I know:
God is just.  Absolutely.  He is holy, divine, and sovereign.  His holiness demands that sin be dealt with; it must be paid for.  He is willing to forgive if you accept His gift of grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  He will hand out justice if you refuse to accept it.

God does love us.  He would not have offered us salvation through His son; He would not have provided such a painful and difficult sacrifice to completely cover our sin if He didn't.  He doesn't have to offer us anything; but He does because He loves us.

There are consequences to our sin.  That much is clear: Deuteronomy speaks to it again and again and again.  Even here in Moses' song he talks about God spurning Israel because of their idolatry.  Consequences are there.  They are not always catastrophic as in death and dismemberment, but they can be.  More often they are what we tend to think as "smaller": losing someone's trust because we lied or cheated; losing an entire relationship because we were unfaithful; damaging our relationship with God because we were disobedient or a lack of faith.  Is it to punish us?  Hurt us?  Revenge on us?  No, it is discipline; God disciplines His people to bring them back to him.  Just as a parent disciplines their children to teach them and guard them, God disciplines us.  Deuteronomy 30 is an excellent example of this: where God promises to bring His people back to them and into relationship with them.

Not everything bad that happens is punishment or consequence to sin.  Sometimes horrible things happen and we don't know why.  We don't understand God's sovereignty in it.  We don't understand the "why's", and let's face it: we're not always given the opportunity to.  (God never explained Himself to Job; only Job was taught that God is almighty and that we have no understanding or place to question Him.)  But I do know we are given promises with suffering: Romans 5:1-11, 8:26-38; James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1 Peter 4:12.  We know that we have a High Priest in Jesus who understands our trials and sufferings (Hebrews 2:14-18, 4:14-16): consider the suffering He himself experienced at the cross, not just death but torture, abandonment, humiliation...

I do not pretend to have all the answers.  I don't pretend to have understood what everyone was saying in Sunday School, to know the intent of their comments or to penetrate what was at the heart of the discussion.  But these things have been on my mind.  I have experienced trials.  Nothing like what that minister did, and nothing like many others who have lost their families in horrific and senseless ways who did not turn away from ministry or from the Lord.  I cannot pretend to judge them; I'm not perfect, I have not walked in their shoes.  But I'm not unfamiliar with difficulties, trials, and tests.  And I know they have a purpose and a season.  I don't always know what.  But I know the truth of God's character, that He does rebuke, He does love, He does forgive, that He is just in all His ways, from His Word.  And I know it is up to me and my faith to follow Him.  I like comfort.  I like peace and safety.  I do not welcome trials as I should.  It is always my prayer that when they come that I will be able to face them with grace and faith.  And that I might help others to do the same, if I can.

If you've made it to the end of this post, thanks for letting me ramble.  A good blogger would polish it up and make it make sense, put it in a nice little package, and maybe I'll come back and do that.  But for now, I'm going to let it hang out there.  Let me just say: I don't know all the answers.  But God's Scripture does.  Seek it out.  Seek Him.  He answered Job, after all.

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12, the last of Deuteronomy and the last of the Books of the Law

Deuteronomy 30:11-31:29

Why?  Do you ever wonder why God chose Israel?  He knew when He chose Abraham what his descendants would be.  He knew when He renewed the covenant with Isaac, what his descendants would do.  He knew when He chose Jacob over Esau, when He made the covenant with Jacob also, when He sent them down into Egypt, what would happen after He brought them out again.  He knew before Moses died how they would act.  Why Israel? 

Is Israel any different than any other group of people?  Were the Israelites any better or any worse than all the other people who have walked this earth?  Or are they really a microcosm of the entire world.  Would any other people group have fared any better?  Look at us: some make much of the United States as a Christian nation, or that it should be.  But are we really?  Are we good Christians?  Can we expect people who do not believe in Christ to act like Christians?  We were ever called to be a special nation, did we ever make a covenant with God?  No, in fact, we didn't.  God and the nations is such an interesting concept.  He really ever only chose one nation to represent Him.  But He has used many over the course of history to carry out His plan: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Rome.  Just to name a few.  I'm sure God has plans for many modern day nations to continue to carry out His plan; just do we have the foresight to be a part of it or to be swept up by it?

Bringing it to the personal level: I can learn from Israel.  I can learn to recognize stiff-necked, stubborn behavior in myself.  I can learn to recognize pride, and to stay away from it.  To be humble and obedient before my God.  To learn to not to stray.  I have no course to condemn Israel, but I do have reason to learn from them and improve on their example.  I would not want someone to walk away from me, saying, "I know you're just going to go off and mess up as soon as I leave."  Instead, I would want the Lord to look at me and say, "This one was faithful."  I may, though, have to learn to count the cost.

Next Reading: Deuteronomy 31:30-32:47

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10

You know, all throughout Scripture God is pretty blunt about the consequences for sin, and they're not pretty.  God is just but God is loving.  Sin demands due consequences, but God loves us.  He made no bones about the fact with Israel that there would be repercussions for unfaithfulness.  However, He also promised them that when all that had come to pass, He would not fail to bring them back.  Even if they were as far flung as the heavens, God intended to gather His people back beneath His wings: their punishment was only for a time, discipline to teach them and remind them, just as any father would do for his children.  God's love is ultimate and key: He would be faithful to the justness of His Law, His character and holiness demanded it.  But He would also be faithful to His people and He would bring them back to Himself.  Did God keep His promises?  Indeed He did: after the Babylonian exile, 70 years of exile from the Promised Land, the Jewish people are brought back to Jerusalem and to what became known as Judea under Rome.  And there in Judea, another of God's promises is fulfilled: His Messiah, the Christ, is born.  I think these first ten verses of chapter thirty are perhaps among the most beautiful in the Bible.  You can hear God's tender care for Israel in them.  "And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." (v.6)  It's beautiful, no? 

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 30:11-31:29

Deuteronomy 28:1-68

Blessings and cursings.  Blessings for obedience.  Curses for disobedience.  Did you notice there were twice as much material to describe the curses as there were for the blessings?  Why is human nature like that?  Educators talk a lot about positive reinforcement and how it's more effective, and they have their points, but let's face it: people are more likely to avoid something painful or distasteful than they are to pursue something good.  How many people learn to not touch a stove because it's hot?  How many people admit that they are more scared of hell than they are excited about heaven when they first accept Christ?  How many of us give up sin because we are run-down by the consequences rather than pursuing the blessings of being free from it?  We all know we would love those positive things, and honestly believe we would pursue them, but we easily allow ourselves to be deterred by the work it takes to get them.  Yet we are willing to work, and work hard, to avoid something we do not like or want!

If you look at the blessings: they knock your socks off.  Really.  That cliche isn't strong enough to describe how incredible the blessings are.  Israel cannot fail.  They will be blessed in the home, in the family, in their work in the field...  They will have an abundance of food, of livestock, in the land.  They will be blessed when they head out, they will be blessed when they get home!  How can you go wrong?  Yet if that's not enough incentive for you, just look at the curses.  They're horrific.  Not only is every blessing reversed, but there is worse to come: not only would Israel lose their inheritance in the land, but they would suffer every humiliation that came along with conquest.  The gruesome detail that the Lord depicts to remind them what happens when a nation is dispossessed of its land by a hostile conqueror is enough to make you shudder.  And to think perhaps it would be easy to remain faithful.

My Old Testament professor, Dr. John Holmes taught that all of the Old Testament (OT) hangs upon the promises in Deuteronomy 28 (and 29).  I remember, he used to make us recite that in class!  (Shout out to Dr. Holmes!  Still one of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege to sit under, though now I think he is Dean of Academics at my alma mater; I don't know if he still teaches.)  But on learning more about the OT, the history recorded, the prophecies made, they all do point back to this promise.  Whenever Israel was unfaithful, God sent other nations to discipline them and bring them back into the fold.  We'll see the cycle in Joshua and Judges.  The prophets during the period of the kings cried out again and again to remind the people of the consequences if they were not faithful to God, consequences promised in this chapter.  And they were fulfilled: Israel was overrun by Assyria in 722 BC.  Up to that point, not a more gruesome nation had come along and Israel's punishment was severe: the Assyrians basically smeared the map with them.  Judah was later dominated and then destroyed by Babylon, starting in 605 BC with the final deportation in 586 BC.  Many of the horrible, horrible things named in Deuteronomy 28 came about: mothers in madness and starvation ate their children, their sons and daughters were led away to captivity, the land was left without protection and plundered, the dead unburied.  But you will also see that when Israel was faithful, it was indeed blessed.  In Judges, whenever the people turned back they would find freedom from oppressors and prosperity; during the reign of faithful kings, the land was prosperous, battles were won, they had a name among the nations.

I do not know much about the modern state of Israel, and that is to my own detriment.  But I wonder how these translate to today?  I know God is not done with Israel yet.  Not by a long shot.

What does that mean for me?  As believers, God has given us promises, too.  He has promised to bless us, to keep us, to make us co-heirs with Christ.  If God kept every one of His promises to Israel, then will He not also keep His promises to those who believe, those who are adopted as sons?  I believe He will.

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10

Dueteronomy 26:1-27:26

Do you ever think what it might have been like to be among the Israelites during the giving of the Law?  To be one of those Israelites standing on the edge of the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering and to hear it given again, and to be exhorted to keep it "with all your heart and all your soul" (26:16).  What might it have been like to be among those that were divided between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal to hear the curses for those who did this or that (lie with their father's wife, mislead a blind man on the road, striking down a neighbor in secret, setting up a carven image in secret)?  To hear these curses and say, "Amen, amen, amen!"  Do you think it's possible that so many listened to each curse and said "amen" easily, perhaps believing that they would never do such a thing anyways.  Until the last curse is given: "Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them." (27:26)  That is a large number of words to fail to confirm, a large number of things in which to possible fail, and bring a curse on your own head. 

It brings me back to the command to do the law with all your heart and soul: to fulfill it with gusto and passion.  Really, the Lord intended Israel to obey out of love.  He later admonishes them that their sacrifices He doesn't care much for, but rather their hearts (Psalm 40:6, Psalm 51:16-19, Hosea 6:6).  There were consequences to not following the Law: we know that the wages of sin is death, and that the Law pointed out sin; it would always point out Israel's sin, especially if they failed to offer sacrifices before the Lord in a worthy manner.  And the same is true of us, isn't there?  There are consequences of just going through the motions of church life.  Those consequences may not be death or eternal separation from God, but loss of fellowship with Him, loss of opportunity for reward, certainly.  What if we simply pursue this Christian life without our hearts and souls invested?  Without passion?  Without desire?  What do we lose then?  Tomorrow we read the blessings for obeying the Law.  Would we not also see blessings for seeking Christ?

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-68

Deuteronomy 23:15-25:19

It is based on this practice of Levirate marriage in chapter twenty-five that Ruth lays claim to Boaz.  Because her husband had died and left her childless, and because his brother had died also, it would be the duty of the nearest kinsman to marry her and produce a son in her dead husband's name.  This passage also speaks to the true kinsman redeemer who turned Ruth down.  Remember, Boaz met him in the city gate to offer Ruth to him, and he refused, taking off his sandal and giving it to Boaz.  It wasn't until I read this passage this evening that I realized this would have shamed him for doing so.  Before, I had always thought it was simply contractual, but that in the man's shoe being taken from him, there is an element of shame.  In fact, some commentaries back that assumption up, using references to the Bible as land being given to Israel where their feet had trodden (remember, land went along with marriage to Ruth).  I am not sure that those verses support the passing of the sandal as contractual completion.  I would think that this passage would also illuminate a little bit the cost of passing that sandal on: after all, this man, too, would now be known for his refusal to accept Ruth as his wife.  It's something to look deeper into.

I have to say, this passage just further shows me God's provision for His people.  A small part of the law, given generations before Ruth, Mahlon, and Boaz lived provides for Ruth's care after the death of her husband.  This also, then, provides for the Messiah, as Jesus descended from Ruth and Boaz.  But I'm sure Ruth wasn't the only woman to claim this law for her aid.  Being left childless often meant a woman was left without livelihood or hope of support: if she had children, she could marry her daughter and live in her son-in-law's home and be provided for.  If she had a son, he would care for her when he was old enough to work.  Childless and a widow meant being left without a way to provide for oneself.  Both levirate marriage, and the decree just a few verses up that the people of Israel leave anything fallen from the harvest for the poor, provided a way that these women could be provided for, either by another husband, by the family, or by the congregation of Israel itself.  Our God is a God who provides!

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-68 (Less than a week, and then we will leave the Law behind!  Seems strange, doesn't it?)

Deuteronomy 22:13-23:14

Simply put, God has standards.  He is holy, unequivocally.  And He teaches us what holiness is through His word.  That includes sexual purity.  This passage makes that clear.  And if anyone would quibble that since Christ fulfilled the Law that we don't have to apply it, then I would point out that the commands on sexual impurity continue into the New Testament.  Over and over and over again.

This is one of those things that sets us at odds with our culture today.  Take the case of the BYU basketball player, suspended for breaking the honor code of the school.  He was suspended for breaking the honor code, but part of that code included strictures against having premarital sex.  This, really, is the heart of the controversy.  Should he be suspended for having premarital sex, which is not a criminal offense (as is often pointed out in the articles and news stories done on this tidbit of "news")?    I would contend that yes, he should be, as he agreed to the honor code when he entered BYU, and he should take the consequences of breaking the code he had agreed to abide by.  Period.  I could go on to vent about how wrong it is that players who have committed criminal acts are allowed to play, but that's not the point of this post, or this passage.  Neither is the honor code, and really, neither is the uproar surrounding the suspension.  There are many who think it's wrong that a young man should be punished for having sex.  In Israel, he would have been.  And far more severely punished than being taken from a sports team. 

In Deuteronomy, it's clear that the punishment for unlawful sex is to root out evil from Israel.  Unlawful sex isn't the only sin to receive such a punishment.  It wasn't intended that it should be meted out right and left, either, but that it would discourage people from treating sex lightly and cheaply.  Sex is not just a primal urge; it's not something fun to do on a Saturday night.  It was created by God to bring together and bond a man and woman for life.  It's not meant to be treated like a toy.  God's standard for sex is that it be enjoyed within the confines of marriage; to be enjoyed, and not abused.

I don't think our culture today agrees with that.  Not when there are novels and movies that consider affairs to be romantic, where "love" is more important that commitment and purity (though I would say fulfillment is really what many of these stories are about).  Not when there are tv shows strictly about sex and the "crazy, funny" situations you can find yourself in when in its pursuit.  I realize, I'm standing on the opposite side of a line.  But I gladly stand here.  I'll stick with my God and His high standards.

By the way, I don't really want this blog to be about national news stories, but I will say I appreciated this article that upheld a stance for convictions.  If you like, check it out:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/7/a-national-champion-in-deed/

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 23:15-25:19

Deuteronomy 21:1-22:12

Do you think that Rahab had to shave her head and clip her nails when Salmon, being a captive from the city of Jericho? 

Do you think that perhaps the law concerning the firstborn and the sons of two wives might be a hearkening back to Jacob and his sons?  What did it mean for David, seeing that Solomon was not his firstborn?  But then, David had more than just two wives; his first wife, Michal, had no children, and his older sons Absalom and Amnon were killed.  Amnon was his firstborn, Absalom his second.  But what of Chileab, Abigail's son?  Abigail was a wise woman, was she not?  I wonder what happened to them.  I would need to reread 2 Samuel to understand the politics and events that brought it about that Solomon was granted the kingdom, though David had more than six sons by the time Solomon was born.

How many children do you think were truly rebellious in Israel, knowing that their total dissolution could result in a stoning?  Then again, why wasn't Sampson stoned under the Law, unless his parents feared the position that he should have too much?  I cannot say that I can judge: I'm still just learning to parent.  There are all kinds of perhaps that might be said about Sampson and his parents. 

Do you ever look at an obscure law in the Bible, such as not allowing a neighbor's animal or possession to be lost and just ignore it, and wonder how on earth that applies to you?

In the case of an donkey wandering off, it likely doesn't, directly.  The number of people I know that own donkeys I can count on one hand (and it doesn't take every finger).  Directly, I will likely have no opportunity to return an ox to a "brother".  Possibly.  You never know.  But hind the livestock law?  Well, for one: look out for each other.  Do the right thing.  You know that donkey isn't just wandering around on its own.  You know that purse lying neglected on the pew belongs to someone.  You know the hundred dollar bill on the walk isn't yours and that someone's going to miss it.  Or twenty dollar bill.  You can ignore these things, say they're not your problem, or you can step up and look out for someone else.  When they come looking for it, give it up freely. 

What about not wearing mixed textiles or pulling an ox with a donkey or sowing a vineyard with two kinds of seed?  Because let's face it: we do that stuff a lot.  How many of us have polyblends of some type in our clothes?  Cotton and spandex anyone?  How many of us mix our seeds in our garden: tomatoes and peppers and beans all planted together?  But we know, that spiritually speaking, there are things that just don't mix: you can not serve two masters, after all.  You will love one and hate the other.  Maybe that's a bit of a stretch, here, but do you see my point?

I was talking with my husband just last night about how sometimes you get into the Law and you have difficulty feeling like it's relevant.  But it is.  You just have to think about it more.  God didn't randomly and arbitrarily hand down laws for no real reason.  Many of them protected the Israelites from disease and chaos; many of them set up a form of government and a code to live by; all of them taught the Israelites principles by which they could be holy.  Those same principles will teach us to be holy.  Christ did say, after all, that if you love Him, His Word would abide in you.  Guess what.  Deuteronomy is definitely His Word.  Christ loved Deuteronomy.  He quoted from it.  A lot.  Just go check out those "Red Letters" sometime with a Bible that has cross-references and see how many times Deuteronomy comes up.  I gaurantee: a lot.

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 22:13-23:14

Deuteronomy 19:1-20:20

I thought the instructions on conduct in warfare very interesting today, didn't you?  How many modern armies could you see going before their troops, right before battle, and saying, "Hey, if you've got unfinished business, go home and take care if, lest you die and someone else gets to enjoy it"?  Could you see the generals of the American army saying that?  Could you see the leaders of foreign armies, those that we are currently facing, encouraging their troops to go home?  They are expected to follow commands, even if they have a baby due at home, a new wife, a farm in production, a business on the rocks, whatever it might be.  I am grateful to our soldiers, who serve both here at home and abroad, for willing following their leaders commands.  I know so many who consider it their honor and their duty to fight for their country, not just because a superior officer commands them.  Still, this practice is quite different than military strategy today.  But you can kind of see their point, right?  The officers commanded the men who were faint-hearted to go home, lest their attitude poison the morale and the spirit of the men fighting beside them.  I have never been in combat, but that is something that I hear often: that soldiers fight for the man beside them, their brother (or sister) in arms.  Perhaps in Old Testament times, to be challenged to leave the field for things at home would be considered a challenge to their honor; perhaps rather than encouraging them to go home, it would actually discourage them from abandoning their post.  (But then, I think back to Gideon's men in Judges, and how many were weeded out.  But then, again, that was to show God's might and power, not Israel's army's might and power.  So maybe not the same thing at all.)

I also appreciated that God commanded them not to cut down any trees during a siege.  It was not uncommon during a siege for the invading army to strip the land around the city bare.  It had two affects: greatly reduced the city's hope of recovery should they outlast the invading army, and the blow to the morale of the people inside, watching their land be wasted.  Sometimes it was done strategically, sometimes I'm sure it was done in malice and spite.  But God was careful to command the Israelites not to do it.  This would allow them to prosper themselves in the city when it was taken, as well as it showed respect for God's creation: after all, He reminds them that the trees are not human to make war upon them.  They are, after all, innocent.  Perhaps God is a tree-hugger after all?  (I almost feel the need to throw in a winky-smile here, but I will refrain.)

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:12

Deuteronomy 17:8-18:22

This passage seemed far-seeing, didn't it?  Several things in the commands here dealt with things that would not be in use for a few generations, if not several.  Such as the commands on how to handle disputes: to go to the priests in whatever city God chose, and the judge who would be in power at that time.  The Israelites didn't have judges for several more years, until after Joshua and Caleb were gone and the Israelites began to stray.  Between those judges, it was the priests who settled disputes.  Then came also the laws concerning the kings.  Kings!  Israel did not ask for a king until the time of Samuel, several generations later (1 Samuel 8).  Samuel was the last priest and judge of Israel.  Samuel felt the request was a rejection of his leadership, but God knew that it was really a rejection of His leadership.  And God foresaw that rejection even here, when the Israelites were standing outside the Promised Land.  He knew the time would come.  And He knew the nature those kings would have: He warned them to not take many wives, especially foreign wives, because they would lead their hearts astray.  Did any king listen to that advice?  He commanded them to write down a copy of the law for themselves and to read it daily (personal devotions anyone?) so that he would know the Law and obey it.  We know so many kings completely ignored or were unaware of the Law, being lost somewhere along the way, because it was found in Josiah's reign during a renovation of the Temple (can you imagine it being in disrepair during Israel's occupation of the land?  So weird to me!) (2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34.  Also, the abominable practices: that Israel should never burn their children as a sacrifice or offering.  Ummm, did someone not tell Manasseh this? (2 Kings 21)  Apparently not, as the Law was found during his grandson's reign (2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34).  I am unclear how long it had been missing, but it seems sometime, if those who heard it were ignorant prior to Josiah having it read to him.  And this is not to mention that in the same paragraph the Lord warns against sorcerers and false prophets, personalities that riddle Old Testament history during the kingship period.  Read any of 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel... the list goes on, and you'll come across a false prophet or a diviner for a foreign god.

God foresaw all of this before the Israelites even stepped into the land.  If I were to think of God in human terms, I would imagine this hurt Him very much.  I still think, because of God's great love for His people, He would mourn their unfaithfulness and the knowledge of it.  I do not know how that translates into human emotions, perhaps it's greater than I might imagine.  Still, the beautiful thing about God is that He is not waylaid like we might be.  His plans move forward and His faithfulness is not shaken.  He foreknew these events, and even warned His people of them, and His plans were laid to take care of them: both for their discipline and their provision.  He is amazing, isn't He?  My own mind cannot fathom.  It's a wonderful and awesome thing that I am not God.  And that God would never turn the reigns over to me in a Bruce-Almighty fashion.  I'm just not capable of the task.  But He is mighty and awesome in power and wonderful and majestic and just... GOD.  He is more than capable to take care of all these things, and the little things in my own life.  He is good!

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 19:1-20:20

Deuteronomy 15:12-17:7

This is for my d-group girls out there that think I'm a Bible study fiend: I'm pooped out.  Seriously.  I have been studying all day.  I have been studying all day Daniel for the ladies' Bible study I participate in on Thursdays.  I got behind in my daily studies for this week (and actually, last week, too) because I've been caught up in a different study altogether, contemplating Colossians for a writing project.  Let me tell you, by the time I got to my personal reading for tonight, I have been Bible-studied out.  I think my d-group (discipleship group) girls would  completely emphasize but be a little surprised by this.  (Maybe not?)  You see, I am the ultimate Bible nerd to them.  And I know how I got myself the reputation.  Yes, I'm one of those group leaders who gets excited over maps of Bible lands and times.  I draw timelines for Biblical events.  I am the Bible-Story-Teller.  And I admit: I do love me some Bible stories, especially from the Old Testament.  But, very very sadly, I don't have much to bring to the table on Deuteronomy 15-16, the Passover, the Feast of Booths, the Feast of Weeks.  It took all I had just to pay attention to what I was reading.  Where I wanted to be was thinking about what my husband and I should plant in our first-ever garden project together, or thinking out viable means of losing weight when this baby is born (b/c I soooo need to lose weight), or thinking of the housework I need to get done tomorrow and Saturday while my husband is working.  What, me?  Thinking about housework instead of the Bible?  Yes. 


I would much rather put a greater amount of effort into my personal devotion time, but I also recognize that I am being challenged by the other studying I do.  The reason I emphasize the personal time is that I don't want to allow other pursuits to replace that devotional time that I dedicate to the Lord.  It would be easy to look at the preparation to for a lesson as devotional time, yet strictly, it isn't.  I have an ulterior motive there.  Personal devotions, I feel, should be about me, my God, and my relationship to Him.  This is why doing my devotions late at night is not the best scenario: sometimes the best parts of my brain (and let's admit it, being pregnant they are relatively few) have been spent in other pursuits.  I want to bring my best to God.  Which, I have to tell you, doesn't really happen early in the morning, either.  It takes a good hour or so to wake up and the brain to function; it's been like that since I was a teenager.  It's a difficult balance to find. 

All that to say: I am not really a Bible-study fiend.  I have my human limitations, and I've hit today.  Tomorrow, though, tomorrow I hope for better.



Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 17:8-18:22

Deuteronomy 14:1-15:11

You can see the depth of care the Lord holds for the poor.  Throughout the Scriptures you'll find references and commands to look after the poor, the fatherless, the widow: those who cannot take care of themselves.  In the Sabbath year, all debtors are released from their debt, and God specifically forbade the Israelites to refuse those in need for fear of not recooping their loans if the Sabbatical year was approaching.  Instead, He commands them to open their hands wide to those in need, to show them love and concern.  This theme carries through the Old and New Testaments, both.  I remember a college classmate of mine commenting in her blog that she felt the most radical thing about the Proverbs 31 woman was not that she seemed to be able to "do it all", but that she looked after the poor.  What do you think: are we really fulfilling the command of God if we merely give to the church and to charities to look after the poor for us?  Does God expect something more from us than just monetary support?

One other observation: did you notice the verse about the Israelites being lenders to many nations, but that they would never borrow so that no one could rule over them?  I found that statement very interesting, in view of Jewish history through the medieval period, and perhaps beyond.  Jews were the ones in many European countries, most notably England, who acted as moneylenders because usury was banned by the Church.  This allowed many Jews to gain a notable amount of wealth, as they followed the Old Testament command to avoid being indebted, and therefore bound, to anyone.  Of course, enmity between the Jews and Christians would be not wholly caused but encouraged by the fact that Jews were getting rich off of their Christian neighbors.  It caused the Jewish people a fair amount of persecution, one instance their expulsion from England in 1290.  I simply found it interesting that in view of this passage in ch. 15, the later applications and almost prophetic nature of the statement to their history.

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 15:12-17:7

Deuteronomy 12:1-13:18

A computer crash has put me a bit behind in things tonight.  I have read Deuteronomy, but I don't have a full post ready.  However, it's quite a lesson in the importance that God should take in your life, that nothing should come before Him, if you are to stone anyone who would entice you away from Him, including brother, son, daughter, a wife you love, or a friend who "is as your own soul".  How many of us can say that we would refrain from pitying but willing destroy someone as close as that who might try to get us to worship another god?

Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 14:1-15:11

Judges 1:1-36

Can you believe we're in Judges already?  It seems surreal.

The continued conquest started out well: Judah, Simeon, Joseph, and Caleb and his clan were successful at driving away the Canaanites.  However, soon you see that not everyone was so successful.  In fact, Dan lost their territory to the Amorites, and well into the book of Judges, they're still seeking to gain some place of their own. I've studied Judges before, so I know a theme is developing.

Judges is one of those books that fascinate me.  The stories are horrific: like the bloody original versions of familiar fairy tales, you don't expect to see some of those things in the Bible.  If you were to simply look at Judges as literature, it's an epic portrayal of the affects of sin and dissolution upon a nation.  But it's Holy Scripture.  And it has something to tell us.

Tomorrow's Reading: Judges 2:1-3:11

*Note: this did not publish when it was supposed to, so I back-dated it.  Just FYI.