Numbers 35

When the new land of Israel was to be divided among the tribes, the tribe of Levi was not given a single large piece, but the Levites were given 48 towns scattered throughout the land. Six of these were called cities of refuge to which a person could flee if he or she had accidentally caused the death of another Israelite. To make this possible, the towns were less than forty miles from each other so that all were less than twenty miles from refuge, in reach of everyone. 

Numbers 33,34

The last chapters of Numbers are a synopsis of Israel’s 40 years of travel, the last 38 ½ years because of their rebellion. The challenge they are facing is the command to eradicate the source of the terrible evils practiced by the former inhabitants (Lev. 18:24-30). Failure to do so would allow the former influences to become as thorns in their eyes (Num. 33:55,56).

No one can follow Christ without some challenges and problems; we are in a fallen world. But complete obedi

Numbers 31, 32

On more than one occasion my parents reminded me of Numbers 32:23, “Be sure your sins will find you out.” In this chapter, Moses is reminding Reuben and Gad, whose land is on the east side of the Jordan River, that they had committed to helping the rest of the tribes. Failure to do so would be evil:  their “sins (of omission) would find them out” i.e., have a price.

Romans 3 tells us that all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death. It was that finality to which Moses w

Mark 8:22-38

When asked by Christ who the disciples thought he was, only Peter could give the right answer, “You are the Christ the Son of the living God" (v29, Matt 16:16). But when Jesus began to talk about his coming suffering and death, Peter rebuked Jesus, assuming that the Lord’s identity and his coming suffering were incompatible. 

Sometimes we look at suffering as incompatible with our identity as “children of God” forgetting that Jesus identified that idea as coming from Satan

Mark 8:1-21

Two people can go through the same experience and learn opposite lessons. The disciples had just participated in the amazing miracle of 4000 men (plus women and children) being fed from seven “loaves” of bread and a few small fish. Prior to this they had witnessed 5000 being fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Yet they interpreted a warning about Pharisees as being a concern by Christ for lack of food (v15). 

Of all the lessons they could have learned from their experiences, two

Psalm 25

David is struggling with three realities in this psalm; he knows his own sins, both in the past and the present (v7). And he knows his enemies will try to shame him for his failings. But he also is aware that God is his only resort and so he cries out to Him for help. 

Problems in this world are real. There is hatred, resentment, unfairness, inequalities and tragedies – and many times our answers seem insufficient. But God is more than a comforting idea. He is not limited

Numbers 29-30

“If a man vows a vow to the Lord ... he shall not break his word” (30:2). As well as collective worship, individuals could make vows (29:39) to the Lord that often included either special offerings, promises, or acts of self-denial. These vows were sacred between worshiper and God. However, women embedded in family relationships needed a father or husband’s approval for their vows. This prevented vows (promises/offerings) from conflicting with family life and gave women a

Numbers 27-28

“Let the Lord ... appoint a man over the congregation ... that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd” (27:16). Moses could not go into the Promised Land with the Israelites, and so they needed a new leader. Joshua, “a man in whom is the Spirit” filled that role. But the Lord also reminded the people of his commands for regular sacrifices and holy festivals (ch 28-29). Their lives were to center around worship, more than a human leader.

“On

Numbers 26

“But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai” (v64). The new census of Israelites taken “by the Jordan at Jericho” counted all the men able “to go to war”. It was a new list, because all the men that Moses and Aaron had counted in the wilderness had died there due to unbelief, except Caleb and Joshua (v65). “Israel” continued, with those of the new generation who were willi

Numbers 25

“These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods” (v2). Terrible things happened when the Israelites turned away from the Lord, married pagan women, and threw themselves into worshiping the idol Baal of Peor. God’s wrath was kindled, and Moses and other leaders denounced and punished the evildoers. Yet even amid the weeping, repentant community (v6,14), Zimri boldly brought a new pagan woman into the camp, resultin

Mark 7:10-37

“All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person” (v23). The Pharisees and others believed that “defilement” or impurity came from contact with unclean people or objects. But the Old Testament ritual laws had always been intended to point to the deeper reality, which Jesus clarified. Spiritual uncleanness comes from desires born in the heart: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery ... slander, pride, foolishness” (v23). Ironically, the “unclean” Genti

Mark 7:1-9

“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men” (v8). Jesus constantly corrected the mistaken, twisted, human ideas about God and religion. Although given the true Word of God (v13), the Pharisees and other religious leaders had ignored the heart of the message and emphasized human concerns: looking righteous, cleaning the “outside”, being part of the right group. They manipulated people, encouraging them to give temple gifts rather than help their eld

Psalm 24

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (v1). The true God cannot be found in false religion and sinful desires celebrated by humans. The One who created everything, to whom we belong, is found by those who turn from idols and seek his holiness (v4). The “clean hands and pure heart” of those who “stand in the holy place” are not the result of human righteousness. Instead, the person accepted by God is the one who knows their faul

Numbers 22-24

“A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (24:17). As the Israelites grew stronger, Moab’s king hired the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balaam knew that God’s hand was on Israel (22:12), yet he wavered in what he should do. God’s commitment to Israel (and the world) was so strong that he used a talking donkey to block Balaam’s disobedience. Finally, Balaam pronounced four powerful blessings on Israel and prophesied about the Messiah (ch 23-2

Numbers 20-21

“And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? ... there is no water to drink” (v5). In the wilderness of Zin, the people were desperately thirsty and viewed their surroundings as hopeless and “evil”. As always, God responded to them and appeared in “glory” to Moses and Aaron. The rock yielded water, but Moses and Aaron gave in to anger, and they failed in their task to help the people see God’s holiness (20:12; 21:4-9).   

 “When we cried t