The One Year Bible- March 20th
As I have been driving around this past week I have noticed
that many of the trees are starting to leaf out. It is an exciting time of the
year when we see blossoms on plants, the days getting longer and the temperatures
climbing (a bit). Spring is in the air and I think it is kinda neat that during
this season we celebrate Easter. Now, I know I am getting ahead of myself since
we are still a few weeks away and Lent is still in full swing, but as we look
to the changes that are taking place on the earth, new life and new growth, I
can’t help but think about the new life that has been given to all of us
because of Jesus’ victory over death. When you see the new life springing from
the ground, think about Jesus and the new life granted to us and guaranteed by
what he did on the cross and his “springing” from the ground in his wonderful
resurrection. On to the study...
Seth’s Thoughts
The Old Testament
Numbers is a strange book. It combines the narrative with some
rules and regulations and then the “numbers” of counting and census taking. It
can be hard to keep track of the story. I found myself turning back the pages a
few times to remember what we read (this is not such a bad idea to do once in a
while). A few things stuck out for me this week. The name of Baalam comes up
again in the New Testament book of Revelation. I don’t know how much you know
about the book of Revelation (and we don’t have time here to discuss in detail)
but at the beginning of the book, Jesus gives John a message for seven
churches. One of the letters warns of holding to the teaching of Baalam. This
is the only place in the New Testament that makes reference to this story.
Baalam knew about Yahweh but he took money from king Balak to give a curse
against the people of Israel. Baalam gave in to the money and compromised his
faith for the sake of material gain. I think that many in our world have
compromised their faith or their beliefs for monetary gain as well. We
outwardly worship the Lord but our hearts lust after wealth. This is the main
message of the story. This lesson is important enough for John to mention it in
the book of Revelation. Baalam ends up dying at the hands of the Israelites a
few chapters later (31:8).
Another amazing event takes place in chapter 31. As the Lord
commands the people to take revenge on the Midianites, they completely destroy
them with the Lord’s help. This is amazing in and of itself but what really got
to me was the fact that when the generals and captains gave a report to Moses
they said, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and
not one is missing.” (31:49 NIV) How amazing is that!!! They go to battle
and no one is killed?? No friendly fire, no accidents, not even one lost
battle. This should have been a sign to the people to trust in God, but as we
shall see, the people will start to trust in themselves and not in God and
things go wrong. In chapter 33 we have a very important task and warning from
God. As the people are on the edge of the Promised Land, they get a command
from God, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When
you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall
drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and
destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images
and demolish all their high places. And you shall take possession of the land
and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it... if you do
not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them
whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides,
and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. And I will do to you as
I thought to do to them.” We will see that this is one of the main problems
for the Israelites in the Promised Land. God told them what to do and they
didn’t quite get the job done.
As we begin the book of Deuteronomy this week, don’t be
puzzled by the fact that Moses retells almost the entire story of the history
of God’s chosen people. I will have more to say about that next week, but I
like to think of this book as Moses’ pre-game speech to the team led by Joshua.
They were about to engage the enemy in battle and standing on the eastern bank
of the Jordan, Moses encourages and motivates the people to do what God has
been preparing for a long time. They were on the verge of taking possession of
the promise that was given so long ago to Abraham. It is an exciting time, and
time filled with some fear and expectation as well.
The New Testament
Luke is a great storyteller. He weaves a wonderful story
together. Luke tells of three “songs” in the beginning of the book; Mary’s
song, Zechariah’s song and Simeon’s song. All three of them are wonderful
examples of praising God. Mary gives glory to God for the gift she has been
given, Zechariah praises God for his mercy, and Simeon thanks God for the
fulfillment of his promises through the Christ Child. These “songs” give a
depth of emotion not found in the other Gospel accounts. If you grew up in a
Lutheran Church that used the old 1941 hymnal you probably know Simeon’s song
by heart (by the way it has made a comeback in the new Lutheran Service Book
p.p. 199-200). I love that song. I will admit as a child I liked that song
because that meant the service was almost over, but as I grew older that song
and the words had an impact on me. Those of you who know the tune can sing
along:
Lord, now lettest Thou Thy
servant depart in peace according to Thy word, For mine eyes have
seen Thy Salvation: which Thou hast prepared before the face of all
people. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of Thy
people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the
Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world
without end AMEN.
After his baptism and a list of his earthly ancestors,
Jesus’ ministry begins in earnest. He first is tempted in the desert and
rejected in Nazareth. I could just imagine the scene in the synagogue where
Jesus gets up to read for the service and at the end hearing him say “Today
this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” I think that would be one of
the most exciting times for those who believed that the Messiah was coming
soon. Was this guy the one that was promised? Could he be the Messiah that we
have been waiting for? Can we like Simeon, now die in peace? For some this guy
was a blasphemer and a troublemaker. I hope I would know that this is the
Christ the son of the living God. Soon we see that the Pharisees start looking
for ways to get rid of Jesus. They see him forgiving sins, and healing on the
Sabbath.
One other interesting point Luke makes is that he sets the
story in a historical context. One of the knocks on the Bible is that it is
just some fanciful story that was made up by the writers. One way Luke gives
some credibility to his book is that he places it within the frame of history.
This makes the document have more legitimacy outside of religious circles
because of the verifiable evidence of history. At the beginning of Chapter 3 Luke
writes, “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius
Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip
tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— during the
high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,...” All of these people can be
verified to have existed using extra-biblical sources. Luke wants to let his
readers know that he is not just making this stuff up. This was a very
important point in the third century when the formation of the New Testament
was happening. The inclusion of this information (as well as other factors)
gave Luke a solid historical footing for inclusion in the New Testament.
Bits and Pieces
We will start the book of Deuteronomy this week. Here are
the vital stats for the book:
PURPOSE: To remind the people of what God had done
and encourage them to rededicate their lives to him
AUTHOR: Moses (except for the final summary which may have
been written by Joshua)
TO WHOM WRITTEN: Israel (the new generation entering the
promised land)
LAW THEMES: Devoted to destruction, hard-hearted, laws of
the covenant, snare of idolatry, cursing
GOSPEL THEMES: Redemption- “I am the Lord, your God”,
inheritance, righteousness by God’s Word, promises of the covenant, God’s love
and calling, atonement, faithfulness, blessing
SETTING: The east side of the Jordan River, in view of
Canaan
KEY VERSE: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God;
he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations
of those who love him and keep his commandments. (7:9)
KEY PEOPLE: Moses and Joshua
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