Tag Archives: Numbers 14-15:16

March 10, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 11:4

    Not even Bill Gates will be able to buy his way out of judgment day. Only those who have allowed the Holy Spirit to guide them in right living will escape death on that day. It is not my own actions that will save me, rather it is the transformation which the Holy Spirit makes in my life.

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Psalm 53:1-6

    Those who say that there is no God are fools. They take such a position because they know that their actions are evil. The fact of the matter is that those who acknowledge God are no better. When God looks down on the earth, He sees that all have turned away and no one does good. It is only by the actions of the one who came from Zion that we can be drawn back to God and saved. I am not better than the fool who says there is no God. However, I will pray to God and ask that His Spirit enter into me and transform me.

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Mark 14:53-72

    Elsewhere Jesus says He will deny before the Father those who deny Him here an earth. Here Peter denies Jesus three times. Yet later Jesus forgives him. The fact that Peter could be forgiven for his denial of Christ tells us that we too can be forgiven for our failure to stand firm in the face of opposition. Of course, Peter responded to that forgiveness by becoming an outspoken proponent of faith in Christ. We should respond similarly to God’s forgiveness.

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Numbers 14-15:16

    When the Israelites heard the consensus of the spies they rebelled against Moses’ leadership. When Caleb and Joshua argued against that consensus the people began to talk about stoning them. This passage is a warning that following the expert consensus is not always the wise course. In this case, following the expert consensus led the people to rebel against God. We must be careful not to make the same mistake.

March 10, 2014 Bible Study — The Fool Says, “There Is No God”

    I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Proverbs 11:4

    The day will come when God will judge us. On that day, our material possessions will be of no value to us. On that day, the only thing that will matter will be whether or not we have turned to God and accepted Jesus as our Savior.

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Psalm 53:1-6

    This psalm starts with a statement that, for me, is the starting point for faith and for logic. Those who say that there is no God are foolish. My experience is that if you look at the lives of the “great” philosophers who believed that there was no God, you discover that the psalmist is correct. They are/were corrupt and their actions are/were evil. The philosophers who argue that there is no God do so because they wish to justify the evil in their own lives. However, before I become to complacent and proud of myself the psalmist says one more thing for me to note. The psalmist tells us that when God looked at the earth to find those who were truly wise, He discovered that all had turned from Him. All have turned away from God and become corrupt. I will acknowledge that I have done this and I will pray to God for His forgiveness and ask Him to remind me that I too was one with those fools who say there is no God. It is only through God’s wondrous grace that I came to accept the truth that yes, He does exist. I thank Him and praise Him for bringing me to this knowledge.

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Mark 14:53-72

    When the Jewish Council brought Jesus to trial they brought before them various witnesses. Yet these witnesses could not get their stories straight, so the Council could not convict Jesus. Finally, the high priest asked Jesus if He was the Messiah. When Jesus replied that He was indeed the Messiah, the high priest declared that He had spoken blasphemy and they needed no further witnesses. I do not know if anyone else has pointed out the logical flaw here. While I am willing to accept that if someone who was not the Messiah answered the way Jesus did, it would indeed be blasphemy (and not just because He was claiming to be the Messiah, but also because of the phrase He chose to make that claim). However, it seems to me that calling Jesus’ answer blasphemy rests on that assumption that He was NOT the Messiah. If He was indeed the Messiah, than I do not see how His answer was blasphemous.
    Mark recounted how Peter denied Christ just as Jesus had predicted. Every time I read the ending of this story, “And he broke down and wept.” I cannot help but think of
Don Francisco’s great song, “He’s Alive”. Every time I hear the line in that song, “When at last it came to choices, I denied I knew His name” I cannot help but think of the times in my life when I have denied my faith in Him. As I read this passage I am reminded that I too have denied Jesus as Peter did. I thank God that I have the example of Peter to know that I too can be forgiven. “He’s alive and I’m forgiven.” What a statement of great joy!

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Numbers 14-15:16

    When the people of Israel heard the scouts’ report they were frightened and plotted to choose a new leader to take them back to Egypt. However, Caleb and Joshua, two of the twelve scouts, tore their clothes and begged the people to not turn aside from God’s plan. They told the people that since God was with them they could take the land, that they had no reason to fear the people of that land. Rather than listen to them, the people began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. It was only because of Divine intervention that they did not follow this plan. At that point God declared that He would not allow them to enter the Promised Land, it would be the next generation who would experience His promise. When they heard this, the people decided to enter the land anyway. This passage is a reminder that when God gives us a mission, there is a time period in which it occurs. If we do not follow God’s instructions when He gives them, it may be too late to do so later. NOW is the time to do as the Lord commands.

March 10, 2013 Bible Study — Answering Charges Against Our Faith

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

Sword & dagger duel
Sword & dagger duel

Numbers 14-15:16

     After hearing the report of the spies sent into the land of Canaan the Israelites began grumbling against Moses and plotting to choose a leader to take them back to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb attempted to convince the people that the Lord would be with them if they followed His command and went into the land of Canaan. They proclaimed to the people that God would defeat the residents of that land for them. Rather than listen to them the people talked about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting bringing a halt to the plans for rebellion.
     God told Moses and Aaron to lead the people back into the wilderness, that every one of the people who had been counted in the census as twenty years old or older and had grumbled against God’s instruction to invade would die in the wilderness. God promised to lead their children into the land He had promised to them. The men Moses had sent to explore the land who had returned and caused the people to grumble against Moses were struck down and died. Of those Moses had sent to explore the land only Joshua and Caleb survived.
     The morning after these events the people decided that now they were ready to invade the land. Moses told them not to go, because God was not with them. Despite this warning and the fact that neither Moses nor the Ark of the Covenant went with them, the invaded the land. The people of the land defeated them soundly and drove them back out. There is an important lesson for us in this passage. It has to do with the fact that some of God’s calls to us expire. Sometimes there is a window of opportunity that will close if we do not act within it. We need to be aware of when God tells us that we did not respond to His call in a timely fashion and now He is calling us to something else.

Checking a blade
Checking a blade

Mark 14:53-72

     After arresting Jesus they took Him to the high priest’s house, where the religious leaders gathered to decide what to do. They attempted to gather evidence to justify putting Him to death, however the many witnesses gave conflicting testimony. Finally the high priest directly asked Jesus if He was going to answer the testimony against Him. Jesus remained silent and would not answer. Jesus knew that the testimony against Him was useless to those prosecuting Him since it conflicted and thus did not call for an answer but anything He said could be twisted to make their case. The high priest follows up by asking Jesus a direct question as to whether He is the Messiah. Jesus answers this question in the affirmative. The high priest declares that His answer is blasphemy. The gathered religious leaders declared that it made Him worthy of death. I am not sure about this, but I believe that Jesus’ behavior in this situation presents a model for us in certain situations. When people are making inconsistent accusations against Christianity, we should remain silent and not answer their charges. Those making that type of accusation will not listen to our defense of our faith, they will merely twist what we say to support their preconceived conclusion. However, when asked a direct question about what we believe we should answer it truthfully and in full, even though those same people will use it to justify their attacks on our faith.
     While this was going on Peter had entered the courtyard. One of the servant girls recognized Peter and spoke up saying that she recognized him as one of those who had been with Jesus. Peter claimed to have no idea what she was talking about and went over to the entryway. The servant girl then told those standing around that Peter was one of Jesus’ followers. Peter again denied this allegation. After a short period one of those standing nearby told Peter that since he was a Galilean, he must be one of Jesus’ disciples. Peter vehemently denied even knowing who Jesus was. No sooner had he done so than the rooster crowed and Peter remembered what Jesus had said. When Peter realized what he had just done, he broke down and wept. How often have we followed Peter’s example here and denied knowing Jesus in order to avoid social condemnation? Are we as heartbroken as Peter was when we realize what we have done?

"Heavy combat" fighters face off
“Heavy combat” fighters face off

Psalm 53:1-6

     The psalmist tells us that those who believe that there is no God are fools. That such a belief inevitably leads to corruption and evil actions. The psalmist goes on to remind us that all of us have turned away from God and no one does good. None of us has any basis for condemning another, in the sight of God we are all evildoers deserving of destruction. It is only through the grace of God that we can have faith in God’s salvation. I am no better than the worst sinner out there. If my actions and thoughts appear better than those of others, that is no credit to me. It is only so because of the grace of God. I will seek to give glory to God for those times when I do good rather than evil because it is only because of His intervention in my life that such times occur.

Another shot of the heavy fighters
Another shot of the heavy fighters

Proverbs 11:4

     On the day of wrath and destruction, wealth will not protect us. Only righteousness will provide protection on that day.