March 5, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 17:14-27. The disciples tried to heal a boy with epilepsy but failed. Jesus healed him immediately. The disciples could not do it because they had so little faith. Jesus also predicted his death, and the tax collectors came to Peter to collect the poll tax. Jesus solved this by telling Peter to go fishing and from the first fish he caught he would take the four drachma coin swallowed by the fish. That did take care of the tax for both Peter and Jesus.

Numbers 26 lists in detail, by tribe, the Second Census of Israel.

Numbers 27 defines inheritance laws, and it was decided that Joshua should succeed Moses.

Numbers 28 is all about offerings, the Daily Offerings, Sabbath Offerings, Monthly Offerings, Offerings at Passover and Offerings at the Feast of Weeks.

Psalm 17 demonstrates David’s total trust in God and not in self in spite of David’s best efforts. It can be summarized: “Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings” with regard to the threats from David’s enemies.

March 4, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 17:1-13
describes the transfiguration on the mount. It shows Jesus joining
Moses and Elijah. Jesus tells his disciples: Elijah has already come.

Numbers 23 tells of Balaam’s first oracle, his second oracle, and the beginning of his third oracle.

Numbers 24 continues with Balaam’s third oracle, his fourth, and his final oracles.

Numbers 25 tells how Israel went astray in Moab.

March 3, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 16:13-28. Peter made his famous confession: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Right after that Jesus predicted his death, to which Peter said “Never” and Jesus answered  “Get behind me, Satan.” Those were strong words. Jesus furthermore said “Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Finally Jesus predicted his transfiguration.

In Numbers 21 the Canaanites were defeated in Hormath. The people kept speaking against God, so God sent venomous snakes their way and many died. Moses made a bronze snake, put it on a pole and when people looked at it, they got healed. (Does that remind you of a symbol used even today?) The travels continued.

Numbers 22 tells the story of how Balak sent for Balaam, and how Balaam’s Donkey behaved when he saw the Angel.

March 2, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 16:1-12. the Jews demanded a sign. Jesus told them the there will be no sign other than the sign of Jonah: Three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish. The disciples had forgotten to bring bread and Jesus coincidentally told them : Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Huh? Jesus had to explain to them he meant their doctrine, not literal yeast.

Numbers 18 describes the duties of Priests and Levites, offerings for Supporting the Priests, tithes Supporting the Levites and the tithe of the Levites. As representatives of the LORD they were entitled to get the best part.

Numbers 19 details the laws and procedures of Purification, and introduces the red heifer.

In Numbers 20. Moses committed a major error in Kadesh. Thy were short on water, so God told Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses smote the rock. Water sprung forth but God punished Moses and his people so severely that that generation was not allowed to enter the promised land. Why did God give them this harsh punishment? The rock was to be smitten only once,  the second time Moses was to speak to the rock, a foreshadowing of Jesus, who was smitten once for our sins. At the end of the chapter Aaron died.

In chapter 15 of Matthew Jesus explained it is not what you eat that makes you unclean, and that you do not need ceremonial cleansing before eating. In chapter 16 Jesus warns his disciples to beware of the extra regulations required by the Sadducees and the Pharisees to live a clean living. Numbers 19 is introduces the red heifer, the ashes of which had to be mixed in with the water of cleansing. In September 2022, five, perfectly red, blemish-free heifers were flown from Texas to Israel to be used in purification rituals, as required by biblical tradition for rebuilding the Third Temple. These animals are currently being kept in Shiloh and monitored by the Temple Institute. Two of the heifers have been disqualified for developing blemishes, but the remaining three are now of required age to be sacrificed. As of early 2026, the Temple Institute continues to maintain the remaining candidates for a potential future ritual, which proponents believe is a prerequisite for restoring ritual purity and eventually rebuilding the Third Temple. 

March 1, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 15:21-39. Jesus went to Canaanite territory, the region of Tyre and Sidon where he met a Canaanite woman with a sick daughter. She had such great a faith that Jesus healed her daughter from afar. Jesus went back to the sea of Galilee and did many other miracles. Large crowds followed him, and after having been without food for three days he fed a crowd of 4000 (plus women and children). This time they had seven loaves of bread and a few fishes. After eating to everybody’s satisfaction the disciples picked up seven baskets of leftovers. (No waste here).

Numbers 15 deals with Laws of Grain and Drink Offerings, Laws Concerning Unintentional Sin, Laws concerning Presumptuous Sin, Penalty for Violating the Sabbath, and specifies how to make Tassels on Garments, all good stuff if you are an orthodox Jew.

In Numbers 16. Korah, Dathan and Abiram as well as 250 other men rose up in opposition to Moses. It did not turn out well for them.

Numbers 17 tells of the budding of Aaron’s rod, a really short chapter.

February 28, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 15:1-20. Jesus defined what defiles a person; it is not what he eats, but what comes out of his mouth. Ceremonial cleansing is just for show.

In Numbers 14 the people rebelled and refused to go into the promised land. As a punishment the people had to continue wandering for forty years in the desert until that generation, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, had passed away. Meanwhile the people tried to take on the Amalekites in their own strength, but failed miserably.

Psalm 21, of David. The New Testament references from Revelation 14 seems to fit. When I read this Psalm, the battle hymn of the republic kept ringing in my ears.

February 27, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 14:15-36. After learning of the beheading of John the Baptist Jesus tried to withdraw from the people by boat to a solitary place, but there he found a large crowd, so he decided to feed the gathering of 5000 (not counting women and children) with five loaves of bread and two small fishes. After all were satisfied, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. Jesus dismissed the crowd, made the disciples go in a boat to travel to the other side of Lake of Galilee, and then after Jesus had prayed alone he joined them by walking on the water. A very interesting read.

In Numbers 11 the people complained about eating manna every day, so God put His spirit on seventy elders to prophecy, but He also sent them quail , a delicious game bird, but after eating quail for a whole month until it came out their nostrils; they got sick, and so God punished the gluttons.

In  Numbers 12 Miriam and Aaron opposed Moses and Miriam suffered the consequences.

In Numbers 13 God prepared His people to take the land He had promised them, so they were sending out scouts to survey the land and how best to conquer it. They came back with a discouraging report; it is a good land flowing with milk and honey, but the people are too strong for them, they felt like grasshoppers in their sight. Only Caleb dissented. (Joshua joined Caleb in the next chapter).

The theme for today is food. Jesus fed 5000 and there was more left than when they started. The Hebrews got manna, just enough for one day, except for Friday when they got manna for two days. It was repetitive and boring so they complained and God sent them Quail til they got sick. The point of it all is that it is a hint of the bread. of Heaven, and we should be thankful and satisfied

One more verse to “Ode to Hillary Clinton”.

In yesterday’s hearing it showed she was ailing,

she can’t recall anything, memory failing.

She never met Epstein, the thought is absurd,

her modus vivendi, she lies undeterred.

The whole ode to Hillary Clinton follows:

Hillary Clinton, a quaint graying lady,

In dealing with issues she always was shady.

From Watergate’s hearings to Whitewater’s loss

She always was aiming for that double-cross.

HillaryFired

.

Then trading in futures by using a front-man,

and “suicide” Foster as FBI point-man.

The Travelgate failure, she thought they would fold,

The Rose Law Firm docket, her lies were so bold.

.

And then there were scandals, too many to mention,

Her husband did somehow escape her attention.

With Monica, Gennifer, Paula, Kathleen.

She said she believed him, the truth left unseen.

_49674_clinton_ladies
Kathleen

.

. left: Gennifer Flowers

.middle: Paula Jones

.right: Monica Lewinsky

.far right: Kathleen Willey

.

She lied through her teeth about deaths in Benghazi.

Obama and Rice truthful? – Not even quasi.

The cause was a video, that’s what they said.

We now know for sure that we all have been had.

.

But wait!, There is more, there is that e-mail server,

wiped clean of all evidence, congress won’t serve her.

dishonest and treacherous, that is her name:

She wants to be President, her claim to fame!

.

And then there is graft-ridden Clinton Foundation,

and sell our Uranium for a donation.

And millions in speaking fees, Clintons got rich!

Crony Capitalists! Speaking of which.  –  Or is it witch?

(Hillary Clinton will serve as a keynote speaker at the Cyber Defense Summit 2019)

As Cybersecurity expert in making,

She still is supreme in sincerity faking.

For she was not a sloth,

no, she wiped with a cloth

her server, top secrets for hackers free taking.

It is guessed that her unsecured e-mail server had been accessed by at least five foreign entities, we will never find out who, since the server had been wiped clean using BleachBit after the server had been requested to be preserved for evidence of potential hacking.

February 26, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 14:1-14 tells about John the Baptist being beheaded. It is interesting that most people know the name of the daughter of Herodias, but it is not in the Bible. There is another Salome in the Bible, but she was a follower of Jesus. After learning of the beheading of John the Baptist Jesus tried to withdraw from the people by boat to a solitary place, but there he found a large crowd, so he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Numbers 8 deals with setting the Levites apart for their duties.

Numbers 9 defines how the Passover shall be celebrated from that time on. It also describes the cloud over the tabernacle, if it lifted they moved on, if it stayed, they stayed.

Numbers 10 tells of making two silver trumpets and with the blasts from them they finally leave Sinai, still in formation, tribe by tribe.

February 25, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; commented

Matthew 13:31-58. Jesus told many parables on the Kingdom of heaven: The mustard seed and the yeast, the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price and the fishermen and the net. Then Jesus explained what the parables meant to his disciples. The parables were well received, except in his own hometown, about which Jesus said: ” Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor”.

Numbers 6 tells of the vow of the Nazirite, how he (or she!) must separate themselves totally to the LORD, not shave their hair, not eat anything from the grape, not even the dry skin, not touch any dead bodies and so on. When the separation is over an offering must be given. Thankfully the chapter ends with the priestly blessing: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:  The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.“

Numbers 7 has 89 verses, but the chapter only seems long since the same offerings for the dedication of the tabernacle are repeated for each of the twelve tribes.