Category: faith

March 2, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are four chapters to read.

March 2: Mark 2, Numbers 18 , Numbers 19, Numbers 20, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

In Mark 2 Jesus heals a paralytic man, but he also forgave the man his sins. This caused quite a stir, since nobody can forgive sins but God alone. Then he called Levi, the tax collector, also called Matthew. This was also controversial, since tax collectors were held in disregard, but Jesus assured them he came to save the sinners. Then Jesus is questioned about why he and the disciples do not fast, as they should, and worse yet, they picked food from the head of the grain on a Sabbath! Jesus assures all that he is also Lord of the Sabbath.

Numbers 18 describes 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 should get the best part.

Numbers 19 details the laws and procedures of Purification.

In Numbers 20 Moses commits a major error in Kadesh. Thy are short on water, so God tells Moses to speak to the rock. Water comes forth but God punishes Moses and his people so that generation may not enter the promised land. Why this harsh punishment? The rock was to be smitten only once, next time Moses was to speak to the rock. At the end of the chapter Aaron dies.

 

March 1, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are three chapters to read.

March 1: Mark 1,  Numbers 16, Numbers 17, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Mark 1 starts, not with the birth of Jesus, but with the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus, and Baptizes Jesus.Immediately Jesus is tested in the wilderness for forty days, and Jesus begin calling his disciples. Jesus drives out an evil spirit while teaching in a synagogue. After that Jesus heals many and many people start following him, and as always Jesus prays in a solitary place, but continues to teach and heal many, including a man with leprosy. A chapter full of action.

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

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

 

 

February 28, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are three chapters to read.

February 28: Psalm 15, Numbers 14,Numbers 15, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 15 is only 5 verses long. I have added 5 references from the New Testament.

In Numbers 14 the people rebel and refuse to go in to the promised land. As a punishment the people will go for forty years in the desert until that generation has passed away. Meanwhile the people try to take on the Amalekites in their own strength, but fail.

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.

February 27, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are four chapters to read.

February 27: Psalm 13, Psalm 14, Numbers 12, Numbers 13, (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 13 is only 6 verses, but there is a moving Anglican Chant written and sung. Enjoy.

Psalm 14 is also short. It begins “The fool has said in his heart, there is NO GOD.”

In Numbers 12 Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses and Miriam suffers the consequences.

In Numbers 13 God prepares His people to take the land He has promised them, so they are sending out scouts to survey the land and how best to take it. They come 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)

 

 

February 26, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are three chapters to read.

February 26: Proverbs 3, Numbers 10, Numbers 11 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Proverbs 3 continues to tell of the benefits of wisdom. The verses most often quoted are ” Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will direct your paths.”

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

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

February 25, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are five chapters to read, but they are all short.

February 25: Psalm 11, Psalm 12, Numbers 7, Numbers 8, Numbers 9 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 11 has the phrase “flee as a bird to the mountain”, which bring back memories of songs we used to sing.

Psalm 12 is especially valid for today with all its double speak.

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.

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.

 

 

 

February 24, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are four chapters to read.

February 24: Psalm 9, Psalm 10, Numbers 5, Numbers 6 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Psalm 9 and Psalm 10 may belong together as they do in the Septuagint. They speak of God’s faithfulness and the only temporary victories of the wicked one.

Numbers 5 deals with purity, how to deal with leprosy or dead bodies, restitution for wrongdoings and how to deal with marital unfaithfulness, especially for women.

Numbers 6 tells of the vow of the Nazarite, how he (or she!) must separate themselves totally to the LORD, not shave the 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. The chapter ends with the priestly blessing.

 

February 23, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are four chapters to read, ponder the significance of Matthew 28.

February 23: Matthew 28, Numbers 2, Numbers 3, Numbers 4 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Matthew 28 begins with Jesus being in the grave for the two adjoining sabbaths, the first day of unleavened bread followed by the normal sabbath, an earthquake and the stone was rolled away and Jesus was no longer in the grave. The guards were bribed to tell that the disciples took the body, but two  women, the two Marys met Jesus, and he told them to tell the remaining disciples that he is risen from the dead. Matthew ends with Jesus giving the great commission.

Numbers 2 tells how the tribes are to be arranged around the tabernacle, three to the east, three to the south, three to the west and three to the north and the Levites in the middle.

Numbers 3 counts the Levites by clan.

Numbers 4 tells of the duties of the Kohathites, the Gershonites and the Merarites. Then these Levite clans are numbered.

 

 

February 22, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are only two chapters to read, do it and contemplate.

February 22: Matthew 27, Numbers 1 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Matthew 27 depicts the longest day, beginning with Jesus being handed over to Pilate, the Roman governor, since the Jews did not have right to execute capital punishment. Judas hanged himself, the thirty pieces of silver was used to buy the Potter’s field. Pilate tries to wiggle out of the role as a judge, his wife had warned him, so he comes up with the idea to release one prisoner at Passover which was the custom. Pilate chooses Jesus or Barabbas to be released and of the two the people chooses Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. Pilate acquiesces to the mob and so Jesus is flogged by the soldiers for a public spectacle and then he is led away, but after the flogging Jesus is too weak to carry his own cross, so they force Simon from Cyrene to carry Jesus cross all the way to the place of the skull, and there Jesus was crucified together  with two criminals. To identify Jesus they put and inscription on the top of the cross “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” A number of prophecies were fulfilled, and Jesus finally dies on the cross. At that very moment the Temple vail was torn in two, from bottom to top and for the first time the holy of holiest is revealed. Jesus, now being dead is taken down from the cross and put in a tomb, a stone is rolled in front of the entrance and the tomb is sealed, and – this is important, they put up a guard to secure the tomb. Why did they do that? Think about that.

Numbers 1 is by comparison simple, it just lists the heads of the people that left Egypt, the first census.

 

February 21, read through the Bible in a year.

Today there are only two chapters to read, but when you do you’ll understand why.

February 21: Matthew 26,  Leviticus 27 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

Matthew 26 is enormous. It begins with the plot against Jesus, continuing with his anointing at Bethany, then Judas agrees to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, continuing with the Lord’s supper being initiated, Jesus predicting who is going to betray him, moving on to the Mount of Olives, Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane where he predicts Peter’s denial, and continues in prayer: “Not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus prayed three times and then came the betrayal and arrest of Jesus and he is taken to the Sanhedrin to be interrogated. The chapter ends with Peter’s denial.

Leviticus 27 deals with redeeming people and property and what is to be dedicated to God.