phylacteries – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment.

March 16: Reading the Holy Bible in a year.

Matthew 23, Jesus warned the people about the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. At that time they had formulated the Talmud, which regulated every aspect of Jewish life. He did it in the form of telling of seven woes. Read the chapter carefully and draw your own conclusions.

Deuteronomy 11. Love and Obey the LORD, remember all He has done, meditate day and night on it and always teach the same to your children. God set before them a blessing and a curse, it dealt with obedience.

Deuteronomy 12. God proclaimed the One Place of Worship. All other places of worship where false Gods have been worshiped must be destroyed. You may eat from all clean animals, but do not drink their blood.

Deuteronomy 13. Apostates must be severely punished.

March 13: Reading the Holy Bible in a year

Matthew 21:12-46. Jesus cleansed the Temple and threw out the money changers. The spiritual leaders were offended that people sang “Hosanna in the highest” at the triumphal entry, even that little children sang it. As an object lesson Jesus cursed a fig tree, the symbol of Israel, and it withered. The spiritual leaders questioned Jesus authority. Instead of giving an answer Jesus gave two parables, the one about the two sons and the parable about the wicked tenants. Moving on, Jesus quoted scripture by saying :The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” meaning that the kingdom of God will be inherited by another people.

In Deuteronomy 6 Moses laid out The Greatest Commandment, he recommended the Israelites to wear phylacteries to keep them always in remembrance of the LORD and cautioned against disobedience. It is surprising how many of New Testament references there are to the Old testament Law; some are listed here.

March 13: Read through the Holy Bible in a year.

February 18, read through the Holy Bible in a year in Power-point, with comments.

Today there are three chapters.

February 18: Matthew 23, Leviticus 21, Leviticus 22 (click on the chapter to begin reading)

In Matthew 23 Jesus warned the people about the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. At that time they had formulated the Talmud, which regulated every aspect of Jewish life. He did it in the form of telling of seven woes. Read the chapter carefully and draw your own conclusions.

Leviticus 21 continues the regulations for priests, and

Leviticus 22 completes the regulations for the priests and lists acceptable and unacceptable offerings.