March 21st readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Numbers 32:1-33:39 ~ Luke 4:31-5:11
Psalm 64:1-10 ~ Proverbs 11:22

Old Testament - Today in Numbers chapter 32 verse 23 we read this warning from Moses to the Reubenites & Gadites - "But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out."  I think this is powerful for us to keep in mind in our lives today as well.  It's important for us to keep our word.  If we're not sure we can keep our word, we shouldn't give it.  But if we do give our word, and we fail to keep it, we have sinned.  And I do believe the sin will still find us out today.  How are you at keeping your word?  Is there an area of your life where you gave your word and you now are wavering?  Can you keep your word in that area?  Will you pray to God to give you strength to do so?  Let us not be people who fail to keep our word or who stretch the truth!

Chapter 33 is a great re-cap of Israel's journey!  Check out a great map of Israel's journey and commentary at this link.  And another full sized map of Israel's journey is at this link - and a smaller sized map is below -

New Testament - In Luke chapter 5 verses 10 & 11 we read - "From now on you'll be fishing for people!" And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus."  Can you imagine being one of the two disciples in this image below?  If you were called by Jesus to stop your "work" that you are doing now and instead work to bring people closer to God, would you do so?  Can you imagine yourself today being like these disciples and leaving everything and following Jesus?  Bob Deffinbaugh with Bible.org's commentary on Luke chapter 4's readings today, focusing on Jesus confronting the demons, is at this link.  His commentary on Luke chapter 5's readings today entitled "How to hook a fisherman" is at this link. 

Psalms - Psalm 64 verse 10 is beautiful - "The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him." Do you consider God a shelter for your life?  When storms come into your life, do you find shelter in God?  Bible.org's commentary on Psalm 64 is at this link. 

Proverbs - Proverbs 11:22 today teaches us - "A woman who is beautiful but lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout."  Well, I looked at the TNIV to see if "woman" might be changed to "person", but it wasn't...  I think this Proverb can apply to men too.  I think we are all beautiful, as sons & daughters of God.  We are made in the image of God.  And when we lack discretion in our God-given lives, then we indeed are like this....  :) 

Comments from You & Question of the Day - Do you believe that Jesus still calls his followers to be fishers of people today?  Are you a fisher of people?  How are you fishing for people for the Lord in your life today?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[Emberglow]

Thanks for that reflection John.

Coming to the topic of keeping one's word. Yes, that advice is so realistic and wise. Also, I think somewhere in the gospel of Mathew it says that do not make promises just let your yes be yes or no be no. How wise!!! If we could follow that this world will be a very happy place. Because this advice is applicable in the fields of business, friendship, politics, love relationships and marriage. Unfortunately,this world makes too many false promises...

BUT INTERESTINGLY! This world also wants to hear false promises. Personally, I'm the one who rarely makes a promise. I just do my best to carry oot my duty. I never make a casual promise. But people love people who make plenty of promises, albeit false promises. How ironical. We need more of Bible's precious wisdom in this world today to make life easier and less of pretensions, frustrations, disappointments.

[Vance Brown]

Numbers 32 (NKJV)
23
But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
24
Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what has proceeded out of your mouth.”
25
And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying: “Your servants will do as my lord commands.
26
Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead;
27
but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, just as my lord says.”

~~~

To me... Numbers 32 and 33 can be a reminder of keeping a spiritual journal. A spiritual journal can be a great tool to record the MEMORIAL STONES of God's faithfulness.

Really, if you think about it, the Bible could really be seen as the spiritual journal written by God through men as He made and fulfilled His promises through people who were faithful to believe and not give up.

WORDS... are very precious.

Vance

[Ramona]

Number 32-33:39

Do I do this? While God is leading me toward my Promise, do I stop, look around and judge the situation or place I’m currently in as better than what God has promised? Have I settled for second, third or forth best? Ruben and Gad, based on their five senses (For we walk by faith, not by sight -2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV) determined by their sight, senses and circumstances, that the other side of their Promise was better than their Promise. Then the half tribe of Manasseh follows suite but does not even ask Moses for permission. Their goal only seems to be to build cities and towns to honor their own name, not God’s.

They, I believe committed the “sin” of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. They entered God’s Permissive Will and not His Perfect Will.

Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go to the left, then I'll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I'll go to the left." Lot looked up and saw the whole region of the Jordan. He noticed that all of it was well-watered (before the LORD obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, all the way to Zoar. Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled toward the east. So the relatives separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain and pitched his tents next to Sodom. (Genesis 13:8-12 NET.)

Lot wound up in Sodom then finally in a cave committing incest with his two daughters, producing children that would become Israel’s enemies. (Gen. 19:30-37)

Let us all wait on the Lord, wait on His timing for His best.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[John]

Dwayne,

I have been thinking about your comment on Numbers 32, and had been drawing a blank.

After seeing Ramona's post, something struck me. In Deut 2 and 3 God does tell the Israelites to possess this land (east of the jordan river). However, I am not sure that this is part of the land of numbers 26. In numbers 26 "land" appears to be a very generic term. Perhaps it is the land of canaan (west of the jordan) that was prescribed for the "lot" system.

In the Bible, I do not think we are privy to every conversation or thought process that went on at the time - only what is revealed.

The Reubinites and Gaddites were always camped together south of the tabernacle. They seemed to come to a joint decision about this - probably talked about over campfires. Maybe Moses talked about this with God, maybe not. Maybe none of the other tribes wanted this land as they were not as "herd" intensive, wanted to be in the land of "milk and honey", or thought the area too vulnerable for foreign attacks. In addition their land portions on the west side of Jordan would now be bigger with only nine and one half tribes to split up the "land".

If so, then it becomes plausible that the real question was not whether to give them the land nor how to split it up (Tribes had apparently decided that on their own), but one of military resources. Once army manpower issues resolved, then permission was given to inhabit the land.

As it turned out, Ramona is correct in her Lot reference. These tribes, separated from the others, disintegrated into pagan worship, and God raised up Assyria to come in and destroy everything and carry off the tribes.

Perhaps the lesson is because of a bad choice that seemed attractive at first, the tribes put themselves in a position to turn away from God. Which ultimately led to their judgment by God.

Numbers 26:52-55
"The LORD said to Moses, "The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.