Numbers 21:1-22:20 + Luke 1:26-56 + Psalm 57:1-11 + Proverbs 11:9-11
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture with Tom Dooley’s terrific NLT 1996 readings at this link or The ESV Bible: OT + NT + Psalms + Proverbs ~
Old Testament – Today in Numbers chapter 22 we read about Balak sending for Balaam – hoping Balaam will curse the Israelites. Balak sends messengers the 1st time and Balaam gets a message from God to not go with these messengers, as God has blessed the Israelites. What is interesting to me are verses 15-17: “Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. They went to Balaam and gave him this message: “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming. I will pay you well and do anything you ask of me. Just come and curse these people for me!” For some reason these verses really reminded me of temptation in our lives today. Like Balaam with the messengers on their first visit, we may realize something is not what God would want us to do – and we send the temptation away. But… then the temptation can come back! In a bigger way – with more distinguished officials than before… with more allure than before… the temptation that we resisted once so valiantly can come back. And then, the question becomes – with the opportunity to be “paid well” by the temptation, will we still resist the temptation? Can we resist the temptation a 2nd time? Through Jesus, our mediator before our Heavenly Father, yes, I know we can. If temptation has visited you once – or twice – or even many times – will you pray to God today in the name of Jesus that temptation will never overcome you?
Bible.org’s commentary on Balaam and Numbers chapter 22 is at this link.
New Testament – In Luke chapter 1 verses 46 through 55 we read an amazing hymn known as Mary’s Song or the Magnificat, which means “glorifies” in the Latin Vulgate translation. This is indeed a song from the mother of Jesus that glorifies God in a beautiful way. As you read through this song, below, please meditate upon its words. And maybe ask yourself this – are there ways in your life that you “sing songs” like this to God? Maybe it’s not through literal song – but maybe you praise God through loving others, through serving others, through art, through prayer, through your church, and this list could go on… What is your unique way of glorifying God? Do you want to glorify God with all you do in your life? Please take a few moments to mediate upon the glorious words of Mary’s Song:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me–
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers.”
Bible.org’s commentary on Luke chapter 1 titled “The Worship of Two Women” is at this link.
Psalms – Psalm 57 verse 8 is amazing – “Wake up, my soul!” What 4 great words. . . wake up my soul! Do you ever feel like you need to say this to your soul? I know that I have in my past. There have been times in my life where I have felt spiritually asleep. Just completely slumbering. . . and I have begged my soul to wake up! Fortunately, I finally learned that I could not wake up my soul on it’s own. I needed the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to wake up my soul. . . and the Spirit keeps it awake today. If you feel that you need your soul to wake up, will you prayer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to indwell your soul and to wake it up?
Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 11 verse 11 today teaches us: “Upright citizens bless a city and make it prosper.” This is a great reminder to each of us to be good citizens and to bless our cities!
Worship Video: Proverbs 11:11 today reminds me of fantastic Bluetree song “God of this City:”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1YECQwk1_g
Have you met the God of your city? Click here and meet Him!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.” Proverbs 11:11 NLT
Prayer Point: Pray for your city. Pray that you will be an upright citizen in your city. Pray against wicked talk. Pray that everyone in your city will come to know Jesus, and will enter the heavenly city of Jerusalem one day.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on our Proverb verse above, are you striving to be an upright citizen blessing your city and helping to make it prosper? What are some ways that you are doing so? Do you see spiritual issues in your city today? How are you helping to right those spiritual wrongs in your city? Do you pray for your city regularly? Do you think you should? Will you join me in praying for our cities? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus,
Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.s. #3 – I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )
======= Ramona:
Numbers 21:22-20
Weariness causes one to loose hope. They failed to see that their journey was near the end and they gave up hope. They had forgotten that God had told them they would wonder until the older generation, the ones over twenty years old when they left Egypt, would die off before they entered their promise (Numbers 14) It is imperative that we remember the Words of God spoken long-ago or spoken within the hour.
However,there was a glimmer of hope after several people were bitten by snakes and died, they did recognize that they had sinned and because of that they were given a deliverance from the poison of the snakes, but they still got bit.
I find it interesting that God said to Moses about King Og, the king of the Amorites, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have given you victory over Og and his entire army, giving you all his land. You will do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.” (Numbers 21:24). I am intrigued that God spoke about their victory before they fought, then they fought to get what God have given to them. How often do we pray for victory over our circumstances, God gives us the victory but we then go sit down on our “duffs” and do nothing? Are we lazy or do we expect God to fight for us while we do nothing to show that we believe what He said He will do?
I also love the story of the Talking Donkey and the rebellious false prophet, Balaam. It says to me that if God is for you, who can be against you? It shows the futility of fighting against God. You cannot bless something that God has cursed, or curse something that God has blessed. I remember finding out this little nugget of insight at the first church I joined. Sad to say I belonged to a church that had totally perverted the idea of claiming something that one didn’t have nor was the “will of God.” Like Bob Deffinbaugh’s commentary on the 22nd chapter of Numbers states, “2) Our challenge is not to “convert” God to be on our side, but to be converted, so that we may be on His side. Many people are just like Balaam in that they are seeking to get God to join them, to be on their side.”
I joined a “coven” of those seeking to remedy a situation without having the entire story. I was asked to join about five or six people for the restoration of a marriage. That sounded like a good idea so I wasted about one-hour praying for a marriage to be restored. But I didn’t know this one thing. The person had been divorced for some time and the husband in question had remarried and had three children within that marriage! That was my first realization that folks try to manipulate God to get what they want instead of manipulating themselves to confirm to what God wanted. Maybe there should have never been a divorce in the first place, but after knowing this woman for several years after I come to the realization that she was indeed a very manipulative person. I don’t know if I can back this up in the bible but I feel that manipulation is witchcraft. Minus the black hat and cauldron, manipulation is the attempt to control someone else’s will even God’s. I’m not saying that’s Bible but why else do people engage palm readers, buy “roots” to place on people, etc? They are attempted to manipulate and control others or circumstances, they are attempting to be gods.
There are a lot of Balaam’s running around and they can even be found in the church!
Luke 1:26-56
What I find fascinating about Mary’s story is that she utterly accepts what God has given her to do without question. Do I do that? No! Here we have a young girl, who many scholars believe she may have been between 13 or 15 years of age accepting an assignment that would put her life in jeopardy and I’m not talking about the “risks” involved in childbirth. Since Mary was a single young girl, although betrothed to Joseph, she was supposed to be a virgin, which she was, but how many people would believe that? Now you know the tongues wagged about her circumstances, even Joseph considered putting her away discreetly to “save face.” (Matthew 1:18-21) Jesus has a conversation with the religious leaders recorded in the 8th chapter of John that if you read between the lines, show they thought Jesus was illegitimate.
Sex outside of marriage, in those days, could get you stoned. Though they did have this thing of ignoring one-half of the command of stoning the parties involved. (Also in the 8th chapter of John).
May I be able to say, “Be it unto me according to Your Word.”
Psalm 57:1-11
What I love about this Psalm of David is that David has given his entire experience of running from Saul to the choir director to either sing or have sung before the entire congregation; something he also did after he was confronted by Nathan the prophet for committing Adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband killed (Psalm 51).
In this Psalm David lays his emotions, fears and His Praise of God before the world to see. He doesn’t pretend that he has it all together, which, I believe, will only delay or stop completely your deliverance.
Revelations 12:
11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
We have to learn to be “Real” with God and stop pretending that God doesn’t know our stuff.
Proverbs 11:9-11
Three verses that compare the way and consequences of the godly to what happens to the wicked, the godless, we live in a cause and effect world and we create effects based on our choices. We choose actions based on what we believe or don’t believe about our God (our gods), which controls the way we think and how we interact with the world.
We do wrong because we believe wrong, and we believe wrong because we think wrong!
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Luch:
We have talked in previous blogs about ‘positive thinking’and some of the abuses of that practice by certain media evangelists. Here in Psalm 57 we have a beautiful example of what it means to be ‘positive’ or should we read hopeful, “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises.” vs 7 It’s in that context of our confidence being founded in WHO God is that we can ‘sing’ and wake up our soul, and even go on to ‘awaken the dawn with my/our songs.” I have a sense that David is jumping for joy as he wakes up this particular morning. What a great prayer to pray for all of us today–Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.” vs 11
Luch
======= Micah Girl:
Luch–It’s also amazing that David is praising God so heartily when he is facing such disaster in his life with all the murderous plots against him. He’s not pretending that his life is easy, but he is relying on God in the midst of the struggle and even enjoying full-out worship. Pretty cool.
Micah Girl
======= Duane:
Casting Crowns released their second album while I was overseas and it was shipped to me on a day when it seemed like the entire world was falling down around my ears. I heard their song “Now my Lifesong Sings” at the end of the album, and to this day it still stirs my emotions. It’s so simple, and yet it talks about how beautiful a song our lives are after we have accepted God’s call. And that song is dedicated to God in hearing distance of all who have ears to hear. That is our pleasant aroma that we lift to our savior, our King and our God.
Duane
======= Pam:
The city I live in is in so much need. I have been slack about praying for my own city and will be praying for it regualrly. Much of my time is spent helping young people in my area. The story of Balaam is such and interesting story, I had to read ahead and finish it. Though I have read it many times, the donkey – less stuborn than the man – is still funny to me.
It was hard to stop reading and make this comment today! God is so good! I will join you in praying for our cities. God bless you all and meet all of your needs according to His richness and grace!
Pam
======== Jenny:
Numbers is really fascinating! I thought Balaam seemed like a great guy, obeying God in v. 13. then i read the bible.org commentary, aha! not such a great guy. really good stuff, cant wait til tomorrow’s readings and the donkey!
I love the account of Mary visiting Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the baptist…i didnt realize they were related. how cute John leaped for joy in Elizabeth at the sound of Mary. Wow, what an honor to be the woman chosen to give birth to the Savior of the world…God Himself!
Yes, I agree, I cannot wake up my soul either. with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible. when i go through dry spells, i have to ask for God’s help otherwise all my efforts are fruitless.
Loved today’s readings! cant wait for tomorrow’s!
Jenny
======= Katie:
Good Morning! There are many issues in my town that I know are not right…affecting the school system here, affecting city politics.. In fact, we were talking the other day and a friend said, “Poor so-and-so is the only Christian left on the school board, she’s like a lone wolf…” I agreed “How hard, poor thing!” And then this morning, it’s been made as clear as day to me: PRAY!! Yes, Lord, I will pick up my city in prayer. Amen!
Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God.
I love this verse! Mary was a virgin and was going to have a baby! The Savior! It is so amazing to me that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE with God. Nothing. Thank You Lord! No matter what I hand over to the Lord, or what obstacles I face, He can take me through and make it perfect (if I get out of the way, of course).
Hallelujah!
Katie
======= Tamra:
Prayer is a MUST for us. It’s one of our surest weapons – the Christian’s breath and native tongue… often overlooked as we meditate on the weapons of our warfare (as seen in Ephesians 6:18).
I love to “prayer-walk” my city (London, UK). As I walk and pray in my heart, the Lord shows me a lot of things. You can tell that people need the Lord by their words and actions. London is a very strange city where people are very judgmental of strangers – just based on their appearance. And they feel they must pass a loud comment about everyone they see – usually something negative and unfriendly, sometimes downright offensive… or they grab their partner for a ‘public display of affection’… Then there are the muggers, gangs, killers, pimps and prostitutes you find in nearly every city…
Only a handful fear the Lord… You will find some faithful people sharing their faith publicly in places like the Hyde Park… Please join me in praying for this city.
Tamra
======= Mae:
Great readings!!!
If temptation has visited you once – or twice – or even many times – will you pray to God today in the name of Jesus that temptation will never overcome you? ~ I always pray to God that temptation will never overcome me. The enemy is so slick and sly … he can bring the same temptation over and over again but all in different shapes. So first I won’t recognize them and through my prayers and quiet time with God, I see what they truly are. TEMPTATION!!! I have resist many temptations in the past 7 months and I’m proud of that!
Luke is really great to read! 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God”!!! Amen!!!
Mary’s song is amazing!
Glorify our heavenly Father … what an amazing thing to do! I defenitly want to glorify the Lord in all I do in my life. I’m proud to be His daughter and I want to present myself as His daughter. I want Him to be proud of me as well!
Questions of the Day ~ Oh yes, I’m striving to be an upright citizen blessing my city and helping to make it prosper. I love walk around in my city being an evangelist! Preaching the gospel, that’s just awesome! My city can use a revival, defenitly! Our baby-church in West Amsterdam still doesn’t have visitors, they started in January this year. Another city I pray for … I talk to people in my own city, but also to people in West Amsterdam. I hate the fact that several soft drugs are legal here in Holland, and the prostitution zones, 16+ are allowed to drink … it’s just TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really think I should spread some good words in this little corner of the world. It’s necessary!
Mae
======= Brandie:
I am striving to be an upright citizen in my city and trying to help it prosper I am voluneetering my time for Relay for Life here in my town, for those that have cancer or have had cancer. I see spiritual issues in my city/town today as my church is always involved in missions.
Psalm 57:8 “Wake up my soul” stands out to me. I think I needed that today.
Brandie
====== Gina:
In Mary’s song…she sings “My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
That is so big for me because it shows me that Mary also recognized the need for Jesus to be HER savior. I was taught, growing up, that Mary was equal with Jesus…our Heavenly Mother…and that we could pray to her to intercede for us, etc… Now I know that Mary is not the same as Jesus…Jesus is God in the flesh and Mary, well Mary was a wonderful, humble girl who God had favor on and chose for something very special! Maybe we won’t ever be chosen for something as amazing as being Jesus’ earthly mother, but God uses us also in amazing ways!!
I have to admit, I don’t pray for my city as much as I should. Thanks for the great reminder! Living in a city that is a huge tourist attraction…and lots and lots of “adult” type places everywhere… I do need to pray more for this area…and I will remind my friends to also pray! It is so very important!
We do have a very special ministry in our church called The Magdalene Project. There are people who, a few times each year, make beautiful gift baskets filled with home-made scarves or bags, bath stuff, cookies…all kinds of great things that women like. Then they deliver the baskets to women who dance at the adult clubs. There is always a basket for each woman and the people who deliver them always pray with the dancers. We have seen several women leave that industry and really change their lives because of this ministry! It’s been awesome!
Gina
======= Ramona:
Numbers 21-22:20
Thoughts from Today’s Old Testament Readings:
1) Reading this blew my mind,
They set out from Mount Hor along the Red Sea Road, a detour around the land of Edom. The people became irritable and cross as they traveled. They spoke out against God and Moses: “Why did you drag us out of Egypt to die in this godforsaken country? No decent food; no water–we can’t stomach this stuff any longer.” (Numbers 21:4-5 MSG)
Did the people forget? Did they not remember God’s promise that no one over twenty would enter the Promise Land because of their rebellion? Did they forget that the consequence of their believing the “bad” report brought back by the leaders of the tribes, except for Calab and Joshua (Num 14:29-34) was to wander in the desert for forty years? Or, perhaps they were just arrogant and thought the warning didn’t mean “them.” I am reminded of a verse from Proverbs,
The foolishness of man subverts his way [ruins his affairs]; then his heart is resentful and frets against the Lord. (Proverbs 19:3 AMP)
There wondering in the desert came by way of their own behavior yet they constantly practiced blame shifting.
2) I keep seeing myself in these people. Grumbling, complaining and just making a fool of myself, railing and shaking my fist at God for the consequences I produced by my own choices. I keep seeing the people confessing their sins, yet not repenting. I too am quick to point out where I went wrong when confronted with my errors; however, I am extremely slow in changing the lifestyles that produced the sin and Change is not Change, Until it’s Changed! Confession with out repentance or change, well…is just an explosion of words with no substance.
And the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord, that He may take away the serpents from us. So Moses prayed for the people. (Numbers 21:7 AMP)
3) Idols verses God, the True God.
Balak (Chapter 22) knew that he couldn’t defeat Israel so he sent for a prophet, though it was only a false prophet, that Balaam was. People can know God but not follow God. They can hear God and discern His will but only use that knowledge for their personal gain. Balak, was use to idols that could be manipulated looked for a man he thought could manipulate God. We, after giving up our idols when we realize they are without eyes, ears and intellect, often take our controlling behavior and try to “work it” with God.
We love our idols because we can position them to do what we want and hide behind a clock of spirituality. Balaam’s intentions can be discerned in his response to the Balak’s officials in verse 13, And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, Go back to your own land, for the Lord refuses to permit me to go with you. (Numbers 22:13 AMP)
He doesn’t tell them I will not go, but he puts the responsibility on God and not himself as the choice maker. His intent was, “I really want to go because I really want the money, but for God …” Many times like Balaam, we do and say the right thing for all the wrong reasons giving the appearance of “righteousness.” It’s not my fault I can’t go with you, It’s God’s. How often have we done that? Yikes!!
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Elizabeth:
Hello,
Just wanted to say that I’m “still here”—chasing the plan and trying to catch it : )
Working through Leviticus 14 right now….
Elizabeth
======= Briggs:
Lk 1:38″I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
The contrast in Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel is striking when compared to that of the Israelites in their journeys through the wilderness. It seems the Israelites were often malcontent in spite of the tremendous blessings that the Lord bestowed upon them. They seem to have taken His very presence with them for granted; the sight of the pillars of fire and cloud; the parting of the Red Sea; the plagues upon Egypt; the swallowing up of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; the consumption by fire of Aaron’s sons for their unauthorized worship; etc. They were blessed with so many tangible miracles displaying God’s power in both provision and punishment. Who could deny the presence and power of God? Yet many of them often did. Ultimately, through time, they would fail in their purpose of leading the world back to the Lord.
And yet as many miracles as the Israelites witnessed, could any of them have better revealed the love, reverence, power, and glory of God as His indwelling Holy Spirit. I wonder sometimes that we fault the Israelites for their pride and malcontent, which led them into spiritual blindness, while we all the while are blind to the planks in our own eye and yet have the better advantage of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Will we too fall short of our purpose to lead the world back to the Lord by falling into pride, malcontent, complacency, selfishness, etc. I think I do to some extent every day.
Lord, I pray that you protect and keep me and all your people from both willfully and unintentionally sinning against You.
Briggs
======= Evelyn:
The bible.org commentary link to Balak & Balaam was very helpful! Thank you Mike!
P.S. All of the music videos you post are so inspiring & uplifting! Thank you!
Evelyn
======= Chris:
John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life.
These verses came alive for me in this reading of Numbers 21:7-9. Still being bitten by sin, only look to the cross and be saved.
Luke: I had not thought before of the age of Baby Jesus when Mary went to visit Elizabeth (who was in her sixth month when Mary was visited by Gabriel). “A few days later” Mary visits Elizabeth and stays with her “about three months.” So Jesus was but a few days in Mary’s womb when John leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s — and they stayed near until about the time of John’s birth. Can you imagine that household: Elizabeth, Mary, John and Jesus all under one roof!
Chris
======= Steve:
Numbers 21:1-22:20
The grumbling and complaining Israelites found it difficult to enjoy the journey, it’s always difficult to enjoy the journey when we’re grumbling and complaining. It’s easy to say to yourself I will enjoy the journey when I reach this point or when I have that thing. If we are not happy today what makes us think that we will be happy tomorrow? Grumbling and complaining is nothing more than an attempt to manipulate our circumstances. I thought the story of Balaam tied in really well with the way the Israelites were trying to manipulate Moses and Aaron through their grumbling and complaining. One of the commentaries I read included this joke discussing the story of Balaam and the Donkey to drive home a point.
“Honey,” said the preacher, “we just got an invitation to go to a bigger church in a bigger city with a bigger salary. So I’m going to go upstairs to pray about it.”
“Do you want me to pray with you?” asked his wife.
“No,” the preacher answered. “You stay down here and start packing.”
Not all grumbling, complaining and manipulation is so obvious, sometimes it’s so subtle that it sneaks up on us unnoticed and we forget about the amazing provisions God provides fresh and new every morning. The manna that the Israelites complained and grumbled about so much not only kept them super healthy but it kept their feet from swelling as they wandered 40 years in the wilderness. Makes me wonder what I’m taking for granite that God is providing and I’m not appreciating because of my own agenda.
Steve
======= Cathy:
I like this comment” “How often do we pray for victory over our circumstances, God gives us the victory but we then go sit down on our “duffs” and do nothing? Are we lazy or do we expect God to fight for us while we do nothing to show that we believe what He said He will do?”.
But the point is that, sometimes several ideas come in your mind: “A little voice and suddenly another voice” and this can be confusing.
Please let’s pray God to give each of us the sense of discernment, allowing us to make the right choice any time.
Have a blessing day.
Cathy
======= Robert:
Numbers 22
Bob Deffinbaugh gives us a nice recap of the last 40 years in the desert in his commentary. Ramona, we have another donkey story here to enjoy…the donkey even talks. I enjoyed Bob’s thoughts on false prophets. “The donkey is a better “prophet” (or “seer”) than Balaam. Let no prophet ever attempt to take credit for what he sees and says, for God can do as much through a donkey.” Any false prophets in your world….(cough)…Ravi Z.?
I look forward to comments.
Psalm 57: 8
Is my soul awake? Great reflection on where am I in relationship with God. Am I asleep right now? Yes Covid is a factor but what great hope …greater things are still to be done in the city, (Bluetree song “God of this City”)…Spiritually I believe I have to ask the Trinity to wake up my soul as Mike suggests.
Proverbs 11:11
A couple of years ago our church responded to a family in a poorer part of town that needed help in cleaning up their yard. About 20 of us went there for the afternoon and basically hauled stuff to the dump, cut the lawn and had a great time doing it. It was a good thing! This was in a place where people would criticize, demeanor, and disapprove of this community. (But the mouth of the wicked is destroyed). I felt blessed.
Robert
======= Mitch:
OT – brass serpent on pole a picture of Christ (Jesus mentioned in John 3). If you look to the bronze serpent on pole, you will live. If you look to Jesus on cross (repent, confess and believe), you will have eternal life.
Balaam compared to Moses – interesting thought.
NT – Zechariah questioned Angel and was punished; Mary questioned and no punishment. IMO Zechariah doubted God’s message. Mary did not doubt message, but wanted to know how a it was possible biologically (virgin birth).
Mitch
======= Dee:
Yes, I do pray for a better city and a city to be prosperous and God’s Will be established. I pray for a hedge of protection on my own surroundings, my home, property, kids, husband and our lives. I do believe if you sow into others lives you too will reap the benefits. We, at our church, are part of a community outreach and help most every sunday giving out clothing, food, prayer, books, bibles, shoes, support for one’s who are lost. We have had several get saved while we are out on Sundays, and I give all credit and glory to God Almighty, let His mighty works be done!
My unique way of glorifying God, which I don’t know how unique any of it is, but I just give Him my mornings, first up, get coffee ready and pray to the Lord and get on this blog and read up on His precious Word, I pray daily, I pray for others, I do outreach, and I love, love, love worship and music/praise! I really get into it at church and hop around the house me and my daughter with our worship music and just really enjoy glorifying our Lord!
About the part of Wake up, My soul! in Psalms today..there have been times I have felt my soul was asleep and it is the times when I don’t acknowledge God in mornings or throughout day like I should. I guess that is why I like this blog and I like to post things daily because it holds me accountable more to the things of God. My soul is awakened to the humbling of myself, making myself smaller so my God can grow in me and be BIGGER!!
Thanks to all of you, Joyce if you are out there, read yesterdays post, there is some good ones posted just for you.
Be Blessed
Dee
======= John:
Luke
Luke 1:32
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,”
Psalm 89:35-36
Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David-
that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
Acts 2:29-30
“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.”
======================================================
OK, it is a little slow, so I will set this up for further on. In prophecy there are interpretations that spiritualize the millenial kingdom, and those that maintain it will be literally fulfilled.
In Scripture – both in Hebrew and Greek the word for “throne” either refers to God’s throne, a king’s throne, someone in charge’s throne, etc. Here Gabriel, David himself, and Peter all mention a “throne”. In each case it is David’s throne – a kingship here on earth.
Since Jesus did not sit on the throne on his first trip, then it must be that He will sit on it in the future.
That is unless you spiritualize David’s throne. That is why Gabriel’s message to Mary is intriguing. Everything from Luke 1:28-31 and half of 32 can be understood literally, so I find it difficult to believe that Gabriel switched gears to a spiritualized message at the end of his greeting.
[NOTE: I said “difficult”, but that is my opinion.]
This is just an example so people know where I am coming from later, as I strive to “GET” the consistent message of the scripture.
I certainly recognize that in eschatology (prophecy) there are several viewpoints. Many good Christians disagree, so as we go through the prophets and the rest of the New Testament, I will just be pointing out my interpretaion, and give the reasons for my view – as different passages come up.
As Cory mentioned “let the reader understand” – You need to make up your own mind and attach whatever significance you want to prophecy. I will not be arguing or debating prophecy, because of all the Bible it is the subject most open to differing interpretations. I will present from a straightforward perspective, and others will (I am sure) present different views.
With thousands of people signed up, perhaps the presentation of different viewpoints will be helpful – especially to those who have never studied the Bible before this blog.
John
======= John:
Numbers 21 – Bronze snake
The symbolism of the bronnze serpent being the foreshadowing of Christ on the cross is better understand, since Christ mentioned it to Nicodemus.
John 3:14-15
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life”
Bronze is the metal of Judgment, the pole is the cross, snakes doing the biting represent Satan or “the world” (for the nebulous evil people :), the dying person can look to the bronze snake and live – and the implication being “not to look” is to die.
Pretty much what our choice is today – as the wages of sin are death – we can look to the Cross and live (eternally) or not look to the Cross and spiritually die and answer to God at judgment.
John