Numbers 28:16-29:40 + Luke 3:23-38 + Psalm 62:1-12 + Proverbs 11:18-19
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Old Testament – I read an interesting commentary today that said the giving of the instructions of the offerings for the festivals in today’s readings was done as part of the transfer of power from Moses to Joshua that was coming up soon. As we saw in yesterday’s readings with the census, there are 600,000 men about to enter the Promised Land – potentially 2 million or so total including women & children – who these instructions for the offerings for the festivals were given by Moses from God, as we see in chapter 29 verse 40 today: “So Moses gave all of these instructions to the people of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him.“ Below is a nice image of the Jewish calendar and major festivals that I’ve posted up before, but I think serves well for today’s readings to review again:
An image is below for Numbers chapter 29 verse 1: “The Festival of Trumpets will be celebrated on the appointed day in early autumn each year. You must call a solemn assembly of all the people on that day, and no regular work may be done.”
New Testament – You’ll notice that Luke’s genealogy in chapter 3 today is different from the genealogy in Matthew chapter 1 in a couple of ways: 1. Matthew starts with Abraham and goes to Jesus & Luke starts with Jesus and goes all the way back to Adam. This was done by Luke to show Jesus’ relationship to the entire human race. Matthew focused more on Jesus’ relationship with the Jews by going back to Abraham. 2. Matthew traces Jesus legal genealogy through his father Joseph back to Solomon son of David, while Luke traces Jesus bloodline through his mother Mary back to Nathan son of David. This is an interesting slight distinction. Line up Luke & Matthew’s genealogies and you’ll see the differences in the names between David & Jesus. Below is an image of Luke’s genealogy of Jesus, from the Book of Kells transcribed by Celtic monks circa 800:
Bible.org’s commentary on the genealogy of Jesus is at this link.
Psalms – Today we read in Psalm 62 verse 11 – “God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you.” This is a powerful verse – no pun intended. . . 🙂 Really, think about it. Where does power come from? Who gives power? Who takes it away? I think it is such a blessing when we truly understand this verse and then live it out. When we realize that we really have no power of our own. Any power – any thing – we have comes from God and God alone. And thank God for that. It’s when we start believing we create or own or control power that we begin to get prideful or we’ll misuse the power given to us. I think a great teaching on where power truly comes from comes from Jesus when he is before Pilate in John chapter 19 verses 10 & 11 – ““Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”” Where do you think your power to do anything at all comes from? Do you believe it was given to you from above? If so, how might truly realizing this change how you live your life? How might it change how you utilize the power given to you?
Proverbs – Today Proverbs chapter 11 verse 18 teaches us: “Those who sow righteousness reap a sure reward.”
Worship Video: Today’s Proverb reminds me of Casting Crowns song “If We are the Body.” Here’s a great live version of that song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYbGMQ5Y3Uo
Are you the Body? Click here to meet the Head of the Body!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you.” Psalm 62:11 NLT
Prayer Point: Pray that you would not rely on your own power, but will rely only on God’s power in you. Pray that you will always humbly know that power belongs to God alone.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on our Proverb today, are you sowing righteousness in your life? How are you sowing righteousness in your life? Do you love others at the same level you love yourself? Are you working diligently for your employer? Are you serving the poor? Do you believe that the farming analogy of sowing and reaping in this Proverb is true? And like any good farming analogy, will you patiently sow and patiently await the time of reaping of your sure reward? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless,
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.
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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )
======= Ramona:
Numbers 28:16-29:40
I’m not sure if this has any specific significance but has anyone noticed that the Festivals/Holy Assemblies God gave Israel through Moses totals up to seven? Also the requirements for the burnt offerings on those days, as well as on the New Moons included seven lambs. Two of the festivals Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Festival of Booths are seven-day festivals. In the 28th and 29th chapter of Numbers six of these festivals are listed, in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus all seven are mentioned. What has been left out here is the Festival of Firstfruits, which comes right after Passover/Unleavened Bread.
Seven, I’m told, is very significant biblically because it represents completion. But I’m sure that a lot of times seven is just seven. However, Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the word (John 1:29). Hmmm, this may be a very interesting topic to explore.
Note: The Seven Festivals in calendar order: 1) Passover; 2) Unleavened Bread; 3) Fristfruits; 4) Festival of Weeks, AKA Pentecost or Harvest; 5) Festival of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah); 6) Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur); and 7) Tabernacles (Booths or Ingathering and in Hebrew, Sukkoth.
Luke 3:23-38
Some of my observations and thoughts as I read through the names in this genealogy:
1) 23 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry.
The son of God waited until the fullness of time to begin His ministry. More precisely He began His ministry when His Father told Him it was time. Maybe many of us are ineffective in our call because we are,
a. Out of our call
b. Ahead of our time.
c. We have not followed the voice of our Father, God in beginning our ministry (John 5:19)
2) 27 …Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel: was the leader and governor of Jerusalem after the return from exile in Babylon and was given the command by the prophet, Haggai, to begin rebuilding the temple. (Ezra; Nehemiah; Haggai)
3) 32 …Boaz was the son of Salmon: Boaz married Ruth, the Moabitess, David’s great grandfather. God goes outside of Israel to place in Jesus’ lineage a woman who comes from a people who are enemies of Israel although they are related through Abraham’s nephew Lot. And in keeping with this outside “influence” is Boaz’s father, Salmon. Looking at the genealogy in Matthew you will see that Salmon is the offspring of his father Nahshon and Rahab the prostitute, or should I say former prostitute, a Canaanite. Rahab was the only woman in Jericho, before the walls came down, who believed in Israel’s God and protected the spies that Moses’ former assistant, Joshua, sent to successfully spy out the land. This was before Israel entered into the Promise Land after their forty-year journey to complete a two-week trek.
Psalm 62:1-12
1 I wait quietly before God,
for my salvation comes from him.
The first verse should say it all; however, I find myself waiting but alas it is not in a quiet mode. O, to get to the place where David was when He wrote this Psalm. In fact waiting quietly is mentioned again in verse five.
Proverbs 11:18-19
19 Godly people find life; evil people find death
We have the wrong understanding of true wealth and riches. The world tells us it is money and the holding of property that makes us rich. However God is the creator of all that so to have Him truly makes us rich because He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) and the hills under the cattle.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Thomas:
In Luke 3:23, I was surprised to read ‘as was supposed.’ I looked up other translations online, The Message saying ‘in public perception’ and the NLT leaving it out.
It made me wonder… in spite of what happened in v.22, had people somehow forgotten? Had they failed to realise who Jesus was really the son of?
Thomas
======= Emily:
Phew… I do appreciate Mike’s time and effort for this blog. It must be so hard putting up material and readings every single day. But I am just wondering how feasible this style of Bible reading is?
Must we not also take break from Bible readings? What I mean is we also need time to reflect on Bible verses and try to live them out. We can’t mechanically keep on reading Bible. I do read some bits of Bible everyday though. Preachers like Charles Stanley say we MUST read Bible everyday. I would add we ought to and try to. God is no dictator but a loving and caring God.
I hope I dont sound like a pagan but how about watching a sunset and watching the stars at night and reflect on God’s mighty show, for a change?
God has intensively used nature in Bible to show that nature proves his existense… for example in the book of Job. Also, in Genesis God even mentioned that whenever man needed to remember the covenant all he gotta do is to look at the pretty rainbow
Emily
======= Luch:
Emily,
i don’t think you are ‘a pagan’ at all. Psalm 19 asserts that ‘the heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak…” Later on in the passage he also asserts that ‘the law of the Lord is perfect.’ I think we need both–reflecting on what God has created and what it reveals about Him without ‘worshiping creation’, and we also need to saturate our lives with God’s Word so that as Spurgeon said, we will have ‘bibline blood’.
I also like Romans 1 where it says, “Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature has been clearly perceived in the things he has made.” (1:20)
One last thought. A couple of years ago I read Gary Thomas’ book ‘Sacred Pathways’. This book outlines several different pathways to God’s heart–intellectual pathway, activistic pathway, relational pathway, creation pathway, and several others. he also provides a ‘test’ to help one determine their ‘primary pathway.’ This was so freeing to me and several others in our community who were stuck on ‘the one size fits all’ for everybody approach to seeking God.
It’s interesting that very rarely if ever do we have ‘prescription’ for what a ‘quiet time’ should look like. Jesus went to a solitary place and most of the time it says ‘he prayed’. Other places it says he would ask “have you not read’ which implies he did he read the scriptures but we’re never told ‘how he did it.’ Same is true of the other apostles. We need to be careful to not do as the Pharisees loved to do “lay religious practices on people that burden people but don’t serve people in getting to know the Lord.
I love the OYB that Mike has crafted for many reasons but especially his artwork that he provides. That has blessed me so much. I have even used some of the pictures in messages I have delivered.
Thanks Mike for taking time out of your own very active life to serve us this way.
Luch
====== Andrew:
Re Emily’s thoughts on reading the Bible and subsequent comments:
I think you are correct that we need to seek balance in our lives and the way we spend our time. God did not make us automatons. And he did not impose rules about times and systems for reading the Bible. Of course it is good the read His Word (otherwise none of us would be spending time around this blog). And it is helpful to have some system to aid our self discipline. For me this year OYB is providing that, and opening up stuff I did not read or understand before.
But I commented before about the fast pace of OYB, when we had an intense discussion about the death penalty and the following day we were into the Year of Jubilee.
Most of my days are such that I do not have a lot of time for meditating on the passages, or digging deep and far into commentaries. So some of my OYB reading is a bit superficial. But it is giving me a view of the big picture that I had not seen before. I am seeing the OT as the context for the coming of Jesus and the need for the New Covenant.
So, thanks again Mike from me too. Your efforts continue to bear fruit. Just one operational remark – is the later timing of the OYB posting due to the automated posting while you are away? For the last week or more the OYB page is not visible in the early morning here in Europe. I miss it. ;-( Poor me!
Blessing,
Andrew
======= Ramona:
Emily states,
>>Must we not also take break from Bible readings? What I mean is we also need time to reflect on Bible verses and try to live them out. We can’t mechanically keep on reading Bible. I do read some bits of Bible everyday though. Preachers like Charles Stanley say we MUST read Bible everyday. I would add we ought to and try to. God is no dictator but a loving and caring God.>>
Since this reading only takes about 15/20 minutes out of a 24 hour day (1,440 minutes/1.38%) of the total day, why can’t you do both? God’s Word, at least for me, magnifies what I see in nature, in lines up my mind to better understand what He has created. For me, God and His Word are one (See John 1:1) so I cannot understand God outside of His Word. I may sense Him when I see the works of His Hand; I may marvel at the moon, the stars and the sun, I may gasp at the ways of the whales in open water, but to know Him intimately I must know Him through His Word.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Jan:
My life is always so much better when I am feeding on His Word daily. I have let a couple of years slip by & not been consistent in reading His Word daily & there is definitely a difference than just reading something daily about him or a devotional or even just some scripture entailed in some writing or devotion. I can’t really put my finger on it…but there is definitley a difference.
As we need our daily physcial food to survive…we can not eat as much & lose weight & that also can happen on feeding on the Word of God…to lose weight spiritually is not a good thing. Of course, there should be balance in all things…if we should become anorexic & not feed on God’s Word at all, we shall surely suffer the consequences just as in the physical…acutally the spiritual will always affect the physical realm also…imagine that?!?!?!
The more I partake of Him & His Word, the more I crave & delight in Him & His Word…I get addicted to Him & His Word & can’t go without Him or His Word. Somedays I look so forward to spending time in His Word & other days I let it go by & spend a day catching up on 2 or 3 days that I didn’t partake of His Word…it is not a legalistic feeding, but one of natural/spiritual love for Him & His Word…knowing that I will get there when I purpose in my heart to love & cherish Him & His Word. It does take an effort on our part, but the cost is well worth the effort…I am full to satisfication in Him & His Word. He said, “He is the Bread of Life & that no one will hunger if fed by Him.”
Jan
======= Dave:
Guys-
Your honesty is so refreshing regarding reading through the Bible…as refreshing as the guys who I met with asking “So, Dave, tell me what to do with all the skin disease stuff in Leviticus?” As a follower of Christ for over 30 years, I still don’t have an answer. But I ask, if this is the Word of God, what does this strange OT stuff say about His character? A sunset, or a flower, or a trout (my favorite!) also speak to the character of God and I pursue them happily. He longs for us to know Him, and gives us a number of pathways to Him. Blend these pathways as God has created you, but don’t forgo reading His Word as you will miss key aspects of our Creator that are not available anywhere else. Despite my 30 years as a well meaning follower of Christ, I have not read His Word and believe I am poorer for it. I have always gotten stuck in the Leviticus swamp or the Numbers desert and have given up. Let’s encourage each other to keep on “keeping on” as souls who want to know all aspects of our creator’s character!!As one of the smarter guys say “I don’t like reading traffic law, but I better know it if I hope to get a license”. I am reading it because it has stood the test of time and I try to pursue those things which transcend us. Feast on His sunsets and flowers, but don’t forget to eat your Leviticus vegetables! : ) I also appreciate your desire to stop and meditate. I have been meditating on a few passages for years! But let’s keep moving to get the “big picture” to help make the little pictures even more meaningful. God bless you!
Dave
======= Mary:
I have a question. What is the history of the sacrifices? When did they stop. What do they sacrifice now? I know very little about the Jewish faith, but it seems like a true believer in the Jewish faith would continue the sacrifices set forth in Numbers.
Mary
======= Ramona:
Mary,
>> What is the history of the sacrifices? When did they stop. What do they sacrifice now? I know very little about the Jewish faith, but it seems like a true believer in the Jewish faith would continue the sacrifices set forth in Numbers. >>
The sacrifice was supposed to be offered only in a designated place, as per God’s instructions (This was covered in Leviticus and in our current reading in Numbers.) Once the Temple was built and rebuilt in Jerusalem, beginning with David’s son Solomon, the sacrifices were offered their. In 70 AD, or around that time, the Temple was destroyed by Rome, thus there is not place yet to offer the sacrifices. The Jews are waiting for the Temple to be rebuilt and then they will resume the sacrificial system. At least that is what the Orthodox Jew is waiting for.
Ramona
======= Jan:
One thing that I have learned new in reading this year in regard to the sacrifices is this…they are God’s food!!! Now, I had never realized or had that been revealed to me except this year. I had never even thought of it in that way, but there have been several scriptures present/say it that way. I never thought of God being hungry (maybe hungry for our fellowship that He created us for, but not for food!).
Numbers 28: 1-2 – 1The LORD said to Moses, 2″Give these instructions to the people of Israel: “The offerings you present to me by fire on the altar are my food,” and they are very pleasing to me. See to it that they are brought at the appointed times and offered according to my instructions.
I don’t know if it is this translation or that God is revealing Himself in a more personal physical way to me this year. I just find it very intersting that God needs or is hungry for food. Perhaps it is symbolic in some way. I do remember that after Jesus was resurrected that he came back & ate with the disciples a few times…indicating His realness & hunger also. I still think there is more revelation to this than I’m getting at this very moment, but I’m sure He will continue to teach/reveal to me what it is that He wants me to know/realize in this hunger/food thing/issue. All praise & glory to Him, my/the lover of my/our soul(s).
Jan
======= Luch:
I guess it’s wise to not prescribe ‘systems’ or spiritual disciplines but to share ‘what works for me’ is certainly okay. I used to teach MY WAY of reading the Bible as the ‘prescribed way’, that God really did favour morning people (of which I am). I used to look with suspicion on people who ‘couldn’t get up to meet with God’. In fact, I used to say, “No Bible, no breakfast.” Isn’t that sick!! But I did that to people. Lord, have mercy on me⁄ !
I grew up in the Lord around the Navigators. If anyone knows the Navs they are kind of like the spiritual ‘navy seals’ of the body of Christ. I love the navigators, I work for them today. I was taught that the best time of day to seek the Lord was in the morning, because Jesus did that. And of course there are several examples of Jesus ‘arising a great while before day’ (Mark 1:35) to meet His Father. But as I began to read through the One year bible before there was ever such a thing as ‘blogs’ I discovered verses such as following:
Psalm 55:16 “But I will call on the Lord, and the Lord will rescue me. MORNING, NOON, AND NIGHT I plead aloud in my distress.’
Psalm 119:62 “At midnight I rise to thank you for your just laws.”
Psalm 119:55 “I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord…”
Psalm 119:97 “Oh how I love your law! I think about it all day long.”
Psalm 119:147 “I rise early before the sun is up; I cry for help and put my hope in your words.”
Psalm 119:148 ” I stay awake through the night thinking about your promise.”
Matthew 14:23 Afterward he went up into the hills by hmself to pray. Night fell and he was there alone.
Matthew 26:40 Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with me even one hour?”
I have scoured the New Testament and have not found any verse/chapters presribing when or how to read, but I have read verses that challenge me to pursue the Lord (1 cor 1:3 “he has called us into fellowship with his son Jesus’ or Phil 3:10 “that I may know HIm and the power of the resurrection.”
I suppose we should heed Paul’s words when he says we need to teach people the whole counsel of God, and not just our preference. (Acts 20)
All this says to me is that there is no best time to meet God. God is available to be met with ANYTIME OF THE DAY… Now that’s freeing and challenging!!!!
Luch
====== Ramona:
Numbers 28;16-29:40
God wants His people to “party;” to have festivals to honor Him, as well as a holy convocation to both reflect on Him and to reflect on our sin (Day of Atonement). I find it very interesting that God has ordained two festivals to reflect on the harvest, one at the beginning of the harvest season and one at the end, the festival of Booths, Sukkot. It is God who empowers the earth to bring forth fruit from the seed of “…it’s kind …” (Gen. 1:11 Amp).
Everything we see, everything we have belongs to God. We are owners of NOTING but stewards of everything and in each of these calls to worship, the sacrifice system is a strong reminder of that fact.
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. (Psalms 50:10-12 KJV)
There is something very interesting going on in chapter 29:12-38, the number of bulls required for sacrifice decreases daily by one from thirteen, on the first day, until seven on the seventh day. Seven is the number of perfection or completion/
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= John:
Ramona,
“There is something very interesting going on in chapter 29:12-38, the number of bulls required for sacrifice decreases daily by one from thirteen, on the first day, until seven on the seventh day. Seven is the number of perfection or completion”
It is also the third feast that occurs in the seventh month.
Just speculating: Feast of the tabernacles (also Ingathering) was for the fianl harvest of the year and the bringing in of all the laborers from the field.
Symbolically, the booths represented the time in “wilderness” (Exodus) until they were gathered together in the “Promised Land.
Prophetically, the time until the millenial kingdom is established.
Perhaps the bull reduction is a kind of countdown until the final eighth day when only one bull is sacrificed. When the Harvesting is done and final acounting can be made, when Israel was finally in the Promised Land as one people, and when all that are left are one in Christ during the millenial kingdom.
According to some interpretations of Zecharaih it is the only Jewish feast day observed during the millenial kingdom.
Zech 14:6
“Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.”
John
====== Jan:
I read about 2 years ago a little book by the name of “Our Jealous God/Love that Won’t Let Me Go,” by Bill Gothard. I had a conversation regarding jealousy a week ago & was reminded by the Holy Spirit of this little book & had to order 2 of the little books again (one to give away & one to keep; I had given the first one away also).
I have discovered once again, the secret to answered prayer (which is directly connected to todays blog on reading the Word of God/adiding in the Word of God daily). Just think…this blog of daily reading His Word actually causes our prayers to be answered & not hindered!
Our Lord’s promise in John 15:7-8: “If you abide in Me, & My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, & it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will by My disciples.”
This is why the Lord so readily answers my prayers…I abide in His Word daily & he honors that in me. Actually, He is fulfilling His promises to us all in this scripture, if we abide in Him & His Word.
Not to long ago on this blog, Mike brought up the subject of whether we read our Bibles in the morning or at night & I discovered this also (I read mostly at night & some in the day on the weekends as I am this morning).
Going to sleep while communing with God through Scripture is a key element to loving Him with all of our heart. The Bible says: “Stand in awe, & sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, & be still” (Psalm 4:4 KJV).
During the long years when David fled from Saul in the wilderness of Judah, he composed these words: “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice” (Psalm 63:6-7).
I am not saying you should only read at night upon your bed, but that these scriptures make a good case of it being appropriate & puts my heart at ease. I’m not much of a morning person & that is okay with God; as it is okay with Him that some are not night-owls…what a boring world it would be if we were all alike. He made each one of us so vastly different in His image no less…consider that in our finite minds.
Jan
========== Jan:
More on the blessings of reading the Word of God daily (if at all possible…no guilt trips here, for there is now therefore no condemnation in Christ).
“Resetting the direction of a man or woman’s life & training in good living.
That’s the effect of God’s Word on our minds. Like an internal compass, it resets our direction & turns us toward God’s desired outcomes in our lives. Jesus said, “If you love Me, Keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
The word “keep” means “to set before our eyes & guard for use.” It is explained by the expression of navigators who say they “keep the stars,” which means they keep their course by the stars in the heavens. God gives us a marvelous promise if we do this. “He who has My commandments & keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, & I will love him & manifest Myself to him” (John 1421).
When we begin to honor & obey the commands of Christ & keep them foremost in our thoughts, we will steer our lives away from the shoals & reefs that could sink us, & toward destinations that will delight us beyond our imagination.”
The above is an excerpt from the book, “Our Jealous God,” by Bill Gothard.
Luch, I studied under the Navigators when I came back to the Lord in 1976; I had several friends that were Navigators & disciplied me through their program. I no longer study under the Navigators, but that is where I started my foundation & a good foundation is has proved to be. My heart goes out to new converts that have no discipling…it seems to be a treacherous road to travel. Although, I have to believe in the Scriptures that teach us that the Holy Spirit is our teacher also, BUT…we can only renew & transform our minds through the reading/washing of the Word of God & there is no way of getting around that. How can we obey His commandments, if we don’t know what they are…His commandments/His Will is His Word.
Jan
====== Pat:
Mike, I have always been taught that Luke traced the geneology of Jesus through Mary but I don’t see where Mary is mentioned. How do we know Luke traced back through Mary instead of through Joseph, who is mentioned?
God Bless!
Pat
======= John:
Pat,
It is interesting that our reading in Numbers provides some help in identifying Mary as being the line of genealogy in Luke.
Num 27:8, “Therefore, tell the Israelites; If a man dies without leaving a son, you shall let his heritage pass on to his daughter.”
Num 36:6-8, “This is what the LORD commands for Zelophehad’s daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within the tribal clan of their father. No inheritance in Israel is to pass from tribe to tribe, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal land inherited from his forefathers. Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father’s tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers.”
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Why is this important? It is more than just establishing women’s rights? It allows Mary to carry the inheritance of the lines in Luke – if certain conditions are met.
Scholars say Mary was the daughter of Heli, and there is only mentioned a sister in John19:25. It is thought that the sister of Mary was Salome, the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John (Matthew 20:20, Mark 15:40).
If there were no brothers, the daughters would divide the inheritance, and both keep the bloodlines of the father – provided they married within their tribe. Numbers 27:8 is satisfied.
Mary was of the line of David and the tribe of Judah. Joseph was of the line of David and the tribe of Judah. Num 36:6-8 is satisfied.
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Mary is not mentioned because the genealogies were kept through the male lines –
Keeping accurate records of genealogies was very important to the Jews. The Jewish historian, Josephus, wrote that Public Records* recorded genealogies from the oldest to the youngest, and Private Records went from the youngest back to the oldest, and these genealogies were passed down through the generations. This was done in part in order to prevent unqualified persons from gaining positions through their ancestry. See Ezra 2:61-63, and Neh 7:63-65 where some priests were rejected because they could not prove their Levitical ancestry.
* Flavius Josephus, against Apion, Book 1:7
These records were kept until 70 A.D.?????
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Joseph is listed because when he married Mary – he became more than a son-in-law – by levitical tradition he was legally now Heli’s son.
This explains why Joseph could be biologically the son of Jacob, and legally the son of Heli, and thus listed in both male genealogies.
Any descendants would be considered part of both blood-lines. Mary had a virgin birth – therefore the bloodline of David came from Mary. The adoption rules of the Jews provided the legal right to the throne through Joseph. As the adopted son of Joseph – Jesus had all the inheritance rights of a biological eldest son.
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This all blows up if Mary had brothers. However, the commands in Numbers were God’s Word. I cannot imagine him picking Mary to be the mother of Jesus if she had brothers – He is a God of great Detail. If God’s Word said Jesus is the heir to David’s throne – this is the only way it could work out to be true.
John
======= Katie:
Psalm 62: 1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
Praise the Lord for being my rock, my salvation. Like you said, Power belongs to God.
When I’ve tried to be strong in myself, to stand strong independently, that I have fallen, been torn up. But when I rest in Him, and know that He is my foundation and I am strong only in Him, He holds me up and keeps me. My salvation is only in Him.
Katie
======= Mae:
Psalm 62:11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you.” ~ Power defenitly belongs to the Lord. Where would I be without His power! Saturday we were singing and preaching on the streets, a lot of people told us it was so powerful and energetic. Well, thank the Lord for that! It was Him they saw! Without even knowing it … He used us to get the message on the streets, His prescense made us sing loud, clear and powerful. Thanks to His power!
Proverbs … wow … your question “Do you love others at the same level you love yourself?” … makes me wanne cry … You know, I’m really trying to live righteousness, really I do! I really want to love others at the same level I love myself. But sometimes it’s just so hard!!!! When someone sais something nasty to me, the first thing that comes to mind is to bite back. And I’m so thankful for the Holy Spirit, Who’s there to remind me that I need to count to 10 and not to response in the flesh. I try to think about how the foolish people will just say anything that comes to their mind. I don’t want to be like that, I want to pray for them, for wisdom. I have someone hanging around me, that is trying to annoy me and not only me but also my parents. She loves to hear herself talk, she loves to airs her opinion and isn’t willing to listen to others. Whenever I want to talk, she’ll finishes my sentence, and finish it wrong …!!! She lies, she talks about people behind their backs and makes fun of people … but … she joins our church!!!! I want to treat her with righteousness, but it’s just sooooooooooooooooo hard!!! I’m sweet to her, I’m nice to her … but I don’t feel it 100% in my heart. I want to feel sorry for her, I want to feel compassion for her … but I have to admit that’s hard. I’m praying for her and I’m praying for myself, asking God to give us both wisdom. I want to love everybody, and in a way I really do love her … but not at the same level I love myself yet. And I do want to … I really do!
Mae
======= Jenny:
wow, what struck me is that I’m the same age as Jesus was when He began His public ministry! wowzers! just weird to think about. I like Luke’s genealogy, straight back to Adam.
I love Psalms v 5-8:
“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us”
“that power belongeth unto God”. How true…i really have nothing, no power no strength left, i’m so dependent on HIm. I feel so frail lately, like i’m about to break in half at any moment. I just trust in the Lord to sustain me, bcos without Him i feel like i’ll turn into a pile of moosh and sink into the dirt. He is holding me up…i have nothing of myself to sustain me. nothing. The last thread i was clinging to broke and i fell, but i fell into His hand and here I sit awaiting Him. i feel so broken, yet whole. I dont even know what to do right now, i’m just waiting for God to help me, i’m expecting an act from Him….I awaiting Him to deliver me….
Jenny
======= Ed:
Ps 62:1-2, 5-7 – We know that God is our rock, our salvation, our fortress but the emphasis seems to be “in God alone” and “He only”. Many people trust God but do not trust in Him alone and would still place their trust in many other things such as their estate (property) or riches which are delusional because these things cannot save. Application: Do we put our trust in God alone or do we trust many other things to save us too? God wants us to trust Him alone and He only has the power to save (v11-12).
Ed
======= Patty:
My thoughts on the genealogy of Christ: Matthew was an educated member of the Jewish religion and he wrote the Book of Matthew to show Jewish Christians how Jesus fulfilled the prophesies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah. In the Jewish religion women were considered the same as property and their lineage was not considered important. Therefore, Matthew traced the heritage of Jesus through his early father Joseph, which would be the proper way in the Jewish faith. Luke on the other hand was the only gentile apostle and he wrote the Book of Luke for gentile Christians that did not have a Jewish background. In the gentile world of that day women could hold positions of great power and many of the pagan gods of the gentiles were the personification of women. Luke traced the genealogy of Christ through Mary, the only true human lineage of Jesus, because the gentiles would accept it. The thing that impressed me about reading the genealogy of Matthew and Luke and comparing them is that God removed all doubt in both the Jews and the gentiles that Jesus was the Messiah.
God Bless!
Patty
======= Elizabeth:
Hello,
Well, I am back on track for the most part…..
Wish I could say that Numbers was inspiring today, but I was mired down by the “bulls, rams and lambs” it almost began to feel like a mantra.
I have been “here” before—so immersed in the OT offerings and minutia to the point where I can’t see beyond it. It all feels so heavy and irrelevant to me. I think to myself “Why God did you ever put people under such a burden of such meticulous regulations?” I can see how the Pharisees and Sadducees got lost in the law and became such bitter narrow-minded people.
Then at the end of that section you get this:
“You must present these offerings to the LORD at your annual festivals. These are IN ADDITION to the sacrifices and offerings you present in connection with vows, or as voluntary offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, liquid offerings, or peace offerings.” So Moses gave all of these instructions to the people of Israel as the LORD had commanded him.” -Numbers 29:39-40
What got me was this part….”these are in ADDITION to…[all the other sacrifices]”!!!! It makes me want to throw my hands up in the air and fall on my face in inadequacy and insufficiency to understand and reconcile the Lord’s heart and mind in all of this.
I must just be feeling heavy today.
Transparently still here,
Elizabeth
======= Elizabeth:
Back again….
I love some of the images and truths in this psalm from David. It’s gotten to the point where I can read a psalm without looking at the header and just know whether or not it’s by David. There is something about his personality and spirit that shines through them clearly to me.
Anyway…love these lines:
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. ”
-Psalm 62:5
I love “let all that I am wait…” How hard it is for me to wait quietly before God! Waiting is so hard for me. I would much rather throw myself into the task at hand when I am troubled in spirit….I just want to “do” and “bind up” and try to “fix” whatever is broken, in my own strength.
But, there it is again: “Let all that I am WAIT”
For me, that’s a tough one.
It feels like I am trying to stop a steam engine in its tracks.
Love this too:
“He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.” -Psalm 62:6
I love the “He alone…” part. It is so easy to look to other people’s opinions or comfort for strength and justification. But all that I do or am falls or remains in Him alone. This humbles my spirit because I fall so short in this area.
“My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.
-Psalm 62:708
Well, at least I am better at this–i.e., pouring out my heart….
Lord, I thank You so much for being my rock, my salvation, my fortress. Thank You for being a God who hears our hearts when we cry out to You. Help us to run to You always and then to wait before You in faith, knowing and trusting that You alone are worthy of our devotion and praise.
Elizabeth
======= Betty:
It’s so easy to get bogged down in all the offerings, rituals, rules. However, what it pointed out to me is man’s great degree of sinfulness and the need to offer to God daily, if not moment to moment, our praise and thanks to Him for our mere existence. Are we not a “stiffnecked” people? Even for these festivals, God tells His people they are to do “no ordinary work” that day. As Americans, we are obsessed with work and making money. We can’t even take a break from our computers and feel guilty if we are not productive. Surely, for myself, i literally have to force myself to STOP, meditate, get perspective. What is important is not making money but loving God and relying on Him.
That idea continues on in Psalm 62:7,8,10. “My victory and honor comes from God. Trust in Him at all times. If your wealth increases don’t make it the center of your life.” And as a final reminder, Prov 11:18 talks about evil people can get rich, but the “reward of the godly will last.” So I come to the conclusion that being “on my knees” is what God desires versus rushing through life and working for more money. Yes, we all have to work to live, but again, it must be in proper perspective. My prayer is that I will stop each day to give God His due and allow Him to change the way I think. After all, what we spend time thinking about all day reveals what we love the most.
Betty
======= Arielle:
Hey all,
This is what I think about the rituals and traditions in Numbers.
Since they were brought out of Eygpt and lived the pagan culture till then. probably they needed all this strict laws to follow to help them re-learn what it is to worship the true living GOD and help them realize that HE is real. When we were reading the previous chapters we can see the Isralites complainign most of the time. Their faith did not become strong after all the miracles that GOD did for them when bringing them out of Eygpt. It looks like they were too hard headed to see how much GOD loves them. So maybe they needed all these laws and traditions to humble them.
I think these laws and structure were not there before Moses time or before their life in Eygpt. Because people back then knew the true living GOD and were worshiping HIM in truth and in spirit
What do you all think?
Arielle
======= Elizabeth:
Hello Betty & Arielle,
Thanks to both of you for such good and helpful thoughts…
Betty, I agree about our culture being focused on money and productivity. It’s easy to be busy and much harder to be still and focus on Him. I think people even become afraid of silence…they don’t want to think too deeply. Loved your prayer–may it be so!
Arielle, that is a very interesting angle–never thought of it from that perspective–a type of “retraining” I also have been amazed at all the manifestations they had of God, yet they complained. It just goes to show you that faith goes beyond the visible.
Thanks for hanging in there and helping me through the bulls, rams and lambs ; )
Elizabeth
======= Raeann:
What is the point of all of these statistics?
Raeann
======= Frederick:
Re: Raeann Why the Statistics
I believe there are at least two reasons why God put these statistics into Bible. Firstly, this shows that this is a real history rather than a fable by including this. Secondly, it shows that God is the God of individual besides that He is a God of a nation. In the book of Revelation, God mentions that there will be names of each saved people in the Book of Life. I believe this also reflects that God cares about each of us.
Frederick
======= Steve:
Psalm 62
In today’s readings what stood out for me was Psalm 62 which takes place at a very difficult time in David’s life, his son Absalom has betrayed him and seeking to kill him. I can’t imagine anything more painful for a father. In this Psalm David is basically talking to himself and repeating what God has already said, a very powerful combination.
David was a Sheppard at heart and a Sheppard knows how to keep track of his flock. In a sense we are to be Sheppard’s of our own thoughts because like sheep, our thoughts are prone to go astray. I know this to be a fact for myself; I see my thoughts straying from God’s will more than I care to admit. In this Psalm David rounds up those lost sheep thoughts driven by fear and unbelief. I want to point out that David is not doing this on his own, he is not giving himself a pep talk from his own understanding. On the contrary, David is strengthening his own soul, by taking God’s words, placing them on his tongue and speaking them into his life.
Have you ever had one of those days that you wish you could have a Do-Over? Yesterday was a day like that for me. If I would have used wisdom like David and spoke to myself with God’s words for my circumstances, I could have gone a different route instead of putting my size 12 shoe in my mouth and spending the day in regret. Even when we have that type of day, God is gracious and patient, ready and willing to walk us through the learning process and show us where we went off course. In fact, sometimes when we have those off course days that make us cringe in disgust at our actions, the Lord takes full advantage of our remorse and gently herds us towards a wiser path. God is good.
Steve
======= Flora:
Dear Mike,
I am blessed by reading God’s word here. Indeed, as i start my day ,i can only commit everything to my God what the day will in store for me. I ask God to help me be a blessing to others, a comfort to those who needs one and to use me in ways He alone understands. I am on my learning process and often, when the day ended and i realized i had a rough one, it was then i realized that God put me into a situation where He can mold, used or ulilized me in His way. Praise God He never gives up on me.
Flora
======= Duane:
I believe that I am growing and trusting God more than I ever had in my privious years. It seems God has put a hunger in me to seek him more earnestly There are desires in me that I still want fulfilled, but only as God wills. I truly want to know him better each day and I want purity because he is a holy God.Sowing righteousness is my goal for each day. I want God to be glorify in my work, home ,neighborhood and all that I do.I pray that those on this blog will lift me and all in prayer each day that God will surely use us to bring the good news to those who have no hope. I really enjoyed the song by Casting Crowns. May God continued to a great work through this blog.
Duane
========= Cathy:
Ramona and Mike,
Thank you for your great input.
Have a blessing day.
Cathy
=======Mitch:
OT – Yahweh has set them up with festivals with more than numerous offerings. At Mt. Sinai the people were told to stay away, but through all of the festivals/offerings God is showing them the way to approach Him. Given all the structure – one would think the Israelites would be starving for Jesus’ simple message of Repent and Believe. Receive Me and have eternal life.
But Israel did not receive Him. Why? IMO they long ago had forgotten the motive and significance of the festivals/offerings. If they did those things – for most it was checking the boxes. Therefore they were not appreciative of the simplicity and the deepening offer of God’s relationship to His people.
NT – Genealogy fulfills a requirement of kinsman redeemer. To redeem out of bondage one must be the nearest kinsman not in bondage. This shows that Jesus is able to redeem us from sin – as He is the nearest relative to Adam that is without sin. (Note: He is the only relative that is sin free and thus the nearest).
Mitch
======= Dee:
This is so true your questions you had..where does our power come from? It comes from God alone! I love that because I teach science and we are in electricity right now and it’s amazing how God gave us this power to wire and transpose the entire world with His word. Do I honor my employer. I believe I do. I help as much and try to be a blessing to my staff and employer. I respect my immediate employer very much and my co workers and I get along as well as my principal and AP’s. Very good group to work with and for. Love my children and try to see them as Christ sees them. Even though sometimes they get on my nerves, I try to see them in His light. They are all his babies first.
Dee
======= John:
As Bob Deffinbaugh alluded to and J. Vernon Mcgee states – Luke was written to the Greeks. (I never thought of that before today.)
Matthew was written to the Jews with Jesus as the “King”. Hence all the Old testament verification by Matthew to verify Jesus’ kingly claim.
Mark was written to the Romans with Jesus as “servant”. Hence all the “action” to demonstrate Jesus’ resume to fulfill his mission.
Luke would then be written to the Greeks, not only as a history – but to show Jesus as the “perfect man” able to fulfill God’s new Covenant.
Why the “perfect man”? In 4th Century B.C. the Greeks intorduced the “Periclean Age”. They attempted to perfect humanity and to develop the “perfect man”. Their gods were often in the image of men, so a man-god would not be a foreign concept to the Greeks. Ultimately they fell short of the perfect man/society.In admitting this, they erected an image to the “UNKNOWN GOD”. Later a jumping off place for Paul’s discourse to the Greeks.
======================================================
Luke’s geneology is a verification of Jesus’ “perfect man” status through blood lines. It is placed right before Jesus’ ministry was to start.
Luke’s writings up to now are a prelude to this moment in Jesus’ life. In the first three chapters Greeks would understand:
gods sending messengers down to earth to announce miracles and events – miracles and godly announcements occured in Greek mythology.
John the Baptist – Greeks had oracles.
The prominent role of Mary and Elizabeth in writings -Greeks had plenty of female representation sometimes impregnated by the gods in mythology.
Anna and Simeon’s story – the Greeks had plenty of priests and oracles to interpret the gods.
The temple story of Jesus at twelve – the Greeks would love the idea of the “perfect man” being a great (perfect) thinker.
John the Baptist’s preaching – to Greeks man in the end was flawed.
Jesus’ baptism – Greeks would get this ritual accompanied by a voice speaking from the heavens that verified this “perfect man” as from the gods.
======================================================
So what about your original question about “as was supposed”? Luke is bridging from the introduction to Jesus’ ministry. Most people were not at the baptism scene, especially the Greeks. The prelude is nice so far, but so far it is just a story – the Greeks had plenty of stories.
Luke is establishing the pedigree of the “perfect man” sent from the One True God. To be followed by the story of Jesus’ ministry that will supply the “proof”.
‘as was supposed’, ‘in public perception’, and ‘as was the custom’ was Luke saying, ‘most people taking a casual uninformed look would see Mary and Joseph and the family unit and presume that Jesus was Joseph’s son. But not so fast, take a look at the pedigree (geneology) of this “perfect man” going back to Adam.’
Adam was the first “son of God” that screwed things up, this “perfect man” (this “Son of God” – Jesus) is here to set things straight and reconcile man to the gods. The Greeks would like this story. The proof would later show there are not “gods” but One True God.
So while most people would assume Jesus was just a normal man (perhaps gifted) and a son of Joseph. Luke was saying, ‘ Don’t believe it, you read the prelude – god impregnated Mary, through Mary (Luke’s geneology) we can trace Jesus back to the first “son of God”.’
Adam was a created man, but Jesus has the bloodline to be this “perfect man” a true “son of God”. It is now up to Luke to prove this to Greeks with the rest of his Gospel.
John
======= John:
Geneology
A key to above is that the geneology in Matthew is Joseph’s and Luke’s geneology is of Mary.
In Matthew – “Jacob begat Joseph” so who was “Heli” in Luke’s geneology. Most scholars would say – Joseph’s father-in-law. Thus the Geneology of Luke is of Mary.
Matthews geneology establishes Jesus’ legal right to throne through David/Solomon. As the adopted eldest child of Joseph – Jesus would have that legal claim.
Luke’s geneology establishes Jesus’ blood rights to the throne through David/Nathan and takes him back to the first “son of God” (Adam). Would establish him as descended from the first “son of God”.
Believer’s commentary has a better (and briefer;) list of reasons why Luke is writing Mary’s geneology.
Before taking up the public ministry of our Lord, Luke pauses to give His genealogy. If Jesus is truly human, then He must be descended from Adam. This genealogy demonstrates that He was. It is widely believed that this gives the genealogy of Jesus through the line of Mary. Note that verse 23 does not say that Jesus was the son of Joseph, but “(as was supposed) the son of Joseph.” If this view is correct, then Heli (v. 23) was the father-in-law of Joseph and the father of Mary.
Scholars widely believe that this is the Lord’s genealogy through Mary for the following reasons:
1. The most obvious is that Joseph’s family line is traced in Matthew’s Gospel (1:2–16).
2. In the early chapters of Luke’s Gospel, Mary is more prominent than Joseph, whereas it is the reverse in Matthew.
3. Women’s names were not commonly used among the Jews as genealogical links. This would account for the omission of Mary’s name.
4. In Matthew 1:16, it distinctly states that Jacob begot Joseph. Here in Luke, it does not say that Heli begot Joseph; it says Joseph was the son of Heli. Son may mean son-in-law.
5. In the original language, the definite article (tou) in the genitive form (of the) appears before every name in the genealogy except one. That one name is Joseph. This singular exception strongly suggests that Joseph was included only because of his marriage to Mary.
Although it is not necessary to examine the genealogy in detail, it is helpful to note several important points:
1. This list shows that Mary was descended from David through his son Nathan (v. 31). In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus inherited the legal right to the throne of David through Solomon. As legal Son of Joseph, the Lord fulfilled that part of God’s covenant with David which promised him that his throne would continue forever. But Jesus could not have been the real son of Joseph without coming under God’s curse on Jechoniah, which decreed that no descendant of that wicked king would prosper (Jer. 22:30). As the real Son of Mary, Jesus fulfilled that part of the covenant of God with David which promised him that his seed would sit upon his throne forever. And by being descended from David through Nathan, He did not come under the curse which was pronounced on Jechoniah.
2. Adam is described as the son of God (v. 38). This means simply that he was created by God.
3. It seems obvious that the Messianic line ended with the Lord Jesus. No one else can ever present valid legal claim to the throne of David.
MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. 1997, c1995. Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson: Nashville
John
======= John:
Feasts (Holy Days) of Israel
God goes into great detail about five of the seven prescribed feast days here in Numbers’ readings.
But what is God getting at – is there any symbolic meaning????? God is always providing clues to His plan for salvation, and I think the 7 major feast days ordained by God are some of those clues.
In Gospel of John we will see that Jesus was always around Jerusalem on the feast days and His words at the time can be tied in with the theme of the feasts.
In addition it can be argued that symbolically the feasts show God’s plan in total. The three spring feasts were symbolically filled with the life, death, and ressurection of Jesus. The middle feast was symbolically filled with the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). The last three feasts will be symbolically filled at the Second Coming.
A beginning, middle, and end to God’s story on Salvation.
Link here does an ok job at outlining the feasts, and a great job at providing NT links to each of the feasts that have been fulfilled. You can “search” on your own for other links that might be better
http://www.annieshomepage.com/feastsa.html
A more involved link – and better I think – is here:
http://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/feasts/index.htm
John
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