Bible in a Year Blog

Judges 17:1-18:31 + John 3:1-21 + Psalm 104:1-23 + Proverbs 14:20-21
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Old Testament – Judges chapter 17 & 18 are sad chapters to read!  In these chapters we see how far a Levitical priest had wandered from his original call to serve God – by accepting money, idols, and position in Micah’s house.  And we see how far the tribe of Dan had wandered from God’s plan for the tribes of Israel by killing the citizens of Laish – a city that did not fall under God’s judgment due to serving idols or wickedness – and Laish was outside the geographical boundaries of the tribe of Dan.  Unfortunately, we see Dan’s tribe worshiping idols.  Verse 6 in chapter 17 stood out to me – “In those days Israel had no king, so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”  This verse certainly seems to be building up to the kings of Israel that will soon be coming.  But, this verse also indicates to me the importance for each of us to have a king – so that we don’t just do whatever seems right in our own eyes.  Fortunately, today, we have Jesus Christ as our king.  He is the best king we could ever hope for.  Do you consider Jesus to be your king?

An image is below for Judges 18 verses 22 & 23 – “When the people from the tribe of Dan were quite a distance from Micah’s home, Micah and some of his neighbors came chasing after them. They were shouting as they caught up with them. The men of Dan turned around and said, “What do you want? Why have you called these men together and chased after us like this?””

New Testament – Today in John chapter 3 we will read about Jesus’ interactions with Nicodemus, a member of the Pharisees. This is obviously a powerful chapter, as Jesus’ words in this chapter include the famous John 3:16. In verse 3 we will read this from Jesus – “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” And to this Nicodemus asks in verse 4 – “How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born?” What do these verses mean to you? Do you understand Jesus’ statement in verse 3? Do you understand Nicodemus’ confusion and why he asked the question like he did in verse 4? Jesus later goes on in chapter 3 to say that he is referring to being born again in “the Spirit.” It is not a physical rebirth Jesus is referring to in verse 3, but a Spiritual rebirth. I do think this is an appropriate time in our One Year Bible readings – the gospel of John and John chapter 3 in particular – for each of us to ask ourselves if we have been born again in the Spirit? If not, do you want to be born again in the Spirit? Will you pray today to God and Jesus for this Spiritual rebirth?

Bible.org’s commentary on John chapter 3 titled “The Doctrine of Salvation” is at this link and commentary on “Jesus and Nicodemus” is at this link and at this link.

An image is below for verses 14 & 15 as Jesus says this to Nicodemus – “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.”

Psalms – Psalm 104 is a beautiful hymn to the Creator!  I like all of the verses – verse 19 stands out to me because I can find some cool images related to this verse on the web!  🙂  “You made the moon to mark the seasons and the sun that knows when to set.”

Proverbs – Today in Proverbs chapter 14 verse 21 we read – “He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.”

Worship Video:  Reading John 3:16 today reminded me of the terrific We The Kingdom song “God So Loved:”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq5URsXbKXs

Do you believe John 3:16? Click here for God’s love!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you fully know and believe John 3:16. Pray for 316 people that you can share the message of John 3:16 with this next year.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  How does today’s Proverb speak to you? Do you love your neighbor? Who is your neighbor? Do you believe despising your neighbor is a sin? Are you kind to the needy? What are some ways that you are consistently kind to the needy? Do you believe that you are blessed when you are kind to the needy?  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:

Judges 17:1-18:31

Reading today’s Old Testament passage reminds me that things are pretty much the same today as they were 3-4 thousand years ago, nothing new under the sun. Here we have pictured some family dynamics that have gone awry. We have a son who has stolen from his mother and the return of the money, under threat or fear of a curse, is seen as time to get “religious” and honor the son who stole it. As we read on, we find out that the son’s mother is a grandmother because this man Micah has a son; what a godly example he is for his offspring, NOT.

Superstition, and superstitious have permeated Israel, not only is the God who protected them in the desert, the God who brought them out of Egypt with a might hand not served, he is looked on as one of many gods to be manipulated, a god that can be transferred from one person to another. When a nation falls into this kind of thinking, the children and other family members are used as a means of protection by the head-of-household, or the ones with the biggest posse and the greatest forth of strength. Three times, we read that either the son (1 time) or the priests (twice) were set-up to be “protection” for grown men. (17:5, 10; 18:19). Is this not what Abraham and Isaac subjected their wives too but magnified?

Whether we actually install our children as priests and give them a title as father, when we instruct our children to tell the Bill Collector on the phone that we are not in, when we stand back and send our children to the front of the line so that people will give them preference and force “mercy and grace,” we are setting up our children to be proctors like Micah and the men from Dan. When God moves from being our protector, our provider, our strong tower, when God moves from being a personal God to just a god, our children and relationships become a tool to be used to get what we want. We in effect, like Micah, like Dan establish our own religion build our own idols, even if it is not metal or stone, and offer up our children, spouses, and “friends” and other relationships on the alter of our fears.

Love desires to benefit others at the expense of self – for God so loved the world …; Lusts desires to benefit self at the expense of others. What is it? Do we love or lusts? Some very tough questions that I need to answer.

If people don’t know it, I’ve dedicated myself to focus on and post on the Old Testament readings this year; however, from time to time I will do “hit-and-run” comments on the New and today is one of those days. I read something as per the NLT translation that gave me a new perspective and deeper understanding of something I struggle with, “What does true repentance look like?”

Some background information: The first church I attended after my salvation had, what appeared to me in the beginning, a genuine love for Jesus, but something went wrong, arrogance developed. What had been a church with a humble heart and core became one that screamed “entitlement” because we are God’s people. They forgot about the Mercy of God. Because I wanted to be “loyal” to my church, I turned a blind eye to the things that I saw happening. My son didn’t want to attend the Youth group, and I didn’t force him because a succession of leadership, male and feemale where living together outside of marriage. When I left, after getting a revelation of Jeremiah 14:16, I asked what thing, if any, had I gotten out of being in that church and the only thing I heard was this, “You know what not to do if your kids go to jail.”

What that “knowing” was, was this: Jailhouse conversion doesn’t equal real conversations. Jailhouse conversions are precipitated from the state of “I’m sorry ‘cause I got caught.” It seemed that everybody and his brother/sister was going to jail from some crime, white collar and blue collar. An, “I’m O.K. cause God has my back no matter what I do,” mentality ran amuck. I wasn’t sure if there was ever any scripture to back up what I had discovered until now and it comes from the Words of Jesus, King James style,

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (Joh 3:21)

Since everything that is done in the dark, will come to the light of day, just because something is illuminated doesn’t mean that the person saying, “I’m sorry” is sorry because of his/her behavior, they more than likely are sorry because they got caught. The key is in the first half of Jesus words, “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light …”

Coming into the light after having been in the dark causes your eyes to hurt; you are blinded by that light until your eyes adjust. Coming into the light exposes the sin for what it is, ugly and rotten. While in the dark, what is ugly, gaudy and worthless, can give off the appearance of beauty and value. In the dark the things that are gray and shady, blend in and are hidden by the dark, but in the light everything is exposed.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17 KJVR)

Godly sorrow says, I didn it and I’m repentant and I am willing to pay the cost, and if there is anything else that needs to be exposed, God please show it to me no matter the pain or embarrassment. Worldly sorrow (jailhouse conversions) says, “O.K. I said I was sorry so where is the key so I can get out,” showing an unwillingness to pay the price or change directions.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

======= Alice:

Ramona,
I like all your comments.
I hope you keep putting them up!
Have a blessed day everybody
Alice

======= Briggs:

======= Anka:

I think the Israelites lost their fear of God.The Levite knew he was called to be a priest as did Micah.The Danites knew as a Levite he was supposed to hear from God yet they had no regard for God or his commandments.To me it seems more like the Danites went to a fortune teller.They had a few facts:the people of Laish were secluded so nobody could help them and they were unsuspecting(even trained armies are vulnerable to a suprise attack how much more these people)…could they have thought in their hearts “who needs God’s approval when we can wipe out these people without breaking a nail”.They obviously heard about God even went to hear from Him but their actions show they didn’t fear God.This still happens today..we go to church to hear from God,maybe even get a blessing but as soon as we get out of church our light shines dimmer that that of an unbelievers.
When Nicodemus spoke to Christ he said “we” kinda makes me wonder if the rabbi’s saw the truth but as John said were too full of Zeal for the house of God:it paid well,gave them respect etc.Some of them didn’t even believe in resurrection so they wanted to get the best out of life on earth.When they arrested Jesus,they broke a lot of the rules they so meticulosly taught.Like the Levite priest,they only did what paid them well.When Jesus came with the truth it felt bad so they refused to listen.They let their passion for money and power blind them.The pull to listen to our passions,to live it out,to get so involved with our work or problems is sometimes much louder than the voice of the Holy Spirit.I need the fear of the Lord in my life..to know that even though nothing can take away his love for me,my lack of reverence for him will eventually make me loose my love for him then take me on a self distructive path of condamnation.********************************************************************
God bless you all
Anka

======= Peggy:

======= John:

Matt 28:18
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
authority is “exousia” that same delegated power or authority from God discussed in John 1. So God, the Father, bestowed this authority on Christ.
I know what Peggy means as I catch myself concentrating on Jesus in his High Priest role. It seems at worship I can relate to the Father “abba” role, but I don’t acknowledge enough the role of Christ as the “King of Kings – Lord of Lords”.
I think it will all be pretty clear at the Second Coming.
John

======= Cheryl:

I was always taught that the very next person you see is your neighbor-so I guess that does mean everyone! Jesus is my Father, brother, savior and yes-King. We are called to serve him, as well as serve others in his name.

Cheryl

======== Micky:

========= Pat:

Thank you Micky for sharing your remarkable experience with us. What a wonderful testimony! Christ must have great plans for you because He has saved and prepared you for some awesome task.
God Bless!
Pat

======= Micky:

Thank you, Pat, may God remember you in His KINGDOM!!
Peace Be With You
Micky

======= Mae:

I love the story from Jesus and Nicodemus!!!! When people ask me why I made the choice to be reborn, I always give them the chapter of Nicodemus.
Verse 3 “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” ~ There’s no way you can get a better explanation!
Verse 18 ““There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son”. ~ I love this verse!

Proverbs 14:21 “”He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.” ~ I really care deeply for my neighbors, they’re not my best friends though. And I know for a fact they are not very fund of us because we are Christians. They were raised Muslims, but do not practise their religion. Many times I’ve tried to have normal contact with them, but they won’t allow it. All I do is pray for them, because they have a terrible relationship. They are not married and have 3 kids from her former marriage. They fight constantly and I feel so sorry for them. Life doesn’t have to be this way. I truly believe that we’re blessed when we are kind to the needy. I’m doing all the best I can to be kind to the needy. It makes me happy to see a smile on their face when I help them out and I thank the Lord for giving me the strength to help out.

My life is not about me, it’s about others.

Mae

======== Lisa:

======== Jim:

Judges 17 starts off with a confused story of a mother that curses a thief who steals 1100 shekels of silver who then turns around and blesses him when she finds out the culprit was her own son. I asked earlier when lying could possibly be Godly and now I must ask when is stealing righteous? Was the seemingly justified earlier lying a “bridge” sin onto further sinning? The author is clearly demonstrating how upside-down things were and continues with several undated events in order to sum up the moral and social deterioration during a time when “everyone did as he saw fit” (Judges 17:6) without a king. Revelation includes a harsh condemnation (“I will vomit you out of my mouth”) of the church of Laodicea for being filthy rich, spoiled, and deplorably indifferent to everything (even if they didn’t know it). Laodicea etymologically means “the rights of the people” that may suggest an era of democracy where the church is dominated not by its religious leaders but by its people. This description also fits for the Israelites of Judges as well as a warning for the church of today. Judges 17 tells of Micah stealing, setting up silver idols in a shrine in his house (perhaps as some insurance against his mothers curse as mom had already dedicated this silver to the Lord) and ephod (remember what trouble Gideon and his family got into with their homemade ephod – the ephod held 12 stones as well as the Urim and Thummim, perhaps sticks, for determining the will of God by “casting lots,” with more than just “yes” and “no” replies), ordaining a son as a priest until hiring a Levite (Moses’ great-grandson, Jonathon), and expecting God to bless him even though each act violated commands found in the Mosaic Law – which Micah didn’t know. Micah thought the Levite at his door must be a sign of God’s favor – a common foolishness of those finding support for evil ways. Micah had created a syncretistic religion (one that teaches that all religions are different routes to the same goal) complete with self-supporting superstitious beliefs. The implication is that Israel needed a righteous leader to end such transgressions from ignorance. Micah became a corrupting influence for many generations. By the same token, the most serious hindrance to a Godly church is a Godless home – or, it is very difficult to sustain a clean government in a corrupt society of a corrupt government in a clean society.

Judges 18 adds to this ironic tragedy with an advance party from the Tribe of Dan obtaining the blessing from Micah’s priest (after running from the land God commanded them to conquer), stealing the shrine (to be later set up in a tribal worship center), plundering and killing, and making the Levite’s sons hereditary priests (who had abandoned his benefactor when a better deal came along). “What else do I have?” was the cry of the sincere idolater who had lost his idols and counterfeit priest. Much like Micah, the Danites don’t know and don’t care that their worship is in direct violation of OT Law. Similarly, many religious leaders today assert that the world will soon come under one World Church without denominations and where democracy and compromise will rule notwithstanding fulfilling end-time apostasy (of which most are unaware). In addition, the most rapidly growing religion in post-modern America and Europe is Wicca (with a doubling in size every 18 months to 30 months and an estimated size of 5-10 million by Phyllis Curott in her Book of Shadows), New Age mores based on Tibetan pagan Bon traditions brought with their form of Buddhism being increasingly inserted into Christian observances, education that gives the people what they want – high grades and little work, Christians making baloney like the DaVinci Code into a best seller, and the last presidential election being between two men who had both taken a secret blood oath to Satan and yet still applauded for their Christian convictions. There are, however, no natural, man-made, or spiritual laws for which ignorance is ever an acceptable defense (such as, “but officer, I didn’t know what the speed limit was”).

During the age of Judges (as today), the knowledge of God was slowly lost, being diluted by pagan concepts that found their way into the religious consciousness. One pagan posting states, for example, “To me, being a Pagan is basically believing whatever you want” and the first Wiccan Rede is, “Do whatever you wish.” Biblical theology contains no such poorly defined, wide-path, relativistic principles or consequences! Core to New Age beliefs is that of relativism – where only subjective experiences define truth. In contrast to the scientific method, the failure of some practice to achieve expected results is not considered as a failure of the underlying theory but only as a lack of knowledge about hidden extenuating circumstances. This is very different from Pluralism, which is only about tolerance for different views. Relativism is about believing all answers are equally correct – devastating to any honest search for logic and truth. In a pluralistic society, everyone has the fundamental right to be wrong, while in a relativistic society everyone has the right to be right, all the time. “Is one religion as good as another? Is one horse in the Derby as good as another?” (GK Chesterton)

The fact that Jesus performed miracles as an agent of God was beyond logical dispute. This brought a Pharisee named Nicodemus (described in Jewish writings as the son of Gorion, supposedly so rich that he could have supported all of Jerusalem for a decade) at night (which may suggest a timidity of faith or just a desire to speak privately – but not interested in being baptized as they were never done at night as per Wetstein, but this would not have been required for a circumcised Jew) to question Jesus (and later, he comes to aid in embalming His body in John 19:39). As one of the Sanhedrin (“ruler of the Jews”), Nicodemus was certainly part of the Jewish council that had investigated John the Baptist and thus had heard his testimony that he as not the Messiah but that the Messiah was present (1:26-27). Nicodemus says, “WE know you are a teacher from God” and Jesus replies that (again only obvious to readers of the King James) Jesus spoke not only to Nicodemus but to “you all” that he represented must be born again. The Sanhedrin had come to believe that the “King of Kings” would free Israel from occupation while elevating the council and Jesus showed no inclination to do either. Instead He called for repentance, EVEN of the Pharisees. Despite the concept of a spiritual rebirth having roots in the Old Testament, Nicodemus was surprised by such an idea. Jesus goes on to explain the awesome cost to God of making eternal life available to mankind.

The requirement to be “born of water and the Spirit” could mean 1) water baptism as in Acts 10:47, 2) water as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, as in “born of water, even the Spirit”, 3) water as a symbol of the Word (with similar imagery in Eph 5:26 and Pet 1:23), 4) born of water referring to physical birth, 5) born of water referring to the baptism of John the Baptist, and 6) an OT imagery of water and wind for the work of God as per Isaiah 44:405 and Ezekiel 37:9-10 with wind being an alternative translation for Spirit. Jesus uses “the wind” in 3:8 to depict the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit as something with incomprehensible origin and yet of definitive existence. “He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.” Born again could also be translated as born from above, but Nicodemus clearly understood Jesus to be speaking of a second “born again” birth that contrasts being born of flesh. Jesus rebukes Nicodemus and others (clear with another KJV “thee”) for being teachers of Hebrew Scriptures and whose job it is to guide the blind to the light of truth for being so deplorably ignorant and unacquainted with the necessity and nature of a new birth. Furthermore, Jesus asks if Nicodemus cannot nderstand earthly things, how he could ever understand the kingdom of God. It was the common opinion of the time that Gentiles, as sort of “God’s trash,” were predestined to be destroyed in the days of the Messiah, but Christ teaches a contrary doctrine that God intends the salvation (and not the destruction) of the world. Even though Paul later writes that as Gentiles we should learn from their mistaken views in order to not separate the world into saved and unsaved, TULIP Calvinism seems to make a similar separation before time of sovereign elect and reprobate.

The lines that precede the best know verse in the Bible explain how just such a rebirthing process would begin. Before John 3:16 (in which “world” may include all creation as per Rom 8:19-22 and Col 1:20), are verses 14 and 15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is the first time eternal life is mentioned in John’s Gospel, but the message returns again and again. Why is Jesus equating His crucifixion with Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness? The story is found in Numbers 21:4-9: “Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore, 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 take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” In the story, the fiery serpents represent death, and their bite that pushed believers back to God represents the sting of death, for “the wages of sin is death…” and “the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law” (Rom. 6:23 and 1Cor. 15:56). Just as the Israelites only had to look at the bronze serpent to live, all that anyone must do today is look at the cross to live; and just as there were Israelites who may have continued to irrationally refuse to look at the bronze figure while many were clearly being saved around them, many continue to refuse to look at Jesus Christ on the cross. Nevertheless, all it takes to leave “the Way of the Red Sea” to start on “the Way which they call a sect” (Acts 24:14) is with one real and believing look (“he that believes is not condemned”). Christ lifted up (as also per 8:28 and 12:32-34) on the cross gives sin the opportunity in us to be recognized and the penalty taken away. The problem with WWJD bracelets is that the answer to what would Jesus do is that He would personally shoulder the full wrath of God’s hate for sin, which is not my job. Christ asks in Luke 14:27 that we bravely carry our own cross, not His. In other words, a better question is What Does Jesus Want (WDJW)?

The “only begotten son” (more often today, the “only forgotten son”) does not necessarily convey the idea of birth as Hebrews 11:17 refers to Isaac as Abraham’s “only begotten” when he actually had two sons. While the father has many children through new birth, the Son of God has a unique glory and an unrivaled place of honor. While Jesus for came so that the world though Him might be saved, He will come again in judgment upon those who have turned away. Those who do not believe are “already condemned,” where condemnation refers to the reason for judgment. There are many excuses people give for refusing Christ (such as hypocrites in the church or supposed inconsistencies in scripture), but ultimately it is only because they don’t want to. While there is no suggestion of any change in Nicodemus at this time, we later find him publicly defending Christ when He was before the Sanhedrin.
Jim

========= John:

John 3 – Doctrine of Salvation
I read through all Bob’s commentary, and I have nothing to add.
I am glad Mike included the commentary on the “Doctrine of Salvation”
http://bible.org/page.asp?page_id=1519
I hope it is pretty clear that I believe in this Doctrine. None of my family and friends do, but I know what happened to me, and the results. My family does not even know what it is that they do not believe. All they know is it is different from the Roman Catholic Church we were all raised in from Birth. That is unacceptable to them.
I know there are people reading this site, who do not believe in the “Doctrine of Salvation”. I will implore you, like I do my family. Read the link provided here. At least know what it is you do not believe. Bob D. does a pretty good job of spelling it all out and providing some good commentary to the topic.
John

======= Vance:

John 3 (NKJV)
14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20
For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
NOTES:
Question: Are serpents (snakes) and dragons evil? I recall in a world religions class I took in seminary, and the question of the interpretation of whether dragons and serpents (snakes) came up. In many cultures the dragon is a being (whether real or imagined) which provides blessing and fortune.
Obviously, in God’s Word, dragons and serpents are associated with Satan. The difference in interpreting dragons and snakes can be a barrier to understanding and receiving the Gospel in the minds of unbelievers from other cultures.
However, I see something in John chapter where our Lord Jesus uses the serpent as an example of His Love and His Atoning death on the Cross. This is the only case I know of in the entire Bible where serpents are understood in a good way.
This is how I interpret this passage in John 3. Let us start with how Jesus Himself began to explain in verse 14:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up”.
Note the original event in the lives of the Israelites.
Numbers 21 (NKJV)
4
Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.
5
And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”
6
So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
7
Therefore 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 take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”
9
So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.
Note these facts we can learn for ourselves from the Israelites:
1. There is nothing wrong in discouragement, itself.
2. However, the emotion of discouragement not handled properly can lead to sin. The people of Israel choose to allow discouragement to lodge deep within them so they consistently complained against God. Discouragement leading to murmuring is not just an “emotional issue” of relating to “not being fulfilled”. Rather, murmuring is a sin against God.
3. Their sin opened up the children of Israel to being bitten by snakes. When we consistently sin and do not repent, it opens us up to the destruction of the enemy.
4. God the Father used the very snakes that destroyed the people by PLACING A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SNAKE ON THE POLE. This is a very important point. When the people looked at the REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SNAKE ON THE POLE established by God, they were healed.
In short, I see our Lord Jesus using a wonderful word picture of the following verses:
Galatians 3 (NKJV)
10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” [Deuteronomy 27:26]
13
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” [Deuteronomy 21:23] ),
14
that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
JESUS CHOSE TO BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE. Also, Jesus chose to take on Himself all of Satan’s schemes, deceptions, and sin. Satan believed he was defeating God’s purposes when He used Judas and the religious leaders to kill Jesus on the Cross. However, when the Lord Jesus died, He took on the curse and all the sin Satan was. When Jesus died, He also died as our representative, so we would not have to die for our own sin.
We are redeemed from the curse because Jesus paid for it! God has joined us to His Son, the Lord Jesus in this way:
a.
When Jesus died, we died to our sin.
b.
When Jesus died, blood covenant was cut so we are forever bound to God.
c.
When Jesus rose, we rose with Him, as new creations, raised to a new life
d.
When Jesus ascended into the heavens next to the right hand of the Father, we were raised and seated with Him.
MAY WE USE OUR SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY to pray out and live out God’s purposes on the earth. This is how many will see the glory of God in Jesus and in the Body of Christ.
Vance

======= John:

John 3:1-21
Man with a Searching Heart
Nicodemus did not have a heart like Nathaniel. Jesus did not reveal Himself directly here as He did with Nathaniel. Jesus did reveal some things to Nicademus as this man was searching Him out – coming out of the Darkness (night) into the Light (Jesus).
Nicodemus came paying respect. He alluded that more than just he (“we”) know you are a “teacher” from God. For a member of Sanhedrin to call another a “teacher” was a great sign of respect. The Pharisees believed that if one taught the things from God, and the people tried to obey, that that would please God.
NO! NO! NO!
Jesus cuts to the quick, to halt this belief in man’s efforts to please God through teaching of rules.
John 1:3
“In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” NIV
“I tell you the truth” or “Verily, Verily” in the KJV is the Greek word “amen”. It is the way every witness in a Jewish trial is to start off his testimony. Here is God Himself saying – “I TELL YOU THE TRUTH” – one should probably listen to what comes next.
What is next? No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. “Again” is Greek word – “anothen” which has three meanings:
-It means again to do it a second time;
-it also means to begin radically, completely, a new beginning;
-and it also means from above, and it is used in that sense in other places in Scripture.
It signifies God must do this. The Christian understanding of this word includes all three of those meanings. It is speaking of something radical, a new beginning. It is a second birth, but it comes from above. It is God that does it, not man; and it results in a new creation, a new beginning.
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Nicodemus wants Clarification
John 1:5
“Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”
Again God is saying this is the Truth – and “born again” is equated with being born of water and the Spirit.
Many are confused – as I had been – about “born of water”. I have come to believe that being “born of water” is talking about Baptism, but not the act itself of baptism, but the attitude to which you come to baptism.
Remember John the Baptist? What was his cry to the people before they entered the Jordan. REPENT! REPENT! It does no good to go into baptismal waters without having repented. Acknowledging our sinful state, our unworthiness before God, and our inability to “fix” things with God.
You cannnot receive the Spirit without having first repented. It is having a repentant heart that is the key – not a baptism ceremony. Remember the thief on the cross – he had no baptism, yet he repented, believed, and asked to be with the Lord. That day he was with Christ in paradise.
With repentence God will make you alive in the Spirit. Your life will no longer be your own, like the wind goes as God pleases – so will you be led by God through the Spirit.
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John 3:1-21
Man with a Searching Heart (cont.)
Nicodemus does not get it – remember this is radically different than what the Pharisees have been teaching.
Jesus says – you should get it – it is in Scripture – how do you not know this concept of being born again?
Nicodemus supposedly knew Scripture. Jesus also knew that book. He knew that Isaiah had spoken about a new life from God; that Jeremiah had predicted a new creation that would be given; that Ezekiel had said that God would take out the old heart of stone and give a new heart of flesh. All through the Old Testament there are statements about a new birth, a new beginning, a new creation, a new life that would come as a gift of God to those who would humbly, without pride, receive it as something they desperately needed.
Eze 36:26 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” KJV
It is all there in the Scripture (OT) Nicodemus – you are a teacher and you do not get the connection????
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John 1:11
“I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” NIV
Again – God is saying this is the TRUTH. so who is the “we” in Jesus statement. I believe it is the Scripture referred to previously and Christ Himself. God’s Word and the Word made flesh both testifying to the Truth.
When two witnesses agree in their testimony at a Jewish trial – it is considered valid testimony. How come you people do not see that I am speaking the Truth.
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John 1:18
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” NIV
So the rubber hits the road. If you are a non-believer in Jesus Christ – you are already condemned. You are living out a time on earth – where you have the opportunity to change the sentence of rejecting God.
“If you are traveling on a wrong road and every so often you see a signpost that points the way to the right road, but you persist and go by all those signposts, refusing to take the way back to the right road, then you remain wrong. That is God’s view of life.” – Ray Stedman
Why do we stay on the wrong road?
“This is a universal human reaction. We all dislike being shown to be wrong. I feel that way myself. I do not even want to be corrected in the way I pronounce a word. If you tell me that I have mispronounced a word, and prove from a dictionary that you are right, I will challenge the dictionary! We do not like to be shown to be wrong. This verse is saying that normal human reaction is part of our fallen character. That is why life is so hard to change. Nobody wants to change. Nobody wants to admit he is wrong.” – Ray Stedman
That is why God must draw us to Him. If He did not all of us would stay on the wrong road.
So if God is drawing you to Him what will you do? Where is your heart towards God? You must repent, belive in his name, and receive Jesus into your life.
Jesus translated “Jehovah is Salvation” – it is of God (period).
John

======== Alan:

So blessed to be in America all of my life. So grateful for our God of second chances. What an awesome country we have. God had to create it. The wife and I have seen some amazing places as we travel about the country. I’ve been so blessed by the One Year Bible online these past few year. Thanks for letting me share.
Alan