TCN's Biblical Journey March 1st

Today's reading Judges 5-9

Sometimes the greatest failures come after the greatest victories. One of the saddest in the book of Judges, and there is a lot, is found in Judges chapter 8:27. Gideon had been used by God to bring deliverance from the Midianites. What made the deliverance more amazing was it was done with only 300 men. After the battle and the cleanup work, Gideon rightly turns down the position of hereditary kingship which shows great wisdom and strength, but then he takes on something he wasn’t supposed to do, took on the position of priest.

The priests were to come from the tribe of Levi. The priestly garments including the ephod were to be only worn by those of the tribe of Levi and only in the tabernacle. We are not told why but after turning down the kingship, Gideon takes up the position of priest. In fact, ephod which Gideon made become an object of worship. This priestly garment not only effected Gideon, and the children of Israel but brought evil on Gideon’s decedents.

The lesson for us here is though we may start well if we don’t finish well, we lose. Paul echoes this concern in 1 Corinthians 9:27 “No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize”(NIV) Or as the King James translation puts it, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” The message is clear how you end the race is just as important as how you start it. 

TCN's Biblical Journey Feb. 28th

Today's reading is Joshua 24 and Judges 1-4

When considering Joshua 24 most people look at verse 15 where Joshua gives the command to choose whom they will serve, or Joshua’s warning that they won’t be able to serve the Lord in verse 19, or the covenant and monument that Joshua made with the people verses 21-27, or the faithfulness of that first-generation verse 31. However, not many look at the burial of Joseph which is what I want to look at today.

Before Joseph died, he told the children of Israel that his body was not to remain in Egypt but was to be returned to the land God had promised them. Even in death, Joseph knew that Egypt though necessary for the time was not the final destination for God’s people. He wanted, even in death, to be where God’s people were. I could talk about the need for those claiming to be Christians to be where the people of God are, but I believe another lesson on Hebrews 10:25. It is good to note though.

The most fascinating thing I see is where Joseph is buried. Everything has now come full circle when you consider the history of the place. Barnes notes on the Bible explains this place like this, “Jacob consecrates his ground by the erection of an altar. He calls it the altar of the Mighty One, the God of Israel, in which he signalizes the omnipotence of him who had brought him in safety to the land of promise through many perils, the new name by which he himself had been lately designated, and the blessed communion which now existed between the Almighty and himself. This was the very spot where Abraham, about one hundred and eighty-five years ago, built the first altar he erected in the promised land Genesis 12:6-7.”[1] It is now consecrated anew to the God of promise.” Now on this place filled with history and the promise that God is the Mighty One of Israel, Joseph is laid to rest as we see the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that his dependents would inherit the land. How did they inherit the land? By the hand of God Almighty, by the hand of our God.

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[1] Barnes' Notes on the Bible. Accessed 2/26/18. http://biblehub.com/commentaries/genesis/33-20.htm

TCN's Biblical Journey Feb 27th

Today's reading is Joshua 19-23

Joshua 19:9 tells the inheritance of Judah was too much for them so part of it was given to the children of Simeon. There is no real answer given as to why Simeon wasn’t given its own portion like everyone else. There are two things we can deduce, one is it was a divine act in regards to a prophecy and the other is for an example to us.

First, in Genesis 49:5-7 Jacob remembering the history of Simeon and Levi gives this prophecy concerning their future “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence. Let my soul not enter into their council; Let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will, they lamed oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it, is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.” The Levites were dispersed in Israel because of their role as the priest but the tribe of Simeon was placed within the tribe of Judah and slowly faded away as a distinct tribe. We see here that the actions of the parents affect the children for generations, but I want to point out the difference between what happened to the children of Levi verses the children of Simeon. Both are dispersed through the tribes, but Levites gain a level of dignity and respect. What was the difference? I can only see one and that came in the name of a man called Moses.

The destiny of the Levites was dispersal, but it ended up not being division and oblivion. The actions of one man, Levi, set his family on a course which could not be changed but the actions of Moses caused the final destination to be far different then it would have been. This gives me hope that my actions (your actions) can make a difference in ways we may never expect. We might be on a course which we can not change but our lives can change what the final destination will look like.

The second thing we see is the actions of the men of Judah, which are an example for us today. Bible commentator Matthew Henry put it this way, “The men of Judah did not oppose taking away the cities within their border when convinced that they had more than was right. If a true believer has obtained an unintended and improper advantage in anything, he will give it up without murmuring. Love seeketh not her own, and doth not behave unseemly; it will induce those in whom it richly dwells, to part with their own to supply what is lacking to their brethren.”[1] All I can add is Amen.

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[1] Matthew Henry's Commentary. Accessed Feb. 25, 2018. http://biblehub.com/commentaries/joshua/19-9.htm

TCN's Biblical Journey- Feb 26 God rarely gives us slack

Today's reading is Joshua 14-18

Here in Joshua 17:14-18, the children of Joseph are complaining they don’t have enough room. However, part of their complaint is in the fact that there is a portion of the territory which they believe can’t be conquered. It is as if they are saying, this is too hard give us something else. Joshua isn’t moved and doesn’t give in to their complaints. He points out there is land for them if they cut down trees and if they actually go into battle against what is a powerful enemy.  

This applies to us because there are times when we may be tempted to go to God and say, “I want more but I want it the easy way.” Yes, God sometimes gives us easy victories but more often He tells us, “You know what you need to do, do it.” God often doesn’t cut us any slack. To say it another way, He wants us to grow up and use what strength He has given us to face the challenges before us even if they seem too much for us.

The problem with the children of Joseph here and with us many times is a lack of faith in God. If you remember God had promised the Children of Israel that he would drive out the inhabitants before them. There wasn’t an “unless they have iron chariots” clause in the promise so they didn’t have an excuse. We don’t either. The question we have to ask ourselves, “Do we really trust God or are we trying to do this ourselves?” 

TCN's Biblical Journey Feb 23

Today's readings are Joshua 10-13

Joshua chapter 10 holds a story of a miracle which has long been ridiculed by opponents of the Bible as impossible. The story goes that in the battle Joshua needed more time to complete the victory. Joshua tells the Lord to hold the moon and the sun fixed in the sky until the victory can be won. Joshua and the Israelites win the battle after a full day passed without the sun or moon moving. Scientifically speaking there are so many reasons why this is impossible. We know that for the moon and sun to stop in the sky that the earth would have to stop turning. Without the rotation of the earth gravity is no longer in effect, not to mention a whole host of other issues.

So, it must not have happened right?

It might seem that way, but could it be that more is going on than we realize. Could it have appeared the sun and moon didn’t move but the real miracle was something else? I believe the Bible, so I think a miracle took place. I believe that since God made the laws of the universe he can certainly change them if he wants to. So, what do I do about this? First, I trust the power of God. Second, I realize that what Joshua and Israel saw might have been something that appeared as if the sun and moon stopped but what really happened was something they couldn’t have explained.

I am amazed at how some can quickly say the unexplained is dismissed as something we don’t understand scientifically yet, but when Christians want to say we don’t have an explanation we are dismissed. At the end of the day, most people believe what they want to believe and dismiss anything else. I am not trying to do that. I want to admit, this seems problematic, but not impossible.  

Side note: Many believe man will someday have the technology to regrow arms and legs, control the weather, and develop Star Trek style replicators, but want to deny an all-powerful creator God could have the power to do it.

Photo by Laib Khaled on Unsplash

Tcn's Biblical Journey Feb 22

Today's readings are Joshua 5-9

Joshua chapter 7 could cause people to cry, "That's not fair!" We see Achan disobeying God by taking spoils from the battle of Jericho he wasn’t supposed to take. However, because of his actions Israel losses the next battle and once he had been discovered, him and all of his family are killed. It just doesn’t seem fair to many, especial with God making it very clear in the law that only those responsible for a crime are supposed to pay for it. So, what is the deal.

First, God knows, and we see it here, that the actions of others can cause devastating repercussions on others, especially family. Many people who are abusers were the children of abusers. The same with alcoholics and most other moral failings. The problem doesn’t end with family as the drunk driver effects those who are in no way related to them. We know the big names, Hitler, Stalin, just to name a couple, but what we don’t realize are the little names which have changed our lives forever and we will never know. We don’t know but the woman who was going to give us the cure for cancer, may have been killed because someone took a shortcut on her brake job.

Second, God’s command was for us to only hold those who have done wrong responsible, God who knows all does what is right on a greater scale than we could image. Here God gives an example to the children of Israel in a dramatic way just how powerful the actions of one person are to a nation and to a family.

We have talked about how the actions of a parent effect the rest of the family some, but you may not realize the actions of one person can change the outcome of a battle. If you like him or not Stonewall Jackson’s actions in the first major land-based confrontation of the civil war changed what could have been a quick victory for the north into a long drawn out conflict (It is possible without the drawn-out conflict the 13^th amendment may not have passed until years later). This is just one example, God though didn’t here allow Achan’s actions to continue to their logical end but allowed a defeat to teach Israel what disobedience cost. We have to trust that God knew he was doing the right thing.

We may not like God’s way here, but he knows more than we do. Some may wish that Stonewall Jackson had failed ending the civil war quickly and saving tens of thousands of lives. Personally, though that cost was great in human lives, the idea that the sin of slavery could have gone of for possibly decades longer is inconceivable.    

TCN's Biblical Journey Feb. 21

Today's reading is Deuteronomy 33-34 and Joshua 1-4

What catches my attention in chapter 2 of Joshua was the number of spies Joshua sends in. Moses sent in 12 spies one for each of the twelve tribes. Moses actions seem like a very democratic and fair way of doing things, the problem was the majority only saw the problems. Joshua, on the other hand, picks two people and sends them in. There is no committee of tribes picking their favorites, no democratically elected representatives, only Joshua saying, go look at the land.

I want to say that I appreciate democracy and what it brings but I understand that often the majority can’t see the possibilities for something better. In the real world, studies tell us it is when the innovators and early adopters reach a certain level that the majority take up the idea (want more info on this read Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell).  To say it another way, most people are followers or as God calls us sheep.

In our spiritual life, and don’t be miss it God was trying to teach Israel to live spiritually, I can’t help but think that we would do better not following the majority but the minority. A minority of one, Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean we live the Christian life on our own. The Bible teaches us that we are part of the body of Christ, the church. However, Jesus clearly teaches that the minority will choose to follow him, remember the wide and narrow gates (Matthew 7:13-14).

Joshua had seen what had happened before. This time he wasn’t choosing 12 but chose 2, the same number which brought back a good report the first time. Joshua threw out the democratic method and choose the number which was faithful before. As we see in the book of Joshua, this time the outcome was far different.

I am not saying we should ignore the majority, we should see why they are doing what they are doing. They could be right as enough people have followed the minority into something right. However, often Jesus and his true followers are in the minority.