The last two chapters of Mark: Horror, then God’s Divine Inspiration.

With Christ dying on the cross, the chief priests with the scribes said in mockery with one another, “He saved others, himself he cannot save!”

How often is it that we cannot save ourselves, control ourselves or do the right thing in our own best interest?

Why did God do this to Jesus, His only son?

Jesus was divine yet human and had emotions and feelings and experienced the pain and suffering while on earth the same as you or I would have.

Why didn’t He ride a big old white horse into Jerusalem a week earlier and take over the Kingdom of the World?

My thought is to teach us that we can’t continue to win, that we can’t continue to dominate, that winning isn’t everything and that we can lose our self, our heart, our soul in selfish, self-centered pursuits.

If whatever you are doing benefits another, a friend, your family or a stranger and doesn’t harm you to any long lasting great extent then it’s okay to pursue winning.

Jesus wants us to develop our hearts, our character, and our humanness.

With 7.5 billion people on Planet Home and a limited time here, to try to dominate others without fully developing yourself is an insane mission in life.

Save yourself so you can save others!

“My God. My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Jesus cried out in a loud voice, and expired.

But on entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were amazed.

“Do not be terrified. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee; there you shall see him, as he told you.”

He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

After this he was manifested in another form to two of them (disciples), as they were walking on their way into the country.

At length he appeared to the Eleven as they were at table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and hardness of heart, in that they had not believed those who had seen him after he had risen.

“Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. And these signs shall attend those who believe in my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak in new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands upon the sick and they shall get well.”

So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the preaching by the signs that followed. Amen.

He who believes and is baptized shall be saved

The horror is over, God’s Divine Inspiration is ahead!

Day 50: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Last Two Chapters of Mark: One is Horrific, the other God’s Divine Inspiration.

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Mark Chapters 15-16.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark

Saint Mark, a convert of Saint Peter, was the son of a certain Mary, whose house in Jerusalem was a gathering place for Christians.

His Gospel, based on Saint Peter’s preaching, aims to prove to the Gentiles the divinity of Christ, be recounting His numerous miracles and examples of His power over devils.

 

Matthew Chapter 15:  Jesus before Pilate; Crowd prefers Barabbas to Christ; The scourging and crowning; The way of the cross; The crucifixion; Two thieves; The death of Jesus; Effects of His death; The burial.

And they bound Jesus and led him away, and delivered him to Pilate

Art thou the king of the Jews?

“Thou sayest it”

But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate wondered.

Now there was a man called Barabbas imprisoned with some rioters, one who in the riot had committed murder.

Do you wish that I release to you the king of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy.

Crucify him!

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Barabbas; but Jesus he scourged and delivered to be crucified.

Hail King of the Jews

And they forced a certain passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country… to take up his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha, which translated, is the Place of the Skull.

Now it was the third hour and they crucified him. And the inscription bearing the charge against him was, “The King of the Jews.”

And he was reckoned among the wicked.

The chief priests with the scribes said in mockery with one another, “He saved others, himself he cannot save!”

“My God. My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Behold he is calling Elias.

Jesus cried out in a loud voice, and expired.

Truly this was the Son of God

And some women were also there, looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph, and Salome. These used to accompany him and minister to him when he was in Galilee—besides many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem.

There came Joseph of Arimathea, a councillor of high rank, who was himself looking for the kingdom of God. And he went in boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Then he rolled a stone to the entrance of the tomb. But Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph were looking on and saw where he was laid.

Matthew Chapter 16:  The women at the grave; Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene; Jesus appears to two disciples; Commission of the Apostles; The Ascension.

And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices, that they might go and anoint him.

But on entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were amazed.

“Do not be terrified. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee; there you shall see him, as he told you.”

For trembling and fear had seized them

He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

And they (the disciples), hearing that he was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe it.

After this he was manifested in another form to two of them (disciples), as they were walking on their way into the country. And they went and brought word to the rest, and even then they did not believe.

At length he appeared to the Eleven as they were at table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and hardness of heart, in that they had not believed those who had seen him after he had risen.

“Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. And these signs shall attend those who believe in my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak in new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands upon the sick and they shall get well.”

So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the preaching by the signs that followed. Amen.

‘Why did Moses lifted himself up above the children of Israel people before the Lord’ was the chant of mutiny by Core, Dathan, and Abiron who rose up against Moses, and with them two hundred and fifty others of the children of Israel.

And when they had stood up against Moses and Aaron, they said: Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them: Take every man of you your censers, thou Core, and all thy company

They challenged the priesthood too. We are just like Aaron and the priests. We should be priests too and burn incense in our censers.

Moses and Aaron prayed for the rebellions sinners: “O most mighty, the God of the spirits of all flesh, for one man’s sin shall thy wrath rage against all?”

The Three Musketeers did not realize how far their denial, justification, and rationalization had taken them from their path with the Lord.

Moses didn’t lift himself above anyone. God chose and put him in a leadership position.

Aaron didn’t self-proclaim that he and his family were to be priests and their descendants the only priests. God stipulated that and chose Aaron.

What was God’s response to Moses and Aaron?

“Separate yourself from among this congregation, that I may presently destroy them.” Let Aaron also hold his censer and let the seditionists hold theirs too.

Moses gave his opponents the challenge: “By this you shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all things that you see and that I have not forged them of my own head.” And they took it hook, line and sinker!

The earth broke asunder under their feet and, opening her mouth, devoured them with their tents and all their substance. And they went down alive into hell, the ground closing upon them, and they perished from among the people.

And a fire coming out from the Lord, destroyed the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.

That the children of Israel may see them for a sign and a memorial

That no stranger or any one that is not of the seed of Aaron should come near to offer incense to the Lord

Now some of the others chose to rise in mutiny against Moses and Aaron: “You have killed the people of the Lord.” And when there arose a sedition, and the tumult increased, Moses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of the covenant. Perhaps this was the first time in history one took refuge in a church?

God’s answer came this time before Moses and Aaron could pray for the challengers For already wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the plague rageth.

So what does Aaron do? Standing between the dead and the living, he prayed for the people, and the plague ceased. And the number of them that were slain was fourteen thousand and seven hundred men, besides them that had perished in the sedition of Core.

 

Nearly fifteen thousand men dead for not challenging Moses and Aaron but the Lord Himself.

Good to think of our own motives and those of people who oppose us. The one that is most out of denial, justification, and rationalization; the one that is clear and present and can see the truth in relationship to the Word of God will be the winner!

Those free of self, pride and silly ego are free indeed and very powerful when aligned with God’s Will and God’s Power.

God gave another sign as to who were his chosen priests.

He requested one rod with the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod from each of the twelve tribes of Israel that shall contain all their families.

Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, where with they murmur against you.

And there were twelve rods besides the rod of Aaron

And found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded; budded with almonds in fact.

So know the majority of the children of Israel in the twelve tribes were scared and they pleaded to Moses: “Behold we are consumed, we all perish. Are we all to a man to be utterly destroyed?”

Before answer those pleads God made a sweet deal for Aaron and his descendants. Basically he took care of him and insured that his descendants would be taken care of forever. The origin of nepotism? Probably not give the Pharaoh and the wealthy civilization in Egypt. Nepotism forever? Remember this is the Old Testament, the Old Covenant.

And the Lord said to Aaron: Behold I have given thee the charge of my firstfruits. All things sanctified by the children of Israel, I have delivered to thee and thy sons for the priestly office, by everlasting ordinances.

Every offering, and sacrifice, and whatsoever is rendered to me for sin and for trespass, and becometh holy of holies, shall be for thee and thy sons… by a perpetual law.

 

You shall possess nothing in their land, neither shall you have a portion among them: I am thy portion and inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.

But only the sons of Levi may serve me in the tabernacle, and bear the sins of the people. It shall be an everlasting ordinance in your generations. They shall not possess any other thing, but be content with the oblation or tithes, which I have separated for their uses and necessities.

And the children of Israel and all the multitude came into the desert of Sin

And Mary (assuming Mary the wife of Aaron) died there and was buried in the same place.

And the people wanting water, came together against Moses and Aaron, and making a sedition

Moses prayed again: “O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them thy treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied, they may cease to murmur.”

God’s response: “And speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield waters.”

Can we bring forth water out of this rock?

There came forth water in great abundance.

This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

Why didn’t God strike them down for another sedition by the children of Israel?

Why this contradiction?

Perhaps because it was a vital need; water is a basic element of life; it’s consumption is not optional for the body to survive?

Perhaps this was God’s message; his first use of water as a living entity; it in us and He in us and we in Him? In the Old Testament John the Baptist is yet to come.

Perhaps a sort of internal, digestive sort of early baptism?

Another step in purifying the Israelites and partnering with them to free them from sin through the forgiveness of God?

 

Yet another obstacle to the will of the children of Israel arose out of the desert—Edom the kingdom of the Edomites.

And he heard us, and sent an angel, who hath brought us out of Egypt. Lo, we are now in the city of Cades, which is the uttermost of thy borders, and we beseech these that we may have leave to pass through thy country.

Edom’s response: “Thou shall not pass by me: if thou dost I will come out armed against thee.”

Wherefore Israel turned another way from him (Edom).

Because he was incredulous to my words, at the waters of contradiction. Take Aaron and his son with him and not bring them up into mount Hor.

Aaron was incredulous to the words of God?

I had to reread the passage about the waters of contradiction: Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them.

I thought Aaron and Moses had prayed together and did as the Lord requested lifting up their hand, and striking the rock twice with the rod. But it seems both prayed but only Moses struck the rock with the rod? Maybe Aaron was skeptical of God’s ability to bring water out of a rock? Maybe he was old and tired and bitter about losing his wife Mary?

God is God and we are not. Better to be continuously open-minded and believing in Him and ourselves as directed and powered by Him than be a skeptic in life.

The power of thought and words manifested in our abilities.

God’s Will: Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and die there.

And all the multitude seeing that Aaron was dead, mourned for him thirty days throughout all their families.

 

Today’s Bible message to Andy: The Power of Prayer & Being Humbly Aligned with God’s Will!

Day 51: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Power of Prayer & Being Humbly Aligned with God’s Will.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Numbers Chapters 16-20

Bible Notes:

This Book is so called, because it begins with a census of the Hebrew nations.

It describes their departure from Mount Sinai, their journey to Moab, and gives various rules for distribution of the Promised Land.

Numbers Chapter 16: Rebellion of Core, Dathan, and Abiron; The Lord threatens punishment; The people forsake Core, Dathan, and Abiron; Punishment of the rebels; The rebels’ censers become a memorial; The people criticize Moses and Aaron; Aaron stays a plague.

Core… and Dathan and Abrion rose up against Moses, and with them two hundred and fifty others of the children of Israel.

And when they had stood up against Moses and Aaron, they said: Let it be enough for you, that all the multitude consisteth of holy ones, and the Lord is among them: Why life you up yourselves above the people of the Lord?

Take every man of you your censers, thou Core, and all thy company

Censers—a container, usually covered, in which incense is burned, especially during religious services; thurible.

You take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi

That you should challenge to yourselves the priesthood also?

We will not come. We will not come.

Let Aaron also hold his censer

Separate yourself from among this congregation, that I may presently destroy them.

O most mighty, the God of the spirits of all flesh, for one man’s sin shall thy wrath rage against all?

Depart from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs lest you be involved in their sins.

By this you shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all things that you see and that I have not forged them of my own head.

The earth broke asunder under their feet and, opening her mouth, devoured them with their tents and all their substance. And they went down alive into hell, the ground closing upon them, and they perished from among the people.

And a fire coming out from the Lord, destroyed the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.

That the children of Israel may see them for a sign and a memorial

That no stranger or any one that is not of the seed of Aaron should come near to offer incense to the Lord

You have killed the people of the Lord. And when there arose a sedition, and the tumult increased, Moses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of the covenant (took refuge in church).

For already wrath is gone out from the Lord, and the plague rageth

And standing between the dead and the living, he prayed for the people, and the plague ceased. And the number of them that were slain was fourteen thousand and seven hundred men, besides them that had perished in the sedition of Core

Sedition—incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government; any action, especially in speech or writing, promoting such discontent or rebellion; Archaic. rebellious disorder.

Numbers Chapter 17: Rods of the people put in the tabernacle; Aaron’s rod blooms; Aaron’s rod as a token.

And the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod shall contain all their families.

Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, where with they murmur against you.

And there were twelve rods besides the rod of Aaron

And found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded.

Almonds

And the children of Israel said to Moses: Behold we are consumed, we all perish.

Are we all to a man to be utterly destroyed?

Numbers Chapter 18: Duties of the priests and Levites; Portions for the priests; Portions for the Levites; Offerings of Levites.

And the Lord said to Aaron: Behold I have given thee the charge of my firstfruits. All things sanctified by the children of Israel, I have delivered to thee and thy sons for the priestly office, by everlasting ordinances.

Every offering, and sacrifice, and whatsoever is rendered to me for sin and for trespass, and becometh holy of holies, shall be for thee and thy sons… by a perpetual law.

A sicle hath twenty obols.

You shall possess nothing in their land, neither shall you have a portion among them: I am thy portion and inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.

But only the sons of Levi may serve me in the tabernacle, and bear the sins of the people. It shall be an everlasting ordinance in your generations. They shall not possess any other thing, but be content with the oblation or tithes, which I have separated for their uses and necessities.

The tenth part of the tenth

Because it is your reward for the ministry, wherewith you serve in the tabernacle of the testimony.

Numbers Chapter 19: Water of expiation; Use of water of expiation.

This is the observance of the victim, which the Lord hath ordained.

And which hath not carried the yoke

And for a water of aspersion

Aspersion—the act of sprinkling, as in baptism; Archaic. a shower or spray.

He that toucheth the corpse of a man and is therefore unclean seven days

And shall perish out of Israel

This is the law of a man that dieth in a tent: All that go into his tent and all the vessels that are there, shall be unclean seven days.

And shall pour living waters upon them into a vessel

Numbers Chapter 20: Death of Mary; The people complain for lack of water; Moses and Aaron pray for water; God gives water out of a rock; Edomites refuse passage to the Israelites; Death of Aaron.

And the children of Israel and all the multitude came into the desert of Sin

And Mary (assuming Mary the wife of Aaron) died there and was buried in the same place.

And the people wanting water, came together against Moses and Aaron, and making a sedition

O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them thy treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied, they may cease to murmur.

And speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield waters

Can we bring forth water out of this rock?

There came forth water in great abundance.

Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them.

This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

Contradiction—the act of contradicting; gainsaying or opposition; assertion of the contrary or opposite; denial; a statement or proposition that contradicts or denies another or itself and is logically incongruous; direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency; a contradictory act, fact, etc.

Strove—simple past tense of strive; to exert oneself vigorously; try hard; to contend in opposition, battle, or any conflict; compete; to struggle vigorously, as in opposition or resistance; to rival; vie.

Sanctify—to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate; to purify or free from sin; to impart religious sanction to; render legitimate or binding; to entitle to reverence or respect; to make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing.

And he heard us, and sent an angel, who hath brought us out of Egypt. Lo, we are now in the city of Cades, which is the uttermost of thy borders, and we beseech these that we may have leave to pass through thy country.

But we will go by the common highway

Thou shall not pass by me: if thou dost I will come out armed against thee.

There shall be no difficulty in the price, only let us pass speedily.

Wherefore Israel turned another way from him.

Because he was incredulous to my words, at the waters of contradiction. Take Aaron and his son with him and not bring them up into mount Hor.

Incredulous—not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical; indicating or showing unbelief.

Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and die there.

And all the multitude seeing that Aaron was dead, mourned for him thirty days throughout all their families.

Starting the third of four gospels in The Bible—The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.

Saint Luke, a pagan by birth and a physician by profession, had never seen our Lord. An early convert, he became a companion and co-worker of Saint Paul.

Paul’s doctrine that salvation is for all, not for Jesus alone, is the theme of Saint Luke’s Gospel.

Luke’s Gospel starts off with the conception of John the Baptist—to Zachary and Elizabeth—and Jesus to Mary and Joseph.

It is indeed Good News!

If I read it right, John the Baptist was only fifteen months older than Jesus. While I don’t know how long John’s ministry was it dovetailed with Jesus’ ministry of only three years.

The start of the Christmas story…

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zachary… and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

But they had no son, for Elizabeth was barren; and they were both advanced in years.

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right hand of the altar of incense and Zachary, seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

“Thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name John,” was the message from then angel Gabriel. “For he shall be great before the Lord, and shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. And he shall himself go before him in the spirit and the power of Elias, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just; to prepare for the Lord a perfect people.

Zachary said to the angel: “How shall I know this?”

“I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to thee and to bring to thee this good news. And behold, thou shalt be dumb and unable to speak until the day when these things come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

Lesson learned, better to believe in God and/or an angel’s words no matter their content.

But when he did come out from the altar he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them, but he remained dumb.

Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she secluded herself for five months, saying “Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days when he deigned to take away my reproach among men.”

Translated to mean “God was able to make me fertile!”

Meanwhile back in Galilee…

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And when the angel had come to her, he said “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among woman.” When she had heard him she was troubled at his word, and kept pondering what manner of greeting this might be.

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou has found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he shall be king over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever; and of his kingdom, there shall be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How shall this happen, since I do not know men?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth thy kinswoman also has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month; for nothing shall be impossible with God.”

But Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.”

And she entered the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth.

That the babe in her (Elizabeth) womb leapt. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a loud voice (to Mary), saying “Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!”

Mary: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: because he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid; for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; and his mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him… he has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart… He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of his mercy—even as he spoke to our fathers—to Abraham and to his posterity forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her own house.

Zachary: “John is his name.” And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosened, and he began to speak, blessing God.

And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant, as he promised through the mouth of his holy ones, the prophets from of old; salvation for their enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our forefathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant, of the oath that he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant us, that, delivered from the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without feat, in holiness and justice before him all our days.

To give to his people knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of their sins, because of the loving-kindness of our God wherewith the Orient from on high has visited us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The Good News: Salvation is for All!

Day 52: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Good News: Salvation is for All!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Luke Chapter 1.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

Saint Luke, a pagan by birth and a physician by profession, had never seen our Lord. An early convert, he became a companion and co-worker of Saint Paul.

In the first four verses of his Gospel he explains why he wrote it. Paul’s doctrine that salvation is for all, not for Jesus alone, is the theme of Saint Luke’s Gospel.

 

Luke Chapter 1:   Prologue; Zachary and Elizabeth are childless; An angel appears to Zachary; The Annunciation of the Baptist; Zachary doubts and is struck dumb; The people wait for Zachary; Elizabeth conceives; Gabriel speaks to Mary; Annunciation of the Savior; Mary’s question; the angel’s answer; Mary’s acceptance; The visitation; The Magnificat; Birth of the Baptist; Naming the child; The Benedictus.

In as much as many have undertaken to draw up a narrative concerning the things that have been fulfilled among us, even as they who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I have also determined, after following up all things carefully from the very first, to write for thee, most excellent Theophilus, an orderly account, that thou mayest understand the certainty of the words in which thou hast been instructed.

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zachary… and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

But they had no son, for Elizabeth was barren; and they were both advanced in years.

At the hour of incense

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right hand of the altar of incense/ And Zachary, seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

Thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name John.

For he shall be great before the Lord, and shall be filled with the Holy spirit even from his mother’s womb.

And he shall himself go before him in the spirit and the power of Elias, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just; to prepare for the Lord a perfect people.

Zachary said to the angel: How shall I know this?

I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to thee and to bring to thee this good news. And behold, thou shalt be dumb and unable to speak until the day when these things come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.

But when he did come out he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them, but he remained dumb.

Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she secluded herself for five months, saying “Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days when he deigned to take away my reproach among men.”

Deigned—to think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity; condescend: He would not deign to discuss the matter with us; to condescend to give or grant: He deigned no reply; Obsolete: to condescend to accept.

Reproach—to find fault with (a person, group, etc.); blame; censure; to upbraid; to be a cause of blame or discredit to.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And when the angel had come to her, he said “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among woman.” When she had heard him she was troubled at his word, and kept pondering what manner of greeting this might be.

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou has found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he shall be king over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever; and of his kingdom, there shall be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How shall this happen, since I do not know men?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth thy kinswoman also has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month; for nothing shall be impossible with God.”

But Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.”

And she entered the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth.

That the babe in her (Elizabeth) womb leapt. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a loud voice (to Mary), saying “Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!”

Mary: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: because he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid; for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; and his mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him… he has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart… He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of his mercy—even as he spoke to our fathers—to Abraham and to his posterity forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her own house.

Heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.

“Not so, but he shall be called John

“There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.”

Zachary: “John is his name.” And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosened, and he began to speak, blessing God.

The hill country of Judea.

And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant, as he promised through the mouth of his holy ones, the prophets from of old; salvation for their enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our forefathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant, of the oath that he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant us, that, delivered from the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without feat, in holiness and justice before him all our days.

To give to his people knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of their sins, because of the loving-kindness of our God wherewith the Orient from on high has visited us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

So the Book of Numbers is so called, because it begins with a census of the Hebrew nations. After that it describes their departure from Mount Sinai, their journey to Moab, and gives various rules for distribution of the Promised Land. Maybe it should have just been called Journey?

King Arad the Chanaanite… heard this, to wit, that Israel was come by the way of the spies, he fought against them, and overcoming them he carried off their spoils.

But Israel binding himself by vow to the Lord, said: If thou wilt deliver this people into my hand, I will utterly destroy their cities. And the Lord heard the prayers of Israel, and delivered up the Chanaanite… and they called the name of that place Horma

Aren’t we done, isn’t the Land of Chanaan the Promise Land?

I guess not since they marched from mount Hor, by the way that leadeth to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom. They went around Edom because he would not let them pass through his land.

Once again the Israelites question God, pay the price, and repent.

And the people began to be weary of their journey and labor, and speaking against God and Moses they said: Why didst thou bring us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor have we any waters; our soul now loatheth this very light food.

Wherefore the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, which bit them and killed many of them.

We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and thee: pray that he may take away these serpents from us.

Isn’t this the cycle of addiction?

What breaks the cycle of addiction?

Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said to Moses: Make a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign; whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live. Moses therefore made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: which when they that were bitten looked upon, they were healed.

Okay I get that prayer and a Higher Power—God—can free us from our repeated habits of behavior but what is the difference between a golden idol to worship and a brazen serpent sign to look upon and be healed?

Even though the Israelites were victorious in Chanaan they were on the move again: And departing thence they pitched their tents in Jeabarim, in the wilderness, that faceth Moab toward the east. And removing from thence, they came to the torrent Zared, which they left and encamped over against Arnon, which is in the desert and standeth out on the borders of the Amorrhites.

For Arnon is the border of Moab, dividing the Moabites and the Amorrhites. Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: As he did in the Red Sea, so will he do in the streams of Arnon.

Then Israel sung this song: Let the well spring up.

The book of wars of the Lord?

Israelites singing?

Once again the Israelites were looking for a free pass to cut through the land of Amorrhite on their way back to the Red Sea and Egypt or who knows where?

I beseech thee that I may have leave to pass through thy land… we will go the king’s highway, till we pass thy borders.

And he would not grant that Israel should pass by his borders: but rather gathering an army, went fourth to meet them in the desert… and he was slain by them with the edge of a sword, and they possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jeboc, and to the confines of the children of Ammon: for the borders of the Ammonites, were kept with a strong garrison.

Are the Amorrhites different than Ammonites?

So Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorrhite.

Victory Number Two but Challenge Number Three coming up!

Og the king of Basan came against them with all his people, to fight in Edrai.

And the Lord said to Moses: Fear him not, for I have delivered him and all his people, and his country into thy hand: and thou shalt do to him as thou did to Sehon the king of the Amorrhites, the inhabitant of Hesebon. So they slew him also with his sons, and all his people, not letting anyone escape, and they possessed his land.

So the Israelites are three-for-three in battle and possessed three lands at one time—Chanaan, Amorrhite, Basan but apparently none were the Promised Land where God was leading them.

Now the next country in the sights of the Israelites was Moab and its leader Balac was frightened: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.

He asks a soothsayer named Balaam to help him: For I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shall curse is cursed.

Balaam’s response to Balac: Tarry here this night and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me. Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people; because it is blessed.

Not what Balac wanted to hear so he pressed Balaam to curse the Israelites: Delay not to come to me, for I am ready to honor thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt; come and curse this people.

Balaam’s second response reaffirmed the first that the Israelites were blessed by God and not to be harmed: I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.

And here is where we have the talking ass. Mr. Ed’s equivalent in biblical times.

Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them and God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam.

And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?

Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill…

Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? Tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never.

Forthwith, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam…

Why beatest thou thy ass these three times?

Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.

Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

Balac and Balaam go back and forth; Balac asking soothsayer to curse Israel for him and the protection of his nation Moab but Balaas speaking with God would not go against God’s Will.

Balac: I sent thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blesses them.

Balaam: Can I speak anything else but what the Lord commandeth? There is no idol in Jacob (Israel), neither is there an image god to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the sound of the victory of the king in him.

And Balac said to Balaam: Neither curse, not bless them.

Compromise City here but then one more go around to make sure there is no Balac-Balaam deal.

Balac: I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.

Balaam: I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak…

A prophecy from God: A star shall rise out of Jacob (Israel) and a scepter shall spring up from Israel. Out of Jacob (Israel) shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city. Assur shall take thee captive.

Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Balac also returned the way that he came.

Day 53: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; A Talking Ass and Israel is Victorious Three Times in Battle.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Numbers Chapters 21-25

Bible Notes:

This Book is so called, because it begins with a census of the Hebrew nations.

It describes their departure from Mount Sinai, their journey to Moab, and gives various rules for distribution of the Promised Land.

Numbers Chapter 21: King Arad is overcome; Plague of fiery serpents; People healed by a brazen serpent; The Israelites reach the Arnon; They find a well; The Israelites defeat the Amorrhites; Israel dwells in the land of the Amorrhites; King Og is destroyed.

King Arad the Chanaanite… heard this, to wit, that Israel was come by the way of the spies, he fought against them, and overcoming them he carried off their spoils.

But Israel binding himself by vow to the Lord, said: If thou wilt deliver this people into my hand, I will utterly destroy their cities. And the Lord heard the prayers of Israel, and delivered up the Chanaanite… and they called the name of that place Horma

Land of Chanaan, the Promise Land?

And they marched from mount Hor, by the way that leadeth to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom.

And the people began to be weary of their journey and labor, and speaking against God and Moses they said: Why didst thou bring us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor have we any waters; our soul now loatheth this very light food. Wherefore the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, which bit them and killed many of them.

We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and thee: pray that he may take away these serpents from us.

And Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said to Moses: Make a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign; whoseever being struck shall look on it, shall live. Moses therefore made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: which when they that were bitten looked upon, they were healed.

Difference between an idol to worship and a brazen serpent sign to be healed?

Brazen—shameless or impudent: brazen presumption; made of brass; like brass, as in sound, color, or strength; to make brazen or bold; brazen out /through, to face boldly or shamelessly: He prefers to brazen it out rather than admit defeat.

And departing thence they pitched their tents in Jeabarim, in the wilderness, that faceth Moab toward the east. And removing from thence, they came to the torrent Zared, which they left and encamped over against Arnon, which is in the desert and standeth out on the borders of the Amorrhites.

For Arnon is the border of Moab, dividing the Moabites and the Amorrhites. Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord: As he did in the Red Sea, so will he do in the streams of Arnon.

Then Israel sung this song: Let the well spring up.

I beseech thee that I may have leave to pass through thy land… we will go the king’s highway, till we pass thy borders.

And he would not grant that Israel should pass by his borders: but rather gathering an army, went fourth to meet them in the desert… and he was slain by them with the edge of a sword, and they possessed his land from the Arnon unto the Jeboc, and to the confines of the children of Ammon: for the borders of the Ammonites, were kept with a strong garrison.

Amorrhites different than Ammonites.

So Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorrhite.

Og the king of Basan came against them with all his people, to fight in Edrai.

And the Lord said to Moses: Fear him not, for I have delivered him and all his people, and his country into thy hand: and thou shalt do to him as thou did to Sehon the king of the Amorrhites, the inhabitant of Hesebon. So they slew him also with his sons, and all his people, not letting anyone escape, and they possessed his land.

Three-for-three: Chanaan, Amorrhite, Basan

Numbers Chapter 22: Balac asks Balaam to curse the Israelites; Balaam refuses to curse the Israelites; Balac’s second message to Balaam; An angel stands in Balaam’s way; Balaam’s ass speaks; The angel rebukes Balaam; Balac shows Balaam the camp of the Israelites.

So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots.

Behold a people is come out of Egypt, that hath covered the face of the earth, sitting over against me.

For I know that he whom thou shalt bless is blessed, and he whom thou shall curse is cursed.

Tarry here this night and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me.

Thou shalt not go with them, nor shalt thou curse the people; because it is blessed.

Delay not to come to me, for I am ready to honor thee, and will give thee whatsoever thou wilt; come and curse this people.

I cannot alter the word of the Lord my God, to speak either more or less.

Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.

And God was angry. And an angel of the Lord stood in the way against Balaam.

And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time? Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill…

Am not I thy beast, on which thou hast been always accustomed to ride until this present day? Tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never.

Forthwith, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam…

Why beatest thou thy ass these three times?

Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.

Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

Numbers Chapter 23: Balac’s Sacrifice; Balaam talks with God; Balaam blesses the Israelites; Balac again asks Balaam to curse Israel; Balaam again blesses Israel; Balac asks Balaam neither to bless nor curse Israel.

And Balaam said to Balac:

Return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak

And taking up his parable

How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest hi, whom the Lord detesteth not?

This people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Balac: I sent thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blesses them.

Balaam: Can I speak anything else but what the Lord commandeth?

And when the Lord had met him, and had put the word in his mouth.

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed.

There is no idol in Jacob, neither is there an image god to be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the sound of the victory of the king in him.

And Balac said to Balaam: Neither curse, not bless them.’

Numbers Chapter 24: Balaam prophesies prosperity for Israel; Balac’s anger against Balaam; The star of Jacob (Israel); Balaam’s prophecies of doom.

He saw Israel abiding in their tents by their tribes: and the spirit of God rushing upon him, he took up his parable…

For Agag his king shall be removed, and his kingdom shall be taken away.

He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.

Accursed—under a curse; doomed; ill-fated; damnable; detestable.

I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou on the contrary hast blessed them three times.

I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to utter any thing of my own head either good or evil: but whatsoever the Lord shall say, that I will speak…

A star shall rise out of Jacob (Israel) and a scepter shall spring up from Israel

Out of Jacob (Israel) shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city

Assur shall take thee captive.

Balaam rose, and returned to his place: Blaca also returned the way that he came.

Sin erupts again in the children of Israel and this time twenty-four thousand pay the price.

And Israel at that time abode in Settin, and the people committed fornication with the daughters of Moab.

Upon which the Lord being angry.

Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the multitude, and taking a dagger, went in after the Israelite into the brothel house, and thrust both of them through together, to wit, the man (Zambri) and the woman (Cozbi) in the genital parts. And the scourge ceased from the children of Israel. And there were slain four and twenty thousand men.

Behold I give him (Phinees) the peace of my covenant, and the covenant on the priesthood for ever shall be both to him and his see, because he hath been zealous for his God, and hath made atonement for the wickedness of the children of Israel.

Let the Madianites find you their enemy, and slay you them, if because they have acted like enemies against you, and have guilefully deceived you by the idol Phogor.

 

Numbers Chapter 25: Immorality and idolatry of Israel; Twenty-four thousand die for their sins; Priesthood given to the seed of Phinees; Zambri and Cozbi; God tells Moses to slay the Madianites.

And Israel at that time abode in Settin, and the people committed fornication with the daughters of Moab.

Upon which the Lord being angry.

Phinees, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the multitude, and taking a dagger, went in after the Israelite into the brothel house, and thrust both of them through together, to wit, the man (Zambri) and the woman (Cozbi) in the genital parts. And the scourge ceased from the children of Israel. And there were slain four and twenty thousand men.

Behold I give him (Phinees) the peace of my covenant, and the covenant on the priesthood for ever shall be both to him and his see, because he hath been zealous for his God, and hath made atonement for the wickedness of the children of Israel.

Let the Madianites find you their enemy, and slay you them, if because they have acted like enemies against you, and have guilefully deceived you by the idol Phogor.

Luke’s Gospel is very familiar to me as I am now liking in the sixth decade of my life…

A decree went forth from Cesar Augustus that a census of the whole world should be taken…

And Joseph went from Galilee out of the town of Nazareth into Judea to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem…

Angel said to the shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night:  “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all the people; for today in the town of David a Savior, has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.”

The shepherds were saying to one another: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

So they went with haste, and they found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they understood what had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard marveled at the things told them by the shepherds.

His name was called Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And his father and mother were marveling at the things spoken concerning him…

And the child grew and became strong. He was full of wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

And his parents were wont to go every year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old… when they were returning, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents did not know…

And it came to pass after three days, that they had found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

“Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold, in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking thee.”

And the boy Jesus said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”

And they did not understand the word that he spoke to them.

And neither did I, as every time I read or hear the Word of God, my intellect finds a slightly different or entirely new meaning of it or application to my life—past, present or future.

Christmas songs like ‘What Child is This,’ ‘Silent Night,’ and ‘Hark the Heralded Angels Sing’ come to my mind as I sing “Glory to the Newborn King… and warmth fills my heart not as the excitement of a child waking up on Christmas morning to expectations of toys beneath the tree rather as someone a bit past the midpoint of life knowing for sure that it isn’t about chasing and acquiring anymore but simply being and loving as much as one can in this hectic world.

New passages reveal themselves to me with new meanings as they did to the man named Simeon in Jerusalem: “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord and he came by inspiration of the Spirit into the temple.”

And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he also received him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word, in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and a glory for thy people Israel.”

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Simon was he the prophet and there was also Anna, a prophetess and a widow who never left the temple, with fastings and prayers worshipping night and day. And coming up at that very hour, she began to give praise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

The wait was over for the Babe has been born and is alive today.

I am grateful to have known Christ in my lifetime, to have realized and witnessed His work in me through my parents and His work in them from visiting the home countries of our ancestors. There is a generation growth to the family in terms of spiritual, emotional, mental and physical while being manifested geographically both in the Old Country and the Newest of Countries in the world.

Intertwined in Chapter Two of Luke is Jesus’ mother Mary quietly and humbling taking in this extraordinary experience. Not only of giving birth to a child while still a virgin but to see that baby turn into a child turn into a boy turn into a man.

“But Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart…”

“And his mother kept all these things carefully in her heart.”

And Jesus advance in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.

May the love of Jesus advance in me and in you that we grow in wisdom and grace before each other and God.

Do not be afraid… He goes before us always… let’s follow Him and find eternal life.

Jesus, Christ the Lord: A Child Prodigy like None Before or Any After.

Day 54: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Jesus, Christ the Lord: A Child Prodigy like None Before or Any After.

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Luke Chapter 2.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

Saint Luke, a pagan by birth and a physician by profession, had never seen our Lord. An early convert, he became a companion and co-worker of Saint Paul.

In the first four verses of his Gospel he explains why he wrote it. Paul’s doctrine that salvation is for all, not for Jesus alone, is the theme of Saint Luke’s Gospel.

 

Luke Chapter 2:  The census decree; The birth of Jesus; An angel appears to the shepherds; The shepherds at the crib; The Circumcision; The Presentation; Simeon’s song; Simeon’s prophecy; Anna, the prophetess; The return to Nazareth; Journey to Jerusalem for the Passover; Jesus found after three days; The return to Nazareth.

A decree went forth from Cesar Augustus that a census of the whole world should be taken…

And Joseph went from Galilee out of the town of Nazareth into Judea to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem…

That the days for her to be delivered were fulfilled

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all the people; for today in the town of David a Savior, has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.”

“Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

But Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart…

His name was called Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

According to the Law of Moses

“Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”—and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord and he came by inspiration of the Spirit into the temple.

“Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word, in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and a glory for thy people Israel.”

And his father and mother were marveling at the things spoken concerning him…

“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Anna, a prophetess

And the child grew and became strong. He was full of wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

And his parents were wont to go every year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old… when they returning, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents did not know…

And it came to pass after three days, that they had found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

“Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold, in sorrow thy father and I have been seeking thee.” And he sad to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” And they did not understand the word that h spoke to them.

And his mother kept all these things carefully in her heart. And Jesus advance in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.

Numbers returns to being Numbers again as the Lord commands another census of the children of Israel and my engineering and analytical mind takes over again too!

The first census was done in the Sinai desert on the second day after leaving Egypt. This one was done in Midian in the northwest part of the Arabian Peninsula nearly 40 years later.

The census was done by tribe, the twelve tribes of Israel.

Here is my analysis—the population now totaled 601,730 people, a decline of 1,820 people of 0.3% from the 603,550 counted in the Sinai desert.

Which tribe grew and which tribe declined, you may ask?

Glad you did, because, of course I can be an analytical guy!

Manasses grew the most, by 25,500 folks from 32,200 to 57,700, a whopping positive 63.7%.

Simeon declined the most, by 37,100 folks from 59,300 to 22,200, a whopping negative 62.6%.

The other ten tribes were less dramatical, growing the most was, by 11,900 people, was Aser; declining the most was, by 8,000 people, was Nephtali. On a percentage basis it was Benjamin growing by 28.8% while Ephraim declining by 19.8%.

Want to get lost in the numbers? Let’s do! Not!

 

 

The Levites or the priest family numbered 23,000 in Median but were not counted in the Sinai. Levites who are one month old and upward were counted yet with the tribes it was 20 years and older.

Even in biblical times the data was incomplete and not always ‘apples-to-apples!’

Why the counting? To know ‘all that are able to go forth to war.’

Today there are 7.5 billion people living on the earth with 62 million being born and 26 million dying each year for a net growth of 36 million people every year.

That’s a positive growth rate of 0.5% versus in Moses’ forty years in the Exodus of a negative 0.3%.

What could have caused the difference in population growth/decline rates?

God wiping out the children of Israel when they disobeyed and sinned against Him!

Not to worry as that is the Old Testament, the Old Covenant versus today’s New Testament, New Covenant plus the presence of The Holy Spirit! Right?

I don’t know.

Getting away from the analytical to the spiritual message of Numbers…

For the second census, among them was not one of them that were numbered before by Moses and Aaron in the desert of Sinai. For the Lord had foretold that they should die in the wilderness. And none remained of them, but Caleb, the son of Jephone, and Josue the son of Nun.

And Moses too, at least for a short while longer.

Maybe my father had it right, after his spiritual conversion to Christ, he would say “everything is temporary.” And indeed our time upon the earth certainly is temporary, as temporary as it was for the additional, approximately 100 billion people who have lived on this earth prior to today’s current population!

We think of gender or sexual discrimination today in terms of our experiences. God dealt with it directly way back when to some initial extent.

Our father died in the desert, and was not in the sedition, that was raised against the Lord under Core, but he died in his own sin and he had no male children. Why is his name taken away out of his family, because he had no son? Give us a possession among the kinsmen of our father.

And Moses referred their cause to the judgment of the Lord. Smart man!

And the Lord said to him: The daughters of Salphaad demand a just thing: Give them a possession among their father’s kindred, and let them succeed him in his inheritance.

When a man dieth without a son, his inheritance shall pass to his daughter, if no daughter, his brethren shall succeed him, of no brethren, go veto his father’s brethren, if no uncles by his father, the inheritance shall be given to them that are next akin. And this shall be to the children of Israel sacred by a perpetual law, as the Lord hath commanded Moses.

Of course this was only a start and we still, 20 centuries plus later have a long way to go.

But it was the end for Moses…

The Lord also said to Moses: Go up into this mountain Abarim, and view from thence the land which I will give to the children of Israel. And when thou shalt have seen it, thou also shalt go to thy people, as thy brother Aaron is gone, because you offended me in the desert of Sin in the contradiction of the multitude: neither would you sanctify me before them at the waters. These are the waters of contradiction in Cades of the desert of Sin.

I still think Aaron and Moses got a bum rap from God and were the fall guy for the children of Israel.

 

What did they do wrong? Hit the rock with the road and water came out?

Waters of contradiction? The contradiction was God’s servants did the best they humanly could and were unfairly judged and punished by God. At least that is my opinion but then again I am not God, God is God and even though I don’t understand, I follow Him, not my sinful, ego-based nature. At least when I can. I am perfect except when I am not!

Flashback to Numbers C20:10-13:

And having gathered together the multitude before the rock, he said to them: Hear ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring forth water out of this rock? And when Moses had lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and their cattle drank, and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them. This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

“Lest the people of the Lord be as sheep without a shepherd,” Moses protested of his death sentence.

But God had a succession plan.

“Take Josue, the son of Nun, a man whom is the Spirit, and put thy hand upon him. If any thing be to be done, Eleazar the priest shall consult the Lord for him,” said God to Moses.

The obedient servant Moses was obedient and of service to the Lord until the end.

And laying hands on Josue’s head, Moses repeated all things that the Lord had commanded.

Another census with consensus; Moses served the Lord to the end of his days!

Day 55: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Another Census With Consensus; Moses Served the Lord to the End of his Days!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Numbers Chapters 26-30

Bible Notes:

This Book is so called, because it begins with a census of the Hebrew nations.

It describes their departure from Mount Sinai, their journey to Moab, and gives various rules for distribution of the Promised Land.

Numbers Chapter 26: The Lord commands another census; Number of the family of Ruben, Simeon, Gad, Juda, Issacharr, Zabulon, Manasses, Ephraim, Benjamin, Dan, Aser, Nephtali; Manner of dividing the land; Number of Levites; Only Celeb and Josue remain.

After the blood of the guilty was shed, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest: Number the whole sum of the children of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their houses and kindreds, all that are able to go forth to war.

Being in the plains of Moab upon the Jordan over against Jericho

Ruben the firstborn of Israel (Jacob)

The princes of the people, that rose against Moses and Aaron in the sedition of Core, when they rebelled against the Lord… that when Core perished, his sons did not perish.

The sons of Juda, Her and Onan, who both died in the land of Chanaan.

The sons of Joseph by their kindred, Manasses and Ephraim.

These are the sons of Joseph by their families. The sons of Benjamin in their kindreds:

This is the sum of the children of Israel, that were reckoned up, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

Children of Israel     601, 730

Ruben           43,730

Simeon         22,200

Gad              40,500

Juda             76,500

Issachar        64,300

Zabulon        60,500

Manasses     52,700

Ephraim        32,500

Benjamin       45,600

Dan              64,400

Aser              53,400

Nephtali        45,400

To these shall the land be divided for their possessions according to the number of names.  To every one, as they have now been reckoned up, shall a possession be delivered.

This also is the number of the sons of Levi by their families:

Now Caath begot Amram, who had to wife Jochabed the daughter of Levi, who was born to him in Egypt. She bore to her husband Amram sons, Aaron and Moses, and Mary their sister.

Of whom Nadab and Abiu died, when they offered the strange fire before the Lord

Levites          23,000          males from one month old and upward: for they were not reckoned up among the children of Israel, neither was a possession given to them with the rest.

That were enrolled by Moses and Eleazar the priest, in the plains of Moab upon the Jordan, over against Jericho. Among them was not one of them that were numbered before by Moses and Aaron in the desert of Sinai. For the Lord had foretold that they should die in the wilderness. And none remained of them, but Caleb, the son of Jephone, and Josue the son of Nun.

And Moses!!!

Numbers Chapter 27: Daughters seek father’s inheritance; Law of inheritance; God predicts Moses’ death; Josue appointed to succeed Moses.

Our father died in the desert, and was not in the sedition, that was raised against the Lord under Core, but he died in his own sin and he had no male children. Why is his name taken away out of his family, because he had no son? Give us a possession among the kinsmen of our father.

And Moses referred their cause to the judgment of the Lord.

And the Lord said to him: The daughters of Salphaad demand a just thing: Give them a possession among their father’s kindred, and let them succeed him in his inheritance.

When a man dieth without a son, his inheritance shall pass to his daughter, if no daughter, his brethren shall succeed him, of no brethren, go veto his father’s brethren, if no uncles by his father, the inheritance shall be given to them that are next akin. And this shall be to the children of Israel sacred by a perpetual law, as the Lord hath commanded Moses.

The Lord also said to Moses: Go up into this mountain Abarim, and view from thence the land which I will give to the children of Israel. And when thou shalt have seen it, thou also shalt go to thy people, as thy brother Aaron is gone, because you offended me in the desert of Sin in the contradiction of the multitude: neither would you sanctify me before them at the waters. These are the waters of contradiction in Cades of the desert of Sin.

Flashback to Numbers C20:10-13:

And having gathered together the multitude before the rock, he said to them: Hear ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring forth water out of this rock? And when Moses had lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and their cattle drank, and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them. This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

Lest the people of the Lord be as sheep without a shepherd.

Take Josue, the son of Nun, a man whom is the Spirit, and put thy hand upon him.

If any thing be to be done, Eleazar the priest shall consult the Lord for him

Shall go out and go in at his word

And laying hands on Josue’s head, Moses repeated all things that the Lord had commanded.

Numbers Chapter 28: Offerings commanded; Daily offering; Sabbath offering; Offering of the first day of the month; The Passover; Pentecost or feast of weeks.

Offer ye my oblation and my bread, and burnt sacrifice of most sweet odor, in their due seasons.

Every day for the perpetual holocaust

One you shall offer in the morning, and the other in the evening

And for a libation you shall offer of wine

And the libations which are regularly are poured out every Sabbath for the perpetual holocaust

This shall be the holocaust for every month, as they succeed one another in the course of the year

For sin, to make atonement for you

And the first day (of The Passover) shall be venerable and holy: you shall not do any servile work therein.

The seventh day also shall be most solemn and holy unto you: you shall do no servile work therein.

Numbers Chapter 29: First day of the seventh month; Tenth day of the seventh month; First day of the feast of tabernacles; Second day of the feast of tabernacles; Third day of the feast of tabernacles; Fourth day of the feast of tabernacles; Fifth day of the feast of tabernacles; Sixth day of the feast of tabernacles; Seventh day of the feast of tabernacles; Eighth day of the feast of tabernacles.

It is a day of the sounding and of trumpets

Which is offered for the expiation of the people

Expiation—the means by which atonement or reparation is made.

And you shall afflict your souls

Afflict—to distress with mental or bodily pain; trouble greatly or grievously: to be afflicted with arthritis; Obsolete: to overthrow; defeat; to humble.

But shall celebrate a solemnity to the Lord seven days

Solemnity—the state or character of being solemn; earnestness; gravity; impressiveness: the solemnity of a state funeral; a solemn observance, ceremonial proceeding, or special formality: the solemnities of Easter; Law. a formality that renders an act or document valid.

You shall offer according to the rite

You shall celebrate in the right manner

You shall celebrate according to the rite

These things shall you offer to the Lord in your solemnities: besides your vows and voluntary oblations for holocaust, for sacrifice, for libation, and for victims of peace offerings.

Numbers Chapter 30: Vow of a man; Vow of a maid; Vow of a wife; Vows of widows and divorced women; Vow of a married woman.

And he said to the princes of the tribes of the children of Israel

If any man make a vow to the Lord, or bind himself by an oath: he shall not make his word void but shall fulfil all that he promised.

If a woman vow any thing, and bind herself by an oath, being in her father’s house, and but yet a girl in age: if her father knew the vow that she hath promised, and the oath wherewith she hath bound her soul, and held his peace, she shall be bound by the vow. Whatsoever she promised and swore, she shall fulfill in deed,].

But if her father, immediately as soon as he heard it, gain-said it, bother her vows and her oaths shall be void, neither shall she be bound to what she promised, because her father hath gain-said it.

Gain-said—gainsay—to deny, dispute, or contradict; to speak or act against; oppose.

If she have a husband, and shall vow any thing, and the word once getting out of her mouth shall bind her soul by an oath, the day her husband shall hear it, and not gainsay it, she shall be bound to the vow, and shall give whatsoever she promised. But if, as soon as he heareth, he gainsay it, and make her promises and the words wherewith she had bound her soul of no effect: the Lord forgive her.

The widow, and she that is divorced, shall fulfill whatsoever they vow.

Vow of a married woman versus vow of a wife?

And hold his peace

Because her husband gainsaid it, and the Lord will be merciful to her

If she vow and bind herself by oath, to afflict her soul by fasting, or abstinence from other things, it shall depend on the will of her husband, whether she shall do it, or not do it.

to afflict her soul by fasting, or abstinence from other things

But if he gainsay it after that he knew it, he shall hear her iniquity

These are the laws which the Lord appointed to Moses…

In the course of trying to understand the actions of others and the behavior of myself, I learned the ABC’s while working in Corporate America. Namely the ABC’s of Antecedent—Behavior—and Consequence!

John the Baptist was the antecedent to Christ for our sake.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, the word of God came to John, the son of Zachary, in the desert.

Preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaias the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the desert, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; and all mankind shall see the salvation of God’”

“Brood of vipers! Who has shown you how to flee from the wrath to come?

And do not begin to say, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. For even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, that is not bringing forth fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

I also learned in Corporate America that is best when communicating either one-on-one or to an audience when making presentations to speak in multiples of three—make three points and then tell a story to illustrate those points and the relative good fortune that they will bring if properly applied.

God does the same thing in this part of the Gospel of Luke as John’s words made people question what they were doing so they came and asked John.

Crowds: “What are we to do?”

John the Baptists: “Let him who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise.”

Publicans: “Master, what are we to do?”

John the Baptist: “Exact no more than what has been appointed you.”

Soldiers: “And we—what are we to do?

John the Baptist: “Plunder no one, accuse no one falsely, and be content with your pay.”

Soldiers, any of the rank-and-file whether management rank-and-file or not—firemen, police, first line supervisors, accountants—content with their pay?

John the Baptist foretells Jesus’ ministry that begins around when he turns thirty years old.

“I indeed baptize you with water. But one mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with The Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

So with many different exhortations he kept on preaching the gospel to the people.

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias, his brother’s wife, and concerning all the evil things that Herod had done, crowned all this by shutting John up in prison.

We all know what happens to John almost as well as what happens to Judas later on in the Gospel.

But before John the Baptist goes to prison he does what his name implies to Jesus.

Afterwards, Jesus also having been baptized and being in prayer, that heaven was opened, and The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.”

As documented in the Gospel of Luke, the genealogy of Jesus—excerpted here as, the son of Joseph, the son of Levi, the son of Joseph, the son of Jesus, the son of Judas, the son of David, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Noe, the son of Adam, who was of God—in total 75 generations from Adam in the Garden of Eden to the First Coming of Jesus, Our Savior.

Now Jesus, full of The Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit about the desert for forty days, being tempted the while by the devil.

The Devil must have learned a thing or two in the business world although he tempts Jesus with all possible types of temptations, only three are recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

Devil, first time: “If thou art the Son of God, command that this stone become a loaf of bread.”

Jesus answered him: “It is written, ‘Not by bread alone shall man live, but by every word of God.’”

Devil, second time: “Therefore if thou wilt worship before me, the whole (world) shall be thine.”

Jesus answered and said to him: “It is written, ‘The Lord thy God shalt thou worship, and him only shalt thou serve.’”

Devil, third time: “If thou art the Son of God, throw thyself down from here; for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge concerning thee, to preserve thee; and upon their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered and said to him: “It is said, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’”

And when the devil had tried every temptation, he departed from him for a while.

Counter the Devil, counter temptation in our life, whether in our thoughts to think or the words to speak with the Word of God—the Scriptures.

Easy to think, easier to say but a lot of work because in order to do so one has to know and absorb the Scriptures into one’s subconscious mind as well as conscious mind.

And the third point of this section of the Bible—following John the Baptist’s wisdom in cleansing one’s life and emerging with new behaviors and Jesus temptation killer advice—is when Jesus declares his ministry at nearly age thirty.

Three threes, a trifecta!

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and according to custom, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me; to bring good news to the poor he has sent me, to proclaim to the captives release, and sight to the blind; to set at liberty the oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of recompense.”

“Today the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

“Amen I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country.”

And all in the synagogue, as they heard these things, were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him forth out of the town.

And he went down to Capharnaum, a town in Galilee. And there he was teaching on the Sabbath. And they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.

And this was foretelling his fate when arrested by the Pharisees in the Garden of Gethsemane and processed by Pontius Pilate when it came down to the verdict of the people, human beings like me and you.

We have Antecedents in our lives and what is to be the Consequences of our Behaviors?

Is knowing the ABC’s of faith—as simple as consequences follow behavior?

Day 56: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Knowing the ABC’s of Faith—as Simple as Consequences follow Behavior?

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Luke Chapters 3-4.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

Saint Luke, a pagan by birth and a physician by profession, had never seen our Lord. An early convert, he became a companion and co-worker of Saint Paul.

In the first four verses of his Gospel he explains why he wrote it. Paul’s doctrine that salvation is for all, not for Jesus alone, is the theme of Saint Luke’s Gospel.

 

Luke Chapter 3:  John the Baptist; John denounces the Pharisees and Sadducees; John’s advice to publicans and soldiers; John proclaims the Savior’s arrival; Elrod puts John in prison; The baptism of Jesus; Genealogy on Jesus.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar

The word of God came to John, the son of Zachary, in the desert

Preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaias the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the desert, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; and all mankind shall see the salvation of God’”

“Brood of vipers! Who has shown you how to flee from the wrath to come?

And do not begin to say, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. For even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, that is not bringing forth fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Crowds: “What are we to do?”

John the Baptists: “Let him who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise.”

Publicans: “Master, what are we to do?”

John the Baptist: “Exact no more than what has been appointed you.”

Soldiers: “And we—what are we to do?

John the Baptist: “Plunder no one, accuse no one falsely, and be content with your pay.”

“I indeed baptize you with water. But one mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with The Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

So with many different exhortations he kept on preaching the gospel to the people.

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias, his brother’s wife, and concerning all the evil things that Herod had done, crowned all this by shutting John up in prison.

Jesus also having been baptized and being in prayer, that heaven was opened, and The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.”

And Jesus himself, when he began his work, was about thirty years of age…

Genealogy of Jesus—excerpted; the son of Joseph, the son of Levi, the son of Joseph, the son of Jesus, the son of Judas, the son of David, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Noe, the son of Adam, who was of God—in total 75 generations!

Luke Chapter 4:  The fast of forty days; The first temptation; The third temptation; Jesus in Galilee; Reading in the synagogue at Nazareth; The reaction of the people; Jesus speaks to the people; The people attack Jesus; He retires to Capharnaum; The cure of a demoniac; Peter’s mother-in-law; Other miracles; Jesus leaves Capharnaum.

Now Jesus, full of The Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit about the desert for forty days, being tempted the while by the devil.

Devil, first time: “If thou art the Son of God, command that this stone become a loaf of bread.”

Jesus answered him: “It is written, ‘Not by bread alone shall man live, but by every word of God.’”

Devil, second time: “Therefore if thou wilt worship before me, the whole (world) shall be thine.”

Jesus answered and said to him: “It is written, ‘The Lord thy God shalt thou worship, and him only shalt thou serve.’”

Devil, third time: “If thou art the Son of God, throw thyself down from here; for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge concerning thee, to preserve thee; and upon their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered and said to him: “It is said, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’”

And when the devil had tried every temptation, he departed from him for a while.

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and according to custom, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me; to bring good news to the poor he has sent me, to proclaim to the captives release, and sight to the blind; to set at liberty the oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of recompense.”

“Today the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

“Amen I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country.”

And all in the synagogue, as they heard these things, were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him forth out of the town.

And he went down to Capharnaum, a town in Galilee. And there he was teaching on the Sabbath. And they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.

Possessed by an unclean devil

Let us alone! What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Hast thou come to destroy us? I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God.”

“Hold the peace, and go out of him.”

“What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”

Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a great fever.

And stand over her he rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she rose at once and began to wait on them.

All who had persons sick with various diseases brought them to him. And he laid his hands upon each of them and cured them. And the devils also came forth from many, crying out and saying, “Thou art the Son of God.” And he rebuked them, and did not permit them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

Now when it was day he went out and departed into a desert place.

“To the other towns also I must proclaim the kingdom of God, for this is why I have been sent.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

 

With a subtitle of ‘Remedial Bible Studies, Refuge Cities, & the Start of Modern Civilization?

I knew that the four Gospels of the New Testament occasionally repeated stories and parables but never realized that there was repetition and stories repeated in the Old Testament.

In Chapter 33 of Luke the journeys of the Israelites are summarized in more detail than ever from when they left Ramesses in Egypt to the plains of Moab, by the Jordan, over against Jericho.

And then the conquest of The Promised Land is told in a short verse!

The Lord said to Moses: Command the children of Israel, and say to them: when you shall have passed over the Jordan, entering into the land of Chanaan, destroy all the inhabitants of that land—cleansing the land, and dwelling in it.

With a warning to kill every single person or they will, as I will, come back to haunt you.

But is you will not kill the inhabitants of the land: they that remain shall be unto you as nails in your eyes, and spears in your sides, and they shall be your adversaries in the land of your habitation. And whatsoever I had thought to do to them, I will do to you.

The brutality of the Bible in the Old Testament, the Old Covenant and that is just the point to be made whether applicable to today or not is not my judgment to make but only God’s.

God created the world and created us human beings to live in the world and enjoy life in relationship to Him, our God.

From the get-go with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden our human nature went astray. God started over with the flood and Noah, a small light of the faithful. Now His strategy is to start with one people, the Israelites, His chosen people and demonstrate the life he had intended for all before we were corrupted by sin. And to do this, the only way I guess is by brutality, by war and killing and plundering but who am I to judge the curse of the world (sin) or the course of the world to achieving God’s vision despite our sinful nature at times.

Remember this is the Old Testament and we live in the New Testament with a loving New Covenant with God. In fact, as inspired by Trinity Sunday, perhaps there is a Third Covenant based on a completely spiritual and loving relationship with God. A sort of a Splendid Spiritual Self in relationship with an accepting, loving and compassionate God. Once developed, then the rest of our lives and the transition to Heaven is of no concern as it is led and powered by God in His time and His way.

Have you ever thought about what your last sin will be?

Where is your Promised Land in this life?

Refuge cities followed God making accommodation with the children of Israel for Levite Cities as they were the priests and owned no land.

Sanctuary cities today for illegal immigrants and Refuge cities for suspected sinners back in biblical times? No judgment, no comparison but I was surprised to read about the concept in Chapter 35.

Where suspected sinners can take refuge and have a trial? Was this the start of a modern civilized society if in fact we are of modern times and civilized today?

Determine what cities shall be for the refuge of fugitives, who have shed blood against their will (the children of Israel). And when the fugitive shall be in them, the kinsman of him that is slain may not have power to kill him, until he stand before the multitude, and his cause be judged.

The murderer shall be punished by witnesses: none shall be condemned upon the evidence of one man.

But this way was still likely the exception as the ‘eye-for-an-eye and tooth-for-a-tooth was still on the books of the Law of Moses, who by the way was still alive and doing God’s work even though God predicted his death back in Chapter 27.

The kinsman of him that was slain, shall kill the murderer: as soon as he apprehendeth him, he shall kill him.

And the Book of Numbers ends with God’s Will being done and his blessing received by the children of Israel living in The Promise land: “thus shall your possession be cleansed, myself abiding with you. For I am the Lord that dwell among the children of Israel.”

The children of Israel have arrived in The Promised Land in Chanaan!

Day 57: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Children of Israel Arrive at The Promised Land in Chanaan!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Numbers Chapters 31-36

Bible Notes:

This Book is so called, because it begins with a census of the Hebrew nations.

It describes their departure from Mount Sinai, their journey to Moab, and gives various rules for distribution of the Promised Land.

Numbers Chapter 31: The Madianites destroyed; Only the virgins spared; Purification by fire and water; Division of the body; Total of the booty; Offering of boot to the Lord.

Revenge first the children of Israel on the Madianites, and so thou shalt be gathered to thy people.

Arm of you men to fight, who may take revenge of the Lord on the Madianites. Let a thousand men be chosen out of every tribe of Israel to be sent to war.

And Moses sent them with Phinees the son of Elazar the priest, and he delivered to him the holy vessels, and the trumpets to sound. And when they had fought against the Madianites and had overcome them, they slew all the men.

Balaam, the soothsayer that helped Balac also, the son of Boer, they killed with the sword.

They plundered.

Moses being angry: Why have you saved the woman? Are not these they, that deceived the children of Israel, by the counsel of Balaam, and made you transgress against the Lord by the sin of Phogor, for which also people was punished?

The women who had carnally known men.

He that hath killed a man, or touched one that is killed, shall be purified the third day and the seventh day.

Golf, and silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, and all that may pass through the fire, shall be purified by fire, but whatsoever cannot abide the fire, shall be sanctified with the water of expiation…

And thou shall divide the spoil equally, between them that fought and went out to the war, and between the rest of the multitude.

And thirty-two thousand persons of the female sex, that had not known men

We, thy servants, have reckoned up the number of the fighting men, whom we had under our hand, and not so much as one was wanting. Therefore we offer as gifts to the Lord what gold every one of us could find in the booty… that thou mayest pray to the Lord for us.

Numbers Chapter 32: Rubenites and Gadites ask for land; Moses refuses their request; Rubenites and Gadites promise help; Moses grants their request; Land given to Gad, Ruben, and Manasses; Cities of the Gadites; Cities of the Rubenites; Cities taken by the Manassites.

And their substance in beasts was infinite

When they saw the lands of Jazer and Galaad fit for feeding cattle

That thou give it to us thy servants in possession, and make us not pass over the Jordan

For if you will not follow him, he will leave the people in the wilderness, and you shall be the cause of the destruction of all.

We ourselves will go armed and ready for battle before the children of Israel, until we bring them in unto their places (the land of Chanaan).

We will not return into our houses until the children of Israel possess their inheritance.

But if you do not what you say, no man can doubt but you sin against God: and know ye, that your sin shall overtake you.

Moses therefore gave to the children of Gad and of Ruben, and to half the tribe of Manasses the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sehon king of the Amorrhites and the kingdom of Og king of Basan, and their land and the cities thereof about.

Numbers Chapter 33: Journeys of the Israelites; Journey from Ramesses to Sinai; Journey from the desert of Sinai to the desert of Cades; The death of Aaron; Journey from Mount Hor to the Jordan; Command to destroy the Chanaanities.

Retells the journeys of the Israelites

They passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness

And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord and there he died when he was a hundred and twenty-three years old.

The Lord said to Moses: Command the children of Israel, and say to them: when you shall have passed over the Jordan, entering into the land of Chanaan, destroy all the inhabitants of that land.. cleansing the land, and dwelling in it.

But is you will not kill the inhabitants of the land: they that remain shall be unto you as nails in your eyes, and spears in your sides, and they shall be your adversaries in the land of your habitation. And whatsoever I had thought to do to them, I will do to you.

Numbers Chapter 34:  Boundaries of Chanaan; Territory of Ruben, Gad, and Manasses; The men who shall divide the land.

When you are entered into the land of Chanaan, , and it shall be fallen into your possession by lot, it shall be bounded by these limits: The south side shall begin from the wilderness of Sin…and shall have the most salt sea for its furthest limits eastward… to the torrent of Egypt and shall end in the shore of the great sea… reaching the most high mountain… and shall reach as far as the Jordan, and at last shall be closed in by the most salt sea.

Ruben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasses have received their portion beyond the Jordan over against Jericho at the east side,

And the Lord said to Moses: These are the names of the men, that shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun and one prince of every tribe—Caleb of Juda, Samuel of Simeon, Elidad of Benjamin, Bocci of Dan, Hanniel of Manasses, Camuel of Ephraim, Elisaphan of Zabulon, Phaltiel of Issachar, Ahiud of Aser, and Phedael of Nephtali. These are they whom the Lord hath commanded to divide the land of Chanaan to the children of Israel.

Numbers Chapter 35:  Cities of the Levites; Cities of refuge; Unintentional killing; Punishment for murder; Safety in the city of refuge; The law of evidence of murder.

Command the children of Israel that they give to the Levites out of their possessions, cities to dwell in, and their suburbs round about.

And among the cities, which you shall give to fugitives, that he who hath shed blood may flee to them: and besides these there shall be other forty-two cities, that is, in all forty-eight with their suburbs.

And of these cities which shall be given out of their possessions of the children of Israel, from them that have more, more shall be taken: and from them that have less, fewer. Each shall give towns to the Levites according to the extent of their inheritance.

Determine what cities shall be for the refuge of fugitives, who have shed blood against their will. And when the fugitive shall be in them, the kinsman of him that is slain may not have power to kill him, until he stand before the multitude, and his cause be judged.

The kinsman of him that was slain, shall kill the murderer: as soon as he apprehendeth him, he shall kill him.

The murderer shall be punished by witnesses: none shall be condemned upon the evidence of one man.

And thus shall your possession be cleansed, myself abiding with you. For I am the Lord that dwell among the children of Israel.

Numbers Chapter 36:  A threat to the inheritance of the tribes; Intermarriage between tribes forbidden.

The Lord hath commanded that thou shouldst give to the daughters of Salphaad our brother the possession due to their father. Now if men of another tribe take them to wives, their possession will follow them, and being transferred to another tribe, will be a diminishing of our inheritance.

Let them marry to whom they will, only so that it be to men of their own tribe, lest the possession of the children of Israel be mingled from tribe to tribe.

But remain so as they were separated by the Lord. And the daughters of Salphaad did as was commanded.

These are the commandments and judgments, which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses to the children to Israel.

Why do I argue in my heart?

Jesus said to the Scribes & Pharisees: “Why are you arguing in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Thy Sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ’Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.”

Why do I argue in my heart when I know the path is clear in front of me as to which way to go in life?

Positive thinking! Are we grateful for the wonderful things in our lives?

When times were easy, we didn’t think about it because we were young and young in mind and in heart.

Why do I argue with an old heart when my spirit and mind can be renewed each day, cab be renewed each moment with Christ if need be?

Faith can be so simple and powerful.

A paralytic lowered through the tiles, with his pallet, into the midst before Jesus.

And seeing his faith, Jesus said, “Man thy sins are forgiven thee.”

And the Scribes and Pharisees questioned what Jesus said: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God only?

Jesus said to the Scribes & Pharisees: “Why are you arguing in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Thy Sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ’Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.”

Jesus to the paralytic: “I say to thee, arise, take up thy pallet and go to thy house.”

And immediately he arose before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went away to his house, glorifying God.

Has Jesus spoken to you through your heart?

And astonishment seized upon them all, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen wonderful things today.”

Yes we have if we see with our hearts.

Jesus said to Levi a publican: “Follow Me.”

The Pharisees & Scribes questioned the Disciples: “Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”

Jesus response was: “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but they who are sick. I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance.”

Ah, so you think you are the just and not in need of repentance?

How powerful is our self, our pride and our silly ego—how easy is it to deny, justify, or rationalize our sins. We like to omit our sins of omission, don’t we?

We are young in heart, aren’t we?

We are okay as we are, aren’t we?

Jesus was honest with us about how difficult it will be to breakthrough our self-imposed barriers to change, growth and His Love:  “No one puts a patch from a new garment on an old garment; else not only does he tear the new one, but the patch from the new garment does not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wine-skins’ else the new wine will burst the skins, and will be spilled itself, and the skins ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh skins, and both are saved. And no man after drinking old wine immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better!’”

The old is better, the status quo is better, I am better now because at least I know the playing field for the rest of my life. Not!

How long will we have the opportunity to pursue a new life?

Is it time to fast from our sins for a moment, a day, a week so that we can accept Jesus and through Him change our hearts and our lives?

“Can you make the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come—and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

Has the bridegroom, your youth, your sense of wonderment left your life?

The old isn’t better, it’s just familiar, and your new personal relationship with Jesus will set you free!

Day 58: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Old is Better but the New will Set You Free!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Luke Chapter 5.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

Saint Luke, a pagan by birth and a physician by profession, had never seen our Lord. An early convert, he became a companion and co-worker of Saint Paul.

In the first four verses of his Gospel he explains why he wrote it. Paul’s doctrine that salvation is for all, not for Jesus alone, is the theme of Saint Luke’s Gospel.

 

Luke Chapter 5:  Preaching from Simon’s boat; The great catch of fishes; The first disciples called; Jesus cures a leper; Pharisees hear Jesus; Jesus forgives the sins of a paralytic; He cures the paralytic; The call of Levi; The question of fasting; The Old Law and the New Testament.
“Put out into the deep, and lower your nets for a catch.”

“Master, the whole night through we have toiled and have taken nothing; but at thy word, I will lower the net.”

And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

Simon Peter: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon (Peter).

And Jesus said to Simon (Peter), “Do not be afraid; henceforth thou shalt catch men.”

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all and followed him.

A man full of leprosy: “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

Jesus: “I will, be thou made clean. Go, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift for thy purification, as Moses commanded, for a witness to them.”

But he himself was in retirement in the desert, and in prayer.

And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Paralytic lowered through the tiles, with his pallet, into the midst before Jesus.

And seeing his faith, he said, “Man thy sins are forgiven thee.”

Scribes and Pharisees: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God only?

Jesus to Scribes & Pharisees: “Why are you arguing in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Thy Sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ’Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.”

Jesus to the paralytic: “I say to thee, arise, take up thy pallet and go to thy house.”

And immediately he arose before them, took up what he had been lying on, and went away to his house, glorifying God.

And astonishment seized upon them all, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen wonderful things today.”

Jesus to Levi a publican: “Follow Me.”

Pharisees & Scribes to Disciples: “Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”

Jesus: “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but they who are sick. I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance.”

“Can you make the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come—and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

“No one puts a patch from a new garment on an old garment; else not only does he tear the new one, but the patch from the new garment does not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wine-skins’ else the new wine will burst the skins, and will be spilt (spilled?) itself, and the skins ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh skins, and both are saved. And no man after drinking old wine immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better!’”

The Book of Deuteronomy is off and running in the Old Testament. This Book is so called Deuteronomy, which means a second law, because it repeats, explains, and expands the Law given on Mount Sinai. It contains three discourses of Moses encouraging the Israelites, who will shortly enter The Promised Land, to observe the Law.

The last four chapters describe the last days and the death of Moses on Mount Nebo in the Land of Moab just before the Israelites enter The Promised Land.

Moses was a saint in the Old Testament in my opinion. A murderer of an Egyptian early on in life though converted and convicted that obedience to God was where one would find fulfillment in life.

His prayer life was exceptional. If my devotion and my prayer life was as good maybe I could have conversations with God or at least a more intimate relationship. I am perfect except when I am not and that is a good deal of the time.

Moses, it seemed to me, through his prayer life, brought the New Testament God, a.k.a. God, His Son Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit into the Old Testament.

Despite being, again, in my opinion, unfairly treated at the end by God, his prayers and God’s response brought a loving, compassionate and accepting God into The Old Testament.

And when thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, yet so, if thou seek him with all they heart, and all the affliction of thy soul. After all the things aforesaid shall find thee, in the latter time thou shalt return to the Lord thy God, and shalt hear his voice. Because the Lord thy God is a merciful God: he will not leave thee, nor altogether destroy thee, nor forget the covenant, by which he swore to thy fathers.

That thou mightiest know that the Lord he is God, and there is no other besides him.

Know therefore this day, and think in thy heart that the Lord is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath, and there is no other.

Because the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Okay, Deuteronomy is still in the Old Testament!

Moses knew he needed help organizing and sharing God’s Word and Commandments with the half-a-million-plus Israelites: I alone am not able to bear your business, and the charge of you and your differences.

So God answered his prayers: That I may appoint them your rulers. Who night teach you things,

Hear them, and judge that which is just, whether he be one of your country, or a stranger. There shall be no difference of persons, you shall hear the little as well as the great: neither shall you respect any man’s person, because it is the judgment of God. And if any thing seem hard to you, refer it to me, and I will hear it. And I commanded you all things that you were to do.

I now understand why Moses never got to The Promise Land… he was simply the leader and the followers messed up not believing and trusting fully in the Lord.

 

See the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord our God hath spoken to thy fathers: fear not, nor be any way discouraged.

The land is good which the Lord our God will give us.

The messengers have terrified our hearts, saying: The multitude is very great, and taller than we: the cities are great, and walled up to the sky, we have seen the sons of Enacims there. The Enacims were giants in their day.

Fear not, neither be ye afraid of them.  The Lord God, who is your leader, himself will fight for you, as he did in Egypt in the sight of all.

And yet for all this you did not believe the Lord your God.

And when the Lord had heard the voice of your words, he was angry and swore, and said: Not one of the men of this wicked generation shall see the good land, which I promised with an oath to your fathers, except Caleb… for he shall see it… because he hath followed the Lord.

Moses: since the Lord was angry with me also on your account, and said: Neither shalt thou go in thither. But Josue… thy minister, he shall go in for thee: exhort and encourage him, and he shall divide the land by lot to Israel.

But return you and go into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.

Go not up, and fight not, for I am not with you: lest you fall before your enemies. I spoke, and you hearkened not: but resisting the commandment of the Lord, and swelling with pride, you went up into the mountains. And the Ammorrhite… made slaughter of you.., and when you returned and wept before the Lord, he heard you not, neither would he yield to your voice. So you abode in Cadesbarne a long time.

God was with Israel in their exile, a self-inflicted exile, via pride and not trusting in the Lord.

The Lord thy God dwelling with thee, knoweth thy journey, how thou hast passed through this great wilderness, for forty years, and thou hast wanted nothing.

Tough call for Moses…

Unto the sea of the desert, which is the most salt sea

Thy eyes have seen what the Lord your God hath done to these two kings: so will he do to all the kingdoms to which thou shalt pass. Fear them not for the Lord your God will fight for you.

And the Lord was angry with me on your account and heard me not, but said to me: It is enough: speak no more to me of this matter… go up to the top of Phasga and cast they eyes… and behold it, for thou shalt not pass this Jordan (into The Promise Land).

You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command to you.

But you that adhere to the Lord your God, are all alive until this present day.

So shall you do them in the land which you shall possess, and you shall observe, and fulfill them in practice. For this is your wisdom, and understanding in the sight of nations, that hearing all these precepts, they may say” Behold a wise and understanding people, a great nation.

Keep thyself therefore and thy soul carefully. Forget not the words that thy eyes have seen, and let them not go out of thy heart all the days of thy life. Thou shalt teach them to thy sons and thy grandsons…

That they may hear my words, and may learn to fear me all the time that they live on earth, and may teach their children.

And the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire. You heard the voice of his words, but you saw not any form at all. And he showed you his covenant, which he commanded you to do, and the ten words that he wrote in two tables of stone.

Keep therefore your souls carefully.

Lest perhaps lifting up thy eyes to heaven, thou see the sun and the moon, and all the stars of heaven, and being deceived by error thou adore and serve them, which the Lord thy God created for the service of all nations, that are under heaven.

Behold I die in this land, I shall not pass over the Jordan: you shall pass, and possess the goodly land.

Despite not getting to enter The Promise Land, I am inspired by and want to be like Moses. Should be a Saint Moses. His testimony, prayerful life, and a New Testament perspective before there was a resurrection helps me pass through the darker, Old Testament trials of my life.

The New Testament perspective is found in the Old Testament, yet Moses saw but did not enter The Promise Land as far as we know. But we don’t know everything despite what we think about ourselves, others and the world.

 

Day 59: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The New in the Old, Yet Moses Sees but Does Not Enter The Promise Land.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Deuteronomy Chapters 1-4

Bible Notes:

This Book is so called Deuteronomy, which means a second law, because it repeats, explains, and expands the Law given on Mount Sinai. It contains three discourses of Moses encouraging the Israelites, who will shortly enter The Promised Land, to observe the Law.

The last four chapters describe the last days and the death of Moses on Mount Nebo in the Land of Moab.

Deuteronomy Chapter 1: Setting of Moses’ speech; Jesus ordered to leave Mount Sinai; Appointment of judges; Journey to Cadesbarne; Spies sent into Chanaan; Israelites afraid of their enemies; Moses urges then to trust God; God punishes then for their lack of faith; The Lord does not help them.

Moses spoke to the children of Israel all that the Lord had commanded him to say to them.

Behold, said he, I have delivered it to you: go in and possess it, concerning which the Lord swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he would give it to them, and to their seed after them.

Moses; I alone am not able to bear your business, and the charge of you and your differences.

That I may appoint them your rulers.

Who night teach you things,

Hear them, and judge that which is just, whether he be one of your country, or a stranger. There shall be no difference of persons, You shall hear the little as well as the great: neither shall you respect any man’s person, because it is the judgment of God. And if any thing seem hard to you, refer it to me, and I will hear it. And I commanded you all things that you were to do.

We passed through the terrible and vast wilderness.

See the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord our God hath spoken to thy fathers: fear not, nor be any way discouraged.

The land is good which the Lord our God will give us.

The messengers have terrified our hearts, saying: The multitude is very great, and taller than we: the cities are great, and walled up to the sky, we have seen the sons of Enacims there.

Fear not, neither be ye afraid of them.  The Lord God, who is your leader, himself will fight for you, as he did in Egypt in the sight of all.

And yet for all this you did not believe the Lord your God.

And when the Lord had heard the voice of your words, he was angry and swore, and said: Not one of the men of this wicked generation shall see the good land, which I promised with an oath to your fathers, except Caleb… for he shall see it… because he hath followed the Lord.

Since the Lord was angry with me also on your account, and said: Neither shalt thou go in thither. But Josue… thy minister, he shall go in for thee: exhort and encourage him, and he shall divide the land by lot to Israel.

But return you and go into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.

Go not up, and fight not, for I am not with you: lest you fall before your enemies. I spoke, and you hearkened not: but resisting the commandment of the Lord, and swelling with pride, you went up into the mountains. And the Ammorrhite… made slaughter of you.., and when you returned and wept before the Lord, he heard you not, neither would he yield to your voice. So you abode in Cadesbarne a long time.

Deuteronomy Chapter 2: Journey from Cadesbarne to Moab; Israel ordered not to fight the Moabites; The duration of the journey from Cadesbarne; Israel ordered not to fight the Ammonites; Command to cross the Arnon; Israel defeats Sehon.

And we compassed mount Seir a long time.

The Lord thy God dwelling with thee, knoweth thy journey, how thou hast passed through this great wilderness, for forty years, and thou hast wanted nothing.

Was thirty-eight years: until all the generation of the men that were fit for war was consumed out of the camp, as the Lord had sworn. For his hand was against then, that they should perish from the midst of camp.

And begin thou to possess his land and make war against him. This day will I begin to send the dread and fear of thee upon the nations that dwell under the whole heaven: that when they hear thy name they may fear and tremble, and be in pain like women in travail.

And Sehon the king of Hesebon would not let us pass: because the Lord thy God had hardened his spirit, and fixed his heart, that he might be delivered into thy hands, as now thou seest.

And the Lord our God delivered him to us: and we slew him with his sons and all his people… We left nothing of them, except the cattle… and the spoils of the cities… the Lord our God delivered all unto us.

Deuteronomy Chapter 3: Defeat of Og; Defeat of the Amorrhites; Land given to Ruben, Gad, and Manasses; Ruben, Gad, and Manasses help the others; Moses encourages Josue; Moses is not permitted to cross the Jordan.

Fear him not: because he is delivered into thy hand, with all his people and his land…

And we utterly destroyed them

And we utterly destroyed them

Destroying every city, men and women and children. But the cattle and the spoils of the cities we took for our prey.

I gave the cities thereof to Ruben and Gad… to the half tribe of Manasses.

Unto the sea of the desert, which is the most salt sea

Thy eyes have seen what the Lord your God hath done to these two kings: so will he do to all the kingdoms to which thou shalt pass. Fear them not for the Lord your God will fight for you.

And the Lord was angry with me on your account and heard me not, but said to me: It is enough: speak no more to me of this matter… go up to the top of Phasga and cast they eyes… and behold it, for thou shalt not pass this Jordan (into The Promise Land).

Deuteronomy Chapter 4: Moses urges obedience to the Law; Warning against Idolatry; Punishment for idolatry; Power of God shown to Israel; Three cities of refuge; Land east of the Jordan given to Israel.

You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command to you.

But you that adhere to the Lord your God, are all alive until this present day.

So shall you do them in the land which you shall possess, and you shall observe, and fulfill them in practice. For this is your wisdom, and understanding in the sight of nations, that hearing all these precepts, they may say” Behold a wise and understanding people, a great nation.

Keep thyself therefore and thy soul carefully. Forget not the words that thy eyes have seen, and let them not go out of thy heart all the days of thy life. Thou shalt teach them to thy sons and thy grandsons…

That they may hear my words, and may learn to fear me all the time that they live on earth, and may teach their children.

And the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire. You heard the voice of his words, but you saw not any form at all. And he showed you his covenant, which he commanded you to do, and the ten words that he wrote in two tables of stone.

Keep therefore your souls carefully.

Lest perhaps lifting up thy eyes to heaven, thou see the sun and the moon, and all the stars of heaven, and being deceived by error thou adore and serve them, which the Lord thy God created for the service of all nations, that are under heaven.

Behold I die in this land, I shall not pass over the Jordan: you shall pass, and possess the goodly land.

Because the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, a jealous God

And when thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, yet so, if thou seek him with all they heart, and all the affliction of thy soul. After all the things aforesaid shall find thee, in the latter time thou shalt return to the Lord thy God, and shalt hear his voice. Because the Lord thy God is a merciful God: he will not leave thee, nor altogether destroy thee, nor forget the covenant, by which he swore to thy fathers.

That thou mightiest know that the Lord he is God, and there is no other besides him.

Know therefore this day, and think in thy heart that the Lord is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath, and there is no other.

Who were beyond the Jordan towards the rising sun.