One Year Bible Readings and Commentary for Thursday, March 10th
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The People Rebel
The negativity and drama of the Israelites reached a fevered pitch, as they wailed and groaned all night claiming they would have been better off in Egypt. They had quite a short memory. We see how little trust they had in God when they reasoned that God was bringing them into the Promised Land to kill them and their families.
But the two leaders Joshua and Caleb, who believed in God's ability to deliver them, came back to rebuke the people. They emphasized that if God was with them, they had nothing to be afraid of. Instead of focusing on the giants in the land, they focused on the giant God they served. The people quickly grew jealous of these men, and started plotting to get rid of them. As the Lord viewed all of this, He appeared to the Moses and shared His disgust with the people's lack of trust in Him. He saw no reason to not destroy them with a plague and start over again.
Moses Intercedes for the People
We see the special relationship Moses had with God, as he begins to reason with God why he shouldn't destroy these people. He makes the case that if God destroys the people, it will make him look bad to the Egyptians, and their enemies in the Promised Land. Moses reminds the Lord of his never changing qualities of being slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord concedes to Moses' request but with a caveat. None of these people would see the Promised Land. On the contrary Caleb would see the Promised Land because he trusted in the Lord. He knew if God was with them, it didn't matter the size of the inhabitants of the land.
The Lord Punishes the Israelites
While the Lord didn't immediately strike down the Israelites, all of those 20 years and older, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, would die in the wilderness. The younger generation would make it to the Promised Land but certainly not due to the faith of their fathers, but only by God's mercy. In response the Israelites didn't listen to God but decided to go into the hill country to face the Canaanites and Amalekites, In addition, they didn't bring the Ark of the Covenant with them which doomed their fate. Sure enough the two groups came down from the hills and attacked the Israelites and chased them away.
Laws concerning Offerings
The Lord told Moses to tell the Israelites about all of the offerings they would offer the Lord when they inhabited the Promised Land. They were the same offerings God had instructed Moses to give to the people in the wilderness, but now he needed to teach this to the new generation. If foreigners had joined them, they would also give the same offerings. as God saw them as no different than the Israelites. When people gave these gifts in obedience to the Lord it was a pleasing aroma to him.
It is amazing how many Israelites failed to trust God after all he had done for them. And yet, God still had Joshua, Caleb and Moses to lead the new generation of people in the land He had promised. The majority of the Israelites abandoned the Lord, and He abandoned them.
Do you ever complain to the Lord about your circumstances? Do you take time to remember all of the times God has delivered you? If he has been so faithful, he will do it again, if you continue to trust in him.
Jesus before the Council
Jesus came before the Jewish Council, the Sanhedrin, made up of 70 Jewish leaders. They didn't have any substantial charges they could make against Jesus, so they had people make up things about Jesus. They tried to say that Jesus said he was going to literally destroy the temple, but many times they contradicted themselves. Finally, the high priest took a simpler route. He merely asked Jesus if he was the Messiah.
Jesus said, "I AM", and you will see me sitting at the right hand of God and coming back in great and promised glory. This was enough for the chief priests to declare blasphemy against Jesus. Finally, they had something substantive and the abuse started, as they blindfolded him, hit him in the face, and spat on him. Meanwhile Peter was standing in the courtyard below.
One of the servant girls realized that he had been with Jesus. When she accused him of being one of Jesus's followers, Peter denied it. Then she told others, and Peter again denied it. Finally, the bystanders accused Peter of being with him because he was a Galilean. His accent gave him away. Peter denied it a third time. Then, the rooster crowed a second time.
Peter then remembered Jesus' words, "Before the rooster crows twice you will deny me three times." He broke down and wept.
Though it is easy to single out Peter, where were the other disciples? Mark's gospel is said to be based on Peter's source material. If so, Peter doesn't put himself in a very good light. But we also see the sorrow in Peter. We know that later Jesus will forgive Peter, and he will become one of the leaders in the early church.
I am sure every one of us can remember a time when we denied Jesus. But fortunately Jesus forgives us too, and still uses us to share the gospel with those who will listen.
When people say negative things about Jesus, or make fun of him, do you stand up for Jesus, or do you deny even knowing him?
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