Chapter 9: verse 2... why? for retribution? to prove they were better? out of fear (like they wanted to be the first to strike, so they were trying to get the military advantage? verse 3-22... their tactics appear to have worked, at least in that it kept their people alive... although, I am surprised that the Isrealites had to hold up their end of the bargain, and not kill them, since the whole oath was set upon a lie. verse 4-6... quite an elaborate and well-thought out plan verse 7... the Israelites were trying to obey God... that is probably why God did not punish them, since He knew their hearts were trying to be in the right place. verse 9-11... at least partly true... maybe this is why they did not get killed, since they acknowledged the fame of God and feared Him, whereas the other peoples did not. verse 12-16... seeing is not always believing...and neither is tasing (although I think they were a little crazy to be willing to taste really moldy bread and stuff... sometimes just going to God first can save us a lot of problems... like stomachaches at the very least!)... we can take a lesson in this, that there are people out there who always want to trick us for their own benefit, but we need to rely on God to give us clarity, not our flesh.... verse 14 especially points to the main problem here... they 'did not inquire of the Lord'... this should be our first thought, not our last one, when we can't handle things ourselves... I wonder how the outcome of the story would have been different if they had inquired of God instead... I wonder if they have any headaches or reprocussions later because these people remain among them, or if it was God's will all along for these people to stay there... either way, it was a missed opportunity to grow in relationship with God and give Him ultimate glory, by not consulting Him in the matter.... also, important to note that sometimes prayerfully waiting and being patient for God clarity is a really important thing... if they'd only waited 3 days to meditate on this and then decide, they would have known the truth before they made their decision. veres 18-21... 'whole assembly grumbled against their leaders'... I guess it isn't a new thing to be unhappy with the decisions of the government, huh... interesting to think about how these leaders really did try to do the right thing, but the people grumbled anyway... makes me wonder if we are judging our leaders to hardly and maybe, although the outcome is not pleasing, maybe their hearts were really in the right place... I'm glad God knows the true heart of people (both others, as well as ours)... that is why God tells us not to judge others, since we don't know the whole story (1 Corinthians 4:4-5)... something to think about in light of our current political situations... also, makes me think about maybe some additional whys of the verse about obeying authority and stuff (Hebrews 13:17-18). verse 23... lying may seem to be the answer, but it always lead to trouble in the end. verse 24... who 'clearly told' them about Moses and all the details to wipe out the people of the land? verse 25... that is humility I think... to admit your mistake and then give yourself over to the other person completely to take whatever punishment they deem to be fair. verse 26... interesting that the credit was given to Joshua for saving them
Chapter 10: verse 4... interesting that they attack the 'result' and not the 'problem'... they attack the 'traitor' city of Gibeon, and not the actual agressor, Israel... makes me think about how often we try to patch or fix the symptoms that we see, but never really address the underlying problem... we can do that with our kids, when we just want them to be quiet, but don't try to find out why they are acting up... we can do that with our spouse by just trying to make the day go well instead of working on your whole life situations... we can do this in our own lives by taking anti-depressants instead of letting go of bitterness or instead of offering forgiveness or acceptance... we are so good at trying to smooth the surface and yet be don't seem to understand that they only way to keep the surface smooth is by removing the bubbling going on underneath... we can do this in our church, too... take a meal to someone or wish them a good day, but not ever tell them about the lasting hope in Jesus or trully care about how they really are doing... or even tell people they are not reaching out to evangelize others, but not look at what kind of training the church is providing on evangelization... the list could go on and on, as it is all encompassing in many areas of our lives... such a major concept, so far reaching, and yet so close to home... so important to look at and really search out answers for. verse 6-7... reminds me of how our past poor judgement can come back to bite us later... also, it shows how important and far reaching a promise is to be, not just when it benefits us, but a promise should be kept in all times and in all things. verse 8... God is with us in all things, if we look to Him and let Him be with us. verse 9... sometimes, when we are lead by the Spirit, we do things that others would not expect... we should not be surprised or discouraged when this happens, but just remain focused on the direction and work God has given us to do. verse 11... never think that we fight our battles ourselves... God does more than we do at anytime.
verse 12-13... I wonder what the astrological history is that confirms this, as I'm sure it must be there... also, I wonder what all the other people on Earth thought, since the movement of the Sun and Moon affects everyone... can you imagine having a full extra 24 hours? or even 12 hours? I know that we always say there are not enough hours in a day, and it would be nice to have more, but really, I think I'm thankful when it is bedtime, and I don't think I would want to have to work that many more hours in a day... but, it is awesome how God is in control of all these things... it only makes sense, though, since He made it all, it must be under His control... which in fact, we know it all is, since the parting of waters has happened twice, as did water from a rock, and in the New Testament Jesus calms the storm (Luke 8:22-25)and walks on water (Matthew 14:22-33)... if all these things obey God, then why do we act surprise that we, who are also God's creations (Ephesians 2:10), should be requested to obey God, too... and not just in actions, but in our hearts? (see Isaiah 29:13-16, Isaiah 45:9-12)... He created us for a purpose afterall (Psalm 139, specifically verse 16)... and why do we act like God can't take care of the things in our lives, like they are too hard or too big or too whatever for God? On a different line of thought, anybody know what is the Book of Jashar? verse 14... see 1 John 5:13-15... there are multiple verses in the Bible that say when we ask we will receive... however, they are contingent on the fact that we must ask according to God's will... also, these commands and grantings came after Jesus came... it is because of Jesus that we now have that direct contact to God, and also assurance of our salvation and forgiveness of sins through Him... so, when it says never again was there a day when the Lord listened to man, I think that really this is talking about the Old Testament, because in the New Testament, if it was within God's will for the day to stand still, and we asked it, it would happen... I think the same is true it this instance, here, too, though... that it was only because it was God's will that it happened... which I think can be concluded by the last part of that verse: surely the Lord was fighting for Isreal... it was God's will, so it happened.... and now, if we ask in His name, according to His will, for His glory, it will happen, too... oh, I just thought of another time in the Old Testament when God did what was asked... Gideon and the fleece in Judges 6... so, maybe this is either just a way of saying what a great miracle it was, and how awesome God is... or maybe this verse is referring to the only time the day was stopped like this... either way, God is awesome and we can take comfort in knowing God hears us and wants to answer us according to His will. verse 16... kind of wimpy, cowardly leaders verse 20... so when it says that the people were destroyed completely, does this mean that they were so defeated they could not regain a name as a people? I guess I just always thought it meant they wiped out every last person. verse 21... why didn't they finish off the rest of them? not that I want to see more bloodshed, but just curious verse 24... symbolism here? verse 25... when we finally get it, we need to pass it on to others... encourage others as we have been encouraged vers 32... so they are wiping out a city a day? veres 35... or at least if not wiping out a city a day, it is not taking them long to defeat the cities once they get to them verse 40... this sounds pretty thorough in the wiping out of the people verse 42... they only accomplished all they did because God was with them, and fought for them... it was because of God, not because of man... we would be wise to remember this in our own lives, too (in past, present, and future endeavors) sandJ
The IDEA: Romans 1:12-That we may be mutually strengthened, encouraged, and comforted by each others faith. Have you ever read the whole Bible before? We have never done it. We want to share God’s Word, but how can we if we do not know it.
The PLAN: Ecclesiastes 4:12-One person is easily overcome, but two can stand together and conquer. Three is even better, though, as a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. With each others help we can succeed-So, let us team up and read the Bible in a year.
The DATE: We will start Dec 26, 2009 - Dec 26, 2010.
The FYI: We will read 3-4 chapters each day, starting in Genesis, and post thoughts daily. If you do not have a Bible, you can access many translations at www.biblegateway.com. You can also download an audio for each chapter at: http://www.audiotreasure.com/webindex.htm
Read it... catching up on the blogging slowly but surely... will comment on these passages soon.
ReplyDeletesandJ
Chapter 9: verse 2... why? for retribution? to prove they were better? out of fear (like they wanted to be the first to strike, so they were trying to get the military advantage?
ReplyDeleteverse 3-22... their tactics appear to have worked, at least in that it kept their people alive... although, I am surprised that the Isrealites had to hold up their end of the bargain, and not kill them, since the whole oath was set upon a lie.
verse 4-6... quite an elaborate and well-thought out plan
verse 7... the Israelites were trying to obey God... that is probably why God did not punish them, since He knew their hearts were trying to be in the right place.
verse 9-11... at least partly true... maybe this is why they did not get killed, since they acknowledged the fame of God and feared Him, whereas the other peoples did not.
verse 12-16... seeing is not always believing...and neither is tasing (although I think they were a little crazy to be willing to taste really moldy bread and stuff... sometimes just going to God first can save us a lot of problems... like stomachaches at the very least!)... we can take a lesson in this, that there are people out there who always want to trick us for their own benefit, but we need to rely on God to give us clarity, not our flesh.... verse 14 especially points to the main problem here... they 'did not inquire of the Lord'... this should be our first thought, not our last one, when we can't handle things ourselves... I wonder how the outcome of the story would have been different if they had inquired of God instead... I wonder if they have any headaches or reprocussions later because these people remain among them, or if it was God's will all along for these people to stay there... either way, it was a missed opportunity to grow in relationship with God and give Him ultimate glory, by not consulting Him in the matter.... also, important to note that sometimes prayerfully waiting and being patient for God clarity is a really important thing... if they'd only waited 3 days to meditate on this and then decide, they would have known the truth before they made their decision.
veres 18-21... 'whole assembly grumbled against their leaders'... I guess it isn't a new thing to be unhappy with the decisions of the government, huh... interesting to think about how these leaders really did try to do the right thing, but the people grumbled anyway... makes me wonder if we are judging our leaders to hardly and maybe, although the outcome is not pleasing, maybe their hearts were really in the right place... I'm glad God knows the true heart of people (both others, as well as ours)... that is why God tells us not to judge others, since we don't know the whole story (1 Corinthians 4:4-5)... something to think about in light of our current political situations... also, makes me think about maybe some additional whys of the verse about obeying authority and stuff (Hebrews 13:17-18).
verse 23... lying may seem to be the answer, but it always lead to trouble in the end.
verse 24... who 'clearly told' them about Moses and all the details to wipe out the people of the land?
verse 25... that is humility I think... to admit your mistake and then give yourself over to the other person completely to take whatever punishment they deem to be fair.
verse 26... interesting that the credit was given to Joshua for saving them
Chapter 10: verse 4... interesting that they attack the 'result' and not the 'problem'... they attack the 'traitor' city of Gibeon, and not the actual agressor, Israel... makes me think about how often we try to patch or fix the symptoms that we see, but never really address the underlying problem... we can do that with our kids, when we just want them to be quiet, but don't try to find out why they are acting up... we can do that with our spouse by just trying to make the day go well instead of working on your whole life situations... we can do this in our own lives by taking anti-depressants instead of letting go of bitterness or instead of offering forgiveness or acceptance... we are so good at trying to smooth the surface and yet be don't seem to understand that they only way to keep the surface smooth is by removing the bubbling going on underneath... we can do this in our church, too... take a meal to someone or wish them a good day, but not ever tell them about the lasting hope in Jesus or trully care about how they really are doing... or even tell people they are not reaching out to evangelize others, but not look at what kind of training the church is providing on evangelization... the list could go on and on, as it is all encompassing in many areas of our lives... such a major concept, so far reaching, and yet so close to home... so important to look at and really search out answers for.
ReplyDeleteverse 6-7... reminds me of how our past poor judgement can come back to bite us later... also, it shows how important and far reaching a promise is to be, not just when it benefits us, but a promise should be kept in all times and in all things.
verse 8... God is with us in all things, if we look to Him and let Him be with us.
verse 9... sometimes, when we are lead by the Spirit, we do things that others would not expect... we should not be surprised or discouraged when this happens, but just remain focused on the direction and work God has given us to do.
verse 11... never think that we fight our battles ourselves... God does more than we do at anytime.
verse 12-13... I wonder what the astrological history is that confirms this, as I'm sure it must be there... also, I wonder what all the other people on Earth thought, since the movement of the Sun and Moon affects everyone... can you imagine having a full extra 24 hours? or even 12 hours? I know that we always say there are not enough hours in a day, and it would be nice to have more, but really, I think I'm thankful when it is bedtime, and I don't think I would want to have to work that many more hours in a day... but, it is awesome how God is in control of all these things... it only makes sense, though, since He made it all, it must be under His control... which in fact, we know it all is, since the parting of waters has happened twice, as did water from a rock, and in the New Testament Jesus calms the storm (Luke 8:22-25)and walks on water (Matthew 14:22-33)... if all these things obey God, then why do we act surprise that we, who are also God's creations (Ephesians 2:10), should be requested to obey God, too... and not just in actions, but in our hearts? (see Isaiah 29:13-16, Isaiah 45:9-12)... He created us for a purpose afterall (Psalm 139, specifically verse 16)... and why do we act like God can't take care of the things in our lives, like they are too hard or too big or too whatever for God?
ReplyDeleteOn a different line of thought, anybody know what is the Book of Jashar?
verse 14... see 1 John 5:13-15... there are multiple verses in the Bible that say when we ask we will receive... however, they are contingent on the fact that we must ask according to God's will... also, these commands and grantings came after Jesus came... it is because of Jesus that we now have that direct contact to God, and also assurance of our salvation and forgiveness of sins through Him... so, when it says never again was there a day when the Lord listened to man, I think that really this is talking about the Old Testament, because in the New Testament, if it was within God's will for the day to stand still, and we asked it, it would happen... I think the same is true it this instance, here, too, though... that it was only because it was God's will that it happened... which I think can be concluded by the last part of that verse: surely the Lord was fighting for Isreal... it was God's will, so it happened.... and now, if we ask in His name, according to His will, for His glory, it will happen, too... oh, I just thought of another time in the Old Testament when God did what was asked... Gideon and the fleece in Judges 6... so, maybe this is either just a way of saying what a great miracle it was, and how awesome God is... or maybe this verse is referring to the only time the day was stopped like this... either way, God is awesome and we can take comfort in knowing God hears us and wants to answer us according to His will.
verse 16... kind of wimpy, cowardly leaders
verse 20... so when it says that the people were destroyed completely, does this mean that they were so defeated they could not regain a name as a people? I guess I just always thought it meant they wiped out every last person.
verse 21... why didn't they finish off the rest of them? not that I want to see more bloodshed, but just curious
verse 24... symbolism here?
verse 25... when we finally get it, we need to pass it on to others... encourage others as we have been encouraged
vers 32... so they are wiping out a city a day?
veres 35... or at least if not wiping out a city a day, it is not taking them long to defeat the cities once they get to them
verse 40... this sounds pretty thorough in the wiping out of the people
verse 42... they only accomplished all they did because God was with them, and fought for them... it was because of God, not because of man... we would be wise to remember this in our own lives, too (in past, present, and future endeavors)
sandJ