Hosea 1-2

We are going to leave the writings of Moses and jump WAY down the road to Hosea.  The events in this book take place roughly between 800-750 B.C.  For perpective, Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible around 1400 B.C.

Hosea lives in the Northern Kingdom (Israel) during a time of peace and prosperity.  Sounds like things should be good, then, huh?

Rarely does strength, security, and prosperity lead the human heart to devotion toward God.  It usually have the opposite effect.  And that's what we'll see in Hosea.

Today you'll get the storyline right off.  Hosea marries a prostitute - a faithless woman (representing the faithless people of Yahweh). Though things are bad ... the promises of hope and restoration are unequaled.  

Read it here.

Numbers 34, 35, 36

Today we wrap up the book of Numbers, the fourth Book of Moses.  The borders are established for the Promised Land.  Leadership is put in place.  Levites (those entrusted with keeping the nation committed to Yahweh) are taken care of.

Interestingly, God, in a final note, takes care of those who accidentally take the life of another.  Even after all the bloodshed in this book, God is telling His people that life is sacred and must be protected.  "Bloodshed defiles the land" (35:33).  Senseless murder is not to be equated with justified killing (as in wartime).  Something to think about.

The nation is secure.  All is in place.  Will the people continue to follow Yahweh in their new land of Promise?

Read it here.

Numbers 32-33

When the Israelites were ready to go into the land, they were reminded that there were already people living there.  And those people were sold out to idolatry.  They had to be ridded from the land or they would resist the Israelites on the one hand and entice them to follow false gods on the other.

What remains in our lives that we need to get rid of so that we can be fully sold out to the Lord?

Read it here.

Numbers 31

Phinehas is the man!  And Balaam didn't live very long with all his hard-earned cash (see 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11).  People still name their kids Phinehas.  And Balaam will always be remembered as the pitiful man who got rebuked by a mule.  Love of money does that to people.

Out of gratitude the soldiers gave back to God a portion of their spoils.  Think about this: God gave them all that they held in their hands.  Not one soldier lost his life in the battle.  To say "thank you" they gave back to God a small portion of what He had first given to them.  And it pleased the Lord.

There's a principle there somewhere...

Read it here.

Numbers 28-30

Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter.  They are God-ward holidays but they also serve to unite family and friends around the common bond of being in covenant together.  The same happened in the OT with the Festivals.  Traditions were rich with symbolism and united God's people.  They also pointed them to the coming Messiah!

The sobriety of taking oaths is taught in ch. 30.

Read it here.

Numbers 26-27

There is one number in particular that you should note in the census you'll find.  It is the total number of registered soldiers - found in 26:51.  Why is that of note?  Because if you compare it with the number of soldiers God started out with in Israel (found in 1:46) you will discover that there is a difference of just 1/3 of 1%.

So what?  Well, even after all the rebellion and sin we've just read about ... even the death toll from the previous section ... God ended up with the same number of people He began with. Its just that those who forfeited their position (by disobeying God) were dropped and others were raised up in their place.

God doesn't need us.  We're not imperative to His plan.  He can raise up others if we choose to forfeit His grace.  But I want to be among those who get ushered in to the Promised Land!!!

Read it here. 

Numbers 22-25

One of my favorite passages in the whole OT!  Phinehas is the man!  The contrast between Balaam (motivated by money and power) and Phinehas (motivated by zeal for the Lord) is stunning.  You'll love this.

Read it here.

Numbers 21

Just one chapter today.  More tomorrow because I want you to read the whole account of a fantastic story.

But for today look for the big arrow pointing to Jesus in 21:4-9.  Look at John 3:14-15.

We also see it in our day...

Read it here.

Numbers 19-20

"Holy cow!"  It is a phrase I use often.  Now I know where it comes from (ch. 19).

"Why have you led us up from Egypt to bring us to this evil place?"  Wow.  Isn't it shocking how we can twist reality and re-write history when we're upset?

But then Moses sinned in response to the people's sin.  And God doesn't give him a pass.  "To whom much is given..." (Luke 12:48)

Read it here.

Numbers 17-18

There at least two purposes for God's display of miracles: One is to confirm that He alone is the one, true God of the universe.  The other ... see the people's response at the end of chapter 17.

Chapter 18 describes the unique role of the Levites.

Read it here.

Numbers 15-16

"You and the foreigner will be alike before the Lord."  With these words God intended to crush the notion that Israelites had a racial  upper hand simply based on their bloodline.  God sought those who would follow Him by faith, not by nationality.  All nations were invited and welcome!

What would be intolerable was defiance and rebellion (no matter the skin color or bloodline of "the man").  Thus the story at the end of ch.15.

Chapter 16 has a shocking display of ingratitude and rebellion.  What incites us to resist the authorities He has placed over us?  God deals decisively with it.  Where would we have been?

Read it here.

Num 12-14

Big stuff today - don't skip!  What do you think about interracial marriage?  Apparently Moses' siblings didn't take to his choice of wives and let their opinion be known.  God, in turn, let them know that He was decidedly in favor of Moses and his wife.  It is almost like God is saying to Miriam, "Oh, you think your skin is the best color? Let's see what you think when I change your skin."  Suddenly Miriam was the one shunned and cast out of society.  I'll bet she never forgot the lesson.  I know I won't.

The leader of the nation: "Moses was a very humble man, more than any man on the face of the earth" (12:3).  Wow.

Next is the awesome story of the spies ... and Joshua and Caleb.  This is a biggie.  Don't miss these chapters!

Read it here.

Numbers 10-11

Be careful what you ask for.  People complained to the Lord because they didn't like the menu He provided.  They thought they knew best.  They believed that they deserved a cuisine of their own choosing.  So God gave it to them.

Sometimes God lets us have what we ask for - just to show us that we should be quiet and trust Him and be thankful for what He gives us.

Read it here.

Numbers 7-9

The leaders of each Tribe set the pace for God''s people by bringing extravagant gifts to God.  Each gave the same amount - matching one another.

By Levitical Law, Troy and I have less than a year of service left.  WoooHooo!  (see Num 8:25).

Read Number 9:15-23 carefully.  Such a great lesson on following God!

Read it here.

Numbers 4-6

It is okay to speed-read parts of the Bible.  Not all of it will be as pertinent to you as other parts.  But keep the big picture in your mind.  Numbers has a lot of teaching about worship.  Surprised?  Worship was elaborate and epic and it took a LOT of people to pull it off.

Chapter 5 ... just read it.  Mysterious.

Chapter 6 ... the end is awesome!

Read it here.

Number 1-3

"Numbers?"  That book title sounds about as interesting as "Phone Book."  Don't be fooled.  There is a lot of sweet narrative in this book.  We'll learn a lot about our God in these pages.

I want you to skim the first three chapters.  That's right - move through it at a pretty fast clip.  But there is one number that I want you to remember.  It is found in 1:46 "All those registered numbered 603,550.  When we get to chapter 26 we will refer back to this.  It is significant.

Read it here.

Psalm 18

David first penned this song when he had experienced a miraculous deliverance from his enemies.  It becomes a fitting song to meditate on as we consider Good Friday and the deliverance from sin and death that Jesus experienced and then offers to us!

Read it with Jesus' death and resurrection on your mind here.

Psalm 16-17

Rejoice as you meditate on the lyrics of Psalm 16 and 17!

"You will not abandon me to Sheol (the grave); you will not allow Your Faithful One to see decay."

"But I will see Your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with Your presence."

This is prophetically true for Jesus and it counts for us, too, if we are in Christ!  What hope!

Read it here.

Psalm 13, 14, 15

This is holy week.  This is time to meditate on the death of Christ and prepare to celebrate His resurrection - the bedrock of our faith.

Think on this as you meditate on these psalms.  Think of Jesus rehearsing these words as He agonized through the unjust pain and suffering that He endured for us.

"Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise I will sleep in death.  My enemy will say, 'I have triumphed over him,' and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken."  (Psalm 13:3-4)

When you get to Psalm 15 thank God that, though we have not lived the righteous life He describes, we are invited to live on the Holy Mountain because of Christ!

Read it here.

Psalm 11-12

In a day when "what is worthless is exalted by the human race" (Psalm 12:8) it is encouraging to know that things will not always be this way.  "I will rise up," says the Lord.  "I will put the one who longs for it in a safe place." (Psalm 12:8).  THANK YOU, LORD!

Read it here.

Psalm 9-10

"Let the nations know that they are only men" (Psalm 9:20).  It seems that the song-writer was oppressed by godless people.  He cries out to God to be his refuge in times of trouble.  May this psalm lead you to Jesus who never abandons His people!

Psalm 10 is the lament of a song-writer who feels abandoned by God.  He can't believe how care-free the godless people are who around him.  What's with that?!?  And so he casts himself on the Lord and sings that the Lord does indeed care about him and will certainly help him.

These songs are raw in honesty and emotion and can lead us to be the same in our relationship with God. May they do that for you today!

Read it here.