Numbers 1:52-53
The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard. The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the Tabernacle of the Covenant Law, so that My wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the Tabernacle of the Covenant Law.
God protected the Levites from the lethal effects of proximity to the Mercy Seat where God appeared between the Cherubim. They were the barrier between the Ark and the Israelites. Others who got too close to it or touched it either died (see I Chronicles 13:9) or were afflicted with tumors (see I Samuel 6), or to be put to death, maybe so as to not spread its effects to the rest. Even the Kohathites who were to carry them were never to look at or touch the holy things: they were to first be covered by Aaron and his sons first, then the Kohathites could come in to carry them out (Numbers 4:20). God gave us guidelines to observe so we could be healthy and prosper, while honoring His holy Name.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
If -- Then
Proverbs 2:1-22
If ---- Then
My son, if you accept My words, ... and if you call out for insight ... and if you look for it as ... for hidden treasure, Then you will understand the fear of the Lord ... then you will understand what is just and right and fair--every good path.
Guard you, protect you, save you ... from wicked, perverse, dark ways, crooked paths; also from seductive, sexual sin.
For the upright, the blameless, will live in the land and remain in it; but the wicked, the unfaithful, will be cut off and torn from the land.
God always gives us the choice, whether we want to do right and trust that what He says really is true. It's our own decision to want what is wise or to seek out worldly things and attitudes, which is foolishness. This world is very seductive, in both its attitudes and philosophies, and also in its moral standards that ignore the harm that results from the perverseness and worldly pleasures.
It's our choice.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
If ---- Then
My son, if you accept My words, ... and if you call out for insight ... and if you look for it as ... for hidden treasure, Then you will understand the fear of the Lord ... then you will understand what is just and right and fair--every good path.
Guard you, protect you, save you ... from wicked, perverse, dark ways, crooked paths; also from seductive, sexual sin.
For the upright, the blameless, will live in the land and remain in it; but the wicked, the unfaithful, will be cut off and torn from the land.
God always gives us the choice, whether we want to do right and trust that what He says really is true. It's our own decision to want what is wise or to seek out worldly things and attitudes, which is foolishness. This world is very seductive, in both its attitudes and philosophies, and also in its moral standards that ignore the harm that results from the perverseness and worldly pleasures.
It's our choice.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Easter - Resurrection To Ascension
Jesus rises very early sometime after midnight on the first day of the week.
There is an earthquake when an Angel rolls the stone away from the entrance to the tomb and sat on it, scaring the soldiers half to death (Matt. 28:2-4).
While still dark, Mary Magdalene leads the women to the tomb, and they see that the stone is already rolled away (Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1).
The Angels remind the women what Jesus had said about His suffering and rising from the dead on the third day; then tells them to tell His disciples and Peter to meet with Him in Galilee. Then the women leave (Luke 24:6-8, Mark 15:5-6, Matt. 28:5-7).
Mary runs to Peter and John, saying, "They've taken His body!" (John 20:2).
Peter and John run to the tomb, followed by Mary (Luke 24:12).
Peter doubts, John believes, and they go home (John 20:2-10).
Mary stays, crying. Jesus appears to her first, saying, "Mary!" She believes. Jesus then tells her to tell His brothers to come to the meeting with Him in Galilee (John 20:11-17).
Jesus then appears to the women who are on their way and tells them to tell His brothers to come to the meeting in Galilee. (Matt. 28:8-10).
Mary joins the women and they tell the disciples about Jesus' Resurrection, but they don't believe it (Matt. 28:8, Luke 24:9-11, John 20:18).
That same day, two disciples are travelling "in the country" to Emmaus, and Jesus walks with them. They only recognize Him later as He breaks bread, and then He disappears (Luke 24:13-35).
The two disciples rush back to the other disciples (Luke 24:33).
That evening, Jesus appears to the disciples, but Thomas is not with them (Mark 16:14, Luke 24:16-49, John 20:19-23).
A week later Jesus appears to the disciples again, this time Thomas is with them (John 20:24-29).
Jesus keeps His appointment to meet with the disciples and His brothers in Galilee, and stays on Earth for 40 days, eating, walking and teaching (Matt 28:16-20 Acts 1:3).
Sometime during this 40 days, Jesus fixes breakfast on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius (John 21:1-23).
Also during this 40 days, Jesus meets with over 500 people at one time (I Cor. 15:6).
Back in Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus ascends into Heaven (Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50, Acts 1:2, 9-11)
This is as accurate as I have been able to put together all these events in order. If anyone else, by their own Bible study and the leading of the Holy Spirit, can improve on this timeline, I would appreciate your input. Thank you.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
There is an earthquake when an Angel rolls the stone away from the entrance to the tomb and sat on it, scaring the soldiers half to death (Matt. 28:2-4).
While still dark, Mary Magdalene leads the women to the tomb, and they see that the stone is already rolled away (Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1).
The Angels remind the women what Jesus had said about His suffering and rising from the dead on the third day; then tells them to tell His disciples and Peter to meet with Him in Galilee. Then the women leave (Luke 24:6-8, Mark 15:5-6, Matt. 28:5-7).
Mary runs to Peter and John, saying, "They've taken His body!" (John 20:2).
Peter and John run to the tomb, followed by Mary (Luke 24:12).
Peter doubts, John believes, and they go home (John 20:2-10).
Mary stays, crying. Jesus appears to her first, saying, "Mary!" She believes. Jesus then tells her to tell His brothers to come to the meeting with Him in Galilee (John 20:11-17).
Jesus then appears to the women who are on their way and tells them to tell His brothers to come to the meeting in Galilee. (Matt. 28:8-10).
Mary joins the women and they tell the disciples about Jesus' Resurrection, but they don't believe it (Matt. 28:8, Luke 24:9-11, John 20:18).
That same day, two disciples are travelling "in the country" to Emmaus, and Jesus walks with them. They only recognize Him later as He breaks bread, and then He disappears (Luke 24:13-35).
The two disciples rush back to the other disciples (Luke 24:33).
That evening, Jesus appears to the disciples, but Thomas is not with them (Mark 16:14, Luke 24:16-49, John 20:19-23).
A week later Jesus appears to the disciples again, this time Thomas is with them (John 20:24-29).
Jesus keeps His appointment to meet with the disciples and His brothers in Galilee, and stays on Earth for 40 days, eating, walking and teaching (Matt 28:16-20 Acts 1:3).
Sometime during this 40 days, Jesus fixes breakfast on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius (John 21:1-23).
Also during this 40 days, Jesus meets with over 500 people at one time (I Cor. 15:6).
Back in Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus ascends into Heaven (Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50, Acts 1:2, 9-11)
This is as accurate as I have been able to put together all these events in order. If anyone else, by their own Bible study and the leading of the Holy Spirit, can improve on this timeline, I would appreciate your input. Thank you.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Mourning Turned To Joy
Luke 23:55-56, 24:1-10
And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. --
Mary Magdalene was a very close friend of Jesus, and was there witnessing His horrific death, and how His body was taken from the Cross and laid hurriedly in the tomb. She must have been deeply grieving for the shameful way her Beloved was treated, and His death.
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; --
There was still one more thing Mary could do for this gentle Man she loved so much: make sure His burial would not be deficient in any of the customs afforded a loved one in burial, so she prepared many pounds of spices and ointments commonly used in formal funereal burials to show respect for the deceased.
and rested the Sabbath Day according to the commandment. --
That day of the death and burial was the day of preparation for the Sabbath the next day, when the Law commanded rest from common work, so Mary and her lady friends used that day to put together the preparations to be applied after the Sabbath.
Now upon the first day of the week, --
The day after the seventh, the Sabbath; the first day of the week, Sunday.
very early in the morning, --
Mary was eager to perform this last courtesy to her dear Lord; it was before sunrise.
they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, --
I'm sure Mary and the other women with her may have been tearful, in mourning and expecting to perform this very distasteful task lying before them.
and certain others with them. --
The women are named later, in Verse 10.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. --
The stone was rolled away after Jesus rose and exited the tomb, Matthew tells us (Matt. 28:2) that the Angel of the Lord came with a great earthquake to roll back the stone from the door of the tomb and sat on it, which scared the soldiers half to death.
And they entered in and found not the body of Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, --
First they wondered why the stone was already rolled away, then they did not even find Jesus' body there where they saw it laid two days ago, so they were very confused.
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: --
Whenever Angels appeared to people in the Old Testament, they looked like young men. This remains true to the stories previously given in Scripture.
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, --
Every time Angels or the Angel of the Lord appeared, they inspired fear in the recipients, and almost always said first, "Fear not!"
they said unto them, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but risen: --
They needed to be told, as this kind of event had never before happened in the history of the Earth, that One would rise, alive, from being dead.
remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." --
Angels aren't given the privilege of presenting the Gospel, that Jesus died fulfilling the Scriptures, and rose from the dead fulfilling the Scriptures, this has been gifted to us; but he could remind these women of the words Jesus spoke to them before.
And they remembered His words. --
They didn't remember before because they didn't understand them before, the concept was too unreal to make sense of. But now that it has happened, it made perfect sense.
And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. --
They obeyed what the Angel told them to do, to go tell the others.
It was Mary Magdalene, and Johanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. --
So Mary Magdalene's sorrow and grief turned into joy and celebration. As did that of the other women with her, who had been with Jesus as He taught and traveled, and they even helped to support Him in His ministry (Mark 15:41, Luke 8:2-3).
So, Ladies, we can also serve, minister to and help support with our own means, the ministries of our Lord. Jesus elevated women's place in society to have equal value with men, so Christianity is the only religion in the world that does not subjugate women's value to be less than a man's.
We are all to be subject to one another in our daily interactions with others (Ephesians 5:21), and God's order of authority mandates that someone must be in charge to avoid confusion, so the wife is to be subject to her own husband (Eph. 5:22-23ff), but this does not diminish her value in relation to his any more than Jesus' value is diminished in relation to His Father by obeying Him.
And the first person Jesus chose to show Himself to as Resurrected was this same Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-17). She was apparently as dear to Him as He was to her.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, March 24, 2016
The Persistent Widow
Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. . . . (He then told them about the Persistent Widow.) And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the Earth?
We are to continue to pray and ask God for what it is that we need. If the unjust judge would help the widow because of her persistence, how much more does God care for His children and want to give us every good thing we need? And if He has not answered yet, we can know that the answer is on its way and is already ours.
O my Father, Help us to continue to ask You for what You want to give us. Keep us persistent, strengthen our faith to make us unwavering, and preserve our lives to the end, the Parousia.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. . . . (He then told them about the Persistent Widow.) And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the Earth?
We are to continue to pray and ask God for what it is that we need. If the unjust judge would help the widow because of her persistence, how much more does God care for His children and want to give us every good thing we need? And if He has not answered yet, we can know that the answer is on its way and is already ours.
O my Father, Help us to continue to ask You for what You want to give us. Keep us persistent, strengthen our faith to make us unwavering, and preserve our lives to the end, the Parousia.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Going Home
Leviticus 25:23
The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is Mine and you reside in My land as foreigners and strangers.
God is giving His people the rules for living, and has told them that whenever they sell or buy land from one another, it's actually the number of crops they are selling until the next Year of Jubilee (v. 16), every fifty years. The concept is that we don't own our property, God owns it, and He allows us to live here under His terms as our landlord. And He shows us that He is just and compassionate to have the land revert back to the original clan and family, so the people can always go home.
Every fifty years the economy would re-set; debts would be forgiven, slaves set free, and everyone would be able to go home with a fresh start.
And Jesus is preparing a place for me! (John 14:2-3).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is Mine and you reside in My land as foreigners and strangers.
God is giving His people the rules for living, and has told them that whenever they sell or buy land from one another, it's actually the number of crops they are selling until the next Year of Jubilee (v. 16), every fifty years. The concept is that we don't own our property, God owns it, and He allows us to live here under His terms as our landlord. And He shows us that He is just and compassionate to have the land revert back to the original clan and family, so the people can always go home.
Every fifty years the economy would re-set; debts would be forgiven, slaves set free, and everyone would be able to go home with a fresh start.
And Jesus is preparing a place for me! (John 14:2-3).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
He Has Overcome The World
John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
O my Father, I thank you for the peace of mind and heart You have given me through Your Son Jesus, my Lord. Thank you for Your great power and goodness, for Your love and compassion for me and mine, and all You have made. Thank you that Jesus has overcome the world, this world system, that is fighting so vigorously against Your ways. Thank you that you will continue to be with us, and will never leave us, nor forsake us to our poor, foolish choices. Teach us Your ways, Father; bring Your righteousness back into American national life, that we can again be that city on the hill, shining Your light unto the nations.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
O my Father, I thank you for the peace of mind and heart You have given me through Your Son Jesus, my Lord. Thank you for Your great power and goodness, for Your love and compassion for me and mine, and all You have made. Thank you that Jesus has overcome the world, this world system, that is fighting so vigorously against Your ways. Thank you that you will continue to be with us, and will never leave us, nor forsake us to our poor, foolish choices. Teach us Your ways, Father; bring Your righteousness back into American national life, that we can again be that city on the hill, shining Your light unto the nations.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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