Week 11: Numbers 32-36, Deuteronomy 1-11, Luke 22-24

Monday: Numbers 32—Choosing the 2nd Best 

The people of Israel had been in the wilderness for 42 years. They were making final preparations to enter the promised land. Exciting times! This “good land” was described as a land “flowing with milk and honey,” a land of “fountains and springs, wheat and barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, olive trees,” a land “in which you will lack nothing.” The tribes of Reuben and Gad, however, had found some good grazing land on the west side of the Jordan for their cattle. This was good enough for them. They asked Moses if they could just settle where they were and let the other tribes have their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses was reluctant but eventually agreed. What these tribes settled for was far less than what God prepared for them. It was good, but it was not the best. In like manner, God prepares a path for us, gives us strength and grace for the journey, encourages us with divine promises, and walks with us every step of the way. But, God will never push us or make decisions for us. The path we take and the decisions we make are entirely up to us. If we choose God’s best for us, we will enjoy the best. If we choose the second best, we will live the second-best life we can live. Choosing the third best will lead to a third-best life and so on. God has called us to live a life on earth above and beyond anything we can ask or dream of, but He will only lead us to the extent that we choose. What kind of life do you want to attain?

Tuesday: Luke 24—The Road to Emmaus 

The story of the 2 men walking to Emmaus in Luke 24 leads us into a new recipe of the experience of the resurrected Jesus. First, the Bible was opened. Clear teaching from the Scriptures was laid before the men. Second, as they listened to God’s word, “their hearts burned within” them. Third, as a blessing, a prayer—was uttered and—“their eyes were opened.” They realized that Jesus was with them. This was profoundly different than the experience they had of Jesus. Just a few days prior to this walk, Jesus was just an extraordinary prophet with profound teaching. After His resurrection, His teaching was accompanied by a burning sensation within the heart. A new experience had dawned upon the world: Scriptural teaching that brings with it a burning sensation within and prayer that opens eyes. Now, Scripture is accompanied with a warm heart. A true believer knows that the Bible is not merely for knowledge, but it’s a book that kindles a fire within us. Cold wind and dark clouds may discourage us, but when we open God’s word, our hearts are heated up and a smile is brought to our faces. The Word is living and operative within our hearts. Mix this with a little prayer and sight comes. We gain inspiring insights and revelations of God’s word that take us into new experiences of the resurrected Jesus and lead us to new heights. This never gets old. Bible—warm heart—prayer—revelation. Jesus is resurrected. Hallelujah!

Wednesday: Numbers 35—Cities of Refuge 

Malice murder (that is murder with the specific intent to kill) was punished by death in the Mosaic law. The nearest relative to the deceased was given permission to avenge for the death by carrying out the sentence themselves. However, the murderer had the right to a fair trial. Such trials took place in a “city of refuge.” So, the murderer had to quickly flee to a city of refuge before the avenger found him/her. The cities were strategically chosen so that a murderer could reach one of the cities within a day’s journey. Once in the city, the avenger had to wait for the trial. If the high priest ruled that the murder was committed with malice, the murderer would be turned over to the avenger. If the murder was accidental, the avenger could not harm the murderer, as long as the murderer remained in the city (until the death of the high priest). Hebrews 6 tells us that we believers have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. The cities of refuge in Numbers 35 are a picture of Christ being the refuge of the New Testament believers. Our sins are “accidental” in the sense that we did not intentionally become sinners. Christ’s death on the cross creates a place of refuge for us to flee. Christ as our High Priest exonerates us from our sin and saves us from the punishment of death. But, we must stay hidden in Christ, our refuge. We cannot confront our sin on our own. We need to flee and hide within the grace and mercy of Christ who covers us from our sin.

Thursday: Deut. 1-11—Final Words 

Picture Moses at the brink of the Jordan river, 120 years old, giving his last words to the people. These were words to pay attention to. He exhorted them to remember the awesome works of God in the past and prepared them to live a blessed life on the other side of the Jordan. The book of Deuteronomy is a collection of these final words. One of the themes of Moses’ counsel was how to handle God’s commandments. Moses exhorted the people to keep the word in their hearts, to discuss the word in their day-to-day life, as they were sitting or even reclining in their house, as they walked on the road, and as they rose in the morning. He told them to pass on the word from generation to generation. He wanted them to write the word on their doorposts and on their gates and even to wear the word on their hands and forehead (6:7-9)—because, he said, that “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word out of the mouth of God” (8:3). He explained that the humbling experience in the wilderness disciplined them to trust God’s word. Furthermore, he said that if they obey and walk in the way of God’s word, they will have wisdom and understanding; they will live long and enjoy the abundance of God’s blessings (4:6, 5:33, 11:26-28). But, they were warned NOT to add any of their own ideas to God’s word (4:2). It is holy. What is the heart of God’s holy word? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (6:5). Moses’ wise exhortation should teach us to treasure the Holy word of God.

Friday: John 1—Jesus, the Word of God 

The gospel of John has a strikingly different opening than the other gospels: “In the beginning was the Word…” The beginning here is not the “beginning” of creation in Genesis 1:1, nor the beginning of the human race traced in the genealogy in Luke 3, nor was it the beginning of the Israeli nation traced in the genealogy in Matthew 1. The “beginning” in John 1:1 is eternity, where only God exists. John tells us that in eternity, the Word was God. Verse 14 explains that the Word is the man Jesus who lived among them, physically, in the flesh, on earth. This man brought grace and truth, making known the eternal Father (verses 17-18). Matthew highlighted Jesus’ profound teachings, such as the Beatitudes and the kingdom parables. Mark accurately journaled His daily activities. Luke emphasized His compassion with stories such as the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, and the dramatic salvation of Zacchaeus. The gospel of John, however, straightforwardly, starting from the first verse, presented Jesus as God Himself. For 2,000 years, atheists, as well as
the religious, have tried to separate Jesus from God, portraying Him as merely a good pattern or great prophet. But, the gospel of John was written to erase any doubt in the human mind that Jesus was, is, and will always be God. Because He is God, He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me” (John 14:6). For one to say that they believe there is a God means little. For one to believe that our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ is God Himself is completely different. So, believers should not just pray to a general “god” in the universe somewhere. Believers should direct their prayers toward Jesus, repeating his name in their petition to God.