Daily Bible reading and prayer, Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Joshua 19-21 (chronological); Joshua 21-22, Luke 6:1-26 (OT/NT)
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 chronological reading: Joshua 19-21
Repeat of recommendation for a great book during this season of Lent: “The Crucifixion of the King of Glory” by Eugenia Constantinou. I’m listening to it on Audible.
Things to notice in today’s reading: Bethlehem in Zebulun; the tribe of Dan took territory beyond what was given to them by lot; the sons of Israel did what the Lord commanded in dividing up the Promised Land by tribe, by setting aside cities of refuge, and in giving an inheritance of land among their tribes to the Levites; all the cities of refuge were also cities given to the Levites—seems appropriate that the servants of God who had themselves been given refuge would then be responsible for giving refuge
Joshua so far: Moses has died; Joshua was commissioned by Moses, under the direction of God as leader in his place; God speaks to Joshua: lead the people across the Jordan, be strong and courageous, mediate on the Law day and night; Joshua commands the people to be ready and they accept his leadership; Joshua sends two spies to Jericho and Rahab the harlot hides them from the king; she acknowledges God as God in heaven and earth, and asks that the Israelites spare her and her family when they attack Jericho and ties a scarlet cord in her window as a sign; when it was time to cross the Jordan, the priests, carrying the ark of the covenant, stepped into it and its waters stood still and all Israel was able to cross on dry ground; God had Joshua have the twelve leaders of the twelve tribes set up memorial stones from the Jordan on the bank, and Joshua also set up twelve stones in the Jordan, so that “all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever”; the generation that did not get circumcised in the 40 years in the wilderness is circumcised; the sons of Israel march around city of Jericho for seven days, the walls fall down, and they destroy the city; Achan takes some things banned by the Lord to be taken as a spoil of war; the sons of Israel do not seek the Lord, attack Ai, and are defeated; God reveals their sin in transgressing the ban; Achan is revealed by lot and he, his family, and animals are stoned to death; God tells Joshua to go up to Ai and defeat it, and they do; the people recited the blessings and curses of following the Law between Mount Gerazmin and Mount Ebal as Moses instructed, and Joshua read all the words of the Law to the people as they stood there; the inhabitants of Gibeon, fearful of being conquered, deceived the sons of Israel that they were from far away and they sons of Israel failed to seek God and made a covenant with them, so they become servants to Israel; five kings of the Amorites then attack Gibeon and the Lord reassures Joshua they will be given into their hands; these and other kings and cities are defeated through the the Promised Land and then the nation has rest from war; recap of the kings defeated by the nation of Israel, both east and west of the Jordan; recap of the territory east of the Jordan apportioned to Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh; Caleb reminds Joshua of his land inheritance that God promised him because he brought back a faithful report when he spied out the land 45 years earlier, so Caleb inherits Hebron in the territory of Judah; recap of the territory of Judah; recap of the territory of the sons of Joseph, with Ephraim west of the Jordan and with Manasseh with territory both east and west of the Jordan, including territory for Zelophehad’s daughters, because he had no sons; the tent of meeting was set up at Shiloh; there were seven tribes left without land allotments; Joshua appointed 3 men from each tribe to describe it and then through lots for them before the Lord at Shiloh; recap of Benjamin’s territory between Judah and Joseph
Joshua 19
v1-9 "Then the second lot fell to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah. So they had as their inheritance Beersheba or Sheba and Moladah, and Hazar-shual and Balah and Ezem, and Eltolad and Bethul and Hormah, and Ziklag and Beth-marcaboth and Hazar-susah, and Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages; Ain, Rimmon and Ether and Ashan; four cities with their villages; and all the villages which were around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negev. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families. The inheritance of the sons of Simeon was taken from the portion of the sons of Judah, for the share of the sons of Judah was too large for them; so the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of Judah’s inheritance.
v10-16 "Now the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun according to their families. And the territory of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. Then their border went up to the west and to Maralah, it then touched Dabbesheth and reached to the brook that is before Jokneam. Then it turned from Sarid to the east toward the sunrise as far as the border of Chisloth-tabor, and it proceeded to Daberath and up to Japhia. From there it continued eastward toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and it proceeded to Rimmon which stretches to Neah. The border circled around it on the north to Hannathon, and it ended at the valley of Iphtahel. Included also were Kattah and Nahalal and Shimron and Idalah and Bethlehem; twelve cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
v17-23 "The fourth lot fell to Issachar, to the sons of Issachar according to their families. Their territory was to Jezreel and included Chesulloth and Shunem, and Hapharaim and Shion and Anaharath, and Rabbith and Kishion and Ebez, and Remeth and En-gannim and En-haddah and Beth-pazzez. The border reached to Tabor and Shahazumah and Beth-shemesh, and their border ended at the Jordan; sixteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.
v24-31 "Now the fifth lot fell to the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families. Their territory was Helkath and Hali and Beten and Achshaph, and Allammelech and Amad and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel on the west and to Shihor-libnath. It turned toward the east to Beth-dagon and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel; then it proceeded on north to Cabul, and Ebron and Rehob and Hammon and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon. The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and it ended at the sea by the region of Achzib. Included also were Ummah, and Aphek and Rehob; twenty-two cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
v32-39 "The sixth lot fell to the sons of Naphtali; to the sons of Naphtali according to their families. Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim and Adami-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and it ended at the Jordan. Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and proceeded from there to Hukkok; and it reached to Zebulun on the south and touched Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the east. The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer and Hammath, Rakkath and Chinnereth, and Adamah and Ramah and Hazor, and Kedesh and Edrei and En-hazor, and Yiron and Migdal-el, Horem and Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.
v40-48 "The seventh lot fell to the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families. The territory of their inheritance was Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh, and Shaalabbin and Aijalon and Ithlah, and Elon and Timnah and Ekron, and Eltekeh and Gibbethon and Baalath, and Jehud and Bene-berak and Gath-rimmon, and Me-jarkon and Rakkon, with the territory over against Joppa. The territory of the sons of Dan proceeded beyond them; for the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and possessed it and settled in it; and they called Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
v49-50 "When they finished apportioning the land for inheritance by its borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance in their midst to Joshua the son of Nun. In accordance with the command of the LORD they gave him the city for which he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. So he built the city and settled in it.
v51 "These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land."
Joshua 20
v1-6 "Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 'Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood. He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them. Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand. He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.”'
v7-9 "So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.”
Joshua 21
v1-3 “Then the heads of households of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of households of the tribes of the sons of Israel. They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, 'The LORD commanded through Moses to give us cities to live in, with their pasture lands for our cattle.' So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these cities with their pasture lands, according to the command of the LORD.
v4-5 “Then the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the sons of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, received thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of the Simeonites and from the tribe of Benjamin. The rest of the sons of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh.
v6 "The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
v7 "The sons of Merari according to their families received twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben and from the tribe of Gad and from the tribe of Zebulun.
v8 "Now the sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
v9-19 "They gave these cities which are here mentioned by name from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon; and they were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for the lot was theirs first. Thus they gave them Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasture lands. But the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession. So to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Libnah with its pasture lands, and Jattir with its pasture lands and Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, and Holon with its pasture lands and Debir with its pasture lands, and Ain with its pasture lands and Juttah with its pasture lands and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands; nine cities from these two tribes. From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, Anathoth with its pasture lands and Almon with its pasture lands; four cities. All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.
v20-26 "Then the cities from the tribe of Ephraim were allotted to the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, even to the rest of the sons of Kohath. They gave them Shechem, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezerwith its pasture lands, and Kibzaim with its pasture lands and Beth-horon with its pasture lands; four cities. From the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands, Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; four cities. From the half-tribe of Manasseh, they allotted Taanach with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; two cities. All the cities with their pasture lands for the families of the rest of the sons of Kohath were ten.
v27-33 "To the sons of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Be-eshterah with its pasture lands; two cities. From the tribe of Issachar, they gave Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, Jarmuth with its pasturelands, En-gannim with its pasture lands; four cities. From the tribe of Asher, they gave Mishalwith its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, Helkath with its pasture lands and Rehob with its pasture lands; four cities. From the tribe of Naphtali, they gave Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands and Kartan with its pasture lands; three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.
v34-40 "To the families of the sons of Merari, the rest of the Levites, they gave from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands and Kartah with its pasture lands. Dimnah with its pasture lands, Nahalal with its pasture lands; four cities. From the tribe of Reuben, they gave Bezer with its pasture lands and Jahaz with its pasture lands, Kedemoth with its pasturelands and Mephaath with its pasture lands; four cities. From the tribe of Gad, they gave Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands and Mahanaim with its pasture lands, Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands; four citiesin all. All these were the cities of the sons of Merari according to their families, the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.
v41-42 "All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands. These cities each had its surrounding pasture lands; thus it was with all these cities.
v43-45 "So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass."
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 OT/NT readings: Joshua 21-22, Luke 6:1-26
I’ll outline the chapters in Joshua when we come to them in the chronological reading plan (see above).
so far in Luke: Luke explains to Theophilus, to whom he is writing, that he is writing out in consecutive order all that he had investigated regarding the life of Jesus to that Theophilus would know the truth about what he had been taught; the angel Gabriel appears to the priest Zacharias, while he is performing his duties in the temple, telling him about the impending birth of his son John and the prophecy concerning him; Zacharias asks for further proof so Gabriel tells him he will be mute until John is born; the angel Gabriel appears to Mary to tell her she will conceive Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit; different than Zacharias, she believe what the angel tells her; Mary visits 6-month pregnant Elizabeth and John, full of the Holy Spirit even in the womb, leaps with joy; Mary gives praise (what is now called The Magnificat); John is born and circumcised on the eighth day; when Zacharias confirms his name is John, he can now speak and he prophesies about John; Joseph and Mary go to Nazareth due to a census decree and she delivers Jesus in a stable and lays Him in a manger; angels appear to shepherds in a field, telling them the Savior has been born and how to find Him; the shepherds found Jesus, tell others what the angels told them, and praise God; He was named and circumcised on the eighth day; Mary and Joseph went up to Jerusalem to dedicate Him to the Lord as the Law required; Simeon, who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen Christ, sees, holds, and prophesies in the temple regarding Jesus; Anna the prophetess joined him and begin giving thanks to God and speaking about Jesus to others; Jesus and his parents returned to Nazareth; during his family’s annual visit to Jerusalem for the Passover when he was twelve, Jesus stayed behind at the temple, His Father’s house, for three days, but then went home and continued in subjection to His parents; Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and men; John begins preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, admonishing people to bear fruits in keeping with repentance; John baptizes Jesus; the genealogy of Jesus via Mary from Adam, the son of God; Jesus is tempted by Satan during 40 days in the wilderness; Jesus returns to Galilee, begins preaching in synagogues, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district; Jesus reads from Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth, claiming Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in their hearing and they drive Him out of the city; He came to Capernaum and people were amazed at His teaching with authority; a demon possessing a man in the synagogue recognizes Jesus and Jesus casts it out; Jesus heals Simon’ mother-in-law; Jesus healed many, so crowds began searching for Him, but He moved on to other cities in order to preach the kingdom of God; Jesus began teaches from a fishing boat, since the crowed was pressing around him on land, and then has Simon put out for a catch that is so big it requires to boats, that almost sink, to haul in; Jesus heals a leper and news about Him continues to spread; Jesus heals a paralyzed man to demonstrate He had the authority to forgive sins; Jesus called Levi; Levi had a reception for Jesus and the Pharisees criticized him for eating with tax collectors and sinners; Jesus answers the Pharisees on why His disciples don’t fast, including the parable of the wineskins
Luke 6
v1-5 "Now it happened that He was passing through some grain fields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. But some of the Pharisees said, 'Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’ And Jesus answering them said, 'Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?’ And He was saying to them, 'The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’
v6-11 "On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, 'Get up and come forward!' And he got up and came forward. And Jesus said to them, 'I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?' After looking around at them all, He said to him, 'Stretch out your hand!' And he did so; and his hand was restored. But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
v12-16 "It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
v17-19 "Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.
v20-26 "And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, 'Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.”
Dear Lord, Are we reading about the end of obedience? You fulfilled Your promises to Israel regarding the land. We dread the stories of faithlessness to come. All these stories though show us that You are faithful and worthy to be obeyed. We just learned, in the parable of the wineskins, some people think, “the old is good enough.” The scribes and Pharisees were part of the old. They benefited in power and power over the people by their position. Jesus, the new, compromised their position. I’m not sure I ever noticed the word, “rage” before. They were enraged because someone got healed? Because Jesus dared to heal on the Sabbath? Because He dared challenge their rule over the Law and the interpretation of the Sabbath? Luke tells us that after this episode of rage, Jesus prayed and chose His apostles. One of Jesus' first message to them included the words, "Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets….Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.” Help us not to be bewildered when men are enraged at us for following You. You told us it would happen. In Jesus’ name, Amen.