The Field is the World (Matt. 13:38)

Ezra-Nehemiah 11 : In the Jewish Canon, Ezra and Nehemiah are one book, and, although the division in ours makes sense, it’s clear that they cover the same basic period. They form one answer to the question at the end of 2 Chronicles’ hanging question, “Therefore, who among the LORD's people trusts in his God? Whoever among this group wishes to do so may travel to Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 36:23, ISV) Yet despite their trust, the people are greatly weakened until the ministries of Ezra and Nehemiah (and Haggai and Zechariah, Ezra 5:1) encourage them. Ezra’s trust is clearly represented in 8:22, where he is ashamed to request a protective guard for the fortune in treasures he carries, instead trusting in the hand of God for protection. Ezra’s prayer in Ezra 9, Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:5-11, and the people’s covenant prayer in 9:5-37 are the outcome. Faith precedes confession, because we don’t fully understand how badly we fall short until it’s revealed to us. Even then, we ne...

Is it fair to say that there’s a parallel between the distinct ways God appealed to the apostate Northern Kingdom of Israel vs. the merely unstable Southern Kingdom of Judah and the ways Jesus appealed to the people who sought Him vs. the people who opposed Him? 1 Kings 21-2 Kings 19: This is a period of rapid decline in the northern kingdom of Israel. As if Jeroboam’s launch of the nation in pragmatic, syncretistic calf-worship wasn’t bad enough, Ahab has brought new lows to the kingdom with his persistent Ba’al worship. His wife Jezebel is worse still, for the exploitation of religion in to murder an innocent man in order to confiscate property he desired didn’t even occur to him until she suggested it in Chapter 21. God is greatly offended by this hypocrisy, and thus the valley of Jezreel becomes a continual motif throughout the rest of Scripture for judgment of religious hypocrisy. It was where the prophets of Ba’al were slain in 1 Kings 17. It’s where Jehu kills Joram and Ahazi...

  Joshua 7-24 : Although it drove him to the edge of despair, angering the Lord, (Joshua 7:6-15) Joshua’s emotional reaction after the rout at Ai showed his deep faith that God was going to do exactly as He had promised and ensure their victory everywhere they went. If only they’d continued in that kind of confidence and done everything commanded of them as Joshua 11:15 showed they were doing at that time. The first word of failure is in Joshua 15:63 when the Jebusites couldn’t be driven out. (See also Joshua 16:10, 17:12) Like Moses does in Deuteronomy, Joshua gives a farewell address to Israel when he knows his time of death is coming soon. In it, he reminds them who they are, what God has done for them: how He’s been faithful to every one of His promises.  Joshua also notes His Covenant works both ways: He’ll bless and preserve them if they are careful to obey Him, but He has also promised calamity upon them if they do not. (Joshua 23:14-16) Luke 2:22-6:49 : Luke is unafr...

  Deuteronomy 23-34: As Deuteronomy closes, Moses underscores important laws about worship, uncleanness, lending, divorce, care for the poor, and dwelling in cities together. Keeping God’s commandments was to distinguish them from the nations surrounding them, and if they failed to do so, they were under God’s curse, as pronounced from Mt. Ebal, to be contrasted with the blessings from Mt. Gerazim, which they would pronounce over themselves. If only they had feared the curses and consequences of disobedience and craved the blessings and intimacy with God more! Moses calls them to make a choice to serve God, entering into a covenant with that generation, which is really the original Mosaic covenant renewed with the generation to enter the land. He reviews their history with them, and prophesies a future apostasy, giving them another song as a prophetic utterance to them to teach their children, before commissioning Joshua to take his place and climbing Mt. Nebo to die as commande...

 Numbers 36 : Another word about the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad: the concern was that this kind of inheritance would hopelessly confuse the properties of the tribes. So the daughters who inherited were commanded to marry within the tribe. Deuteronomy begins with Moses recounting the history of the wanderings since the Exodus with commentary. It could’ve been 11 days. In chapter 5, he reiterates the 10 Commandments. In light of all this, the charge is, listen up, love God with all your heart, mind and soul. Teach these things to your children at every opportunity. Be separate from the pagans and don’t intermarry or have anything to do with their pagan ways. Obey God and He is able to bless you! (As shown in the health of the Hebrews during the wilderness wandering.) Consider how God has set His love on you not for any loveliness on your own part and do not provoke Him as you have in the past. You’ll depend on Him as  you face the giants of the land. Look what G...

Numbers 19-35 :  Upon review of large sections covered, it’s easier to see that God is not just the Author of Scripture; He’s also the Composer of the orchestral arrangement of it and the Director of History itself. In Scripture, it’s edited and presented to best reveal Him to us, (and us to us). For instance, it’s no coincidence that Moses’ act of dishonor at Meribah in Numbers 20 follows the revelation and remedy for uncleanness (Numbers 19). The people’s hostility toward God is followed by Edom’s hostility toward them, forcing them to go around their territory. Bitterness persists and even affects their victories in chapter 21, leading to the fiery serpent judgment. But God still makes a way of escape: if they believe, they can look to the serpent on the bronze pole and be made whole. Jesus Himself compares this to His crucifixion in John 3:14.  The New Testament has numerous references to the corrupt prophet Balaam. His “ error ” (Jude 11) seems to be thinking God c...