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

  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...