One Year Bible, March 14

NUMBERS 21:1-22:20
The New Generation:   After watching a whole generation die off in unbelief, this new generation is now being prepared to enter the Land. After being attacked EAST of the Jordan - the Israelites made a vow to the Lord: If He would give them over to their hands, the Israelites would fight against all the Canaanites and destroy them.

Lesson of the Cross: Complaining broke out again and this time God sent "fiery serpents" - probably a copper-colored viper. The brass serpent portrays sin (serpent) JUDGED on the cross of Jesus.

After the Cross: The new generation sang for joy to get water.

Ernest of their Inheritance: East of the Jordan, there were two battles: Sihon king of Amorites, Og king of Bashan. An "earnest" is like a down payment, the guarantee that the rest will follow. Those battles EAST of the Jordan were God's guarantee that Israel would inherit all the rest of the Land too!   And now the enemy is afraid of them. Later, Rahab in Jericho (west of the Jordan) reported to the Israelite spies:

"I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below." (Joshua 2:9-11)

Balaam: This man was all kinds of trouble. Josh 13:22 says that the Israelites finally killed him. The NT describes his "legacy" as (Jude 11) "error of Balaam" - prophesying for money. (Rev 2:14) "doctrine of Balaam" - casting stumblingblocks. (2 Pet 2:15) "way of Balaam" - loving the fruit of unrighteousness. Failure to give a definite refusal the first time, led to Balaam's surrender to temptation.

RESPONSE:   I don't want to be remembered like Balaam is. Three times he is mentioned in the NT - all of them bad! Before they even cross the Jordan into the Land, they ran into this bad man. What is interesting is that the enemy is so afraid of the righteous, that he has to use trickery to try to save himself! The devil cheats!

LUKE 1:26-56
(v.35) When the Holy Spirit "overshadowed" Mary, Jesus (the "holy thing") was conceived in her.  This was like the cloud covering the tabernacle and taking possession of it in the wilderness.  This reminds me of our salvation experience, when "the hold thing" comes to live in our hearts, changing us forever.  Notice, that Elizabeth knew about Mary's baby before Mary even told her (v.41-42). Elizabeth's baby "leaped for joy" in the womb!

RESPONSE:    There are times when "that holy thing" that is in me has "leaped for joy" inside me, and I must shout!  I feel like I will burst if I don't!   Don't mind me - I, too, "am highly favored among women".

PSALM 57:1-11
If you look at 1 Sam 24:1, 1 Sam 26:1, and 1 Sam 28:1 you will see three different occasions for this Psalm!   Each time, King Saul sent 3000 soldiers after David. This time, David's heart is "fixed" (V.7) (secure, established, steadfast). He may have been surrounded by his enemies, but he knew that God "fulfills his purpose for me" (V.2).

PROVERBS 11:9-11
A contrast between the righteous and the wicked: The wicked are polluted, so that they produce pollution. People are just glad to be rid of them. Not so with the righteous.

RESPONSE:   It is easier for your heart to think of yourself as a "prisoner of the Lord", than a "victim of your enemies". Both David and Joseph were able to see themselves in this light and it saved them years of heartache. Both of them were unjustly persecuted by their enemies for 13 years!  Both came out of that time to rule and reign, vindicated by God.  David praised God among the people, and among the heathen. He praised God for His protection, for His mercy, for His faithfulness, for His plans and purposes concerning David, for His deliverance. That is victory, even if David died in a cave!