You are invited to join us on a 10-minute daily journey through the Old Testament! Sign up below for our free daily emails filled with commentary, artwork, worship videos and questions for reflection.
To sign up for the Old Testament in a Year daily emails, type your email in the text box below, click Subscribe, and then make sure you respond to the confirmation email that is sent to you. There is no cost to you for any of this and we keep your email private and you can unsubscribe anytime.
(NOTE: After your subscribe above, to make sure our emails get through to you, please add [email protected] to your address book and safe-senders list in your email software program. Also, please check your spam or junk-mail folder for the confirmation email that Feedblitz will send you, if you don't see it.)
We are following a Old Testament in a year plan with 10-minute daily readings. Your options for joining us include: 1. Subscribe to our daily readings emails above. 2. Read online using our daily links to Bible Gateway. 3. Read from your own Bible using your preferred translation. You can print out a listing of our entire year's readings in PDF at this link. 4. Email me with any questions at [email protected]
Please note you can find my One Year Bible Blog at this link, Chronological Bible Blog at this link and New Testament in a Year Blog at this link.
God bless! Mike
p.s. Keep scrolling down to see our latest daily readings blog post and email content below this welcome post. ⬇️
Today in Numbers chapter 22 we read about Balaam’s talking donkey! Yes, this is a very unique portion of scripture, and, yes, one we can learn from. In verses 27 & 28 we read: “When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" There is a lot going on in the verses leading up to this point, and in the verses thereafter – which you can study more at this link . I think one thing for us to pay attention to here is how we are sometimes saved from a bad situation by what at first glance appears to be an “inconvenience.” A donkey laying down and starting to talk is inconvenient to Balaam. But, this talking donkey saved Balaam from an angel with a sword in hand that Balaam could not see. Are there perhaps “inconveniences” in your life today that are maybe saving you from a bad situation? Or, do you recognize inconveniences in the past that saved you from a bad situation? I know I have. If my car breaks down or I get sick or I miss a flight – all inconveniences – I try to remind myself that it might just be possible that this inconvenience was meant to be. It may have saved me from something much worse happening. The inconvenience – the “talking donkey” – may have actually saved me from something I could not see. Keep your eyes open for inconvenient “talking donkeys” in your life :) – and praise God for them when they appear! Here's Rembrandt's take on Balaam's talking donkey from the year 1626:
Bible.org commentary on Balaam in chapters 22 & 23 is at this link.
Worship Video: Today's readings remind me of the Matthew West song "Only Grace:"
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today:"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbers 23:19 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you will trust God completely. Pray that you will see God's promises made and promises kept in the Bible this year, and in your life.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on my reflections today, have you ever had any "talking donkey" experiences in your life? An experience that at first glance was a huge inconvenience to you, but in retrospect was an incredible blessing from God? Basically, have you ever had a blessing in disguise? Do you think God still can use "talking donkey" experiences in our lives today to get our attention? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 22 we read about Balak sending for Balaam - hoping Balaam will curse the Israelites. Balak sends messengers the 1st time and Balaam gets a message from God to not go with these messengers, as God has blessed the Israelites. What is interesting to me are verses 15-17: "Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. They went to Balaam and gave him this message: "This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don't let anything stop you from coming. I will pay you well and do anything you ask of me. Just come and curse these people for me!" For some reason these verses really reminded me of temptation in our lives today. Like Balaam with the messengers on their first visit, we may realize something is not what God would want us to do - and we send the temptation away. But... then the temptation can come back! In a bigger way - with more distinguished officials than before... with more allure than before... the temptation that we resisted once so valiantly can come back. And then, the question becomes - with the opportunity to be "paid well" by the temptation, will we still resist the temptation? Can we resist the temptation a 2nd time? Through Jesus, our mediator before our Heavenly Father, yes, I know we can. If temptation has visited you once - or twice - or even many times - will you pray to God today in the name of Jesus that temptation will never overcome you?
Bible.org's commentary on Balaam and Numbers chapter 22 is at this link.
Worship Video: Today's readings remind me of fantastic Bluetree song "God of this City:"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 20 verse 12 we read about God pronouncing that Moses & Aaron would not enter the Promised Land - "But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!"" Why did this happen? Well, it's best to stick with Scripture - God says that Moses & Aaron did not trust God enough. They did not trust God enough to demonstrate his holiness to the people of Israel. Thus they will not lead them into the Promised Land. Where was the lack of trust? Go back to verse 8 and you'll see God tell Moses to "command the rock" for water - command meaning verbally... then in verse 11 we see Moses strike the rock twice - not using the verbal command God instructed him on, but using an action. There also may have been a pride issue when Moses in verse 10 says "must we bring you water from this rock?" You'll notice the little word WE - We being Moses & Aaron? -this is probably not the way to best recognize God for God bringing water out of the rock... It looks like Moses is taking credit. How about us in our lives today? Are there times when we disobey God's direct commands to us? Are there times when we take credit for God's work? Even if we generally follow God's instructions - as Moses clearly does for the majority of his life - should we be on constant watch that we do not disobey God?
Worship Video: Today's readings in Numbers 19 reminded me of Nicole Nordeman's song "Holy:"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 17 verse 8 we read how God stopped the questioning of the Israelite community about Aaron and his houses' unique priestly authority - "When Moses went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron's staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!"
The 2nd sentence in Numbers chapter 18 verse 20 stood out to me today: "And the LORD said to Aaron, "You priests will receive no inheritance of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your inheritance and your share." What a beautiful thing to hear from God! I am your inheritance and your share. In your life today, is God your inheritance and your share? Do you want God to be your inheritance and share? Does anything else at all compare to this glorious inheritance?
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the terrific song "Christ Is Risen" by Matt Maher:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus, Mike
p.s. #3 - I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 15 we read about unintentional and intentional sins. Verse 30 stood out to me - "But those who brazenly violate the LORD's will, whether native Israelites or foreigners, blaspheme the LORD." I have thought about this in my life in the past... and thought about that old phrase, "ignorance is bliss." While this phrase may seem true at first glance - ignorance is bliss - it's obviously not "True" at all. It is so much better to know godly Truth, than to be ignorant. However... once we know godly Truth, what if we then consciously go against that Truth? What if we "brazenly violate God's will"? This verse today reminded me that once we know Truth - and as we continue to grow in our knowledge of Truth and the Bible - we really should be much more intentional in how we live. We know what godly living looks like. We should not go back to our old ways of thinking or our old habits. We know better. And we most certainly should not think that "ignorance is bliss." It isn't.
"Trial By Fire" - ever hear this term? I think this term may have gotten its genesis here in Numbers chapter 16. Korah's rebellion caused Moses to explain how this true trial by fire would go down in verses 4 through 7 - "Tomorrow morning the LORD will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The LORD will allow those who are chosen to enter his holy presence. You, Korah, and all your followers must do this: Take incense burners, and burn incense in them tomorrow before the LORD. Then we will see whom the LORD chooses as his holy one." A trial by fire indeed occurs subsequently in this chapter. Here's how Boticelli depicts this scene of scripture in the Sistine Chapel in Rome (note that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine - whereas other artists painted the walls - I just learned this just now!):
Verses 12 & 13 stood out as completely strange, as these 2 men had somehow now thought that instead of being a prison, Egypt was now in their minds a paradise?.... "Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, "We refuse to come! Isn't it enough that you brought us out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us here in this wilderness, and that you now treat us like your subjects?" I wonder if we do this in our lives? Think that things that used to be so bad for us are now somehow good? I know I've done this. I've left situations or relationships or bad habits - knowing they were simply bad for me - and then later down the road I've sometimes thought to myself, "ahh... I miss xyz or doing xyz... I should go back to that." And I do. And I regret it all over once again. There is a somewhat obscure R.E.M. song that goes "Don't go back to Rockville - and waste another year." I think of this song on occasion when I am tempted to go back to something I know I shouldn't go back to - I sing to myself, "don't go back to Rockville." Perhaps Dathan and Abiram should have been singing to themselves - "don't go back to Egypt - and waste another year..." What about you? Is there an Egypt / Rockville or two in your life that you've left behind? Are you ever tempted to go back? Do you sometimes even think you might have been wrong about how bad things were back then.... that it might have really been a land flowing with milk and honey even! Well, I know we'll all have our moments of going backwards.... but I pray we see the True land of milk and honey in front of us that is only available through a relationship with Jesus and the Father - and that we won't go back to our "Egypts"...
Worship Video: Our readings today about the crucifixion of Jesus reminds me of the song "Jesus Paid It All" sung here by Celtic Worship (with bagpipes!):
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 14 we read about Joshua and Caleb's bold faith. They were ready to move into the Promised Land! Again, similar to my thoughts in yesterday's post, I wonder if sometimes in our lives, when we are on the brink of something new & something big - that is of God - are we like Caleb & Joshua, or are we like the Israelites? Are we ready to move forward quickly and decisively on toward what God is giving us? Or, are we putting on the brakes and starting to complain? Do we sabotage ourselves? This is a tough question to ask ourselves I realize. But I think that if we honestly look at our life, we can oftentimes be more like the Israelites in this chapter - putting on the breaks and really becoming the cause of my own problem... I pray that I can have faith like Caleb and Joshua. I pray that I will boldly move forward to what God is calling me toward. How about you?
Bible.org has a powerful commentary about our recent readings in Numbers titled "Israel's Failure at Kadesh Barnea"at this link.
Worship Video: Today's readings remind me of the song "Wake Up Sleeper" by Austin French:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 11 we read about God's Spirit resting upon 70 leaders! I loved verse 29 where Moses responded to Joshua's protesting of Eldad and Medad prophesying in the camp: ""Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his Spirit upon them all!"" This is great humility on Moses part! He was not threatened by others using gifts of the Spirit in public. "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets." These words of Moses remind me of a more modern day quote I read somewhere that went something like this: "We are all called to be saints." I like that... Do you believe that you are called to be a saint? How will you be made to be a saint? Or, perhaps I should ask, through Whom will you be sanctified?
Below is an image for Numbers chapter 13, where we read about twelve scouts exploring the Promised Land, and Moses sending them out in verse 17 & 18: "Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: "Go northward through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many."
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the song "One True God" by Mark Harris. Here's a great live version of this song:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today we begin to read about the Israelites discontent with God’s provision and care in Numbers chapter 11, and this discontent & disobedience we will read about through chapter 25. As we read through these chapters, I do think we would do well to not point fingers at the Israelites and say that we would have behaved differently back then. I’m not so sure that I would have. . . I think these chapters will very likely speak into our lives today and we might find that we are often not so different from the Israelites. In Numbers chapter 11 verse 1 today we read: “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused.” How does this verse speak to you today? I don’t know about you, but for me this verse is convicting. Simply because I know that I often complain more to God than I actually thank God for the blessings he has poured out into my life. It really is incredible to stop and think about how good God is to us. In fact, one of our One Year Bible participants in the past had a blog called “God is Good All the Time.” And this is so true. And yet, what is our percentage of thanksgiving to God versus our complaining to God? I’m afraid my percentage is way skewed toward complaining or worrying (worrying is really similar to complaining I think). I pray that as I go forward in my walk with God that I will do a lot more thanking and a lot less complaining & worrying. It is an amazing thing – this gift of life. Even in the midst of all of our daily challenges and storms, let us know that God is the anchor and harbor in our life. And he continues to pour out blessings upon blessings upon our life – oftentimes without us consciously being aware of the blessings. And oftentimes without us thanking God for the blessings. How about you? How is your thanksgiving of God’s blessings in your life going these days?
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the fantastic song "Create in me a Clean Heart" performed here by Donnie McClurkin and a choir:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust and Obey Jesus, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 8 we read about the dedication of the Levites and in Numbers chapter 9 we read about the Second Passover:
In chapter 9 we read about the fiery cloud over the tabernacle! Verses 22 & 23 stood out to me in today's readings: "Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. So they camped or traveled at the LORD's command, and they did whatever the LORD told them through Moses." Below is an incredible image of the Israelites' camp at rest:
Art used by permission by Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order prints visit her "Revelation Illustrated" site.
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the FFH song "One of these Days:"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. #3 - I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Numbers chapter 6 we read about the Nazirite laws! The Nazirite vows could be taken for as little as 30 days or as long as a lifetime. It was voluntary - except parents could take the vow for their children, making them Nazirites for life. Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist are all thought to have been Nazirites for life. Below is a painting by C.E. Brock of Samson and the lion from Judges 14:6 -
Today in Numbers chapter 6 verses 22-27 we will read the well known “Aaronic Blessing”, which I’ve underlined in the verses (and is in the image below) – “The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."” How does this blessing speak to you today? Have you heard this blessing prayed aloud before? Can you imagine this ancient blessing that has been prayed innumerable times in history being prayed over you today? Take a few moments to really meditate upon the 3 sections of the blessing. Do you notice that each section begins with God’s name? Do you believe that God can indeed bless you and keep you (favor & protect you)? That he can indeed make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you (be pleased & be merciful and compassionate to you)? And do you believe that God can indeed turn his face toward you and give you peace (give approval & peace to you)? It is also of note that this blessing “put God’s name on the Israelites and they were blessed.” Do you believe that God’s name is upon you today? Do you want God’s name to be upon you today?
Chapter 7 is the longest chapter in the book of Numbers, and certainly an amazing one. It is awesome to read about the presentation of offerings for the dedication of the altar over 12 days. At the end of this chapter we read in verse 89: "Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark's cover--the place of atonement--that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The LORD spoke to him from there."
Worship Video: Based on reading the Aaronic blessing today in Numbers, here's the blessing sung as a duet. Beautiful!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on three verses of Scripture today:""The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that God will bless you and keep you. Pray that Jesus will give you peace. Pray Numbers 6:24-46 for your family and neighbors today.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless, Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
