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!
In Joshua chapter 21 we read about the towns given to the Levites, the priestly tribe appointed in the Mosaic Law for the service of the Tabernacle and of the Temple. It seems very wise that the Levites are given towns throughout the various tribes of the Israelites. In my mind this is spreading out the priestly tribe strategically. Can you imagine if the Levites were all in just 1 location? It seems to me that there would be a vacuum of spiritual leadership in the tribes if the Levites were not dispersed in the manner which they were. How does reading about the Levites being dispersed remind you of the church today? Is the church dispersed throughout the world today a good thing? What are your thoughts on the benefits or drawbacks of denominations?
In Joshua chapter 22 verse 10 today we read: "Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built a very large altar near the Jordan River at a place called Geliloth." The place where our readings end today in verse 20 is quite a cliff-hanger! Note that verse 20 is not the end of chapter 22, and as Paul Harvey says, in tomorrow's readings you will get "The Rest of the Story." :)
Worship Video: Today’s readings reminded me of the Steven Curtis Chapman song "Yours:"
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!
Today we finish up reading about the Promised Land being divided among the tribes! Below is a great NASA photo with an overlay of a map of the twelve tribes:
In Joshua chapter 20 we read about the Cities of Refuge. I like that concept - a city of refuge. A place of refuge. This is what I think about Jesus today - He is our City of Refuge! No matter what our past sins are, Jesus can be our City of Refuge if we will run to Him, believe, confess & repent. Is Jesus your City of Refuge?
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of Phil Wickam’s song “House of the Lord:”
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!
In Joshua chapter 18 verse 1 today we read - "Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire Israelite assembly gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle." Shiloh was located about 25 miles north of Jerusalem. The tabernacle remained in Shiloh throughout the period of the Judges, or about 300 years. We will later read about Samuel traveling to Shiloh with his family. The tabernacle at Shiloh may have looked something like this -
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of Mac Powell's song "River of Life:"
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!
It is interesting to read about the allotment of land to the tribe of Judah today! It reminds me of how different these days are for the Israelites, compared to the 40 years of wandering in the desert - or the slavery in Egypt prior to that. Times have changed! God's Promise is being fulfilled. I think this is important for us to remember in our lives as well. Maybe we're in a "slavery" period in our own life where we are looking for a Savior to free us. Jesus is of course that Savior to free us from our slavery to sin. Or, maybe we're in a desert period of our lives. We've decided to follow Jesus, but maybe we're really trudging through some hard times. If we're in this type of period, hopefully we can be encouraged by knowing that God's Promises to us will not fail. God will bring us peace that surpasses all understanding. God will bring us to the true Promised Land for eternity. Let us be encouraged in our own lives by our past few months of readings about the Israelites and their journey from slavery to now the Promised Land. God's Promises will not fail. They are eternal. And they are the only thing in this passing world that is eternal.
Interesting side note on Joshua chapter 15 verses 61 & 62 - "In the wilderness there were the towns of Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi--six towns with their surrounding villages." The NIV translates wilderness as "desert", which is probably more accurate. Zondervan's commentary on this verse today says, "The desert is the chalky dry region east and south of Jerusalem that borders the Dead Sea... Either Secacah or the City of Salt may have been the ancient name of the site of Qumran, where the scribes who produced the Dead Sea Scrolls lived."
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the song "All My Hope" sung here by David Crowder and Tauren Wells:
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on my reflections on our Joshua readings today, do you believe that God's promises are True and won't fail you? If you are in some sort of slavery to sin or perhaps in a desert place in your life right now, will you reach out to Jesus to save you and lead you into the Promised Land? Do you believe Jesus can Save you and Lead you? And will you follow? 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!
Interesting - Joshua is an old man already here in chapter 13! Time is flying quite a bit faster in this book than our past readings about the life of Moses.... It's estimated that Joshua is between 90 and 100 years old in chapter 13 and Caleb is 85 years old. In chapter 14 verse 12 we read these words from Caleb to Joshua: "So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me." Below is a good image of the hill country of Judah that Caleb sought and received, courtesy of HolyLandPhotos.org:
In Joshua chapter 14 verses 1 & 2 today we read: "The remaining tribes of Israel inherited land in Canaan as allotted by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders. These nine and a half tribes received their inheritance by means of sacred lots, in accordance with the LORD's command through Moses."
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of The City Harmonic's song "Manifesto:"
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!
An interesting note on Joshua 11 verse 21 - "During this period, Joshua destroyed all the descendants of Anak, who lived in the hill country of Hebron, Debir, Anab, and the entire hill country of Judah and Israel." The descendants of Anak were the giants the Israelite spies feared some 40 years earlier in Numbers chapter 13 verses 32 & 33 - and you'll recall these verses kept the Israelites wandering in the desert for the next 40 years... "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." Interesting to see how the fear of 40 years prior had turned into the faith and confidence here in Joshua. I wonder if this type of change can happen in our lives too? A change from fear to faith and confidence? Is there an area in your life where you might need this type of change? Below is a good map of the nations of Canaan at the time of the conquest:
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the song "Better is One Day." Here's Trey McLaughlin and a choir’s terrific live version:
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!
As we read about the Gibeonites deception today, Joshua chapter 9 verses 14 & 15 teach a valuable lesson for each of us: "So the Israelite leaders examined their bread, but they did not consult the LORD. Then Joshua went ahead and signed a peace treaty with them, and the leaders of Israel ratified their agreement with a binding oath." They did not consult the Lord - and thus signed a binding oath based on a deception. How about you in your life today? How often do you consult God on major decisions in your life? Even minor decisions? I know that I don't do this enough. I do know that more and more I have found myself praying "thy will - not mine - be done" when major decisions are before me. I am seeking God's will and guidance in my life. But, I'm not sure that I'm really consulting God all that often. And I'm afraid when I don't I can rush into quick & bad decisions... I pray each of us will consult God with all of our plans & decisions in our lives - be they major or minor. Bible.org's commentary on our Joshua chapter 9 readings today titled "The Peril of Walking by Sight" is at this link.
Today in Joshua chapter 10 we read about the day the sun stood still! Have you ever received the email about this chapter titled "NASA and the Bible?" - basically the email goes into how a man from NASA proved that the sun stood still. I have received this email a bunch of times over the past 5 years or so. I have read many commentaries on this chapter and do believe that a miracle took place, as we read in verse 13: "So the sun and moon stood still until the Israelites had defeated their enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day." Do you believe this miracle took place? Do you believe in miracles? Here's a great stained glass image below from Duke University Chapel with Joshua and the son and the moon:
Bible.org's commentary on our Joshua chapter 10 readings today is at this link.
Worship Video: Today's readings remind me of Francesca Battistelli's song, "Write your Story:"
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!
In Joshua chapter 7 today we continue to read about Achan's sin, which caused 36 Israelites to die in the first attack on the city of Ai. I realize that the destruction of Achan and his family may be tough for us to read, but I think it's important to remember Achan's sin caused other Israelites to die. I found Joshua's words interesting in verse 19 as he spoke to Achan: "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth." He has a fatherly tone here - and I like the thought of giving glory to God by telling the truth.
In chapter 8 verse 1 we read this today - "Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or discouraged." This repeats what we heard God say to Joshua in chapter 1 verse 9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." This makes sense that in the midst of the conquest of the Promised Land that this would need to be repeated often. I'm wondering if we need to hear this in our lives today as well from God often - do not be afraid or discouraged. It is so true. With God in our lives we do not need to be afraid or discouraged! I need to be reminded of this often...
Now that we are just past the Pentateuch in our readings - the first five books in the Old Testament - verses like 34 & 35 stand out to me as God's covenant is renewed with the Israelites - "Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of the Law. Every command Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among the Israelites." After our recent readings about the Israelites victories at Jericho and Ai, I am not surprises by Joshua chapter 9 verse 2 at all.... - "These kings quickly combined their armies to fight against Joshua and the Israelites." Seems like a logical idea to try to band together. We get some interesting tactics coming from the Gibeonites in tomorrow's readings. Stay tuned! Below is nineteenth century French artist Gustave Dore's take on today's readings about Ai:
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!
Fascinating! verses today in Joshua chapter 5 verses 13 - 15 - "As Joshua approached the city of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man facing him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you friend or foe?" "Neither one," he replied. "I am commander of the LORD's army." At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. "I am at your command," Joshua said. "What do you want your servant to do?" The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground." And Joshua did as he was told." Tyndale's One Year Bible Companion says this about these verses - "The captain of the host was no mere angel. His presence was an appearance of Christ in person. Joshua worshipped the captain; his worship was accepted and he was neither rebuked nor instructed otherwise." Whaddya think? Was this Jesus in these verses?? Bible.org's commentary on "The Captain of the Lord's Army" is at this link.
In Joshua chapter 6 we read about the fall of Jericho to the Israelites - but... things take a turn for the worse in chapter 7 with the defeat at the city of Ai. It is interesting to note why the defeat happened in Ai, in verse 1 - "But Israel was unfaithful concerning the things set apart for the LORD." Think about it. Israel just had a great victory at Jericho and then they were unfaithful toward God. I wonder if perhaps we are like this in our lives today as well? Maybe something amazing happens in our life, and we get so swept up in the victory dance that we forget about God. And yet... it is God who gave us that victory. It is God who gives us every good thing we have in our lives. Are we being unfaithful in our lives concerning things set apart for God? Below is an image for verses 2 & 3 as Joshua sends out some men to spy on Ai, before the defeat" "Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the city of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven. When they returned, they told Joshua, "It's a small town, and it won't take more than two or three thousand of us to destroy it. There's no need for all of us to go there.""
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: 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!
