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17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Meditation Christian courage is cultivated when believers walk by faith rather than sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith is being sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Courage is conviction that God has a greater realty. In today’s reading, Elisha’s disciples moved to the Jordan (vv. 1-7) as the Syrian army moved in to capture Elisha (vv. 8-14). The army surrounded Samaria, and Elisha’s servant was afraid. The servant did not know God’s reality, His angel army with “horses and chariots of fire” surrounding the enemy (v. 17). Elisha prayed for his servant to see and, by God’s mercy, the servant saw God’s greater reality (vv. 15-17). Courage to face the enemy comes when we are certain of what we do not see- Those who are for us is greater than those against us. God works in dimensions we cannot see. God uses the normally unseen spiritual realm to reinforce His covenant love to Daniel (Daniel 9-10). A chorus of angels broke into the visible announcing King Jesus’ entry into the world. In Hebrews 13:2 we are encouraged to show hospitality to strangers because they may be angels. Can you imagine? Paul emphasizes in Ephesians 6 the unseen cosmic powers we battle in this present evil age. The list could go on… the point: God has a greater reality than what you see, and if He is for us then what can stand against us? Angels are real, so is spiritual warfare. God is faithful, and His greater reality must cultivate Christian courage to live with conviction. Today’s Reading Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. 7 And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it. Horses and Chariots of Fire8 Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.”10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice. 11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria. 20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” 22 He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel. Ben-hadad's Siege of Samaria 24 Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver. 26 Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 And he said, “If the Lord will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?” 28 And the king asked her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.” 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body--31 and he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.” 32 Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?” 33 And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the greater reality God has in what His servants cannot see? -Take a moment to pray for faith to live in confidence of God and His promises, specifically for the Spirit of God to open the eyes of your heart to see the faithfulness of God. -How can you more intentionally walk by faith and not by sight? Where can you hold to God’s promises over and above your pain or problems? Key Verse 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
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10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Meditation God’s word is sufficient. God desires for our souls to be satisfied with Scripture. Asaph wrote today’s Psalm for the Feast of Trumpets (“new moon”- 3a) and the Feast of Tabernacles (“full moon” -3b), festivals celebrating harvest and history. Festivals and feasts were the fabric of ancient Israelite society. The Feast of Trumpets celebrated the new year, bringing in of harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles, or booths, celebrated God’s covenant faithfulness during Israel’s wilderness years. Both centered on public reading of Scripture (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). Asaph structured the psalm with praise (vv. 1-4) and prophetic word (vv. 5-16), satisfying both of his roles as priest and prophet (2 Chronicles 29:30). Beginning with a summons to praise God for His faithfulness, the prophetic portion concludes with the proclamation of God’s desire to satisfy His people with His word- “the finest of wheat” and “honey from the rock.” (v. 16) The wilderness generation “did not listen to (God’s) voice,” but now His people have a choice to “open wide our mouths” for God to fill it (v. 10). God longs for His people to listen (v. 13). God knows His love is the key to open our hearts to hear. Jesus is a greater priest and prophet than Asaph, God’s word made flesh. Jesus represents His unhearing people by living on every word that proceeds from God, (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3) and substituting for us in His death to fulfill the word of God. In response to God’s grace, we eat God’s word to sing God’s praise and share God’s faithfulness in Jesus. Today’s Reading Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! 2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. 3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. 4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known: 6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. 7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. 13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! 14 I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. 15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. 16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially God’s desire to fill the mouths and hearts of His people with His word? -I have a snacking problem and eat a bunch of things between meals. What do you snack on that diminishes your appetite for God’s word? Entertainment? Social media? Over-scheduling social engagements? Acquiring the latest and best must have ________? Be specific. -How does the work of Jesus open your heart with God’s love and empower you to open wide your mouth to feed on God’s word? What, specifically, does this look like for you? Key Verse 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.  Key Verse
7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. Meditation The headlines of Heaven fuel hope. God’s sovereign grace guarantees God wins in the end. God’s enemies will be defeated. God’s people will be saved to know and enjoy God forever. In Nahum’s day (between 663-612 BC), the news cycle revolved around the Assyrian empire advancing to overtake the world- and they were nasty. Nineveh was Assyria’s capital and Israel was her next target. God’s word interrupted, describing the Lord’s determined judgement to end His enemies by “driving them into darkness.” The news of God’s just judgement should panic God’s enemies and fuel peace for God’s people. Consider some of the content of Nahum’s news in today’s reading: The Lord has stored wrath for those who oppose Him (v. 2). No one can stand against God’s indignation, not even the most powerful empires in the world (vv. 3-6). God will make a complete end of his adversaries (v. 8) and He will bring freedom to those whom they oppress (vv. 9-14). God’s people are invited to unplug from fake news exalting worldly powers to trust a different source for truth. Through the work of Jesus, God demonstrates that He is the just judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25), both just and justifier of those whose faith is in Him for refuge (v. 7; Romans 3:21-26). Those who “publish peace” (v. 15) through proclaiming this news have beautiful feet (according to Paul, who picks up Nahum’s prophecy to push early Christians to share the gospel- see v. 15 and Romans 10:15). The headlines of heaven fuel hope and push God’s people to publish peace! Today’s Reading An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. God's Wrath Against Nineveh 2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. 5 The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. 6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. 7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. 9 What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time. 10 For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried. 11 From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor. 12 Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. 13 And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.” 14 The Lord has given commandment about you: “No more shall your name be perpetuated; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the metal image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.” 15 Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about the extreme ends of this chapter, news revealing both God’s wrath against His enemies and hope and salvation for all who trust in Him? -Why is it difficult to trust the Lord and hope in Him when it appears evil empires are advancing and winning? -What difference would it make if you really believed Jesus wins and God’s enemies would be eliminated? Would you have hope and publish peace by proclaiming the good news? Key Verse 7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. A refreshed talk by Sandy Willson. Very few people have impacted my life like Sandy Willson (TGC bio here). God has used Sandy as my pastor, mentor, friend, fellow prankster, role model, leader, and partner in gospel ministry. Sandy came to see our family when we lived in Indonesia and, while there, I asked him to speak to a large group of university student leaders about trusting The Bible. Today's post compliments previous posts in this short “walking in the Word” Wednesday series: Delighting in God’s Word; The Sufficiency of Scripture; and The Clarity of Scripture. (Below: Sandy with a translator, engaging Q & A after his talk)   We live in an age of questions. Some are asked with honest curiosity, others with deep skepticism. For Christians, especially young believers stepping into the classroom or the workplace, the question often sounds like this: "Can we really trust the Bible?" It’s a good question. But I want to suggest that we ask a better one: Must we trust the Bible? Ultimately, this isn’t just a matter of opinion or preference but about truth, authority, and salvation. And how you answer will shape your worldview, your identity, your eternity. You can’t simply say, “My parents believe it,” or “My church teaches it.” You need to know why Christians must trust the Bible. The Epistemological Foundation: How Do We Know? Before diving into the reasons, let’s talk about epistemology, that is how we know anything about Scripture. The Westminster Confession of Faith provides a solid foundation: “The authority of the Holy Scripture… depends not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth), the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.” (WCF I.4) In other words, the Bible’s authority isn’t based on popular vote, preference, or church tradition. It’s based on the fact that God Himself wrote it. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and His Word bears His own divine signature. But how do we become convinced? “Our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.” (WCF I.5) The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Truth (John 14:17) who authored Scripture and works through Scripture. The Spirit reveals the truths of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-12) through the word of God. So, the people of God can know the Word of God.  12 Reasons: You Must Trust the Bible With that foundation, here are 12 compelling reasons you must trust the Scriptures: 1. The Bible diagnoses the real problem Most religions say we’re ignorant or just a little off track. But the Bible says we are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). The solution to this bold diagnosis is divine rescue we know as the gospel of grace. We do not self-help but new life in Christ. Other religions can survive without their founders. Christianity collapses without Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:14) because His work is the only solution to the real problem. 2. The Bible specifically, repeatedly, and believably claims to be the Word of God. Scripture doesn’t whisper, it declares: “All Scripture is breathed out by God…” (2 Timothy 3:16) “You received it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13) See also Psalm 19 and 119. 3. The Bible accurately predicts the future Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur. Approximately 2,500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2,000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letter, and this without error. (The remaining 500 or so reach into the future and may be seen unfolding as days go by.) Since the probability for any one of these prophecies having been fulfilled by chance averages less than one in ten (figured very conservatively) and since the prophecies are for the most part independent of one another, the odds for all these prophecies having been fulfilled by chance without error is less than one in 10 to the 2000th power (that is 1 with 2,000 zeros written after it)! 4. The Bible is internally and externally coherent 66 books were written by 40 authors, over 1,500 years, yet the Bible tells a unified story of redemption from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible doesn’t contradict itself and it aligns with real history, science, and reason. 5. The Bible is the best-preserved ancient text With over 5,700 Greek manuscripts and thousands more in other languages, the New Testament stands head and shoulders above all ancient literature in textual reliability with exception of Homer’s Iliad. 6. Jesus and the Apostles affirmed the Bible Jesus quoted it, submitted to it, and proclaimed, “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) The apostles operated under its authority and also wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:20–21). See also Matthew 5:18-20; I Thessalonians 2:13; and II Timothy 3:16 7. Only the Bible was received by all the ancient churches as the Word of God. Early Christians didn’t create the canon, they recognized it. The criteria of apostolicity, catholicity, orthodoxy, inspiration validated early circulations of books of the Bible, formally sanctioned by Athanasius in his Easter letter of 367, then adopted by the councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397). 8. Only the Bible has been received as the Word of God by godly people for 2,000 years. Here are a few examples- Clement of Rome: "Look carefully into the Scriptures, which are the true utterances of the Holy Spirit." Irenaeus: "The Scriptures are indeed perfect, since they were spoken by the Word of God and His Spirit." Origen: "The Scriptures were written by the Spirit of God." Augustine:"...I have learned to yield this respect and honor only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error." Thomas Aquinas: "The author of holy writ is God." We could continue by quoting Calvin, Luther, JC Ryle, among others. “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 9. Only the Bible is affirmed by the Holy Spirit as the Word of God. While external evidence matters, ultimate assurance comes from the Spirit doesn’t just prove the Bible to your mind but presses it into your soul. Again, see the WCF 1.4 and 1.5 That’s why unbelief isn’t primarily an intellectual problem. It’s a spiritual one. 10. Only the Bible is used of God to regenerate a soul, transform a life, and grant eternal life. I Peter 1:23: "...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God..." No other book can do this. The Word isn’t just about life, it gives life. 11. Only the Bible creates godly community and inspires neighbor love for all. Every true revival, every faithful church, every Spirit-filled community is built on the Word. Where Scripture is honored, love for God and neighbor thrives. 12. Only the Bible gives glory to God through exalting His Son's person and work. From beginning to end, the Bible is about Jesus (Luke 24:27). It doesn’t just inform, the Bible exalts Jesus. It reveals the glory of God through the person and work of His Son.  What About the Challenges? Yes, the Bible has been attacked from every angle:
Final Word: Yes, You Can Trust the Bible—And You MustThe Bible doesn’t just claim to be true. It proves it. If you want to know God, understand yourself, make sense of the world, and prepare for eternity, you must trust the Word God has given. “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.” – Psalm 119:89 “The word of our God will stand forever.” – Isaiah 40:8 So open it. Read it. Wrestle with it. Submit to it. And by God’s grace, be changed by it.  When our son Ben was young, he welcomed Sandy to our home in Indonesia by dressing like him. The greatest compliment is imitation!
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6 And behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting. Meditation The priestly work of Jesus protects, “completely saving” those whose faith is in Him (Hebrews 7:25). The priestly work of Jesus provides, His death a sacrifice to abate God’s wrath against sin and make a way to fellowship with Him again. Today’s reading comes on the heels of Israel’s concern about dying. Their wilderness weariness had produced grumbling and rebellion, even rejection of God’s appointed mediator (chapters 1-16). Rather than reject Israel in return and leave them for ruin in the wilderness, God remained faithful to His promise. From His covenant faithfulness, God forged a way forward to the promise land. Our sin is never the end of the story. After grumbling- grace. After rebellion- provision. God is faithful when we are frustrated, and His faithfulness is manifest in protection and provision. Israel’s concern about dying concluded the last chapter. Their asking Moses “are we all to perish?” (17:12-13) was met with God’s command for His priests to “guard” (2, 3, 4, 5, 7 in vv. 1-7). The priests were gifts from God who never received the inheritance of God in the promised land- The Lord was their inheritance. They were provided for from the offerings (vv. 18-35) and they were to provide for the people through sacrifice. Like the wilderness generation, we need a priest to protect and provide. Every duty described for the appointed priests is fulfilled in the ultimate priest, Jesus Christ. Through the work of Jesus, believers are protected and provided for, by grace free to see Jesus as the way to God’s promised inheritance. Today’s Reading So the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. 2 And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.3 They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die. 4 They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you. 5 And you shall keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel. 6 And behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting. 7 And you and your sons with you shall guard your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.” 8 Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, “Behold, I have given you charge of the contributions made to me, all the consecrated things of the people of Israel. I have given them to you as a portion and to your sons as a perpetual due. 9 This shall be yours of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every grain offering of theirs and every sin offering of theirs and every guilt offering of theirs, which they render to me, shall be most holy to you and to your sons. 10 In a most holy place shall you eat it. Every male may eat it; it is holy to you. 11 This also is yours: the contribution of their gift, all the wave offerings of the people of Israel. I have given them to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it. 12 All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the firstfruits of what they give to the Lord, I give to you. 13 The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it. 14 Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. 15 Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 17 But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 18 But their flesh shall be yours, as the breast that is waved and as the right thigh are yours. 19 All the holy contributions that the people of Israel present to the Lord I give to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due. It is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord for you and for your offspring with you.” 20 And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel. 21 “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting, 22 so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel.” 25 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. 27 And your contribution shall be counted to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 So you shall also present a contribution to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you shall give the Lord's contribution to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every contribution due to the Lord; from each its best part is to be dedicated.’ 30 Therefore you shall say to them, ‘When you have offered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be counted to the Levites as produce of the threshing floor, and as produce of the winepress. 31 And you may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 And you shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have contributed the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel, lest you die.’” Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the priestly duty of guarding and providing? -Where do you identify with the wilderness generation, grumbling and complaining against the Lord and His appointed leaders? -How does the priestly work of Jesus free you to repent and return to the Lord, satisfied in Him as your inheritance and free to serve Him with your life? Be specific. Key Verse 6 And behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting.  Key Verse
5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” Meditation Jesus is King, and He displays God’s steadfast love by doing for His people what is impossible for us to do on our own. Today’s reading reveals God’s compassion through Jesus’ ministry of cleansing and healing. Jesus cleanses: The Old Testament “cleaning laws” used dirt to symbolize sin, offering direction to avoid dirty things like mildew, unwashed hands, dead bodies, among others. Unclean things were a good illustration of sin that makes us unclean, but they are bad when people “leave the commandments of God for tradition.” (v. 8) The Pharisees did just that, defining themselves with cleanliness while adding extra laws as traditions! They exchanged God’s purpose for personal pride, judging people who did not follow their cleanliness traditions and standards (vv. 1-5). Jesus diagnosed their disconnect: Though their hands may be clean, their hearts were far from the Lord (vv. 6-13). Actions do not make a person dirty, but rather what comes from the heart, (vv. 14-23) and Jesus alone cleanses hearts. Jesus heals: The Syrophoenician woman who begged Jesus for mercy proved Jesus’ point, an unclean Gentile coming to Christ in faith. The woman reminds us of another Canaanite woman, Rahab, who too was saved by faith (Joshua 2). The gospel is the power of God to cleanse all who believe, and the healing of her daughter followed by Jesus healing the mute man (vv. 31-37) validates Jesus as king, His compassion to do the very things we cannot do for ourselves. The gospel invites everyone to be cleansed and healed through faith in Jesus. Today’s Reading Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” What Defiles a Person 14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand:15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” The Syrophoenician Woman's Faith 24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.”29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. Jesus Heals a Deaf Man 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the cleansing and healing work of Jesus? -Where do you identify with the pharisees, defining yourself by not getting dirty, and missing the heart of faith in Christ? -Where do you need Jesus to cleanse you? Come to Him in faith, asking with David to be washed thoroughly and cleansed so you, too, can begin again. Key Verse 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” |