Tag Archives: wilderness

Day 313 (Nov. 9): Disciples chose seven men to assist them, Stephen is arrested, Stephen addresses the council

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Welcome to BibleBum where we are exploring the entire Bible in one year to better learn how to follow God’s instructions and discover the purpose for our lives.  The BibleBum blog uses The One Year Chronological Bible, the New Living Translation version.  At the end of each day’s reading, Rob, a cultural history aficionado and seminary graduate, answers questions from Leigh An, the blogger host, about the daily scripture.  To start from the beginning, click on “Index” and select Day 1.

Acts 6-8:1a

Questions & Observations

Q. (Acts 6:7): It’s nice to see some Jewish priests softening up and being converted.

A. There is certainly a degree of importance in this often missed verse.  Though many of the Jewish leaders condemned themselves by siding against Jesus, they were able to find repentance and be saved by the very plan that they had themselves enacted.  Surely that is God’s grace at work!

O. (Acts 6:15): So, take that!

Q. (Acts 7:2-50): OT, in a nutshell, right?.  Thanks, Stephen!

A. Sort of.  He definitely hits the um…highlights.  But his main point is that the Jews have a long history of rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit because of their hard hearts, as they are doing here in persecuting the Church.  Stephen is accusing them of being just like their ancestors, and I would say their response indicates that they did not like that accusation.

Q. (Acts 8:59-60): I guess Jesus’s believers knew what they were getting into after seeing Jesus crucified.  Stephen showed what kind of mercy he had on people by asking God to forgive his murderers.  I take it that Stephen is asking Jesus to welcome him to His Kingdom when he asks Jesus to receive his spirit?  Pretty amazing stuff.

A. Yes, I would say that is right.

Day 270 (Sept. 27): Spirit urges Jesus to wilderness where Satan tests him for 40 days, John the Baptist honors Jesus, Jesus finds followers, Jesus turns water to wine, Jesus clears the temple of sinners

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Welcome to BibleBum where we are exploring the entire Bible in one year to better learn how to follow God’s instructions and discover the purpose for our lives.  The BibleBum blog uses The One Year Chronological Bible, the New Living Translation version.  At the end of each day’s reading, Rob, a cultural history aficionado and seminary graduate, answers questions from Leigh An, the blogger host, about the daily scripture.  To start from the beginning, click on “Index” and select Day 1.

Mark 1:12-13

Matthew 4:1-11

Luke 4:1-15

John 1:19-51

John 2:1-25

Questions & Observations

Q. (Matthew 4:1-11): Why did the Spirit lead Jesus into the desert?  For the son of God (which is God himself by means of the Trinity) to spend 40 days in the desert very hungry and being tempted doesn’t sound like royal treatment.  Why was it important for Satan to tempt Jesus?

A. It is a divinely inspired test.  In Deuteronomy 8, Moses speaks to the people and tells them that these 40 years they had been in the dessert was a test to see if they would be faithful to God and keep His commands despite temptations not to, which they kept failing.  This is exactly the image that Matthew is painting for us: where Israel failed its test in the wilderness, Jesus successfully combats His temptations and confirms His role as God’s chosen or Messiah.  Note that the things that Satan tempts Him with are things that could only tempt the God/man: turning stones to bread, surviving a high fall, being ruler of the world.  What is behind each of these temptations — it may not be obvious — is the idea of Jesus using His power as God incarnate to circumvent the will of God the Father, which Jesus has come to serve.  Jesus could make bread out of the stones, but that would mean He did not trust God to bring Him through.  He could fall from a great height and survive (we presume), but that would have made Him a celebrity or even seen as a “freak” by His people: He would become famous, but not in the way God intended.  And lastly, Jesus will one day rule the world, but it will be earned by enduring the cross and dying, not by worshipping Satan.  Each of the temptations, then, centers around Jesus going His own way, and having power or fame or leadership outside of God’s plan.  That is, ultimately, the test He passed: He submitted these desires to the Father, rather then give in to them as Israel had before.

Q. (John 1:19-28): Is this bantering supposed to be a bit humorous?  The Pharisees have a hard time getting a straight answer out of John.

A. I think so.  One of John’s themes (the Gospel writer I mean) will be misunderstanding between two parties, so watch for more humorous examples.

Q. (1:35-51): So, we have four disciples here: Andrew, Simon-Peter, Philip and Nathanael.  Eight more ahead?

A. Yes, eight more.  They will be designated as His chosen Apostles at a later date; for now, they just follow Him.

Q. (2:12): Any idea how old Jesus is at this point?  Here it says he has brothers too.  Will we run into family information again to where we can talk about it?

A. The Gospels are actually very unhelpful in terms of family information on Jesus’ half brothers or other family (though there are lots of legends in Church lore).  Matthew 13:55 tells us the names of his brothers: James, Simon, Joseph (no doubt after their father), and Judas (which was a common Jewish name in this period).  The Church tradition is that two of these brothers became known for being followers of Jesus (which is not to say His other family didn’t): James, the writer of the NT letter, who is the same man as mentioned in Matthew, Jesus’ half brother.  Galatians 1:19 tells us that Paul met with Jesus’ brother, and that he was a leader of the early church in Jerusalem after the Apostles are scattered (coming soon!)  Judas was sometimes shortened to Jude, which is the name of the shortest letter in the NT, and the writer mentions that he is the brother of James, which we assume to mean the brother James in question.

His family will have a role to play in the unfolding story that I won’t spoil here, but suffice it say that they were not on board with Jesus’ mission before Easter Sunday.

Q. (2:24-25): Why couldn’t Jesus trust them?

A. I honestly think its because He knew that people would not understand Him, but also that the people’s desire would be for Him to continue doing miracles as party tricks or to show off, and that was never Jesus’ purpose.  He knew His mission, and entrusting Himself to people could have risked what He had come to do.

Day 246 (Sept. 3): The lineage of King Saul, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a tree, Daniel explains Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and his fate, Nebuchadnezzar turns to God and his reign is restored, Ezekiel has vision of Jerusalem’s new thick walls, vision shows Ezekiel “Man of whose face shone like bronze” around the Temple

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Welcome to BibleBum where we are exploring the entire Bible in one year to better learn how to follow God’s instructions and discover the purpose for our lives.  The BibleBum blog uses The One Year Chronological Bible, the New Living Translation version.  At the end of each day’s reading, Rob, a cultural history aficionado and seminary graduate, answers questions from Leigh An, the blogger host, about the daily scripture.  To start from the beginning, click on “Index” and select Day 1.

1 Chronicles 8:29-9:1

Daniel 4:1-37

Ezekiel 40:1-37

Questions & Observations

Q. (1 Chronicles 8:29-9:1a): This is the lineage of King Saul?  This is a “just-for-the-record” scripture?

A. As first king of Israel (even a corrupted one), Saul takes his place among the history of his people from the tribe of Benjamin.

Q. (Daniel 4:25): What is the seven periods of time?

A. Seven years.

O. (4:30): This sounds like a dramatic play.  My majestic splendor?  Get over yourself Nebuchadnezzar.

Q. (Ezekiel 40:10): Just a note that the three guard alcoves with the same measurements reminds me of the trinity.  What do you think?  Is there any significance with any other measurements or details of the Temple?  Why all the measuring?

A. God, via an angelic character, is giving Ezekiel a vision for the new temple, but I do not know exactly why the measurements play so heavily into the description.

Q. (40:34b, 37): Are the “eight steps” significant?

A. The steps increase as you get further into the temple- moving from three to seven, eight (as seen here) and ten for the inner parts of the court.  That would appear to indicate levels of importance or degrees of holiness.  The more steps you have, the more holy the section.

Day 62 (March 3): Israelites show doubt, God stands beside Caleb and Joshua, Moses pleads for Israelites, God takes away Promised Land from complainers, rules for offerings, penalty for breaking the Sabbath, tassels have meaning

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Welcome to BibleBum where we are exploring the entire Bible in one year to better learn how to follow God’s instructions, discover the purpose for our lives and give Him the glory.  The BibleBum blog uses The One Year Chronological Bible, the New Living Translation version.  At the end of each day’s reading, Rob, a cultural history aficionado and seminary graduate, answers questions from Leigh An, the blogger host, about the daily scripture.  Take the challenge.  You won’t regret it.  Let us know if you have any comments to share.

Numbers 14-15

Questions & Observations

O. (Numbers 14:6): Rob has answered the subject of tearing of clothes (discussed on Jan 19th, Day 19 in our reading of Job 1-4).  It has been done numerous times thus far in the Bible in acts of mourning or distress.

O. (Numbers 14:17-19): I am amazed at the close relationship between God and Moses.  Moses reminds Him of His love for His people and His forgiveness for their sins.  This reminds me of disciplining children.  God takes the Promised Land away from most of them because of their grumbling.  I would think they would know by now how serious He is.

Q. (Numbers 14:30): So Caleb and Joshua are the only Israelites who will enter the Promised Land?

A. What it says is that, of the generation who was 20 years or older in the census from our earlier reading, only these two men (remember that this includes both Moses and Aaron!) will enter the Promised Land.  The rest of the company will die.  If we remember our significance of the number 40 in scripture, one of the things that 40 stands for is a mark of a generation.  So basically, by having the people spend exactly 40 years in the wilderness, what the Lord is essentially doing is cutting off the unfaithful generation and giving the Promised Land to their children.  Joshua, who will lead after Moses, will not only enter the land, but will be handsomely rewarded when the land is divided up.  The same is true for Caleb.  Truly this is a prime example of the importance of having faith in God’s ability to keep His promises.

O. (Numbers 14:39-43): This reminds me of my 4-year-old.  I ask her to do something and tell her what the punishment is for disobeying, she disobeys anyway and then says sorry after she gets in trouble.  She backpedals and tries to make it right so she can get the prize.  The Israelites realized they disappointed God and charged on to try to make it right.

Q. (Numbers 15:30-36): These two sections — the rules about “brazen” violations of the law, and the punishment for a man who actually does so — seem related.  Are they?

A. Yes.  I would say this is a good example of the text setting up a particular scenario. Basically, people are being reminded what a particular rule is — in this case knowingly violating the Lord’s commands — and then having that scenario acted out.

O. (Numbers 15:37-41): I never knew tassels had a special meaning!