Numbers 5:1-6:21 Dear RTB’ers, Two major topics today, separated into two chapters – the test for adultery and the Nazirite vow. The Nazirite vow is fairly straightforward – a man wishes to put himself under a vow in order to seek the Lord more fully. We have two New Testament occasions where Paul seems to …
Author Archives: Fred
February 12 / Numbers 3-4
Numbers 3-4 Dear RTB’ers, Ideally you’ve got a Study Bible or a commentary or an online source that explains things. If not, it’s a bit difficult to follow the Levitical assignments by just reading through the text. So, for the sake of clarity… Levi had three sons – Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. (v. 3:17) Kohath …
February 11 / Numbers 1-2
Numbers 1-2 Dear RTB’ers, Numbers. My favorite book of the Bible?? Not really, but people joke with me about that, having to do with my love for numbers and number “families”! And no doubt, I’d rather be reading Numbers than going back to Leviticus!! After those many days of a small number of verses to …
February 10 / Hebrews Review
Dear RTB’ers, The STS authors list “Revision” instead of a Scripture reading for today’s assignment, but “Review” is probably a better word. And that’s mostly what we did at yesterday’s RTB gathering, looking at the whole of the book of Hebrews. Mostly the group lauded our STS authors for putting Leviticus and Hebrews back-to-back. We …
February 9 / Hebrews 13:9-25
Hebrews 13:9-25 Dear RTB’ers, We will gather as an RTB group in a few hours, so I will make this short. Verse 10 was confusing to me: We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. Yes, confusing, so I went to an online commentary: “We who are Christians …
February 8 / Hebrews 13:1-8
Hebrews 13:1-8 Dear RTB’ers, Today’s reading offers a bunch of one-sentence instructions, encouragements, and admonishments: hospitality to strangers; remembering prisoners; undefiled marriage beds; love of money; overcoming fear; spiritual ancestors; and Jesus Christ eternally! I pondered each of those items that the author mentioned, looking for instances in my own life where those topics were …
February 7 / Hebrews 12:18-29
Hebrews 12:18-29 Dear RTB’ers, For a better understanding, we need to read Hebrews as if we are 1st-century Jewish Christians, especially those 1st-century Jewish Christians who might be considering going back to their old ways. That seems to be the group to whom the author is writing. Consider: For you have not come to …[Mount …
February 6 / Hebrews 12:1-17
Hebrews 12:1-17 Dear RTB’ers, Discipline. Worldly discipline, spiritual discipline. We’ve all been disciplined, somehow, somewhere. Where did you learn discipline? What is your own discipline like today? Your worldly discipline, your spiritual discipline? I was looking back at my own discipline history. First, my worldly discipline – growing up at home; three years in the …
February 5 / Hebrews 11:23-40
Hebrews 11:23-40 Dear RTB’ers, Hebrews 11 is universally known as the “Faith Chapter” or “Heroes of the Faith”. The New Testament (NT) author is writing about Old Testament (OT) “heroes”, people who sought the Lord and served Him, in spite of opposition from people around them. I am humbled when I think about our lives …
February 4 / Hebrews 11:1-22
Hebrews 11:1-22 Dear RTB’ers, The Hebrews writer uses fifteen of the forty verses in this chapter to talk about Abraham. No doubt, Abraham’s person/story is, in fact, a worthy statement of faith. Consider that: Beyond the simple mention of these three faith-statements, our writer adds two interesting “editorial” sentences. First, If they had been thinking …