Mark 1:1-15

Dear RTB’ers,

We leave Numbers and the Old Testament for three weeks before returning to finish the Pentateuch with Deuteronomy later this month. Our New Testament interlude is Mark’s gospel, arguably the first of the four gospels to be written. We can chat about that tomorrow at our RTB gathering.

Today Mark covers three topics – John the Baptist’s ministry, Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. All this in fifteen verses, with half of these covering John the Baptist! That is, Mark’s account of Jesus’ baptism and especially His time in the wilderness is quite short compared to other gospels.

I was struck by two items. First, in verse 1 Mark makes it clear to his readers that Jesus is God (the Son of God): The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is Mark’s opening statement; he will follow that up with accounts of what Jesus does and a lot less of what He says. Second, I’ve probably seen this before, but it struck me today: And when He came up out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens being torn open… (v. 10a) He saw the heavens opening. I’m picturing Jesus in the water, coming up out of the water and looking up into the sky to see His “Brother”, the Holy Spirit descending as a dove and hearing His Father speaking. He knows who He is and His Father confirms it. When we ask questions about Jesus’ deity up against (or coincident with) His humanity, it is this verse and His transfiguration that confirm to me that Jesus knows who He really is.

Spoiler alert: (Thank you, John, for that phrase!) As to Mark’s gospel being the first of the four gospels to be written, research has shown us that much of what Mark writes is also included in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels, often word-for-word. In fact, I asked AI (Copilot) how much of Mark’s gospel was “standalone”, is material not included in any of the other gospels. AI replied with six items: Jesus as a carpenter; Jesus as “the Son of Mary”; the parable of the growing seed; the healing of a deaf and mute man; the healing of a blind man at Bethsaida (in two stages); and the young man who fled naked.

See you tomorrow, I hope!

Blessings!

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See also: January 11 (2021) / Mark 1:1-13

Numbers 33-35

Dear RTB’ers,

Israel’s journeying, its geography, new leadership, and cities of refuge. A lot going on in today’s reading! Have you ever heard the phrase, “The devil’s in the details?” Today’s chapters clearly show us that God is in the details! He names some 40 places to where the Israelites sojourned in the wilderness as they left Egypt; He defines the boundaries of the Promised Land to exact detail; He specifies a dozen new leaders for the tribes; and He makes provision for cities and surrounding properties for the Levites, including cities of refuge. Of 63 verses in today’s last two chapters, there are only three verses where the Lord is not speaking! In addition, it is at His command that their journeying is listed: Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their starting place. (v. 33:2) Yes, the Lord is in the details. That’s a comforting thought!

Blessings!

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See also: February 20 (2023) / Numbers 34-36

Numbers 32

Dear RTB’ers,

Another Old Testament story that I enjoy, two-and-one-half tribes inheriting the land of the Transjordan. I like it when potential controversy gets resolved by further communication. Moses’ initial reaction is harsh, imagining that the tribes of Gad and Reuben would be abdicating their responsibility of joining their brothers in conquering the Promised Land. But when the leaders explain their plan, Moses agrees: So Moses said to them, “If you will do this … and the land is subdued before the LORD; then … this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out. (vv. 20-23) What I have bolded is Moses’ bottom line, and the bottom line for all of us in everything we do – our sin will find us out!

We have already seen in Joshua 22 how this story ends, again, surprisingly, in potential controversy. After the Promised Land was subdued Joshua blessed Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh and sent them home. However, on their way home they built an altar by the Jordan River. The other tribes considered this an unfaithful act and were ready to go to war against them. But again, further communication ensued as the two-and-one-half tribes explained that the altar was to be an altar of “witness” between these two-and-one-half tribes and the rest of Israel and the issue was resolved. Another good ending.

Blessings!

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See also: February 19 (2023) / Numbers 32-33

Numbers 31

Dear RTB’ers,

Holy war. We saw a lot of holy war last year when we read Joshua, as the Israelites were claiming the Promised Land. Today’s holy war is different from what we read earlier: The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites…” (vv. 1-2a). This war is the Lord’s revenge on behalf of His people because of Midian’s having led them astray in their Baal worship at Peor, Numbers 25:1-9, which we read just a few days ago. It’s heartening to see the Lord looking out for His people in this way, to keep them from further sins of idolatry. It’s also a reminder to us of the apostle Paul’s warning, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) We are not to avenge ourselves when we are wrongly treated. Pray for the person or people or situation where we were mistreated, forgive them if you are able, and leave it up to God to deal with them. Yes, difficult.

By the way, this is not the end of the Midianites. We will see them soon in the book of Judges, after we read Mark and Deuteronomy.

Blessings!

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See also: February 18 (2023) / Numbers 30-31

Numbers 30

Dear RTB’ers,

Vows – caution suggested! Who makes vows today? Husband and wife take vows on their wedding day. Monks and nuns take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Elected officials and military officers swear allegiance to their nation, state, or county. And all of us sign contracts when we buy a house or engage in other business or work obligations. What holds us to these vows, these contracts? First and foremost, it’s our word, our reputation, our responsibility. Sadly, words may fail over time. Second, we have lawsuits and our judicial system. We’ve heard too much of lawsuits the past few years. Finally, one day God will judge us for all that we’ve said and done. In the end, that’s all that matters.

Blessings!

Numbers 28-29

Dear RTB’ers,

The burnt offering to the Lord was introduced in Leviticus 1. It is now re-introduced to this new generation of Israelites in the first eight verses of Numbers 28. Then the phrase, …besides the regular burnt offering… occurs first in Num. 28:10, then another four times (or some variant of this phrase) in Numbers 28 and ten more times in Numbers 29. The NASB uses the word “continual” instead of “regular”, which seems even more emphatic. This burnt offering is an “add-on” to other weekly, monthly, and annual offerings (Sabbath, Monthly, Passover, Weeks, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Booths). All these other offerings are intended to remind the Israelites of the Lord’s hand in their lives, from their Exodus from Egypt to their daily provisions.

But the daily/regular/continual burnt offering stands out. And this daily/regular/continual burnt offering is a morning and evening activity. Why? Presumably for the Israelites to keep God at the forefront in all their activities in their daily lives. Maybe that’s why we read this one phrase fifteen times in today’s reading. Except for us it’s prayer, not burnt offerings. A good reminder, morning and evening – and throughout the day!

Blessings!

Numbers 27, 36

Dear RTB’ers,

The daughters of Zelophehad, an interesting twist to inheritance laws and the division of the Promised Land. It is particularly interesting in that:

1. The daughters came to Moses and presented their petition
2. Moses took the issue before the Lord and the Lord responded with inheritance caveats to go as far as “the nearest kinsman of his clan”
3. A further issue arose wherein “The heads of the fathers’ houses of … Manasseh” were concerned about the daughters of Zelophehad marrying outside the tribe of Manasseh and the tribe of Manasseh losing that land, and
4. Moses again brought the issue before the Lord and the Lord replied that any daughters in this situation must marry within their tribe.

We already read last year in Joshua 17:3-6 that this issue was resolved as the Lord had commanded – the daughters of Zelophehad were given their inheritance, a portion of land along with other members of the tribe of Manasseh.

Blessings!

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See also: February 17 (2023) / Numbers 27-29

Numbers 25-26

Dear RTB’ers,

Good morning, folks, and welcome to March! Another RTB month behind us – 22 more to go in Search the Scriptures!

While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. (Num. 25:1-3a) You may recall from Numbers 23:28 that (Mount) Peor was the third location where Balak had taken Balaam to curse Israel. So Baal of Peor was the god of the Moabite people who lived in that region, and the Israelites began to join the locals in worship of this god. We will learn later that it was Balaam who incited the people to this worship of Baal: Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD. (Numbers 31:16) Therein we see the judgment of later writers against Balaam.

This incident is the first record of idolatry since the Golden Calf incident at Mount Sinai back in Exodus 32, when it was the ancestors of today’s worshipers who had engaged in that idolatry. They had their failings – grumblings and their listening to the unfaithful spies – but we have no record of further idolatry with that generation. Still, the sins of the fathers…! (Exodus 20:5, 34:7; Numbers 14:18) We will read much more of Israeli idolatry over the next 22 months!

Blessings!

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See also: February 16 (2023) / Numbers 25-26

Numbers 23-24

Dear RTB’ers,

More Balak and Balaam – today, his actual words, his blessings. And they are numerous. First, Balaam asks three times for Balak to “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” (Num. 23:1, 14, 29). Balak does as requested and Balaam responds with three sets of substantial blessings upon Israel. Balak is furious, but Balaam responds to Balak’s anger with four more sets of blessings and prophecies, including a short prelude to Balak: “And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” (Num. 24:14) After a few more blessings, Balaam prophecies destruction upon Moab, Edom, Seir, Amalek, the Kenite, Asshur (Assyria) and Eber. They then depart.

STS asks us to read through the blessings carefully. A few of them stood out for me:

• Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel?
  Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his! (Num. 23:10)
• The Lord their God is with them… (Num. 23:21b)
• …a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel… (Num. 24:17b)
  Possibly Messianic…??

Now you… Your favorites? Your comments on Balaam?

Blessings!