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May
26
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Reading
1 - Joshua 12
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here to Listen
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v.1
- There are many verses that express this idea of the Israelites conquering,
but this is relatively unusual in not directly giving the credit for that
action to God, though of course many other passages do, leaving us in no
doubt that the promised land is only obtainable by God's grace. Josh.1:15,
22:4.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.24
- Those who know me will know I am quite a sceptic regarding the great significance
some people place on numbers in the Bible. I have read round the subject
lately to try to understand their point of view and I do see some quite
remarkable things, but am put off again when passages like this state a
number which has no significance and is not even a multiple of other numbers.
Having said that, 31 kings conquered by one nation is greatly impressive.
The nations who were overcome would surely recognise that these folk had
no (human) king. One wonders what effect that had on them!
Peter Cresswell
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This chapter,
at the end of the campaign of the first eleven chapters, summarises the
conquest of the land. Vs
1-6 summarises
the work under Moses on the East of Jordan Vs
7-24 focuses
on the work of Joshua in the land of Canaan
Peter
Forbes |
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This list of kings of cities confirms what we have been seeing - that the
land of Canaan was made up of a number of city states. When Israel entered
the land this fragmentation continued through the period of the Judges and
only changed when David became king.
Peter
Forbes
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:3
Just a little point about Biblical language. The Dead Sea is called 'the
Salt Sea'. That body of water is never called the Dead Sea in Scripture.
Peter
Forbes
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Reading
2 - Isaiah 16
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here to Listen
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v.14
- The three years was associated with Moab in ch.15:5
as well - in the 3year-old heifer. See also 23:9
(Tyre)
Peter Cresswell |
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v.13
- We are constantly reminded by reading prophecy that God knows the future
- God is from the beginning to the end - this means that he exists in all
time and does not have wait and see what happens next - as if all time is
one and can be seen simultaneously. A careful consideration of this situation,
even from the point of view of our finite minds, brings us to realise that
God can lead us in the way of right. He can keep us from the temptations
that only He knows are coming our way. It gives us all the more reason to
rely entirely on Him at all times.
Peter Cresswell
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v.6
Moab's pride was the reason for her downfall. A theme that Jeremiah returns
to. [Jeremiah
48:29]
Peter
Forbes |
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16:5
The mention of the 'tabernacle of David' picks up the promise (Isaiah
9:7) of the rulership of Messiah. Amos (9:11)
a contemporary prophet develops the theme and speaks of the call of the
gentiles - (Acts
15:16) thus linking both Isaiah and Amos into the theme of the call
of the gentiles.
Peter
Forbes
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Continuing
the theme from yesterday' chapter we now see a specific appeal being made
to the rulers of Moab. It is given against the background of the supremacy
of Israel (:5).
Moab, being a descendant of Lot, (Genesis
19:36-37) should see themselves correctly with respect to the promises
of God - however Edom, Moab and Ammon all thought too highly of themselves
on a number of occasions when, rather than helping Israel actually opposed
them and rejoiced at their downfall.
Peter
Forbes
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Reading
3 - 2Timothy 2
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here to Listen
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v.3,4
- In the context of this 'war' as a soldier of Christ, we must endure hardness,on
the one hand, but on the other, we should not get entangled with the affairs
of this life. It is important to tread exactly that line.
v.10,
1:8, 3:11, 4:5.
Peter Cresswell |
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Links
Between 2 Timothy 2 & Numbers
Numbers
16 deals with the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Those who
oppose the Apostle Paul are here presented as being like Korah, Dathan
and Abiram in the way that they resisted Yahweh through their attitude
to Moses.
The use
of Numbers
12:3 in which,
in the context of dealing with rebellion, Moses is presented as the meekest
man demonstrates that meekness should not be confused with acquiescence
in the behaviour of others. A meek man is not a 'door mat'. Moses knew
what was correct and the Lord executed the judgment because He was the
one being undermined by the actions of Aaron and Miriam.
Peter Forbes
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2:8
'Of the seed of David' echoing Romans
1:3 highlights the importance of David to the things of the gospel in
Christ.
Peter Forbes
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:23
'Foolish
questions' relate to issues which cannot be answered. In
the time of Timothy they often related to matters of the Law of Moses. We
must realise we are often involved in discussions about things to which
we can have no answer. It seems as if human nature would prefer to discuss
this sort of thing rather than focus on discussing what we can know and
be edified by. We should be warned by this.
Peter Forbes
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