I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
     The Old Testament passage that I did my Bible study on today contains the response of the tribes that settled east of the Jordan to those that settled west of the Jordan concerning the altar that the former had built. Those settling east of the Jordan were afraid that later generations would see the Jordan as a divide between them as a people and that those west of the Jordan would not permit those east of the Jordan to worship at the Tabernacle. They built this altar as a witness between the tribes that those living east of the Jordan were as much the descendants of Israel, and God’s promise to Abraham, as those living west of the Jordan. If one looks at the history of human relations, this was a legitimate fear. This passage reminds me of a dilemma that we as humans who wish to worship the Lord face. It is human nature that we need symbols to remind us of aspects of God and to inspire us to worship God. However, we have a tendency to make the symbols the object of worship. The challenge that each generation faces is that of maintaining the symbols that remind us of God without worshiping those symbols as God.
     The passage continues with Joshua calling the children of Israel together to give them his final words, as he knows that he will die soon. He reminds them of what God has done for them and will continue to do for them. He calls on them not to adopt the customs of those non-Israelites still living in the land around them. God is faithful to fulfill His promises, but if we fail to follow His laws, disaster will follow. If we start to worship and serve things other than God, we will suffer for that action. This reminds me of why I have started attempting this daily Bible Study blog, not because I am a wonderful blogger and have something to bring to others, but because it is a discipline that will help me do a daily Bible study and will prevent me from spending my time doing other things that perhaps I should not. Hopefully, God’s Spirit will use this blog to help others in their study of the Bible, but as long as it helps me in my Bible study, it has served its purpose.

     The New Testament reading continues with yet another group of Jewish religious leaders attempting to trap Jesus. Some leaders that did not believe in resurrection thought they had found a logic flaw in the concept of the resurrection. If there is resurrection, what happens when someone has been married to more than one person who predeceased them, which of their spouses will they be married to in eternity? Jesus’ answer is that the flaw is in the assumption that people will be married after they are resurrected. He goes on to show how the Old Testament supports the concept of the resurrection. This story reminds us not to accept the assumptions hidden in questions from those who do not share our beliefs. The questions will often be phrased in such a manner as to hide an assumption that is not supported by our beliefs.
     After dealing with the question that the Sadducees had asked Him, Jesus turns it back around and asks them a paradoxical question. We are not told how those He asked the question responded and Jesus does not answer the question. There are those who think that Jesus is saying that the Messiah may not be a descendant of David, but I think that Jesus is saying that such “conundrums” are a result of over analyzing the Scripture. He goes on to warn the people against the teachers of religious law who want to be respected for their knowledge of the Law. The question He just asked is the sort of question they often spend their time considering. He points out that they often practice public piety and ostentatious obedience to the letter of the law, yet live lives that violate the very spirit of the Law by cheating those with little power. We see this time and again, people who proclaim their credentials as “men of God”, who sin when they think they are out of the public eye.

     The Psalm today extols the virtue of worshiping God. It is a reminder to me that if I start my day by worshiping God, and continue to do so throughout the day, my day will be filled with joy. The psalm continues by pointing out that God has promised that David will always have an heir. However, if David’s descendants fail to keep God’s commands, God will punish them harshly, but even so, God will keep His promise and maintain an heir to David.

     Today we have three proverbs. The first can be taken several ways, but I will choose to see it as a comment on how when someone carries a message from one person to another and does not convey the message accurately, they can get caught up in trouble that they would otherwise not be part of. On the other hand, someone who accurately conveys a message from one party to another in a dispute can help bring resolution to the dispute. The second proverb talks about the importance of accepting and acting on criticism. If you do something wrong, listen to those who tell you how you should have done it and learn. The final proverb is about the joy that comes from realizing your dreams, but points out that using evil means to achieve those dreams will bring more harm than the benefit of realizing your dream.