I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
The passage begins by talking about how the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh waged war against peoples east of the Jordan River and settled there. We are told that in the long run they were unfaithful to God and He caused them to be taken into exile by the Assyrians. The passage then goes on to list descendants of Levi and describe the towns they were given in the land of Israel.
Paul told his testimony in front of King Agrippa. He explained that he had been a zealous Pharisee, persecuting those who followed Jesus. Paul then retold the story of how God intercepted him on the road to Damascus and Paul converted to being a follower of Jesus. Paul then stated that what he taught after his conversion is no more than what Moses and the prophets said would happen. That the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead. When Paul said that he believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, Festus exclaimed that he was crazy for believing that someone had risen from the dead.
Paul responded that he was most certainly not insane, that King Agrippa was aware of the events to which Paul was referring. Paul then asked King Agrippa if he believed in the prophets. King Agrippa recognized the Paul was about to launch into an attempt to convert him and interrupted him by asking if Paul thought he could get King Agrippa to convert in such a short time. Paul responded by saying that he wished and prayed that everyone in his audience that day would come to the same understanding of God that Paul held, whether it took a short time or a long time. The position that Paul took here is one I strive to emulate. I strive to pray and live my life as if my chief desire is for all of those I interact with follow Jesus whether in response to my testimony or some other stimulus.
Today’s psalm is a reminder that when we are facing troubles and suffering we should turn to God and cry out to Him. The Lord will hear our pleas and answer our prayers.
Today’s two proverbs are closely related. I think the NIV translation is the more useful take on these proverbs. It tells us that we will eat the fruit of the words we speak, that we will experience the results of our own words. We should be careful what we say because our words can be uplifting and bring life, or they can be poisonous and bring death. If we speak poisonous words, it is we ourselves who will be poisoned. On the other hand, if we speak words that are beneficial and healthy, we will be well-fed and healthy. Let us choose to speak the latter.