For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    The wicked destroy others by what they say. It is interesting that the proverb writer tells us that the righteous escape such destruction through knowledge, which tells us that the wicked destroy others through lies and deceit. Reading this reminded me of a friend who has been struggling lately. Their posts suggest that their struggles are the result of things others have said about them. The friend I am speaking of is being destroyed by words spoken by evil people.

    My first thought on reading this psalm was, “Another psalm on crying out to God for protection. A wonderful message, but what can I write about this psalm that I have not already written, more than once, in the last few days?” Then I read this verse:

    In response to Gabriel’s message Mary replied, “I am the Lord’s servant.” The message Mary received indicated that she was being called to a very difficult task. She is unmarried and a virgin. The angel has just told her that she is about to become pregnant, in a society that treats women who bear a child out of wedlock poorly. Yet her response is the Magnificat, a song of praise to God. Do we respond with similar joy to the tasks which God sets before us? Do you really think the task which God has set for you is harder than the one He gave Mary?
    Let us make our response to God’s message be the same as Mary’s. When God calls us to a task, let us respond, “I am the Lord’s servant.” And rather than worry about how hard the task is, let us rejoice in God our Savior.

    Balak the king of Moab, having seen how the Israelites defeated his neighbors, sent messengers to offer Balaam money to come and curse them. Balaam consults with God and is told that under no circumstances is he to curse the Israelites because they have been blessed. In the morning, Balaam sends them home, rejecting the task they had offered him. Balak sent a second group of emissaries to Balaam offering even more money. Instead of rejecting them on the basis of the message God had already given him, Balaam asks them to spend the night to see if God has some other message for them this time. This time God tells him to go with them, but to only do what He tells him to do.
    From what is written in tomorrow’s passage, we know that Balaam had done something wrong at this point. I have struggled to understand what Balaam had done wrong. I realized that the answer is that what Balaam told the emissaries (both groups) would have been seen by the emissaries as a negotiating ploy. First Balaam said no, then, when asked again, he left open the possibility of doing something for them. God had told Balaam that the people the emissaries wanted cursed were blessed. Nevertheless, Balaam looked for a way to give Balak something for his money.
    For me, one of the most interesting points of this passage is the indication that there were people, other than the Israelites, who worshiped and served God. We have very little information about them, but from time to time there is a reference to someone who was a prophet, or priest, to the same God whom the Israelites worshiped.

    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. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

    This passage reminds us that our very words can be destructive. Those who are wicked destroy others and tear down the community with their words. The godly check their facts before they allow the words of the wicked to effect their actions. By doing so, they strengthen the community. In addition, the godly act and speak so as the build up the community in other ways.

    A reminder for us when we are surrounded by trouble and enemies. Let us turn to God. He will send help and rescue us. Our enemies may seem clever, but, if we depend on God and faithfully follow His commands, they will fall into the traps they have set for us. I will have confidence in God and praise Him every day.

    When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was confused and disturbed. This should not surprise us, aren’t we often confused and disturbed when God sends us messages. There is probably something wrong with us if we aren’t. The amazing thing about Mary is that once the angel finished telling her what God had planned for her, her reaction was, “Let’s do this thing.” (well, not those exact words) I look at what the angel told Mary and think that it must have been a very scary thing for a young woman (by our standards, a girl) to hear in that culture. Nevertheless, Mary was no longer frightened. No, she declared, “I am the Lord’s servant.” Am I willing to surrender my fear of the consequences of following God’s plan in order to do God’s will? Will I respond to God’s messenger by declaring that I am the Lord’s servant?

    At the end of yesterday’s passage, the people of Israel requested permission to cross Edom. When they King of Edom refused, they turned aside and went a different way. In today’s passage, the king of the Canaanites attacked the Israelites and took some of them captive. The Israelites prayed to God and He gave them victory over the Canaanites. The account records how the Israelites completely conquered several nations in this passage. Yet, not once did they initiate the hostilities. They requested permission to cross the lands of the Amorites. But rather than either grant them permission, or deny them permission, the King of the Amorites attacked them.
    After seeing the inability of his neighbors to stand against the Israelites Balak, the Moabite king, tried a different approach. He sent for Balaam to have him curse the people of Israel for him. When the messengers arrived to speak to Balaam, Balaam told them that he would consult God to see if he could accompany them. When God told him overnight not to go with the messengers because the people they wished him to curse were blessed by God. Balaam told the messengers, “No” and sent them on their way. Balak sent them back with even more promises of reward for cursing the people of Israel. This time Balaam told them right away that he could not accompany them. He knew God’s will on the matter, yet he told them to stay the night to see if he could get a different answer this time. How often do we do this? God has told us His will for us, yet we desire something else.