For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    The proverb writer spends a lot of time reminding us of the danger of co-signing a loan (or otherwise guaranteeing someone else’s debt). Do not guarantee someone else’s debt if you cannot afford to pay it off.

    When we as a people turn away from God He will bring trouble upon our land. Trials and tribulations will be all around. However, in the midst of that trouble, He will raise a banner for us to rally around. Are we prepared to rally around God’s banner at a time when all around us are fighting against Him? Will we make our way through hostile forces in order to make a stand with the people of God?

    Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem each year for Passover. That would probably be a three day trip each way. As I think about it, it strikes me that it was probably an approximately two week vacation each year. Which suggests that the trip to Jerusalem was probably a pretty big deal for Jesus. It is also interesting that He spent four days in the Temple without His parents. Where did He get food during that time? Where did He sleep? Someone, probably more than one someone, clearly shared meals with Him. Were the religious teachers in the Temple that absent minded that they did not notice this twelve year old boy spending all of this time in the Temple? Or maybe it was not that uncommon for young men to spend time listening and learning? Luke tells us that what stood out to the people in the Temple was His understanding. Do we encourage our young people to spend time learning about God the way the people in the Temple clearly encouraged Jesus?

    I always struggle to find something useful in passages like this one. I skimmed through this, then I read through it, then I read through it again. The first thing that struck me was that the tribes were all divided into clans. The next thing that struck me was that the second largest tribe, Dan, consisted of just a single clan. I am not sure if there is any significance to these facts, but they are what struck me.
    Another thing which struck me as I read this, (it was something I had known, just never thought about) was that when you count the two tribes descended from Joseph as full tribes, and you only count the “warrior” tribes, there are twelve tribes of warriors. When you add in the tribe of Levi, you get thirteen tribes. What struck me was the connection to Jesus and His Twelve Disciples. The tribe of Levi were the intermediaries between the rest of Israel and God, just as Jesus is the intermediary between the Twelve and God (and between all of us and God). I am not sure there is significance to that, but it struck me as I read this passage.

    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.

    If you put up security for a stranger’s debt, you should figure on paying it back yourself. Guaranteeing another person’s debt is a risk that is likely to cost you.

    We may suffer when God chooses to correct us for our errors, but He will raise a banner for us to rally around. If we fear God and gather to His call, He will provide us with the support we need to overcome our troubles. With God’s help we will overcome our troubles and do mighty things.

    Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem each year for Passover. When Jesus was twelve He stayed behind in Jerusalem when His parents headed home. When they returned to Jerusalem it took them three days to find Him. When they did find Him He was in the Temple among the religious teachers, listening and asking questions. When Jesus’ mother faulted Him because they had searched all over, He asked her why they had to search? Did they not know He would be about His Father’s business? Which raises the question which we must ask ourselves. When others are looking for us, will they find us about our Father’s business? And, do they know to look for us doing our Father’s business?

    As a result of some of the men of Israel having relations with women of Moab and worshiping Moab’s gods, there had been a plague among the people of Israel. When the plague was over God told Moses to once more conduct a census of the men of fighting age among the Israelites. When they had finished the count, the number was a little over 600,000 men. This number was very close to the same as the number of fighting men in the census Moses had taken when they were at Mt. Sinai, 40 years earlier. This census was taken for the same reason the census was taken at Mt. Sinai, in order to organize the fighting men for the invasion of the Promised Land. After the first census, the people of Israel were afraid to invade. This time, God had shaped this generation to do His will. Have we allowed ourselves to be shaped to do God’s will?