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. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.
On the third and final time that Balak attempted to get Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam did not spend any time going through his usual routine of meditation to determine what God would have him say. He knew that God was going to bless Israel. Balaam turned to look over the camp of Israel and the Spirit of God came upon him. In Balaam’s final blessing of the Israelites is something that has proven true through most of history:
and cursed is everyone who curses you.”
Balak was furious and refused to pay Balaam, demanding that he return to his home. Balaam replied that he had warned Balak that he could only say what God had commanded. Balaam then gives a prophecy concerning Moab and the other countries in the surrounding area. Am I willing to say what God tells me to say? Am I willing to say ONLY what God tells me to say? Even if it costs me?
While Israel was camped in this area, some of the Israelite men began having sexual affairs with Moabite women. The women invited the men to the sacrifices to their gods. The men went and joined in the sacrifices and the feasts. This caused a plague to break out among the Israelites. Moses gathered the judges of the Israelites and ordered them to put to death the men under their authority who had joined in the idol worship. While Moses was speaking to the judges about this issue and the people were gathered praying for God’s deliverance from the plague, a man openly brought a Midianite woman into his tent to have sex with her. Aaron’s grandson was so incensed by this brazen behavior that he grabbed a spear and went and killed the man and the woman while they were having sex in the man’s tent. At this point the plague in the camp ended, but not until it had taken the lives of 24,000. Reading this passage one can easily miss the point that by taking part in the rituals of worshiping the idols and the sexual licentiousness associated with them, these men were bringing disease into the Israelite camp. It was only when this behavior was stopped that the spread of this disease could be controlled.
Today’s passage is Luke’s account of the birth of Christ. It is the one most often used around Christmas time because it so well brings together the important elements of that event. First it tells us why Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem. They went in response to a Roman census. When Jesus was born, Mary carefully wrapped him and placed him in a manger because there were no guest rooms available for them. Then we have an interesting thing. God announced the birth of His Son by sending angels. However, He did not send the announcement to the mighty and powerful. Instead He sent the angels to shepherds who were in the fields tending their flocks. When the angels departed, the shepherds went to see what they had been told about. Once they saw the child they spread the word about what they had been told and seen.
In due time Mary and Joseph had the child circumcised and named Him Jesus, as the angel had told them to do. They took Him to the Temple for the purification rites that the Law required Mary go through after giving birth. It is interesting to note that the offering they made was that designated for those who were too poor to afford a lamb. Luke tells us that while they were there they met Simeon. Simeon believed that he would live until he saw the coming of the Messiah. When Simeon saw the child, Jesus, he took Him in his arms and praised God that he had indeed seen the Messiah. Simeon said that he was now ready to die. All we know about how Simeon knew that Jesus was the Messiah is that we are told that the Spirit moved him. Are we open to such revelation from the Spirit?
The psalmist cries to God for rescue from his enemies. Do we turn to the Lord when others attack us and slander us? If we do, have we been careful to make sure that we can say with the psalmist that we have not sinned against them?
The psalmist asks God not to kill his enemies because people forget too quickly. He asks that God punish those who are evil in such a manner that they remain as a reminder to others of the folly of wickedness. The psalmist speaks of the evil which his enemies do, acting under cover of the dark but says that he will not respond in kind and will act in the light of day.
Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.
For you have been my refuge,
a place of safety when I am in distress.
Do we perform our actions in the light of day, so that everyone can see how we behave? Or do we prefer the cover of darkness to hide our misdeeds from others? I will sing about God’s unfailing love because He has been and continues to be a place of safety for me when troubles arise.
A nation whose leaders do not listen to wise advice will fall. Those who carefully weigh the advice of many different advisers will be victorious. This is as true for individuals, businesses and organizations as it is for nations. Where do I turn for advice in making my decisions? Do I have wise advisers? Do I have enough of them?