[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 318-Acts 12-13; Matthew 5 summary!]
In Numbers 25, the Israelites end up being cursed by the Moabites, but not because Balaam offered a curse. The Israelites managed to bring the curse upon themselves, by intermingling with the Moabites sexually and in worshiping their pagan gods. God sent a plague on the Israelites, while Moses called on any who were faithful to God to put to death those who were sinning with the Moabites. Eleazar ended matters by killing an Israelite man who was with a Midianite woman. When the carnage had been counted 24,000 Israelites had died. What a severe lesson! The people of Israel would soon repeat this sin of intermingling with the people of the Promised Land, but God was determined to have His people remain holy. As Jesus’ followers, we are called to be in the world, but not of it. The challenge to do so can be great, because the more we spend time among those who fail to follow the Lord, the greater the opportunities to be influenced in that direction ourselves.
Numbers 26 records a second “numbering” of Israel. God called Moses and Eleazar to count the fighting men aged twenty and older as had been done at the beginning of the Exodus. The people were getting ready to move into the Promised Land, and God was preparing them for this important transition. Once in the land, and having overcome their enemies, the tribes would be given allotments according to the numbers of their groups.
In Numbers 27, Zolophehad brought a complaint to Moses about her clan missing out on an inheritance, because no sons were born to her father. After consulting with God, it was determined she and her sisters would receive an inheritance. In the remainder of the chapter God directs Moses to select Joshua as his replacement. At first, God told Moses it was His time to die, but Moses asked God to appoint someone to replace Him so the people wouldn’t be like sheep without a shepherd. God granted Moses’ wish and had Moses appoint Joshua before the people, which Moses did.
In John 11, we read the record of Lazarus’ death. Jesus knew about Lazarus’ illness, because his sisters sent word to Jesus about it, but Jesus didn’t go and heal him right away. He let Lazarus die, then came four days later. Lazarus’ sisters Martha and Mary each went out to Jesus and confronted Him in their own ways. Jesus told Martha her brother would rise from the dead. Martha agreed, but thought Jesus meant the resurrection on the last day. Jesus countered by saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” Those statements have comforted many believers throughout history, because we realize when we face death it is only a temporary setback. Ultimately, Jesus talked with Martha, wept with Mary, and then raised Lazarus from the dead. We would think this would have convinced the Pharisees that Jesus was the Messiah. Instead, it convinced them to plot Jesus’ death! They reasoned anyone with Jesus’ power would ultimately draw the Romans’ attention and Israel would be crushed, so better to have one die than the entire nation sacrificed. This statement was prophetic: Jesus would die not only for Israel, but for the entire world.
Day 318-Acts 12-13; Matthew 5
In Acts 12, King Herod arrested James and had him put to death. This pleased the people, so Herod arrested Peter and was going to have him put to death as well. The night before Herod was to have Peter executed, an angel appeared to Peter and the chains with which he was bound fell off him. The soldiers with him slept as Peter got dressed and left the prison, whose gates opened as he walked out. When this had all happened, Peter found himself in the street and realized it had all taken place. He had thought it was a dream. He returned to the house of John Mark, and was welcomed with great rejoicing.
At the close of the chapter, we’re told of King Herod’s death. He went to Caesarea to address some matters of dispute and gave a speech which was acclaimed by the people. They said his voice was that of a god and not a human being. As a result of his not correcting this error the LORD struck him dead. While the account sounds hard to believe. We have seen throughout the Book of Acts that powerful things for good and for harm took place as a result of the Holy Spirit’s work. When I say powerful things for “harm,” I mean the harm of those who seek to deny God’s presence and power, and the work of His Spirit. Ananias and Sapphira were examples in Acts 5, and now King Herod is the example in Acts 12.
In Acts 13, we read of Saul (Paul) and Barnabas and several others meeting in Antioch for a time of worship, prayer, and fasting. In the midst of it, the Holy Spirit selected Saul and Barnabas to go out in mission. As they travelled, they followed the same strategy wherever they went: they went to the synagogue first and shared the good news there. If and usually when it was rejected, they went to the Gentiles. They faced challenge and persecution from the Jews. They offered signs, wonders, and the powerful testimony of Jesus’ salvation. Their work was always challenged, and always fruitful!
As we return to Matthew 5, we return to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This collection of Jesus’ teaching covers Matthew 5-7, and is the most extensive section of teaching in the four gospels. Jesus offered the beatitudes, the image of His followers being salt and light, a number of teachings that showed His power to add to the Law of Moses, including teachings on murder, lust, divorce, and vows. He also spoke about the importance of loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. Matthew 5 ends with Jesus’ admonition for us to be “perfect” even as our Father in heaven is “perfect.” Of course, none of us can fulfill this command apart from the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The folks who heard the message as Jesus presented it, must have been overwhelmed at the high expectations He placed on them. Only after He died and rose again from the dead, returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit would any be able to be consistent in fulfilling the teachings presented here.