The Family Bible Journey Podcast

In this chapter we see a repeat of the idolatry Israel commited when they worshipped the Golden Calf at Sinai. Their passionate worship of Baal aroused the Lord's passion. Many died for their adulterous idolatry. We will consider our passion towards the Lord, and our passion for sharing His love with others.

Balaam utters prophecies for Israel that wouldn't be fulfilled for a over a thousand years. We learn how they were fulfilled. We also see that he is not paid for his services, but rather threatened by the king who had hired him to prophecy against Israel.

James and John look like a couple of heels, asking Jesus for positions of power and influence when He comes into His kingdom. They left disappointed. Blind Bartimaeus comes asking for heals and leaves rejoicing in the Lord. Here we get an opportunity to reflect on what we ask the Lord for and the blessing of seeking mercy in Him.

Balaam heeds the Lord's warning and prophecies for, not against, Israel. We learn about some of the practices of ancient Hittite religion as King Balak of Moab tries to buy God's favor. His attempt works about as well as you'd expect.

Balaam is an intriguing character who the King of Moab paid to prophecy against Israel. In this hilarious chapter, Balaam's ass has more sense than her master. When the beast speaks, and Balaam sees the Angel of the Lord, he is warned that he treads a dangerous path by opposing the Lord and His people.

The world is really good at getting us down on our knees by giving us more than we can handle. Thanks be to God that He has mercy on us and does the impossible for us. We would be hopeless were it not for the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus uses an illustration from this chapter, when talking to Nicodemus in John three. We will see how God had mercy on his hardhearted people by turning the instrument of death into an instrument of life. Jesus has done the very same for us, by turning death into the portal of eternal life, through his own death on the cross.

Israel continues to complain against Moses, Aaron, and the Lord, because they simply will not be satisfied with what God provides. When God tells Moses to bring water out of a rock by speaking to it, Moses strikes the rock in frustration, and because of his disobedience he is not going to be allowed to enter the promised land. In this episode, we learn of trying people in trying times, and how even the best of us can strike in frustration.

When Jesus says, "the first shall be last and the last first," He isn't talking about us as much as He's teaching us about Himself! We are prized and exalted beause He ws despised and rejected. It is only by His Spirit's prompting that we, in turn, are enabled to lower ourselves so that others may be exalted.

It may seem unfair that the Levites were the only tribe not to get an allotment of property in Israel. But God insists He is their portion. What a wonderful inheritance to have! Here we consider the Lord as our lot and why even priests and Levites were told to tithe as Israel's spiritual leaders.

Aaron was affirmed by God, as His priestly representative, when the sons of Koran rose up in rebellion against their kinsman. Aaron's staff bore fruit in the Lord's presence. His enemies were then swallowed up by the earth. This dramatic demonstration of wrath and favor solidified Aaron's position as spiritual leader of God's people.

A man come to Jesus with his demon-possessed son after the disciples can't cast it out. The man doesn't know how God can save his son, yet comes asking for a miracle. He receives the miracle he requests, not because of the quality of his faith, but because of the depth of God's love.

Equality was deemed vitally important to God as the basis of His nation's treatment of all people. We consider how much suffering ego and pride cause and the fact that equal treatment under the law was a part of God's moral law for all people of all time.

When the spies went out to survey the land, two came back with a glowing report and ten with words of worry and fear. The people rebelled against the Lord and Moses yet again, saying, "we'd rather die, or be slaves in Egypt," than follow the Lord's lead. During this difficult chapter, Joshua and Caleb are going to rise and shine as faithful leaders who will be chosen to shepherd the next generation of God's people all the way into the promised land, despite the misgiving of Israel.

As we follow Jesus, it's good to be aware of the obstacle that worldly views of money and morality are more than a distraction. They can completely derail us if we aren't watching ourselves and listening to God's Word.

In the very first leg of their journey, God's people began complaining against Moses. YHWH answered their prayer by blessing other leaders with His Spirit. He also provided meat for them to eat in the desert. Despite, or maybe because of God's love, there were real consequences for their disrespect and disobedience. God used the consequences they suffered to teach them, so they would grow in wisdom and faith by learning from their mistakes.

One year after the Exodus, God's people celebrate the Passover, and prepare for their journey to the promised land. God gave specific marching orders to his people, and led them visibly along their way. We are encouraged in our walk with God, knowing that He goes with us and before us in our walk with Him.

The disciples were caught arguing over a single loaf of bread, right after Jesus fed 4,000. "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod." What did the disciples have in commonn with these villians of Mark's gospel? What sin lurks in our souls that can spoil everything?

God provided for the spiritual needs of His people by setting up the Tabernacle. He also provided those who served in the worship life of God's people with a retirement plan. In this episode we consider the wisdom of planning for retirement by having an exit strategy that includes preparing the next generation to lead and serve.

The faithful generosity of YHWH's Old Testament people challenges us today. We will reflect on current declines in giving to religious charities and consider how we can grow in supporting the Lord's work on earth.

Here we see the basic misconception of Jesus's opponents about the source of sin. We sin because we are sinners. Not, we are sinners because we sin. It isn't until we recognize our place under God's law that we begin to appreciate the depth of His love for us.

Many of YHWH's people still today receive the blessing of Aaron in worship. YHWH told Aaron to put His NAME on His people with this special blessing. We consider how blessed, and affirmed we are in the faith as we hear these words spoken over us still today.

The priests and Levites were given strict instructions including their place in the camp, and how they were to care for the tabernacle, her furnishings, and tools as they marched. We see a few poignant "types" of Christ in their orders. We also learn how practical details show the wisdom of God revealed in seemingly mundane ways.

While Jesus is getting rejected by the people of Nazareth, the demoniac He healed chapters earlier was busy telling everyone what the love of God had done for Him. Even the disciples forgot the power of God's love in a moment of panic. But when they felt rejected, and were themselves guilty of unbelief, they crossed the sea to see God's love was still at work in the most unlikely places.

"Numbers" might better be called "Marches," because it recounts the journey of God's people from Mount Sinai to the edge of the Promised Land. We will consider the tender relationship between the Hebrew God YHWH and his people. He prepared them spiritually and militarily, for what would be a blessed, yet burdensome march to their promised home.

Leviticus ends by God reminding His people of what was His and what was theirs. We see a Biblical basis for generosity in this passage and have opportunity to reflect on our personal generosity.

Jesus was rejected by those who knew Him best in Nazareth. John the Baptist was beheaded for faithfulness. We can take heart when others reject us even though we try our hardest for God and the gospel. If God Himself can't please His people, we shouldn't be shocked when we disappoint them.

There are great blessings for obedience. When we fail to follow the Lord's will, we get in His way and suffer the consequences. When we live according to His will, faith becomes more than what we do. It becomes more and more, who we are.

How would life be better if we saved in six years enough to take every seventh year off? What would you do with that year off? How would it effect your family? We consider these things as we consider the blessings of the Sabbath year.

A demon-possessed man, woman with and incurable disease, and Jairus who lost his daughter. Each it seems, represent people whose prayers God was slow to answer. We are often waiting on the Lord. How do we process feelings of impatience or disappointment with Him? In this chapter, we learn that when God delays, He often has far more in store for us than we dared hope was possible.

Moses continues to intertwine the ceremonial and civil law of God's Old Testament people because they complement, not contradict, each other. When many are confused and lost in a society that is losing valuable institutions, we can find our place with the help of institutions that God has given to bless us along life's way.

The liturgical calendar of God's Old Testament people complemented their agricultural lifestyle. As we review the annual calendar of worship, we discover a few types of Christ. We grow in our appreciation of the God Who blesses us in earthly and eternal ways.

Jesus continues teaching about the blessings of His Word sown into our lives. What are you going to do with it? How are you going to share it? What can God do through you when you share His love with others? The only way you will find out is by joining Him in His work of generously sharing His Word.

The "Peter Parker Principle" illustrates why Aaron, the priests, and their families were required by God's law, to live by a higher standard. Priests were both God's representatives to the people, and the representative of the people before God. When we consider our life as a holy calling from God, then we are better equipped to be a blessing, even as we have been blessed. While it may not always seem fair, there is wisdom in embracing the higher calling God has given to us.

Covenant capital crimes included the sacrifice of children and certain forms of sexual immorality. God makes very clear his distaste for those who practice such sin. How are we to live as His people in a culture that opposes God's clearly expressed will in these areas of life? There is much room for prayer and mercy as we wrestle with this moral quandry.

Jesus, now accused of blasphemy and being a pawn of satan, teaches about the power of God's Word. There are those who will never hear, and those who miss out on much of the benefit of God's Holy Spirit working in their lives. But it is not because the Word is ineffective. When God has His way in our lives, we produce good fruit in abundance.

The virtues of honor, respect and justice, hold society together. What may seem a random assemblage of God's ceremonial and civil laws in Leviticus 19, show us how faith forms character. We learn the real blessings of God's character underpinning our lives and society.

Living in a confused, sex-crazed world, God laid out very clear boundaries for His people's sexual conduct towards each other. If we are led by our feelings, it is easy for us to go astray. When we listen and follow the Lord's design in faith, there may be confusion and suffering. However, the consequences suffered for faith are much better than those suffered by those who are misled by their feelings.

The religious leaders accused Jesus of casting out demons by the prince of demons. Jesus responded by warning them that if they rejected the Spirit of God, they would be rejecting God. He then turned to His crowd of followers and invited all who listened, not only to be His followers, but into His family.

On the day of Atonement, a scapegoat carried the sins of the people into Gehenna, the Valley of Hell. Here, "Go to Hell," and "Take out the trash," come together as a poignent illustration of the Lord's forgiveness.

The laws regarding bodily discharges are not just "ewwy" and "gross." God instituted them for the protection of His people. Here we see how God knew, thousands of years before humans discovered the relationship between microbes and disease, how to protect His people from preventable, comunicable disease.

While Jesus's popularity rises among the people, his opponents take issue with His unorthodox ways. In their opinion, He did things the wrong things in the wrong places, in the wrong ways, for the wrong sorts of people. But He would not be detered by His opponents as His following grew and His disciples joined in His work.

Leprosy was a physical, social and religious death sentence for many in Old Testament times. God established a religious quarantine to protect the community from the spread of disease. He also provided a way back into community if the leprosy was healed. This way, He balanced care for the community and care for individuals who had incurable disease.

In the Purification of mothers, we see two promises fulfilled by Jesus, or shall we say, fulfilled for Jesus by His parents. There is great blessing for God's people when they walk in His way, even when they don't understand it, as the dietary laws of Israel demonstrate.

In choosing to party with "sinners," Jesus showed there may be more hope for corrupt politicians and extortioners than some in the religious establishment. When Jesus was confronted by the religious establishment about forgiving sins, even though His mighty acts over the dark spiritual forces in the world verified His authority, they refused to accept Him.

Aaron's two eldest sons were consumed by fire from the altar when they did not do as the Lord commanded. This is a warning to all who serve in the Church as pastors and priests. When they stumble, many fall. Given the higher bar for those called to serve in the Church, we pray for them and those led astray by their misdeeds.

Aaron and his sons were ordained and consecrated for service in the Tabernacle. They were made bloody by the sacrifices of their oridnation, just as Jesus was bloodied on the cross. Their offering was accepted by God in a supernatural way, just as Jesus was accepted by the Father as attested by His resurrection. We thank God for faithful servants, who point us to Christ, the fulfillment of the Priestly Office.

Mark focuses us on God enlighting our darkness. The dark forces at work in the world seem to win sometimes. But we know that even when it seems God is slow to answer our prayers, He is working to deliver us in the time and the way He knows best.

The priests were told to never let the fire on the altar go out. It symbolized both God's wrath and His mercy. Here we see another earthly representation of the eternal reality in heaven. As Isaiah the prophet would learn in Isaiah chapter six, in heaven, the altar in heaven continually burns as a reminder of God's wrath and mercy.

The sin offering was different because female lambs were offered for this offering. Cute and innocent, they paid the ultimate price for someone else's sin. Here we are given opportunity to reflect on the pain our sin causes others and the forgiveness we have in Christ.