February 25 Readings

Numbers 9-11; Mark 5.1-20
The Back to the Bible OT and NT Together Reading Plan

Numbers 9 deals with the Passover. Moses was told by God to celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. Some were not able to celebrate the Passover because they were ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. God allowed those who were ceremonially unclean because of a dead body, or away on a journey to still participate in the Passover. They could still celebrate but it was in the second month thus having a legitimate delay for a month. Those who were ceremonially clean and was not on a journey but neglected to observe the Passover must be cut off from the people. An alien living among the Israelites could celebrate the Passover provided he did in the prescribed manner set by God. This is encouraging to me. Because God was even concerned about the aliens, the outsider who could get close to Him. This reminds of Jesus reaching out to the Syrophoenician woman in Mark 7.24-30, where she acknowledged that when Jesus said to her: 27 Jesus told her, "First I should help my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs." 28 She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are given some crumbs from the children's plates." (NLT) The Jews had called the Gentiles dogs, in Jesus' day. She acknowledged that she had no right to asked Jesus to heal her daughter, but she was willing to accept whatever help she could get from Him.
v. 15-23

Numbers 10 deals with two silver trumpets
God had instructed Moses to make two trumpets of hammered silver. When both trumpets were blown, the whole community was to assemble before Moses at the entrance of the tabernacle. If one only one is sounded, the leaders are to assemble before Moses at the entrance of the tabernacle. There were other signals that were to be used.

Numbers 10.11-35 deals with the people of Israel leaving Mount Sinai. In the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle. The Israelites followed the cloud from place to place until it came to resting the Desert of Paran. There was an order in the March starting with the Levite carrying the ark followed by tribe of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. Next the Gershonites and Meraraites carrying the tabernacle followed by the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad. The Kohathites were next carrying the tabernacle furnishings, They were followed by the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. Picking up the rear guard was Dan, Asher and Naphthali. The ark was always in front of the march. Whenever the ark set out, Moses said these words in
Num 10.35-36 God is a God of order, planning and logic. The march of the Israelites was done in an orderly fashion. Notice tah the ark was always in front leading the march. God should always leading us in our battles and rest.

Numbers 9 with Commentaries, verse by verse
Numbers 10 with Commentaries, verse by verse
Numbers 11 with Commentaries, verse by verse

Numbers 11 discussed Fire from the Lord. The people again complained. God sent fire to punish them. When they cried out to the Lord to have mercy on them the fire stopped. God sent quail (v.4-35) Again, they complained. They thought about the food they had back in Egypt. They were tired of manna! They wanted something else. They got quail, but they had to pay a price for it. God struck them with a plague. The place is called Kibroth Hattavah, because there they buried the people who craved other food. Let us be careful to be thankful for what we have. Sometimes, we crave for something that we don't really need and we have to pay the price for it.

Other Links
Dr. Thomas Constable Study Notes is a PDF file, open with Adobe Acrobatic Reader
Calvin Harmony of the Law Volume 1 Search for the chapter you want with (CTRL F)
Calvin Harmony of the Law Volume 2 Search for the chapter you want with (CTRL F)
Calvin Harmony of the Law Volume 3 Search for the chapter you want with (CTRL F)
Calvin Harmony of the Law Volume 4 Search for the chapter you want with (CTRL F)

Mark 5.1-20
In Mark 5.1-20, They went across the lake to the region of Gerasenes, 5 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee. This area was inhabited by Gentiles because there were large herds of pigs. A man came running to Jesus, he was demon-possessed, he lived in the tombs and no one could restrain him even with chains. No one could subdue him. He would cry out night and day and cut himself with stones. His name was Legion, because he had many demons living in him. Before Jesus exorcised the demons, there was a herd of pigs, nearby. Jesus gave the demons permission to come out of Legions and go into the pigs of the nearby hill. The herd of two thousand pigs rushed down the steep bank and were drowned. The pig farmers saw this and told people in the town and the countryside what happened to Legion and to their pigs. They came to see Jesus and was afraid of him and they asked him to leave. He told the man, Legion, who was demon-possessed to "go home to your family and tell what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and the mercy he had given you." Legion, would have gladly gone with Jesus but he wanted him to stay there to share with them what he did.

What about us? We should be a witness to our family and friends and tell what the Lord has done for us. He forgave us of our sins, and given us his mercy. We should also remember that Jesus had authority over demons, and he gave us this authority as well (Mark 16.15-18). Some people will not accept the good news and were not sympathetic to Legion, especially when they lost their livelihood.


More Links in Mark
Dan Hill on Mark
Ray Stedman on Mark
Jeff Miller on Mark
Chadwick on Mark
Dr. Thomas Constable Study Notes is a PDF file, open with Adobe Acrobatic Reader
Sermons on Mark by Ryle, Spurgeon, and Whitefield
John Piper Sermon's on Mark

Jesus Saves
This Posting is NOT a commentary of the passages read today but it is a devotional. Please send a comment if something spoke to you today from the passages, links or thoughts that I have shared with you.