March 5 Readings

You can also check out all these Reading Plans Blogs to go through the Bible in a year from Back to the Bible Reading Lists:the Chronological Reading Plan blog; OT and NT Together blog; Historical Readings blog; Blended Readings blog and Beginning to End blog In addition, there is the Theophilus1 blog in the One Year Bible format

The Back to the Bible OT and NT Together Reading Plan

The Back to the Bible OT and NT Together Reading Plan
Numbers 32-34; Mark 9.30-50

In Numbers 32 the passage had a discussion on the Transjordan Tribes. Just to give you some background, The tribes of Reuben and Simeon had very large herds and flocks and had used Jazer and Gilead for grazing. These places are east of the Jordan River. Link to map. The leaders of Reuben and Gad came and had asked Moses and the leaders if they could get these lands from God. Moses was upset and reminded them how their fathers had disobeyed God except for Joshua and Caleb. He accused them of thinking only of themselves and not thinking about the well being of the people of Israel. The leaders of Reuben and Gad assured Moses that they would help to conquer the Promise Land. They would even lead the Israelites in battle. Moses gave the condition that if the tribes of Gad and Reuben cross the Jordan River and engaged in battle, after the campaign was over, the tribes of Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Mannaseh would receive this region, which is known in the Bible as the territory of the Trans-Jordan Tribes. What can we learn here? It is true that the tribes Gad and Reuben were looking out for themselves but they should be commended for keeping their word. Similarly, we should keep our word as well.

In Numbers 33.1-49, Moses spoke about the wilderness journey from Rameses to to the plain of Moab. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a link of the journey they took.
In v.50-56, God commanded Moses to tell the Israelites when they cross the Jordan, to drive out the inhabitants, they must destroy all the carved images and idols. They were to take possession of the land and settle in it. The spiritual application is that the Christian life is a spiritual warfare. We are to drive out the idols in our lives, remove the stronghold of lust and greed and any sins that trips us up. We have God the warrior on our side, Jesus as our High Priest and the Holy Spirit to convicts us of our sins.

In Numbers 34, there is a detail discussion of the boundaries of Canaan, this is better visualized with maps and some links Map of Canaan
More on Canaan
Here is a map of the twelve tribes in Canaan.

Moses told the Israelites that the land was assigned by lot as an inheritance to nine and a half tribes because the tribes of Gad and Reuben and a half tribe if Manasseh had already received their inheritance. (Num 32). Ten men (including Caleb) were to assigned the inheritance to the Israelites in Canaan. (Num 34.19-29)

Numbers 32 with Commentaries, verse by verse

Numbers 33 with Commentaries, verse by verse
Numbers 34 with Commentaries, verse by verse


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 9.3-50, Commentaries, verse by verse

In Mark 9.30-10.12; Mat 18.1-5; Luke 9.46-48, the disciples were arguing among themselves who was the greatest? When Jesus asked them what they were arguing about, they kept quiet.
A paradox is a statement where you have two things that seem contradict each other but on closer examination make sense. Christ used paradox in his teaching: "They have ears but hear not." But Jesus knew their hearts and mind and gave them the paradox: if anyone wants to be first, he has to be the very last. They had heard him taught this on different occasion and did not get it. God's ways are not our ways. Isa 55.8-9.
John came up to Jesus and told him that he saw a man driving out demons in Jesus' name. Jesus told John not to stop him because whoever is not against them is for them. Do we realize what Jesus was saying? Are we so denominationally loyal, that if someone is not from our group or church, we think he is an outsider to our faith. I am not advocating that we embrace everyone who calls themselves a christian. We should be careful aboout what they believe and practice but bear in mind what Jesus said here. Jesus also said that any person who offered a cup of water to a Christian in His name will have his reward.
In verses 42-50, Jesus warned about anyone causing one of the little children to stumble, implying believers, it would be better he was cast in the sea with a millstone around his neck. He also spoke about if your hand causes you stumble it would be better to be maimed than with two hands in hell. Jesus is NOT talking about self-mutilation here! He is teaching in hyperbole, that is he is exaggerating a point to catch the listener's attention, while driving the message home. He saying that the sinner must deal with sin drastically as a surgeon deals with cancerous tumors in a patient's body. He means that the person must eradicate the sin from his life. The sinner gains by losing. Jesus brought up the word 'hell.' Is there such a place? Yes there IS, it is a place where 'their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.' Isaiah 66.4. For more information on hell click on this link. What about you have you eradicated sun from your life drastically so that you are salt. Perhaps this is what this verse Mark 9.24 "Everyone will be salted with fire."

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

More Links on Commentaries for the Old Testament
Dr. Thomas Constable Study Notes (for both OT and NT) is a PDF file, open with Adobe Acrobatic Reader
With the Word Commentary-OT by Warren Wiersbe
Wycliffe Bible Commentary on the Old Testament
Keil & Delitzsch Commentaries on the Old Testament
Expositor's Bible Commentary on the Old Testament
Pulpit Bible Commentary on the Old Testament
J. Vernon McGee Commentaries
Evangelical Commentary on the Old Testament

More Commentaries for the New Testament
Expositor's Bible Commentary
Pulpit Bible Commentary on the New Testament
With the Word Commentary NT-Warren Wiersbe

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.