Luke 1 - Luke's Purpose and Angel Promises

LINK: Luke 1

Here is a review of the focus of each gospel:

	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Jesus is . . .	Promised King	Servant of God	Son of Man	Son of God
Targeted readers were . . .	Jews	Gentiles, Romans	Greeks	The World
Themes	Jesus is the Messiah because He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy	Jesus backed up His words with action	Jesus was God but also fully human	Belief in Jesus is required for salvation “I AM”
The writer was a . . .	Teacher	Storyteller	Historian	Close disciple of Jesus and theologian
Greatest emphasis is on . . .	Jesus’ sermons and words	Jesus’ miracles and actions	Jesus’ humanity	The principles behind Jesus’ teaching and relationship

Adapted from The Life Application Bible, p. 1937 

BACKGROUND 

Book of Luke 

Luke's books (Luke and Acts) make up 28 percent of the New Testament. He is mentioned in Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:14; and Philemon 24. He also is part of the "we" in Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; and 27:1-28:16. He was a Gentile and physician (Colossians 4:10-14). He identifies himself as a historian (Luke 1:1-4) who carefully researched his material. It is believed he wrote it between A.D. 58 and 60. 

Luke takes us consecutively through the days of Jesus as the Son of Man, fully human but fully God. Luke was careful to point out that Jesus was the fulfillment of the things written in the law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. It seems he wrote this book primarily for Gentiles because he frequently explained Jewish localities (4:31; 8:26; 21:37; 23:51; 24:13) and he traced Jesus' genealogy all the way back to Adam (3:23-38) indicating that Jesus represented all of mankind and not just the Jews. Jesus preached to the Gentiles because of his rejection by Israel. Luke also used the Septuagint for quotes from the Old Testament. Since this is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it is believed that Greeks were his specific Gentile audience. Luke is the longest book with 1151 verses.

Kingdom in the Gospel Accounts

"Kingdom/Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven” is a keyword/phrase in the Matthew, Mark, and Luke accounts of the Gospel. By the way, "Kingdom of Heaven” is used exclusively in Matthew, but means the same thing as "Kingdom of God."

Ask yourself these questions as you encounter this in your reading. 

• What is the Kingdom of God? 
• Who is in the Kingdom of God?
• When did/will the Kingdom of God come? Is it now, in the future, or both? 
• Where is the Kingdom of God?
• How does one enter the Kingdom of God?
• What does the Kingdom of God mean to us personally? 

 Here is my husband's definition:

"The Kingdom of God is the sphere or realm of God's influence.

Theoretically, it is everywhere, but God chooses to limit Himself 

because He wants us to choose to be 'in' it."

BACKGROUND of LUKE 1

The number at the beginning of this section is the number for a chronological order of events in the life of Jesus. Here is a list of all the events: 250 Events in the Life of Christ 

Each event has a background that gathers information from the other gospel accounts where they are mentioned with hyperlinks to the references.

1. Luke's purpose in writing: Luke 1:1-4

Luke took the things orally handed down by eyewitnesses of Jesus and compiled them together after careful investigation and research of the life of Christ. We do not know who "Theophilus" was, but we know that his name means "lover of God" so maybe it was written for all of us who love Him!

4. An angel promises the birth of John to Zechariah: Luke 1:5-25

The "angel events" in Luke 1 and 2 are so significant! God had not spoken through angels or prophets for four hundred years. 

Zacharias was a member of the course of Abijah, one of the twenty-four clans or ranks of priests who maintained the Temple ritual (1 Chronicles 24:10). The 'courses' took turns in conducting the ceremonies of worship and each member usually had the privilege of presiding once in his lifetime (1 Chronicles 24:19). The opportunity of offering incense was the high point of Zacharias' career, for he was delegated to enter into the holy place of the Temple, where the altar of incense stood before the mysterious veil that concealed the Holy of Holies. (Merrill c. Tenney, New Testament Times, p. 139).

Zechariah and Elizabeth were godly people but were not able to have children, which was shameful in Jewish culture and a sign of the absence of God's blessing. But God had broken through the barrenness barrier to accomplish His purposes in the past (Isaac, Samson, Samuel), and He would break through it again to bring us a very key figure in the Gospel narrative. 

Incense and prayers were offered twice a day, and while this happened prayers were offered by the people when they saw the smoke. Gabriel (Daniel 8:16, 9:21) announced that Zechariah's prayer for a son would be answered.  Note the six things said about John in Luke 1:14-17. One significant characteristic was that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit. It should be noted that Luke refers to the Holy Spirit more than any other gospel author.

John would "go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah" (1:17). This is a reference to Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6 which speak of a messenger to be sent to clear the way before the Lord and who would turn hearts of children to fathers and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous.  

Zechariah had a hard time believing when God broke through the barrenness.  Consequently, his punishment was that he could not speak until his son was born. 

"The Annunciation" By Paolo de Matteis (Saint Louis Art Museum official site) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

5. An angel promises the birth of Jesus to Mary: Luke 1:26-38

Mary was a poor, young girl (some commentators think as young as 12 or 13) from Nazareth, and God chose her to be the mother of the Messiah. WOW! The Greek word for "highly favored" comes from the root word charis, "grace." Mary was a recipient of God's special grace.

Note that Gabriel said, "Do not be afraid" to both Zechariah and Mary. He also told her of her Son's special characteristics, as he did to Zechariah. He was to be the "Son of the Most High":

The Septuagint often used the term “Most High” (hypsistou) to translate the Hebrew ‘elyôn (cf. v. 76). Mary could not have missed the significance of that terminology. The fact that her Baby was to be called the “Son of the Most High” pointed to His equality with Yahweh. In Semitic thought a son was a “carbon copy” of his father, and the phrase “son of” was often used to refer to one who possessed his “father’s” qualities (e.g., the Heb. trans. “son of wickedness” in Ps. 89:22 [kjv] means a wicked person). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 2:205)

God promised David that his kingdom would last forever (2 Samuel 7:16).  Jesus fulfilled this promise.  

The name Jesus is also very significant. It is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, Joshua, which means "the Lord saves." Joshua led the people into the promised land (Joshua 1:1, 2), and Jesus would lead His people to salvation.

Unlike Zechariah, Mary was not punished for her questioning.  She asked how Jesus would be born to her if she was a virgin, Gabriel must have known the heart behind her question.

Mary's response is so beautiful: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).  I wish we could all have that response to God's will! 

Some commentators believe that Luke must have interviewed Mary personally because this account is so personal, reflecting her deep inward feelings. 

The Birth of John the Baptist by Jacopo Pontormo
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

6. Mary visits Elizabeth: Luke 1:39-56

Shortly after Gabriel visited Mary, she went to spend three months with her pregnant relative Elizabeth.  What joy and female bonding!

Luke frequently used the word "joy" in the two books he wrote (Luke and Acts). He often links this word with salvation. We have seen him use it in describing John the Baptist (1:14), and it is in full view in this section! John leaped for joy in Elizabeth's womb when Mary came carrying Jesus. Elizabeth responded in joy when she said that Mary was carrying the mother of her Lord. The term "Lord" (kyrios) was often used to describe Jesus in the book of Luke because "Christ" ("Messiah") would have not meant as much to his target audience, the Greeks, because they did not know all the prophecy leading up to His coming. 

Lastly, Mary responded in joy at carrying Jesus by singing a hymn of praise and quoting many Old Testament Scriptures (Psalms and Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10).  This song is often called "The Magnificat" because the opening words, "My soul doth magnify the Lord," is Magnificat anima mea Dominum in Latin. Many beautiful pieces of music have been written to this music by composers like Vivaldi and Bach (I sang the Vivaldi version my freshman year in college). 

7. John the Baptist is born: Luke 1:57-80

"The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts.  

The greatest forces in the world are babies." 

Dr. E.T. Sullivan

More rejoicing occurs as John is given to this once-barren couple. They named him John (meaning "God has been gracious") just as the angel had instructed even though it was tradition to name a baby boy after the father or someone else in the family. With their insistence that his name be John, Zechariah let out Holy Spirit-inspired praise.  Significant words from his hymn of praise indicate what Jesus' coming to earth would mean for us:

1) Redemption (1:68) - The Greek word is lýtrōsis, and it means "release from an obligation" In 1:68 and 2:38, it means "liberation" from the yoke of enemies (Luke 24:21). In Luke 4:18, Jesus will say he has brought "deliverance to the captives." And Hebrews 9:12 brings it more into focus: Jesus would bring deliverance through His death, from the guilt and power of sin. 

2) Salvation (69-75) - Jesus is the "horn/strength of salvation." Simeon would later call Him, "Your salvation" (Luke 2:30). This metaphor is from the Old Testament (Psalm 18:2; 75:10; 132:17) where the strength of the animal is seen in their horns. He would deliver them from their enemies (1:74). As foretold, Jesus came from the house of David (1:69) as we learned when we read about Mary and Joseph's lineage, a Jew (Genesis 12:1-3), and was born in David's city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).  

3) Forgiveness (1:76-77) - Forgiveness means "letting them [sins] go as if they had never been committed" (The Enhanced Strong's Lexicon). Jesus' death paid our debt of sin to a most holy God. 

4) Light (1:78-79) - Jesus is the "Sunrise from on high." We read in John 1 that Jesus is the light for people sitting in darkness and death. He brought light to shine a path in our life that leads to peace and abundance. HALLELUJAH!

REFLECTION

I have never had an angel visit me, but this story brings back fond memories of a day during the Christmas season of 1991 when God told me that the baby due in January would be a boy.  Later that day, while driving to a performance of The Nutcracker, I told George about what God told me, and to my surprise, he said, "Carol, God told me the same thing this morning!" It was fun to tell our son that story on the way to see The Nutcracker again twenty years later! 

I think that this is confirmation that God does speak to us today, and we do not have to wait four hundred years for God to break through the silence.

APPLICATION

Here are some possible suggestions for application:

• Spend some time listening to God. That means shutting out the busyness of your life to really find some solitude and silence. It doesn't need to be a long and formal thing. Simply bow your head, connect to His presence, and listen.
• Worshiping God as You pray through Mary's Magnificat (see video below)!
• Try this Lectio Divina of Mary visiting Elizabeth or the Angel Visiting Mary.
• Try a Visio Divina of this wonderful picture (the artist gave me permission to use this here. Follow this link to other art by him):
• 
• Meditate on Jesus being redemption, salvation, forgiveness, and light for you.

I paused and connected with God by stilling myself. Then I reflected on the path of light He has given me, recalling times where He led me in a clear, well-lighted path. I had a time of Interactive Gratitude journaling, reflecting on the peace and abundance I have experienced as I have followed that path. Then, I listened to what He had to say to me about that.

PRAYER

Let John Rutter's rendition of the Magnificat lead you into worship and prayer:

Lord, I cannot study this and not believe that You are the LIGHT OF THE WORLD who came into my dark life.  Everything fits together so perfectly. Thank You for Your Word that shows us all of this. Amen. Would you shine on my friend's dark life today.

2 Samuel 11:1-12:13a "You are the Man!"

LINK: 2 Samuel 11:1-12:13 
(Read this over the next two days.)

BACKGROUND

2 Samuel 11-24 marks a new stage of David's life: sin, suffering, and struggle! David was given rest from every side with the exception of the Ammonites. Instead of going out to battle like other kings, David sent Joab out to battle to finish them off. This successful siege put an end to Ammonite power, and they were subject to Israel from then on. 

While idle in the palace, David yielded to the temptation of a beautiful woman and committed adultery with Bathsheba, and she became pregnant. Then, he tried to cover it up with lies and deceit (by calling Uriah home from the battlefield and trying to get him to lie with his wife) and eventual murder! How far he had fallen from just a few chapters earlier when he had expanded the kingdom and expressed kindness to Mephibosheth!

David's sin was uncovered by the prophet Nathan through the story of the rich and poor man and the little ewe lamb. David's response to this story was to tell Nathan that the rich man deserved to die, and Nathan's response was swift and to the point:

"You are the man!" (12:7)

David was convicted by Nathan's words and immediately repented:

"I have sinned against the LORD" (12:13a)

I had you stop in your reading at David's repentance in 12:13a because we will go into the Psalms typically associated with David's repentance of his sin connected with Bathsheba and repentance in general (51, 38, 6, 32, and 103).

Sadly, Nathan prophesied tragic and far-reaching consequences that could not be reversed and would plague David until the day he died. Stay tuned.

REFLECTION

When things are going well, we can be most vulnerable to sin and temptation! We can get lazy about little things in our life. 

For some of us, pride may slowly slip in, and we might say, "Well, aren't I special! Look what I have done with my life." Sometimes we fail to recognize that it is not because of anything we have "done" but because of what the Lord has done through us. We can slowly slip away from a tenacious dependence on God.

Then, we fall.

Also, there are times when we are "in the groove" with the Lord, and we become a "high maintenance" project for the enemy. (We are low maintenance when we are doing nothing of significance that would threaten the havoc he wreaks on the world.)  
One of my dearest friends tells me that I am a major target for the enemy. I do not like to think that way because it seems pretty boastful, but sometimes the Lord does amazing things through us, and the enemy wants to stop that from happening. So, he prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour those whom God is choosing to work through (1 Peter 5:8).

David may have been approaching rest on every side from his physical enemies, but he would never have rest from his spiritual enemy and neither do we!

I have learned that the best way to fight temptation and stave off our spiritual enemy is to KEEP MY ARMOR ON! I pray through "Morning Affirmations" almost every day. They are Scriptures that remind me who the Lord is, who I am, who the Holy Spirit is, and how I can be protected from the enemy. When I get to the spiritual armor part, I visualize myself putting on every piece of armor. Then, I am ready to face the day.

APPLICATION/PRAYER

Here is a portion of the "Morning Affirmations":

Protection in Spiritual Warfare 

O Lord, guard my heart against the temptations of the world and renew my heart and spirit: 

Since I have been raised up with You, O Christ, I will keep seeking the things above, where You are at the right hand of God. I will set my mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2) 

I will be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving I will let my requests be made known to You, O God. And Your peace, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-8) 

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise, I will let my mind dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:9) 

O Lord, guard my heart against the weaknesses and temptations of the flesh so that I may reckon myself dead to sin: 

Father, I know that my old self was crucified with Christ, so that I am no longer a slave to sin, for he who has died is freed from sin. I will reckon myself as dead to sin, but alive to You in Christ Jesus. I will not present the parts of my body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but I will present myself to You, O God, as one alive from the dead, and the parts of my body as instruments of righteousness to You. (Romans 6:6-7, 12-13) 

O Lord, guard my heart against the attacks of the devil and give me the strength to resist him: 

As I submit myself to You, O God, and resist the devil, he will flee from me. (James 4:7) 

I will be of sober spirit and on the alert. My adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But I will resist him, firm in my faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9) 

I will take up Your full armor, O God, that I may be able to resist and stand firm. I put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness; I put on my feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; and I take up the shield of faith with which I will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. I take the helmet of salvation and the sword of Your Spirit, which is Your Word, O God. With all prayer and petition, I will pray at all times in Your Spirit and be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18) 

(Reprinted by permission from Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship by Kenneth Boa, pp. 7-9)

 

Ruth 3 & 4 - Our Kinsman-Redeemer

Painting by Antonio Cortina Farinos [1841-1890]

LINK: Ruth 3 & 4

At this point in the story, Naomi stepped in as the matchmaker for the welfare of her daughter-in-law by suggesting Ruth go to the threshing floor. While sleeping at his feet could be interpreted as an immoral step, Naomi knew that Ruth was "a woman of noble character" (3:11). The uncovering of his feet was an Israelite ceremonial act. It was common for a servant to lie at the feet of the master and share a part of his covering. By this act, Ruth was informing Boaz that he could be her kinsman-redeemer by finding a near relative to marry her or marrying her himself.

A kinsman-redeemer was a relative who volunteered to take in the extended family. The law provided that a widow could marry a brother of her dead husband. This was called a "levirate marriage" (levir is the Latin word for a husband's brother) and is stipulated in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. If there were no brothers, the nearest relative to the deceased husband could become the kinsman-redeemer and marry the widow, but it was not a requirement.

Boaz, being an honorable man, knew that he was
not the nearest relative, but he was willing to go to the nearest relative, and if that man did not want to marry Ruth, he surely would.

Boaz praised Ruth for being willing to marry an older man like himself rather than a younger man who was not a relative. She had shown loyal lovingkindness to her first husband, Mahlon, by being committed to Naomi and seeking to carry on his family name (4:10). Boaz praised her for being a "noble woman." This is the same Hebrew word that describes the woman in Proverbs 31.

The nearer kinsman had the right to the property for sale (Leviticus 25:23-34). To qualify as a kinsman-redeemer, one had to be able to pay the redemption price.  The nearest relative wanted to pay that price until he learned that Ruth was part of the bargain. That was too high a price for him to pay because it might endanger his own estate. Some have speculated it was because if a child were born through his union with Ruth, that son would have a right to his own estate, and that wealth would be transferred to Elimelech's family.

Regardless, the way was clear for Boaz to redeem Ruth, the Moabitess, and make him his wife. He could pay that high price. The passing of the sandal symbolized Boaz's right to walk on the land he redeemed as his property (Deuteronomy 1:36; 11:24; Joshua 1:3; 14:9).

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

This story has both historical and symbolic significance. Historically, Ruth and Boaz became the proud parents of Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David, and this line would continue to the Eternal King of all kings, Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1-16)!

Symbolically, it portrays a kinsman-redeemer (Boaz) coming for his bride (Ruth). This is a beautiful picture of Christ, as our kinsman-redeemer, coming for His bride, the church. Jesus paid the high price for our redemption!

REFLECTION

You have probably read this quote on a bumper sticker: 

"Well-behaved women seldom make history."

This implies that women need to misbehave if they are going to make any progress in the world. The quote was written by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich in a 1976 article about Puritan women.

In the article, Ulrich is lauding "well-behaved" women because they have quietly and humbly woven the fabric of history without a word being said about them in print. (I read A Midwife's Tale: The Diary of Martha Ballard by Ulrich, and she makes a similar point.

Ruth is an exception; she was very well-behaved AND her name is the title of one of the history books of the Bible (an honor given to only one other woman: Esther)!  In addition, she is one of the few women in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1).

She embraced Israel's God, showed loyal lovingkindness to her mother-in-law, and exemplified humility and purity in her interactions with Boaz. God rewarded her with His loyal lovingkindness by giving her a kinsman-redeemer. Beautiful!

APPLICATION

We can make "quiet" history and change the world through our gentle, patient, humble ways. Ruth is such a good example for all of us. 

I love this picture of Ruth. Try a Visio Divina with the picture!

TOOL - Visio Divina 

The Latin words Visio Divina mean "Divine Vision/Seeing." This is an opportunity for you to look deeply at a picture and ask God what He wants you to see in it. 

Art can speak to our deepest feelings, calling forth our own creative response to the creativity of the artist. Just as we can be moved by a beautiful sunset, or seeing the smile of a child, or hearing a wonderful musical symphony, often without knowing why, so a painting or sculpture can move us beyond words to some deep feeling, some movement of the heart towards God.

It can move us to a feeling of "I know not what" as C.S. Lewis put it, or, in another of his phrases, "being surprised by joy." Or, as Ignatius [of Loyola] would say, allowing us to experience "inner feelings" even responses of unease or discomfort are telling us something...and we can bring this movement to God in prayer.

This quote is from an introduction to a ten-minute guided recording called Praying with Art. You might like to listen to it as you look at the picture above.

PRAYER

Lord, Thank You for sending our Redeemer, Jesus, who paid the ultimate price for our salvation, by His death on the cross. Lord, give us the character of Ruth through Your Spirit working in and through us to bring glory to You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

Ruth 1 & 2 - Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz

LINK: Ruth 1 & 2

BACKGROUND 

In the map, note the location of Bethlehem (below "Jebus" which is Jerusalem) to Moab on the other side of the Dead Sea:

Palestine in the Days of the Judges 
Logos Bible Atlas 2.0 and are Copyright © 1997 Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The story of Ruth occurred during the time of the Judges (perhaps during the time of Gideon). It is so nice to read a beautiful love story of light and hope amid such a dark time in Israel's history.

The famine in the land was probably God's act of judgment on erring Israel. During the time of the Judges, worship of the Canaanite gods, Baal and Ashtoreth, was common. Since the intercourse between these two gods was believed to give fertility to the earth, it would make sense that God would judge by making the land infertile.

Elimelech journeyed 50 miles east of Bethlehem (Ephrath is another name for it) to Moab to escape the famine. Jewish tradition regards the death of Elimelech, Mahlon, and Kilion as God's punishment for leaving the Promised Land and not trusting God for provision, but this is not stated in Scripture.

Ruth was a Moabitess. Remember that Lot's two daughters got him drunk, and Moab and Ben-Ammi were the fruit of that union which led to Moabites and Ammonites (Genesis 19:30-38). These nations would often war with Israel (Judges 3:12ff). While friendly relations with the Moabites were not forbidden because they lived outside the Promised Land, the inhabitants of Moab were not part of the congregation of the Lord (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). Marriage to a Moabite was not forbidden in God's law like marrying those inside the promised land (Deuteronomy 7:3) but was not encouraged either since they were worshippers of the god, Chemosh (Numbers 21:29). We will soon see that Solomon's downfall was serving the gods of his foreign wives, some of whom were Moabites (1 Kings 11:1-6; Malachi 2:11).

But good thing Mahlon married Ruth, for she was a woman who chose Israel's God (1:16) and exhibited ḥeseḏ, which is the Hebrew word for loyal lovingkindness, toward the dead and her mother-in-law (1:8). This Hebrew word is a keyword in the book of Ruth (1:8; 2:20; 3:10).  Ruth showed loyal lovingkindness to all, and the Lord showed his loyal lovingkindness (or covenantal love) to Ruth and Naomi. By the way, Orpah was not criticized for turning back to Moab. She simply obeyed her mother-in-law. (Yes, Oprah Winfrey's birth name was Orpah, but her family could never pronounce it correctly. Interesting to note that Oprah is in this spell check and Orpah is not, but I digress.)

Boaz was a prince of a man.  I love my New Living Translation DVD because his voice sounds so gallant! In the margin of the New American Standard Bible, it says he was a "mighty, valiant man." The same Hebrew word also describes Judges Gideon and Jephthah (Judges 6:12; 11:1). Boaz was a godly man also (2:4, 12). His actions toward Ruth in the fields proved his faith and character. The poor were allowed to reap (glean) the corner of the fields after the harvesters had left, but he allowed her to follow along with the reapers and drink with them. This was far beyond the requirements of the Law (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22). Ruth received unexpected favor (ḥēn, "grace, favor, acceptance") from Boaz, but he had heard of her actions toward Naomi. Ruth responded to his kindness with humility. When Ruth reported all of this to her mother-in-law, Naomi's sorrow and suffering turned into joy.

I love this story! Keep reading. We will wrap this up tomorrow.

Joshua 5 & 6 - Circumcision at Gilgal and the Fall of Jericho

Sun and Shadows in Jericho, originally uploaded by Flopas.

LINK: Joshua 5 & 6

BACKGROUND

A new generation had entered the Promised Land. Therefore, they needed to be circumcised to fulfill the covenant. For an explanation of this, see the post for Genesis 17 here. 

The Israelites were in the Promised Land with their enemies right there. Circumcision would require a recovery period, but the Israelites had enough faith in God to be circumcised even though an attack could be a real possibility. It was not likely though since the inhabitants' "hearts melted and no longer dared to face the Israelites" (5:1).

After circumcision, they celebrated the Passover for the third time. The first time was before they left Egypt (Exodus 12). The second was at Mount Sinai just before they moved toward Canaan (Numbers 9). Passover could not be eaten until they were circumcised. The inauguration of Passover also marked the end of the manna! Yippee!

Joshua 5 starts a new section...

Conquering the Land (5:13 - 12:24)

Joshua saw a commander of the army of the LORD. It is believed that this was a "theophany": an Old Testament appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Joshua's response was worship. Note that the Angel of the LORD's sword was drawn. The iniquity of the Amorites was full, fulfilling God's words to Abraham in Genesis 15:16. The Israelites were to be the instruments of God's divine punishment.

The LORD promised the fall of Jericho, but it was all His battle. He instructed the Israelites to walk around Jericho once every day for six days. They were to do this while following armed guards, seven priests with trumpets, and the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, the priests would blow on the trumpets. At one long blast and a shout, the walls would collapse.

They obeyed, and Jericho was taken. Only Rahab and her family were spared. Note that the New International Version says they were not to take the "devoted things." The New American Standard Bible says "Things under the ban." I like this better! Deuteronomy 20:16-18 said that they were to destroy everything so that they would not be corrupted by the Canaanite practices. They could keep the silver, gold, bronze, and iron because this could be used for the Tabernacle and its services (stay tuned to see if they obey this command).

Then Joshua cursed anyone who tried to rebuild the city, and this was fulfilled in 1 Kings 16:34.

Archaeological note: Jericho was one of the oldest cities in the world. Many archaeologists date its habitation as far back as 7000 B.C. There are extensive pottery remains found on the mound that was once Jericho and in the tombs of the area that point to the occupancy of Jericho until about 1400 B.C. There is a thick burned layer of ash under the pottery that points to major destruction. This seems to match up with Joshua's destruction and eventual burning (Joshua 6:24) of the city (A Survey of Israel's History by Leon Wood, pp. 94-99).

REFLECTION (Written in 2008)

I have lived in my neighborhood for five and a half years. For the first year, I was pretty discouraged. It was almost like there was a big "wall" that surrounded this place much like the walls of Jericho. Then the LORD led me to take "Joshua Walks" around the neighborhood (something I had learned from my mentors in college). I would get up early in the morning and circle the outside perimeter of my neighborhood. Then, I would walk and pray for each house with the neighborhood directory in hand, praying for each person by name. I did this for six days. On the seventh day, I circled the perimeter seven times. I had no trumpet and gave no shout, but . . .

the walls came tumbling down!

There are many stories, but one happened shortly after these walks. To get to know my neighbors, I baked each of them a loaf of bread over 18 months. I had baked a loaf of bread on Easter of 2004, but then I realized that most of our neighbors would probably be doing things with their families. Then, I remembered that we had Iranian neighbors who were Baha'i. So, I assumed they would not be celebrating. George and I went to deliver the bread, and Iraj answered the door. His jaw DROPPED! 

He said, "I told Nourieh (his wife) just before you rang the bell that I would really like to have a loaf of homemade bread!" 

They invited us in, and we spent the rest of that Easter afternoon with our Iranian neighbors. It was delightful! Now, Nourieh and I study the Bible together every week, and they have become great friends! In fact, last July, Nourieh planned a surprise birthday party for me with the women of the neighborhood!

God has made the walls fall down in this neighborhood, and I know it is a result of prayer!

(2014 Update: Sadly, Iraj died of cancer last fall. I saw Nourieh the other day, and we decided to resume meeting again.) 

2023 Update: Just last week, while meditating on Jesus being The Bread of Life, I felt led to bake bread for a recently widowed neighbor. Read a story of the blessed time we had HERE (my personal blog). 

I am challenged to "Joshua Walk" my neighborhood once again. Please read tomorrow's post for more about that. 

APPLICATION

Are there any "walls" of Jericho in your life? Why not put your shoes on and walk and pray them down?

This summary of the stages of life in the book The Critical Journey has "The Wall" in it. I find many people get stuck here. Where are you on your journey? 

Another possible application: Days 21-30 of the 30-Day Prayer Guide for ISIS are based on the events in Joshua 6. You are given an opportunity to "Joshua walk" around their cities by looking at maps.  When I wrote this original post, they were a major threat. While downgraded as a threat, they are still active. Read this article for more information:

ISIS is a Problem Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Stay tuned for the "Joshua Walk Challenge" tomorrow! 

PRAYER

Lord, give us the faith to believe that the battle is not ours but Yours. Help us to fight those battles through prayer. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Joshua 2 - Rahab Helps the Spies and Meets God

LINK: Joshua 2  

BACKGROUND 

Joshua was a part of the 12 spies who explored the land (Numbers 13-14). He and Caleb were the only ones who brought back a good report. In this chapter, he sent spies to go and check out Jericho before they went to possess it. Jericho was a walled city that was the gateway to the passes of the Jordan Valley. My kids and I studied Jericho in home school history, and it may be the world's oldest discovered city. According to the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History, "Jericho grew rich by trading with other communities, and people in the nearby villages became jealous. To protect themselves, the people of Jericho built a massive stone wall around the town" (p. 109).  There are many pictures on the web of the site. 

(By the way, the book I referenced above was our favorite home school history book for the elementary years, but the first 100 pages talk about evolution. I did not let this deter me from liking the rest of the book and just skipped it in the grammar stage (Grades 1-4). I used it to talk about creation versus evolution in the logic stage of their maturity (Grades 5-8). It can be healthy for kids at this stage in their development, to learn critical thinking from looking at other viewpoints. I do not believe in "throwing the baby out with the bath water" even when it may have viewpoints I do not agree with.) 

REFLECTION 

This is a story about the faith of an unlikely woman who made it into the "Hall of Fame" of faith: 

By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she welcomed the spies in peace. (Hebrews 11:31)

Many people get caught up in the fact that she lied to protect the spies and that she was a sinful woman. You might ask, "How could God put her in this 'Hall of Fame of Faith'?"  

The Bible says her faith was approved, and that her works proved it (James 2:25). So, isn't this a story about God's amazing, crazy grace that we just cannot wrap our heads around?  Rahab declared her faith in Israel's God: For the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" (2:11).  Her faith saved her (Genesis 15:6), and this is what saves all of us!

APPLICATION 

As you read and meditate on Joshua 2, it is important to not just walk away from it and forget about it because James 1:23-25 says: 

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Rahab was a doer. She did something with her faith in Israel's God. We are not just reading through the Bible so that we can check it off our "To Do" list. We need to ask God, "How do you want me to respond to this? Below is my application, but it does not have to be yours! Also, God speaks to us at the moment. So next time I read this, my response will probably be different.

My "I WILL" Application (today):

When I meditated on this chapter, I thought that I must respond in praise because I am no better than a harlot, and if God can put a harlot in the Hall of Fame of Faith, there is hope for everyone!  My mind has gone back to 1979 when I had to make one of two choices. I sincerely believe that one choice would have led me to destruction. The other choice of faith led me to the full, rich, meaningful life I live today. God saved me from destruction just as he saved Rahab in the destruction of Jericho. I am so eternally grateful, and I have already shared my story with others this morning so that they might learn too. I am praising Him with all my heart.  

Our applications are all different. What do you walk away with as you meditate on this chapter? How is the Holy Spirit speaking to you today?

PRAYER

Lord God, thank You for teaching me the meaning of true love. Thank You that the story of Rahab gives me such hope. I love You. Amen.