Responses from Bible-in-year readers!

• "Our family is loving it! We had to make the point with our children that the reason God was asking the Israelites to kill EVERYONE in Canaan was because the people who lived there sacrificed their children to Molech. We went into detail about how we would feel if a people group were doing such a thing now. How the environment you are surrounded by impacts your lifestyle. Therefore, the Hebrews would have begun to kill their own babies to a false God. After explaining that, things made better sense. Also, we had to explain that God told them what the blessings were repeatedly if they obeyed, but went into greater detail with what He'd do if they failed to obey because we all are forgetful people. For instance, how often do we have to tell our kids to "take out the trash", "clean your room", "do your homework", etc. That was the same thing God was doing. Good conversations."

- Susan

• "I also have been struck by how many times God essentially says to the Nation of Israel, “follow my commandments and things will go well for you; fail to follow my commandments and a lot of really bad things will happen to you”( Challa paraphrase) . It seems He reemphasizes that over and over again but still, we see individuals and groups of people consistently failing to obey. Interesting."

-Dan

• "I really like reading the Bible this way. I've done "read thru" programs before but never chronologically.  For some reason this new perspective highlights things differently.  Kind of like staring at an unfinished crossword puzzle and not finding any pieces, then moving around to the other side of it and finding a bunch of them because your angle is different." 

-Kent 

• It's amazing that all of the surrounding nations have heard about God’s power through Israel. People even come surrender themselves. God is doing amazing things in Israel. And yet, years later, and even centuries later, we see the Jews in horrific circumstances. How can such a blessed, God-protected nation experience events like the exile to Babylon? We clearly see that God is not a respecter of persons. He wants all people to worship Him, and there are no exceptions. When God's own people do not worship, they also experience death and judgement. 
  
  
  - Children's Staff

Observations from Daily Readings (through Deuteronomy)

Reading through the Bible gives us a daily way to say "Here am I" to God and His thoughts for us that day. Taking even just 5 minutes in the morning to read through part of the section that day may prove to be just what you need!

Observations from Deuteronomy

·         God loves us more than we love ourselves. He wants to bless. He asks us to trust Him, and He will provide for all of our needs. And what do we do? So many times, like the Israelites, we don’t listen. We are arrogant, stiff-necked, and selfish.

·         The Israelites still had to go in and take the land of Canaan…God didn’t flush them out automatically. They are shepherds, nomads. And then God says, “Go to war against warriors!” The world saw this war as evil, but it was a command of God. You have to shut down all of your sensitivities to what you think is “right and wrong,” and just obey. The only right thing is to obey. 

March 15 - Observations

• God has a special property for each tribe and family. As an application for us, we are not living in Grand Rapids, MI by accident. Our houses, our homes, everything in our lives is purposeful. This is the place and time for where God has us.
• Moses’ recap was great in the beginning of Deuteronomy. He spends a little time talking about how he failed to honor God in the site of the people when he hit the rock and water came out. Maybe he is confessing and showing that his inability to enter the land is also a punishment for his lack of faith as well.
• Deuteronomy 4:27 “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” I have never noticed this verse here before. What a great summary of the joy we have as Christians!

Observations from Daily Readings (through Numbers)

Reading everyday is a challenge EVERYDAY! How do we keep going? Well, cram in a couple days, skim, read in depth occasionally, etc. But just keep pushing through! The discouraging part comes when you stop altogether. Don't give up!

General Observations:

• When God and Moses are talking, "Gonna get drastic" language keeps popping up. God is serious about being worshiped. It's not an option. He is God...which means there are no other options when He gives a command. He must be obeyed! 

• In Leviticus and Numbers, what are the importance of all of the numbers given for people, sacrifices, etc.? 
• First, it points to the seriousness of the sacrifices. God's requirements are serious. The price of sin is high. This is important to us as Christians because it shows the cost of sin, and the extravagant gift of God sending His own Son - the worth of Jesus!
• Small clues exist in the numbers. We see a nation that is growing and the Abrahamic covenant is being fulfilled (numbers of people affirm "great nation"). Also, we see that the tribe of Judah is large, and the Levites are a large group of people dedicated to the temple.

• Everything God says, He says twice. If things did not need to be repeated, the Bible would be half the size. Repetition is the key to understanding. Repetition allows God's message the time necessary to rise above the clutter of the many and unceasing cultural messages that bombard us.

• Balaam and the donkey
• Donkeys were considered ignorant and "dumb" in the culture. 
• Balaam is trying to curse Israel, but God says bless. It is obvious that Israel is blessed and not cursed by God. Balaam is more stubborn and ignorant than the donkey! 
• However, in the next section, we see Israel serving Baal instead of God. Could it be that the picture of the prophet and the donkey is taken a step further with Israel? Here they are, rescued from Egypt by God, and now they are turning to worship an unknown god named Baal who has done absolutely nothing for them! The digression is: Donkey is dumb, Balaam is dumber, but Israel is acting most ignorant.

• Phineas is the grandson of Aaron, and he remembers the error of his uncles a couple of chapters back, and how God killed them for offering "strange fire." He knows by experience in his own family that if this sin is not stopped, then death is imminent.