Day 80: Cities of Refuge

 Today's readings: Numbers 35-36, Deuteronomy 34, and Psalm 121.

I. In Numbers 35, God first commands the Israelites to give towns and pasturelands to the Levites from among the tribes’ inheritances. Next, He instructed them to establish cities of refuge for those who accidentally killed another person so they could remain there until receiving a fair trial. Finally, a distinction is made between unintentional killing and murder. The former is protected as long as they remain in one of the cities of refuge, while the penalty for the latter is death.

The final chapter addresses a concern about inheritance and tribal land ownership in Israel that arose in chapter 27.

II. Deuteronomy 34 tells of the death of Moses, burial in Moab, and the taking over of leadership for the Israelites by Joshua. A sad time for the Israelites to lose such a champion as Moses, but an exciting one too, as Joshua begins his own leadership.

With this, both the Book of Numbers and Deuteronomy come to an end. To be honest, while it is all necessary to get a full picture of Israel before the Conquest, I am glad that these books are finished. Neither had the best of narratives for storytelling as we are used to today.

III. Psalm 121 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A psalm of trust. The speaker is a pilgrim of Israel setting out on a journey to Jerusalem. Because travel in the ancient world was full of dangers, he seeks assurance that the Lord, the guardian of Israel, can be trusted to bring him safely to his destination. The psalm opens with a question that is answered by the verses that follow. A polemic against idolatry may be implicit. (p. 940)

That's it for today!

Day 79: Psalms of Ascent

 Today's readings: Numbers 34, Deuteronomy 33, and Psalm 120.

I. Numbers 34 gives the boundaries of the land of Canaan that the Israelites are to inherit, and it lists all the tribal leaders responsible for dividing the land. To me, this shows again all the detail that went into planning for Israel to take over and inhabit Canaan, the Promised Land.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, notes:

Numbers 34 presents the boundaries of the land of Canaan. The Promised Land is not an abstract idea but a tangible, real-world place. This is not just a story. Judaism and Christianity are historical religions. God truly interacted with the people of Israel and spoke to them. Our faith is rooted in time and space, in historical realities. As human beings, we are both matter and spirit, body and soul. (p. 168)

II. In Deuteronomy 33, we find the final blessing of Moses for each individual tribe before his death. This must have been a deeply emotional time for both Moses and the Israelites. The man who had led them for so many years, and shared hardships with him during that time, along with being the one God had chosen to speak, was getting ready to die. He was firm when needed, but he cared very much for them, and I believe this was returned by many of them. I do like how the chapter ended with a beautiful hymn praising God (34:26-29).

III. Psalm 120 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

A lament psalm. Sojourning in a foreign land, the speaker finds himself among people who are deceitful and restless for war. He prays for God's deliverance from the treachery of liars, utters a curse against their deceptions, and expresses his desire for peace instead of conflict. (p. 939)

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, also notes:

Psalm 120 is the first of the "psalms of ascent," Psalms 120-134. These psalms are associated with the Israelites' three major feasts. Because Jerusalem is situated on Mount Zion, one has to go up - that is, ascend - to reach the Temple. Some of these psalms of ascent are psalms of joy, others are hymns, and still others are psalms of lament... Psalm 120 speaks about how God is truly present in times of distress. These psalms sing about all of the great joys and trials of life. They remind us that we are called to worship God in all circumstances. (p. 168)

That's all for today!

Day 78: The Song of Moses

Today's readings: Numbers 33, Deuteronomy 32, and Psalm 118.

I. Numbers 33 records Israel’s journey from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land. It’s essentially a travel log, kind of like the 4th-century Egeria’s Travels, but it carries a deeper meaning about remembrance, obedience, and identity. The chapter ends with instructions from God to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan and to eradicate all signs of their idolatry, with a warning that failure to obey this would result in those remaining becoming a source of trouble and conflict that would bring His wrath.

II. In Deuteronomy 32 we find the Song of Moses, a prophetic poem spoken by Moses shortly before his death. This poetic song serves as a witness against Israel if they later fall into sin, a summary of God’s faithfulness, and a warning about idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. It warns of God's wrath for idolatry, that every painful calamity will be inflicted upon Israel when they do this, yet He will not completely destroy them. 

III. Psalm 118 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A thanksgiving psalm. It was probably sung during a liturgical procession that passed through the gates of the Temple (or possibly Jerusalem) into God's presence. The Psalmist and fellow worshippers entered the sanctuary to give thanks to the Lord for being the Savior of his people. Parts of the psalm suggest the ceremony involved a dialogue between clergy and congregation. Psalm 118 is the last of the Hallel Psalms. It is featured in the Church's liturgy as the responsorial psalm for Easter Sunday. (p. 933)

In BIY Companion, Vol 1, we also have commentary on this psalm:

We hear in Psalm 118 that the mercy of the Lord endures forever. When we call upon the Lord, he will answer us and set us free. Psalm 118 also says that although the Lord chastens us, he will not give us over to death. This is essentially what the song of Moses proclaims as well... God can rightfully be jealous of us because we belong to him. We do not belong to other "gods." God lets us go after other things, though, so we will learn that he is the only one we really need 0 the only one who loves us and saves us. Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. (p. 166)

That's it for today!

Day 77: God is Faithful

 Today's readings: Numbers 32, Deuteronomy 31, and Psalm 117.

I. Numbers 32 is focused on the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who asked to settle east of the Jordan River (modern Jordan) instead of entering Canaan (modern Israel and the Palestinian territories), which was west of the Jordan with the rest of the Israelites. Moses initially refuses, but then consents once they agree to help the rest of the Israelites conquer Canaan.

II. In Deuteronomy 31, Moses is told by God that he will shortly die, and Joshua becomes his successor. Moses tells Joshua that the Law is to be read out every seven years, during the Feast of Booths. Then the Lord foretells the future rebellions of the Israelites from the covenant and the resulting calamities that shall befall them. He commands Moses to write a song to remind future generations of God’s faithfulness and Israel’s repeated rebellion. 

III. Psalm 117 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

A psalm of praise and the shortest of the 150 psalms. It invites Gentiles to worship the God of Israel in view of the great things he has done for his chosen people (67:3-5; 126:2). The Lord's blessings on Israel are a sign of his desire to bless all the nations of the earth (Gen 22:16-18). Psalm 117 is one of the Hallel Psalms. (p. 933)

It's no exaggeration to say that this is the shortest of the 150 psalms. It only has two brief verses, or just 17 words in Hebrew!

That's all for today!

Day 76: War Against Midian

Today's readings: Numbers 31, Deuteronomy 30, and Psalm 116.

I. In Numbers 31, revenge upon Midian was brought as Israel crushed them in battle. Given the grave sin against God that they had led Israel into at Peor, it's understandable why Moses was a bit bloodthirsty. Balaam also gets his due in this chapter, which, like five kings of the Midianites, is death. No Israelites are reportedly lost in the battle, but the Midianites took heavy losses. The way this is written definitely is like something from the ancient world, a very brutal time when the sanctity of life wasn't respected, and much of what we know today had barely begun to develop. Forget Just War Theory or even the Geneva Convention. War crime? What's that? The slaughter of male children and the females who are not virgins would be a horrific war crime today, but was normal business in warfare back then. I must admit to struggling with this one, which I know many have for centuries.

II. In Deuteronomy 30, we see that even if Israel sins, which Moses clearly knew they would, as they had previously, restoration with God is possible through repentance. Moses is firm in upholding God's Law, but almost compassionate to the Israelites in giving hope even in the face of grave sin, giving them a choice in this moving verse:

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live (30:19)

Before this is the hope that Moses gives for those who repent and return to the Lord:

And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. (30:6)

In this chapter, Moses is acting like a father figure to the Israelites, stern when needed yet compassionate as well. 

III. Psalm 116 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (most verse numbers removed):

A thanksgiving psalm. The Psalmist remembers when the Lord saved him from the brink of death. In distress he called upon the Lord and vowed to offer a thanksgiving service in return for deliverance. The setting of this psalm is the fulfillment of this vow, where the Psalmist, rescued from his plight, gives testimony to God's help before the congregation in the Temple. The Greek LXX and Latin Vulgate divide Ps 116 into two psalms numbered Ps 114 (= 116:1-9) and Ps 115 (= 116:10-19). Psalm 116 is one of the Hallel psalms. (p. 932)

That's it for today! 

Day 75: The Keeping of Vows

Today's readings: Numbers 29-30, Deuteronomy 29, and Psalm 113.

I. Numbers 29 continues the listing of offerings and sacrifices the Israelites were commanded to present during important holy days, which is similar to the previous chapter, but focuses on major festivals.

The next chapter deals with the seriousness of vows and oaths made to God, especially concerning how vows functioned within Israelite family structure and authority. There is a reflection of the times in the fact that women's vows could be annulled by their father or husband.

II. Deuteronomy 29 continues Moses’ final speeches before Israel enters the Promised Land. The focus here is the renewal of the covenant between God and Israel in the land of Moab. Israel is to remember the great things that He has done on their behalf, but miracles alone don't guarantee faithfulness. Idolatry, especially, is a sign of unfaithfulness, which Israel is warned about as well as presuming upon God’s mercy while persisting in sin.

III. Psalm 113 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

A psalm of praise, celebrating the Lord's glorious name (113:1-3). It issues a call to worship in view of two truths: God is enthroned in heaven, far above creation (113:4-6), and yet God is active on earth, working in the lives of the afflicted (113:7-9). The Psalmist thus affirms God's transcendence as well as God's immanence. Psalm 113 is one of the Hallel Psalms. (p. 930-31)

That's it for today!

Day 74: Joshua Appointed

Today's readings: Numbers 27-28, Deuteronomy 28, and Psalm 112.

I. Numbers 27 begins with an ordinance that God gave through Moses, allowing the daughters of men who died to inherit when there are no brothers, rather than have the land pass out of the family line. This shows God’s concern for justice and family inheritance, and is actually quite a surprise to me for the times. Moses is then told by God to go up Mt. Abarim, reminded of his upcoming death, why he will not enter the Promised Land, and instructed to appoint Joshua as his successor. The last part makes perfect sense as Joshua is the military leader needed for the impending campaign in Canaan. 

The next chapter shifts the focus from Israel’s journey and leadership to the regular worship Israel must maintain in the Promised Land. God tells Moses to instruct the Israelites on offerings they must give daily, on Sabbaths, monthly, and on festival days.

II. Deuteronomy 28 reflects upon the covenantal between God and Israel, in that the latter's faithfulness to the Former brings blessing, while rebellion brings judgment. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The sanctions of the Deuteronomic covenant, i.e., the blessings that come as rewards for obedience (28:1-14) and the curses that come as punishments on disobedience (28:15-68). Both possibilities are conditional, as indicated by the "if" in 28:1 and 28:15. Blessings and curses likewise appear in ancient Near Eastern treaties and law codes from the second millennium B.C. (Hittite vassal treaties, the Code of Hammurabi, the Laws of Lipit-Ishtar). A few of the curses in Deut 28 find parallels in first-millennium texts from Assyria (Vassal Treaties of Esarhaddon). (p. 316)

The curses here are quite lengthy and sobering! 

I like how the BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on this:

The Lord promises blessing even if we do not experience immediate blessings as a consequence of doing good. In the end, we get what we choose - good or evil, blessing or curse. (p. 158) 

III. Psalm 112 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

A wisdom psalm that begins like a psalm of praise. It teaches that obedience to God's commands leads to peace and security in this life, even for future generations. Paradoxically, it is the man who lends to people in need (112:5) and gives alms to the poor (112:9) who has riches in his house (112:3). HIs generosity is inspired by his trust in the Lord, who bestows generous blessings (112:7). Psalm 112 is an acrostic psalm in which each poetic line begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (p. 930) 

That's all for today!