Day 82: The Valley of Achor

Today's reading: Joshua 5-7 and Psalm 125.

I. Joshua 5 begins with the local pagan kings expressing fear that the Jordan River was made passable for the Israelites. God then tells Joshua to circumcise all the male Israelites, as this generation hadn't been during the desert wanderings. With this, Israel renewed its covenant with God before the coming battles. 

Ugh. I can't imagine what this was like for them. Usually, such is done to infant males, not boys or men of much older ages! 

Israel next celebrated Passover in the Promised Land. After they ate "produce from the land," the manna from God that had sustained them in the wilderness stopped. This would be the official end of the desert wanderings, one might say. The chapter ends with Joshua meeting an angelic figure (St. Michael the Archangel?), the "commander of the army of the Lord."

In the next chapter, we have the first big battle in the Promised Land: Jericho is taken by a miracle, with all the people being slaughtered and the city utterly destroyed. Once again, a disturbing episode for modern sensibilities, but something in which we are forced to trust in the Lord.

Joshua 7 tells of what happened after the incredible victory at Jericho. No surprise, greed took hold of some of them who attempted to keep the "devoted things" contrary to God's command. This resulted in Israel being defeated for this sin at Ai. Joshua cries out in lament, to which God responds that the stolen booty must be recovered and the guilty killed. This was done, and the chapter ends.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, has some good commentary on this:

The culture of the Canaanites is built upon wickedness, upon the denigration of the human person. They sacrifice their children to the god Molech (or, Moloch). So this battle is truly a "cosmic" battle - a moral battle - not simply a battle for territory... Achan takes plunder from the ruins of Jericho, so he, his family, and everything he owns are destroyed. While this judgment might sound brutal, it is just. Achan's sin comes at the price of thirty-six lives at the battle of Ai. The place where he dies is named the Valley of Achor, which means "trouble." (p. 176).

II. Psalm 125 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

A psalm of trust. Just as Mt. Zion is immovable and secure, because God chose to dwell there, so those who stay faithful to the Lord enjoy a similar blessing. The Psalmist sees this in spiritual terms: God defends his people from conquest, lest wickedness overtake the land and even the devout can be corrupted. The unfaithful, however, will face the judgment that awaits the godless. (p. 941)

That's it for today!

Day 81: Israel Crosses the Jordan

Today's readings: Joshua 1-4 and Psalm 123.

I. Joshua 1 records God's commissioning of Joshua after the death of Moses and prepares Israel to enter the Promised Land. In the next chapter, we are told the story of Rahab and the Israelite spies in Jericho. Interestingly, Rahab is described as being a prostitute, using lies to protect the Israelite spies (contrary to CCC 1789), and became an ancestor of Jesus (Mt 1:5). Despite her questionable morals, her faith in God is strong (2:8-14), for which she was praised later on (Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25).

Joshua 3 recounts Israel's miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, marking the beginning of their entrance into the Promised Land. I almost feel like giving a big sigh of relief that they finally made it! The next chapter describes how Israel memorialized this event at Gilgal with twelve stones so future generations would remember God's mighty works.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, has some good commentary on this opening:

The first words of the Lord to Joshua are meant not just for him but for the entire people of Israel: "Be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1:9). That is, they should be neither frightened nor dismayed, for the Lord will be with them wherever they go. Even in the midst of struggles, trials, and failures, we can still be strong and of good courage because the Lord is with us in our hearts. (p. 174)

So we've entered the Promised Land at last. Rather shocking for Jesus to have an ancestor like Rahab, but not really if one remembers why He said that He came (Mt 9:13). God always seeks to bring even the most miserable sinners back to Him.

II. Psalm 123 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

A lament psalm. The Psalmist (the "I" in 123:1) offers a prayer of petition and trustful reliance upon God in the name of his community (the "us" of 123:2-4), which is being ridiculed by arrogant foes (123:4). The unnamed culprits may be wicked Israelites persecuting their kin or hostile neighbors opposing the efforts of the Judean community to rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonian Exile (as in Neh 2:19; 4:1, 4). (p. 941)

Seems rather appropriate for this psalm to be paired with the story of Rahab, as the "I" in the psalm could be her in Jericho in supplication for mercy from God.

That's all for today!

Introduction to Conquest and Judges

There are no readings today, but only an introductory video to the next section. Fr. Mike Schmitz is joined by Jeff Cavins again for this.

The desert wanderings have come to an end, Moses and Aaron are gone, while the Israelites adjust to Joshua as the new leader in conquering the Promised Land. Yet, as the BIY Companion, Vol 1, notes:

The land of Canaan is the "highway" from Mesopotamia in the north to Egypt in the south. Every nation wants this land, and Israel needs to rely entirely on God to keep it. (p. 173)

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!