Read: Numbers 32:1-33:39; Luke 4:31-5:11; Psalm 64:1-10; Proverbs 11:22
The tribes of Rueben and Gad were the farmers and saw how green and perfect the land was right in front of the promised land (Gilead). They asked Moses if they could just have it for their inheritance. At first, Moses was irate because he thought they were refusing to go into God’s promises and was thinking…40 more years of wandering if we don’t make it in this time. But, the Ruebenites and Gadites met with Moses and assured him that they would leave their women and children on the east side of Canaan, but their men would go into the land and help all the other tribes fight the inhabitants of the land and conquer it for their families. When Moses heard this, he told Joshua to let them do this if they kept their word. He warned them that if they didn’t to be sure their sins will find them out! That is an adage that I have reminded myself often through the years.
The tribes of Rueben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh took the territory that had been the King of Sihon’s and the king of Og’s. They got over 15 towns and made the land their own.
Moses gave the people the history of their salvation. On the first Passover that the people of the earth celebrated, the gods of the Egyptians were defeated. They had left Egypt in full view of their enemies. They left and the first place they came to was Succoth which means “booths”. From the time that we come to salvation through our own Passover, we are now citizens of heaven and this world is our temporary residence.
Moses ended his journey with the death of Aaron on Mt. Hor. It had been forty years since they left Egypt.
In Luke, Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Truth brings manifestation. A demon defied Jesus’ words and manifested in one of the people. Jesus cast it out of the man and the people were amazed. Then Jesus went to Simon’s house where his mother-in-law was sick. Jesus healed her and she got up and cooked a meal for them.
Jesus went all over Galilee preaching. One day, he was along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and saw two empty boats at the shore. the fishermen had come in from a night of fishing and catching no fish. They were washing their nets to go home and sleep. Jesus finished his teaching and went to the fishermen and told them to go out again to where it was deeper and let down their nets.
When they finally did, they brought them up so full of fish that they nets began to tear. Other boats had to come to help. The miracle was that fishermen only catch fish at night. The sun makes it too hot for fish to come to the surface. With Jesus, anything is possible. He can make your stock soar in a down market. He can make your business prosper when all other businesses like yours is suffering. He can deliver your child out of bondage when their seems no hope. Nothing is impossible with Jesus.
Lord, thank your for the great reminder that nothing is impossible with you. We lay down our nets and all the things we do to make things happen and follow you.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Friday, March 20, 2020
Fri.’s Devo - God’s Word Stands
Read: Numbers 30:1-31:54; Luke 4:1-30; Psalm 63:1-11; Proverbs 11:20-21
Today’s reading was encouraging to me. Moses told them about vows and which ones counted. A vow is a promise or a covenant that you make with your mouth. You were bound to that promise if you were a man. The man stands for God who is bound to his Word and it is never revoked. The woman who makes a vow in her father’s house is a person who makes a vow before she is saved (married). If her father is God, he can object to it if he desires. If God doesn’t object, then the vow stands.
If you were a woman, which stands for the bride of Christ and you make some foolish vow, Jesus can nullify it and you won’t be held responsible for fulfilling it. If he doesn’t nullify it, then you are bound to fulfill it. A woman who doesn’t have a husband is a person who is mature enough to make their own decisions and has chosen not to be saved. They are bound to every foolish word that comes out of their mouth.
God wanted the Midianites and Balaam punished for leading the children of Israel into idolatry. Each tribe was to send 1,000 fighting men to battle against the people of Midian. They attacked and killed all the men and five of the kings along with Balaam. The kings show is the principalities of the Midianites. Their names mean “my desire”, “variegation”, a rock to besiege”, “a white hole”, and “a fourth part”. This tells us that they were willful, manipulating, warring, deceiving, and power-hungry.
They defeated them but got in trouble when they allowed the women that had led them into idolatry live. Moses had them kill all women who were not virgins. The plunder was divided in half. Half went to the fighting men and half to the people. Both groups were to give the Levites two tenths of their total. The Levites gave a tenth of their total to the Lord. Not one person died in battle!
In Luke, we read the temptations of Jesus. Notice that every temptation was a promise that God had given the one who would be the Messiah. 1) He would take the stone tablets of the law and make them bread for the people to eat. 2) All the kingdoms of the world were to be given to him. 3) Death would not be able to hold Jesus.
Jesus left his encounter with Satan full of the Holy Spirit and power. He taught in the synagogues and everyone loved him until he went home to Nazareth and read from the scroll of Isaiah. He read his own prophecy which they knew was about the Messiah, then claimed it was about him. As they were trying to wrap their heads around what he was saying, he went on to say that they wouldn’t be able to understand it because he was from their town. His popularity took a nose-dive when he brought up the two people in the OT that God did amazing miracles for. One was the widow from Zarephath and the other was the Syrian that God healed of leprosy. Both of these examples were not Jewish people which makes them irate. Jesus was trying to say that because they wouldn’t accept him, he would go to other people, just like God did in those stories. They stood for the Jewish nation, so Jesus would take his message to the Gentiles.
Lord, thank you for your divine plan was always for the whole world.
Today’s reading was encouraging to me. Moses told them about vows and which ones counted. A vow is a promise or a covenant that you make with your mouth. You were bound to that promise if you were a man. The man stands for God who is bound to his Word and it is never revoked. The woman who makes a vow in her father’s house is a person who makes a vow before she is saved (married). If her father is God, he can object to it if he desires. If God doesn’t object, then the vow stands.
If you were a woman, which stands for the bride of Christ and you make some foolish vow, Jesus can nullify it and you won’t be held responsible for fulfilling it. If he doesn’t nullify it, then you are bound to fulfill it. A woman who doesn’t have a husband is a person who is mature enough to make their own decisions and has chosen not to be saved. They are bound to every foolish word that comes out of their mouth.
God wanted the Midianites and Balaam punished for leading the children of Israel into idolatry. Each tribe was to send 1,000 fighting men to battle against the people of Midian. They attacked and killed all the men and five of the kings along with Balaam. The kings show is the principalities of the Midianites. Their names mean “my desire”, “variegation”, a rock to besiege”, “a white hole”, and “a fourth part”. This tells us that they were willful, manipulating, warring, deceiving, and power-hungry.
They defeated them but got in trouble when they allowed the women that had led them into idolatry live. Moses had them kill all women who were not virgins. The plunder was divided in half. Half went to the fighting men and half to the people. Both groups were to give the Levites two tenths of their total. The Levites gave a tenth of their total to the Lord. Not one person died in battle!
In Luke, we read the temptations of Jesus. Notice that every temptation was a promise that God had given the one who would be the Messiah. 1) He would take the stone tablets of the law and make them bread for the people to eat. 2) All the kingdoms of the world were to be given to him. 3) Death would not be able to hold Jesus.
Jesus left his encounter with Satan full of the Holy Spirit and power. He taught in the synagogues and everyone loved him until he went home to Nazareth and read from the scroll of Isaiah. He read his own prophecy which they knew was about the Messiah, then claimed it was about him. As they were trying to wrap their heads around what he was saying, he went on to say that they wouldn’t be able to understand it because he was from their town. His popularity took a nose-dive when he brought up the two people in the OT that God did amazing miracles for. One was the widow from Zarephath and the other was the Syrian that God healed of leprosy. Both of these examples were not Jewish people which makes them irate. Jesus was trying to say that because they wouldn’t accept him, he would go to other people, just like God did in those stories. They stood for the Jewish nation, so Jesus would take his message to the Gentiles.
Lord, thank you for your divine plan was always for the whole world.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Thurs.’s Devo - The Mystery of Numbers
Read: Numbers 28:16-29:40; Luke 3:23-38; Psalm 62:1-12; Proverbs 11:18-19
God uses numbers like words. In the Hebrew alphabet every letter represents a number and a sign or picture. As I was reading today’s scripture in Numbers, I started writing down the numbers of the sacrifices in the margin. For instance, on Passover they were to offer 2 bull, 1 ram and 7 lambs. On Pentecost they were to offer the same number but when it came to the Feast of Trumpets that represents when Jesus will rapture his believers on the earth, the numbers changed. The Feast of Trumpets began the new year. On that day the numbers are: 1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs. Ten days later is the Day of Atonement when the Great Tribulation begins and the people left will have to make a decision. They got to start over and the numbers are 1,1,7 Five days later is the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days. That is when the count down begins. The sacrifice on the first day is 13 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs. The second day it is 12 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, the third day it is 11 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, then 10,2,14, then 9,2,14, then 8,2,14 on down to the seventh day where it is 7 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs. Then on the eighth day which means “new beginnings”, the sacrifice goes to 1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs. During that countdown we will be living in temporary dwellings (booths or tabernacles) awaiting the new heaven and the new earth (1,1,7). Super cool!
In Luke, we have Joseph’s family line. Joseph was of the tribe of Judah. Mary was of the Levite tribe making Jesus both priest and king. When it gets down to Adam we see that he is called “the son of God” - the same thing Jesus is called because Adam was a type of Jesus. Sin entered through Adam and sin exited through Jesus - both sons of God!
Lord, thank you that your Word is alive!
God uses numbers like words. In the Hebrew alphabet every letter represents a number and a sign or picture. As I was reading today’s scripture in Numbers, I started writing down the numbers of the sacrifices in the margin. For instance, on Passover they were to offer 2 bull, 1 ram and 7 lambs. On Pentecost they were to offer the same number but when it came to the Feast of Trumpets that represents when Jesus will rapture his believers on the earth, the numbers changed. The Feast of Trumpets began the new year. On that day the numbers are: 1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs. Ten days later is the Day of Atonement when the Great Tribulation begins and the people left will have to make a decision. They got to start over and the numbers are 1,1,7 Five days later is the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days. That is when the count down begins. The sacrifice on the first day is 13 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs. The second day it is 12 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, the third day it is 11 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, then 10,2,14, then 9,2,14, then 8,2,14 on down to the seventh day where it is 7 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs. Then on the eighth day which means “new beginnings”, the sacrifice goes to 1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs. During that countdown we will be living in temporary dwellings (booths or tabernacles) awaiting the new heaven and the new earth (1,1,7). Super cool!
In Luke, we have Joseph’s family line. Joseph was of the tribe of Judah. Mary was of the Levite tribe making Jesus both priest and king. When it gets down to Adam we see that he is called “the son of God” - the same thing Jesus is called because Adam was a type of Jesus. Sin entered through Adam and sin exited through Jesus - both sons of God!
Lord, thank you that your Word is alive!
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Wed.’s Devo - Our Significance
Read: Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22: Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17
The Levites were numbered differently than the other tribes. They were numbered from age one month and up instead of the age of 20 like the others. The Levites are representative of the remnant of God’s people who stay strong even when the world is rebelling against God. The word in the Hebrew for “month” is “new moon”. So it is saying that the Levites are counted from the time of their new moon - their salvation or new beginning. Our lives are counted from the time of our salvation - from that time on our days will be recorded in heaven. That is our moment of our beginning of significance on the earth.
The Levites were not given an allotment of land because God wanted them scattered among the tribes to be there to teach the tribes the law of God. They lived in cities of refuge in every tribe.
One of the reasons God did this census was to show the people that not one of these people were listed on the first census when Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. Just like his word said, they would all die out. Now, even Moses and Aaron would have to die.
You can see the way God honors women when the daughters came to dispute their inheritance since they had no brothers. This should be encouragement to widows and single women. You still get your spiritual inheritance whether you have a husband or not. God can still use you just as much.
John’s beginning was miraculous and his life was far from usual. He lived out in the wilderness but people flocked to hear his messages. He preached that the kingdom of God was very near and they needed to get their heart ready to receive it. When they asked him how they could do, that he told them to give to the poor, be fair and to not make false accusations about people. Then he told them to be baptized to wash the sins away and walk in righteousness. Many believed that John might be the Messiah, but he told them that he only baptized in water but the Messiah would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire.
Lord, may we walk in the fire of the Holy Spirit and realize that our days are being recorded in the annuls of heaven.
The Levites were numbered differently than the other tribes. They were numbered from age one month and up instead of the age of 20 like the others. The Levites are representative of the remnant of God’s people who stay strong even when the world is rebelling against God. The word in the Hebrew for “month” is “new moon”. So it is saying that the Levites are counted from the time of their new moon - their salvation or new beginning. Our lives are counted from the time of our salvation - from that time on our days will be recorded in heaven. That is our moment of our beginning of significance on the earth.
The Levites were not given an allotment of land because God wanted them scattered among the tribes to be there to teach the tribes the law of God. They lived in cities of refuge in every tribe.
One of the reasons God did this census was to show the people that not one of these people were listed on the first census when Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. Just like his word said, they would all die out. Now, even Moses and Aaron would have to die.
You can see the way God honors women when the daughters came to dispute their inheritance since they had no brothers. This should be encouragement to widows and single women. You still get your spiritual inheritance whether you have a husband or not. God can still use you just as much.
John’s beginning was miraculous and his life was far from usual. He lived out in the wilderness but people flocked to hear his messages. He preached that the kingdom of God was very near and they needed to get their heart ready to receive it. When they asked him how they could do, that he told them to give to the poor, be fair and to not make false accusations about people. Then he told them to be baptized to wash the sins away and walk in righteousness. Many believed that John might be the Messiah, but he told them that he only baptized in water but the Messiah would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire.
Lord, may we walk in the fire of the Holy Spirit and realize that our days are being recorded in the annuls of heaven.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Tues.’s Devo - The Importance of our Walk
Read: Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15
The children of Israel had just been cleansed of the people who served false gods. They were at the entrance of the promised land when God told Moses to take a census of all the men able to go to war twenty years old and older. These lists may be boring to read but I took one of the smallest tribes - Asher, and broke it down by the meaning of the peoples names. This is the meaning of verses 44-47: The people of Asher were happy and prosperous by the work of their hands. God justified the evil done to them in their past and made them a company whose king was God. In the end their service was measured and found fully matured into the image of God.
That is what names and numbers can tell us. Every name and number means something. We are living out our story and our family line is fulfilling the prophecy of our family. What we do greatly affects the next generation and our family line.
In Luke, Mary and Joseph met the second witness who was the prophetess, Anna. Jesus said in Matthew 18:16 that in the mouth of two or three witnesses were word may be established. Simeon and Anna were their two witnesses to confirm who Jesus was.
Every year, Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem for the Passover but on Jesus’ twelfth visit he would have been at the age where boys joined the business of their fathers. Jesus spoke prophetically when he asked his parents, “didn’t you know that I would be about my father’s business?” His business was God’s temple and his father was God.
Jesus submitted to his parents and came home where he grew in wisdom and stature with God and man in obscurity until it was time to came out and present himself to the world.
Lord, help us to see that our lives are important not only to our time but for generations to come. May we add blessings to our family for now and for the future.
The children of Israel had just been cleansed of the people who served false gods. They were at the entrance of the promised land when God told Moses to take a census of all the men able to go to war twenty years old and older. These lists may be boring to read but I took one of the smallest tribes - Asher, and broke it down by the meaning of the peoples names. This is the meaning of verses 44-47: The people of Asher were happy and prosperous by the work of their hands. God justified the evil done to them in their past and made them a company whose king was God. In the end their service was measured and found fully matured into the image of God.
That is what names and numbers can tell us. Every name and number means something. We are living out our story and our family line is fulfilling the prophecy of our family. What we do greatly affects the next generation and our family line.
In Luke, Mary and Joseph met the second witness who was the prophetess, Anna. Jesus said in Matthew 18:16 that in the mouth of two or three witnesses were word may be established. Simeon and Anna were their two witnesses to confirm who Jesus was.
Every year, Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem for the Passover but on Jesus’ twelfth visit he would have been at the age where boys joined the business of their fathers. Jesus spoke prophetically when he asked his parents, “didn’t you know that I would be about my father’s business?” His business was God’s temple and his father was God.
Jesus submitted to his parents and came home where he grew in wisdom and stature with God and man in obscurity until it was time to came out and present himself to the world.
Lord, help us to see that our lives are important not only to our time but for generations to come. May we add blessings to our family for now and for the future.
Monday, March 16, 2020
Mon.’s Devo - Prophecy Fulfilled
Read: Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14
The third time Balak made Balaam try to curse the Israelites, Balaam didn’t resort to his divination, he looked out at the people and the Spirit of God came upon him and he could see clearly how God felt about his people. Israel was God’s delight and he wasn’t going to let anyone oppose them. He knew they were blessed and he would be blessed by blessing them but cursed by cursing them.
King Balak was furious and told Balaam he would not be paid, to which Balaam knew that to be cursed by God was much worse than missing out on a paycheck. But, he didn’t leave before he turned the tables on Balak and cursed his people. He prophecied that a king would rise up from Jacob who would crush the Moabites, the Edomites, the Amalekites, and the Kennites. Then, the two of them parted.
Even though Balaam came out looking like the “good guy” he was far from it. Balaam was a sorcerer whose name means “lord or swallower of the people”. He taught Balak how to conquer them from within. Balaam later fought on the side of Balak against Israel (Numbers 31:8).
Balak infiltrated Israel through his seductive women who invited the men of Israel to sacrifice to their gods. It cost Israel the lives of 24,000 of their men. Eleazar zealously killed one of the men who blatantly brought his Moabite woman into is tent to have sex with her. Eleazar ran in and drove the sword through both of their bodies which gained him much honor with God.
In Luke, God moved Mary to the place of prophecy through the decree of the Roman emperor, Augustus. Little did he know, he would be used to fulfill prophecy. Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem. Jesus was born in a stable and wrapped in cloth that had been garments of the priests. His arrival was announced to shepherds who were watching over the lambs that would become sacrificial lambs for Passover. Jesus would become the Great Shepherd and our High Priest though his beginnings was most humble. The earth was oblivious to his coming, but all the angels of heavens celebrated it. The prophet, Simeon recognized Jesus because he had been looking for him. He prophesied his destiny and was then released to leave this earth and go to his reward.
Lord, may we be found looking for your return.
The third time Balak made Balaam try to curse the Israelites, Balaam didn’t resort to his divination, he looked out at the people and the Spirit of God came upon him and he could see clearly how God felt about his people. Israel was God’s delight and he wasn’t going to let anyone oppose them. He knew they were blessed and he would be blessed by blessing them but cursed by cursing them.
King Balak was furious and told Balaam he would not be paid, to which Balaam knew that to be cursed by God was much worse than missing out on a paycheck. But, he didn’t leave before he turned the tables on Balak and cursed his people. He prophecied that a king would rise up from Jacob who would crush the Moabites, the Edomites, the Amalekites, and the Kennites. Then, the two of them parted.
Even though Balaam came out looking like the “good guy” he was far from it. Balaam was a sorcerer whose name means “lord or swallower of the people”. He taught Balak how to conquer them from within. Balaam later fought on the side of Balak against Israel (Numbers 31:8).
Balak infiltrated Israel through his seductive women who invited the men of Israel to sacrifice to their gods. It cost Israel the lives of 24,000 of their men. Eleazar zealously killed one of the men who blatantly brought his Moabite woman into is tent to have sex with her. Eleazar ran in and drove the sword through both of their bodies which gained him much honor with God.
In Luke, God moved Mary to the place of prophecy through the decree of the Roman emperor, Augustus. Little did he know, he would be used to fulfill prophecy. Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem. Jesus was born in a stable and wrapped in cloth that had been garments of the priests. His arrival was announced to shepherds who were watching over the lambs that would become sacrificial lambs for Passover. Jesus would become the Great Shepherd and our High Priest though his beginnings was most humble. The earth was oblivious to his coming, but all the angels of heavens celebrated it. The prophet, Simeon recognized Jesus because he had been looking for him. He prophesied his destiny and was then released to leave this earth and go to his reward.
Lord, may we be found looking for your return.
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Sun.’s Devo - No Curse Can Touch God’s People
Read: Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13
The story of Balaam is one of the strangest stories in the Bible. Balaam was a sorcerer that Balak hired to curse Israel because they were headed into his land. Balak was a Moabite and their main god was Baal. Balaam means “many Baals”. The main Baal was represented as the sun. Baal was also the chief god of the Canaanites. Each locality had its special Baal, and the different local Baals were summed up under the name of Baalim, or "lords." Each Baal had a wife, who was a colorless reflection of himself.
God got angry at Balaam because he wanted to go to curse Israel even though he was told he would only be limited to say what God told him he could say. (Reminds me of Jim Carey in “Liar”.)
God even allowed his donkey to see into the spirit while he was blinded proving that he was more blind than a donkey. It did get his attention and put the fear of God in him. The king of Balak wasn’t near as scary as the angel of the Lord with a drawn sword.
Every place that Balak took Balaam to overlook the tribes of Israel was a Baal stronghold. The first place was Bamoth-baal which means “high place of Baal”. There they sacrificed to God and God responded with a blessing instead of a curse.
The next place was Zophim on Pisgah Peak means “watchmen on survey peak”. Interestingly, Samuel was born in Zophim who became Israel’s main “watchman”. Here Balaam said, “no curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel.”
Balak told Balaam that if he couldn’t curse them then the least he could do was not to bless them. Balak wasn’t finished. He wanted to take him to one more place and see if he could get a curse from there. Balak was relentless!
He took Balaam to the top of Mt. Peor which means “the opening”. I would guess it was a spiritual portal. We will revisit this place in tomorrow’s reading.
In Luke, Elizabeth has her son and Zechariah’s tongue was loosed when he wrote his name. Everyone knew that this was a special boy. Zechariah prophesied that his son would be God’s prophet who would prepare the way for the Messiah. He would tell the people how to find salvation. No wonder so many people went out to the wilderness to hear what John had to say.
Lord, may we bless what you have blessed and be a light to help people find salvation. May we be as relentless against evil as Balak was against Israel.
In the light of this corona virus I want to remind us not to fear. No plague can come near our dwelling. We can drink poison and it will not harm us. Satan has unloosed a fear campaign to cripple our economy and take away our hope. Don't get duped into believing it. More people have died in Oklahoma this year with the flu than the corona. It is all a smoke screen that Satan has thrown up. Put on your combat boots and walk by faith! It will disappear when we ignore it. Fear is fueled by fear. Faith is fueled by faith!
The story of Balaam is one of the strangest stories in the Bible. Balaam was a sorcerer that Balak hired to curse Israel because they were headed into his land. Balak was a Moabite and their main god was Baal. Balaam means “many Baals”. The main Baal was represented as the sun. Baal was also the chief god of the Canaanites. Each locality had its special Baal, and the different local Baals were summed up under the name of Baalim, or "lords." Each Baal had a wife, who was a colorless reflection of himself.
God got angry at Balaam because he wanted to go to curse Israel even though he was told he would only be limited to say what God told him he could say. (Reminds me of Jim Carey in “Liar”.)
God even allowed his donkey to see into the spirit while he was blinded proving that he was more blind than a donkey. It did get his attention and put the fear of God in him. The king of Balak wasn’t near as scary as the angel of the Lord with a drawn sword.
Every place that Balak took Balaam to overlook the tribes of Israel was a Baal stronghold. The first place was Bamoth-baal which means “high place of Baal”. There they sacrificed to God and God responded with a blessing instead of a curse.
The next place was Zophim on Pisgah Peak means “watchmen on survey peak”. Interestingly, Samuel was born in Zophim who became Israel’s main “watchman”. Here Balaam said, “no curse can touch Jacob; no magic has any power against Israel.”
Balak told Balaam that if he couldn’t curse them then the least he could do was not to bless them. Balak wasn’t finished. He wanted to take him to one more place and see if he could get a curse from there. Balak was relentless!
He took Balaam to the top of Mt. Peor which means “the opening”. I would guess it was a spiritual portal. We will revisit this place in tomorrow’s reading.
In Luke, Elizabeth has her son and Zechariah’s tongue was loosed when he wrote his name. Everyone knew that this was a special boy. Zechariah prophesied that his son would be God’s prophet who would prepare the way for the Messiah. He would tell the people how to find salvation. No wonder so many people went out to the wilderness to hear what John had to say.
Lord, may we bless what you have blessed and be a light to help people find salvation. May we be as relentless against evil as Balak was against Israel.
In the light of this corona virus I want to remind us not to fear. No plague can come near our dwelling. We can drink poison and it will not harm us. Satan has unloosed a fear campaign to cripple our economy and take away our hope. Don't get duped into believing it. More people have died in Oklahoma this year with the flu than the corona. It is all a smoke screen that Satan has thrown up. Put on your combat boots and walk by faith! It will disappear when we ignore it. Fear is fueled by fear. Faith is fueled by faith!
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