Commuter Bible OT

Numbers 35 - 1:03 .

Numbers 36 - 7:13 .

Deuteronomy 1 - 9:51 .

Psalm 59 - 17:53 .

Today, we’re wrapping up Numbers and proceeding straight into the book Deuteronomy. Looking back on our time in the book of Numbers we notice a few things. First, God is faithful to keep His promises; even when His chosen people are incredibly unfaithful, God fulfills His promises. Second, God does not take grumbling and complaining lightly; he punished those who forgot His salvation and who chose instead to focus on their immediate discomfort. Third, sometimes data can be boring, but when it comes to counting the blessings of God, we shouldn’t grow weary of seeing His hand multiply grace upon grace. We’ll transition into the first chapter of Deuteronomy, which means “second law,” where Moses recounts the power and promises of God.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 32 - 1:02 .

Numbers 33 - 7:52 .

Numbers 34 - 13:54 .

Psalm 58 - 17:39 .

Israel has just defeated Midian and they entire community is getting ready to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land and begin their military campaign against the inhabitants of the land. When the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manassah, see that the land of the Midianites is good for cattle, they ask if they can settle there. Moses wrongly assumes that they are trying to avoid going to war with their brothers, opting instead to settle outside of the Promised Land and break rank from the others. By the end of the conversation, they cut a deal with Moses, assuring him that they, too, will go to war with the rest of Israel before coming back to settle in the land.

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 29 - 1:04 .

Numbers 30 – 7:07 .

Numbers 31 - 9:52 .

God is giving Moses final instructions to hand down to the Israelites because Moses is about to die at the Lord’s hand. Our reading opens with instructions on three festivals which are to be held in the seventh month. This is followed by instructions on how one should consider the validity of vows made to the Lord under different conditions. Finally, God instructs Moses to go to war with Midianites as retribution for the Peor incident, when the women incited the men of Israel to sleep with them in worship to their fertility god, Baal. Turns out that was led by Balaam, the same Balaam who spoke oracles from the Lord against Moab. Balaam is slaughtered along with the Midianites, and after defeating Midian, Israel begins to divide the spoils of war.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 27 - 3:15 .

Numbers 28 - 7:36 .

Psalm 57 - 11:59 .

When we last left Israel, they had just prostituted themselves with the women of Moab as an act of Baal worship. The Lord sent a plague among them that was only stopped when Phinehas impaled a fornicating couple through with his spear. In the wake of this tragic display of unfaithfulness, the Lord tells Moses in today’s reading that he will soon die because he didn’t obey the Lord’s command at the water of Meribah. The Lord gives Moses directions on how he should pass the mantle of leadership on to Joshua, son of Nun. But first, we continue where we left off with the census that will establish how the Israelites are to divide the land once they cross the Jordan.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 24 - 1:05 .

Numbers 25 - 6:26 .

Numbers 26 - 9:20 .

Psalm 56 - 15:55 .

In our last reading King Balak of Moab had hired Balaam, the professional soothsayer and prophet for hire, to come and put a curse on Israel. The king had heard about how Israel had plowed through the Amorites when that nation refused to let Israel pass through, and he was scared. After two attempts, Balaam finds himself unable to curse Israel, because the God of Israel is so powerful that Balaam must do as the Lord says. Our reading today begins with Balaam’s third and final attempt to curse Israel, but instead, when proclaiming a fourth oracle, he prophesies the coming of the Christ. Many scholars believe that this prophecy of the star that comes from Jacob was passed down to the Magi of the gospels, who see the star and travel to see the Christ child.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 21 - 1:01 .

Numbers 22 - 7:29 .

Numbers 23 - 14:43 .

Our reading opens with another instance of Israelite rebellion, and this time, the Lord punishes them by sending poisonous snakes into their camp. In order to be healed, they must lift their eyes upward to look at a bronze snake mounted to a pole. You’ve probably seen an image of this on the side of an ambulance as a symbol of healing. By acknowledging their need for salvation and looking upon that their curse, they would be saved. We’ll also begin the side story of Balaam the professional soothsayer. King Balak hires him to curse Israel, but the Lord opens the mouth of his donkey to warn him of an angelic assassin. This serves as a parallel to Balaam and Balak; if the Lord can speak to a man through a donkey, surely he can speak to a king through a pagan like Balaam.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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In our last episode, Korah and his posse decided that they wanted to present offerings to the Lord, but the Lord God has made clear, that Aaron and his sons were to receive the priesthood as an inheritance. When this rebellious cohort presented offerings, the ground beneath them opened up and swallowed them alive. Today, the Lord makes it clear that Aaron and his sons are to guard the tabernacle and the priesthood from iniquity. Later, the people rebel again when there is no water to be found. God instructs Moses to speak to a rock so that it will produce water, demonstrating God’s holiness, but Moses fails to trust the Lord’s instruction. In so doing, he is told that he and Aaron will not enter the land with the next generation.

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Numbers 18 - 1:01 .

Numbers 19 - 8:01 .

Numbers 20 - 12:28 .

Psalm 55 - 17:59 .

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 16 – 1:01 .

Numbers 17 – 10:49 .

Psalm 53 – 13:05 .

Psalm 54 – 14:22 .

You’d think that by this point, the people of Israel would have settled on the well-established conclusion that Moses is in charge by command of the Lord and by the signs and wonders performed that confirm he is God’s chosen leader. Even so, in today’s reading, a man named Korah incites a rebellion against Moses, questioning his authority. Armed with the conclusion that the entire community of Israel is holy, he contends that Moses and Aaron have no right to go before the Lord exclusively. Korah and 250 men appear before the Lord, and what happens next is unprecedented. Later, God gives Israel a symbol in the tabernacle to remind them of what took place and to discourage future challenges to the authority of Moses and Aaron.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 13 - 1:01 .

Numbers 14 - 5:23 .

Numbers 15 - 14:04 .

Israel has finally arrived just outside the Promised Land, and all that’s left to do is enter it and take from those people whom God has set apart for destruction. Their journey should have ended here with a military campaign against the inhabitants of the land, but instead of confronting their enemies as the Lord had commanded, they cower, complain, and make excuses. Lacking faith and conviction, the Lord tells Moses that his people will not enter the land, but instead, they will wander in the wilderness until their generation dies so that the next generation can act upon the promises of God. After Moses gives them this news, they decide to try and take the land without the Lord’s blessing.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Numbers 9 - 1:01 .

Numbers 10 - 5:13 .

Numbers 11 - 10:55 .

Numbers 12 - 17:37 .

Just like any family trip to a far away place, everyone starts getting grumpy quick. New complaints arise about not being able to take the Passover while unclean. After Israel leaves Mount Sinai for the Promised Land they all become dissatisfied with what the Lord provides, complaining that the food they had in Egypt was better than manna from the Lord. Moses complains to the Lord that these people aren’t his babies and he shouldn’t have to nurse them. Finally, Miriam and Aaron get jealous of the authority given to Moses, and criticize him in order to elevate themselves, but just like a dad who pulls the van over to maintain order, God makes it clear that he won’t tolerate any of that kind of behavior.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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