Resources to Help You Grow
The Daily Walk 2026
The Daily Walk includes devotion and Bible readings for each day of the year and informative charts and insights that will help you understand more as you read from Genesis to Revelation in 2026.
April 16
1 Chronicles 11, 13, 15
Overview
Think of 1 Chronicles as a sort of "divine commentary" on the Book of 2 Samuel, a second volume covering the action-packed life of King David. With the passing of Saul, the new shepherd-king assumes the throne and promptly establishes his new capital at Jerusalem, the place around which virtually the entire history of the nation will revolve. Along with his new capital, David selects a corps of mighty men who will support him during his reign. David next attempts to return the ark of God to its proper place-a task that proves more difficult than anticipated. But when at last the ark safely resides in Jerusalem, David leads the nation in a celebration of praise.
Your Daily Walk
No man is an island... and very few are peninsulas! It is difficult and often dangerous to attempt to stand alone without the support of others who share your convictions and commitments.
Today's reading devotes 78 verses to the naming of David's mighty men: his trusted friends, confidants, bodyguards, and counselors-in short, the backbone of his kingly court. Without them, David might never have risen to the greatness that he would ultimately achieve. Even though his role as king was unique in the nation, God never intended David to function as a solo performer in the palace.
Perhaps you will never rise to the place of power and prominence of King David. But everyone can be a mighty man or woman in the life of another person. Think about those who exercise leadership over you, such as your pastor or boss. First Chronicles 11:10 says David's mighty men gave him strong support in his kingdom. Can that be said of you in your support of your pastor? Your boss? What are one or two ways you can do something "mighty" for them this week?
Insight - A Thoroughly Anointed King
David's anointing as king over all Israel (11:3) was, in fact, his third anointing. The first was done privately by Samuel (1 Samuel 16:13), the second publicly as king over Judah (2 Samuel 2:4).
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April 17
1 Chronicles 17-18
Overview
While David enjoys a palace of cedar, the ark of God resides in a mere tent-a fact that prompts David to contemplate a monumental building project. Even the prophet Nathan encourages David in his God-honoring ambition. But then, through the prophet, God delivers a ringing "You are not the one" (17:4) along with a heartwarming promise of an ongoing dynasty and an eternal kingdom for David's descendants. However, David, the mighty man of war, must leave the fulfillment of his dream to his son Solomon and concentrate instead on the business of enlarging the kingdom God has entrusted to him.
Your Daily Walk
Consider the following contrasts taken from the lives of a father and son: David and Solomon.
David was a man of war; Solomon was a man of peace. David dreamed of building the temple; Solomon erected and dedicated the temple.
David was told by God, "I will not give you what you asked for." Solomon was told, "I will give you what you did not ask for." Yet, despite the differences in their lives, there is one resounding similarity: both men glorified God in their lifetimes.
There is something far more painful than being denied a cherished dream or ambition, and that is undertaking the ambition anyway, only to find that God is not in it. Has God set up a red light in your path? And are you ignoring the signal or looking for alternate routes to His glory? Each time you stop for a red light today, commit one of your dreams or goals to God. Where He has put a period, don't put a question mark.
Insight - No Cover-Up Intended!
David's sin with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of Uriah took place between 20:1 and 20:2. In his intention to focus on themes of true worship and true kingship in the nation's history, the Chronicler was selective in his choice of material. He omitted details of David's private life, not because he wanted to whitewash the past, but because he knew those incidents were already known and recorded.
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April 18/19
1 Chronicles 22-23
Overview
Though David's desire to build a house for God must wait, nothing keeps him from preparing for it. He chooses the most appropriate site (the threshing floor of Ornan), gathers the building materials, charges his son Solomon with the duty of finishing the task, and enlists the support of all the key men in Israel. Then he outlines the 24 orders of priests, 24 divisions of singers and musicians, gatekeepers, treasurers, and other officeholders who will oversee the nation's military and civil affairs in its new place of corporate worship.
Your Daily Walk
What are you doing today to help your children accomplish great things for God tomorrow?
David is a marvelous example of a farsighted father. The greatness that Solomon would later achieve was, in large measure, due to the careful planning and provision that David made before his own death. Though Solomon receives the acclaim for building the temple, which bears his name, it was David who drew the blueprints, gathered the materials, hired the workers, and instituted a vigorous public relations program to secure support for the project. In his heart, David envisioned a greatness for Solomon that he himself would never achieve, and he did his best to pave the way for it.
What sort of heritage will you leave for your children and even your grandchildren to build upon? Will they someday be able to thank God for your foresight in building a library, providing for their education, or instilling a vision for ministry that they can carry on after you are gone? Plan a "Project for Future Greatness" and begin it this week.
Insight - An Ironic Twist to the Priestly Office
In chapter 24, the priests were divided into 24 orders or "divisions" for service in the temple. They were called "officials of God" (v. 5) and had charge of the sacrifices. Their work was to cease with the coming of Christ, but ironically, it was the priests themselves who engineered the crucifixion of Christ (Matthew 27:1, 6, 20, 41).
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April 20
1 Chronicles 28-29
1 Chronicles 29:22-30
Overview
Today's reading forms a fitting conclusion to David's life, for here he is portrayed in all his wisdom and humility as David the counselor, encourager, exhorter, and worshiper. In sharp contrast to the bitter infighting and civil unrest that characterized David's ascension to the throne, Solomon's ascension is attended by national worship and rejoicing. Even David's death cannot dampen the nation's optimism and thanksgiving for the godly leadership they enjoy. The crowning epitaph of David's life is that "he died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor" (29:28).
Your Daily Walk
The saddest contradiction to the Christian life is all too often the average Christian funeral. While grief is a necessary part of any loved one's passing, the Christian has cause for rejoicing when a brother or sister in Christ is finally "away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). There is hope and comfort in those words that the world knows nothing about.
The one sermon you can be sure everyone important to you will hear is the one preached over your casket. Have you given any thought to the words you want spoken on that occasion? Will those in attendance hear a clear presentation of the good news of Jesus Christ? Will they find out why you could face death fearlessly, knowing it would bring you face to face with your Lord?
Jesus Christ turned every funeral He ever attended into a cause for celebration. The morbid wailing of the mourners would be cut short by the miraculous life-giving touch of the Savior, and the dead would live again. What plans are you making today to ensure that your funeral speaks as eloquently as your life, that "to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21)?
Insight - David's Building and Loan Association (29:1-9)
Before David's death, he had diligently gathered a temple-building fund of gold and silver from personal and national contributions that, by modern standards, would be valued at several billion dollars.
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1 Kings
April 1
1 Kings 2:1-4, 3:3-15
Overview
King David's advanced years and restricted activity create a leadership vacuum that Adonijah seeks to exploit by proclaiming himself king. Though he enjoys the support of Joab, the general, and Abiathar, the priest, Adonijah is opposed by Nathan, Zadok, and others in David's administration. God had previously made it clear (and David had privately acknowledged) that Solomon was His choice to succeed David. Now is the time to make that declaration public and official. Solomon's anointing as the third king in Israel spells the beginning of the end for Adonijah's conspiracy. But while Solomon's position is secure, his need is great for godly wisdom to rule the kingdom-a request that God willingly grants. And God also provides the blessings Solomon could have requested but didn't: riches, victory, and honor.
Your Daily Walk
How would you respond if God appeared to you as He did to Solomon and extended a blank check invitation: "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" (3:5)? Be honest! Could you resist the urge to ask for riches, power, or fame? Is there anything in this world more lasting and important than financial success? Do you place wisdom over wealth in your priorities?
Solomon's response to God's offer is exemplary. First, he recognizes his need, saying, "I am only a little child" (3:7). Next, he recognizes his responsibility as king. And finally, he recognizes his resource, the wisdom of God. If you need wisdom, you can ask God. Turn to James 1:5 and pray that verse back to Him as the expression of your need for wisdom and as your desire to put His wisdom to work in one of your responsibilities today.
Insight - Following in His Father's Footsteps
David became known as "the sweet singer of Israel" for his skill in composing many of the psalms in Israel's hymnbook. But Solomon was not far behind. According to 1 Kings 4:32, he composed more than a thousand songs himself, of which Psalm 127 is an outstanding example.
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April 2
1 Kings 6:1-14; 8:12-61
Overview
Today's reading features the realization of David's dream to build a house for God, a plan God said would be carried out by David's son (5:5; 2 Samuel 7:12-13). Solomon enlists the help of his father's friend Hiram, king of Tyre, to provide the cedar and fir lumber for the temple and royal palace. With keen organizational skills, Solomon assigns the conscripted laborers to work and seeks out a master craftsman to execute the intricate decorations. Though David's planning was inspired by the Spirit of God (1 Chronicles 28:11-12), the exact dimensions and details of the temple are not recorded in Scripture. However, the general pattern of the tabernacle and its court is followed. In his address to the people at the dedication of the temple, Solomon offers a majestic prayer to God with the oft-repeated refrain, "Hear from heaven... and forgive" (8:30, 34, 36, 39, 49-50).
Your Daily Walk
English clergyman J. B. Phillips wrote a book titled Your God Is Too Small, in which he accused Christians of cutting the infinite God revealed in Scripture down to puny human dimensions. While giving mental assent to an "infinite" God, we often live as if (and pray as if) He is weak, finite, and fickle in keeping His promises. Solomon could hardly be accused of doing that. In speaking to God, Solomon said, "The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you" (8:27). "The Lord is God and... there is no other" (8:60). "Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses" (8:56).
Does your God match the infinite dimensions of the God of the Bible? Make a list of all the evidence of God's bigness described in chapter 8. In light of this, can any of your problems be too big for Him?
Insight - The Missing Wonder of the Ancient World
The temple of God built by Solomon in Jerusalem is not listed among the seven wonders of the ancient world, most likely because it was destroyed before Antipater drew up his famous list of architectural marvels in about 140 B.C.
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April 3
1 Kings 9:1-9; 11:1-13
Overview
A fitting epitaph over Solomon's life might read, "The wise king who acted foolishly." Solomon's spreading fame and mushrooming wealth begin to fill his heart with pride. His wholehearted devotion to God is replaced by a growing love for foreign wives (of whom he will eventually take more than a thousand). At first, Solomon only tolerates the presence of pagan deities; later, he accepts them; finally, he worships them, and the one true God is forsaken and forgotten. But while Solomon ignores God, God is still very much interested in Solomon. He reminds the wayward king of His covenant with David and declares that, because of Solomon's idolatry, the kingdom will be torn apart, leaving only two tribes for his son.
Your Daily Walk
Fellowship with God is a lot like electricity. It is a moment-by-moment phenomenon. And when you are enjoying it, you and others around you will know it!
Fellowship depends on constant contact with the Source of power. If something interrupts the connection, the flow of power ceases because the power is not in the receptor but in the Source. Spiritually, the severing of fellowship might not be immediately obvious, but the vitality soon wanes because the power flow has stopped. That is why Scripture warns, "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Check up on your own personal fellowship with God. Are you giving God a chance to speak to you daily through His Word? Are you regularly responding to Him in prayer? Are you dealing promptly with sin in your life? Are you filling your thought life with meditation upon His actions and attributes? Why not fellowship with your Heavenly Father right now?
Insight - Taking to the Sea
Solomon was the first of Israel's kings to create a merchant navy, a refinery fleet that brought smelted copper from the colonial mines of the Phoenicians in Sardinia and Spain. The copper was used to make bronze and to build Solomon's temple and other structures.
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April 4/5
1 Kings 12
Overview
Supporting Solomon in the manner to which he is accustomed puts a heavy burden of taxation on the nation of Israel. After Solomon's death, the people demanded relief from their crushing taxes. Rehoboam, Solomon's headstrong son and successor, rejects his father's wise counsel and follows the foolish advice of his younger associates. Rather than lessening the burden, he multiplies it by 10. The result is predictable: rebellion, civil war, and a divided kingdom. Only 2 of the 12 tribes remain true to Rehoboam. The rest form a new nation under the leadership of Jeroboam, who sets up his own system of worship in the north, and in the process sets the pattern for the wicked rule that will characterize all his successors.
Your Daily Walk
"Like father, like son" is a familiar and sometimes painfully accurate adage. Do you want to see how a son will turn out? Carefully study the life of his father, and more often than not, you'll have your answer. Similarly, if you are curious to know what a girl will be like in 20 years, look at her mother now.
The influence of parents on their children is hard to overestimate. Children are born mimics and will imitate those around them (especially their parents) almost from birth. Proper exhortation in the lives of children is important, but have you overlooked the importance of proper example? Hold up a spiritual mirror and examine your life right now. Make a list of some of the things you like and don't like about what you see. Now ask yourself this penetrating question: "If my children grow up to follow in my footsteps, will I be pleased where those footsteps lead?" If you're not satisfied with the answer, the time for a mid-course correction is now.
Insight - The Long and Short of It
During the 41-year reign of Asa, the first good king in the southern kingdom of Judah, no fewer than seven different men occupied the throne of Israel in the north. One of them, Zimri, had the dubious distinction of being a king for a total of only seven days.
1 Kings–2 Chronicles
April 6
1 Kings 18:20-19:21
Overview
Elijah appears on the center stage of Israel's history without an introduction. Acting as God's prophetic mouthpiece, he announces to wicked Ahab that Israel will have no more rain except by the prophet's word. Then Elijah leaves Israel for three years, moving at God's direction first east to the Kerith Ravine, then north to the city of Zarephath. In every location, God provides for his needs. As the drought intensifies, Elijah returns to challenge Ahab, and the prophets of Baal lose both their jobs and their lives. But when an enraged Queen Jezebel seeks his life, Elijah retreats to the wilderness exhausted, discouraged, and full of self-pity. There God strengthens him, restores him, and sends him out to minister anew.
Your Daily Walk
Elijah was a fearless man of faith. He stood toe-to-toe with the most powerful man in Israel and boldly announced God's judgment of drought. Three years later, he delivered God's challenge to all those who worshiped Baal, called down fire from heaven, and personally "dispatched" the prophets of Baal!
Then suddenly, after the dramatic and exhilarating moment of his greatest achievement for God, Elijah fell victim to the "Lone Ranger" mentality: "I am the only one left" (19:10, 14). Strength gave way to self-pity, doubt replaced determination, and the fearless man of faith began to falter. Have you faced a similar temptation in your own life, thinking you are the only servant of God in your neighborhood, office, or school (you may be) and feeling sorry for yourself because of it? Then write out this thought and carry it with you today: "God is never without a witness, and with God I am never alone."
Insight - Divine Therapy for Human Depression
It should not be surprising that God, who created humans, knows best how to treat their emotional distress and spiritual anguish. For the distraught Elijah, God prescribed rest, food, exercise, solitude, and a job to do in that order. That's a pretty good prescription for tackling depression in our age as well.
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April 7
1 Kings 21
Overview
Today you finish reading the Book of 1 Kings. But the division between 1 and 2 Kings is only literary, not historical. Tomorrow the story will continue as smoothly as if there had been no book division at all (which, in fact, was the case in the original Hebrew). Although God's mercy and patience are great toward Ahab, the rebellious king of Israel simply refuses to follow God. Yet, Ahab's disobedience pales by comparison with the wickedness of his wife, Jezebel. In cruel treachery, she engineers the murder of Naboth so that Ahab can seize his vineyard. At last, Ahab reaps what he has sown for so long.
Your Daily Walk
You can outsmart your friends; you can outsmart your family; you can outsmart your enemies; and sometimes you can even outsmart yourself. But you can never outsmart God.
Consider Ahab. Warned by a prophet of God not to go into battle, Ahab gambled with his life and lost. He concluded that a clever disguise on the battlefield would make it impossible for anyone to recognize him, even God. The result? "Someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor" (22:34). Lucky shot-or a divine bull's-eye?
Trying to outsmart God has never been a wise move. Even the psalmist David learned that, in the game of hide-and-seek, God always comes out the winner (Psalm 139:7-12). But if you find yourself playing the game, the choice is yours: Remove the disguise you've been hiding behind and come to God in humble repentance, or wait for God Himself to unmask you. To his sorrow, Ahab selected the second course. Choose now your own path.
Insight - An Unjust Act of Justice (21:1-16)
Naboth's cruel and unjust murder, masterminded by Queen Jezebel, was nonetheless carried out "justly." Cursing the king was forbidden (Exodus 22:28), and crimes had to be confirmed by at least two witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). So even in her wicked deed, Jezebel followed the letter of the Law.
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2 Kings
April 8
2 Kings 2
Overview
While 1 Kings centers on the ministry of Elijah, 2 Kings focuses on the ministry of Elisha. After Elijah makes his last prophetic utterance the prediction of Ahaziah's death for turning to lifeless idols rather than to the living God he is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, leaving his understudy Elisha to continue the prophetic work of calling the nation back to God. With the mantle of Elijah on his shoulders and a double portion of Elijah's spirit to fortify him, Elisha wastes no time beginning his prophetic and miraculous ministry. He predicts that God will fill the valleys of Edom with water, enabling King Joram to defeat the forces of Moab and turn back the enemy threat.
Your Daily Walk
If a miracle is something so difficult that only God can do it, what area of your life most needs a miracle? And how does it compare with these "miracle stories"?
The Lord said to Abraham: "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" (Genesis 18:14). And Abraham fathered Isaac at age 100.
Jeremiah affirmed: "Nothing is too hard for you" (Jeremiah 32:17). And God delivered His people from exile.
The angel told Mary: "For nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37). And a virgin gave birth to the Savior.
When Elisha instructed Joram to dig trenches in the valley because God was going to fill them with water in spite of a drought, Elisha assured the king, "This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD" (2 Kings 3:18). The next morning, the waters came.
What challenge in your life seems too big for anyone but God? Write your name by one of the stories above as your testimony of confidence in God's ability to do the impossible.
Insight - Going to School with the Prophets
The "company of the prophets" (2 Kings 2:3, 5, 7, 15; 4:1, 38; 5:22; 6:1) were probably young men studying the Law and the history of Israel in order to teach the people.
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April 9
2 Kings 4-6
Overview
Elisha, the great miracle worker of God, performs no fewer than nine miracles in the space of today's section: providing an "oil well" for a destitute widow, giving new life to a dead boy, making poisoned stew harmless, multiplying bread for a hungry crowd, curing a leprous army captain, making an ax head defy the law of gravity, reading the mind of an enemy king, opening the eyes of a servant to see the angels of God, and closing the eyes of the enemy to the same spectacle. In each case, God's power at work in the individual shows His readiness to do the same in the nation He has called His own.
Your Daily Walk
Myopia, simply defined, is improper focus. Images appear fuzzy or blurred because the eye cannot focus light to a sharp point. Physical myopia can be detected and corrected quite easily.
There is a similar visual problem in the spiritual realm. Let's call it spiritual myopia. The symptoms: clear focus when identifying problems, obstacles, and difficulties in everyday life, but great difficulty focusing on the reservoir of power and protection that God has provided to meet those problems head-on. Spiritual myopia was the condition of Elisha's servant when he focused on the problem (6:15) but not the provision (6:17). He saw only a horde of Syrians, while Elisha saw the host of angels.
On an index card, draw a small eye chart (similar to what you would find in an ophthalmologist's office), using the words of 2 Kings 6:16, and place it on your mirror or near your computer screen. Let it remind you often of the importance of proper spiritual focus in your walk with God.
Insight - How to Fly Off the Handle
In biblical times, the iron head of an ax was attached to the handle by leather thongs. Thus, it was common for the head to fly off the handle whenever the thongs broke or slipped. Accidents with axes were so common that a special provision was included in the Law of Moses to handle such cases (Deuteronomy 19:1-6).
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April 10
2 Kings 9-10
Overview
Anointed king over Israel at Elisha's direction, Jehu wastes no time carrying out his mission. He heads straight for the city of Jezreel, where Joram is recuperating from his battle wounds. There he slays the ruling heir of Ahab's house in the vineyard of Naboth, for which Ahab's wife had committed murder a generation before. But Jehu is far from finished. In addition, he kills Ahaziah, king of Judah (who was making an untimely visit to Joram), Jezebel (Joram's wicked mother-in-law), and finally the entire surviving family of Ahab, thus fulfilling God's sentence of death. But while Jehu is executing judgment in Israel, a different and potentially more dangerous execution is taking place in Judah. Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, seizes the throne and seeks to remove the rest of the royal line. The sole surviving heir, Joash, grows up to be Judah's youngest monarch and one of its greatest reformers.
Your Daily Walk
Whatever else you can say about Jehu (and you can say plenty), his single-minded attention to the task God gave him is exemplary. Jehu was a man with a divine calling, a man with a mission, who lost no time in carrying it out. He brought to fulfillment the prophecy of Elijah against the house of Ahab (1 Kings 21:19-24) and, for a time, completely rid Israel of the heathen worship of Baal. God approved of Jehu's faithfulness to his calling and rewarded him for it.
How do you tackle the assignment God has set before you? Carelessly? Halfheartedly? Or with the zeal of a Jehu? Whether you are a student or a parent, a minister or an office worker, you can put your heart into your work if the God of Jehu is in your heart.
Insight - Judgment Can Be Murder
Jehu was anointed as God's instrument for the task of exterminating the house of Ahab, and along with it, the worship of Baal. Baalism was so viciously cruel that only a person of Jehu's relentlessness could have done the job. By the end, Jehu had indeed wiped out the entire house of Ahab and had thoroughly purged the nation of Baal worshipers.
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April 11/12
2 Kings 13, 17
Overview
On his deathbed, Elisha offers King Joash of Israel the opportunity to utterly rout his Syrian enemy. But the king's lack of faith results in something far short of complete victory, and presents a picture of the problem that has plagued Israel's kings for centuries. The alliance between Israel and Judah, secured under Jehoshaphat, now gives way to constant warfare. Anarchy and apostasy rip the land of Israel as the first king is assassinated, and then another is assassinated. When Israel and Syria form an alliance against Judah, Ahaz (king of Judah) buys the help of Assyria. But the downward spiral continues, and soon the 10 tribes in the north are deported to the remotest corners of the Assyrian empire, while other conquered peoples are imported to fill the vacuum.
Your Daily Walk
Historians and political scientists have developed elaborate explanations for the conquest of Israel, and later of Judah. "These were small countries," they say, "in the buffer zone between large, powerful neighbors to the south (Egypt) and north (Assyria and Babylon)." But the Bible states that the conquest and exile were God's judgment because of the sin of His people. Israel had turned her back on the Lord, turned to idols, and ignored the repeated message of God's prophets to "shape up or ship out." They had no one to blame but themselves.
That biblical principle remains in force today for nations as well as individuals, Christians as well as unbelievers. God will deal with an individual, with a family, or with a nation according to the unchanging principle that "a man reaps what he sows" (Galatians 6:7). When was the last time you "sowed" a word for God by means of a brief phone call or email to one of your elected officials? If an issue is crucial, we can't afford to remain silent.
Insight - It's a Long Way to Captivity
In the Assyrian dispersion, many Israelites were resettled in northern Mesopotamia (more than 400 miles away) and others in the area of the Medes (a full 1,000 miles from Samaria).
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April 13
2 Kings 18, 20
Overview
With the captivity and deportation of Israel, the curtain drops on the northern 10 tribes. But what of their countrymen in the south? Will they learn from Israel's calamity and turn back to God? At this crucial juncture, God raises up Hezekiah, who does "what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done" (18:3). Spiritually, Hezekiah institutes sweeping reforms to bring the nation back to a wholehearted worship of God. Politically, he refuses to pay tribute any longer to Assyria, choosing instead to trust God for protection from reprisal. In answer to his prayer, God decimates the Assyrian army, breaking the back of that once mighty nation. However, by the time of his death, Hezekiah's pride and family negligence ensured that Judah's days were numbered.
Your Daily Walk
If you're looking for some help in your prayer life, spend some time studying an Old Testament character whose every recorded prayer was answered.
Hezekiah was a man of faith (18:5) and prayer. His first reaction when confronted with a problem was to bring it before the Lord. Whether the problem was 185,000 uninvited Assyrians (19:35) or a painful illness (20:7), Hezekiah took it to God in prayer. And when he prayed, things happened.
Prayer is not a magic formula, but verbal communication with the sovereign God of creation. Examine your own prayer habits. Are they built on a personal relationship with God? Are you strengthening your prayer life with daily exercise? Are you more comfortable talking to God today than you were a year ago? Try this: Every time you get into or out of your car today, spend a few seconds in prayer. You'll find it habit-forming.
Insight - Smashing an Ancient Artifact
Hezekiah's zealous reform included even the destruction of the bronze serpent that Moses had made in the wilderness (Numbers 21:8-9), which the people were burning incense to.
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April 14
2 Kings 22-23
Overview
Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it, and Judah is no exception. Though Israel has been swept away in judgment, the southern kingdom continues its pagan "business as usual." Good King Josiah makes a last desperate attempt to turn the nation back to God. He locates the long-lost Book of the Law and institutes sweeping reforms. But though he can impose changes in actions on the people, only wholehearted repentance can change the attitudes of godlessness and self-indulgence that are the root of the problem. As a result, when Josiah dies, his successors revert to pagan practices. At last, God brings down the curtain on the southern kingdom as Babylonian soldiers topple the walls, homes, and temple of once-mighty Jerusalem.
Your Daily Walk
What is the most important book in the world to you? Assuming your answer is "the Bible"..
THINK: How many days this month have you spent time in the Bible? Assuming your answer is "at least one"..
THINK: How did you respond to the truth you encountered there? Assuming your answer is an honest one...
THINK: Are you satisfied with your response to that truth? Assuming your answer is less than a resounding "yes"..
REREAD 2 Kings 23:2-3. The power of God's Word to change lives is perhaps nowhere more evident than in those two verses. The Word pierces where no manmade sword can reach: to the very heart of the king, priests, prophets, and people, turning their hearts collectively back to God. The result: a national spiritual awakening.
God's Word convicts, but only you can commit yourself to doing God's will. Is there an area of your life where a response is overdue?
Insight - The Short and Long and Short and Long of It
The lengths of the reigns of the last four kings of Judah are easy to remember once you see the pattern. The sequence is 3 months, 11 years, 3 months, 11 years.
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1 Chronicles
April 15
1 Chronicles 1
Overview
Chronicles is more than just a repetition of the books of 2 Samuel through 2 Kings. Though it covers the same period of history, Chronicles approaches the task from an entirely different perspective. It focuses on religious (not political) history, giving special attention to events surrounding the temple (not the palace) and the southern kingdom of Judah (the Davidic royal line). Down through the centuries, God has provided a witness for Himself and protected the people who were the ancestors of the coming Messiah of Israel-a fact clearly seen in the table of genealogies.
Your Daily Walk
Before you write off today's section as a lost cause in your pursuit of excitement in daily Bible reading, look beyond the monotonous repetition of "begat" and "the sons of" to see the personalities and events involved. For example:
• How many of the names do you recognize?
• For how many of the characters can you recall at least one fact or story from the Old Testament?
• Who would you say are the five most important people mentioned in these lists? Why did you select those five?
• How many reasons can you think of that God might want to include these chapters in His Word?
The opening chapters of 1 Chronicles give not only the historical roots of God's people, but also the spiritual roots. Can you trace yours? Who are the important people in your spiritual heritage? Which of them are still alive today? Is there a tangible way you could say thank you for their role in your spiritual development? You might want to begin a page of spiritual roots in the back of your Bible and add to it as your research continues.
Insight - Curious Omissions in a Copious List
Chapters 1-9 may seem like an exhaustive genealogy, but they are not. Careful study reveals several significant omissions, including the family of Eli and the tribes of Zebulun and Dan.
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March 16
1 Samuel 4, 6, 8
Overview
In fulfillment of Samuel's prophetic word, judgment falls upon the family of Eli. Hophni and Phinehas die at the hands of the Philistines, along with 34,000 of their countrymen. Worse yet, the ark of God falls into enemy hands. Struck by the twin blows of national and family catastrophe, Eli falls over and dies a broken man. Upon the shoulders of young Samuel is placed the responsibility of rebuilding the shattered nation, both spiritually and politically. The Philistines return the ark (with a little divine encouragement), and the Israelites return to the worship of the one true God. But as Samuel grows older and his sons pervert their priestly office, the elders request a king to rule over them, as the other nations do.
Your Daily Walk
Be careful how you pray. God may give you what you ask for! Israel requested a king, a seemingly harmless request. After all, wouldn't a monarch be preferable to the corrupt priests who were making a sham of national worship? But God knew the people's motives were wrong (the desire to be like all the other nations), and the consequences would be devastating. Their sons and daughters would be inducted into the king's service, their lands confiscated, their possessions taxed and seized. In effect, they would become slaves to the king. Yet they insisted: "Give us a king!"
Examine your prayer life. Is it characterized by demands or requests? "God, heal me... bring my husband back... make me successful... give me what I ask for." Check your motives. Are you making requests with your comfort and convenience in mind, or with His glory in mind? And have you considered what might happen if God did answer your prayer? Could it be that God has something even better in store for you than the answer you would supply to your own prayer? Talk to Him about it right now.
Insight - The First Circuit-Riding Preacher
In his role as judge, Samuel made a yearly circuit from his home in Ramah to Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpeh, and back-a journey of 210 miles.
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March 17
1 Samuel 10, 12
Overview
In response to the Israelites' persistent request for a king, God grants their wish. Saul, a handsome man from the tribe of Benjamin, goes searching for a lost donkey, but instead finds Samuel, who anoints him king over Israel. Saul promptly leads the nation in battle against the Ammonites, wins a decisive victory, and humbly refuses to punish those who would not acknowledge him as king. Although Saul honors God early in his reign, Samuel warns the people of the danger in not allowing God to be King of their hearts: "If you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away" (12:25).
Your Daily Walk
A rambunctious little boy was told by his mother to sit quietly in a chair. He grudgingly obliged, but after taking his seat, he announced, "I may be sitting still on the outside, but on the inside I'm still running around!" His mother's authority was enough to control her son's body, but not his heart.
Such was the case with Israel. Like a little child, the nation was admonished by Samuel to continue in the ways of God, even though the people now had a human king of their own. Outwardly, they agreed to serve and obey God. But despite external compliance, their hearts remained unchanged.
God wants people who have bodies (actions) and hearts (attitudes) that are pleasing to Him. Take a sheet of paper and divide it into two columns. Over the left column, write: "Things I do for God." Over the right: "Why I do what I do for God." Now begin to fill in the columns. And if you find you're doing some of the right things for the wrong reasons, ask God for a "heart transplant" today. That's His specialty (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
Insight - God Doesn't Act Out of Character
God's promise that "for the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people" (12:22) meant that to abandon Israel would have been a violation of His covenant and a contradiction of His character. God is always true to His Word and His name.
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March 18
1 Samuel 13:1-14; 15:1-23
Overview
Saul's promising beginning as king over Israel is all too brief. In today's reading, he reveals attitudes and actions that ultimately lead to his rejection by God. Presumption, rationalization, pride, stubbornness, and outright disobedience mark the latter years of his reign, until finally Samuel delivers a make-or-break assignment: "Completely destroy the Amalekites." Electing to do only part of God's will, Saul saves the best of the livestock to "sacrifice to the Lord" (15:15), and spares Agag, the Amalekite king. When confronted with his disobedience, Saul passes the blame to the people, causing Samuel to deliver the verdict: "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king" (1 Samuel 15:23).
Your Daily Walk
The tragedy of Saul's life is the sharp contrast between what could have been and what actually happened. Twice the Bible says that "the Spirit of God came upon [Saul]" (10:10; 11:6). After Saul's anointing by Samuel, "God changed Saul's heart" (10:9). After his rejection as king, "the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul" (16:14). These verses would indicate that Saul was a true child of God who was self-willed, proud, and rebellious against God (15:17, 22-23). He represents the Christian who has been equipped by God for a task, but whose willful sin disqualifies him from further service (1 Corinthians 9:27).
You cannot hope to lead others effectively until you are first willing to be led by God. Is pride, stubbornness, or rebellion clouding your relationship with God today? Ask God where you need to change in order for you to be the instrument of godly leadership that He desires you to be. Then write your name and today's date in the margin of your Bible next to 1 Samuel 15:22.
Insight - Saul in the Old, Saul in the New
Both Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:11) and Saul of Gibeah (1 Samuel 10:26) were from the tribe of Benjamin. But what a contrast! Saul (later called Paul) was a physically weak "giant" of the faith; King Saul was a tall, imposing giant of a man who ended his life by suicide.
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March 19
1 Samuel 16:1-18:4
Overview
Samuel, still grieving over Saul's sin, is instructed by God to anoint a new king, an unlikely young candidate from the family of Jesse. David's obscurity is short-lived, however. After he is enlisted by Saul to play the harp in the king's court, David meets and defeats the Philistine giant, Goliath. But the more David seeks to serve the king, the more his reputation enrages Saul, leaving his very life in jeopardy. Not even David's close friendship with Saul's son Jonathan can bring him immunity from Saul's attacks.
Your Daily Walk
How many close friends do you have? Not simply acquaintances or fellow workers or neighbors, but the kind of friend "who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24), and with whom you can share joy and heartache?
David found that having a true friend can be more than valuable-it can be lifesaving. When Saul conspired to kill Israel's future king, Jonathan put his life on the line by informing David of his father's murderous intent. Ignoring his own welfare, Jonathan put God's program first.
What kind of friend are you? Do you establish relationships with other people for what you can gain from them, or for what you can give to them? If you're having trouble developing close friendships, spend some extra minutes today reading John 15:13-15. There you'll find some characteristics of a growing friendship: sacrifice (v. 13) and communication (v. 15).
Pick someone who is only an acquaintance to you now and begin a "Project Jonathan" in that person's life today. Use the above principles to help you map out a friendship-building activity or two for the week.
Insight - A Working Definition of a Friend
A friend is someone who knows you fully and still accepts you unconditionally. Your true best friend is one who is honest and tells you the "truth in love." The wise words of Solomon remind us: "Wounds from a friend can be trusted" (Proverbs 27:6). Do you have a friend like that? Are you willing to be one?
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March 20
1 Samuel 20
Overview
Jonathan promises to help David by discovering whether Saul's anger is simply a passing mood or a firm resolve. Jonathan finds the latter true, but in the process, he incurs his father's wrath. There can be only one course of action if David is to live to take the throne: He must flee for his life. David's path of escape takes him first to Nob, where he secures food and weapons for his journey. From there, he flees to Gath and then to the cave of Adullam, where a band of relatives and outcasts joins him. Driven to the Desert of Ziph by Saul's advancing search party, David finds his life in constant jeopardy.
Your Daily Walk
Can you rejoice when others are preferred over you? Can you remain a loyal and sincere friend when someone else gets the promotion that by rights should have been yours? Are you willing to be content with God's place for you when it is less than your ambition desires, or even less than what should rightfully be yours?
If you have trouble answering with a hearty "yes!" then consider the remarkable character of Jonathan. Humanly speaking, he was heir apparent to the throne of Israel, set to succeed his father Saul. Humanly speaking, he had every reason to hate David and to join his father in seeking David's death. Instead, he loved David, befriended him, protected him, and accepted God's will for him, even though it meant taking a back seat to his own personal ambitions.
"Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). Are you content today with your possessions, status, and situation? Read Philippians 4:11-13 out loud several times until God gives you the strength to make it a sincere prayer of your heart.
Insight - Jonathan-An Unsung Hero
Perhaps the truest test of a man's greatness is his willingness to submit to God's plans. As heir to the throne, Jonathan was a war hero (chapter 14) who possessed a kingly character. Yet he loved David as himself (18:1), sided with him against his own father, and bowed humbly to God's choice of David as king.
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March 21-22
1 Samuel 24, 26
Overview
After a brief delay to deal with the Philistine problem, Saul returns to take up the pursuit of David. His renewed zeal nearly pays off as (unknowingly) he traps David and his men in a cave. Then miraculously the tables are turned as David stands poised over the sleeping form of Saul with the power of life and death in his hand. Though vengeance is within his reach, David refuses to lift his hand against the Lord's anointed king. Again in chapter 26 the scene is repeated, this time in the Desert of Ziph. Once again David must make a choice. Once again the source of David's anxiety is only a sword's thrust away. And once again David resists the temptation to play the role of God by snuffing out Saul's life.
Your Daily Walk
If circumstances alone formed the basis for determining the will of God, then Saul's life would have ended in chapter 24 and Nabal's in chapter 25. If counsel alone revealed God's will in a particular situation, then Abishai would have convinced David to rid himself of Saul once and for all in chapter 26.
Opportunity alone does not constitute the will of God. The counsel of others taken by itself is insufficient to determine God's will. These things must be balanced with what we know of the character and commands of God as revealed in His Word. David knew that God had said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay" (Deuteronomy 32:35; see also Romans 12:19).
Have others wronged you and then placed themselves in a vulnerable position where it would be easy for you to get even? Try this instead. Look for a way to repay evil with good (Romans 12:21), and by an act of the will leave the settling of accounts with God. He will set things right in ways you never dreamed.
Insight - En-gedi (24:1-2)
En-gedi, from the Hebrew meaning "spring of the wild goat," was a desert oasis that served as a refuge for David in his flight from Saul. Located halfway down the western coast of the Dead Sea, En-gedi is a nature preserve and tourist attraction today.
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March 23
1 Samuel 27, 29, 31
Overview
The Book of 1 Samuel closes with a climactic series of events leading to the death of Saul and his sons, and clearing the way for David's ascent to the throne. Disheartened and no doubt weary, David defects to the Philistines for his own protection and settles in Gath, the very city from which Goliath came. He finds himself using deception to avoid siding with the Philistines in the growing hostilities against Israel. Saul, unable to find direction from God, consults a spiritist, through whom God sovereignly delivers a chilling judgment and death prediction.
Your Daily Walk
In modern English, the word tragedy is used to describe any adversity, no matter its cause. But more specifically, a tragedy is "a calamity that results from a wrong decision based upon a flawed character." Using this definition, Saul's life was a true tragedy. It held so much promise of success both for him and the nation, yet it ended in defeat and disgrace, all because of pride and self-will.
Becoming a Christian doesn't mark the end of your battle with sin and temptation; in many ways, it marks the beginning. As a Christian, you still have a sin nature that seeks to express itself in your daily actions. You also have a personal will that desires to direct your life. And both need to come under the control of Jesus Christ.
From a hymnal or the Internet, use the familiar words of Frances Havergal's hymn "Take My Life, and Let It Be" to renew your commitment to the lordship of Christ, from head to toe.
Take my life, and let it be / Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my hands, and let them move / At the impulse of Thy love.
Insight - A Dubious Distinction
Saul, the first king of Israel, ended his life by becoming the second recorded suicide in the Bible (31:4). Can you recall the first? (Hint: You read his life story earlier this month. His name also begins with the letter S, and he "brought down the house.")
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2 Samuel
March 24
2 Samuel 1:1-2:7
Overview
The Book of 2 Samuel opens where 1 Samuel closed, with the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. David's lament over the loss of his closest personal friend and of God's anointed leader is captured in a moving song with the repeated refrain, "How the mighty have fallen!" (1:19, 25, 27). Assured by the Lord that the time for his ascension to the throne has come at last, David is installed as king over Judah. But his acceptance as Israel's new national leader will be slow and painful. Ish-bosheth, Saul's surviving son, usurps power in the north, sparking a civil war between Israel (led by Abner) and Judah (led by Joab). Intrigue, assassination, and defection result in the deaths of Asahel, Abner, and finally Ish-bosheth. With the opposition to David's rule removed, the way is cleared for David to reign over a united kingdom at last, more than seven years after Saul's death.
Your Daily Walk
Have you learned to separate personality from authority? God's commands are often based on a line of authority. Within the chain of command, he has instructed children to obey their parents, young people to respect their elders, and citizens to submit to the ruling authorities, whether or not they like the personality of the one in authority over them. In the same way, David honored Saul as God's anointed king throughout his life. Refusing to carry a personal vendetta or to retaliate against Saul's family, David sincerely mourned Saul's passing and showed kindness to Saul's house, though Saul was no doubt his "favorite person."
Whether or not you agree with the personality and philosophy of your civic leaders, you have a spiritual responsibility to submit to them, honor them, and above all, pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-3). Have you done that yet today? It will help them and you.
Insight - Family Feud, Old Testament Style
In 3:1-5, six of David's sons are named, each born to a different wife. David's moral laxity, so evident in these verses, would ultimately contribute to his downfall.
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March 25
2 Samuel 5:1-5; 7:1-29
Overview
The internal strife has finally ended, and David is firmly established as king over a united kingdom. Now, in his first official act as monarch, he relocates the nation's capital from Hebron to Jerusalem. In addition to Jerusalem's becoming the political center of Israel, David now makes it the religious center as well by transporting the ark from Gibeah. At last, David is ready to see the fulfillment of a lifelong dream: the construction of a house for God. But through the prophet Nathan, God redirects those plans. Because David has been a man of war, it must be left to his son, Solomon (whose name means "peace"), to build God's temple. But while David will not be permitted to build a house for God, God will build a house for David: a throne, a family, and a kingdom that will stand forever.
Your Daily Walk
How do you respond to the death of a dream? When your most cherished ambition is shattered by a financial reversal, a physical injury, or an unexpected change of plans, what is your reaction?
After God curtailed David's plans to build a permanent house for the ark, David responded with gratitude (not grumbling) and praise (not pouting). He thanked God for all the good things He had done in the history of the nation, and reaffirmed God's sovereign right to veto David's plans: "Now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised" (7:25). Personal ambition yielded to sovereign direction.
Have you committed your dreams and ambitions to God? He may want to approve and confirm them, or He may want to change and refashion them into something you've never dreamed. That's His right as Creator. So give Him that right-right now!
Insight - Learning a Life-and-Death Lesson (6:3-7)
For perhaps 50 years, the ark had been considered little more than a piece of furniture. God's stern judgment upon Uzzah for touching it marked the beginning of a new era in which the people recognized the sanctity of God's presence again.
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March 26
2 Samuel 9
Overview
Once David has consolidated his nation politically and religiously, he turns to the task of being God's man of war. By subduing the neighboring nations, David extends Israel's borders: Philistia to the southwest; Amalek to the south; Edom, Moab, and Ammon to the east; Syria to the northeast; Zobah to the north. Each succumbs to David's withering assault. But though he is a man of war, David maintains a tender heart. He seeks out and befriends the sole surviving heir of Saul's dynasty, a lame grandson named Mephibosheth, by making him part of the king's family.
Your Daily Walk
Insurance companies today have a name for those who apply for insurance while suffering from heart disease or who have a family history of premature death. Such individuals are "bad risks."
When a new king came to the throne in the ancient Near East, you might say the remaining family members of the preceding dynasty were bad risks. According to the custom of the day, they had two chances for survival: slim and none. The usual practice was for the new king to pursue and slaughter any possible claimants to the throne. That's why David's gesture of mercy and clemency to Mephibosheth was so amazing.
God's grace to us, which is illustrated by this story, is even greater. "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). If you have not received God's grace, do so right now (see Ephesians 2:8-9). If you have, thank God anew for it. Then look for a Mephibosheth in your life who needs to learn about God's love and forgiveness.
Insight - Just Call Me "Mephibosheth"
A helpless cripple, heir of King Saul, and a self-proclaimed "dead dog," Mephibosheth was nonetheless welcomed with open arms into David's own royal family. What a beautiful illustration of God's grace to us crippled as sinners, yet lifted from our shame and given an inheritance by the King Himself.
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March 27
2 Samuel 11-12
Overview
A person's life can pivot on one small event. Such is the case with David. Idling around the palace when he should have been leading his troops on the battlefield, David sets himself up for disaster. A chance look leads to lust, which gives birth to sin, which in turn results in death. But even in his darkest moment, the "man after [God's] own heart" (Acts 13:22) shows his true character. When confronted by Nathan the prophet about his sin, David responds with wholehearted repentance. Though he experiences God's forgiveness, the seeds of sin have been planted. All too soon, David will reap the harvest of that sin.
Your Daily Walk
The crash of the giant redwood could be heard for miles. But the question on everyone's mind lingered long after the sound had died away. There was no chainsaw, no forest fire, no dynamite. How had such a mammoth tree come toppling down?
Silently, secretly, thousands of tiny beetles ate away at the very heart of the tree. The signs of decay went unnoticed until the crash, and then it was too late.
David's sin with Bathsheba was no sudden collapse of his moral values, but rather the outgrowth of an undisciplined life given to passion, polygamy, and idle pleasure. When the temptation came, David had no willpower to resist. He saw, he inquired, he yielded. And the crash could be heard for generations to come in the form of treachery, immorality, jealousy, and murder.
Where are subtle sins eating away at your spiritual vitality? If it is true that disaster in the Christian life more often results from a slow leak than a blowout, take time today to examine your life for any "slow leaks." You can't afford to ignore them.
Insight - Solomon, the Peace Child (12:24)
As part of the judgment upon David's sin, the child born of adultery died in infancy. But later God gave to David and Bathsheba another son, whom they appropriately named Solomon-"peace." Despite his past failure, David was now at peace with his God.
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March 28-29
2 Samuel 15, 18
Overview
Incest, murder, intrigue, rebellion-the story of David's family from chapter 12 on reads like a horror story. But the worst is yet to come. Absalom, David's favorite (and most undisciplined) son, seizes the opportunity to usurp his father's throne. After sowing discontent among the people, Absalom launches a dramatic, unexpected invasion of Jerusalem, forcing David to flee for his life. In his flight, David is deceived by Ziba, maligned by Shimei, and befriended by Barzillai. But he owes his life largely to Hushai, who remains behind in Jerusalem and counsels Absalom to mount a careful (and delayed) attack, rather than to pursue immediately. When the battle is joined in the forest of Ephraim, Absalom's dreams of power come to a "hair-raising" conclusion.
Your Daily Walk
What do Monday morning quarterbacks and many politicians' speeches have in common? They are always right because they are always based on 20/20 hindsight.
Absalom would have made a good Monday morning quarterback. Certainly, he was an outstanding politician, for he won the hearts of the people by second-guessing the decisions of the king and promising the people what they wanted, though he had no authority to grant it.
When a bad decision has been made, do not hesitate to give open, honest criticism to the person who's responsible. Wrong decisions cannot be ignored. But watch the human tendency to become an armchair general.
All statements beginning, "If I had been there..." are dangerous. Pick a church or civic leader and focus your efforts this week on positive support, rather than negative second-guessing.
Insight - Hair Today, a "Goner" Tomorrow
Absalom's luxuriant head of hair was the crowning glory of a vain egomaniac. How ironic that it became the instrument of his death, suspending him from the low-hanging branches of a tree.
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March 30
2 Samuel 19
Overview
David's unceasing grief for Absalom (at the expense of those who risked their lives for the king) prompts an abrupt but effective confrontation with General Joab. A king's personal feelings must give way to the good of the nation. So, accompanied by his faithful followers, David begins his triumphal return to Jerusalem. His reestablishment as king in Israel marks the return of discontent to the nation. Jealousy between the tribes, an attempted coup by Sheba, murder in the palace guard- the violence is a continual reminder that "uneasy lies the head that wears the crown."
Your Daily Walk
Think back over the chapters you have read in 2 Samuel, and make a list of your impressions of Joab, David's general.
Every leader needs a man like Joab. For all his bad points (and there were plenty-he was brutal, bloodthirsty, vengeful), Joab had a side that was commendable. His devotion to David and to the nation was exemplary. He was a man who saw what had to be done and did it, regardless of how unpopular the action or how unwanted the rebuke. Though David often questioned Joab's actions, he never questioned Joab's motives and rightly so.
Do you have the fortitude to do the unpopular thing when it is right and needs to be done? Do you have the courage to speak up when a voice needs to be heard? No one enjoys such roles, but they are a vital part of godly exhortation. Select an admirable trait from Joab's life (such as commitment, fortitude, or selflessness) and use it as a pattern for your activities today. God will give you the strength and wisdom to be a Joab when the job calls for one.
Insight - David's Shrouded Grief
After learning of Absalom's death, David "covered his face" (19:4), the customary way of expressing grief. The covered head symbolized the agony that shut David off from the world and also pictured the shroud of Absalom's burial.
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March 31
2 Samuel 21-24
2 Samuel 23-24
Overview
Years of ruling the nation (and getting into and out of trouble) have taken their toll on David, leaving him faint in battle and feeble in old age. But though David can no longer pursue the enemy, problems continue to pursue him to the end of his reign. A broken treaty with the Gibeonites results in three years of famine; a sinful census leads to the deaths of 70,000 Israelites. But in each case, David repents of his sinful ways and assumes the familiar posture of a worshiper of God, the hallmark of his life. To the end of his days, David remains a man after God's own heart.
Your Daily Walk
When called upon to support the work of God with your money, do you "give till it hurts" or "hurt when you give"?
David provides a valuable model for giving. When God punished the Israelites for David's proud census, the prophet Gad told David to build an altar on Araunah's threshing floor. It would have been an easy matter for David to confiscate Araunah's property, or at least to accept Araunah's offer of free animals and wood for the sacrifice. But David refused, knowing that such an offering would not be pleasing to God. "I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (24:24).
Examine your own offerings to the Lord your God. Do you tend to give superficially or sacrificially? Are your gifts the overflow of a grateful heart? As you look forward to your next paycheck, think about increasing the amount you give to your church or a Christian organization you support. And remember, "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Insight - A Mighty Man in a Curious Place
In David's list of 37 mighty warriors (23:8-39) is one curious inclusion: Uriah the Hittite! Though David masterminded his death, he never forgot Uriah's exemplary conduct.
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Joshua
March 1
Joshua 1:1-8; 3
Overview
Moses has died, and Joshua is appointed by God to take the reins of leadership. The people are poised within view of the land promised to their ancestors and denied to their unbelieving parents. The time has come to cross over, conquer, and possess. But will they succeed where their fathers failed? The task seems impossible: a swollen, turbulent river to ford; foreign terrain to cross; mighty, walled cities to conquer. So God begins to prepare His people for the days of warfare just ahead. He reminds Joshua that careful attention to His Word brings blessing and success. Spies are sent to survey Jericho, the first obstacle in the land. The priests, bearing the ark of the covenant, lead the people across the raging Jordan without even getting their sandals wet! The stage is set for conquest.
Your Daily Walk
God specializes in dry sandals. He loves to start with an impossible situation in your life, then do the impossible. When the nation of Israel approached the Jordan River, God demanded a step of obedience before they could cross. The priests, like drum majors leading a marching band numbering in the million-plus range, had to hike to the brink of the flood-swollen Jordan and take that first step into the water. Then—and only then—would God perform a miracle, roll back the waters, dry up the puddles, and send the people across, kicking up dust at every step. Dry sandals followed trusting obedience.
Where is God waiting for you to take that first step of faith? Think about the obstacle you are facing (your Jordan) and the step of obedience God is asking you to take (your dry-sandals experience). Trust Him for the unexpected, and let Him surprise and delight you by doing the unexplainable.
Insight - A Mighty Little River
The Jordan, a winding, muddy river more than 200 miles long (and only waist-deep in some places), carries biblical significance far beyond its size. It is mentioned more than 50 times in Joshua and more than 160 times in the Old Testament.
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March 2
Joshua 6:1-7, 13; 8:1, 25
Overview
Joshua employs a textbook strategy for military victory: "Divide and conquer!" He attacks the middle of the country first, dividing the enemy forces in half, before mopping up resistance among the isolated troops in the south and north. His stunning victory at Jericho shows the importance of following God's directions down to the smallest detail, no matter how trivial they may seem. The lesson is painfully reinforced at Ai, where disobedience leads to defeat and death. But after disciplining His overconfident people, God patiently encourages them and leads them to victory in the rematch with Ai.
Your Daily Walk
The true test of an obedient child comes not when the parent's orders make good sense ("Don't touch the stove or you'll burn yourself"), but when there seems to be no good reason for the command ("Be home by 11:00," or "Eat your spinach"). A parent's wishes may be changeable or based on a whim, but God's will is never that way (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17).
God's command to Israel at Jericho to destroy what was not consecrated to Him contradicted "good human judgment." It seemed wasteful to the people and unnecessarily cruel. Joshua did the "sensible" and "prudent" (but disobedient) thing by sending only a small army against Ai. And the result was a rout for Israel and the needless death of 36 soldiers.
Pick a command from God's Word that you have been tempted to label impractical, unnecessary, or irrelevant (you might try Ephesians 5:22, 25; 6:1, 5). Write it down, along with these words: "Where I understand the will of God, I will do it; where I do not understand the will of God, I will trust Him... and do it anyway!"
Insight - The High Cost of Covetousness
The gold and silver pieces Achan took (7:21) were worth only a few thousand dollars. In exchange, they cost the lives of 36 soldiers, a humiliating defeat for the nation of Israel, and death by stoning for Achan and his entire family.
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March 3
Joshua 9, 12
Overview
In many ways, Joshua's military is guided more by his enemies' actions than by his own plans. First, the king of Jerusalem forms an alliance of kings in the south and attacks Gibeon (the nation that had tricked Israel into a treaty of protection). True to her pact, Israel comes to Gibeon's defense, smashing the southern coalition. A similar alliance now forms in the north, led by Jabin, king of Hazor. And once again, "The Lord gave them into the hand of Israel" (11:8). Finally, Joshua squelches resistance throughout the entire land until the hills, valleys, plains, and mountains (see 11:16) are secure, ready to be allotted to the waiting tribes.
Your Daily Walk
Nothing is as exasperating to a parent as a 3-year-old's newfound independence. "Let me do it... don't help... I can do it myself" are all expressions of a dependent child exercising his awakening sense of independence. The parents' help may no longer be wanted, but that doesn't mean it isn't needed.
When faced with the unexpected problem of Gibeon (chapter 9), the leaders of Israel responded in immature independence. "We can handle this one on our own. No need to consult God about such an elementary matter. After all, we've made tougher decisions than this before!" The foolish peace pact with Gibeon, made without consulting God, was based on false appearances and deceiving words. In the years ahead, it would be a source of heartache to Israel.
What decision are you tempted to make without giving God a single thought? Talk to Him first. God delights in guiding those who acknowledge their need of Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). And the consequences of ignoring Him can't be overlooked.
Insight - A Hungry Homeland
Earlier, the spies described Canaan as a land that "devours those living in it" (Numbers 13:32). During the seven-year conquest, Joshua's army destroyed 31 kings and most of the Canaanites, making the spies' statement ironically prophetic.
March 4
Joshua 14
Overview
Although Israel, under Joshua's leadership, had conquered Canaan by destroying key cities and their kings, "there are still very large areas of land to be taken over" (13:1). To complete the task, Joshua assigns territories to each individual tribe with instructions to clear out the remaining pagan influence and to possess the land completely. Territories have already been assigned to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the Jordan. But before any allotments are made on the west side, Caleb asks for and receives the area promised him by Moses: Mount Hebron, a known Canaanite stronghold.
Your Daily Walk
Probably as a child, you either played with model planes, boats, and trucks or knew someone who did. List as many characteristics of a model as you can. Now think about some outstanding characters who emerge from the pages of Scripture, and ask yourself: "Apart from the Lord Jesus Himself, after whom would I most like to model my life?"
Did the name Caleb cross your mind? Three times in seven verses we read that he "followed the LORD... wholeheartedly" (14:8-9, 14). Caleb knew what it meant to claim the promises of God, then move out by faith to possess what God had promised.
As you read chapter 14 today, did you notice what was said about Caleb—his age, physical condition, godly ambitions, steps of obedience? Select one way that Caleb's life can become a model for your life today, and put it to work.
Insight - God's People and Long Waits
Caleb was 40 years old when he, Joshua, and the other spies checked out Canaan. Afterward, he waited 45 years for God to fulfill His promise of giving him Mount Hebron. So, at 85, as long as God was with him, he wasn't afraid to go into the hill country, drive out the Canaanites, and take possession of the land. Can you think of other biblical characters who waited a long time for God to fulfill His promise to them?
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March 5
Joshua 18:1-10; 21:43-45
Overview
With the moving of the tabernacle to the territory of Ephraim, Shiloh becomes the new center of Israel's worship. The remaining seven tribes now receive their inheritance by lot. But for the tribe of Levi there will be no territorial allotment, for their inheritance is the priestly service of God (13:14; 18:7). Instead, 48 cities are assigned to the three families of Levites (Kohath, Gershon, Merari), and six cities are reserved as places of refuge for accidental manslayers. At last, the task of dividing and distributing the land is complete.
Your Daily Walk
Try to envision 22 godly men (Joshua plus three men from each of the seven remaining tribes) gathered together in a tent with 8,000 square miles of real estate at stake (18:4, 10). And how are they making the weighty decision as to which tribe receives which parcel of land? They are "casting lots"—the Old Testament equivalent of throwing dice!
Does it bother you that Joshua would leave such an important matter as the partitioning of the land to the "chance" roll of the dice? Then remember that in biblical times God often made His will known in the casting of lots (Leviticus 16:8; Jonah 1:7; Acts 1:15-26). Notice the repeated phrase "in the presence of the LORD" in 18:6, 8, 10. This was no accidental division of the land, but a public acknowledgment that God's will extended even to the parceling of the land.
God's will for your life today can be known with just as much certainty as Joshua enjoyed thousands of years ago. Only now God has specified other ways of finding it besides the roll of the dice. Make a study of the following verses to learn how He wants to reveal His will to you today: Psalm 119:105; Romans 12:2. If God cares enough about a piece of real estate to guide Joshua's lots, then how much more must He care about you?
Insight - The End of a Six-Century Wait (21:43-45)
In these three verses, at least three of God's promised blessings are fulfilled for the nation of Israel. How many can you find?
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March 6
Joshua 22:10-34; 24:29-33
Overview
After being commended for their faithful service in conquering the land of Canaan, the warriors of the tribes east of the Jordan are sent home. They recognize that the Jordan River (which forms a natural barrier between the tribes) may one day form a spiritual barrier as well. To prevent this, a memorial altar is built on the riverbank—an act misunderstood and viewed with horror by the tribes west of the Jordan. Civil war nearly breaks out before the real motives behind the altar are revealed. The book closes with Joshua's farewell address in which he gives the people an ultimatum: "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.... As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (24:15).
Your Daily Walk
Analyze the following situation, then select the correct response: A woman running breathlessly down the road is being pursued by an equally breathless man who is gaining on her at every step. The man is: (a) a criminal, (b) a bill collector, (c) a sports enthusiast. Correct answer: (c) The fellow is a runner, and so is his wife. They are out for their morning run, and he is just about to pass her. If you had been an onlooker, would you have assessed the situation correctly?
Motives are hard to read, but easy to misread. How can you avoid the kind of mistake made by the tribes west of the Jordan? When tempted to think the worst about another's actions or attitudes, stop and ask yourself these two questions: (1) What would I want others to believe about me if I were in the same situation? (2) What damage might result if I don't get all the facts and jump too quickly to the wrong conclusion?
Insight - "Just Look at His Track Record!"
Joshua wanted to ensure that his people would continue following the Lord wholeheartedly after his death. So he wove an incontrovertible argument for his God by recalling numerous instances of His goodness to Israel in the past, ending it with a personal exhortation to "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve." Did his plea bring results? Reread 24:31.
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Judges
March 7-8
Judges 2:6-23
Overview
Efforts by Judah, Simeon, and the other tribes to purge the land of its pagan inhabitants are not completely successful. Pockets of godless influence remain, always a source of spiritual stumbling to Israel. Over and over, the cycle repeats itself. Israel falls into national immorality and idolatry, causing God to allow powerful neighboring countries to oppress and enslave her. When the people cry out in repentance, God responds to their renewed commitment by raising up yet another judge to deliver them. But the cycle soon begins again as the nation's spiritual temperature grows steadily colder.
Your Daily Walk
Look up Romans 12:1-2 and read it several times. Now write your own paraphrase of what it means to be conformed "to the pattern of this world."
You will spend nearly every day of your earthly life surrounded by unbelievers. And when you stop to think about it, you really have no choice in the matter. To eliminate all contact with non-Christians, as Paul writes, would require leaving the world (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). Besides, how can you witness to unbelievers and lead them to the Savior if you spend no time with them?
But while you must have contact with the world, you are commanded not to be conformed to the world. That was Israel's problem. Her people not only had contact with sinners (as a result of their failure to obey God and destroy them completely), but they also embraced the sinner's sin. They became indistinguishable from the heathen.
Complete this sentence: "One way in which my commitment to Christ causes my lifestyle to differ from the world around me is ... " Consult 1 Peter 2:9-17 for suggestions.
Insight - Reconstructing the Colorful Period of Judges
An excellent way to trace the judges' cyclical period is to color-code your Bible. Select five colored pencils, and use one color to highlight each part of the "sin cycle": sin, servitude, supplication, salvation, silence (you'll use each color seven times).
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March 9
Judges 6:11-7:23
Overview
Israel's oppression under Midian is brief but severe, as Midian forcibly takes Israel's harvest. Gideon, called by a divine messenger to deliver God's people, is a reluctant savior and doubtful candidate for greatness. It takes a pair of confirming signs (first a soggy fleece, then a dry one) to convince Gideon that God can use him. But once his faith is sparked, Gideon watches as God removes all the props upon which he might have trusted: his army (reduced 99 percent); his weapons (reduced to pitchers, torches, and trumpets); and his military strategy (reduced to a single command: "Stand still!").
When a miracle of deliverance occurs, there can be only one explanation—God did it.
Your Daily Walk
Are you a skeptic—the kind of person who never takes anything at face value, who asks a lot of questions, and who always requires confirmation of the facts? Then you will appreciate the life of Gideon.
In 1 Corinthians 1:22, Paul comments that "Jews demand miraculous signs," and such was the case with Gideon. Faced with an overwhelming assignment and equipped with rather dubious human qualifications, Gideon needed a bolstered faith. Nowhere in the passage did God chide Gideon for his request for a confirming sign. He gladly and patiently provided what Gideon needed.
When the will of God is clear, to demand a sign is evidence of unwillingness to obey. When God's will is uncertain, but you are earnestly seeking it (like Gideon), God will make it clear to you. Take a decision you are wrestling with today and ask God to confirm His will through the Bible, Christian counsel, circumstances, or inner assurance. Remember, delayed obedience is really disobedience.
Insight - God's Unbeatable Team (7:22)
In Leviticus 26:8, God had promised Israel that "five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand." With Gideon's band of 300 men, God fulfilled that promise, proving He isn't concerned about the odds.
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March 10
Judges 11-12
Overview
Abimelech, Gideon's son by a concubine, is never called a judge in Israel, though he sets himself up as king and murders 69 of his 70 brothers. As Jotham (the only surviving son) predicted, Abimelech dies as violently as he lived. The brief records of two minor judges, Tola and Jair, are followed by a lengthy treatment of Jephthah in the days of oppression by the Philistines and Ammonites. In contrast to Gideon, who sought to appease the tribe of Ephraim, Jephthah ends up going to war against Ephraim. His action-filled reign as judge is best remembered for his presumptuous vow, which seals the fate of his virgin daughter forever. The section closes with a brief look at three other minor judges who are most noteworthy for their enormous families.
Your Daily Walk
Should Christians take oaths or make vows today? Those who respond "No!" will find ample support in the tragic result of Jephthah's presumptuous vow (11:30-31, 34-40).
Vows are not to be taken lightly. But the real tragedy of Jephthah was his unwillingness to admit he had acted foolishly and had made a mistake. A willingness to admit errors and seek help is evidence of maturity and strength, not weakness.
Is there a family member or friend you have wronged through a mistake? Admitting you were wrong, asking for forgiveness, and making restitution for any damage can open new opportunities for fellowship and service with that person. God wants you to be an open, honest person with a realistic view of yourself—one who (unlike Jephthah) is quick to admit mistakes and knows when to seek wise counsel.
Insight - A Deadly Slip of the Tongue
The 42,000 Ephraimites Jephthah slew were identified by the fact that they said "Sibboleth" instead of "Shibboleth" (12:6). But they aren't the only ones in Scripture who were betrayed by an accent. When Peter was in the high priest's courtyard the night Jesus was arrested, he was accused of being a follower of Jesus because of his Galilean speech (see Matthew 26:73).
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March 11
Judges 13, 16
Overview
The life of Samson is a study in unfulfilled potential. The only child of an elderly couple, designated by God a Nazirite from birth, blessed with superhuman strength, and commissioned to "begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines" (13:5), Samson instead spends most of his life fulfilling his own passions and desires. His lack of self-control eventually results in blindness and bondage. But God gives him one last portion of power, and in his death, Samson destroys more Philistines than during his entire life of compromise.
Your Daily Walk
Here are some of the wisest words ever penned by Benjamin Franklin: "Doing an injury puts you below your enemy; avenging one makes you but even with him; forgiving one sets you above him."
Revenge is one of the most natural—and destructive of all human responses. Rather than trying to right a wrong by forgiving it, the most common reaction is to try to right a wrong by committing another wrong—namely, lashing out at the other person. Such was the problem with Samson. He spent much of his time burning with anger (14:19) and doing harm to those who had wronged him (15:3). But his temper only complicated the problem, never corrected it.
What is your response when someone has wronged you? Do you count to 10 before "blasting off"? Or do you "go into orbit" immediately? To help you cultivate a proper response to others, put this verse to work today: "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). You'll find it hard to express anger—or harbor it—when you whisper.
Insight - Nazirite or Nazarene—What's the Difference?
Many confuse the two terms Nazirite and Nazarene. Jesus, a Nazarene, was so called because He lived in Nazareth. Samson, a Nazirite, was so called because he did not drink wine, touch dead bodies, or cut his hair—all prohibitions of a Nazirite vow. (For added details concerning this vow, see Numbers 6:1-21.)
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March 12
Judges 17; 19; 21:25
Overview
The closing chapters of Judges provide graphic snapshots of the spiritual and moral degeneration of a nation in which "everyone did as he saw fit" (17:6; 21:25). Chronologically these events belong with chapter 3, but thematically they form a fitting conclusion to the book. The spiritual decline is illustrated by Micah, who carves his own idol, consecrates his own son as priest, and hires a traveling Levite to minister on his behalf. The tribe of Dan confiscates both the idol and the priest to serve their own interests instead. The story of the Levite and his concubine is a grisly flashback to the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the ensuing civil war, the tribe of Benjamin is decimated, and efforts to repopulate it result in little more than anarchy.
Your Daily Walk
Is it possible one of the reasons the forces of evil and wickedness are so successful is that the children of God are simply naive?
When you read chapters in the Bible like Judges 17-21, your immediate reaction may be, "It can't happen here." No one wants to believe the veneer of civilization is really that thin and fragile. But until you recognize the problem, there is little hope of finding a solution.
Check up on your own I.Q. (Information Quotient). Do you know what the crime rate is in your area? What percent of your community is unchurched? How many unwanted babies were aborted last year? How many incidents of divorce, child abuse, and substance abuse were recorded? Knowing some of those statistics can help you pray more intelligently.
Insight - My, How Times Have Changed!
The Book of Joshua records the history of the nation of Israel in days of victory with faith in God, spiritual vision, strength, and unity. But as you read in Judges of Israel's defeats, apostasy, worldliness, weakness, and anarchy, you may have thought you were reading about an entirely different nation.
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March 13
Ruth 1, 4
Overview
The Book of Ruth provides a beautiful interlude of love in the period of the judges in Israel—an era marked by immorality, idolatry, and war. This heartwarming account of devotion and faithfulness tells the story of Ruth, a Moabite widow who leaves her homeland to live with her widowed, Israelite mother-in-law in Bethlehem. God honors her commitment by guiding her to the field of Boaz (a near kinsman), where she gathers grain and eventually finds a husband. The book closes with a brief genealogy in which Boaz's name is prominent as the great-grandfather of King David, and an ancestor of Jesus.
Your Daily Walk
Love is more readily demonstrated than described. Ruth demonstrated the true character of love when she willingly and steadfastly pledged her allegiance and devotion to her mother-in-law Naomi. Clearly, by traveling to a foreign country she had more to lose than gain. She was still young and easily could have remarried someone of her own nationality. But her primary concern was not for her own well-being, but rather for the well-being of Naomi. Ruth exemplifies sacrificial love the kind that Jesus portrayed when He gave His "life for the sheep" (John 10:11).
How can you give of yourself sacrificially to someone around you your spouse, roommate, employer, neighbor, or friend? Jot down a name in the margin, a specific act of selfless love you can do for that person, and the date when you will do it. Don't let your love be "Ruthless," or it will soon become useless (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
Insight - Ruth and Esther—Alike and Yet So Different
Ruth and Esther are the only two books in the Bible named after women. Ruth, a Gentile, lived among Hebrews and married a Hebrew. Esther, a Hebrew, lived among Gentiles and married a Gentile. Both women were greatly used by God to bring glory to Himself.
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1 Samuel
March 14/15
1 Samuel 1:1-20; 3:1-21
Overview
Like a ray of sunshine in the gloomy period of the judges stands the godly family of Elkanah and his barren wife, Hannah. God hears Hannah's fervent prayer for a son, who would be dedicated to the service of God, and graciously provides Samuel (along with three more sons and daughters). In fulfillment of her vow, Hannah brings Samuel to Shiloh, where he begins his life of godly service under the tutelage of Eli the priest. But when Eli fails to discipline his own sons, bringing reproach upon both God and the tabernacle, Samuel is commissioned by God to declare judgment upon Eli's house.
Your Daily Walk
Analyze the following statement: Being a good businessperson does not guarantee that you will be a good parent. Now, substitute for the word "businessperson" each of the following groups of words, and then reread the statement thoughtfully: Bible study leader, Sunday school teacher, volunteer worker, civic leader, student, church leader.
In today's passage, you were confronted by a sobering scene. Eli, a man who knew his job well as a priest and functioned adequately in his service before the Lord, was nevertheless a failure in his role as a father. Success in one sphere did not guarantee success in the other. And because of his failure as a father, he lost his influence in the spiritual realm as well.
Parents, take an objective look at how well you're doing in raising your children to glorify God. Are there some pressing areas of need? Your church library or local Christian bookstore offers a gold mine of resources to help you teach God's truths creatively and practically to your children. But only you can make parenting the priority it needs to be.
Insight - Samuel, the Tabernacle Toddler
In the ancient Near East, it was common to nurse children until the age of four or five. Thus, since Samuel was brought to the tabernacle after he was weaned (1:22), he was already old enough to learn much from Eli about the Law and priestly duties.
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February 16
Numbers 21
Overview
The wanderings are drawing to a close, and the movement of the people becomes more purposeful. They are heading for the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River, and poised just opposite the promised land. Along the way, they face both physical and spiritual conflict. Militarily, they enjoy victory over the Canaanites, Amorites, and Bashanites. But constant grumbling about the food and water results in God sending fiery serpents in judgment. The advance of the Israelites causes the king of Moab to hire a diviner, Balaam, to foretell the future and to curse the nation of Israel. Instead, Balaam blesses Israel and predicts her prosperity.
Your Daily Walk
Are you a roller-coaster Christian, up one day and down the next? It’s a frustrating feeling, but what is the secret to consistency in the Christian life?
In the space of a single chapter (21), the nation of Israel conquered three national powers. Smashing victories! Stunning triumphs! But for some of the people, it wasn’t enough. To their way of thinking, God wasn’t working fast enough. After all, they were still on the wrong side of the Jordan and didn’t possess a single spadeful of the land they had been promised. Their impatience led to criticism about the living conditions, the length of the journey, and God’s timetable.
One key to consistency in the Christian life is simply giving God time to work. Rough edges take time to smooth. Growth to maturity never occurs overnight. But each day can represent a significant step in the right direction. Tuck a note in one of your shoes tonight to remind you when you awaken tomorrow of the step toward maturity the next 24 hours can bring with God’s help. (You might want to read Colossians 2:6-7 as you start the day.)
Insight - The Far-Reaching Influence of Balaam
Balaam’s idea was simple: “If you can’t curse a people, corrupt them so God will have to chasten them.” Notice in Revelation 2:14 how his teaching was still being felt 1,500 years later.
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February 17
Numbers 26–30
Numbers 27
Overview
A final census of the people, ordered by Moses prior to entering the promised land, reveals that the old generation has died off—a fact that signals an end to the 40 years of wandering. Following the census, God designates a new leader to replace Moses. Although Moses survived the judgment of his generation, he would not lead the people into Canaan. Next, he reviews for the new generation the various sacrifices of worship—as well as the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly celebrations —to ensure that the nation does not overlook any of its holy obligations or divinely assigned remembrances.
Your Daily Walk
Would you rather be known for your good reputation or your outstanding character?
Though reputation and character are often used interchangeably, their meanings are vastly different. Your reputation is what others think you are; your character is what God knows you are.
For all his humanness, Israel’s great leader revealed a striking depth of character when God told him that he would soon die. Instead of complaining, Moses expressed concern for the people's welfare. Forty years of wilderness travel, during which time his ability and reputation as a leader were frequently under fire, served not to shatter his character, but rather to shape it.
What circumstance has God brought into your life to build your character: A difficult relationship? A conflict at work? A physical or financial problem? Complete this sentence by writing in the char- acter-shaping experience you face today: “God, build my character today as I face the challenge of _______________.”
Insight - “All Right, Everybody, Count Off!”
The census taken in chapter 26 served at least three purposes besides merely “counting heads”: (1) It measured Israel’s military strength; (2) it provided the records necessary to divide the land properly; and (3) it supplied accurate genealogical records, which would be needed by future generations.
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February 18
Numbers 31-33
Numbers 32
Overview
Moses’ final acts of leadership before his death involve conquest and consolidation. Midian, which had led Israel into idolatry, is judged as 12,000 Israelite troops annihilate this powerful people and collect a wealth of spoils. Next, the tribes of Reuben and Gad ask to settle on the east side of the Jordan. Moses grants their request on the condition that they help the remaining 10 tribes complete the conquest of the promised land first. The section closes with a review of the geographic movement during the 40 years of wandering.
Your Daily Walk
If you have ever watched a quiz show where contestants are faced with the difficult choice of (1) keeping what they have already won, or (2) risking it all on the possibility of winning an even bigger prize, then you’ll understand the situation in today’s section.
With the lands of Jazer and Gilead conquered, Reuben and Gad wanted to settle there. They were willing to help conquer the rest of the land, but they liked what they saw east of the Jordan River and weren’t willing to take a chance on what they hadn’t seen. This was contrary to God’s intention for His people. He had already promised the entire nation victory over the Canaanites if they would just trust Him. By settling for God’s second best, Reuben and Gad set the stage for future strife.
How is God asking you to step out in faith into unknown territory? The temptation will be there to settle for the security of the status quo—and miss the blessing God has for you. Instead of being controlled by a fear of the unknown, let your actions be guided by a confidence in the Known—the God of Israel who never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4)
Insight - The End of Balaam
The census taken in chapter 26 served at least three purposes besides merely “counting heads”: (1) It measured Israel’s military strength; (2) it provided the records necessary to divide the land properly; and (3) it supplied accurate genealogical records, which would be needed by future generations.
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February 19
Numbers 34–36
Numbers 34:1-15; 35:9-34
Overview
Now God specifies the boundaries of the land and appoints the men who will oversee the division of the land among the remaining tribes. The cities in which the Levites will live are designated, as well as the cities of refuge for those guilty of unintentional murder. Since the land is apportioned through the male side of the family, the case of a family in which there is no male heir is clarified by Moses, who specifies that all land must stay within the tribe to which it was originally given.
Your Daily Walk
Why do some people seem to enjoy the blessing of God more than others?
God’s best for Israel was complete possession and enjoyment of the land of Canaan. The equitable division of the land among the tribes and families showed that God’s blessing was designed to touch every person in the nation. The only prerequisite for the enjoyment of that blessing was a believing faith, demonstrated by obedience to God.
As you look at the people whose lives seem to overflow with God’s blessing, you may be tempted to think they have a special key to His storehouses which you don’t possess. Turn to the New Testament and read the first 14 verses of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. There you’ll find a reminder of just how rich you are as a Christian. Itemize the parts of your spiritual inheritance that you own but are not presently enjoying: forgiveness (unshackled from your past), acceptance (seeing yourself as God sees you), redemption (set free from sin’s bondage to serve God), etc. Now, what do you need to do in order to enjoy what you already possess?
Insight - The Old Testament Right to a Fair Trial
Because the nearest relative of a victim of murder had the right to avenge the death, cities of refuge were necessary to provide protective custody for an accused manslayer until the legal process could be carried out (35:10-15, 22-28).
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Deuteronomy
February 20
Deuteronomy 1, 4
Overview
The first of Moses’ three sermons in the Book of Deuteronomy reviewsthe history of the nation and traces God’s dealings with His people. Because of unbelief, the Israelites failed to possess the land God had promised them. But even their disobedience could not annul God's promise. Israel would one day dwell in the land, though an entire generation had died in the wilderness for failing to believe God. True to His word, God overthrew nation after nation during Israel’s relentless march to the Jordan River. The lesson from the past is painfully transparent: Blessing and victory follow obedience, but disobedience brings only defeat and heartache.
Your Daily Walk
What have you learned during the months or years you’ve been walking with the Lord?
The story is told of a high school teacher who spoke with excessive pride of her 38 years of (mediocre) teaching experience. Her principal responded with a chuckle, “Well, that’s not quite correct. Actually, she’s a first-year teacher—38 times over.” Do you see the difference? Each year, that teacher was making the same mistakes she had made during her first year—mistakes that should have been corrected long ago. She never profited from her past errors, so she was destined to repeat them again and again.
Moses tried to shake the nation of Israel from its complacency by pointing out the deadly consequences of past disobedience. As you read today’s section, you could almost hear him plead with the people to open their eyes and learn from their sordid history.
Are you wiser in the ways of God today for having seen Him work in the past?
Insight - Words Worth Repeating
How much practical application do Moses’ sermons to his people in the Book of Deuteronomy carry? Just ask Jesus, who quoted this book three times to fend off Satan in the wilderness, one for each offer Satan made (Matthew 4:1-11).
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February 21/22
Deuteronomy 6
Overview
The second (and longest) of Moses’ three sermons starts in chapter 5 and ends in chapter 26. He begins by reviewing the Ten Commandments, the foundational expression of God’s moral and spiritual requirements for humanity. He then stresses the importance of loving God and passing on His Law to succeeding generations. Moses realizes the need for Israel to keep the Law and to teach future generations God’s commands if they are to be what God desires: an obedient people, conquering their foes in God’s strength.
Your Daily Walk
If a “god” is defined as “anything that has the potential to replace God as the focus of your life,” what will be the most dangerous god you encounter today at work? At home? On your campus? In your leisure-time activities?
As Moses repeated God’s Law to the people, he emphasized one command: “You shall have no other gods before me” (5:7). Why that command? Because he had indelible memories of the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai. He knew the ever-present danger of substituting something for the all-important Someone. In addition, Moses had keen foresight. He knew the religious “climate” into which the people were about to move: a land filled with idolatry and unabashed immorality which, if permitted, would turn the Israelites away from God.
Go back over your list of potential gods. Have you allowed one or more to take a “controlling interest” in your life? If so, circle the ones that need to be rooted out. Then invite the one true God to return to His desired (and proper) place in your life.
Insight - Listen Up, People
Deuteronomy 6:4 begins the celebrated Hebrew Shema (“Listen”), which consists of vv. 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41, and is recited twice daily by devout Jews. The command “Listen, Israel” is repeated in some form seven times in Deuteronomy (4:1; 5:1; 6:3-4; 9:1; 20:3; 27:9) to emphasize Moses’ appeal for the nation's obedience.
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February 23
Deuteronomy 9
Overview
Moses continues his second sermon by calling upon Israel to remember God’s miraculous care throughout the wilderness experience. As He provided abundantly in the past, so He will provide in the future. But Israel must not forget her sinful past—especially the golden calf incident and its tragic consequences. The choice is Israel’s to make. If she loves and obeys, God will shower her with blessings; if she rebels, God’s judgment must surely follow.
Your Daily Walk
Who or what are the “Anakim” in your life? If you’re not sure, spend a few extra minutes in chapter 9.
The sons of Anak were a race of giants greatly feared by the Israelites. When the spies made their report about the promised land (Numbers 13:26-33), it included two specific references to the Anakim: first, an observation that was true (“We even saw descendants of Anak there,” 13:28); second, an interpretation that was false (“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are,” 13:31). For 40 years these towering giants stood as a taunting symbol of the nation’s unbelief. So tall and formidable were they that the nation had coined a saying: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” (Deuteronomy 9:2). But Moses assured the people that God specializes in dealing with Anakim. God would go before His people to destroy the giants and to give them the land as He had promised.
What impossible situation seems to stand in the way of your spiritual progress? God’s word to Israel is also aimed at you: “The Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you” (9:3). He can handle your “giant-size” situation.
Insight - Phylacteries—A “Binding” Practice
The Pharisees of Jesus’ day (and orthodox Jews of today) practiced Deuteronomy 11:18 by tying small boxes containing Scripture verses to their foreheads and arms when they prayed.
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February 24
Deuteronomy 12:1-16; 14:22–15:11
Overview
From the general principles of the Law and exhortations to obedience, Moses now moves to more specific regulations governing life in the promised land. God Himself would specify the place and manner of worship, and Israel must reject all idolatrous practices. Purity, tithing, release from debt, and servanthood are all ways in which Israel can demonstrate her unique relationship with God. And the nation must be careful to observe all the feast days that mark important events in her miraculous history.
Your Daily Walk
Today, pierced ears are considered fashionable. But in Israel, ears were pierced for a vastly different reason.
In today’s reading Moses gives instructions concerning the release of servants after a six-year period. Once in a while there arose a situation in which a servant so loved his master that he did not wish to be set free. He would prefer to remain under his master’s protection, devoted to his work, rather than to set out on his own. As a perpetual sign of this new relationship, the master would pierce the servant’s ear, thereby proclaiming to the world, “This is my beloved servant; I am perpetually his beloved master.”
In Psalm 40, David picks up this image: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced…I desire to do your will, O my God” (40:6, 8 niv).
What about your ears? Have they been pierced for the Lord? Are you the property of the Father, ready to do His will as a loving servant? If not, give God your ears—and life—right now.
Insight - “You are not to do as we do here today” (12:8)
The disruption of life caused by the conquest of the land east of the Jordan may have made orderly worship impossible. This verse may have been intended to prohibit the use of private altars for worship or sacrifice. Once in the land, only one central place of worship would be sanctioned.
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February 25
Deuteronomy 17–18
Overview
Because Israel was a civil society as well as a religious community, laws governing national affairs were as vital as religious statutes. In today’s reading Moses delivers a set of regulations providing for justice and impartiality in the settling of a wide variety of situations that might arise in the life of the nation. Included are laws governing kings, priests, and prophets; peacetime and war; national and international affairs; the guilty and the innocent.
Your Daily Walk
“Now, I don’t know if this is true or not, but did you hear about…?”
If you’ve ever been the subject of such talk, you know the pain and destructiveness of hearsay. God hates rumors, hearsay, and gossip. That’s why He designated a system of justice in Israel whereby no action could be taken against an accused person until two or three witnesses had testified to the truthfulness of the accusation (17:6-7). This law required a thorough investigation and gave the accused the right to be confronted by his accusers. The system was so effective that it became standard practice in the New Testament for handling church discipline (2 Corinthians 13:1). Jesus reaffirmed the Old Testament law when He said: “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault…But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses’ ” (Matthew 18:15-16).
God’s principle is clear: You are responsible to investigate a charge of wrongdoing against a fellow Christian before acting on it or telling someone else about it. Remember to squelch rumors and hearsay before they hurt someone else.
Insight - The Motive Behind the Monarch (17:14-15)
Although Israel’s request for a king would seem harmless enough, 1 Samuel 8:4-9 reveals that this desire for a human monarch was indicative of Israel’s refusal to retain God as her true King.
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February 26
Deuteronomy 23:1-8; 26:16-19
Overview
The concluding portion of Moses’ second sermon contains a variety of wise guidelines for life in the promised land. Moses anticipates (and resolves) situations that could arise to disrupt the smooth functioning of Israel’s society. In areas as diverse as marriage, capital punishment, purity, and tithing, Moses provides God’s view of what should and should not be done.
Your Daily Walk
Can you identify with this humorous sign? Then you might get a chuckle out of this tidbit: A man whose life was notoriously cluttered and confused asked that this epitaph be etched on his tombstone: “Organized at last!”
If you are one of those impeccably organized people who plans everything well ahead of time, then you may skip today’s devotional reading. But if you’re like the majority of the human race, you may find Moses’ example in today’s reading very helpful. He greatly served Israel by giving the people clear directions in anticipation of a number of difficult situations. What can you learn from him?
Take the matter of potentially sinful situations. You have a child causing you disciplinary problems. You have a boss or fellow employee who irritates you. Why not plan right now the biblical, God-honoring response you will make the next time that situation arises? Make three columns on a sheet of paper and write down (1) the anticipated situation; (2) your natural response; and (3) your prayerful, planned response. Keep that sheet handy and with God’s help, plan ahead to glorify Him in the midst of a difficult situation.
Insight - The Motive Behind the Monarch (17:14-15)
Although Israel’s request for a king would seem harmless enough, 1 Samuel 8:4-9 reveals that this desire for a human monarch was indicative of Israel’s refusal to retain God as her true King.
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February 27
Deuteronomy 29–30
Overview
In today’s reading Moses concludes his presentation of the new Law for the new generation. First, he sets forth the consequences of obeying and of violating the covenant. Complete surrender to God’s will as revealed in the Law will bring blessing upon the nation, the family, and the individual. Crops will flourish, cattle will multiply, and daily needs will be met. On the other hand, disobedience will result in disaster: pestilence, plagues, and ultimately removal from the land. The responsibility is left squarely on the shoulders of the people. They are free to choose the path they will take, but they are not free to escape the consequences of their choice.
Your Daily Walk
Do you ever find the will of God elusive or unclear? You have an important decision to make, and you want to do the right thing. You want to honor God. But which direction should you take? First, turn to the Word of God. God has something to say to you, and it’s contained in the Bible. All that remains is for you to read and obey it.
God is not in the business of hiding His will or making it difficult to understand. To the Israelites Moses wrote: “What I am commanding you today is not too difficult or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ ” (30:11-12). God’s will for you is not in a heavenly fog; it is a down-to-earth reality you can understand.
Read 30:11-20 twice. Then list three things that characterize God’s will for you today. Don’t worry about the things in the Bible you don’t understand; think about the things you do. And “do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).
Insight - The Day the Slave Markets Were Glutted
The horrible curse of 28:68 literally came true. After the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the slave markets of Egypt became so glutted with captive Israelites that there were not enough buyers for them all. God always keeps His promises.
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February 28
Deuteronomy 31, 34
Overview
Moses’ long and illustrious life is drawing to a close. During his final days as Israel’s leader, he delivers some significant words of counsel to the priests, the Levites, his successor Joshua, and the entire nation. He has learned much during his 120-year walk with God, and his final words of warning and encouragement deserve careful attention. To make his last utterances easily remembered, Moses writes them down in the form of a song. After blessing each of the 12 tribes, Moses climbs Mount Nebo for a final look at the promised land, and there he dies a strong and vigorous man.
Your Daily Walk
Do you have trouble identifying with a great Old Testament saint such as Moses? Moses was a unique historical figure. He stood in the very presence of God, performed miracles before Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, turned rocks into drinking fountains, and died at the age of 120, still full of youthful vigor.
The Bible paints Moses in very human shades, though. He spent the first two-thirds of his life wrestling with his calling before he finally yielded to God’s will. Being a man of action, he found it frustrating to administer the affairs of a large, rebellious group of people. In a moment of impatience and anger, he struck a rock instead of speaking to it, thus denying himself the opportunity to set foot in the promised land. Yet, God’s commentary on Moses is this: “No prophet has arisen…like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (34:10).
Let the words of Deuteronomy 29:29 provide a fresh motivation for you to know and do God’s will next month as you follow in the footsteps of Moses.
Insight - The Promised Land at Last
Moses, deliverer of his people, never set foot in the promised land. Or did he? Though he climbs Mount Nebo for one last faraway look at Canaan before his death, he is seen inside the promised land years later on the Mount of Transfiguration, along with Jesus and Elijah (Matthew 17:3; Luke 9:30-31).
Now think about God’s promises to His people. This month you saw Him guarantee a lush, fruitful home to the Israelites who fled Egypt. Yet they sadly and unnecessarily postponed the blessings of this promised land because of their lack of faith.
Throughout the Bible God makes many promises: assurances of provision (Matthew 6:31-34); of an abundant life (John 10:10); of freedom from fear and worry (Deuteronomy 31:8; Philippians 4:6-7); of love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22-23); and much, much more.
But every promise has two aspects: the promise itself and the claiming of that promise by the person to whom it is given. Like a free trip pledged to us, we must take hold of God’s promises by faith so we can benefit fully from them.
Perhaps the most important gift from God that we can claim is the promise of eternal life. Jesus says: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:27-28). Now that’s a prize worth claiming!
Won’t you claim eternal life through Jesus Christ? All you have to do is confess your sins, accept the living Christ as Savior and Master of your life, and believe in—lay claim to—your gift of salvation.
Leviticus
February 1
Leviticus 1
Overview
With the tabernacle completed, God now gives Moses instructions on the five types of sacrifices to be offered in the tabernacle. Three of them—the offerings of an aroma pleasing to the Lord—were voluntary expressions of worship tailored to the person’s ability to give. In the burnt offering, the worshiper declared his total commitment to God. Through the meal offering, he acknowledged that his material possessions belonged wholly to the Lord. By means of the peace offering, the worshiper publicly expressed his thanks or made a vow of spiritual service to God.
Your Daily Walk
Today, you will read about three Old Testament sacrifices prescribed for each Israelite. But did you know that the New Testament describes at least three “sacrifices” prescribed for each believer—three ways for you to offer a sacrifice to God today? Instead of a whole burnt offering, you can offer your body as a pleasing sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). In place of a grain offering, you might offer from your material possessions a pleasing sacrifice by helping someone in financial need (like the Philippians did for Paul; see Philippians 4:18).
Instead of the peace offering, you could offer the “sacrifice of praise” to God (Hebrews 13:15), a verbal expression of thanksgiving for His care and provision in your life.
Today would be a good time to offer a pleasing aroma to God. Take one of the three sacrifices described above and put it to work by committing each part of your body to God’s service (living sacrifice), writing a check to someone in need (pleasing sacrifice), or sharing God’s goodness publicly in your life (sacrifice of praise).
Insight - Sacrifices for the 21st Century
Animal sacrifices, so essential to Old Testament worship, ceased with the Messiah’s once-for-all-time sacrifice on the cross. Yet Peter tells us that all believers are priests who should continually offer up “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Peter 2:5).
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February 2
Leviticus 4–5
Overview
In addition to the three offerings of aroma pleasing to the Lord, God gives the Israelites two additional sacrifices. Both are required when sin has broken fellowship with God. The sin offering—covering sins of uncleanness, neglect, or thoughtlessness—provided restoration for the sinner while teaching the seriousness of sin and its consequences. The restitution offering—covering sins of injury to God and to others—provided not only for the restoration of the sinner, but for compensation to the injured party as well.
Your Daily Walk
In the margin, list five unpleasant but beneficial experiences from daily life—things you dislike doing (like going to the dentist), but know are good for you.
You probably don’t enjoy the whine of the dentist’s drill, but after all the poking and drilling and bitter taste, you find you enjoy a healthier mouth. Being corrected by a boss when you’ve made a mistake isn’t pleasant either, but afterward, you’re glad your boss cared enough to confront you with the truth.
In the Christian life, there are some equally painful but profitable exercises—such as obeying the biblical principle of restitution. When an Israelite caused injury to another, God’s command was clear: “Make it up to him.” Likewise, as a Christian, you have an obligation to repay those whom you have injured.
Think back over the past week. Is there someone whose character or possessions you have damaged? Have you asked for forgiveness? (That’s hard.) Have you repaid what you owe? (That’s harder still.) Take the initiative today to offer a restitution offering to God. You’ll find the peace of mind and restored relationship well worth the pain.
Insight - And If You Need a Model to Follow…
Zacchaeus, the tax collector who trusted Christ (Luke 19:1-10), beautifully illustrates restitution at work. The Law told a sinner to restore what he had taken or damaged, plus 20 percent. In his gratitude, Zacchaeus offered to restore fourfold what he had taken.
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February 3
Leviticus 8–10
Leviticus 9:23–10:7
Overview
Israel’s tabernacle, the place of communion with God through sacrifice, is entrusted to the custody of Aaron and his sons. The priestly corps must undergo a 10-step consecration process and a 7-day dedication period before they can begin their ministry of mediation. God’s blessing—made visible by His fiery presence—suddenly turns into a curse as judgment falls on two of Aaron’s disobedient sons. Their deaths remind all Israel of the solemn responsibility of serving a holy God. Obedience, not expedience, should mark God’s people.
Your Daily Walk
Nothing is as hard to gain, and as easy to lose, as a good reputation. One philosopher has observed, “To have lost your reputation is to be dead among the living.” Perhaps as a child, you heard your parents say, “Remember, what you do and say reflects on us.” Your parents were telling you that the family’s reputation was either being tarnished or enhanced by your actions.
Perhaps that’s why God responded with such frightening judgment upon Nadab and Abihu. By their carelessness and disobedience, they threatened God’s reputation both inside and outside the nation of Israel—a grave sin indeed.
Our lives as Christians may be the only “Bible” some people will ever read. Do we reveal a holy God by our commitment to holiness, or do we smear His reputation with inconsistent lives? Write this thought on a card and carry it with you: “God’s reputation is at stake in my life. I want to maintain it, not stain it.”
Then, each time you are tempted to stray from God’s holiness, pull out that card. Read it; think about it; then let God strengthen you to be holy—and wholly His.
Insight - The Danger of Failing to Live Up to Your Name
Nadab and Abihu were in danger of damaging not just their own reputations. If allowed to continue in their sinful ways, they would have dishonored both their families and the godly names they carried.
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February 4
Leviticus 11:44-47; 13:59; 14:54-57
Overview
Worshiping a holy God demands a holy people. For this reason, God gives Israel a series of regulations dealing with ceremonial uncleanness. Four areas are specified: dietary laws (describing edible and non-edible animals); childbirth matters; leprosy and other skin disorders; and bodily discharges. Each set of commands follows a general pattern. The worshiper’s defilement is first described, then the means for regaining his purity are prescribed. It’s a lengthy, detailed section—because holiness demands attention to detail.
Your Daily Walk
In Leviticus 11:44, God told Moses to tell the Israelites: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Isn’t God demanding something impossible and unattainable? Isn’t He being unreasonable when He says: “Be holy”? From a human viewpoint, the task seems impossible.
It is impossible by human efforts alone to live up to the righteous demands of a holy God. But the Law was designed to teach the Israelites to depend on God. Just as He provided sacrifices and rituals for cleansing His less-than-perfect people, so He wants to teach you that only through the supernatural provision of a sinless Savior, Jesus Christ, can you hope to achieve holiness.
Paul puts it this way: “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord [by faith, trusting in Him], continue to live in him [by faith, trusting in Him]” (Colossians 2:6). In Christ’s strength, you can live a holy and pure life. Complete this thought from Leviticus 11:44: “Be holy [how? when? where? with whom?] because I am holy.” Then work today on developing the habit of holiness in one area of your life.
Insight - Leprosy Then and Now
It is doubtful that modern-day leprosy (called Hansen’s Disease and caused by bacteria) is the same as Levitical leprosy (a variety of skin conditions) or New Testament leprosy (which apparently was a white, scaly disease, much like eczema or psoriasis).
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February 5
Leviticus 16
Overview
The great Day of Atonement, observed each year, was Israel’s most significant act of worship. On that day, the nation gathered to watch in expectation as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of atonement, which would cover the sins of the entire nation for another year. Because blood was the central element in Israel’s national and personal redemption, God prohibited the use of blood for any purpose other than sacrifice to Him.
Your Daily Walk
What would you do if God gave you the responsibility of atoning for your own sins? What would you offer as payment to satisfy His righteous demands: the deed to your house? Your savings account? Your awards and achievements? your spotless reputation? As sincere as these offerings might be, they would never be adequate to make amends for your sins.
Each year, as the nation of Israel stood before the tabernacle on the Day of Atonement and watched the high priest carry the blood of the sin offering into the Holy of Holies, the people were reminded once again that atonement was God’s idea. It was His provision for the forgiveness of sinful people. He took the initiative to establish a sacrifice of atonement, which provided a blood substitute for the guilty nation.
Just as God provided the way to cover Israel’s sins, so too He has sent His own Son as the once-for-all-time atonement for your sins (1 John 2:2). As you rejoice over that wonderful truth, make a list of three friends who need to experience Christ’s forgiveness of sins. Pray today for each of the three names and be ready to share the truth of the gospel with them when God opens the door.
Insight - No Private Sacrifices Allowed!
The restrictions against private sacrifices outside the tabernacle (17:3-4) were to prevent the people from copying their pagan neighbors, who often poured their blood sacrifices into the ground as food for their gods. Only properly ordained priests in the proper location (the tabernacle) could offer Israel’s sacrifices.
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February 6
Leviticus 19
Overview
In addition to the regulations governing national holiness, God provides Israel with laws governing personal conduct and purity in relation to the family, the community, and society in general. Because obedience is His primary concern, God requires that violators of His laws be punished, and that the punishment be appropriate to the crime committed. God’s strict guidelines for living reflect His desire that His people “be holy… because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own” (20:26).
Your Daily Walk
“Love your neighbor as yourself” (19:18) rolls off the tongue with a familiar ease. But putting it into practice is another matter. Of all God’s commands, it may be one of the most difficult to keep. Why? Because loving your neighbor means being involved in your neighbor's life. That’s hard to do because a human being’s natural tendency is toward selfishness, not selflessness.
The Old Testament Law was difficult to keep because it made very specific demands on individuals. If an Israelite had questions about how to relate to his neighbor, the Law provided the answers (19:9-18). The New Testament is just as specific, and just as demanding—especially when it speaks of your relationship to your “neighbor.” Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) points out that your “neighbor” is anyone who needs your help and whose need God has equipped you to meet.
Put God’s command to love your neighbor into practice today by seeking out someone who needs help with yardwork, housework, or homework. Assist them in love and treat them as you would yourself.
Insight - “Do Like Me to Be Like Me”
More than 40 times in chapters 18–22, we read God’s words: “I am the Lord,” and “Be holy.” Without a doubt, the holiness of the Redeemer is the compelling reason for His insistence on practices of purity by the redeemed.
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February 7/8
Leviticus 21
Overview
Privilege carries with it responsibility, and in the case of Israel’s priests, the responsibilities of serving a holy God become quite demanding. The priests must avoid defilement, which others might ordinarily experience. They must be free of physical defects to serve in the sanctuary. They must bear the responsibility for maintaining purity in Israel’s sacrificial worship. They must preside at Israel’s yearly feasts and sacred assemblies. It is a demanding assignment to lead a nation in corporate worship of a holy God—a privilege not to be taken lightly or entered into casually.
Your Daily Walk
If you discovered that your dining room had been “bugged,” would you have some embarrassing conversations to explain?
Unfortunately, in many Christian homes, the main course for Sunday dinner is often “roast preacher.” It’s an easy habit to slip into, but one that can produce harm and bitterness.
In Israel’s system of worship, the priests carried much of the responsibility for leading corporate worship. Today, the church no longer has a “priestly class,” but it does have those specially gifted, trained, and set apart for the work of the ministry (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1).
Like the priests of Old Testament times, these leaders have given of their time and energy in order to lead you in worship.
How often do you “remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you” (Hebrews 13:7)? Take a few minutes to write a thank-you note to your pastor or church leader, expressing gratitude for the consistent spiritual investment that person makes in your life.
Insight - Probing a Priestly Prohibition
Priests with physical defects were excluded from offering sacrifices (21:17-21), though they were entitled to the privileges of priesthoods such as eating the priestly portion (21:22). God was not relegating them to second-class status, but merely showing that the special service of sacrificing unblemished animals before a holy God required unblemished priests.
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February 9
Leviticus 24–27
Leviticus 25
Overview
The closing chapters of Leviticus contain a variety of instructions for Israel when the people occupy the promised land. Oil and bread must be provided for the sanctuary. The death penalty must fall on those who blaspheme the name of God. The land must be given periodic rest during the sabbatical and jubilee years. God promises to honor obedience to His commands and reward disobedience with stern judgment. The work of the Lord must be faithfully supported by the tithes of God’s people, and vows must not be entered into lightly.
Your Daily Walk
People are born with an innate desire to possess. Children at play argue loudly, “That’s mine!” Though adults usually tend to be more civilized about it, you’ll find the same sentiment voiced repeatedly: “I want what’s mine!”
God recognized this tendency in His people and instituted ways to help teach them a crucial spiritual truth. Every seventh year, all land was to remain uncultivated in order to remind the nation that the land belonged not to them, but to God. And every 50th year, known as the Year of Jubilee, all land that had been sold was to be returned to its original owners. God would give the land a Sabbath of rest (25:2). They could enjoy it—not as permanent owners, but as foreigners and temporary residents (25:23).
How do you view your possessions? Do you hold on to them tightly, or have you recognized them as something graciously loaned to you by God? Remember, a steward is someone who owns nothing but is responsible for everything entrusted to his care. To reinforce that truth, choose one room of your house and list everything in it. Then across the list, write these words: “Mine by stewardship, His by ownership.” Get the picture?
Insight - Captivity Foretold
One of the earliest predictions of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities occurs in today’s reading (26:33-35). Israel knew from the start what would happen if the people disobeyed God’s Word. Yet centuries later, it would come true.
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Numbers
February 10
Numbers 3
Overview
With the laws given and the ceremonies specified, God now commands Moses to count the people and position them in a square formation around the tabernacle. The number of fighting men (603,550) suggests a total population of more than three million men, women, and children. The Levites are then positioned and numbered, and each priestly group is assigned a work detail related to the care and transport of the tabernacle.
Your Daily Walk
What is it that we all have the same amount of, but no one ever seems to have enough of? (Hint: The answer is not IQ, money, or credit card accounts.)
You probably guessed it. The one commodity shared equally by all members of the human race is time. Whether you are a peasant or a president, God’s gracious gift of time comes to you in bite-sized, 24-hour chunks—no more, no less. Perhaps you have been frustrated in your attempt to manage your time and accomplish everything you set out to do each day. If so, consider this: You have all the time you need to accomplish everything God intends for you to accomplish today. That means if you are too busy to do the things you know God wants you to do, then you are busier than God intends for you to be.
Analyze your time priorities. Across a sheet of paper, draw seven columns for Sunday through Saturday, and divide each day according to the way you normally spend it. Is there adequate time for sleep? Bible study? prayer? recreation? family activities? If not, what would need to change for God to be honored in your use of time?
Insight - The World’s Largest Campground
\If the population estimate of three million is accurate, and a minimum living space is allowed for each Israelite’s family and flocks, the camp of Israel must have been enormous—covering more than 100 square miles (about twice the size of San Francisco). Yet through a detailed, God-given plan for pitching, striking, and moving camp, Moses maintained order in the nation.
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February 11
Numbers 5–8
Numbers 5:11-31; 6:1-21
Overview
With the Israelites numbered and positioned, God further prepares the nation for entering the promised land by giving Moses instructions for cleansing and worship. First, Israel must be free of defilement from immorality and suspicions. The people must sense the sanctity of binding commitments such as the Nazirite vow. They must provide for the material needs of the tabernacle. And they must have a purified group of Levites to minister effectively for them in the corporate worship and celebration of the nation.
Your Daily Walk
A jealous husband. A suspicious wife. The combination can eat like acid into the marriage relationship. For this reason, God provided the seemingly strange ritual of Numbers 5:11-31 in order to deal decisively with jealousy and suspicion in the home. The ordeal by “bitter water” was designed to dramatize the bitterness and heartache caused by festering jealousy.
Today, the problem of jealousy remains just as widespread and malignant. But God’s prescribed cure has changed somewhat. According to James 4:7-10, it involves three parts: (1) submission to God; (2) confession to one another; (3) restoration in forgiving love. As with Numbers 5, the process is painful, but necessary.
Examine your heart right now. Are you harboring suspicion or jealousy toward a spouse, Christian friend, or family member? The place to begin is by talking to God. Confess your wrong attitude and appropriate His forgiveness. Then confront the other party in love. It won’t be pleasant, but when the alternative is simmering bitterness and broken fellowship, wouldn’t you agree that God’s way is best?
Insight - No Wine, Corpses, or Haircuts Allowed
The requirements of the Nazirite vow might seem strange unless understood in their symbolic sense. Wine symbolized comfort and enjoyment. Death and corpses represented defilement. Long hair stood for God-given strength and dignity. By avoiding the former two and maintaining the latter, a Nazirite declared his or her total devotion to God.
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February 12
Numbers 9-12
Numbers 9–10
Overview
Finally, the day has arrived for the nation to pull up stakes and set out for Canaan. As silver trumpets herald the journey’s commencement, the huge camp prepares to march. The long-awaited move has begun. But all too soon, gratitude turns to grouchiness: The people complain about their daily diet of manna and express jealousy over Moses’ leadership. In the midst of miraculous provision, there is persistent complaining, until at last the weary Israelites arrive at Kadesh-barnea, on the very border of Canaan.
Your Daily Walk
How many things can you think of that were truly “good” about the “good old days”?
When you experience adversity—even though you’re obeying God—you may catch yourself looking back on the “good old days” with a twinge of nostalgia. Memory is selective. Current difficulty often seems to bring to mind only the best of yesterday.
The Israelites had hardly broken camp when they began to complain about God’s daily provision of manna. To hear them tell it, you’d think they had left paradise in Egypt (11:5). But their foresight was even worse than their hindsight, for they forgot God’s promise of future blessing. God never intended for His children to spend the rest of their lives in the desert, eating manna.
Have difficult times caused you to look longingly at the way life used to be? To help you keep your eyes focused on God’s purpose for you, write these verses on an index card and carry it today:
“One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Keep looking up, and you’ll never want to look back.
Insight - Ark in the Middle, Ark in the Front
Compare Numbers 2 and 10, and note that the ark enjoyed a position of prominence both in the camp and on the march. Can you suggest a reason for each position?
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February 13
Numbers 13–16
Numbers 13
Overview
At the Lord’s command, Moses selects one man from each tribe to form a spying party to survey the land of Canaan. They return 40 days later, all having seen the same thing but divided in their opinions as to what it meant. The majority opinion: “The people are stronger than we are.” The minority opinion: “We shall surely overcome.” Disheartened and faithless, the people threaten to stone Moses and return to Egypt rather than face what seems to them a certain massacre. God’s punishment for their unbelief is severe: one year of wilderness wandering for each day the spies were in the land—and death in the wilderness for that entire generation. Yet, God’s plans will not be ultimately thwarted, as seen in the laws that He gives them to practice in the land.
Your Daily Walk
Two bricklayers were asked what they were doing. The first replied, “I’m laying brick”; the second, “I’m building a great cathedral.” Same task, same bricks, two different perspectives.
On the verge of entering the promised land, the Israelites evaluated the spies’ report. The land flows with milk and honey, but it also overflows with fortified cities and giants. Obviously, there could be only one response—“Let’s go!” The question was, in which direction? Joshua and Caleb responded with faith: “Let’s go forward!” The other 10 spies responded with feelings: “Let’s go back to Egypt!” The majority opinion prevailed, and Israel traced circles in the desert for 40 years.
Where is God stretching your faith today? Spy out your situation and make a list of what you see. Then ask yourself two questions: “How could I respond to this without faith? How should I respond to this in faith?” Then do the thing that will please God.
Insight - “Hey, Moses, You Remind Me of Someone…”
He was a humble man. His own people wanted to stone him, but in turn, he asked God to spare their lives. He was innocent, but he had to share the same punishment as his followers. He eventually delivered them into a new life in the promised land. Does Moses remind you of Someone else you know?
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February 14/15
Numbers 18, 20
Overview
As the grumbling generation marches through the wilderness outside the promised land, their discontent focuses on Moses and Aaron. Only a miraculous budding of Aaron’s rod can convince the people that Aaron represents God’s authority. In this context of rebellion, God again emphasizes the Levites’ role in the service of the tabernacle and provides the red cow as a means of cleansing the people from the ever-present defilement of death. Eventually, Moses is affected by the nation’s complaining attitude as well. In a moment of anger, he strikes the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded, and so forfeits his privilege to set foot in the promised land.
Your Daily Walk
In the margin, write three things that you feel are essential for your future security. Now go back over your list and cross off any item that could easily be destroyed by a natural disaster or a financial reversal. Is there anything left?
God made it clear to Aaron and his family that their security lay in Him alone, even as they enjoyed their new homeland. God had faithfully supplied Aaron’s daily needs in the past (18:18-19), and He would do the same in the future. This was also true for the nation as a whole. God had been their great Sustainer, and would continue to provide even when they possessed wealth of their own.
Though owning property or having a bank account is not wrong, the danger is in allowing such things to crowd out your daily dependence on God. You may be in “good hands” financially, but you’re in better hands with God. Reread Numbers 18:20 to remind you that true security comes from God.
Insight - Don’t Touch That Grave!
Because a Jew was defiled by touching a human grave (19:16), tombs in Israel were often whitewashed so that unwary passersby could avoid contact with them. This helps explain why the Pharisees were offended when Jesus denounced them in Matthew 23:27 as “whitewashed tombs.”
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January 16
Genesis 45–47
Genesis 47
Overview
Joseph, no longer able to maintain the masquerade, reveals his true identity to his terrified brothers. His explanation of recent events (45:5-8) reveals the spiritual perspective that sustained him through years of heartache and uncertainty. In keeping with the prophecy given to Abram (15:13), God assures Jacob that a sojourn in Egypt is divinely approved (46:3). So the entire family of 70 moves to Goshen, which will become home for the fledgling nation Israel for the next 400 years.
Your Daily Walk
The contrast must have been striking. Into the court of the most powerful king on earth hobbled an old man dressed in the rough garb of a Bedouin tent dweller. Pharaoh was granting an audience to Jacob out of respect for Joseph. And Jacob, the seemingly insignificant old man, blessed the king (47:7-10).
Pharaoh didn’t know it, but he was being blessed by none other than Israel. For all his immediate importance, Pharaoh would subsequently fade into oblivion. Even his name would disappear from historical records. Yet this old shepherd would continue to occupy a place of honor throughout the centuries. God’s people would be called the “children of Israel,” and God would now identify Himself as “the God of Jacob.” From Jacob’s line would come the King of kings, who “will reign over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:33).
Appearances can be deceiving. You, like Jacob, may not look like a V.I.P. in the eyes of the world. But you are. Your importance, like Jacob’s, does not stem from what you have made of yourself, but from what Jesus has made of you. See if you can complete this sentence 10 ways: “Because I am a child of God, I am____________.” Then live out your identity today as a child of the King.
Insight - “You Did It…He Did It!”
“Do not be distressed…for selling me…God sent me” (45:5) is a classic statement of God’s providence. Looking back, Joseph could clearly see both elements—human and divine—at work in God’s plan.
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January 17/18
Genesis 48–50
Genesis 50
Overview
Chapters 48–50 conclude the Book of Genesis by recording the final acts of Jacob and Joseph, along with their deaths and burials. Jacob’s blessing upon Joseph’s two sons, announcing that the younger would be more honored than the older, is in keeping with the pattern established in Genesis (Isaac instead of Ishmael, Jacob instead of Esau, Joseph instead of Reuben). As his final earthly act, Jacob blesses each of his 12 sons, giving a divinely guided pronouncement on their future. Jacob’s body is embalmed and taken back to Canaan for burial, while Joseph’s body remains in Egypt until the release of the newly born nation of Israel.
Your Daily Walk
Do you sometimes wish your life could count more for God—that you could have more of an impact for good in the lives of those around you? You plod along faithfully, but nothing much ever seems to come of it. In fact, you’re tempted to throw in the spiritual towel.
God’s plan is larger than any one person. Amazingly, He weaves together the lives of many different people to accomplish His will. Joseph is a good example. Torn from his family, ill-treated, and imprisoned, he later emerges as ruler in Egypt. And why? “God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (50:20). Joseph’s family and the entire nation of Egypt soon owed their survival to Joseph’s leadership.
How many lives do you touch every day? The number might surprise you: your spouse, your parents, the kids, the boss, the teacher. Don’t forget your neighbors, your co-workers, the server, and the cashier. Select one name and one way God could use you to touch that life with a smile, a kind word, a thoughtful act. Then allow God to use you today for good.
Insight - Egyptian Mortuary Service
Embalming usually took 40 days and was available in three different price ranges. When completed, the coffin was left standing upright against the wall of the burial chamber.
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Exodus
January 19
Exodus 1–2
Exodus 2:11-22
Overview
Exodus opens where Genesis leaves off: with Jacob’s descendants multiplying in Egypt. A new ruler emerges who respects neither Joseph’s memory nor the Israelites’ human rights. Though Pharaoh attempts to kill all newborn Hebrew males, the infant Moses is providentially spared and raised in the very palace of the one who sought his death. At the age of 40, Moses aims to do the right thing (deliverance) in the wrong way (murder) and spends the next four decades in exile, tending sheep in the Midian wilderness.
Your Daily Walk
The man sitting by the desert well was lost in his thoughts. With dejection on every line of his face, he felt much older than his 40 years. Moses was miserable—and with good reason.
He was the one man in all of Egypt who might have had a chance to bring relief to his people. He had position, training, natural ability, and the desire to help. But in one foolish act, he killed a man and forfeited all the advantages he had hoped to use.
Satan delights in convincing believers that they are of no use to God. And God delights in building cathedrals out of rubble. Moses’ life needed reconstruction, to be sure. But when that rebuilding process was complete, he was a monument to God’s grace.
Where in your life have you nearly given up hope that God could ever salvage the situation? First, walk a mile in Moses’ sandals. Study his failures. Learn about God’s patience in his life. Then find your own “desert well” to sit by and meditate on the encouraging words for discouraged disciples found in Exodus 3:10-14.
Insight - The Ark Revisited
The same Hebrew word for ark (as in Noah’s) describes the vessel used by Moses’ mother to hide him in the bulrushes. Once again, we see God deliver His chosen from destruction by water after an obedient act of the faithful (Noah and Moses’ mother, of Levi’s lineage; see Exodus 2:1).
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January 20
Exodus 3–6
Exodus 3; 6:1-13
Overview
After 40 years of reflection, Moses concludes he is permanently disqualified from God’s service. In a remarkable debate with the living God, Moses offers four excuses and begs the Lord to send someone else as His spokesman. Finally, when God provides Aaron as a mouthpiece, Moses confronts Pharaoh with God’s message. As predicted, Pharaoh not only denies God’s demand but also increases the misery of the Hebrews. Moses’ popularity with his people plummets, but God assures Moses that He will keep His promise of deliverance.
Your Daily Walk
The church has been likened to a football game in which thousands of spectators, desperately in need of exercise, are watching a handful of players, desperately in need of rest. Are you a spectator or a player?
Before you pull out your list of reasons excusing you from active duty in your church, eavesdrop on an 80-year-old shepherd as he argues with a burning bush. With good reason, Moses anticipated resistance and rejection from his own people—to say nothing of Pharaoh. Besides, he had a speech impediment and an inferiority complex. Surely God was showing poor judgment (so Moses thought) in His choice of a deliverer for His people.
Patiently, thoroughly, God gave His rebuttal: “I can use this bush, that rod in your hand, or even your stammering lips—whatever is available—to accomplish My plan and fulfill My promises. For all that you lack, and everything you are not, I AM.”
God probably isn’t recruiting you to lead a nation out of bondage. But He definitely wants to show what He can accomplish through you. In response to His promise that “I AM all you need,” will you answer, “I am available”?
Insight - Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
God subsequently used Moses’s staff to turn water into blood, bring hail and lightning, summon locusts, divide the Red Sea, bring water out of rocks, and signal victory in battle.
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January 21
Exodus 7–10
Exodus 7; 8:25-32
Overview
Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to release God’s people prompts Him to unleash nine devastating plagues against Egypt. Moved by this display of God’s power, Pharaoh repeatedly promises to release the nation. But when the time arrives, his heart is hardened and he breaks his word. To shatter Pharaoh’s unyielding will, God prepares one last plague—death in every unprepared home in the land.
Your Daily Walk
Have you ever yielded to the temptation to take what you thought was a shortcut, only to find yourself hopelessly lost? Maybe you’ve experienced the same thing in your spiritual life as you looked for a shortcut to accomplish God’s will.
Alternate routes may look attractive, but they can often have un- expected consequences. Pharaoh offered Moses four shortcuts to releasing the people from bondage (8:25, 28; 10:11, 24). None of the four conformed to God’s specific instructions. They were only attempts by Pharaoh to hide his refusal to obey God. Moses detected Pharaoh’s motives, for he knew that anything short of obedience is disobedience.
That principle is still true today. There is no safe alternate route when the Bible clearly states: “This is what the Lord says.” Nothing short of doing God’s will in God’s way will guarantee that you arrive at your intended destination. Look up the following verses to discover how God wants to guide you from the pages of His Word:
- The Bible is a ___________ and a __________ (Psalm 119:105).
- The revelation of God’s Word gives ___________ (Psalm 119:130).
- The best place to hide God’s Word is ___________ (Psalm 119:11).
Now map out God’s route to one of your destinations today.
Insight - Terror in the Sky
The locust, often a tool of divine judgment in the pages of Scripture, is one of nature’s most destructive creatures. A locust swarm may number more than 100,000 insects per square mile and has the capacity to eat thousands of acres of vegetation in a single day.
The religion of ancient Egypt is very difficult to analyze, for the Egyptians were one of the most polytheistic people of antiquity. The total number of their gods is uncertain, but most lists include at least 80. Most living creatures and many inanimate objects became the embodiment of some deity (Romans 1:23), and even Pharaoh himself was considered to be divine, on a level with other deities in the Egyptian pantheon (Exodus 5:2).
January 22
Exodus 12:1-8, 37-51
Overview
In the end, it’s no contest. Death touches every Egyptian family as the final plague brings destruction to every firstborn child and beast. But the Israelite homes escape death because their households are protected by the blood of a sacrificial animal slain as a substitute for the firstborn. Pharaoh, the stubborn monarch, finally commands the Hebrews to leave, and the long-awaited Exodus begins. Passover thereafter becomes an annual memorial of the salvation of God’s people from their Egyptian homes of bondage.
Your Daily Walk
“One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4).
If someone were to write an article titled “What to Do Between God’s Miracles,” it might consist of a single word: Remember. The mighty supernatural acts of God on behalf of His people have been relatively few and far between. One of God’s purposes for such spectacular demonstrations has been to reveal His power quietly at work behind the scenes. Because miracles like the 10 plagues occurred infrequently, God’s people were instructed to recall the past as a basis for faith in the present. And as an aid to feeble memories, God instituted memorials such as the Passover—to be observed regularly by His people throughout the generations.
What was a good idea then is a good idea now. Are there objects in your home that can remind you of God’s faithfulness in the past—a picture on the wall, a cancelled check, a scrapbook? Are there certain dates you could designate “Memorial Anniversaries” to recall special provisions of God? Select your own memorial today and plan now to recall a mighty act of God in your life. Like Passover, make it a yearly habit to recall God’s goodness.
Insight - Israel’s Severance Pay for Forced Labor
In their eagerness to remove the Israelites (and the plagues) from their land, the Egyptians turned over vast quantities of gold, jewelry, and clothing—fair payment for 400 years of slave labor.
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January 23
Exodus 14:19–15:27
Overview
Things get worse for the Israelites before they get better. God leads His band of three million refugees to the intersection of Baalzephon and the Red Sea, a seemingly inescapable dead end. Pharaoh, experiencing yet another change of heart, dispatches a crack chariot division to bring the Israelite Exodus to an end. Instead, the Egyptian army meets its end in the swirling waters of the Red Sea. Moses watches the people’s panic turn to praise as they walk across the seabed dryshod and sing a great song of jubilation to their Savior God.
Your Daily Walk
You are seated in church when you hear the words, “Please bow your head and worship the Lord in the quietness of your own heart.” You set your bulletin aside and close your eyes. Then you think to yourself, What am I supposed to do now?
Worshipping God is a skill seldom taught and infrequently practiced. At its root, worship involves recognizing the “worth-ship” of another. It is a response to God's greatness. People in the Bible worshiped God for who He was (His person) and for what He did (His works), because His actions are always consistent with His character.
If you had been standing with the Israelites on the far banks of the Red Sea as the waters swallowed up the Egyptian army, you would have had no trouble responding in an attitude of worship. Even today, you can join in their chorus of praise. Read through their song in chapter 15 again, making a list of God’s actions (conduct)—which prompted worship from His people—and a second list of what is proclaimed about God’s attributes (character). Now you, too, should be ready to “sing the praises” of your God and Savior today.
Insight - Taking the Scenic Route
Israel’s God and Guide (in the form of a cloudy pillar) steered the travelers away from the most direct route to Canaan, the “way of the sea,” for at least two reasons: (1) to avoid certain warfare; and (2) to take Israel to the mountain of God (3:12). The nation needed to learn to walk with God before learning to fight for God.
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January 24-25
Exodus 16–18
Exodus 16:1–17:7
Overview
Only days after the miracle of the Red Sea, grumbling and discontent began to surface among the people on the march. The nation God delivered by faith must now learn to walk by faith, and they have much to learn. Of prime concern is finding sufficient water and food to sustain a caravan of three million people in the desolate wilderness. A month into the journey, when food and water supplies are exhausted, the people cry out anxiously to Moses. Miraculously, God provides manna, quail, and water in abundance to remind them that He is the source of their supply. Even Moses must learn this lesson. Exhausted from attempting to administer the nation single-handedly, Moses follows his father-in-law's advice and selects assistants to help him with the work.
Your Daily Walk
Have you found that your blessings arealso your biggest problems? The things you thought would bring you the greatest joy are, in fact, the things that cause you the most headaches. For instance: the new car (which spends more time in the shop than on the road), the long-awaited child (who now has the house under siege), the unexpected promotion (which produced those equally unexpected ulcers).
Israel learned the hard way that blessings bring responsibility. Daily manna was a wonderful provision from God, but it had to be collected and eaten in a particular way. God’s presence in the pillar of cloud and fire was comforting, but it meant unquestioned obedience. When the pillar moved, Israel moved.
Make a list of some of God’s recent blessings to you, including the ones that seem to give you grief. Next to each, put an obligation that is yours if you enjoy the blessing as God intended.
Insight - A Subtle Prophecy
The water from the rock at Rephidim beautifully symbolizes Christ, our life-giver (John 7:37-39). The smitten rock illustrates Christ's death, resulting in an outpouring of life through the Holy Spirit because of accomplished redemption.
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January 26
Exodus 19–20
Exodus 20
Overview
Israel could scarcely be called a nation. Up to this point, she’s just a vast group of unorganized people. Self-government was impossible in Egypt, and as yet, there are no laws. But at Mount Sinai, in a setting designed to remove distractions and focus attention on God, the people receive their charter as God’s chosen nation. After declaring their willingness to obey the commands they are about to receive, the Israelites spend two days preparing themselves to hear God. On the third day, beginning with an awe-inspiring display on Mount Sinai, God delivers the spiritual and moral principles by which the nation’s social and religious life will be conducted.
Your Daily Walk
“The Christian life is a bunch of dos and don’ts!” “The Christian life is liberty to do as I please!”
To be sure, in Christ there is freedom from bondage to sin and release from the guilt of past failures. But liberty does not mean license to live as you please. Just because the Israelites were free from Egyptian slavery did not mean they were free to follow their every desire. God still wanted them to live as His chosen people, so He gave them rules for their daily conduct—not a list of dos and don’ts to spoil their fun, but a series of commands for their protection and profit.
Imagine what a football game would be like without rules: no boundaries, no clock, no referees, no time limit. And probably no fun. Rules are essential for the enjoyment of life.
Read your way slowly and thoughtfully down the list of commandments in today’s reading again. Try to think of at least one reason why each command would make your life happier or safer if you kept it unquestioningly. Is there one you need to work on?
Insight - What Was the Hike up Sinai Like?
Mount Sinai is best identified as Jebel Musa, a 7,363-foot peak on the southern end of a mountain ridge two miles long and one mile wide. Before it stretches a plain adequate to hold Israel’s camp.
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January 27
Exodus 21–24
Exodus 24
Overview
The law given by God to Israel at Sinai falls into three categories: moral and spiritual laws (Exodus 20), civil and social laws (Exodus 21–23), and religious laws (Exodus 24–Leviticus). Today’s reading contains the civil and social laws that comprise “the Book of the Covenant” (24:7), given alongside the Ten Commandments. Following a formal ceremony ratifying the covenant, Moses is called again by God to Mount Sinai to receive further revelation.
Your Daily Walk
Some things bear repeating, and even then, they don’t always sink in. God’s word to Israel in the first two commandments could hardly have been clearer: “No other gods … no idols.” Yet He would later repeat those same warnings again and again. He wanted to impress upon His people the seriousness of His lordship, and to make certain they understood the necessity for exclusive devotion to the God of Israel.
God knew that we eventually worship that which we serve (23:24). Therefore, whatever or whoever commands our attention becomes our god. Recognizing that fact can help us guard against idolatry. Here are two good questions that point to the real “Lord” of your life:
1. What do you think about when your mind is in neutral?
2. What do you do during your idle moments?
Review your own loyalties, and then fill in the blank: “An objective observer of my life over the past week would conclude that _______________ is my god.” Is there something that needs to change so that you, like Israel, have “no other gods” besides the Lord?
Insight - A Forbidden Recipe
The prohibition against boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk (23:19) made little sense to modern scholars until archaeological discoveries revealed that the practice was current in Canaan as a pagan magic spell connected with agricultural fertility rites.
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January 28
Exodus 25–27
Exodus 25:1-9
Overview
During Moses’s stay on the mountain, God reveals His detailed plans for the tabernacle in which He will dwell and receive His people’s worship. No item is overlooked in God’s design of this portable tent of worship. Everything is to be done “according to the plan shown you on the mountain” (26:30). God’s dwelling place with His people, Israel, will be the central structure in the camp and the focus of the nation’s attention and activities.
Your Daily Walk
How big is your God? Having studied the tabernacle in detail, keep in mind this was a portable building, capable of being dismantled and carried around as Israel journeyed. Though God’s presence uniquely inhabited the tabernacle, the fact that it could be disassembled for travel reminded the Israelites that their God could not be confined to four walls. He was with them in the fire and cloud; He could divide great seas and drown mighty armies; He could provide water from rocks and manna from the morning dew. Contrast this with the pagan gods of neighboring nations—powerless idols that had to be carried on their worshipers’ shoulders (Isaiah 46:5-7). Israel’s priests carried God’s temporary house on their shoulders, but Israel’s God carried them!
If at times you find yourself wishing God were a little more flexible, yielding more to your own desires and expectations, consider this fact: If God were small enough for you to control, He would not be strong enough to help you in times of need.
If you can, visit your church sometime today, and in the quiet, worshipful atmosphere of the silent sanctuary, spend a few minutes praising the God you serve—a God no building can contain.
Insight - How Would You Like to Hang These Drapes?
The Jewish historian Josephus explained that the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was four inches thick. It was so sturdy that it could not be torn apart by horses tied to it, pulling in opposite directions.
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January 29
Exodus 28–31
Exodus 29
Overview
No center of worship is complete without people to minister in it and utensils to use in the worship services. Chapters 28–31 describe the priests, Israel’s representatives before God, who are chosen to lead the worship in the tabernacle. Everything about them is special, from the clothing they wear to the elaborate sacrifices needed to prepare them for ministry, as well as the utensils and supplies they use (such as incense, perfumes, oil, the altar, and the basin) in the tabernacle worship. Even the designers and construction workers are handpicked by God.
Your Daily Walk
Preparing a priest for service in the tabernacle was no small chore (chapter 29). The most curious part of the ceremony involved killing a ram and applying the blood to the tip of the priest’s right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot (29:20). The blood was a picture of cleansing. Before the priest could minister before the Lord, he had to be cleansed from the sin that polluted him. Then he needed to be dedicated to the Lord from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Every part of him, from his ear (which hears God’s Law) to his hand (which does God’s will) to his foot (which follows in God’s steps) must be surrendered to the will of God.
Does God have that kind of control over your whole life? If not, starting with your head, give each part of your body to Him in a prayer of dedication: “Lord, take my eyes; help me to look at those things that please You. Take my ears; help me to listen to things that build up, not tear down…” Then you, like Israel’s priests, will be ready to do His will—from head to toe.
Insight - Mystery Stones
The Urim and Thummim were probably two flat stones kept in the high priest's breastplate and used to determine the will of God. Each may have had one dark side and one light. Some scholars speculate that they were tossed into the air and allowed to fall to the ground. Two dark sides showed “yes,” two light sides showed “no,” and one of each showed “no reply.”
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January 30
Exodus 32–34
Exodus 33–34
Overview
Six weeks have passed since the people made their solemn vow of fidelity to God. Concluding that Moses has died on the mountain, they insist on creating a replica of an Egyptian god. Coming upon this grotesque scene, Moses dashes the newly inscribed tablets to pieces, dramatically proclaiming the broken covenant. He destroys the golden calf and orders the Levites to slay guilty Israelites. Israel’s repentance, Moses’ selfless intercession, and God’s faithfulness to His promises account for a renewal of the covenant. New tablets are engraved and Moses experiences yet another encounter with God on Mount Sinai.
Your Daily Walk
“I can’t understand teenagers. One minute they want to be treated like adults; the next minute they act like children.”
This oft-voiced exasperation of many a parent illustrates a fact about growth. The process of maturation does not always move in a consistently forward direction. Everyone at one time or another reverts to former patterns of behavior.
The incident of the golden calf is but one of many cases of backsliding in Israel’s history. One lesson is clear: Believers are not immune from the practice of reverting to old habits and patterns of living. It may occur in an unguarded moment, such as an outburst of temper. Or it may be the result of impatience, when God’s timetable seems agonizingly slow. Or it may be because of the world’s culture that still lures your unguarded heart.
Take a personal inventory of your spiritual life. Have you made a commitment to the Lord in recent weeks? If so, have you followed through on it, or did you revert to your previous behavior? If you see a “golden calf” in your life, deal with it now.
Insight - The Golden Calf—A Lingering Legacy
Calf worship was expressly forbidden in the law (Exodus 20:4-6) and shown to be utterly useless by the plagues in Egypt. Yet, at least twice in Israel’s history, golden calves spelled destruction for the people (see Exodus 32; 1 Kings 12:28).
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January 31
Exodus 35–40
Exodus 40
Overview
The Book of Exodus closes with a detailed account of the construction of the tabernacle, the new place of residence for the God of Israel as He accompanies His people to Canaan. Notice the many steps involved in the project: Moses organizes the needed workers and materials; skilled artisans do the actual construction; Moses inspects the finished work; the tabernacle is erected and the furniture set in place; and finally, the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle, showing God’s pleasure with the structure. From start to finish, the entire project is done “just as the Lord had commanded” Moses.
Your Daily Walk
God has always sought to dwell in the midst of people. Think back to the opening chapters of Genesis. There you find Adam and Eve in the garden. And in the cool of the evening, God walks through the garden, seeking face-to-face fellowship with His creation.
In today’s reading, God’s glory takes up residence in the tabernacle in order to accompany the Israelites on their journey to Canaan. Later in Israel’s history, God’s presence will reside in Solomon’s magnificent temple. And today God’s Holy Spirit indwells every child of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The lesson is clear: God wants to identify Himself with those who are truly His. More specifically, God wants to identify Himself with you, to fellowship with you, to spend time with you, and to help you get to know Him better.
How do you go about building a relationship like that? Jot down the first five things that come to mind. Now use your list to help you organize your day and assign priorities to your activities. Place “time with God” at the top of the list. After all, that’s His greatest desire: to walk and talk with you. If that’s your greatest desire, tell Him so right now.
Insight - A Long Way to Find Freedom
Exodus begins with a mob of miserable slaves held captive in Egypt, yet ends with an emancipated nation in fellowship with God and on its way to Canaan. No wonder Exodus is called the “book of redemption.”
Congratulations! You’ve started your new year the right way by beginning a journey through the Bible with this devotional guide.
But every walk demands a first step. Have you taken the crucial first step in the Christian life … the step of faith to salvation? Unless you take that step, your so-called relationship with God will meander aimlessly, and your path will lead only to frustration and defeat. But take this mandatory step, and your walk with Jesus will be vibrant and fulfilling for all eternity. Consider these stepping stones on the path of salvation:
- All people are sinners. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
- The penalty for sin is death.“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
- Salvation comes by personal trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
Christ paid the price on the cross for every one of your sins so that you might have eternal life. By believing in His death, burial, and resurrection all on your behalf, you enter into an eternal relationship with God.
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Free salvation awaits you. Take the first step now, and watch your pathway unfold!
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Genesis
January 1
Genesis 2:4-25
Overview
The first two chapters of the Bible begin at “the beginning.” Chapter 1 gives a concise overview of the progress of creation, climaxing in the creation of humanity. Chapter 2 takes a zoom-lens look at day six. There, the details emerge of how God’s image-bearers were created—man from the dust of the ground and woman from his rib. The stage is set, the characters are in place, and the drama can begin.
Your Daily Walk
“When all else fails, follow the directions.” That tongue-in-cheek advice is based on a law as universal as gravity—the Law of Design, which states: “Things work well when they function according to the way they were designed; they work poorly (or not at all) when that design is violated.” God, the Master Designer, made the water, sky, and land; then He made creatures suited for each environment. So it should not surprise you to discover that birds make terrible submarines, or that fish can’t climb trees.
The same design apparent in both the solar system and the desert flower is built into humans and their relationships. The husband is the head of the home and the spiritual leader of his family; the wife is his helper. When we follow God’s design for marriage, there is harmony, and He is glorified.
See how many ways you can complete this sentence: “By God’s design, I am __________.” If you get stuck, consult Psalm 139:14; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 2:10; 5:21–6:9; Titus 2:14. With God’s help, you can become all you were created to be.
Insight - Big Questions, Bigger Answers
The first verse in the English Bible uses only 10 words to answer four of the most basic questions that thinking individuals ever ask: (1) What is there? (2) How did it get there? (3) Did it have a beginning? (4) Who or what is responsible? The answers have been graciously supplied by the only One who was there at the time. (The correct answers are: (1) the heavens and the earth; (2) it was all created; (3) yes; (4) God.)
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January 2
Genesis 3
Overview
The perfect environment into which Adam was placed is now shattered by the entrance of sin. Satan, posing as the subtle serpent, challenges God’s only prohibition on Adam and Eve’s use of the garden. Disobedience follows as the first family eats from the forbidden tree and is expelled from Eden. The results of their sin are devastating, as humanity and the whole creation fall under the penalty of death. Cain becomes the first murderer, and the downward spiral continues from Adam to Noah, paving the way for God’s sweeping judgment upon the wickedness of the world
Your Daily Walk
Have you ever seen an advertisement for a new “miracle product,” then gone out and bought it, only to discover it fails to live up to its billing?
Satan has been overselling his “product”—sin—for thousands of years. He first tried this approach with Eve in the Garden of Eden. Notice the promise: “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (3:5). Eve believed his claim and tried his product. The result? Pain, bitter disappointment, expulsion from the garden, separation from God, death.
Where has Satan tested your resistance to temptation? What are some of the false promises he wants you to believe to sell you on sin? “If it feels good, it must be right. Everyone else is doing it, so it must be OK. It won’t hurt to do it just once.”
When tempted today to fall for one of Satan’s false promises, respond instead with this scriptural promise from James 4:7— “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Insight - Same Scheme, Different Results
Compare Genesis 3 with Matthew 4:1-11, and you’ll notice an interesting fact. Satan tempted Jesus in the same three ways that he tempted Eve (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life; see 1 John 2:16). But in Jesus’ case, Satan failed on every count.
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January 3/4
Genesis 6
Overview
In the course of its rebellion, humanity becomes so sinful that God prepares to execute the death sentence on the entire race. In grace, He directs Noah—a righteous man who walks with God—to build a great barge-like ship to escape the coming judgment. Noah obeys God, and while the floodwaters purge the earth, the ark preserves human and animal life for a fresh start. After a safe landing “on the mountains of Ararat” (8:4), God gives new directions and makes new commitments to Noah and his descendants, saying: “I will remember my covenant” (9:15).
Your Daily Walk
Just imagine: “You say you get tired of waiting for God to right the wrongs in your day? Maybe you should quit your job and sign on with Noah & Sons Shipbuilders. They’re short of help, and you will be welcome if you know anything about building triple-decker cargo ships. Nobody’s ever tried this kind of thing before. But Noah is convinced God told him to do it. Says he’s working against a deadline too.
“The contract calls for 120 years—no more, no less. Ol’ Noah figures the Lord wants to give people another chance to turn back to Him. God’s not in any hurry. That’s because He’s long-suffering. But the Lord won’t wait forever. When the time comes, it’s going to get really wet around here. God always keeps His word—and just at the right time too.
“You can start by sawing those gopher logs into planks…”
Make a list of the faith-inspired steps of obedience that Noah took in chapters 6–9. Noah obeyed God by picking up a hammer and a saw. What is God asking you to do today to join Noah’s faithful ranks?
Insight - When Came the Rainbow?
God decreed the rainbow to be a tangible sign of His promise never again to destroy the earth by flood. However, Scripture does not indicate whether the rainbow had previously existed and was then chosen by God as a sign, or whether it was a new phenomenon, suggesting a changed climate after the flood.
Genesis and Exodus
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January 5
Genesis 11:1-9, 27-32
Overview
Chapters 10–11 explain the origin of nations after the flood. Beginning with Noah and his three sons, God repopulates the world. But since the root of sin has not been removed from the hearts of the people, the fruit of sin becomes apparent once again in proud, disobedient actions. So God scrambles the languages, causing humanity to disperse over the face of the earth—as He had initially been commanded. After describing generations of self-serving humans in general, the narrative shifts to one man in particular—Abram—from whom God will build a new nation.
Your Daily Walk
What’s so crucial about obeying God? He’s patient and forgiving. And He will always give you another chance. Right?
Think back over the opening chapters of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve a forest of trees to enjoy and only one tree to avoid. What happened? They ate fruit from the forbidden tree and were promptly evicted.
After the flood, God gave Noah’s descendants one command: “Be fruitful…and fill the earth” (9:1). How did they respond? “Let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may…not be scattered over the face of the whole earth” (11:4). Once again, judgment followed disobedience.
God’s commands are not to be analyzed, debated, or disregarded. They are to be obeyed. If you believe that, complete this sentence: “I will save myself some grief if I obey God today [how?].”
Insight - 4,000 Years After Babel
How many languages are there in the world today? According to Wycliffe Bible Translators, there are almost 7,000, with about 500 of them with a complete Bible translation. Today, nearly 2,000 language groups don’t have a single verse of Scripture available in their languages. These groups are mainly in these three areas: Central Africa/Nigeria; Mainland and Southeast China; and Indonesia/Pacific Islands. (source: www.wycliffe.org)
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January 6
Genesis 12:1-9; 13:14-18
Overview
Chapters 12–14 describe God’s call of Abram to leave his home in Ur and then again in Haran (both in modern-day Iraq) and travel to a distant but unspecified new land. Abram faces many potential distractions along the way: the death of his father in Haran, a severe famine, and the worldly pursuits of his nephew Lot. But God is looking for a man of faith who will trust Him completely to keep His promises. For Abram and his descendants, those promises include receiving a great name, becoming a great nation, and experiencing great blessings in the face of impossible odds.
Your Daily Walk
How much room have you allowed in your life for God to redirect your steps?
Close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you are Abram. God has just told you to pack your belongings and prepare to move. “Move where?” you respond. “To a place I’ll show you at the proper time.” So you obey. You quit your job, load up your furniture, pack up your family, and head out of town. Destination: Unknown! If this sounds far-fetched, reread the opening verses of chapter 12. That is precisely the challenge Abram faced.
Suppose God told you to do something that just didn’t fit into your own master plan for your life. Would you be willing to respond by faith and trust Him one step at a time—for finances, a place to live, a new church, a new circle of friends? During a quiet moment today, take a walk and get alone with God. Be candid with Him. If you’re available, tell Him so. If you’re not but you want to be, tell Him that too. Then relax and let Him lead.
Insight - Walking in Abram’s Sandals
While Abram’s faith was growing, so was his stamina. After walking 600 miles from Ur to Haran, Abram set out at the age of 75 for the land of Canaan, 400 miles away. He later made a 400-mile round trip to Egypt for a total of 1,400 miles.
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January 7
Genesis 15
Overview
Today’s reading describes the Abrahamic covenant as it was given by God, confirmed, and symbolized. God’s promises to Abraham are given in great detail, confirmed with a unilateral treaty, repeated, and established by the sign of circumcision. But as the years pass with no evidence of fulfillment, Abraham acts in foolish impatience. The result is a son, Ishmael, who will cause his father's heartbreak, constantly reminding Abraham of the price of his unbelief.
Your Daily Walk
How would you spend today if you thought you might have no tomorrow? For Abram, this was more than an academic question. With his little army of 318 men, he had just thrashed a band of warring kings, rescued his nephew Lot, and brought back the kidnapped people and goods. Now, in the long, lonely night hours that follow, he is scared. Scared that his enemies might return to continue the battle. Scared that his life might be snuffed out while he is yet childless.
In his moment of deepest need, with fear eating away at his faith in God, he hears a voice: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield” (15:1). God surrounded Abram with His presence, removed Abram’s fears, and confirmed His promise. And Abram “believed the Lord” (15:6).
What fear paralyzes you most often? Fear of failure? Fear of the unknown? Write it down, along with the words of Genesis 15:1. Thank God that He can—and will—exchange that fear for His strength and comfort.
Insight - Hagar’s Treatment—Abusive or Acceptable?
After 10 years of fruitless waiting for a son, Sarah offered Abram her personal Egyptian maid, Hagar, hoping to produce a son by her. The Hurrian laws from that period describe this as a customary practice. If a son was born, he was regarded as the wife’s. But the painful lesson from Ishmael’s birth is clear: God’s will is done in any way, but God’s way is not God’s will.
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January 8
Genesis 18
Overview
Chapters 18–20 relate to crises in the lives of two of Abraham’s family members: his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot. Lot’s life of compromise and worldly pursuits stands in stark contrast to the life of faith demonstrated by his uncle. In response to Abraham’s fervent prayers, God spares Lot while destroying his hometown for its wickedness and perversion. Yet, even a man of faith like Abraham can stumble when he takes his eyes off God. On a trip to Gerar, Abraham lies about his beautiful wife, Sarah, calling her his sister to save his own skin from King Abimelech.
Your Daily Walk
Try to imagine the most difficult miracle God could ever perform. If you were to select “The Miracle of All Time,” what would it be? Jot down what comes to mind.
How does your miracle compare with the one described in 18:9-15? God promised Abraham and Sarah a son. At first, that may not appear very spectacular, but consider the obstacles. Abraham was 99 years old at the time, and Sarah was 90. For her whole life, Sarah had never been able to bear children and was now beyond childbearing years. Yet even the time of Isaac’s birth was appointed by God. No wonder God asked: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (18:14).
If you could ask God for one miracle today, what would it be? Help you overcome a past failure? Conquer a dismal self-image? Rebuild a shattered marriage? Write that miracle in the margin of your Bible next to Genesis 18:14, and daily remember the truth that God specializes in impossible cases.
Insight - Where Is Sodom Today?
After its destruction by burning sulfur (19:24-28), Sodom is never mentioned again in the Bible as an occupied city. Today, locations at the southern end of the Dead Sea stand out in satellite photos because of their white ash content. Round balls of nearly pure sulfur were found embedded in the ash.
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January 9
Genesis 21:1–22:19
Overview
The climax of more than 20 faith-stretching years for Abraham and Sarah comes in the birth of Isaac, their miracle son and heir. But soon Abraham’s faith is tested again as God calls upon him to sacrifice that treasured son upon an altar. Abraham obeys, showing that the experiences of the past two decades have not been in vain. For his faithfulness to the point of death, God rewards Abraham with further assurances of blessing. In the closing years of Abraham’s life, a time saddened by Sarah’s death, one crucial detail remains: finding a suitable bride for Isaac.
Your Daily Walk
Have you ever wished you had a timer that would tell you exactly when God would fulfill His promises in your life? A way to tell with assurance when your prayer would be answered for a helpmate, the salvation of a loved one, or the end of an extended illness? Abraham must have wished for such a timer on many occasions as he waited year after year for the son God had promised to give him. But in the birth of Isaac, God demonstrated that, though His promises may not come speedily, they will come certainly. “At the very time God had promised him” (21:2), He fulfilled His long-standing covenant.
It’s easy to impose your own preconceived timetable upon God’s promises … and difficult to deal with the frustration and anxiety that result when God doesn’t answer “on time” according to your expectations. Try this instead: Memorize Genesis 21:1-2. Let the words remind you throughout the day that the timing of the Creator of time is always perfect.
Insight - The Issue Was Obedience
God’s command to Abraham to offer Isaac did not mean God was condoning human sacrifice (a common pagan practice in Abraham’s day). Rather, God was testing Abraham’s faith in His covenant promises. Check Hebrews 11:17-19 and James 2:21-23 for added insight into this event.
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January 10-11
Genesis 25:19–26:5
Overview
The story of Isaac continues, focusing on his family and work. Though Abraham has died, God’s promises to him live on in his son Isaac and his twin grandsons, Esau and Jacob. Sin, too, lives on—as demonstrated by Jacob’s theft of his brother’s birthright (Genesis 25:33) and by Isaac’s imitation of his father’s deception (Genesis 26:7). Despite human failings, God’s covenant remains sure, as He says to Isaac: “I will…confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham” (26:3).
Your Daily Walk
“God has no grandchildren.” This means that each generation must be personally related to God by faith. It’s not enough that your parents trust Christ as their Savior; you must commit yourself. It is a personal, individual decision. You become a child of God by faith in Christ. So do your children and your grandchildren. Seen that way, it’s clear that God has no grandchildren.
And so it is with the promises of God. Each succeeding generation must learn to receive and rest in them personally to enjoy their benefits. God has promises for you today that Christians have been claiming for centuries.
Check up on your relationship with Christ. Is it strictly firsthand, based on personal faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross? Or are you relying on secondhand knowledge from your parents, your church, or your friends to get you through? You can become a child of God right now by believing on His Son (John 1:12). Then you can discover the joy of finding God’s timeless promises true in your own life. But the choice is yours. God said, “I will …” What do you say?
Insight - A Family Tradition
The cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, was originally purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite as a tomb for Sarah. It would soon become the burial place for Abraham himself (25:9); Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah (49:30-31); and Jacob (50:13).
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January 12
Genesis 27, 29
Overview
Chapters 27–31 introduce the third major character of the patriarchal era: Jacob (“he grasps the heel”, “supplanter,” or “deceiver”), a man who lives up to his name. The theft of the family blessing intended for his twin brother, Esau, demonstrates his scheming character. But it is through Jacob that God’s promises—made more than a century and a half earlier—begin to be fulfilled to a greater degree. During a 20-year stay in Haran, Jacob works for one wife and gets three more in the bargain, fathers 11 sons and a daughter, and amasses huge quantities of livestock and servants—the nucleus from which God will fashion a new nation.
Your Daily Walk
For every Jacob, you’ll usually find a Laban. For every individual who insists on doing things his own way, giving God a helping hand, there is often a painful head-on collision with someone who is at least his equal as a schemer.
Laban became God’s rod of discipline in Jacob’s life. There’s no doubt God was accomplishing His purpose with Jacob despite his stubbornness and conniving (28:15), but Jacob could have spared himself 20 years of grief if he had learned to wait on God.
Have you noticed “The Laban Principle” at work in your own spiritual life? A family member, a fellow employee, or a creditor may apply God’s stroke of discipline. But the goal is always the same: to help you develop spiritual maturity.
Write out a one-paragraph description of what you are going to do the next time you feel like rushing ahead of God. Chances are, before the week is out, you’ll need it—and use it.
Insight - Marital Bliss…or Marital Blisters?
The wisdom of God’s original one-man/one-woman blueprint for marriage is illustrated in the sad example of Jacob’s household, where jealousy, bickering, and scheming between Leah and Rachel were regular occurrences. Refresh your memory of family life God’s way by rereading Genesis 2:23-24. Then look up 1 Kings 11:1-8 to discover another man for whom multiple wives meant multiplied woes.
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January 13
Genesis 32
Overview
In chapters 32–36, Jacob the schemer becomes Jacob the servant of God. After leaving his Uncle Laban, Jacob fears the inevitable reunion with his estranged brother, Esau. But before he can be reconciled to Esau, he must first be reconciled to God. At the ford of Jabbok, he wrestles with the angel of the Lord, insisting on a blessing before he will release him. The angel assures him of God’s continued presence, and leaves him with a new name—Israel (in Hebrew, the name Israel sounds like “he struggled with God”; see Genesis 32:28)—and a permanent limp. After an emotional reunion with Esau, Jacob returns to Canaan, where God confirms the promises He made to Abraham and Isaac—promises of a large posterity and a new homeland.
Your Daily Walk
Is it possible to be a rich Christian in the will of God? That question would have brought a chuckle from Abraham or Jacob. Both men were fabulously wealthy in their day. Jacob, in particular, shows how a person blessed by God can gain great wealth in the world. His own personal testimony is found in 32:10: “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups.” When he first crossed the Jordan, all Jacob owned was the staff in his hand and the clothes on his back. Now, some 20 years later, it takes two companies of men to carry all of God’s blessings back across.
Reflect on the material possessions God has given you. Could it be that God has prospered you so that you, in turn, might be a blessing to others? If so, who are the “others” God has brought into your life for that purpose? If God brings someone to mind, write that individual’s name in the margin. Then let Jesus’ own words in Acts 20:35 spur you to action.
Insight - When God Prospers Someone, Look Out!
Beginning with nothing, Jacob amassed such wealth over 20 years that when he left for Canaan, he could afford to give his brother Esau 550 animals as a gift without straining the family budget.
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January 14
Genesis 37, 39
Overview
Beginning with chapter 37, the narrative focuses on the next generation: Joseph, dreamer of dreams. Though the favorite son of his father, Jacob, Joseph alienates himself from his brothers by his forthrightness. Envy grows into hatred, until finally the brothers sell him into slavery. Taken to Egypt, Joseph continues to suffer injustices, first at the hands of Potiphar’s wife, and later from the forgetful chief butler. While Joseph is resisting the temptation of immorality, his brother Judah falls prey to the same sin. Clearly something is needed to insulate the chosen family from moral corruption for the next four centuries while it multiplies into a mighty nation.
Your Daily Walk
“I know some of the things I do to be accepted by my friends are wrong. But if I don’t go along, they’ll laugh at me.”
Joseph could relate to that statement. He learned firsthand the consequences of doing what was right. He could have avoided much discomfort by deciding to disobey his father or to give in to Mrs. Potiphar. Loyalty to his convictions carried a price tag.
But faithfulness had its compensations too. Note the repeated expression in chapter 39: “The Lord was with Joseph.” Which would you rather be: a guilt-ridden brother trying to explain Joseph’s disappearance, Judah trying to untangle the mess created by his lack of restraint, Potiphar’s frustrated wife, or Joseph? Only one of those individuals was truly free.
Where is compromise threatening to dull your faith? Ask God to give you the courage to stand true to Him with love and tact. Then take the next opportunity to set the record straight and make your convictions known to all parties involved.
Insight - Clothes Mark the Man
Joseph’s famous “coat of many colors” was probably an ornamented, ankle-length coat with long sleeves. It identified the wearer as a favorite son and perhaps indicated Jacob’s intent to make Joseph chief heir of the family fortune.
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January 15
Genesis 41–44
Genesis 43–44
Overview
A difficult dream sent by God to Pharaoh jars the memory of the chief butler, and Joseph is soon promoted from prisoner to prime minister because of his God-given insight. The dream is a reliable forecast of the prosperity and famine in the years ahead. The worldwide famine prompts Jacob to send 10 sons to Egypt for grain, where Joseph, recognizing them immediately, proceeds to teach them a painful lesson. A series of confrontations culminates in chapter 44, where the brothers unknowingly fulfill Joseph's boyhood dreams.
Your Daily Walk
For years, Joseph’s brothers had lived with their cunning deception of Jacob. The secret was so complete that Jacob probably blamed himself for the loss of his favorite son. And the other sons, though seeing their father's agony, maintained their conspiracy of silence at his expense.
But they overlooked one witness to their crime—God. As Judah discovered: “God has uncovered your servants’ guilt” (44:16). God gave them time to set things right, then He applied pressure. The result was a band of frightened men haunted by the memory of their lost brother. Guilt, anxiety, and uncertainty were their constant companions until their wrong was set right through confession and restoration.
As a sinner in the presence of God, you have two choices. You can carry the anxiety of your “secret” sins until God chooses to expose them. Or you can confess those sins to God and to those you’ve wronged, and as a result find forgiveness and peace. Because of Jesus’ death, you can take steps today to make things right with a brother or sister, pastor or neighbor, spouse or roommate. Will you do it?
Insight - Whatever Happened to the Tribe of Joseph?
Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, were later “adopted” by Jacob (48:5). Consequently, the descendants of Joseph would later comprise two tribes of Israel, named respectively for his two sons.
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