50 day journey to Christ - Day 16

Daily Reading:

Joshua 5

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Circumcision of the Israelites

5 When all the Amorite kings across the Jordan to the west and all the Canaanite kings near the sea heard how the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, they lost heart and their courage failed^[a] because of the Israelites.

² At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelite men again.” ³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelite men at Gibeath-haaraloth.^[b] 4 This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males—all the men of war—had died in the wilderness along the way after they had come out of Egypt. ⁵ Though all the people who came out were circumcised, none of the people born in the wilderness along the way were circumcised after they had come out of Egypt. ⁶ For the Israelites wandered in the wilderness 40 years until all the nation’s men of war who came out of Egypt had died off because they did not obey theLord. So the Lord vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷ Joshua raised up their sons in their place; it was these he circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way. ⁸ After the entire nation had been circumcised, they stayed where they were in the camp until they recovered.⁹ The Lord then said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is called Gilgal^[c] to this day.

Food from the Land

¹⁰ While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.^[d] 11 The day after Passover they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land. ¹² And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased. Since there was no more manna for the Israelites, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Commander of the Lord’s Army

¹³ When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?”

¹⁴ “Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.”

Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in worship and asked Him, “What does my Lord want to say to His servant?”

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Discussion question: In this portion of scripture, we see Jesus as the Commander of the Lord's army.  We often forget the different aspects of Jesus personality and authority.  Besides being Commander of the Lord's army, can you name some other titles that Jesus has? (Join the discussion on G+)

Prayer: Oh Jesus, as I reflect on what took place between you and Joshua, I am reminded of your authority in commanding the host of heaven.  Your power and glory know no end.  You were, and are and are to come; King of kings and Lord of lords.  You are the Lamb of God and will return as the Lion of Judah. I praise and worship you, Lord.  Holy, holy, holy art thou Lord God Almighty.  Glory to you Jesus, and to our Father and to the Holy Spirit.  May I never forget how righteous and holy you are. May I never take for granted the sacrifice you made for me.  To your name be glory and honor forever and ever.  Amen!

(Acknowledgments: Scripture Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork from: bookdrum.com)

50 day journey to Christ - Day 14

Daily Reading:
Exodus 24

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

24 Then He said to Moses, “Go up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and 70 of Israel’s elders, and bow in worship at a distance. ² Moses alone is to approach the Lord, but the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him.”  

³ Moses came and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. Then all the people responded with a single voice, “We will do everything that the Lord has commanded.” ⁴ And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early the next morning and set up an altar and 12 pillars for the 12 tribes of Israel at the base of the mountain. ⁵ Then he sent out young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. ⁶ Moses took half the blood and set it in basins; the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. ⁷ He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people. They responded, “We will do and obey everything that theLord has commanded.”

⁸ Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.”

⁹ Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and 70 of Israel’s elders, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath His feet was something like a pavement made of sapphirestone, as clear as the sky itself. ¹¹ God did not harm the Israelite nobles; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.

¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

¹³ So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua and went up the mountain of God. ¹⁴ He told the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them.” ¹⁵ When Moses went up the mountain, the cloud covered it.¹⁶ The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moses from the cloud. ¹⁷ The appearance of the Lord’s glory to the Israelites was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop. ¹⁸ Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain, and he remained on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights.

Key - Purple text - Words of God, Bold text Verse of the Day

Reflection:  This story picks up at the start of an extra ordinary retreat to the mountains.  Moses is called to the mountain, and is called to bring the elders halfway up.  Think about the levels of this climb, beginning with the ceremony at the base of the mountain with the entire assembly.  Sprinkling each of the Israelites with blood to seal a covenant made in regards to the Law given previously on the mountain, Moses then began his spiritual journey up the mountain.  

Discussion Question:  Think about your own walk, beginning with the day you realized you were covered with the blood of the lamb and work your way up the mountain to where you currently are, where would you consider yourself currently and why?

Join the discussion on G+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/112363964604122954663/posts/XSTCRkgFj6L

Acknowledgements - Image artist unknown, website http://www.bibleprobe.com/sinai1.htm