Joshua 19 finishes out dividing up the land. Each tribe gets what was allotted to them.
Joshua 20 gives us the cities of refuge. These cities were set up and in a sense were a form of house arrest. Any person who accidentally killed another person could flee to one of these cities and be safe from those avenging the death. This person would have to stay in this city until the current high priest passes away. Once the high priest passes on then the person would be free to leave the city of refuge.
Joshua 21 is where all the Levites receive their land. One thing I noticed was they received a lot of the cities of refuge. I wonder somewhat why that was? I kind of like the way this chapter ends with the saying "The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." (Joshua 21:44, 45)
The last part of Luke 11 left me with a lot of questions. I understood the first part about the sign of Jonah and the middle section about the lamp. As for the last part about the woes, it totally lost me. I do not understand exactly what He is trying to say to them. I think it has something to do with them not being fit to enter the kingdom of heaven because they are in sort, hypocrites.
Tomorrow's reading is:
Joshua 22, 23, 24 and Luke 12:1-31
19. I don't have anything to say about this chapter.
ReplyDelete20. Two things: 1. Interesting Biblical judicial system. 2. I think it's a little weird that the person was free to go once the high priest died. Isn't the whole idea that they are seeking refuge from someone trying to avenge the person they killed. Is that person just magically over it when the high priest dies?
21. I found it hard to read the list of cities. You would think that the Lord fulfilling all his promises would make for a very very faithful people, but....
11. 33 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a bushel, but on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light; but when it is not sound, your body is full of darkness." I loved this. What a great point.
I think the woes is about preaching to the choir. They don't love the sinners, just those that are already saved. To the lawyers I took it to mean that they are Sunday Christians. On the surface they look devote, but not if you dig a little deeper. And I think that in both cases they are becoming stumbling blocks to other Christians. I'm not sure that this is exactly right, but it's what I got out of it.
On the cities of refuge a side note in my bible stated that in those days it was an exchange of blood for blood. And the dying of the high priest was the blood that washed away the original blood slain. After reading their side note I kind of felt like He was preparing them for something to come.
ReplyDelete