Let’s open to JOSHUA 2-3.

Yesterday we started the book of Joshua, named after the man God chose as Moses’ successor. In this book we will see the victory of the Chosen People in conquering the Promised Land (chapters 1-12) and then the occupation of the Promised Land (chapters 13-24). Three times i n Deuteronomy 31, we heard the charge, “Be determined and confident,” and that command was repeated three more times to Joshua in chapter 1.

We turn for the second time to PSALM 68.

This psalm starts with the words Moses spoke whenever the Ark of the Covenant was taken up to be moved to another place: “1 Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.”And David adds, “Let those who hate God run for their lives.”We continue to read from the CEV for this psalm.

The Hebrew title is: A psalm and a song by David for the music leader.

19 We praise you, Lord God!You treat us with kindness   day after day,   and you rescue us.20 You always protect us   and save us from death.

21 Our Lord and our God,your terrible enemies   are ready for war,[d]   but you will crush   their skulls.22 You promised to bring themfrom Bashan   and from the deepest sea.23 Then we could stomp   on their blood,   and our dogs could chew   on their bones.

24 We have seen crowds marching   to your place of worship,   our God and King.25 The singers come first,   and then the musicians,   surrounded by young women   playing tambourines.26 They come shouting,   “People of Israel,   praise the Lord God!”27 The small tribe of Benjamin   leads the way,   followed by the leaders   from Judah.Then come the leaders   from Zebulun and Naphtali.

28 Our God, show your strength!   Show us once again.29 Then kings will bring gifts   to your temple   in Jerusalem.[e]

30 Punish that animal   that lives in the swamp![f]Punish that nation   whose leaders and people   are like wild bulls.Make them come crawling   with gifts of silver.   Scatter those nations   that enjoy making war.[g]31 Force the Egyptians to bring   gifts of bronze;   make the Ethiopians[h] hurry   to offer presents.[i]

32 Now sing praises to God!   Every kingdom on earth,   sing to the Lord!33 Praise the one who rides   across the ancient skies;   listen as he speaks   with a mighty voice.

34 Tell about God’s power!He is honored in Israel,   and he rules the skies.35 The God of Israel is fearsome   in his temple,   and he makes us strong.   Let’s praise our God!

We turn for the first time to ACTS 20.

Yesterday we heard of how Demetrius— the silver-smith shrine-making businessman, incited a riot against Paul.

Translation note:11 Then [Paul//he] went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. After talking with them for a long time, even until sunrise, Paul left.

Today we begin our readings in JOSHUA!

Yesterday we read the conclusion of Deuteronomy with Moses blessing eleven  of the twelve tribes with a prophetic blessing. And then Moses died and the Lord buried him in an unknown location in Moab.

Now we turn to Joshua, the book named after the man God chose as Moses’ successor. In this book we see the victory of the Chosen People in conquering the Promised Land (chapters 1-12) and then the occupation of the Promised Land (chapters 13-24). Three times in Deuteronomy 31, we find the charge, “Be determined and confident,” and that command is repeated to Joshua in the beginning of this book.

We turn for the first time to PSALM 68:

This is a beautiful song of praise. It starts with the words that Moses spoke whenever the Ark of the Covenant was moved. Some say that this Psalm might have been intended to be sung when the Ark was moved. Paul quotes from v18 and 20 in Eph 4. This song celebrating the victories God gives his people is very appropriate for us to read as a preface to the book of Joshua.

Translation notes:[Except for the first verse, I choose to read CEV for this Psalm because I feel it is helpful to understand this whole Psalm as a prayer spoken to God.]

1 [GNT God rises up and scatters his enemies.Those who hate him run away in defeat.//CEV Do something, God!Scatter your hateful enemies.    Make them turn and run.]2 Scatter them like smoke!    When you come near,    make them melt    like wax in a fire.3 But let your people be happy    and celebrate because of you.4 Our God, you are the onewho rides on the clouds,    and we praise you.Your name is [YHWH//the Lord],    and we celebrate    as we worship you.5 Our God, from your sacred home    you take care of orphans    and protect widows.6 You find families    for those who are lonely.You set prisoners free    and let them prosper,[a]    but all who rebel will live    in a scorching desert.7 You set your people free,    and you led them    through the desert.8 God of Israel,the earth trembled,    and rain poured down.You alone are the God    who rules from Mount Sinai.9 When your land was thirsty,    you sent showers    to refresh it.10 Your people settled there,    and you were generous    to everyone in need.11 You gave the command,    and a chorus of women told    what had happened:12 “Kings and their armies    retreated and ran,    and everything they left    is now being divided.13 And for those who stayed back    to guard the sheep,there are metal doveswith silver-coated wings    and shiny gold feathers.”14 God All-Powerful, you scatteredthe kings    like snow falling    on Mount Zalmon.[b]15 Our Lord and our God,    Bashan is a mighty mountain    covered with peaks.16 Why is it jealous of Zion,    the mountain you chose    as your home forever?17 When you, Lord God, appeared    to your people[c] at Sinai,    you came with thousands    of mighty chariots.18 When you climbed    the high mountain,    you took prisoners with you    and were given gifts.Your enemies didn’t want youto live there,    but [even] they gave you gifts.19 We praise you, Lord God!You treat us with kindness    day after day,    and you rescue us.

We turn for the second time to ACTS 19.

Apollos was introduced in yesterday's reading. And Paul returned to Ephesus and had a miraculous and fruitful ministry there for three years.

Turning to DEUTERONOMY 33-34:

In yesterday's reading, Moses showed Israel that the leadership was given to Joshua, and he gave the command that this book of Deuteronomy be kept near the Arc of the Covenant. Then God gave Moses a long song to teach people, to help them remember. In this song, God described some future events as happening in the past tense. This is a feature many prophetic writings. Here is one detail you might want to notice today in chapter 33: In Moses’ blessings for the tribes of Israel, only 11 are listed. So I’m giving a digging deeper challenge: Which tribe is left out, and what theory do you propose for that one being left out?

Translation note:11 Lord, help their tribe to grow strong; Be pleased with what they do. Crush all their enemies; [May their enemies//Let them] never rise again.”

PSALM 67:

The theme of this beautiful psalm is that the salvation that God gives is to be made known to people everywhere, to every ethnic group.

Translation notes:6 The land has produced its harvest; [You, O God have//God, our God, has] blessed us.  7 [You have//God has] blessed us; may all people everywhere honor [You//him].

We turn for the first time to ACTS 19.

Yesterday in Acts 18, Paul met and began working with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth. When put on trial before Gallio, God defended him so that he didn't even need to speak. Then that night Jesus strengthened him to keep on speaking boldly.

Preparing to read DEUTERONOMY 31-32:

Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses reviewed the covenant and again stressed that the choice is between life and death, and between experiencing blessings or curses. Be aware that in the poem dictated to Moses by the Lord, the Lord speaks of things that were in Israel’s future as if they had already taken place. This is called propleptic past tense, and is a feature of prophetic writings.

Translation notes:

32:3 [Because in this song I will praise the LORD— giving honor to his name//I will praise the name of the Lord,]

and his people will tell of his greatness.

PSALM 66:

Our glorious God deserves glorious praise. Note that this psalm shows the importance of confessing our sins to God.

Translation notes:4 Everyone on earth worships you;they sing praises to you,[their songs give honor//they sing praises] to your name.”5 Come[, all peoples] and see what God has done,his wonderful acts among people.10 You[, O God,//0] have put us to the test[0//, God];as silver is purified by fire,so you have tested us.16 [Now, all who honor God,//0] Come and listen, [0//all who honor God,]and I will tell you what he has done for me.

Turning to ACTS 18:

In Acts 17, opposition hounded the steps of Paul, Silas and Timothy, first in Thessalonica and then in Berea. The people of Berea are an example for us all, and that’s why so many churches are named after their city. Then Paul in Athens debated with the philosophers of his day.

Turning to DEUTERONOMY 29-30:

Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses ratcheted up the fear index to the red level. And the scary thing about the threats he used to motivate the people to obedience is that they later all came true, as we will see in books like Judges and 2 Kings.

PSALM 65:

Today’s Psalm is a hymn of joy and mighty praise.

ACTS 17:

Yesterday we heard of how Paul and Silas were beaten and put in jail. This was as a result of freeing a slave girl from demonic bondage. Their overnight in jail led to the jailer and his family becoming followers of Christ. But as requested, Paul and Silas left town.

Let’s turn to DEUTERONOMY 28.

Yesterday we read of the ceremony that Moses commanded the people to perform when they entered the promised land. The Levites were to loudly proclaim curses from Mount Ebal over anyone who violates the laws.

Translation note:44 They will have money to lend [to] you, but you will have none to lend them. In the end they will be your rulers.

PSALM 64:

If you feel that people are looking for opportunities to slander you, this psalm is for you.

Translation notes:7 But [when You, O God, shoot your//God shoots his] arrows at them, [0//and] suddenly they [will be//are] wounded. 8 [You//He] will destroy them because of those words; all who see them will shake their heads.  9 They will all be afraid; they will think about what [You have//God] has done and tell about [your//his] deeds. 10 All righteous people will rejoice because of what [You have done, O Lord//the Lord has done]. They will find safety in [You//him]; all good people will praise [You//him].

We turn for the second time to ACTS 16.

Yesterday in in this chapter— via the change of pronouns, we understood that Luke joined with Paul as one of his traveling companions. Also note that the Holy Spirit can also be called the Spirit of Jesus. These are one and the same Spirit of God.

Preparing to read DEUTERONOMY 27:

Yesterday in Deuteronomy, Moses continued with miscellaneous regulations. One repeated in the New Testament is to not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating when it is treading out grain.

PSALM 63:

This is another poem of David, including beautiful imagery. Pray like David, if you want to be blessed like David or need protection as David did.

Turning for the first time to ACTS 16:

Yesterday in Acts we heard how Barnabas and Paul with Silas and Judas/Justus delivered the letter from the leaders in Jerusalem. And afterward, Paul and Barnabas had their falling out over the issue of whether to take John Mark along on their next trip. Silas— who evidently had come back to Antioch, became Paul's new ministry partner.

Turning to DEUTERONOMY 25-26:

Yesterday we read some laws for what kind of people could not enter into the congregation of Israel, and how long before their descendants could enter into the congregation of Israel. And we heard laws about cleanliness based on the fact that God was living with the Israelites. And, God wanted his people to be kind, fair, and thoughtful of the needs of the poor.

PSALM 62:

Here is a psalm to pray and an example to follow when you feel the world is against you.

Translation notes:[The last verse of this Psalm shows that it is a prayer addressed to God. It is an open question if in verse 5 David is speaking encouragement to his own soul. The vocative form seems to indicate that. I think that CEV is correct in showing that in verses 3-5 David is speaking about himself in the third person.]1 I wait patiently for [You, O] God to save me;I depend on [You//him] alone.2 [You alone protect and save me//He alone protects and saves me];[You are//he is] my defender,and I shall never be defeated.3 How much longer will all of you [people] attack [me—] someonewho is no stronger than a broken-down fence?4 You only want to bring [me//him] down from [my//his] place of honor;you take pleasure in lies.You speak words of blessing,but in your heart[s] you curse [me//him].

5 [O my soul, depend on God alone!//I depend on God alone;][O Lord, I put my hope in You.//I put my hope in him.]6 [You alone protect and save me//He alone protects and saves me];[You are//he is] my defender,and I shall never be defeated.7 My salvation and honor depend on [You, O] God;[You are//he is] my strong protector;[You are//he is] my shelter.

8 [O my people,//0] Trust in God at all times, [0//my people.]Tell him all your troubles,for he is our refuge.9 Human beings are all like a puff of breath;great and small alike are worthless.Put them on the scales, and they weigh nothing;they are lighter than a mere breath.10 Don't put your trust in violence;don't hope to gain anything by robbery;even if your riches increase,don't depend on them.

11 [O my God//0] More than once I have heard [You//God] saythat power belongs to [You//him]12 and that [your//his] love is constant.You yourself, O Lord, reward everyone according to their deeds.

We turn for the second time to ACTS 15.

Yesterday in the first half of this chapter we heard how the controversy over circumcision started and we heard the speeches of Peter and James.

 

Translation note:29 eat no food that has been offered to idols; eat no blood; eat no animal that has been strangled; and keep yourselves from sexual immorality. You will do well if you take care not to do these things. [Farewell] With our best wishes.”

Turning to DEUTERONOMY 23-24:

Yesterday we read an odd collection of regulations: Cleansing the land from unsolved murder, marrying a captive woman after a war, rights of a first-born son when a man has more than one wife, the responsibility of helping neighbors, and various problems concerning adultery.PSALM 61:

This is one I love to sing.Let’s turn for the first time to ACTS 15.In Acts 14, we heard of the incredible turn of events for Paul and Barnabas. At one moment they were hailed as gods, but after a very short time Paul was stoned. As they tell the believers, “We have to go through many hardships before we enter God's kingdom in heaven.”

DEUTERONOMY 21-22:

Yesterday we heard an example of why cities of refuge were needed. And we heard interesting rules concerning war. It is good to remember that our sovereign creator God had already determined that the people groups in the land were utterly evil and should be destroyed.

Translation note:12 “[Attach//Sew] tassels on the four corners of your clothes.[This change was made simply because the listener cannot hear the difference between ‘sew’ and ‘so’.]

We turn to PSALM 60.

This poem is again based on David’s experiences. I think that this psalm must show how David prayed before the victories mentioned in the rabbinical title.

Translation notes:6 [From your sanctuary You, O God have said,//From his sanctuary God has said,] “In triumph I will divide Shechem and distribute Sukkoth Valley to my people. 12 [But] With [You, O] God on our side we will win; [You//he] will defeat our enemies.

We turn to ACTS 14.

In chapter 13 we completed the story of Paul and Barnabas' short but successful ministry in Pisidian Antioch. They were too successful, so were run out of town. This is just the first time that will happen!

Translation notes:18 [With great difficulty, using such words the apostles finally did succeed in stopping//Even with these words the apostles could hardly keep] the crowd from offering a sacrifice to them.[This is one of the most frequently misunderstood verses in the New Testament!]21 Paul and Barnabas preached the Good News in Derbe and won many disciples. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and on to Antioch in [the province of] Pisidia. 26 and from there they sailed back to Antioch [in the province of Syria], the place where they had been commended to the care of God's grace for the work they had now completed.