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 one
who 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 doves
with silver-coated wings
and shiny gold feathers.”
14 God All-Powerful, you scattered
the 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 you
to 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment