10-27-21 Today in the Word

Blessing and Last Words Wednesday, October 27, 2021 | On April 3, 1968—just one day before he was assassinated—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said to a crowd in Memphis: “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land!” Today, we read the last words of Moses, words of blessing to people headed to a promised land he himself would not reach. The introduction and conclusion focus on their loving and faithful God (vv. 1–5, 26–29). His giving of the Law on Mount Sinai had been like a sunrise breaking into their spiritual darkness. He is their only source of strength, protection, and peace. The middle sections contain tribe-by-tribe blessings: Reuben, the firstborn who lost his place through sin (v. 6; see Gen. 35:22); Judah, who replaced him in that position (v. 7); Levi (vv. 8–11); Benjamin (v. 12); Joseph, meaning his sons Ephraim and Manasseh (vv. 13–17); Zebulun and Issachar (vv. 18–19); Gad (vv. 20–21); Dan (v. 22); Naphtali (v. 23), and Asher (vv. 24–25). (Of Jacob’s original sons, Simeon is missing, perhaps because that tribe would be somewhat absorbed by Judah.) Moses’ blessing can be compared to son-by-son blessing of Jacob in Genesis 49. Jacob’s words had a more prophetic dimension, whereas Moses was more focused on blessing, intercession, and prayer. Israel must understand what an incredible privilege it is to be the people of God (v. 29)! >> The title “man of God” for Moses first appears in today’s reading (v. 1). It’s simple, yet there may be no higher praise. May we all aspire to be a man or woman of God! PRAY WITH US Give us a multigenerational mindset, Father. Lead us in the sacrifices we yield and the decisions we make to set up the next generation of believers for fruitful ministry and intimacy with You.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more