Pastor's Note from March 16, 2014

This week in our OT reading and NT study we’re coming to the Book of Joshua and continuing in Luke.  As you may recall, our theme verses for 2014 comes from Joshua 1 these verses serve as our memory verses for this week. 

Something I want to mention from the end of Deuteronomy is the death of Moses.  From reading Numbers and Deuteronomy, we know that Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land because he had disobeyed God in Numbers 20 when he struck the rock God told him to speak to in order to get water.  Then God said in Num 20:12 “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”  If you think that seems a harsh punishment for striking instead of speaking to the rock, then you don’t appreciate the sanctity and holiness of God’s name.  You’re not alone, even as Christians many of us don’t understand the holiness of God’s name. 

So Moses dies just before God makes final preparations for leading Israel into the Promised Land.  God led him to Mt Pizgah where Deut 34:6 says God buried Moses.  This seems strange, that God would bury Moses, or at least oversee his burial by angels.  Why did God do this?  Jude 9 gives us a clue: it says that the devil wanted Moses’ dead body and fought with Michael the Archangel over it.  What is going on?  Well, imagine the trouble the devil could have caused using the dead body of Moses, perhaps even indwelling it and making himself appear as Moses.  God made sure that did not happen for the protection of His people.  It was a spiritual battle.  Ephesians 6 says that we are all in a spiritual battle, how often do we still act like we can fight that battle on our own?

Bible reading:

3/17	Monday	Joshua 1-3	Luke 16
3/18	Tuesday	Joshua 4-6	Luke 17
3/19	Wednesday	Joshua 7-9	Luke 18
3/20	Thursday	Joshua 10-12	Luke 19
3/21	Friday	Joshua 13-15	Luke 20
3/22	Saturday	Joshua 16-18	None
3/23	Sunday	Joshua 19-21	None

Bible memory verse: Joshua 1:8-9

“This Book of the Law (Bible) shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate upon it day and night: that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your ways prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”