Third Bible Read Thread

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 76

Numbers 25
John 7

 

[FredVB]

DAY 75

Numbers 24
John 6

The Balaam story back in Numbers 22 with his talking donkey always gets me.

Think about how Balaam took the talking of the donkey he was using in stride. Certainly the donkeys otherwise were not talking. But why would he not be more surprised in his response? I consider this one of the things pointing to communication between humans and other animal creatures originally, before the fall, and even at this later time then there was still memory of that passed on among many. Now accounts like this are dismissed like they would be fairytales, without recognition that God would be able to make creation that way. But that animals talked with human people before was not dismissed then.

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 77

Numbers 26
John 8

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 78

Numbers 27
John 9

 

[FredVB]

In John 9, we find this. "His disciples asked him, saying, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.' "

This is significant showing that the common response is judging others for any hardship they go through, yet that is not Christian response, we don't know enough generally to adequately judge, we should help if we are in a position to, and God can use the circumstances for great good, even that we don't see.

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 79

Numbers 28
John 10

 

[FredVB]

John 10 is a chapter showing several of the times Jesus made his 'I Am' statements.

"I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.​

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.​

Some said of him, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Jesus soon gave an answer saying, "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

Those rejecting him understood his claim, they took up stones to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

They answered, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 80

Numbers 29
John 11

 

[FredVB]

Almost any of us understand that Jesus spoke this way at times, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up," with referring to death of one as sleep, as it effectively would be for believers, who will be raised again from death as if from sleep. Still it was a great wonder for those who were there to see Lazarus who had died rise from death when Jesus called him to come forth from the tomb where he bad been laid..And even with this great wonder there were some who were witnesses of that there who would not believe in Jesus and went to report to the Pharisees, who plotted to have Jesus killed. If there is an unforgivable sin, which Jesus said there is, it would include this thing, condemning the author of life who was the way of resurrection and new life.

 

[SarahsKnight]

“Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up," with referring to death of one as sleep, as it effectively would be for believers, who will be raised again from death as if from sleep. Still it was a great wonder for those who were there to see Lazarus who had died rise from death when Jesus called him to come forth from the tomb where he bad been laid..And even with this great wonder there were some who were witnesses of that there who would not believe in Jesus and went to report to the Pharisees, who plotted to have Jesus killed.

Indeed. I wonder if scenes like this, in which some folk - most of all the Pharisees - sought to accuse or condemn Jesus for healing people of illnesses and disabilities, or causing someone to rise from the sleep of the dead, was what Isaiah had in mind when he wrote this verse segment: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;

I mean, how can such deeds ever be anything but good? Yet there were once some Pharisees who literally called them the work of demons.

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 81

Numbers 30
John 12

 

[FredVB]

John 12 is full of valuable things to consider.

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

We might remember the gift of myrrh that was brought to him when was an infant or very young child, that was for burial. Had it been saved for that?

Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief...

I thought when seeing the phrase Judas Iscariot son of Simon how very specific that is. Why not one designation or the other? I looked up the meaning of Iscariot. He was from Kerioth. No one else in scripture passages is named both for who they are the son of and what community they are from, right in the same passage, it is just him.

Many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

They would even have Lazarus who had been given his life back get double jeopardy, taking away that life which was restored, again. This is how corrupt they were.

​

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”
Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

"Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”

They were this way not even considering that he was fulfilling all the prophecies of the Messiah who was to come, which as leaders they were in Judaism then should have known. But they were showing they really did not want the Messiah to come and they had no hope in it.

Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Notice it seems Jesus did not answer to the Greek individuals who came to see him, recognizing them. It was not time to show the gospel was made available for Jews and gentiles, yet. But Jesus was saying what would be fulfilled, for the gospel to be available.

​

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

This was a second occasion, after the baptism of Jesus that he was anointed, and much later, that his heavenly Father spoke to him audibly from Heaven, that there is God's direct testimony of him.

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 82

Numbers 31
John 13

 

[FredVB]

This about that Jesus had to take everything off to wash the feet of his disciples, like any servant would. This was not a normal Passover observance. Jesus was the lamb, himself, there.

 

[SarahsKnight]

I myself am falling behind on this reading due to unexpectedly having to work a lot of overtime this past week and for the the next two. I am going to have to put this thread on hold for another week or so. We'll resume soon enough, be assured.

And thank you @FredVB for your recurring contribution in particular as of late.

 

[FredVB]

I myself am falling behind on this reading due to unexpectedly having to work a lot of overtime this past week and for the the next two. I am going to have to put this thread on hold for another week or so. We'll resume soon enough, be assured.

And thank you @FredVB for your recurring contribution in particular as of late.

I am glad to post here just as in other threads on CF where I do, as I use what I find or what I am familiar with from scriptures and communicate what I can from those in my words. It is not that others don't read the passages I speak from, but any of us might miss some comprehension for what is read that hearing another speaking to those might help with.

 

[SarahsKnight]

I myself am falling behind on this reading due to unexpectedly having to work a lot of overtime this past week and for the the next two. I am going to have to put this thread on hold for another week or so. We'll resume soon enough, be assured.

And thank you @FredVB for your recurring contribution in particular as of late.

Whew. Finally got past that and am now off for a week as originally scheduled, so let us continue.

DAY 83

Numbers 32
John 14

 

[SarahsKnight]

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.


This passage stood out to me in today's reading. Especially the last ten years of my life since my healing from a horrific year of suffering Scrupulosity, verses assuring us of the coming, the promises, and the presence of the Holy Spirit like this one, are particularly treasured by me.
But also, I think I have a decent idea now as to why Jesus Christ alludes to a difference between His way and the way of what He consistently calls "the world" throughout the Gospels, in verse 27. My guess is that, when He refers to the way "the world giveth", He means that the sinful nature of humans would include - whether they consciously realize it or not - a degree of self-serving intent in some way. That there would be stipulations, conditions involved, perhaps, when humans give to one another. Or at worst completely selfish, in which they care nothing at all for the edification or happiness of the person they are giving to.

But the Spirit, given to us by Christ upon His leaving the world after His resurrection? He gives 100% selflessly and freely. As He said in a previous verse in the Gospels when He said "knock, and the door shall be opened", all we need do, when you get down to it, is ask.

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 84

Numbers 33
John 15

 

[SarahsKnight]

DAY 85

Numbers 34
John 16