Numbers 18 - Isaiah 10 – Romans 15 – James 3

Numbers 18
- The Lord told Aaron that he and his sons would bear iniquity for the sanctuary.
- The rest of the tribe of Levi shall help him.
- They should guard the tent but not touch its vessels or they and Aaron shall die.
- Aaron was to guard the sanctuary and the alter so that God's wrath shall never again be on the people of Israel.
- The Lord gave the Levites as a gift to Aaron to help serve him.
- Any outsider who comes near the alter shall die.
- Part of the people's contributions to God are given to Aaron and his sons.
- All offerings shall be most holy to Aaron and his sons.
- They were to eat it in the most holy place.
- Only males may eat it.
- Aaron also receives all of the people's wave offerings. (sons and daughters get this)
- Those who are clean may eat of eat. God also gave Aaron the firstfruits.
- What does God mean when he says everything that opens the womb?
- The first born of man and animal shall be redeemed.
- The redemption price is five shekels of silver (20 gerahs) at one month of age.
- The first born cow, sheep, and goat don't have to be redeemed because they are holy.
- Their blood shall be sprinkled on the alter and the fat burned as a food offering.
- The flesh, breast, and right thigh Aaron is to keep for himself.
- Why does the Lord refer to this as a "covenant of salt"?
- The Levites shall not have land or an inheritance because God is their inheritance.
- Israel's tithes are the inheritance of the Levites.
- Why does God repeat that the Levites have no inheritance 3 times in one paragraph?
- God told Moses to tell the Levites that they were to give one tenth of the tithes they received as a tithing of their own.
- What does it mean to give a contribution to the Lord to give to Aaron?
- Did Aaron tithe?
- They were also supposed to give their best part to the Lord.
- They shall eat the rest of the tithing they receive any place as payment for their service in the tent.
- God cautions them not to profane the holy things that they are receiving.

Isaiah 10
- Isaiah casts woes on the oppressive of the poor, and those who prey on widows and the fatherless.
- He asks what they will do when destruction comes to them from far away.
- What good will their wealth be on that day.
- These are more reasons why God's wrath is on the people of Israel.
- God is using Assyria as his "rod of anger"
- God is sending them to plunder rebellious Israel.
- God says destruction will later come to Assyria for their selfish pride and arrogance.
- The Assyrians are so focused on what they have done to Jerusalem and Samaria.
- The Assyrian king sees it as he has conquered Israel by his own power and wisdom.
- The king sees it like taking eggs from a nest and doesn't see God working through his conquests.
- God says the saw and axe do not boast about what they do because of the person using them and Assyria shouldn't boast because God is using them to discipline Israel.
- God will send sickness and fire on the Assyrians.
- The Lord will burn their forests except for a very few trees which even " a child can write them down."
- The remnant will again lean on the Lord and not the Assyrians.
- The numerous Israelites will only return as a remnant.
- Destruction and righteousness can go together as it says, "Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness."
- God leaves the Israelites with hope and tells them that when his wrath is over it shall focus on the Assyrians.
- God reminds them of the time He struck down Midian at Oreb.
- Their yoke will be lifted because of the fat (the meaning of this statement is uncertain)
- Isaiah gives warning to several places which God will come through and strike them down;"Aiath;he has passed through Migron;at Michmash he stores his baggage; they have crossed over the pass;at Geba they lodge for the night;Ramah trembles;Gibeah of Saul has fled. Cry aloud, O daughter of Gallim!Give attention, O Laishah!O poor Anathoth! Madmenah is in flight;the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. This very day he will halt at Nob;he will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion,the hill of Jerusalem."
- The Lord, the Majestic One, will finally strike down Lebanon

Romans 15
- Paul tells the strong they are obligated to bear with the weak, because Christ did this for us
- We should each seek to build up our neighbors.
- Where is this written "“The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”?
- We find hope by endurance and encouragement from the scriptures.
- Paul hope is that they will be strengthened in Christ together in order to glorify God.
- Paul tells them to welcome one another.
- Christ became a servant to the circumcised (Jews) to show God's truthfulness.
- This led to Gentiles glorifying God for His mercy.
- Paul gives the Romans 4 verses which reflect His love for the Gentiles.
- Knowledge of the hope found in God should fill us with joy and peace.
- Paul in happy to see the Romans are full of goodness and able to instruct one another.
- Paul says he wrote to them boldly on a few things to remind them of the truth.
- Paul is proud of his work because of Christ Jesus.
- Paul only boasts in what Christ has done through him to bring Gentiles into obedience.
- Paul's ministry through Christ has stretched from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum.
- Paul wants to take the gospel to places it has never been preached before.
- Where does the quote "Those who have never been told of him will see,and those who have never heard will understand.” come from?
- Paul says he will now come to the Romans on his way to Spain.
- Paul says he is first going to Jerusalem to give gifts to the saints there.
- The Macedonians and Achaians have given Paul a contribution to give to the poor in Jerusalem.
- Paul says that the Gentiles should be contributing to the saints for the gift of salvation they have received through them.
- Paul asks them for their prayers for him on what he is doing.
- Why does Paul asked to be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea?
- Paul wants to come to them with joy to be refreshed.
- He ends with asking God's peace to be with the Romans.

James 3
- James says that those who teach will be judged more strictly.
- We all stumble in many ways.
- If anyone doesn't stumble, he is perfect.
- James points out that a horse's bit directs its whole body.
- He also points out that large ships are steered by a small rudder even in storms.
- A small spark starts a destructive fire
- The tongue is also a small member of the body with big results.
- James says man has tamed every kind of wild beast but cannot tame his tongue.
- The tongue is full of evil and poison.
- With bless God with or tongue and curse God's people.
- James says this shouldn't be the case, just as one spring cannot overflow with fresh and salt water.
- A fig tree also cannot produce olives.
- James is showing how one thing cannot have two very different result. It doesn't work like that.
- Good conduct, meekness, and wisdom = being wise and understanding.
- Jealousy and selfish ambition can "be false" to the truth. This is not from above but earthy and demonic.
- Jealousy and selfish ambition lead to disorder and "every vile practice"
- Godly wisdom is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere"
- Is my wisdom godly?
- Those who sow peace harvest righteousness.