Numbers 32 - Isaiah 14 – 1 Corinthians 13 – 1 John 4

Numbers 32
- People of Reuben and Gad had a lot of livestock.
- They went to Moses, Eleazar, and the chiefs (Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon) and said if they found favor with them, could they possess the land of Gilead and NOT cross the Jordan with them.
- Moses asked how they could stay there while their brothers went to war.
- Moses said this would discourage the people like the incident of Valley of Eshcol
- That incident is when God became angry and said no one over 20 (except Caleb and Joshua) would see the promised land.
- That incident was also the reason God kept the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years.
- Moses accuses them of taken their fathers' sinful place and trying to bring God's anger on them again.
- The people of Reuben and Gad said they'd keep their livestock and children there, but that they would go fight with their brothers until they too had their inheritance.
- They said they wouldn't return home until the fighting was over.
- They said their inheritance was on the east side of the Jordan.
- Moses said that if they fought, then that land would be theirs and they would be free of their obligation to the Lord.
- If they don't do what they say they will be punished because they have sinned against the Lord.
- How long did it take them to build pens for their livestock and fortified cities for their kids? Wouldn't that take a long time and prolong the battle Israel was facing?
- They repeated the agreement and the armed men would go and fight.
- Moses talked to Eleazar and Joshua about the agreement.
- If they break the agreement, they lose the land on the east of the Jordan and get an inheritance in Canaan.
- The land east of the Jordan had belonged to Sihon the Amorite and Og of Bashan.
- The people of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran.
- The people of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names were changed), and Sibmah.
- After they had claimed the land, THEN they went and won the land from the Amorites.
- Nobah captured Kenath and named it Nobah.

Isaiah 14
- God will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel.
- They will get their land back and sojourners will join them.
- Their captors will then be their captives, slaves.
- God will give them rest for their pain and turmoil under the King of Babylon.
- The Lord will break the rule of the wicked.
- He will strike down the nations who ruled in anger and persecution.
- The whole earth will be at rest and quiet.
- Sheol will come to meet the wicked the kings and rulers.
- Their pomp, arrogance, has brought them down to Sheol (death)
- Their fall will be great.
- It refers to the Babylonians as the Day Star.
- The Babylonians said their throne will be higher than heaven.
- That is why God has brought them low.
- Others will question the fall of the mighty Babylon.
- They won't even be buried but scattered when they are slain.
- They have destroyed their land and their people.
- Their sons will be destroyed so they can not repeat the work of their fathers and rise up again.
- The Lord will cut off their name, remnant, descendants, and posterity and give their land to the hedgehog (porcupine/owl)
- God will sweep them away with "the broom of destruction"
- God also promises to break the Assyrians in His land.
- God will remove the yoke from His people there.
- He asked who can turn back His hand. (The answer is no one)
- In the year King Ahaz died Isaiah received the oracle concerning Philistia
- It tells them not to rejoice when the rod that struck them is broken (Babylon or Assyria?)
- There will be another serpent to take the place of the first.
- The poor and needy will be safe (Who is this referring to?)
- God will kill their root with famine.
- Philistia should be afraid of the "smoke from the north"
- The afflicted of Israel will find refuge in Zion.

1 Corinthians 13
- This is known as the love chapter and most often used in weddings
- This is the "more excellent way" Paul ended Chapter 12 on spiritual gifts.
- Paul says if he speaks in tongues of angels but doesn't have love he is a loud sound.
- Having all knowledge and faith that can move mountains without love is nothing.
- Giving away everything and being burned for your faith without love gains you nothing.
- Love is:
1) Patient
2) Kind
3) Doesn't envy or boast
4) Not arrogant
5) Not rude
6) Doesn't insist on its own way
7) Not irritable
8) Not resentful
9) Doesn't rejoice at doing wrong
10) Rejoices in truth
11) Bears all things
12) Believes all things
13) Hopes all things
14) Endures all things
15) Never ends
(Paul shows that gifts without love are nothing) (also shows what true love looks like)
- prophecies, tongues, and knowledge (the things the Corinthians found most important) will pass away.
- We know and prophesy in part
- When the perfect (Christ) comes the partial will pass away.
- Paul says he acted like a child when he was a child, but as a man he has given up "childish ways"
- What we see now is a dim view of what is to come.
- Faith, hope, and love are important, but the greatest thing is love.

1 John 4
- John tells the to test the spirits to see if they are from God.
- There are many false prophets.
- Every spirit that confesses God is from God.
- Those that do not confess God are from the antichrist.
- God is greater than the antichrist who is in the world.
- The antichrist is from the world and speaks to the world and the world listens.
- Those from God listen to them.
- Through testing they will know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error (first "spirit" is capitalized)
- John again tells the to love one another because God IS love.
- God's love was made manifest when he sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him (The Gospel)
- Love isn't that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to die for our sins as a propitiation.
- If God loved us this much, shouldn't we love others?
- God's love is perfected through us when we love others.
- God has given us the Spirit to love others.
- John says they have seen and testify the God the Father sent His Son as Savior of the world.
- Those who confess Jesus as the Son of God abide in God.
- Those who abide in love abide in God and He in them.
- Because of this fact we have confidence for the day of judgment.
- Perfect love casts out fear.
- Fear comes from punishment, but God has perfected us in love and knowledge of Him through the Gospel.
- We love because He first loved us.
- You can't say you love God and hate your brother.
- You can't love God whom you can't see and hate your brother whom you have seen.
- "We" (John and whoever is writing the letter with him) have given a commandment that "whoever loves God must also love his brother".