Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Deuteronomy 19, Isaiah 39

Deuteronomy 19
- After God gives them the land and casts out their enemies they will set aside 3 cities.
- They are to measure the distances and split the land into 3 parts.
- These three cities will be where a manslayer can go.
- A manslayer who can flee is someone that accidentally killed someone like an axe accident
- If they don't flee the avenger of blood can kill them.
- The manslayer doesn't deserve to die.
- Why is the "y" capitalized in You in v.7?
- Why does it say "if" God gives the land that He promised their forefathers?
- It says if they keep His commandments and get the extra land they should create 3 more cities.
- These cities ensure innocent blood is not shed.
- If it is then the guilt of bloodshed would be on them.
- If anyone kills his neighbor intentionally and flees to one of the 3 cities, the elders shall cast that person out to the avenger of blood.
- They shouldn't pity the murderer but shall purge guilt of innocent blood.
- Do not move your neighbors land markers which have been there for a long time.
- A single witness is not enough to accuse someone.
- A charge can come about by 2 or 3 witnesses.
- If a malicious witness comes they shall stand before God and the priests and judges.
- The judges and priests will inquire to find out if the brother was accused falsely.
- If he IS a false witness, the false witness will receive the punishment instead of the accused.
- Others will hear and never bear false witness again.
- Well know quote "Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" Jesus later tweaks this verse saying to turn the other cheek

Isaiah 39
- Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah because he heard Hezekiah had recovered.
- Hezekiah welcomed them gladly.
- He showed Merodach his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses.
- Isaiah asked Hezekiah what he said to them.
- Hezekiah said they came from far away in Babylon and he showed them everything.
- Isaiah said the kings of Babylon will come and take away everything and there shall be nothing left.
- Some of Hezekiah's own sons will be taken away as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
- Hezekiah replied that what Isaiah said was good because there would be peace in Hezekiah's days.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Deuteronomy 18, Isaiah 38

Deuteronomy 18
- Levitical priests got their food from the Lord's food offering since they have no portion of their own.
- The Lord is the Levites' inheritance.
- The priest's dues from a sacrifice shall be the shoulder, the cheeks, and stomach of an ox or sheep.
- Firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, and fleece also go to the Levites.
- They should give to the Levites because God chose them to minister for the people.
- The Levites can move between town and shall receive an equal share
- He also receives from sales of his patrimony (The Hebrew meaning of this is uncertain)
- When they enter new lands they shouldn't follow ways of those places that are abominable.
- Abominable things include; sacrificing kids by burning them, sorcery, divination, fortune telling, necromancer, or talking to the dead.
- These things are the reason God is driving those people out of the land in the first place.
- Those people being ousted have done these things but God doesn't allow the Israelites to do those things.
- Moses tells them that God will raise up another like him to be a prophet.
- Moses reminds them of Horeb and how the people said they didn't want to hear God from the fire anymore.
- The Lord had even said there that the people were right.
- God will choose a brother to speak God's commandments to the people.
- Any prophet who speaks something God hasn't said OR speaks in the name of other God's will die.
- Moses tells they can tell if a prophet has spoken something God did NOT say because it won't come true.
- God says they shouldn't fear a false prophet.

Isaiah 38
- Hezekiah became very sick and Isaiah came to him.
- Isaiah told Hezekiah to get things in order because he was about to die.
- Hezekiah turned away and prayed for God to remember how he walked faithfully and he wept bitterly.
- God then spoke to Isaiah and told him to tell Hezekiah that He would add 15 years to Hezekiah's life.
- God also said that he'd defend Hezekiah's city against the King of Assyria.
- God gave them a sign; turning back the shadow on the sun dial of Ahaz back 10 steps.
- The sun turned back on the sun dial ten steps.
- The rest of this chapter is a letter from Hezekiah king of Judah after he recovered from his illness.
- Hezekiah recounts how he was to die in the middle of his days.
- He saw that his house would be rolled up and taken from him.
- His life was coming to an end and he calmed himself (also means cried out for help) until morning.
- His eyes were weary from looking upwards and he prayed for safety.
- He walked slowly because of the bitterness of his soul.
- Hezekiah asked God to restore his health.
- He had great bitterness for his own welfare.
- God delivered him in love.
- God has cast all of Hezekiah's sins behind His back.
- Sheol, Death, and those down in the pit without hope in God's faithfulness do not thank God.
- The living, like Hezekiah DO thank God and tell their children about God's faithfulness.
- Isaiah told Hezekiah to apply a cake of figs to the boils.
- Why did Hezekiah ask God for a sign to let him know to go up to the house of the Lord?

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Deuteronomy 17, Isaiah 35

Deuteronomy 17
- It is an abomination to sacrifice an animal with a defect to God.
- If they find someone who is worshipping other gods, the sun or moon, or any other in heaven, they shall be brought to the gate and stoned to death.
- A person will be put to death by 2 or 3 witnesses but not by 1 witness alone.
- The witness shall cast the first stone then the rest to purge the evil from their midst.
- If a matter too difficult arises like a murder, legal right, or assault they shall go to where God tells them.
- They shall go to Levitical priests and judge to get a decision.
- They should do what the judge and priest says.
- They shouldn't turn from the decision made to the right or to the left.
- Those who change the verdict shall die.
- This will cause others to hear and fear and not act presumptuously again.
- This part talks about them wanting a king in the future like other nations around them.
- The king shall be appointed from their brothers.
- No foreigner may be appointed king.
- The king shall not have many horses or return to Egypt for horse because told them NOT to return to Egypt.
- The king shouldn't acquire many wives or much gold and silver because these things can turn the king's heart from God.
- The king shall copy this law into a book before the Levite priests.
- The king should read this book (Deuteronomy?) all the days of his life to learn to fear the Lord.
- His heart shouldn't be lifted above his brothers.
- He shouldn't turn from God's commandments so that his children and kingdom may last a long time in Israel.

Isaiah 35
- The ransomed shall be returned.
- The wilderness and dry land will rejoice and they shall be given the glory of Lebanon and the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
- They shall see the glory and majesty of God.
- They should tell the weak and anxious not to fear because God will avenge them.
- God is coming to save them.
- The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap, and the mute will speak. (foreshadowing of miracles Christ did?)
- The waters will break forth and water the dry land.
- Where the jackals had been there will be reeds and rushes again. (Place for water)
- A highway will be there called the Way of Holiness.
- The unclean and the fool shall not walk on it.
- Why does one translation say the fool will walk in it but the other translation seems to contradict it?
- The redeemed will walk there but the lion and beasts will not walk there.
- God's ransomed shall return with singing
- They will find everlasting joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing will "flee away"

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Deuteronomy 16, Isaiah 34

Deuteronomy 16


- They were to remember the month of Abib and the Passover


- They needed to make a passover sacrifice from the flock at the place God chooses.


- They shall eat unleavened bread for 7 days because they left Egypt in haste.


- They shouldn't even have leaven to be seen in their area.

- They should always remember the day God brought them out of Egypt.

- No meat that they eat at night shall be left until morning on the first day.

- They shouldn't offer the Passover sacrifice in the towns they take over but in a place God will appoint.

- They shall offer the Passover sacrifice in the evening at sunset (because that's when they left Egypt)

- They should cook and eat it where God chooses.

- 6 days with no leaven and one the 7th day they shall do no work.

- They should count 7 weeks from when they first start the harvest.

- During the Feast of Weeks they shall offer a freewill offering.

- Everyone including slaves and sojourners shall shall rejoice and remember that they were all once slaves in Egypt.

- The Feast of Booths shall be kept for 7 days when they have gathered the produce.

- They should be altogether joyful that God has blessed the work of their hands.

- Three times a year all males shall appear before the Lord; at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.

- They shouldn't come before the Lord empty handed, but should give to the Lord with what he has been blessed with.

- They should appoint judges and officials in each town to make righteous judgments.

- They should be partial or accept bribes.

- Bribes blind eyes of the wise and subverts righteousness.

- Justice should be followed.

- Justice will equal living and inheriting the land.

- They should plant any trees (especially an Asherah) near the altar.

- God also hates pillars.



Isaiah 34

- God is addressing all nations.

- God is furious and enrages against all nations and has devoted it to destruction.

- There will be corpses and blood flowing from mountains.

- Why will heaven rot away?

- The sky will roll up like a scroll.

- Who in heaven has been cut down by God's sword?

- God's judgment is now on Edom.

- The Lord's sword is filled with blood and fat from sacrifices.

- The Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah.

- Will the land be filled with animal blood or the blood of the people there?

- The land in Edom shall be gorged in fat.
- The Lord will take vengeance for Zion and Edom will burn like pitch forever.
- No one will even pass through Edom again.
- The hawk, porcupine, owl, and raven shall dwell there.
- God will draw a line of confusion and emptiness over it.
- Thorns, nettles, and thistles shall grow over it's strongholds.
- Wild animals; jackals, ostriches, hyenas, goats, and night bird shall rest there.
- The owls and hawks will nest there too.
- Why does it say to seek and read from the Book of the Lord that these animals will be there?
- God's spirit has gathered them there and given them that land forever.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Deuteronomy 15, Isaiah 33

Deuteronomy 15
- At the end of 7 years they shall grant a release.
- Every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor because God the Lord's release was proclaimed
- They may exact it on the foreigner but not their brothers.
- There will be no poor in the land God is giving them if the strictly obey God's commandments.
- God will bless them and they will lend to others but not borrow from anyone
- If that is true, why would they borrow from each other?
- This is because other nations won't rule over them.
- If anyone becomes poor they shall give without hardening their hearts.
- They shall lend whatever their brother needs.
- If in the 7th year, they don't help out their brother and he cries out to God, that is sin.
- They shall give freely without complaining because God will bless them for giving to the poor.
- There will never cease to be poor so God commanded them to open their hand to the poor.
- Why does it say there won't be poor in v.4 and then say there will never cease to be poor in v.11?
- If a Hebrew man or woman is sold to them they shall work for 6 years and be let free in the 7th year.
- When they are freed they shall be given supplies from the flock, the threshing floor, and the winepress.
- They should do this because God blessed them when they left Egypt.
- If the slave says he doesn't want to leave because he loves them, they shall punch a hole in the slave's ear and they will be his slave forever.
- They shouldn't be upset when freeing a slave because they slave worked for half the cost of a hired servant.
- How much did a slave make?
- The firstborn males in herds and flocks shall be dedicated to God.
- They shouldn't use the firstborn for work or wool.
- They shall it the firstborn before God.
- If the firstborn has any blemishes it shall not be sacrificed to God.
- The clean and unclean may eat it.
- They shouldn't eat its blood but pour it out on the ground.

Isaiah 33
- Who is the "destroyer" that this verse speaks of?
- The destroyer will be destroyed and the betrayer, betrayed.
- This verse asks God to be gracious and arm every morning.
- When God lifts Himself up the nations scatter.
- The Lord on high is exalted and fills Zion with righteousness and justice.
- He is the stability in these times.
- God gives salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
- The fear of God is Zion's treasure.
- Their heroes cry and traveling ceases.
- Covenants are broken and the land mourns.
- Lebanon is confounded and withers away.
- Sharon is a desert.
- Bashan and Caramel shake.
- In the midst of this chaos, God will raise Himself up.
- The people will be burned like chaff.
- Those near and far should acknowledge God's might.
- The sinners and godless of Zion tremble with fear.
- They know they cannot dwell among the consuming fire.
- The ones who can stand walk in righteousness and speaks uprightly, despises oppression, won't take a bribe, stops bloodshed, doesn't look on evil.
- That righteous person will stand on high, his bread will be with God.
- Their eyes will behold the beauty of their king.
- Insolence and not understanding people will end.
- They will see Zion and see Jerusalem without trouble.
- The Lord in His majesty will be for us in a place ships cannot sail to.
- The LORD is our judge, lawgiver, and king who will save us.
- In that time the spoil will be divide among them.
- No one there will be sick and they will be forgiven of their iniquities!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Deuteronomy 14, Isaiah 32

Deuteronomy 14
- It starts off by reminding them that they are sons of God (before listing what they should and shouldn't do)
- They shouldn't cut themselves or shave their heads for the dead.
- They are God's treasured and chosen people out of the whole earth.
- This chapter lists food restrictions.
- They are allowed to eat; deer, gazelle, the roebuck, wild goat, the ibex (addax), the antelope, and the mountain sheep. (Any animal with a two parted cloven hoof that chews the cud.)
- The animals that chew the cud with no parted hoof NOT to be eaten are: camel, hare, rock badger.
- The pig parts the hoof but doesn't chew the cud so shall NOT be eaten.
- Those animals shall not be eaten or touched.
- In the water they can eat anything with fins and scales, but if it doesn't have fins and scales it should NOT be eaten.
- They may eat clean birds but these they may NOT eat; eagle, bearded vulture, black vulture, kites, falcons, ravens, ostriches, the nighthawk, seagulls, hawks, the little owl, short-eared owl, barn owl, tawny owl, carrion vulture, cormorant, stork, heron, hoopoe, or the bat an all winged insects.
- They may NOT eat anything that died naturally, but may give it to the sojourner or he may sell it to a foreigner.
- They were NOT to boil a young goat in its mother's milk either.
- They were to tithe for all crops grown each year.
- They should eat the tithe of their grain and firstborn livestock so that they may fear the Lord always.
- How does this make them fear the Lord?
- If carrying the tithe to God's chosen land is too much, they may turn the tithe food/livestock into money and carry that.
- Why are they able to spending their tithe on whatever they want like food or strong drink?
- They shall eat there and rejoice with their household.
- The Levites should not be neglected
- At the end of every 3 years, they should bring the tithe of their produce into their towns for the Levites, sojourners, fatherless, and the widow.
- Didn't they spend their tithe money on food and strong drink?
- When they do this, God will bless them in all that their hands do.

Isaiah 32
- The king will reign in righteousness and the prince rule in justice (Is this referring to God and Christ?)
- They shall be like a shelter from a storm or like water in a dry place (desert)
- Then people will see and hear and give their attention.
- The hearty of the hasty with understand and those who stutter shall speak clearly.
- The fool will not be called noble nor the scoundrel called honorable.
- The fool speak folly and his heart is busy with iniquity, ungodliness, and he utters errors about who God is.
- The fool leave those without food hungry and the thirsty without drink.
- The scoundrel is evil and plans wicked to ruin the poor and needy by lying to them.
- "But he who is noble plans noble things and on noble things he stands" (v.8)
- Isaiah tells the resting women to rise up with their complacent daughters.
- In a little over a year they will shutter because the grape and fruit harvest will NOT come.
- Isaiah tells the complacent to shudder and dress in sack cloth for the "pleasant" fields and soil which will grow briar's and thorns.
- The palace will be forsaken and the populous city will be deserted.
- The watchtower will be a place for animals until "the Spirit is poured upon us from on high" (a possible connection to Acts?)
- The wilderness will then be fruitful again and the field be called a forest
- Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness live in the fruitful fields.
- Righteousness's effect will be peace, quietness, and trust (security) forever.
- God's people will live in peace, security, and quiet resting places.
- It will hail when the forest falls and the city will be laid low.
- Why this negative thing in the positive section of peace and security?
- Happy are the people who sow next to the waters and let their oxen and donkeys range free.

Clarifying My Quiet Time Plan

I know a few of you check out my blog from time-to-time and I hope any notes you've read here have been helpful. My original plan was to read through the Bible in a year using For the Love of God by D.A. Carson and take notes this time. I started off well, but when taking notes and seeking to truly understand the daily readings it was taking over an hour in the mornings. Two weeks ago, I finished up Revelations and 2 Corinthians thus ending the OT. Now I still need to do several OT books. I paused in Deuteronomy with chapter 13 and in Isaiah on chapter 31. Since I realize now that my D. A. Carson plan is way off, my new plan is to wrap up Isaiah and Deuteronomy and then wrap up the missing OT books. Just for my personal info; I still have Joshua, Hosea, Obadiah, Habakkuk, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Psalms, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

Let the final leg begin!