Daily Reading Passages

Click below for access to the passages. Biblegateway.com is an excellent site with many versions of the Bible. The link below opens in NIV.  Youversion.com is a new site that allows you to annotate your own Bible, make notes, and comments once you create an account. That link opens in the TNIV version. Other versions are available at both sites.

Coaching Comments

This Old Testament reading for today is Numbers 2:1 - 3:51. In this reading two logistical things are taken care of. In chapter 2, God gives Moses an arrangement for the camp, with all the people grouped by tribes, surrounding the tabernacle. This is the way that they set up their location until they finally made it to the promised land. In chapter 3, God confirms his anointing on Aaron and his descendants as priests and selects the tribe of Levi to assist them in the duties of the tabernacle.

The priesthood, and all the support roles performed by the Levites, were hereditary. Aaron and his sons, and their descendants were always to be priests. The Levites were always to be the ones running the operations of the tabernacle, and later the temple. This remained the case until the destruction of the second temple by the Romans in 70 AD. But traditional and orthodox Jews still retain very high respect for the people who are authentically of this descent, and the reserve the right for the Kohanim (the hereditary priests) and the Levi'im (the descendants of the Levites) to conduct special blessings, readings and prayers at Synagogue. Among those Jews it is very important to carefully trace their lineage. The priests (Kohanim) and the Levites (Levi'im) kept good records, and for centuries they put certain symbols on the tombstones of deceased members of their tribes. Because of that, there are some families, even around today, who can pretty accurately trace their lineage to priests as far back as the Babylonian Exile. Even today, there's a pretty good chance that people with the surname "Levi" (or "Levin" or "Levine") or "Cohen" (Or "Katz" which was a shortened version of the phrase "kohein tzadik," which meant "righteous priest") who have some Jewish ancestry are descendants of Aaron and the Levites. There have even been DNA studies recently that verify this to be true.

The New Testament reading today is Mark 11:27 - 12:17. Today's reading and the next reading or two show us all the final interaction Jesus had in Jerusalem before Passover week and the Passion.

The leaders were increasingly frustrated and angered by Jesus and all He was doing. The attack on the temple merchants really was going to far in their mind. So they confronted Him about where He thought He was getting the authority to do these things. But Jesus answered their question in a way that brazenly revealed their craven attitudes. Their own pride and political desires kept them from being able to even answer His question, which made them all the more angry.

That led directly into a parable that Jesus gave, aimed directly at these leaders. They knew it, and so did everyone listening. It showcased their selfish ambitions that they masked behind self-assumed spiritual significance, and the way that they were betraying the trust placed in them by the Jewish people. Of course, this only heightened their conviction that Jesus had to be done away with. So, they sent someone out to trap Him into saying something treasonous against the Roman government. If they could get him to make a statement against the government, then the government would arrest Him and do their dirty work. But again Jesus answered in a way that confounded them.

It's interesting to watch these final days unfold and see how the religious leaders were so committed to their course of action that they were blind to what was in front of them. It's a real reminder that God never overwhelms our ability to choose. We can position ourselves in such a way that if we don't want to hear God's truth for us, we won't be able to. Our own pride can blind us - and all the while we think we're actually doing the right thing. God, keep our hearts and ears open to you so that we never fall into such a trap!

Psalms 47, a short song, is our Psalms reading for today (Psalms 47:1-9). This one is clearly written for corporate worship and meant for a celebration. It's a bubbling and joyful song of praise. You can so easily hear the full band and joyful singing accompanying these words as they dance with joy, worshiping God.

The Proverbs reading today, Proverbs 10:24-25, is a little window into the ultimate fate of humanity. The wicked operate on the basis of whatever is necessary for their own security. At it's core there is fear. But of course no amount of money or power or pleasure can provide that security, and in the end, none of it can deter death and judgment. And so the very fear that motivates them will come to pass. But the righteous (be definition) are the ones who desire God, and they will in fact have Him. The storms will pass, this life will fade away, and when all the smoke clears, the only thing left will be those hearts set on God.

2007 Cohort Comments